So, You Think You Know Me

I often wonder how you come up with the notion that you know me.  Too many times you have said that I am like this or I am like that.  You are only just seeing me but believe that you know what I am all about.  Let me ask you this:  Where were you:

When:  I was a child of 18 months in the early 1960s and survived an infection of spinal meningitis…at a time when the mortality rate was much higher than today.  Thankfully, I don’t remember it but apparently, I had to learn to walk all over.  To this day, I can’t stand cold showers–I was told that I was placed in ice water to battle the fever.  I have discolored and bad teeth attributed to the antibiotics used.  I was truly blessed.

When:  My parents divorced when I was four;

When:  I met my new older sisters; and subsequently, my younger siblings through the years;

When:  I was 9 or 10 — I was introduced to baseball, and I loved it; I was bitten on the finger by a garden snake while picking berries and suffered from acute appendicitis (not related to snake bite);

When:  I was 11 and 12 — I used to lay in my bed with my transistor radio under my pillow, pretending to be asleep but really listening to the evening baseball games; I dreamed of playing ball like Carl Yastrzemski;  I actually played baseball for a while but life took me in a different direction;

When:  I first kissed a girl — on the lips; my first date; getting my driver license and driving my first car;  and my first pickup truck with 3 on the column — it was missing 2nd gear;

When:  I wrestled, boxed a little and competed in gymnastics for a year;

When:  I enlisted in the Navy and left home;  arriving at boot camp; whoa — major life change!

When:  I arrived at the beach, at sundown, in San Diego, CA, on the 4th of July after driving cross-country to my first duty station;

When:  I flew in a helicopter to an aircraft carrier;  thinking all along there wasn’t enough deck for the helo;

When:  I met and fell in love with my first wife;

When:  I was at sea for months at a time — and later was divorced from my first wife;

When:  Iranian Hostage Crisis;

When: I first used a keypunch machine (1977); a computer (1981); my first microwave oven (1986) right after the shuttle Challenger blew up; my first cell phone (1987); I was studying computer programming; and got my first personal computer (1989);

When:  I visited numerous ports-of-call in many foreign countries being exposed to so many different cultures;

When:  I met my second wife;

When:  I was the third person in the world to hold my new born daughter;

When:  at 18 months old, I rushed my daughter to the hospital because she had eaten her grandmother’s blood pressure pill–I drove on the sidewalk to bypass traffic; and, at her bedside, I prayed all night for her recovery — God blessed us;

When:  I visited my mother, who had terminal cancer a few weeks before she died but because of “military operational commitments,” I could not be there when she passed but my brothers were with her;

When:  Desert Shield and Desert Storm;

When:  I got a second divorce; and lost custody of my daughter;

When: I didn’t get promoted, again — I retired from the Navy after 23 1/2 years’ of service;

When:  A heart arterial catheter angiogram;

When:  I was one of the last people to be with my former mother-in-law when she died — we had a rocky start but after her debilitating stroke, I read the Bible to her and we often prayed together in the last few months of her life;  I held her hand for a couple of hours in the hospital room the day she died–shortly after I left the hospital;

When:  I wandered, apparently aimlessly and selfishly, for several years;  searching for “happiness;”

When:  My first wife found me on the internet and after nearly 20 years we got back together;  we’ve been together for 11 years now.  She says she loves me…personally, I think she tolerates me;   😉

When:  My first granddaughter was born; I think I was about the 5th or 6th person to hold her but I was there when she was born;  there are now four grandchildren, two girls and two boys — the youngest is named after my dad and me;

When: My ex-wife unexpectedly died and I flew 3,000 miles to help comfort my daughter and two oldest grandchildren who knew her;

When:  I or my wife were out of work for extended periods of time; since 2006

When:  My mother-in-law had a stroke and came to live with us so we could help care for her; she is 87 now;

When:  five colonoscopies over the past 20 years;

When:  I draw or  paint pictures; or, (still WIP) writing a couple of books;

