|
TAKE TIME TO PRIORITIZE
|
Dec 1, 2011 7:50 pm
858 Views
|
12-1-11
The minute you begin to do what you really want to do, it’s really a different kind of life.
R. Buckminster Fuller
Back in the day when I was pretty much an internet virgin, I chatted with a fella that had worked for “Bucky” Fuller. Now being the worldly woman that I was (Ha!), for the longest time I pretty much didn’t believe most of what he told me. I was extremely cautious about giving out identifiable personal information. I’d heard all those horror stories… ax murderers and all that we are here in cyberspace. 
This guy regaled me with pretty fantastic stories of things he’d done with his life. He’d been around some pretty impressive people and gotten to do some pretty incredible things, not the least of which was working for Buckminster Fuller. He sounded way too good to be true.
One day while we were chatting, I said, “Gee. You must have had a very privileged upbringing.”
He just laughed and said that, no, he’d had a very middle class upbringing. Maybe even a lower middle class upbringing. His father was an alcoholic and his mother the sole breadwinner and “parent” most of the time.
“Then how did you get to do all these things?”
I’ll never forget his response. He said, “I made it my business to be around the people I wanted to learn from.”
Let me repeat that, “I made it my business to be around the people I wanted to learn from.”
The man knew the things he wanted to learn and made it a priority to find ways to meet and get to know the people that would teach him how to become the man he aimed to become. Some of those people were writers I was already familiar with. There were also politicians and futurists like Fuller.
I still might not have believed him had he not sent me a newspaper article that verified his identity through one of the stories. On top of that, he told me where I could find other newspaper articles in a major paper’s archives if it would put me at ease. I also met him in person once and the man matched the newspaper’s photos.
He did what he really wanted to do and had a different kind of life.
For a time, I was doing what I really wanted to do. It was the same life in terms of work, but there were extremely rewarding differences. I got my priorities mixed up and lost my way for a while, but I truly believe I’m getting back on that path to finding those amazing and rewarding differences.
|
|
|
2
Comments
|
|
|
Noel… not the Christmas Kind
|
Nov 30, 2011 7:49 pm
803 Views
|
Noel is my neighbor. She’s young… mid to late 20’s and the single mother of 2 little guys… and a puppy. She’s very sweet… friendly… a vivacious young woman. We’ve only had a couple of conversations beyond the regular “hi” and “bye” as we’re coming or going.
The first real conversation we had was about a friend of hers that died in Afghanistan. His services were about a month ago. The Patriot Guard was here in full force… protecting the funeral party’s route from the Phelps gang of hooligans. She and her mother helped organize a funeral dinner that not only fed the family and friends of this young soldier, but the 2,000+ Patriot Guard. A number of local businesses contributed food and various supplies to feed upwards of 3,000 people.
It was an impressive show. My boss told me it was so touching to see all those men and women lining the street with their flags and motorcycles in honor of the young man who gave his life and to protect the family left behind. She and her husband, a Vietnam vet himself, were moved to tears.
Anyway… Noel told me that it was the first time she ever felt like part of the community since moving here twelve years ago.
This evening the conversation started with, “Can you do me a favor?”
“What do you need?” I asked.
Noel wasn’t sure if it was my thing or not, but if I’m part of a church, could I start a prayer chain for her. She had a CT scan today and, as her doctor put it to her, “There are more nodules on your lungs than I can count.” Six months ago, there were none. Tomorrow she goes in for a biopsy… not needle… laproscopic. If that doesn’t tell them what’s going on, she’ll go to a specialist and have her chest cracked open for a “fishing expedition.” They’ve ruled out TB and some other more common lung ailments. But whatever it is, it’s growing fast.
So… if you’re a praying person, please say a little prayer for Noel. I am.
|
|
|
12
Comments
|
|
|
This & That
|
Nov 29, 2011 5:12 pm
569 Views
|
I haven't had time to really come up with a cohesive topic that I want to write about today, but if I'm going to even come close to that daily writing of a blog I've got to keep plodding along.
Yesterday started off with being up at 6:15 and getting my little guy off to school. He has some problems with keeping up at school because he's severely dyslexic and moderately ADD. I was excited to hear that she's putting him in the local swim club. He tried out for the team this evening. I think he'll do well and that will give him something he can feel good about... successful at.
After getting him off for school, I indulged in an hour of massage therapy. My friend the massage therapist gives me a nice healthy discount that makes the luxury affordable.
On my way home, I got a call from my boss. Our stores "made the cut." (About 95 weren't so lucky, so I'm thankful to still have a job.) SHE was more worried about it than I was, so I thought it'd be fun to get some sparkling grape juice with which to celebrate. I got some "happy, happy, happy" cups and we (she, I and the other store's asst. mgr.) toasted to our good fortune. On top of that, we got 6 boxes of freight and had very good sales for the day.
