New Year, New Beginnings

It has been quite a journey since my last post in 2015. My then-business partner (also my then-spouse) was not the right match for the businesses or myself. In a bid to maintain steady income for the household, I gave up the businesses for a steady paycheck but still struggled financially. I suffered through a toxic employer with lots of company drama, got fired while going through a divorce, found a company I believed in but the boss is a Boss & not a Leader and created a toxic environment, found love again but it was VERY long distance... Today, I am happy to share that I am re-launching the first of my businesses and my love is no longer long distance. It is time for a fresh start and I am EXCITED about it.

Adventurous Explorer

Recently, I took one of those quizzes on Facebook.   Something about "What career should you be in?"  Unsurprisingly, my result was Adventurous Explorer: Athlete, Journalist, Detective.

It made me think about all that has led me to this point and where I'm headed.  I was an athlete (a LONG time ago), I love investigating things and reaching conclusions and telling the truth.  I love exploring, learning and experiencing new things.  I want to travel and live in different places.  I am not one for ruts!  So how am I in a job crunching numbers and do I want to stay there?

Despite the high stress and some nepotism, I actually like the job and where I am.  I think it is the first job I have had my entire working life that I finally feel like I belong in it.  The first year required a lot of additional forensic work to unravel my 2 predecessors' messes, and I still do a lot of investigating in my daily work.  It pays better than similar positions in the general market.  The down side is that the stress carries over into my personal life.  I am totally drained at the end of each workday and more so by the time Friday night rolls around.  I am hesitant to take a day off because it will take me working extra hard the next 4 days to catch up.  I think I have made myself irreplaceable.  (I know, it is weird that I am sad about that! )

So the question is how do I retain my sense of life, of adventure?   Normally, I would withdraw by going camping somewhere where human sounds do not reach, but I was unable to take 3 weeks off from work to do so.  (We are saving the vacation time and money to do a major trip later in the year.)  While I do not necessarily recommend doing what I have done, I think it has been necessary for me, particularly quite an introvert like me.  I withdrew from life, from people I would normally interact with outside of work and home, even from church.  It has been a little painful, and I suspect more so for my friends than me.  Yet it is has still has taken a couple of months to get to a place where I can consider reintegrating with SOME friends.  Maybe 1 family at this time....

Part of me is ready.  A good part of me is not.  I sense that God is.pushing me out of my cave, whether I am ready or not.  Do I fear another burnout?  Of course I do.  With so much riding on my shoulders, I absolutely cannot go down.  Yet, it might be time to at least open a window and look at the outside.

Here goes nothing.  The first step towards regain life and my love of adventure.

Happy New Year!

A new year for many people means a new beginning,  a new start.  It is  chance to start anew and make changes in your life.  (Now,  whether these changes stay permanent or not is a whole other matter...)
Towards the end of last year,  I decided to cut down the amount of flour and sugar I consume,  just simply for health reasons.  One would think that the new year would make that change permanent.  So what is my first meal of the new year?   Made-from-scratch pancakes...
Happy New Year folks!

Adventures of the Past Week

So it's been a while and the adventures have not ceased.  This weekend, while everyone was freaking out about Hurricane Irene and looting I mean buying out the grocery stores of bottled water, milk, eggs and bread, I just went on with life as usual... or almost usual.  Since all I expected was local flooding and a power outage (I figured the maximum would be 3-4 days at worst), all I did for preparations was the following:

• fill my 5-gallon camping jug with filtered water
• fill a couple of buckets with tap water (you know, for washing dishes, bathing and flushing the toilet)
• get some non-perishable food like instant noodles (I have a gas stove plus my camping gas stove to cook with even if power went out)
• froze a couple of containers of water for refrigeration
• and last but not least, did laundry before the power went out!

In the end, I ended up spending Saturday night at church since hubby had to be there to switch on the generators when the power went out.  Did not even make it home till almost 6.30pm on Sunday... and I had power at home!

Leading up to the weekend was a long and hard week at work, working 70+ hours, 14 of which involved an event in VA on Monday, and also training a new employee.  Did I mention a pretty nasty sprained ankle which happened on Tuesday?  

Okay, so the picture is not pretty and I am no foot model...

There is a slight chance that I might have broken my ankle, but only God knows and God is healing me because I do not have time to go see a doctor!  The swelling has gone down (but not completely gone) and the pain is somewhat negligible (but that could be due to drugs...).  I gave the borrowed crutches a shot but gave up after 2 nights (can't use them during the day at work) because my triceps were (and still are) screaming at me.

Before the ankle adventure was a last-minute decision to go to Chima in Philly on Sunday night.  That was fun and yummy.  I found some of the meats to be somewhat too salty and too much black pepper, but otherwise the experience and the rest of the food was great, especially since it was a very rare date night with my spouse.  It is a nice place to take someone out for a date.

I think of these adventures in the past week and I am nowhere near ready for another work week but I take comfort in knowing that the ultimate adventure is really journeying with Jesus and He is with me as I go through each day, no matter what comes.  Even in the midst of a hurricane, He is there.  Thank God for God.

