New Friends. New Family. And A New Computer!

I have so much to be thankful for.  And 'tis the season of thanksgiving!   But I really don't have to only be thankful at one time of year.   I try to count my blessings everyday.  At least a little.  

And so I thought I would take a moment after a rather long day at work, to reflect a little bit about this past week/weekend.  There are many things to mention, but it is late and I don't know how much energy I can muster to fully flesh out each tale.  (And I don't have many pics!)   So,  Think of this as a "I'll mention it before I forget." blog post.   And perhaps, as I reread these things,  I will remember the details and fill them in at a later time.  

So let us begin.

Last Monday,   My new computer died!   "FTZZZT!"   And that was it.   I could not get it to turn off, but yet it was never really on.   I tired everything i could think of except take a screw driver to it to check out the insides.   I had planned on doing just that over the weekend,  but I was saved from a bad decision from my guardian Angel... Christina.  

Christina works at SAM"S CLUB where I purchased the computer initially.  Turns out,  they have a rather generous return program for members, and I was able to swap out the computer and get a new one with minimal hassle!  (Amazing!)  I personally have never had much luck with returns.  And I always feel a little "dirty" for taking advantage of the return policy.  But I can truly tall you that I am grateful whenever I am able to return or swap out the damaged or broken item for a new one.  Points for Sam's Club Customer Service!

It helps to have a person who knows the policy and is willing to help.   andy bt "Help" I mean:  "Hold my hand."   Even if it seemed like she was dragging me "kicking and screaming." to the courtesy counter!  I assure you, I was thrilled with the end results.   

I'm not sure why I have such a problem with returns.  I know there are people who abuse the system.   Or have totally unreasonable requests!   I don't want to be either one of those types!   So I usually accept the loss and either buy a new or better version.   Or choose not to replace it at all.  

But computers are rather pricy!  So she saved me  some serious cash!   And I am thankful. 

I am actually on the new computer now.   This will be my first official blog post with it.   The last post was from the "House Fire" computer.   Which still works!  But is slow and chuggy.   It was getting old even before the fire, so I really did not need that big of a push to get a new one. (Having a house fire as a reason to get you to buy a new computer seems a bit extreme...)  But so far,  things are working great!

Saturday,  I attended a small dinner party at Helen's  (The Apple Pie/embroidery lady from Church)  with Dave and a number of other guests.  We had walleye again.  ( Awesome!)  And her World Famous Apple Pie.  World famous because I blogged about it!   And once something is out on the internet...  The whole world knows! (Not that everyone in the world reads my blog...  But Google will find my writings in a search!) 

But in all honesty,  If the whole world knew of this pie, they would be lined up for miles just to get a piece.  It still brings up an emotional response whenever I take that first bite.  Truly unbelievable!  

Speaking of food.   Today was Haribo's Thanksgiving Dinner for the employees and associates.   An event where the leadership team suits up with aprons and serving utensils to share a little family cooking with the rest of the family.  

It was Awesome!  

The food was great!  And I will not spend much trying to describe it.   But what I remember most was the atmosphere.   I have only been there 5 months now, and already it feels more like a family than a place of employment.  Perhaps it was just me,  but as I watched the people sitting down and enjoying their dinner,  I was reminded of some of the special family reunions we used to have when I was a kid. Good food.   Warm conversations.  And a cheerful atmosphere that leaves an impression.   

Perhaps that is something that businesses are trying to find as they work on creating their culture.   I felt it with Zebra when I worked there that first year.  (After the GXO transfer)  They want to be more like a family and less like a job.   And I have many thoughts about that line of thinking,  but I will refrain from trying to bring that topic up now.   Perhaps in a later post.  

But for now,  I just want to say that I truly enjoy the Haribo culture and the job that they pay me to do.  It is a fun place to work with wonderful people.  And this coming after a pretty rough day today.  ( the passerella was down and the new scanner and labeler was broken.... pallets were stacked up and we got buried!) We all managed to do out best and everyone pulled together.... Like a team.  Or a family.

And that is about it.  I have managed to stick to my new regiment for two days now.   Meaning,  I have done at least 20 pushups for two days and folded two origami fish.  I think I can continue this and will begin putting the fish on the wall to show my progress.   I will post pictures with updates.  

Time for bed!   I have to get some rest because the Owner of Haribo is coming tomorrow.   And everyone wants to make a good impression.   And make every second count. 

The Limits Of Time...

 Oh Time!   Why are you so fleeting?  

