Have I mentioned what a blessing my friendship with the Smart family has been? They have provided me with a place to stay, with storage for my belongings so I don't have to pay for a storage unit, with companionship, friendship, lots of laughs and even car repair. Andrew has helped me with my car two or three times since I've lived here--in fact just the other week he put one of his car's battery in mine to help me get home and then two days later had replaced my faulty alternator before I was even up in the morning, and this afternoon he fixed my long-broken window! (Another thing that I've come to enjoy about having a man in the house is that he'll carry heavy suticases and boxes up the stairs for me. I could get used to that.) The boys are constantly encouraging me, and hugging me and even writing things at school that include me in the family. Amber is like another sister to me, and we have stayed up [too] late many nights hanging out talking about our lives and our faith and our future plans and hopes. As I grow and my closest friends from high school and college move away or travel the world, I'm so glad to add to their ranks a friend who is settled with her familiy HERE. So...yeah, I love the Smarts. Living with them has been fun and healing (going through the last 6 months living in an apartment alone would have been much harder for me emotionally), and I am so thankful for this time!
But sometimes living with a family can bring up strange situations. So...that brings me to today's humorous and slightly uncomfortable story.
Last night all the Smarts spent the night in Seaside, and then Andrew (who leads worship on Sundays at his church) came home today while Amber and the boys stayed for a few more days.
A little while ago, while Andrew was out in the yard, he was chatting with his next-door neighbors and mentioned that Amber and the boys were out of town. His kind-hearted neighbors invited him over for dinner so he didn't have to eat alone, seeing as how his family was gone. After he had finished working outside, Andrew came in to quickly shower and change before heading next door.
Meanwhile, I'm in my room in the basement wearing "laundry day clothes" (mis-matching shirt and ugly sweats), doing my laundry and watching the Olympics, completely oblivious to the the above-ground world. Boom boom, boom, boom, boom. I hear someone firmly pounding on the front door through the clamorous dialogue of the ridiculous sportscasters who were commentating on the event of the moment. I figured the door wasn't for me and waited for Andrew to answer it. But he didn't. Huh....well, maybe he went somewhere, I thought to myself. So, as a kind basement-tenant, I went to answer the door for him.
I open the door and the man standing there gives me an odd look. "Hi," he says slowly, "is Andrew there?"
"I think he is," I reply, then turn to call up the stairs "Andrew! ANDREW! Are you here?"
I hear Andrew's voice muffled through a closed door asking "what?"
"SOMEONE'S AT THE DOOR FOR YOU," I yell back. Then turning to the man on the porch I asked, "Are you one of the neighbors?"
"Yeah. We live right next door," he answers, "Andrew was going to come over to our house for dinner."
"Oh.....Hi," I reply in a tone I'm trying to keep warm despite the neighbor's stare.. We stand there waiting for Andrew to come to the door and I'm acutely aware of the fact that this man is looking at me a bit strangely. I shouldn't have answered the door, I thought, this is weird. And then...I get it. Andrew had told his neighbors that his wife and kids were out of town, and they had invited him over so he wouldn't have to be alone. Then they come over and some strange woman opens the door. I quickly try to explain who I am: " Umm...I'm living downstairs here until I can get a house." It is clear to me now that Andrew isn't going to be able to come to the door for a while. I feel agonizingly uncomfortable under the neighbor's gaze, and I decide it's time to get rid of him.
"I think Andrew might be in the bathroom..." I suggest. Now, you have to understand that I have indeed been well trained by my parents to say something like, "he's indisposed right now" instead of "he's in the shower" or "he's in the bathroom." But at this point, I think the neighbor is looking at me like I'm the other woman, and I can't bring myself to say "he's indisposed," lest he interprets it all sleazy-like.
"Can you just tell him we're ready for him to come over?" he asks.
"Sure, I'll let him know."
I smile. Neighbor smiles. Neighbor leaves. I shut the door. Just then Andrew appears. "Your neighbor came to say they're ready," I tell him.
"Okay, great!"
