Posts Tagged ‘Family’

Today I was un-friended

Call me ignorant, but I don’t even know how to un-friend somebody in Facebook.  I have never searched for this option because I have never felt the need.  I’m not sure what would cause me to feel the need, but so far nothing has.  Nonetheless, a more Facebook savvy relative of mine knows how to un-friend and she un-friended me today. (Yes, I know that “friended” isn’t a word.)  Apparently and probably (even likely), I got a little steamed up and overstepped my welcome on her page with a full paragraph retort on a political issue she posted and she felt that I was disrespectful to her personally.  Guess what?  I’ve decided she was right.  I meant what I said, no qualms there, but I certainly could have stated my opinion in a softer fashion without attacking her personally on her own page.  I hope you will forgive me, C.  On the other hand, I hope you will respect and understand that I love my country and that I take America bashing very seriously. 

Waving the white flag over here.  Any takers?

Merry Wireless Technology Christmas

This Christmas my family celebrated the addition of two new members to our wireless phone share plans—my father and my 12-year-old nephew.  My father, who had steadfastly rejected participation in any plan which required a contract and a monthly payment in favor of a pay-per-use plan, dropped and broke his oversized dinosaur at a local grocery store shortly after hearing my mother and I talk of renewing our Verizon contract and getting shiny new phones.  Left with the choice of having no phone, purchasing a newer obsolete model for his Alltel pay-as-you-go plan, or jumping on the family share bandwagon, he, after some serious deliberation, closed his eyes and took the plunge joining my mother and me.  Of course, he muddied the waters by waiting until the day after mom and I had already signed on the dotted line and chosen our phones, but nonetheless he’s in now and we are never letting him out of our circle. (Never mind that we have a Verizon plan that does not qualify for a “circle”.)  My nephew, like most children today, was born with the instinct to attach himself to a wireless device.  It made no never mind to him how or why it happened, he just wanted it to happen.  This year at Christmas, his parents, my sis and BIL, finally decided that he was of age, got him a new LG Chocolate Touch and added him to their family plan.  Two new plan members, five new phones, and a couple of portable gaming devices later and my family was lucky to have communicated at all except by electronic means on Christmas Day.  

One special day . . .

One special day. That is the title of the blog post of my dear friend, Philip, who gave me this year one of the most personal and touching birthday gifts I have ever received.  An early present because Philip is 15 hours ahead of me in time.  He marked my special day by sharing his musical talent with this special rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.  Thank you, my friend, and, God willing, we shall meet someday somewhere over the rainbow.

I received this wonderful early birthday present, but my actual birthday, when it came for me 15+ hours later, went something like this:

It began as an ordinary day.  I woke up late, as usual, sped to the McDonald’s across the street for the #9, a Sausage McGriddle Meal with OJ, and an iced Hazelnut Latte.  Starving, I crammed it down hurriedly in the car and then ran upstairs to hit the shower, missing the traditional early morning birthday song call from my parents while I was gone.  They had to leave a song-a-gram.  Aside from that, I didn’t expect much from my special day as I was to spend it working and then after work getting my long overdue hair color touch up at the salon.  No birthday presents, no cakes, no candles for me, and, honestly I was okay with that.  I’m not big on celebration and ceremony.

The morning came and went with nothing spectacular but a few pleasant smiling  birthday greetings from co-workers.  At lunchtime, I wandered on over to Subway to grab my standard lunch these days, a meatball sandwich with two cookies and a Coca Cola, and headed back to the break room to eat with my boss and another co-worker.  It was during lunch that my day passed from ordinary to extraordinary. 

As I was gobbling down my sandwich, my sis and niece and nephew arrived unexpectedly bearing gifts and birthday wishes, transforming my table into a birthday party.

From my niece, an adorable handwritten note and a bunny Webkin, a girl bunny who is meant, I’m sure, to be a companion to my male rabbit, Bubbles.

From my nephew, a card that calls me old (waaaaaaaaaaah!) if I pick up the remote control and hold it to my ear and listen for a dial tone—fortunately, I rarely watch TV—and a sweet floral arrangement.  Hopefully, he’ll excuse my phone cord winding through the back of the photo.

And last, but certainly not least, a giant birthday balloon from all along with a Christmas CD I had been wanting from my sistah, who, being an adult, surely will excuse the fact that I was unable to get a good photo or scan of the CD (on second thought, probably, NOT).

Following on the heels of the departure of my sis and crew, came my hair stylist with a gynormous piece of carrot cake that had three layers and was therefore perfectly suited to divide and share with the three of us who were at the table.  What are the odds of that, eh?  And then, not too long after lunch, I was surprised by my co-workers, with a rousing rendition of the birthday song and bunch of cupcakes iced all together into a giant cupcake during our Monday afternoon meeting.  It looked like a cross between a mushroom cloud and a cupcake.  Wish I had been carrying my camera with me.  Not only that, but I was absolved of being MOD by two of my co-workers who generously took over for me in honor of my special day.

But that’s not all.  After work and a relaxing trip to the salon, I spent some enjoyable time leisurely shopping with my sister and while doing so received a call from my mother who was disappointed that she was not going to get to see me on my birthday.  What could I do but make a trip over to mom and dad’s house for a nice visit and some more lovely gifts, one of which was a lighted, magnified makeup mirror which I need desperately now that my close vision is deteriorating.  My parents also gave me two nice warm tops and a beautiful purple top that I was able to wear to work the next day. 

And so………..all in all, this was One Special Day.  I am blessed with wonderful family, friends, and co-workers!  Thank you to everyone who helped make my ordinary day extraordinary!