Today was slower but that's ok. We still had plenty to do as our District Manager's coming to visit in the morning.
This evening I'll be spending some time making some Christmas gifts. Look out, sewing machine, here I come!
|
|
|
8
Comments
|
|
|
volunteering a look in the mirror
|
Nov 27, 2011 2:04 pm
567 Views
|
TAKE TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE or LOOK IN THE MIRROR?
There are many wonderful things that will never be done
if you do not do them.
Charles D Gill
Making a difference at this time of year can mean anything from dropping a few pennies into a Salvation Army kettle at a shopping center to blankets for the homeless or helping build a Habitat house. It seems we all make a little time or effort to “make a difference” at this time of year, but what do we do other times of the year?
We could visit the elderly. Oh, wait! Some think we ARE the elderly. Ha!
We could:
* Adopt an pet
* Mentor a child
* Take on leadership roles in our neighborhood or condo associations ( at ET)
* Volunteer at hospitals or homeless shelters
* Visit a veteran
The possibilities are endless.
When I moved here, I thought I might make a difference by influencing local politics. The campaign committee I helped with was successful, however the person we helped put in office basically turned on just about everyone that helped put him there. That’s another story, but let it suffice to say I relented more because I needed to make a living than the aftermath of that election.
As I consider how I can make a difference, I’m struck at the differences of my life before moving to Oklahoma and after.
When I lived in Kansas I was actively involved in my church and a couple of volunteer organizations. My mother, a dozen relatives or so and most of my life-long friends also lived there.
In Oklahoma I know very few people outside work. I’m close to none of them except, perhaps, the ex-boyfriend. We’re still friends. I’m involved in virtually nothing philanthropically or socially here. I must say that’s a sad state of affairs and is very likely why I don’t feel very much a part of the community.
OK… this isn’t going where I thought it was going to go. Hahaha… Amazing how sometimes writing/reflecting lead us to places that help us identify areas in which we need to grow. Day-yum! (I almost never say that other word for philosophical reasons.)
How are you going to make a difference or are you stuck looking in the mirror too? Lol…
|
|
|
9
Comments
|
|
|
Foto Friday: Q
|
Nov 25, 2011 6:27 pm
368 Views
|
It’s Foto Friday and I’m in a quandary for the letter is “Q.” What to do? What to do?
Do I do something quick or run by OWU and take a snap of the quad? Wait! I have a quarter in my purse or I could easily take a pic of a clock at the quarter hour. Hmmm…
If I had a quince or lived near a quanset hut, that might do.
Perhaps if I could figure out a fun visual pun, you might be amused by my quirky little quip.
Where is a body builder when you need one? I could take a pic of his hunky quadriceps. That might lead to a quickie. He he he… OMG! Let’s not go there! That’d be too much – for readers AND for SFF censors.
Altogether now: “T M I!”
I wonder if I could find a geode and take a photo of some of its beautiful, glittering quartz.
Instead, I think I’ll post some “quiet” photos.
The left is a garden on the east lawn of the home on the Gilcrease Museum grounds in Tulsa, OK. Can’t you just see some Victorian ladies and gentlemen out on the lawn playing croquet? Today it’s a very serene, quiet place.
The right photo brings entirely different events to mind. Pea Ridge is one of the many locations where brother fought brother and neighbor fought neighbor during our Civil War. There’s nothing as quiet as the hallowed ground where many have lost their lives.
I know. Ben said to take this week off, but since he gave us TWO letters to think about I decided to do “q” this week and “r” next.
|
|
|
11
Comments
|
|
|
A Pause Before the Madness
|
Nov 24, 2011 5:53 pm
259 Views
|
I closed the store last night, then went by a friend's and visited a bit before posting last night's blog. I stayed up entirely TOO LATE! That made getting up at 7:30 this morning a little more challenging. 
I made sure I had everything in my overnight bag, took a shower, dressed and was drying my hair when... omg!... close call!... I nearly electrocuted myself or at least ruined my hair dryer. I had set my hair dryer on the sink's edge to section off another bit of hair to dry. I must have gotten it a bit too close to the edge as it fell, bounced off the trash can and onto the toilet seat and started to slide into the bowl. Visions of hair dryers falling into a bathtub with a bather in it (ME!)flashed through my head. Even so, I quickly grabbed the cord and rescued the still blowing dryer.
A teeny bit of water got on the outside casing, but, obviously, none got on the inside parts or it would have kicked the built-in breaker. I unplugged it and put it away, thankful, because the outcome could have been entirely different.
I was on my way to Mom's by 8:30 to pick her up. We went to my Aunt and Uncle in Wichita's house for our Thanksgiving feast. One of my cousins and her family was there... and a guest. I haven't seen any of them in almost three years so it was a joy.
