The ME in Mentoring

Sometimes you never know what situations might come your way. I recently took on a task for a group that I wasn't sure about. After some thought and looking back at the history of it all I thought about all the times throughout my life when I took on something I wasn't sure about.

When I started skating early on my Mom and Dad focused on Ice Dancing. Each session they would go to I would sit and watch the couples skate patterns on the ice over and over. At the time I thought this form of skating was set aside for "older" people due to the fact not many kids my age ice danced. Most kids started single or pair skating and either due to injury or not cutting it in the other discipline's they turned to dancing.  I tried it a few times but for me it just wasn't my thing. Ice Dancing now is one of the premier forms and much more interesting than it was then.

Many kids today look sometimes toward the wrong types of people too get inspiration from. Song lyrics and actions can often times give the wrong message. Studies have shown that video games are good for some individuals to get their brains working in a way that traditional teachings maybe won't work for them. Some will try most anything to get young minds involved or engaged.

When I was in high school I had several great teacher's. One stood out among the rest though. I knew pretty much from a very young age that I was meant to work in business. I can remember going  with my mom and grandma to the Podiatrist office and often the office staff would let me play on the machines in the office. For some it would have been just to keep me busy but I truly think I knew then what my path would be.

Throughout high school I always knew who Mrs. Dixon was. She was the young, snappy dresser with the Dorothy Hamill haircut, always a smile on her suntan face. I never heard a negative comment when her name was mentioned. When I decided to go in the direction of business I hoped I would have her as a teacher. My junior year I was lucky enough to do so. Always the positive and energetic soul she mentored all her "young ladies" to the best of her abilities. Always being positive, engaging, and willing to go the extra mile for you if you produced great work abilities. She recommended me for my first job during high school and motivated every young lady to take civil service exams. Many of her girls went on to big things.

Several years ago I read an article about mentoring and those who influenced you in your life. The first person who came to mind was Mrs. Dixon (I still can't call her by her first name even after all these years). I contacted someone through, surprise Facebook that until that time had not been aware that she also attended our high school.  She has since retired and enjoys retirement, family and grandchildren. I asked this contact if she saw her to pass along my address so that I could "thank her". To this day we keep in contact each year. I always enjoy hearing from her and remember my days being mentored by her fondly.

 I recently took on a project to help an organization on social media engage more with other generations. My first contact was a young girl who had an interesting new idea to start a mobile hair salon. We conversed back and forth on Facebook and I was as enthusiastic as she was about getting a business like this started in our town. She is motivated, kind, and although she has went through struggles just like any other young person, she doesn't let it get her down. She is definitely a breath of fresh air. I admire that she is trying to do something different in a town that doesn't often except differences.

We talk, and keep in contact and I hope that her dreams become realities. As I have told her every business goes through trials and tribulations. Even though other than being in salons and having friends who have been stylists that is as far as my knowledge of hair goes. Other than right now as I get older it does things I don't often want it to do. I have told her some experiences that any business can go through and hope that she will be able to feel she can ask me anything and I will be honest with her.

Time will tell but I hope I can say someday that I may have had a little bit to do with mentoring her in a Long Lasting Career!

New Member, Sedalia Business Women Nicole Vallery and myself.  (Photo courtesy of Linda Fisher)

Not Just Any Broken Teacup

The beginning of the New Year brings putting away Christmas decorations and putting back your usual decor. As in every year I always say after taking down the holiday decorations how "bare" everything usually looks. Even if you rearrange it stills seems a little lonely for a while. Usually each time I try and pack things pretty well but somehow this year I had one upsetting disaster. While unpacking one container I noticed one of my old family heirlooms got broken. My fault, I take full responsibility but it brought a little tug to the heart.

