So all of the cats (and Maggie, too) got a special Tiki dinner. They got treats and soft food (Tiki, of course, getting most of it), AND lots of CATNIP! Talk about strung out animals (we didn't give Maggie any, though).
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Happy Birthday, Tiki!
Jeremie's cat, Tiki, turned two today! She has turned from Tiki the Terrible into Tiki the Terrific. She is pretty sweet, and just loves to smell peoples' faces. And she's the first cat Jeremie and I have had together, and one that he can flip on her back and cradle like a baby (Roxy and Kasha would NEVER let him do that).
So all of the cats (and Maggie, too) got a special Tiki dinner. They got treats and soft food (Tiki, of course, getting most of it), AND lots of CATNIP! Talk about strung out animals (we didn't give Maggie any, though).
So all of the cats (and Maggie, too) got a special Tiki dinner. They got treats and soft food (Tiki, of course, getting most of it), AND lots of CATNIP! Talk about strung out animals (we didn't give Maggie any, though).
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Uh oh!
I saw my doctor today about my hand/finger. Last week when I went in to get the stitches out, he wasn't there so his nurse took them out. I had all of these questions I was asking about how stiff it was and still swollen, and the lump in it and how I could feel a "clicking" when I would bend it (when I could bend it). She told me that she couldn't answer those questions and that I should make an appointment for when he got back.
And my concerns are my doctors concerns, too. He isn't happy at all with the "healing" progress, or lack there of. It definitely isn't healing properly. Cartilage has already started building up which is effecting the movement/range of motion/flexibility. I am to start physical therapy right away (which I was told before the surgery that usually p.t. isn't ever needed after this type of surgery) for two weeks. And if it swells up any more or if any part of it turns red during that time to come see him immediately.
Oh, and my doctors note for my boss the says light duty for two more weeks states "no use of right hand." My boss is already irritated that I can't run the press. He's going to be SOOO excited to hear all of this when he gets back on Thursday.
"Magic 8 ball...do you foresee surgery again in the near future?"
........(to be continued)
And my concerns are my doctors concerns, too. He isn't happy at all with the "healing" progress, or lack there of. It definitely isn't healing properly. Cartilage has already started building up which is effecting the movement/range of motion/flexibility. I am to start physical therapy right away (which I was told before the surgery that usually p.t. isn't ever needed after this type of surgery) for two weeks. And if it swells up any more or if any part of it turns red during that time to come see him immediately.
Oh, and my doctors note for my boss the says light duty for two more weeks states "no use of right hand." My boss is already irritated that I can't run the press. He's going to be SOOO excited to hear all of this when he gets back on Thursday.
"Magic 8 ball...do you foresee surgery again in the near future?"
........(to be continued)
Monday, August 30, 2010
Swollen hand
Here's a picture of my giant hand four days after surgery. I almost passed out changed the wrap. Not because it was bloody and gross, but because it was MY hand being THAT deformed and not normal. Crazy.
Sea Fair 2010
As some of you know, I took on an adventure earlier this month by volunteering four days of my life to the Coast Guard at Sea Fair. I had always tried to avoid it when I lived in Seattle (I would come up to Skagit County to my parents' house or just stay in my apartment) because I didn't want to deal with the traffic and the people.
I have heard stories of how crazy it gets on the water. All the drinking, and that combined with hot weather . . . a lot of damn near naked people. Well, there was the drinking this year, but since the weather was so crappy, only a small number of individuals were almost naked. I was even asked at least four times by bead-wielding boaters if "I wanted some bead" (which, as most of you know, you need to flash your boobies to get the beads). I'm sure the Coast Guard is thankful that I turned down the offers with a smile, although on the last day I did lift up one side of my survival vest (which goes over my life jacket) and say "that's all you guys get. Sorry." They laughed, but I didn't ever get any beads for it.
I wrote an article for our Flotilla's newsletter and have copied it to the end of this blog post. It is worth reading, but it is long.
Four Days of Boaters Under the Influence . . .
My First Sea Fair Experience
By Valerie Steiner-Peterson
When I first received the email that all auxiliarists received for the need for Sea Fair volunteers, I blew it off (just like everyone else). Why on earth would I want to expose myself to the verbal beatings of the Sea Fair party-goers, or watch those boaters act like idiots?
After the second email was sent out, I asked myself, “Why WOULDN’T I want to experience that”? After all, I am newly Crew qualified. What better way to gain some real-life experience, and probably put most (if not all) of my training to use. So I promptly sent back an email expressing my interest in volunteering for Saturday and Sunday, and explained that I was a new Crew member.
