My Office!

My office is a cozy place. It is well lit, well ventilated, and small but not too small. It is a place I can go to and get my business done. I often read there and contemplate the day in front of me. Tough decisions are made there. Like any office it is a very busy place. Visitors are always coming by to say hello. Some linger and talk to me, others just poke their head in, say Hi!, look what's going on and then on their merry way. My office is especially busy in the morning. My friends just getting started in their day. It is much quiter in the afternoon, you know siesta time, Five Hour Energy time. Like all offices I have my own clique. Roger, Devin, and Xavier stop by on a regular basis. Seth stops by now and then to say Hi! and grab a quick drink of water. The boy's club, quite a group of friends.  I'm lucky that my cats are my friends and we all like to hang in my office, which also doubles as my bathroom.

Don't Say It!

I like to talk. Sometimes too much. I have learned a few things about talking though. I have become much more careful in my choice of words. Words are indeed much sharper than a knife and inflict irreparable damage. So I talk with a lot more forethought. Words spoken only to hurt or reveal unnecessary things are pointless and self serving. I have learned when to talk. Age has brought me self control. I wait for openings to interject in a conversation. I find it utterly rude and ignorant when someone interrupts another in mid sentence. I only respond to verbiage directed at me. My name is Don, not Joe, Fred or Marco. Others can answer for themselves. When I do say I am going to do something I do follow through. There is nothing worse than having someone tell you they are going to do something, give you something, let you know about something and then fail to do so. Just shows what little esteem they hold for you. Don't say it if you don't mean it. Extremely difficult to do in this PC correctness crazy society we have become. So the lesson is simple, Say It, Do It!

Clouds

I meet and talk to people everyday. I like to look at them and see really what they're like. I like to try and see their clouds.   Everyone has them. They are lurking above our heads. A constant reminder of bothersome deeds and events in our lives. Some people have dissipated a few of them so occasionally the sun shines through. Other people don't deal with them and for them gloom is the name of the game. Not all clouds can be evaporated. These are meant to stay with us forever. They remind us of loved ones and times we try to forget but never will. People will make like there are no clouds and pretend to be sunny and happy. Down deep is where the realization that the clouds are present. I have been successful in eliminating some clouds and I am happier for doing so. Still, my clouds persist and dim my life. It does sadden me that they will probably always be with me. I can only take solace in the fact that I can't control the weather only myself.

How I treated my mother.

I saw this great sitcom the other night on the tube. It was called " How I treated my mother". Cool title. I'm sure you've seen this show. Remember the episode where all the plans get screwed up on Thanksgiving. What a hilarious half hour. No one when dinner is exactly. No one knows why dinner time is so late. No one wants to give in. Turmoil. Hurt feelings. The ending was pretty funny, it was all Ma's fault. Remember the Sunday dinner episodes where Dad did everything to start a fight at dinner. It was so funny when Ma kept on pinching my leg to get me to shut up. That episode ending with Ma getting yelled at for trying to keep the peace. What series would be complete without those wonderful, heart warming Holiday episodes. The confusion of whom to invite if someone else is invited. Laughter when someone's feeling are hurt, especially Ma's.  The other Holiday episode where life was so hectic with the cast that neither cards nor gifts were sent. Belly laughs from the studio audience. The punchline, Ma knew we loved her, we showed her all the time. My favorite is the one where Ma's husband was more affected than Ma. He loved his wife so much and he hurt him to see the way she was treated. I hope you catch this show and I hope is gets renewed for another season.

The Grammys

My wife and I watched the Grammys last night. Categories, categories. There was a diffrent category for every possible genre of music. No one was dared to be left out. I like many types of music, rock, folk, Irish, country, opera, broadway and bluegrass.The color or ethnicity of the singer or group matters not. The quality of the song and how it affects me is what matters. There are songs that after a few notes immediately bring a tear to my eye.  Last night something unigue happened. A country trio named Lady Antebellum snatched all the major awards. They competed in many categories against very stiff competition but won. Their song  "Need you now" was a simple song. A song with lyrics you could understand. A message that crossed across all colors and races. That is why it won. Regardless of the genre a great song stands on it's own. I shun radio stations that play only one type of music. Good music is good music and those who miss out on hearing all types of music are unfortunatley the less for it.

Appreciation

Appreciation. Nice word. It has a few meanings. It means to understand, be grateful and to increase in value. I have some thoughts on this word from the parent's point of view. I appreciate the circumstances of my children. I understand where they live. What they do for an occupation. I know their spouses and children. I would hope they appreciate my life too. The meaning of grateful I think is much misunderstood. It doesn't mean physical renumeration. Parents do things out of love and concern for their children. Payback isn't what we're looking for. A sincere "Thank You' and an appreciation of why we did something is sufficient. Appreciation, though, seems to have a very short memory.  Forgotten are the things done in the past. I, too, am guilty. I used to forget what my parents did for me. Only concerned with the recent months arrivals.  I used to lash out without thinking of all they had done and hurt the ones who loved me. Parenthood, it seems to me, doesn't appreciate. Unfortunately, as the child's and the parent's ages become more distant, so does the appreciation of the relationship. The appreciation turns to devaluation. The parent stills appreciates the relationship but the child caught up in their daily lives, doesn't. A blase approach is taken. Feelings only a parent can appreciate.

Seniority

Sixty two is creeping up on me. Slowly another birthday is arriving. As much as I don't want to admit it, I am a senior citizen. The clincher is that I accept senior discounts here in Florida. I always viewed seniors as old, crabby people who complained about everything. I still think we are crabby complainers  but now I understand why. I grew up in a different era. People haven't changed, just their awareness of manners and respect. I have become even more polite and respectful because I observe such little of it in everyday encounters with people, friends and co workers. What ever happened to "please" and "thank you"? What happened to to saying "excuse me" when walking in front of someone? What happened to opening doors for someone? What happened to responding to phone calls in a timely manner? Some of us remember the way it should be and it makes today's re misses even more glaring. Sure, I know the response. We were never taught or required to do these things. I never blame kids just their parents. I do know people of my generation knew and taught their kids. Somehow along the way the teaching has become relaxed and left along the byway like trash people discard as useless. The old adage is still valid today. "Treat others as you would want to be treated". And that's my Senior Moment!