You don't impress me much

Is there someone in your life that you will always hold the same opinion of?  You will always mistrust them or have a positive view of?  Maybe on the other side a person will never trust you?

It could be me, but I feel there are several people who think I am an idiot.  I know that they see me as useless and have no idea what I am doing.  I might perpetuate the myth by not being able to do anything worthwhile in their presence.

What does it take to change someone's opinion about someone?  The action of the person or the mind of the judge?

Get in gear!

Well I have my latest car woe fixed.

Friday morning I get into my car to head to work.  I crank up, put my foot on the brake, and try to move my gear shift.  It does not move.  I try several times, but nothing.  Wendy pokes her head out the door to see what is going on.  She tries, but nothing.  I call my supervisor from work.  He is pretty handy with cars and might know a trick.  He tells me to try and couple of things.  The gear comes out of park.  So I am good to go.  Of course I never think any more about it.

Fast forward or look back to Saturday morning.  Wendy, the girls, and I are headed to pick up a few things from the store.  So we load up into my car.  The gear shift will not come out of park!  I struggle with that thing for awhile.  Wendy tries.  I call my supervisor again.  This time the over the phone consultation does not work.  He says he will come over.  He arrives, but cannot get it out of park.  He feels the release, but cannot get it to release.  Of course Wendy's car is in front of mine in a single driveway.  Tommy, my supervisor, is able to move her car out to the street.

One problem is that my car is needs to be worked on.  The next is without getting it out of park, it will have to be towed.  Meaning for you keeping score, an extra expense.  I ask Tommy would the dealership know a trick to get it out of park, to bypass the safety feature.  He knows someone better.  He makes the call and the person says if you take a screwdriver into a little hole by the gear shift it will manually release.  It works!  The car can get into gear.  Now I have to wait until Monday to take it to the auto shop.  Why do things like that happen on Saturday?

Monday I take the car to get it worked on.  It turns out an actuator went bad.  Which I guess is some kind of motor to release the gear.  Of course the part could only be gotten from the dealership so I had to pay for the dealer's name and markup.  Then an hour and half of labor.   So I am looking at a $200 bill.

With my car lately it has been little things adding up to big bills.  I suppose each day has troubles of it own, most of it deals with possessions.

Maintenance on cars, cannot live without it, cannot afford not to do, cannot afford it when I do it.

For I know the plans I have for you

Well I  am glad somebody does.  I am not very good at making plans.   Just listen to Wendy and me discuss what to do for dinner.  I cannot think to much about the future.  I often only see the immediate.  That can pose difficulties because then I  have no idea what the next step is.  Or worse I have to do more work because I was not thinking.

I know that everything cannot be mapped out.  There will be the unexpected.  It does seem like a large majority of successful people are able to plan long term.  People will follow someone with a vision.  I think that people are comforted by having goals.  As long as they are not the ones to set them.

Do you spend time in the present preparing for the future?

Bumps in the night

I have some bumps on my legs and arms.  I am not sure if they are bug bites or poison ivy.  They itch some.  I can forget about them until they get hit and then I am reminded they are there.  I try not to scratch at them because I hear that can lead to infection.  Although sometimes I just want to scrape them off.

It is amazing how little things can be big irritations. 

Space savers

I read an interesting passage in a book this morning.  To receive things one has to make room.  In other words the best way to get something is to make room to receive it.  The author talked about cleaning up and people see that the person is ready for more responsibility.  I think it is true.  If I am gripping something then I do not have my hands free to take something.  Two objects cannot occupy the same space.

Some say that I have plenty of room in my head for something.

What is occupying space in your life?

How about a day early?

I enjoy getting things free.  I love special promotions.  Partly because I do not have to pay and partly because the decision of what to get is already decided.

There have been a couple of times when Wendy and I visit a place.  Then the next day we receive a coupon to the place we just were!

The good thing is if I pay to go to a place then I will definitely go there for free.  There have been several of the promotional coupons that I let expire.

Are the best things in life free?  Or buy one get one?

Laid back is better than laid out

I would like to think that I am a somewhat laid back person.  I wonder why people seem to be running around getting aggravated at something.  Then something does not work right or meet my expectation.  I realize that I am just as high strung. 

Getting mad, at least my way, does not accomplish much.  Unless you want people to think you are a moron.  The fine line of using anger is to change the situation for the better, not add to it.

Has my temper tantrum ended?   Could just be another hot head blowing hot air.

Relationship status

I recently read a book on Christian apologetics.  It was difficult for me to follow in some places.  It was pretty interesting to see a lot of the names of the contributors were international names.

