Aimless Deliberation

So, it probably is not the best idea to write a post when your emotions are everywhere but we’re here anyway.    What I want to talk about today is giving.   What are your thoughts?   For me, I thought giving was about doing things for others with no return. Meaning that you do not only do so because you can but because someone or something came to you with the need. Maybe my thoughts are too simplistic, but I don’t feel that you can opt to “give” something then come back at a later date or time then hold that over someone’s head.  If you give to someone and expect something in return, you should define that upfront and let them make their choices from there. You can’t have these things in your head and never express or share your expectations; that is unfair to everyone involved in the exchange. Just thinking out loud...via the internet.  Thoughts/comments?

When I saw the word scent, my mind immediately went to a small house sitting on the pacific ocean on the Oahu island.  Scent is a powerful thing; it sparks forgotten memories and emotions.  It’s amazing how that works. So many great memories with scents.  I think of the elephant ears that the seaway festival when I was in my hometown; my husband’s cologne when he kisses me goodbye when he’s headed to work; nephew Desmond’s hair when we used to babysit him; our old house.  Such a truly awesome sense. Quote of the Day “Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived” -Helen Keller

Books as a part of my life.   As far back as I can remember, I’ve always love to read books.   My mom tells stories about how I used to sit in the library for hours then bring at least ten books home every month.   What’s the fascination?   It’s the stories, the characters, the plots.   When I was younger, it was probably more of an escape for me, a place for my dreams.   I even wrote short stories of my own.   Now, I think it still serves as an escape or a place of my own.   It’s where I can go to clear my head of everyday stresses. I won’t say that I don’t watch a lot of TV, but I am usually not up to speed on current shows.   I tend to watch streaming television in spurts.   When I find a show that I like (typically funny), I must watch it until its done. What I found is that I watch TV like I read books.   It must be something that doesn’t consume my mind and heart, basically nothing too heavy.   Not to say that I do...

Being a person focused on helping others, I find myself in many situations where I have the chance to teach and/or learn.   These opportunities present themselves often and in the smallest forms and are so often missed.   Traditional thought approaches teaching and learning as something that happens mainly in a classroom or at home, even in earlier stages in life.   But learning is an ever-evolving aspect of life.   Case in point, I am learning a new role at work; it involves new business partners, new focus, a new team, new customers and new skills.   Everyday, I am exposed to something new.   But, what I’ve also learned (through the help of a couple of colleagues) is that I am in a position to teach a few new managers.   Things that they are experiencing or up against, I’ve managed through and was successful.   So, rather than simply telling them that I understand and move on to what’s most important to me, I try to offer not an answer ...

We are in very unusual and uncertain times and have had to adjust in many ways.   For most, it’s been tough.   I’m not saying that it’s been a piece of cake for us but we still have each other, shelter, food, and our health.   Our families are doing well and have the same.   But for some, it’s been tougher. My best friend’s mom is experiencing some challenges with her health and my friend can’t be with her (about 200 miles away).   She is getting information second-hand, is over-stressing and has no outlet.   Another friend lost her grandmother last Thursday.   She lives about 400 miles from her family.   She can’t go home, she can’t be with her mother, they can’t even have a funeral right now.   These situations truly bite.   I can’t imagine how hard this time is for either of them right now.   My heart goes out to both them and their families. It’s easy to focus on ourselves and what we want; complain about the inconven...

So, I guess my husband was right… I do spend a lot of my time orchestrating my life.   From personal, professional and volunteer relationships, I spend a great deal of time ensuring that the needs of others are met.   Need to check-up on someone, I have a plan or reminder for that.   Need some guidelines for a meet and greet?   I have some talking points.   Need to get the parents some essential items?   I’m your girl and Amazon’s my best friend.   😊   Team feeling unheard? Hey, I’m here, let me help.   It’s important to me to connect, to help and to resolve; these things motivate me.   So, I guess I do spend a lot of time in ‘coordination’ mode… now, if only I could execute.   Quote of the Day “Your first and foremost job as a leader is to take charge of your own energy then to help orchestrate the energy of those around you.” -Peter Druckers

Had some challenges but let’s see if I can catch up….   So, day 9 was ‘Pairs’.   When you think of pairs, you tend think of things meant to fit perfectly together.   But, is that always the case?   I think of Jamie and I when we first started. I wasn’t exactly his type nor was he mine, but we fit.   Perfectly in our own space, we fit.   My best friend and I are opposites in so many ways but similar in those that matter, we fit. I guess the main point is that pairs are not always simply the other side of one dimension; sometimes, they simply coexist in a favorable environment.   Pairs don’t have to be perfect, they simply have to work well together.   Quote of the Day “Great striking partnerships come in pairs.” -Nigel Spackman

Curve….This one is a hard one.  Nothing came to me with this one; my husband even tried to help me.  Still, I had nothing.  So, I started to think of things with curves, me (I’m a curvy girl), my life (sometimes things veer left), roads, smiles.  In thinking of these things, it made me remember coming around roads in California and Blue Ridge and coming up on some beautiful scenery, Facetime with my friend and her two-year old’s wonderful smile, the different curves that landed me with my husband.  What I decided is that curves add an essence of beauty to everything they touch.   Find the beauty in your curves. Quote of the Day “Curve…The loveliest distance between two points.” -Mae West

The year before last, we had the carpet replaced in the several rooms in our house.  The guy that lead the work had a great deal of experience for the company and was a very pleasant guy to talk to.  After they pulled up the old carpet, there was a great deal of “dust” that had formed below the carpeting and padding.  The guy explained that most of that “dust” was actually residual carpet freshener that simply collected below the carpet for years on end causing the buildup of “dust” that we saw.   He further explained that using the types of fresheners actually cause your carpet to wear quicker and appear dirtier.  Why this story? I chose this story because, for me, it solidified this thought that you should always understand different surfaces and how to keep them healthy; understand how applying different additives to them impact their overall strength, agility, appearance, and response.   I chose this story to show how this same knowled...