When:  After nearly 40 years’ as an administrator, I learned to:  publish ebooks, write a blog and build a solar battery bank by watching YouTube videos; It actually works the way it is supposed to– I’m stoked;

When: after many years of God’s prompting, I finally started ministry studies;  its not easy to find time to study, after working all day, as an olderly guy and still be able to spend quality time with my wife — she’s very understanding;

When:  that little boat has been sitting in my driveway for the past 2 years and hasn’t touched a lake yet, since I’ve had her…

These are snippets of my life — soooooooo much more has made the person I am today.  Yet, you think you know me.  You lie to me and tell lies about me; you steal from me; and, call me names when you think I don’t hear you.  I wonder, what is it really?

I know that you don’t really know me, you couldn’t regardless of how you try to portray yourself, especially at your young ages–remember, I was younger once, too.

God has told us to love one another — he didn’t say, “no matter how difficult your fellow man makes it…”

Matthew 22:35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

You probably don’t even realize that I pray for you daily but that’s okay.  I pray that God will open your spirit, your heart and your mind to the salvation of Christ Jesus, who paid the ultimate price for all of us; who is the way to eternal life.

No, you don’t know me and I don’t really know you even though I’ve been where your are and I know — for many of us, there is freedom when we surrender to the will of God, in the name of Jesus — His only begotten Son.

 

Jay 🙂

 

 

 

 

Casser le Jour (Break the Day)

Daylight Savings Time

Through Window Dawn Does Now Break

The Curtains Are Drawn

By Jay LeBorgne

Le temps de l’heure d’été

Par la fenêtre Aube Est-ce que maintenant Pause

Les rideaux sont tirés

 

 

Take My Hand by Jay LeBorgne

Reach out, take my hand
allow me to walk with you

through forests, among trees
stroll along the beach, through life

Sit with me, take my hand
allow me to talk with you

through tough days; good times
listening, hearing, caring

Lay with me, take my hand
allow me to embrace you

share each other
share our love

Reach out, take my hand
allow me to grow old with you

through the rest of our days
together forever and always

Jay LeBorgne

 

Reaching Out by R.S. Barrett

I was seeking refuge when I reached out to you,

I wonder if you have any idea how difficult that was to do.

Not because it was your voice I sought,

Not because I should not ought,

This enormous flaw I wear like a shield,

Most often to me misery does yield.

Pride! Lift me up and hold me high,

Let not it be revealed that I hold my strength so nigh,

So that others might somehow see,

That I too have yearning, I ache, I need.

And in my quiet desperation, not knowing,

What seed I’d dropped or what it might be sowing,

You gave to me not what I was hoping for,

But instead you reached back with so much more.

R.S. Barrett

 

February 29, 2016 #PrayerRequest

February 29, 2016 #PrayerRequest

My fellow Christians and non-believers alike, I have a special prayer request for all who desire the Lord’s hand in our lives daily, throughout our nation and throughout the world as a whole.

So much is going on in this world today from apathy and corruption to hatred, murder and terrorism.  Many of us state that we’re tired of it and we want someone to do something about it.  I agree but I believe that “someone” is each one and all of us.

I believe that we as a nation of peoples and citizens of the world need to take action and conduct a time of adjoined prayer.

I am asking everyone to set aside 9:00 pm (1800) (where ever you happen to be in this world at your 9:00 pm (1800), where many people will be praying at one time for a 24-hour period) for a few minutes of prayer in which, we start with acknowledgement and praise to the Lord, our sovereign God, creator of everything from just His spoken word; let us give thanks to him for His creation and His sacrifice of His Son, Christ Jesus as payment for the sins of all people; thanks to him for His grace and forgiveness for whoever believes in the sacrifice of Jesus, that he died and was resurrected, conquering even death, and that we accept this gift from Him with a humble heart; let us ask for our own forgiveness and for Him to tenderize our hearts to forgive others that we know or believe have done us wrong; let us pray for a resolution and true unity of our families, communities and nations; let us pray for God’s will to be done by all and that He bring us the return of Christ Jesus, Sovereign Ruler, King of Kings and King of Glory sooner rather than later.  Let us pray that He ends the suffering of our children.

