October 5, 2013
My nephew gave me excerpts from his Chinese 101 over ice cream. He is studying Anthropology in his Social Studies class as well and provided me with details about "Lucy" that I was clearly unaware of. Don't ask me about her now because I have slept since that conversation. I retain about as much as a housefly these days. I have to make up most of what I discuss during a dinner party and hope that the other guests are just as senile or gullible.
Several Hospice stories came to light as a friend asked me about volunteering. He is spending his remaining years, considering his trepidation over the idea he may die someday. A short-term patient, let's call her Stella, whom I sat with while volunteering with Hospice, suffering from bladder cancer came immediately to mind. I had to phone her up, prior to my approaching her mobile home, settled in the woods out in the boonies of Jefferson County, and shout my impending arrival. She sported a shotgun and was gainfully unpredictable. So thin, her sweatpants flew to the floor with a breeze emitting from the microwave. She was a "League of One's Own" professional baseball player while the men were rallied off to war. A massive television blared in the living room the size of a business card, while she smoked, the tar seeping into the kitchen cabinets, saturated towels hanging from the rail, even the spider webs collected the nasty, sticky substance. Stella was one of my favorites and obviously popular, with a packed funeral service not too many months after I began to visit with her. They brought her gun, along with a series of photos she saved, of herself in uniform, playing ball and traveling with her teammates.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Growing Pains
October 7, 2013
Quickbooks is a misnomer.
Especially when I have not been working with that particular program for over
twenty four months. It is a good thing I have patient clients and a lot of time
to sort out the Quarterly tax forms, shift through two years of files from the
landscaping business to pack away for another three years, generate invoicing,
creating payroll checks, receiving payments, shuffling receipts to include in
the petty cash box and pick my nose a lot in between functions. I am actually
astounded at what I recall easily and what I have to pull out of the dredges of
the webbed cellar in order to do my job expediently. It is another language and
yet another silly hat I wear in life. Cleaning up other people’s business is
not always easy yet certainly more appealing than messing with my own, for the
time being.
The conversation drifted
to my going back to college to complete my degree last night. An ebb and flow
of discussing where to live (with my pop?) how to continue paying expenses and
finishing a process I began over 35 years ago. Daunting yet perhaps unavoidable
at this stage of the game. I escaped the University of Minnesota in my Junior year, with few credits remaining, due
to lack of funds and a lot of fear about borrowing money from the bank. There
are numerous facilities to create my own curriculum and the ability to utilize
my life experiences to adjust the number of credits I will need to complete a
degree. The last time I met with the Dean of Students at a small college in
Minneapolis, I was expected to take a full load for two years, be accountable
for over $35,000 and I departed wondering when I would have the time to work as
well, paying my bills. Believe it is time to consider the option again with a
bit more emphasis on alternative academic programs. First things first, I will need
a sensible backpack and groovy lunchbox.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Couch and Chair Blues
October 4, 2013
I'll buy the couch and chair, claims the obviously pregnant woman, sighing with relief as she parks her butt comfortably on the steel blue fabric in front of the house. She waddles into the house to take a peek at the 7' couch and insists she will talk with her boyfriend and they will retrieve it the following day. There is a lot of interest in the set so I am confident if the couple decides they don't want the furniture, I can pass it along to the next buyer.
Just when I was about to give up, the woman, her beau and another toothless dude arrived 40 minutes late. I drug the oversized chair to the truck and propped open the gate for the couch maneuvering. We need a sheet, do you have a towel, how about some detergent and a rag to clean off the sofa where we scraped the trash barrel against the face of the new lounger. By the time they left, the owner of the pieces gave the buyers a $75 discount. I became exasperated and nearly immediately let the process wash over me. Onto the next furniture whiner buyer.
I'll buy the couch and chair, claims the obviously pregnant woman, sighing with relief as she parks her butt comfortably on the steel blue fabric in front of the house. She waddles into the house to take a peek at the 7' couch and insists she will talk with her boyfriend and they will retrieve it the following day. There is a lot of interest in the set so I am confident if the couple decides they don't want the furniture, I can pass it along to the next buyer.
Just when I was about to give up, the woman, her beau and another toothless dude arrived 40 minutes late. I drug the oversized chair to the truck and propped open the gate for the couch maneuvering. We need a sheet, do you have a towel, how about some detergent and a rag to clean off the sofa where we scraped the trash barrel against the face of the new lounger. By the time they left, the owner of the pieces gave the buyers a $75 discount. I became exasperated and nearly immediately let the process wash over me. Onto the next furniture whiner buyer.
Nailcare Provider
October 5,
2013
The long-haired
flowery skirted buyer requests a discount claiming she is a starving artist.
The items she chose from the limited stock at the sale were nothing
significantly valuable, save the 1930’s magazine rack. Since it was the end of
the last day of our Downsizing Sale, I relented and wrapped the pile of items
for her to take home. The purchaser also happens to be the last person to
provide a massage for the client’s mother, as she lay dying in the hospital bed
in the living room, just ten feet away from my chair. It was no small effort on
her part to clip and file down said mom’s nails on her sensitive feet and
hands. I admire and respect the women (have yet to observe a man in this manicure/pedicure
capacity) who are willing and capable at managing this particularly nasty job
without the slightest sneer of disgust on their face. With that in mind, I
probably would have given her “the farm” and be done with my unbalanced ledger.
I cannot assume to be offering-up that kind of generosity anytime soon. Off
went the magazine rack and plastic bagfuls of unreasonably dusty items.
The remaining household goods are selected for donation at the FREE STORE and remaining two bins of valuables are to be stored once again inside the house. It was a valuable project for me, 50 hours of sorting, cleaning, posting, creatively displaying and bargaining for sanity in the crazy world of yard/garage/estate sales.
