You can win your choice of a $25 Starbucks gift card, a $25 Home Depot gift card or a stained glass angel called “Angel On Bridge” recently valued at over one hundred dollars by winning the “What Do These Three Things Have In Common” contest starting right here on The Dahn Report at 7 AM Pacific Daylight Time on June 15, 2009. The eligible participant that answers the most of the twenty-five question between the time the contest starts and the time the contest ends at 7 AM Pacific Daylight time on June 17, 2009 will be declared the winner. If there is a tie for the most answers among eligible participants, all of the tying entries with the most answers will be put in a hat and the winner will be drawn from the hat and declared the winner. The winner will be announced by 7 AM Pacific Daylight time on June 20, 2009 but may be announced earlier than that. Eligible participants can enter the contest as many times as they please between the time the contest starts and the time the contest ends. As of now eligible participants for the contest starting at 7 AM Pacific Daylight Time on June 15, 2009 right here on The Dahn Report are Mary, Mary Z, Bev, Dona, Pat, DR, Kaye, Red Whistle, Kim, and Connie. Post a comment any where on The Dahn Report between now and the time the contest starts and you will become an eligible participant too!
Today’s sample questions? Other than being actors what do Robert Lowery, Adam West, and Michael Keaton have in common? What is the link for “The Crooner”, “Chairmen of The Board” and “Ole Blue Eyes”?
Today you all know the drill. Tell me what is going on in your life, how all those that you love and/or care for are doing. Telling me about events attended or attending. Tell me anything or everything that is going on in your life. Introduce yourself if you so desire. Post about anything you damn well please! This is your blog today and every day but today it is officially yours to post about what *you* want to post about.
My updates? I’m still in touch with the old friend that found me through Facebook. We are enjoying getting to know each other again. Mom still is talking about going to Utah but the timeframe has been reduced from three weeks to two weeks.
Now the big update. If you remember with my birthday is coming up June 21 I asked that everyone perform one act of kindness between now and June 21. Then once you perform the act of kindness email me at williamjdahn@aol.com and tell me what you did. My goal is one hundred acts of kindness by June 21, I don’t have to know you, if you read the blog and think it is a great idea it would be El Dorado for me to have a stranger email me and tell me they performed an act of kindness for my birthday! To date Pat, DR, Mom, a stranger that heard mom and I talking about it, and myself have performed fourteen acts of kindness. We and everyone have 10 days (till midnight June 21) to perform eighty-six more acts of kindness. The reaction so far has been amazing. One person said that it made them think more about the acts of kindness they do every day. Mom has said it motivates her to call people rather than to sit there and wait for people to call them. In my case I changed a little too. As most of you know I sold my practice a couple of years ago so I am not in the market for hiring employees. Once in a while I will get resumes in the mail from people looking for a job. Normally I just toss the resumes. I got one in the mail this week, before tossing it I stopped and asked myself what would be the kind thing to do be? So I called the guy to let him know that I got his resume but had sold my business and wasn’t really looking for help. I also wished him luck in his search.
OK, it is your turn. Tell my anything about your life you wish to share. Post about anything you want to post about. Ask any questions that you want to ask. Introduce yourself if you want. Tell me about an act of kindness if you want. And tell me what other than being actors that Robert Lowery, Adam West, and Michael Keaton have in common? Also tell me what links “The Crooner”, “Chairmen of The Board” and “Ole Blue Eyes”?
About Me
- William J.
- First, I think the birth sign is wrong. 6-21, some papers say Gemini, some Cancer. Guess that means I have so many personalities that I can do group therapy alone. For those that don't know how to read Google profiles I have put what I really mean in ( ). Hot (Good looking enough to be in movies(if I buy at ticket). A body like a God (Buddha). Romantic (Thinks begging is foreplay.) Physically fit (Heart trouble. Put 911 on speed dial before we get initmate.) Good Provider (has good life insurance in case you forget to put 911 on speed dial.) Loyal (has reference letters from Mom and parole officer.) Intelligent (scored 1600 on his SATS but you have to total the scores of the four times that I took the test.) Looking for someone compatible (Be between 30 & 99 and not inflatable.)
12 comments:
Me first, me first (g).
Glad you're getting reacquainted with the friend from Facebook. And glad the trip to Utah is still on for your mom. Will hold good hopes it goes back to three weeks, instead of two. Good news on the progress on your acts of kindness request.You really have made me more aware of both opportunities and things I sometimes do and don't think about. Also, things others do for me.