You will not be alone–If you are a single person, your prayers will be adjoined by the Holy Spirit to the families, friends, groups and other peoples throughout the world as part of one voice, one prayer to the One True God.

Matthew 18:19 (NIV)

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

I will speak to as many people as I can and pray daily over the next 40 days for the Lord to open the hearts and minds of as many people that are willing.  You are welcome to join me in these daily prayers, as well.

1 Kings 8:28 (NIV)

Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.

If you are willing, forward, copy and paste, transfer, speak to your family and friends and ask others to join in a worldwide prayer for the defeat over evil in our individual lives so that we may make a true Spiritual difference in our individual worlds.

For those of you who say that you do not believe, now…get a head start while there is still time for there will come a day when:

Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV)

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I make this request in humility as a son of the Living God, in the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

 

 

In Remembrance…Memorial Day 2015

My first memories of war go back to the Vietnam era of the mid-60s and early 70s. My first memory of war death reflects back to June of 1966 when my step-mother’s brother Jerry, Uncle Jerry, lost his life fighting in Vietnam. I have vague memories of Uncle Jerry but the atmosphere at home after word came of his death seems to have been burned deeper into my gray matter files. I was 7 years old.

From 1977 to 1981, I was assigned to the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). There were a few sailors who lost their lives along the way for one reason or another. I personally knew a couple of the men. We were in port at Pattaya Beach, Thailand, while deployed for a Western Pacific Cruise. The water was not deep enough to dock beachside so we would take boats to and from shore.   One of the Chief Warrant Officers who was a mentor of mine was heading to or coming back from liberty, my memory is not fully clear on that but he had a heart attack on the launch. His death hit hard to the many who personally knew him.  Years later aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) we lost several others while on deployment.  I knew who the men were but wasn’t close to them.  The loss was still felt the same amongst the crew.

A few short years later, a friend of mine was killed in a berthing fire aboard ship. Although we were able to put out the fire before anyone was burned, he died in his sleep of smoke inhalation. He and I had been on liberty together just a couple of days before we left port in Subic Bay, Philippines. I volunteered to take the casket back to his family.

That event was a very interesting awakening to the importance of the death of a military loved one. We weren’t in any specific hostilities at the time but his death was somehow just as important. I know it was to his family. His parents had divorced and though they came together for the funeral, each “side” of the family wanted to spend time with me and have me tell them about the times John and I had spent together…you see, I was the last link they had to their son. Of course, I left out the drunken sailor stories and the times we chased girls in different ports but I did my best to share the wonderful, exploratory adventures we had such as swimming at Waikiki Beach, our failed trip to visit Mount Fuji (we got on the wrong train and had to get back to the ship by nightfall — we didn’t get more than a glimpse in the distance); and the time we woke up to the water buffalo with its head sticking in the window of the room we shared while visiting a small rural village in farm land Philippines.

Understanding the love they showed to me in place of him, I think, was the first time I truly understood what we were doing in the service of our country. Why we were there when others weren’t. What it really meant to the families we left behind. I presented the flag to John’s mother without shedding a tear.  I had time to think on the plane trip back.  I went on with my life.

Later in my career, I presented the flags to family members at another eighteen military funerals—most were veterans and some were on active duty at the time of their deaths.  I did not know any of them personally but I knew a little bit about the lives they had lived while in the military.  I never once shed a tear when I presented those flags. The guys in my unit told me they were happy that I was the one presenting the flags because they didn’t think they could hold it together. I would tell them that I just did what I had to do—it was just part of my duty.

“On behalf of the President of the United States and the United States Armed Forces, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one’s service to this Country and a grateful (branch of service).”

