Lowered Expectations

July was my birthday month which started us off on a series of attempts to find that elusive wonderful dining experience to celebrate with. We tried one chain restaurant famous for their cornbread muffins and we were served something that had no resemblance whatsoever to their normally outstanding product. It seems they had run out and gone with a completely inferior product, but not bothered to tell their customers. Truth be told, it kind of ruined the experience, as it is the highlight and part of the reason we chose this place. When the manager stopped by and made light of them running out, but offered no kind words of apology or understanding that kind of broke it for us.

Other attempts at the perfect celebration included an assortment of places I can't remember clearly now but nothing seemed to be working. One I do remember involved a piece of pie that had pineapple and fresh strawberries on it, as well as a bunch of other great stuff. We ordered two pieces to go and found them to be so soggy they looked like formerly frozen berries that had been partially pureed and the bananas were completely brown, no pineapple and no cherry on top either. On top of that, the experience purchasing them was a battle to be served and noticed.

I stopped at a local grocery store and the clerk did not say one single word in greeting or as I tried to engage him in friendly conversation, complimenting the store and everything. I asked him how he was doing and he pretty much just grunted at me until I finally got a word out of him before I left.

At a bakery, we had a question about one of their products and nobody knew the answer but nobody made an attempt to find out from the baker or another employee. Really? What happened to "I don't know that answer, but let me check for you?"

This blog could go on for days, but I wonder...when did we become a society of complacency and lowered expectations? I have never worked anywhere that this level of service would be tolerated. I work too hard for my dollars to waste it on food that isn't cooked properly or that treat of going out when you aren't given a drink refill during your entire meal.

It's time to expect service again...after all, we are the customers! 

Housepaint: An Indecisive Creative's Nightmare

We are in the midst of one of the biggest decisions of our lives, or at least it feels that way. We are painting the exterior of our home and it feels like this should be an exciting opportunity. Instead, it feels like the beginning of Chromophobia, the fear of colors and decidophobia, the fear of making decisions. Neither of these have plagued me before but this is catching me at a time when my brain is tired and something that seems so exciting and simple also feels so impossible.

I consider myself creative and I love bright colors. My house embraces a variety of colors ranging from the warmth of caramel to a few different vivid bright colors you might see in Mexico or the Caribbean. I believe my home should make me feel good without a lot of concern for fitting into the mold of those around me. Obviously the hubby has to be in agreement, but he's pretty much wired the same way.

Suddenly we are surrounded with paint chips and complete indecisiveness, this feels like a permanent decision that can never be undone. It feels like we must make the right choice for the entire neighborhood. No, we can't do this color because it conflicts with the neighbor's house behind us. But this one looks funny next to the one next door. There are 28 gray houses within a few blocks - we can't do that. There are too many teal ones, can't do that...and on it goes.

When did choosing paint become such a monumental task? We fluctuate between thinking there are too many colors and that we need a new color in the world because we don't like any of them. It's paint...by its very definition it is temporary.

What are your tips for finding the right color? Don't even get me started on brand comparison!

From Pits to Pinnacles

Whether it is the phrase "this is the pits" or Erma Bombeck's classic book, "If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits?" chances are you can identify with being in the pits of life. Another frequent reference is "life just a bowl of cherries" which is sarcastic for when things are not going well. Being a fan of cherries, I always felt bad for this poor fruit being dragged down into negative thinking.

It is true that life is not always everything we wish it to be, but perhaps we can challenge ourselves to focus on the pinnacles of life instead of the pits. No matter where we are in our journey each day, we can always choose to look up to the high points in life and focus on those instead. When we are feeling low, we tend to hang our head down physically and that position will prevent us from ever looking up to things that can draw us out of the pits. However, if you literally look up to focus on the pinnacle there is something that happens to you physically - you take deeper breaths, you'll notice the precious little things around you and perhaps you'll lose sight of the pits.

The day I took this picture, we were leaving Vancouver, BC for a short cruise. I was so excited and yet we were faced with a delay leaving port, which left me with two choices - focus on the pits of disappointment or find a pinnacle. The pit would have had me waiting for hours in the port building, bored and surrounded by lots of other frustrated folks. The pinnacle took us on a local tour through a new city, some great photos, a fun marketplace and lots of new memories.

Don't miss out on the pinnacles, do what you have to in order to climb out of the pits.

Unconditional Pet Love

There is something undeniable about the bond between pet and pet-parent. I'm not talking about the people who "have a pet", I'm talking about the folks who refer to their dog or cat as he, she or their fur-child. These people have a deeper bond that envelops the entire heart. Fortunately, I am surrounded by friends sharing this same relationship and so I feel understood by those who matter to me.

Sadie in a favorite place.

Today I was reminded of this connection because a dear friend had to send her little precious kitty over the Rainbow Bridge to romp freely and be healthy at last...at least I assume cats romp. It is always a terrible day when you lose your furry kid, whether it is expected or not. She was prepared for this due to a longstanding health condition but it is still a difficult day and so I dedicate #blogyourbrand Day 18 to Sadie and her mom...Maggie, Alex, Sparky, Stanley and others will show her the ropes!

