I know, I know, it's already February - - and those of you who are bored beyond belief and still reading this blog are tired of reading about the Cabbage Patch doll 300 million times. So, I guess it's time to update, huh?
You do realize that the only time I ever do this is when I am travelling for work or at home on the computer at the ungodly morning hours. This time, it just so happens that I'm traveling for work. I am representing Standard Publishing in San Diego for 10 days! Yippee! Warmth, sun, warmth, blue skies, and yes....warmth. I'm leaving Dayton Ohio at 24 degrees in a spring jacket. You see, last time I left Dayton, it was also really cold and I forgot to leave my winter coat in my car and thus I was destined to burn up on the plane, in the airport and at my destination (I can't even remember where I was!). This time, I left my winter coat at home and took off with my spring jacket. The quick, brisk walk to the airport from my parking space, far far away, was quite chilly! But I'm looking forward to not feeling like the marshmallow man on the plane - it's tiny already! I know I've gained weight, but seriously...this was ridiculous.
It's apparently 70-80 degrees in San Diego. Yay!
Though the weather is exciting, I doubt I'll see much of the sun. I'm going to CA for the Children's Pastor's Conference (www.incm.org) and then staying at the same hotel for the National Pastor's Conference next week (www.nationalpastorsconference.com). As fun as both those sound, it really is work and not much play! In my free time, I'll be headed to the laundromat to wash my underwear!
The worst part about leaving of course is missing the fam. My wife is an amazing woman. She gets more done in 5 minutes than most people get done during a whole workday. Sunday night, in preparation for the 10 days of me being gone, she cooked all the food for meals (easy to pop in the microwave), baked cookies, baked breakfast muffins. I helped clean up the kitchen. When once I hated kitchen duty....these days it's very relaxing. I don't mind unloading the dishwasher like I used to when I was a kid. The kids also helped to prepare for the week too. With a crazy schedule ahead of her, my wife just looks to the positive and gets done what needs gettin done. Amazing! And missing the kids is an obvious feeling as well. I'm glad I live in the day of cell phones and emails so we can stay in touch.
One last thing....you'll notice that we were doing a bunch of different things on Sunday night. Yes. We did not watch the SuperBowl. Not even the commercials. The kids were watching some show on Nickelodeon and we were busy. In between commercials we'd switch it over to see what the score was. (it's very important for those of us who really don't care about football to at least know what happened during the superbowl. at least I could talk a little more like I knew what I was talking about)
If you know me, you know that I'm not a sports guru - - I think I mentioned this early on in my blogging. Well....I was impressed that Louisville made it to the SuperBowl. Aw, Dad.....at least I knew that Louisville had Cardinals! :)
Anyway.....Sunny days ahead.....
The Cabbage Patch Doll Dilemma
Apparently my little sister (now almost 26) thinks I like Cabbage Patch dolls.
A long long time ago, my grandma made all us cousins cabbage patch dolls. You know, back when it was "in style" to have them. Thinking back, I'm not sure it was ever "in style" for a guy to have a cabbage patch doll. I guess what made them a bit more special than "oh....thanks" was the fact that grandma actually made them - - and they were wearing clothes we wore as babies.
Anyway, with grandma/grandpa moving later this year, they were going through some things and found another....extra.....cabbage patch doll. Hmmmm....what should we do with THIS one? they must have thought. Unbeknownst to the timing of this question, my cousin and my sister at some point had a conversation with my grandma. Apparently my sister told my grandma to "give it to Robb....he likes Cabbage Patch dolls." Grandma then made sure to give the little doll to my mother - - who then gave it to me for Christmas.
This cabbage patch doll has a strange look: a cross between little orphan Annie with her curly brown hair and red outfit.....and a scary perm-headed boy/girl mix.
My initial response was "What the heck?!?!?!?"
At our family Christmas the next night, I confronted my cousin and my sister about this apparent hidden obsession of mine for cabbage patch dolls. As most of the Fausts on this side of the family do, they listened to my predicament......................and responded by laughing hysterically! Considering how funny the actual giving & receiving of this particular item was, I continued to laugh and poke fun at this very odd choice of a gift.
At one point, I thought I was going to pee my pants. Yes, it is that odd and that funny.
I still have the doll. I think it might become the "funny gift that keeps on giving" at each upcoming holiday. And my sister's birthday is in February. Ha!
