Creation Of A Monster

I finally get to go on my first trip with the Twyford family. We’re headed to Florida next week. I’m anticipating warmer weather and more sunshine (oh, and less snow!). I’m also anticipating seeing Dwan’s father again, Mr. Vern (as I call him). He loves Talk Radio and thinks he knows everything about everything on a whole host of subjects, which I suppose is typical of old men. Ha. At any rate, it will be good to see him and debate some things.

I had my sixth month review last night and it was so nice to get rewarded for my hard work and loyalty. I’m still blown away by how genuine the Twyfords are. They are good to me and have really helped to create a situation in which we all win. It was interesting when I used their own negotiation tactics, which they teach in their courses, on them when we discussed my raise. They said, “Oh no, we have created a monster here!” Of course they have. I plan on running my first ads in just a few weeks. The best way for me to learn is to dig in. My goal is to have two deals done by July. I’ve been over the programs several times and it’s time to put the knowledge to use.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I plan on doing the same.

Enjoying Life

There is nothing quite like a genuine friend coming for a visit to remind myself that I do, in fact, have friends. It’s not just some illusion from the past. Why is it that I only seem to attract those without teeth here in the mountains (By attract, I thankfully do not mean romantically)? Meeting friends is harder than I anticipated, and it seems as though I will have to continue to hoof it to Denver to meet anyone my own age, who has teeth and can carry on a stimulating conversation. I know it may seem as though I’m being snooty in saying all of this, but you’re not the one who lives here. Ha.

The great Ryan Bates came for a visit, and it was splendid. He talked me into skiing blues when I was only a green slope skier at the time. However, because of him, I am officially a blue skier. Of course, much to Ryan’s enjoyment, there were many tumbles and long stretches where I slid down hills for what seemed like a mile, but by golly, I can ski blues. Thanks, Ryan. Now I remember why you’re my friend (smile). He also listened to me karaoke, ramble about the music industry, go on about annoying girl stuff and witnessed a few “moments” if you will. But he’s still my friend. Truly, a friend loves at all times. The older I get and the more I let people down or get let down, the more this adage rings true. I’m sure most of us can identify.

On that note, Emilie comes to visit next month after the family and I get back from Florida, and I can hardly wait! Emilie and I go all the way back to college, and even SHE is still my friend! Ha. I can’t wait to watch our favorite movies (Pride and Prejudice, Emma, etc.). What an awkward time in my life in so many ways. God used it all.

And God continues to use all the awkward phases of life, doesn’t he? In fact, Valerie Dickson sent me a book called Breathing Freely Celebrating the Imperfect Life by Beth McGinnis that I would recommend to anybody. Many books with this sort of a title usually make me think “Hmmmm….this could be interesting,” but this book really was interesting. Some of my favorite lines were:

“It’s as desolate to live only in dreams as it is to have no dreams at all.”

“Pain, instead of searing us into cynicism or collapsing us into ourselves, can be freeing baptism by fire.”

“Perched somewhere in the middle of life, I am able to give thanks to God in the very best way I know how for this gift of life, by saying what ten years ago I could not say. I love my life. In all its pain and imperfection, I am grateful for this journey. The journey never ends—my life stretches before me, like the foggy image of a Polaroid snapshot, slowly developing.”

Thanks for the book, Val. It was an excellent read. I was crying and feeling inspired as the carpenter was ripping up a floor overhead. Good times. Good times.

I hope you are all enjoying life to the fullest. All the good, all the bad, all the ugly…

Fear Nothing

What if all of us lived our lives with a little less fear of losing, of loving and even of living? I was talking to my father while I was home for Christmas and at one point in the conversation he said, “Kim, the key for me as a gambler is knowing that everything I do in life is an end to a means.” It took me a minute to conceive what he was saying, but he proceeded, “You see, most people live their lives knowing everything in life is a means to and end and so live a life invaded with fear, but since a gambler knows he/she will ALWAYS lose, they own the mindset that they can always make something from nothing.” After thinking on this for a few days I realized my father is right, and then I choked on my turkey…

I wonder what it is so many of us are afraid of at times. Fears abound, don’t they? We fear putting our heart out on the line because rejection is possible. We fear leaving what is comfortable because of the unknown. We fear losing money because we are not sure more can be made (when it can). We fear reaching for our dreams because we may not succeed. We fear being different because we won’t be accepted. And there are more, but even after making this small list of fears, I have to smile. Again, I ask you and myself what are we still so afraid of? All of the above seems silly when we put everything into perspective. I don’t want to be seventy one day and wonder why life just sort of passed me by. I don’t want to live years of my life just existing because I was paralyzed by fear.

Everything in life, if it is worth anything, is a gamble. Many people have judged my dad, which I suppose to some degree is deserved (and he’s even said so himself as a gambler), but I think he’s wiser than most. I think he gets more of what life really means than most people I talk to on a daily basis. He’s willing to risk everything because no matter what, better times are coming. The paycheck is in the mail. He will make something from nothing. All of us have been faced with the question, “OK, could life get any worse?” And depending on our character, we rise to the challenge and make lemonade from lemons or we become the lemon. So there’s really nothing to fear if we have one iota of character within. And I think all of us do.

So we’re all just gamblers in my eyes. And maybe more of us would be winners if we would take on my father’s motto, “Everything we do is just an end to a means.” Fear nothing.