The bugman sprayed inside and outside my apartment yesterday, and so I went home last night not sure what to expect. Well, for starters, there was a half-dead cricket on the kitchen floor, who quickly got terminated and flushed and re-flushed. I know my life is NOT a horror movie usually, but you have to be sure that the enemy is dead, and in my mind, that 2nd flush keeps them from fighting the current and rising again just like that additional bullet in the head of a serial killer. Come on, you know what I’m talking about. They ALWAYS come back!
Then I began my hunt throughout the rest of the dining room and kitchen. I found 5 more crickets all alive but obviously affected by the bugspray in the dining room. I quickly disposed of them in short order and didn’t find any more on my search. Could it be the end? Had the insecticide solved my problem? One could only hope...
Well, at around 10:30 last night, I spotted another healthy hopping cricket. He was so healthy that he got away from me and my trusty broom, and I couldn’t get him. If he had survived the insecticide or had gotten in after the insecticide was sprayed, that made me angry. And since I was already a bit emotional this week, I burst into tears. I know that bugs shouldn’t make me cry, but I’m just tired of dealing with them. I’m not afraid of crickets, but I’m not an advocate either, and I just want this to be done and over with. I want a solution already. I want to know how they are getting in, how to stop them, etc. You'd think this would be easier to determine than it has been...
I finally drifted off to sleep around 11:30 PM, and then woke up to use the restroom at 12:30 AM. I decided to do a canvas of my territory before going back to bed, and I spotted a healthy cricket heading into the living room. I destroyed it, and am hopeful that it was the same cricket who had escaped my wrath earlier. Somehow I fell back asleep and woke up without any more crickets this morning. WHEW!!
So, the score now stands at 16-3: 16 executions to 3 escapes. I’m a bit anxious as to what I will find when I return home this evening. I hope to be cricket-free, but I’m not confident yet. I called the maintenance office and have requested they look at my dining room window and possibly make sure it is airtight, etc. I’m convinced that the crickets are getting into my house through either the dining room floor or the window. The bug man says they typically come underneath doors, but I’ve yet to spot one near either of my doors, but I’ve killed most of the crickets right there near the window. Coincidence? Hmmmmm...What do I know? I just live there!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Friday, July 13, 2007
I seem to be a magnet for weird apartment issues, especially when it comes to other species.
First there was the time a bird got into my apartment through the disconnected dryer vent. I came home one evening to find that I had HAD a visitor flying, pooping and making mayhem in my little home for hours, and she was still there. I felt like the 3 bears dealing with Goldilocks. I promptly called the management, and they came over with a butterfly net and blanket and rescued my visitor. They also covered the dryer vent so she and her friends would NOT return. I remember the hours of cleaning afterwards. Armed with my ever-attractive domestic yellow gloves, I scrubbed my apartment clean, washed linens until the wee hours of the morning and carefully checked out all my furniture and other belongings for evidence of bird droppings. I next requesteed that my carpets be steam cleaned. Amazingly, I survived without getting the bird flu.
Now, I’ve never considered myself a biologist or someone who could possibly discover a new species, but I did find myself in the position of having to call maintenance to report that I had bugs living in my fridge and freezer. I know--what kind of bug could possibly live in that environment, right? Well, I still don't have a clue. What I did know at the time was that I had killed several of these strange creatures, and I wanted to know what to do next. So they came over, checked things out and told me that they didn’t see any bugs in my fridge or freezer. A couple of days later, I had killed a few more, and so I called them back to report it again. The next day at work, I got a call from the office. They still hadn’t spotted any bugs in my fridge, but they curiously suggested that I must have been seeing pieces of fridge/freezer insulation floating around, and so they had opted to replace my refrigerator and that should solve the problem. It did solve the problem—no more bugs! But since when does insulation have 6 legs and a pair of wings? A couple of weeks afterwards, I spotted one of the same bugs on my car window...now I thought about collecting he/she as evidence, but I resisted the urge. I decided that didn’t want to have a bug named after me due to my discovery. Besides, I knew in my heart that I certainly had NOT been killing pieces of insulation, and that was all that mattered.
