Reoccurring Nightmares

This morning my oldest son got his first pair of contacts as part of a 3-month "fitting" process. For $120 he can try as many different brands of contact lenses as he likes until he finds the most comfortable fit.

A technician tried to explain the process of rinsing and inserting the lenses as well as the "pinching" involved in removing them each day.

J had a hard time putting the lenses in. His eyes watered; the contacts folded themselves over and dried out. After two hours we drove home and I could see that he was uncomfortable; he complained that his vision was worse instead of improved.

I've been wearing contacts for over 30 years. I no longer think about the steps involved to hold open the upper eyelid while pulling down the lower. I look at oncoming lenses straight on. But every once in awhile I have the re-occurring contact lens nightmare where a contact floats behind my eyeball or stings like a plank in the eye.

Another reoccurring nightmare is more like a flashback. My mother is running after me screaming that I'm going to miss the school bus. It's the first day of class and I can't find my classrooms. Towards the end, my high school won't let me graduate (this almost happened because I spent my junior year abroad and my senior year attending a nearby college).

Since starting my new job with Cellular Sales I've dreamt about helping people with their phone problems. All night long. Every night. I swear to you I haven't dreamt about any other subject despite my attempt at "creative imagery" from 8 p.m. on.

Most of my waking hours are spent helping people fix their phone problems. There's Monica who's husband bought her an "Ally" phone ("this isn't a real Droid"). Dawn was overcharged for data on a suspended line for six months. Lost chargers, broken LCD's, depleted batteries. Every day the same issues and maybe a few new ones.

And every night my own reoccurring cell phone nightmares.

Community Ties

This morning I ran to the local gas station/deli for gas. I'd fed and packed for the little boys, seen the big boys off on the bus, showered and dressed. I wasn't well dressed...khaki pants, a white polo, sneakers. With my glasses on and wet hair I went inside to pay and the owner noted, "you're looking a little disheviled today."

Usually I go to get gas on my way to the store. I'm dressed in a business suit and heels. I go there to buy gas even though gas is more expensive than the Hess station in town. I don't get any points on my college savings plan (where I would at a Mobil station) but I like the idea of supporting the family who owns the deli. They're my neighbors.

And because Dave cares to ask about my day. "Well, I'm working 6 days this week. Today is my day off but I'm going to go to my second job, even though I gave notice a month ago, because they haven't been able to hire anyone. And I'm bracing myself, because I need to take my 3-year-old with me." (I ultimately decided against this idea, but this was my thinking at 8 a.m.).

Dave replied, "whoa."

Some folks I grew up with came into the store last night and worked with another rep (even though they know I work there. They've been in before. We've talked.) Their son Mark showed me his beat up ENVY phone. He was rather proud of the way he could use it as a flash light as the back light glowed through the face plate, now in pieces.

"Whoa."

The rep, a "visitor" from Tenesee, sold him a Chocolate Touch phone. I had to resist the urge to ask why in the world he convinced the family to buy that particular phone. It's not the least bit durable. I already knew the answer...the Chocolate Touch is cheap. When we sell it we make money.

This rep would go home to Tennessee, leaving me to face his disgruntled customer.

I had to wonder, why didn't this family ask to work with me or make an appointment with me? I could have helped them by charging them less AND by finding a phone that was more durable and well-suited for Mark.

It's about community.

Celebrity

We have a Discussion Board at work shared by reps from across the country. Recently, someone posted the question, "Have you met any celebrities while on the job?"

It turns out that most of the celebrities who had come into Verizon stores for service were athletes. Or, those were the names that the reps remembered or decided to brag about.

Me, I got to meet "Mud Freak" this week, an enormous lime green monster truck right out of the video, "Trucks Gone Wild." The truck's owner needed a new line and a new phone and I sold him the "Cosmos." I thought later that I should have sold him a lime green cover for his phone (to match his truck) because we do sell those.

I've also met the father-in-law of the maid-of-honor at Francesca Batistelli's wedding. The wedding reception took place at Michael W. Smith's place.

Now I'm only three steps removed from Frannie B. :)+

A Bittersweet Farewell

This morning I drove around campus for a good 20 minutes before finding an empty parking space. Because the campus is bordered on the north by the Erie canal and on the south by a school campus, its shape is long and narrow. Parking is limited and students, who tend to arrive with few minutes to spare before class, "hover" in the middle of parking lots. When a spot opens up, they strike.

I won't miss trying to find a parking spot, or paying $80 a semester for a pass.

I gave my notice a few weeks ago but agreed to keep working, on a limited basis, until a new Business Manager could be hired.

I will miss working in the same building as a Barnes & Noble bookstore, KFC, pizza shop, and coffee shop. This morning I popped into the bookstore and found a book by Susie Orman for just $3. Wouldn't she be proud of me for saving money over full retail price?!

I registered for a free conference here on campus. It takes place next Thursday and we'll be hanging out with "Mrs. Huxtable", actress Felicia Rashad.

