If I answer the phone and it’s a telemarketer, or someone taking surveys or raising money for the Fraternal Order of Police, I always allow them to complete their first statement without interrupting, before I explicitly state that I’m not interested in contributing to whatever it is that they’re trying to get me to contribute to. I do this, number 1, because I’ve got what’s known in certain vernacular as “good home training”; and, number 2 and mostly, because I empathize: I’ve worked as a tele- all those things and I know firsthand how demoralizing it can be to get hang up after hang up in one ear while bells go off in the other celebrating coworkers who rack up sales instead of hang ups; and number 3, how can you NOT listen and donate to an organization raising money for families of police officers killed in the line of duty?!

I’m glad to hear that inflection in the caller’s voice, the surprise, the aural equivalent of their face lighting up, when I answer ‘Yes’ or whatever response they least expected, that invites them to continue with their spiel. If you’ve never done this work, trust me, rejection wears on you. Even if I ultimately reject, I feel good that I handle it civilly, not cussing anybody out, or slamming down the phone. If I’m not helping somebody make their quota; that’s unfortunate enough, no need to add insult to injury by being nasty.

I have this recurring vision of President Obama, deep in thought, walking solo along a shore, khakis cuffed, white shirt tucked, sleeves billowing in the breeze while Earth, Wind & Fire plays in the background; After the Love Has Gone:

“Something happened along the way, what used to be happy was sad. Something happened along the way, and yesterday was all we had… and OH! How could you lead me on?”

You know the honeymoon’s over for sure when Maxine Waters is pissed.

Lean, muscular and feminine. Honest and a defender of the innocent.

Who needs therapy or a psychic when just a few seconds after being tagged with a meme, you can find out which superhero you are?!

I don’t know if it’s the yoga, brain wave vibrations, or this time of year, but I just can’t seem to summon a tizzy. I watched all the punditry back-to-back on Sunday as usual, but I’d already had three hours or so of digging in the dirt by then. While all hell is near breaking lose with Kim Jung Ill testing nuclear devices every other day, swine flu spreading locally and the global economic meltdown steadily claiming more jobs and lives, I’m dizzygiddy like Poppy in Happy Go Lucky. Yes, I realize that gloom looms and disaster’s near, but I’m more concerned with whether the Ajugas are going to get enough or too much sun there?

GM filed for bankruptcy as anticipated–

I don’t know if it’s the yoga, brain wave vibrations, or this time of year, but I just can’t seem to summon a tizzy. I watched all the punditry back-to-back on Sunday as usual, but I’d already had three hours or so of digging in the dirt by then. While all hell is near breaking lose with Kim Jung Ill testing nuclear devices every other day, swine flu spreading locally and the global economic meltdown steadily claiming more jobs and lives, I’m dizzygiddy like Poppy in Happy Go Lucky. Yes, I realize that gloom looms and disaster’s near, but I’m more concerned with whether the Ajugas are going to get enough or too much sun there?

GM filed for bankruptcy as anticipated–