Sean Hannity Freedom Concerts - Have you ever been to one? AMAZING! Eight cities, Eight days, one month - all to celebrate our troops, their families, and AMERICA - AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE - AND CONSERVATISM!
I had the honor to attend the Vegas concert this last weekend. A surprise addition was Mark Levin, "The Great One", and since I listen to his radio show daily on my way home - I'd heard prior that he would be there.
Preface: I have long told my children that the schools were indoctrinating them - far against the way I was raised. In my day, NO BIT of history was left out. ALL SIDES of history, thoughts, doctrines, ideas were presented, and our teachers then left it up to us to decide which path to walk.
It's not so today. My kids (since all they know is what THEY were taught in THEIR time) always told me, "Oh Mom...it's not THAT bad"...Well...
My kids are 26 & 20. The 20 year old is a Sophomore at UNR as a business major. One night he called me late and said I might be right. In his English class - a big part of his semester grade was to read, study, and complete assignments of the Communist Manifesto!
I was appalled - not that his Professor wanted him to read that - just that NO ALTERNATIVE was offered. I believe that you should read all sides of life, learn all sides of life, THEN draw your own conclusion as to where you stand. It goes back to keep your friends close, but the enemies closer :) I also believe that IF you are presented TRUTH to all sides of life - HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY END UP ANY OTHER THAN CONSERVATIVE TO THE CORE?
NO alternative was offered - and I told my son NOT TO WORRY - I have the other side, and Mamas will ALWAYS present both sides to their children and let them grow and mature and decide. That's what a Democracy is about - THAT IS THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA!
I COULDN'T WAIT to get to Las Vegas - see Mark Levin in person, and tote my book from home for him to sign.
I get to Vegas to the venue - was the first person through my particular door of entrance to the venue - then I got in line. Behind HUNDREDS, and then a thousand or so - we wait for Mark to sign our books. People from all over the nation had brought their books from home - each with a personal story - just to have Mark sign it.
Mark Levin had about 1-1/2 hours to sign what I would guess 3000 books! I wouldn't want to be him! But he shook each of our hands quickly, signed the books, and I got to very quickly tell him my story of why I bought his book for my son that was forced to read the Communist Manifesto - His face softened, and he said, "Atta Girl"... Made the line worth while :) (NOTE: A BIG thanks to my husband Kevin for snapping these photos of a GREAT experience :) Love ya Babe!
Today, I had a pleasurable moment at work. As a multiple business owner, I am not at each location all the time - plus - I have "princess tendencies" that bring me in late (hahaha).
A customer came in for a repeat visit. He had been to our shop once before, but I had never met him. Today, I had the pleasure to wait on him when he picked up his vehicle and pay his bill. At first, he did not know I was the owner, just thought I was the secretary I think :)
He asked me, "Do you know why I came back here and love you guys?" I said No, but I'd sure like to hear. He remembered from his past repair, that an error had been made and we made it right. I then remembered that job, but had never met the actual man.
The last time he was in - we inadvertently billed him for a part that ended up not actually being needed on his truck. We returned the part, but did not remove it from his bill.
I caught the error in my daily duties a few weeks later, and sent the man a check for $40 something dollars and apologized for the error. He told me today when I met him that NOBODY from ANY company had ever sent him money BACK! He knew that I could have easily kept that $40 and no one would have ever been the wiser.
I remembered doing that - it was just the right thing to do. I didn't realize at the time that others might not. It made me feel really GOOD to know that doing the right thing made a real impact on my company's reputation, and brought a smile to the heart of a now loyal customer. I was just embarrassed at the time that we let an error like that slip by us!
I told him I appreciated his comments, introduced myself as the business owner, and told him - no worries. We try hard to do what we say we will do, with quality and timely performance. I also mentioned that I too must look into a mirror each day - and why would I keep $40 that didn't rightfully belong to me? We smiled and shook hands.
Ahhh - the little things in life that make your day :) It was a true pleasure serving this customer, and I hope many more feel the same way. It just feels so good to make someone else happy. I want us all to strive for more of that in our daily lives, our business lives, and just in general.
God Bless America and the people that live here and co-mingle from time to time with each other in happy ways :)
What happens to people you used to know - used to look up to - and then "poof" life changes, circumstances change, and voila - a new sad person is born. HOW MANY times can you watch one individual be on top of the world - and then in the gutter AGAIN?
Sometimes it's not all sad - sometimes you just catch folks you still know in a 2 + 2 = 95 moment and you just shake your head. Thank goodness some make it, some don't, and I suppose at one moment or another in our own lives - we've been that person??? But only and hopefully after being in the gutter or close ONCE - you don't EVER end up there again - most figure it out and can call a medium to rock bottom the worst ever - but MULTIPLE trips to the bottom and the gutter???
Running errands today I ran into someone on the sidewalk outside a store. I nodded getting out of my car wearing sunshades and in a hurry. I knew that person saw me - that's why I nodded. They looked back, I smiled and got on out of my car.
Couldn't help myself - after passing my car and on my way into the store - I looked that person's direction - they looked back again - then came back and called my name.
From a distance I said, "how are ya?" - they said, "Oh - it's you." Then it was a sad moment I cannot do anything about anymore. This person overtly stated they aren't good again. Life sucks - I lost my job - I have this affliction, that one, and another one. I'm going to require multiple surgeries, I only have the VA, and I now have to live with a relative because I cannot take care of myself any longer.
However - this person was clean, wearing clean crisp clothes, and given the neighborhood I was in - I know this person walked at least half a mile to end up there on foot. This person had to lean the wall to stand up though - had been drinking a LONG time and smelled of it - and stood there on a sidewalk and cried like a baby while I tried to provide some words of common sense, good judgment, advice, and comfort.
This person used to be a great person - great job - great parent - great spouse. EVERYTIME now I run into this person over the last three years - always the same - TRAGEDY - cover ups - excuses - and yes - bad health.
One cannot walk miles though if they aren't capable of something. You give them phone numbers, you suggest avenues over the years for help. You OFFER these people EVERYTHING you have to offer INCLUDING LOTS of money - they still swim the gutter.
I don't want to be a total raving bitch - but at some point - after you've taught someone how to swim, after you've seen them at the top of the world more than once, and at the bottom more than thrice, and you STILL give them swimming lessons - some days - you almost want to tell them to jump.
