A long awaited Girls day out

On Saturday afternoon I went to meet my friend for lunch. We had been planning this get together since last December. Somehow we managed to push the time forward for various reasons; illness, work, scheduled travels etc. I’d been thinking about calling her since mid-week to set up our meeting for Saturday. I wanted to do something different this Saturday instead of the same old Saturday stuff besides our lunch outing was well overdue. It was a very good day; the sun was shining, it was about 70 degrees and calling me out to play. It’s a good day for the outdoors and fun and laughter.

Of course I woke up and it’s Saturday morning and I didn’t make the call. As I sat over coffee thinking about how I lost another opportunity to visit with Barb my phone rang. Oh yeah, it was her! Weird right! Of course I was stunned and I blurted out, “you’re gunna live a long time! I was just thinking about you”! (The old saying, right) I explained my failures this week and we laughed about it. We went ahead and set a time to meet. Yeah!

We met at two o’clock and had a great day. We talked, laughed and enjoyed the company over lunch at Panera Bread. We discussed all sorts. As we ended lunch, she made a comment to something we were discussing that I had never heard before. I found it very profound. We had such a hearty laugh. I decided to write the phrase down. I didn’t want to forget it because I wanted to share it with you. We then went shopping and mall hopping until late evening talking and laughing as we went along. She is such a trooper.
So anyway here is what she said.

She said, “Humans are like tea bags; never know its strength until its placed in hot water”.

Believe me, I though I knew a lot of idioms because my grandmother was the queen of maxims. I said it before; my grandmother always had a good ‘line’ for us for everything. But this was a new one for me. It got me thinking. This is so true! You know, until you are faced with a tough situation you don’t quite know your resolve. But one thing for sure, you know you have to get through it. And so you pursue it with such vigor and strength. You find the angles because you must survive. When you are on the other side of the problem you then reflect with wonder and amazement on how you got through it. I guess it is another way of saying, when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. The tea bag idea though is more poignant. I like it!

How many of these have you heard before and how true to form do you think they are or your encounters revealed?

Here are ten common aphorism
Never judge a book by its cover
Necessity is the mother of invention
One never know the looks of a lousy cat
Cross that bridge when you get to it
Never sell your self short
Be careful what you say/do when you are at the top because you don’t know who you will meet on your way down
What goes up must come down
A promise is a side pocket to a fool
A hard ear makes a soft (sour) behind

Please share your favorite idioms with us!

Thanks for a wonderful day! Thanks for the memory!

Tech Support humor

I have been more frustrated than pleased with his whole episode and experience of blogging. Mind you, I enjoy the writing and posting etc. The problem for me is with the functionality of the blog. I have been working endlessly on trying to get the blog in a position to get seen, after all that is a goal of the exercise.

I’ve read a lot of tips and tricks and direction on how to increase “traffic” to blogs. I am just trying to get some traffic not to mention increase traffic, well, yeah increase. Increase from zero to some! So after all of the research and reading and trying to follow the instructions I don’t think I’ve made a difference. I’ve found some new tools and picked up some tips on widgets but still no traffic. I think I have succeeded in loading up my hard drive with programs and gadgets but none of them have produced the results I am looking for. I don’t even think I’ve gotten off first base with any of the tools. Well, I went back to what I know and enjoy.

I went to read my emails that I’ve been neglecting because I was consumed with blog traffic. I finally opened my April newsletter from Inner works Messenger. This is a monthly newsletter that I’ve subscribe to for some months now. I am always happy and renewed by the articles and stories, poems etc that are there. I usually find something to help me to focus on an issue or situation that crossed my plate or on my plate at the time. As I browsed the newsletter through the humor section I got some comic relief to my situation. Remember I said I was frustrated with seeking a way to increase blog traffic, well lo and behold what did I see? The entry called Tech Support. Naturally it caught my eyes and as I read I laughed hysterically. Yeah, the accounts are funny and they reminded me that this computer or technology business can really take you out of your frame, even when you are seriously trying to get something done.