The remaining household goods are selected for donation at the FREE STORE and remaining two bins of valuables are to be stored once again inside the house. It was a valuable project for me, 50 hours of sorting, cleaning, posting, creatively displaying and bargaining for sanity in the crazy world of yard/garage/estate sales.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Hair Farmers
October 3, 2013
The GPX 5000 Minelab metal detector has a buyer and a back-up guy in case something goes awry. The Grand Piano sits mocking me in the basement, no one interested in the dime-a-dozen used piano market. The small Stihl chain saw nearly started a price war but it is out the door and we are onto the next hot item-the steel blue barely used couch and chair. The oak dining room table can be set for a family of eight so I am hoping to convince the masses to buy it. The billiard table wreaks havoc with the décor yet it is too humungous to deal with now. Where is the motorcycle gang when you need 'em?
Minca has clots of hair falling from her ancient body. She purrs in ecstasy while I mangle her thick neck and gather the hair into both hands. She was my lap companion for many years while I was a Hospice volunteer in this house and yet, would swipe me with indignation if I pet her for too long. Now she is old and mellow. I can maul her to my delight and she doesn't flinch. The dog has now taken over my bed and flings fur around like crazy. She is also coated with extra fluff and tends to leave a drift of white hair in her wake. Just like home.
The GPX 5000 Minelab metal detector has a buyer and a back-up guy in case something goes awry. The Grand Piano sits mocking me in the basement, no one interested in the dime-a-dozen used piano market. The small Stihl chain saw nearly started a price war but it is out the door and we are onto the next hot item-the steel blue barely used couch and chair. The oak dining room table can be set for a family of eight so I am hoping to convince the masses to buy it. The billiard table wreaks havoc with the décor yet it is too humungous to deal with now. Where is the motorcycle gang when you need 'em?
Minca has clots of hair falling from her ancient body. She purrs in ecstasy while I mangle her thick neck and gather the hair into both hands. She was my lap companion for many years while I was a Hospice volunteer in this house and yet, would swipe me with indignation if I pet her for too long. Now she is old and mellow. I can maul her to my delight and she doesn't flinch. The dog has now taken over my bed and flings fur around like crazy. She is also coated with extra fluff and tends to leave a drift of white hair in her wake. Just like home.
Neon Signs
October 2, 2013-10-03
Huge Downsizing Sale creates chaos in the household. Gradually diminishing items socked-away in hall closets, under the stairs like breeding mice, excess dishware and gold mining goodies come out of the woodwork. Breathing in fumes from the squeaky thick sharpie market while making eight brilliant signs to post along the road sides to entice the hoarders.
Have time to breath-in the great outdoor salty air near the beach on a walk late in the day. Visit with a friend whom I have not seen since I left town two years ago. A lot to catch-up on over glasses of wine, cheese crackers, nuts and grapes. New beau becomes highlight of the conversation as we gossip about their meeting, his foibles and character flaws. He doesn’t appear to have many of the latter so I approve of this ad.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
In a Haze
October 1, 2013
Recently discovered one of the neighborhood High Schools had a group of teens involved in hazing. A friend's son went to the party, not realizing what was going on in the crowd. Horrible behavior, bullying the Freshman, humiliating acts that encouraged bystanders to be included. How to teach the youth that, if they are in the group, they are a part of the problem. Not stepping in, at least talking about it in their own club, they are guilty by association. If no one has the courage to disrupt the pattern, it will perpetuate the poor judgment and lead others astray. The Principal sent out an all-encompassing email to the parents to let them know of the party and hazing activities. It is a community issue and needs a community effort to address underlying fault.
I discussed this situation with several friends. We talked about peer pressure, how most people do not have the courage to step up and speak to the consequence. Not many have the chance to experience being leaders, especially successful ones. Most slide along behind or group like sheep in the middle, fearing the front of the line. So exposed, a vulnerable place for the majority. The ones lagging behind cannot fault the leaders since they do not share the same air nor the risk.
How to redirect a challenging circumstance that effects so many. What will it take to change the way people deal with conflict and uncertainty, be brave and speak up. The youth are like a herd of wild animals, skiddish and suspecting. We need to find the voice, the grace, example, share our stories to help them to see how being the 100th monkey can alter their world. Change the consciousness to include people versus scare them into submission.
Recently discovered one of the neighborhood High Schools had a group of teens involved in hazing. A friend's son went to the party, not realizing what was going on in the crowd. Horrible behavior, bullying the Freshman, humiliating acts that encouraged bystanders to be included. How to teach the youth that, if they are in the group, they are a part of the problem. Not stepping in, at least talking about it in their own club, they are guilty by association. If no one has the courage to disrupt the pattern, it will perpetuate the poor judgment and lead others astray. The Principal sent out an all-encompassing email to the parents to let them know of the party and hazing activities. It is a community issue and needs a community effort to address underlying fault.
I discussed this situation with several friends. We talked about peer pressure, how most people do not have the courage to step up and speak to the consequence. Not many have the chance to experience being leaders, especially successful ones. Most slide along behind or group like sheep in the middle, fearing the front of the line. So exposed, a vulnerable place for the majority. The ones lagging behind cannot fault the leaders since they do not share the same air nor the risk.
How to redirect a challenging circumstance that effects so many. What will it take to change the way people deal with conflict and uncertainty, be brave and speak up. The youth are like a herd of wild animals, skiddish and suspecting. We need to find the voice, the grace, example, share our stories to help them to see how being the 100th monkey can alter their world. Change the consciousness to include people versus scare them into submission.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)