The Function of Wise Men

I have been meaning to post this for a while... This is taken from "Six Days of the Week" by Henry van Dyke. He phrases it so well that I can only copy it and quote him.

"Wisdom is the principal thing -- Proverbs 4:7"

     "The men of thought, of cultivation, of reason in the community ought to be an antidote to dangerous influences.
      Having been instructed in the lessons of history and science and philosophy, they are bound to contribute their knowledge to the service of society.
     As a rule, they are willing enough to do this for pay, in the professions of law and medicine and teaching and divinity.
     What I plead for is the wider, nobler, unpaid service which an educated man renders to society simply by being thoughtful and by helping other men to think.
     The college men of a country ought to be its most conservative men; that is to say, the men who do most to conserve it.
     They ought to be men whom demagogues cannot inflame nor political bosses pervert.
     They ought to bring wild theories to the test of reason, and withstand rash experiments with obstinate prudence.
     When it is proposed, for example, to enrich the nation by debasing its currency, they should be the men who demand time to think whether real wealth can be created by artificial legislation.
     And if they succeed in winning time to think, the danger will pass -- or rather it will be transformed into some other danger requiring a new application of the salt of intelligence.
     For the fermenting activity of ignorance is incessant, and perpetual thoughtfulness is the price of social safety."

This was copyrighted almost 90 years ago, and like all principles, it withstands the passing of time.

Faith For A Journey/Adventure

Right in the beginning of this week, I had a tremendous argument with my spouse.  The atmosphere at home has since been very chilly.  Interactions have been very limited and extremely strained.  It was two days before we even spoke, and that was out of necessity -- we were forced to interact in public.  Frankly, I was furious for the first 3 days after the argument, and then simmered down to just being very angry.  

There are many issues related to, and stemming from, the argument.  Yet again I questioned if marriage was not the biggest mistake I ever made and considered, almost determined to, emotionally "checking out" of the marriage.  (Divorce is not an option.)  It has been a tremendous struggle this week. I frequented the dark place of my deep anger, and stayed a while.  Many parts of me kept saying, "I am done!!"

A few minutes ago, I finally settled down to today's devotion, which talked about adventurers and their faith.

"The power which has moved adventurers is faith."

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV) states "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Past adventurers like Abraham, Columbus, Balboa, and so forth, never saw their destinations before setting out.  They just went on the adventure, absolutely and positively convinced of what they would find.  They took the journey, the good and the (mostly) bad, all out of faith, out of a belief in the Divine Being they would bring glory to.

I cannot help but think of this one line stuck in my head for some odd reason that "marriage is an adventure", the journey which two people embark on together.  I know what a good marriage looks like, and we are definitely not there (yet).  There will be good out of this journey, despite all the bad in it.  I believe that simply because I believe God.  And when the good comes, it is solely because of Him.

The Wisconsin Labour Bill

Many are keeping their eyes on what is happening in the land of cheese and Harley Davidson -- the labour bill.  Basically, it would decimate the power of unions, whose memberships have been on the decline anyway.  There was a time and place for unions in the history of this country, however they have evolved into a destructive land mine in the land of opportunity, eroding people's motivation to be better in their work and take pride in their jobs, installing a sense of entitlement instead.  Afterall, what incentive does a young worker have for improving himself/herself over the years of his/her working life when he/she makes the same money and enjoys the same benefits as someone else 40 years down the same path?  But I digress...

To quote the article:

Walker's legislation would end collective bargaining rights--the process by which employees band together to negotiate with employers--for almost all of Wisconsin's state, county and local workers (police, firefighters and the state patrol would be excepted). This would mean, among other things, that unions wouldn't be able to seek pay increases above inflation, unless voters approve those hikes in a special referendum. Unions also would not be able to require members to pay dues, and would have to hold yearly votes to stay organized.

State, County and Local (government) workers are public sector employees, whose salaries are paid for by taxes; why should they not be subject to pay raise approvals by the very people who pay them?  Companies which pay salaries determine what, if any, pay raise employees get -- so what is the difference here?

Additionally, I think it makes perfect sense for unions to hold yearly votes to stay organised.  You do not want the same people in power all the time unless they are effective and qualified to hold the position.

As for whether unions should be allowed to require members to pay dues, I need further thought upon it, but I am leaning towards "why not?".  Just about every trade association out there requires its members to pay membership dues, though I'd be interested to see where union dues go...  I think my final answer would depend on where the money goes and what it is used for.

Inspiring

This is a very inspiring talk.

Balance

Well said, Nigel!

Convictions

From the news today came an article about the first girl to win a wrestling championship in Iowa.   She won by forfeit and this is what the boy who forfeited said,

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Cassy and Megan [Black] and their accomplishments...  However, wrestling is a combat sport and it can get violent at times.  As a matter of conscience and faith, I do not believe that it is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner. It is unfortunate that I have been placed in a situation not seen in most other high school sports in Iowa."

I have to say, I am very impressed by this young man. Not only did he (and his family) have strong convictions, they were honourable and they were lived out, even at the expense of something important to him.

To paraphrase Stephen Covey,

Honesty is when your words match reality.

Integrity is when reality matches your words.