Life's Mantra

I am a huge NFL fan. I LOVE the Pittsburgh Steelers! Many may feel the Dallas Cowboys are America's team, but I know the Pittsburgh Steelers are GOD'S team! No ..... I am not from Pennsylvania. I was born, raised, and currently live on the east coast of Virginia.

While riding around town on my daily runs I always have the car radio tuned to ESPN - must stay "in the know!" As you can imagine, the main topic the last several days has been Tiger Woods. Yesterday a listener called in to give his reflections on Tiger. While chatting with the radio host he gave his life mantra .....

Those that mind don't matter

Those that matter don't mind

This mantra has really stuck with me - I cannot seem to get it out of my head. In my opinion it is very profound. Stop for a few minutes and reflect on this mantra. What do you think?

Just A Few Pictures of My Backyard During the November 2009 Nor'Easter!

Technology .... Again! - National Blog Posting Month Day 15

WHY?

WHY?

WHY?

In an earlier post to my blog, I mentioned to you that I am not technologically efficient.

I like things to remain simple.

Technology is not simple.

I like things to be hassle free.

Technology is not hassle free.

Somewhere along the way I've probably mentioned that we were formerly Alltel customers. At some point this year Verizon Wireless bought Alltel. I guess Verizon Wireless feels it's extremely important that all former Alltel customers do things their way. Why?

This past weekend Verizon Wireless decided it was very important they upgrade all former Alltel customer's voice mail.

There was nothing wrong with my voice mail.

Why is it important to change my voice mail?

My voice mail worked before.

My voice mail doesn't work now.

Why?

Yesterday I started the process of upgrading my voice mail. I found the written instructions so I could set it up correctly - step by step.

Step #1 did not work.

I got the feeling this was not a good sign.

I repeatedly tried Step #1 over a dozen times.

Step #1 repeatedly did not work over that dozen times.

I began to feel that this process wasn't going to be as simple as the written directions told me.

I decided it would probably be best to just call the *611 customer support. She told me that someone had called earlier with the same problem, and that by working together we would have the problem solved in no time.

Well .... that wasn't exactly right. After a little while she told me she needed to be in touch with tech support because all the steps on her written instructions weren't working. Why?

She put me on hold to contact tech support.

Guess what?

I was not cut off when she put me on hold!

I figured this was a sign that things were beginning to look up. Wrong.

The tech support guy came on the line and assured me that by working together we would have the problem solved in no time. Haven't I heard this before recently?

Well .... that wasn't exactly right. After trying a couple of things, he said ....

"I just had a memo come through that the voice mail in your calling area is down, and they're working frantically to correct the problem. I'm afraid I can't tell you exactly how long it's going to take." Why?

So .... the solution he gave me was ....

.... dial *86 to begin the upgrade process ....

.... if you get a busy signal, the voice mail problem in your calling area has not been corrected ....

.... if it rings, then the voice mail problem in my calling area has been corrected ....

.... if the voice mail problem in my calling area has been corrected, then I'll be able to follow the prompts to upgrade

Now doesn't all that sound ridiculous?

Here's the icing on the cupcake .... it's been 30 hours since I was given this wonderful solution by tech support .... I'm still getting a busy signal when I dial *86 .... I guess that means the voice mail problem in my calling area has not been corrected .... I guess that means I get to call tech support again.

I hate technology.

Catch-Up! - National Blog Posting Month Days 10 through 14

Yes! I fell off the National Blog Posting Month Wagon! The idea to post every day for 30 straight days - well .... does playing "catch-up" because I missed 5 days count? I don't remember reading any "set in stone" rules! So .... I think it counts!

I do not have a good reason as to why I've missed the last 5 days, but ..... I do have good excuses!

I haven't posted for the last 5 days because .....

..... I painted our family room!

..... I rearranged and purged our family room.

..... I am trying to dig out from under all the mess the November 2009 Nor'Easter left behind.

..... I am painting our kitchen walls.

..... I am purging my kitchen cabinets.