I'll miss the fact that I can blog at work in a quiet, windowless basement, with few to no interruptions. Isn't that "few to no interruptions" part priceless?!

Crazy Cat Lady

A visibly distraught, exhausted woman came into my store yesterday. She wanted to know if she could block a number to prevent someone from calling her phone at all hours of the night and early morning.

She said that it was her work phone and someone that she used to work with was harassing her. Because the phone was used for all of her clients, she didn't want to change the number completely.

The harassing calls come from a private or unregistered number, however. I explained (and I called Verizon to verify) that I was unable to place a block without knowing the number of origin.

The former client calls several times a day and leaves messages on the office phone. She also calls the emergency number and hangs up without speaking. This has gone on for weeks.

After some time, I asked what the customer did for work.

She was a vet and, although she hesitated to tell me, the crazy lady is a cat lady. I could have guessed.

After the customer left I smiled... and shuttered.

It's Complicated

Life's path can be filled with unanticipated twists and turns. Accidents. Poor or rash decisions. Legal loop holes.

I've been dwelling on two situations in particular. One I encountered while teaching, the other while translating.

When I think about my student, "Carrie," the words "train wreck" come to mind. She came to class for the first time two weeks after the semester had started. Late most days with excuses that included "my tires were slashed" and "my car broke down."

When she gave her oral presentation she talked about her dogs. All 17 of them.

One day she stayed late to chat with me about the legal system. Her brother was in jail and she felt that the courts had treated him inhumanely and unfairly.

Speaking of the court, I have translated for two months in a row now for a prisoner named "Efrain." He is an undocumented agricultural worker who drove while intoxicated and then fled when he was pulled over. The trooper issued him a pile of tickets: reckless endangerment, failure to obey traffic signals, fleeing arrest, etc. Some of the charges are felony charges.

The mother of Efrain's baby was in court last night, sitting behind us: the prison guard that Efrain was chained to, Miss Pope the Public Defender, and me, the interpreter. We went around and over Efrain's choices: accept a plea bargain to lesser charges that might land him in jail for just a year. Wait to find out how his plea bargain would be impacted by immigration law, Pay the bond and run back to Mexico.

In any case, it looks as if his child may never know his father because a year in jail means he will be denied citizenship. If he flees to Mexico he can never return to the U.S. Miss Pope turned to the baby's mother and kindly said, "it looks like you might be moving south of the border."

I think about these folks and I pray over my roster every semester. As we get set to begin the Fall 2010 semester I anticipate the opportunity to meet new students, many of whom inspire me as they push forward to achieve despite difficult family situations or poverty.

I've "discovered" the music of Buddy and Julie Miller. This song speaks to joy that comes out of sorrow through Jesus.

In everything give thanks

1 Thessalonians 5

14Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

15See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

16Rejoice evermore.

17Pray without ceasing.

18In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

19Quench not the Spirit.

I've been listening to a radio preacher speak on the power of words. Yesterday's series was entitled "The 6 Things You Should Do With Your Mouth." #2 on the list was to "give thanks," and, correspondingly, "not grumble" (as this "quenches the spirit." Notice verses 18 and 19 of 1 Thessalonians 5 above).

Ironically, my travels yesterday gave me plenty of cause to grumble. I worked at a new store located over an hour (across and into the city) from my home, leaving my oldest boy home alone for one of the last precious days of his summer vacation.

The new store is located inside a converted KFC restaurant. Brand new paint, new carpet, and new cabinetry filled the air with a toxic fog of stinky chemicals. The inventory scanners weren't working, inventory was missing (79 cell phones!) and the computers randomly stopped working.

I work with a local radio personality. He wears large, black-rimmed "fake" glasses to hide his identity. His radio voice, however, carries through the store. Yesterday he made "appointments like a dentist" with friends and family.

On the way home the expressway was reduced to one lane AND closed at another exit. At 10:30 p.m. on a Wednesday I was stuck in a line of traffic two miles long.

And so I grumbled. And grumbled some more.

How quickly my attitude rushes to "quench the spirit!"

I'm grateful that my body is healthy and I can work hard. As I drive to work I see people in wheelchairs or scooters "driving" to a store. Or folks who are broken or elderly as they struggle to cross the street to fetch their mail.

I'm grateful that we were able to send our son N to biotechnology camp where he could spread his wings and gain confidence (and perhaps be influenced to study math and science! :)

I'm grateful for the hot supper of kielbasa, corn and cheesy fries that greeted me when I got home. J had cleaned the kitchen. My husband had taken a boy to football practice and had returned home. The little ones were safe and sound in their beds (well, on the couch).

I am blessed.

Back in the Blogosphere

With this new blog I'll describe the joys and strains of life as a working mother of four boys. I'm a Chrstian salesperson and teacher, a computer/tech junkie living on a sheep farm, married to a terrific Godly man who is a Boy Scout Leader - health nut (my "perfect" opposite :).