By MARK MAYNARD, Kentucky Today

EASTVIEW, Ky. (KT) You bring your own chair to services at First Baptist Church of Eastview.

Church members or visitors can plop down a lawn chair around where a 100-year-old oak tree sits on the church grounds and provides ample comfort and protection from the August heat. If youre lucky, you may get a seat near the base of the big tree, but make room for the makeshift altar because it can be a busy place.

Pastor Mike McGrew stands inside a semi-circle of lawn chairs and preaches his heart out. An invitation on Aug. 16 lasted for 30 minutes after hearing an evangelistic sermon. They came broken, crying and many rededicated their lives to Jesus. Maybe the outdoor air had done them good.

If there was ever a time the church needed to be strong in the Lord, its now, McGrew said. I really feel in my heart that this could turn into a soul-saving event for people who wont normally come to church.

Eastview Church is located high on a hill and the sound from the speakers on Sunday mornings can be heard from a distance. So can the sound of lawnmowers, the pastor said.

God gave me something that first Sunday morning, McGrew said. Somebody was mowing grass over the hill. Then, all of a sudden, the lawnmower shut off. The Lord told me, Theyre listening. We were laughing because this past Sunday, there was no grass being mowed.

Shawn Edwards, the associational mission strategist for the Severns Valley Association of Baptists, attended the Aug. 16 service with his wife on their anniversary.

I took her there, being a romantic, Edwards said. When he (McGrew) thought it was going to die down, grown men went forward to pray at a makeshift altar at the base of the tree. We were sitting there going, This is unreal. Hed wind it down and more would come forward.

McGrew said the Spirit has been in attendance with the outside services under the oak tree.

It was amazing, the pastor said, remembering the Aug. 16 service. Here I was, thinking things were over, and people were coming up and praying under the tree. It reminded me of the old outdoor revivals they used to have.

The pastor said he decided to use the oak tree as their sanctuary after Gov. Andy Beshear asked churches to stop having indoor services for a couple of weeks because of the coronavirus about two months ago.

The Lord pointed me to that tree and said, 'This is where you need to have services,' McGrew said. The next Sunday we had it outside and it really took off. This will be our fifth Sunday coming up this week.

McGrew, a bi-vocational pastor who works in maintenance for Hardin County Schools, said he wouldnt mind being outside all the time. He called himself an outside guy and probably learned that from his grandfather, who was also a Baptist preacher.

He pastored over 20 churches during his time and he had an altar in his barn, McGrew said. He had a poplar board. The family cut that board in little pieces when he died and gave it to all the grandkids. I brought that out and laid it at the base of the tree. He prayed for me and my children. It touched a lot of hearts. There is something about being outside.

McGrew said the church had thoughts of taking down the big oak tree a few years ago after some limbs broke, but when the subject came up at a meeting, it didnt go anywhere. The pastor said he has a good idea of why.

That first Sunday, God told me, 'I ordained this tree to be here because you need it now,' the pastor said. Its a big tree that shades the whole parking lot and it has the nicest breeze. When we are done (with the service), the breeze stops. Its a shady, wonderful place to have church.

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Tie a gospel message 'round the old oak tree - Kentucky Today

Man offers to 'rent out' his parenting services, goes viral  |  Photo Credit: Facebook

A man from Australia has gone viral on the internet for 'renting out' his parental services to careless and irresponsible dads who are unable to fully take care of their children.

Jake James, who hails from Blue Haven in New South Wales, took to social media to spread the word about his services. His tongue-in-cheek advert on Facebook has now garnered many reactions. Has your baby daddy been acting up? Tired of him playing games? Does he put drugs and his mates before his kids? Get yourself a rent a daddy !! James wrote at the beginning of the post and then listed out the details of his service.

According to the post, his service can be availed 1-2 weekends per month. He is willing to participate in up to three activities of the kid's choice for every visit and is also ready to attend all sporting events with toddlers. Besides that, he will be imparting three hours of valuable life skills like car maintenance and mowing the lawn. He will also drop off and pick up the children from schools and daycare stays.

