As a courtship deepens, one heart will offer and another will open and accept. This is the first step you take to make this already wonderful love of yours an official commitment in the eyes of the community. Surprisingly, it will also change the way you think about your commitment.

So why not enjoy this piece of the dance? So often you hear it spoken about as something to be gotten over or through. It doesn’t need to be that way. How about this? Don’t propose until

• You’re really, really sure that this is what you want. Do not lurch into being engaged because you feel it’s expected or because you think you should. These are your very precious hearts on the line here. Be careful with them.
• You’ve enumerated the reasons you want to marry this person. You want to be able to tell your beloved when you offer your heart in exchange for a hand.
• You know the answer will be the one you want. You don’t want to talk about marriage on the first date, although ‘way to many people do. You do want to have talked about marriage before you make the decision to marry one another. Acknowledge that your relationship is deepening. Begin to ask your partner about life goals, visions of marriage, hopes for children. These are things you want to know before you get engaged and certainly before you marry. If the answers to jibe with yours, these are the reasons you’re going to want to set this very delightful person free to have the relationship he or she is dreaming of.
• You know the kind of proposal that will thrill this person. You’ve been to movies, you’ve taken walks and eaten meals with your beloved. You know what time of day is their happiest and where they like to see the sun set. You know what makes them happy. So choose a venue and have a good time.

And for those out there who are anticipating that a question might come, here are some things to think about:

• If you’re not sure that you want to marry this person, don’t let them propose. That’s only kind. No one wants to offer their ring and their heart and have their beloved say, “Ya know, I’m not sure.” Breaking up is hard to do. It’s worse when you’re engaged.
• If you’re sure you do want to marry this person, you should know why. List the reasons why this person is fabulous and why you’re sure that you will be happy in marriage with your beloved.
• If you have absolute requirements about a ring, help your sweetheart out. Let your beloved, your parents, your girlfriend or your jeweler know what they are. If you haven’t taken those precautions, be happy with the ring you get.
• If you’re going to say yes, be ready to be excited wherever your partner asks. Because every place is romantic and exotic when you’ve been proposed to there.

And here’s a note to both of you. Throw away the cell phones. Spend some long luxurious hours being engaged before you call everyone. So what if the rest of the world is instant gratification oriented. This is an out-of-this-world moment for the two of you. Why not keep it that way? Twitter can wait. Heaven is right here! There’s plenty of time to think about wedding ceremonies and wedding vows later. If you’ve been deliberate about setting up your proposal so that it reflects your values and your dreams it will be a great foundation for going forward. But that’s for later! Right now, you’re in the midst of a proposal!

While working for a new construction plumbing company in 2006, out of ten employees there were only three of us that knew how to solder copper tubing.

The other plumbers never soldered before because they were trained in using plastic tubing; here’s an example: Pvc, Cpvc and pex tubing’s.

Did this make them bad plumbers?

Not by a long shot.They were really good at there job.

As a mater of fact, they showed me how to install pex tubing with out putting a kink in the tubing.

In return I showed them how to solder copper pipe.

The result, one of them used knowledge I taught ’em, while another forgot a few important steps and caused a major leak.

In order to avoid any leaks that could cause damage to your home, welcome to 5 steps to a perfect solder joint.

With copper it is important not to miss a step or there could be disastrous results. Remember these steps and you will be on your way to a perfect solder joint every time.

Here are the 5 steps you need to take to get a Perfect Solder Joint every time.

1. Cut the pipe to size
2. Clean & debur the pipe
3. Clean the inside of the fitting
4. flux the outside of the pipe and the inside of the fitting
5. Time 2 solder

Cut the pipe to size: measure the length of pipe that you will need to join your piping system together. Using a tubing cutter, cut your pipe to size (remember to measure twice and cut once).

Clean the pipe: With some sand cloth or paper, sand each end of the pipe until shiny. Make sure the manufactures oils are off of the pipe. Wipe with a cloth to remove any sand or copper residue.