I got an email back a couple of days later from Gene Rubbert, who was assisting Bryan Dees in organizing the Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers. He wanted volunteers for all four days (Thursday thru Sunday), and had said that they were trying to get some housing at the Coast Guard Station in Seattle (which is now Sector Puget Sound) for a few members of the auxiliary who were traveling from quite a distance. There was absolutely no way they were going to allow me to drive back and forth from Bellingham to Seattle for this (and there was no way I would even consider doing that). I had lodging set up with my niece and her husband in Shoreline if I wasn’t able to stay at the BQ (bachelors quarters, which is typically used for short-term housing for Coast Guard members who just transferred in and haven’t found permanent housing, or for those who have chosen to stay on base and not look for an apartment off base).
I had discussed this whole situation with my husband, since I’d be gone for four days and nights, and I would have to re-arrange my work shift for that week. Our conclusion was that it would be a great experience for me, and I’d get to see the Blue Angels up close for the first time (and possibly the hydroplane races). I sent off the email to Gene to let him know I was “in” for all four days, and that I would really like to stay at the BQ. This first e-mail’s back and forth started around July 12th. I didn’t find out until Tuesday, August 3rd, that I had a room to stay in, only one day before I was to head down to Seattle. Since this was cutting it close, I was wondering how this was all going to really play out, and I was second-guessing my decision to volunteer for this.
I packed up my car and headed down to Seattle on Wednesday evening, and arrived at the station around 8:30 p.m. I went into the BQ to check into my room, and discovered that they didn’t even have me on the list of people coming in. Great. This is starting out well for me. They find a place for me, I sign in, and they take me up to my “room”. The door opens and there is a young Coastie cleaning up the room. This room has four beds (bunk beds), and I am given a top bunk, with no ladder to get in and out of it. I ask the young gal how I am supposed to get up there and her response is to just pull up this rickety chair and “hop up”. Right. With apparently no other rooms available, I decide to sleep on the floor for the night. “Tomorrow,” I say to myself, “I will just pack up and go to my nieces’ place.”
The next four days were very interesting. I was working with a bunch of people I have never met before, but I also got to use a lot of the skills learned in the Crew Academy. The boat I was on was Gene Rubbert’s boat, a 30’ Carver. And his boat was designated at the PAT-COM boat (Patrol Communications), which meant that we had two Coast Guard COMS people on board. All radio calls went through PAT-COM. So we essentially had the guard of all Sea Fair boats. Granted, Seattle Fire and the other Law Enforcement agencies talked on their own channels, but our designated channel for the weekend was similar to that of channel 16. . . everyone involved on the water for Sea Fair was required to tune into it. The great thing about being on the PAT-COM boat was that I got to listen in on ALL the radio chatter back and forth and I got to experience the frustration of the COMS people when they were off the radio. But once they got back on the radio, you couldn’t hear any of the frustration or annoyance in their voice. They were very professional. Between the two of them, they had three radio channels to monitor, plus their work cell phones for calls that they didn’t want broadcast over the radios.
We did some personnel transfers while underway, so I got to put knot tying to use when deploying fenders over the side, and taking line from another boat. The water was pretty rough three of the four days, and keeping the boat next to us without hitting the hull or rails or anything else was a challenge. We also had to maneuver in tight quarters with the spectator boats, mostly to observe them and ask them to move, but also to hand out the Dairy Queen ice cream coupons for the kids who were wearing their life jackets. Gene has these little nets with long handles to put the coupons in so all we had to do was get within four feet of the recipients boat to hand over the coupons.
Each of the Auxiliary boats got teams of weapon-wielding Coasties, which helped with getting the spectators to listen to us. That also meant that there were a lot of Boarding’s being done, and in turn meant that some spectators had to cut their days short, mostly from being overloaded. Mercer Island Police and Seattle Police dealt mostly with boaters under the influence, or reckless endangerment.
One of the incidents that we dealt with was an overturned boat (a 10-12 ft. Hobby Cat caught the waves). All on board got out of the water un-hurt, but none had life jackets. The only other serious incident involved a young man who jumped off the back of his buddy’s boat while it was still in gear. He got hit by the prop twice: a deep laceration above his left knee (all the way to the bone), and a deep laceration on the back of his right ankle, which went through the Achilles tendon. We were the second boat on scene and were there to just observe. The first boat on scene was a smaller Auxiliary boat with two armed Coasties on it, one of which was also an EMT. A Seattle Fire boat came after about 10 minutes and transported the young man to the hospital.
All four days were 8 hours on the water. I hung out at our private dock a couple of evenings and had dinner and drinks with my fellow Auxiliarists for fellowship. I was definitely tired by the end of the weekend. It wasn’t even that boring at all, especially since the Blue Angels flew every day, and I got to see a bunch of different boats. A couple people even brought their houseboats over! I stayed busy, and took the helm for a few hours each day. However, I called Gene back up to the bridge to take over when we had to go into the crowd.
Will I do it again? Probably.
Will I stay at the BQ? Probably not.
