The 1968 graduating class from Natural Bridge High School held several reunions. I never ventured back until the one held in 2001—or 2002, I can’t remember. Nor can I remember my reasons for attending. Once again, a class reunion is planned—for Labor Day weekend 2009. Why am I planning to attend?
1. I never thought I’d live to be old—past 30, that is—and I want to see who else is surprised at still being alive.
2. Talk with others who experienced the same place long ago and far away that no longer exists. A high school with 400 students grades 8-12. No air-conditioning. No art classes. No sass to teachers and no messing up. Did they have the same or different experience as I, even though we were in the same time-space continuum? How did those experiences shape their lives?
3. Encounter my frenemies from that era and determine their current attitudes about themselves, the world and me.
4. Be amazed at how many of my classmates remained in the same geographic area.
5. Explore the influences from those years that shaped me into the being I am now.
6. To rejoice in myself. I survived; and to celebrate with other survivors.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Bumble Bee Thoughts
Today I saw the first bumble bee of the season and looked to see whether his face was black. Why? Because of my great uncle Charlie.
He must have given me the advice about bumble bees well before I was 5 years old since he died about the time of my fifth birthday. I remember being afraid of bumble bees when I was little and he told me I had to worry about a bumble bee stinging me only if he had a black face. Of course, I never could tell about the color of the face; they always looked yellow to me! Is it true? Are there black-faced bumble bees. I don't know, and that's not the important part of the lesson.
Bumble bees make a big boring buzzing sound and fly slowly; in some ways they remind me of helicoptors. The most memorable bumble bee experience in my life occurred about 15 months before my great uncle died. It was a hot summer day in the Shenandoah Valley. A wooden rocking chair, a favorite of uncle Charlie, was waiting for us on the back porch; I would sit and he would rock and tell stories and smoke his pipe. Of course, being a Southern child, I called him "Unk Chalie." It was years before I would learn the "correct" pronunciation of those words. It surprised me to learn his name when written contained the letter r!
The busy bumble bee started, about mid-morning, burrowing a hole into the wooden seat of uncle's favorite rocking chair. As the doy progress "Unk" and I peeked. The busy-boy bumble bee noise continued as he bored a hole deeper into the wood. The seat was a couple of inches thick and he disappeared below the surface. I was as impressed by this magic as by any trick that my amateur-magician father performed. The noise continued for hours.
Finally, my kind-hearted uncle became concerned that the bee might burrow too deeply and be unable to get out. So, he took his pocket knife and and cut into the wood to free the bumbling bumble bee.
What an experience. My uncle, who had been one of the original Forest Service employees, had been willing to let a bumble bee put a hole in his favorite rocking chair to give me a nature lesson. And he was willing to damage the chair even more to free the bee.
From my great uncle I learned to observe and respect life. How many people today would be willing to teach a child such a lesson?
He must have given me the advice about bumble bees well before I was 5 years old since he died about the time of my fifth birthday. I remember being afraid of bumble bees when I was little and he told me I had to worry about a bumble bee stinging me only if he had a black face. Of course, I never could tell about the color of the face; they always looked yellow to me! Is it true? Are there black-faced bumble bees. I don't know, and that's not the important part of the lesson.
Bumble bees make a big boring buzzing sound and fly slowly; in some ways they remind me of helicoptors. The most memorable bumble bee experience in my life occurred about 15 months before my great uncle died. It was a hot summer day in the Shenandoah Valley. A wooden rocking chair, a favorite of uncle Charlie, was waiting for us on the back porch; I would sit and he would rock and tell stories and smoke his pipe. Of course, being a Southern child, I called him "Unk Chalie." It was years before I would learn the "correct" pronunciation of those words. It surprised me to learn his name when written contained the letter r!
The busy bumble bee started, about mid-morning, burrowing a hole into the wooden seat of uncle's favorite rocking chair. As the doy progress "Unk" and I peeked. The busy-boy bumble bee noise continued as he bored a hole deeper into the wood. The seat was a couple of inches thick and he disappeared below the surface. I was as impressed by this magic as by any trick that my amateur-magician father performed. The noise continued for hours.