In the next apartment, there was the invasion of the pill bugs or sow bugs. These crunchy little creatures were literally swarming into the large 2-bedroom apartment I was sharing with my sister. Not only did we find them crawling all over our floor, but if you lifted or moved any furniture, you would find several or many of them there, mostly dead. I’m not afraid of the pill bug, but it was the sheer number of them that got annoying. My sister and I were vacuuming almost daily to just keep our floors clear and free of the bugs. We made numerous calls to management to get it resolved. They tried several different types of insecticides, and eventually one of them did the trick. No more pill bugs.
Of course, I have had bird issues in my current apartment as well. Ingenious as they are, these birds have somehow maneuvered a way to live somewhere between my 2nd floor ceiling and the apartment above me. I could hear them regularly during the spring months that year, and believe me, baby birds can squawk rather loudly in the morning when they are hungry. Well, the maintenance office just didn’t believe me. “We don’t have bird problems, Ma’am.” So, I did some investigating on my own one day, and I spotted a small mother bird towing a worm in her beak and going into a tiny outside vent up near my apartment outside wall. So I called maintenance again, and this time they climbed a ladder along the brick wall and sure enough, they found the bird and her nest. They removed the bird and sealed off the vent with a screen. Now somehow I heard that familiar squawk again this spring for a few weeks, but I opted not to call it in.
And more recently, I’ve been sharing my apartment with crickets. Yes, crickets! I spotted 1 in my dining room earlier this week and quickly dispersed of him. Then a couple of hours later, I spotted another in the dining room, and so again, I discarded of him as well. I tried to tell myself that it was just a fluke, but already I had a nagging suspicion that it wasn’t a chance encounter. But then I had a full day without any cricket sightings, and so I started to wonder if it had been a fluke after all. However, I got up yesterday morning, and I had a new boundless jumper in my bathroom. I tried to terminate him, but he escaped his death sentence for the time being. Then last night, before going to bed, I laid 3 more crickets to rest. It had officially become a full-scale operation now. 1 or 2 crickets--seemed like a fluke, and maybe just maybe they followed me in through the door. 5 or 6 crickets--that is an enemy raid! So I’ve called maintenance to report it, and we’ll see what the outcome is.
I’m hoping to have a cricket-free weekend, but don’t hold your breath. And if one more person tries to tell me that having lots of crickets is a sign of good luck, I’m going to scream! If you had large jumping insects hopping all over your furniture and floors, you might just think differently...Trust me!
Now, I’ve never considered myself a biologist or someone who could possibly discover a new species, but I did find myself in the position of having to call maintenance to report that I had bugs living in my fridge and freezer. I know--what kind of bug could possibly live in that environment, right? Well, I still don't have a clue. What I did know at the time was that I had killed several of these strange creatures, and I wanted to know what to do next. So they came over, checked things out and told me that they didn’t see any bugs in my fridge or freezer. A couple of days later, I had killed a few more, and so I called them back to report it again. The next day at work, I got a call from the office. They still hadn’t spotted any bugs in my fridge, but they curiously suggested that I must have been seeing pieces of fridge/freezer insulation floating around, and so they had opted to replace my refrigerator and that should solve the problem. It did solve the problem—no more bugs! But since when does insulation have 6 legs and a pair of wings? A couple of weeks afterwards, I spotted one of the same bugs on my car window...now I thought about collecting he/she as evidence, but I resisted the urge. I decided that didn’t want to have a bug named after me due to my discovery. Besides, I knew in my heart that I certainly had NOT been killing pieces of insulation, and that was all that mattered.
