Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Why are you telling me this?

No, I am not going to turn this blog into an offshoot of incipient OCD and find myself driven to post every day! C'mon, I am retired.

A friend was telling me how her Supervisor came into the office, noticed the electric stapler, and asked her where she got it from. 'You know, we are over budget.'

My friend started to explain she followed procedure, and got the electric stapler through the supply office. My point is whenever someone puts you on the spot like that, respond with a question.

Like, 'Why are you telling me we are over budget?'

Like, 'Did you know scientists have found the tomb of Jesus with his body in it?'
Answer: 'Why are you telling me this?'

And so on. A question puts the ball back in the inquisitor's court. Management may pass you up for promotion if you make things difficult for them...but you won't go through life feeling defensive.

Monday, February 26, 2007

Another quiet day in Winnipeg


Not too much going on. Light snow fall covers over the frosty casements of my upstairs chamber. Not too cold, and puppy has been out a couple of times to play in the south garden. She comes back in with her little beard all covered with fluffy winter down.

We are looking forward to the forthcoming nuptials of my niece, Andrea, in October 2007. Right now she is teaching school in England. And so carries on with a family tradition. Her great great aunt Georgia was a school teacher in Winnipeg in 1909, at Pinkham School. And I started teaching in 1962, retiring in 2005.

Every day in retirement, as you know, is an earned day off. These days I am pondering this imponderable: If the past is but the future with all potential removed, is the future but the past with all its potential still intact?