I think we've kind of set a routine for the next six weeks here. I'm home mornings (not that I accomplish much, beyond pages and meditation and very early lunch, but I've never pretended to be a morning person!) Four days I go to the pool at noon, then to Mom's for an afternoon of packing or cleaning or errands or going to doctors. Wednesday I do line dance for my sanity -- great fun at the moment, since we're doing an "exhibition" at an assisted living facility in July and our instructor (creativity plus!) has set line dance routines to music from the thirties to fifties, plus a salute to the armed forces and we'll use canes and whit egloves and flags as props. It's a wonderful mid-week break for me. We do groceries afterwards Got half of Mom's LR "allergen treated" in terms of cleaning. Need to get a spray bottle to do the dust-mite killing for furniture. Find that I'm packing up the same things I packed up in AK five years ago. Just wish she didn't have so much stuff that was so darned fragile! It's mighty slow going, but I hope once we get the fragiles taken care of, things will move a bit faster with baskets and linens and crafts and such. Great news is that my brother says he's planning on coming down the last couple days before the move, driving Mom across country and helping out in AZ for a couple days. I dreaded the drive, dreaded telling her goodbye out there and then driving home, with so much time to think about the future.The allergist says the latest infection is cleared up, but thinks Mom has chronic sinus disease. The decision is to wait and deal with it out there, using the ENT they saw for her infection last winter, since he comes highly recommended .While it's all coming together very slowly and we have a raft of doctor app'ts interfering with packing, it'll happen. Oh, and after the ER episode, I am taking Wednesday afternoons and weekends for me and trying to plan things so I get my meditation and daily exercise and mid-week break at line dance!
Wow, DR, every time I hear of your activities, I get tired and want a nap. [g]
Bill, very nice of you to let the young man know you weren't just ignoring his resumé. When you send out those things, you do feel you're just sending them into the ether.
Nice that you are keeping up your contact with the old friend, too. Just today, I had coffee for 2 hours with a friend from about 40 years ago. We do keep somewhat in touch by email, but only get together about once a year. Every time, we say we should do it more often, but then life intervenes.
Yesterday, I went through my mom's closet and drawers, which were so full the drawers wouldn't open. They keep giving her clothes, and it was getting way too much, especially since I had just pulled some clothes that are really hers from my garage for her and washed them ready to wear. It took ages, but they are all organized now, and there's a ton of stuff to give away. Wonder how long the organization will last. Does that count as an act of kindness? It was for the staff more than for my mom, but at least it was a little above & beyond my usual visits.
Hi DR
With so much bad in the world I just thought we all should be more aware of kindness and one of my goals was to make us think both of the kind things we do and are done for us!
I'm glad you are setting a routine that will make the adjustments a little easier. I'm elated that you are getting to the pool!
Great news about your brother! That is important that Deb and your mother have help on the other end of the move!
The line dancing is so healling for you, I hope you never stop doing it!
Bill
Hi Pat
I'm with your, reading about DR's activities exhausts me!
I'm so glad you got together with an old friend for coffee! I bet the two hours went fast!
And you are to be commended on your cleaing out and organizing your mom's drawers! You bet that counts as kindness!
Bill
Pat I am with you on the nap! LadyDr, even though it sounds like a lot it seems you are very organized in all the goings on. The dedication you seem to have for yourself is wonderful.
For me the week was a bit uneventful. Other than having the suspicion that dad is not following the doctors orders and skipping meals when I am not around and thinks I don't notice. It is very frustrating. I had to be away most of the day and almost stopped on the way home to grab a quick bite for me and the Shankster's dinner but felt the odd feeling that I shouldn't and came home and fixed dinner here. Even though I asked him if he ate and he said he did, after we were done he came and fixed himself a sandwich of the meat I fixed. (said it was his dessert) He skipped around the question of where and what he ate for dinner so I am sure he didn't. We are sure he is just snacking...and not good snacking.
Very Stubborn he is.
Bill, I think its neat too you are still catching up with the old friend. Looks like on his picture he is a fisherman? I love to fish. I also hope you get your wish of 86 more acts of kindness.
The Shankster though did get to meet up with someone from the Home he was raised in. It was a 39 year reunion. He had wondered what happened to this fellow all these years & luckily found him recently. They plan to try to meet up once a month.
I hope everyone here has a Great weekend!
Hi Done
Bev, DR, Pat, myself, and mom all did an act of kindness so I am at 81 to go and will make it if I have to do all of them myself!
I am excited about the Shankster meeting with his old friend, that is so cool! I love the idea of a monthly meeting!
And I would be so frustrated with your dad. That has to be very difficult for you. And how frustrating for you that you just can't stop for dinner if you want. I am adding that to my kindness list, not stopping for dinner and going home to look after two other people!