________________
Apparently the neighbors asked about me that night at their dinner, and I'm glad that Andrew could explain to them who I am and why I'm there, and remind them that my car has been in the driveway for 8 months now (wow...I can't believe it's been that long). But it sure made me feel icky when I thought the neighbor might think ill of me. As I said, sometimes living in another family's basement can put me in odd situations. :-) But I love 'em (the family, not the situations).
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Jr. High Girls Camp 2008
I was once again amazed by God's grace, peace and beauty as I saw him working in the hearts of 108 jr high girls this week!
Highlights of the week include:
► My computer--which was to be used for all our lessons and worship sessions--broke down completely five minutes before our first chapel time. I actually laughed. "I should have expected this," I told one of the staff members. Thankfully, the previous night when I had edited the PowerPoint® presentations, I had thought, If something happens to this computer we could lose everything we need for this week, and so I had copied all my camp files to my memory stick. We were able to just use Amber's laptop for the rest of the week. What could have been disastrous ended up not being a problem at all.
► For the first time in four years of directing this week of camp, we had to send home a camper due to behavioral problems. Even that went well because the girl was sad to leave, she wanted to come back next year, and she knew we loved her. Throughout what could have been a sticky and difficult disciplinary process, I felt complete peace that each discussion and each consequence we issued was done with a heart of love that God had given us for this girl.
► On Wednesday, a friend of mine spoke very honestly to the girls about the painful experiences she has experienced in life, and how God has grown her through them. As she shared her pain with them, it was as if walls of fear were melting from the girls hearts. That night, girls in each cabin began to share with others the pain they felt that they had been afraid to share before. As the girls saw the pain that their friends or even the girls they hadn't liked before had experienced, their hearts softened toward one another. After that evening the entire camp was unified in love and understanding in an amazing and inexplicable way that I believe only came from God. It was amazing to see cliques that had been fighting suddenly want to spend time together, suddenly accepting each other. I can't really describe the feeling that permeated the rest of the week...but there was a lot of acceptance and compassion for one another.
► After we sent the girl home, some of her friends were very upset with us, but as we talked with them and showed love to them, their hearts softened toward us--especially after Wednesday night. Thursday afternoon, three of the girls came to me and were talking about the experiences of someone they knew. "I can't believe he left her when he found out she was pregnant and then thought he could come back once she lost the baby!" one girl exclaimed with disgust. "It's so sad," I replied, "I see so much pain that comes from experiencing full physical intimacy with someone before there is full emotional intimacy and before there is complete commitment to one another." The girls were listening intently, so I continued. "There are so many people who feel love for someone and give themselves to that person only to find out that the other person was not as committed. That's one of the reasons why I believe the only safe place for sex is within committed life-long relationship with another person. In our culture, the way we publicly make that commitment is through marriage vows and a marriage ceremony." To my amazement, the three girls (one of whom was seen to have condoms in her purse) nodded their understanding. They were still quiet so I decided to keep going. "Of course, another problem is that these days marriage is viewed less as a life-long commitment and more as a temporary arrangement. I think people have become confused about what love is. They think that love is butterflies in the stomach, and raw attraction. Love stories often end at the beginning of commitment, and they don't show you the hard times that come next. Real, life-long love is choosing to show love to someone you are committed to, even when the feelings aren't there for a period. A mother may not have oogly feelings toward a child that is screaming hateful things at her, but a loving mother does what is best for her child even when it is not easy." I looked at the girls who had just been sharing about how much their parents' divorces had hurt them, "I'm hoping that since you guys have experienced the pain that comes from splitting up a family or from growing up with only one parent, you will be the generation to do things differently. I hope that you guys can decide to save physical intimacy for a fully committed relationship to save yourselves from hurt and to make sure that the children you have will grow up with two parents who love them. And I hope you will realize--unlike the generations before you--what true love is, and that you will work to have healthy marriages that survive the hard times, so that your children do not have to experience the things that have been so hurtful to you." The girls looked serious and thoughtful, but they were nodding as I talked. I pray that God will give this next generation the strength to do things differently, even when it is difficult, and that they and their children will be blessed because of it.
► After Wednesday night's openness and transparency, several girls felt safe enough to ask for help with abuse that has occurred in their home and to admit their struggle with body image or eating disorders. As a camp, we have done and will continue to do what we can to ensure the safety of each girl and to see that she receives the help she needs in order to begin to heal.
