Ask First

LK and I spent Saturday in CPR training so we could be in compliance with a program we're involved with. One of the things that the instructors told us as we discussed choking and other first aid situations is that when someone is in distress but still conscious you must first identify yourself and ask if you can help.

"I'm training in first aid. Can I help you?"

Keep in my the person could be turning blue or could have cut their arm off and be standing there in total shock- but even then, if conscious, they have to be given the right to refuse. Because sadly, even with one less limb attached, they may not want to be helped.

And, if they refuse, all you can do is stand there until their problem is solved, they accept your help, or until they pass out.

That night, following training, as I surveyed the room of the building LK and I were in, looking at all the people there (praying I did not have to utilize any of these new skills on real people), it struck me how true the whole "ask first" rule is in life problems as well.

I've been in conversations where emotionally someone stands before me choking to death on their own problems. But, until they are ready to accept the help I can give, all my training is useless.

Define: Frustration

There are times I want to look them in the face and say REALLY!?!?!  Why do you feel the need to make this so infuriatingly impossible.  It's as though by your little hoops and random non-reasons that you're saying you would like to make this as difficult as it possibly could be and then some.
You'd think you really don't want us to do this for you.  Or maybe the truth is you don't.
And that, my friends, is by definition, frustration.

Blast Off!

We had a busy weekend full of five-year-olds, birthday fun, family, and the debut of the Rockets!  If you look closely you'll see Gray # 3 skipping (dare I say dancing) down the court and the occasional stare off into the stratosphere.  But overall the team did great and Geo even had two assists!  And even though Upward Sports doesn't keep score for the 2nd/3rd grade team Geo logged every shot and proudly announced they won by 2.



He even gets a few dribbles in on this one.  If you listen close you can hear the coaches calling trying to get his attention (to no real success.)



Oh and look around 2 minutes in to see a kid have the ball bounce out of his hands and hit himself on the head-- and no, it wasn't my kid.

College and Marriage

LK posting an interesting blog today that reflects on a study that notes how

highly-educated women (at least a 4-year degree) have a lower[ing] divorce rate and much lower incidence of children outside of marriage.

His post also reflects on how the study says that

Surprisingly the moderately-educated, or ‘Middle America’ (some post-secondary education but no degree) are trending worse than the poor [in their divorce rates].

LK postulates on why this could be and comments on how he's glad to be married to a degree-holding college girl (that would be me).  So here's my two cents on it.

To me it's like the conversation I had with a friend who lacked one class to graduate but instead of taking that one class (a gen ed class at that) he was applying for a job and leaving his studies, and he wanted my opinion on how his resume sounded.  I told him that personally, the fact that he lacked one class and could not list a degree on the resume even with all those hours under his belt would raise many a red flag as an employer about his ability to start and complete a task.

So, perhaps completing college is not only evident of someone who can handle delayed gratification, and not only understands that what she does today will have a lasting effect on what can then be accomplished tomorrow, and not only shows someone's ability to work with group projects (a necessity in college as well as marriage), but that it also shows a person who is able to not just start something but see it through to it's intended end.  Perhaps that is why women with a diploma on the wall fair better.

Perhaps.

I'll Never ...

There's a well known fact within my family that if you say "I'll never ...." mark it on the calendar cause girl, it's sure to happen.  In fact, I had to very carefully word my hatred of the DFW airport and Dallas traffic when picking LK up there once on our way further south just to beat the system.  I believe I hedged my bets by saying "I'll really be upset if we ever move here," rather than stating "I'll never move to Dallas." Because, well I know what would happen if I said the latter (Texas here we'd come).

But after the last two weeks, I might have a new family saying to add to the list.

No one ever ....

When our first contract busted I began to pout and say "No one ever looks at a house this close to Christmas."  And four days later, we had three showings on the calendar.

After those showings with no offers, I buckled back down and stated as sure as fact "No one ever looks at houses the week between Christmas and New Year."  SEVEN showings later, my sure as fact statement was disproven.

Yes, but (I said after getting a few lower than expected offers) "no one ever buys a house in the middle of winter for what the house is really worth."  And yet, tonight we sit with three really good offers in hand and an all but a signed and finished contract.

Though honestly, after the last one, I don't believe I be exhaling until the names are signed at closing I'm marching my happy self out the door with keys to only one house.

But in the mean time, I'm pretty sure no one ever buries gold in their backyard before moving out of state and leaves said gold behind forgetting they ever had it. ... so I'm off to find a shovel.

Happy New Year

I'm realizing I am more superstitious than I would like to admit (or maybe it's just that I'm a bit OCD) but I'm all about black eyed peas and cornbread on New Year's Day.  After all, legend has it the only year my grandparents didn't eat them, my grandfather got cancer.

So here's to a happy new year and I don't know if Grannie meant for pistachio ice cream to cover the "and something green for money" but ....

Wailing in the New Year

Here's to hoping the wailing that is coming from my youngest's bedroom is not indicative of the year to come.

Hoping the noise makers at your new year's party a less organic than mine.