Today, 15 years since my retirement from 23 years in the United States Navy, of course is very different.  I don’t attend parades on memorial and veterans days; I no longer attend military funerals (though after I retire in the real world, I’ll probably volunteer to be a part of the local honor guard); and I rarely attend veteran events.  It is often difficult for me to watch a good war movie, or hear about a current military funeral on the news.  However, I now freely shed a tear for “all” the men and women who gave their lives for this country. I understand that not every death was given in war, in combat, but that each of them would have given their lives for no other reason than they were there to serve their country; and they understood why they were there.

You may not personally know someone who died during military service but nonetheless, you have been affected. The next time you gripe about something that you don’t like about this country, remember those who died to ensure your freedom to complain about it; when you walk down the street or travel the highway, free to come and go in most places in this county, know that a military person died somewhere along the way to help ensure you and I still have those freedoms.  And, the next time you meet someone who lost a loved one in the service of this country, if appropriate, give ‘em a hug and let them know you appreciate the sacrifice.

Enjoy the freedoms you have that remain…there may not always be someone willing to put their life on the line to ensure you continue to have them.

Jay

John 15:13 (NIV)

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

 

Do You Know Someone Who Suffers Spatial Disorientation?

  Some common questions in the storage world: “How much is the smallest space?” 5’x5’ … “Can I fit stuff from a 3 bedroom apartment in the smallest one?” Not unless your apartment is a doll house. What? Nevermind.

Yes, the storage world has its moments.

I am quite fascinated with the idea that so many people do not understand space and how much of it is needed to store their “stuff.” I do understand that everyone is not able to figure out space needed, that’s not my point — it really comes down to the bottom line and equating the price of storage to the space required. Just going for the least expensive and understanding that the least expensive is usually the smallest, people ask for the smallest; and are really taken back when they realize that the smallest is usually about the size of a closet or a small walk-in closet. Most people I have found don’t have a relative clue about what a 5’x5’, 5’x15’ or even a 10’x20’ space will hold.

I, in turn, have a pretty good idea about space and what it will hold. I often can fit 5lbs of “stuff” into a 2lb sock, if you know what I mean. Maybe I was born with it or maybe I just learned from experience over the years — I do my best to not make someone feel bad when they do not understand. More is in my head than comes out through my lips.

If someone is in my office, I can use my office as a reference. “Do you need this much room or something larger, or something smaller?” I will ask.  Most people understand. Some still don’t know. Why? Because they do not know exactly what they will be storing. Hmmmm…Often, people do not want to tell me what they have so that I can properly assist them with spatial requirements. Also, people “forget” what they have that needs to be stored. “Oh yeah, I forgot about the dining table, the washer and dryer or the 22 boxes of stuff in the garage.”

If someone is on the phone, I ask them to look at their master bedroom and imagine they will be stacking things from floor to ceiling and everywhere in between…now, do you need a room that large, larger or smaller? Most people understand.

When people visit me, I like to take them out to look at the space they think they will need. Again, most people understand or at least are able to choose between different sizes once they view them.

Occasionally, I have someone who thinks they can fit 10lbs of “stuff” in a 2lb sock all because they are going for prince over need. Two results: 1) I later transfer them to the right size space; 2) the dumpster get full quickly.

Words of advice when searching for a place to store your stuff:  If you suffer from SD (Spatial Disorientation) please, seek the assistance of someone who knows how to stuff a sock, pack a box, a truck or even a room. The person could be a family member, a friend or even a professional. Do yourself a favor, learn and practice specific cognitive strategies such as forming a mental representation of the environment and how stuff will fit into that area.  Do not allow your life to be disrupted because of SD.

If you know someone who suffers from SD, please for our sake, help them, guide them, teach them.

“So, a 5’x5’, can I fit a 3 bedroom house in that?” Not unless it folds up like George Jetson’s car… What? Nevermind.

Jay 🙂

 

How Not To Get a Job…in my world

Wow! I feel like I’ve been away for eons yet, it has only been a week. I have been busy my friends.

