Have to love the song R.E.S.P.E.C.T., not just for the catchy rhythm and beat, and not just for the amazing voice she has, but for the idea that a little bit can go a long way. This is completely true when there was none to begin with.

When they said there was a two week workshop at Case Western University called Engineering and Teachers, I was first in line to be signed up. I was the bad one on the tour though, always stepping away and asking the grad students, “What’s that?” Then I would have to catch up with the tour group, because I was so fascinated to learn all I could about the new things they were working on at such a prestigious place. When we were listening to the Biomedical Engineer’s presentation he said that they go by a motto. “Just a little bit means the world to someone who has none.” He should have had the song playing in the background while we learned about giving someone a little bit of use of a mechanical hand to replace a missing limb.

I want to present a few cases where ‘Just a little bit’ may be too much.

When a young person tries to dye their own hair a little bit and it comes out orange, then a little bit was too much.

When just a little bit of gambling turns into debt then the little bit was too much.

Our tour guide Michael said, “Just a little bit of lava breached the retaining wall.” When we went to Florida to get a little bit of sun and after our first day we could have been cooked and sold at Red Lobster, then the little bit was too much.

When talking about lava that is hot enough to go through anything and melt everything, just a little bit is too much.

Have a just a little bit of a Happy Friday, the last Friday of the year 2024.