► On Friday night, a counselor asked me to sit down with her cabin as they were asking many difficult questions. Included in her cabin were three young women who honestly told me, "We are not Christians yet, but we're thinking about it and we are trying to see if it is right." Some of them had felt a lot of pressure this week to begin a relationship with God through Jesus, and I think the pressure was relieved slightly when I affirmed how important I thought it was for them to consider this decision seriously and thoroughly. These girls were amazing! Some of the questions we discussed were:
Highlights of the week include:
► My computer--which was to be used for all our lessons and worship sessions--broke down completely five minutes before our first chapel time. I actually laughed. "I should have expected this," I told one of the staff members. Thankfully, the previous night when I had edited the PowerPoint® presentations, I had thought, If something happens to this computer we could lose everything we need for this week, and so I had copied all my camp files to my memory stick. We were able to just use Amber's laptop for the rest of the week. What could have been disastrous ended up not being a problem at all.
► For the first time in four years of directing this week of camp, we had to send home a camper due to behavioral problems. Even that went well because the girl was sad to leave, she wanted to come back next year, and she knew we loved her. Throughout what could have been a sticky and difficult disciplinary process, I felt complete peace that each discussion and each consequence we issued was done with a heart of love that God had given us for this girl.
► On Wednesday, a friend of mine spoke very honestly to the girls about the painful experiences she has experienced in life, and how God has grown her through them. As she shared her pain with them, it was as if walls of fear were melting from the girls hearts. That night, girls in each cabin began to share with others the pain they felt that they had been afraid to share before. As the girls saw the pain that their friends or even the girls they hadn't liked before had experienced, their hearts softened toward one another. After that evening the entire camp was unified in love and understanding in an amazing and inexplicable way that I believe only came from God. It was amazing to see cliques that had been fighting suddenly want to spend time together, suddenly accepting each other. I can't really describe the feeling that permeated the rest of the week...but there was a lot of acceptance and compassion for one another.
► After we sent the girl home, some of her friends were very upset with us, but as we talked with them and showed love to them, their hearts softened toward us--especially after Wednesday night. Thursday afternoon, three of the girls came to me and were talking about the experiences of someone they knew. "I can't believe he left her when he found out she was pregnant and then thought he could come back once she lost the baby!" one girl exclaimed with disgust. "It's so sad," I replied, "I see so much pain that comes from experiencing full physical intimacy with someone before there is full emotional intimacy and before there is complete commitment to one another." The girls were listening intently, so I continued. "There are so many people who feel love for someone and give themselves to that person only to find out that the other person was not as committed. That's one of the reasons why I believe the only safe place for sex is within committed life-long relationship with another person. In our culture, the way we publicly make that commitment is through marriage vows and a marriage ceremony." To my amazement, the three girls (one of whom was seen to have condoms in her purse) nodded their understanding. They were still quiet so I decided to keep going. "Of course, another problem is that these days marriage is viewed less as a life-long commitment and more as a temporary arrangement. I think people have become confused about what love is. They think that love is butterflies in the stomach, and raw attraction. Love stories often end at the beginning of commitment, and they don't show you the hard times that come next. Real, life-long love is choosing to show love to someone you are committed to, even when the feelings aren't there for a period. A mother may not have oogly feelings toward a child that is screaming hateful things at her, but a loving mother does what is best for her child even when it is not easy." I looked at the girls who had just been sharing about how much their parents' divorces had hurt them, "I'm hoping that since you guys have experienced the pain that comes from splitting up a family or from growing up with only one parent, you will be the generation to do things differently. I hope that you guys can decide to save physical intimacy for a fully committed relationship to save yourselves from hurt and to make sure that the children you have will grow up with two parents who love them. And I hope you will realize--unlike the generations before you--what true love is, and that you will work to have healthy marriages that survive the hard times, so that your children do not have to experience the things that have been so hurtful to you." The girls looked serious and thoughtful, but they were nodding as I talked. I pray that God will give this next generation the strength to do things differently, even when it is difficult, and that they and their children will be blessed because of it.