I want to do so many things, but simply do not have the time.    I'm sure everyone has said something similar to that before....  And, let's face it,  the truth is we have more free time that is wasted than we actually think.   I know there are moments where I could be "doing something more productive..."   But instead choose o watch YouTube videos, or play games...  or just sit in my easy chair and sip coffee.   

But I want to do things.  

I want to write my next story.   Even if it is a shorter one.   I have some serious epics running around in my brain.   But when I have the time... I lack the inspiration or discipline to actually begin.  Even though I KNOW that once I begin... The motivation to continue begins to build and feed itself...   Similar to 'Getting the Ball Rolling down hill..."  

The same goes for Origami.   Each model can take several hours to several DAYS to complete!   

And that is a lot of time.  

And most time, I look ahead and tell myself I just don't have THAT much time to spend on a single model....   That I will most likely give away anyway....   Unless I have someone who has requested something specific.   (And who I want to impress... i.e. "Motivation")   I don't mind sharing a small piece of my life with someone now and then.  An hour here and there....  whether it be over coffee or with a small piece of sculpted paper.  

But I am taking time out of my relaxing Monday Morning to write this blog post so I will provide the small bit of discipline  for myself to actually DO something with my time.   Like setting a goal...  Only writing it down for all to see so I will have a bit of motivation to continue doing it.  (There is something about peer pressure...  Either actual or simply perceived..   That can act as a motivator.)  

So here is the goal:   I will attempt to fold an Origami Fish and do 20 pushups everyday this month. ( and then reevaluate how things are working out.) 

  That is the minimum. 

 If I do more, that is fine, but it does not count towards the next day.  (No "Banking" origami or pushups.)    

Why pushups?   Well, I have to get/stay in shape.   And since running has been off the table for a couple months now,  I have to "do something" that represents some form of physical exercise.  

And since I like origami...  and do NOT like pushups...  I figure the two should offset each other.  

We shall see how long it lasts.   Last time I did over 3000 pushups for some veteran's day challenge.  100 pushups for 30 days.  And I completed that... ( hard to believe,,, I know!)  So maybe this will stick.   And with this blog post, I will light the fire under my butt to actually keep doing it.   (Without the house burning down!    That is a joke.) 

Motivation to do anything is a big key to achieving anything meaningful in your life.  And with motivation,  Discipline comes easy.

 I personally HATE discipline!  It usually means doing something you don't want to do even though there is no obvious benefit to it.   Like losing weight or random daily exercise.   Without a goal or motivation that is obviously visible,  it is like shouting into the waves.  Or giving to the void.... Pointless!

But the Origami fish should SHOW me the results as they pile up.   And hopefully the 20 daily  pushups ( Still a it of bit of a challenge, but easy enough to JUST DO IT!)  will help me get stronger and  maintain a bit of fitness.  And the entire challenge should not take that long. ( I'm guessing under 20 minutes... mostly for the origami.)   

Wish me luck!   Today is Monday!  And although I need some paper for the Origami part, I can begin the Pushups right now.  And I will hopefully keep the updates posted on the blog.  

And try to gather up a little more of my time to make every second count. 

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

 That is correct!  After a Friday that was near 60 degrees...  It snowed!  We got a light dusting on Saturday and Sunday.   I was impressed that it stuck to the ground.   But it was rather cold and windy,  so I spent most of the day inside working on Origami and a few odds and ends.  

But then Monday morning....  BOOM!   The Old Man Winter dropped the hammer on Kenosha with about 8 inches of snow.  ( Check out the grill!)  

At first, I did not think it was that deep.  But then I pushed the outer door open.  

It was not the light fluffy stuff, but rather the heavy wet stuff that forms slush and will pack up under your car and get you stuck.   It also melts together and forms that slippery slushy road that makes it easy to slip.   A challenger to anyone getting out of an un-shoveled driveway. 

Unless you drive a Subaru!

Subies love the snow!  ( I might have mentioned that once or twice before...) And yes... so does a Jeep...  But I got into all kinds of trouble with my Jeep... back in the day.   Perhaps I am a little wiser now and avoid the crazy things I did in my youth;  because I have not had the same trouble with any of my Subarus  That being said... I still like to prove that the AWD system on a Subie rocks!

Monday was actually pretty cold,  but one of the best things about being cooped up in the winter is that you can enjoy some warm comfort food and a hot Chocolate. I started up a big batch of chili last night and had it for lunch at work today.   It was "Pretty good!" (My way of saying it was awesome...) I rarely make or eat chili unless the outdoor temps suggests that a bowl of warm goodness is required to weather out the storm.  And I think chili and stew do that fairly well.  

