Trust No One

Yesterday my one hopeful job applicant stood me up. She seemed so nice and efficient. She said that if she was going to be later than 1:15pm she would call me to let me know when she would arrive. I am still waiting. Why are people so inconsiderate? If she calls to reschedule, I will not take the call. I am a one chance only type of person. A few minutes ago my office called me to say that four people called regarding the job last night. I informed my receptionist to call them back and set up interviews for Monday. Maybe one person will show.

Hopeful

This afternoon I will be interviewing a girl for the part time receptionist opening. She sounded nice on the telephone. What she doesn't know is that as long as she walks upright and does not have three eyes and a hatchet coming out of her head, she is hired. I am that desperate for help. As long as I have one person, I can take my time finding the second one.

Fiesta

Last night I celebrated my sister's birthday with the "Mah Jongg" girls. We went to a local Mexican restaurant. We were surprised that there was a line out the door at 6:00pm on a Tuesday evening. There was an even longer line as we left at 7:30pm. The atmosphere is great and the noise level is high. It is like being at a fiesta. We told the waiter that we were celebrating a birthday. At the end of the meal a group of waiters came to the table with a small flan with a candle in it. They put a sombrero on my sisters head and began to sing happy birthday in English and Spanish. At the end of the song they wanted to have her drink a shot of tequila from a bottle but she refused as she is not a drinker. When the bill came I noticed that they charged $9.95 for the "Birthday Flan". That was a bit unexpected as we wanted them to sing but did not need a dessert. Good thing she is not a drinker as we do not know the price of a shot of tequila.

Gorilla Suit

I have not hired a receptionist yet. I interviewed one woman and she was not very communicative which is not a good fit for my office. My second prospect never showed up. I have left messages for three other people that sent resumes but they have not called back. I am thinking of standing on Northern Boulevard in a gorilla suit dancing with a sign that says "Help Wanted". I need to hire immediately and this is not looking good.

Interviews

This morning I will be interviewing for two part time positions. Two of my evening receptionists are graduating from college and have found full time jobs. I still do not know what the hours and days will be as I am debating that with my boss. I think I need a lot of help, she thinks I need minimal help. When she asked the girls if it is busy at night they said no. They were afraid to tell her that they are swamped with work because they did not want to look bad. That is how she got the impression that extra help is not needed. She has no idea that they stay late to finish their work. When I found this out, I made them call her and tell the truth. This morning I will see what her decision is and if it is not the same as mine, there will be a discussion.

Junk Drawer

This morning I was looking for a missing ruler. I had not seen it in a while. It is a special ruler as no one sells them anymore. My father gave it to me years ago and I know I put it in a safe place. The thing about putting something in a safe place is that it is so safe that you forget where it is. I started to look in my basement and it was not there. Then I moved up to my den desk. I opened the drawer and realized that it had become a junk drawer. Bits of paper, dental floss pics, dried out pens, twisted paper clips. My focus now turned to cleaning out the drawer. Mostly everything is now in the garbage pail. The search for the ruler continues.

Zippers

For about a year I have been wearing legging type pants. I like the ease of just pulling them on and off. No zipper, no buttons. The lazy way out. Yesterday I decided to put on real pants. Jeans, with a button and zipper. It was nice to see that a pair of pants that I have not worn in months still fits. Overnight I decided to begin to eat healthy. Small breakfasts with fruit and yogurt, lunches with a power veggie drink and a regular dinner. If I can eat less calories a day but healthier meals, I will be in good shape.

Social Skills

While the new generation has phenomenal technology skills, they are lacking in social skills. They have been brought up to communicate through the written word instead of the spoken word. People that are forty and over know how to speak to people outside of their social circle. People forty and under have difficulty in certain situations. One of my doctors told me a funny story about her daughter. She is 29 years old and lives in Silicon Valley among the other technology wizards. She came to New York for a visit and needed a ride back to the airport. She asked her mother to go on her Uber site and order an Uber. Her mother told her that she did not have that site. The daughter asked how could she book an Uber without it. Her mother said all you have to do is call a taxi service and ask for a cab. The daughter then said, "What do I say"? Her mother said to ask for a taxi to drive her to the airport. What was so hard about that? It was as if she was from a foreign planet.

Food For Thought

This afternoon a pharmaceutical rep is bringing lunch to our office. Usually we pick out the type of food we want but this time it will be a surprise. It doesn't matter to me what I eat as long as I do not have to cook it. She brings us lunch in exchange for a half hour appointment with our psychiatrist in order to inform him of a new product. I guess this is what the expression "food for thought" refers to.

Story Time

I know why small children like story time. It is relaxing and thought provoking. Last night I attended a book club meeting at my local library. My friend was the facilitator of the group this month so I went to hear her present the book. I did not read the book but it did not matter. She did a synopsis of the plot and then questions were discussed. By the end of the meeting, I felt as if I had read the story from beginning to end. It was a great evening and I learned something. It was a night well spent.