Jake specified that clients will need to pay extra for special services during family events, birthday parties, family selfies, and Facebook relationship status.

Heres the complete post:

He will be charging $30 per hour, plus a 20% surcharge for Sundays after 4 PM. He will be accepting the payment in Cash, Debit card, Afterpay, and ZipPay.

The post has now garnered over 1,200 shares and 1,300 likes on Facebook. Screenshots of his advert have also been shared on Twitter and Instagram.

Heres how people on Facebook reacted to the unusual business plan:

One user wrote, "Im just curious. Does he have the right credentials? Working with children check? Car? License? 6 pack? Good in bed?"

I love the initiative. The application will be submitted and with the first months payment upfront. You know.for the kids lol wrote another.

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'Rent a Daddy': Man offers to 'rent out' his parenting services, netizens are impressed with the idea - Times Now

RISING SUN - There is this episode of The Simpsons that spoofs The Shining. And in it, they tackle the famous all-work-and-no-play bit.

However, instead of being a dull boy, Homer Simpson recites All work and no play makes Homer go something, something.

His wife Marge answers Go crazy?

To which her husband replies DONT MIND IF I DO!

I had kind of been feeling stuck in that mindset. I had far exceeded being simply a dull girl and had inched my way into perhaps something we could call, Corona Crazy. Symptoms include restlessness, crabbiness, general feelings of malaise and temporary amnesia that this weird thing called carefree fun used to exist.

Well, it wasnt just the pandemic weighing down my sense of fun like a heavy, wet blanket. It was all the other obligations that stack up. We managed to wrap a few of those major things up and I came up for air; realizing it was August and we had not done hardly anything relaxing and definitely not anything recreational.

So Saturday, we managed to get out of the quarantine rut and we got out of the house and went on an adventure.

We didnt go too far though, just up to Sidie Hollow Lake in Viroqua. We wanted to take the canoe out at least once this year and this seemed like a pretty easy option. We thought that if it all went horribly wrong and the kids hated it, well at least we could bail out quickly.

Surprisingly though, they loved it. Especially Wayls. We often joke that Thatcher is just a mini version of me and Bop is a tiny Chascaboth in looks and personality. That really shined through as we got in the green Coleman canoe and Thatcher immediately began being a Nervous Nellie.

I dont know about this dad, its a might bit TIPPY! He uttered, his voice heavy with regret and reluctance.

Waylon on the other hand plopped into the boat like a turtle sliding off a log. With a thud and a wiggle he positioned himself between his dads knees and proceeded to relax with his breadstick from Kwik Trip and juice box in hand.

We paddled around a bit in the shade and watched people jump off the rope swing and turtles slide into the water. We found a rickety dock to paddle up to and decided to do a little fishing.

Did you see that big thumper fish? It fumped itself right into the water, Thatcher squealed with delight.

Even more delightful was the steady stream of people walking on the nearby path. Thatcher, you see, is a people person. He takes after both his grandpa Mark and Papa Tom with his ability to strike up a conversation with anyone he can.

A gaggle of teenagers on their way to swim were caught in his web of conversation for quite some time. He told them about the fish he caught, that his name started with a T and that it was a mighty fine day out today especially for him and his fwend bowwwwder (Boulder is his favorite action figure.) As they attempted to get away, he told them to have a great day! Wear your mask and eat your food so you can get BIG MUSCLES!

Always the sweet and silent type, Waylon just waved and smiled.

We casted our poles, well I should say Thatchers poles for he is the only one in our house with nice fishing poles anymore. And managed to catch a few tiny bass. Everyone was able to inspect and pet them before releasing them gently back into the weedy depths.

When we decided to set sail once more as Thatcher called it, we paddled slowly to watch the schools of bluegill, perch, and even the biggest bass any of us had seen in a long time swim by.

If that wasnt enough, we even got home and prepped 10 gallons of cucumbers for pickle mania and a whole lot of lawn mowing. Evening out our fun and kinda lazy afternoon with the chores that always need to be done.

