I often find myself trapped in school between classes with piles of homework in front of me; people around me talking noisily of all their personal drama. At these times I find myself staring out the sky-scraper windows to the city below.
Cars rush by on the network of streets, people hurrying along to their various jobs and appointments. With all the rushing, bustling, and overwhelming noise and work before me I often find myself lifting my gaze to the sky.
Though the world rushes by the sky changes at it's own pace. Every minute new colors appear and old colors fade. Light and dark dance across the wide expanse creating a new masterpiece each moment.
The sky creates it's own set of emotions. The sunny clear days create happiness, the cloudy dark days create gloom. Sunrises and sunsets invoke wonder and awe.
Artists have tried for centuries to capture the fleeting moments of pristine color and beauty the mysterious sky creates. But although many talented painters have created some beautiful masterpieces, nothing can compare to the original.
Is it any wonder why we refer to our glorious atmosphere as the heavens. A radiant jewel above, constantly changing.
What a marvelous gift the sky is to us mere mortals. What a lovely testament to a more divine power above.
How amazing to realize we all exist under this one beautiful sky. Though we may be miles from those we love, we are all living and breathing under the same atmosphere.
As I eventually have to turn back to my homework and everyday life, I smile to myself and remember this is only a short time of life. The sky has existed in all it's glories for years and will continue to do so. Just as the sky is not always sunny nor are our days always good. But after the rain comes the rainbows, which would never be so beautiful if we hadn't had the rain.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Trials vs. Opportunities
As human beings we are here on Earth to learn, grow, and become something better. As many before me have put it: The most beautiful things in life do not come easily.
For example we all love diamonds. We admire their strength, their worth, their value, and of coarse their beauty. But a diamond was not always a diamond. It started it out as ugly black coal, over years of pressure, heat, and a lot of time it transformed into the sparkly stone we all love.
People are no different. The most successful, most amazing, and most happy people have not lived a perfect life. Life's challenges is what brings out the diamonds in us.
However not only is it the challenges, but also our perspective on them. Many people have been dealt a hard blow in life and they choose to dwell on their misfortune. They try to gain sympathy and drag people into their miserable state. These people do not realize this is part of the heat, pressure, and time to develop their diamonds. Until they do realize it they will not become a diamond. These people have trials in life.
Other people who have been dealt a hard blow except it. They know that they can't become a diamond without the heat, pressure, and time. Instead of dragging others down they learn to build themselves up in order to rise above these challenges. They know that these difficult times are growing opportunities.
So I ask is there a difference between a trial and an opportunity? My answer for you is only in the perspective.
People who have trials have a negative perspective on life's challenges. People who have opportunities realize a chance to work on creating their diamonds. Perspective is one of those things people don't even realize the impact it has.
People that are happy and joyful about life have a positive perspective. That's not to say they never have a bad day or that they never get down. We are human! But they realize at the end of the day that life goes on and things will eventually get better.
So the next time one of life's challenges comes along you have a choice to make, is this a trial or an opportunity?
For example we all love diamonds. We admire their strength, their worth, their value, and of coarse their beauty. But a diamond was not always a diamond. It started it out as ugly black coal, over years of pressure, heat, and a lot of time it transformed into the sparkly stone we all love.
People are no different. The most successful, most amazing, and most happy people have not lived a perfect life. Life's challenges is what brings out the diamonds in us.
However not only is it the challenges, but also our perspective on them. Many people have been dealt a hard blow in life and they choose to dwell on their misfortune. They try to gain sympathy and drag people into their miserable state. These people do not realize this is part of the heat, pressure, and time to develop their diamonds. Until they do realize it they will not become a diamond. These people have trials in life.
Other people who have been dealt a hard blow except it. They know that they can't become a diamond without the heat, pressure, and time. Instead of dragging others down they learn to build themselves up in order to rise above these challenges. They know that these difficult times are growing opportunities.
So I ask is there a difference between a trial and an opportunity? My answer for you is only in the perspective.
People who have trials have a negative perspective on life's challenges. People who have opportunities realize a chance to work on creating their diamonds. Perspective is one of those things people don't even realize the impact it has.
People that are happy and joyful about life have a positive perspective. That's not to say they never have a bad day or that they never get down. We are human! But they realize at the end of the day that life goes on and things will eventually get better.
So the next time one of life's challenges comes along you have a choice to make, is this a trial or an opportunity?
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Is the customer always right?
I am currently enrolled in a business class where we are learning about customer service. My professor is a big advocate for getting the best customer service he feels he deserves. He is constantly telling us that if we are at a restaurant, bank, store, etc. where we feel they could improve their customer service we should go up to the owner/manager/employee and tell them what we think of their service and how they could do better. In his eyes by doing this we are helping the business do better.
However I have to disagree. Although it's true that without customer's opinions businesses will never change what they do, I don't think that bluntly telling a business what they are doing wrong is of very much help either.