Alpha Ladies

I am now working for two type A women. Two Alpha personalities. One owns the business and the other is a consultant. Each one has a prestigious resume and is well renown in her field. The relationship started off as if they were "dating". Everyone was happy and looking towards the future. Then the "engagement" took place and plans to join forces were set in motion. Now they are "living together" and as in any marriage, things have changed. There is now a push and pull to establish territory. In the beginning, my boss was buying the new consultant everything she needed for her office, to make her happy. Now she feels that the well has run dry and they are bickering over who has to make a copy of a key. Every day a new issue arises and I see the frustration in my boss' eyes. While her decision to merge was a great business decision, she needs to realize that two Alphas need to figure out how to coexist in a healthy working environment.

Museum

Lately I have been watching a show called "Mysteries at the Museum". It is an informative show that delves into the history of certain museum pieces and explains why they are so important. The stories are very interesting and most of them I never knew. This morning I woke up to my own "mystery at the museum". My den has become a museum with antiques and Americana in showcases and on walls. I noticed a hook hanging from my ceiling. So far things are in showcases and on walls but never suspended from the ceiling. I learned that a Model T steering wheel will take its  place among the other "chachkies" that I now own. Just when I thought that there was no more space in the room, a whole new area has opened up.

Spring -1

Tomorrow is Spring. It says it on the calendar but it sure doesn't feel like it in my bones. I was just outside walking Shelby and it feels like the Arctic freeze has taken over. This year the weather has been so erratic that I would not be surprised if we have snow in July.

Weird Dreams

For some reason, I have been having weird dreams lately. They are not bad ones, just weird ones. I wonder why my mind conjures up stories while I am sleeping. This week I had a dream about a huge "dog horse" scratching my new car. Last night I was standing on the balcony of my parent's house looking for a white puppy. Then I was talking to my sister about the high prices of candy. Is this a way to reset our minds for the next day?

CICI

When I was away last week, I was in a predominantly elderly community. Most of the residents there arrived when they were in their 60's and now are in their 80's, at least. They are still active and busy, but their bodies are aging faster than their minds. It made me think. When we are in the womb we are curled up like the letter "C", utilizing the allotted space as best we can. Once we are born, we spend most of our lives like the letter "I", straight and upright. If we are lucky enough to reach our eighties, we slowly curl over back into a "C". Our spines compress and it is hard to straighten up. Once we die, we are laid to rest as an "I" again.

Honey

I was at the doctor yesterday because I still have the remnants of my cold from last week. The cough is still persistent to the point of choking. After a thorough examination, he diagnosed me with a "whooping cough". Even though I have been taking cough syrup, the cough is still annoying. He told me that in his opinion, the best cough remedy is honey. Plain old liquid honey. One spoonful whenever I have a coughing attack. This morning I took my bottle of honey out of the pantry and packed it up to take to work. I hope this ensures a sweet day.

Back To Work

This morning I go back to work. It has been a week since I was there last. The snowstorm added a day to my absence. I know I will have a full desk of work but I do not really care. If I go step by step it should be empty by the time I go home. I am sure that nothing earth shattering has happened while I was gone.

Extra Day Off

We beat the storm and arrived home last night in clear skies. We knew that a Nor'easter was on the way and figured that we would be at home today. I had a bit of a cold in Florida, but I never really rested as I did not want to spoil anyone else's good time. This morning I slept late and got into my comfy sweatsuit to spend the day just lying around. What a great way to relax from a vacation.

Waiting To Board

While New York people can be crazy, Florida people are a class to themselves. My sister and I arrived at the airport over an hour early before our flight time. The waiting area was crowded and we found two seats in different rows. After about ten minutes, a man approached my sister and told her that she was sitting in his seat. She said that she had been sitting there for ten minutes. He insisted that it was his seat. He then said that he left for about a half hour to go get and sandwich, so he was there first. She realized that he was a bit off so she got up, moved, and said, "OK sir, you win", as he continued to babble about it being his seat. Southern crazy is almost the same as Northern crazy

Happy Birthday Mom

Today is my mother's 93rd birthday. I am so lucky to be able to say that. My father is also 93 and the two of them still have pep in their step. Every year, my sister and I come to visit them for 5 days and we fall into the old pattern of parent and child. We are blessed that they still have all of their mental capabilities and most of their physical ones. Truth be told, I am getting tired from all of the eating out and running around. I guess that I cannot keep up with 93 year olds.

Day 2

It is our second full day in Florida. Yesterday was a gorgeous day with sunshine and temperatures in the 80's. To the residents here it is just another day. To visitors it is a paradise. We shopped, ate and swim in the heated pool until we were shriveled up. We ate at home, which is unusual, as my father was a bit tired. Today will be another day of shopping and swimming. This evening's dinner will be to celebrate my mother's birthday, which is tomorrow. Now I am off to breakfast.

