(43-211) The Forward

I know that email forwards are frowned upon by many; and  truth be told, I often delete them without even reading them.  However, every once and a while I feel compelled to read a forward; and I have to admit that I have come across some that I find provocative, others that are funny,  and those that put a big ole smile on my face.  C'mon, who can resist those People of Wal-mart photos?  You know the ones.  The forward always includes the dregs of society, (decked out in outfits that sane people wouldn't be caught dead in;) as they peruse the Wal-mart aisles.  If you've never seen one of these forwards; let me know, and the next time that I receive one, I'll be happy to share it with you.

Well the other day, one of my co-workers sent me a forward and it said:

Give this heart to everyone you DON'T want to lose in '2011 including me if you care. Try to collect 4, it's not easy!   

Now I absolutely abhor those forwards that tell you that if you don't pass something on; something terrible will happen to you.  I mean talk about a contradiction in terms.  Here friend, here's this well intentioned email, full of good thoughts and good cheer; but if you don't send it to umteen people; in the next umteen minutes; you'll have bad luck for eternity OR the exact opposite of what you're wished in this email will happen.  YUCK!  Talk about hypocrisy.  So, if you ever receive one of those forwards; EVEN if it tells you that you're guaranteed to receive $5 million dollars or a lifetime of health and happiness; please don't send it my way.  But I digress... let's make this U-turn.

What appealed to me about the forward that my co-worker sent me (you knew I was going somewhere with that; right?)  Was not necessarily the "send it to people you don't want to lose" instruction; but what was in the contents of the forward.  So, since I certainly don't want to lose any of you; and I really believe that these sentiments can contribute to your (say it with me,) "Greater good;"  I'm going to share the forward with you.  Of course there were all kinds a cutesy photos included in the email; but I think that you can live without those; since it's truly just the messages that are important. Oh, OK; and maybe one cute little pic...  

'Be kinder than necessary because everyone you

meet is fighting some kind of battle.'

'A sharp tongue can cut your own throat.'

'If you want your dreams to come true, you mustn't oversleep.'

'Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.'

'The best vitamin for making friends..... B1.'

'The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.'

'The heaviest thing you can carry is a grudge.'

'One thing you can give and still keep....is your word.'

'You lie the loudest when you lie to yourself.'

'If you lack the courage to start, you have already finished.'

'One thing you can't recycle is wasted time.'

'Ideas won't work unless ' You' do.'

'Your mind is like a parachute...it functions only when open.'

'The 10 commandments are not a multiple choice.'

'The pursuit of happiness is the chase of a lifetime!

'It is never too late to become what you might have been.'

'Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
So love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands.
If it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.'

'Friends are like balloons; once you let them go, you might not get them back.
Sometimes we get so busy with our own lives and problems that we may not even notice that we've let them fly away.
Sometimes we are so caught up in who's right and who's wrong that we forget what's right and wrong.
Sometimes we just don't realize what real friendship means until it is too late.'

Now was that chock full of conceptions or what?  I know that not all of those suppositions may suit you; so take from that what works for you; and if you'd like to forward it; ONLY good things will happen to you for you my friend are now looking out for someone else's greater good.
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING

70's Flashback Moment

I just got a call from my friend Lisa B and we were laughing because she was calling me in response to an email that I sent her, in response to an email that she sent me; in order to try and make some plans. She said that she thought it would be quicker to give me a call rather than go back and forth with emails, and she was right. We were laughing because sometimes it can be so much quicker to make that call instead of responding by text or email, (even if that's how you received the original message); and yet so many of us are now prone to send 10 texts back and forth, just to arrange a meeting time; or send 6 emails back and forth to make some plans; and I'm not quite sure what that says about the future of human communication.

Yesterday I called my friend Lesa G, and when she answered her cell and asked me what was going on , I replied "I just had a 70's flashback moment." Of course she asked why; and I said "I called your house and spoke to your husband and I even left a message." OMG, we laughed so hard. I told her that I was having visions of satin shorts and the roller disco rink. Think about it; how long has it been since you've actually left a message with a person? Now I'm not talking about business related calls, because even though most companies have voice mail, I do come across many who do not; and some how this doesn't phase me. But in my personal experience I typically reach an answering machine if a friend isn't home; regardless of if the significant other is home or not. I know my husband for one doesn't usually answer the phone if I'm not home; because he knows that the answering machine will just pick up if he doesn't and I am more likely to receive an accurate message from the answering machine than I am from him. Now when I reach an answering machine, most often I leave a message, but the message usually consists of me saying "I'll try you on your cell, but if we haven't spoken by the time you get this message; call me back." So after I left a message with her husband, which was " Please tell her that Paige called;" I immediately thought to myself "WOW! Why did I leave a message? I could have just said that I would try her on her cell and then leave a message on her cell if I didn't reach her;" but I think I was SO thrown off by the fact there was an actual person, other than my friend on the other end; that I felt compelled to be polite, and just like riding a bike, I left a message and it felt WEIRD!.

Remember back in the day when you would try to call someone and you would get a busy signal or just no answer and you just HAD TO accept it, keep trying or call back later? And then, answering machines became popular, followed by call waiting, call forwarding, caller ID, beepers or pagers (whatever you want to call them,) then cell phones, texting, cameras on phones and Iphones and what does all of this lead to? OK, I'll say it, a lack of personal space and time. Why has it suddenly become so important to be accessible to everyone, ALL THE TIME? How many times do you get a call on your cell when you're food shopping or with your family; and even though it might not be an opportune time to answer a call, you do? Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE my cell and I feel naked without it, BUT I do recognize that sometimes it can interfere with the important things and I think that we have to remember that as much as something can be a blessing, it can also be a curse and that everything has its time and place. Now don't misunderstand; this is not an essay on the evils of cell phones and technology, but a reflection on simpler times gone by and a commentary on our need for instant gratification. Am I guilty? YOU BETCHA; but I thought I would share these thoughts with you as they're something that I plan to give more consideration and I'm merely suggesting that you might like to as well; in the interest of THE GREATER GOOD, of course. So gimme a call and we can talk about it - LOL; just kidding.
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING