We Interrupt this Story

I hate to be interrupted. Interrupting is rude and disrespectful. Doesn’t matter what someone says, there is no need to interrupt. Most people can control themselves, but not all. Others don't care. They're going to do whatever they want. 

When someone is talking, I’m supposed to be listening to what they are saying – not blurting out what comes to my mind while they are still talking. A pet peeve. Sometimes on conference calls someone will be talking and someone else will interrupt. Then two people are talking, and no one can understand what either is saying. Goes back to not listening.

Last Friday night at supper, twice I was telling a story and got interrupted. Since they were talking, I stopped and looked at them. I don’t remember it being an evil look, but both times they stopped, realizing they had interrupted. The same thing happened with the couple we were with: one interrupted the other.

Handling interruptions is pretty much a big part of my job. Not fun. Since my job entails reviewing data and acting on what needs to be done, it’s hard to do when I’m receiving a new email at least every two minutes. I have two computer screens, and keep my email up on one of them. When a new email pops up, I have to quickly decide whether it needs to be handled immediately, later, or filed away or deleted. I try to not copy others on my emails, if they’re not impacted by it. Some people seem to copy their boss on every email, I guess to show the boss how busy they are. Not me.

I like to follow the rules. Ceil does too. What are people thinking when they break rules – that they are more important than everyone else? Some people say the a rule followers, but I see them breaking the rules anyway. When my mom was dying the hospital insisted we follow the two guests per room rule. The hospital high-ups had agonized over their decision, knowing families were in the situation we were in. But patients, staff, and guests were coming down with covid, and the rule had to be enforced.

I’d rather park further away, in an available spot where I can easily pull in and out of, preferably next to a curb so a car won’t park on that side. Avoids dings and dents. The time saved searching for a closer spot can be used to walk inside. I need the exercise anyway. I hate tiny little Pine Straw Plaza at the corner of Johnson Ferry and Upper Roswell. Traffic in the tiny parking lot in front of Trader Joes is always congested, with cars and shoppers coming and going, backing in and out. It is dangerous. Ceil hates that I won’t drop her off at the door, but I don’t want the car to be hit. I always take the less crowded outside lane, It may be considerate for a husband to drop off his wife at the door, but inconsiderate for all the cars lined up behind them.

When I retire I’ll have plenty to keep me busy. I’d like to travel more, but C is more of a homebody. I go to games by myself. We both like spending time with our family. She hates to leave Winnie. When she watches the news or Hallmark Channel type shows I just work on my laptop, I have to watch my shows when she’s not around. Lately I haven’t been interested in much on TV.

I see some retired people spend all their time on social media. I don’t want that to be me. Hopefully I can exercise several hours a day, do some writing, enter my contests at night, do a better job with the yardwork and around the house, and read my books. Perhaps work at Truist Park or some other interesting place. Would be fun to write a book about our 1975 state championship team, and a book chronicling how Herschel Walker gained more yards than anyone in football history.

Worked past 5:30 last night. Had a leftover Dreamland BBQ dinner for supper. Drove home and opened up my new golf clubs. Nice. The new bag is too flashy, so I cleaned up the old Nike bag in my garage. Got the old set ready for Matthew to use. 

Wednesday night and mom's obituary has yet to be posted online. The funeral is Sunday. People are asking me questions.

KEN GRIFFEY, Jr.  [SABR Bio] was the first number one overall draft pick to hit 500 career home runs. He was drafted with the first pick of the first round of the 1987 MLB June Amateur Draft. Griffey hit his 500th on 20-June-2004.  Alex Rodriguez, the only other overall #1 draft pick in the 500 HR Club, joined during the 2007 season. Only Junior has hit a home run that stuck the warehouse beyond right field at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on the fly. Warehouse HR during 1993 ASG HR Derby  He is the last player to lead the American League in home runs for three straight years in the twentieth century, in 1997 (56), 1998 (56), and 1999 (48).

Denison: there is a Great Awakening going on in our world. Hundreds of thousands are being adopted into the family of God every day as a result. Muslims are coming to Christ in numbers never before seen in history. Similar stories are found in South Korea and China, where within the next ten years, their combined Christian populations are projected to pass America's. But we're not seeing it here in the US. There is little to indicate that will change on its own. Given the state of our culture today—where morality is largely subjective and the church is seen as a barrier to progress—we are not going to convince people they need Jesus by just praying that God would change their hearts while criticizing all the ways their lives run counter to his teachings.