Untapped Potential - Stationary and Cards

Stationary, Cards, and Pens - Potential

I've got a little tub full of cards, stationary and paper. I've had it for a few years and it ebbs and it grows depending upon what cool stationary I find on random trips to the store. Luckily, it is getting gradually smaller.

The other day I got it out to write a few thank you notes, birthday cards and "sorry for your loss" notes.

It was a bit of a shame that I had options to choose from because cards are for giving, not keeping.

I grew up in the era before email and so writing cards was a typical weekly ritual. In college, as an RA, I tried to write frequent notes to the girls I was in charge of, but I made them out of paper and cool Mr. Sketch markers. As a missionary there were plenty of opportunities to write notes as well.

Then, came 1994 where email had hit the scene and communication shifted.

Over time I started sending more notes through email and through BlueMountain.com. I still do, but I think it is time for a change.

In an ever electronic world, the note in the mail is even more valuable.

Plus, why should a box of paper and cards sit there for such a long time when it could be making over 100 people happy?



So, here's my goal - send out as many notes and cards as I can this summer. People need to know when I think of them. They need to read  a good thought. They need to open the mailbox and see something handwritten and completely un-expected.

And, I need the good feeling that comes from doing so.

Word Eatage

So, I will have to eat my words on the last post.

Yes, it doesn't take long to write. However, this thing called the brain can get overwhelmed at times and in those five minutes that are free, a post will not come forth.

Such has been my last few weeks. I've worked over 115 hours (officially), but unofficially it's been about 125-130 hours. And, it's required a lot of focus on reading documents, analysis, and decision making that impacts a lot of peoples lives as far as their day jobs are concerned.

I'm still not done with the entire process, and along with that we are hiring more people internally and I've been trying to catch up on all of the emails. It took 15 hours last weekend to get caught up - meaning only about 100 emails left in the work inbox when I started work last Monday.

Wow. I'm too old for this. I remember working 90 hour weeks all the time in my 20s and juggling 3 jobs. Now, I can't make it. No more super woman multi-tasking coming from me.

Ok, well, maybe a bit of it behind the scenes.

Where did those lazy days of summer go? When did we actually have lazy days of summer? I have no idea when they actually occurred. It must have been sometime in junior high.

and so I digress...

Now it's 11 p.m. on a Saturday night and all I did today was work, walk, take toilets to the dump, eat at a Caribbean restaurant, go to the post office, track my finances, cut my man's hair, and read part of a book and take a 10:00 p.m. stroll in the moonlight.

Hmmm. Now, what am I actually complaining about?

Writing and I'm about sick of it

This has been the week! I feel like I've been writing all week...amongst a lot of other things. We are preparing another contract document at work and then I was working on a document package today that took 12 hours!

When I sit down to write my thoughts on the blog, it takes 10 minutes to write it all down and slap a few pictures up. Yes, I know you can tell, but I've never claimed to be an amazing writer. In fact, my lowest ACT score was in English and it is my lowest score on the multiple intelligence tests. Ok, verbal is my lowest score, not writing. But, I'm sure they are in some way related. At least I don't use the word "him" in the improper context any of the time.

So, all of this mental focus on writing means I've been sitting on my rear for the last couple of days. I just got back from the store at 9:30 p.m. and I'd been inside my house for over 50 hours...with the exception of going down my six indoor steps to get my mail. But, that was technically inside as well.

Now, I have to purposely stay up late to watch the first CD of Pride and Prejudice (BBC version and I can't find the 2nd CD) , start my taxes in Turbo Tax just to see how much I may owe even if I haven't received all the tax forms yet and somehow I roped myself into what? Writing a blog entry.

It is amazing how this is a release and all that other writing creates fat, acne and the desire to eat the entire pan of brownies. Um, ok, so the desire is actually an actual.

Here goes trying to go to bed, but don't be surprised if there is another blog entry above this one by morning.

Oh wait, it is already Sunday morning...12:36 a.m.

Faith is not a feeling, it is a decision

This weekend I watched the worldwide conference for my church. Luckily, I live in a place where someone local has some influence on these matters and it happened to be on TV. Pretty cool considering that I'm on the east coast far away from the influences of the Rocky Mountain west.

Only the audio files are available at this time, but here's the link - http://lds.org/conference/sessions/display/0,5239,23-1-947,00.html

I only remember one phrase from the conference and it continues to stick in my mind:

"Faith is not a feeling, it is a decision." (I'll put who said it later because I honestly can't remember)

Perhaps it is because I go from having a lot of faith right now to feelings of despair rather quickly. Something will be said, a life event will happen or I watch the 401k start to go down by five digits instead of the usual three or four. I'll admit that it's been even harder during a time where I've made extra efforts to refocus life, study the good word, visit the temple A LOT, try to help others even when it's hard, and plan for an important upcoming event in my life.

Sometimes the going gets tough and that's why this quote seemed to penetrate my heart. It is a decision. I've made the decision before. A few months ago I decided this and the confidence that accompanied it was invigorating. However, when things don't fall into place after deciding to decide...hope does dwindle and faith truly reverts to the size of a mustard seed.

Where does this leave me now? Well, I will do what I always do. Write about it, cry about it, think about it and complain about it. Go to bed. Get up the next day and decide once again to have faith and move forward.

Somehow I, like everyone else, can look back a year (or more) later and say "Wow, I forgot even going through all that" or "I can't believe I was so worried." At that point, perhaps faith does have a feeling. A confirmation that a trial was overcome (or at least "gone through") and quite possibly the next challenge will be manageable.

Until then, it's another day and another decision.