Sunday, December 31, 2006
Happy 2007
To my family and friends, those in my life and not, Happy New Year. I love you all and wish you the best in 2007. I'm praying it's a joyful, love-filled, God-filled year for you all. You are my treasures. -R
Thursday, December 28, 2006
don't i know you?
I just got back from a quick trip to Menards (had to pick up some lightbulbs and tile). As I'm standing in line (wondering why there's only one register open at closing) a guy gets in line behind me and comments on how there's only one register open. I half-turn around as I agree with him that it's crazy and as I turn back I think "gosh, i know that guy." I had no idea what his name was, where I knew him from, or when the last time i saw him was. He did the same pause/reaction of possible recognition, but then another register opened and I quickly switched lines. As I waited for my friendly Menards clerk to ring up my purchases, I glance back at the other register in an attempt to determine who this guy was. He was glancing my way as well. I paused on the thought that maybe it was this older brother of a woman i worked with at northwestern bookstore and attended sunshine with about eight years ago, but then quickly moved on when this guy didn't fit with the mental image of this woman's brother in a Larry the Cucumber tshirt. And then I left.
During all of the over-detailed story above, it occurred to me that I've lived in minneapolis for so long and been so open to interacting with and meeting random, new people - that there are probably close to hundreds of people wandering this city that i've had conversations with but could never positively identify again. I find that odd, unnerving, and a bit frightening. I know there are 6 billion people wandering around this globe, but sometimes it feels like the world is so ridiculously small that evenutally I'll run out of new people to meet. Is it a symptom of living in a bubble, or is it just indicitive of Minnesota and the fact that people never really leave?
During all of the over-detailed story above, it occurred to me that I've lived in minneapolis for so long and been so open to interacting with and meeting random, new people - that there are probably close to hundreds of people wandering this city that i've had conversations with but could never positively identify again. I find that odd, unnerving, and a bit frightening. I know there are 6 billion people wandering around this globe, but sometimes it feels like the world is so ridiculously small that evenutally I'll run out of new people to meet. Is it a symptom of living in a bubble, or is it just indicitive of Minnesota and the fact that people never really leave?
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas, seasons greetings, happy holidays. :o)
It seems, each year, as though the holidays sneak up on me more and more. I don't know if it's because I'm getting older or because I'm no longer spending my days working retail and seeing the decorations begin around halloween...but I'm always suprised that Christmas is...Tomorrow. This year I was able to get the majority of my shopping done early (note to readers, stores/mall areas are MUCH less crowded on christmas eve) and just need to wrap everything up and head to the parents' today/tomorrow.
It seems the holidays are a time that make me pause and consider that I still feel as though I am straddling childhood and adult-life. I have the responsibilities of an adult but I feel about as responsible as a child. My family will attempt to pretend nothing has changed since we were elementary school-aged, but the differences will be there.
I don't know what my point is. Aren't the holidays the time to be melancholy (actually, that's a myth, but still)? Pensive, reflective, melancholy. Ah well, maybe it's meant for the New Year's.
In other news (as I procrastinate the gift wrapping), church today was really good. My pastor, amazing as he always is, noted that Jesus was born of a woman. You might not think this is revolutionary...but he tied it back to Genesis where God is speaking to the serpent and says he will place animocity between the serpant and the woman. Just intense that you can tie the virgin birth back to the beginning of time.
Anyway, Merry Christmas. May God bless you with a spirit of Joy this holiday season.
Love.
It seems, each year, as though the holidays sneak up on me more and more. I don't know if it's because I'm getting older or because I'm no longer spending my days working retail and seeing the decorations begin around halloween...but I'm always suprised that Christmas is...Tomorrow. This year I was able to get the majority of my shopping done early (note to readers, stores/mall areas are MUCH less crowded on christmas eve) and just need to wrap everything up and head to the parents' today/tomorrow.
It seems the holidays are a time that make me pause and consider that I still feel as though I am straddling childhood and adult-life. I have the responsibilities of an adult but I feel about as responsible as a child. My family will attempt to pretend nothing has changed since we were elementary school-aged, but the differences will be there.
I don't know what my point is. Aren't the holidays the time to be melancholy (actually, that's a myth, but still)? Pensive, reflective, melancholy. Ah well, maybe it's meant for the New Year's.
In other news (as I procrastinate the gift wrapping), church today was really good. My pastor, amazing as he always is, noted that Jesus was born of a woman. You might not think this is revolutionary...but he tied it back to Genesis where God is speaking to the serpent and says he will place animocity between the serpant and the woman. Just intense that you can tie the virgin birth back to the beginning of time.
Anyway, Merry Christmas. May God bless you with a spirit of Joy this holiday season.
Love.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
standing at my door
Someone just rang my doorbell. I didn't answer. So they rang it again. And again. And again.
