This is part 2 of a full 32 team uniform review. Part 1 is here.

Moving on to part 2 of my uniform review I’ll be covering teams in the close and good categories.

Good Morning! Rise and Shine…In that order.

Today’s Chicago Renaissanve assignments:

1. What three things are you purging/cleaning today?
2. What three things are you planning for today?
3. What three things are you preparing today?

Join the Chicago Renaissance Revolution by liking The RED CUP ADVENTURES Facebook (click here) page, find this post, and drop your check ins through out the day to track your progress.

USE THE HASHTAGS:
#HowWeFight #CHICAGORenaissanve #FollowTheRedCup

The top three comments will win an awesome RCA prize to be announced tomorrow at 9am. Winners must LIKE the RCA FB page AND use ALL three hashtags!

In the meantime, break yourself FOOL!

Now back to the program:

If you enjoy the Red Cup Adventures blog, please support author Deanna Burrell by purchasing her first book…the inspirational guide Voted Most Creative. The paperback and ebook are available by clicking here.

If you want new Red Cup Adventures blogs delivered hot, fresh, and directly to your email box, type your email address below and click the “create subscription” button to sign-up for my blog alerts. The list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time. Thanks! And Please…LIKE, SHARE & COMMENT!

The coronavirus pandemic in the United States started in the middle of March. We were given two simple pieces of advice to avoid becoming ill:

. Social distancing-avoid large crowds and keep a distance of six feet between you and other people.
. WEAR A PROTECTIVE MASK!

Pretty simple, right? Easy to understand, right?

So why are we still seeing people in public not wearing a mask?

Monday morning I rode on a suburban train into the city. There were four people at my station. Two weren’t wearing masks. Doing the simple math, that’s fifty percent.
Next stop was on a city bus. Only one person wasn’t wearing a mask. Naturally, he jumped in front of everyone to get off the bus first.
While downtown, there was a couple walking in front of me holding hands. Neither of them were wearing a mask.
Finally, on a return bus out of the city, a woman had a mask, but it was tied around her neck instead of on her face.

Why? WHY? WHY???

I understand why people don’t want to wear a mask. No one does. It’s makes breathing hard. It fogs up your glasses. It’s uncomfortable. It’s a major pain in the ass! Like I said, I get it! But what’s a little discomfort compared to your life? Think about the people who have to wear masks eight hours or more for their jobs. Doctors, nurses, grocery store workers, restaurant workers and so many others do it. If they can, you can do it for a short time when you go run an errand or go for a walk in a crowded area.

I can only think of a couple of reasons why anyone wouldn’t wear a mask:

. Donald Trump isn’t wearing one.
. You think the pandemic is behind us.

If it’s about Trump…C’MON!!! If it’s because you really think the pandemic is over, check the numbers in states like Texas, Arizona and ten other states where cases of coronavirus, hospitalizations and deaths are spiking.

This is the second time I’ve written about people not wearing masks. The first time was early in the pandemic. I’m giving them a break because they may not have known better. Three months later, you have no excuse…ZERO! People, we can and need to do better. Do it for yourself. Do it for the people around you. Just do it!

Related Post: Donald Trump not wearing a mask shows his disrespect for all of us

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Watch Phil Mickelson make an incredible approach and birdie putt to win the tournament after his tee shot goes into the trees on the 72nd hole at the 2008 Charles Schwab Challenge.

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Four years ago this post spoke to the simmering rage of a country divided. Sadly, in the interim years, progress at instituting change has been limited. Now the George Floyd tragedy has turned the world upside down. Once again, we plea for the power of love to prevail. Dear Lord, we do not want to read this post again four years from now!

My granddaughter is five and a half going on six. She is playing in the park with a group of kids her age. They are laughing, absorbed in their children’s games, exultant, spontaneous and innocent.

The afternoon light is filtered by leafy boughs, a photographer’s golden hour without scrims or gels, creating a glowing halo around my granddaughter’s flowing blond hair. She is angelic.

She has no idea about the madness going on in the world. And for that moment in time, watching her, neither do I. I am eighty-three and a half going on six.