A long long time ago, my grandma made all us cousins cabbage patch dolls. You know, back when it was "in style" to have them. Thinking back, I'm not sure it was ever "in style" for a guy to have a cabbage patch doll. I guess what made them a bit more special than "oh....thanks" was the fact that grandma actually made them - - and they were wearing clothes we wore as babies.
Anyway, with grandma/grandpa moving later this year, they were going through some things and found another....extra.....cabbage patch doll. Hmmmm....what should we do with THIS one? they must have thought. Unbeknownst to the timing of this question, my cousin and my sister at some point had a conversation with my grandma. Apparently my sister told my grandma to "give it to Robb....he likes Cabbage Patch dolls." Grandma then made sure to give the little doll to my mother - - who then gave it to me for Christmas.
This cabbage patch doll has a strange look: a cross between little orphan Annie with her curly brown hair and red outfit.....and a scary perm-headed boy/girl mix.
My initial response was "What the heck?!?!?!?"
At our family Christmas the next night, I confronted my cousin and my sister about this apparent hidden obsession of mine for cabbage patch dolls. As most of the Fausts on this side of the family do, they listened to my predicament......................and responded by laughing hysterically! Considering how funny the actual giving & receiving of this particular item was, I continued to laugh and poke fun at this very odd choice of a gift.
At one point, I thought I was going to pee my pants. Yes, it is that odd and that funny.
I still have the doll. I think it might become the "funny gift that keeps on giving" at each upcoming holiday. And my sister's birthday is in February. Ha!
Thinking Out Loud
I left work on Wednesday, December 24 to enjoy a Christmas vacation.
"On vacation from work" is an oxymoron: like "white chocolate" and "original copies" and "hot chili" and "seriously funny."
It takes a ton of time at work to finish up all the details and try to get ahead, anticipating all the possible emails, issues, and conundrums that could possibly happen while gone. And you have to change your email, change your voicemail, tell your boss, tell your co-workers, tell the receptionist, tell the warehouse. Whence I was finally feeling good about my situation, I left my cleaned off desk and organized cubicle.......only to get in my car and think, think, think about all the things I had forgotten to do. I then left a very long message to myself about what to do when I got back into the office on January 2nd.
Once home, I felt pretty good about myself. I had planned early enough to get everything done in an orderly manner. I had executed pretty well in getting them all done - - of course there were those things I had procrastinated on....and of course they took the longest to sort through. All in all, however, everything was in order for my return in 2009. EXCEPT that I needed to check my email at least twice for the TWO very important things that needed to happen WHILE I was on vacation. Checking the email would at least give me the opportunity to first, KNOW what was happening - - and second, to DO something if necessary.
Ah. Email. Gotta love it. Gotta hate it. Depends on the day.
Both checks of the email went well. Predicaments arose that I did not foresee, and thus required a few phone calls and emails to keep things running smoothly. Today I emailed myself with a list of things I had thought of that needed gettin' done before the first event started - - on Sunday. :)
Unfortunately that "vacation from work" included a little "work detours."
And that, my friends, got me to thinkin'. Is a vacation really possible? What am I looking for when I take a vacation from work?
REST for my weary body? Ha! I have 2 kids - - and my weary body has nothing to do with work. It has everything to do with FAT!
A Different Perspective? Peace? Family Time? Getting Away? Solitude? MY Time?
One thing I do know: vacation reminds me to BALANCE all of these things.
Can I ever get work out of my mind? Not really. Though it's there, being away from the daily grind helps me to see things differently, to choose other options for my time, to remember to make time for my wife and my kids and my household responsibilities. It also allows me to play the piano (and realize that it certainly makes me happier) and eat meals....slowly (and share funny stories with my family) and pray more (and continually commit to a deeper trust in my relationship with God).
The new year brings all sorts of thoughts to my head - - and to my heart. I probably sound like a moron - an oxymoron, that is: "clearly confused." This may be "old news" to some and others may be thinking "same difference."
"Good grief." I'm done. May we all strive for balance in 2009. Happy New Year!
"On vacation from work" is an oxymoron: like "white chocolate" and "original copies" and "hot chili" and "seriously funny."
It takes a ton of time at work to finish up all the details and try to get ahead, anticipating all the possible emails, issues, and conundrums that could possibly happen while gone. And you have to change your email, change your voicemail, tell your boss, tell your co-workers, tell the receptionist, tell the warehouse. Whence I was finally feeling good about my situation, I left my cleaned off desk and organized cubicle.......only to get in my car and think, think, think about all the things I had forgotten to do. I then left a very long message to myself about what to do when I got back into the office on January 2nd.
