Uh, weren’t those meals free?

I have few pet peeves but must admit ingratitude is one that is  hard for me to ignore.  Combine the ingratitude with a whine and  you have really pushed me to the brink.

For instance, I generally purchase a block of tickets to give out to family, friends, and my immediate staff.  I get a call from someone who wanted to know if they were going to be given a comp ticket this year, let me back up, comp tickets for them and their family.  I didn’t have enough originally but did end up with some being returned so I gave them the returned tickets.

Saturday they show up and eat pancakes for over an hour.  When I dropped by and asked how everything was, I was greeted with complaints and whining.  Hmm, you eat enough pancakes to feed a family multiple times and all  you can do is complain?  The food was free… right?  Maybe they felt if they complained they wouldn’t have to say thank you.

I don’t know, maybe I am in the wrong or just living in the past.  My parents always taught us to say “thank you” and show our appreciation for any gesture of kindness.  It was expected of us to be grateful for someone to think of us by giving through a sincere act of generosity.

Perhaps society has dropped those standards.  If that is the case, this world has lost an important element of humanity; gratitude.  Sheesh.

Pancake Patter

After 14 hours of being part of a the largest pancake supper this town ever sees, my dogs were a bit on the tired side, screaming to be put up for the day.  Something about being on concrete all day just makes those puppies protest on a grand scale.  I did get to overhear some interesting statements though…

“Can you believe that lady?  She is still here!”  (This was said by a lady who had been there for an hour eating plates of pancakes and sausages… maybe she was dumbfounded by the fact someone could eat as much and as long as she could.)

“Pancake syrup is so runny.  Luckily I brought my Karo.”  I thought this lady was joking but when she pulled out her bottle of Karo syrup, I realized this was one hard core syrup lady.

“So is this pork sausage?”  I really had to bite my tongue on that one.

“Are these the same type of pancakes you served last year?”  “Yessir, they are IHOP pancakes, made with IHOP batter, just like last year.”  “Hmm, these don’t taste like last year’s pancakes.”  Okay, if you can remember what a pancake tasted from one year to the next, then I’m thinking you might want to stop and figure out your life cause there isn’t much happenin…

The whole day really wasn’t all that bad as there were excellent musicians playing all day long and I did get to see lots of good friends I hadn’t seen in awhile.

I do believe I’ve seen enough pancakes to last me for another year though… and don’t even get me talking about syrup.

Ever Driven a Forklift?

There I was, standing in the middle of an empty exhibition hall, waiting for the great set-up for the annual Pancake Day of my service organization.  This would be my second year to volunteer at this event but my first year to be in on the set-up.  One of my fellow members walks by and asks,

“Frustrated, you ever drive a forklift?”

“Yuppers I have, in a previous life as a machinist, I drove one every day.”

 ”Well hop up on this bad boy and start unloading the truck.” 

Woo hoo!  The thought of whipping in and out of a trailer, carrying griddles, mixers, and pallets of assorted pancake paraphernalia just sent me into sensory overload.  I could feel the power surging through my veins as I cranked that bad boy up and felt the deep rumbling of its engine coming to life.  Yeah baby, now this was what setting up was all about! 

Tight turns, precision placement, and balancing boxes stacked high as you moved between obstacles brought back a memory of a time when this sort of activity was part of my life.  When life really was much simpler since all I did was go to work, make parts for F-16’s, F-111’s, M-1 Abram’s tanks, and Cruise Missiles.  The hours were set, the mission was simple, and the stress was non-existent.  That simple style of life that provided enough funds to raise a family, sort of (I always had to work two jobs to make ends meet).  Yessir, a life of manufacturing and working with non-animated machines who did your bidding without complaint.  It was a life doing a job that I was good at and had excelled, making it into the development cell of part manufacturing. 

Yes, it reminded me of that time in my life when I led a rather boring life…

As I parked the forklift I was thankful for my current life.  It is a life that deals with people, kids, and making a difference in this world in a different way, through changing lives by offering opportunities instead of destruction.

Yuppers, I can drive the forklift but I think I will leave those experiences to setting up and tearing down after a massive pancake supper.