In the next apartment, there was the invasion of the pill bugs or sow bugs. These crunchy little creatures were literally swarming into the large 2-bedroom apartment I was sharing with my sister. Not only did we find them crawling all over our floor, but if you lifted or moved any furniture, you would find several or many of them there, mostly dead. I’m not afraid of the pill bug, but it was the sheer number of them that got annoying. My sister and I were vacuuming almost daily to just keep our floors clear and free of the bugs. We made numerous calls to management to get it resolved. They tried several different types of insecticides, and eventually one of them did the trick. No more pill bugs.
Of course, I have had bird issues in my current apartment as well. Ingenious as they are, these birds have somehow maneuvered a way to live somewhere between my 2nd floor ceiling and the apartment above me. I could hear them regularly during the spring months that year, and believe me, baby birds can squawk rather loudly in the morning when they are hungry. Well, the maintenance office just didn’t believe me. “We don’t have bird problems, Ma’am.” So, I did some investigating on my own one day, and I spotted a small mother bird towing a worm in her beak and going into a tiny outside vent up near my apartment outside wall. So I called maintenance again, and this time they climbed a ladder along the brick wall and sure enough, they found the bird and her nest. They removed the bird and sealed off the vent with a screen. Now somehow I heard that familiar squawk again this spring for a few weeks, but I opted not to call it in.
And more recently, I’ve been sharing my apartment with crickets. Yes, crickets! I spotted 1 in my dining room earlier this week and quickly dispersed of him. Then a couple of hours later, I spotted another in the dining room, and so again, I discarded of him as well. I tried to tell myself that it was just a fluke, but already I had a nagging suspicion that it wasn’t a chance encounter. But then I had a full day without any cricket sightings, and so I started to wonder if it had been a fluke after all. However, I got up yesterday morning, and I had a new boundless jumper in my bathroom. I tried to terminate him, but he escaped his death sentence for the time being. Then last night, before going to bed, I laid 3 more crickets to rest. It had officially become a full-scale operation now. 1 or 2 crickets--seemed like a fluke, and maybe just maybe they followed me in through the door. 5 or 6 crickets--that is an enemy raid! So I’ve called maintenance to report it, and we’ll see what the outcome is.
I’m hoping to have a cricket-free weekend, but don’t hold your breath. And if one more person tries to tell me that having lots of crickets is a sign of good luck, I’m going to scream! If you had large jumping insects hopping all over your furniture and floors, you might just think differently...Trust me!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
No Spoilers here, I promise!
Last night, I enjoyed my trek on my own to the theatre to see the latest Harry Potter film. I laughed, I sighed, I delighted in the ride! I know...some people think these movies and books are pure evil. There are people in my own circle that are shocked to learn I am such a big fan, but while I may disagree with their opinions, they are certainly entitled to them.
As for me, I might not practice magic or fly on a broom, but I confess with a twinkle in my eye, that I love the books. I’ve enjoyed reading and re-reading them and am eagerly awaiting the final book in the series, book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Why am I such a fan? Well, the author has such a vivid imagination, and each character is written with such detail and credibility. The events and people in the books capture your imagination just like Tolkien’s characters in Lord of the Rings. You enter that world with the author, and you feel like you are part of the story. You become a fellow student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry along with Harry, Hermione and Ron.
It feels alive and real to the readers, which is probably one of the biggest arguments I have heard against the books. There is some concern that kids today have trouble separating reality from fiction. Personally, I don’t buy that argument! I think children today are more exposed to violence, fantasy, etc. in every day life, in schools, on the big screen and televisions, in the news and other media, in games and video games. Children are much more exposed than I was as a child, and they were exposed before Harry Potter came on the scene. Sure, there may be some children that struggle with determining what is real or not, but this is not a new problem. And it certainly didn’t start with J. K. Rowling’s books!
