Behind the Chicken Cutlets

It is amazing how nobody can seem to find anything. I am not only talking about family, I am also talking about work people. I live in a moderate sized house and work in a moderate sized office, but no one ever seems to know where things are. Where's this, where's that. Do they think I hide things. I have had my family call me in work and I have had my employees call me at home. Is it just that no one really looks. Is everyone just plain lazy. The worst offender is my freezer. Is it so large that bagels cannot be located without a shout out. Take a minute and look. Move a few items. I love it when I am out and get the "where is" call. My standard answer is "behind the chicken cutlets". This gives them the incentive to move a few items around to clear the way. I have begun to say this at work also, even though we do not have a freezer. It is my way of telling someone to put a bit of effort into their search. If they look hard enough they will find what they need.

Friends With Benefits

This summer a new movie premiered. It is about friends with benefits. Friends that can have a dual relationship that includes friendship and sex. This story line has been done many times before but it is always cute. I am over fifty. I have friends with benefits. But in my case I am speaking about healthcare. My friends with benefits are comparing Blue Cross Blue Shield to Aetna and Cigna. Which plan has a lower copay. Who has a lower prescription deductible. Is anyone in the doughnut hole? Some are even debating which Medicare Part D Plan they will enroll in, when the time comes. I know of one woman who was dating a man and wasn't sure if she wanted to commit herself to marriage. The deciding vote was his benefits. Too good to pass up. Even if he turned out to be a so so husband, his healthcare plan would make up for it. It's funny how with age, the meaning of your vocabulary changes.

Because of You

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of watching my parents dance at my son's wedding. They danced to the song "Because of You". It was their wedding song. They are married for over 58 years. This was the second time I watched them dance to it. The first time was five years ago, at my oldest son's wedding. Even though I have pictures of it, they are not necessary. The snapshot of these two moments are forever ingrained in my memory. Two of the best moments I can recall. I realized that this song has a very special meaning to me. Not because it is their wedding tune. It is because of how they affected my life. Things I learned from them.
Mom, because of you:

• I learned how to be a nurturing mother
• I learned that family is most important
• I learned to be a kind and caring person
• I learned compassion
• I learned how to listen and never criticize
• I learned how to cook delicious meals
  

Dad, because of you:

• I learned how to run a business
• I learned how to be a good judge of character
• I learned to "keep my wits about me" and be safe
• I learned a wonderful work ethic
• I learned how to be the most supportive parent
• I learned how to fix anything and everything
  

Because of you, I am who I am, today. "Because of you, my life is now worthwhile, and I can smile, because of you".

Shallow Waters

The other day, one of my office staff pulled me aside and asked me if she could have my opinion on something. She prefaced it by saying "tell me if I am shallow, or not". It seems that she had been speaking online to a man that she met through a dating site. He lives in another country. He is a lawyer (or so he says). She enjoys corresponding with him and he is very nice. After a few weeks they traded pictures. Here comes the shallow part. He isn't good looking. What should she do. After going through the immediate motherly advice of ... make sure he is who he says he is, check him out, find out where he works and verify it, etc, etc, we got to talking about how emotions can change our vision. Sometimes a picture does not give a true insight into a person. People are not one dimensional. When you look at a picture you cannot see a glint in someone's eye. You cannot see how their smile may light up a room. You do not get the feeling of their energy. Many times a beautiful person can turn very ugly, and a plain looking person can turn beautiful. Take babies for example. Most of them are born pretty funny looking, but to their parents, they are the most beautiful child in the world. In the end, she decided that the next time he came to America, she would meet him in person and go from there. I think he should stay on the other side of the ocean where the water is deeper.

Terms of Endearment

There are two phrases in my vocabulary that I use when I call the people I am closest to. One phrase starts the conversation, the other ends it. Although one of them is not really a term of endearment, they both show a special bond. You have to know someone pretty well to start a telephone call off with "Hi, it's me". Years ago, Seinfeld had an episode devoted to this greeting. He wondered how close you have to be to someone to just say "it's me". No other identification needed. I went down my mental list of how many people I could do this to. The list was not very long. Today, I called my daughter-in-law, and said it. It felt good. Like one more person was added to the fold. The other phrase is when I say "I Love You" at the end of a telephone conversation. I started doing this many years ago, each time I ended a phone call with my family. It was more of a superstition because I felt that if anything ever happened to one of them, the last words I would have said were "I love you". It was comforting, in a weird way. It caught on, and now every conversation ends that way. It is almost an automatic response. On the rare occasion that I forget to say it, I will be reminded. My only problem is that sometimes when I am in work, I almost say it to my boss. If it ever slips out, I will have to quit my job!

Oldies But Goodies

Let's see if you can remember the names and slogans that are listed below. I will make it easy and give you the answers. I won't even make you turn the blog upside down.
1) Bungalow Bar.................... tastes like tar, the more you eat, the sicker you are
2) N-E-S-T-L-E-S, Nestles makes the very best ....chocolate
3) Wednesday is .....Prince spaghetti day
4) That's a spicy....meatball
5) TWA and Pan Am were ....... the largest airlines
6) Fly the friendly skies of ..... United
7) Red light, green light .....123
8) The sign outside every Chinese restaurant said ..... Chow Mein
9) Delta ...the wings of man. Years later Delta got tired and the slogan changed to Delta...we get you there
10) Hit the Penny
11) See the USA .....in your Chevrolet
12) Where's ... the Beef
13) Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions ....on a sesame seed bun
If you remember most of these, you are part of a great generation!

Working Hard or Hardly Working

Over the past few years, unemployment rates have skyrocketed. While I know that the percentages are somewhat correct, in many ways they are skewed. We are not accounting for the people who are unemployed and do not really want to work. I run a medium sized medical practice and every few years I need to replace some part time workers. Unfortunately, part time workers can be like hamsters. They turn over frequently. I have been lucky, though. My three part time evening girls have been with me for over 4 years. All through college. Not it is time for them to go out into the real world. I know I have coddled them and they will be in for a rude awakening when they become employed in other companies. I often tell people that it is equally as hard to find a good worker as it is to find a good job. I placed an ad a few weeks ago and was very clear on the working hours and salary. Eleven people called and set up an interview. Nine never showed up. Never even called to cancel. One girl I interviewed told me about her anxiety and depression and how she never could hold down a job. Now I was down to the last interview. This girl had no idea that if she was able to breathe and talk, she had the job. Today will be her first day. I hope she shows up.