I have heard stories of how crazy it gets on the water. All the drinking, and that combined with hot weather . . . a lot of damn near naked people. Well, there was the drinking this year, but since the weather was so crappy, only a small number of individuals were almost naked. I was even asked at least four times by bead-wielding boaters if "I wanted some bead" (which, as most of you know, you need to flash your boobies to get the beads). I'm sure the Coast Guard is thankful that I turned down the offers with a smile, although on the last day I did lift up one side of my survival vest (which goes over my life jacket) and say "that's all you guys get. Sorry." They laughed, but I didn't ever get any beads for it.
I wrote an article for our Flotilla's newsletter and have copied it to the end of this blog post. It is worth reading, but it is long.
Four Days of Boaters Under the Influence . . .
My First Sea Fair Experience
By Valerie Steiner-Peterson
When I first received the email that all auxiliarists received for the need for Sea Fair volunteers, I blew it off (just like everyone else). Why on earth would I want to expose myself to the verbal beatings of the Sea Fair party-goers, or watch those boaters act like idiots?
After the second email was sent out, I asked myself, “Why WOULDN’T I want to experience that”? After all, I am newly Crew qualified. What better way to gain some real-life experience, and probably put most (if not all) of my training to use. So I promptly sent back an email expressing my interest in volunteering for Saturday and Sunday, and explained that I was a new Crew member.
I got an email back a couple of days later from Gene Rubbert, who was assisting Bryan Dees in organizing the Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers. He wanted volunteers for all four days (Thursday thru Sunday), and had said that they were trying to get some housing at the Coast Guard Station in Seattle (which is now Sector Puget Sound) for a few members of the auxiliary who were traveling from quite a distance. There was absolutely no way they were going to allow me to drive back and forth from Bellingham to Seattle for this (and there was no way I would even consider doing that). I had lodging set up with my niece and her husband in Shoreline if I wasn’t able to stay at the BQ (bachelors quarters, which is typically used for short-term housing for Coast Guard members who just transferred in and haven’t found permanent housing, or for those who have chosen to stay on base and not look for an apartment off base).
I had discussed this whole situation with my husband, since I’d be gone for four days and nights, and I would have to re-arrange my work shift for that week. Our conclusion was that it would be a great experience for me, and I’d get to see the Blue Angels up close for the first time (and possibly the hydroplane races). I sent off the email to Gene to let him know I was “in” for all four days, and that I would really like to stay at the BQ. This first e-mail’s back and forth started around July 12th. I didn’t find out until Tuesday, August 3rd, that I had a room to stay in, only one day before I was to head down to Seattle. Since this was cutting it close, I was wondering how this was all going to really play out, and I was second-guessing my decision to volunteer for this.
I packed up my car and headed down to Seattle on Wednesday evening, and arrived at the station around 8:30 p.m. I went into the BQ to check into my room, and discovered that they didn’t even have me on the list of people coming in. Great. This is starting out well for me. They find a place for me, I sign in, and they take me up to my “room”. The door opens and there is a young Coastie cleaning up the room. This room has four beds (bunk beds), and I am given a top bunk, with no ladder to get in and out of it. I ask the young gal how I am supposed to get up there and her response is to just pull up this rickety chair and “hop up”. Right. With apparently no other rooms available, I decide to sleep on the floor for the night. “Tomorrow,” I say to myself, “I will just pack up and go to my nieces’ place.”
The next four days were very interesting. I was working with a bunch of people I have never met before, but I also got to use a lot of the skills learned in the Crew Academy. The boat I was on was Gene Rubbert’s boat, a 30’ Carver. And his boat was designated at the PAT-COM boat (Patrol Communications), which meant that we had two Coast Guard COMS people on board. All radio calls went through PAT-COM. So we essentially had the guard of all Sea Fair boats. Granted, Seattle Fire and the other Law Enforcement agencies talked on their own channels, but our designated channel for the weekend was similar to that of channel 16. . . everyone involved on the water for Sea Fair was required to tune into it. The great thing about being on the PAT-COM boat was that I got to listen in on ALL the radio chatter back and forth and I got to experience the frustration of the COMS people when they were off the radio. But once they got back on the radio, you couldn’t hear any of the frustration or annoyance in their voice. They were very professional. Between the two of them, they had three radio channels to monitor, plus their work cell phones for calls that they didn’t want broadcast over the radios.
We did some personnel transfers while underway, so I got to put knot tying to use when deploying fenders over the side, and taking line from another boat. The water was pretty rough three of the four days, and keeping the boat next to us without hitting the hull or rails or anything else was a challenge. We also had to maneuver in tight quarters with the spectator boats, mostly to observe them and ask them to move, but also to hand out the Dairy Queen ice cream coupons for the kids who were wearing their life jackets. Gene has these little nets with long handles to put the coupons in so all we had to do was get within four feet of the recipients boat to hand over the coupons.
