Amidst all the mischief and mayhem this week...

There have been bright spots…

Like enjoying sweets and other treats as we celebrated one of my attorney’s birthdays in the office! There is always an abundance of goodies to munch on all day, and while the singing of “happy birthday” was a bit painful for all to hear, I still think the birthday boy liked the attention! Many happy returns of the day, Carl!

Like spending an evening with girlfriends and watching yet another chic flick! No one likes goodbyes really, but sharing pizza and a little wine while enjoying a good movie made our “goodbye to Denae” party easier! We’ll miss you, Denae!

Like having my former boss treat me to lunch at Macaroni Grill. He had a stroke this past March just 3 weeks after his retirement, and so it was so great to see him as active as ever and regaining use of his faculties. And nothing beats a steaming plate of Pasta Milano with bowtie pasta, chicken, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and a creamy garlic alfredo sauce along with some tasty bread! Wonderful! I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Bob J.!

Like laughing with a co-worker as we both struggled to figure out how to get my new windshield wiper blades on in the wind this afternoon. From an earlier conversation this morning, I misunderstood and thought that she had done it before. She hadn’t, but she had watched it being done and thought we could handle it. SHE did! While I chased the cardboard trash around and tried to locate my car manual, she played around with the contraption and got the new wipers on and working beautifully. She can’t wait to share the news with her husband. He will be so proud. Thanks, Barb!

Yes, even in the midst of this week, there are high points and special moments to celebrate—for which I am grateful! Thank you, LORD!

Parking Space Blues…

I’ve had one of those weeks—one of those maddening, irritating weeks where one thing after another has gone wrong. I’ve wanted to signal for a TIME OUT or request a do-over, but in real life, the PAUSE or REWIND button doesn’t really help, and come to think of it the FAST FORWARD button doesn’t apply either…

One of my sample irritations is my parking space. I pay for a space in the carport at my apartment complex, and for some reason, due to a clerical paperwork error, my spot was given to someone else this week. I didn’t know about it until the office called to verify which spot I parked in. Apparently their records had a discrepancy between the spot I always park in and the spot they thought I parked in. I learned that they had sold my spot to a new resident, who was calling their offices asking for my car to be towed out of “their” spot. So, I was glad that the office called prior to towing away my vehicle. We discussed what had happened, and I felt that we got everything squared away. I would keep my spot same as always, and they would move the new resident into an “actual” vacant space.

However, I came home the next couple of days to find my spot without a vacancy. I called the complex office that first night and left a message that someone was in my spot. No response. When I got to work the next day, I called again and left a second message. No response. I called when I got home from work the next night to report once again that someone else was parked in my spot. I got an actual person this time and was told that I was parking in the wrong spot because they had me in another spot. I wasn’t quite sure how to respond. How could they bump me from my current spot that I had been parking in for 9 months? That didn’t make any sense. And how come none of what we had resolved on Monday was indicated in their records? I checked my lease and called back to argue some more. This time I got voicemail again and so I left a message asking for the manager to call me back and get this resolved.

Well, it’s day 5 in the drama, and I still don’t know which parking space is mine! But for 2 days now I’ve had to defrost my car because my carport space was taken. OK, so it’s not that big of a deal in light of what other people are facing. But this carport space drama—in light of all the other things that have happened this week—this is the final straw. It’s that thing that has put me over the edge!

My recent encounters with my apartment complex staff and with customer service representatives at two of my banks have me spinning my wheels in frustration and wondering whatever happened to customer service in this country! Why is it that after 6 calls to my landlord I still don’t have anything reconciled? Why doesn’t anyone return my calls? Why am I the one having to call again and again and listen to conflicting information every time?

I’m not asking for a lot here, I don't think. I just want communication and a resolution. At this point in time, I’d settle for any carport space. Just tell me where to park and I’ll park there. HA!

There’s a commercial on the air right now that emphasizes the poor customer service with demonstrations of such behavior with a bagger at a grocery putting the gallon of milk on top of the carton of eggs in a bag or the UPS man crushing a package in an elevator door, etc. I found it funny at first and overstated. I was thinking…this would be what it was like IF things had really gotten that bad. However, after my week, I find it rather hopelessly true. (I guess my rose-colored glasses have been smashed!)Gone are the days when the customer is always right! The modern slogan is: The customer? What customer? I don't think we have those!

Ah but today the world is brighter already. It's FRIDAY!!!! WOOHOO!! I’m thrilled to have the weekend to recuperate.

I love autumn...

The smell of burning leaves, the crisp cool air, the crunchy sounds on the ground, the thought of pumpkin pie and candy corn and apple cider, etc. It's all bliss to me--save one thing. FOOTBALL!

I've hated the game ever since I can remember. The only time I ever enjoyed football was going to local games in my small town when I was in high school, and believe me --it was never really about the game. It was about the boys and trying to fit into the local scene after living a sheltered existence in private school!

Growing up with 3 older brothers meant that football was on every Saturday and Sunday afternoon in our home! Every major holiday like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's was all about the game, and it didn't matter who was playing or even if they were fans of either team on the field. Football was on TV, and thus it had to be watched.

