Only the most recent are "LONG-ASS" Posts. They are my offering to a place I have loved helping to build and to the amazing , brilliant, funny, caring people I have had the privilege of sharing life with over almost 14 years.
There is MUCH MORE variety and humor in past posts available in archive list. : )
Please feel free to subscribe here
and also go to:
www.PlayfulPutOns.com
to keep in touch.
TODAY I shook the hand that shook the hand of someone historically significant in Argentina.
I've worked with this wonderful woman for years, but never ate lunch with her, or got the chance to share our lives much.
TODAY, when asked by this dear lady if I am doing o.k. ......
I busted out SINGING the first line of the tune:
"DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA!"....
Well ...I was floored that something this simple could bring up a topic of who's famous hand she shook.....
Ask her....
she's in the housewares department or hard home as its called.
She is lovely and hard working and honest, and like everyone else on the planet...has a 30 second story that would amaze you.
No one is expendable in the history of this planet.
And this simple comment reminded me that people go to a job,
and wear a uniform of sorts,
and chug down their list of requirements, coupons and such
while someone's monitoring, devaluing and critiquing their performance...
...all the while requiring them to become less interactive and less human.
Glad for a chance to hear this 20 to 30 second event... a seriously cool event in this woman's life.
Its these life experiences that make for a better sales associate interaction with customers...but wait...that was when we used to do clientele and customer service at its best.
Developing a RELATIONSHIP with the customer was the PRIORITY that brought REAL customers back to shop again & again.
You and I understand
that having a brief conversation
with the women who offers up to you that THIS...a trip to OUR store...
was her FIRST outing
AFTER 6 months of CHEMO.
Is NOT being " chatty".
Really. ....
Well ...with 10 people in line behind her and 3 of us ringing and 2 managers drinking coffee somewhere....you can BET I am going to
effectively take care of her transaction.REMOVE ALL of her SENSORS......serve her with a smile...
AND INTERACT with her like the brave, beautiful, human being that she is.
Tell me not to get so " Chatty"
Tell me to move through the line quicker.
Tell me to focus on getting
someone to open a credit card.
Y'all can try doing a 2 hour shift alone, or a 15 person line by yourself, with the customers laughing and pleasant while waiting.... tell me then, that your associates don't have "skills" that most of You never even bother to see.
Take a class
from your dock guys
and tracks ladies
and door greeters who are like the life blood of the store circulating throughout the departments.
They see and know, and are part of
how much is handled all day long ...often without any MOD assistance by your ordinary associate...
There is a family
a team of people
who have each others backs
AND each others hearts
and leap right in to help each other.
All day,
Every day.
I like to call them...
HEROS.
Cleverly Disguised as Store Associates
and a couple of managers as well....
Who Save the ASS of your store
More times per day
Than you will ever take the time
To care to know about.
ROCK THE SPACE YOU'RE IN HEROES.
You always do!
Love and Peace of Mind
Delight and CLARITY of Purpose,
To you and those you love,
JOY
I LOVE when people are HONORED.
So often people WAIT to HONOR someone until they are too feeble of body and mind to realize what's being said. Or they actually wait till the person has DIED and " honor" them in their casket.
In a Work environment, people are honored for Certain things. Usually only for things that bring a company more obvious $$$$$, but not understanding & recognizing the day to day value they add even when not being watched.
My favorite HONOR of late is a dear young woman, wife, mom, human being who is working hard at the challenge of becoming a nurse.
She is kind brilliant hard working compassionate and so much more...who has chosen to further her life work, and become a nurse...and yet that positive step was not honored and encouraged by some, but seen more as an inconvenience.
Well...Today she is actually HONORED and HONORING herself.
She made HONORS in her current schooling.
I LOVE that word. HONOR.
EVERYONE should be HONORED.
Way to go Sweetie!
You ARE Rocking The Space You're In!
Proud of you.
Happy for you.
Believe in You!
Inspired by you.
News flash...you have inspired me to go back to school as well.
Thank you!
Love and peace of mind
Delight and clarity of purpose
to You and those you love,
JOY
I'm awake , and if you're reading this, you are awake too.
With only five hours of sleep and no alarm clock to wake me...my body was up , and moving, and excited about the day ahead.
There is a list, and a plan, and a purpose for this day , and my body is already in excited agreement with my mind, ready to take on the next 24.
There have been times in the past, that my body and especially my mind, were not able to conceive that starting my day was a good thing.
My hand would involuntarily reach over and hit the snooze button multiple times in an effort to convince my mind that staying in bed was preferable to whatever lie ahead.
Today however, as yesterday, ...
"was a whole new roll of sushi"
I have always had a gift for making anything an adventure .
Most often I could do this effortlessly, because of my ability to see things in a fun twisted meaningful way, and because I genuinely have a heart for people.