Each of the Auxiliary boats got teams of weapon-wielding Coasties, which helped with getting the spectators to listen to us. That also meant that there were a lot of Boarding’s being done, and in turn meant that some spectators had to cut their days short, mostly from being overloaded. Mercer Island Police and Seattle Police dealt mostly with boaters under the influence, or reckless endangerment.
One of the incidents that we dealt with was an overturned boat (a 10-12 ft. Hobby Cat caught the waves). All on board got out of the water un-hurt, but none had life jackets. The only other serious incident involved a young man who jumped off the back of his buddy’s boat while it was still in gear. He got hit by the prop twice: a deep laceration above his left knee (all the way to the bone), and a deep laceration on the back of his right ankle, which went through the Achilles tendon. We were the second boat on scene and were there to just observe. The first boat on scene was a smaller Auxiliary boat with two armed Coasties on it, one of which was also an EMT. A Seattle Fire boat came after about 10 minutes and transported the young man to the hospital.
All four days were 8 hours on the water. I hung out at our private dock a couple of evenings and had dinner and drinks with my fellow Auxiliarists for fellowship. I was definitely tired by the end of the weekend. It wasn’t even that boring at all, especially since the Blue Angels flew every day, and I got to see a bunch of different boats. A couple people even brought their houseboats over! I stayed busy, and took the helm for a few hours each day. However, I called Gene back up to the bridge to take over when we had to go into the crowd.
Will I do it again? Probably.
Will I stay at the BQ? Probably not.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Mis-leading blog title
My blog title suggests that we go fishing.
We do.
Just not very often. We went crabbing last month. And we did go fishing one day in June. Uncle Hank used you fillet board to cut up one of his wonderful Fraser River Sockeye's he caught.
So is it a legitimate blog title, or should I change it?
What do you think?
We do.
Just not very often. We went crabbing last month. And we did go fishing one day in June. Uncle Hank used you fillet board to cut up one of his wonderful Fraser River Sockeye's he caught.
So is it a legitimate blog title, or should I change it?
What do you think?
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Finger update
Surgery went well (I guess). Done in an hour. The doctor went into his next surgery so he never even came and talked to me when I woke up.
It hurts. Big surprise.
It's swollen. Really swollen.
I have an appointment tomorrow, but apparently the doctor is on vacation so I get to see his nurse, which means she probably won't be able to even write me a prescription for ibuprofen . . . which I know I can go buy, but the "good stuff" works so much better and faster.
I know it's only been 11 days, but this sucks. I can't do a whole lot. Heather knows what I'm talking about, and her issue is probably worse than mine, so what the hell am I whining for:)
The surgery was on the 13th. I was drugged-up pretty good for five days. Went back to work on the 19th for 4 hours. Same on the 20th. Same today. And all I can do is point to where the paper should go, order supplies, email/call vendors, try to help other areas but can't really do much, and go home and ice my hand.
Again, lots of whining here. But for someone who is pretty active and "on-the-move" all they time this is stupid. I can't even pull/dig up weeds, or really do much cleaning around the house. I will say, though, I haven't had to clean the litter box in 11 days which has been divine! (Thanks, Jeremie!)
Ok.
Enough whining.
On a more positive note, I have been able to watch movies and cartoons. And Miriah has spent some time over at our place watching movies with me (it's so awesome now that she can watch more PG-13 movies).
I even watched one of my all-time favorite movies as a kid: The Black Stallion. Love that movie!
It hurts. Big surprise.
It's swollen. Really swollen.
I have an appointment tomorrow, but apparently the doctor is on vacation so I get to see his nurse, which means she probably won't be able to even write me a prescription for ibuprofen . . . which I know I can go buy, but the "good stuff" works so much better and faster.
I know it's only been 11 days, but this sucks. I can't do a whole lot. Heather knows what I'm talking about, and her issue is probably worse than mine, so what the hell am I whining for:)
The surgery was on the 13th. I was drugged-up pretty good for five days. Went back to work on the 19th for 4 hours. Same on the 20th. Same today. And all I can do is point to where the paper should go, order supplies, email/call vendors, try to help other areas but can't really do much, and go home and ice my hand.
Again, lots of whining here. But for someone who is pretty active and "on-the-move" all they time this is stupid. I can't even pull/dig up weeds, or really do much cleaning around the house. I will say, though, I haven't had to clean the litter box in 11 days which has been divine! (Thanks, Jeremie!)
Ok.
Enough whining.
On a more positive note, I have been able to watch movies and cartoons. And Miriah has spent some time over at our place watching movies with me (it's so awesome now that she can watch more PG-13 movies).
I even watched one of my all-time favorite movies as a kid: The Black Stallion. Love that movie!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Countdown
In 11 hours, I will be in surgery to take care of my tenosynovitis (trigger finger). I will finally not be in pain in my finger (hopefully).
