Do Unto Others

So ~ Today I spent 25 minutes in the post office -- more like wasted 25 minutes in the post office... 25 minutes I'll never get back.

I have a few observations... I don't remember when I noticed it, but quite awhile ago I noticed that the post office doesn't use the number tracking thing anymore. A notice that was posted at the post office I was at today stated that they'd stop doing the 'take a number' system mostly due to customer feedback. That the take-a-number system wasted time, and made customers feel like they were 'just a number' rather than receiving the care and courtesy they feel they deserved.

The post office, being known for its counter help speed and efficiency, decided that they would listen to the customer and take away the number system.

There was also a notice/sign at an un-manned window that this window was for disabled customers. And in the same notice about the take-a-number system being done away with was something about how fairly and timely disabled customers would be handled without them having a number. To be honest, this notice was a full length, 12-point type and had like, 6 long paragraphs. And, while I knew I had time to read the entire lengthy explanation on why and how they took away the take-a-number system (for there were only 6 people in front of me in line, and one of the people whose turn had just come up had a box lid full of very full large manila envelopes that all needed to be weighed etc....), to be honest, I don't remember everything about the disabled information because [1] it didn't really apply to me today and [2] I was greatly annoyed that the take-a-number system had been taken away.

Why...

Well -- the take-a-number system allowed me to not have to wait in line. I could find a wall to lean against, or take an open spot on a bench when someone else's number came up and the seat was vacated... or I could stand somewhere and fill out a form at table... or make a phone call in the privacy of a corner of the room and just keep my eye on the number display.

Now I have to stay in a queue -- stand in line and keep my place in line. There's nothing to lean on, nothing to do, nothing do see but the person in front of me, who isn't friendly.

sigh.

The other thing I noticed that annoyed me even more is that after 10 minutes of me standing there waiting, and the line not having moved once... a gentleman came in and he was holding what looked like a disabled parking tag thing-a-ma-jig. He walked past the now even longer line that was forming behind me, and meandered over to where a bench was -- that was kinda close to the disabled window where no one was working.

Now, I know he came in after I did, but I have no idea where his "place" in line would have been had he been able to stand in the silly line like the rest of us... but I, being the cynic that I am when it comes to how the majority of our society treats the older generation, I figured the person who was in front of him would not say anything to anyone who came in and stood in line behind that person like, " Just so you know, that elderly gentleman seated over there came in just after me, but isn't able to stand in line, so I'll be sure and tell the post office employee that he'll be next after me."

Just don't see it happening... and maybe it would be because that person would have his or her nose in a book and would not have even seen this gentleman come in. The take-a-number system eliminates this awkward situation altogether.

I know the postal employees are busy taking care of each and every customer in an individual and customer service oriented manner (as stated on the notice of why they got rid of the take-a-number system in the first place), so they're not going to see when a disabled person sits down to patiently wait his turn.

I was there to pick up a certified letter that was addressed to one of the TGC Board members.

Fortuitously, there was a postal employee who was just helping those of us who were 'just picking up.' The gentleman who went forward to pick things up before me mentioned to her that another disabled customer; who had slowly made her way across the room (because naturally the window for the disabled is across the entire room from the door where you come in) with a cane in one hand and an armful of things to mail in the other -- had gone to the disabled window, saw there was no one there, asked the postal employee who was helping someone else if anyone was working at the disabled window and after she got his attention, he just said no; so she walked all the way out of the room and I couldn't see if she got in line or if she left.

The woman doing the pick ups asked the same postal employee if anyone was working the disabled window and he didn't really answer or respond -- if anything I guess he said no.

The elderly gentleman with the disabled tag was sitting on the bench, which, to be fair, was near the disabled window. And here is what made me actually write this today... on the bench with him was a woman with a baby in a carrier, which she had on her lap, and a 3 or 4 year old little boy, who was sitting on the bench beside her.

In days of old, the mother would have told her child to stand up, and would have said to the older lady, 'ma'am, there is room here on the bench if you'd like to wait until someone can help you.' But this young woman and child didn't bat an eye. The little boy seemed calm, and probably would have been absolutely fine with giving up his seat. It wasn't in a crowd of people, it was set away from the line. Really, in my mind, no reason for him not to give up his seat for someone older and in bad health.