As many of you know, my former assistant, Brittany, moved on to a new position with the company. I’ve heard some great things about her performance from her current manager. 😀

To the busy part. I’ve been working six days a week during the busiest part of the month while in search of a new assistant. This evolution has been the most frustrating.

I have read through over seventy resumes–that’s 70+ in 4 days. After the first 10, I found someone that I thought was good for the job. She went through an interview with me and my area manager a couple of days later. She was excited and said that nothing would prevent her from doing the job. She past the initial background check and I needed her to come in to complete the hiring process. No response to my phone messages for two days. I located her on FB and sent a message asking if she was coming in. She responded that she had too much going on. Wha? Back to square one.

Since then I’ve been bombarded with resumes. Most of the resumes list skills that have nothing to do with the job posted. I was quite specific. The job is administrative, customer service, must be able to learn and operate required software…and, it is only 12 hours per week – 7 hours on Saturdays + 5 hours during the week with an occasional 29 hours per week when covering for me on certain holidays, vacation or sick days. It is not manufacturing, phlebotomy, nurse’s aide, legal- or law-related; and it is not full time.

I started to get suspicious. When I called some of the applicants, I asked them if they had read the job posting. Most said no. So, you have no idea what you’re actually applying for… I thanked them for their time and recommended that in the future, they read the job postings in order not to waste time of the person doing the hiring. If they know in advance that they will not want the job then perhaps they will not apply for it.

I realize that people need jobs but going through resumes that have no direct correlation with the job applied for is an alternate time hack. I don’t want someone who is just trying to bide their time for a few weeks and then leave for “the real job” they wanted in the first place. I want someone who is looking for part time work and can do the job as necessary. Simple.

Of the persons that did read the posting I have three good candidates who are coming in to interview this afternoon.

In my world integrity is important. I need to know that the person I’m dealing with is genuine. Otherwise, we’ve started a relationship that may not, probably will not, be natural and lasting. Everyone does not always get along well but if you’re working with someone, for someone or supervise someone it is always beneficial to the environment if people do get along.

A person with an AA, AS, a BA or MBA, et cetera, can do this job but so can someone with a HS diploma or GED. It’s not necessarily about the education. It is about ability. The ability to learn, do and deal with people in general but a great customer service attitude will win every time. Understand that in the storage business, as in most other customer contact-related businesses, you are the company representative who is providing a service to fulfill a customer need. It’s not about me and it’s not about you. It’s about the company that you work for and it’s about the customers that you serve.

If you don’t get it, please, don’t apply.

Jay 🙂

 

We Live in an Ambiguous Society

Disclaimer: The following is an opinion diatribe…read at your own interest.

Wha?

If bald is beautiful, why is hair restoration so important?

Vagueness seems to be common place in our society. Why?

Political Correctness, not wanting to hurt others’ feelings, personal and mental sensitivity; not being able to see past one side of a situation or object; or perhaps, we lack the ability to express or describe something for fear of all those things. Moreover, I think the answer is actually within us, personally, because we’re afraid. Yes, afraid of how we will be perceived.

Take the blunt person. How many times have we complained that person is a bully, contrary, argumentative or that they’re just a(n) (smart)ass? We often hear that he or she is just mean, not to mention the vulgarities used to describe them. Do we ever take into consideration of what they are telling us, regardless of how it is delivered?

Then there is the meek person, the person who doesn’t make themselves clear because they are afraid of how they will be perceived. And then, we call them weak, timid, shy and often make fun of them or just dismiss their views altogether.

How about the uninformed person? They speak to be involved even though they do not have a grasp of the facts of a situation, person or object. We are quick to describe them as a village idiot and also ignore them.

The gamers, liars, performers, politicians…just to single out a few, all bring up negative views in our minds but yet, we are reluctant to describe them as they truly are [perceived].

Think about how many times we denounce violent behavior but do nothing to stop it because the solution often requires, yes, violence.  How can we coexist with people who literally want to kill us?

