Today I'm thankful for my car. I think it's been almost 2 months since I had a broken down car in my driveway. The process of finding a third working vehicle for our family was long and painful. Ultimately I abandoned the "cheapest wheels available" approach because it seemed to end up costing more than buying a car that was actually reliable.
The car we most recently bought ended up being for me to drive, instead of for my daughter McKay. Reason being - it's a two door, not a four door. So poor Dad has to drive the cherry-red coupe with sunroof and the really cool wind spoiler on the trunk.
Actually, the best part about it is that Wendy picked it out. The previous three cars were bought by me - rather impulsively - and lasted an average of 2 months each.
So knock on wood - I'm thankful for functioning vehicles!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Thankful Month - Day 3
Today I'm thankful for my job. It's a good job. How good? Pretty good. Not my dream job, but definitely not bad. I have had bad jobs, and good jobs with difficult situations that lasted forever. This job has had its difficult situations, but they have been temporary. I have a good boss and good co-workers, a relatively short commute, and interesting work to do.
So what's my dream job? I probably shouldn't say, but I'll just tell you that if I had my dream job I would only need a recliner, a TV, and a remote - and I wouldn't have the income to buy them.
So what's my dream job? I probably shouldn't say, but I'll just tell you that if I had my dream job I would only need a recliner, a TV, and a remote - and I wouldn't have the income to buy them.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Sawing Logs
Thankful #2.
I'm thankful for eight hours to sleep, and for the latex mattress where I get to spend them.
Nighty Night,
I'm thankful for eight hours to sleep, and for the latex mattress where I get to spend them.
Nighty Night,
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Thankful Month - Day 1 - My Dear Wendy
I'm playing catch-up, because I didn't think of it until I was chatting with Wendy just now. Lots of people are writing "a thankful a day" on Facebook, or elsewhere, for the month of November. I was just saying to Wendy that I need a hobby for days like today. The sad truth about me is that I have not learned to manage the minutes between the minutes. I let valuable time go to waste because I tell myself that the time available - until the next scheduled activity - is too short to make good use of it. It takes me a few minutes to "get into" any activity, and so I let all kinds of time go to waste - reading useless news, or eating, etc.
So Wendy suggested that I meet her challenge of thankfulness. That is obviously a good way to pass the time. So it was easy to choose the first object of my thankfulness: My dear wife Wendy.
Wendy is a great blessing to me. I have grown a lot from learning from her. I try to follow her example in a few key ways.
She is faithful to our family. She is acutely aware of and interested in each of our children. She creates activities that become family fun, and she encourages me to take each of the kids for one on one time. I came with very little fatherly intuition, other than family scriptures and prayer. Wendy has taught me everything else, and I am a completely different man, a much more faithful priesthood leader, because of her example and counsel.
She is an example of dilligence in any endeavor. Whethere it is arriving 30 minutes early for church, spending countless hours preparing for Seminary or volunteering at the high school, or crocheting blankets for newborn babies in our ward or writing birthday cards to the relief-society sisters, she is the greatest example of diligence I know of. I still can't hold a candle to all the work she does or how effectively she does it, but I try harder because I have seen how much can actually be done.
She is an example of revelation. She is an example of personal service. She is an example in her free expression of creative energy in the arts she loves.
She is also incredibly patient with me. I won't say that patience is her strong point :^), but you don't know what I put her through on a daily basis, and I can tell you she has developed a great level of patience when it comes to me! I am very blessed by her love, affection, and understanding. She has given me the incentive to try (try, try, try) to live a celestial life, so that I can spend eternity with her.
So there ya go.
So Wendy suggested that I meet her challenge of thankfulness. That is obviously a good way to pass the time. So it was easy to choose the first object of my thankfulness: My dear wife Wendy.
Wendy is a great blessing to me. I have grown a lot from learning from her. I try to follow her example in a few key ways.
She is faithful to our family. She is acutely aware of and interested in each of our children. She creates activities that become family fun, and she encourages me to take each of the kids for one on one time. I came with very little fatherly intuition, other than family scriptures and prayer. Wendy has taught me everything else, and I am a completely different man, a much more faithful priesthood leader, because of her example and counsel.
