Wednesday, October 02, 2024

Yesterday at work, I sold an expensive watch and had to figure out how to remove three links from its bracelet. A coworker who usually does that is on vacation, and I’d never altered linkages. Luckily, my customer was cooperative, helpful, and a fun collaborator with the task. She departed wearing her well-fitting watch.

I’d been concerned about someday having to adjust a watch band linkage. Yesterday’s event made my day. Now, I can do it!

With a coworker on vacation, my schedule will assume more hours. That’s okay, but what isn’t is that the store plans to start opening and closing one hour earlier. I dislike the earlier starting times because tasks at home need attention before I can leave for work. The store’s new hours will begin next week.

Since my donkey Pimmy has been separated from her horse buddies, I’m becoming her new best friend, and we are growing closer. I am enjoying her one-on-one and discovering that she has surprisingly puppy-like behaviors. I’ve begun thinking of Pimmy as my “other puppy.”

She could use a barn buddy, and I wonder about introducing my elderly goat, Breeze, to Pimmy. Breeze has lived among my chickens; she is sweet and doesn’t mind having chickens perched or riding on her back. She could be moved into a safe stall to start getting to know Pimmy and the barn.

I know that a horse and a goat can become bonded buddies, but I am uncertain about a donkey and a goat doing the same. My sense is to give it a try.

Dear Friends: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Diana

Tuesday, October 01, 2024

Happy debate night. Thankfully, it’s the final debate. We need this election season to end because the campaigning swallows news and critical resources. It is expensive and consuming, drains critical support and energy, and diverts America’s focus on helping to end two (at least) real-time nation wars.

Putin is a nut case, as well as his buddies leading other nations. Besides ongoing news about the escalating destruction in Ukraine, information arriving is about Iran’s intent to make a missile attack on Israel. It’s unlikely accidental that Putin personally is visiting in Iran.

Finishing this campaigning season and voting will free more of America’s attention, energy, and resources. America will be able to return more attention to helping settle critical world crises.

Dear Friends: Events causing lots of worrying often become absorbing. Diana

Monday, September 30, 2024

Yesterday, Central Oregon’s weather turned colder; that’s how it happens. We have days of steady heat or light chill, and suddenly our weather shifts. In one day, a new mode can take hold.

We’re experienced with this. We know to start readying sweaters and jackets, with another short-range goal of readying heavy coats. Later today, I might find myself closing windows.

Fall has arrived, with early October arguably the prettiest time of year. Recently, I’ve been hypnotized by the lovely changing colors of tree leaves. They’ve had me feeling very in the moment, yearning to rush beyond the city to be immersed in nature’s art.

This afternoon, I am off from my part-time job. I will fulfill my wish to seek solace among nature’s visual feast, autumn’s colors, light, and textures. Beyond visual splendor, I want sensory experiences: crisp air, earthy scents, and sounds of nature.

Lately, I feel stressed by the approaching holidays, pressures in my part-time job, and shorter natural light. I need a break and want to be among the grandeur of nature’s fall display. I wish to sense the awe and wonder of feeling connected to something larger than myself.

Dear Friends: Seasonal transitions are reminders of impermanence and beauty. Diana

 

Sunday, September 29, 2024

Here’s what’s happening now with my donkey Pimmy. She’s doing well, losing weight, and accepting a syringe with meds twice daily. She tries to resist syringes, but I’ve learned they’re the most predictable and fastest way to medicate her.

These days, Pimmy again is looking and behaving like her formerly healthy self. I am becoming used to keeping her separated from her horse buddies. The separation lets me control her food portions and provide the meds.

I still need to introduce her to her new grass muzzle. She must be willing to wear it before being allowed to roam loosely on trails with me and the horses. Pimmy has always loved following her horses out in open territory, but she’s been diagnosed a diabetic, and green grass eating is a no-no. That’s why the muzzle.

Tomorrow is my day off from my part-time job. I will put that muzzle on her. If she accepts, she’ll wear it, and we will go walking in the neighborhood.

Dear Friends: Pimmy’s illness started us on a long learning curve. Diana

Thursday, September 26, 2024

Yesterday, I worked in Jewelry, and a customer became great fun. She was genuine, enthusiastic, and open. She’s a retiree whose professional career involved teaching piano and mathematics. Long after retiring, she met her now-long-time significant other on Match.com. They’re enthusiastic about bicycling together and frequently have traveled by bicycle in countries worldwide.

She enjoyed hearing about my horses and especially my donkey, Pimmy. As it turned out, she recognized Pimmy. She’s often driven past my place and loves seeing the donkey.

(BTW, “the donkey” is in trouble with me for refusing to take her medications. Starting last night, and from now on, twice a day, she’ll receive meds from a syringe. We both dislike syringe deliveries, but those more insure her continuing health.)

My customer recommended that I explore a program offered by Oregon State University. The program is designed to be a continuing learning experience; it could be done in person or online. She and her significant other have enjoyed it. (I have forgotten its name but know how to look up the program, and will say more in a future blog.)

I’m off from my part-time job today. This evening, I plan to meet with one or more of my coworkers for dinner at a new restaurant.

Dear Friends: Today, I hope to have enough spare time to go horseback riding. Diana

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

On this early-to-work day, I will help open the department store that’s my part-time employer. Because of that morning obligation, the opening shift forces me to rush to get to work. It will become more challenging next month when the store begins to open one hour earlier and throughout the holiday season. The word is that we also will close one hour earlier than now, but I remember last year. In December’s final weeks, we were closing the store very late.

By now, I’ve worked in this store for just one month, less than a full year. Recently, I was surprised to receive an email from our NYC headquarters and our company’s president congratulating me on my nearly one year of service.

That gesture jolted my memory. For two years prior, I kept changing part-time jobs every six months, needing to develop retail skills that would make me more hirable in this city’s primary retail environment. Each job added to my skills, and last year, I decided to work in sales through the holidays for a major department store. I never planned to stay, but I’m still there and liking it.

Early is just that, and to get to my job today, I must start moving now. I also must start to wrap my head around the soon-to-be target of “one hour earlier.” That likely is inspired by our soon-to-be “clock-falling-back.”

Dear Friends: Retail is a war; people will spend over $2B online this holiday season. Diana

Monday, September 23, 2024

This morning, I have struggled to be reflective and creative despite suffering from a head cold. Although my cold seems to be winning, I’m trying to fight having to “call out” from my part-time job today. The store is short-staffed, and I am a die-hard who needs to meet expectations; today, “meeting” means showing up and working.

I’m an old-school type, imbued by my growing-up days when people accepted that they must work and do so dependably. These days, it’s a different story; young people see the world through modern eyes. I’m starting to get it and hesitate to encourage young workers to go to school or, in some other way, prepare for a desirable future. Through their eyes, the future looks different from what’s in my eyes.

I grew up learning that individual initiative springs from believing in oneself. That might have been a more forceful philosophy when people dealt with fewer technological developments and social advancement struggles. Everything happening used to be more local than international, and that’s become flipped.

I could go on, but you’re getting the drift. Today, I have a choice–to choose the acceptable norm of calling out or the personal norm of going to work.

Dear Friends: It’s early, with the jury still out, as my head leans in a tempting direction. Diana