Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
A memorial
It takes no less than 6 people to fold a flag. It's a very slow, deliberate and meticulous process. It is a very heartfelt and honorable process. But until today at a friend's father's memorial service, I never realized how much care went into the process. Nor did I realize the extreme emotion that can accompany the act.
I met my friend's dad a handful of times over the years. He was always jolly. He was always polite. He was a whole lot more than that.
It was such a phenomenon to me, this memorial service. It was purely an expression of what people loved about the man and how he affected their life. There was no music except for Shania Twain crooning in the background as we walked in. There was no singing. No "come to Jesus" speech by the Chaplin. In fact, the Chaplin was merely there as a director. He asked people to stand or come to the microphone and share their experiences and special stories of the deceased. At least half of the people there shared a story and although I didn't really know the man, I was extremely touched by what he meant to everyone else. Three times the Chaplin stood to close out the service and three times someone else had just one more tale to tell.
It was really the best service I've ever attended.
I met my friend's dad a handful of times over the years. He was always jolly. He was always polite. He was a whole lot more than that.
It was such a phenomenon to me, this memorial service. It was purely an expression of what people loved about the man and how he affected their life. There was no music except for Shania Twain crooning in the background as we walked in. There was no singing. No "come to Jesus" speech by the Chaplin. In fact, the Chaplin was merely there as a director. He asked people to stand or come to the microphone and share their experiences and special stories of the deceased. At least half of the people there shared a story and although I didn't really know the man, I was extremely touched by what he meant to everyone else. Three times the Chaplin stood to close out the service and three times someone else had just one more tale to tell.
It was really the best service I've ever attended.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
What the ....?
To say I was off of my game today is an understatement. I packed Addison up and sent her to MDO as usual. At 1:30, I went to Reid to pick her up. Except, she wasn't at Reid, she was at Mann Memorial today. So, I had to jet over to the other MDO to get her in time so that I wasn't charged the $1 per minute for every minute past 1:30. (On a side note, just sit in the parking lot of any MDO and see the mothers who get there at the last minute literally sprinting from their cars to the door to try and beat the late fees...hilarious.) When I got there, I was told by the teacher that I didn't pack Addison any baby food. Great.
So, I put Addison down for her nap at the office. Michael calls and asks for a shovel. I drive up...with a rake. And to top it all off, after work, I went to the grocery store and after an hour of shopping, come outside to find that I've parked in a handicapped space. What?!? How did that get there?
So, to say my day has been royally screwed up is, as I said earlier.....an understatement. I'm going to bed now in hopes that my brain returns tomorrow.
So, I put Addison down for her nap at the office. Michael calls and asks for a shovel. I drive up...with a rake. And to top it all off, after work, I went to the grocery store and after an hour of shopping, come outside to find that I've parked in a handicapped space. What?!? How did that get there?
So, to say my day has been royally screwed up is, as I said earlier.....an understatement. I'm going to bed now in hopes that my brain returns tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Why Blog?
I've been trying to collect blogs lately. I think I like reading them more than I like books. First of all, it's a short read. Who has time to sit down with "War and Peace" these days? Secondly, it's real and for that little paragraph, I get to peek into someone's life through their window. Now I sound like a peeping Tom, but you get the picture.
The point is that the most interesting, most heartfelt, most followed blogs are, in my opinion, usually born out of someone's need to share and be heard...as a sort of coping mechanism.
I know personally, I began my blog when I started fertility. Some people hide what they're going through, but for me, it was my therapy to lay it all out on the table, to write about my shots, my tests, my fears and my emotions...hence the "roller coaster ride" as subtitled in my blog. For many blogs that I follow, they are therapy for dealing with a child's illness or loss or on a happier note, a child's progress in growing up. Blogs are about what consumes a person.
Interestingly enough, I have some friends who blog about economics....not my most favorite topic, but it's their passion and I can say that I've learned to expand my mind a bit when reading. Other friends blog about their hobbies, like photography or cooking.
It's really intriguing what fuels a person's passions and how great the array can be.
I my future searches, I think I'd like to find a blog about long haul trucking...or "my life as a circus clown." There's bound to be some peek-worthy moments in stories like that!
The point is that the most interesting, most heartfelt, most followed blogs are, in my opinion, usually born out of someone's need to share and be heard...as a sort of coping mechanism.
I know personally, I began my blog when I started fertility. Some people hide what they're going through, but for me, it was my therapy to lay it all out on the table, to write about my shots, my tests, my fears and my emotions...hence the "roller coaster ride" as subtitled in my blog. For many blogs that I follow, they are therapy for dealing with a child's illness or loss or on a happier note, a child's progress in growing up. Blogs are about what consumes a person.
Interestingly enough, I have some friends who blog about economics....not my most favorite topic, but it's their passion and I can say that I've learned to expand my mind a bit when reading. Other friends blog about their hobbies, like photography or cooking.
It's really intriguing what fuels a person's passions and how great the array can be.
I my future searches, I think I'd like to find a blog about long haul trucking...or "my life as a circus clown." There's bound to be some peek-worthy moments in stories like that!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Cell Phone Ear
If you're a Facebook friend, you've already heard about my silly diagnosis, but for everyone else...I have cell phone ear. Apparently this condition is caused by talking on the phone so much that your ear sweats and that moisture gets trapped in your ear canal causing this "cell phone ear." No lie...it is exactly what the doctor said. It's exactly like swimmer's ear...without the fun day at the pool or beach. No, mine is caused from working way too much. The result is one long Labor Day weekend in painful misery. So as we load up the "brand new disease" train with the H1N1, Swine Flu -let us not forget to add this terribly modern ailment. Beware fellow phone users..BEWARE.
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