She is an example of dilligence in any endeavor. Whethere it is arriving 30 minutes early for church, spending countless hours preparing for Seminary or volunteering at the high school, or crocheting blankets for newborn babies in our ward or writing birthday cards to the relief-society sisters, she is the greatest example of diligence I know of. I still can't hold a candle to all the work she does or how effectively she does it, but I try harder because I have seen how much can actually be done.
She is an example of revelation. She is an example of personal service. She is an example in her free expression of creative energy in the arts she loves.
She is also incredibly patient with me. I won't say that patience is her strong point :^), but you don't know what I put her through on a daily basis, and I can tell you she has developed a great level of patience when it comes to me! I am very blessed by her love, affection, and understanding. She has given me the incentive to try (try, try, try) to live a celestial life, so that I can spend eternity with her.
So there ya go.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
The Tails of Two White Shirts
This problem wasn’t that hard to solve: I wore both!
The collared shirt over the non-collared shirt. With the jacket on, no one would see the obviously mismatched sleeves. I thought it was perfect. No one noticed it in church and it wasn’t discovered until halfway through dinner at home, at which point I was ridiculed. Alas, people mock what they do not understand. My kids have got to stop underestimating my problem-solving skills.
Today, two shirts: yesterday, zero. So it averages out.
Yesterday was a glorious day with the baptism of Lillian, our youngest. She had both sets of grandparents here, and we had an all around good day. Baptisms are priesthood ordinances and spiritual events, but there are some practical aspects you have to plan for in order to avoid distractions – specifically, dry clothing to change into.
About an hour before the meeting I suddenly remembered that Lillian would need dry clothing. I commanded Wendy to see to it, and Lillian was soon dressed in a beautiful dress and carrying an extra pair of undies and a towel in her bag (the church would supply the baptism suit itself, so that’s about all she needed).
A while later, it occurred to me, as they guy performing the baptism, I am going to get wet too! I decided to solve that problem immediately before I forgot. I already had a bag with my white pants in it – I added clean undies and a towel, and I was set.
But not fully.
After the baptism I left the font and headed into the men’s dressing room. I had staged all my things and was ready to get into dry clothing and back to the meeting. One little problem: I only had one white shirt – no, one shirt of any color – and I had just worn it into and out of the baptism font. Yes, it was my good one, but it was wet up to my chest.
Would anyone notice? Would it create additional problems, like a wet streak down my pants? I pondered. Meanwhile Lillian is probably just about done over in the ladies room because she has about half the number of articles of clothing to put on, plus at least two women helping her. Hey! What about me? I’m helpless! Standing here dripping, trying to decide whether to drip my way to the Relief Society room for the reminder of the meeting, or what!
Since we live only a couple of doors from the church, I could have someone bring me a shirt without delaying the meeting much – but how could I get anyone’s attention? They’re all down the hall singing hymns, anxiously awaiting my return.
Duh, John – this is the 21st century, and I have TWO cell phones right here in the locker room with me. OK, OK! Who do I want to help me, and who should I text?
My daughter McKay always has her phone – she’s a safe bet. Now, who can come into the men’s room, and would be the fastest getting to my house and back? That’s probably my brother-in-law Paul. He’s fit and can jog to and from the vehicle or skip driving and just run all the way to my house. Got a plan! I texted McKay: “help send paul to bathroom”
In the meeting room, McKay reads her text, raises one eyebrow, stands and crosses the room to where Paul is, and tells him, “My dad needs you in the bathroom.” Now they each have one eyebrow raised. Paul goes out of the room and passes Wendy in hallway, who had just sent Lillian into the room and was chatting with her friend Shar. “Where are you going?” says Wendy.
“Your husband needs help in the potty.”
Two more eyebrows.
Paul enters the men’s room. “Johnnie, what do you need?”
I tell Paul my problem and my plan. Paul makes a counter proposal: “why don’t you just wear my shirt?”
“But then what are you going to wear?”
I’ll just zip up my sweater to the top and no one will know!
So right then and there Paul gives me the shirt off his back. I get dressed in my suit and head out and down the hall. Now the thing is, Paul is six inches taller than me, so the shirt sleeves are hanging well below the jacket. Wendy and Shar are waiting outside the room, laughing with/at me, and we all go in and sit down.