One of the interesting ideas that I saw was about the Trinity and how it relates to us.  I do not fully understand, but one point was that humans were created for relationship.  Specifically relationship with God.  That is why people who seek material things are not happy or have to keep searching for that next thing.  Something is only as good as long as it works.  A relationship is better because there are two people working on it.  Hopefully.

Another interesting point about relationships is something I read in a blog the other day.  The author was talking about the need for close, personal relationship.  He cited that Jesus ministered to thousands, but spent most of his earthly ministry with the twelve disciples.  It is good to have that close network of people to teach or to learn.

What are you concentrating on?

It pays to attention

Last night I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things.  We had let our cupboards go bare and needed something for dinner.  I have a few things that need to be picked and I want to look for something to have for dinner.

I go down the frozen food isle.  I know, not extremely healthy, but convenient.  I wanted to get some ice cream.  The one I had in mind is usually pricey, but I had a coupon.  The last time I was in the store, it was on a great sale.  Not that night.  Plus there not any flavors I wanted for the high price.  I did see some ice cream that I could get two for the price of getting that one.  So I did.

I found a great deal on skillet meals.  So I picked up two.  Once home, to my dismay, I had picked up one that was not on sale.  So due to my error I purchased one not on sale and three times the one on sale.  I harped on that until Wendy rationally said we could not eat out for that price.

Today for lunch I wanted a orange from the bag I bought last night.  Most of the bags last night were in bad shape, but I thought I picked out a good one.  Apparently not.  I had to toss two because they were already moldy.  If you cannot get produce from the grocery store, where can you get it?  Maybe I should try a farmer's market.

I guess that is why Santa checks his list twice.

Looks good on paper

You may know from Wendy's blog and other info that we are trying to take down wallpaper.  It is only one wall, so it could be worse.  If one is like me, I lament that I did not do something earlier.  We have talked about changing the room ever since we have been in the house, but due to lack of initiative, time, or money we never did anything.

Now circumstances have put us into action.  Wendy demanding to get it done!  While Wendy and the girls were away I attempted to do some of wallpaper removal.  Wendy received a small steamer as a gift.  We heard that is a good way to remove the paper.  So I gave it a try.  I was encouraged at first because it seemed to come off.  One small patch.  Then the rest came off in shreds.

Wendy has the drive to get the project done.  She is doing well too.  She has worked while girls are napping.  I am amazed at her progress.  She had about two panels done when I came home from work.  We are somewhat close to the end.  Then sand, patch, prime, and paint.  Gulp!

I do not enjoy these projects, but I know the outcome will be good.  I am not a detailed guy which is needed for wallpaper and paper.   I want to get it done in one swipe, not rinse and repeat.

Good new is that I have the perfect wife who will make sure it is perfect.

Old news

Over the weekend my mom, brother, and I went to visit my grandmother.  She is currently in a nursing home.  For the past several years she has been in an assisted living home and had an active social life.  Including walking a mile and a half daily up until a few weeks ago.  Grandmother did have to use a walker.  Now she is legally blind and does not trust her balance.

It takes a special person to work at a nursing home.  I am not sure if I could do it.  All nursing homes seem the same.  The same blank walls, the same smell, and the same noises.  It is sad to see the residents shuffling or rolling away, seemingly out of their mind.  I think it is the moaning and wailing that can get to me.  The caretakers have to know how to deal with all these things.

I guess one never knows how long people will be around.  Or at least the quality of life.  Make the most of it.

Time will tell

I am not a huge fan of time clocks.  I have to operate on one.   I would much rather work on production.  I would work when there is something to do.  However, I do enjoy get paid for certain hours per week.  I do notice that when a time clock is involved people rush to get in.  What is thirty seconds going to help you do?  That person will sit there for eight hours.  I think it causes stress.  I guess for some people.

Oh well my time is up.

Gold diggers

I have seen a few of the Olympic events this year.  Only because Wendy has it on in the background.  She is a better American than I am.  It seems like there has been a lot going on this year.  The swimming all star Michael Phelps won enough medals to be the all time winning Olympian.  At first it did not look like he would do that well.   I have not really gotten on the Phelps' bandwagon.  There is something about him.  But, hey, he contributed to the number of medals the Americans have won.

One must have a pretty good eye to judge the events.  Most come down to .01 difference or the posture.  I have never been that detailed.

Of course there are the share of controversies.  Badminton causing a stink. I think they just wanted to let people know Badminton is in the Olympics.

It is amazing to see the athletes compete on their levels and then I hear them in the interview.  I think these are just a bunch of kids.  Kids grow up to achieve or be crazy.

Are you dedicated to something to achieve it that only you or family will know you ever received?