The deburring tool on the end of the tubing cutter, helps in removing the rough edges which could cause leaks down the road. Using your pipe reamer on the tubing cutter, ream the inside edges of the copper tubing removing any burr’s. You want a smooth edge.

Clean your fittings using a tubing brush properly sized for your pipe. To speed the process along I cut the cleaning brush at the top of the handle and insert inside of my drill.

Turn your drill speed on high and clean the inside hub of the fitting. If you see any dark spots inside of the fitting keep cleaning the area until it has been removed.

The dark spot is oil left over from the cutting and forming process at the manufacture. If this oil is left on you will burn your fitting and it will not take the solder.

Flux the pipe and fittings: Using your flux past brush each end of the pipe and fittings. This will ensure a clean and tinned joint.

Time to solder: Whatever size your pipe, that is how much solder you will need to use to sweat your joints together. So, if you are soldering 1″ one inch copper pipe you will need one inch of solder to sweat your joints together.

Using a torch heat your pipe and fitting evenly. Start two inches behind the fitting and slowly heat your pipe and fitting by using a back and forth sweeping motion. Make sure your flame is close enough to cover the entire diameter of the pipe.

When your flame turns green apply the solder to the hub of the fitting, making sure that the solder flows all the way around the hub. Wait!There is one more “Secret” step to a perfect solder joint, that means the difference between an amateurish glob of a mess on your fittings or a professional looking solder joint every time.

Even if this is your first time soldering copper plumbing, I am going to let you in on a Secret step that most plumbers will not tell you about.

Why? Good question and here is the answer.

Most plumbers believe that if there solder joints look better than their colleagues they are a better plumber. Believe me when I tell you, most plumbers are very condescend and competitive and in reality a good looking solder joint takes time and practice.

Secret 6th Step That Will Improve Your Solder Finishes.

After you have filled your hub with solder you’re going to see the solder form and start to dry around the hub and may even overflow and run over the fitting. Here is what you will need to do and have on hand.

You will need a damp cloth towel called a wiping towel or any old rag will do.

You also need a spray bottle filled with water.

While the solder is still in its molten form take your damp cloth and wipe the solder around the hub. At the same time as you wipe your objective is to try and push as much of the solder into the hub of the fitting. Be careful because the solder, fitting and pipe are very hot.

Once you have completed that part of the task, spray a mist of water onto the pipe and fitting. Then wipe the fitting and pipe down again. This last step will remove any excess flux and dirt from your perfect solder joint.

Pretty simple, huh?

Believe it or not it may take an apprentice few months in order to figure out this secret 6th step that will improve your solder finish. Give it a whirl and remember practice makes perfect.

Now you know the 5 steps to a perfect solder joint and the special bonus secret 6th step that will improve your solder finishes. In order to retain this new knowledge and make it your own it is time to take action.

We prepare the food; get the drinks, chips, dessert. We place everything in the picnic basket. After all the planning, preparing the food. We jump into the car and go where?

• Do we take the family to the park?

• We drive to the mountains to the cabin in the woods.

• How about the quiet spot on the river bank?

• Take a trip in the boat and find a spot on the lake.

All of these very nice places to go for that perfect picnic. Do we search and plan so that everything and everybody is happy? Does it take you hours or even days to plan? I will paint the picture here; if you are a mother you will be the one planning correct? Why, we ask?: Moms don’t forget anything! Dad only likes mustard no mayo. Let’s name the son John. John only likes plain potato chips. Let’s not forget about Jane the daughter who only cares if one or two of her friends can come, and her phone. Then when we arrive at out perfect picnic location, we realize we did not bring the dessert or a game that everyone could play and wants to play. Let the fun begin, right?

We are all so busy with our day to day lives do we forget the little things? We want to plan a getaway where everything will be just so… All of the places we go to getaway are great places. Sometimes, we don’t need to go far from home at all; we can enjoy our perfect picnic in our own yard. Image this, mom makes the sandwiches, takes chips from the cupboard, takes out the left over pie from last night s dinner, grabs some paper plates and napkins, throws it all in the picnic basket. She then calls everyone together, they get their drinks from the fridge, take the blanket and out the back door they go for their perfect picnic.