I am watching pure joy and the scene floods me with emotion. There is a saying, “Go to a child for the truth.” It comes to me that this is the true nature the Buddha exhorts us to find within: this pure joy, this innocence, this unrepressed playfulness… so natural among the children; and lost to us as adults.

At home that evening the television is a messenger of hate. The scenes are savage. We are killing each other for incomprehensible reasons. The playground has become the killing field.

At the park there were Caucasian kids, African American kids, Asian kids, Latino kids… all kids, no parenthetical phrases, just kids! If I asked my granddaughter to describe her playmates, she would answer, “There was a girl with braids; a boy in a red sweater.”

On the TV screen the men and women with distorted faces lit by the harsh light of long-handled flashlights and blinking strobes describe each other in different terms; cruel, harsh terms that inflict pain and rage. The light of innocence does not flicker; the open heart has shut down; hatred has driven love from the playground.

Kids leave the park and grow up in the world around them, taught about differences they never realized existed. Each generation produces its own set of teachers and blameless students who absorb the venomous lessons of racism and intolerance.

I have a plan to interrupt the cycle. Stop posting videos of cute cats and the dumb pet tricks that make Facebook so fatuous; in their place post recordings of kids playing with other kids. Grandparents can lead the way, showing off their beautiful toddlers and showing how the world can be at the same time.

No viewer can resist. The child within all of us will reemerge, hanging on tight, screaming with delight as the spinning merry-go-round goes faster and faster. We’ll feel the joy of being kids again, having fun with the girl with braids and the boy in the red sweater.

How lovely life is when we play together in harmony.

Any small business owner knows that with success comes expansion. Often, that means making a new or bigger parking lot to accommodate your growing customer base. After all, if you want more people to enter your shop, there must be enough room for them to park.

While planning for a parking lot can be an exciting step in your entrepreneurial career, installing one can be a significant investment. Therefore, doing it correctly the first time is crucial. Here’s how to properly plan for a new parking lot.

Consider Dimensions

When considering the size and dimensions of your lot, consider how many customers might visit your location at any given time. This estimate will help you decide how many parking spaces to include in your plans. Many U.S. states and municipalities require public spaces to be nine feet wide and 18 feet long. However, if your clients own larger vehicles or have handicaps, you may want to plan for larger spots.

Choose a Material

The three most common parking lot materials are asphalt, concrete and gravel. In most cases, you’ll only choose one to pave your lot. While there are pros and cons to each option, asphalt reigns supreme in terms of durability and ease of installation. Unlike other materials, asphalt is flexible, making it less prone to cracking. It’s also more porous, allowing for better drainage. Subsequently, you’ll only have to worry about resurfacing every 10 to 20 years, making maintenance easy.

Design a Functional Layout

The next step in planning your parking lot is designing a functional layout. Would you rather have angled or rectangular parking spaces? Do you want to include spaces for parallel parking? Often, the shape of your lot space will determine which kind of layout you choose. You should also plan space for two-way traffic around the perimeter of the lot for a smoother flow of vehicles and higher space efficiency.

Implement Safety Precautions

You can also ensure traffic flows in the right direction by painting markings on the asphalt. Use paint to specify handicap spots, speed limits and pedestrian crossings. You should also place stop and yield signs throughout the lot to keep pedestrians and drivers safe. Additionally, design for lot lighting and security camera placement to illuminate parking for evening shoppers. Lights can also reduce crimes like robbery and assault by 39%, so proper fixture placement is a must.

Beautify by Landscaping

Once you’ve outlined the logistical side of your parking lot, you can begin to focus on aesthetics. Beautify the new lot by planting trees around the perimeter or in small green spaces throughout. You might even plant flowers around the entrance of the building to better welcome guests. Be sure to include trimming and watering as part of your weekly agenda. Maintaining green spaces will ensure visibility and keep the area beautiful.

Think Long-Term

As you consider the logistics of your new lot, remember to make decisions for the long term. Opt for high-quality materials and hire landscapers with a good deal of experience in commercial work. You should also invest in decent lighting and cameras to keep your business and customers safe.

Of course, parking lots can and will deteriorate over time — regardless of how well you design them. Therefore, it’s vital to perform regular inspections and create a budget for care and maintenance. Setting aside a small amount of money each month to care for your lot will prolong its life and save you money.