Thursday, August 17, 2006

Did You Know???

Did you know...

that last week gas was going to go up to over $4.00 a gallon? It did in Wabash. At least that's what I heard.

that IWU's main goal is not to promote a Christian education university environment? It's really to overtake the city of Marion. That's why they are closing Nebraska Street.

that if ethanol becomes our primary source of fuel, noone will be able to afford to eat? Meat prices will skyrocket because there won't be enough feed for the livestock.

that Meijer, Kroger, Tyson Chicken, Toyota, Target, and Kohls are coming to Marion? And they are all going to be located on the land west of the bypass out south.

that if the site of the new Marion aquatic center is at the old Essex site on Adams, noone will come? It will be unsafe for the children who will be playing in the traffic, and it is in a high crime area.

that if the mega dairies come to Grant County, we will all be exposed to disease and the drinking water will be unsafe to consume?

that art, music, and p.e. in the next few years will no longer be offered in the school system?

that social security isn't going to be around when we are ready to retire?

that the government really has a cure for cancer, but the pharmaceutical companies who run the show won't allow the public to have it?

that Tom Cruise's and Katie Holmes's baby doesn't really exist? I mean, noone has really seen her.

I have to smile as I post the above questions. Some of them were written tongue in cheek, others were purely rumors that I have heard but not yet confirmed. With a couple of them, I don't have enough facts to determine if it is tongue in cheek or a factual statement. I think it is interesting to listen to people both speak of possible events happening and then also watch the recipient of the rumor react. We all know people who during the winter time, they are the first to march into the office (after watching the weather channel all night) and announce that we are going to have 7-10 inches of snow. So the rumor is started, and after work everyone rushes to the store, leaving the shelves of bread and milk empty. Then we all go to bed that night (way too late because we are anticipating a delay or closing) and wake up to an inch of accumulation. How about Y2K? I didn't buy a plot of land out west, but I was a little concerned the closer the clock got to midnight. I remember we were at a Sunday School class get together at the Rowleys. Elizabeth was just over a month old, and I was holding her in my lap on the couch as we counted down 10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1..Happ...the electricity went out in the house. I jumped (luckily held onto Elizabeth,) and a few seconds later the lights came back on, and Don thought he was pretty funny pulling that joke on everyone. But I remember the hype that surrounded that event and the precautions people took expecting the worse. I remember a short time period in my childhood when my mom didn't want me to watch the smurfs because of the rumored demonic overtones. And just how many days has Christ missed his return?

I have to admit, I am one who tends to get a little hyper when someone tells me of something that is going to happen, even if it is not confirmed. Then when that something doesn't happen, I have gotten all worked up over nothing. Or, like in the case of the new aquatic center, the negative comments start before the ground is even broken - maybe the aquatic center will turn out to be just as nice as Kokomo Beach - maybe even nicer. Or maybe it will be cruddy, but we might as well not be negative about it until the project is complete.

Our preschool program just completed a major reconstruction project over the summer, and due to budget cuts and space constraints, our offices and classrooms are much smaller than last year. Before and during the remodeling, all kinds of rumors were flying around about how the finished product was going to look and how miserable it was going to be. The construction is now complete, and it is definitely not an ideal situation. But it's workable - I hope as the staff gets used to their smaller surroundings, the negativity will lessen, because it sucks the energy out of the workplace. And I have to watch my attitude, too, because there have been many times already this week when our less than ideal situation has been pretty frustrating. But the kinks are getting worked out, and though the stress level of today was higher than I would like, it was lower than the previous two days - so there is definitely hope.

Triathlon Training Update - going back to work has really made training a struggle, and I haven't found the solution yet. I ran 4 miles on Tuesday after our softball game (we won 11-1, yeah! Semis and finals are next Monday) and it was the longest 4 miles of my life. But I finished
somewhere between 40 and 41 minutes, so I was happy with my time. Yesterday did not offer a free minute to train until 9:30 p.m., and I just couldn't motivate my body to cooperate. So I guess yesterday was a rest day and I will do yesterday's workout tonight (bike 30 minutes and strength training.)

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

That Don is such a prankster... hopefully he can get along with that new President over there at IWU. Cause you know what they say about him.... : ) Shannon

August 17, 2006 9:43 PM  
Blogger Carolyn said...

Did you know that when the price of bread goes above a dollar that the Lord will come?

That was one that I heard preached from the old Pilgrim Holiness church.

Or did you know that having a bathtub and electric lights was of the devil?

Another insightful moment from the pulpit.

Or did you know that cutting your hair was sinful, the scripture says your hair is your glory?

Well, that was too much as the boy next to me was pointing to the scripture in his Bible, at that point I was a little older and just cut my hair. So I quickly turned and said well, you're mom needs to read that with her hair all pulled back in that hair net, it always looks awful. I don't know what he meant when he closed his Bible that he would have to pray for me.

We are all influenced by what we hear even the ridiculous stuff. I have hoof and mouth disease I asked one of the clients I was working with when her baby was due and before she could answer I went on to tell her she was probably going to have a boy since she seemed to be carrying it low. Well, needless to say she promptly informed me her last child was five years ago, at which I added before I could stop the words, "had trouble getting it off, huh". Open mouth then insert foot. That's my MO

Words have impact and influence,,, I know because each time I pay over a dollar for bread, I quickly look up and wait for Jesus to take me away!!!!

Keep writing and be careful what you say.

Carolyn

August 18, 2006 2:17 AM  
Blogger Kelley said...

This was a fun post. I remember having a heated debate at my unsaved Grandparents on Christmas Eve of 1999 about whether the whole Y2K thing was gonna happen. Sure am glad we all survived that. To answer your question on my post, yes, I was exhausted. But here it is 6:20 am and I'm ready early for school so I have time to get on and check blogs. Sad but True! :)

August 18, 2006 6:25 AM  
Blogger Missy said...

Oh the memories! :)
I happen to be one of the individuals that raced right over to Speedway last week to fill up before gas hit $4 here as it already had in Peru (according to the story I heard). I was ticked to drive to work the next day and see that the proce actually went down in Marion. :) I happened to be living in SD during Y2K. Let's just say that people took it very serious there! People stock piled food, water, put in gas stoves.... I remember there being so much fear surrounding it.

Loved the post on your staff meeting!!! Oh how I could relate!You could have easily been sitting in my staff meeting! Staff meetings have taken on a whole new meaning now that I have the responsiblity of running them. I feel like I am now in the "mother" role. I am trying to think of a game or fun thing to do in staff meeting pointing to the roles people play....... let me know if you have ideas.

BTW- You triathalon women are amazing! I am so impressed!! I am also still open to paddling a canoe beside you while you swim....

August 18, 2006 10:29 AM  
Blogger Deb said...

Missy-

maybe you could type up different "roles" people could play and then have them randomly draw and play those roles while one of your other staff members who volunteers (not knowing what she is volunteering for) tries to run a meeting - while your other staff is hamming it up with their roles. And then maybe someone else could be guessing the different roles people are playing. Just an idea - I think in staff meetings I have been in people love to act - especially when they can act and say things that would normally not be acceptable.

August 18, 2006 12:08 PM  

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