Wiser on Wednesday - Don't Quit

DON'T QUIT - anonymous


When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and its turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When they might have won, had they stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit!

My Dad gave me a copy of this poem when I was 10 years old. He was encouraging me to do my best and to not give up when things became difficult. Thank you Daddy! I miss you.

DANGER! DANGER! Will Robinson!

The Way I See It I did a dangerous thing on Saturday. I ignored the inner voice telling me that I shouldn’t. I threw caution to the wind and went—wait for it -- I went SHOPPING. I know. I know. Any bad feelings I’m experiencing now should be considered my own fault. But please let me explain.

First I am tired of my look. I feel frumpy (I’m not) I feel that I look like somebody’s mother ( I am but without disparaging mother’s I know you know what I mean!) and I feel like it is impossible to change it.
Second – I am continually puzzled by the number of women who are shorter, taller, rounder, much rounder older younger than I am who are dressed in current fashion and look good! What is the problem with me and my body that I can’t look better or as least as good as I’d like to look?
Third – I recently returned to my regular viewing routine of TLC’s What Not to Wear. Every person they feature ends up looking great! Now you might say that 5000 dollars and the help of Stacy and Clinton could make anyone look better but I really don’t believe it is the money as much as the “rules”—but I digress.

Armed with these three points banging around in my head and the seduction of a wonderfully warm spring day I headed off to the mall. To prevent feeling overwhelmed I gave myself instructions to look for only one outfit—a pair of pants and a top or two to go with them – and maybe one of those cute waist length jackets in denim or twill.

So I’m strong and I ready and what do I find? … that I am still short! (If anything about my body had to change, couldn’t it have been my height instead of my weight?)
I am willing to have my clothes altered but these pants were so long, alterations would totally change the style and shape! And when? When did I get too round for Misses? So/ what? I have to go to Women’s? NO! I’m not that grown (read – OLD) yet!

Refusing to be deterred I sheepishly enter the Women’s department. The first size is 1X. Really? I didn’t think I’d gained that much weight – but off to the fitting room I went with 1X tops and 14W and 16W jeans and pants. I was pleased to see that Women sized jeans recognized my body! Meaning that I have fuller curves than I did and providing more ease and contours in the places I now need them without making me look like I will soon be attacked by Stacy and Clinton. I was feeling better…right up until I tried on the tops. I went from I could work this –to- a candidate model for tentmakers. The tops squared me out; frumped me up; made me shorter, older, wider, -- why not just go home and wear what I had?!!! Fortunately I stopped myself. Put the tops back and purchased the jeans only.

My counter strategy is to pull out my summer clothes, try on the tops, get rid of any that I can’t wear for whatever reason and go back out into the danger zone next weekend. Wish me luck!

HiHo! HiHo! - off to work I go!

Public Transportation - 1

One of the many things that makes moving traumatic is the number of changes that must be made that are not always apparent. You know...the changes you can't really prepare for... the changes that you don't even realize will be necessary...like Public Transportation.

As I prepared to move my friends attempted to encourage me by mentioning the new city's wonderful public transportation system. They talked about how clean and bright it was and the informative and pleasant workers. I can report that: Yes the system is clean and bright. Yes most of the staff are informattive and pleasant. However there is a marked difference in riding public transportation as a tourist and riding as a resident.

What my friends failed to mention --or more likely did not know-- is that there is no eating or drinking anywhere on the system--not on the cars--not on the platform-- and there is a one hundred dollar fine if they catch you.

Seriously? This will not work for me. Let me mention that eating on the way to work is how I've consumed breakfast for the pass "cabillion" years. On the go. On the train. On the bus. NOW what?! I have to eat before I leave the house? I have to ride an hour on an empty stomach? This is not good. This is not acceptable. AND this is not included in the Chamber of Commerce's "come live here" brochure.

So if you have suggestions that don't include getting up an hour earlier I'm all ears. In the meantime, I'm using my ride time to figure ways to either make another change or skirt the system.

Dizzing Days in the District - how it began

Well as you can see I haven't posted in quite some time! Since December 30th as a matter of fact. I have missed getting my thoughts on paper! Truthfully though, over the last eight weeks I have been so jammed with activity and decisions that I still can't believe that it is March, much less almost SPRING!

I MOVED! I was offered a job which I accepted. I was notified on January 15 to begin on February 1st! Yes I know just two weeks!. I seriously tried to have the start date be March 1 but they basically said "no". So I tidied things at work ( which meant working hard and long for three days); then got really busy packing my house. That was indeed a monstrous task.

I left home on January 30th and drove straight into a snow storm. It took me four hours to make a 2hr and 15 min trip! I brought essentials but of course you always end up needing things that you didn't expect to need, so the first two weeks were fairly disconcerting.

The movers came on February 13th and delivered on Sunday so I had the holiday (President's Day) to unpack.

The first week on the job was "interesting". Lots of paper work, ID distribution, fingerprinting, desk assignments, meeting training supervisors. I will be in training for about 4 months. I have learned the metro at least for the two places that I have to get to from home.

The second weekend (Feb 7th to be exact) we were snowed in - seriously...snow, snow and more SNOW!The snow started around 10AM Friday and continued until late Saturday. I don't think I've ever been so happy to see a Friday and be snowed in!

I am still unpacking boxes. However, I can find the bed and my underwear so I think I'm making progress. ;-) Despite the challenges (which I will recount in another post) I am happy to be here. I get to see the boys everyday--even though on Sunday afternoons I still begin to gather my things and put them by the door to "leave"!