The Long Goodbye

She's a little bit country, and he's a little bit rock and roll. They're both a little bit beyond that golden No. 50. And way back in 2009, when they first became featured entertainers at the Flamingo Las Vegas resort hotel and casino, the gig was supposed to last for a little bit more than a month — six weeks, to be exact. Here it is 10 years later, and Donny and Marie Osmond are finally winding down and preparing to exit the stage.

The stage at the Flamingo, that is. There will doubtless continue to be performance opportunities for America's (perhaps) longest-lived and (certainly) most wholesome sibling musical duo. That whole "live in Las Vegas" business, on the other hand, is definitely about to wrap up. No kidding, folks, it's closing time. Last call. If you want to see Donny and Marie at the Flaming then you need to get it done before Nov. 16 ... 2019.

That's right, the end is near. It's not so near that there are fewer than 365 days left to partake. But you definitely shouldn't be making plans for, say, 2020, because the show will be over. You know, unless there's an encore. Or unless the Flamingo announces a special limited run. "Held over!" "Back by Popular Demand!" "More enjoyable than the German guys with the tigers! (Who retired in 2010 anyway.)" "Better than the blue body paint dudes!"

The point is that Donny and Marie are leaving Las Vegas — sort of like Cheryl Crow — but they are not leaving right away. It can be helpful to have deadlines, however, both in showbiz and in life. Fans of Donny and Marie, for example, now know that they had better act quickly (relatively speaking) if they want to see the legendary duo onstage at the Flamingo. There is a deadline after which (most likely) there will be no further opportunities.

Deadlines, even ones that seem far away, can be essential to succeeding in your IT training and certification efforts. It's easier to plan your training if you know when things need to be finished by. Deadlines can also be motivational: If you have trouble buckling down and getting things done, then a deadline can work wonders. Don't just rely on your native constitution and resolve. Draw a line in the sand, and then live up to it. Your exam date, if need be, can always be held over by popular demand.