The snow is not bound to last.  it is already melting.   And the temps are predicted to rise into the 50's later.   So if you planned on building a snowman,  chances are, Monday would have been the day 

In other parts of the country...  Cheryl sent me a VERY rare phenomenon.   Northern Lights in Iowa!

And not the common greens and whites.  This one had a bold splash of red!  How crazy is that?!?

I know that there was a time last summer when you could see the northern lights here in Wisconsin over the Lake.   But I missed it.  I think they happened around midnight and I was always in bed by then.  

But Now,  I may have the opportunity!   If they ever show up again.  (And I am aware of them being visible...)  Back in the Alaska days,  I would pull off in the calm but cutting cold of the tundra and watch the Northern Lights for what seemed like hours!  

All alone...  In the cold dark.   With the rainbow of colors swirling and dancing in the sky.  

It was one of those moments where you wished you had someone to share the experience.  

But moments like that come and go.   And there will be other moments in the future.   You just have to watch out for them.  And take them in stride.   

And try to make every second count. 

The Hidden World Around Us... Lydia.

 As I sit the the darkened corner of my living room, searching for things to write about, I am reminded everyday about the things that we observe, but do not truly see.   And when I think about those topics that I notice,  it makes me want to share a bit of my life and the way I see and understand things.  

And people come to mind. 

You may remember my posts about Phil and Patty from Zebra.  I usually do not write blog posts about people who I know that  read this blog.  ( I am hesitant  to have them read some of the thoughts I write about... Except Phil... Good old Phil....) If I do write about a person... Chances are the understanding is that I will either never see them again, or I know that there is a very small chance that they will ever read my blog.  So...I can write freely. 

And so it goes that the subject of Lydia comes up.   

Lydia.    

She is an attractive, young female who works as the bartender at the Clubhouse.   (I think she may be the shift manager...)  I often try to schedule my visits to coincide with her being on duty, so she can take my order and we can exchange a few moments of small talk.  It was easy back in the days of Zebra and even Shoreland, because I worked during the day and could catch her during the "happy hours" of 3-6.  But now that I work at Haribo,  our meetings have become far less frequent.  

I believe she has been there just over two years now.   I remember first meeting her with John on one of our many "Thirsty Thursdays".  She was about to replace Brie ( spelling?) who was John's main muse, and one of the main reasons for our Thursday visits.  When Brie left, Lydia took up the reigns of Thursday Happy Hour Barkeep. And that is when we got to know her.   

It is difficult to write about her without outsiders thinking that there is an ulterior motive behind my   observations.   True.   She is young and attractive.   But if superficial beauty is all you see and think about,  then you would miss the true gem that resides within her.   There is more there than just a "pretty face."  

When I watch her at work,   she is always smiling.   You may say that that is part of the job, but I assure you,   there are many barkeeps who do not smile. ( Brie being one of them.... Sorry John.) 

She knows her customers!   And many of the people who walk through the door she knows by name.   And has their order ready before they sit down. And that is something that is rather refreshing to people.   She knows who to ask; what to ask; and who to "just give them their favorite beer..."   She flirts with the older men and laughs at their jokes without being offended.  In short,   She is a good sport  and a pro when it comes to  serving the regulars and newcomers.. 

Of course you might say that that is all "part of the Job."   And it is.  But try to think back to a special waitress or server or bartender who knew your order and was helpful when your day did not go as planned.   Or was simply kind on one of those days when you needed a moment of Zen and quiet.   I have worked the food service before and can assure you that there is a knack to understanding people and what they   are looking for at any given moment in a restaurant or bar .   A warm meal,   a cold beer,  a quiet space...   Maybe even a sympathetic ear to listen to their day.   (A tradition that dates back hundreds of years, I'm sure...) 

And Lydia does this job very well.  She is a sympathetic ear when someone is having a bad day.   She is a refreshing smile when people enter the establishment.   Often calling out their names for everyone to hear and welcoming them to a seat at the bar.  A place where "Everyone knows your Name"  ( Cheer's reference.)   Maybe not everyone...  but at least one of the bartenders does.

We live in a world now where people do not see much past the exterior of anyone.  I am amused when people don't understand that beauty is more than just "hair and make-up."   It is personality. 

 Personality is everything.   

I find this at my job  as well.   People with a pleasant personality are more fun to work with than people who may be "good at their job" but SUCK on the humanity spectrum.  (Jerks are rather difficult to work with)     I'm sure you can conjure up an example somewhere in your life of those who "just wanted a paycheck." 