It's so annoying. I've had a back issue for five years, and my finger has annoyed me more it seems. Or maybe it just seems that way.
The doctor said that the surgery itself will take anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour, depending on how much damage is in there. Or longer if the nerve is damaged. I'm hoping to be home in time for lunch . . . a Dairy Queen Blizzard sounds good:)
It's so annoying. I've had a back issue for five years, and my finger has annoyed me more it seems. Or maybe it just seems that way.
The doctor said that the surgery itself will take anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour, depending on how much damage is in there. Or longer if the nerve is damaged. I'm hoping to be home in time for lunch . . . a Dairy Queen Blizzard sounds good:)
Monday, July 26, 2010
Pedialyte . . . not just for babies
I have been on this electrolyte high for months. I haven't had a heat headache since May when I truly discovered that my body NEEDS electrolytes when I get hot. Water alone does absolutely nothing for me.
I have Gatorade, and the NUUN electrolyte tablets I also use on a regular basis (I don't drink very much plain water anymore . . . it's either mixed half with gatorade, NUUN tabs, or generic Pedialyte). But when I know I'm going to have an intense workout, or that I am going to be in the heat all day, I make sure to have my "Go-juice" (as I call it) with me.
Let me tell you, it's SOOOOO nice to not have my head throb when it's hot. AND it's nice to not be on the verge of heat stroke (like I have been many times in my life).
But it comes at a price. Original Pedialyte runs about $5.99 a bottle, and the Rite Aid brand is about $4.50 a bottle. I prefer the Rite Aid brand (grape is by far the best). And this week it's "buy one get one free". Today I raided 3 of the 5 Rite Aid's in Bellingham and bought $50 worth of grape "pedialyte".
Tomorrow I hit the other two. Maybe I'll even go to Ferndale and get all of their grape.
I have Gatorade, and the NUUN electrolyte tablets I also use on a regular basis (I don't drink very much plain water anymore . . . it's either mixed half with gatorade, NUUN tabs, or generic Pedialyte). But when I know I'm going to have an intense workout, or that I am going to be in the heat all day, I make sure to have my "Go-juice" (as I call it) with me.
Let me tell you, it's SOOOOO nice to not have my head throb when it's hot. AND it's nice to not be on the verge of heat stroke (like I have been many times in my life).
But it comes at a price. Original Pedialyte runs about $5.99 a bottle, and the Rite Aid brand is about $4.50 a bottle. I prefer the Rite Aid brand (grape is by far the best). And this week it's "buy one get one free". Today I raided 3 of the 5 Rite Aid's in Bellingham and bought $50 worth of grape "pedialyte".
Tomorrow I hit the other two. Maybe I'll even go to Ferndale and get all of their grape.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Does your work define you? Or does your actions?
(My friend Scott sent me this article via Facebook, and I thought I would share it with all of you.)
Are You Losing Your Soul?
By Alexander Green
I recently bumped into an old acquaintance I hadn't seen in years. "Are you still managing money?" he asked.
"No, I write investment advice now," I said.
"Well, it must not be panning out too well," he said with a wink, "or you wouldn't still be working!"
I've heard variations of this line over the years. And while it's always offered in jest, it hints at a particular mindset: Why would anyone continue to work if he didn't have to?
Yet I'd be bored to death without a job -- and even more of a pain in the neck to everyone around me, I'm sure. (Warren Buffett and Bill Gates -- two gentlemen who have a few dollars -- apparently feel the same way.)
According to more than 40 Gallup studies, three-quarters of us are disengaged from our jobs. The most recent U.S. Job Retention Survey found that more than 60 percent of employees are currently searching for new employment opportunities.
It's odd that we spend most of our waking hours at work -- in occupations often chosen by our younger selves -- and seldom ask ourselves how we got there or what our occupations really mean.
When we meet someone new, the question we most frequently ask -- after discerning where they're from and whether we have any common acquaintances -- is "What do you do?"
Our work, to a great extent, defines us.
It wasn't always this way.
Three hundred years ago, Voltaire argued that work exists to save us from three great evils: boredom, poverty, and vice. But, as a society, we have since put our belief in two great ideas: romantic love and meaningful work.
Historically, our faith in these two ideas grew up together. We started to think that we should marry for love at roughly the same time as we started to think that we should work not only for money but for self-fulfillment.
These are beautiful ideals, but rarely can they be pursued without hitting a rough patch. And the pain can be immense. When we are without work -- as 29 million Americans are today -- we lose more than income; we are cut off from an identity. We can no longer explain what we do -- and, hence, who we are.
It's always a shame to see a person's talents wasted. And that's just as true for those who are employed but disengaged.
Ideally, your work should allow you to take the best of what's in you and express it to the world. It should give your life dignity and meaning, whether you're writing software, fixing teeth, or just raising happy, productive kids.