Finally, my kind-hearted uncle became concerned that the bee might burrow too deeply and be unable to get out. So, he took his pocket knife and and cut into the wood to free the bumbling bumble bee.
What an experience. My uncle, who had been one of the original Forest Service employees, had been willing to let a bumble bee put a hole in his favorite rocking chair to give me a nature lesson. And he was willing to damage the chair even more to free the bee.
From my great uncle I learned to observe and respect life. How many people today would be willing to teach a child such a lesson?
Saturday, March 28, 2009
So they think the recession will still impact us in five years
A few days ago, I read an article with a headline that said a majority of Americans believe we wil still feel the effects of this recession in five years. Yes, I agree.
I've been thinking about the ways in which I, personally, have been affected. One: ATA Airlines went bankrupt owing my small buisness about $10,000. I don't know about you, but losing that amount of revenue put a "crimp" in my financial situation in 2008. That fee would have helped fund a vacation to South Africa my husband and I had planned for January 2009, my annual SEP contribution, and some "just plain" fun projects. Now, admittedly, the $10,000 wouldn't have been enough by itself, but the loss of the $10,000 meant I had to shuffle other funds around. It meant we didn't go to South Africa this year.
Other ways I've felt the recession impact: I believe most people are kinder and more understanding of those who are unemployed or underemployed. I believe most of us think "There but for the grace of god, the universe, etc...go I...."
I personally remind myself to be grateful for the important things in life including friends, family, ability to move about freely, ability to express my opinion without fear of retribution, joy in the sunshine, joy in the moment.
Somehow, I am not filled with "fear" for the future. There have been some tough times and scary times that I have managed to get through. So I continue to have confidence that I will get through these tough times in a satisfactory way.
I think the recession reminds me to choose love not fear as a way to live.
I've been thinking about the ways in which I, personally, have been affected. One: ATA Airlines went bankrupt owing my small buisness about $10,000. I don't know about you, but losing that amount of revenue put a "crimp" in my financial situation in 2008. That fee would have helped fund a vacation to South Africa my husband and I had planned for January 2009, my annual SEP contribution, and some "just plain" fun projects. Now, admittedly, the $10,000 wouldn't have been enough by itself, but the loss of the $10,000 meant I had to shuffle other funds around. It meant we didn't go to South Africa this year.
Other ways I've felt the recession impact: I believe most people are kinder and more understanding of those who are unemployed or underemployed. I believe most of us think "There but for the grace of god, the universe, etc...go I...."
I personally remind myself to be grateful for the important things in life including friends, family, ability to move about freely, ability to express my opinion without fear of retribution, joy in the sunshine, joy in the moment.
Somehow, I am not filled with "fear" for the future. There have been some tough times and scary times that I have managed to get through. So I continue to have confidence that I will get through these tough times in a satisfactory way.
I think the recession reminds me to choose love not fear as a way to live.
Monday, January 12, 2009
How many of my friends will blog and tweet?
Yes, you know I'm a Boomer, and so are some of my friends. I don't know why, but some of them aren't involved in social networking yet.
About two hours ago I invited a couple dozen friends and business colleagues to participate with me. Wonder how many will check out my blog? Wonder who will accept my invitation to network? Wonder why not?
The idea of making new friends, extending my knowledge, keeping in touch, reconnecting, asking for advice--all appeal to me. Why not?
About two hours ago I invited a couple dozen friends and business colleagues to participate with me. Wonder how many will check out my blog? Wonder who will accept my invitation to network? Wonder why not?
The idea of making new friends, extending my knowledge, keeping in touch, reconnecting, asking for advice--all appeal to me. Why not?
Thursday, January 8, 2009
January already seems like a long month
Yes, I know it's only eight days into the month, but it already seems like weeks. Do you feel it, too?
Every year, it happens; in pre-holiday December, I envision lots of time to "get things done" before the new year. Somehow, I have the mistaken idea there will be a slow, relaxing period during the first week of January. Every year I am wrong. Yes, I keep working during the holidays, but it seems as if all my colleagues take a couple of weeks off and return in January with a long list of things that I need to do "yesterday."
