We have a company wide BLOG where I work and this week's topic was helping Haiti. Please understand...I am all for helping people, but I do have a few of my own opinions. This is the response I gave to the initial post this week.
I am so amazed at how quickly people came together and formed groups to collect money, resources, and anything else that could possibly help the people of Haiti.
As Jim mentioned, these people live on the edge everyday and while it seems as though what we are doing is HUGE (because in basic terms it is huge) it is unfortunately not enough.
I guess the problem I have with this or any other relief situation is WHY we wait until something like this happens to even step up and help. As a person/group of people/nation, why aren't we inclined to help on a regular basis? Realizing, of course, that money is tight could we not still come up with a few dollars each week to help people in our own country, in Haiti, and anywhere else that is needed? Can you imagine what a small amount on a regular basis would add up to over time? How is it people suddenly come up with $100 to help one time but can't come up with $2 a week that could offer people help on a regular basis instead of when they have a crisis?
Also, while I appreciate what "Hollywood" and it's people are doing has anyone ever stopped to think about not only the amount of money they earn (heck - Conan O'Brien is being given $32 million to QUIT his job) but the FREE gifts they receive?? Imagine you just got paid $25 million for a movie and now you are up for an Oscar and because you go to the award ceremony you are given a goody bag full of $30 thousand worth of gifts you could have purchased yourself!! Take the number of gift baskets times $30k and imagine what that could do for a country like Haiti! I'm not saying people don't deserve free gifts here and there or that actors don't deserve the money they earn, but I'm actually tired of hearing that someone gave $1 million dollars of their own money in a time of crisis! That's only 1/30th of what Conan is getting or 1/20 of what some are paid for one movie. People making a lot less money are sacrificing for others to be helped. I have a friend whose children dumped out all the money in the piggy banks to send to Haiti! That's a sacrifice!
Again...not saying we need to sacrifice to help, but give up a coffee or a donut or whatever and help people ALL THE TIME! If you can't help with $$ help with time! We have volunteer events sponsored by ING and it seems as though it's the same people volunteering every time. Is it really that hard to give something up once in a while to help others? That is what we as people are called to do. We are called to use our talents for good and to help others.
I just hope that we will stop waiting for events like the Tsunami, Katrina, and now this event in Haiti to realize people need our help all the time!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Sunday, September 20, 2009
The Tomato
I didn't get a chance to update everyone on "the tomato." I arrived at work one day to see a tomato in the parking lot very close to the back tire of someone's car. I thought it was interesting that a tomato had gotten loose in the parking lot.
That afternoon it was still there when I left for the day and I took a picture of it (Tuesday).
The next morning I showed up and there was the tomatoe again...it still was hanging in there. On my way home it was still there although a little worse for wear (picture below).
I was really looking forward to Thursday morning to track it's life...unfortunately I was in an accident on the way to work and did not get to follow-up on my little tomato. I heard from a co-worker it had finally lost it's life to a tire. My experiment was over!
Grammy's Boots
Many of you know that every month I call my Grammy to go over her bills and balance her checkbook for her. She is in CT and it is heartbreaking that she is so far away, but she always manages to make me laugh with her repetitive stories and the little things she says.
The beginning of September I went through the typical ritual and everything seemed fine. I did notice that she wrote a check to Comfort Moccasins. I didn't think much about it at the time. I figured she probably ordered something out of one of her magazines of the newspaper.
Well, Friday she called my mother to ask her if she sent her some boots. My mother said, "No, why would I send you boots? I don't even like boots or anything about boots so I wouldn't send you any." My Grammy proceeds to tell my mom that earlier in the week she received an odd box and inside were some rubber soled thick lined boots. She said the book was like a plastic material and inside was an invoice that said zero on it so she threw it all away and the trash had already been picked up. My mom asked if they fit and she said yes. Of course, there is still no clue as to where they came from.
So, my mother tells me the story and I say "She sent a check for them." And my mom starts saying "What are you talking about?" I look at the check register and there it is 8/23/09 a check to Comfort Moccasins. My mother can't stop laughing, and quite frankly neither can I. I call my Grammy and say "I hear you got some boots." And she says, "Yes, I have no idea where they came from." And I say, "You ordered them." To which she says, "I did?" (read that with a high level of shock) "Let me get my checkbook." As she puts the phone down on the table I hear her say "Oh Lord, oh Lord." I am trying really hard to contain myself at this point. She comes back to the phone and I tell her to go to the date of 8/23/09 and look for check number 2395 and there in front of her are the words Comfort Moccasins. She now says she is blushing and hanging her head in shame and tells me to never get old (well, it's too late for that - we are all headed in that direction). After she goes on telling me all about the boots and that she forgot all about them since they didn't show up right away (she doesn't realize it takes a while to mail a check, process the check and the order and then ship the product unlike shopping online or using a debit/credit card on the phone). I ask her if she likes them and she says "Oh yes!" So I say, "Well good, because you have new boots." By-the-way, she keeps calling them boots, but I'm thinking they are probably slippers with a rubber sole so that if you need to run to the mailbox they won't get ruined and you don't have to chance shoes.
As the southerners say "Bless her heart!"
The beginning of September I went through the typical ritual and everything seemed fine. I did notice that she wrote a check to Comfort Moccasins. I didn't think much about it at the time. I figured she probably ordered something out of one of her magazines of the newspaper.
Well, Friday she called my mother to ask her if she sent her some boots. My mother said, "No, why would I send you boots? I don't even like boots or anything about boots so I wouldn't send you any." My Grammy proceeds to tell my mom that earlier in the week she received an odd box and inside were some rubber soled thick lined boots. She said the book was like a plastic material and inside was an invoice that said zero on it so she threw it all away and the trash had already been picked up. My mom asked if they fit and she said yes. Of course, there is still no clue as to where they came from.