I was often able to encourage others and also keep myself from "going to the buffet for a second plate of crazy."
I have always been able to
Rock the space I'm in no matter what that space looked like, or where it was.
Over the past years and months, my environment, and MY allowing it to negatively affect and change who I am, began to become more noticeable and debilitating and unacceptable.
This past 48 hours, there has been no trying, no struggling, no fear, and no hesitation.
There has been only a wide open road ahead of me that apparently my whole being is ready, willing, and more than able to explore.
So...you and I are AWAKE.
WE are Up and Moving.
We BOTH have 24 hours.
Let's ROCK THE SPACE WE'RE IN
TODAY... by choosing ONE thing on our bucket list, and taking action on it.
Big or small, even if that one thing is just to NOT allow the people or circumstances or challenges in our environment today, impact, and negatively change the person we are inside ..........
That will be a day well spent!
YOU have a PURPOSE on this planet,...
in this...YOUR ONLY LIFETIME.
So do your day, Your way, and let the chips fall where they may.
"High five" Tom from housewares,
Give Manny a whistle for me, and let Matt know his good heart and hard work and respect for others is admired and so appreciated.
I'm heading out to create a LIFE that won't make me want to hit the snooze button or go to the buffet for a second place of crazy.
Please try in your own way today
to rock the space you're in,
speak good things to each other,
and HONOR what an awesome person of integrity passion and brilliance you truly are.
Love And Peace of Mind
Delight and Clarity of Purpose,
To YOU, and those you love.
JOY
P.S. click subscribe if you want to stay in touch. Or just meet me back here to let me know How YOU Rocked YOUR day!!!! <3
Is that Really Me in those Sparkly flip flops today??????
Yep. Sure is.
And I'm wearing a cute pink floral top and a pink hoodie that says PRINCESS in sparkles on the arm, and has a sparkly tiara logo on the chest.
Yes. I'm dealing with the pain and illness of a loved one...yes I am on an adventure of life currently being funded ONLY by the love and Passion and DELIGHT that I've always had in "believing in the invisible".
I have a Father, who just "happens" to be GOD. My dad died when I was just 24 but my FATHER is God, and He created and loves and accepts and PROVIDES for me. I may have gotten so caught up in my past LOVE of my life at the "day job", that I didn't have faith to leap into a new future without a net.
Well, My Babies....That ship has sailed, and I am TRULY EXCITED to be trusting my Father to whisper to me each step of the way.
He is Faithful...
and although I didn't spend my time on the clock "preaching" about my Savior and Lord...in spite of my human-ness and random grumblings and especially
in spite of my frequent tardiness..
( which I realize was thoughtless)...
I hope you know what your friendship and teamwork and sharing of your lives has meant to me for 13 and a half years.
Stay in touch, and I always HOPE to encourage, appreciate and validate just how AMAZING and BORDERING ON MAGNIFICENT you really are.
Love and DELIGHT,
Peace of Mind
and Clarity of Purpose,
to you, and those you love,
JOY
Laughter.
Walking.
Love.
Even one bite of Sushi perhaps.
If what's being done "ain't" working...
.......why not try the opposite?
Tonight,.... a shower,......
for a body that's had nothing but illness and pain for days and weeks,
was Good Medicine.
Tonight.....a visit...
and being in clean clothes and clean bed sheets was Good Medicine.
Tonight...talking was not good medicine, laughter or humor was not good medicine...even bringing the usually desired snacks, was not good medicine.
Only silence, and fresh clothes, and help with a shower, ...oh....and a peppermint foot massage before I left.
Now That"s Good Medicine.!
Let's Rock the Space Were In
(Even if its somebody else's Space)
By only doing what can
and being o.k. with the painful things
that we are not able to make good for others.
Love and clarity of purpose
Peace of Mind and delight
To YOU and those you love,
JOY
No regrets.
Living life without looking over ones shoulder, not constantly fearful of making a mistake, or regretting decisions actions words or choices, made in the past.
Wow that sounds fairly healthy to me, that sounds like someone who recognizes ways they could have possibly done things differently or perhaps even better then they did in life, but since their life is still in process, trying to live without regrets, gives one the ability to keep moving forward, hopefully creating better circumstances, instead of giving up.
Have you ever run into a brick wall head first?
Have you ever started to freeze up and lose the ability to move forward?
Not a good feeling is it?
What I know is;
REGRETS are heavy little bastards.
They rob you of energy
focus
spirit
and love.
I believe that even when going through major challenges, if we will treat ourselves and those around us
with understanding and forgiveness,
we will be able to continue
moving towards a goal,
the prize,
the end of our journey
with grace
and class
and yes even Delight.
In life everyone makes their own choices and decisions,
usually to attain a sense of happiness comfort or peace,
but what happens when things don't go the way they desired?
Some give up on themselves or others out of weariness, out of always being "wrong" or out of not being able to figure out a better way to do life .