We set out on Sunday with a long to do list that got turned into pickle making and naps. While Chasca ran to grab a few groceries with Bop, Thatcher stayed back for a little time with his Sweetheart mama. He diligently filled my jars with the bread-and-butter pickle brine I cooked up and helped make 10 pints of the slices before deciding that simply drinking the leftover brine with a spoon was a much better job.

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Enjoying the important things together - Swnews4u

Program Manager, Amy Haack, explains the importance of Clean Air Action Day and how to help with the cause.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. A Clean Air Action Day is called when certain air pollutants are forecast to reach unhealthy levels. On these days, the public is asked to take voluntary actions like deferring lawn mowing and limiting car usage to reduce emissions and protect their health.

However, there has been a name change to the cause. It went from Ozone Action to Clean Air Action. Here is why:

Beginning in 2009, the program has grown and evolved to announce Action Days when ground level ozone, fine particulate matter, or both, are expected to reach or exceed the unhealthy for sensitive groups threshold.

Since it is possible to have unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter throughout the year, the Clean Air Action program is now year-round. Although they have been fortunate enough to not have to call a Clean Action Day, yet in regards to fine particulate matter.

For those that may not know, here is a break down of what is ozone, ground-level ozone, and fine particulate matter and what causes a Clean Air Action to be called.

Ozone is a colorless gas that is the major component of smog that lingers at the Earths surface. In the upper atmosphere (stratosphere), however, ozone is beneficial, protecting us from the suns harmful rays.

Ozone is formed in the lower atmosphere as a result of chemical reactions in the presence of certain weather conditions.

High temperatures, minimal cloud cover, and southwest winds are prime conditions for ground-level ozone formation in West Michigan. Sources of pollutants that react in these conditions include vehicles, factories, landfills, industrial chemicals, and numerous small sources such as gas stations, farms, lawn equipment, etc.

Particulate matter includes small drops of liquid or bits of dust, metals, or other materials in the air. It can come from a variety of sources, including incinerators, wood stoves, industry, motor vehicles, and even forest fires and construction sites. Its levels are usually highest in the summer and winter, making it a year-round issue in West Michigan.

Ground-level ozone and fine particulate matterare health problems.

Ground-level ozone and particulate matter are particularly problems for people with respiratory illnesses, children, the elderly, and those who are active outdoors.

Even for healthy people engaged in moderate outdoor activity, breathing air laden with ozone and particulate matter can create temporary health problems, such as coughing and shortness of breath.

Air pollution is a definite health problem.

There are numerous monitoring stations throughout the state. Some of these are in larger cities and some are in rural areas. The stations monitor the air and measure the presence of ozone and particulate matter.

However, many of the pollutants that form ozone in our air come from other areas.

Scientific studies have proven that large cities to the south and west of our region are a prime contributor to our problem. Hopefully, the voluntary actions of many citizens and organizations will be successful in keeping our air as clean as possible.

Cars, equipment, and industries in West Michigan are NOT pollution free. While the pollution we emit may not be the primary sources of our problem, it does contribute to some degree. Our efforts to reduce local emissions on Clean Air Action Days will serve dual purposes.

First, local actions will send the message that West Michigan can work together to solve its own problems and the communities in our region and take pride in the beauty of their natural resources and know how to maintain them.

Second, the efforts that we take locally may constitute the differences between going over the federal standard and almost going over the standard in a given measuring period. It may not make a huge difference in the haziness of the air, but it can make all the difference in the world when it comes to remaining in compliance with the clean air standards.

The Clean Air Action Program is only one of the efforts going on in West Michigan.

Businesses and industries have been working for years with improved technology to reduce emissions from their operations. Automobile emissions technology has also improved dramatically.

Over the past several decades, there have been major reductions in overall vehicle emissions. This is quite an improvement in technology. New equipment in many industries has been designed with air quality in mind.

There are many no-cost voluntary actions that individuals can take on designated Clean Air Action days. Consider some of these.

There are many ways to be aware of Clean Air Action Days. Heres a few:

Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this.Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.

If you would like more information about advertising with 13 ON YOUR SIDE, please contact Jeff Olsen at jolsen@wzzm13.com.

