10 Rules to live by....

While traveling I intentionally boycotted the news (except for weather and only then when it was threatening) in all it's various forms for the duration of my trip. That's an incredibly unheard of thing for me to admit, however in doing so I missed the news that Justice Sandra Gardebring (Ogren)  passed away.   I had known for about a month that it was coming so it wasn't unexpected.  However I didn't learn the actual news until this morning, 10 days after the fact.  The reality was the day I left on my journey, hers ended.

Justice Gardebring (even with her passing I can't call her anything else) would have been supportive of my recent road trip independence ...and even more supportive of just letting everything go.  She had a knack of knowing what was important and not and had fought bravely on and off, for almost a decade, with her battle against cancer.  She was fun, feisty, warm, giving, hardworking and respectful.  She was a force of positive energy to fight the good fight, a calming voice of reason, a butt kicker when needed, a leader, mentor and the consummate public servant.   To know her best is to read her "10 Rules to Live by...."

1. Don't be a jackass

2. Listen more than you talk

3. Find time in every day to reach out to someone

4. Always: Please - and - Thank You

5. You can't over-communicate important ideas

6. Don't eat at your desk or in your car

7. You don't have to be at every meeting

8. You can accomplish a lot more if you don't care who gets the credit

9. Tell the people you love that you love them

10. Everything does not have to match

Not a bad list of rules to live by....RIP Justice Gardebring.