Tuesday, May 24, 2011

strange [day] indeed

In the last week, I've awoken and not been able to go back to sleep due to thinking of business cards.  Yes, I know that's a strange worry.  Recently I was asked to get new cards printed for the CEO of the organization I work for.  Unfortunately, he and anyone else who might have information regarding where they were previously printed was unsure.  Unsure of where they were printed, that is.  I believe the {business went out of business}.  So, I was left to find a new printer.  After obtaining price quotes from a few places whose reputation I had no idea about, I decided to get them printed at Staples.  I had a coupon, plus I figured Staples most likely isn't going to go out of business.  Therefore, whenever we need to print more cards, the folks at Staples will be ready to go.  Well, for whatever reason, and I'm really not sure why, I've had an anxiety issue about the cards being printed.  I feared going to pick them up and them being completely wrong, or them costing 10x more than I'd been told they would, or them being laced with anthrax (okay, not really).  I realize these are fairly ridiculous concerns, but that's the way my mind works, especially between 2 - 4 a.m.  


I picked them up this afternoon.  I looked at them, and thought, "Hey, they look good."  I took them back, showed them to someone else in the office who agreed.  I then placed them on the CEO's desk while he was out of his office.  Not too long later, he swings by my desk.  He's got the box of cards in his hand.  My heart sunk, knowing, just knowing he absolutely hated the cards.  Something must be wrong.  He proceeded to ask me if they were expensive.  Again, something must be wrong.  I told him the price, then he showed me one of the cards, asking me to look at it.  I did.  And then I saw it.  The card listed his title as Chief Operating Officer.  If you've been paying attention to this somewhat boring story you'll realize that is not his title.  He's the Chief Executive Officer.  We actually do not have a COO.  The artwork I'd been emailed was from years past when he was the COO.  But times have changed.  He's been promoted, yada yada. . .   Fortunately, he was not upset about this.  He laughed about it.  He mentioned he'd hoped the error was on Staples.  But it wasn't.  It was on us.  He's going to go ahead and use them.  And my guess is, unless he hands one of the cards to you, a reader of this entry, no one will notice the difference.  On we go. . . . . . 


Another oddity of this day was that I came home to my son wearing a hand knitted (my his friend's mom) hat.  It's hard to describe, and I really should post a photo.  It's sort of like what a reggae artist would wear.  His friend, whose mom made it, has dredlocks.  My son does not.  My son requested she make it, using red, white and black yarn in honor of the White Stripes.  If this doesn't make sense to you, I suggest you research the White Stripes, and perhaps it will once you see they're always dressed in these colors.   


What else makes this day strange?  Not only did I visit Staples once to pick up the cards and other stuff, I visited a second time because I left a manila folder containing important information on the counter when I paid.  I'm starting to feel God has a purpose for me at Staples.  I'm also starting to feel it's because there's a lady who works there that I honestly couldn't stand to be around six months ago, but I've tried and now I can tolerate her.  


I'm sure there were other oddities about today.  I just can't remember.  Except that I do remember one other.  Today I mailed a graduation card to my cousin who just graduated high school.  While addressing it, I realized she lives in the same house my dad lived in when he graduated high school in, get this, 1957.  The house was my grandparents' and now it's her mom's.  Interesting, somewhat nostalgic, and I suppose a symbol of some roots there.  Maybe her child will live there when he or she graduates too.  


I'm hoping for a better night of sleep tonight.  And I'm hoping not to visit Staples tomorrow.  And I'm hoping that Jamie's friend's mom becomes quite successful selling hats to teenage boys.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

i-want-to-take-my-daughter-to-africa

Last year I wrote a blog entry about only having 10 years left before my daughter graduates college:  Mothers and Daughters.  This is stating the obvious, but, it's one year later which means there are now 9 years left [10-1=9].


Nine years.  Our time together will of course be shortened if she doesn't attend the University of Kentucky or Transylvania (her current choice) or Georgetown College or some other school in the tri-county vicinity.  Eighth grade, then high school, then "so long".  

Which brings me to the title of this entry:
I want to take my daughter to Africa
Perhaps you're curious as to why.  There are a variety of reasons:
  • I'd like to share an adventure with her 
  • I'd like for her to see life in another place, far, far away from Lexington, Kentucky
  • I believe seeing the problems and issues faced by people living there firsthand would be an experience of a lifetime
  • I'm curious as to what doors the trip would open in both our lives
I have no plan, as of yet.  I have no funds set aside in a bank account.  I don't know if the trip will entail just the two of us flying to an old church friend's home in South Africa and hanging out with her family for a week.  I don't know if we'll get in on some type of mission tour or if all four of our family members will end up going or if my church small group will go with one of our members from The Congo [excuse me but I don't think it's officially called The Congo anymore] as the tour guide.  

At this point, I don't feel a plan is in order.  It's a wait and see kind of thing today.  Tomorrow, well tomorrow I just might need to come up with a plan.   Meanwhile, if you'd like to send some cash, I'm fine with that, and I promise to set it aside for THE AFRICA TRIP.  

