Observations on Mothers' Day

On the Mother's Day I have had some time, while sitting outside weeding my sister's flower garden, to make a few observations.  For one, all of my girls are in good places with their relationships with the men in their life. They are not only loved by these men, but respected. I  think the second is as, if not more important than the first.  I am very thankful for that. I think they know that that is very special in a relationship. You don't always see that today.

I also realized that there is a difference in how much less likely you are to take risk in an endeavor if you are working for someone for your livelihood than if what you are engaged in is on a volunteer basis. I expect I have become quite a bit more assertive and outspoken about my point of view now that I don't have to worry about my next meal. If someone doesn't agree with me I have nothing to lose. I'm freed up to go out on a limb and tell them exactly what I think.

That is what I intend to do tomorrow when I meet with my nemesis at the shelter/recycling center. I have nothing to lose. If I make an enemy as an outcome, it causes me no grief or heart burn.  Used to be, when working, if I had to confront someone on the job, I would get my bowels in an uproar. Not now. It's showdown at the old corral and I intend to have my say.  I would say, the last word except that I still have a ray of optimism that I can persuade him to see the error of his ways. Recycling plastic is what he wants to do he just doesn't know it.

Front page coverage

After receiving an early morning call that the article about our plastics' controversy was on the front page today, I had to throw on my jacket and run down to the post office to get my own copy to read.  There it was, logo and picture, with the article giving the views of both Snowy Mt. Ind. and ours.  Quite objective, just as it should be. That's what good reporters do. Don't get emotionally involved, even though I know how the reporter feels about the issue.

Meanwhile, I'd been on the phone gathering my facts for a showdown with the adversary scheduled for Monday. And did I ever gather some supporting information! Sheltered workshops all over are recycling plastic. Concerns about contamination? None, because they wear gloves when they are sorting it.(In our operation they would not be sorting because all of our plastic would be in clear plastic bags to go directly into the baler). Never had a problem. (We had promised volunteers to come on baling days and remove any questionable plastic).Concerns about stuff that doesn't belong in the area? Well, we just pick it up and put it where it belongs. No duh! Concerns about revenue?  Plastic is bringing in more revenue than any of the other commodities right now.  If we have a short fall we have reserve funds. (We had promised to cover any shortfalls).

Sure, each place I called had a different version of their way of handling their operation. But the fact is they all worked out something for themselves.  And they did not throw out the baby with the bath. They just adjusted the temperature of the water and played with the baby a bit. But they kept the baby because they knew it was the best decision to make.  For them and the baby. I wonder where their research came from that they claim to have done? I'll compare anyday. Mine came right from the doers mouths and you can't beat that.

An error in time

Last week I had put together a flyer advertising our Big Burger Bash Festival.  It was pretty cute with happy burgers at the top and  green frogs playing instruments along the sides. I had checked to be sure all the information was correct, then took them to the printers to get copies made. As soon as they were printed, I took them to every store and business in town to be displayed. In the mean time I had also sent a copy to Betts to be used over the local TV.

After I got home, I had a call from Betts that I had a spelling error.  I had spelled Jack's Hangar with an e.  Of course the spell check didn't pick it up.  In the right context hanger works.  But not in this context.  Why I didn't pick up on that is beyond me.  Of course it isn't the first and it won't be the last time I spell a word incorrectly.  Sometimes they just don't look right, even if they are. Don't know if that is from looking at them for too long or not enough, but I just get them wrong.

Well, as an ex school teacher you just can't let those things go. It's a pride thing I guess. Anyway, I took my mom's old calligraphy pen and marched back down town and went into every one of those stores and business to correct the error. Quite humbling to that I need to correct a spelling error that I made for the whole town to see. So I would take them off the windows and fix them up, one at a time. I always asked permission first so they didn't think I was vandalizing or something. 

The interesting thing for me was how many great conversations I had with the store workers, getting their views on the economy in town and their take on the solutions. Well worth the time and effort.

It took two trips down town to catch them all.  Michael went with me the second time.  After looking at the corrected versions, he commented that they looked better before I fixed them. I'm sure they did, but at least anyone seeing them can't think they are smarter than I am.

Italy or plastic?

Italy is looking better all the time.  In nature they talk about how when an animal feels cornered the fight or flight instinct kicks in.  I know that is not a unique instinct to dumb animals, as we call them.  Have you ever had that thought," Do I fight the situation or do I just get the heck out of town?"