Here's the question of the day. If I didn't answer on the first, or even the second ring, what makes people think I'm going to answer the door on the third or fourth ring? And answer it without any malice or anger? I mean, seriously people. If I don't know you, I'm not coming to the door (especially for two men, thankyouverymuch). And if you ring my doorbell (which I loathe) FOUR or FIVE times, you don't WANT me coming to the door.
Thank you.
(maybe i should get one of those "no solicitors" signs...but they seem so unfriendly....) ;o)
Here's the question of the day. If I didn't answer on the first, or even the second ring, what makes people think I'm going to answer the door on the third or fourth ring? And answer it without any malice or anger? I mean, seriously people. If I don't know you, I'm not coming to the door (especially for two men, thankyouverymuch). And if you ring my doorbell (which I loathe) FOUR or FIVE times, you don't WANT me coming to the door.
Thank you.
(maybe i should get one of those "no solicitors" signs...but they seem so unfriendly....) ;o)
Monday, December 11, 2006
Collecting Updates
Hello hello hello!
Time to be random!
So, at work, I'm working on a project. We do this cool thing at my company where we name our projects. Because my group consists of 80s children, we decided to name our group Project Oregon Trail. If you spent your middle school years under a rock, here's a link to help you join your generation: http://www.virtualapple.org/oregontraildisk.html
(ps, apparently, dysentery is bloody diarrhea)
In other news, http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/21/memory_drug. Apparently, it's going to be the new thing to erase painful memories. Can't you just hear a bunch of therapists screaming? I thought the whole trend was to UN-repress those memories so we can grow into healthy, whole, human beings. I haven't argued through this yet, but my initial reaction is to say that who I am today is a compilation of everything I've experienced and that erasing/repressing portions of my past can only mean I'm erasing parts of who I am today. Or….I suppose, that could be possitive if your person today is adversely affected by your past….but then doesn't it all get into people choosing the way in which they react to situations in life? Oftentimes, I feel, our only choice is how we react to life.
ATMs.
Here's the news: http://adage.com/article?article_id=113384 (summary - As the ATM has become a ubiquitous presence throughout U.S. culture, its users have been recognized as a massive and fertile audience. Its screen has increasingly been exploited to broadcast ads and various sorts of third-party direct-sales product and service offers. But those campaigns for things such as postage stamps and movie tickets have also tended to slow the machine that was originally designed to provide consumers with virtually instant access to their money on a 24/7 basis. Last week, in a move designed to outflank its competitors, JPMorgan Chase launched a campaign for its QuickChoice ATM service, which has eliminated ads and sales clutter in order to complete cash transactions in as little as 24 seconds.)
Here's the question: Do you think JPMorgan Chase is correct -- that most consumers value speed over any other aspect of an ATM transaction? Or do you think the financial-services company is making a mistake as it circumvents a potentially lucrative venue for reaching its audience of bank-account owners with relevant ads and direct-sales offers?
And in less "this is what I think about" type of commentary, here's my lovely start to the day….
This morning, I had to go and get gas. I clicked the pump so that I didn't have to stand there and hold the pump while it filled my car. It's filling, and filling, and filling….I'm watching the gallons go up and as it's getting past 14 gallons I was thinking that my car must have REALLY been on empty….and then I look down and gas is POURING out of car because it didn't click off when it sensed my tank was full!! HUGE puddle.
I go into the gas station to talk to the guy….and of course he does not understand English. I try and tell him that the gas didn't stop and he understands me to mean the gas won't start. No, I say, and try and clarify that there was too MUCH gas and it didn't stop. He asks if I want money back. I say no (I kinda did though) and again try and explain that there was a HUGE puddle of gas under my car and the whole place is liable to blow up when I start my car. Don't worry he says…we'll get it later.
It was a huge fiasco. Luckily I didn't blow the place up, but all I could think was that I was going to explode like in Zoolander ("In other headlines today, a woman was blown up at her neighborhood gas station when she started her car after spilling a gallon of gas…what WAS she thinking??"). Or someone later today will since the guy isn't going to fix the pump. AND NOW I SMELL LIKE GASOLINE! Grrrr.
So, Monday, how I love thee.
Time for more work, woohoo.
OUT!
Time to be random!
So, at work, I'm working on a project. We do this cool thing at my company where we name our projects. Because my group consists of 80s children, we decided to name our group Project Oregon Trail. If you spent your middle school years under a rock, here's a link to help you join your generation: http://www.virtualapple.org/oregontraildisk.html
(ps, apparently, dysentery is bloody diarrhea)
In other news, http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/21/memory_drug. Apparently, it's going to be the new thing to erase painful memories. Can't you just hear a bunch of therapists screaming? I thought the whole trend was to UN-repress those memories so we can grow into healthy, whole, human beings. I haven't argued through this yet, but my initial reaction is to say that who I am today is a compilation of everything I've experienced and that erasing/repressing portions of my past can only mean I'm erasing parts of who I am today. Or….I suppose, that could be possitive if your person today is adversely affected by your past….but then doesn't it all get into people choosing the way in which they react to situations in life? Oftentimes, I feel, our only choice is how we react to life.
