Observations in October - 2018 #31Things - Listen - #SoCS - Can

Can you hear me now?  Combining these topics today because I had a big day the other day and it took a day to decompress. 

I went on a bus trip with the local church group called "The Grown Ups" to an Indian casino about 2-1/2 hours away.  We left home at about 8 AM.  My husband was going to come but at the last minute he had to stay home because his back was stiffening and the cramped seats on the bus would not have been good for him.  My mom and I and our friend Mike sat at the back of the bus.  We had a good time chatting the time away.

When we got to the casino we gambled for a while and then my mom and I had lunch with my niece who met us there.  After a little more gambling we got back on the bus to go home.  Unfortunately, none of us were winners this trip.  Since we had spent the way up talking and story telling, on the way home I took out some magazines and was going through them.  My mom started to take a nap, I thought.  

I looked over at her and I knew immediately there was something wrong.  Her eyes were open and staring and she was not responding to my calling her name.  "Mom, mom, can you hear me?"  Long story short, the bus had to pull over and paramedics were called to come to check her and it was determined that she needed to be taken to the nearest emergency room.  

Fortunately it was not anything too serious although at 95 you can never be too careful.  Tests were taken and it was determined she had a bit of dehydration and a urinary tract infection.  They gave her some fluids and a prescription for an antibiotics.  We had to wait in the waiting room for 2 hours while my husband and our daughter came up to get us because of course the bus had gone on home.  While we were waiting my mom and I had a discussion about what had happened and she kept saying that because she had felt no pain, she didn't think anything was wrong, although she did admit that earlier in the week she had felt a little woosey at times but she didn't want to tell me because she was afraid I would tell her not to go on the trip or, worse in her eyes, go to the doctors! 

I explained to her that she needed to listen to her body more and that feeling woosey is not a normal thing.  I also told her that she needs to be more forthcoming with me and tell me when she is experiencing something like that.  I can help her decide if it is something that is urgent or if we can wait a bit before going to the doctors.  She is still living on her own and drives herself to church and to the grocery store but if she is having "spells" I don't want her doing that.  She said she understood.  

Do you have parents who listen to you?  Do you listen to your body?  Can you blame me for scolding my mom?    

Observations in October - 2018 #31Things - Shoes

I've never been a big shoe fanatic.  I am not into expensive shoes or overly fashionable ones.  Jimmy Choo who?  Still, when I was younger I did wear heels to work every day when I was the office manager until the kids were born.  I got used to wearing flats when I was pregnant and now I don't even own a pair of heels.  Comfort is key for me. 

I call these my Vegas shoes because I went to Las Vegas for a seminar a few years ago and I wore heels which ended up hurting my feet so bad a friend of mine got these for me to walk around in. 

Otherwise my shoes are pretty plain.  I have one pair of pink flowered shoes but the rest are basic black, brown and blue. 

I do like fun slippers though.  I call these my unicorn slippers.

Love the sparkles these make when the sun hits them.  

How do you feel about shoes?  

 

Observations in October - 2018 - #31Things - Technology

Technology is another one of those things I have a love/hate relationship with.  I consider myself pretty tech savvy although I know there are a lot of things I don't know how to do.  The reason I love my Mac is because it is so user friendly.  I can easily program my iPhone and update my computers but when it comes to helping my husband with his Android and Lenovo laptop I have some problems.   

In my working world, I know that a big portion of the reason my transcription work is declining is that the increased availability of programs like Dragon Dictate make it easier for the doctors to do their own dictation, thereby eliminating the need for people like me.  The younger doctors are easier to adapt to using tablets and laptops and the hospitals and physician networks are installing that equipment in their offices to assist with that.

On the other hand, through technology I am still able to do transcription work from home because I am able to get password protected audio files through email and send the completed reports back to the client, also through password protected email.  With this system I was able to do my work when we were out of town visiting the in-laws in Oregon.  It was very helpful.

In the craft world, people are able to send cards and invitations online so there are less physical cards being sent.  Yet, I am able to sell my handmade cards and things through my online Etsy shop. 

My latest batch of cards

We all know about cellphones and smartphones and texting and the like and I must admit that I have returned home to get my cellphone if I find I have left home without it.  I consider it now more of a safety feature, either for me to use if I am in trouble (flat tire, etc.) or if the hubby or kids need me.  I know that I never had one when I was younger but then again, there were pay phones around so all I needed was a quarter and I could get in touch with my parents if I needed to.  When was the last time you saw a working version of this?

Even education is enhanced now with the multitude of online classes you can take and own to use whenever you have time.  I remember when my kids were going through elementary school I resisted the dreaded "Internet" at all costs.  I was outraged that the school wanted the kids to "look it up online" rather than going to the library to get an encyclopedia.  By the time my youngest was a senior in high school, having her own laptop was practically on the supply list!  

I know I have benefitted from some online classes myself and the CreativeLive courses I have taken were really good.  Some I bought when they were on sale so I could go back and watch them again but a lot of them I have just taken the free version and it has still helped out a lot.  Many of the bloggers that I follow I know are writers and some participate in the NaNoWriMo challenge.  For those of you who are or want to be, CreativeLive is having a free prep week from 10/22 to 10/26/18.  I am an affiliate of CreativeLive so here is a link to those if you are interested.  They have a lot of classes in photography and money/life matters in addition to crafting as well.   

  

Where do you fall on the technology spectrum?  Love?  Hate?  A little of both like me?  Tell!

Observations in October - 2018 - #31Things - 9:15 AM and Uniform

We're taking care of two things today in the same post because I missed yesterday and because it's my blog and I can do what I wanna.