I feel the fight brewing here in town about the plastics recycling program.  Everyone I speak with wants the program, but the vehicle for the operation is posing opposition.  It would be so much easier to just buy a ticket to Italy and let the whole thing die a natural death. I'd take my books and paints, rent a villa along the Cinque Terra coastal area and just chill out for a few months. I'd let everyone go back to their old way of doing things, tossing those milk bottles into the landfill without a backward look. Those who are extra fanatic about recycling, like me, could just continue their trek to the  Billings to find a place that will do something responsible with their discards.

They want the program but are they willing to fight for it?  Until the report with the update from the local newspaper is published, I won't know where and how great the committment is. How willing are they to back up what they claim they have wanted for so long? What are they willing do do about it? I've been told I need to be patient and wait. As anyone who knows me is aware, that is not my strong suit.  Not my greatest virtue by any means.

So first I wait.  Then I decide, do I fight the fight to the end or do I get the heck out of Dodge?

Training time

Today I decided I'd better start getting in to shape for the backpacking trip I am taking with my daughter, Kathy.  In August I will be required, so she says, to carry a 40 pound pack up the mountain to our campsite where we will set up camp for the night.
 I began today to work on running up the hills here in town at the end of my regular run. One time for today. Up and back half way.  I figure you need to start easy, no extra weight for now, and work up to the forty pounds by August. 

I told Michael I needed to get up into the mountains around here to get into shape. He reminded me that we have plenty of hills to train on right here in town.  No duh! So in town it will be for now, anyway.

Yesterday, as I was taking a leisurely jog up the other side of town, along comes a cowboy, all decked out in his Stetson, jeans and cowboy shirt(I believe he wasn't wearing boots, though) zipping by me looking like it wasn't any effort at all. I thought maybe he was just making a short dash to the corner or something.  But no, he kept on running along, widening the gap between us as we went. You may say he was some young buckaroo, but no, he looked about as old as I am.

So I got to thinking that if he can make it look so effortless, without even looking the part, then why can't I. Just move those legs faster, that's all. So I tried it.  There really is a little something to that.  You get into a pace that becomes yours without stopping to wonder about whether it is all you can do anymore.  It takes some cowboy to wake you up and cause you to do a little self check and kick it up a notch.  But, I still couldn't have caught him.  It's going to take some work I can tell.

I'm back!

Okay, so life happens to you and you don't feel particularly like spreading your words of wisdom to the world.  However, my mantra right now is "I may be down, but I'm not out".

We've had a glitch, to put it mildly, in our recycling program plans. The marriage vows have been broken between the non-profit that had committed to operating the plastics baler and the committee funding and promoting the program. The non-profit simply decided at the final hour theynot to walk down the aisle with us, they were no longer interested in recycling plastic.  To say the least, this news was a kick in the gut and totally confusing to everyone who has heard.

So we take a step back and wait for the dust to settle. The media will handle the information put out to the community and we'll see if the reaction sends a message from the public.  How committed are they to this program?

So far, the feedback is disbelief and disappointment. A man, who had been following our progress, called me today and wants to help us, lending his full support.  That's what it will take.  Not only those verbally pushing us forward, but those willing to fight the good fight to the end.

However, this is a great time for me to put my energy into a different direction for a while.  June 2nd we are trying a new idea for a fund raiser for Relay for Life, our 1st Annual Big Burger Bash Festival.  Hopefully, the community is as impressed with the name as we are with the idea and all turn out in support. Although nervous about how it will turn out, we are optimistic that this will lead to the 2nd and 3rd festivals each year to come. I'm up for this!

Schmoozing

I just got home from an evening of schmoozing! I got as dolled up as I'm able to doll up and went with a group of women to a library dinner which an author speaker at the country club. Michael stayed home and had his favorite meal, MacDonald's, and watched a sci-fi movie on TV.  We both had the kind of evening that suited us best.  That's the way it should be. He hates the social scene and I hate Micky Dee's and sci-fi. Where as I totally enjoyed the company, meeting people and listening to the author. (I'm heading for the library to check out his books). His name is Craig Johnson, if anyone is interested.  Entertaining speaker, too.

It was my debut, actually.  I needed to get out and meet people to promote our cause, the plastics program.  That's what people who have a cause have to do.  They have to make contacts, get out there and mingle so people can put a face with what they have been hearing about.  It was the safest place to to start, actually, getting out there with the program.  Aren't library people easily identified with causes? I can't imagine there was an anti recycling body in the room.

When we arrived this evening, we were given either a red piece of paper if you were eating prime rib and blue paper if you were having shrimp scampi. I didn't see another piece of blue paper in the room.  Silly me, of course, I'm in beef country.  Even one of the ladies at our table had to go feed her cows after the event. I hope I didn't lose some of my schmoozing points for that guffaw.