Once home, I felt pretty good about myself. I had planned early enough to get everything done in an orderly manner. I had executed pretty well in getting them all done - - of course there were those things I had procrastinated on....and of course they took the longest to sort through. All in all, however, everything was in order for my return in 2009. EXCEPT that I needed to check my email at least twice for the TWO very important things that needed to happen WHILE I was on vacation. Checking the email would at least give me the opportunity to first, KNOW what was happening - - and second, to DO something if necessary.
Ah. Email. Gotta love it. Gotta hate it. Depends on the day.
Both checks of the email went well. Predicaments arose that I did not foresee, and thus required a few phone calls and emails to keep things running smoothly. Today I emailed myself with a list of things I had thought of that needed gettin' done before the first event started - - on Sunday. :)
Unfortunately that "vacation from work" included a little "work detours."
And that, my friends, got me to thinkin'. Is a vacation really possible? What am I looking for when I take a vacation from work?
REST for my weary body? Ha! I have 2 kids - - and my weary body has nothing to do with work. It has everything to do with FAT!
A Different Perspective? Peace? Family Time? Getting Away? Solitude? MY Time?
One thing I do know: vacation reminds me to BALANCE all of these things.
Can I ever get work out of my mind? Not really. Though it's there, being away from the daily grind helps me to see things differently, to choose other options for my time, to remember to make time for my wife and my kids and my household responsibilities. It also allows me to play the piano (and realize that it certainly makes me happier) and eat meals....slowly (and share funny stories with my family) and pray more (and continually commit to a deeper trust in my relationship with God).
The new year brings all sorts of thoughts to my head - - and to my heart. I probably sound like a moron - an oxymoron, that is: "clearly confused." This may be "old news" to some and others may be thinking "same difference."
"Good grief." I'm done. May we all strive for balance in 2009. Happy New Year!
Life At Home
Life at Home is best when daddy wakes up when the alarm clock goes off the first time. Otherwise, it's rush, rush, rush to take a shower, get the kids up/dressed/eat breakfast, and out the door in time to play, play, play at the bus stop and heave, heave, heave after running to get there!
Life at Home is best when everyone is healthy. Otherwise, it's runny noses, sore throats, tired & tossing bodies in bed, and grumpy moods in the morning.
Life at Home is best when everything is cleaned up and put back before leaving for work, after the kids get on the bus. Otherwise, it's where's this? or where's that? or where did I put those? or why am I so organized at work yet so crazy at home?
Life at Home is best when daddy leaves work on time. Otherwise, it's running "orange" lights, hurrying dinners, catching up with kids, giving/taking baths, and disrupting the going-to-bed routine.
Life at Home is best when weekends are free. Otherwise, it involves packing and decisions and money and car rides and snacks for the car and drinks for the car and movies for the car and things to do in the car and "how long is it going to be?" in the car and "it's already been that long" in the car and falling asleep in the car and/or talking our heads off in the car....
Even when the "otherwises" happen, they just pull the family together.
Then Life at Home translates into Life with Family. And that's where I like to be.
Life at Home is best when everyone is healthy. Otherwise, it's runny noses, sore throats, tired & tossing bodies in bed, and grumpy moods in the morning.
Life at Home is best when everything is cleaned up and put back before leaving for work, after the kids get on the bus. Otherwise, it's where's this? or where's that? or where did I put those? or why am I so organized at work yet so crazy at home?
Life at Home is best when daddy leaves work on time. Otherwise, it's running "orange" lights, hurrying dinners, catching up with kids, giving/taking baths, and disrupting the going-to-bed routine.
Life at Home is best when weekends are free. Otherwise, it involves packing and decisions and money and car rides and snacks for the car and drinks for the car and movies for the car and things to do in the car and "how long is it going to be?" in the car and "it's already been that long" in the car and falling asleep in the car and/or talking our heads off in the car....
Even when the "otherwises" happen, they just pull the family together.
Then Life at Home translates into Life with Family. And that's where I like to be.
Adventures in Dallas 2
After getting the bulk of the display at MOPS set up, I decided to spruce up the place with a few signs. In preparation for MOPS, I had made price signs for the items we were taking. I was, however, unable to finish the project due to my rushed predicament at the beginning of the week. I decided, then, to wait until arrival in Dallas to cut the price tags and attach them to the product. Apparently this was an abnormal thought for a traveler in my quandary.