I have been on both sides of this ordeal. I have gone into stores wanting to purchase something and have had no service, lack of enthusiasm from the sales clerk, and not received the information or help I desired. I have also been the cashier for some very rude people that feel it is my job to personally provide them with every little detail they need in order to be happy, and when I fail to do so they criticize me, the company I work for, and anything else they can. Luckily for me I am not offended easily nor do I take this sort of criticism personally.
However I have come to realize that people in general tend to be very critical and pessimistic when it comes to spending their money. If they have a bad experience they are sure to tell everyone they know how very poorly they were treated. But when people receive a good service they very rarely tell this experience to anyone.
So why are we all so critical and harsh to those people who serve us, when we our selves hate to be criticized by others? My answer for you is simple. Money. Money runs the world. Money is why we go to school to get a degree, it's why we spend the majority of our life at jobs we hate, it's why marriages fall apart, why people go hungry, why economies decline, why wars rage, why people go to jail, why politics are dishonest. The list goes on and on.
So although we should certainly point out ways to businesses how they can improve, perhaps we should also compliment them on what they do good. And when we see an employee that is having a bad day, instead of criticizing them and telling them of their poor work ethic, perhaps we should try to be sympathetic. After all none of us can have a good day every day and how would you like dealing with grumpy people all day? Don't you think their moods may eventually rub off on you?
In conclusion I just want everyone to think about the people not the business every time you go somewhere. When all is said and done money will come and go but people are always here and what you say will last a lot longer then the memory of your short moment in the check out line. So remember that behind every business is real people just like you who deserve the same respect you do.
However I have to disagree. Although it's true that without customer's opinions businesses will never change what they do, I don't think that bluntly telling a business what they are doing wrong is of very much help either.
I have been on both sides of this ordeal. I have gone into stores wanting to purchase something and have had no service, lack of enthusiasm from the sales clerk, and not received the information or help I desired. I have also been the cashier for some very rude people that feel it is my job to personally provide them with every little detail they need in order to be happy, and when I fail to do so they criticize me, the company I work for, and anything else they can. Luckily for me I am not offended easily nor do I take this sort of criticism personally.
However I have come to realize that people in general tend to be very critical and pessimistic when it comes to spending their money. If they have a bad experience they are sure to tell everyone they know how very poorly they were treated. But when people receive a good service they very rarely tell this experience to anyone.
So why are we all so critical and harsh to those people who serve us, when we our selves hate to be criticized by others? My answer for you is simple. Money. Money runs the world. Money is why we go to school to get a degree, it's why we spend the majority of our life at jobs we hate, it's why marriages fall apart, why people go hungry, why economies decline, why wars rage, why people go to jail, why politics are dishonest. The list goes on and on.
So although we should certainly point out ways to businesses how they can improve, perhaps we should also compliment them on what they do good. And when we see an employee that is having a bad day, instead of criticizing them and telling them of their poor work ethic, perhaps we should try to be sympathetic. After all none of us can have a good day every day and how would you like dealing with grumpy people all day? Don't you think their moods may eventually rub off on you?
In conclusion I just want everyone to think about the people not the business every time you go somewhere. When all is said and done money will come and go but people are always here and what you say will last a lot longer then the memory of your short moment in the check out line. So remember that behind every business is real people just like you who deserve the same respect you do.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
No One Said Life Was Fair
We are all familiar with the phrase "Life isn't Fair". It's painfully obvious when your next door neighbor pulls up in front of their house in a brand new shiny car, or you spend hours working on a paper for a class and receive a C while your roommate does it last minute and receives an A.
We all know the feeling of unfairness for what we feel we deserve because of who we are, what we did, or the type of person we are. However life isn't fair, nor will it ever be. But the next time you begin to covet that neighbor's car think about this: Millions of people throughout the world have no car, no home, hardly anything to eat, and no way of ever gaining these things.
Do you have a warm bed to sleep in at night? Do you have food you eat each day? Do you have a job? Have you received an education? Do you have more than one set of clothes and shoes? Many people don't have these very basic things. In our world of consumerism we often feel like we have nothing simply because we don't have the latest and greatest whatever.
Many of us complain about our annoying sibling, spouse, parent, parent-in-law, etc. What about the people who have lost their entire family? Or their entire village? What about the people that have never felt what it's like to be loved? Thousands of children are given to orphanages each day. These children never get the chance to hear the words 'I Love You'.
Why do we eat hundreds of dollars worth of food only to get fat so that we spend hundreds of more dollars on treadmills, gym passes, and diet products when so many people starve each day.
I'm not telling you to donate tons of money to humanitarian projects or orphanages, I am just explaining that so many people have it so much worse than we do. When you talk about life being unfair think beyond your circle of existence. Then you will realize just how unfair life really is.
