Saturday, December 6, 2008

Staff Christmas Party

Ha Ha, that is a funny one isn't it? Staff? Whoever thought I would be part of a Church Staff? I never did! It's amazing where God can take you and put in places you never thought of before. As I started helping and volunteering after we joined the church, I thought it would be could. I never thought the opportunity would present itself so boldly. It has been a roller coaster of emotions to get to this point.

Ok so back to the party... Have I mentioned yet that it was a blast? NO? Well it was. It was awesome to spend time more intimately with people you generally only see a few times a week. It was just awesome to sit and watch each other and have fun with each other. Even better yet, it was all kid free! Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with my kid and our church family's kids are great too.

Ok so we did this gift swap thing. Everyone gets a number and we randomly choose a gift from the pile starting with number 1 then 2 then... you get the idea. What makes it more interesting is that the next person can take your gift instead of one from the pile. I was the first to "steal" a gift. And it was funny, I didn't do it nicely, I snatched it and ran back to my seat with it. HA HA HA! Everyone got a kick out of that one. As it went on other people were taking each other's gifts. Tammy got a gift that she really liked (salt and pepper shakers, she collects them) and it was taken from her and at one point she got to get them back, but towards the end, I knew she really wanted them so I went over and pretended to take them. LOL She about broke my arm off. LOL I wasn't going to take it, but it was fun to see her reaction. I wound up taking the last gift from the pile to end it all. What a blast. That was the first time I had ever done a gift swap like that. I finally ended up with a gift card from Cracker Barrel and some chocolate. I can't remember what Michele got. Oh well. After that, Todd gave out Christmas Ornaments. Another surprise. I didn't think that there would be so much going on at one party. This definitely tops all the other parties I have been to.

I was able to get a picture of all of us at the end. It is a little blurry, but I think its from all the Love over pouring in the room that blurred it.



Great Times.
Great People.
Great Food.
Awesome entertainment.
Awesome God!

Thanks
Richard

Photo Editing

I thought I would show you something I created.

Recently Michele and I attended the staff party for WLBC. By the way... It was a blast!

Todd and LeeAnne had put up a beautiful tree and we all brought gifts. Now at one point these gifts were under the tree. I never got that picture. However... I did manage to recreate the scene.

First here is the original Tree Image.



Here is what I did to that image.



NEXT Here is the original Gift Image.



I then edited the Gifts Image and got this...



Then I added them together, did a couple more things and the final product looks like this.



From beginning to end, this took about 2 hours to do.
I hope you appreciate the hard work it takes for anyone to create an image.
Now of course I probably could have done it faster if I had better editing tools, but hey, all of my imaging software came free with something I purchased along the way.

Anyways... I like to create new images and add special effects and put other images on top of other images to make new ones. I thought this one was special because it came from a special night spent with Family.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Richard

Friday, December 5, 2008

I Scored a 47

Dr. Phil's Test: Here you go. Try this!

Below is Dr Phil's test. (Dr. Phil scored 55; he did this test on Oprah -
she got a 38.) Some folks pay a lot of money to find this stuff out!

Read on, this is very interesting!

Don't be overly sensitive! The following is pretty accurate and it only takes 2 minutes. Take this test for yourself and send it to your friends.

Don't peek, but begin the test as you scroll down and answer.

Answers are for who you are now --- not who you were in the past.
Have pen or pencil and paper ready.

This is a real test given by the Human Relations Dept. at many of the major corporations today. It helps them get better insight concerning their employees and prospective employees.. It's only 10 Simple questions, so grab a pencil and paper, keeping track of your letter answers to each question.

Make sure to change the subject of the e-mail to read YOUR total. When you are finished, forward this to friends/family, and also send it to the person who sent this to you. Make sure to put YOUR score in the subject box.

Ready?

Begin.

1. When do you feel your best?
a) in the morning
b) during the afternoon and early evening
c) late at night


2. You usually walk...
a) fairly fast, with long steps
b) fairly fast, with little steps
c) less fast head up, looking the world in the face
d) less fast, head down
e) very slowly


3. When talking to people you...
a) stand with your arms folded
b) have your hands clasped
c) have one or both your hands on your hips
d) touch or push the person to whom you are talking
e) play with your ear, touch your chin, or smooth your hair


4. When relaxing, you sit with...
a) your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side
b) your legs crossed
c) your legs stretched out or straight
d) one leg curled under you


5. When something really amuses you, you react with...
a) big appreciated laugh
b) a laugh, but not a loud one
c) a quiet chuckle
d) a sheepish smile

6 When you go to a party or social gathering you...
a) make a loud entrance so everyone notices you
b) make a quiet entrance, looking around for someone you know
c) make the quietest entrance, trying to stay unnoticed


7. You're working very hard, concentrating hard, and you're interrupted...
a) welcome the break
b) feel extremely irritated
c) vary between these two extremes


8. Which of the following colors do you like most?
a) Red or orange
b) black
c) yellow or light blue
d) green
e) dark blue or purple
f) white
g) brown or gray


9. When you are in bed at night, in those last few moments before going to sleep you are...
a) stretched out on your back
b) stretched out face down on your stomach
c) on your side, slightly curled
d) with your head on one arm
e) with your head under the covers


10. You often dream that you are...
a) falling
b) fighting or struggling
c) searching for something or somebody
d) flying or floating
e) you usually have dreamless sleep
f) your dreams are always pleasant



POINTS:
1. (a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 6
2. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 7 (d) 2 (e) 1
3. (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 5 (d) 7 (e) 6
4. (a) 4 (b) 6 (c) 2 (d) 1
5. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 2
6. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 2
7. (a) 6 (b) 2 (c) 4
8. (a) 6 (b) 7 (c) 5 (d) 4 (e) 3 (f) 2 (g) 1
9. (a) 7 (b) 6 (c) 4 (d) 2 (e) 1
10. (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 6 (f) 1

Now add up the total number of points.

