Thursday, January 18, 2007

21 Steps to Success

Years ago when I was responsible for the operations of a world wide Information Systems department, this business forms salesman would stop in at the reception area. I, of course, would not see him. This scenario went on for weeks. He would call me and I would side step him. Eventually I agreed to see him and listen to his pitch. He was very sociable and had a great sense of humor. If I remember correctly, he offered to take me out to lunch. My policy was I would not go to lunch with non vendors. He was tenacious and I finally started to purchase product from him. This was the start of a great friendship. Frankie and I managed to always make each other laugh. Soon he was successfully bidding and winning more of my business.

Then Frankie and his family moved to Florida and he started his own forms supply business. I continued to buy from him and our friendship continued. When my youngest daughter and two of her friends wanted to go to Disney during spring break of her junior year in high school, it was Frankie who met them at the airport, drove them to their hotel, picked them up one night and took them to dinner, and drove them back to the airport. Frankie waited until they boarded and then called me to let me know they were safely headed home.

One winter when Marie and I were vacationing in Florida, Frankie let us use his condo on the beach and hosted us at his ocean front home for a salmon and steak BBQ. Frankie personally caught the salmon in Alaska. I thought his house was paradise.

Last week I gave Frankie a call at his office in Florida. We chatted about our families...his daughter is a nurse and enjoys her work, his son a junior in college...gosh how old I feel remembering him as little guy. My oldest is expecting her third, my youngest (the Disney one) has two boys and lives way out past the Nordic lodge, my son, who went to the Red Sox in Boston with us, and spring training games, and one night egged Frankie into driving over 100 mph, and he is now going through a divorce. So we caught up with each others families. Frankie told me he had a new house...his dream house on a lake. I said I've heard this several times before. Frankie assured me this was the final one. It was then that he told me that he was sitting quietly in his break room reading the "21 Steps to Success". He told me that #1 was "pick your spouse carefully". A good spouse will contribute 90% to your successful career.

I am truly successful and fortunate that Frankie is my friend!!

Monday, January 08, 2007

Mastering The Supermarket

Years ago my wife had bleeding ulcers and I was pressed into doing the food shopping. Marie created the list and off I went with my first two children. The oldest was about 7. I started with the first item and dutifully searched for it and added it to the basket. After repeating this process several times, Jill pointed out to me that Mom goes up one aisle and then the next crossing off the items as they were added to the basket. I smartly replied that mom made the list this way for a reason and this was the way I would get them. Once home my methods were conveyed to Marie and she had a good laugh. For the next several weeks she created the list by aisle for me.

Once again I am now the main forager in the local supermarket as Marie endures another round of chemo. So having retired from the Information Processing field I would apply logic and technology to the task. I acquired a listing from the market and loaded all the items that we normally purchase into my PC with the aisle number. I then sorted this information alphabetically within ascending aisle number. This morning I sat with Marie made the list of needed items by aisle number and off I went. I was a making quick work of shopping, even helping another gentleman with the aisle number of his needed item. I recognized the look on his face as he tried to read the overhead signs.

I always use the automated scanner to checkout having figured out how to use the produce look up table. Swipe my credit card and out the door without having to talk to anyone.

Now this is the way to shop.

Friday, January 05, 2007

Up Jumped the Devil

The plan was to use this blog to describe the travels on the Florida Panhandle this winter. Marie and I have spent the last two winters in Panama City Beach. The panhandle is full of interesting places to visit and explore. December was busy with preparing linens and bath towels for travel, favorite cooking utensils were put aside. The condo comes equipped with those but we prefer our own. The beach towels (not provided) were washed and folded ready for packing. I recently purchases a honda mini van to carry all the "stuff" marie needs to be happy there. Check lists were complete for closing up the house, suspending Cox services and insurance on the vehicle that would be stored. The U S mail forwarding card was ready for submission. December is also a very busy doctor / dentist month. Marie fought breast cancer three years ago and she has major checkups in June and December. Long story short her liver function was abnormal. This triggered a cavity scan with contrast. The breast cancer metastasized to the lymph nodes in her chest and to her liver. Yet her breasts are clear. These results triggered a "mugger" test to insure that her heart is healthy and a brain scan with contrast. Some good news, the brain scan is fine and the heart is healthy. Marie's Oncology doctor wanted the treatments to be done here at least for a while so he can monitor the progress. This news did put a damper on Christmas and we did the best we could not to let it affect our grandchildren.

January 2nd Marie had her first weekly treatment. She is infused with two drugs. One is Herceptin and the second is Navelbine. All in all it was not very bad. The first time Herceptin causes muscel and joint pain to the point she could not get to bed without help the first night. We are told that this side effect will diminish to nothing over time. We are not without positives. We have been told that next winter we can go to Florida and have the treatments there. We may be able to scoot for a couple of weeks in march or April. I am checking condo rentals on the Outer Banks. We will also be here for the birth of grandchild number 8 in late February.

We are fortunate in that we have a caring family praying for Marie and I have a close circle of Navy buddies who are praying hard also.