..... I am researching the best way to paint my kitchen cabinets.

..... I have had very heavy pet sitting daily schedules since the Nor'Easter.

..... I had to install a new hot water tank.

This is only a sampling of the many things that have been happening the last 5 days. As I said, all of them are excuses - none really constitute as a reason. Then again ..... they are my excuses - so I guess I could justify any one of them or all of them as a reason. Hmmm ..... there's something to meditate!

All I have to do now is decide which one I want to use as my reason and get back on the "blog wagon!"

November 2009 Nor'Easter - National Blog Posting Month Day 9

I love living on the East Coast.

I love the water.

I love everything about the coastline and the water.

But .....

I don't love the storms.

They don't frighten me.

They don't even bother me.

I don't like the way the entire area has to practically shut down during a storm.

You see ..... where I live - the east coast of Virginia - you cannot go anywhere without going over or under the water. My area is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Chesapeake Bay, and various rivers. There are bridges, tunnels, and bridge-tunnels everywhere.

Yesterday a nor'easter arrived in our area. Normally a nor'easter arrives and within a day it's moved right on up the coast to visit others. Unfortunately, this one has stalled over our area. It began yesterday and is supposed to continue through tomorrow evening. It's definitely time for it to move on up the coast and visit others.

One of the main tunnels in the area had to lower its flood doors.

One of the main bridges in the area had to close due to the high winds.

One of the main bridges in the area had to close due to flooding.

Three of the other area bridges had to close due to flooding.

Many of the area roads had to close due to flooding.

Needless to say, it's been a little difficult getting around if you really had to go anywhere. If you didn't have to be anywhere, it was the perfect day to curl up on the couch or in a chair with a good book.

These storms and hurricanes are a way of life around here.

Just like snow is a way of life in the north.

Just like tornadoes are a way of life in the midwest.

Just like earthquakes, mudslides, fires, and volcanoes are ways of life in other parts of the country.

It doesn't matter where you live, there are certain weather conditions you must endure.

I live on one of the many rivers in our area. We had extremely high tides yesterday and today. They will likely be even higher tomorrow. The biggest problem with the tide is the wind - the wind blows so hard and constant with gusts during these storms - the wind doesn't allow the tide to completely recede before it's high tide again. Tonight the river completely surrounded my house - it was as if I lived on an island. It didn't quite make it to the street, but it sure was close. It is still in the yard tonight and will surround the house again by the morning when it's high tide again. Slowly tomorrow the winds will calm and the tide will be able to recede to somewhat normal levels.

That's when all the clean-up begins. The yard is completely coated with debris from the river - wood, trash, marsh reeds. When we are finally able to begin cleaning all the debris from the yard, we will find fish. They swim in with the tide but don't quite make it out with the tide. We'll most likely even find crabs and barnacles.

I love living on the East Coast.

I love the water.

I love everything about the coastline and the water.

But .....

I sure don't like cleaning up the mess after a storm.

Words of Wisdom - National Blog Posting Month Day 8

"If you choose to criticize, you choose your enemies."

.... Ozzy Osbourne

Wishful Wednesday - National Blog Posting Month Day 8

All of us wish for things in life. Some of our wishes are logical; some of our wishes are illogical - that's why they're called wishes. Thanks for the idea, Angee!

I wish ....

1. all my painting was done!

2. this nor'easter would move on up the coast and go away.

3. I was independently wealthy and could just hire someone to do all the remodeling I have in mind for the future.

4. life would simply fall into place for my son.

5. I knew what the heck to do about this cell phone issue.

6. my husband would finish painting that darn shed of his.

7. my husband would make up his daggone mind what he wants to do about his daggone truck.

8. I could just once watch a show on TV I want to watch without having someone interrupting me all the time!

9. everyone would show the Veterans the gratitude they should receive every day of the year instead of just certain days set aside by the government.

10. I could remember everything I've thought about wishing for on Wishful Wednesday!

What do you wish for on Wishful Wednesday?