I have but a few mementos from my adopted grandma I grew up with. When she was still alive she would have little packages for me when I would visit her in her later years. She knew that the way the family dynamic had evolved that whatever she wanted me to have or that I had admired over time she would have to give to me on her own. Her sister, my Aunt Irene was a feisty gal. She was a smoking, opinionated woman who said it like it was. She was definitely the flip side of my grandma in many ways. She lost my uncle when I was around seven and never re-married but was always the life of any party.  One of her many hobbies was china painting. Both she and my grandma had cabinets of the different creations she made. Teacups, plates, bowls and a beautiful large vase.  Each year when I visit our State Fair I always walk through the building that houses the exhibit for china painting. It brings back great memories.

About six months before Aunt Irene died I remember the difficulties she lived with.  She would call my grandma numerous times during the day to ask her to read the T.V. Guide. It would frustrate my grandma so much and usually the conversations would end up in arguments and hang-ups. Of course, later she would call back asking about something else and my grandma would go over the previous conversations and she wouldn't remember the conversations and sometimes not even who my grandma was.  It came on suddenly, without warning. The only thing I remember my grandma saying was "your Aunt Irene is getting senile".  Now we know it by another name; Alzheimer's. Her situation quickly progressed. Her family put her in a facility and she passed within three months.

My friend Linda who I have known for over 10 years lived with the journey for more than just months. Her blog; Early Onset Alzheimer's started with stories about her husband, Jim and their journey. Now years later, she has been an advocate, ambassador, "guru" and writer about the disease. Each year for the last several years in mid-December her blog has been nominated for Healthline's Best Blog of the Year Contest. for 30 days one vote per Facebook and Twitter accounts are tallied and 1st Place Winners receive $1,000 and 2nd and 3rd Place receive $500. 

 I have to admit it has been a great diversion the past month posting comments and sharing with long time friends some who have had family members that have passed, friends who are healthcare worker's who have experience in it hands-on and just people who have want to see more done to help  her on her quest.  

 

Oh the teacup, I managed to glue it back together.  Still a little chip on it but now I have decided to put in my china cabinet for safer keeping.   The connections of Alzheimer's are endless. The little purple teacup, humm interesting that the cup is Alzheimer's Purple?

For more information on Alzheimer's:  www.lsfisher.com  You can also go there to vote for her blog until January 21st.

Getting a "Pink Slip" Sometimes A Good Thing

It is funny how one thought can snowball into a whole interesting story. Several times this week, for no apparent reason, the subject of what our company does has come up in conversations. I had to look into purchasing a new phone for my husband. As no surprise he wanted the same type (flip phone) he will only venture so far into the technology world and will not switch to ("dumb") smart phone.  So the litany of phone calls and e-mails with the business customer manager began. In one conversation with her it came up what our company was and what we do. She thought it was interesting and didn't realize a niche in the "exercise machine transport business" could be so interesting. I can't even tell you how many cellular representatives we have had in the past 17 years. The company we have used since day one recently announced even more layoffs and when I heard that my first thought was "I bet we get another rep". This one has been the nicest and most helpful and lives on the east coast. For both our businesses I hope she stays for a while. In today's corporate world short stays apparently are the new normal.

I recently posted an article on one of the social media pages I am administrator on"You Should Plan on Switching Jobs Every Three Years for the Rest of Your Life". The title alone peeked my interest. In summary it basically read that with expectations to learn, develop and advance in careers most millennial feel clinging like past generations to the same employers is antiquated. Well, everyone has his or her own opinion and of course several people shared opinions on the subject. Most of us of a certain age or "the antiques" pretty much said the same thing. How can you learn and leave in 3 years?  One of the comments made on the article pretty much was right on point with my previous job history. If working for a large corporation or agency, don't stay in the same position, move around as much as possible to other branches or agencies your job hopping but basically within.

I worked for State government, but transferred to four different agencies in the course of my 17 year service. Employment, Transportation, Lands, Museums. I had many other opportunities at various times to promote but usually it came down to commute and was it good for my family situation.  The constant dealing with bureaucracy, personalities, paperwork, time schedules doesn't get any easier if you are working in corporate America, self-employed, or are an entrepreneur.  More seems to be expected in every given situation today.

