I had one of those strangely satisfying--and very full--days today. As many of you know, Tuesdays are my day off from work so that I may volunteer at my church's food pantry.
On Tuesdays (sometimes coinciding) I also participate with the local VA Center's gay veterans support group and in the evening also a Gay Men's group (of which I have served as the group's co-moderator since October 2009.
Today was odd in that I had to be the VA Clinic to give blood (and urine) in prep for my upcoming annual physical.
Up and at 'em and out the door before 7 a.m., I was. On the way there, I almost had an accident when a snow plow truck, coming from the opposite direction, decided to do a left turn right in front of me. I avoided a near head-on collision, not easy since the streets were icy slick and needless to say, it left me rather shaken.
Whew!
Next up, I gave blood and then--surprise of surprises--the nurse handed me a small canister for me to leave a urine deposit. Nice that I knew that was coming (not!) because had I known, my visit to the bathroom before leaving home would have gone entirely differently. So, here I was with a canister to fill and nothing to give... AND I could not leave until my mission complete.
Drat.
So, after many visits to a water fountain and the on-site Starbucks, finally, I was able to do my business and permitted to leave... and then off I went to the food pantry.
Our pantry today was very busy. Since we were not open last Tuesday, due to subzero temps, we were paid in kind with nearly double our usual weekly intake of clients. Overall, it went very well, however, at one point, I and my intake colleague were faced with one of my biggest of pet peeves.... a client who couldn't be bothered to put down her precious cell phone long enough to conduct business.
When we merely observed this, she got argumentative, rude and belligerent. I don't normally get in people's faces, but as our food pantry's co-directors, I felt it necessary to remind this young lady that she was making an issue where none needed to have existed had she put her phone away. AND I was not going to permit her to treat our volunteers with disrespect.
Anywhoo, the rest of the day went well in spite of the fact we pretty much ran out of food towards the end of our day.
Afterwards, I had to conduct other business and while waiting in the anteroom, I noticed a woman sitting there who looked vaguely familiar. As soon as she spoke I knew immediately who she was. I had not seen her in a good 25 years, but seeing my former college English mentor was incredibly satisfied.
We sat and talked for a good 20 minutes and it was like I had just seen here last week. As we parted, I gave her a hug and off I went.
Lastly, tonight's men's group meeting was a lot of fun. About a month ago, Philip (my co-moderator) and I decided to shake up the meetings' format and implemented a sort of round robin where each person is required to offer a recollection, an insight, an observation even if merely to say "on my day to work today, I..."
This format has been a fantastic addition to the group's dynamics and I think, opened up new avenues where each of us takes some ownership of our meetings.
When I was in the Navy, we had observed an old adage that goes something like this: "We went on a five-mile run first thing today, followed by breakfast and then two meetings. And this, all before most Americans were even out of bed."
So, after many visits to a water fountain and the on-site Starbucks, finally, I was able to do my business and permitted to leave... and then off I went to the food pantry.
Our pantry today was very busy. Since we were not open last Tuesday, due to subzero temps, we were paid in kind with nearly double our usual weekly intake of clients. Overall, it went very well, however, at one point, I and my intake colleague were faced with one of my biggest of pet peeves.... a client who couldn't be bothered to put down her precious cell phone long enough to conduct business.
When we merely observed this, she got argumentative, rude and belligerent. I don't normally get in people's faces, but as our food pantry's co-directors, I felt it necessary to remind this young lady that she was making an issue where none needed to have existed had she put her phone away. AND I was not going to permit her to treat our volunteers with disrespect.
Anywhoo, the rest of the day went well in spite of the fact we pretty much ran out of food towards the end of our day.
Afterwards, I had to conduct other business and while waiting in the anteroom, I noticed a woman sitting there who looked vaguely familiar. As soon as she spoke I knew immediately who she was. I had not seen her in a good 25 years, but seeing my former college English mentor was incredibly satisfied.
We sat and talked for a good 20 minutes and it was like I had just seen here last week. As we parted, I gave her a hug and off I went.
Lastly, tonight's men's group meeting was a lot of fun. About a month ago, Philip (my co-moderator) and I decided to shake up the meetings' format and implemented a sort of round robin where each person is required to offer a recollection, an insight, an observation even if merely to say "on my day to work today, I..."
This format has been a fantastic addition to the group's dynamics and I think, opened up new avenues where each of us takes some ownership of our meetings.
When I was in the Navy, we had observed an old adage that goes something like this: "We went on a five-mile run first thing today, followed by breakfast and then two meetings. And this, all before most Americans were even out of bed."
Today reminded me of one of those days.
It was a beautiful day to save lives. Actually, I do not know that I saved any lives but Tuesdays certainly save mine.
But today was a good day... and how was yours?
But today was a good day... and how was yours?
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