► After Wednesday night's openness and transparency, several girls felt safe enough to ask for help with abuse that has occurred in their home and to admit their struggle with body image or eating disorders. As a camp, we have done and will continue to do what we can to ensure the safety of each girl and to see that she receives the help she needs in order to begin to heal.
► On Friday night, a counselor asked me to sit down with her cabin as they were asking many difficult questions. Included in her cabin were three young women who honestly told me, "We are not Christians yet, but we're thinking about it and we are trying to see if it is right." Some of them had felt a lot of pressure this week to begin a relationship with God through Jesus, and I think the pressure was relieved slightly when I affirmed how important I thought it was for them to consider this decision seriously and thoroughly. These girls were amazing! Some of the questions we discussed were:
- How can we trust the Bible to be true?
- How can a loving God allow anyone to experience hell?
- Why do you claim that Jesus is the only way to heaven?
- What happens to babies, mentally handicapped people, and people who have never heard about Jesus die?
- How does a person cross over from wondering to believing?
- Can someone live a happy life without a relationship with God?
- Does it matter if two people in a marriage/relationship have different beliefs?
- If God is more powerful than Satan, why doesn't he destroy him right now?
- Why did God let people choose to sin?
- If God knew people would sin and some would be eternally separated from him, why would he make us?
There were no miraculous breakthroughs, but I could see God's holy Spirit working to draw these girls to him. I pray that the words I spoke and the attitude I portrayed would represent God's glory and truth well, and that where I failed God will lead them to his truth.
___________________________
Overall it was a really great week. Even though some things were difficult, God allowed me to feel peace and have a fairly stress-free week. The stress I did experience had less to do with camp and more to do with my health and the loan process. I truly enjoyed speaking in the mornings, and although I’m sure that the hot topics we discussed in the evenings (friendship, peer pressure, depression, body image, and relationships) are the things the girls will remember the most, I’m absolutely okay with that. I do hope that when we talked about heaven, it helped the girls begin to imagine that it will be a wonderful, exciting, adventurous place. And that they will begin to look forward to and even long for this place where they can be in the presence of the God of the universe who created each of us and loves us and died for us and calls us to come to him.
Lord thank you for such a wonderful week. Thank you for leading me in what to say to specific girls and for giving me ideas of how to communicate with them when they were asking tough questions. Use the truth you spoke through me to minister to the girls where they are, and anything that I said from myself that was not true or helpful for them, allow them to forget. Please grow and encourage those girls who trusted in Jesus this week. Please comfort all who are hurting, and allow them to feel your presence in a very real way as they go through hard times. Please bring healing to the hearts of these girls as they seek to find their identity and their value in relationship to you! I know you love them more than I do, and I trust you to work things for good in the lives of those who are yours. Amen.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Living It
Tomorrow I leave for a week of camp in Estacada, Oregon. This will be the fourth year that my friend Amber and I have planned, prepared for and directed a week of camp for Jr. High Girls. This year I will also be our morning speaker.
Our theme for the week is Olympics and in the mornings I will be comparing our lives in relationship to God to a race. We'll be talking about how running our the right race (in relationship with God) will result in a wonderful prize (eternity with that God). We'll be talking about seeking out coaches to mentor us (like Paul & Timothy's relationship), and surrounding ourselves with teammates who encourage us to love God and people more and do what's right. We'll be talking about training ourselves and how that is difficult but it gets easire over time, and how it is definitely worth all the hard work. On Thursday we will be talking about hardship and pain. We'll see how in Hebrews 11, many people before us have obeyed God, even when it was hard, because they had faith that they would one day receive a reward that is better than all the suffering they have experienced. We'll also talk about how God has a different perspective on our hard times than we do. That's because we're just flailing about in them, but God is working them out according to his plan for our lives. He will use these hard times to grow us, to strengthen us, and to draw us closer to him.
That's what I'm planning on saying this week. But saying it is soooo much easier than doing it. The last couple days have been very difficult. On Wednesday I talked with two different people who are going through gut-wrenching, life-altering hardships. How do I offer hope to someone who feels as if they are drowning in pain and grief and uncertainty? In the end, all I can do is cry with them, pray with them, and remind them that God has not left them and that nothing that is happening is beyond his control. There is hope, dear world, even when you cannot see it or feel it or imagine it! Jesus himself experienced betrayal, abandonment, emotional and physical suffering; but in all that he knew that the pain would end in the conquering of sin. And when our character and our lives have been perfected in His presence--and sin is no more, and the curse is no more, and this fallen world is no more--then, THEN, you will experience the fullness of joy, and you will not have to fear this pain ever again.