All the other stuff just annoys me, but that lack of awareness, manners, consideration, whatever it is called -- it just really chapped my hide.

When I got up to the window I mentioned to the woman that the gentleman sitting on the bench had been waiting awhile as well. To be honest, I'm not sure if I would have said anything had the man in front of me not mentioned it first. And I don't always do the right thing... but I do make an attempt.

The point? We're all going to be old one day. We all, at one point or another, will rely on the kindness of strangers, and I firmly believe that what goes around comes around and you get what you give.

When in traffic let a few more people in front of you. It's just good karma and the right thing to do. Are we really in that much of a hurry? Is it really that important that you can't wait another 3 minutes for a signal change? Sometimes it is... but for me at least, most days it isn't. And if I had a life that most days it WAS that important, I'd hate my life and I'd change it.

And at the end of all this, she wouldn't give me the certified letter because it wasn't addressed to me. Which, I'm actually thankful for -- glad to know the post office cares about who is picking up mail and checking ID.

And I'm really not knocking the post office -- I like and respect what they do very much. My postal carrier at work is great, and the one at home is wonderful too. I know when I go to the post office that I'm going to be there awhile, and I'm okay with that.

I'm knocking a generation that isn't raising young people with manners or respect for the older generation. I'm knocking lack of awareness. I'm knocking how unkind it is out there in the world.

Pissing & Moaning

I'm very tired, which makes me crabby and really grumpy.

Himself told me that when I vent I irritate him. That sucked. Couldn't even talk about my sucky last 2 or 3 days right.

Tears, Man.

I was excited about the 'doo' tomorrow, not so much right now.

We're all tired and I'm not going to be stopping until May 20th.

So, if I haven't posted, you'll know why.

Rock Painting Step-by-Step

Step [1] Step [2] Step [3]



Step [4] Step [5] Step [6]



Step [7] Step [8] Step [9]



Step [10]

I'll post the "goal" picture and how this looks in the sunshine, with more details in another post.
Suffice to say I'll be painting more, this was very fun!!

Monday Movies

So... last night we watched "Van Helsing" with Hugh Jackson.... very tongue-in-cheek with all the bad guys ~ Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, The Werewolf... well-done in the cheesiest way!

The other night we saw "The Road to Perdition" with Tom Hanks & Paul Newman. Jude Law does a great job too -- worth seeing for all the performances.

Mag Ruffman

and "A Repair To Remember" ~ himself & I enjoyed watching this Toolgirl show in the UK, she's Canadian and worked as a licensed contractor. She has a book titled "How Hard Can It Be?" and I just wanted to post it here so I can always find it...oh, and also to share in blogland.

The show was fun to watch!

Happy Easter

This is the earliest Easter Sunday since 1940, and we won't see another Easter this early for 200 years. That must be true, my morning radio show hosts said it :-) We are doing absolutely nothing to commemorate this Holiday. I did not go to church. I've not done a single card, or done a small basket for my adorable himself... nada. I did buy some Cadbury Chocolate Eggs, and some Cadbury Creme Eggs for people at work... and our awesome realtor, Karen Barrera & Associates left us some yellow bunny peeps.

I did the craft class yesterday, "Flower Fairies" - which wasn't as well attended as it would have been as next Saturday because of the Easter Weekend, but they still turned out cute. That's as close as I've come to doing anything crafty for Easter.



- - - - -

I did get to a crop on Friday night, and scrapped 6 pages - very very very uninspired, but the pages are there, and lots of journalling to do on them! I did journal 2 of the 6, but it was just writing out what the back of one of the postcards said, so like I said, realy really very very uninspired. I had fun at the crop however!!

* * * * *

"Wild with a Glue Gun" ~ Getting Together with Crafty Friends by Kitty Harmon & Christine Stickler (c) 2004 is a book I got from Amazon not long ago. Some of the reviews on the site panned it, but this is something a fellow crafty friend, T, and I would certainly enjoy doing -- and it was way cheap on the 'used' Amazon aisle ;-).

Regular Crafting at my house would: [1] inspire (motivate/get my rear in gear) me to keep my house clean (reason enough, really) and [2] help me increase my range of crafty endeavors (always fun), and [3] possibly meet some new peeps!

