Stranger Things...

How wild is this? I get into Grand Junction, walk into the hotel lobby – and run right by a fellow board member from another organization, who lives in Houston. He was surrounded by a group of guys (he’s in a powerful position). I really don’t know him that well, and he had on a ball cap, so…

I hesitated. Got on the elevator. Decided to e-mail him and see if my eyes were deceiving me.

Nope, it’s a small world. He’s in the bar with a bunch of guys. Think I’ll pass. Even though he’s like The Top Dog of His Very Major Freakin’ Oil Company. So, I asked him to meet me for breakfast, but he’s going out to their rig at 5 a.m.

I don’t really want to go into the bar. It’s probably smoky, and I’m. Alone.

Well, not really, but my Young Whippersnapper Salesman has already gone to his room – he was up all night working with consultants, and had to be on a rig at 5:30 a.m. this morning. He would get up and go with me, if I made him, but I’m not going to do so.

So, I think I’ll pass. The trials of being a woman in the oilpatch…gotta keep that reputation pristine!

On another note entirely, my Lord, the scenery driving up from Denver was absolutely breathtaking. I had a hard time driving, I was so admiring the view. And then, I met my young whippersnapper salesman in a small town enroute. We had an appointment to meet a manager for an oil company. We go into the office, for our 3pm appointment. We wait, and wait, and wait. An hour and fifteen minutes. And finally, he comes out of another meeting, and gives us the finger. (Not that finger! The index finger, that means “just one more moment.”)

And ten minutes later, he comes out, and we meet. He was Australian. We’re both Texan. Now, I can communicate with a freakin’ wall. But this guy? No way. I mean, we handled it, but I know I didn’t understand everything, nor did my salesman. Still, we tarried on. It was hilarious, well, after we got back in the vehicle, anyway. My salesman looked at me with this look of shock on his face.

Salesman: What did he say?

Janie: I think he said “I lost two consultants to your firm, are you working for ABC Oil Company?” (By the way, this is not beginning said meeting on a positive note.)

Salesman: Are you serious??? That’s what he said?

Janie: Yup. The very thing you were worried about, he said.

Salesman: Well, how did I do? All I understood was “ABC Oil Company.”

Janie: You handled it well. You didn’t react, you just said, “We are doing lots of work as well as project management for ABC Oil Company.” It was the perfect thing to say.

Salesman: What now?

Janie: You and I will both write him a personal note, and you will come by to see him when you’re in the area. Just by those very acts, you’ll be differentiating yourself. He’s not even met the proprietor of the company he’s currently using. At some point, he may give you a call, who knows?

(Man. I hope we can understand him better if he does!)

I love my job.

Colorado Bound, Again...

It’s one of those days…you know, when you know you have to, but you just don’t want to go.

MLH has a summer cold, or something. He’s feeling like crap, and I have to go catch a plane to Denver. On Sunday. That's just not right! Upon my arrival at Denver, I get in a rental car and head to Rifle, Colorado, where we’ll be making rig visits. Time for the girl to suit up in jeans, steeltoe boots, safety glasses, and hardhat. The weather should be beautiful, and the mountains, lovely.

I hate to leave MLH when he’s sick. He’s one of those healthy male specimen, never quits, nothing gets him down. He works all the time, and never stops, except to do fun stuff with me, and/or my customers, like last night's Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation banquet. To see him down, makes my heart hurt. I’ve got him all dosed up on vitamin C, cold meds, antibiotic, and Emergen-C. He assures me he’ll be fine, to go on, do my job.

Still…

Prayers, please, for MLH?

Flying

The morning came around and I realized…IT’S CLEANING DAY!!! Gotta make sure Younger Son has picked up his room. (Our house wasn’t too bad, heck, nobody’s ever home!)

I go into wake him up (the little sweetie had remembered what day it was, and left me a note asking me to wake him.) and he hopped out of bed and finished his room. Then, we decided to do breakfast, together, alone. (Between our schedules, unfortunately, Younger Son and I don’t get to spend a lot of time alone together.)

It was fun. Refreshing. (Even though he was having trouble keeping his eyes open – I’m such an entertaining person!) I found out he has plans to move into an apartment with one of his friends, and yes, his dad already knows, he assures me.

Of course, that starts a barrage of questions. How much is your rent? How much was your deposit? Can you handle the electricity? What are you planning do to about furniture? Does it have washer and dryer hookups? No? Hmmmm. How long is your lease? Is Jack leaving Taylor in a bind, moving out with him and moving in with you? Oh…Taylor’s engaged? WHAT? You guys are too young for that! Oh, well. And we go on to other things, like school, flying, grades, other friends. And as usual, we have a good time.

Sounds like he’s done his homework concerning this upcoming move, and he’s even arranging for more hours at work. He's going to continue and finish his his college. Of course, his truck is paid for, and we only give him a nominal amount every month – he’s not a big spender.

I guess it’s time to let him fly. Which kind of sucks, seeing how he just moved in – I’ve really liked having him at our house. But he’s been craving this for a while, he’s 19 years old, almost twenty…and we can’t hold him back.

Fly free, Younger Son. Explore the world. Conquer. Do great things. Above all, keep your sense of self - and stay true to the One who has called you.

**sniff**

Homeward Bound!

Oklahoma was good, seeing friends and making new ones was even better. The day was beautiful, though hot.

I am so sore from falling during my hunting escapade on Friday. Said “ouchiness” is affecting everything I do. I’ll be going in to see Kevin, my chiropractor friend, on Wednesday morning, thank God!