On Thanksgiving, my sister and I would watch a couple of hours of the parades in the morning before getting booted off the TV. And then would start the real male bonding--the arguing over specific plays, the yelling matches at the TV, and the complete annoyance at anyone interrupting the game (i.e. a little sister asking a question was quickly banished from the room). And you can just imagine how thrilled they were when I would hide the TV remote right before the games started. I was far from blameless especially since it was probably my desire to watch a movie on TV myself that made me so ornery with my brothers in the first place.

As an adult, my dislike of football has continued. I have plenty of friends that love the game. In fact some of my closest girlfriends enjoy nothing better than watching a good football game, but I rarely join in even when they have parties. And when I'm with my family on the holidays, I make an effort to do other things. I guess I want Thanksgiving to be about family time, and to me family time isn't about falling asleep watching TV together or ignoring the pleas of the younger generation to join in some fun with them. And maybe because I don't have a family of my own, family time is so precious. I want to go for walks with my Mom and my nieces and nephews and play games and spend every minute I can in their company. Maybe it's become a matter of principle for me! Or maybe I'm just stubbornly refusing to follow that old "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" idea! Whatever it is, I haven't changed my opinion of the game.

My oldest nephew is now on a football team, and this past weekend, I went to his 1st football game ever. Despite my personal feelings for the game, I wanted to support him. So I went and for the most part enjoyed my time there. And yet at the same time, part of me was a bit saddened. I fear I am losing him to this game I dislike so much. I'm watching him change from that boy who liked nothing better than playing hours and hours of Monopoly into a young man who like his Dad and uncles now yells at the referees on TV.

I joked with a co-worker this morning that a lack of interest in football was on my top 10 list for a future mate. She laughed at me, and I could tell she thought me a bit silly, and perhaps I am as I pine for a man who doesn't like the game either. [With my luck, I'll meet a peewee league football coach and fall madly in love, and that will be an end to my soap box days.]

For now, I'm sticking to my anti-football stance. I think a healthy regard or interest in most things can be positive, but any obsession taken to extremes--whether in football or anti-football, photography or even card-making--can be harmful to ourselves and to those relationships around us! Maybe I should watch a game or two this season as therapy...hmmmm? Don't count on it.

I love being an Aunt...

I really do. Nothing else quite like it! Simply delightful!

I first became an Aunt 1 week shy of my 16th birthday (which means that my sister first became an Aunt at 13). I remember being excited that this tiny little entity would one day call me “Aunt,” but a bit bewildered by it as well. Aunts were supposed to be my parents’ age. They were supposed to be older and have more life experience, weren’t they? All of my Aunts were.

Three nephews and 4 more nieces later, it is still a special thrill to become an Aunt to another small resident of this planet we call home. It happened for the 8th time this week. My sister gave birth to Grace Anna on Tuesday of this week, and it was just as thrilling this time, too!

With each year, it does seem to get more and more certain that I may never have a family of my own. I'd be lying if I said that it didn't bother me from time to time. Sure it does get to me on occasions, but for the most part, I'm good with the status quo. I feel blessed in other ways. I have 5 nieces and 3 nephews to call my own, and for that I am truly grateful. After all, family is what we make it…and I like mine just fine!

I'm glad to be single...

But don't quote me when I'm having one of those I'm-sure-I'm-the-last-single-girl-out-there days.This is not one of those days however. Today is a good day. Today I'm overwhelmed with just how good I have it. I feel free...

A couple weekends ago, 2 fellow single girlfriends and I went for an exciting 4-day weekend to St. Louis. OK, maybe some of you are wondering why! Why St. Louis? I know I wasn't sure how it would go or just how entertaining St. Louis could be, but I am now pasionately mad about the city. It was wonderful. So many FREE...yes, I did say F-R-E-E things to do. The Art Museum with it's inviting galleries,the St. Louis Zoo with it's wonderful animals, the Missouri History Museum with its intriguing collections, the breath-taking Cathedral Basilica with its 41.5 million colorful mosaic tiles, and many more freebies! Delightful!!

Our sight-seeing also included ticket price excursions like a tour of the fabulous Fox Theatre, where we were delighted to run into Kelly Clarkson preparing for a concert; or the brilliant and dazzling Missouri Botanical Gardens which reminded me of Europe (yes, Europe--the Europe I've not been to yet, I know, but I can imagine it like Europe, can't I?). It was all wonderful and exciting!

So what all does that have to do with me being glad I'm single? Well, because I could do it. I had the means, the opportunity and the freedom to do it. I could pack my bags and head out for a long weekend without scheduling it with a significant other or without really having to alert anyone. In this case, it was a highly-planned trip that we schemed and budgeted for weeks in advance, but those last-minute plans are highly possible and easier to do in my present state.

It's something that we singles sometimes take for granted. That freedom to move from one thing to another, to consider that job in London, to plan something last minute or on a whim...and so today I'm thankful--thankful I'm right where I am. There's a whole world out there waiting, and I can see it at my leisure.