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What you need to know about Clean Air Action Day! - WZZM13.com

Summer is a great time to be outside and enjoy the weather. Awareness of summer health hazards can help you prevent potential injuries and discomfort.

Here are ways you can protect yourself and others and enjoy the summer fun:

Lawn mower injuries

Before mowing, remove debris from the lawn, such as rocks, sticks or other potential flying object hazards.

Always wear protective eye wear, hearing protection and closed toe shoes while operating the mower.

If the lawn slopes, mow across the slope with the walk-behind rotary mower, never up and down. With a riding lawn mower, drive up and down the slope, not across it, to avoid tipping over.

Save extra on plant-based meat options for July 4 holiday

Do not allow children to play in the vicinity of an operating mower, and never allow young children to ride with an adult on a mower.

Food poisoning

Hot temperatures in the summer allow bacteria to develop faster in food with no refrigeration. Foods or food products with dairy, eggs, mayonnaise or meat can become hosts to the types of bacteria that can lead to food poisoning.

To prevent food poisoning, follow the U.S. Department of Agricultures advice to:

Clean: Wash your hands as well as the surfaces where youll be preparing foods.

Separate: Wrap raw meat securely and keep it stored away from other food items.

Cook: Bring along a meat thermometer. Grilling meat browns it very fast on the outside, but that doesnt mean its safe on the inside. Steaks should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees, ground beef and pork to 160 degrees, and poultry to 165 degrees.

Chill: Keep everything refrigerated as long as possible. Store perishable picnic items in an insulated cooler packed with ice, and follow the last in, first out rule whatever youre going to eat first should go at the top of the cooler.

Dont keep any foods at room temperature longer than 2 hours-or 1 hour if its warmer than 90 degrees.

Sun damage

Sun protection is an important precaution to guard against skin cancer and reduce signs of aging. To help protect your skin and eyes from the damaging effects of UV rays:

Use sunscreen -Choose a sunscreen that has sun-protection factor (SPF) of at least 30.

Stay in the shade between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wear sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays to reduce the risk of cataracts.

Apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes before sun exposure. Reapply every 2 hours while outdoors.

Wear clothing to protect exposed skin, and a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face, ears and neck.

Insect bites

Mosquito bites can be annoying, but they can also cause serious viral diseases, such as West Nile, Zika, Chikungunya and Dengue. To protect yourself from mosquito bites:

Mosquito-proof your home by using screens on windows and doors. Repair or replace all torn screens in your home. Close windows and doors, then use air conditioning when available.

Drain water where mosquitoes grow. Mosquitoes can grow in containers that hold water for more than a week such as pop cans, buckets, bottles and discarded tires. Fill holes that hold water with gravel or dirt.

Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks to create a barrier between you and mosquitoes.

Apply insect repellent on exposed skin when you go outdoors. Use Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellants containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.

Heat illness & dehydration

Anyone exposed to high temperatures for a sustained period of time is at risk for heat-related illness and dehydration. Prevention is the best way to avoid heat-related illness. When it is hot outside, remember to:

Stay in air-conditioned buildings as much as possible.

Drink plenty of fluids. Staying hydrated will help your body sweat and maintain a normal body temperature.

Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothing. Wearing excess clothing or clothing that fits tightly wont allow your body to cool properly.

Take it easy during the hottest part of the day.

Poison ivy

Poison ivy contains the plant oil urushiol, which can cause severe skin rash when any part of the leaves, stem or root is touched. Learn how to identify poison ivy in order to avoid exposure.

The old saying Leaves of three, let it be is a reminder of the consistent leaf characteristic of this plant.

One leaf centered on longer stalk, and two leaves to each side attached to the stalk.

Each leaf has three glossy leaflets, with smooth or toothed edges.

Wash garden tools and gloves regularly. It is possible to pick up the rash from plant oil that may have stuck to clothing, pets, and other items that have come in contact with poison ivy.

For more information on summer health hazards, visit USAFwellness.com or contact your local Civilian Health Promotion Services team. Comprehensive information on summer health hazards can be found on the Centers fo Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov.