To have a weekly craft meet would be so very fun and cool! Bring your own thing -- scrapping, cardmaking, quilting, yarn fun, things-that-require-glue guns... or maybe twice a month do your own thing, twice a month we learn something new... I dunno, I'll read this book, discuss with T and see what we think :-)

- - - - -
Artists vs. Crafter

Consider this quote by Thoms Minotaur ~ “I think being an artist comes from within, like a state of mind. … an artist is anyone who can express what is going on in their head/soul through any creative medium, whether it be spoken, written, sung, played, danced, or put on canvas. It is the act of releasing and documenting thoughts and feelings that makes one an artist.”

I think that is a great definition of an artist. So many bloggers are artists in the comedic release of their joys, sorrows and attitudes of rearing children and of life. I would add photography to the above, for certain, for there is emotion and expression in photos, and I think to be a good photographer, it requires a way to access your own emotions to really be able to capture it in others.

So -- all us knitters (I don't knit but aspire), scrapbookers, cardmakers, beading enthusiasts... I think many consider themselves artists. And some might be, and many certainly are. But I know for certain that when I'm putting stickers and paper on a page of photos, I'm not expressing how I'm feeling, I'm thinking (key: thinking, not feeling) about the photos.

On this craft forum, there are creative people, for sure. And I think some of them are artists... they create things that express something (!)

I don't have a lot of regular readers of my blog, but I would ask this question - when can you call yourself an Artist? vs. a Crafter or a Crafty Person?

I would put forward that all Artists are Creative, but not all Creative People are Artists. I started thinking of this, and got the above quote from this About.com page, which has other more open and broad definitions of when would someone call him/her-self an Artist.

I'm in the middle of painting my first rock (!) and really having fun... went digging around the world wide web for more information on Acrylic Painting and have been surfing for an hour... I'll post photos soon... I'm having a grand time!

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things I want to write 13 Things about...

1. Favorite Musicals

2. Favorite Singers

3. Earliest Memories

4. Themed Scrapbooks

5. Books I want to read

6. The Teachers I've had

7. Performing Experiences (choir/theatre)

8. Ways to Spoil Myself

9. Habits to cultivate over a year

10. Organizing Goals

11. Favorite Quotes

12. Best/Worst Gifts I've received

13. Influential People in My Life

How's that for cheating on the Thursday 13?!?!?

Bloggy Giveaways...

I've never really participated or even pretended to be interested -- but I was at BooMama's site and she is giving away 10 Dave Barnes CD's. I'd never heard of him, but went and found him on my favorite music whatchamacallit, Rhapsody -- listened to 3 songs (On A Night Like This, What Am I Gonna Do and Until You) and really like him!! So I went to YouTube and found my favorite rendition of "On A Night Like This" -- and it actually was played on an episode of "The Office" -- and here it is:



Enjoy! And I hope a win one of his CD's!!

Anonymity -- eh... not really

Y'know, I can be all kinds of sarcastic. When telling stories that are negative... usually about how stupid people are... which doesn't show a very nice or kind side of me. [voices in my head going "but... but.... BUT!! These people are not smart! actually the voices are saying "these people are idiots!"]

I've been reading some absolutely hysterical blogs lately (I've added links to what I read on the column on the left)... and while I know having a sense of humor in writing doesn't always play out in person (and vice-versa), I would absolutely love to get some of these women together for coffee... we get the whole coffee house to ourselves and put 4 of us together at each table, rotate every hour or so and let the fun begin.

The other thing is that (as my father, who reads my blog - "hi dad!" told me) things you put on the internet never go away.

So - things we post on the 'net never go away. [*Full Stop] Check.

So I don't post the funniest things that happen because too many people know who I am, and I don't want to hurt any feelings or worse, **piss anyone off. This is not an anonymous blog.

I guess that is my rambling for today.


*Full Stop is what we would call a Period at the end of a sentence.

**I'm more afraid of what opinion would be of me for doing something wrong than actually doing something wrong. I guess this is good in a way because it has stopped me from making unwise decisions, but it also has stopped me from other things that who know, might not be so unwise.

7 Random Things About Me

1. I love Nag Champa incense. I burn incense when I'm spending time in my craft room and am going to be here awhile (not just checking email...). I like candles, but I'm more likely to burn a stick of Nag Champa than light a candle. Himself calls it my Opium Den when I'm burning incense.