So I've said it. But the Lord is calling me to live it. Yesterday my car broke down, leaving me stranded on the side of the road. Yes, the car that was to drive me and two counselors out to camp tomorrow. I need to get a new car, but how am I going to afford that? This morning I found out that there is a problem with my loan application. We're going to see if we can fix it, but there is a possibility that my home-buying dream may not be working out afterall. And then there is something else, which I would rather not share in this public forum, but it has fairly serious ramifications for my life and has caused me much anxiety over the past few weeks. I'm not trying to pretend that these things are comparable with the pain that some of you have experienced or are experiencing, but it has been enough that I have had to verify whether or not I could truly practice what I preach (to use a cliché).
So I'm sitting here and I'm kind of wondering why I'm writing this all here. But I think this is why. It's because I want to say to myself and to all of you that I believe that God is in control of my life. Nothing is happening to me without his consent, and I trust him to fulfill his promise to work all things for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). Does that make our pain stop? No. But it does give us hope for the future whether that future will be fulfilled in this life or in the next. God does not promise to give his people easy lives, free from problems or pain or suffering. Instead he asks us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, one who bore so much burden for the sake of others. But he does promise to never leave us, to guide us, to comfort us, to give us peace, to use what we are going through to strengthen us, and to work it for good in our lives. And he also promises us a beautiful future day when it will be said:
I would truly appreciate your prayer this week for my friends, for our week at camp and for me. That all would bring glory to God, whatever may come.
Our theme for the week is Olympics and in the mornings I will be comparing our lives in relationship to God to a race. We'll be talking about how running our the right race (in relationship with God) will result in a wonderful prize (eternity with that God). We'll be talking about seeking out coaches to mentor us (like Paul & Timothy's relationship), and surrounding ourselves with teammates who encourage us to love God and people more and do what's right. We'll be talking about training ourselves and how that is difficult but it gets easire over time, and how it is definitely worth all the hard work. On Thursday we will be talking about hardship and pain. We'll see how in Hebrews 11, many people before us have obeyed God, even when it was hard, because they had faith that they would one day receive a reward that is better than all the suffering they have experienced. We'll also talk about how God has a different perspective on our hard times than we do. That's because we're just flailing about in them, but God is working them out according to his plan for our lives. He will use these hard times to grow us, to strengthen us, and to draw us closer to him.
That's what I'm planning on saying this week. But saying it is soooo much easier than doing it. The last couple days have been very difficult. On Wednesday I talked with two different people who are going through gut-wrenching, life-altering hardships. How do I offer hope to someone who feels as if they are drowning in pain and grief and uncertainty? In the end, all I can do is cry with them, pray with them, and remind them that God has not left them and that nothing that is happening is beyond his control. There is hope, dear world, even when you cannot see it or feel it or imagine it! Jesus himself experienced betrayal, abandonment, emotional and physical suffering; but in all that he knew that the pain would end in the conquering of sin. And when our character and our lives have been perfected in His presence--and sin is no more, and the curse is no more, and this fallen world is no more--then, THEN, you will experience the fullness of joy, and you will not have to fear this pain ever again.
So I've said it. But the Lord is calling me to live it. Yesterday my car broke down, leaving me stranded on the side of the road. Yes, the car that was to drive me and two counselors out to camp tomorrow. I need to get a new car, but how am I going to afford that? This morning I found out that there is a problem with my loan application. We're going to see if we can fix it, but there is a possibility that my home-buying dream may not be working out afterall. And then there is something else, which I would rather not share in this public forum, but it has fairly serious ramifications for my life and has caused me much anxiety over the past few weeks. I'm not trying to pretend that these things are comparable with the pain that some of you have experienced or are experiencing, but it has been enough that I have had to verify whether or not I could truly practice what I preach (to use a cliché).