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Health & wellness: Take care to avoid common summer health hazards - Dayton Daily News

The hot weather that we are getting can take a toll on us, and it can also take a toll on our lawns.

According to City of Moose Jaw Parks Gardener Sarah Regent, most of the lawns in the area are cool-season grasses that thrive in lower temperatures. Once the mercury hits the 30s, the grass can go into a summer dormancy.

Regent said the best thing we can do to help our lawn in the heat is to be gentle with it.

So that means doing things that arent as stressful to it. A really easy one to do is mow when it is cooler out, ideally in the evening, and make sure you are mowing only when your grass is dry, she said.

Other tips she gave include only mowing about a third of the grasss height off. She said taking off more can be stressful to the grass and removing a lot of its photosynthetic areas.

Tearing of grass isnt good for the lawn either. Regina said keeping a shape mower blade is important because a cleaner cut is easier for the grass to heal.

When it comes to watering, Regent said it depends on the goals and landscaping.

Generally you want to water deeply less often, so you are looking at once or twice a week. You want to make sure those run to roughly the equivalent of an inch per week. Thats a pretty good rule of thumb if we arent really getting any rain, she said.

She added holding to that rule will help keep the roots growing down as watering every day and every other day can encourage the roots to stay shallow.

Some of the warning signs that your lawn needs water are brown spots, especially in higher spots. Even before that, Regent said that the green colour of the grass will start to fade and turn blueish. A thirsty lawn will also not spring back up if it is stepped on.

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In The Green: Tips To Keep Your Lawn Healthy In The Heat - DiscoverMooseJaw.com

Many of us think of insects as those pesky bugs, and there is no shortage of products that promise to eliminate them from our midst.

However, insects are vital lynchpins in terrestrial ecosystems, and we really cant live without them. They recycle nutrients, and birds and other wildlife depend on them for food. Pollinators also fertilize 75% all flowering plants (including 30% of food crops), ensuring fruit set as well as providing for genetic diversity.

Populations of all insects have been plummeting in recent decades, jeopardizing our survival as well as our entire ecosystem. Causes of their rapid decline include widespread use of systemic pesticides, loss of habitat, climate disruption and light pollution. At the current rate of population collapse, insects will be functionally gone by the end of the century unless we take meaningful action.

For these reasons, the Amherst Town Council passed a pollinator resolution on June 15 committing the town to minimizing pesticide use and managing town-owned land for pollinator habitat. Also, National Pollinator Week, initiated by Pollinator Partnership (pollinator.org), is June 22-28, and nows a good time as ever to learn how to protect their lives and ours!

So how can you be a pollinator champion?

Make your lawn bee-friendly. Mow every other week or less often at a height of three or four inches to allow clover, violets, thyme, dandelions and other lawn flowers to bloom, and then watch with pride as hungry native bees, honeybees and other pollinators feast on your offerings.

Replace unused lawn with pollinator plants to enhance wildlife habitat. Carpets of close-cropped grass are food deserts for wildlife and lawns. Sheet mulching (smothering your lawn with an organic barrier such as cardboard or several thicknesses of newspaper and covering that with mulch) is an easy, no-dig way to eliminate grass or other unwanted vegetation to create a blank slate.

Planting a variety of flowering trees and shrubs, creating wildflower meadows and pollinator gardens, establishing flowering groundcovers, and even mowing just once a year are all ways to welcome wildlife.

Use a planting calendar to ensure that several different plant species will be in bloom from spring through fall so that pollinators are supplied with pollen and nectar for their entire life spans.

Consider reducing your lawn area by at least 25% to welcome beneficial wildlife youll be glad you did!

Welcome caterpillars with native plantings. Butterfly and moth larvae need to eat a lot before they pupate, but are often not be able to digest the leaves of non-native plants. Plant a variety of native trees, shrubs and forbs so that their nutritional needs can be met.

