Seminar at Work

On Thursday and Friday, I attended a work seminar. The company president decided to bring in a trainer to help with increasing sales and minimizing complaints. I appreciated a meeting that we had several years ago because I learned some helpful hints. The first session lasted 3 1/2 hours and today's meeting lasted 2 hours. I think it will be helpful. I was feeling a bit disgruntled because I made a comment, the facilitator brought the meeting back to focus, and when he asked me if I was on the same page, I felt put on the spot. I felt that the "test" and role playing at the beginning was to demonstrate just how awry my thinking was. However, there were some areas where I was spot on. I came out of the meeting with a headache and had to stop on the way to work and get some pain reliever. Today we practiced taking phone orders, trying to implement the new ideas.

Daughter Moves into Apartment

I asked my son for help on Sunday loading the van with furniture for my daughter's new apartment. He made the day special, bringing over some steaks and grilling them. Husband made deviled eggs, corn on the cob and baked potatoes as side dishes. We loaded the van with a futon, bookcase, small 3 drawer dresser, footboard and box spring along with other paraphenalia. The pillow top mattress went on the top of the van secured with 100' of rope. Clothes, shoes, computer and other personal belongings were packed in my daughter's yellow Mustang. Needless to say, we were a bit uneasy with the mattress on the top of the van! So early on Monday morning my daughter took off in her car, and after stopping for gas, I got on the expressway and headed to the university about an hour away. The sun shone, roads were clear. I made a mistake as I got close to her apartment so had to drive to an easy off, easy on road to turn around! Was in the wrong lane near the apartment so had to turn right and come back straight, but it all worked out. Was so pleased that we had brought appropriate furniture, because this house was built in 1900 and the stairs went up for 6 or so steps, had a landing, and then turned for 6 more steps. Has a 3' bannister. The most difficult piece to get up was the futon. The crazy thing is, as much as my daughter hates it, the other girls begged her to leave it in the living room! We set up her room, making a shopping list as we went...vacuum, shower caddy, night stand, bulbs for the touch lamp, clear light string sets for decoration, mattress pad and sheets for pillow top mattress, hangers, food. Dashed off to the store and ran into an apartment mate! I bought the women a plant as an apartment warming gift and my daughter treated me to a burger and frosty. I left her as prepared as possible, but was driving home when she called and told me that her bite guard (jaw was throbbing from stress) and meds were at home. That was unnerving! Fortunately her friend is going up today and can take tenting gear, the printer, guard and meds. A milestone in my daughter's life.

Haiku morning

Glancing at the clock

Mistake setting the alarm

Rushing out the door.

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No breakfast this morn

A struggle to be on time

Cookies for breakfast.

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Cloudy summer sky

Fat raindrops on the windshield

Feels and tastes like fall.

Well, fortunately a friend googled how to denote paragraphs. What a mess it was before she helped me. Live and learn!

Invisible

Somewhere I read that elderly women are invisible. The statement made sense to me because I know that given a choice to help a male or a female at the store, the male wins every time. Males come into the shop, explain the purpose of their visit, and leave smiling a few minutes later. The elderly female customer dillies over the colors and freshness of the flowers, goes back and forth about cost and preference of flower type. She uses her arthritic fingers to find the 72 cents change and takes forever to clasp her purse. She slings her purse over her arm, gathers her flower bouquet and limps out the door. Now, I know that I do not like to be invisible, and many years ago a colleague was dishing out compliments to the younger associates, noticed I was there, searched his thoughts and told me that I have a pretty smile. And even though my eyelids embarrass me because they hang low, it is quite true that when I smile, it is pretty. How I appreciate that he took the time and effort to include me in his compliment session. After reading the article, I decided to do something about the invisible elderly woman, to let her know that I see and appreciate her. I greet her as she enters the store and I listen and share my time. I hope in some small way that for a brief minute or two, the elderly woman feels noticed, her presence on this earth, acknowledged.