OVER 60 POINTS : Others see you as someone they should 'handle with care. You're seen as vain, self-centered, and who is extremely dominant. Others may admire you, wishing they could be more like you, but don't always trust you, hesitating to become too deeply involved with you.

51 TO 60 POINTS : Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive personality; a natural leader, who's quick to make decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome, someone w ho will try anything once; someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate.

41 TO 50 POINTS: Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting; someone who's constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding; someone who'll always cheer them u p and help them out.

31 TO 40 POINTS : Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest. Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who's extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over if that trust is ever broken.

21 TO 30 POINTS: Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. It would really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment, expecting you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then, usually decide against it. They think this reaction is caused partly by your careful nature.

UNDER 21 POINTS: People think you are shy, nervous, and indecisive, someone who needs looking after, who always wants someone else to make the decisions & who doesn't want to get involved with anyone or anything! They see you as a worrier who always sees problems that don't exist. Some people think you' re boring. Only those who know you well know that you aren't.

Now forward this to others & put your score in the subject line.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Funny Happenings

This last week has just been full of Funny Happenings.

I don't know if anyone else would call them funny, but they have definitely made me chuckle and smile a lot. I guess more so today things have been funny but anyways....

Today at work, I was walking by a co-worker and they asked me if I was having fun. Having just gotten off a call that we had a good time on, I of course said "Yes". My co-worker asked if I had an upgrade. I was totally tossed for a second, and thought he was referring to our software that we use. I looked back with confusement and said, "No". He then asked me why I was having fun, I said, Life is too short not to let all these little things bring us down. He nodded his head as if agreed and I went on my way smiling.

Anyone that knows me, knows I tend to be a smartelic often. Gee really? Ya think? HA HA.
Lately, I have been just cracking up with my customers. I had one the other day that was trying to get their modem activated with a CD we give them. It wasn't working. I asked them if they were eating peanut butter or not? They seemed to be confused, I continued with that they had to eat a peanut butter sandwich when installing our software because it held your mouth just right. Of course after that they started laughing. You know those times when you just keep trying and someone says you have to hold your mouth just right. HA HA. Anyways my customer seemed to get a kick out of it.

Lately, I have wanted to make people smile with me on the phone. Sometimes in the job I am in, the conversations can get so dull and dry and boring. Sometimes its harder with some people but I at least try and see if they bite. If they don't bite I just continue on with my dry boring self. **SIGH!**

Back to TODAY. This morning we had a flat tire. We have had no luck with tires this past year and it was just funny. Earlier this year I had a flat and lost it. I spent over 2 hours crying over something that just couldn't be avoided. Since then, I laugh every time it happens. Why Not laugh. Its funny. Who else do you know has to replace their tires over 12 times in a year. LOL So Michele was like, "How can you stay so calm?". I said, I am not sure. I just know that it will work out one way or another. I kept reassuring her that we had been through worse. I guess I just trusted that God would provide a way. The tire place behind us "Po-Boys Used Tires" is generally out of the size I need for my truck. This morning I decided to call them before driving on a flat to go see them. I didn't want to have to tow my truck a couple hundred feet back to the house. They did have the size I needed. So me and the truck bounced down the road. If any of you have ever had a flat tire and driven on it, you know it bounces you like a ride at the amusement park. LOL I got over there and got a tire. The tire they hooked me up with is almost as good as my 2 other New tires. LOL

Ok and the last thing that is making me chuckle these days besides saying the word "chuckle", LOL, is Brandon is E-Mailing people. More so his grandparents but still. His verbiage is so unlike what I expected. He can actually write a decent email and sound good doing it. He almost e-mails like a pro. Him and his Grammy and Grandma Jacque and been communicating back and forth and it's hilarious to read these emails. Brandon just thinks of the obvious things that we often seem to forget. Like there was a reference that my dad could not take his "hoveround' type wheel chair out in the snow because of the battery pack. So Brandon just pops up with, what about a cover for it. Gee why didn't we ever think of that. Of course they don't make covers to protect his battery, but what if they did? Sometimes I think we just need to ask our children what they think about things. They just state the obvious and the most simplest answers. We seem to over analyze and complicate things. Know I now why Jesus wants us to have faith like Children. Children just believe without question and they make it that simple and as adults we complicate things.

When I was a child, I was told that I would grow up and complicate things. I never thought I would complicate things. I always just had that simple faith. As an adult, I have to admit there are a lot of times I complicate things. There are so many reasons why, but mostly because our minds get poisoned by the TV and the computer and other things in our lives. People influence us on a daily basis. Anyways.... I have learned this week from my own child to remember to just keep it simple.

Brandon is truly amazing a lot of times. He just blows me away. I am so thankful and blessed that we have Brandon in our lives. He really is a gift from God. No one else but God can put someone that special in our daily paths of life.

Hope all is well with you and your families.
God Bless!
Richard

Kudos

Have you ever worked at a place that publicly displays your "Kudos". If you are like most people, you're like, what's a kudo? Kudos is a job well done or a compliment.
I thought I would share this funny Kudo I got back on 9-18-08. It's Flippin Hilarious!


Anyways, you may have to click on the picture to see it better.
Later Gators!