So, here I am, in the early hours of morning, trying to catch up. Guess I should just accept that the first week of January will always have more work than can fit in a "normal" workweek.
Thank goodness I have work. Now, I'm thinking, maybe next week will be slower. Or, am I just fooling myself?
Every year, it happens; in pre-holiday December, I envision lots of time to "get things done" before the new year. Somehow, I have the mistaken idea there will be a slow, relaxing period during the first week of January. Every year I am wrong. Yes, I keep working during the holidays, but it seems as if all my colleagues take a couple of weeks off and return in January with a long list of things that I need to do "yesterday."
So, here I am, in the early hours of morning, trying to catch up. Guess I should just accept that the first week of January will always have more work than can fit in a "normal" workweek.
Thank goodness I have work. Now, I'm thinking, maybe next week will be slower. Or, am I just fooling myself?
Sunday, January 4, 2009
It's great to have friends
Maybe you were different--but when after I finished undergraduate school and starting working "in the real world," I lost my interest in having female friends. Perhaps it was the "times," and the workplace (with men in charge) subtly encouraged us women to be competitors instead of allies. I had enjoyed my female roommates and friends in college, but I lost touch with them afterwards. I just didn't choose to have close female friends for many, many years.
Maybe I was too busy working and dating. It wasn't until I was in my late 30s that I started valuing female friendships again. Now, I am reminded of how wonderful woman friends can be. A friend just stopped in to bring a pot of soup she had cooked. My husband and I had a Dec. 24 dinner with two other couples. One of the women has been my friend for 30 years now.
It's great to have male friends, but I realize how many wonderful, talented, attractive, energetic, brilliant female friends I have. Thank goodness I got over that jealous, catty, fearful time in my life when I didn't seek out women friends. Here's best wishes to all my friends in 2009.
Maybe I was too busy working and dating. It wasn't until I was in my late 30s that I started valuing female friendships again. Now, I am reminded of how wonderful woman friends can be. A friend just stopped in to bring a pot of soup she had cooked. My husband and I had a Dec. 24 dinner with two other couples. One of the women has been my friend for 30 years now.
It's great to have male friends, but I realize how many wonderful, talented, attractive, energetic, brilliant female friends I have. Thank goodness I got over that jealous, catty, fearful time in my life when I didn't seek out women friends. Here's best wishes to all my friends in 2009.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Thoughts for the New Year
Have you ever considered that it might be more logical to start a new year at a solstice or equinox? Why not start the new year with the vernal equinox--a time of renewal and planting and growth?
Regardless of the reasons for using the calendar that we do, a new year started today--especially a new fiscal year. Like most business people, I am involved in end-of-year accounting and start-of-new-year implementation of business goals.
For AIRvan Consulting, we hope to expand our scope regionally and nationally. We hope to maintain relationships with current and past clients and add new clients. We are offering new services which include website usabililty testing.
Personally, my goal this year is to spend less time volunteering for professional organizqations and more time painting. My husband and I love to travel, but had to cancel plans for a dream trip to South Africa in early 2009 due to the economy. However, we are happy together and extend our wishes to family, friends, colleagues, and all fellow citizens of the world.
Hope for the best and be prepared to deal with whatever happens!
Regardless of the reasons for using the calendar that we do, a new year started today--especially a new fiscal year. Like most business people, I am involved in end-of-year accounting and start-of-new-year implementation of business goals.
For AIRvan Consulting, we hope to expand our scope regionally and nationally. We hope to maintain relationships with current and past clients and add new clients. We are offering new services which include website usabililty testing.
Personally, my goal this year is to spend less time volunteering for professional organizqations and more time painting. My husband and I love to travel, but had to cancel plans for a dream trip to South Africa in early 2009 due to the economy. However, we are happy together and extend our wishes to family, friends, colleagues, and all fellow citizens of the world.
Hope for the best and be prepared to deal with whatever happens!
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