After the meeting, Paul waits patiently as we take pictures and we get home and I help my parents into the house, before I return his shirt to him.
Now if I had just kept it one more day I wouldn’t have had to wear two shirts today!
I just don’t think ahead enough, do I? I suppose if I did, I would have washed, or at least dried, my own good shirt!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
The Accidental Activist
Last September I did a foolish thing. Having never attended a school board meeting before, I went with a burr under my saddle and I filled out a comment card and held onto my prepared speech with sweaty hands. I had just become aware of some big and weird problems in the school district, and, too dumb to know it wouldn't help, I addressed the school board as a disgruntled taxpayer.
I rode the ragged edge of the rules and complained about a specific employee before they realized what was happening. I got hearty applause from an unhappy bunch of teachers looking for a hero. I also got a very clear view of what they were unhappy about. As I wrote then, at least some of the problems became very clear to me.
Over the next month I lost considerable sleep wondering if I was about to be sued and my family would lose our house. I was sure that I should not have become involved. At the same time, my sense of indignation was rising, and I just couldn't justify remaining silent.
My speech may have been a litte ill-advised (I would not have lost that sleep if I had bought liability insurance for $20 / year BEFORE making that speech instead of after), but it helped bring like-minded people together to actively engage in the cause.
But over a couple of months, things settled down. I began to miss a few board meetings and write less frequently, and even miss a couple of meetings with my rebel friends. (Before there was Citizens for 13J Excellence I called our group the Rebel Alliance).
And then there was the 2 page complaint. We started working on that last fall. And then even while that was in process, in January Kathleen Stanley decided not to pass GO but to go immediately to a recall election. I decided to grace them with my presence at the organization meeting, and was asked to conduct the meeting. And then the big surprise: during the meeting I was nominated to be the chief petitioner on the recall petition drive.
And that's how I became the mascott for the recall, and for Citizens for 13J Excellence. Sure - I'm on the steering committee, and as the chief petitioner my name actually appears on all the legal forms and on the ballot. Kinda cool. But really, I was the mascott - not the brains or the brawn. I'm John Q Public, ticked off and enthusiastic. Ready to go for blood without knowing what to do or how to do it.
With the help of friends and other volunteers, it got easier and better over time. We got the job done, and sit here tonight having achieved victory. The superintendent has resigned, and the chairwoman has been recalled by the voters.
The superintendent resigned last week with a payout because of a serious complaint filed by three female district employees. A threatening and harrassing work environment made their lives miserable for years. Without that complaint, it was going to be quite a challenge to get rid of the superintendent, even with a new school board.
So tonight, one of those complainants told me that without the background push of Citizens for 13J Excellence submitting complaints and filing for recall, she and her compatriots would not have had the confidence needed to stick their necks out and make that formal complaint.
And likewise, the teachers union, seeing there was movement afoot, was in the process of submitting a vote of no-confidence when the resignation occurred. As it turned out, he was gone and the vote wasn't needed, but it could easily have been needed, and it would have been a very powerful tool toward getting rid of him or at least in limiting the damage he could do for the remaining 2 years of his contract.
So what I'm saying here is that because the public got involved in a highly visible way (Kathleen's Blog being the main pillar of that), the teachers and administrators were able to speak up and state the problems clearly for everyone to hear. The felt we had their backs, and, as much as it is possible, we did.
Without us, this would have been much more difficult and painful for them than it already was, and so much more prolonged.
So now, as I look back at all those times when I wish I hadn't got involved, or when I seriously debated wither to continue, because of the great sacrifice it was to my time, I thank the Lord that he put me in this situation and gave me the power to help these people who were in need. I didn't do much, but I was a figurehead. I was a body in the community, and I cared enough to help. That meant something to those who were in the trenches. I am so glad I never quit.
I am glad this happened. I could never have predicted that a mere eight months after that fateful speech, the district leadership has been removed due to the swift and vocal actions of an insignificant community group. I would never have guessed that I would meet such wonderful people make good friends. I worked with people whose tremendous sacrifice and commitment to education made big things happen.
Was it worth the trouble? Absolutely!
I rode the ragged edge of the rules and complained about a specific employee before they realized what was happening. I got hearty applause from an unhappy bunch of teachers looking for a hero. I also got a very clear view of what they were unhappy about. As I wrote then, at least some of the problems became very clear to me.