No matter how you spend your days, you have a clear choice. You can think of your work entirely in terms of responsibilities and obligations. Or you can view it as a contest, a challenge, an opportunity. Because if you don't enjoy what you're doing, there's little chance your work will please or impress anyone else.
I have a sneaking suspicion that a lot of folks who are unhappy at work tend to equate a "good job" entirely with money, benefits, and security, rather than whether it allows them to express their talents.
Big mistake. Yet even those who recognize the dead-end nature of their current position are often reluctant to change. Why? Reasons vary, but some are so caught up in the pursuit of status, display, and material possessions that they've put themselves in a bind.
Choosing meaningful employment often means accepting at least a temporary pay cut. But that isn't always possible if you have a big mortgage, hefty car payments, or a lifestyle that keeps you two payments from the edge. Ironically, giving up the dream of "having it all" is often the first step in the right direction.
The other reason so many remain stuck in unsuitable work -- whether they admit it to themselves or not -- is fear.
Fear whispers that, even if you reduce your overhead, you won't be able to make it work financially. Fear betrays you, insisting that you're being unrealistic, that you don't have the heart, the talent, or the discipline to see it through, that doing work you love is reserved for someone else.
It's not true. One of the best prizes that life offers is the chance to work hard at something worth doing. Think enthusiastically about how you spend your days and you'll put a touch of glory in your life.
This is true for retirees, too. A life of meaning generally comes from finding a way to either increase the pleasure or decrease the suffering of your fellow humans, whether you're compensated for it or not.
Even if you're still in the workforce and -- due to circumstances -- tied to a job that is less than fulfilling, there are ways to use your talents in meaningful ways.
A few years ago, for instance, the AARP asked some attorneys if they would offer basic services to needy retirees at $30 an hour. They said no. But then AARP's program manager had a brilliant idea: He asked the lawyers if they would offer their services to needy retirees for free. Overwhelmingly, they saidyes.
How could zero money be more attractive than $30 an hour? The original offer seemed insulting to some, a request for legal services at below-market wages. But when the request was reframed as volunteer work -- and therefore meaningful -- most were happy to oblige.
In Zen and the Art of Making a Living, Laurence G. Boldt writes, "Without self-expression, life lacks spontaneity and joy. Without service to others, it lacks meaning and purpose.... Conceiving of ourselves as artists in whatever work we do gives us a metaphor for a life of integrity, service, enjoyment, and excellence.... I know of no better nutshell statement of the path to finding one's true calling in life than the simple formula given by Aristotle: 'Where your talents and the needs of the world cross, there lies your vocation.' These two, your talents and the needs of the world, are the great wake-up calls to your true vocation in life. To ignore either is, in some sense, to lose your soul."
You'll find that the happiest, most engaged individuals are those who are deeply involved in their workplace or community (or both), even if their time is unpaid.
Work is the natural outlet for our energy and enthusiasm. What could be more copacetic than to love what you do and feel that it matters?
After all, the highest reward for your work is not what you get, but what you become.
Are You Losing Your Soul?
By Alexander Green
I recently bumped into an old acquaintance I hadn't seen in years. "Are you still managing money?" he asked.
"No, I write investment advice now," I said.
"Well, it must not be panning out too well," he said with a wink, "or you wouldn't still be working!"
I've heard variations of this line over the years. And while it's always offered in jest, it hints at a particular mindset: Why would anyone continue to work if he didn't have to?
Yet I'd be bored to death without a job -- and even more of a pain in the neck to everyone around me, I'm sure. (Warren Buffett and Bill Gates -- two gentlemen who have a few dollars -- apparently feel the same way.)
According to more than 40 Gallup studies, three-quarters of us are disengaged from our jobs. The most recent U.S. Job Retention Survey found that more than 60 percent of employees are currently searching for new employment opportunities.
It's odd that we spend most of our waking hours at work -- in occupations often chosen by our younger selves -- and seldom ask ourselves how we got there or what our occupations really mean.
When we meet someone new, the question we most frequently ask -- after discerning where they're from and whether we have any common acquaintances -- is "What do you do?"
Our work, to a great extent, defines us.
It wasn't always this way.
Three hundred years ago, Voltaire argued that work exists to save us from three great evils: boredom, poverty, and vice. But, as a society, we have since put our belief in two great ideas: romantic love and meaningful work.
Historically, our faith in these two ideas grew up together. We started to think that we should marry for love at roughly the same time as we started to think that we should work not only for money but for self-fulfillment.
These are beautiful ideals, but rarely can they be pursued without hitting a rough patch. And the pain can be immense. When we are without work -- as 29 million Americans are today -- we lose more than income; we are cut off from an identity. We can no longer explain what we do -- and, hence, who we are.
It's always a shame to see a person's talents wasted. And that's just as true for those who are employed but disengaged.