2. I make really excellent cookies. The original recipe calls them "Flying Saucer" cookies, so-named because of the size of cookies the children would created with the recipe. I've modified it somewhat -- and I call them my "Healthy Breakfast Cookies" because they have it all: oats, cornflakes, coconut, raisins & nuts (and of course chocolate chips -- but they aren't part of the breakfast concept) I even took pictures of the cookies that I made for the TGC Fun Day we had yesterday at work (a la CoffeeGal), but my pictures do these fabulous cookies absolutely no justice.

I want to play with the recipe and see what 'healifying' the recipe would do -- you know, applesauce for oil; baby prunes for oil... I'll be sure and post my results when the time comes.

3. I love the smell of doing laundry -- the smellier the detergent and fabric sheets, the better. I recently read about the invisible film build-up if you don't wash the dryer lint trap with soap and water regularly -- and on this site it tells the story and it is a 'truth or legend' website, and says it is true. (just some helpful information in exchange for your wasted time reading blogs...)

I feel clothes are certainly cleaner if they smell good. (Yes, I know that isn't true, but that's okay)

4. I thought I was really going to get into beading... but I'm not. I like knowing a little bit for accenting my paper clay stuff, and for the one off project perhaps, or accenting fabric creations... but I'm thrilled to say I'm not going to have to have another "area" in my craft room just for that stuff. It all fits okay into a plastic painter's tray on a shelf. Whoo Hoo!!!

5. I want to travel the USA in a camper truck.... for at least 6 months, preferably a year... and visit every state and see -- at least -- the top 13 things (making that number up arbitrarily right now) that the state is known for. I bought a 1988 Reader's Digest Book titled "America's Historic Places" - 'an Illustrated Guide to Our Country's Past' and want to use that as a starting place. A Random Flip into the book puts me on page 275 - Texas, part of the "South Central States" and #6 in Texas is The Alamo. Second Random Flip leads me to page 114/5 in Georgia - "The Southeastern States" and number 4 is Stone Mountain Park, 5. is The Wren's Nest (home of the author of the Uncle Remus stories and so named for the bird found nesting in his mailbox), and number 5 is the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site.

I would scrapbook along the way -- and do a blog, too. I'd visit everyone I know who lives all over the country.

And I don't want to wait until I'm retired. And it would be great if Himself wanted to come with me, but I also would enjoy the trip by myself.

6. I believe everyone should sing. I believe everyone can sing. I also believe not everyone should have to listen... that audience members are just as important as those up on stage, for without them those on stage would be alone. More and more science studies are proving that there is a harmonious balance that happens when we sing -- it is already proven that singing is better for your vocal folds than speaking -- much easier!! And if singing correctly you should be able to sing far longer than you can speak.

7. I always want to go back to college. I really think I ought to have been a teacher -- I love the idea of learning new things (that I want to learn... not necessarily about the things I am not interested in, such as chitin, or statistics (well ---- maybe stats for dummies), or Glycosaminoglycans, or even complex archeology (though I do remember at one point in my growing up times thinking being an archeologist would be fun -- me, who believes roughing it is staying at the Motel 8 instead of the Holiday Inn Express....!)

Caught My Fancy....

Painting on Rocks...

I watched a 2005 Carol Duvall show last night and Lin Wellford demonstrated painting houses on rocks... well ~ I'm inspired now! Talk about the perfect garden (she has a 'paint flowers on rocks' book as well as a paint garden art on rocks book)! Here in Arizona especially... no watering, it is movable....

- - - - - - - - -
I also was researching above ground pools, portable pools.... and found an "endless pool" for above-grounds! This is great -- small pool, can take it with you if you want and is the exercise/cooling down I'm looking for.

Unfortunately, we're kinda broke at the moment so no pool this summer. Bummer

Thursday Thirteen - TV Theme Songs - belated

Thursday Thirteen - Fave TV Theme Songs (with a link to go and listen)

From November!

I did this today, but since I had it in the 'drafts' section of the blog, it published it in November, so I'm posting the link today...

eta:
*The Greatest American Hero

I love that song!

I should be crafting and organizing, but I end up reading about crafting and organizing.

There are tons 'o blogs out in blogland -- yesterday I found a site dedicated to crafty storage. It was so fun to look around at a bunch of different craft rooms and studios... but it doesn't get MY room more organized.

