So I am having one of those days when everyone is getting on my nerves.  Too many ridiculous requests.  Bogus invites.  Unsolicited smart remarks.  I am feeling like no one is taking my feelings or my schedule into consideration.  You get the idea.  We all have these days or weeks even.

Then I tell someone close to me a couple of the interactions that have my back up like the fine feline I am (p.s. Leos rock!).  She asks, “Aren’t you being sensitive?”  DJ:  stop the music….  How is someone being sensitive when someone else is being offensive?  I love that.  Someone insults you and you are the one overreacting.  Anyway, I figure I must blow this all off and carry on.   Keep calm and what should I do?  I think I need a coffee.

So I am swinging through Dunkin Donuts drive thru for a coffee.  Does anyone go in the store anymore?  I am in the middle of my short order when the person on the other end of the speaker interrupts me and asks, “Can you speak up?”  In a harsh voice.  I sat there staring at the metal squawk box thinking, who knew a philosophical question could be asked in a drive thru window?  Cream?  Sugar?  Can you speak up?  Can I?  I don’t know.  I thought about it all day.  It was like a message from above commanding me to ask myself can you speak up?  Some days you drive through a fast food window and get a refreshing beverage and other days, you get so much more.   Until next time…..enjoy the brain freeze….

Running on Dunkin advice…..

So I ran out of gas on a busy street this week (Rte 18 in Weymouth for those of you who know the area). Weymouth is the town I grew up in.  My car stalled with my two kids in the backseat.  I was blocking one lane of traffic and my hazards were not quite visible because of the solar glare.   It was a fairly dangerous situation so I got my kids out on the inside door while my car was shaking as each new vehicle sped by.   The 18 wheelers were particularly loud and scary.  The power of the traffic was kicking up road dust.  My son with his 5 year old enthusiasm squealed, “This is cool!”  I am thinking, ‘Oh, yeah, this is really cool.’  In my defense, my gas gauge hasn’t worked for about a year.  I have been pretty successful guessing when I need gas (up until this point, of course!)

I have AAA but my first thought was to call my Dad.  I have Dad on speed dial.  We talk or see each other every day but in a crunch I could call my Dad, Mom or sister for anything at any hour and that is one of the best feelings in the world.  But when it comes to car issues, Dad is my ‘go to’ guy.  My father is one of those ‘old school’ guys.  He is patient, logical and super easy to deal with.  He was a U.S. Marine who fought in Korea and he was a dutiful soldier.  It translated into dutiful husband and father and he has not shirked those responsibilities for one day of his life.  He wouldn’t even think of it.

Within what seemed like no time at all, he was pulling up behind me.  He must have put down his turkey sandwich and picked up his keys.  He was wearing a pressed shirt with a notepad and pen in his shirt pocket as he does every day.  He got out, had a gas can in hand and was loading the tank on the traffic side.  He sent me on my way to the gas station.  He followed me there with my kids in his car in case it wasn’t actually a gas situation.  I hadn’t even thought of that!   Always prepared, always faithful.  Semper Fi.  That is just how my father lives.   It is an honor to be his daughter and learn by his example.

My Dad as a young soldier.

Me and my Dad today. I LOVE my Dad!

Okay, I recently upgraded my cable to a bundle package.  It took me something like 2,000 promotional offers to make the leap.  I felt badly because my other cable service was fine (no complaints) and I felt like I was breaking up with someone for no valid reason.  It was all about cost and I felt cheap!  When the cable guy was explaining the features, he said, “Let me show you the ‘On Demand’ feature.”  Short of yawning, I said, “Okay, but I really won’t use it.”  Boy, was I wrong there!  Once I got over my unrealistic fear of never getting my regular television back from the ‘On Demand’ mode, I was hooked.  My latest obsession is AMC’s “Mad Men” show.  This is a show I just feel smarter after watching.  I feel more sophisticated.  And kind of cool.  Like I am in the exclusive Ad Men/Mad Men club.  Only I wouldn’t be if I were actually there.  Because I am a woman and they were mostly in the secretarial pool or cavorting with the boss!  In the show, that is. That never happens in real life, right?

I worked at a couple of ad agencies in my day (not that far back) and it captures the atmosphere well.  There are a ton of smart people who work there and they don’t stay in one position very long.  Which makes them seem unstable. To the rest of the working world anyway.   Even the mailroom person is an aspiring copywriter but then again isn’t the smartest person in a company always sorting mail?  What is up with that?

And then there is Don Draper!  How handsome is this guy?  And the writing is so sharp and smart.  Here’s an example:  Don Draper is in an argument with copywriter Michael Ginsburg.  Don says, “Don’t forget that you work for me!”  Michael replies, “I really don’t care for you right now” or something close to this.  And Don retorts, “That’s funny because I don’t think about you at all.”  Ouch.  It is that type of dialogue that makes you feel empowered, like you might be able to summon that type of comeback if given the chance.  I was feeling all sophisticated and wordy and I decided to google the show and find out more about the writers and the cast.  The first line said the showed aired in 2007.  In 2007?  I am six years late to the latest rage?!  How did this happen?  This is the last season?  I am on the cutting edge of something that is almost on the cutting floor?  That is so not sophisticated!  Until next time and my next “latest” obsession……