Cecil is my mother's youngest brother. There were 4 boys, my mom, my Aunt Lou, then Uncle Cecil. He taught me things as a child that I'm sure my mom would have preferred he not have. This first isn't so bad, but the second? You be the judge.
"One dark and dreary moonlit night two dead boys got in a fight
back to back they faced each other drew their swords and shot each other. How do I know? The blind man told me. He saw it all." lol... don't you just love nonsense stuff?
And the second, a cheer. You might even have a school cheer song going through your head as you read this.
"Beer, beer for old Winfield High.
You bring the whiskey; I'll bring the rye.
Send those Freshmen out for gin
And don't let a sober Sophomore in.
We never stagger. We never fall.
We sober up on wood alcohol
While the loyal faculty goes back to the bar
For more beer, beer, beer."
Well, my uncle might be in his 70's now, but he still has his sense of humor. He introduced me to one of his morning coffee buddies... Pat. He told Pat I was a bicycle rider. I'm fairly certain Uncle Cecil was thinking about the time I wrecked my bike and knocked a hole all the way through my upper lip.
Pat, an avid cyclist, took him seriously. Having had a friend who cycled competitively decades ago, I knew a little about high-end bikes and why they can cost thousands of dollars. That was enough to have Pat asking me about this race and that rally and I was clueless! I tried a couple of times to let him know I'm not into racing. Though my friend had been a racer, I was not. I only rode for pleasure.
Dinner was excellent. The conversation ping ponged around the table: women's clothing... Boeing planes... holiday retailing... volunteer work... vintage automobiles... etc. It was nice.
After dinner, cousin Kris's hubbie took a nap and Pat escaped to ride his bike for his customary 25 miles per day (around 60-65 in the summer time). The rest of us continued to catch up on one another's lives and share family stories.
It was a very enjoyable Thanksgiving. 
Oh... the madness? I DO work in retail and the shopping season 'starts' tomorrow. I have tomorrow off too, so... Saturday the hubbub begins in ernest for me.
|
|
|
3
Comments
|
|
|
TAKE TIME TO BE YOURSELF
|
Nov 23, 2011 9:07 pm
287 Views
|
11-23-11
TAKE TIME TO BE YOURSELF
Embrace your uniqueness. Time is much too short to be living someone else’s life.
Unknown
This makes me think of several other poems and songs about the topic of each of our uniqueness.
Another You
by Julie Lee on Stillhouse Road
Another you… another you...
Oh, no, there’ll never be another you…
So you’re fit for nothin’ and fit to be tied
You don’t fit in, no matter how hard you try
There’ll never be another you
And you’re feeling lonely in a crowd
Like to stand up, clear your throat and scream out loud
Yeah, there’ll never be another you…
Let me assure you once again
I will always be your friend
And there’ll never be another you
And when you think you’ve been replaced
Just remember this – look upon my face
And know you’ll never be replaced
… No, there will never be another you.
This song makes me think of my youngest who’s always struggled to just be who she is and not worry so much about how to differentiate herself from others… especially family.
A poem this reminds me of came into my life when I was in my teens. It’s from Alive Now. The issue’s topic was “Courage: To be, to live, to die.” Although I don’t have the issue nearby to quote the entire poem, I remember the final words of “You Are Unique,”
“In the mind of God
You are unique and irreplaceable.”
I can’t count the number of times I’ve clung to those words or quoted them as a blessing to others. Indeed, you and I are unique and irreplaceable. We are both human beings with millions of similar characteristics and biological processes, yet we are entirely unique in hundreds of other ways.
I'm thankful for that... and for each of you.
|
|
|
5
Comments
|
|
|
TAKE TIME… TO REFLECT
|
Nov 22, 2011 4:51 pm
269 Views
|
11-22-11 BLOG
TAKE TIME TO REFLECT
Whatever you do in this life, take time to sit quietly and
let the world tell you what it needs from you.
Take a moment to honestly understand what your gifts are – you have them.
Ann Reed
I wonder how many of my gifts I’ve squandered. Seriously… have I used the God-given gifts and talents I’ve had at my disposal for the greater good? Often, I have… and equally often, I haven’t.
How many times have I had someone ask, “Are you a teacher?” or observe “It’s the teacher in you”? Learning has always been easy for me… with the exception of College Algebra. I love to learn and to share what I’ve learned with others. Maybe I have a gift for teaching… except for higher math.
These are things I’m interested in…
*Art – hands-on, let’s get dirty stuff as well as observing
the work of others
*Faith or spirituality
*Storytelling
*Information sharing
*Compassion
*Learning new things
I find myself in the same predicament I’ve been in most of my life. I’m interested in almost everything! All too often that makes me a “jack of all trades; master of none.”