Once we had eaten, we decided to play family games in the backyard. We played flag football, tag, and played on the tire swing. We enjoyed the quality time with our family. At this point, our neighbors had walked over to join in on the fun. The kids have called there friends. We have real competition now let the games began. I would say like many other have said. Why do we need to travel so far to find that place that is so… We found our own perfect place, our own backyard.

Who doesn’t get excited when a baby is on the way? Your friends and family will most certainly get that undeniable thrill when you make the announcement and soon plans get underway to celebrate the baby’s arrival. So, now it’s time to have a blast with a baby shower party!

Planning a baby shower should be fun. It’s your time to shine and create the party you’ve always wanted. Choose to either go traditional or put a little humor in your event. Think about your theme and unleash your creativity. The main goal is simply to make your baby shower an unforgettable experience for everyone.

To get started, use these 6 Steps to Planning Your Baby Shower

1. Be prepared. Plan ahead of time. It is best to hold baby showers either on the seventh or eighth month of pregnancy.
2. Look for a perfect place. You can opt to have your house or backyard as your event area. If you have a generous budget, scout for convenient party places which can hold your guests; such as, a local hotel or restaurant banquet room.
3. Set the right date and time. Check with your closest friends and family members to find their availability, and schedule your event for a time that would easily fit within their schedule.
4. Think of the perfect theme. There are hundreds of baby shower themes that you can choose from. Once you’ve decided yours, search for free on-line printable designs. Include matching shower favors as memorable take home gifts for your guests.
5. Surprise her. To make the party more momentous for the mom-to-be, host a surprise shower for the guest of honor. Consult her close friends and relatives when preparing your guest list.
6. Impress with invitations. Send out invitations at least three weeks before the event. Match your invitations with the theme of the party itself. Be sure that the invitations contain all vital information like date, time and place; and include a note about where you signed up for the baby registry. Be creative in designing your invitations.

AND most of all, HAVE FUN!

More Ideas:

• Use Pinterest to gather ideas for your baby shower including themes, favors, decor etc. Post pictures you like on your Pinterest Board in order to keep your favorites in one place and easily refer to it later.
• Don’t know the sex of the baby? No problem. Today, there are plenty of modern, unisex shower themes and color schemes. Ideas include, yellow and gray, black and white, and blue and green. Unisex shower theme ideas include, ducklings, bumble bees and seashore.

I often get asked these questions in my business strategy session: “How can I find a perfect salesperson to join my team?”

If you have this question, this article is for you. So, please enjoy.

At What Point In My Business Do I Have to Hire a Salesperson?

Recall when you first started your business, you take your product or service with a view to making it as perfect as possible by, for example, meeting your customers’ needs, making it easy to use, or delivering value to your customers).

At some point, you will end up with “SOMETHING” that would make your competitors green with envy.

And more and more customers have come to take your solution so that they can get the results you promise to deliver and they don’t need to spend time and effort to build their own solutions. They would likely stick to you for the longer term and ask you “what’s next?”

Now, your business is growing.

You begin to have a taste of “success”.

And this would likely be the time when you start asking the question “How can I reach out to more potential customers?”

The solution is “I have to increase my workforce.”

Your Venture to Hire Your First Salesperson

In any case, no matter whether you are hiring your first salesperson, or just adding a new salesperson to your existing sales team, it’s important to know how to spot a successful salesperson.

You need to understand what makes a good salesperson and attract the right talent to join your team and scale success.

If you can resonate with what I said above, please carry on reading.

I know it can be difficult to see through charisma and well-rehearsed interview tactics. What I do know is that the best salespeople have certain traits that can’t be missed.

To help you improve your success rate in hiring the perfect salesperson, I have identified the following steps to equip you with the right tools for your consideration.