We all know the feeling of unfairness for what we feel we deserve because of who we are, what we did, or the type of person we are. However life isn't fair, nor will it ever be. But the next time you begin to covet that neighbor's car think about this: Millions of people throughout the world have no car, no home, hardly anything to eat, and no way of ever gaining these things.
Do you have a warm bed to sleep in at night? Do you have food you eat each day? Do you have a job? Have you received an education? Do you have more than one set of clothes and shoes? Many people don't have these very basic things. In our world of consumerism we often feel like we have nothing simply because we don't have the latest and greatest whatever.
Many of us complain about our annoying sibling, spouse, parent, parent-in-law, etc. What about the people who have lost their entire family? Or their entire village? What about the people that have never felt what it's like to be loved? Thousands of children are given to orphanages each day. These children never get the chance to hear the words 'I Love You'.
Why do we eat hundreds of dollars worth of food only to get fat so that we spend hundreds of more dollars on treadmills, gym passes, and diet products when so many people starve each day.
I'm not telling you to donate tons of money to humanitarian projects or orphanages, I am just explaining that so many people have it so much worse than we do. When you talk about life being unfair think beyond your circle of existence. Then you will realize just how unfair life really is.
Monday, September 15, 2008
City Living (What a joke!)
Growing up in a smallish town with people that I have known my whole life I have to say that moving to a city for college was quite a culture shock.
One of the biggest jokes of living in a city is public parking. No where is there free parking. My first year of college I lived in the dorms which provided a parking lot for us . . . a block away. Which meant if I chose to come home for a weekend I had to walk the length of a city block hauling a laundry basket full of dirty laundry and lugging a suitcase. Let's just say I had all sorts of strange looks, not to mention many city bums that were eyeing me with green eyes of jealousy.
This also meant that it was easier to walk to school then drive. For most students this posed no problem. However being an interior design major I had several problems. I was often required to carry tools such as a t-square, drafting brushes, rulers, triangles, color boards, models, etc. Lugging these items the length of three city blocks was quite comical. Several times I would have mothers shield there children from me as if I was some dangerous criminal. It's not my fault I have to carry a three foot long metal t-square!
However my second year of college I had switched my major. I also decided to go the route of an apartment. This was more convenient as far as parking goes. I could park on the street next to the building. However only if I got a parking permit. After my first day of school I promptly decided to go to the city building to acquire such a permit. Being the naive small town girl I figured it would only take me fifteen minutes at the most to drive to the city building and pay for a permit.
What a joke! From my first circling of the block the city building was located on I discovered I had to pay for metered parking. Just my luck I had emptied my wallet of all quarters the day before for laundry money. Knowing from the previous year that two blocks away was a Carl's Jr. that offered free parking for thirty minutes. Two city blocks wasn't so bad to walk. I drove to the restaurant parked and then proceeded to walk the two blocks. Upon entering the building the only person who seemed available to talk to was a security gaurd. I quickly asked him where I should go to acquire the appropriate permit. He gave me a look that told me I was very stupid. "You have to go to a building located a block North." He informed me. Feeling rather stupid I followed his instructions. So I walked another block over. The office was located on the fourth floor. I doubt I have ever been in a more slow elevator in my whole life. I walked into the office and approached the woman in one of the old out dated desks and chairs. "Excuse me, I need to get an Area 5 parking permit." The woman looked bored. "Have you had one before?" She asked rather bored. "Um . . . no." Why on Earth would I have ever needed one of these before! I have always lived in a little town where I can park on any street I wanted for free! "Well I need your driver's license, apartment contract, and car registration." Would you like my soul to? Of coarse I suddenly realized then that I had left my car registration in my car that was now four blocks away. I quickly excused myself.
Feeling like an idiot I walked the four city blocks in 85 degree weather. Upon reaching my can I realized I had no desire to walk back to the building only to turn around and walk to my car again. So I waited in line at the Carls Jr. so that I could get my one dollar bill made into change. I was able to find a parking meter that was only a block and a half away from the building. I quickly made my way to the building and was finally able to purchase my seven dollar parking sticker. What a waste of money for such a flimsy piece of plastic!
After my parking permit ordeal I made a solemn promise to myself to never live in a city again. Any place that requires you to pay for a place to park your car must have more problems then it's worth!
One of the biggest jokes of living in a city is public parking. No where is there free parking. My first year of college I lived in the dorms which provided a parking lot for us . . . a block away. Which meant if I chose to come home for a weekend I had to walk the length of a city block hauling a laundry basket full of dirty laundry and lugging a suitcase. Let's just say I had all sorts of strange looks, not to mention many city bums that were eyeing me with green eyes of jealousy.