Provide shelter and places for insects to raise their young. Leave fallen leaves and other dead plant matter until the spring for insect habitat. Instead of mulching all of your beds, provide bare patches of ground for tunneling native bees and make a bee hotel with Japanese knotweed stems or other hollow stalks for cavity-nesting mason bees and leafcutter bees.

Provide water. Pollinators get thirsty, too! Make sure your water source has a shallow or sloping side so that they can easily approach the water without drowning.

Post a pollinator habitat sign. Pollinator habitat can look unkempt, especially in winter when there are no colorful flowers to admire. Proclaiming to the world what youre doing to help our hard-working pollinators will educate and inspire others to emulate your efforts.

Landscaping for nature is a richly rewarding adventure for people of all ages, allowing us to closely observe a variety of organisms and marvel at their beauty and complexity. For beginning gardeners, there is no shortage of ways to learn. In addition to books and the internet, you can get answers to your gardening questions from garden centers, master gardeners, and university extension services.

Neighbors can also be a great source of advice, as well as free perennials. Youll have a chance to be generous with information and plants yourself in no time by availing yourself of these resources.

Lists of area landscaping professionals, nurseries offering organically grown seeds and plants, and information about creating and maintaining pollinator gardens can be found at the Western Mass Pollinator Networks website, wmassbees.org. WMPN also offers Wild for Pollinator garden signs at a sliding scale to proclaim that your land is providing essential wildlife habitat. Contact us if you would like to participate in our regional campaign to protect and promote pollinators.

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Guest columnist John Root: A week to celebrate the beauty of pollinators - Amherst Bulletin

Keeping a lawn lush and green requires consistent mowing, weeding, watering, fertilizing and more. If your lawn is particularly large, it may make sense to hire a full-service lawn care provider. Whether you take a DIY approach or bring in the experts, maintaining your lawn requires a range of tasks.

Plan to mow the lawn often, allowing it stay longer than may seem convenient longer grass is healthier grass. The general rule is to cut off no more than a third of the grass blade. This helps prevent damage to the lawn as well as keeping weeds from taking root. Its also important to remove any weeds, then prevent new ones from growing. In spring, consider spraying a pre-emergent herbicide on your lawn to prevent crabgrass and other types of weeds from sprouting from seed. During other seasons, broadleaf weeds like dandelions can be pulled by hand or sprayed with weed killers. The best time to water your lawn is early in the morning, allowing the sun to help dry the grass. Make sure to thoroughly soak the lawn so that the water penetrates several inches into the ground.

Lawn care also requires feeding; look for a mixture of fast- and slow-release fertilizers that include nitrogen. Some lawns also benefit from aeration, which creates small holes to let air, water and nutrients penetrate the grass roots. Although most homeowners can manage these tasks on their own, a full-service lawn care company can handle them on a regular schedule, taking the guesswork out of maintaining a beautiful lawn.

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The 10 Best Lawn Care Services in Secaucus, NJ (with Free ...

(WBNG) -- Throughout this pandemic, the community has stepping in to help those on the front lines, whether it's buying them lunch or making mask donations.

Now another service is becoming free to healthcare workers...lawn mowing.

Plowz & Mowz is an app based out of Syracuse that made its way to Binghamton this past winter.

It offers landscaping services in the area, ranging from snow plowing to lawn mowing, meant to make life a little bit easier.

"Our mission has always been to help people and we wanted to take it a step further with healthcare workers," said co-founder Wills Mahoney.

Now because of the pandemic, the app is offering a free lawn mow to healthcare workers as a way to say thank you.

"We know they're working 12 plus hours, crazy shifts, and the last thing they probably want to do is mow their lawns. So we said, 'Hey, let's give them a free lawn mow,'" said Mahoney.

Healthcare workers say it's a small gesture that means a lot.

"It takes like two hours plus to just mow and then all the extra stuff and that's time we could spend with our family. So it's nice to have someone else come to do that and it's convenient to find it on an app," said nurse Jamie Turcotte. "I've never had so much support in my life. Everyone is always like, 'Thank you so much, nurses are great.' Everything like that but the outpouring support from the community has been amazing."

The app is not only helping healthcare workers, it's helping the small businesses it partners with.