And all good wishes when you make a decision to implement these steps…

Step 1 – Identify the specific needs for your new sales hire

Is that obvious?

My mentor, T Harv Eker, the author of the Secrets of Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth, said “The number one reason most people don’t get what they want is that they don’t know what they want.”

In our context of hiring a salesperson, there is no difference from my experience.

Before you hire a new salesperson, you have to be clear about what your business requirements and needs are. If not, complete this step first.

Are you sure you really need to hire another salesperson?

Can you hire someone who can work within your current system in your business? [Note: I don’t believe any candidate is a good fit unless he is able to do so.]

What qualities do I look for when hiring another salesperson?

What are my retention strategies so that I can make this salesperson stay committed to producing a win-win-win for my business?

Step 2 – Write the Salesperson’s Job Description

The second step is to advertise.

But… when you want specific candidates, you have to specify what skills the candidates must have so that they can fulfill their roles as effectively as possible. As a bonus tip, list your company’s name and contact information to allow candidates to do research on your company before they apply for the role.

Which skills do you think a perfect salesperson should have?

Interestingly, HubSpot recommends the following key qualities that make a great salesman in order to get off on the right foot:

• Ability to multi-task simultaneously
• Persistence & patience
• Honesty & integrity
• Creativity or Resourcefulness
• Ability to learn & grow through experience
• Solid work ethic & motivation
• Strong communication skills — verbal and written; good communicator (both internal and external)
• Good judgment; ability to make good decisions quickly in a fast-moving, ever-changing environment
• Ability to follow rules/policies and procedures. Conscientious about details.
• Willingness to sacrifice personal time for business needs
• Self-motivated; takes initiative and keeps busy without management intervention

Of course, I am not asking you to look for a salesperson with all of the above skills. Go back to my first question about figuring out what you want.

Identify 3 specific skills listed above you are looking for in an ideal candidate. Ensure these skills are mentioned in the job description.

Step 3 – Reach out to the right candidates

In your course of searching for the right candidates, you are not looking for anyone and everyone obviously.

It is important that you find the candidates who share your core values and have what it takes to be great salespersons. After all, you don’t want to spend time developing someone who isn’t going to get the job done.

Here is an important tip – expect that finding the right candidates is going to be difficult enough without starting off with the wrong people.

Some people are perfect for the job, but just don’t know that they’re perfect.

Talk to them about what their strengths and weaknesses are, and make sure they know you need a certain type of person who will be able to handle your current system/processes. They may seem like an excellent candidate if you can tweak some of their abilities!

On the other hand, if it is apparent that someone is not fit for this role, ask yourself whether you can offer them other positions within your business or recommend another position they might take – even if it’s outside of sales.

Once again, depending on their personality, skillset, and experience. It’s better to give someone a chance rather than letting him/her go in a negative manner.

Bonus Step – Develop a clear interview process

We got this question in Clubhouse often – you need to develop a clear interview process.

You will look through a bunch of resumes and select a handful that represents the most qualified applicants who would go through your interview process.

A clear interview process should include clearly designed interview questions about

personal background or professional history, interests, goals

years of experience in sales

Greatest weakness when it comes to selling?

Tell me about some difficult situations you’ve experienced in selling. How did you handle them?

Give them a sales assignment and find out how they would complete it.

Discuss their goals and how you can help them achieve those goals.

Summarize all information after this process and compare your notes to make sure that they are ideal for the job.

The result should be an offer letter, but before you send it out, ask yourself what you expect from your new salesperson.

Do you expect a high level of commitment to your company or do they have room for their own ideas in the business?

What is your approach with regard to culture and expectations?

The Outcome of Having a Clear Interview Process

Finally, after you have selected the candidates to hire, you have to think about how to offer a competitive salary and regular bonuses for achieving personal goals along with other intangibles like training programs and networking opportunities.

Offer an enticing package of these extras when you make the final decision so that candidates will be happy to work for your team.

Sometimes, it’s not only about compensation but also creating an atmosphere where people feel appreciated and valued for their efforts.