When I was a kid, the Smurfs and Dungeons and Dragons were targets of similar debate. Every Saturday, my sister and I would watch the Smurfs and enjoy them along with the other Saturday morning cartoons. For those of you who missed the 70’s and 80’s, there used to be regular cartoon programs on Saturday mornings just for kids rather than all the news shows, etc. Imagine that! So anyway, the Smurfs were lovable tiny blue creatures that were always doing good, working together and fighting against the twisted Gargamel and his feline friend, Azrael. I don’t recall the biggest argument against the Smurfs really. I remember it having to do something with the names for Gargamel and Azrael being evil or representing some dark cause, and then there was something about the Smurfs themselves being part of some secret Communist propaganda. Now that just makes me laugh! It was a cartoon, people, and I certainly I didn’t feel compelled to become a Communist due to my exposure.
As for Dungeons and Dragons, I don’t know much about it at all, and so I certainly won’t go into any arguments for or against it here. However, I do believe that it along with any other game, pleasure or hobby needs to be enjoyed without excess or obsession. But isn’t that just plain common sense and part of personal responsibility?
As for Harry Potter, I admit that the books have gotten darker and more grown up with each new volume, but then, that seems quite natural to me. After all, the characters in the book are growing up as are the readers who have followed them from the first volume. And as for the darkness, well, the truth is that the adversaries in the books are growing in numbers and gaining strength just like the "bad guys" did in the Lord of the Rings series. Things always get darkest right before the end, and characters get stretched to the max right before the final climax when the ultimate battle happens, or all is revealed, etc. It makes sense to me…but then, remember, I’m rather scary myself. After all, I have a twinkle in my eye!
As for me, I might not practice magic or fly on a broom, but I confess with a twinkle in my eye, that I love the books. I’ve enjoyed reading and re-reading them and am eagerly awaiting the final book in the series, book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Why am I such a fan? Well, the author has such a vivid imagination, and each character is written with such detail and credibility. The events and people in the books capture your imagination just like Tolkien’s characters in Lord of the Rings. You enter that world with the author, and you feel like you are part of the story. You become a fellow student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry along with Harry, Hermione and Ron.
It feels alive and real to the readers, which is probably one of the biggest arguments I have heard against the books. There is some concern that kids today have trouble separating reality from fiction. Personally, I don’t buy that argument! I think children today are more exposed to violence, fantasy, etc. in every day life, in schools, on the big screen and televisions, in the news and other media, in games and video games. Children are much more exposed than I was as a child, and they were exposed before Harry Potter came on the scene. Sure, there may be some children that struggle with determining what is real or not, but this is not a new problem. And it certainly didn’t start with J. K. Rowling’s books!
When I was a kid, the Smurfs and Dungeons and Dragons were targets of similar debate. Every Saturday, my sister and I would watch the Smurfs and enjoy them along with the other Saturday morning cartoons. For those of you who missed the 70’s and 80’s, there used to be regular cartoon programs on Saturday mornings just for kids rather than all the news shows, etc. Imagine that! So anyway, the Smurfs were lovable tiny blue creatures that were always doing good, working together and fighting against the twisted Gargamel and his feline friend, Azrael. I don’t recall the biggest argument against the Smurfs really. I remember it having to do something with the names for Gargamel and Azrael being evil or representing some dark cause, and then there was something about the Smurfs themselves being part of some secret Communist propaganda. Now that just makes me laugh! It was a cartoon, people, and I certainly I didn’t feel compelled to become a Communist due to my exposure.
As for Dungeons and Dragons, I don’t know much about it at all, and so I certainly won’t go into any arguments for or against it here. However, I do believe that it along with any other game, pleasure or hobby needs to be enjoyed without excess or obsession. But isn’t that just plain common sense and part of personal responsibility?