Our personal standards of what is right and wrong, our own filters and barriers, our fears, fears of rejections, retaliation, or of being ostracized, often dictate how we describe the world around us.

I enjoy when people like me but I don’t care if they do. I really mean it. I am somewhat of an extrovert because my life has ran the course from here to there, so many “new” environments and places—personally as well as employment. I wasn’t raised to be meek but I have learned to tone down my bluntness; and I am now more reluctant to fight at the drop of a word—argue maybe but not fight.

In the midst of the destruction of our society, as we have known it, dialogue is so beneficial. However, when one group seems to have all the answers, for everyone regardless of our differences, no matter which side of the situation we are on, we will find the enslaved and oppressed on the other side. I do not say this about a particular group of peoples based on color, ethnicity or religion. I say this based on a free people of this country, the United States of America, which for at least the past decade has been anything but united.

It is ideology that is changing our way of life and regardless of the ambiguity of our situation, it appears ambivalence is a driving force. One size does not fit all, in spite of what “they” tell us.

No, violence is often not the answer but when survival is at stake, sometime we must defend ourselves. But what will be the reasons behind our fight? Will it be so that we can have more and someone else have less? Will it be so that we can be recognized for ourselves, our individual ways of life(styles)? Will it be for our religious freedoms and whether ours will be the dominate one? Will it be for our children, so that if there is a future, it will be a good and prosperous time for them?

Or, will it be for our freedom? Freedom from tyranny brought on by those that seemingly know what is better for us as a “society” regardless of what is better for us as individuals of a nation.  Regardless of what we really want?

I would hope that we cast our ambivalence aside and make a stand for our individual freedom over a society of leeches. When someone receives, it has to come from somewhere. Are we as a hard-working people going to let them take it (whatever the “it” is) from us without some kind of stand? I would hope not.

Open dialogue is good – intimidation is not. Do not allow yourselves to be intimidated anymore. Speak up before they tell you your speech is no longer free. Don’t be vague, tell us how you really feel about something. Ambiguity may be killing you.

I can’t see the top of my head, in your opinion, am I bald, yet?

Jay 🙂

 

 

No One Should Be Irreplaceable…

  It’s a nice, quiet, cool and drizzly Saturday.  A day of coffee and catch-up blog reading.  The satellite radio station seems to know what kind of day it is and the music is appropriate.

Angela came in to see if Stacey left a key…no, even though he’s been in the past two days. It did give us a chance to chat about how are faith strengthens our respective relationships and how nice it is to be back with the love of our lives; and how happy God has made us in spite of ourselves.

A rental from a guy with stuffed wild turkeys that he personally killed. Apparently, his wife does not have the same appreciation as he does for the finer things…just wait until he gets the coyotes back from the taxidermist. Better go ahead and rent a larger unit now.

Rental trucks coming and going.

A relatively calm work day in the self-storage environment after such a busy week.

I went through a dozen or so resumes in hopes of finding just the right person. I found three. I interviewed one. She, I think, will be perfect for the assistant position. It amazes me how some people can almost beg for a job and then not show up for the interview—without a call to say they won’t be showing up. I have a feeling there’s a reason they were unemployed. It is alright, I got the cream.  Alas, I can’t start her until sometime next week because the VP who is in charge of the next stage of hiring is on vacation until Monday. Shouldn’t someone else be able and/or authorized to do this in his absence? No One Should Be Irreplaceable…

This past week was public sale week for those who haven’t paid their storage rent in a few months. One hates to do it but, it’s all part of the business. Unanswered legal letters, phone calls, messages, voicemails…sold!

Next week should be more fun as soon as the young lady starts training – I like training. I often feel like a potter taking raw clay and forming a new pot or figurine. It really isn’t about me, though. It is about another chapter, with a new character.

Twenty days to go until my long weekend of time with my wife and friends; and fishing…and relaxation.

Jay  🙂

So, last night before bed my wife presented the profoundly daunting question, “If right is right, why would anyone go left?” I had no argument there. 😉