"Every landscaping company right now is taking a hit during this time, so to be able to get them more work, we're paying for it 100 percent, I'm sure it means a lot to them," said Mahoney.

Lawn Works Landscaping out of Vestal provides services through Plowz & Mowz.

"They've definitely helped me grow, pick up more accounts in the community," said Lawn Works owner Justin Scheddin.

His business is also happy to help a greater cause.

"It's just another lawn, you know, and we do the same quality work as we would for anyone else and it feels really good to give back to our community," said Scheddin.

If you're a healthcare worker looking to take advantage of the offer, all you have to do is enter the code "HERO" in the coupon field at checkout on the Plowz & Mowz app.

You can also visit the Plowz & Mowz website by clicking here.

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Plowz and Mowz offers free lawn service to healthcare workers - WBNG-TV

May 18, 2020Trevor Perry

Driving on the freeway the other day, a small Fiat 500 zipped around me and pulled into the left lane, right behind a Ford F450 dualie. A tiny car, with a driver vaping with one hand, following this huge truck at 70 mph, without consideration for any possible traffic situation, other drivers on the road, or even their own life.

Driving is a phenomenon where the operator, being surrounded by a large box of metal and often a lot of plastic, feels invincible and invulnerable. This comfort zone is completely artificial an invention of the drivers mind. There is no safety in a vehicle, and there is no safety in driving like a crazy person right up the rear end of the vehicle in front.

This is human nature, and you can see it everywhere every day. . . if you look. For most of us, its impossible to see it from inside that invented bubble of safety.

Todays story is an allegory. This has become a common practice in the world of motivational, inspirational, and educational books, so I am taking this opportunity to dabble.

Once upon a time, people decided that their yards would look great if they had something ornamental. They planted shrubs and lots of green grass. Green everywhere. Then, the green grass grew and it started to look tatty. Someone had the great idea that they could clip the tops of the green grass and it would look neat and presentable.

They spent a lot of time trimming the green grass in their yards, until someone invented a contraption they dubbed a hand mower. By pushing the entire apparatus, the wheels would cause its blades to rotate fast. Pushing this around the yard would trim the tops of the green grass, thus ensuring the neighborhood HOA would not send a notice or levy a fine.

And there, the story ends.

Actually, not for everyone. Enterprising people decided that they could complete the job more efficiently and faster if they added an engine to the contraption. The motorized push mower meant that more yards could be mowed in a shorter time.

However, there were people who loved their hand mowers. They had become quite skilled at mowing their green grass with this easy-to-use garden tool. They stuck with their hand mower, and loudly proclaimed their resistance to the complexity of the motorized lawn mower. One had to use gasoline to power this new-fangled thing which cost money! And the effort of pulling a rope to start the engine itself was an effort that was simply unnecessary.

Then, with the efficiency and speed of lawn mowing, more green grass was planted. Yards became larger, lawns were growing in acreage, and more lawn mowing was needed. Motorized lawn mowers became ride-on machines, lawn mowing implements to be used with larger tractors were added to the arsenal.

There were still people who loved their hand mowers. They had become quite skilled at mowing their green grass with this easy-to-use garden tool. They stuck with their hand mower, and loudly proclaimed their resistance to the complexity of the motorized lawn mower, the ride-on lawn mower, the lawn mowing implements.

As time rolled on, more people learned how to use motorized lawn mowers. New employees at yard maintenance companies never learned how to use a hand mower. On the occasion when they would see a hand mower, theyd politely ask. Responses varied from laughter to reminiscing. There were even some people who had lovingly restored hand mowers and displayed them in museums for nostalgia.

There were still people who loved their hand mowers. They had become quite skilled at mowing their green grass with this easy-to-use garden tool. They stuck with their hand mower, and loudly proclaimed their resistance. . . .

One small lawn maintenance company offered their personal hand mowing services. They kept wondering why their business was declining after all, just look at all those lawns out there in the neighborhood! They claimed they provided great service. They claimed their tools were easy and simple to use. They argued that all those extra things one needed to manage a motorized lawn mower were unnecessary to the business of lawn mowing.