ATMs.
Here's the news: http://adage.com/article?article_id=113384 (summary - As the ATM has become a ubiquitous presence throughout U.S. culture, its users have been recognized as a massive and fertile audience. Its screen has increasingly been exploited to broadcast ads and various sorts of third-party direct-sales product and service offers. But those campaigns for things such as postage stamps and movie tickets have also tended to slow the machine that was originally designed to provide consumers with virtually instant access to their money on a 24/7 basis. Last week, in a move designed to outflank its competitors, JPMorgan Chase launched a campaign for its QuickChoice ATM service, which has eliminated ads and sales clutter in order to complete cash transactions in as little as 24 seconds.)
Here's the question: Do you think JPMorgan Chase is correct -- that most consumers value speed over any other aspect of an ATM transaction? Or do you think the financial-services company is making a mistake as it circumvents a potentially lucrative venue for reaching its audience of bank-account owners with relevant ads and direct-sales offers?
And in less "this is what I think about" type of commentary, here's my lovely start to the day….
This morning, I had to go and get gas. I clicked the pump so that I didn't have to stand there and hold the pump while it filled my car. It's filling, and filling, and filling….I'm watching the gallons go up and as it's getting past 14 gallons I was thinking that my car must have REALLY been on empty….and then I look down and gas is POURING out of car because it didn't click off when it sensed my tank was full!! HUGE puddle.
I go into the gas station to talk to the guy….and of course he does not understand English. I try and tell him that the gas didn't stop and he understands me to mean the gas won't start. No, I say, and try and clarify that there was too MUCH gas and it didn't stop. He asks if I want money back. I say no (I kinda did though) and again try and explain that there was a HUGE puddle of gas under my car and the whole place is liable to blow up when I start my car. Don't worry he says…we'll get it later.
It was a huge fiasco. Luckily I didn't blow the place up, but all I could think was that I was going to explode like in Zoolander ("In other headlines today, a woman was blown up at her neighborhood gas station when she started her car after spilling a gallon of gas…what WAS she thinking??"). Or someone later today will since the guy isn't going to fix the pump. AND NOW I SMELL LIKE GASOLINE! Grrrr.
So, Monday, how I love thee.
Time for more work, woohoo.
OUT!
Friday, December 01, 2006
long lost friends
I wasn't going to post about my birthday, but wow. The meaning of it has changed so much. I look back to times in college when it was all about planning a party and deciding where to eat and what to do and who to invite. Somehow, over the past few years, it morphed into what it is today: I don't really have any excitement for planning something, I just want to take this one day to reconnect with friends who have moved all over the globe. I need to be better about commemorating my friends' birthdays like they do mine. I just received an e-card from a guy I served tables with five years ago. He's in Brazil (and the small world that it is, he ran into my college roommate who's in Brazil as well)…but the last time I actually saw him, face to face, was probably three years ago. I got a note from a friend I haven't seen since 1997, a note from a different friend who I just saw again last month for the first time in two years or so…and so it goes.
I think it makes me realize that we're not just passing through this world, we're making connections and building relationships. And I am completely, totally, and clearly blessed by each person I've encountered. You all are amazing and I love you each, completely.
I think it makes me realize that we're not just passing through this world, we're making connections and building relationships. And I am completely, totally, and clearly blessed by each person I've encountered. You all are amazing and I love you each, completely.
Assumptions
Okay, so my anonymous commenter labeled me as emotional, something this blog isn't supposed to be. Bottom line, I just get tired of people. Maybe I should have labeled the entry something about blame and responsibility. If you feel like someone isn't being real with you, why is it always not your fault. I tend to go too far in the direction of taking responsibility for everything....hmmm, that person and I don't get along...what do I need to change about me to fix that.
I guess, assumptions/labels/easy stop points of evaluation just drain me. For real, sit back, it's all been done before. Be real, be honest, be open, be love. And if everyone did that, no one would have to try and be careful about who they share life with so they don't get hurt.
One of the comments on this post said something about liking not being understood. I love being understood and I have a great group of people who absolutely get who I am....i get more frustrated when people take a few facts and assume they know me....and then find out that they don't...and get upset. Just let life roll. If we're meant to be friends we'll be friends. And it's a two way street. Augh. Whatever. I don't have a point. Maybe someday I'll re-edit again with something that does make sense. Here. If you're evaluating whether or not you know me and ticking off a list of things you know about me....you probably don't get it. I find that the people I know the best are those that I don't even have to think about if I know enough about them. Sometimes I don't know their parents' names, how many siblings they have, or even when their birthday is....but I get who they are and we can relate. That's what matters. Sharing life....not completing a list of facts.
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