As for Harry Potter, I admit that the books have gotten darker and more grown up with each new volume, but then, that seems quite natural to me. After all, the characters in the book are growing up as are the readers who have followed them from the first volume. And as for the darkness, well, the truth is that the adversaries in the books are growing in numbers and gaining strength just like the "bad guys" did in the Lord of the Rings series. Things always get darkest right before the end, and characters get stretched to the max right before the final climax when the ultimate battle happens, or all is revealed, etc. It makes sense to me…but then, remember, I’m rather scary myself. After all, I have a twinkle in my eye!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Family Fun
Here is a picture of my 5 nieces and 3 nephews on July 4th this year: Carianne, Janet, Grace, Caitlynne, Caleb, Cera, Jordan and Jacob. It was fun to see all of them on the 4th. I love each of them and their distinctive personalities.
Is it Bad to be proud I'm single?
After all, ANY ONE can make it in a pair, but there are only a few of us that can stand alone.
I caught myself thinking this the other day, and I started to laugh. When did I start thinking that my singleness was a badge of courage? You know, like a badge I keep in my purse ready to whip out at the right moment and say:
Please remain calm, folks. I’m SINGLE. I can handle this. See my badge!
It is a positive thing that I’m not moping about in shame because I don’t have a life partner. Sorry, Jane Austen, but I don’t think I could have handled your time period when it was shameful to be unmarried still at 25 let alone 33. And I must say that I’m glad of my independence. I like living alone and am pleased that I’ve formed my own “family” in the people around me. However, I hardly think I’m supposed to be wearing my singleness like a medal of honor or a pageant sash either. There has to be balance somewhere.
The truth is that I seem to have lost some respect for the institution of marriage, and that’s a bit concerning to me. Somehow being out on my own for 10+ years seems to have warped my view. It’s as if I have taken marriage off the pedestal now, which is not altogether a bad thing since I used to revere it more than I should have. But now, marriage has been thrown to the curb and replaced by something else on the pedestal entirely—PRIDE at the status quo.
LORD, help me to respect the institution of marriage even if it’s not for me!
I caught myself thinking this the other day, and I started to laugh. When did I start thinking that my singleness was a badge of courage? You know, like a badge I keep in my purse ready to whip out at the right moment and say:
Please remain calm, folks. I’m SINGLE. I can handle this. See my badge!
It is a positive thing that I’m not moping about in shame because I don’t have a life partner. Sorry, Jane Austen, but I don’t think I could have handled your time period when it was shameful to be unmarried still at 25 let alone 33. And I must say that I’m glad of my independence. I like living alone and am pleased that I’ve formed my own “family” in the people around me. However, I hardly think I’m supposed to be wearing my singleness like a medal of honor or a pageant sash either. There has to be balance somewhere.
The truth is that I seem to have lost some respect for the institution of marriage, and that’s a bit concerning to me. Somehow being out on my own for 10+ years seems to have warped my view. It’s as if I have taken marriage off the pedestal now, which is not altogether a bad thing since I used to revere it more than I should have. But now, marriage has been thrown to the curb and replaced by something else on the pedestal entirely—PRIDE at the status quo.
LORD, help me to respect the institution of marriage even if it’s not for me!
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Visit with Jordan
I did enjoy having my 13-year-old nephew Jordan with me for 5 days. We had a lot of fun. He’s all boy, and so there were lots of action movies. We hit the theatres on Saturday morning for LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD. It was pretty good actually, and the fact that I had Bruce Willis to gaze at on the big screen was a plus. We finished up our day of fun with a hike in Holliday Park, where we took a “tan test” photo to demonstrate how we don’t look like we’re related at all...Guess which hand/arm is mine!
My friend Becky and I took Jordan to an Indianapolis Indians game on Sunday afternoon. You Know Who got royally sunburned despite several layers of sunscreen. I just can’t win in the sun…It was a hot day, but Becky, Jordan and I enjoyed the game despite the heat. I found that having 2 frozen icees helped!
One of the Richmond Braves, Doug Clark, really had a great day. He hit 2 homeruns and became Becky’s hero in the process. We always pick our favorite players when we go to a game. Becky did like one of the Indians for about 5 minutes. His name was Russ Johnson, but he was soon abandoned for this Clark guy. It was sad really. She was cheering for the other side most of the game! However, Russ Johnson did redeem himself by hitting the game-winning hit, and so the Indians won their game, which was nice, and Jordan and I were just glad that Clark was on the losing side...LOSER!