I want to continue scrapping my college albums and get them done -- the end of April is the retirement of the Tech Director at Pepperdine who has been there 25 years... he put the word out and I think a lot of former students might show up -- I'd love to have my albums there for perusing... along with a reunion in June.

Then there is the organizing part -- labeling, putting things away and then knowing where I put them... making page kits for faster scrapping when I actually to get to go to crops... making some cards with the cool new stamps and supplies I got -- I get inspired by these blogs but then spend hours on blogs and not on my own stuff.

It reminds me of that saying -- something about people who watch, people who do and people who wonder... I used to be a doer, now it seems I'm becoming a watcher.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Went to see a high school production of Little Shop of Horrors Friday night --it was really excellent. The voices on those kids were terrific. This high school has quite a bit of money among the student population, and they obtained quite a bit of community backing so the sets were fabulous -- it really was a high quality high school show.

Next week some friends and I will check out a newer local musical theatre group, because I'm curious -- Cabaret. I've never seen the stage show, just the movie -- and I it is always different, so I'm looking forward to seeing it for a number of reasons.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I'm getting the name of a well-spoken of voice teacher -- thinking I need to get back into 'legitimate' voice coaching/lessons for reminders of things I learned 20 years ago but have been out of practice with.

The only time I've ever lost weight was with the secret hope that I may get a certain part in a musical while I was in college. Maybe another carrot like that is what I need to get my rear in gear back to a fitness routine.

Trader Joe's

We have TJ's here in Arizona (all the California transplants probably demanded it, and I'm very thankful!)... so tonight I went in and shopped for dinner, knowing I wanted to make homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and knowing I needed chicken and noodles and more chicken broth, and the rest could be improvised once I looked up my favorite recipe site: www.allrecipes.com .

I tend not to call TJ's my 'regular' store -- it is small, with too many carts it is a pain to get around in, but it isn't that expensive and they have extremely cool stuff. This is where I get marscapone cheese and I think they have the best cinnamon graham crackers around -- a little marscapone on a TJ's cinnamon graham and it is like a wee slice of cheesecake. Yum.

I was happy tonight with what I found and the prices I paid, so definitely will be going more often on my way home from work. :-) And the Chicken Noodle Soup was awesome!!

Found this quote that just flew at me and stuck today:

"One half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must g i v e u p before you get it." ~ Author Unknown.

I've been thinking about my quartet and how much I miss singing harmony, but how much I'm enjoying not having to be responsible for it. I've been thinking about how changing our lifestyle and eating habits is going to take me giving up sitting on the couch vegging out watching the boob tube for 3 or 4 hours a night after eating frozen crap for dinner. And as much as I don't want to give up music right now - my health (our health) needs to be the priority, and it is hard to make changes.

Sacrifice.

Self-denial.

It isn't just about making right eating choices, it is all-encompassing. What do I want and what am I really and truly willing to give up in order to get it. Do I want it enough... whatever "it" is.

Start with the end in mind, as Stephen Covey says.... what do I want people to say about me at my funeral? How do I want to be remembered? "It" isn't all about me... what positive energy/vibe/influence do I have? How am I going to live my life once I know what my end result should be?

Tricky.

All the messages we get from advertising, media etc... is that we can have it all -- we shouldn't have to give anything up. I don't agree. Giving something up makes us stronger. And I am so weak. So very weak.

I haven't formed any conclusions. I am not sure where I'm headed in this self-discovery. I'm not even sure that I haven't thought it before now... and I'm just being reminded.

What am I willing to give up? In order for me to reach goals I have, I need to give up time, and time is so precious. hmmmmmmmmmm.

Feeling Better

Still have stuffy nose and head, but the fever off and on again is off... most of the aches are gone, and I can think a bit better. Not much, but a bit.

Got my hair cut before the Open House....



This is 6 inches of hair on the floor... It is a great cut, and feels good. I go back and forth with keeping it short and growing it -- I think I'll keep it short for awhile.

We watched Ratatouille (sp?) tonight -- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at some point this week... and Jungle Book played pretty much the whole time my 5 year old nephew was here...

Need to get back into my routine now -- the house is in a bit of order -- need to make menus, get into an exercise routine and get back to scrapbooking. I'm missing it.