So, my mother tells me the story and I say "She sent a check for them." And my mom starts saying "What are you talking about?" I look at the check register and there it is 8/23/09 a check to Comfort Moccasins. My mother can't stop laughing, and quite frankly neither can I. I call my Grammy and say "I hear you got some boots." And she says, "Yes, I have no idea where they came from." And I say, "You ordered them." To which she says, "I did?" (read that with a high level of shock) "Let me get my checkbook." As she puts the phone down on the table I hear her say "Oh Lord, oh Lord." I am trying really hard to contain myself at this point. She comes back to the phone and I tell her to go to the date of 8/23/09 and look for check number 2395 and there in front of her are the words Comfort Moccasins. She now says she is blushing and hanging her head in shame and tells me to never get old (well, it's too late for that - we are all headed in that direction). After she goes on telling me all about the boots and that she forgot all about them since they didn't show up right away (she doesn't realize it takes a while to mail a check, process the check and the order and then ship the product unlike shopping online or using a debit/credit card on the phone). I ask her if she likes them and she says "Oh yes!" So I say, "Well good, because you have new boots." By-the-way, she keeps calling them boots, but I'm thinking they are probably slippers with a rubber sole so that if you need to run to the mailbox they won't get ruined and you don't have to chance shoes.
As the southerners say "Bless her heart!"
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Car Window Stickers
As you know, a while back I posted that I don't like those stickers that people put on their car windows that say Rest in Peace or In Memory of...
I wish I had a really good reason for not liking them, but I really don't have one. I just don't like them. And two weeks ago as well as last week I was behind cars that had these stickers. The first one really bothered me because it was for a baby. I think the dates equated to a child around 6 months old at the time of death. I wonder if that's how that baby is best memorialized. Plus...I don't need to be distracted while driving because I'm trying to figure out the age of someone when they die or get all upset when I realize it's a baby! Then Friday I was behind a truck for a good bit of my ride home and it had 2 In Memory of stickers (one on each side of the back window) and in the middle of the In Memory of and the person's name and DOB and DOD was a big bass fish. Another distraction I don't need while driving!
Goodness people - can't you think of any other way to pay tribute to your dead friends or family? I'm just sayin...
I wish I had a really good reason for not liking them, but I really don't have one. I just don't like them. And two weeks ago as well as last week I was behind cars that had these stickers. The first one really bothered me because it was for a baby. I think the dates equated to a child around 6 months old at the time of death. I wonder if that's how that baby is best memorialized. Plus...I don't need to be distracted while driving because I'm trying to figure out the age of someone when they die or get all upset when I realize it's a baby! Then Friday I was behind a truck for a good bit of my ride home and it had 2 In Memory of stickers (one on each side of the back window) and in the middle of the In Memory of and the person's name and DOB and DOD was a big bass fish. Another distraction I don't need while driving!
Goodness people - can't you think of any other way to pay tribute to your dead friends or family? I'm just sayin...
I hate your Trash!
I've been meaning to post this for a while. I hate trash and when people throw their trash on the ground! Even if it is biodegradable!
Several months ago I was on my way to my car at work so I could head home for the day and this is what I found!
I just want to know why someone can't wrap this up in a napkin and throw it away when they get home! It's so disrespectful of the other people around you!Saturday, April 25, 2009
Do you know what today is???
Most of you won't be able to put 2 and 2 together to figure out what today is beyond the fact that it is a beautiful Saturday and it's April 25th! But, today is a sad day for me in some respects...it marks the one year anniversary of the first official day of my salon being closed.
Last year at approximately 4:00 pm on Thursday, April 24th I announced to my team that we would not reopen for business the next day and for the next 1/2 hour I had an utter breakdown and anxiety attack and thought I was having a heart attack. I convulsed and cried and carried on - on the salon's kitchen floor - for at least 30 minutes. I was a failure in my eyes...and I had failed my employees and our clients.
Today I realize I learned a lot from that experience. I am glad I tried it, and I'm ready for a new and better phase for my life. WHICH STARTS RIGHT NOW!! (Well, in my mind it started yesterday or 1 this morning when I was typing out my other posts.)
I can't believe it's been a year...it's been rough, but it can only get better. Right? Please say I'm right!
Last year at approximately 4:00 pm on Thursday, April 24th I announced to my team that we would not reopen for business the next day and for the next 1/2 hour I had an utter breakdown and anxiety attack and thought I was having a heart attack. I convulsed and cried and carried on - on the salon's kitchen floor - for at least 30 minutes. I was a failure in my eyes...and I had failed my employees and our clients.
Today I realize I learned a lot from that experience. I am glad I tried it, and I'm ready for a new and better phase for my life. WHICH STARTS RIGHT NOW!! (Well, in my mind it started yesterday or 1 this morning when I was typing out my other posts.)
I can't believe it's been a year...it's been rough, but it can only get better. Right? Please say I'm right!
Read with Me...
I just started reading 10-10-10 by Suzy Welch. It's about taking the time to think of the impact decisions will have on your life Now...a little while in the future...in the distant future.
- The first step is to determine your question (like...should I do this or that?).
- Then collect the data...be honest when asking yourself what the consequences will be of your options (in 10 minutes, 10 months, 10 years...or whatever time frame applies to you).
- The last step is analysis. Take all the information you've compiled and compare it to your innermost values, beliefs, goals, dreams, and needs.
I am still in the very beginning of the book...I will keep you posted of what I learn. I always enjoy reading something that makes me take time for self reflection...there is never any harm in looking within yourself!
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