Reaching a Milestone

This week (June 26, 2014) will mark 25 years that I have worked for the same office.  I started working for the law firm when I was 21 years old; I'm now 46.  A lot has changed in my life during that time period and a lot has changed here at the office.

When I first started working for the firm there were six people working there, including me.  One secretary, a runner (me), two legal assistants and two attorneys. Now we have 16 people working with nine attorneys.

Believe it or not, we also didn't have computers.  We had one processing machine and typewriter, and we used carbon paper!  Anyone remember the onion paper?  We used it too!

We didn't even have a fax machine then either! The copier machine was this big huge monstrosity that I spent a lot of time at.  My duties included copying, delivering, filing, getting mail ready to send out and some answering of phones.  I eventually moved to answering phones full time and filing, from there to secretarial duties and then legal assistant duties.

I have worked in every one of the areas of the office from contracts and real estate to special education. I guess I am well rounded on most legal topics in our office.  Just don't ask me about something that we did previously, because I cannot remember a thing anymore!

Back then, we had an actual library.  You had to pull a book and look things up.  Other attorneys in the area would come to our office to use our library.  There were a couple of other firms that had libraries and luckily they would usually have what we didn't.  Of course, there was the law library, which is still open.

One of the founding attorneys has since retired, though he comes in the office frequently.  The other founding attorney is still going strong.  The firm is 35 years old this year!

I don't know if anyone will remember that my work anniversary is this week.  It is my hope that they at least acknowledge it.  However, as in the past, I doubt it.  So, this is a congratulations to me.  Congratulations on 25 years!

New Read: How to Win Friends and Influence People

I've been reading a new book and found this summary online of some of its teachings that I thought would be of interest.  I highly recommend the book if you have not read it.  There are all sorts of blogs that have been influenced and/or reference his teachings.  All you have to do to find them is "Google" his name or books.  Enjoy!

PRINCIPLES FROM “HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE.”  (by Dale Carnegie *1888-1955* founder of the Carnegie Course)

BECOME A FRIENDLIER PERSON
1. Don't criticize, condemn or complain.
2. Give honest, sincere appreciation.
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.
4. Become genuinely interested in other people.
5. Smile.
6. Remember that a person's name is to that person the most important sound in any language.
7. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
8. Talk in terms of the other person's interest.
9. Make the other person feel important - and do so sincerely.
10 The only way to get the best of an argument is to
 avoid it.

WIN PEOPLE TO YOUR WAY OF THINKING
11. Show respect for the other person's opinions. Never say, "You're wrong."
12. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
13. Begin in a friendly way.
14. Get the other person saying, "Yes, yes" immediately.
15. Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
16. Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
17. Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view.
18. Be sympathetic with the other person's ideas and desires.
19. Appeal to the nobler motives.
20. Dramatize your ideas.

BE A LEADER
21. Throw down a challenge.
22. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
23. Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly.
24. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
25. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
26. Let the other person save face.
27. Praise the slightest and every improvement. Be "lavish in your praise."
28. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
29. Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
30. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest

Summary

Biography: Dale Carnegie was born in 1888 in Missouri and was educated at Warrensburg State Teachers College. As a salesman and aspiring actor, he traveled to New York and began teaching communication classes to adults at the YMCA. In 1912, the world famous Carnegie Course was born. He authored several best-sellers, including, “How to win Friends and Influence people”, and “How to stop worrying and start living.” Over 50 million copies of Mr. Carnegie's books have been printed and published in 38 languages. Mr. Carnegie was a prominent lecturer of his day and a sought-after counselor to world leaders. He wrote newspaper columns and had his own daily radio show. Dale Carnegie founded what is today a worldwide network of over 3,000 instructors and offices in more than 70 countries.

Birthday

Okay, so my birthday is tomorrow. I cannot believe I will be 46 years old. I in no way feel my age. Sometimes I hardly feel like an adult!  

Today, I am feeling kind of down. Every year I always put so much emphasis in my birthday and always think "I'm going to do this or that"; one big party weekend. When, in actuality, all I ever do is hang out at home. I then get irritated because I feel like I should be doing something momentous to celebrate my birthday. So, I've felt that way today. However, I am determined to break the cycle. 

I am a truly blessed individual. I got to spend the day with my mom and great aunt yesterday. We went shopping and to lunch. Today, my grandmother called me to let me know she had made me a pound cake for my birthday (she makes the most awesome pound cakes!).  I've passed the morning with my husband, hanging out and watching the French Open -- my fav Nadal won!  Now, the race is on and my favorite race team -though not my fav racer, yet -- is doing well. 

