The impact of doing something small and the right time over something large at another
or something for someone that may not be convenient for you but make a big difference to another.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Observation-technology & communication
Recently my family took a long weekend and took in a few baseball games and other activities. Oddly one of the most humorous things I noticed was the change in what the kids priorities were.
I remember taking extended vacations with my aunt and uncle and two cousins. We couldn't wait to get to the hotel and it seemed to take even longer because my aunt and uncle loved the scenic route to everything! But once we arrived we took enough time to squeeze our suitcases in the door, rip open our bags and grab our swim suits. Had to hit the pool! Had to be ready for the pool before my aunt and uncle got too settled into something else.
Flash forward, we've been at a ballgame and it's late into the evening and we've squeezed in the door of our hotel room. The kids have mentioned swimming but not 30 seconds after we're in the door, all four of us are walking around with a cell phone in one hand and the charger in the other as if our lives depended on finding a power source. As we all vie for a plug-in and you know how there's never enough in a hotel room...
I had to chuckle to myself.
We took a little weekend trip to have some family time and communicate at a different level but it was almost as if we didn't charge that cell phone we wouldn't be able to speak.
I know cell phones are a communication vehicle but I also wonder if they aren't the roadblock to communication too. We text instead of converse therefore losing some of the emotion involved. It's hard to get a read on someones "lol" if you can't hear it in their voice.
I often wonder what sort of communicators we will be in the future? We don't let the media deliver a broad brush of subjects, we like to narrow our "search" for items of interest. Will that make us too narrow minded and too narrow knowledgeable? Will we only learn more about the things that intrigue us but then maybe we would be missing something else that would interest us because we never knew about it or further investigated?
Will manners become a thing of the past because the world we know comes from a screen instead of human interaction?
I remember taking extended vacations with my aunt and uncle and two cousins. We couldn't wait to get to the hotel and it seemed to take even longer because my aunt and uncle loved the scenic route to everything! But once we arrived we took enough time to squeeze our suitcases in the door, rip open our bags and grab our swim suits. Had to hit the pool! Had to be ready for the pool before my aunt and uncle got too settled into something else.
Flash forward, we've been at a ballgame and it's late into the evening and we've squeezed in the door of our hotel room. The kids have mentioned swimming but not 30 seconds after we're in the door, all four of us are walking around with a cell phone in one hand and the charger in the other as if our lives depended on finding a power source. As we all vie for a plug-in and you know how there's never enough in a hotel room...
I had to chuckle to myself.
We took a little weekend trip to have some family time and communicate at a different level but it was almost as if we didn't charge that cell phone we wouldn't be able to speak.
I know cell phones are a communication vehicle but I also wonder if they aren't the roadblock to communication too. We text instead of converse therefore losing some of the emotion involved. It's hard to get a read on someones "lol" if you can't hear it in their voice.
I often wonder what sort of communicators we will be in the future? We don't let the media deliver a broad brush of subjects, we like to narrow our "search" for items of interest. Will that make us too narrow minded and too narrow knowledgeable? Will we only learn more about the things that intrigue us but then maybe we would be missing something else that would interest us because we never knew about it or further investigated?
Will manners become a thing of the past because the world we know comes from a screen instead of human interaction?
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Moving On
This last weekend marked the first time we have ever moved as a family unit. We bought a house that suits our needs much more. With all the things you have to do to a house in order to put it on the market, it realy felt like we had already moved out. But to a 10x15 storage unit.
That house was good to us. We brought both our kids home from the hospital to it. Many, many birthday parties, family gatherings and Christmas celebrations. We have a few random items we still need to move out and then we close on it the 29th. It will be bittersweet but we love the new house and can already feel it love us back.
That house was good to us. We brought both our kids home from the hospital to it. Many, many birthday parties, family gatherings and Christmas celebrations. We have a few random items we still need to move out and then we close on it the 29th. It will be bittersweet but we love the new house and can already feel it love us back.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Serenity in the Flint Hills
I discovered a lovely little nugget in the Flint Hills of Kansas this week... Cottonwood Falls.
It's a serene setting, perfect for quiet reflection and full of treasures waiting to be framed in your lens and captured for future stories.
The Courthouse is perched high upon the hill as if to be the sentenal standing watch down the main street. The Chase County Courthouse is the oldest operating courthouse in Kansas. To the credit of that county and community they show their great pride in the building as you will clearly see upon entering. Aligning the great historic presence with the needs of a modern day functioning courthouse would certainly be a trick, but one they have meshed well.
The beautiful staircase you see in the entrance climbs with an irregular curve and I would imagine a carpenters nightmare. The modern day elevator is nicely accessible but not obvious.
The jail area is uncomfortable as it should be and almost gives you the chills with the thoughts of criminals past. Their hashmarks scratched into the cell gates, bars and walls start the imagination.
As you meander down the street still paved of brick you can stop in at Jim Bell and Son to don your cowboy gear before walking to the now footbridge, at the end of the street to see the beautiful falls lined with fallen timbers that seem to have been preserved to enhance your viewing pleasure.
As you turn back south you can enjoy a fantastic meal and retire to your room in the Grand Central Hotel. The authenticity of the decor (but not over the top) and the treat for your tastebuds the cuisine provides will round out your experience.
The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is nearby and could requires a days worth of attention with your camera.
It's a serene setting, perfect for quiet reflection and full of treasures waiting to be framed in your lens and captured for future stories.
The beautiful staircase you see in the entrance climbs with an irregular curve and I would imagine a carpenters nightmare. The modern day elevator is nicely accessible but not obvious.
