Articles written by Robin Landry

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About me - Robin Landry

Craving Creativity!

After nearly a quarter century writing technical manuals and carefully crafted mission statements as an insurance industry professional, I find myself looking forward to expressing my creative side by participating in the Helium community.

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Politics, News & Issues > Political Issues Banning smoking in public areas: 1 of 100
Except for a brief "experimental period" during my college years some twenty-five years ago, I am, and have always been, a non-smoker. As a result, I found myself welcoming the smoking bans which came, first to my workplace and then, eventually to all public spaces in my small, Illinois town. The fact that my cigarette-smo... More..
Jobs & Careers > Professionalism Why some people are always late for work: 1 of 67
I am not generally a procrastinator. In fact, I actually enjoy planning ahead. As a student I always completed homework assignments early and I never miss deadlines at work.However, for over twenty years I have had what some might call a "dirty little secret." For the better part of those twenty years I was late to work, near... More..
Jobs & Careers > Employers Should employers monitor employees' Internet use?: 1 of 63
Should employers monitor the Internet use of employees? As a former manager forced to terminate a promising young trainee a few years ago as a result of his apparent Internet addiction, I would have to answer with a resounding, "Yes!"Information technology (IT) literature is filled with studies outlining the ever expanding us... More..
Jobs & Careers > Employers Do people work more if they are paid more?: 1 of 57
Thanks to the influence of my seventeen year old son I have acquired a working vocabulary of the hip-hop world where wealth and the gaudy display of "bling" or "ice" (i.e. flashy or elaborate jewelry or accessories, according to Wikipedia) are an inherent part of the culture. But what about mainstream corporate America? Is it... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: Mental illness and the effects on a family: 1 of 46
"It's just a phase." "He's just being a teenager." "He's a good kid. Just give it time. He'll turn himself around."Five years ago, when my then thirteen year old son, "A" began to exhibit increasingly bizarre and often frightening behaviors this was the type of well meaning advice that I received from friends, family, and sad... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Political Values America is in a privacy crisis: 1 of 42
Privacy is that state in which we are free from disturbance or intrusion into our personal lives. There was once a time in the not too distant past when privacy could be achieved through the simple act of locking our doors or drawing our window shades. But with ever advancing technology and threats of foreign and domestic t... More..
Creative Writing > Essays Essays: Religion: 1 of 34
Even though it has been nearly forty years since I was a young student in Mrs. Crispin's first grade class I can still vividly remember the lesson she taught us about the first Thanksgiving. We studied how the Pilgrims sailed to America to be befriended by Native Americans, although in the late 1960s before anyone had ever re... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Family Values Family values: Should older children earn their pocket money?: 1 of 32
If you have ever watched financial guru, Suze Orman's call-in show you will quickly realize that when it comes to financial matters there are lots of folks out there who simply don't have a clue when it comes to finances. With the current economic crises, layoffs, foreclosures and rising gas prices teaching children about... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Heaven, Hell & Afterlife Can you get to heaven by being good?: 5 of 138
"'Good enough' never is!" This was a phrase that my sisters and I heard many times from our parents as we were growing up; usually when we were tempted to slack off and put forth minimal effort on some school project or homework assignment. It was never acceptable to say, "Oh, it doesn't matter; this is 'good enough'." Our pa... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: Racism: 1 of 25
"Racism may have been a problem in the past, but things are different now. We don't really need things like affirmative action' and diversity awareness training' because everything is ok now, right?"As an African-American I am dismayed when I hear statements such as these. I was born during the Civil Rights era and as a resul... More..