Yard Work

Evan LOVES to work in the yard. Especially if it involves watering the flowers or grass. Basically, if he can get wet and messy, he has a blast. But, at the same time, he's very serious about it. He gets the most adorable look of concentration on his face and works very hard to make sure he does it right. (Okay...his version of right, but nevertheless...) I'm still working with him to get him to understand that the entire yard and all the flowers and bushes need a drink and not just one spot for a half hour. At the present moment, his technique needs work and it is leaving sopping mud holes, but I'm good with it! He's so much fun to watch!!

Listening Skills - Part 2

Seriously. What has gotten into people? I DON'T get it.

If you want to sell something to someone, don't you want to give them the courtesy of LISTENING to what she says about her needs and wants? Don't you want to avoid talking over someone and interrupting so you can HEAR what the person says?

There is this guy from some resort place in Branson (which I love, just for the record) who keeps calling Pat to get him to buy some weekend trip (you know, so many days and nights in a "luxury" hotel, tickets to shows, meal vouchers, coupons, etc.) for a discounted price (which really is pretty discounted) and participation in some tour thing of a resort that takes 90 minutes. He called and called and called Pat. Pat finally told him that his wife has everything and he would need to talk to me. Pat told me what was going on and said that if I wanted to "work him over" and get some good freebies out of him and do the deal to go ahead.

The guy called me - three times in a half hour, which was REALLY annoying - and went into his pitch. I told him three different times what interested me and what didn't, what I had a problem with and what sounded good. He just kept talking and talking and talking...and at one point even said he didn't want to pester me or make me mad. I told him he's already made me mad because he did not listen to what I said three different times.

You know what he said???? He said - get this, "Well, I want to listen now," and then just kept talking and didn't listen to what I said.

IT WAS CRAZY.

Needless to say, I did NOT agree to his package...I'm still not sure what was in it, either!

Just for the record, I was actually very nice when I told him he made me mad...

Listening Skills

I have come to the conclusion that the vast majority of people in our society do not have any concept of just how important it is to have listening skills and to actually use them.

On Friday of last week, I went through a drive-thru at a world renowned fast food chain. (I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that, but it's true...I eat fast food. What can I say?) Anyway, I repeated my order THREE times. During the first attempt, the young lady interrupted me twice. I started again...she interrupted again. The third time, she did not interrupt...but when she read it back to me, it was completely wrong. Needless to say, I told her to cancel the order...and asked her if she understood THAT, just to make sure she didn't apply my incorrect order to the people behind me.

I think people get in SUCH a hurry sometimes to do their jobs quickly (as is required in a fast food drive-thru and some other places) that they actually miss steps (like, LISTENING) and then, in the long run, end up taking longer to do their jobs in the first place.

I may not be the world's best listener, but I think my skills are pretty good and it drives me crazy when others don't exhibit the slightest skill or the desire to learn.

Gas

I don't intend to sound like a broken record. Everyone is fed up with gas prices. I'm not going to go into a rant like that's new or anything. I will say that it doesn't seem like that long ago (5 years, at specific memory) that gas was like $1.30 - $1.50/gallon. I remember, too, however, when it was $.85/gallon. Now it's just absurd.

This is what I am going to say: I noticed the other day that gas went up about $.20 between the hours of 8:30 and 3:30. No reason. No refinery exploded. The Middle East did not implode. Well, when I went by gas stations, they were PACKED. P.A.C.K.E.D. I could tell everyone was thinking, "Okay...here comes the big hike to $4.00...better get my "cheap" gas while I still can." (Yes, I stopped and got gas, too.)

By the next morning, it had gone back down by $.10 - $.12/gallon. Now, how much money do you think was made on that one day????

I am an AWFUL Blogger

So much for trying to become a real bloggie. I've started to write a million times, and frankly, have nothing to say. Sad, huh?

Grief

How do you help someone - especially a young someone - work through grief? I am of the opinion there is no right or wrong way to deal with and work through grief. The only "rule" is that you must be considerate of others who are also grieving. You cannot "deal" with your grief in a manner that would be painful/hurtful to others.

The first thing I do for someone is to pray. My first suggestion to anyone is to pray...

What's next???

FIJI Water...

Two words: Holy Cow!!!

If you haven't done your taste buds the "favor" of trying FIJI, DO IT!!! That is the best tasting, smoothest water EVER!