Once I was back in my hotel room, I called the smiley face on my phone. It was labeled “Consider It Done” which made me smile. After working to establish high standards in customer service as a bookstore manager, I appreciate all the interesting ways to showcase service! I was impressed. Unfortunately, it appears that you can’t purchase scissors in a hotel…..something about liability. I guess they don’t want to be found guilty if I was to sue them after I cut off my fingers and/or stabbed myself in the leg. The nice lady did, however, tell me that she would check with the bellhop and even the retail store to see if she could find one for me. Apparently, they do have scissors…..they just do not lend them out to hotel guests. If I wanted to use them, I’d have to go to their areas and use them while in plain sight of their employees. Since I was in my jammies and didn’t want to change, I decided to just go to plan B. Plan B was to figure out something tomorrow.
Thursday was “tomorrow.” Exhibitors were allowed to finish setup from 8am-11am. I strolled down the hallway and found a Business Center just before the exhibit hall entrance. Ah. They’ll let me borrow scissors…..and they did. I was so excited to actually cut the price signs – my last resort was to rip them by hand! This would look much more professional. Then it occurred to me - - how was I going to attach the prices to the product?
If I’d been in Cincinnati, I would have had my handy-dandy tackle box in my car. Mind you, it’s not for fishing or anything. It’s my silly way to keep track of all the little things one would need for tasks such as this one. It contains a mini hammer, mini screwdriver, mini glue gun, staple gun, batteries, twist ties, plasti-tak, needles, pins, nails, and a tape measure. It also contains all kinds of other little things. What I needed was my scotch tape. I normally send one in the “supply box” from Standard, but alas, it was missing. The Business Center. Yes, it will have scotch tape to purchase……..for five dollars. Holy Mackerel! Five dollars?????!!!!! I guess they figure if people need it, they’ll buy it. And buy it I did.
I have almost used the entire roll. My signs are handwritten, but they’re fun and enticing! I tape them to baskets, books, tables, and product. I’m continuing to change the look of the booth by putting things on the table, taking things off the table, and moving them all around. And you guessed it, each time I make those moves, something sells! It’s like it’s in high demand or something - - like moving it from one place to another makes something “new.” Ah….Retail Management 101 at its best!
Was spending five dollars extreme for a roll of scotch tape? Yes.
Was it worth it? Yes.
Once I was back in my hotel room, I called the smiley face on my phone. It was labeled “Consider It Done” which made me smile. After working to establish high standards in customer service as a bookstore manager, I appreciate all the interesting ways to showcase service! I was impressed. Unfortunately, it appears that you can’t purchase scissors in a hotel…..something about liability. I guess they don’t want to be found guilty if I was to sue them after I cut off my fingers and/or stabbed myself in the leg. The nice lady did, however, tell me that she would check with the bellhop and even the retail store to see if she could find one for me. Apparently, they do have scissors…..they just do not lend them out to hotel guests. If I wanted to use them, I’d have to go to their areas and use them while in plain sight of their employees. Since I was in my jammies and didn’t want to change, I decided to just go to plan B. Plan B was to figure out something tomorrow.
Thursday was “tomorrow.” Exhibitors were allowed to finish setup from 8am-11am. I strolled down the hallway and found a Business Center just before the exhibit hall entrance. Ah. They’ll let me borrow scissors…..and they did. I was so excited to actually cut the price signs – my last resort was to rip them by hand! This would look much more professional. Then it occurred to me - - how was I going to attach the prices to the product?
If I’d been in Cincinnati, I would have had my handy-dandy tackle box in my car. Mind you, it’s not for fishing or anything. It’s my silly way to keep track of all the little things one would need for tasks such as this one. It contains a mini hammer, mini screwdriver, mini glue gun, staple gun, batteries, twist ties, plasti-tak, needles, pins, nails, and a tape measure. It also contains all kinds of other little things. What I needed was my scotch tape. I normally send one in the “supply box” from Standard, but alas, it was missing. The Business Center. Yes, it will have scotch tape to purchase……..for five dollars. Holy Mackerel! Five dollars?????!!!!! I guess they figure if people need it, they’ll buy it. And buy it I did.
I have almost used the entire roll. My signs are handwritten, but they’re fun and enticing! I tape them to baskets, books, tables, and product. I’m continuing to change the look of the booth by putting things on the table, taking things off the table, and moving them all around. And you guessed it, each time I make those moves, something sells! It’s like it’s in high demand or something - - like moving it from one place to another makes something “new.” Ah….Retail Management 101 at its best!
Was spending five dollars extreme for a roll of scotch tape? Yes.
Was it worth it? Yes.
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