On Tuesday, Jordan and I went to Conner Prairie. It was my first visit. I enjoyed touring the old buildings, playing 1886 baseball, learning the history of central Indiana, participating in the Glorious 4th Celebration, etc. It was great fun listening to all the political speeches and patriotic songs as the people in costumes held their own celebration. They read the Declaration of Independence in the 1886 town. It was rather stirring to hear it read aloud and chuckle as they talked about the new states that had joined the union and how the Declaration was only 60 years old. That document is actually rather incredible, and when is the last time you just took the time to read it? So all in all, I liked Conner Prairie; however, I think I’ve been spoiled by the incredible Greenfield Village in Michigan. I love that place, and Conner Prairie just is NOT Greenfield Village.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Jordan's Visit
My 13-year old nephew, Jordan Scott Alan Richard Robert Squdge-mudge Bradley, is coming to spend 5 days with his old Aunt Mel. He called me this morning to let me know he had arrived at my place and was about to start exploring my cable and On Demand features on my TV, which made me laugh. He then proceeded to ask me what I did when I was at work anyway. So I went into my 2-minute spiel about my job, and at the end, he was silent for a bit, and then said, “So you have like a boring job, don’t you?” I told him NO, and that I actually liked my job, but he didn’t seem convinced. HA!
Tonight, I’m not sure what we’ll be doing to get the fun started. Tomorrow, we’re planning to go the early showing of the new DIE HARD movie. Not quite like Jane Austen or a Merchant-Ivory production, but I like Bruce Willis , and so I’ll enjoy the movie for reasons of my own! And yes, Aunt Mel is cheap. The $4 movie tickets before noon on the weekend sound like a winner!
On Sunday, we’ll attend church in the morning and go to an afternoon Indianapolis Indians game with my friend Becky. Monday and Tuesday, we’re planning to visit the Indianapolis Zoo and Conner Prairie, too. All in all, it’s going to be a jam-packed few days. I’ll probably need a vacation from my vacation...but I am really looking forward to these days with Jordan. He’s growing up so fast (already 5 inches taller than me) as it is, and so I’m going to enjoy these precious moments on my own with him while I have them! WOOHOO!!
Tonight, I’m not sure what we’ll be doing to get the fun started. Tomorrow, we’re planning to go the early showing of the new DIE HARD movie. Not quite like Jane Austen or a Merchant-Ivory production, but I like Bruce Willis , and so I’ll enjoy the movie for reasons of my own! And yes, Aunt Mel is cheap. The $4 movie tickets before noon on the weekend sound like a winner!
On Sunday, we’ll attend church in the morning and go to an afternoon Indianapolis Indians game with my friend Becky. Monday and Tuesday, we’re planning to visit the Indianapolis Zoo and Conner Prairie, too. All in all, it’s going to be a jam-packed few days. I’ll probably need a vacation from my vacation...but I am really looking forward to these days with Jordan. He’s growing up so fast (already 5 inches taller than me) as it is, and so I’m going to enjoy these precious moments on my own with him while I have them! WOOHOO!!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Saying goodbyes are never easy...
But it must really be hard to say goodbye to a young little life that has barely begun. My friend Ro lost her 7-week-old baby this week. Yalaina Simone was born about 2 months premature due to complications, and she gave quite a fight to survive. Every time the doctors and nurses were ready to give up, she'd rebound and prove them wrong. But this last time, she was't able to pull through. It's so very sad.
She is survived by her loving parents, Ro and Eric, and her two older siblings, Emmi and Bubby. She was well-loved and will be greatly missed by all those whose lives she and her story touched.