This also meant that it was easier to walk to school then drive. For most students this posed no problem. However being an interior design major I had several problems. I was often required to carry tools such as a t-square, drafting brushes, rulers, triangles, color boards, models, etc. Lugging these items the length of three city blocks was quite comical. Several times I would have mothers shield there children from me as if I was some dangerous criminal. It's not my fault I have to carry a three foot long metal t-square!
However my second year of college I had switched my major. I also decided to go the route of an apartment. This was more convenient as far as parking goes. I could park on the street next to the building. However only if I got a parking permit. After my first day of school I promptly decided to go to the city building to acquire such a permit. Being the naive small town girl I figured it would only take me fifteen minutes at the most to drive to the city building and pay for a permit.
What a joke! From my first circling of the block the city building was located on I discovered I had to pay for metered parking. Just my luck I had emptied my wallet of all quarters the day before for laundry money. Knowing from the previous year that two blocks away was a Carl's Jr. that offered free parking for thirty minutes. Two city blocks wasn't so bad to walk. I drove to the restaurant parked and then proceeded to walk the two blocks. Upon entering the building the only person who seemed available to talk to was a security gaurd. I quickly asked him where I should go to acquire the appropriate permit. He gave me a look that told me I was very stupid. "You have to go to a building located a block North." He informed me. Feeling rather stupid I followed his instructions. So I walked another block over. The office was located on the fourth floor. I doubt I have ever been in a more slow elevator in my whole life. I walked into the office and approached the woman in one of the old out dated desks and chairs. "Excuse me, I need to get an Area 5 parking permit." The woman looked bored. "Have you had one before?" She asked rather bored. "Um . . . no." Why on Earth would I have ever needed one of these before! I have always lived in a little town where I can park on any street I wanted for free! "Well I need your driver's license, apartment contract, and car registration." Would you like my soul to? Of coarse I suddenly realized then that I had left my car registration in my car that was now four blocks away. I quickly excused myself.
Feeling like an idiot I walked the four city blocks in 85 degree weather. Upon reaching my can I realized I had no desire to walk back to the building only to turn around and walk to my car again. So I waited in line at the Carls Jr. so that I could get my one dollar bill made into change. I was able to find a parking meter that was only a block and a half away from the building. I quickly made my way to the building and was finally able to purchase my seven dollar parking sticker. What a waste of money for such a flimsy piece of plastic!
After my parking permit ordeal I made a solemn promise to myself to never live in a city again. Any place that requires you to pay for a place to park your car must have more problems then it's worth!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Reading a Good Book
I am one of those nerdy people that loves to read! Books are the best way to escape the every day bores of life and just get caught up into a world of your own. I have recently discovered a new author:Cecelia Ahern. She has written three of my favorite books: If You Could See Me Now, There's No Place Like Here, and P.S. I Love You. The recent movie P.S. I Love You was based on the book she wrote. However if you loved the movie I would encourage you to read the book because it is so much better!
Unlike most stories you will read that start from the beginning and then end at the end these books don't. They start in the middle of someone's life and flash back to other parts of there life. When the book ends the characters life hasn't really reached a happily ever after ending. Instead you see just a small glimpse into the life of the character and their trials. Her books show how the situations in life may never get better, but the attitudes we have can.
I learned so much from reading about these fictional characters. For many people that are familiar with P.S. I Love You, you know that Holly is now a young widow left with only the memories of the love of her life. But she learns through a series of letters how to become her own person and still find joy in life. Her story doesn't end with her falling in love with another man, or inheriting tons of money or anything that might be a happy ending. Instead it ends with her realizing she can be happy even though her life isn't the way she planned it to be.
None of us really know what is going to happen in our lives or what tragedy is going to take away the best part of us, but we all have to find a way to live a happy life. The only one that can change our perspective is us. We can choose to be happy or to be sad. Why choose to be sad?
Unlike most stories you will read that start from the beginning and then end at the end these books don't. They start in the middle of someone's life and flash back to other parts of there life. When the book ends the characters life hasn't really reached a happily ever after ending. Instead you see just a small glimpse into the life of the character and their trials. Her books show how the situations in life may never get better, but the attitudes we have can.
I learned so much from reading about these fictional characters. For many people that are familiar with P.S. I Love You, you know that Holly is now a young widow left with only the memories of the love of her life. But she learns through a series of letters how to become her own person and still find joy in life. Her story doesn't end with her falling in love with another man, or inheriting tons of money or anything that might be a happy ending. Instead it ends with her realizing she can be happy even though her life isn't the way she planned it to be.
None of us really know what is going to happen in our lives or what tragedy is going to take away the best part of us, but we all have to find a way to live a happy life. The only one that can change our perspective is us. We can choose to be happy or to be sad. Why choose to be sad?
My Blog Intro
Hello! My name is Anna Talisha and this is my blog. I don't know much about blogging, I've never tried it before, but I love writing down my thoughts and feelings and sharing things with others. So hopefully this will be a fun new way to include people into my life as a college student in the world of a single adult!
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