Ideally, your work should allow you to take the best of what's in you and express it to the world. It should give your life dignity and meaning, whether you're writing software, fixing teeth, or just raising happy, productive kids.
No matter how you spend your days, you have a clear choice. You can think of your work entirely in terms of responsibilities and obligations. Or you can view it as a contest, a challenge, an opportunity. Because if you don't enjoy what you're doing, there's little chance your work will please or impress anyone else.
I have a sneaking suspicion that a lot of folks who are unhappy at work tend to equate a "good job" entirely with money, benefits, and security, rather than whether it allows them to express their talents.
Big mistake. Yet even those who recognize the dead-end nature of their current position are often reluctant to change. Why? Reasons vary, but some are so caught up in the pursuit of status, display, and material possessions that they've put themselves in a bind.
Choosing meaningful employment often means accepting at least a temporary pay cut. But that isn't always possible if you have a big mortgage, hefty car payments, or a lifestyle that keeps you two payments from the edge. Ironically, giving up the dream of "having it all" is often the first step in the right direction.
The other reason so many remain stuck in unsuitable work -- whether they admit it to themselves or not -- is fear.
Fear whispers that, even if you reduce your overhead, you won't be able to make it work financially. Fear betrays you, insisting that you're being unrealistic, that you don't have the heart, the talent, or the discipline to see it through, that doing work you love is reserved for someone else.
It's not true. One of the best prizes that life offers is the chance to work hard at something worth doing. Think enthusiastically about how you spend your days and you'll put a touch of glory in your life.
This is true for retirees, too. A life of meaning generally comes from finding a way to either increase the pleasure or decrease the suffering of your fellow humans, whether you're compensated for it or not.
Even if you're still in the workforce and -- due to circumstances -- tied to a job that is less than fulfilling, there are ways to use your talents in meaningful ways.
A few years ago, for instance, the AARP asked some attorneys if they would offer basic services to needy retirees at $30 an hour. They said no. But then AARP's program manager had a brilliant idea: He asked the lawyers if they would offer their services to needy retirees for free. Overwhelmingly, they saidyes.
How could zero money be more attractive than $30 an hour? The original offer seemed insulting to some, a request for legal services at below-market wages. But when the request was reframed as volunteer work -- and therefore meaningful -- most were happy to oblige.
In Zen and the Art of Making a Living, Laurence G. Boldt writes, "Without self-expression, life lacks spontaneity and joy. Without service to others, it lacks meaning and purpose.... Conceiving of ourselves as artists in whatever work we do gives us a metaphor for a life of integrity, service, enjoyment, and excellence.... I know of no better nutshell statement of the path to finding one's true calling in life than the simple formula given by Aristotle: 'Where your talents and the needs of the world cross, there lies your vocation.' These two, your talents and the needs of the world, are the great wake-up calls to your true vocation in life. To ignore either is, in some sense, to lose your soul."
You'll find that the happiest, most engaged individuals are those who are deeply involved in their workplace or community (or both), even if their time is unpaid.
Work is the natural outlet for our energy and enthusiasm. What could be more copacetic than to love what you do and feel that it matters?
After all, the highest reward for your work is not what you get, but what you become.
Monday, July 12, 2010
At the pond
Maggie is dreaming of jumping in the pond at Deb and Eric's place. And Jeremie and Conrad are "lounge" fishing.
Happy 50th, Mom and Dad!
On June 19th 2010 we had an awesome party for mom and dad's 50th wedding anniversay. We gave them the choice of either going on a trip, or having a party. And party it was!
We had it at the LaConner Yacht Club, which was absolutely perfect! And we catered it ourselves ('cuz that's what mom and dad wanted). Let me tell you, we had leftover spaghetti salad for weeks!
Our parents loved it! They even still have their cake topper from their wedding day!
We love you, mom and dad!
We had it at the LaConner Yacht Club, which was absolutely perfect! And we catered it ourselves ('cuz that's what mom and dad wanted). Let me tell you, we had leftover spaghetti salad for weeks!
Our parents loved it! They even still have their cake topper from their wedding day!
We love you, mom and dad!
Crew Qualified
(better late than never)
Yippee! I passed both tests with flying colors and am now officially crew qualified!
The biggest relief for me will be not having to carry around my "little black book" of pages and pages of the many duties to do and get signed off. It'll be nice to go on a mission and not have to worry about getting another item signed.
This is a picture of myself, J.R., and Josh, my Crew buddies for the day.
...and this is what our day looked like. Beautiful day in Bellingham Bay!
....someday. (A girl can dream, right?)
Yippee! I passed both tests with flying colors and am now officially crew qualified!
The biggest relief for me will be not having to carry around my "little black book" of pages and pages of the many duties to do and get signed off. It'll be nice to go on a mission and not have to worry about getting another item signed.
This is a picture of myself, J.R., and Josh, my Crew buddies for the day.