She is survived by her loving parents, Ro and Eric, and her two older siblings, Emmi and Bubby. She was well-loved and will be greatly missed by all those whose lives she and her story touched.
Monday, June 25, 2007
I just have to laugh...
For the last couple of months now, I’ve been talking about my upcoming trip to the Dayton Art Institute. It was to be my last viewing of the beautiful man that worked there as a security guard. I wanted to just visit, see him one last time and forget my silly crush of the fair Adonis. My friends were plotting and planning what they were going to say to him to find out his status—i.e. married, single, etc. And another friend had been rehearsing the potential conversation she planned to have with him, in the hopes of obtaining a picture of him.
Well as luck, fate, karma or divine intervention would have it--he was NOT there on Saturday. There were no sightings, no conversations, no pictures of random security guards, and no mayhem. And I for one, found it absolutely hilarious! I think it makes for a better story, don’t you?
I mean for over a year now, I’ve been crushing about this guy I saw on only those two prior occasions. For me, he summed up everything I hadn’t been able to define before--my type. [And of course, by type here, we are going with the shallow ATTRACTION type and not looking at any other qualifications.] If someone asked me to describe my ideal, I’d tell them to go to Dayton and look this man up. Now, I didn’t talk about him constantly. In fact there were periods when I didn’t even think about him at all. This wasn’t an obsession or an unhealthy fantasy. It was a little memory that made me smile when I recalled it.
And my friends have been totally supportive of it. They’ve talked about him, offered to go to Dayton with me, and planned their weekend around this daytrip. I think they were just as excited if not more so than I was.
All that anticipation and planning, all the daydreaming and waiting, and GUESS WHAT--he’s not there! Of course, there were several schools of thought on the fact that he was MIA: 1. He doesn’t work there anymore; 2. Maybe he was just an employee during the big Princess Diana exhibit last year; 3. He had the day off, etc.
But all I wanted to do was LAUGH...laugh because I’d been imagining how it would be to see him one more time and because all the planning and forethought in the world can’t make life turn out exactly as we imagine it will. Laugh because I am blessed to have such great friends who were willing to give up most of their daylight hours to travel 5 miles roundtrip to Dayton, OH, just in hopes of seeing a man that made me smile. Laugh because of the irony of the situation and how I think it’s a better story because we did NOT see him.
Why is it a better story because there was no sighting of this dreamy man? Because it’s a funny story that I convinced my friends to drive 2.5 hours away from their homes on a Saturday just on the chance that we might see him, and when we got there, he wasn’t there. That has to make you chuckle. But we still had fun! We had a great day--enjoying the peaceful ride as Jessica drove us to Dayton, having a leisurely lunch complete with yummy homemade pies, touring the art institute and introducing Becky to another one of Monet’s waterlilly pieces, watching Sara and Kristen sketch faces in the kids’ center, etc. Yes, it was an awesome day despite the missing man!
And maybe the truth is...that the dream of him is better than the man himself! I mean, maybe if we had talked to him, we would have encountered another JERK OR then again, he might have been like the nicest guy in the world! Maybe we would have discovered that he was married, engaged or dating a beautiful Amazonian model goddess OR then again, he might have been desperately searching our globe for a short, overweight, Anglophile female who loves long walks in the shade! [sigh!] No matter, I think it turned out for the best, and for now, I'm not planning any further trips to Dayton. Well, not right away at least...
Well as luck, fate, karma or divine intervention would have it--he was NOT there on Saturday. There were no sightings, no conversations, no pictures of random security guards, and no mayhem. And I for one, found it absolutely hilarious! I think it makes for a better story, don’t you?
I mean for over a year now, I’ve been crushing about this guy I saw on only those two prior occasions. For me, he summed up everything I hadn’t been able to define before--my type. [And of course, by type here, we are going with the shallow ATTRACTION type and not looking at any other qualifications.] If someone asked me to describe my ideal, I’d tell them to go to Dayton and look this man up. Now, I didn’t talk about him constantly. In fact there were periods when I didn’t even think about him at all. This wasn’t an obsession or an unhealthy fantasy. It was a little memory that made me smile when I recalled it.