So I'm sitting here and I'm kind of wondering why I'm writing this all here. But I think this is why. It's because I want to say to myself and to all of you that I believe that God is in control of my life. Nothing is happening to me without his consent, and I trust him to fulfill his promise to work all things for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). Does that make our pain stop? No. But it does give us hope for the future whether that future will be fulfilled in this life or in the next. God does not promise to give his people easy lives, free from problems or pain or suffering. Instead he asks us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, one who bore so much burden for the sake of others. But he does promise to never leave us, to guide us, to comfort us, to give us peace, to use what we are going through to strengthen us, and to work it for good in our lives. And he also promises us a beautiful future day when it will be said:
_____________________________________________"The dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away!"
I would truly appreciate your prayer this week for my friends, for our week at camp and for me. That all would bring glory to God, whatever may come.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
My arm works just fine, thank you!
I used to think electric toothbrushes were for weak or lazy people. Hey, until I lose the ability to move my arm slightly back and forth, I'll stick with the manual toothbrush!
Recently, though I've decided that my gumline is maybe starting to recede a bit by one of my teeth in particular. I've been told that vigorous and extensive brushing (a favorite pasttime of mine) can chase those gums back even further, but an electric toothbrush that cleans without as much pressure can give your gums a break and allow them to grow back a bit. I specifically heard that in regards to a very expensive electric toothbrush. Well, I couldn't bring myself to pay $100 for something I'm used to paying $2 bucks for, so I comprimised and bought a $7 dollar one.
Having just completed my first brushing with the electric toothbrush, it is too early to see any change in my gumline. But I did notice a side effect that I didn't really expect. My teeth feel SO much smoother and cleaner than they usually do after brushing. I think I'm hooked. I thought I was doing a great, thorough job with my arm and manual brush, but I don't think I can go back. Alas! I too have become one of the lazy masses entrusting my dental hygiene to AA batteries.
Recently, though I've decided that my gumline is maybe starting to recede a bit by one of my teeth in particular. I've been told that vigorous and extensive brushing (a favorite pasttime of mine) can chase those gums back even further, but an electric toothbrush that cleans without as much pressure can give your gums a break and allow them to grow back a bit. I specifically heard that in regards to a very expensive electric toothbrush. Well, I couldn't bring myself to pay $100 for something I'm used to paying $2 bucks for, so I comprimised and bought a $7 dollar one.
Having just completed my first brushing with the electric toothbrush, it is too early to see any change in my gumline. But I did notice a side effect that I didn't really expect. My teeth feel SO much smoother and cleaner than they usually do after brushing. I think I'm hooked. I thought I was doing a great, thorough job with my arm and manual brush, but I don't think I can go back. Alas! I too have become one of the lazy masses entrusting my dental hygiene to AA batteries.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Glimpses Into the Mind of Kimiree
The time is 9:30pm and the place is my parents' family room. My mom is hunched over a Charlie Brown puzzle and my 18 year-old sister is sitting near me and we're talking.
Kimiree (the 10 year old) is watching my mom work on the puzzle. Suddenly, Kimiree turns to me and announces, "I want you and me to get matching outfits and then have our picture taken together!"
Kimiree (the 10 year old) is watching my mom work on the puzzle. Suddenly, Kimiree turns to me and announces, "I want you and me to get matching outfits and then have our picture taken together!"
How does she know what I want for Christmas?
It's dinner time at my parents' house and I'm over there for the evening. Kimiree is sitting to the left of me and she suddently turns to me and with pity in her tone asks doubtfully, "Kristi...do you really think you're ever going to get married?"
When Kimiree was younger, she nicknamed me her "Cushy Sister." Even though I sometimes was sensitive about my weight, I couldn't help but smile. She wasn't making a fat joke, she just thought I was the most comfortable sister to hug! :-) This last week she said to me, "Kristi, I am soooo sorry that I called you the "Cushy Sister."
Another evening when I was at my parent's house for dinner, my Dad's long-time friend was in town and staying with my family overnight. While we're at the table with our guest, Kimiree asks, "So...why is it that boys can't have babies? Is it because they don't have boobs?" (Yeah, it's past time for "The Talk.")
I love my baby sister--and I love the way she makes me laugh!
