Surprises

If I were to write about 2014 and not read the old blogs first, my first thought would be: It was a year filled with surprises.

Surprises I planned. (Lily meeting us in London - Nolan not having a clue). Really, London/Paris was a surprise too - as this time last year, it wasn't even a thought. It was a Christmas party that changed our lives.

A surprise trip to Hawaii. It wasn't on the books either. The boys, a trip to Texas.

A year not planned. Yet planned all the same.

We are taking one more trip this year. Not our normal trip to Salt Lake City. Although, the boys keep thinking we will end up there. We knew last year, that we were wrapping up that tradition.

But what to do this year?

I keep telling the boys "Oh, we will figure it out".

Although, part of it's been planned for months.  Good thing, or it wouldn't have happened. Wait a minute, there is nothing really planned - just some airline tickets.

The rest of the trip?

It's full of surprises.......

This time of year

From previous experience, I have learned December is a busy month. Almost everyone I know realizes December is busy.

Usually, I'm able to roll with it. 

At my house, we have the end of the year school activities. Now the boys are in high school - there are finals before break. Duncan's birthday is half way through the month - adding a few more things to do. If Christmas cards aren't ordered before Thanksgiving, they just aren't going to happen.

Of course, it is also hockey season. Only this year, the both played on club teams. Teams that normally run until the end of February. However, due to the higher levels teams they made this year, they end early, so those players can go play high school hockey. Meaning, that this year, hockey season was wrapping up also in December. The good news is, both teams made the play-offs. Both teams lost in the state finals. Then the high school hockey team practices started in early November. Meaning, I have two sons on three teams. The week of play-offs, the week before finals, the week before Duncan's birthday - there were 12 games in 7 days. I was exhausted.

And I didn't even play!

Then, it's Sunday afternoon. Apparently I didn't attend enough sporting events and went to watch the Broncos play. It's cloudy with light snow. I'm meeting some girlfriends at the Cricket. A local dive burger bar. I have my yoga clothes on. My hair is clean and curly. I'm not sure if I have make up on or not.

I take a seat at the bar waiting for my friends. I start talking to the guy next to me. (Yes, this is a common theme in my life).

Long story short:  My girlfriends arrive and we stay sitting at the bar. We eat. We watch the game. The game is over. The whole time I'm still talking to the guy next to me.

My friends leave. Still talking. I look up and it's now 10pm. I don't do anything for 8 hours - yet, I've been sitting here. 

Turns out he's pilot for United. Flies the San Fran to Asia route. He was here for training. Leaving on Tuesday.

I tell him about my insane week and how nothing extra gets fit in this time of year. He wants to know if I can go to dinner the next night. Can't do it. It's Duncan's birthday, plus I have one more hockey game.

People always tell us, just ask. Ask the one more question. So, I reply, "Do you have to leave on Tuesday?" He says, "No, I don't fly again until Sunday".

He stayed the week. We went to dinner every night after Monday. I took him to the airport on Friday afternoon on my way to yet another hockey game.

I was a "little" behind on some things - I'm now at least two weeks behind on everything. I'm blaming it on the time of year.

The Banker and The Fisherman

I was at a business event on Thursday night. I don't attend these types of events on a regular basis - I used to. A friend of mine runs this event, so I went to help out.

Basically, it's a cocktail party - with corporate sponsors held at a bank (A very special bank - this one is called Young Americans Bank. It's geared for everyone under the age of 21. They have summer camps and educational programs through the schools. A program like no other in the US).

Side note:  As much as I love the bank, I have to smile when I think of some kid saying they went to summer camp at bank. :-)

You mingle with business owners, sales people, other community service organizations. A wide variety of people. These can be boring, but it's also a good time to meet new people. There was also a silent auction going on. Great gifts.

I was talking to one of the guys at the event. Talking about business. Talking about business. Of course we get to the point in the conversation when they ask where my office is. I reply, I work from home. Many people work from home these days.

With technology what is, it makes sense.

Then, of course, we get to my families summers in Hawaii. It's funny, the first people usually comment on is the time difference. I then explain, it's worth it to get up at 4 in the morning to work. My work day is over by 11am.  Ah, then they see the light. We talk a bit more about work schedules, etc.

I happen to make the comment, "I may have to work longer in years, but I will have enjoyed my years more".

This man, I'll call Bob, smiles and says to me, "Do you know about the fisherman and the banker?"

"No, please tell"

This banker was on vacation and paid a commercial fisherman to take him out deep sea fishing for the day. They spend about 6 hours on the boat. Come home with fish. The banker pays him and they go to part ways. The banker says to the fisherman, "Wow. What a great day." "You know, we could really turn this into a great operation.  We could hire some people, buy a couple more boats, re-do the marina." "Work really hard and you could retire in ten years."

The fisherman smiled at the banker and replied, "Yes, and what would I do when I retire?"  The banker says, "Oh, I guess you would be doing this......."

Some of us understand that sooner than others.

 

Shuffling

The virus is gone from the computer.

From what I can tell, the virus is gone from this website.

Nothing really disappeared. As usual. Things don't usually disappear, they just go into hiding until you need them again.

Then they reappear when you need them. When you least expect them.

Its all just been rearranged. Much like life.

You think life is going to go a certain way. Then it gets rearranged.

You end up getting what you want in life, not just when you want it. I'm a HUGE believer in the fact that life works out the way it is supposed to work out.

Just not always in the time frame we think it should.

Apparently, this blog site thought it should shuffle some blogs around. They were here the whole time.

As usual. As most things are. We just weren't paying attention when things were shuffled.......

My mom friends

Not my mom's friends but MY mom friends.

These are the group of people

Technical Difficultities

Two weeks ago my computer got a virus.  It took many hours to get rid of it - but it was gone.

Now, there is something wrong with site - so this is test to see if it will stay up there. I had some old posts and "re-posted" them, but they keep not posting. Then posting. Then disappearing again only to re-post the next day.

Not sure what is going on.  I was actually writing again..... UGH

Trying to get this sorted out - so if you see this, then you don't, then you do.  It's not just you.  Maybe it's just me.

Two spaces

I recently learned, you are only supposed to have one space at the end of a sentence, after the period. In fact, it "dates" you - as in, it makes you look old if you have two spaces after the period.

I learned this a few months ago. I keep trying to only "hit the space bar once" after the sentence ends, but it is hard! I was also told, it is no longer a "period", but a dot.

The reason was years ago it had to do with typesetting. Before we all had typewriters, everything was "set". The only way it looked good in print and to publish was to provide two spaces at the end of a sentence for formatting.

It looks funny to me, but old habits are hard to break. I don't know it any another way. Also, I just automatically do it. (I think I've had to backspace at least 10 times already in this one story).

It's like there is something missing when I just hit the space bar once!  The space bar needs more loving. I've been working on it. I'll keep working on it. Us old dogs, can learn new tricks.

BUT, the REAL reason I have to confess - I finally figured out the format to the book I need to write. AND, for that, I really should use modern formats. For a few years now, I've gone back and forth on what to write. How to write. The subject of the matter. I've figured it out.

Go to what you know best. That is what they tell us. (Whomever "THEY" might be). What do I know?

THEY say, tell someone you have a deadline.  Mine's October first.

I know how to swap a house. I also know to only put one space at the end of a sentence. Sometimes though, you need two places........