Category Archives: Uncategorized

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Time Is a Valuable Commodity

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Screen Shot 2014-08-12 at 7.33.21 PMThese days it seems like people all over are Screen Shot 2014-08-12 at 7.37.08 PM

Knowing that everyone is so busy I think it becomes that much more important to respect the time of everyone around us.Screen Shot 2014-08-12 at 8.04.13 PMI feel like I spend hours of my life waiting on people.

A couple weeks ago I reached my limit on people wasting my time.

The Thursday night before our garage sale started (after spending the entire day getting ready for the sale), Jordan & I had a list of errands to get through while Hunter was at cello group.  We were quick and got everything done AND picked up Chipotle for dinner before we went back to get Hunter.

So, group is supposed to end at 6:30 and we were waiting several minutes before that.
At 6:35 we were waiting.
6:40 – still waiting
6:45 – getting impatient
6:50 – cranky

I finally decided to walk into the building and get Hunter.   About the time I got inside kids started walking out.  I still went in and told Hunter that we needed to go since he was standing near his teacher and some o f the other kids.

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Seriously – the group is scheduled for 1 hour and she kept them for almost an hour and a half!!!

If practice is going to last that much over the time, I think that the parents should be notified ahead of time – our time is valuable!!!Screen Shot 2014-08-12 at 7.58.00 PM

I get that sometimes things run a little late!  But when it is almost half an hour it is not OK!!!  (And, for the record, this is the same teacher that is raising prices for cello lessons!!!)

Does it irritate you when other people don’t seem to care that your time is valuable?

Happy Wednesday!!

Kim

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Super Sonic Teachers

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School starts this week – CRAZY!!!!

This is the last year that I will have a middle school student – next year both boys will be at the high school.  Also CRAZY!!!

Last year I was the co-president of the middle school PTO.  This year I’m just doing Teacher Appreciation stuff.  Part of that involves doing a welcome back gift for the teachers.  Because our school is pretty big, we just do something for the certified teachers for this event.  (The rest of the staff will be included throughout the year.)

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Creativity is NOT my strong suit!!!

But, I didn’t want to just put a gift card into each of the teacher’s boxes.

First, I had to decide what type of gift card to get.  Last year I did Starbucks gift cards and didn’t want to do the exact same thing.  I finally decided that Sonic would be a good choice – there is something for everyone at Sonic, right?!

Sonic Gift CardThis is what I came up with!  Not fancy but when it comes down to it I know that they will just take the gift card off and pitch the rest.

Sonic Gift CardAnd, I had 80 of these to make so it  took hours!!!!

Are you crafty?  Do you enjoy “making” things?

Happy Monday!!!

Kim

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Some Tough Decisions

Lately I’ve been struggling with several things and trying to figure out the best solution.  I keep telling myself that if it causes stress I need to just let it go but that is easier said than done!!!

Hunter playing his cello
Hunter playing his cello

You probably already know that Hunter plays cello.  He plays at school but he also takes private lessons and that has been a great experience.

However, his teacher just let all of her students know that she is increasing her rate by $5/half hour.  Since she is already higher than most of the private music teachers in town we are having a hard time going along with the rate increase.  (We drive to her and buy our own music.)

Hunter loves her as a teacher and has learned a lot but we are trying to decide what is too much!!!

Ultra Running 

You might remember  that I have tried (twice) and failed (twice) to complete a 50 mile race.  Well, this weekend I’m actually supposed to go to Illinois and meet up with a blog friend (Carmen) to run an ultra on Saturday.

The problem is that we have day events, night events and a weekend wedding at the venue and I have been stressed for weeks trying to figure out how to get everything done (cleaning, set-up, ironing…) and still drive to IL without arriving at midnight or later Friday night.

Blogging

And, the thing that I’m really trying to figure out the most is my blog. I hired someone to help me make the switch to self-hosted but ever since he switched it from Go Daddy to whatever it is now, I have had nothing but trouble!!!  I spent most of last week avoiding my blog because it was causing me so much stress!!!