And my friends have been totally supportive of it. They’ve talked about him, offered to go to Dayton with me, and planned their weekend around this daytrip. I think they were just as excited if not more so than I was.
All that anticipation and planning, all the daydreaming and waiting, and GUESS WHAT--he’s not there! Of course, there were several schools of thought on the fact that he was MIA: 1. He doesn’t work there anymore; 2. Maybe he was just an employee during the big Princess Diana exhibit last year; 3. He had the day off, etc.
But all I wanted to do was LAUGH...laugh because I’d been imagining how it would be to see him one more time and because all the planning and forethought in the world can’t make life turn out exactly as we imagine it will. Laugh because I am blessed to have such great friends who were willing to give up most of their daylight hours to travel 5 miles roundtrip to Dayton, OH, just in hopes of seeing a man that made me smile. Laugh because of the irony of the situation and how I think it’s a better story because we did NOT see him.
Why is it a better story because there was no sighting of this dreamy man? Because it’s a funny story that I convinced my friends to drive 2.5 hours away from their homes on a Saturday just on the chance that we might see him, and when we got there, he wasn’t there. That has to make you chuckle. But we still had fun! We had a great day--enjoying the peaceful ride as Jessica drove us to Dayton, having a leisurely lunch complete with yummy homemade pies, touring the art institute and introducing Becky to another one of Monet’s waterlilly pieces, watching Sara and Kristen sketch faces in the kids’ center, etc. Yes, it was an awesome day despite the missing man!
And maybe the truth is...that the dream of him is better than the man himself! I mean, maybe if we had talked to him, we would have encountered another JERK OR then again, he might have been like the nicest guy in the world! Maybe we would have discovered that he was married, engaged or dating a beautiful Amazonian model goddess OR then again, he might have been desperately searching our globe for a short, overweight, Anglophile female who loves long walks in the shade! [sigh!] No matter, I think it turned out for the best, and for now, I'm not planning any further trips to Dayton. Well, not right away at least...
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Asking the Tough Questions
I found out late last week that I was on the interview team for a new hire and that the interviews were starting this week. Let me just say that I’ve learned how very interesting it can be on the OTHER SIDE of the table. It’s not a cake walk to lead an interview. You have to prepare ahead of time, but also be ready to revise your questions on the fly. You have to monitor and assess body language as well as control the discussion and be ready to answer questions yourself. And once the interview ends, your work is only just beginning. Next you have to critique the “performance,” meet with other members of the team and make some judgment calls all based on a couple of sheets of paper and a 30-minute interview. Not an easy task! I guess it can be intimidating on both sides of the table….
I must confess that this new experience has made me highly curious. I think I’d like to see a video of my interview for my current job. I wish I could see how I behaved, how nervous or fidgety I was, whether or not I was myself, etc. Did I talk much? Did I respond to questions well? Did I show any confidence? I mean, I must have exhibited something positive because they hired me, after all.
I don’t really know any one who LIKES interviews. I think they do get easier with time, but it is still not something the majority of us really look forward to. OK, so I guess I’d choose an interview over a dental cleaning. WOW! That’s saying something. 10 years ago, I would have chosen the dental chair without any hesitation...
I must confess that this new experience has made me highly curious. I think I’d like to see a video of my interview for my current job. I wish I could see how I behaved, how nervous or fidgety I was, whether or not I was myself, etc. Did I talk much? Did I respond to questions well? Did I show any confidence? I mean, I must have exhibited something positive because they hired me, after all.
I don’t really know any one who LIKES interviews. I think they do get easier with time, but it is still not something the majority of us really look forward to. OK, so I guess I’d choose an interview over a dental cleaning. WOW! That’s saying something. 10 years ago, I would have chosen the dental chair without any hesitation...
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