...and this is what our day looked like. Beautiful day in Bellingham Bay!
....someday. (A girl can dream, right?)
Saturday, June 12, 2010
One down, one to go!
I passed my oral exam last night for the Coast Guard Aux. to become a qualified Crew member. Actually, I aced the damn thing! I was saying answers using big words, and saying things I didn't know I knew!
Now all I have to do is make it through the underway testing today (and make it through the heat).
Now all I have to do is make it through the underway testing today (and make it through the heat).
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Shotgun-Sally!
I finally got to shoot our shotgun for the first time over Memorial Day weekend. We've only had the damn thing for a year, and this is the first I have shot it. I loved it! Here is a little video that Jeremie took of my "first time".
(PARENTAL WARNING!: There is swearing in this video, so if you don't want your kids to hear the "f" word, don't let them see this.)
(PARENTAL WARNING!: There is swearing in this video, so if you don't want your kids to hear the "f" word, don't let them see this.)
Monday, May 24, 2010
Dog-day at Zuanich Point Park
Maggie and I had last Friday off, so we decided to go to Zuanich Point Park, which is where most people go to fly their fancy kites down at the harbor.
We walked around and looked at a bunch of different boats (well, I did. Maggie either wanted to go in the water or eat the goose poop).
We walked around and looked at a bunch of different boats (well, I did. Maggie either wanted to go in the water or eat the goose poop).
More fun on the water!
We have done a lot of cool things during my on-the-water training for the Coast Guard Aux. I have to tie a bunch of knots, and have learned to tow another boat (both from the stern and alongside).
We've also done many man-over-board drills, some with a fender as our "man"; other have been with Oscar, the 100 lb. dummy with no face. It is a little bothersome seeing Oscar unresponsive in the water . . . it actually looks like a lifeless body floating alongside the boat.
Here are some of the photos I have taken on my outings:
We've also done many man-over-board drills, some with a fender as our "man"; other have been with Oscar, the 100 lb. dummy with no face. It is a little bothersome seeing Oscar unresponsive in the water . . . it actually looks like a lifeless body floating alongside the boat.
Here are some of the photos I have taken on my outings:
May visit to Chelan
Jeremie, Maggie and I took a very short, quick trip to Lake Chelan a few weeks ago to pick up our trailer (we had left our trailer over there since the end of March for Mary and Jared to have a place to put their visitors).
Conrad loves donuts for breakfast!
Conrad loves donuts for breakfast!
Friday, May 14, 2010
Eating bugs
I have swallowed more bugs in the last week than I think I have in my entire life!
I have been riding my bike to work, and in the last five days of work I have took to two wheels on four of those days (32 miles to/from work, plus a 1 mile roundtrip to the grocery store on my day off).
It's four miles one way, and takes me about 25 minutes. No major hills (I avoid them), but there is enough of an elevation climb both ways to be annoying and make my thighs feel like they are on fire.
But who's complaining?
(Me . . . )
It's all for the better good of mankind. My normal workout with Gym doesn't seem to be cutting it.
My only real complaint should be having to wear winter gloves in the morning at 5:30 a.m., and having to wear shorts on the way home.
Oh. And to try and keep the bugs from flying in my mouth and up my nose.
I have been riding my bike to work, and in the last five days of work I have took to two wheels on four of those days (32 miles to/from work, plus a 1 mile roundtrip to the grocery store on my day off).
It's four miles one way, and takes me about 25 minutes. No major hills (I avoid them), but there is enough of an elevation climb both ways to be annoying and make my thighs feel like they are on fire.
But who's complaining?
(Me . . . )
It's all for the better good of mankind. My normal workout with Gym doesn't seem to be cutting it.
My only real complaint should be having to wear winter gloves in the morning at 5:30 a.m., and having to wear shorts on the way home.
Oh. And to try and keep the bugs from flying in my mouth and up my nose.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Spring planting
I was able to get my potatoes in the ground last weekend. I'm a little worried, however, of the rest of my garden. We have squirrels that like to bury their peanuts in the garden beds, and than Maggie knocks down the fence to eat the nuts.
We have reinforced the fence (which isn't much of a fence . . . it's that black plastic stuff), but the squirrels climb over it anyway. I guess my next step is to buy some squirrel repellent and spread it around the garden. I can't plant any seeds until I know the squirrels won't be digging them up to bury their nuts!
We have reinforced the fence (which isn't much of a fence . . . it's that black plastic stuff), but the squirrels climb over it anyway. I guess my next step is to buy some squirrel repellent and spread it around the garden. I can't plant any seeds until I know the squirrels won't be digging them up to bury their nuts!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Happy 1 year with us, Tiki!
On the 16th (Heather's bday) was our 1 year Anniversary of adopting Tiki. She has calmed down quite a bit, and is turning into a really awesome cat. Jeremie is quite happy with her, especially since she is HIS cat.
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