What is it about that unconditional love our pets give us that soothes our aches, comforts our loneliness and makes us feel like we are on top of the world and why don't we get that from any other source? There are days when we are running errands but finally headed towards home and we both get that giddy anticipation about going home to see our little guy. How many of you are frequently almost late to work because they want to sit on your lap and have their ears or belly rubbed?

Face it, they adore us and what's not to adore? Obviously they have fantastic judgment and have deemed us as royalty. After all, they follow us around, sit at our feet, gaze adoringly into our eyes and if you're lucky like we are...innumerable kisses and hugs until the worries of life are only fleeting thoughts.

Go hug your little fur-child because we don't get to keep them forever.

FIRE and RESCUE

Dad worked in another state, but I wanted to use
one of my own photos I took. Thank you Portland Fire.

Fire and smoke. Burning toxins and crumbling walls or roofs. Auto accidents and drug overdoses. These are some of the common encounters firefighters have faced throughout the decades. You can add baby deliveries and cats in trees for some of the more lighthearted events. For ages, they could pretty much expect the unexpected. This list is still intimidating to most people and society greatly appreciates those who choose this profession. Firefighters are often praised for their hard work and dedication, they hear routine statements of appreciation from their communities, they are the guests of honor at parades and sometimes they even get cookies delivered to their stations.

My dad was a firefighter so I was privileged to spend a lot of time inside the fire station. I ate dinner there a lot when Mom and I would visit him there. I remember playing basketball in the back of the station with the guys and they taught me to spit watermelon seeds. One year I even wore my dad's coat, boots and helmet for Halloween...I used the helmet as my trick-or-treat bag and dumped it into a larger bag back at the curb. I remember the only cigar I ever saw growing up...it was from a family where he helped deliver the baby. He didn't smoke it, but I remember thinking it was pretty cool. He came to school for show and tell and of course, the kids loved it! I knew how to turn on the lights, siren and horn on the fire truck. I recognized that unique smell of a firehouse floor. 

I'm glad my dad is retired now. It's a different time, a scarier time. Today's firefighters have the added fears of more illnesses they can get while responding to medical calls. There are more drugs in society, more chemicals and explosions and don't forget...there are now people who set them up and shoot at them when they respond. This is still an honorable profession and I hope there will always be people that step up to this career but I am grateful to have Dad home and retired during these crazier days.

If you see these folks out there, tell them thank you. Go online and look up your local fire stations, it's so easy to send them a note of appreciation and they deserve it.

Yes, I was a fireman's kid...and proud of it.

Memory Lane

We have been gathering items for the "no, really, I promise this is the last yard sale we will ever do" yard sale. Our home has been in the process of downsizing and simplifying for a few years now but when expenses outweigh income you get creative. This time we dug deep, even going into the attic storage. While we did clear out some retro clothing, aka "someday that's going to fit again" and old holiday decor, we found the boxes of memories and sidetracked ourselves a bit.

There were boxes of the usual mementos like photos, cards, letters, baby toys, Hot Wheels, Dukes of Hazzard model of the General Lee still sealed, etc. but the memorabilia I treasure most was finding my old creative writing collection.

What a variety of essays in that treasure trove! I had some writings from elementary school about jack-o-lanterns melting off the fence posts as they rotted and little mice carrying 20 books home from the library. I suppose it's safe to say I had a wild imagination!

Eventually I moved on to high school and college assignments that included a story about a single raindrop on the window or stories of friendships. There were two I remember being so proud of; one was about the free market and one was about smoking that I titled "Should Americans Have the Right to Kill?" Apparently I've been a bit adamant in my opinions through time.

It did leave me curious. When did we stop living in the light and creative mindset and become so serious? I am grateful to have these documents, as they are long before the days of computers when it's so easy to save things, but the value I found was in the childhood stories I wrote and I hope they will inspire me to find that inner child again.

What about you? Do you remember your inner child?

Rise up

For any of you out there feeling a bit tired or worn down from life, I dedicate this song to you today. May you find a renewed strength as you let these words pour over you. You are never alone in life and you have somebody that will stand with you as you rise up together to face your mountains. I heard this song last week for the first time and I knew I wanted to blog about it, it brought such a "fight" back and rekindled some positive attitude. Rather than use my words though, I'd rather honor Andra and let you listen to her.