I thought I would share this piece with you for comic relief because I was relieved. I will go back to try to figure out this traffic thing because I think I have something to share. I hope I will make some progress this time around. So, think about me and my blog traffic situations as you read, and if you have some solutions please share them with me. I promise I will also share your kindness with everyone else.

Here is the InnerWords April 2009 Humor entry:
These are actual calls to technical support help desks...

A woman called the Canon help desk with a problem with her printer. The tech asked her if she was "running it under Windows." The woman then responded, "No, my desk is next to the door. But that is a good point. The man sitting in the cubicle next to me is under a window, and his is working fine."

Tech Support: "How much free space do you have on your hard drive?"

Customer: "Well, my wife likes to get up there on that Internet, and she downloaded ten hours of free space. Is that enough?"

Overheard in a computer shop:
Customer: "I'd like a mouse mat, please."
Salesperson: "Certainly sir, we've got a large variety."

Customer: "But will they be compatible with my computer?"

I once received a fax with a note on the bottom to fax the document back to the sender when I was finished with it, because he needed to keep it.

I work for a local ISP. Frequently we receive phone calls that go something like this:
Customer: "Hi. Is this the Internet?"
Customer: "So that'll get me connected to the Internet, right?"
Tech Support: "Yeah."
Customer: "And that's the latest version of the Internet, right?"

Tech Support: "Uhhh... uh... uh... yeah."
Tech Support: "Ok Bob, let's press the control and escape keys at the same time. That brings up a task list in the middle of the screen. Now type the letter 'P' to bring up the Program Manager."
Customer: "I don't have a 'P'."
Tech Support: "On your keyboard, Bob."
Customer: "What do you mean?"
Tech Support: "'P' on your keyboard, Bob."
Customer: "I'm not going to do that!"

Customer: "My computer crashed!"
Tech Support: "It crashed?"
Customer: "Yeah, it won't let me play my game."
Tech Support: "All right, hit Control-Alt-Delete to reboot."
Customer: "No, it didn't crash-it crashed."
Tech Support: "Huh?"
Customer: "I crashed my game. That's what I said before. Now it doesn't work."Turned out, the user was playing Lunar Lander and crashed his spaceship.
Tech Support: "Click on 'File,' then 'New Game.'"
Customer: [pause] "Wow! How'd you learn how to do that?"

Please check out the newsletter I think you will enjoy it! Here is the link:

Innerworks Publishing E-mail your articles, questions or humor to: Suzanne@InnerWorksPublishing.Com

Not my usual Easter celebration

Allelujah!

Today is a great day! This is a day that many believe is an opportunity to begin a new chapter, a rebirth if you will, because it is Easter Day. We once again have an opportunity to reflect on our good fortune to have a love that paid the ransom for our wretched selves. This love also allows us to love one another and to forgive. Easter is a happy time, a time to worship, a time of thanksgiving and to celebrate the risen Lord. We celebrate the ascension that makes us free, giving us everlasting life everlasting, if we choose. Unfortunately my Easter worship celebration was not what I expected it to be but the rest of the day was good.

I always love to go to church on the 'high holy days' of the Christian calendar. Today we celebrate Easter. Easter Sunday is a happy time to me. I love the celebrations, the great hymns, the fancy clothes and hats and crowded pews in church. Most of all I love the celebratory hymns on Easter morn. They are so powerful and wonderful! I always leave church singing and dancing with the songs in my heart. The message and songs also frame my mood and is my inspiration for the week. This is a usual weekly occurrence for me anyways but these special days are indelible in my being and reminiscent of my youth. Back in the day, Sundays and holidays were special. They were all about church, bible stories and reverence. Not to mention the fancy Easter dresses and Easter bonnets, and Easter egg hunts and afternoons of special dinners and good ole fun with my sisters, neighbors and other relatives. I have some fond and cherished memories. Throughout the years I’ve tried to replicate this for my children and they have come to appreciate these traditions.

