Ruining the day, saving the day, and Robin Hood

Can you guess which of the above four items nearly ruined my day? How about which one saved the day?

If you guessed the LG Vu cell phone to answer the first question, then you just won...a big virtual high five!

If you guessed the key to answer the second question(obvious answer, right?), well, you just won a third of a virtual high five because Question #2 is a trick question. The key, the sick puppy, and the sonic cup saved my day (in that order). Well, not the cup, but the little bitty red straw you see sticking out of it in the top left hand corner of the picture. That's right, tell the straw thank you.

Now, to explain:

After getting off work at ILS, I called an absolutely amazing person (*A-ap*) to just say "hi." Well, I never can "just say hi" when I call this person, so before I knew it we had talked me all the way home, into my house, out the back door with my pup, and back up the porch steps to the door again. When I went to open the door, I realized the lock had stuck in the lock position again. No big deal, thought I, I'll just whip out my handy-dandy key and open 'er right back up.

Only, no amount of patting or poking myself presented the house key. I had conveniently left it sitting on the kitchen counter, not thinking, as I was in deep conversation with A-ap.

I called my landlord, embarrassed and apologetic for my carelessness, and she came in a jiffy to unlock the front door (hence, the house key saved the day!).

...but, then, to the surprise of us both, even when unlocked the door would only open a couple of inches! What in the world is going on? I thought. As I started to examine the front door, I realized I had, out of habit, locked the chain lock across the top. My landlord and I both tried all we could to open the door, but the chain lock wasn't budging and all the tools we used (including our hands) either were too bulky or too short to unlock the door. As I continued the struggle in the front, my landlord went around to the back door with a screwdriver and tried to break into the back door.

I was starting to feel safe about this point. Seriously, if two girls with tools couldn't get in, then my little ego decided nobody could. My landlord left in frustration to go find some wire cutters to just cut the chain lock.

Stella threw up on the porch. Her allergies have really been acting up lately, and I'm sure the heat from being outside so long was getting to her. I wanted to clean up her mess and remembered I had a bag of trash in my car which contained unused napkins. I got the trashbag (thankfully, my car was unlocked). Inside the bag was a Sonic cup similar to the one in the picture above, containing a red straw just like the one in the photograph above. (hence, my sick puppy, Stella, saved the day). You may ask how. Don't worry, I'll explain it with many words, as is my way:

Seeing the simple and elegant red straw in the Sonic cup sparked an idea in this little brain of mine. That straw is long. That straw is skinny. I could push that chain out of its lock with this little guy. He can even be smushed in the door and I could still push on him to undo the chain!.

What happened next was something that doesn't happen too often: What I thought was actually right! (Hence, the straw saved the day).

So, what I thought was an invicible wall of metal and sheetrock turned out to be foolproof but not strawproof.

Thank you, Straw. You did a great job.

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I started my new job with ILS today and LOVED it! The only thing not so great about the experience was the movie the guys picked out to go watch: Robin Hood. I am ashamed to admit I even watched that movie. There would be no movie left if you took out the violence. Oh, except for the nude scene, yeah, that'd still be there. In that case, give me 3 hours of violence and take out the nude scene that really does nothing to further the plot. Oh, did I say plot? I don't think there was one of those, either.

Let's just say I was thoroughly dissappointed, ashamed, and embarrassed to watch something like that with my client and others from his facility. I only pray they were asleep during most of it (it seemed as if they were).

Otherwise, I enjoyed my experience to the fullest and cannot wait until next Saturday!

Robert H. Williams

He was a good man, one of Wal-mart's best customers. He truly did live life to its fullest! In fact, at 79, he was out wife-hunting and in the process of writing an autobiography. I spent hours with him, as he poured out his story--one that proved full of life and adventure. His experiences were so very important to him and he wanted to share them with everyone. I hate that I did not know he was dying. He was spry and healthy the last time I saw him! My heart and prayers go out to your family, Mr. Bob! I think now you may be much happier to be with your wife and son. God bless you!