Do you guys remember those turkeys we used to draw using our hands?   Ha!   Those were the best turkeys I’ve ever drawn in life.   It’s funny that that’s the first thing that came to mind with I saw the word, hands. Guess what the second was? Shadow Hand Puppets.   Early on in our relationship, Jamie and I used to stay up late listening to music like three or four times a week.   Every time we did this, at some point during the night, we ended up making those shadow puppets with our hands.   You know the dogs, fish, horses, deer and the like.   It was the silliest thing, but we did it repeatedly, we had shadow puppets skits and even fights between the animals.   I remember we used to laugh so hard thinking we are the goofiest people playing with shadow puppets in the middle of the night. Anyway, it was a simpler time but we always found a way to laugh. Quote of the Day “We can’t profess love without talking through hand puppet.” ...

On a softer side of everything that’s going on, Jamie and I are having a great time cooking u some of our favorite dishes.  Being at home together allows us the ability to discuss all meals and time to prepare them.  We’ve had awesome cornbread from scratch, homemade potato wedges and a blue cheese dip (still seeing how that’s going to turn out). I typically work from home for 2-3 days out of the week normally but having my hubby home has been an awesome treat.   Don’t get me wrong, our home office is a shared office so figuring that out with us both having several calls daily was a challenge.   However, now that we are beyond that, we’ve been able to eat all meals together, get some house stuff done, have a successful date night and get into a groove from our daily dish to finally catching up on TV shows we’ve tried watching together. Create a favorite, talk about it, just go with the flow. We call it the positive side of this pandemic!!!   Quote...

Just a few weeks ago, the counts of confirmed Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Shelby county was less than 10.   Today, the county is close to 700.   So, I just gotta ask, why are we still traipsing around here as if this is not a big deal?   I know, I know… I too thought it’s simply a strand of the flu that we haven’t solved for (and that may still be the case).   However, when numbers are increasing as quickly as they are right now, even I have to say, “Really guys, how long are we going to do this?”   Don’t get me wrong, I am the most social person of my marriage and understand that we all have people that we like to see and hang out with.   We’ve been asked to limit social interactions, “Shelter in place”, for two weeks and we cannot comply.   Meanwhile, I have parents at high risk, family members that have to go into a hospital to not only assist but themselves at risk, yet even I have not totally committed to “sheltering in place.”   I...

Music can be so powerful.  If I think about the music I listen to that impacts me most, it is the story (the song ) that moves me.  Songs are stories, stories describing something important to either the vocalist or the songwriter.  The story that they felt needed to be told.  Music, songs, beats…. They all touch us differently, the commonality.  The commonality is that they touched us in a way that draws us in, turns us away, makes us feel, makes us think, or simply release much that has been inside of us.  How can a simple song do all of that? My immediate response… it’s an ingenious ability of the creator.   To be able to mix the right words, sounds and beats to invoke an emotion (whatever it is) is absolutely amazing.   My secondary response… whomever wrote this piece and I experienced something so similar that it triggered a powerful response in me.   While I may express my response via another medium (perhaps writing), we mare co...

Open is the choice today and the first thing that popped in my mind was, ‘what’s the harm in trying it out.’  Many times, we close ourselves off to new things, ideas, and opportunities simply because it is unfamiliar to us and those we know.   Don’t get me wrong stepping outside of the norm isn’t always an easy thing; it can be scary, unnerving, and uncertain.  On the flip-side, it can be rewarding, eye-opening and something that changes your path forever. Opportunities to be open to something different present themselves every day, from trying out a cheese you’ve never had to deciding to wade through waters in caves.   Don’t miss the chance to find something new you enjoy. Quote of the Day “When you become comfortable with uncertainty, infinite possibilities open up in your life” -Eckhart Tolle

I’ve been writing this post since the turn of the New Year.  2019 was a fabulous year and I was torn on how best to share.  Since it is the last day of January, I figured if I was going to share, I’d better do it now. As we mature, we learn that there are several reasons that people do and say many things and we must understand their intent and motive.  As such, Jamie and I often don’t share things because we just don’t like people to ‘piss on our parade’.  However, we have several things to be thankful for, to get excited about, and to just talk about with those that matter to us.  And this year, I am sharing regardless of the reaction of others.  I guess the point is we can’t keep letting negativity win out.  In most situations, you must exude the behavior you want to see; this is true inmost aspects of life, relationships, work, spirituality.  We expect a lot out of 2020 so get ready!  I’m sure I missed something, but thes...