Although the dreaded "pink slip" is a doom and gloom in the employment world, it has become a happy, excited reward to our granddaughter. There has been many school situations that can be sometimes puzzling for a parent these days. Due to teacher's creativity in reward systems and the "praise everything" syndrome, To be "pink slipped" at school is a truly great thing.  The color coding rainbow system used on a daily basis to reward bad and good work behavior ultimately can be a reward with a pink slip at the end of the day for reaching the ultimate in a day. From what I have heard from other conversations with people if the kids don't get a "pink slip" it also can be the ultimate doom in their world but not they way we think.

Are you as confused as I am about keeping up on changing times?   

Alone Many Ways to Embrace It

At this time of year being alone can be really hard. The New Year starts off and the high of the holidays sometimes leads to your mind focusing on many things. We all need time alone whether we want to admit it or not.

Growing up an only child for most of my life, I learned at a young age to learn to entertain myself when other's couldn't. I have never really been at a lose to keeping busy. I have many projects I have wanted to put my time into over the years.

At a young age, I always read books (and still do), colored (I recently got back into that after the growing number of adult coloring books), I played with my toys (much more of that happens with four young grandchildren under the age of six), as long as the imaginary friends I had when real friends were not around (really hope that doesn't reappear in the near future). I will always have something to keep my life interesting and busy.

Recently, a school friend who has a daughter that skates, posted a video of her skating on an empty rink. I have watched it over and over enjoying the memories of when at any rare, and given time when I skated I would walk into the rink and find not a skater on the ice. The quickness of lacing on the boots and stepping foot onto the ice was a time when the creative juices would kick into gear for me. Racing around as quick as I could without bumping or avoiding a skater was always a happy time. A great time to be alone. This was usually the time my interpretive ideas really flowed.

First ice of the season in Sedalia, 2015

About six months ago (gee has it been that long already) I started taking Yoga classes. I had read and heard much about the practices and thought I would give it a try. As our lives become so busy and sometimes for me not getting enough of the appropriate and needed "alone" time, you would be surprised how that one hour twice a week  with appropriate music, quiet and getting one with your thoughts (sometimes it can be difficult) can be more helpful. I admit sometimes as the encouraging and lovely instructor sometimes says "push thoughts of your everyday life out of your mind". "Your mind will wonder and it will (and it does)".  Boy is that not the truth.  Last night with her busy schedule as a teacher, she left her tablet at home so we had to play slightly different music for class. It was great music but the alone time with myself caught me listening to the music and thinking how wonderful it was and that I am sure I had heard it before in a skating routine. I actually had to catch myself not waving my arms in the air like a skater. Not appropriate in a quiet, yoga setting. See my life will somehow always revolve  back to skating. 

Another unfortunate part of being alone is as we age. For some it becomes increasingly more and more difficult to spend time alone. Whether it is due to lifestyle changes, choices, family etc. As we grow older sometimes we may spend more times alone. I spoke recently with someone who has lived pretty much a whole lifetime of always having people either living, or visiting them in a long lifetime marriage. They never knew who would be knocking at the door to stay and pretty much almost never spent time alone. Now life is different and really they are in a quandary on how to cope. Coming from large families they never learned to adapt themselves to life in smaller numbers.  I came across a recent quote on social media: "It is important to spend time alone. You need to know how to be alone and not be defined by another person".  

As I write this today it is the first day I have had some alone time at home after the holidays. I am embracing it and hope that I can forever enjoy my time alone. I have had the tools all my life, I may just have to use them differently.

Milestones of 2015-Better Late than Never

December, 4, 2016

I was scanning my posts recently and one: I noticed I was a little behind on my postings. It is been a storm of such lately and certain things get put on the back burner. Also while scrolling down I noticed that I had not undrafted  (not the correct word but I am using it) my year end for 2015. It was strange to read all that happened and also to be close to the end of 2016. So what the heck, I look at it this way, what a difference a year makes! I hope I am better at summarizing 2016. Boy it was a whopper!