What if instead of feeling defeated, we gave up our Regrets?
What if we said to ourselves that
"THIS is a NEW day...and I will do what I can with THIS 24 hours.". . . . .
. . . .And then CELEBRATE whatever we choose to about THIS day,
No Regrets.
Use THIS 24 well!
And Rock The Space You're In.
............Today.
Love and Clarity of Purpose,
Delight and Peace of Mind,
To you, and those you love,
JOY
Watched about 5 movies today.
Most of the movies were "based on a true story. "
I hardly ever do something like this or spend my day this way, but today I guess I was watching the creativity strength and vision of others,
while wanting to make my life Worth basing a true story on.
In my current role, I see myself taking bigger chances, and working without a net, much like a trapeze artist.
I don't look down,
keep a firm but flexible grip
am focused, but relaxed enough to see the next opportunity as it presents itself.
and am not distracted by the gasps or applause of the crowd in the circus tent.
I'm not the RingMaster
or the Clown
or the bearded lady..
I'm just
swinging from one trapeze
to the other,
three stories up,
with a smile on my face,
trusting in the life skills I've learned
while on the road.
BTW.... Trapeze Artists have great
bodies and sharp reflexes
from being stretched.
Based on a true story.
Yep.
That's mine.
and I'm stickin' to it.
Love and Clarity of Purpose
Peace of Mind and Delight
to you and those you love,
JOY
I got a text.
Actually I get this text from a friend every now and then saying...
What's up?
I Love that.
What's up?
Well... I am now...because you decided to take a moment to connect.
Doesn't matter if I have anything exciting to share...
You let me know I have been thought of today.
You will have a story to tell about your day that will make me laugh.
You interrupted the flow of the past 24 hours to share your life.
You asked me what was interesting, funny, or challenging in my life today, and asked me about my plans for my future. ...and told me about yours.
You asked me questions about making more of a life for myself with my business and with a meaningful occupation.
What's Up???
I AM.
....Because with a simple text...you remind me to value and care for myself and TAKE ACTION on my future.
I AM UP!
Early, and Confident and Ready to
Rock The Space I'm In
( and anywhere within 10 miles)
Love and Peace of Mind
Delight and Clarity of Purpose
To you and those you love,
JOY
Repetition is good, even great
sometimes.
Like playing scales while learning to play the piano or saxophone.
Doing a certain number of "reps" when working out, especially with weights.
Saying phrases in a new language like French or Latin over and over until you begin to pronounce the words with the correct accent.
And who doesn't remember repeating times tables almost in their sleep
so that the right answer sprang from your lips in the classroom
when your 3rd grade teacher
Mrs. Abazoris held up the flashcard that said 7 × 7 =
Yep,
REPETITION can be good.
REPETITION often serves a purpose.
REPETITION can indelibly imprint .something important...even VITAL in your mind that could save you
TIME
MONEY
A RELATIONSHIP
HEARTACHE
Or even......(like CPR)......
A LIFE.
Its interesting and ever so slightly amusing to me that people who will listen to ONE genre of music,
( literally, the SAME songs from the same "classic" radio station, daily, over and over for years )
........ will have NO tolerance for
hearing / receiving the same words
or message from a loved one or family member, ......even tho. it was not truly received the first time around.
Something VITAL to a relationship,
or to a life itself, should bear repeating if necessary... but is more likely to be viewed as nagging or preaching.
The Crucial insight here is.....
If something is shared in the Spirit of Love...by someone who is your Loved one.....
WHY DOES IT NEED TO BE....
REPEATED?
However challenging or difficult the topic may be; .....if the intent of sharing is to heal or improve or better someone's relationships, circumstance, situation, or understanding ..
WHY would the words NEED to be REPEATED in the first place?
Its Ironic to hear..
" Didn't we already go over THAT earlier? ". when asking a loved one for a response that involves feelings rather than just a mindless factual assent to what was previously shared.
Actually, the reason for most of the Drama that is created
by someone's Unwillingness to take the words of another to heart THE FIRST TIME,
Is that the person who cares the most in the situation
will continue to try sharing
in hopes of creating more intimacy and possibilities....
...only to be dismissed as a " nag "
I Say....
Don't care so much.
DON'T continue to INVEST
where there is no mutual return and VALUATION. placed on your
Words
Thoughts
Insights
Experience
Time
and Intentions.
Do NOT go back to the buffet
for a second plate of crazy.
You have a Life to LIVE....
Rock The Space You're In
by stating the truth
and letting the chips
FALL where they may!!!
Oh... and remember...
Its NOT YOUR JOB
to sweep them up.......
You'll be too busy LIVING
to be cleaning up someone else's
mess.
Love and Clarity of Purpose,
Delight and Peace of Mind,
To YOU
and those you love,
JOY
