Home is where the Heart is

Breath-hold divers such as the Ama
Exhibit keen autonomic control
With bradycardia and vasoconstriction
Oxygen conservation is the goal
To dive to great depths comes an increase in pressure
And scuba gear is required.
Care must be taken during ascent and descent
Otherwise barotrauma will conspire.
Upon descont nitrogen dissolves in the tissues
And if fast ascent you do not contend,
Nitrogen bubbles will form in the joints
And produce a condition called the bends.
So while leisurely scuba diving in an ocean of pleasure
Beware of 'raptures of the deep',
You may feel euphoric but its nitrogen narcosis
And integrity of the brain you want to keep.

Once upon a midnight dreary as I pondered weak and weary
Over many a quaint and curious volume of accounting lore,
Seeking gimmicks (without scruple) to squeeze through
some new tax loophole,
Suddenly I heard a knock upon my door,
Only this, and nothing more.

Then I felt a queasy tingling and I heard the cash a-jingling
As a fearsome banker entered whom I'd often seen before.
His face was money-green and in his eyes there could be seen
Dollar-signs that seemed to glitter as he reckoned up the score.
"Cash flow," the banker said, and nothing more.

I had always thought it fine to show a jet black bottom line.
But the banker sounded a resounding, "No.
Your receivables are high, mounting upward toward the sky;
Write-offs loom. What matters is cash flow."
He repeated, "Watch cash flow."

The I tried to tell the story of our lovely inventory
Which, though large, is full of most delightful stuff.
But the banker saw its growth, and with a mighty oath
He waved his arms and shouted, "Stop! Enough!
Pay the interest, and don't give me any guff!"

Next I looked for non cash items which could add ad infinitum
To replace the ever-outward flow of cash,
But to keep my statement black I'd held depreciation back,
And my banker said that I'd done something rash.
He quivered, and his teeth began to gnash.

When I asked him for a loan, he responded, with a groan,
That the interest rate would be just prime plus eight,
And to guarantee my purity he'd insist on some security-
All my assets plus the scalp upon my pate.
Only this, a standard rate.

Though my bottom line is black, I am flat upon my back,
My cash flows out and customers pay slow.
The growth of my receivables is almost unbelievable:
The result is certain-unremitting woe!
And I hear the banker utter an ominous low mutter,
"Watch cash flow."

Every day...
Share a kind word with a friend
Give away a smile
Tell one secret
Listen to what someone has to say
Listen with your heart
to what someone cannot say
Try one new thing
Forgive one person who has hurt you
Forgive yourself for past mistakes
Realize your imperfections
Discover your possibilities
Make a new friend
Accept responsibility
for everything you do
Refuse responsibility
for anyone else's action
Dream one dream
Watch the sunset
Cherish what you have
Cherish what you are
Love your life.