Robert H. Williams

March 16, 1931 - May 23, 2010

Robert H. Williams, age 79 died May 23rd at Arkansas Hospice in Little Rock . He was born at Benton, Arkansas March 16, 1931 the first son of Henry Pascal Williams and Maurine (Slaughter) Williams.

He was a 1949 graduate of Bauxite High School, and studied at Spartan School of Aviation in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He worked as an aircraft instrument technician first for the US Navy and then for the Boeing Company. Later he owned his own instrument overhaul shop at Miami International Airport. He married Marge Clifford, a widow with three children. Bob and Marge sold their aircraft instrument business and bought some rental cottages and operated a charter fishing business on Little Torch Key near Key West, Florida.

Robert was an achrondoplastic dwarf, but lived life to the fullest. He was always optimistic and enthusiastic and never let his physical condition slow him down. He was preceded in death by both of his parents, his wife Marge, his brother James Malcolm (Linda), and his sister Ann Wilson (Jim).

He is survived by his step mother Kathleen Williams of Austin, TX, his brother Carroll (Mary Lee) of Conway, Arkansas and John (Vera) of Austin, Texas, and by three step children Fred Clifford of Houston, TX, Mary Enberg of Hernando, FL, and Edye Fuis of Las Vegas, NV, and by a nephew Garrett Williams of Corpus Christi, TX, and a niece Kayte Williams of Austin, Tx.

Cremation will be followed by a public memorial service to held sometime in early June in Conway followed by a private spreading of his ashes on Mt. Petit Jean.

Bob desired that in lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to make a memorial gift please consider Arkansas Children’s Hospital, 800 Marshall Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72202.

Arrangements are entrusted to Roller-McNutt Funeral Home, Conway. 501-327-7727.

"Point"ing out

Point 1> I am really enjoying being a customer service manager for Wal-mart, believe it or not. I was afraid I would be overwhelmed, but God has blessed me. I couldn't do it without Him!

Point 2> I just filled out the paperwork for my new job yesterday. I'm hoping to start Saturday. I'll be a community skills trainer for an adult man with special needs. I cannot express how excited I am about it!

Point 3> I'm trying to get my foot in the door to volunteer at Camp Connect, a local one-week camp for children with autism spectrum disorders. I have turned in my application and all is well through my communications with the administrator. They seem excited to have me on board, though I don't think their enthusiasm can even compare to my own!

Point 4> Stella looks mangier than ever. I have her nearly shaved bald in places, all but one leg is skinny, but I have yet to touch her head or tail. Therefore, she is a poofball with eyes, a stick body, stick legs, and a poofball backside! Like two pom poms on a bar. I'm sure it is stylish and adorable...somewhere.

Point 5> My car is in the shop under repair. I am trapped at home! I'm unsure what is in store for me tomorrow (I have to be at work in the morning), but God has provided transportation thus far. Shortly, I will have a sparkly clean and pretty car--without a dent.

Point 6> I'm trying to lose weight. Five pounds so far this week. It's not coming off as fast as it did my last attempt. :(

Point 7> I reinstated my facebook account due to missed game nights. Everyone forgot I no longer had facebook, so they only invited via the internet profiling site. I guess I need to keep up with the times.

Point 8> The closest I've ever come to a country other than the U.S.: I just drank a glass of apple juice made from apples in the USA, Argentina, China, and Poland.

Point 9> Anna and I baked cookies and bought tennis shoes yesterday. I had a lot of fun with her; she is a special young woman who I am blessed to call friend!

Snickerdoodlemen are much tastier than Snowmen. Trust me.

Point 10> I am facing some things right now that I need to overcome, but I cannot do it alone. It is hard for me to ask for help. I don't want to bother others, and I feel like my problems are so small--too small to bring before the Lord. That isn't true, though, and I know it. My independent spirit has not been broken yet, and that is the first step to victory. I need Jesus to help me. This is a lot more serious than my other random "points," and perhaps that is why it is last. Your prayers are coveted.