Over the next month I lost considerable sleep wondering if I was about to be sued and my family would lose our house. I was sure that I should not have become involved. At the same time, my sense of indignation was rising, and I just couldn't justify remaining silent.
My speech may have been a litte ill-advised (I would not have lost that sleep if I had bought liability insurance for $20 / year BEFORE making that speech instead of after), but it helped bring like-minded people together to actively engage in the cause.
But over a couple of months, things settled down. I began to miss a few board meetings and write less frequently, and even miss a couple of meetings with my rebel friends. (Before there was Citizens for 13J Excellence I called our group the Rebel Alliance).
And then there was the 2 page complaint. We started working on that last fall. And then even while that was in process, in January Kathleen Stanley decided not to pass GO but to go immediately to a recall election. I decided to grace them with my presence at the organization meeting, and was asked to conduct the meeting. And then the big surprise: during the meeting I was nominated to be the chief petitioner on the recall petition drive.
And that's how I became the mascott for the recall, and for Citizens for 13J Excellence. Sure - I'm on the steering committee, and as the chief petitioner my name actually appears on all the legal forms and on the ballot. Kinda cool. But really, I was the mascott - not the brains or the brawn. I'm John Q Public, ticked off and enthusiastic. Ready to go for blood without knowing what to do or how to do it.
With the help of friends and other volunteers, it got easier and better over time. We got the job done, and sit here tonight having achieved victory. The superintendent has resigned, and the chairwoman has been recalled by the voters.
The superintendent resigned last week with a payout because of a serious complaint filed by three female district employees. A threatening and harrassing work environment made their lives miserable for years. Without that complaint, it was going to be quite a challenge to get rid of the superintendent, even with a new school board.
So tonight, one of those complainants told me that without the background push of Citizens for 13J Excellence submitting complaints and filing for recall, she and her compatriots would not have had the confidence needed to stick their necks out and make that formal complaint.
And likewise, the teachers union, seeing there was movement afoot, was in the process of submitting a vote of no-confidence when the resignation occurred. As it turned out, he was gone and the vote wasn't needed, but it could easily have been needed, and it would have been a very powerful tool toward getting rid of him or at least in limiting the damage he could do for the remaining 2 years of his contract.
So what I'm saying here is that because the public got involved in a highly visible way (Kathleen's Blog being the main pillar of that), the teachers and administrators were able to speak up and state the problems clearly for everyone to hear. The felt we had their backs, and, as much as it is possible, we did.
Without us, this would have been much more difficult and painful for them than it already was, and so much more prolonged.
So now, as I look back at all those times when I wish I hadn't got involved, or when I seriously debated wither to continue, because of the great sacrifice it was to my time, I thank the Lord that he put me in this situation and gave me the power to help these people who were in need. I didn't do much, but I was a figurehead. I was a body in the community, and I cared enough to help. That meant something to those who were in the trenches. I am so glad I never quit.
I am glad this happened. I could never have predicted that a mere eight months after that fateful speech, the district leadership has been removed due to the swift and vocal actions of an insignificant community group. I would never have guessed that I would meet such wonderful people make good friends. I worked with people whose tremendous sacrifice and commitment to education made big things happen.
Was it worth the trouble? Absolutely!
Friday, April 1, 2011
This is me posting on my blog . . .
I accept that this post will not be perfect. It will not be funny and will likely not be intetesting. But it could just be THE post that restarts my writing habit.
What could I write about?
How about that guy Rob that stayed at the Mabees when we lived there, and the manly way I confronted his deceipt. Or how about the list of offenses the exiled chicken has committed, and that in spite of her guilt I can't get the jury to go along with the death sentence. There are all kinds of great things happening with my kids - and of course with my parenting. Did you know we have to wipe the dogs feet for them when they come in from the back yard? But the kids? . . . We keep asking.
Our $500 car is worth zero right now and we're feeling betrayed. Our luck usually goes so much better than that . . . NOT. I'm taking a project management class - actually it's a study group for taking the Project Management Professional certification exam. But I'm dividing my notes into two groups: project management and test taking. I'm actully really good at test taking. That explains how I got through college, but this will be more challenging than most multiple choice tests I took in college. Except Business Law. That stunk. Have I ever confessed/explained how I really got thru college?