They noticed that one of their competitors had managed to take most of their customer base. Sure, there were a few retired home owners who loved watching the hand mowing experience, but their business was suffering. They hatched a plan.

One day, they recruited fellow hand mowing experts from across the world to join them in a protest against these horrific modern implements. They came together where the new motorized mowing equipment was being used and started to raise their voices. They screamed loudly that hand mowing was easy. They argued that no one needed those new-fangled laser thingies. They protested that home residents just loved their hand-mown green grass. They mocked the apparel worn by the operators of the motorized equipment. They laughed as one at those people who dared to speak up and promote the efficiency and speed of the modern lawn mower.

This community of hand lawn mowers had become quite small over time, so even their raised voices were not very loud at all. But, they really felt good about themselves. They had stood up for the green grass and its hand manicure. They were proud. They were defiant. They celebrate together while the world looked on, confused and saddened by their behavior.

Surely, if theyd like to keep their business, the upskilling to motorized lawn mowing would be a logical step? But no, hand mowing is so super amazing and . . . hmmmm. Easy! Yes, easy!

Not that it is hard to learn how to use a motorized lawn mower. But the fear of having to learn something new means the hand mowing geniuses feel justified in rejecting anything that is outside their comfort zone. They are driving a Fiat 500 without consideration for any possible business situation, other lawn mowers, or even their own lawn mowing career.

And there, youd think the story ends.

One of the vocal hand mowing geniuses was let go from their job. The business did not need so many hand mowing experts now that the business had shrunk significantly. This genius made loud pronouncements about their availability and lots of noise about how amazing hand mowing is. They recruited like-minded geniuses to gather and mock the motorized lawn mowing process, because hand mowing is so, so easy.

No business in lawn mowing has room for such a genius in a bottle. Theyd probably be able to upskill lawn mowers to motorized equipment, but the hassle of attempting that with such a closed-minded proponent of hand mowing is a daunting task. And younger, more eager prospective lawn mowers are open and have initiative.

Surely, the story ends now?

One day, a house who was a customer of the hand mowing boutique was sold. The new owner performed a review of all the expenses for the upkeep of the property. Clearly, the cost of hand mowing was low per hour, but the huge number of hours needed meant it was not cost-effective. They decided that it was time for a change.

They asked the hand mowing company for advice, and the only offer was a plea to keep servicing the lawn with hand mowing because, after all, it is easy.

The new owner did not bother with looking at the motorized lawn mowing services, and the hand mowers neglected to mention this was a possibility. The new owner had a better idea! They had learned this from their last house and from all the houses in their previous neighborhoods.

Why did they need a lawn at all? They ripped out all the green grass and replaced it with concrete. Now, it may not be as beautiful, or as good for nature, or as fun to play in, but it looks more clean, sparse, and should do the job.

Eventually, when all the lawns are replaced by concrete, lawn mowing wont be needed. An entire world of lawns will be gone. And who is to blame? Hand mowing experts. They are a lover of green grass and will continue to loudly proclaim their affinity and allegiance, while their business dries up and their industry disappears.

The lesson of this allegory is simple. The world moves along while your comfort zone stays in place. Challenge yourself to step up to an ever-changing and fast-evolving world. Your lack of speed and buckets of fear will be barriers to your own evolution. Your small comfort zone will shrink, and from the outside, youll be seen as a failure as you slowly become one.

Living is a phenomenon where the operator, being surrounded by a comfort zone of their own creation, feels invincible and invulnerable. This comfort zone is completely artificial an invention of ones mind. There is no safety in this invented bubble, and there is no safety in acting like a crazy person ignoring or mocking every other person who is evolving beyond oneself.

And for crying out loud, stop screaming how amazing you are at hand mowing. Your small world does not offer you a view of the mockery you are making of yourself.

Unperspective: To Which Side Do You Belong?

Unperspective: Are We There Yet?

Unperspective: Get Over Yourself

Unperspective: In Your Face

Link:
Unperspective: Are You Still Pushing A Hand Mower? - IT Jungle