2015

Another year has come and gone. When I looked on the listing for how many posts I wrote this year I was slightly saddened. A total of 22 posts for the entire year. Gee was it because my life seemed sometimes boring? Was I super busy? Could I find nothing noteworthy to write about? Well all of the above, if that is at all possible. I struggled sometimes to not write about the negatives and more about the positives. Not easy for this Scorpio.

I get a chuckle when someone makes the comment about retirement or taking life slower. More power to you if you can do it.

 One of the first things I set out to do this year was keep up my smaller Christmas tree out all year. Why you ask?  The previous year I had seen several places about trying something different.  Since it is usually up for such a short time (decorations went up slightly later than normal this year due to scheduling) but I did manage to cover just about every holiday and a few of my own ideas. I don't have it down yet but it was fun to do something different. If your on Pinterest check out my "Do Something Different and New Ideas 2015". The list I wrote about earlier in the year was pretty long and unfortunately, I was able to do only a few on the list, but at least the thought was there to at least do a few.

As if I don't have things to keep me busy I also got heavily involved in adult coloring books as a way to keep my mind on positive, creative things. I had read and seen them all over the Internet but what really got me going with it was my on-line correspondence with Tai Babilonia. Earlier in the year she had mentioned on her website how she was in development of a ice skating related coloring book. Well if that didn't peak my interest! We started messaging each other about when the launch would be sometime later in the year and in time they came out. Take a look back on my blog about that experience. I was so blessed to get one of the first autographed copies and she spotlighted some of my pages on her Facebook and website. What an honor to have one of your skating idols that you quietly shared the ice with and thanks to social media are able to connect with.

As far as family, we had many celebrations. Our second grandson joined the other three little people in the family. Gentry Ellis is a carbon copy of his sister and his Dad and makes our grandchildren package of two and two complete. I love even numbers,

Our oldest granddaughter Hadleigh had a milestone of starting Kindergarten. Actually, it just wasn't her milestone it was all our milestones. Being involved in school activities I thought had ended for me years ago. But, we enjoy our daily pick-up and its interesting all of these years later to see how parents deal with their children and school. It was much more organized and calm back when my children went. They have a long way to come but at least it provides much entertainment and conversation that I am sure they would be embarrassed if I touched on any of it. Think a lot of growing up of kids and parents will go hand in hand. Our second granddaughter started Preschool recently and she has also provided I am sure much dinnertime conversation between her parents as well. As they say out of the mouths of babes.

Milestone number three was provided by my father in law. Although, the lifespan of people is longer I doubt if he thought he would reach the ripe age of 90. I posted about it back in September about the man of few words. How he made it, we are all at a lose. He has been through good times and many hard times the last several years. Each day is a blessing.

One issue that has been on my radar pretty much since I can remember is Women's Equality. The soapbox came out more and more again this year (not surprisingly). The Oscar's provided a platform once again when Oscar Winner, Patricia Arquette gave a wonderful speech. It was all over social media and once she started the ball rolling I found myself back on the ball again after several years of throwing in the ball and towel.  It started going into a new direction in my abilities to start further conversations about the issue which seemed to go off.  I was asked if I would contribute to our women's organization Facebook page as a co-administrator to keep our group up-to-date on our activities. There is such a wide range of topics on the Internet that my knowledge and postings provided probably more information then they bargained for. If that wasn't enough, several months ago since I guess I was doing such a great job, our State organization President asked if I would consider taking over the State Facebook page. I do the same with it but try to stress how important it is to continue to grow our group and bring it into the 21st century. We have to be willing to learn new things and step out of the box (gee didn't I say this same thing back in 2010!) As someone said during a conversation about how I was an administrator/maintaining four total sites on Facebook, Wow are you just the Internet Guru! I prefer Media Maven myself.

We all usually wear many hats, and for this person who actually dislikes wearing hats I try and tackle whatever comes my way. Sometimes it is kicking and screaming but I hope 2016 bring on more interesting adventures and hopefully I will be able to push my eight year blog as well into the 21st century. That would be a great milestone for 2017!

. Social media and butterfly merged.

Monarch Powell Gardens 2015