2016-11-30

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Dear Gennifer,

I was riding home on the subway, it wasn't too crowded so I was able to get a seat, and I remember thinking: today was a good day.

This morning, before work, I was able to finish a small project that I had put of the night before and was still able to leave the house on time. When I got into work, I took a quick look at the news online and read a story about a local multi million dollar business that was started by two brothers whose mother had a tradition of when they were sitting at the dinner table, of having them tell something good that happened to them that day.

It reminded me that I should focus more on the good than on what might not be so good. I think for most people it is easy to almost forget about the good. The good is a gift, it requires no thought to receive it but when you receive the not-so-good, you want to change it, or deal with it or get rid of it so you tend to focus on it when a lot of the time, you can just accept it and then simply move on, without wasting any energy on it. I need to do more of that instead of cultivating bad thoughts.

I was able to get through some paperwork and even solve a couple last minute problems. The phone seemed to ring constantly and even though five other people can pick up that phone line, they seemed more than willing to let me pick up the calls. Sometimes, it bothers me that they don't pick up the calls but I like to think at least they get somewhat educated when they hear me on the phone. I have been there the longest, so there is not much I haven't heard before.

I often catch my coworkers using my phrases when dealing with other people.

I am kind of awesome.

I had to have the big boss sign something yesterday and usually I will just leave it in her inbox but sometimes she will sign it right away if she is there and when I walked it with it, that is what she did . I said, "it just the same as last year" as she held out her hand.

A lot of the stuff I deal with is just repeated from year to year.

I watched as she signed it and after she wrote her first name she said, "Everyone was saying what a great help you were over the weekend," which catch me off guard because I had forgotten that some events took place over the weekend. I said, "Well, thank you. I try my best but it is not just me, it's Donnie and Mike and the Sign Shop. And thanks for your support, that helps a lot." It was a little bit gratuitous but it was also true. I am pretty much left alone, I am allowed to make decisions on my own and I don't screw too many things up.

I believe that you should do good work just for your own benefit but it is also nice to hear it from your boss's boss.

I have some cooking to do but I baked two loaves of bread yesterday, so I feel that I am ahead of the game.

It was nice hearing from you earlier.

I hope that your day went well too.

Love,
Timothy

I shut that one off too.

By chance I ended up reading some blogs. I used to read a few blogs. I used to write a blog.

The writers who write to clear some head space are the ones that can still tell a story.

"You should open a bakery."

"You should start a design company"

"You should sell your belts"

I think once you take money for your "art" it changes you. Or more precisely, once you do you art for the money, it changes your art.

I much rather keep my home baked loaves of ciabatta bread special.

...

I have the day off from work.

I have no real plans.

I first alarm went off like it always does so I shut it off and waited for the second alarm to shut that one off too.

I think I will fry an egg.

He was always there in the corner

It has been in the house for over thirteen years. I know that because my oldest niece is 13 and the turtle was around before her.

My friend wanted to get rid of it. She had bought it for a couple dollars on the streets of New York. It was cute and small, about the size of a silver dollar. She gave it to her kids and it was named Money.

Money grew bigger and unwanted, I took him.

He would splash around every time the cats were feed because he knew he would be fed as well.

Last year when I went camping, I took him with me.


I just gave Money away. He has been gone for five hours and the house is different without him.

Nobody can tell a story anymore

Nobody can tell a story anymore.

Well not actually nobody, just nobody that writes for tv.

There was actually a story to go with those photos but then the phone ran.

It wasn't a great story but there are bee lavea in those tubes and in some of those photos, you can see a bee.

Saturday

The Work is Paper

Mostly a piece of paper comes in, and from that paper I generate other papers and then I send those papers away.

My papers are slightly powerful. My papers get people to do things. My papers make things happen.

But I don't get to really see those things happen. I just see paper and sometimes I wonder what the point of it all is.

First World problems.

Which is why I like chopping wood.

That is my crutch

The bar was crowded, just one available seat in the corner. It is not my favorite seat.

The guy sitting next to the empty seat was a stranger to me, unlike the four guys sitting next to him.

I asked the guy if I could sit in the chair next to him. Before he could answer the bartender already had my drink in front of the chair.

He said, "That's my crutch," as he pointed at a crutch next to me leaning against the wall.

I pointed at my pint glass and said, "This is my crutch." 

It would have been a more cleaver statement if there was something other than ginger ale in the glass.