Dog Man and Disappointment

     The series of books I simply call- “Dog Man” should not be for children.  Children have no filter.  The subject matter leads to unacceptable behavior.  Children make the language used in the books their very own.  
     I am dealing with the worse kind of  disappointment right now.  Anyone in the age category of 30 and up- gets it.  Thirty somethings can look back at that time when Mom or Dad had been disappointed.  Usually it is a reminder of a poor choice, not a life decision.  It could be the first time you were late getting home.  It could be a lie you told because you panicked.  It could be you let a friend drive your car and the next thing you know Dad had to help get your car out of a ditch before your Mom found out!
     What about now?  You’re older and you have a family of your own and you still manage to disappoint your family.  A mother’s disappointment is different when it involves her grandchildren.  Don’t go there!  
     First, the wrath of a woman who has had time with her grandchildren taken away can only be dealt out to the other Grandparents.  You know the ones.  The local Grandparents are always the lucky ones.  They retire first.  They have 52 weeks of the year to see the Grandchildren and they rule over their son, the Prince.  Don’t get me started on their daughter, the Princess!
     Eventually the out of town Grandparents are no longer considered for any reason.  The out of town Grandmother wants to blame the in town Grandparents but simply confides to a close friend about the disappointment she feels regarding her daughter.  
     There you have it, folks, a Granny scorned and a Dog Man book which should never be read—quite a combination.
      What would Amelia Bedilia say?

Not The American Way of Death

Side Note:  This is the written account of one man's spoken words by Sherlock Pope, e-published August 12, 2015.  It is not from a textbook about grief and it is certainly not "the American way of death".  It is not one faith or philosophy.  It is real life, lived well.  M. H. Ray
January 23, 2016

Jerks at Work

Today at work my coworker took on the role of telling me what to on a Monday morning.  She is now the office jerk.  She forgot all about teamwork and starting telling me things before I was “on the clock”   then proceeded to tell me what I would be doing and how to do it.  I gave no response.  I soon went to my actual supervisor and said that I prefer to be told of changes by you!  

Seat Mopped

     I promised to make a comment about my lunch seat today.  I sat in front of the mop bucket.  That has to be the better end of a table that we were actually almost asked to leave! While the title of this particular article is Seat Mopped, I must change the subject at this point.


     Workplace etiquette is often not easy to know, understand and follow.  Let's just leave this subject for now.  It is not worth the effort.


      "I'm sorry-- that is my seat."  While we hear these words on situation comedies, it is not the usual comment for daily conversations.  Friends expect to be accepted, welcomed and not told these words!
When a table is reserved a sign should clearly mark it.  If this is not possible, a memo could be sent.

     Everyone wants to feel welcomed.

      I am
Signed Off

See you next time!
M.

After Thanksgiving and Other Debris

After Thanksgiving and Other Debris

While it is not necessary for all of us to eat a wonderful meal of turkey, cranberries, pumpkin pie and green bean casserole (which we didn't have this year), it would be awesome to live in a world where we all felt thankful always.  No, we did not have green bean casserole and we had apple pie, not pumpkin, but our Thanksgiving was special this year.  

We are grateful that God is giving us a grand baby, named Isaac.  He is indeed a miracle.  He will be among us soon and we, especially Nick and Jennifer, are anxiously awaiting his birth.  He is the first child of two first children and our first grand child.  

We are grateful, too, for our entire family.  We are also thankful for the support of our church families because we pray with church families around the world.  There is no doubt that are friends are priceless and our lives are enriched by them, their presence and the fun they bring to our lives.  We are thankful and so blessed.  God is great!

With my thoughts of Isaac and his arrival, I'm mindful of what it will be like to have a grandson.  I think of our own children, Jennifer and Lindsay.  I remember days of just wanting to spend time with the girls, no schedules, nothing we "had" to do, it was really up to them.  Our girls were quite social, so being with their friends was an important pursuit.  Movies, toys and games were other favorite ways to spend time together.  Our girls grew up when board games were still popular along with Disney movies.

As I write, I am doing so after watching a favorite Disney movie, "Mary Poppins," and I immediately thought of how I can't wait to share in the making of a kite with Alan and Isaac.  I have the perfect place to go in the Spring one day to take Isaac to fly a kite!  It seems so simple yet, I imagine it to be a day of many carefree moments spent to enjoy a wonderful gift, Isaac.

Last Lessons on Friendship

Last Lessons on Friendship

     Asking the question: Who will I want to hang out with during my retirement?  I have seen my friends who are retired and I have noticed several things.  I see a sense of freedom and yet they are very energetic, active and yes, a smile on their faces that indicates the joy of no longer working!  So, I would most definitely spend time with my husband.  We could do lunch.  I would spend time with family and my real friends.

     Are there any more rules to follow on friendship?  The people who are your friends may or may not be coworkers.  Most coworkers are not real friends.  Life is too short, they say, to lose sleep over conversations gone wrong.  Anger should be resolved right away.  Sometimes you have to apologize when you have done nothing wrong.  Sometimes being hurt serves as a reminder to remain aloof, keep your mouth shut and guard your heart.  It is almost never a good idea to trust a coworker.  

     The workplace is more competitive now than ever so remember these steps:
1. "Excuse me, I will be right back."
2. Clear your head, take a deep breath.  Return with willing attitude.
3.  Ask any questions you might have about the new assignment (clarification).
4. "Is there anything else I should do?"
5. "How can I help?"

     The reason we have friends in places like our churches, synagogues, country clubs, the gym, etc., is because it is where we build community.  We define our community, our extended family, our true friendships.

     Retirement is not about work-- so our friendships are all about community, family and where we LIKE to be!  In the meanwhile our friends are there for us, we find them in our community, we find them where our heart is.

WELCOME

WELCOME!