TV Slackers

Why can't the folks on TV work the same schedule as everyone else? They only make about 10 shows and then they just keep repeating them over and over. The fall schedule doesn't start until late Sept. and we are already getting repeats by November. Then they don't bring back new episodes until late January and by March we are back to repeats again. Even the "live" shows I enjoy like "The View" and "The Daily Show" take very long breaks over the Holidays, Spring Break, the entire Summer and some Long weekends. These people get paid loads of money for working only a few hours a day anyway. I would expect a repeat on a Holiday weekend or maybe a vacation week but we should get new episodes every day, just like we have to go to work every day.

And here is the thing that really irritates me. The entire cast on "The View" (and other shows) all do other projects on the side! If their production schedule is so grueling that they can't do a full week of live shows, then how do they have the energy to do side projects? I feel cheated.

Lean and Mean

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Sound familiar? Since the economy tanked late last year, many corporations have done huge staff layoffs to try to stay afloat. But guess what, the work those people were doing didn't go with them. The folks who were fortunate enough to keep their jobs now have to pick up all those extra duties. If my own job is any indication, we now have a workforce that is under a lot of pressure with too much to do and not enough help. With the fear of layoffs still thick in the air, most people accept this extra burden as thanks for another paycheck.

Wonder why you snapped at a coworker just now? Having problems sleeping at night? Popping too many pills or drinking too much? Customer satisfaction at an all time low? More road rage incidents lately? Yelling at your kids too much? Read about any mass shootings?

These are all symptoms of a workforce under pressure. We can't expect this situation to continue without dire results. Your company was probably already running lean after 9/11, now it has a serious employment deficit. We need to hire people now and bring sanity back to the workforce.

Karma - from my point of view

I love the show "My Name is Earl" - the characters are great and the show is very funny. On the show Earl has had some very bad luck and he believes Karma is punishing him for all the people he has hurt in his life. So he makes a list of those people and tries to make it right again. It is an interesting concept but it's not quite how Karma works. In fact the show gets that point across too.

Karma isn't a "scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" type of thing. First, one should never give of themselves while expecting something in return. Second, the person you just helped is not likely the one who will return your Karma.

A simple example: Lets say you have a sick friend who needs something from the store. Even though you are very busy, you selflessly take time out to help this friend. The friend is very grateful but may not have the means beyond a simple thank you to let you know. Years later you are driving home from work and get a flat tire on the freeway only to find your spare is also flat. A kind stranger stops to help and soon you have it fixed. You don't have any money to give in return and in fact the stranger wouldn't take it anyway. These seemingly unrelated incidents are what Karma is all about.

While it is probably true that one good deed deserves another, those who expect an immediate return for their act of kindness will most surely be disappointed. Karma happens when your need arises, not when you think you deserve it. If you feel those you have helped are ungrateful, it is more likely that your own need has not yet appeared.

Rest assured Karma is watching and what goes around - comes around.