Yes my friend is a fisherman and a hunter. I am neither. We are very different that way but we still have so much to share about each other it is neat.
You have a great weekend too.
Bill
Pat, et al -- I'm really not all that busy, honest. My mornings are relaxed and laid back and the hour in the pool is energizing, as is line dance. It really is true that if you take of yourself, you're better able to take care of others.
Pat, glad to hear you got together with your friend and hope you will find time to do it more often. I think we tend to let those kinds of things slide -- at least I do -- and they're important. I'd sure count you're going through Hazel's clothes and giving away those not needed as an act of kindness, considering how many folks don't have enough clothing as basics.
Dona, I understand your concerns about your dad and his eating. Mom is diabetic and overweight, but refuses to change her eating habits. She "fibs" about what she eats, but since I deal with her garbage and take her grocery shopping... I'll admit I finally decided that wasn't a hill I was willing to die for. She does buy fruits and veggies and I just hope those counteract all the sugars and sweets and junk food. One of the advantages of her living with Deb is that youngest sis does cook relatively healthy and I know Mom will get good meals on a somewhat regular schedule. You're doing the best you can to provide good options. Just remember, you can't change another person, much as you might want to, for his/her own good. It's been a very hard lesson for me to learn. Good job on the Hubster making contact with an old friend. I hope they continue to meet.
Hi Dr
Yea, right. You aren't busy and I'm related to Bill Gates. You do more than most of us here!
And you are right about not being able to change another person. As they always say " you can't change another person, you can only change how you react to them"
Bill
Thanks guys. I know I cannot change dad nor do I want to. I do believe I had the best dad ever. But Living with him after my being on my own for so long is very hard and I continue to see my mother in my dreams telling me "I told you so". She would tell me things about dad over the years, that I just never believed. Example///he would never sweep the back porch..she was right, he just tracks in whatever is on it. (even if you place the broom strategically in front of the door so he has to move it to get in...he just places it back in the same place but doesn't sweep first) Hilarious. And his eating. She would always tell me he had an obsession with staying thin. Heck I just thought it was in his genes, his sisters were all thin.
But he did the same thing today as yesterday. I had to go again away for the whole day and was actually planning an overnight stay. The Shankster and I decided not to and came home and even brought leftovers with us. I asked him if he ate and of course his response was yes. I looked around but noticed no evidence of that. (only more junk food...candy and such) I let him know of the leftovers and he just about ran me over to get them. :)
I am just glad the Shankster realizes he is not eating proper too. It was his idea to come home and bring him leftovers. It Makes it much easier on me!
I don't plan to change him...just want to make sure he gets enough to eat with the medications so he will stay upright! I cannot handle more of the fainting.
Bill, I agree with you about only being able to change how we react and sometimes that's a real challenge. However, it goes hand in hand with "Would you rather be right or would you rather be happy/at peace?"
Dona, I'm wondering if you dad has the same issues as my mom - i.e., if you're not there, he doesn't want to go to the bother of fixing something that takes any time or effort and he doesn't necessarily like to eat alone. One of the things that has helped a tiny bit is getting Mom to buy the cans of Campbell's Chunky or Select soups. You don't add water or anything to them, just pop the top and pour them in a bowl in the microwave for three minutes. The other thing is she does pick up one or two of the single serving frozen meals (what we used to call TV dinners). These have Improved Considerably over the years (I tried them when Himself was gone on a five day hunting trip and had them while he was in TX. I don't like to spend time cooking for myself, either). Again, open box, peal back plastic, microwave. *IF it's something he likes, either the soup or the main part of the meal, he might be more apt to fix himself something to eat, if you're gone all day? You probably know his favorites and you could remind him when you leave or sit a can of soup and bowl on the counter. You can't change him, as you say, but maybe if you can make it really easy for him and see if that helps?
Blessings on the Shankster. Like you, I'm fortunate to have a husband who's supportive and usually understanding. Were he not (and I've known some men/women whose spouses weren't at all helpful or supportive of their care for a parent), I don't know how I'd have gotten through the last five years.
Hi Dona
I hear my dreams my dad saying I told you so about my mom! She is really hard to be around sometimes but at least she eats properly. Well she does know after almost a year worth of spells at 3:30 in the afternoon because of not eating enough at lunch. Why can't parents understand to ear properly after they spent most their lives telling us to eat properly!
That is the second time in two days you changed plans because you were worried about your dad, you really are a saint.
The Shankster is a gem!
Bill
Hi DR
I think I'd rather be both right and in peace!!
Count my sister-in-law as a spouse that isn't supportive in any way shape or form!
Between the Shankster and Himself you two are lucky to have found such fine men!
Bill
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