Good night sleep works wonders

I felt badly leaving my evening meeting early, but I physically could not keep my eyes open. I have been burning the candle at both ends, and when that happens a 9pm crash is just what the doctor ordered.

I actually feel a bit "jet-lagged" from so much sleep. Kind of like when I gave up coffee a few years ago. For a few weeks, I was really to fall asleep 24/7. That wore off, I had no coffee for 6 months, BUT now am an addict again.

I really want to get the book HELPING that I heard about last night. Don't tell anyone, but I may do the B&N trick on this book. Find a couple of hours free (that is a challenge), go to B&N, buy latte, find a quiet cozy chair, get the book and read it there. I have only done this a couple of times. I know, stealing money from all those authors. Believe me, I have bought my share of books in my lifetime. We are trying to not add anymore books to the Coniston bookshelves, so if I can I get them from the library.

Speaking of the library, are all librarians grouchy? There are a few in Lexington who must have a really bad life to be so grouchy. One in particular this week, I went in to say that I had indeed returned a book, but it was showing up on my account and collecting fines. I HATE TO PAY LIBRARY FINES. SHE SAYS: NOPE, not returned, look under your car seat. SALLY SAYS: I did return it with 2 others books last week. SHE SAYS: OH, OK I will go look on the shelves. SALLY SAYS:"No, let me do that for you, I don't mind" (smile). Not up there."

SHE SAYS: Well as I said, go look under your car seat. I start to doubt myself. After I leave she talks in a stage whisper about those stupid "customers" who lose track of books. SHE SAYS: I know it is under her car seat. I actually looked under my car seat. Not there

This morning when I logged in, miraculously the book has disappeared from my record.

Now that I think about it, I bet it was under HER car seat.

OK, I have friends who are librarians and not grouchy or devious, but this one was. I hope she reads my blog.

Helping - interesting book and interesting concept

I just returned from an ODLG meeting hearing the author Ed Schein talk about his new book, "Helping"

I am too tired right now to fully process most of the thoughts from the book that I just heard about but I definitely want to follow up soon on these thoughts.

Some insights are that asking for help puts you in a ONE DOWN position. Offering help is not always what is needed in a certain situation. Don't offer help unless you know what the helpee needs or wants.

I often offer help, when that is not really what the other person wants. I do this to be helpful and to please. Good intentions, good reasons, but not always well received, or even necessary to offer.

Off to bed now, coz of too many late nights. I am requesting the book from the library and I am sure will have an update once I actually read the book and get into it.

Got me thinking

I follow this person on twitter. One of his latest tweets is to a blog post of his and I want to think more about it. It is one of those, that I think I get, but am not sure. If I post it here then I am more apt to go back and read it.

The way I learn is by talking about and doing new stuff. So I need to talk about this post with others, and do it, I guess. I do know that the more uncomfortable I am, the more apt I am to learn something. Yes, if I look inside, this post makes me uncomfortable. GOOD THING to pay attention to.

Would love comments about the post!!!!!!

Life is Good - Brilliant company and tag line

I recently bought 2 more Life is Good t-shirts. I bought one early on before their popularity and I still wear it albeit infrequently coz I don't want it to fall apart. There were certain places early on, that I had to wear it e.g. at least once at Star Island every year. Now that there is a t-shirt sold each year for that conference, I don't have enough days now to wear it, so it sits on the shelf for Star.

I often think, Life is Good, sometimes and sometimes it is NOT GOOD. If there were not good times and bad times, we would not have the comparison to know the difference. This is kind of like the Baby on Board signs. There is not always a Baby on Board, so the sign is a lie sometimes.

Wearing the shirt, when Life is NOT Good, is a prod to be positive maybe or a day turns bad and you need to change shirts. Maybe I can bring it to Star this year, and wear it to indicate when Life is Good for me. In that case, it would be worn out, but now that I have 3, I could alternate them.

I also wonder if in this horrific economy, whether more people are buying Life is Good gear?

So today for me Life is Good. It is Friday, and by big brother got Red Sox vs. Yankess tickets for G (older brother), J (sister-in-law of older brother) T (oldest younger brother) and S (me)

It is sunny, and we head to Coniston after the SIC meeting tomorrow.

Earth Day 2009 - my third major resolution

Today at work we have an Earth Day fair. In fact, I am sitting staffing a table right now on how to make non-toxic household cleaners. I shamelessly borrowed this from FPLEX where M and C have been driving this initiative during social hours and other church events.

My future Daughter in law, M was reading this book over the winter. I got it from the library and took it on our recent trip. TANGENT ALERT, the best time for me to read a book cover to cover is on a long plane ride or a weekend at Coniston.

TANGENT OVER: I did not totally understand why M wanted to plant asparagus but now I do. Up until now, I have pretty much avoided gardening. It is a solo activity and for an MBTI ENFP, there is not much solo in my life. Thanks to M for turning me onto this book. It is a really thought provoking book. Live off the land only with locally grown food for a year. Here come the chickens soon.

So I figure I will start by planting asparagus at Coniston now, and gradually grow a garden up there. The prior owner already had an herb garden, I just need to figure out what is what.

This is my third major GREEN resolution, that I have personally done. The other two are NO PLASTIC BAGS and bring my own coffee mug into coffee shops or to fill with water so NO PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES. Oh, I forgot, we stopped the Boston Globe daily paper, since more often than not it went directly to the recycle bin. I hope I am not personally responsible for the demise of the Boston Globe.

So, in a few years, I will be harvesting asparagus at Coniston, and this year we will have zucchini and tomatoes.

Happy Earth Day everyone!!!!

Trying to understand but I am not quite there

Since the pirate episode two weeks ago I have been trying to understand the pirate mentality. American kids dress up as pirates, and the occupation is one to be coveted by them, I think. The good UU way is to walk in someone else's shoes and I am practicing. I still do not understand . . . BUT I do understand. It is all about money. If we continue to pay them off, they will continue to "work". Bribes happen all the time all over the world, including the good 'ole USA.

Yesterday someone hacked my email account and send spam to my entire email list. What a helpless feeling. Who does this? What do they get out of it? Where is the money transaction for this one? I am going to continue to ponder this one, and try to be in their mind and walk in their shoes, but if anyone has any insight for me, it would be welcome. Happy Day, hopefully with less SPAM than yesterday.

Embarking on an Exciting Adventure - SIC Star Island Corporation

Tomorrow night will be my first Star Island Corporation meeting. Officially I won't be elected to the Board until the annual meeting on Saturday, but they did not want me to miss out on this first meeting, which was very nice.

I do a lot of volunteer work, and it was a real honor to be asked to server on this Board. I know it won't be easy, since there are always challenges. A wooden hotel, on a rock in the middle of the ocean in a very fragile environment. We cannot control the hurricanes, or lightening strikes, or squalls; the acts of nature. We can control our regulatory compliance but we cannot control the economy and what it might do to registration. It is an excellent staff. I served on the search committee for the CEO and recommended the job to the current Development Director.

With limited volunteer hours, since I am still gainfully employed, this is where I want to put my energy.

I am excited and a bit scared. Excited, because Star means so much to me and as I said, I am honored to serve. Scared, because this is a huge responsibility.

So tonight I will finish cramming, and read through the materials for my first Board meeting. "Star Island is my spirit's home". That is why I serve.