Life should be getting back to normal (whatever that is!) soon and I’ll be regularly blogging again.

'Til then, happy trails!

Grace - That's Me! and...more hunting pictures!

Friday found me hunting with customers at Moss Creek Ranch, east of Big Spring. They drove in from Oklahoma City to meet me at the ranch (now, that’s wanting to hunt!) A great time was had by all.

The beautiful terrain of Moss Creek Ranch - that flat top mountain is Signal Peak. Hoss is the dog on point!

We are trekking through the bushes, dogs pointing quail and chukkar, and I’m taking pictures of my hunters shooting. The terrain is beautiful, the dogs are beautiful…and.then.I.fall. It was one of those long falls, you know, the kind… that…takes…forever? And thank God, I had my brand new Canon 40D camera in my hand, and not just hanging from the strap around my neck. It was fitted with the 300 zoom lens on, and that would have been the first thing to hit the ground. But no…I have it in my hand, so I start trying to roll, to protect the camera.

And I land somehow on my right hip.

The guys run over to me, as I’m getting up. Don’t you know that was a graceful sight? I’m full of little cactus thorns and stickers, and I’m.still.trying.to.protect.my.camera. I’m glad no one else had cameras with them! I finish hunting, though I know I’ve done something to my hip. It’s not painful, it just feels weird, like it’s out of joint Saturday morning, I wake up, and amazingly, I’m not sore! We leave town at 6:15 a.m. to head out to the ConocoPhillips Halliburton Bad Boy Blast, where we shoot and have a great time. One of my customers shot a 90! My customers then drove back to Oklahoma City. I called them at 9 p.m. to check on them, they were about two hours out. They are tough!!

This is what you call a double flush - a bird has already flown to the shooter's left, and one is currently flushing on his right. The hunters got both birds - and I got a great picture!

I’ll see these same guys on Monday, when I go to OKC to shoot in the CASA shoot with more customers. We had such a good time Friday and Saturday!

Last point of the day - Zack the Wonder Dog, Prissy, and Ann - a beautiful sight indeed!

Last night, around 10 p.m., my chiropractor friend, Kevin Willhite, who owns Soft Touch Chiropractic in Midland, met MLH and I at his office, and performed an adjustment. He said I was in a bind – and by then, I knew I was. I feel better this morning, but I’m still going to take it easy.

That is, until I have to pack and get myself to the airport.

It’s never boring around here!

I Couldn't Resist...

MLH and I laughed until we cried over this e-mail, so I thought I'd share it...

Summer Classes for Men
THE ADULT LEARNING CENTER
REGISTRATION MUST BE COMPLETED by Friday, August 25, 2008

NOTE: DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY AND DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THEIR CONTENTS, CLASS SIZES WILL BE LIMITED TO 8 PARTICIPANTS MAXIMUM

Class 1
How To Fill Up The Ice Cube Trays--Step by Step, with Slide Presentation.

Class 2
The Toilet Paper Roll--Does It Change Itself? Round Table Discussion.

Class 3
Is It Possible To Urinate Using The Technique Of Lifting The Seat and Avoiding The Floor, Walls and Nearby Bathtub?--Group Practice.

Class 4
Fundamental Differences Between The Laundry Hamper and The Floor--Pictures and Explanatory Graphics.

Class 5
Dinner Dishes--Can They Levitate and Fly Into The Kitchen Sink? Examples on Video.

Class 6
Loss Of Identity--Losing The Remote To Your Significant Other. Help Line Support and Support Groups.

Class 7
Learning How To Find Things--Starting With Looking In The Right Places And Not Turning The House Upside Down While Screaming. Open Forum

Class 8
Health Watch--Bringing Her Flowers Is Not Harmful To Your Health. Graphics and Audio Tapes.

Class 9
Real Men Ask For Directions When Lost--Real Life Testimonials.

Class 10
Is It Genetically Impossible To Sit Quietly While She Parallel Parks? Driving Simulations.

Class 11
Learning to Live--Basic Differences Between Mother and Wife. Online Classes and role-playing

Class 12
How to be the Ideal Shopping Companion Relaxation Exercises, Meditation and Breathing Techniques.

Class 13
How to Fight Cerebral Atrophy--Remembering Birthdays, Anniversaries and Other Important Dates and Calling When You're Going To Be Late.

Class 14
The Stove/Oven--What It Is and How It Is Used. Live Demonstration.

Upon completion of any of the above courses, diplomas will be issued to the survivors.

Coffee Test!

Created by OnePlusYou

Well, heck yeah, it's 4:21 freakin' a.m. I'm so tired I can't sleep. I only wish Starbucks were open, then I'd have a reason for getting up, blogging, and doing laundry.

I'm probably stressing. have a busy 5 days ahead. I have appointments at 7 a.m., 8:30 a.m., and 9:15 a.m. respectively. I have to get scholarship payments out. I have to meet some Oklahoman customers in Big Spring to go hunting with Zack the Wonder Dog, then take same said customers to supper tonight, then shoot in the Bad Boy Blast tourney with them at 8 a.m. Saturday morning. Sunday, I leave for Oklahoma City to be there for another CASA shoot, and to see customers. And I can't get home until Tuesday.

Instead, I read your blogs, catch up, and do silly games like this one. If you play, let me know in the comments. Thanks, Bee Repartee, for the blog tip! (I would link her, but she's gone underground, ya know...)

Happy trails this weekend!