The jail area is uncomfortable as it should be and almost gives you the chills with the thoughts of criminals past. Their hashmarks scratched into the cell gates, bars and walls start the imagination.
As you meander down the street still paved of brick you can stop in at Jim Bell and Son to don your cowboy gear before walking to the now footbridge, at the end of the street to see the beautiful falls lined with fallen timbers that seem to have been preserved to enhance your viewing pleasure.
As you turn back south you can enjoy a fantastic meal and retire to your room in the Grand Central Hotel. The authenticity of the decor (but not over the top) and the treat for your tastebuds the cuisine provides will round out your experience.
The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is nearby and could requires a days worth of attention with your camera.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
The signs are everywhere!
I just drove by one of our community ball diamonds where they're dragging the dirt infield. Another great sign that spring is almost really here. Like the crocus bulbs sending up their green foliage through the brown leaves of fall past, the baseballs flying in and out of kids well worn leather, best gloves, it's a sign of the rebirth of all things living. People come out of their houses and their cocoons of winter outer wear and the smiles are more abundant. Right now mother nature teases with an off and on day of sunshine but we know what's under that gray wrapping paper. Green grass, brightly colored flowers and sparkles in the eyes of those cabin fevered humans. Bring it on!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Seeing the light!
For the past 3 months we've been making the efforts sometimes tiring and frustrating effort to get our house ready to go up for sale. As we've been making those little completions we just never got to, or polishe dup something we just never bothered, my husband and I both made the comment that it's funny how we never felt compelled enough to do this while actually living here but now we do for someone else?
As much as that may be true I think it also speaks to the fact that we couldn't see the forrest for the trees because so much stuff had piled up! We were like rolling stones with a ridiculous magnetic force to attract all things needed or not. Now we aren't crazy collectors or hoarders of any kind but things just add up!
Once we decluttered and scaled down it was almost as if you could see the whole family stand a little taller. I've actually walked into our backroom without that dreaded reminder of so many things left undone. I'm ready for us to get our first home together sold and move on to new memories and dreams. I hope that we have infused alot of good energy into this house and it will reflect to the right buyer and we will be on our merry way! The next house...we will finsih projects and keep up. It just snowballs if you don't and then even being there is painful. No reason to save the special dishes for a special day. You're special and everyday you have on this planet is a special opportunity!
As much as that may be true I think it also speaks to the fact that we couldn't see the forrest for the trees because so much stuff had piled up! We were like rolling stones with a ridiculous magnetic force to attract all things needed or not. Now we aren't crazy collectors or hoarders of any kind but things just add up!
Once we decluttered and scaled down it was almost as if you could see the whole family stand a little taller. I've actually walked into our backroom without that dreaded reminder of so many things left undone. I'm ready for us to get our first home together sold and move on to new memories and dreams. I hope that we have infused alot of good energy into this house and it will reflect to the right buyer and we will be on our merry way! The next house...we will finsih projects and keep up. It just snowballs if you don't and then even being there is painful. No reason to save the special dishes for a special day. You're special and everyday you have on this planet is a special opportunity!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
You don't know what you don't know
Over the past few weeks I've experienced a wide variety of examples...
When you go to a "show" whether it be a show full of exhibitors for women, gardening or fishing do you not go one, for the free stuff and two, to learn more or discover something new? So when you meander past booth after booth, you are immediately stopped by free stuff right? And then next by noticing something that surprises or intrigues you if not something that is already familiar to you. So if you are the exhibitor and your product is still in the widely unknown column, handing an interested party something on your product should probably be accompanied by the "oh and we have this too" information as well? If they don't know what you have, who you are or even have maybe a stereotypical take on your product, don't you want to give them all that you have to show them who you really are? Just because they're at a fishing show doesn't mean they don't also like to go to concerts, eat or other activities. But if they don't know you have those opportunities they can't ask you for more information.
Rules for "shows"
Don't be stingy with your stuff, free or otherwise, do be enthusiastic, don't be timid, do make eye contact and greet as many as are willing to allow, do share your excitement.
Think about what you would expect from anyone in the customer service. Would you bank with a banker who didn't look you in the eye? Would you tip a waitress who chose to read a newspaper instead of refilling your water? It surprises me how some exhibitors judge their success on a show by how many walked by their booth and not on how many they may have actually reached by making new connections and sharing your enthusiasm for your product. Throwing a big picture up in the background and setting up a table does not entitle you to my attention.
When you go to a "show" whether it be a show full of exhibitors for women, gardening or fishing do you not go one, for the free stuff and two, to learn more or discover something new? So when you meander past booth after booth, you are immediately stopped by free stuff right? And then next by noticing something that surprises or intrigues you if not something that is already familiar to you. So if you are the exhibitor and your product is still in the widely unknown column, handing an interested party something on your product should probably be accompanied by the "oh and we have this too" information as well? If they don't know what you have, who you are or even have maybe a stereotypical take on your product, don't you want to give them all that you have to show them who you really are? Just because they're at a fishing show doesn't mean they don't also like to go to concerts, eat or other activities. But if they don't know you have those opportunities they can't ask you for more information.
Rules for "shows"
Don't be stingy with your stuff, free or otherwise, do be enthusiastic, don't be timid, do make eye contact and greet as many as are willing to allow, do share your excitement.
Think about what you would expect from anyone in the customer service. Would you bank with a banker who didn't look you in the eye? Would you tip a waitress who chose to read a newspaper instead of refilling your water? It surprises me how some exhibitors judge their success on a show by how many walked by their booth and not on how many they may have actually reached by making new connections and sharing your enthusiasm for your product. Throwing a big picture up in the background and setting up a table does not entitle you to my attention.
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