Perhaps I need to sit quietly and listen more carefully!
|
|
|
4
Comments
|
|
|
TAKE TIME TO… PLAN
|
Nov 22, 2011 4:48 pm
237 Views
|
For 11-21-2011
As we prepare to enter the hubbub of the holiday season, we should also take some time to think about the important things of life. I recently purchased a little book of quotes on just that topic that I’d like to share with you over the coming days.
TAKE TIME TO PLAN
How are you going to use your supply of tomorrows?
Kobi Yamada
I’m not the world’s best planner. Most of my life, I’ve just let the future unfold as it will. That’s not to say I didn’t ever set goals for myself. Life just had a way of nipping some of those goals in the bud… or as Zig Ziglar used to say, I’d “get cooked in the squat.”
I’m not sure exactly what changed, but in my early 40’s I decided it was time to get serious about my life. I started getting more adept at setting and reaching personal goals. My biggest stumbling block has been to make them very specific and measurable. They’re all attainable. I went to college and got a Bachelor’s degree during that time.
In an effort to increase the likelihood that I’ll succeed, *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge* I’m going to start with a few 30-day goals for my “supply of tomorrows.”
*I shall prepare at least 2 of my 3 meals each day.
*I shall follow Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way by writing
whatever’s in my head at the beginning of each morning…
3 pages worth of handwritten stuff.
*I shall blog daily.
I think these three goals are a great place to start. They will set habits and patterns that are far healthier for me than the path I’m on right now. They are also consistent with some of my larger life goals for some of that “supply of tomorrows” I anticipate.
Goal 1: I shall prepare at least 2 of my 3 meals each day. I am far too addicted to convenience food. By preparing most of my own meals I’ll take charge of my health and get back to something I used to enjoy doing very much… being creative in the kitchen. I’ve let the fact that there’s no one but me to cook for make me lazy about eating right. (I used to be a stickler about eating healthy.)
Goal 2: I shall follow Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way by writing whatever’s in my head at the beginning of each morning… 3 pages worth of handwritten stuff. I’ve tried this before a couple of times and not gotten very far. This will be, by far, the most difficult of the three to do for 30 days. I’ve discovered that I’m too self critical when it comes to writing. I have a hard time just writing what I’m thinking. I find myself constantly editing and making sure my grammar is correct and my sentences complete. I think I also have a hard time committing to paper thoughts that I fear someone else reading. Having said that, from this day forward, I am determined to put PEN to paper each day and being honest about what’s swirling around in my brain at the time.
Goal 3: I shall blog daily. I challenged someone else to do this once. He did a bang-up job of it, too. (I miss chef954’s blog.) This will be relatively easy for me… the writing part. Having given up my internet connection at home for a while, it’ll be a little harder to post daily. I’ve been writing and burning CD’s, then going to a friend’s office to post blogs recently. Soooooooo… you might have to forgive me if I clog the blogs a couple of times a week. (tee hee hee)
Wish me well and contemplate… how are YOU going to use your supply?
|
|
|
3
Comments
|
|
|
Kansas Sesquicentennial
|
Nov 20, 2011 5:02 pm
247 Views
|
In honor of Kansas’s 150th birthday I’m posting a photo taken on the state’s 100th birthday. Let me introduce you to my Kindergarten class. Weren’t we cute? Believe it or not, I still can name about half of the class. Man, we’ve changed! 
Here we are with the bestest Kindergarten teacher in the whole wide world… Mella Mae Simpson. (Yes, I know “bestest” isn’t a word. Lol…) Not only was Miss Simpson my Kindergarten teacher, but my two siblings’ teacher as well.
We went all out that year. Our mamas made us pioneer dresses and bonnets. I think some of the boys even had mama’s custom made shirts for the occasion. Much of the town joined the children in costume on the day of the huge parade. Men grew beards all year for a beard contest… longest, handsomest, ugliest, etc. It was great fun.
Fifteen years ago or so, Winfield began an annual celebration of Kansas’ statehood. It’s the first weekend in May each year and called Kanza Days. There’s lots of food, music and fun. There’s a community ice cream social and historic activities for children to take part in… and, of course, a parade.
Inspired by a group that succeeded in Oklahoma last year at holding a cattle drive, a group of Kansans thought it appropriate that Kansas have a cattle drive along one of the historic paths taken over 100 years ago. I learned about it too late to meet the herd along the way and get some great photos of my own. Doggone it!
Soooooooo… let me challenge you. Which little girl in the photo do you think is me? 
|
|
|
4
Comments
|
|
To link to this blog (GoodCarMa) use [blog GoodCarMa] in your messages.
|
|
|
| Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
| |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
|
201
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
|
Most Recent Comments by Others
|
