Validation ... Oh How Sweet (& Inspiring) It Is

Add Some Citrus Fish to Your Home

March is National Crafting Month!

Therefore, I will be sharing some fishy crafts that I've found that are both easy and fun.

To start it all off, we'll be making this adorable Lemon and Lime Fish!



These are the supplies you will need:

2 lemons
1 lime
2 allspice berries
a red radish
toothpicks
a sharp paring knife


Once you have all of your supplies ready, it's really quite easy to make these fish:

1. On your work surface, position the lemon on it's side to form the fish body. If it rolls,
trim away a small slice to create a flat bottom.

2. Cut a round slice from the second lemon. Towards the back of your fish's body, cut a small slit; insert the round slice to form it's fin.

3. Also from the second lemon, cut a small quarter-moon shaped slice of rind. Make a small incision in the top of your fish; insert the rind to form it's head.

4. From the lime rind, cut two same-size rounds; attach to the front with toothpicks to form fins.

5. Also from the lime rind, cut two small circles; attach with toothpicks to form the eyes. In the centers, attach allspice berries (pupils).

6. Cut a small slice of radish; attach with a toothpick to form it's mouth.


And voila! Hope you have fun making this cute little fish!



><(("> Becca Carpenter


Becca is a ><(("> Team member at Catch Your Limit Consulting, a management and marketing firm with offices in Tallahassee, FL and Richmond, VA. To learn more, visit www.catchyourlimit.com.


(Idea and instructions found on About.com)

Know When to Hold ‘Em; Know When to Fold ‘Em

I wish I would have written this, but I must give credit to our VP of HR. It is spot on. Enjoy.

Know When to Hold ‘Em; Know When to Fold ‘Em
As a leader, if you find yourself complaining about your associates, you should consider whether you are doing something wrong — or not doing something right. You might not have figured out how to find or keep good people, or you may have kept the wrong people, or you may have unrealistic expectations. I have made every mistake.
I believe that if you want to run a great operation, you should be happy with 100 percent of your people. It is better for your customers, it is better for your associates and it is better for you. There are many good, honest, hard-working people out there who are looking for jobs. If you keep someone who isn’t good, honest and hard-working, it’s not just your problem, it’s your fault. You’ve probably heard the old cliché, “you are only as strong as your weakest link.” It’s not just a cliché – it’s true. Take a good hard look at your staff. Do you have weak links? Why? Why aren’t you doing anything about it?
Being nice to everyone does not make you a good boss. It could, in fact, make you a bad boss. The purpose of business is to get the job done for the customer, to provide a respectful work environment, and to make a profit. [We are calling 2010] “the year of accountability.” It is the only way we will be able to achieve what we have set out to achieve for the year – having the right people, in the right places, doing the right things. Accountability often means making tough decisions to insure you have the best possible associates on your team.
If you want to run a great operation, you have to know when to quit, or in this case when to fire. Is it fun to fire? No. Does it make your life easier and provide a better product or service to your customers? Yes. Does it make for a better environment for your other associates? Yes. Does it make you a better boss, if you define better as being effective? Yes.

- Julie Silbar
><(("> Guest Blogger

Why Today's Leaders Need to Be Kayaks vs. Locomotives

Note: To those James River readers, please excuse me for a moment while I set this up for those readers that don't have the "best urban whitewater" running through their city.
The International Scale of River Difficulty is a standardized scale used to rate the safety of a stretch of river or a single rapid. The grade reflects the technical difficulty and skill level required. Rafters and kayakers love the thrill of conquering these river rapids and for some, the higher level the better – the more exhilarating.

Well, what if we approached the challenges we face daily with that same attitude? That’s the basis of an article I read recently by Martha Beck. Rather than keep chugging along like a locomotive (the way we've been taught) - "I think I can ... I think I can ...", we should adopt a kayak mindset.

Melissa is a ><((“> Team Member at Catch Your Limit Consulting, a management and marketing firm with offices in Tallahassee, Florida and Richmond, Virginia. She is a keynote speaker, facilitator, blogger and contributing author for international, national and regional publications. To learn more, visit http://www.catchyourlimit.com/ .

A Thief on the Loose!

During yesterday's cold, dreary afternoon something absolutely terrible happened. Check the headlines! A catastrophe has occurred in the Catch Your Limit office!

Have I got your attention?

Let me start with some background information. Scott, our tech mastermind, makes incredible food, period. If he sets his mind to cooking something, he doesn't settle for okay or even good. He shoots for exquisite. I have not eaten something he's made and not enjoyed it thoroughly

...especially his banana bread.


Scott decided it was time for another batch of his delicious banana bread, and brought some in for the office to share yesterday. Unfortunately, I was not in the office all day.

Now, this is not the catastrophe. You would think a whole loaf of banana bread could survive one day to be waiting for me when I walked in this morning.

But this is where the music goes dark and sinister, maybe throw in some dun dun dunnnns.

When I came in, I was not welcomed by ooey gooey goodness. No, there wasn't even a crumb-topped plate left as evidence. Where did the banana bread go?!

Scott sadly gave me the news. It seems a banana bread thief snuck its way into the office, unseen and unheard. It then gobbled down all that was left of the banana bread, finishing the last delicious morsel just as Scott entered the room. And with an evil little giggle, the thief made its speedy getaway, leaving me empty handed and belly rumbling.

"What does this awful creature look like?!" you may ask.

Scott's reply, "it had a strangely close resemblence to Erin".

Oh, the horror.

Here's an artist's rendition of what this greusome monster may look like:




Be on the lookout, or your banana bread could be next!





><(("> Becca Carpenter

Becca is a ><(("> Team member at Catch Your Limit Consulting, a management and marketing firm with offices in Tallahassee, FL and Richmond, VA. To learn more, visit www.catchyourlimit.com.