But every now and then, you  find a person who is more.   Someone who genuinely LIKES their job.  Even if it is a low pay, long hours type of job.   Someone who does their best and tries to make everyone around them feel a little better for having the opportunity to work together.   It is a rare talent.   A Gift!   

And to the untrained eye... It probably looks Magical.

So when I visit the Clubhouse in Kenosha.   And I watch and listen to Lydia as she runs around and works her magic with customers;  I  see a person who enjoys her job.   Enjoys her fellow employees.  And enjoys her customers.   I can only assume that it is because she has a number of older brothers in her family.   Or that she comes from an Italian family. ( Don't get me started on the importance of family for raising the next generation!) Whatever it is,  She is a unique find for the Clubhouse.   And ultimately she brings a little bit of peace and light to those she encounters.  

I know there was more that I wanted to write about, but as always, many of the eloquent points that I had created in my mind have now vanished.  Such is that way of a writer.   (Am I a writer?)  I guess I could carry around a small recording device where ever I go, but that seems tiresome.   And besides,   this post is long enough as it is.  

So I'm glad you got to meet Lydia.   At least briefly...  In an obscure blog post.  If you want to meet her for real,  Visit  the Clubhouse Pub and Grill.  If you are lucky,   you might catch her on a Thursday,  when their chicken wings are on sale and their beer is a dollar off between the hours of 3-6. 

If you show up a second time,  she will know your order.    

If you show up a third time,   She will know your name.   

After that....  You're family.

Silent Lucidity

 So the Dream goes like this: 

I am at a gathering with a bunch of people.We are talking about many things when the topic comes up about a hidden city in the jungle nearby.   Machu Picchu like...   But it is hidden from all but the locals. 

This  piqued my curiosity  and I ask how would I go about finding this place.  And someone tells me that the path is easy to follow.   In fact, it leads right through a dozen homes and villages near by.   All you have to do is stay on the path... No matter what!   No matter where it takes you. 

This sounds fairly easy to me..   So I head out.  

I am suddenly transported to a path through the jungle.   A well groomed path with tile on the ground that changes to rock, then asphalt.  Then dirt.  The path changes often... Until I come to a door.

I open the door and the path continues.  Only now it is covered with linen.  Similar to a red carpet or banner that is rolled out on the ground.   I step on it and continue.  

Like the road before,  the linen changes color and type, over and over again.  And as I walk over these textiles,  I continue to enter rooms of houses.   Almost as if I'm in one continues house rather than a jungle.   But the "House" is more like a shanty town and continues to get more and more primitive while remaining "civilized."  

At one point, the "path" becomes Sushi wrap seaweed paper!  It is very fragile and narrow.  And I have to be careful walking on it.  It reminds me of the part in "Kung Fu" where the Shaolin  Monks are walking on rice paper to pass a test of skill. 

I finally climb some earthen stairs and open a wooden door to enter a studio where there is a woman making clay pottery.   There are jars and pots all around and she is getting up to remove her latest creation and she greets me.    I assume she is one of the local villagers and apologize for my intrusion.  

She waves it off and tells me something like this is normal.   People walk through her studio all the time because it is on the path.    

She is wearing baggy clothing.  Work attire.   And as she reaches up to put her latest urn up on a wire to dry,   her shirt lifts up... And  she exposes slightly more skin than expected.   And I turn away slightly embarrassed.  

She then changes to Keri Russel!  (The actress from Felicity)  And we begin to have a conversation.  The odd thing about this is I have never found Kerri Russel "attractive".    She usually plays characters I dislike.  But there is a civil tone in our conversation.   She is nice and helpful.   ( I don't  hate her!)  And I enjoy talking to her.  

And then  she changes to Cheryl.  

What the heck?   What are you doing here?   In the middle of a random village? In the middle of a forgotten jungle?    In a Pottery studio covered in mud and clay....  What is she doing here?  

It is like that  moment in Inception..  Where the fellow dream travelers encounter Leonardo's dead wife.   This is something that makes no sense.  ( As if everything up to the point did!)  But I ask her what she is doing here as if she could explain this unexplainable meeting.   

She tells me that she is "Dating the Pastor."   Like a missionary?  I have not met a pastor here, so I do not know who she is talking about.  But that is not important.  

The feeling I get is what I remember.   Not anger.   Not sad.     Just a resignation.  An ending.  And that was kind of sad.  I struggle to find the words to describe the feeling accurately.  But shortly after that.. I wake up.   

Many details.   Why are they there?   What is the meaning?   Is there a meaning?   Let the interpretations begin!  Because...  In the end...  

It was all just a dream.