You're broken down and tired

Of living life on a merry-go-round

And you can't find the fighter

But I see it in you so we gonna walk it out

And move mountains

We gonna walk it out

And move mountains

And I'll rise up

I'll rise like the day

I'll rise up

I'll rise unafraid

I'll rise up

And I'll do it a thousand times again

And I'll rise up

High like the waves

I'll rise up

In spite of the ache

I'll rise up

And I'll do it a thousand times again

For you [4x]

When the silence isn't quiet

And it feels like it's getting hard to breathe

And I know you feel like dying

But I promise we'll take the world to it's feet

And move mountains

Bring it to it's feet

And move mountains

And I'll rise up

I'll rise like the day

I'll rise up

I'll rise unafraid

I'll rise up

And I'll do it a thousand times again

For you [4x]

All we need, all we need is hope

And for that we have each other

And for that we have each other

We will rise

We will rise

We'll rise, oh oh

We'll rise

I'll rise up

Rise like the day

I'll rise up

In spite of the ache

I will rise a thousand times again

And we'll rise up

High like the waves

We'll rise up

In spite of the ache

We'll rise up

And we'll do it a thousand times again

For you oh oh oh oh oh [3x]

Estate Memories

We used to have a small booth at an antique mall so our weekends would find us at frequent estate sales searching for lost treasures. It was always a bittersweet experience - if we found things we almost always felt guilty for getting a good deal from the loss of somebody's loved one. More often than not, however, we would leave with an empty heart even if we found earthly items. It was always so sad to see that an entire life has come to strangers walking through their house, buying partial boxes of spices for a quarter each. A few of these affected us deeper than others. I remember one in particular where we purchased about 15 slide wheels full of vacation slides. It seemed so sad that there was nobody left to treasure memories and smiles from the family so we thought we'd do something artsy with them and allow others to treasure them in a new format since so many were beautiful scenic photos. Sadly, that hasn't even happened yet.

Don't know what it is, but it has a cool
groove in it that will make a great
place for file folders on my desk.
The other side has a great big
wood burl knot in it.

I hadn't thought much about this until today when we stopped at an estate sale in our neighborhood where once again we left with an empty heart even though I did find one really cool treasure. I discovered one of the saddest items yet - a homemade scrapbook filled with store bought cards, handwritten letters, telegrams and children's drawings all from her child, or children. This was done with so much love and through decades and now it sits in a room full of strangers with their checkbooks in hand. I almost bought it because it was so heartbreaking to see it there. But, I am one of those strangers to whom it meant nothing.

The funny thing is, we are preparing for a big yard sale ourselves, trying to get rid of stuff so we really had no business even walking into that sale today. We have a house full of items without heirs awaiting their own estate sale. Some day someone will walk through and wonder if that vase on our mantel is a 4th generation heirloom or a $3.99 purchase from a discount store. Some day someone will think how sad it is that there was nobody that wanted our memories.

The Silence in the Roar

What is it about the roar of the ocean waves that beckons us? It is vividly violent and wildly soothing simultaneously. After a chaotic and stress-filled week, I feel as if I can hear the surf calling for me to come visit. My innermost emptiness echoes the call and tells me to go. The struggle begins inside pitting the responsible and logical side against the impulsive and selfish side. I do know I need to experience the refreshment a visit to the edge of the tides offers, but I have to question if I will allow it to soothe the aches or if I will be haunted by the to do list I skipped out on.

Like many people, I have had the daydream of owning a small house in a beach community. I can't quite comprehend the joy it would provide for so many, to have a little respite available. I do find myself wondering if beach residents ever find themselves weary of the roar of the sea and wish they could silence it. I mean, come on...if you have a migraine, or are just tired of the noise of the world, wouldn't you sometimes want it to be silent? It is never silent at the beach. 3 am...still roaring.

And yet, we refer to the ocean as being a place of solitude, a place of silence, a place to sit and reflect or to let your soul be refreshed. There is nothing so peaceful as a long, slow stroll along with the waves breaking just safely distant from your toes. I can walk great distances in this trance and after a bit of time I don't know that I hear the roar anymore. Maybe it is the silence in the roar I am craving when I seek my solace and refreshment along the shoreline. 

To Kill a Dream?

The Delay, Then The Leap of Faith: aka "Okay, Okay...I'll Do It"
Did you catch the date back in that previous post?  2011.  Yes, it did indeed take me 3 years and 3 months to step out in faith. I never doubted the idea, I doubted that it should be me. Sound familiar? It's Biblical. It was evident that God orchestrated this while He waited for me to get it together and take action. I found a location very near to my home. The landlord has a heart for God and that showed up. The view is of the trees at The Grotto! We had no funds to do this (my biggest excuse) and yet, we opened our doors in November 2014. I found myself surrounded by speakers, songs and books that included things like: Action Trumps Everything, dig ditches and see how God will fill them up, "Do Something" and countless other examples telling me to just take one step.

The Hope, The Vision: aka "God, Do Your Thing"
The doors are open. The supplies are waiting. God, this is your place - bring the people whose lives you want to touch. Show me who to love and encourage. To quote a Chris Tomlin song that taunted me during those 3 years of waiting...
Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move
I will follow you
Who you love, I'll love
How you serve, I'll serve
If this life I lose, I will follow you.

Yep, this was a theme song for me and yet I didn't follow for three years down this particular path. I now have another theme song from Matthew West,along with this one. So God, use me to DO SOMETHING!

Have you ever had a dream that didn't yield results you could clearly point to? How did you know when to say good-bye to the dream or to work harder?