____________________________________
These pictures aren't current, but they're from a particularly fun day we shared in 2005!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Ugly Insect Bite
I woke up on July 5th with a nickle-sized Insect bite on my knee. I don't remember ever having such a dark and large bite mark. After four days and it still not going away, I took some pictures of it last night, just to keep track of it.
This morning it looks as if it's changed abit. Now it's bullseye-collored.
I've heard the bullseye is a mark of a brown recluse spider, but I think the lesion is way too small for that, plus it should have grown and developed over the first few days--not to mention that brown recluses don't nest in my region. I read somewhere that tick bites can remain for weeks and small ones are coin-sized, and some of them form bullseye's, so maybe that's it. I don't know, I've never seen a tick. And don't people get ticks from outside? I was outside sitting on the grass on the 4th of July, but I was wearing jeans that covered my legs. And I never felt or saw anything that night--only the next morning. Do ticks craw around inside houses?
Okay, enough about my spider or tick or insect bite. If you have any ideas on what it could be, let me know!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Have I Mentioned That I Hate Sales Pitches?
I do. I hate it when people pressure me to buy something I don't want or need, or something that I just can't afford.
For several years I've been using a European-Based desktop publishing program (that I much prefer to Publisher, which came with my MS Office package). The software for this program always starts out at over $100 dollars when a current version is released, but I often end up upgrading just before the one after that is released, and get the soon-to-be second-to-latest release for $10-$20 dollars. It seems financially responsible.
The only thing that annoys me about the software is that each time it is installed on my computer I have to call for a registration code (the program is usable without it, but this annoying REGISTER NOW screen always pops up). Once, a couple of versions ago, I called the company and waited on hold for 45 minutes, at which point the service center closed and I was promptly told to call back another day and disconnected.
This morning I finally gave in and called to register the program that I installed on my new computer in January of 2007! (Thankfully, I was only on hold for a minute.) Now I purchased this version in 2006, which means it was probably released in 2005. The customer service operator told me, "Oh wow. That version. You know that's 6 or 7 years old, don't you? I could hear an upgrade sales pitch coming, so I tried to save him the effort. "It's a few years old," I agreed, "and I've thought about getting another upgrade sometime. But right now, I'm unemployed and don't really have money to spend on upgrading a software that for the most part works very well for me as-is."
Now, their whole registration process is built around getting us to buy other versions. They input my installation code and then they claim it "takes a few minutes to get the registration number" for me to input into my computer. In those "few minutes" the agent asks what I use the program for, and if I've tried any of their other software. I told him I had what I needed in the program I had.
He then began to tell me about the newest version that was released a few weeks ago and how it costs $130 dollars, but he had an upgrade offer for me of $59.95. I again reiterated that I'm unemployed, but I even told him that maybe once my job started up and I was in a better financial place I would reconsider. He told me "this offer is only good for you today!" (Total lie, anytime you call or check their "sale" website, you get that sort of deal.) When I said that a one-time-offer didn't it make me suddenly have $60 bucks I don't have, he left me on hold for a minute and when he came back told me, "I just talked with my supervisor and received permission to discount the sale price even further down to $49.95!"
At this point I was beginning to feel bad for the "suckers" who actually pay full price when the company obviously makes plenty of profit selling their product for WAY less. I was also getting frustrated with his lack of understanding though, and in a desperate attempt to see how low they would go I told him, "I appreciate the offer of that $10 discount, but I really don't have $50 dollars to spend on software right now any more than I have $60 dollars...the most I could spring right now is TEN dollars." At this point, I figured the sales guy was desperate enough for his comission that he just might be able to get it down to $10 bucks. Afterall, that's what I'll pay for it next spring! Unfortunately, he did not take the bait. In fact, after that, my registration number "arrived" VERY quickly and he ended the call very abruptly.