Thursday Thirteen for April 26

Thirteen Thoughts Going Through My Mind During a Long Seminar

The seminar I attended today was last in a series of four seminars that offered plenty of information worthy of sitting through and that I found quite useful.  However, I still caught myself thinking…

1. I wonder if the zoo director ever gets a hankering for an elephant burger or a giraffe kabob?
2. Hmm, wonder why no one ever serves moon pies for mid morning snacks?
3. I wonder why you need a lavaliere microphone in a room of 20 people?  Is it a power trip?
4. Wow, no breaks for three hours.  Are these folks working with bladders of iron or just wearing Depends?
5. Wouldn’t a seminar on how to blackmail billionaires into giving your program money be a great seminar?
6. I think they should give us all air horns so when someone looks sleepy and appear to be nodding off, we can give them a quick blast.  It would definitely help me to stay awake because I would be watching everyone like a hawk!
7. Thes box lunches are great but just once I would like to open one up and find lobster tails or shrimp inside.
8. I think if they spiked the drinks the seminar would be a whole lot looser and there would be better conversations.
9. Flip charts and markers are sure signs I have arrived in group work hell.
10. Speaking of flip charts, why is it no one around my table wanted to put our ideas down on the chart in poetic form?
11. Just once I want to hear a loud burp from the speaker followed by, “Goodness, that chicken sure is repeatin’.”
12. I think Blackberries should come with a “stun” feature…. perhaps even a TASER feature.  You could zap that one person who is always the obnoxious one in the room and scream, “Dance for the money, dance for the money!”
13. I think the third time someone comments, “You’ve got that right sister” is probably reason for public beatings and possibly crucifixion.

Neglect is a nasty word…

Nobody enjoys being neglected.  Those basic needs for attention, quality time invested in the relationship to produce a deepening of the fragile intertwining of souls that we so desperately hold to.  I must confess, I am guilty of neglect.  I haven’t spent the time needed to help nourish the burgeoning relationship between me and my…

blog. 

Yeah, I’ve gone days without writing and posting and I know my blog has been sitting around thinking,

“Was it something I said?”

“Was it the mauve template?  I swear I won’t ever display your posts in a mauve template again.  I just thought our relationship needed a little spicing up.”

“Is it another blog?  Are you posting secretly on the side?”

Alas sweet blog, it is none of the above.  I have been busy working on two major events and haven’t had the energy to stop and post.  My neglect of you, sweet blog, is despicable.  I totally repent.

Friday Fun

Friday is here and on a day I would normally say, “Whew, I can relax” I am finding myself facing a plethora of meetings and the weekend work is piling up.  Oh what fun!  Oh well, Friday is still a great day because it means the office phone will soon stop ringing and I will at least have some quiet time to knock out a few last minute items.

 How is your Friday going?

Thursday Thirteen for April 19

Thirteen Happenings/Random Thoughts in My Life This Week…

1. Went to a Volunteer Banquet and received my 100 hour pin.  Totally cool.  Had a chance to visit many of my old colleagues and friends at the banquet and best of all, sat next to Twyla.
2. I am beginning to feel a little stressed about the banquet next Tuesday night.  It will be fine, but I am a natural worrier.
3. My dad had a heart cath yesterday and one of his stints is clogged.  They can fix it with a balloon procedure so fortunately he won’t be having heart surgery #3.
4. I am upholding a family tradition this week by being late in the sending of birthday cards.  Sigh.
5. I got my belt clip for my Blackberry yesterday.  I feel like such a geek!
6. Talked with two good friends yesterday.  One was just accepted into a Master’s program that he really wanted to get into and the other was in the middle of a men’s group and will call me back later.  It is always great to talk with good friends!
7. After listening and reading some comments of college kids this week, I’m not sure VT won’t impact them more than 9/11.
8. I sleep with my windows open and every morning I am treated to the sound of birds announcing the dawn.  It is a most relaxing way to start the day.
9. I have so many meetings today that several of them overlap.  Sigh.
10. Should get the results of our organizational communication audit today or tomorrow.  I know there will be some useful information there.
11. Review of our financial audit is today.  Hoo boy, that is always a fun time.
12. May will be here in a heartbeat and I’m getting excited as two of my three daughters will be coming to town for a nice visit.  It will be great!
13. Man, I really need to vacuum.  Guess what fun loving activity I’ll be doing tonight?

Other Assorted Kid Notes

Just in case you are wondering what the other three kids are doing;

Cryss has just finished interviewing for a GA position at SUNY.  Not only will she be teaching classes, but she will be getting a stipend, free tuition, she will be also working on developing podcasts and webpages.  What a great way to gather a world of experience for her future?