I am blessed!  I have wonderful family and friends and am blessed with a home, transportation, I have a job and wonderful pets and, the best of all, a God that loves me. Guess that is a pretty good birthday present!  

I love the smell of dirt .....

I have been watching with interest the construction taking place on Hwy. 369.  It appears that the 50+ subdivision is expanding to include land across the highway.  Oddly, I find the whole building process fascinating.  At present, they are only clearing the land and prepping for the various lots that people will be able to choose from.  Every day going to and from work I take a glance to see what  progress is being made.

Now, I must tell you, I am a senses girl.  I have always been very aware of smells and sounds in and around me.  A lot of them remind of things from my childhood.  One such example happened yesterday when riding with my husband toward our home.  First off, it was sprinkling rain, which made the world smell like hot, wet asphalt.  Again, oddly, I like the smell!  Then when we drove by the construction site, my senses were assaulted with all sorts of interesting smells -- the sour smell of pine trees that had been chopped up, the moist wet smell of overturned dirt and the fresh sweet smell of disturbed vegetation. 

All of these smells reminded me of when I was younger and I would go to my cousin's house.  They lived off in the country and owned horses, goats, pigs, etc.  Not a real farm, but one that served their basic needs.   There always various smells (some not so good) and sounds.  One of the things my cousin's like to do was play in this big gulley in their backyard.  It really wasn't all that safe because there all sorts of broken bottles and trash which got swept into it when there was a strong rain storm.  I remember many times playing with them in this gulley riding our bikes and having these same smells assault the senses.  We disturbed the ground with our bikes which caused the dirt smell and then the vegetation smell and the smell of the hay field next to the gulley. I was able to share with my husband some of the things we did as a children in that gulley and at my cousin's house. It was nice remembering. 

I realized in that instance that my life had slowed down for just that one moment of remembrance.  We all go about our day in such a rush that we never slow down to take in the smells and sounds around us.  Will I remember the sights, sounds and smells of my life right now, ten years from now?  I will now, because I intend to start paying attention to it.  Yeah, that ringing phone in the office is annoying, but if you listen beyond it you can hear people talking and the hum of the various machines and air conditioning.  These are your memories for the future.  Granted, they are not momentous memories, but they make up who you are and become a part of your life and make you remember that one moment when you were not running the race, but were paying attention to your life at that moment -- living in the moment. 

So, be still, take in your surroundings and open up yourself to the sights, sounds and smells around you!

Google Books & Magazines

Did you know that you can look at old versions of books and magazines through Google?  I have had a great time today go through Life Magazine's first issue from November 1936.  It is truly amazing how the world has changed.  I would suggest you check this nice little extra from Google out.

Life Magazine November 1936

Pause .....

Not even a day into my revised schedule to try and include "me" time and exercise in my daily schedule and I get sick. I've got bronchitis and have been trying to expel my lungs from my body. Oh well, gotta get better and start my changes. At least this gives me time to reflect on the changes I want to make. 

Accountability

In order to hold myself accountable, I am outlining my daily schedule in order to make changes.  This all part of my process to self-betterment (and a clean house)!  It is my hope that I will make significant changes and weeks from now be able to look at this post and realize I've made progress.  I know it will be slow and won't happen over night, but I am bound and determine to make a go of it.

6:00 a.m. alarm goes off -- I hit snooze!  I would like to make it a daily thing of getting up at this time.

7:00 a.m. alarm goes off -- I definitely have to get up and get ready for work.  However, first I feed the cats and walk the dogs.  Usually I get done with getting my makeup on and hair fixed have about 15 minutes to relax before leaving.  However, most mornings I rush through getting ready and taking care of my pets so I can lay down for 30 or so minutes.  Not a good thing!  I have another alarm set for 8:00 a.m. letting me know I definitely have to put my work clothes on, brush my teeth and leave the house -- I have to be at work by 8:30 a.m.; however, I 'm usually late.

8:30ish to 5:00 - Work

5:30 - get home from work. Usually start supper, walk dogs, clean up after supper then collapse on the couch.  I would like to actually start an exercise program and I could really move toward a clean house if I did a little bit every day.  At least that is my goal now.

I usually go to bed around 11:30-12:00.  I would like to start getting into bed earlier and getting up earlier.

SO!  ACCOUNTABILITY!  ACCOUNTABILITY! ACCOUNTABILITY!

DO IT!