The truth is, if an opportunity to go to Brazil came to fruition, or Romania, or some other far away place, I'd investigate.  It doesn't absolutely have to be Africa.  But for some reason I'm drawn there.  I know it has nothing to do with the Toto song, Africa.   Maybe it's because I read The Poisonwood Bible twelve years ago or because I read Love Mercy last year and I'm influenced by books.  Although I've read Michener's Caravans and Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea and don't feel any calling to head for Afghanistan.  Maybe I should read Michener's Hawaii and meditate on the possibility of a mission trip/vacation to someplace geared to the American tourist.  That would certainly be easier and probably more fun, but I just don't think "fun" is what this trip will be about.  Enjoyable, educational, productive, and effective, but most likely not "fun".  [Please excuse my rambling in this paragraph.  Sometimes I'm a little scattered.  And I really do like to read.  And I take my reading seriously.  And, oh poop(!), here I go again. . . . . ]

Everyday on the way to work, I try to remember to pray for this trip.  At this point, I'm praying that it HAPPENS.  Hopefully it will happen, before 2020.  That's the plan.  That's the dream.  One way or another.  

Thursday, May 5, 2011

a week in the life



Sometimes I can't think of a stellar idea for a blog entry.  Sometimes my mind is scattered.  This could be the result of having a 16 year old and an almost 13 year old and a beagle and a full time job and a husband who works at a church.  Or maybe I just have that type of brain [ie scattered].  

This week. . . . 


I completed reading Love Wins.  My opinion?  I'll only discuss it if you've read the book.  No judgments, assumptions, or comments welcomed from the un or misinformed [thank you].  



I began reading Leaving Van Gogh.  It's fiction.  It's really about Van Gogh, as in Vincent, the artist.  I have three small Van Gogh prints near my desk at work.  Yes, included in the three is the ever popular, Starry Night.  Am I a Van Gogh fanatic?  By all means, no.  I just happen to have the wall hanging, and happened to come across the book at the library.  I'm a random reader like that.  See a book, try it out.  What the heck.  Etc. . . . . . .   Mind you, I do avoid romance novels, graphic novels, science fiction, and various other categories that don't interest me.  


And speaking of art, this week I came across a photo of this painting in House Beautiful:
Rythme ColorĂ© (Colored Rhythm) Sonia Delaunay (French, born Russia, 1885–1979)
I've tried to locate a poster of it via the internet, to no avail.  The colors would bring some things together in our living room [at least that's my opinion].  Son Jamie saw the photo and said, "That's abstract."  Yes, despite not having taken an art class since elementary school, he has a keen eye.  He even answered, "Salvador Dali" to a Jeopardy question recently, and was correct.  Perhaps art appreciation is in his future. . .  doubtful.  


And speaking of Jamie, he and I prepared our Cinco de Mayo meal tonight.  It consisted of green chili enchiladas, Spanish rice and refried beans.  We had a few red enchiladas left over from Sunday's meal.  But, Jamie said there was no way he was eating left overs on Cinco de Mayo.  He also mentioned it's his favorite minor holiday.  I'm not sure if he was implying he expected a small gift or token of affection, but since I didn't arrange anything, I'll leave it with the meal.


This week Jamie also shared that one of his female teachers has a tattoo of the name, "Jesus" on her ankle.  "Ah, Southern women," was his comment.  Sometimes kids give a glimpse into their thoughts at the least expected times.  I'm thinking he might end up marrying a Midwesterner.  


Daughter Allie is participating in a unique opportunity tomorrow.  Her school is going to create a video [yes, for youtube].  It's the entire school performing "We Are the World."  The highlight of the tonight's evening was me digging out a copy of the original, as in 1985, sheet music of the song.  The kids liked the photo on the front.  


Yes, that's Kenny Rogers in the white shirt with the  white hair.  He was popular in the 80's.   Allie strongly suggested I view the modern version of the video, which I did along with her and Jamie.   I hadn't remembered all the key changes.   Anyway. . . the point of Allie's school video is to raise money for the Japan earthquake victims.  How the video helps raise money, I'm not sure. . . . . .   Perhaps further details will follow.


This week husband Chip attended the  Vineyard National Leadership Conference in the Valley of the Sun, aka Phoenix, Arizona.  My home state is Arizona, so it wasn't easy for me to not follow, hoping if I showed up at the airport he'd feel obligated to let me tag along.  Sometimes I miss the West, and palm trees and cactus, and sunshine [especially when it's pouring down rain here].  But, today was a beautiful day in Central Kentucky, so I wasn't really jealous of those in the 90 degree desert heat.


Lastly, I came to a decision this week.  Which is good because I'm terrible at decisions.  I won't bore anyone with the details, because it's fairly mundane, but nonetheless [I love words like that - 3 words combined into 1!] it feels good to move on and look into something else.  Onward. . . . ..