I told Chris the other day that as much as I love blogging I know it takes up a lot of time that I could (and probably should) spend on the venue and some other things I’ve committed to lately.

Being the super smart man that he is, he told me to just keep going with my blog – he knows that if I gave it up I would regret it in a very short time!!!  

Cello lessons, ultra races (in a different state), blogging…..time to really figure out what is most important!!!

Do you go back and forth between what you WANT to do and what you know you SHOULD do?

Happy Monday!!

Kim

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People Watching

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This week I worked enrollment for our school district.  For the first time we had centralized  enrollment which meant high school, middle school and all of the elementary schools would come to the high school to enroll.

I thought it would be a complete mess but it was actually very smooth.    It helps that elementary students don’t really need to come because all of their enrollment can be done online.

 

I worked the early shift (7:00 am -11 ish)  every morning and there was plenty of opportunity to people watch!!!!

One of the things I noticed is how many people try to ignore others.  The table of cheerleaders was just across from where I was and they were trying to give people tickets for a car wash.  The tickets are free and then they can just make a donation when they come to the car wash.  

Over half of the people ignored the girls when they tried to pass out the tickets – it was like they were in Vegas ignoring all the people handing out fliers.

 

I don’t understand why people aren’t willing to at least take a second and get the little FREE ticket!!!

It is also fun to observe some of the family dynamics.  Some people bring the entire family to enroll and that often involves young kids fighting, babies screaming and tempers flaring!!!

Some of the middle school and high school kids are all about wondering around and catching up with friends.  Others (like my Jordan) just want to get in, get through all the lines and be done!!!

I saw people all dressed up, girls in shorts that barely covered their butt checks and people in the equivalent of pajamas!!

My favorite part is to just watch people’s faces  – some of everything!

 

I’m always amazed when people flat out refuse to return a smile – especially when you are just trying to help them!!!

Do you like to people watch?

Happy Friday!

Kim

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Door-to-Door Sales or Scams?

Yesterday evening I had a weird experience.

Our doorbell rang and I was the one who answered.  A young guy was out there and when I walked out he said, “Whoa, you are the white Halle Berry.”  umm…OK

He was all about piling on the compliments and fluff.  Then he started his spill and told me no less than 25 times that he was from Chicago and saw dead people on a daily basis in his neighborhood.  Part of his line was that he was selling – Screen Shot 2014-07-29 at 8.47.34 PMScreen Shot 2014-07-29 at 8.49.39 PM

So, the entire presentation was about this cleaning product.  And, he demoed and demoed and demoed.  Our garage door was open so he started getting things out of the garage (Chris’ golf shoes, Jordan’s old running shoes, many parts of my car) – he cleaned part of the driveway, doors, windows, a UT rock……..

Then he went on and on about all of our neighbors who have dropped $200, $500, $300……on these products.

He said that he has sold to Bill Gates, Ellen, Michael Jordan and many other celebrities.

I told him I needed to get my checkbook.  I did but I also took the flier to Chris who googled the product and found it on Amazon 

ADVANAGE 20X Multi-Purpose Cleaner

When Chris came out and asked him some questions the guy started spouting all kinds of things and his story started changing – kind of weird!

He said that Chris had questioned his integrity because he asked questions about the product.

It was overall a weird experience and when we went in I called across the street to our neighbors because the girl who was selling the same product was headed over and I wanted to warn them not to answer the door!!!

I bought 2 bottles (I’m a sucker to people with big stories!!) to use at our venue but after doing more research tonight I’m hoping I don’t regret writing a check to this company (T & B Sales).  

Ever been taken in by a scam?  Do you think these companies are legitimate?

Happy Wednesday!!!

Kim 

BTW – the lack of pictures is thanks to my ongoing blog issues – I can’t upload pictures right now for some reason!!!!