How about my wedding story? Wendy wrote down the story of our courtship within a couple of months of our marriage, but I haven't done that yet. I really should. My memories of that time of my life are unfaded. But I don't know what happened ten seconds ago. I think I really do suffer from short-term memory loss or ADD or both. It makes life very interesting, and allows me to think very creatively, and solve problems well. What I'm thinking about at any given moment is not likely to be connected with what is going on around me at all, and not likely to stay on the same topic for more than 15 seconds. Creative opportunities.
I could write about the lessons I've learned in my political experiences over the last six months. The bicycle shed? My new slum-lord retirement plan. MUD. The concrete sidewalk that isn't. The whistle I stole when I was five. (sorry Joe). How about snow caving? Hiking, fishing and other activities I wish I were doing.
I could write forever about my jobs, but it wouldn't be enjoyable for you or me. The task list in my notebook includes pending transactions, an HR profile, iProcuremnet documentation, commitment to change in the PPMC area, testing the database upgrade and a patch, MSDS attachments, a view for Mr Stapleton, MD50 documentation and reimbursements. Told you.
How about working in Japan? I did that for seven months after my mission. Made something like $11K but I don't even know where half of it went. It would have been worse if I hadn't been budgeting. In Okinawa as a missionary, we once walked through a very poor farm village. A kid saw me and ran, screaming, "OKaasan!! Hen na ningen! Hen na ningen!!" (Mom! A weird human!!). This was Miyako island, actually. I was one of two white guys on the island. My companion was Japanese.
If this list isn't proof of a mental disorder, I don't know what is. But, on the other hand, disorder or not, it's fodder for a lot of good blogging!
See ya!
What could I write about?
How about that guy Rob that stayed at the Mabees when we lived there, and the manly way I confronted his deceipt. Or how about the list of offenses the exiled chicken has committed, and that in spite of her guilt I can't get the jury to go along with the death sentence. There are all kinds of great things happening with my kids - and of course with my parenting. Did you know we have to wipe the dogs feet for them when they come in from the back yard? But the kids? . . . We keep asking.
Our $500 car is worth zero right now and we're feeling betrayed. Our luck usually goes so much better than that . . . NOT. I'm taking a project management class - actually it's a study group for taking the Project Management Professional certification exam. But I'm dividing my notes into two groups: project management and test taking. I'm actully really good at test taking. That explains how I got through college, but this will be more challenging than most multiple choice tests I took in college. Except Business Law. That stunk. Have I ever confessed/explained how I really got thru college?
How about my wedding story? Wendy wrote down the story of our courtship within a couple of months of our marriage, but I haven't done that yet. I really should. My memories of that time of my life are unfaded. But I don't know what happened ten seconds ago. I think I really do suffer from short-term memory loss or ADD or both. It makes life very interesting, and allows me to think very creatively, and solve problems well. What I'm thinking about at any given moment is not likely to be connected with what is going on around me at all, and not likely to stay on the same topic for more than 15 seconds. Creative opportunities.
I could write about the lessons I've learned in my political experiences over the last six months. The bicycle shed? My new slum-lord retirement plan. MUD. The concrete sidewalk that isn't. The whistle I stole when I was five. (sorry Joe). How about snow caving? Hiking, fishing and other activities I wish I were doing.
I could write forever about my jobs, but it wouldn't be enjoyable for you or me. The task list in my notebook includes pending transactions, an HR profile, iProcuremnet documentation, commitment to change in the PPMC area, testing the database upgrade and a patch, MSDS attachments, a view for Mr Stapleton, MD50 documentation and reimbursements. Told you.
How about working in Japan? I did that for seven months after my mission. Made something like $11K but I don't even know where half of it went. It would have been worse if I hadn't been budgeting. In Okinawa as a missionary, we once walked through a very poor farm village. A kid saw me and ran, screaming, "OKaasan!! Hen na ningen! Hen na ningen!!" (Mom! A weird human!!). This was Miyako island, actually. I was one of two white guys on the island. My companion was Japanese.
If this list isn't proof of a mental disorder, I don't know what is. But, on the other hand, disorder or not, it's fodder for a lot of good blogging!
See ya!
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