Dear Reader,
As anticipated yesterday, I didn't get anything done today, didn't even make it to church which was disappointing. The problem is that my husband and I LIVE together exceptionally well ... but we don't SLEEP well together at all. Last night was one of those nights. It wasn't helped any by the fact that my back was really hurting from doing back exercises yesterday without having warmed up at all. I eventually had to go to another room to get to sleep and then went back to bed later only to still not be able to go to sleep. I stayed in bed trying for probably an hour before giving up and going back to the couch. So, by the time I
I needed to get up to go to church, I just was too exhausted.
Then we had the event yesterday afternoon. Honestly, I do believe it should be against the law to schedule an event for Sunday afternoon when one should be napping! Especially on a rainy Sunday afternoon! What a great nap that would have been. But the event started at 2:00 and went to about 4:00. We were recognized at the end for all the work my husband has done to revitalize the arts in the community and at the school and I am, of course, "the wind beneath his wings"! We were given a beautiful watercolor painting of the porch of a Victorian house on campus. I used to go to this porch to get some privacy, so it has special meaning to me.
At the reception I had a woman come up to me and ask if she could ask me a personal question. I said yes, and she asked me if I had received any special training I how to be so ... warm and friendly and outgoing to people I meet! She thought maybe there was some course I had taken to prepare me for this position. I laughed and said, no. That I was actually a pretty extreme introvert, but I have a genuine love for and I treat in other people, so my warmth is genuine. And also, that I believe that people want to be KNOWN. And if you can get them to crack one their door just a little way and reveal a little bit of themselves to you, you can, through warmth and friendly questions, get them to feel more free in talking about themselves. And that's what you are going for.
For people to trust you enough to tell you their story. You can make them feel special by listening carefully and asking leading questions and, the thing is that they truly ARE special and you can help the to realize that. At the grocery store the night before I had one person who worked in the seafood department about why they moved here from New Jersey, and a bagger tell me about how he wants t get into juicing. but doesn't think he can afford it and I gave him a recipe for a cheap juice to make that is crazy good! The other thing is to make it not be about yourself at all, it's about the other person. If you make it about yourself, then you will feel awkward and shy and uncertain what to say. If your goal I s to draw them out, then you are no longer the focus. This was the first time I've ever tried to explain to someone how I do what I do so that was fun.
When we got home our son was here and we took him and our daughter out to eat and, that was pretty much the day.
I got to bed with my husband, it wasn't able to go to sleep so I'm in the family room now writing this out. Oh, and guess what? I looked up vacation rentals in Martha's Vineyard and found a really great house for $2500 a week!
Tomorrow I have to hit the ground running. Figuratively, not literally. I was supposed to take my daughter to an outlet store tomorrow to try to find some work clothes for her. She literally has one pair of work pants and the dress she interviewed in. Bit with this weather, I doubt seriously that we'll be going anywhere.
Tomorrow school has been cancelled because we are having sleet and ice, and the snow. So that means my housekeeper won't be in. The only thing that is really a mess is the kitchen, but it should take long to clean up. And after that I'll be hitting the white study hard! I've got to finish it!!
The linen armoire is next, and my closet is after that.the basement is going to have to wait for a while
I hope you have a safe and happy Monday and that, where ever you are, you are ready to truly enjoy it!
Cheers!
Lisa
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