We went to a local neighborhood church today to celebrate this Easter Day. We decided to go there because we wanted to connect with the local church instead of travel to our old church across town. This church was a 5 minute stroll which is very attractive compared to the 40 minute cross-town ride. We'd been to this church before but never felt the 'connection'. I think we visited this church twice about a year ago. I enjoyed the service and thought that it was a little different but ok, we thought we could fit in easily. The message today was a good one. Of course it's the familiar scripture. The delivery was good and the message was strong. The mood was low keyed, almost somber and the energy was low. The Lenten season is sad and a low period for Christians but this day, Easter Sunday is NOT!

I certainly missed the high energy, joyous and happy feeling I am accustomed to on Easter Day. The joy in people’s faces and the happiness in their voices, the sounds from the organ guest musicians and the choir, the robust singing from the congregation, the colors and fashions, the flowers of my old church were not there. I think that these icons add to the completeness and the satisfaction of the worship and the fellowship. I certainly missed that today.

I was very disappointed about the music. Don't get me wrong. They had a choir and they were very good. The selections were not the soul stirring or moving or the traditional hymns of the season. The singing in the chapel was not as boisterous and melodious but everyone seemed engaged. What a let down to my Easter celebration. The final hymn was one of the Easter faves but the tune and the production was so-so. We sauntered out of the church feeling blessed; understanding and reflecting on the resurrection, the importance in our lives, the value of fellowship and our obligation but I was not as inspired and charged up for the world or the week, as usual. The music left us under whelmed.

I am thankful for the opportunity to worship and to get to church with a 5 minute walk but I guess there is a lot to be said about tradition and celebrations. Tradition in the value that we place on the experience and the expected activities associated with the event. The celebration in the acceptance of the message, the expressions of feelings of joy and appreciation that we see in each other and the spirituality shared. This group, I guess has a different tradition and a different appreciation. I guess the moral here is, if it aint broke don’t fix it, or perhaps be open and unassuming when you are in a new situation because it may conflict with the norm and sensibilities and kill the moment for you. We could also see this experience as not to try new things when the stakes are high, it’s better to work up to it on ‘off days’. We should try to enjoy and appreciate things but this wasn’t one to risk.

Anyway I am very happy that HE is risen and HE paid my ransom. I am happy knowing that and will rejoice in my traditional way. Celebrate and remember, He lives!.

Happy Easter every one!

Her tribute to her fallen feline child

This is Molly, Amazing Molly. She was 10 years old and just lost her life to cancer. Rest in peace Molly!

Molly belonged to a colleague of mine.
I sat next to her at one of our regular meetings last week. As I looked over to greet her I noticed that she was not her usual happy go luck self. Of course I asked the question, why so glum and she told me the story. She then handed me a copy of her memoriam chronicling Molly's life with her. As I read it I realized how touched she was and how special Molly was. I though I would share her tribute to Molly as I was moved by the tribute and her compassion.

The tribute read
April 1997: Heard faint meows and found approximately 2 week old kittens in the well of an old house window, in bad shape with glass all around. One was already gone. Molly's eye was so badly infected; they thought she would be blind in it. In true Molly fashion (although I didn't know at the time, it healed and she was not blind). She was the smallest but the most curious. Two others did not make it. I bottle fed her and she would look all around while drinking.

Every once in a while an extraordinary individual comes into your life if you are so blessed. All animals are special but Molly was unique. She had an incredible intuitive bond with me. It's amazing how she "knew things". She was highly intelligent, loving, and very strong willed. I'd love it when she would "kitten out" and knead and kiss me, purring away-and she would love to do noses.

