inspiring

Free Flying

/ Daniel/Codefreak / 1 Comment

I have always dreamed of flying. I was flying back from Las Vegas and I happened to get a window seat. I have said before I have an overactive imagination. I enjoy seeing things from a birds eye view. Staring at the clouds from the top side just gives you a sense of awe. My heart skips a beat when seeing something that can’t be seen without the help of a wonder that is air flight. I find myself discouraged at the fact that most people can taking airplanes so casually. Sailing the air above the clouds and seeing the rays of sun well before they reach the ground. I looked out that airplane window and saw freedom.

A birds freedom.

And now we come up to a day that, for Americans, tends to bring sadness and grief. Rightly so, but I remember vividly the time and place when a nation hit her knees. I remember the times when people helped other people. It wasn’t a black lives thing or a white power. It was people.

People helping people.

Humans, being human.

I look back and think of some better times. If you have flown in the past 14 years you know that it is changed dramatically. I have seen the change in people and the change in attitudes. Now I try not to judge, hell I have changed more than a lot. I just wonder were our humanity has gone. In a day and age of being offended, I find myself more and more saddened by the state of everyone. This goes for everyone, not just Americans. I look at humanity and I get sad.

I know I am a romantic. I tend to get sad over the little things and get overwhelmed at the big things. People have often wondered why I let people walk over me. I get trampled upon and looked down upon. I act out for the benefit of others. I do what I can to show others how to be nice.

How to be human.

How to feel free again.

Flying through the air is exhilarating. The birds eye of things, showing you how small you really are. Cars look like ants, and you can’t even see people. You just see yourself.

Are you happy with you?

How free are you?

How human are you?

What have you done in the past few hours, days, weeks, for another person? It could be as simple as not yelling back at the customer who spent the past 15 minutes cursing you out. It could be that you provided a car so someone can get to a job. It could be just a smile to the right person.

It could just you being human.

Not a human doing.

A human being.

Hug a pony my friends. I love you all.

 

 

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The “Big” one.

/ Daniel/Codefreak / 4 Comments

So. I have teased this long enough. I said I had an announcement a bit ago and I have been dragging it out. I have lead many of you, dear readers, along this merry journey. I have gone back and forth about telling you anything. I am doing it right.

And I am still doing so, for my own amusement.

OK, enough is enough. I have have decided to go back to school.

OK, settle down with knives and pitchforks, I know it wasn’t the earth-shattering news you wanted but this is a big step for me. This is especially hard for me as I will be still working a full-time job (more so being salary in retail [YAY mandatory 44+ hour weeks!]).  I will still be a father of two very active little girls. I will still have to help a wife who is starting to take off in her side job, after being a stay-at-home mom, by selling awesome nail wraps (which are really awesome, so awesome I will plug them here http://www.gale.jamberrynails.net/ [LOVE YOU SWEETIE]).

This was a choice that I had made a few weeks ago. I have had enough of retail at the store level and I want to get out. This makes me sad as I really enjoy helping people. I read a beautiful blog post a friend on WordPress pointed out (Hi, http://shopgirlanonymous.com/) . You can find it here https://wordpress.com/read/post/id/82926123/86/ .  It talks about those exceptional customers that make your day. People who bring a smile to your face. Making customers for life because YOU helped them find that perfect item that just made their son/daughter/parent/friends day.

I know I have had more than a few.

Encouraging the little boy of his enjoyment in little pastel colored ponies.

My wonderful husband and wife couple who comes in every week. They came to see me for the first few months at my store. I was a new face at the store and they encouraged me when I saw them. We got to know each other, she had battled cancer, he was retired helping her. They are good people. We laughed and joked at new things, old things, and everything in between. I almost lost it when He came in one week and I asked where his wife was. He calmly explained how she was back at the hospital, the cancer had come back. A few weeks later they both came walking back into my store, she had lost about 30 lbs, he was helping her. I was close to tears when she saw and stopped me. She told me to dry my eyes and that she wasn’t dead yet and If was going to cry on her, I would be useless to her. She made a few VERY off colored jokes about death and had such an amazing attitude about it, anyone would feel better.

There are moments like these that make customer service beyond worthwhile. I treasure each and every one of these. But, I feel a change is needed. For every one of these there are ten more of some rabid customer who is practically foaming at the mouth to sue you over not having the right color item that no one has ever made.

It makes me sad.

And So, I will continue to pursue this education. I think it will help me further my career path and want to expand my horizons. I ask for your help and encouragement in this endeavor. I will be walking that path with a plush pony in my pocket. Thank you all.

Hug a pony my friends. Spread some cheer.

Different Strokes

/ Daniel/Codefreak / Leave a comment

I love a good personal story. Reading or listening about someone’s life or an adventure that someone has taken can be enrapturing to me. Now I could tell you a story with just facts, lay out each detail in a row and let it just stand there on its own. It would be a story of pure substance and give you all the direct information you need to understand where I am coming from.

Or.

I could take you on a mind journey, using words that flutter along like butterflies, turning phrases like leaves in an autumn breeze. Protruding a story from every intonation of my voice, mannerisms in my movements, or even the glint in my eye that shows a diamond like twinkle.

That, that is the story I want to read.

Or in this case listen. I enjoyed this short little video that popped up randomly on my Facebook. It was shared by Jamie and Adam from Mythbusters, on their public figure page. Again just a simple short story, beautifully told, and it captivated me.

I invite you to listen as well dear reader. I hope you enjoy.

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/making-pasta-by-hand-is-a-mesmerizingly-beautiful-proce-1685555849/+caseychan