Jman is working on computers, researching, selling, and gardening.  He is a joy to be around.  He has been a great blessing!

TGBO is going to college and is acting on a local sitcom in Austin.  She is extremely busy and I know she will succeed in her endeavors!

 That’s all for now folks…

Happy Birthday Slvr!

Today Slvr turns 21!  It doesn’t seem possible but the child with an old soul has obtained her chronological rung of legality.  She is a woman with a passion and a dream who will no doubt conquer whatever obstacles arise before her. 

My favorite memories over the past 21 years primarily involve her humor, wit, and her compassion.  She is funny, possesses a sharp wit that can really zing you at times, but harbors a kind heart.  I used to call her the Pied Piper because little kids have always been attracted to her.  Whether at church or at a family setting, you would find the small kids following her around or most of the time, her lugging them around.  She would play games with them, participate in their silliness, but most of all I believe she brought them the satisfaction of having an older friend who took them as they were with no expectations.

My favorite picture of Slvr is one of my grandfather holding her as a baby on our porch-steps with my grandmom sitting next to him.  She couldn’t have been more than a week old and my grandparents had driven up from Lohn to see the new addition.  My granddad is grinning ear to ear as he cradles her in his good arm (he was severely paralyzed from a massive stroke 14 years before) and my grandmom is hanging on his shoulder.  It was the last time I saw my grandfather as he passed away two weeks later.  Unfortunately I didn’t get that picture when the big D happened but maybe one of these days I’ll get a copy.

Slvr was also the child who would always run ahead of the group which led to some exciting moments of a) being lost in a National Forest and b) finding her in a camp of strangers just sitting around and having a good time.  Her fearlessness has been the cause of many a sleepless night (kayaking by waterfalls comes to mind).

So happy birthday Slvr!  I know you are heading off to other adventures in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, but I also know your passion will allow you to nothing less.  Hope you have a great day!

P.S.  Your card is in the mail.  I know, I know, I didn’t get it sent off in time… again.  Sigh.

I’m sure there is a lesson in there somewhere

33 dead, a university ravaged, and families devastated for a lifetime.  Young people seeking knowledge are slaughtered by an obviously disturbed young man.   I can’t help but wonder why no one spotted the turmoil of the killer.  Could it be the isolationism of American youth has come to full fruition where the need for human contact and interpersonal relationships has been replaced by the glow of a computer screen and text messaging?  Really, why didn’t someone realize there was trouble brewing inside this young man’s brain and intercede?

The sad part of this is that it will be the guns that will be blamed.  They are easy targets as it seems logical that if there were no guns then there wouldn’t be any killings.  Hmm, really?  If the young man wanted to kill people then he would’ve been much more effective with a couple of gallons of gas and a lighter.  How about driving a Humvee into a crowd of people and killing folks that way?  It is the method of destruction that will need to be addressed, it is the person delivering it.

Perhaps we need to start questioning our societal standards.  Possibly we may want to rethink the way we teach our children and what we teach them.  Working with young people as staff and as folks being served, I can vouch there is an attitude of “you aren’t going to disrespect me” followed by an acceptance that violence will stop that disrespect.  Where this attitude came from I am not sure but I do think it started at home.  We have brought up a generation that has watched us act on the code of “you won’t disrespect me” when they have seen us live out the attitude of;

1. You have inconvenienced me, I’ll sue you.
2. You have violated my space, I’ll beat you.
3. You have insulted me, I’ll ruin you.
4. You aren’t doing it my way, I’ll bury you.
5. You have threatened my oil supply, I’ll take you out.

Basically they have watched us bring a physics principle of “every action produces an equal and opposite reaction” into our relationships.  You hit me, I’ll hit you back harder and will beat you so completely you will never even think about hitting me again.  You do me wrong in business and I will sue you until you don’t have a business to wrong anyone ever again.  You dump me and I’ll find a way to make you pay, and if I’m deeply disturbed I’ll take out those around you too.

We have lowered ourselves to the level of coatimundis.  We’ll shake our heads with dismay but will do nothing to stop the next outburst that will eliminate more of our species.  The press will cover it, the experts will analyze it, yet the illness that pervades our youth will go unaddressed.

I’m sure there is a lesson in there somewhere, if only we will seek it out.