Even if they don’t seem like the ideal candidate, make an effort to get in contact with them anyway; it might be worth their while and they could have some useful insight – but only if you give them that chance.

Do not discriminate against any candidates!

You may think one person is better than another because of their gender or age, but there’s no real evidence to back this up.

Conclusion

Finding the perfect salesperson for your team can be a daunting task.

I hope that the above steps will help you find the right person for your business and avoid wasting time on unqualified candidates. The 10 qualities of a good salesman that are outlined in this article will also come in handy when interviewing prospects so you know what to look out for before they even walk through the door.

If all else fails or if you need extra assistance finding someone who is qualified, let me know to see if I can help. Our team would love to work with you one-on-one!

Some salespeople are natural, and some require training.

Either way, we’re here to help you get the best salesperson for your business.

All good wishes.

To all you single moms out there, you are imperfectly perfect! The curves and twists in your lives are exactly where and how they are supposed to be. So don’t worry. Now, I know that this whole not worrying thing is easier said than done. I also know you don’t always feel like you can do it all, but the truth is that you can. And you do. Well, maybe you don’t literally do-it-all, but you sure do figuratively. And that doesn’t surprise me one iota. After all, moms have superpowers that only moms can have.

Did you know studies show female embryos develop their hearing and vision quicker than their male counterparts? Female babies are born with a head start in hearing and seeing over male babies. Females are born with the superpowers of the bionic woman to hear and Superman’s superpowers to see. These innate superpowers naturally lead to having those mother superpowers of just knowing things. Some call it a mother’s intuition, I call it SUPERMOM! Come on… We all know that moms hear and see everything. No one can lie to mom, or pull one over on mom; like Wonder woman’s lasso, mom knows the truth before the conversation is over…

The bottom line here is that all you single moms out there, not only are you imperfectly perfect parents, but you’re also enough. That’s right. You heard that correctly. You are enough. And how could you not be enough since we all know that you also have superpowers. You see, your kids have plenty when they have you. You are part of them, and they are part of you. And I think that too is pretty super, don’t you? Listen, trust me when I tell you that you are enough, and nothing else needs to be added.

Now, as my Granddaddy always said, “Go learn, lead and lay the way to a better world for all of us.” Single moms, you are imperfectly perfect, and that is all good. And once again parents, thanks in advance for all that you do, and all that you will do…

J.D. Salinger’s 1951 classic short story, “A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” introduces Salinger’s favorite character, Seymour Glass – only to kill him some several pages later. The story starts in a posh seaside hotel room, where we overhear Glass’s wife on the phone with her mother discussing Seymour’s mental health. From there, we head to the beach, where Seymour is hanging out with a four-ish-year old girl named Sybil and telling her stories about the elusive “bananafish.” The story ends with Seymour returning to his hotel room and shooting himself in the head.

Seymour Glass, or, as Sybil calls him, “see more glass,” is a hotly contested short story character in American literature – which gives his oh-so transparent name all the more irony. People can’t seem to agree on what the guy is like, why he’s always hanging out with little kids, or, most importantly, why he decides to kill himself. There are three leading theories on the matter.

Theory One: Seymour is a bananafish. No, really. In the description he gives to Sybil, bananafish are fish that swim into holes and gorge on so many bananas that they get stuck and die. According to some, this is Seymour’s unorthodox but fitting metaphor for the materialistic consumer mentality of post-WWII American society – not that we’d know anything about that nowadays. This of course begs the question, what does Seymour’s suicide mean? Is going back to his fancy-shmancy hotel room and killing himself the human equivalent of diving into a banana hole and eating to death? That might explain why Sybil thinks she sees a bananafish – she could be talking about Seymour. OR, perhaps Seymour’s suicide is a way of overcoming the material world: by leaving it altogether.