9:15 AM - I am at my computer and have been since 7 AM going through emails and getting my work ready for the day.  You think I'm kidding when I say I work in my pajamas but I'm not!

Some mornings I have almost 100 emails to look through depending on what went on the day before.  I have a lot of other blogs I read and comment on (you know who you are), and some videos I watch.  How much I can do at that time depends on my typing workload. 
 

I am so grateful I can work like this!

Uniform - (See above pajamas!)  Really though, I did have a uniform at one time.  When I worked in the medical offices in the beginning I used to have to wear a uniform.  The pants were always white but for a while we did different color tops.  Blue was for Monday and I think green was for Thursday.  I can't remember the other days but I'm pretty sure there was a yellow and a pink.  After I got to be the office manager I didn't have to wear a uniform but I did sometimes wear a white jacket.  

When I worked at Michaels I had a vest to wear.  We did have a "dress code" but mainly it was a relaxed one, thank goodness.  

I would say that a "uniform" piece of clothing I wear is a scarf.  I have a ton of them and I love to wear them when we go out.  In addition to keeping me warmer, I think it adds a special touch.  

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On the vision board I created over the weekend I added a hat.  I love hats but I don't know that they look especially good on me.  I did find one at Target the other day that I loved but I didn't get it and now it's not there anymore of course.  Next time I see one like it I'm buying it! 

Your turn.  Have a uniform that you wear or a piece of signature clothing?  What were you doing at 9:15 AM?  Share!

Observations in October - 2018 #31Things - View

Yesterday I spent the day with my girlfriend and a small group of women looking inside ourselves and sharing our wishes, desires, dreams, hopes for our futures.  We were led by coach Judy Peebles.

We started off by making a list of all the things we really wanted, no matter how big or unusual they may seem.  Some of mine were to remodel the kitchen, get the backyard into a functional place to use, going to Disneyland at the holiday season, taking some trips by train and even meeting Stevie Nicks.  We also made lists of things we wanted more of and/or less of in our lives, like more time, less procrastination, more money, less stress, etc.  Finally we used the prompt "Twelve months from now..." and wrote a story about what is happening 12 months from now in our lives. 

Then we spent some time going through magazines and pulling pictures of things that meant something to us in terms of our wishes and goals, words or phrases that spoke to us.  After we arranged them all on the board we glued it down.  Here is what mine looks like:

These are things I'd like to have in my life.  I know that I may not get them all within the next year, but if I don't think about them and put them in my view, I'll never get them.

After we had our boards made, Judy took us through a "visualization" process where we picked a specific date in the future and described exactly where we were and what we were doing, who we were with, how we felt, what we were hearing, tasting, smelling, etc.  A really complete picture of a specific day.  I picked January 6, 2020 and the whole family was at Disneyland experiencing the Magic Kingdom in all its holiday finery.  Judy had us close our eyes and picture ourselves in that place, at that time and "view" ourselves in that moment.  It was very interesting. 

There really is more than one "view" of something, the one you see with your eyes and the one you see with your heart.  Both are important.  What are you "viewing" for yourself in a year?  Ever make a vision board?  

   

Observations in October - 2018 - #SLS on Monday

I was at a very interesting vision workshop all day yesterday so I didn't have time to post my song for the Song Lyric Sunday bunch.  I like this song so I'm gonna post it now. 

It is called "Hideaway" and is from the "Guilty Pleasures" album by Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb.  This is one of my favorites.  I really like another song, "Come Tomorrow" a lot but that doesn't quite fit here.  They did a previous album together called "Guilty" which has some really good songs on it as well.

The video:

The lyrics:

Hideaway

Barbra Streisand

I saw you looking in the mirror
I saw you fighting with your conscious
I think you need a little time away
And I may give you mine

And you could find me in the moon glow
You find me underneath your pillow
And we can find a little hideaway
Where we can go

I'm in the corner with a friend of mine
I stood with my defenses down
So many things that bring you close to me
That we be led astray, the wonder of desire
To love the things we cannot touch

Maybe we turn and say goodnight and walk away
And then the story can go on without a single tear
You take a chance on it and change the history
And for a time, we fall in love with someone

So who am I to say the words that say
We have found each other?
Can we imagine any hideaway is right?
And our adventure down in paradise
Borne upon the wind and we are one with the night

Maybe we shuffle off to Rio
A little Rio de Janeiro
And then I get a little chance to say
I'm falling into you

And you and I can change the world if we just try
(Hideaway)
This lonely heart of mine has found a mission for your light
(In your world)
To make the sense of it and solve the mystery
(In my arms)
It's just the love you forever leave with someone

So who am I to say the words
That say we've found each other?
(Sunny day)
Can we imagine any hideaway is right?
(In your world)
And our adventure down in paradise
(In my arms)
Born upon the wind and we are one with the night

And our adventure down in paradise
Borne upon the wind
And we are one with the night

Songwriters: Ashley Gibb / Ashley R. Gibb / Barry Gibb / Barry Alan Gibb

Hideaway lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group

Better late than never they say.  Thanks to Helen for another great day of songs. 

Observations in October - 2018 #31Things - Chores and #SoCS - Precious

The Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt from Linda is "Precious" and my 31 Things prompt for today is "Chores."

I know your time is precious so I'll try to keep this short.  I used to be pretty anal about how the chores were done around the house.  The dishes should be washed a certain way, towels should be folded a certain way, laundry should be separated carefully, blah...blah...blah. 

After a while I decided that as long as the chores WERE getting done, I shouldn't be so finicky about HOW they were getting done.  Chores are not precious. 

Here is another post I did a while ago about "Precious."

How's that for short and sweet?  What do you think is precious?  Don't forget to visit the other participants in the stream.