I wish this technique worked at the gas station. I pull up, the attendant comes to my window and asks, "What can I get for you today?" I eye the gas prices and say, "I was going to fill up, but you know, I don't think I can afford to spend this much money on gas right now." He replies, "Well, that's fine! Because today I'll offer you a discounted gas price of just $1.95 per gallon." (Take it, imaginary Kristi, take the deal!) "I'm really sorry," I counter, "but I just don't have $25 dollars now to fill up my tank." (Remember those days when gas cost almost $2 bucks and we thought it was outrageous? When I first started driving, I filled up the Tercel for $10 bucks or so. I actually remember filling up for 97-cents a gallon.) The gas station attendant walks inside the small building, rushes back out grinning and tells me proudly, "My supervisor said I could offer you $1.61 per gallon!" I reply, "I'm sorry, I just don't have more than 32-cents a gallon to pay!" Of course in real life, I would have taken the $1.95 and laughed at the suckers paying $4.25.
For several years I've been using a European-Based desktop publishing program (that I much prefer to Publisher, which came with my MS Office package). The software for this program always starts out at over $100 dollars when a current version is released, but I often end up upgrading just before the one after that is released, and get the soon-to-be second-to-latest release for $10-$20 dollars. It seems financially responsible.
The only thing that annoys me about the software is that each time it is installed on my computer I have to call for a registration code (the program is usable without it, but this annoying REGISTER NOW screen always pops up). Once, a couple of versions ago, I called the company and waited on hold for 45 minutes, at which point the service center closed and I was promptly told to call back another day and disconnected.
This morning I finally gave in and called to register the program that I installed on my new computer in January of 2007! (Thankfully, I was only on hold for a minute.) Now I purchased this version in 2006, which means it was probably released in 2005. The customer service operator told me, "Oh wow. That version. You know that's 6 or 7 years old, don't you? I could hear an upgrade sales pitch coming, so I tried to save him the effort. "It's a few years old," I agreed, "and I've thought about getting another upgrade sometime. But right now, I'm unemployed and don't really have money to spend on upgrading a software that for the most part works very well for me as-is."
Now, their whole registration process is built around getting us to buy other versions. They input my installation code and then they claim it "takes a few minutes to get the registration number" for me to input into my computer. In those "few minutes" the agent asks what I use the program for, and if I've tried any of their other software. I told him I had what I needed in the program I had.
He then began to tell me about the newest version that was released a few weeks ago and how it costs $130 dollars, but he had an upgrade offer for me of $59.95. I again reiterated that I'm unemployed, but I even told him that maybe once my job started up and I was in a better financial place I would reconsider. He told me "this offer is only good for you today!" (Total lie, anytime you call or check their "sale" website, you get that sort of deal.) When I said that a one-time-offer didn't it make me suddenly have $60 bucks I don't have, he left me on hold for a minute and when he came back told me, "I just talked with my supervisor and received permission to discount the sale price even further down to $49.95!"
At this point I was beginning to feel bad for the "suckers" who actually pay full price when the company obviously makes plenty of profit selling their product for WAY less. I was also getting frustrated with his lack of understanding though, and in a desperate attempt to see how low they would go I told him, "I appreciate the offer of that $10 discount, but I really don't have $50 dollars to spend on software right now any more than I have $60 dollars...the most I could spring right now is TEN dollars." At this point, I figured the sales guy was desperate enough for his comission that he just might be able to get it down to $10 bucks. Afterall, that's what I'll pay for it next spring! Unfortunately, he did not take the bait. In fact, after that, my registration number "arrived" VERY quickly and he ended the call very abruptly.
I wish this technique worked at the gas station. I pull up, the attendant comes to my window and asks, "What can I get for you today?" I eye the gas prices and say, "I was going to fill up, but you know, I don't think I can afford to spend this much money on gas right now." He replies, "Well, that's fine! Because today I'll offer you a discounted gas price of just $1.95 per gallon." (Take it, imaginary Kristi, take the deal!) "I'm really sorry," I counter, "but I just don't have $25 dollars now to fill up my tank." (Remember those days when gas cost almost $2 bucks and we thought it was outrageous? When I first started driving, I filled up the Tercel for $10 bucks or so. I actually remember filling up for 97-cents a gallon.) The gas station attendant walks inside the small building, rushes back out grinning and tells me proudly, "My supervisor said I could offer you $1.61 per gallon!" I reply, "I'm sorry, I just don't have more than 32-cents a gallon to pay!" Of course in real life, I would have taken the $1.95 and laughed at the suckers paying $4.25.
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