Theory Two: Seymour is a pervert. Yup, all that befriending and swimming and story-telling is just his way of getting close to little girls. You’ll notice, for instance, that Seymour grabs Sybil’s ankles when he is lying on the beach, then again when he pushes her along the water. When he goes so far as to kiss the bottom of her foot, even four-year-old Sybil is weirded out enough to yell, “Hey!” probably remembering something she heard in preschool about a “red-light touch.” Embarrassed and/or frustrated, Seymour immediately ends their play date, heads back to the hotel, and kills himself in shame. The fact that sexual abuse is an ambiguous but recurring theme in J.D. Salinger’s other works, notably in The Catcher in the Rye, supports the possibility that something is wrong with Seymour’s libido.

Theory Three: Everybody has gotten way too P.C. A touch isn’t necessarily inappropriate, a kiss isn’t always sexual, adults and children can hang out in non-creepy ways, and literature doesn’t always have “erotic undertones.” Seymour is drawn to the innocence and guilelessness of children because his experiences in WWII have made him feel disillusioned with the adult world – not to mention, talking with Sybil lets him indulge in his creative side. Seymour makes up a great story about the lives and behavior of bananafish, and is tickled pink – in a non-sexual way – when Sybil plays along. Unfortunately, he has trouble dropping this mischievousness when he gets back to the hotel. He jokingly accuses the woman in the elevator of “staring” at his feet, and, in a stunt that only an adult would pull, the woman gets offended by the insinuation. The argument escalates until Seymour becomes genuinely angry instead of just pretend angry, and the woman flees from the elevator. Realizing that he just doesn’t gel with adults anymore, Seymour gives up hope of being happy and ends his life.

With so many questions from “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” unanswered, it’s no wonder that Salinger went on to feature Seymour in four more stories, most importantly in the two-parter “[Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction].” In these two novellas, Seymour’s devoted little brother, Buddy, undertakes the challenge of putting Seymour to paper. The fact that his writing is often rambling, disjointed, and impossible to follow suggests that maybe we’re just not meant to know.

The four strings of the violin are tuned in fifths. Thus, it is necessary for the violinist to depress two strings at once with the same finger in order to play a perfect fifth (except on open strings).

However, using one finger to play two strings at once is very difficult. This is because the surface area of the fingertip that comes in contact with the fingerboard is simply not wide enough to cover both strings.

When confronted with a perfect fifth, it may be tempting to simply roll the hand under the violin to cover both notes with a flat finger. However, for several reasons, playing with flat fingers creates tension in the left hand. First, more pressure is required to depress the string because a flat finger exerts fewer pounds per square inch on the fingerboard than one standing on its tip. Second, the wrist must deviate uncomfortably to the left rather than remain straight. Finally, it takes time away from the player to shift the hand away from and back to its ideal position. As a result, he or she may feel rushed and react by squeezing the hand against the fingerboard. Often, a violinist will continue to play with flattened fingers even after the perfect fifth has come and gone– simply because, when tense, the hand tends to press against the underside of the fingerboard and does not like to let go.

How should a violinist play a perfect fifth without using a flat finger? It is best to find a position for the fingertip in between the two strings that catches both at the same time. Because every student’s hand and finger shape is different, it is usually necessary to experiment to figure out the optimal placement for each finger. In any event, it is far better to create a slightly imperfect fifth than to modify the entire hand position to accommodate this interval.

It’s been around for several hundred years, and for a while it was the Provence of the elite and rich. If you’ve seen many golf movies you know that women weren’t even allowed to caddy until the middle of the last century. And while it’s still a bit pricey to play a lot of golf, it’s not exactly prohibitive any longer. It’s no wonder that more and more people are picking up the sports as something more than a competitive jaunt. Golf is so enjoyable that it’s becoming one of the more popular hobbies as well.

When you think of the word hobby you might conjure up such indoor pastimes as stamp collecting or knitting. Others will paint or listen to music. But that doesn’t mean that hiking isn’t a hobby at all. In fact, there are quite a number of hobbies that involve using some serious muscle mass around. And while you probably don’t consider golf a strenuous activity, it will give a serious couch potato a decent challenge the first few rounds out.

