Positive Attitude

For all of you Psych and The Office fans, I hope you will appreciate this as much as I did. Neil and I enjoy the humor in both Psych and The Office. Neil has a coworker that also enjoys the humor of those shows. During the summer they joked about humorous moments on those shows. Friday was Neil's last day in the office before going back to school. When Neil arrived early Friday morning he found a pineapple in his cubicle along with his box of mints in Jello. Seriously, that was awesome. I told Neil he needs to get an in with the vending machine guy. Anyway, if you don't understand, it probably isn't funny but if you do understand feel free to laugh out loud because I sure did.

Speaking of humor when I came across this on my daily Dilbert calendar I thought it summed up my weekend perfectly.


It all began on Friday when my phone stopped working. I wasn't able to receive calls and I was lucky if I could make a call. My phone is a few years old and I have been having problems for a few months now. So I finally got irritated enough that Saturday afternoon I bought a new phone. It wasn't until my new phone wouldn't work that I found out that Verizon was having mass service issues and it was not my phone after all. Oh well, I love my new phone anyway.

Then comes Monday morning. Monday mornings are never the best. They never can be because Monday just has a bad connotation (at least in my book). My day begins 10 minutes earlier than normal because I had to take Neil to school. The reason that I had to take Neil to school is that the free church parking lot he normally parks in became an official student parking lot that requires a $87 parking pass to park there. Why I mention this is because the University sent me an email notifying me of the change a few weeks ago (I think it would have been best to send it to the students but I guess that would just make too much sense). I passed this onto Neil so he could either find somewhere else to park or buy the pass ahead of time. But he didn't believe me that a church parking lot could now be a University parking lot. So flash forward to Sunday when we drive past to check it out and see the BIG sign saying it is now a blue lot for student parking. Let's just say Neil is buying a parking pass today but I had to drive him today so he could get to class on time. But let's rewind here for a minute. Our alarm goes off 10 minutes earlier than normal and we stumble out of bed. Shortly after that we discover pools of blood throughout our bathroom. It turns out Neil's foot is bleeding. From what? We have no idea. So after bandaging up his foot, Neil spends a few minutes cleaning up blood. So far our Monday morning isn't going great. Then as I am getting ready to brush my teeth I drop the toothpaste and instead of just landing on the floor, it also squirts out a long stream of toothpaste all over the floor. So then I have to spend the next few minutes cleaning it up.

We finally get out the door, Neil gets to school, and I get to work. But it doesn't stop there. My computer won't start and something is wrong with a scan disk or something. Then I remember all of the files that I have not backed up on the server. Then I think I should just go home, go back to bed and try again tomorrow. After about 20 minutes fortunately or unfortunately (whichever way you look at it) my computer starts and I am still trying to have a good attitude about life.

Smartology

Pretty much speaks for itself.

I also overheard this conversation last week while waiting in the airport for my return flight home that was delayed by an hour.

Guy who had a close connection: "Since my connecting flight isn't very full and there are 4 of us on this flight trying to make it, can't you ask them to wait for us?"

Delta Agent: "No sir, we pride ourselves on being on time."

Can I re-emphasize that our flight was delayed by an hour? Doesn't Ever Leave the Airport comes to mind.

I'm sure there is more. I am just too tired to think straight. All I can say is Neil is a good sport for attending a 3.5 hour Opera with me last night. He even stayed awake.

Lesson Learned

So before I left on this trip, the director of the center I work for warned me numerous times to be careful of where I went in Phoenix because there were some "bad parts." I shrugged it off as him being overprotective. Well, last night I found out why he warned me. I finished up work late last night and decided to go to the nearest gas station to fill up my rental car so I wouldn't have to worry about it before going to the airport. Things were going fine until the receipt I needed for the gas didn't print at the pump so I had to go into the gas station. Let's just say I didn't "fit in." Well, while I am not so patiently waiting in line to get my receipt I witnessed a robbery. Well, technically it was not a robbery because no weapon was involved that I saw but robbery sounds more dramatic. Plus, it wasn't money they were after it was large cases of beer. So the store clerk stops helping people and calls the police while everyone is helping with the description of the thief. So I am standing there wondering if I really do want that receipt after all and I am concerned that I left my wallet on the front seat of my unlocked car. I had to decide whether I wanted the receipt or risk having my wallet and/or car stolen. Luckily, another clerk helped me and I got my receipt and got out of there as soon as possible. I now know where to avoid next time, lesson learned.

Working VERY Hard

I started out today with a short flight to Phoenix. I then had to explain to the rental car company that even though I was “under age” to rent a car, my corporate contract allowed it with no additional fees. Then, it was super awkward playing customer for a rental car agency I use to work for. I kept that information to myself but it was sure weird. Plus, since I knew the business in and out I got a free upgrade from my compact car I reserved because since they rarely actually have compact cars available, they have to upgrade and I still pay the compact rate. Anyway, then I had the “horrible” job of having to drive to a 5 star resort in Scottsdale to get a tour of the facility for a meeting I will be arranging in December. I left my tour with a tin of homemade cookies and a discount at the spa for me and my guests when I return. My job has never been more “difficult.”

Then, I continued work at my hotel. Did I mention Phoenix is really hot this time of year? I wish I could spend more work days by the pool…


P.S. I really am here for work, I promise.

Oakley Rodeo

I now can say that I have been to a rodeo. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I wasn’t sure if I would like it. But I was pleasantly surprised. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was entertaining, exciting, and fun. The firework show at the end was the cherry on top. I think I may attend a few more rodeos. Shocking, I know.

You Know

You know you have lived in Logan too long when the highlight of your day is going to the new WalMart. And thinking it was awesome. And thinking it was so awesome you blog about it....

You know you have lived in Logan too long when you count down the days for the big date night in Salt Lake. I never imagined that going to Salt Lake would go from being the usual thing to being the most anticipated event of the month. And going to Salt Lake being considered an event....

You know you have lived in Logan too long when you think traffic is bad on 1000 West. Then I remember commute traffic through Farmington. Then I think being stuck behind a tractor isn't that bad.

Oh, how things change.

In search of why

I have attended three funerals in about the same amount of months. All three were very different. All were for men in different stages of life; a grandfather, a father, an infant son. Words cannot describe the grief and sorrow that was evident. I have sincerely struggled with what to say to the loved ones that were left behind. “I am sorry” does not seem enough. I cannot say “It will be okay” because it is not okay and I can not make it okay. I cannot answer the question “why?” I ask that myself. I feel so inadequate trying to offer my condolences. I desperately want to offer comfort but I don’t know if I can.

These words stood out to me as I read Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl: “To live is to suffer, to survive is to find meaning in suffering” and “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how” from Nietzsche.

Although those words may seem hollow when in the middle of suffering I hope my friends and family will find meaning and why in the dark days ahead.