She was small with dainty little paws, and the most silky black fur ever. Her toughness made up for her smallness and would not take nonsense from her brothers and sisters. She also had a special bond with Jenny who would groom her. She would take everything in. When she was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2004, the prognosis was grim. She sailed through treatment without side effects and went into remission. She then relapsed 2 years later and again, sailed through remission. She would just look around in the car and want to sit on the seat and not in the carrier. She would bring me toys constantly, with that little mow and then drop them at my feet. She would also want to play fetch (yes, she is a cat) when she was a kitten, bringing me fuzzy balls etc. At first this third bout (in August) was going fine. A small body - even the most strongest like Molly can only take so much and cancer is a nasty disease and this time her little body could not take it. She fought hard and maintained that dignity and strong will to the end.

She transitioned peacefully with love all around her on March 30, 2009. In her weakened state, she managed to purr as I looked into those expressive eyes as if to say, it's ok mom. I have been privileged and blessed to have her in my life. She is my feline soulmate and we will be connected forever, but the pain and grief that is consuming me is indescribable as I have to adjust to my life here on Earth without her (in body). Roger, Jenny, Sandy, Simba and even Rosie the bunny will miss her too. Everybody who has met her sensed what an incredible individual she was. We will be connected forever. I miss her terribly and hope that we will be together again one day.

Thank you for sharing your tribute with us. I am sorry for your lost and pray that the peace that passeth all understanding abide with you. May you find joy in those around you.

Disappearing Umbrella

This was a very rainy week for us. Well, I think it was especially since I got caught in the rain a few times this week. Friday was the worst day in the rain for me. I had several appointments and things to do that required me going from place to place. The umbrella was helpful earlier in the week but totally useless and costly on Friday. I say useless because the wind was too strong for the umbrellas, big, small cute or plain old umbrellas. Folks including me were running to get replacement ones even though I was completely soaked and the wind gust which didn’t subside was relentless. The umbrellas were turned inside out and the rain had a good shot at you. The wind was so fierce that if we weren't so water logged there would have been a lot of "Mary Popping" umbrella scene and ladies in the sky.

My issue here however is with the umbrellas. How many times have you lost, left, misplace or forgot your umbrella at the last place you stopped while carrying it? And this includes on a rainy day, while it's still raining. I have lost count of the number of times I have lost my umbrella. Believe it or not it happened this time as well. Granted I was getting minimal coverage from the umbrella this day but it was still a good one and it could be more useful on another rainy day.

Well, I stepped into a store out of the rain to grab a cup of Joe as I headed to work. Of course there was a line in the store. As I got to the cashier I placed the umbrella on the counter to pay, collected my goodies and move on. Oh yeah, I moved on minus the umbrella. I was already wet as I said; I was only a couple of doors away from the job so I made a run for it not realizing that I left the umbrella. Now I am inside again and then I miss the umbrella. Should I run back out for my umbrella? Oh, on a day like this will it still be there? Is it worth going out again to get more wet? Hmmm, what to do? I will certainly need an umbrella to get along my way throughout the day. If I leave it there I will have to buy a new one and money is tight, or I will have to borrow one. With the wind gusts I might damage the loaner umbrella and will have to replace it. I might have to buy two umbrellas instead of one. Hmmm; decisions, decisions. Well, I made a run back to the store to collect my umbrella and guess what? It was g-o-n-e! That was all of 5 minutes. I sauntered back to my office resigned to buying an umbrella to help me through the day.

As I went back to the office I wasn’t sure how to react or what to think about the disappearance of the umbrella. I ran through several scenarios in my head that the 'taker' might have considered; I was silly to have left it? Maybe I (the owner) was finished with it? It was someone’s lucky day, or, gee giving the kind of weather we’re having, someone didn’t find the umbrella useful and discarded it. Or, and this could be real, someone really needed an umbrella and I met that need.

Well whatever the reason for collecting my unattended umbrella, I hope it does me proud and it meets the needs of the taker. It served me well. What was your thoughts or reaction when you forgot your umbrella and wasn't able to retrieve it? Good riddance. Ah gee, what the heck? Well maybe I did a good deed!