One of the reasons golf can be a big draw is the setting. Lovely landscapes, the greenest grass perfectly trimmed, trees and water – it’s a nature walk with a little white ball thrown in. You don’t have to be young or in great shape, and you don’t have to be particularly competitive since you’re only really playing against the course and yourself, but if that’s what does it for you, more power to you.

Golf is great exercise as well. Strap on a big pack full of metal, lug it around for a few miles and you would have a great workout. The nice thing about golf is that the pack and the steel have some purpose while you walk it out with them on your back. If you can play a few rounds a week, you would be walking something like ten miles with the extra weight as well as flexing and stretching all of your other muscle groups along the way. Depending on how well you play – that might be a lot of extra flexing and twisting.

Golf requires bending over, twisting around, small muscle precision and large muscle group power. Outside of swimming it’s a little hard to get a more complete cycle of body functions as you can get in a round of golf. And the sights and sounds are certainly right up there with almost anything else that actually requires activity. It is a little tough to enjoy the way a mountain looks when you are hanging onto it for dear life.

All in all, golf is has the perfect balance of physical activity and aesthetic quality. You’ll search far and wide to find a single hobby that has more to offer in a single package. And while it does cost more to take the walk, you might have just blown the cash on hamburgers anyway. Make a little investment in your health and happiness and give the good old game a try.

Perfect attendance in Rotary is not as difficult as it was years ago for several reasons. The biggest reason is that a Rotarian now has from two weeks before until two weeks after a missed meeting to attend a make-up meeting. Prior to the change to this rule the period was only from one week prior until one week after. The second reason is the availability of Rotary e-clubs where a Rotarian can go online to an e-club and view a program for 30 minutes or more to qualify for attendance.

This allows the member to qualify for making up a meeting without having to attend in person. A third reason achieving perfect attendance is much easier is that many Rotary functions other than club meetings now can be counted as a make-up meeting. Examples include attendance at a Rotary board of directors meeting, participation in a Rotary community service event or fund-raising event, or attending a Rotary district function. The last reason it is easier now is that the internet makes it much easier to find the time and place of a local Rotary meeting while traveling. This said having perfect attendance remains something for which many Rotarians take great pride, and rightfully so.

Let’s look at each of these factors individually.

In 1995 Rotary changed the rules for attendance to allow an extra week before and after the missed meeting for a Rotarian to do their make-up for a missed club meeting. This extra time makes it much easier to find an opportunity to do the makeup. If traveling, if a family crisis happens, or if work just gets really busy this gives a lot more leeway for finding an opportunity to get the meeting or function done.

At the same time the rules for what qualifies as a make-up were changed to include the types of activities mentioned above. These make it possible for a Rotarian to use the types of activities they may already have been doing to cover for a missed meeting.

For Rotarians who are used to using the internet e-club meeting makeups are a simple and easy way to achieve perfect attendance. It takes less time, is very convenient, and helps with general Rotary education and awareness when e-club make-up meetings are used.

The fact that when traveling a Rotarian can easily now find a make-up meeting makes this option much more practical for most traveling Rotarians. In the past it was necessary to find or have a copy of the manual that listed all clubs and their meeting times and places. This may or may not have been current. Then the Rotarian had to plan ahead to make notes of meetings at times and places they were planning to travel. Now there are several great options for ways to locate a local club meeting. One option of course is to use the Rotary International web site. Another great resource is to use the new Everything Rotary iPhone app for Rotarians who have an iPhone. Using this app, the Rotarian simply clicks on the “Find a Club” icon and a map of the local area comes up with drop pins on the location of local clubs. By clicking on a pin the location and time of the meeting appears. This allows the Rotarian to find the meeting using their phone’s web browser service and not need to have a laptop computer or to try to use the RI site on the tiny screen of a phone. To get this app just visit the iPhone store at the app store and download the Everything Rotary iPhone app, and use the Rotary Club Locator function.