Day 1

We made it to the clubhouse early this morning so I can write my blog. It was a long travel day yesterday. The plane boarded on time but sat on the runway one hour until we took off. All in all I was in my seat for 5 hours.  After a warm welcome and unpacking, we headed off to The Golden Corral for a huge buffet dinner. I only ate a small amount as I was so tired from the whole day's events. This morning we are up early and will have a full day. Hopefully we will squeeze in some pool time. Seeing my parents smiling faces makes the trip worthwhile.

Airport Personality

This morning I am going to Florida on my annual "Mom's Birthday" trip. I will be traveling with my sister. My parents do not have internet service so I will write my blog from any location that has a computer. I like to get to the airport early. There are two types of airport people. People like me that arrive two hours early and the other people that rush at the last minute. I like to know that I am there and can sit quietly and wait for the plane to board. It puts me in a relaxed state of mind. I do not know why anyone would want to start a trip off in a frenzy.

Phone Man

A few days ago Verizon came to my office to fix some phone wires. The repairman seemed a bit off. He said he did not know how to change a telephone jack. He had no idea how a four line telephone worked. He kept telling me that I had a one phone line until I informed him that he was pushing the intercom button and not the phone line one. He seemed surprised. I basically told him to leave and called Verizon to say that I was not going to pay for a repair charge from a man who knew nothing. Yesterday I hired a private phone man who came and fixed the problem.

Payment Instructions

I filed my taxes in February as I always do. I like to get it out of the way. I was reading the instructions regarding sending your payment to the IRS and I couldn't stop laughing. This excerpt is the exact wording from the instruction page. "No checks of $100 million or more accepted. The IRS cannot accept a single check for amounts of $100,000,000 or more. If you are sending $100 million or more by check, you will need to spread the payments over two or more checks with each check made out for an amount less than $100 million". Great..... Now I have to go to the bank and split my payments up. A woman's work is never done!

Push Me Up

At one point in everyone's life we all need a push. When we think that we can go no further, a helping hand is needed. That extra push to get us to our goal. It is like coming out of a subway station. You are underground in a place without windows. You get to the stairs and begin the climb up. The steps are steep and you are slowly running out of energy to complete the climb. A little further. A little further. Then you feel a hand on your back supporting and guiding you. The hand stays there until you get to the end of the staircase and emerge into the light. You are there, but without that extra push you would have still been in the dark.

Aged Out

You get to a certain age where nothing bothers you unless it has to do with your family. My office is in an upheaval with the new doctor moving in. She is nervous about the move and making my office staff angry. They feel that she is making them look incompetent. She is only showing her fear about a new situation. The funny thing is that she is a psychiatrist. Enough said. I, on the other hand, could not care less. I am taking things in stride and letting the situation play out. I have a first row seat to the best show on earth and plan to enjoy the chaos that is unfolding. I am 61 years old and I can retire anytime I want to, so I am not letting anything work related bother me. I am leaving that to the young people. I have aged out of caring.

Changing Language

I was talking to my husband the other day and he was telling me about when he was young and how the children on the block used to jump over the "Johnny pump". I looked up at him and said, "The fire hydrant?". He looked a bit confused as he did not realize that he used a word that was from his childhood. Language has changed. You can tell someone's age from certain words that they use. If you say "Johnny pump" you were born prior to 1970. If you say "dungarees", you wore them in the 1970's. If you want to eat "lucshen", you were born in the 1920's. For those who do not know, lucshen refers to noodles, macaroni or the ever popular "pasta". Sometimes, just for fun, I like to use an outdated word to see if someone can figure out the meaning.

Meaningful Words

Words can be used in many forms but the ones I like the most are the ones that make us think in a positive way. These words can be quotes or mantras or prayers. Quotes can turn into mantras, mantras can turn into prayers. How they are used doesn't matter, as long as they help you to find peace and comfort. We all have a grouping of words that have a special meaning to us. We all have our "secret language" that is reserved for those closest to us. I never stop looking for new meanings to old sayings.

Newsletters

Long before Facebook, was the concept of the "Newsletter". It was a once a year letter that filled you in on what your friends or family were doing. It listed each person and their accomplishments. It told of births and deaths. By the end of the letter you knew it all. Nowadays there is Facebook and Twitter that inform you of someone's movements minute by minute. You know where they are, what they ate, what they wore. Why do I need to know this? I want the abridged version of your life, once a year. That is enough for me.

Justice Day

Last night my sister said a phrase that I had never heard her say. She said that one day a week was "Justice Day". She went on to explain that one day a week she has to spend mopping up the messes that other people had made for her. I realized that every week all of us have to do that but we spread it out on a daily basis. She condenses it into one day. It is a day of phone calls and paperwork to right the wrongs that other people have "inadvertently" done to us. These would include wrong payments, wrong information, missing information, etc, etc. How can I know someone else's job better than they do? How can I have information that they do not? How can I know the answer when they are unclear about it? This goes on daily across the world. There is a saying that "people are promoted to their highest level of incompetence". Sadly, I totally agree with that.