Thank You Notes

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/06/fashion/the-found-art-of-thank-you-notes.html?action=click&contentCollection=Health&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&region=Marginalia&src=me&pgtype=article&_r=0

I can’t begin to express how happy this article in the New York Times today made me. Not only do I love this segment of Jimmy Fallon’s show but I also love a good thank you note. Honestly, I love any personal note in the mail, which is why I still keep up with correspondence. 

I am thrilled to see that there is still some value in sending ‘Thank You’ notes to people. And I’m even more excited to know that an article has been written about this to propel people to do it more often. 

I’m not sure when I became such a proponent of the gratitude note. I’ve always loved writing instruments – pens, paper, etc. I was encouraged to send notes when people gave me gifts or attended events in my honor. Instead of cringing at the chore, I remember sitting at my desk for a few hours perfecting each individual letter to make it even more personal. 

As much as I want people to take up this practice, it’s nice that only a handful of people still do it. It is a very nice detail. It  makes them stand out in a sea of technology and unfeeling communication.

Coffee and Tea

Two weekends ago my sister and I graced the halls of the Lexington Armory for an enjoyable experience made for lovers of caffeinated beverages. There were non-caffeinated options too but sometimes that won’t get anyone out of bed on a chilly Sunday morning.

I had heard of the Coffee and Tea festival over the years and always wanted to attend. This year I bought a Groupon as an excuse to get there. I invited my sister to come along because she’s equally obsessed with and appreciative of trying new teas and coffee. 

When we got there the line went around the corner. Quite frankly I was scared that we would not get into the event. Even though I had the coupon, I was worried it would not be accepted. As we walked past all those people, I worried that the cheap ticket was too good to be true. I turned to my sister and said that if the line went around the block, we could skip the event and go home.

Luckily, we got into the line just before it wrapped around another corner. We chatted for a bit and finally the line started to move. After entering, we went to the admissions table and I told them I had a groupon. And there I was on the list. YES!! I was so happy that it worked out well. We got our directory and walking the immense space. As we crossed the threshold, the scent of roast coffee wafted into our nostrils. My sister and I both inhaled deeply and went ‘ahhhhh’. This made some people around us laugh. We were psyched and ready to go.

We planned out a course of action and started trying samples. We had some lovely teas and sipped some strong coffees, which I really needed as I had slept poorly the night before the event. The space became increasingly crowded so that it was hard to try everything. When it became too difficult to get through the mob without spilling a drink on oneself, we opted to leave. 

It was a lot of fun. We purchased some unique coffees and teas. We got a BIG bag of free samples! That alone made up for all the people!!  I would definitely go back next year. 

My only complaint was that the vendors didn’t have special areas cordoned off so people tasting could enjoy their samples. If I had that time to make an informed decision, I might have purchased more. Come to think of it, maybe it is better that it didn’t turn out that way. Less is more, right?

Problem Solving

Someone recently asked me how I solve a problem. First and foremost, I said that it depended on the problem. Everyone’s definition of words is different. What I might consider an enigma, another person might see as a routine issue. 

Typically I find that a lot of my problem solving stems from something ‘not being quite right’ in the pit of my stomach. I can look at data and may not completely understand it upon first glance but immediately I can feel that something is off. From there I will review the data until I can figure out where ‘the off’ is back ‘on’. If that doesn’t happen after slicing and dicing for a while, then I may bring in a second pair of eyes. Often others can see things that you can’t because you’ve been looking so intently at the data that it becomes one big fog of information.

Another scenario is where there is a bottleneck or barrier to getting something done. In this kind of problem, often it is about generating ideas and other options to clear out the bottleneck. I might draw out a current situation and then some variations that could fix the mess. Invariably, once I have something prepared in some form or other, I might present it to someone else for validation or even just as a sounding board. Does my thought process make sense? Is this a feasible solution? 

What it comes down to is that my way of solving issues is a very individual thing at first and then I will collaborate and bring it to others for confirmation. 

After I thought about it for a while, I wondered what other ways there were to solve problems. When I was working on math or Science problems in school, it was always me first and then consult with either a teacher or a classmate. Perhaps the real problem here is how one defines solving a problem in the first place. Honestly, I am not sure. Shall we discuss it further?

Loss of Appetite

I decided to treat myself to a quiet book reading lunch by myself today. Sometimes there just isn’t any better to way to ease into the week than to schedule some ‘me’ time. I went to a local restaurant, book in hand, sat down and flipped to the page I was last reading. 

And that’s about as far as I got. Unfortunately I went to lunch a tad later than I normally would have and the place was crowded. Even though I was eating alone, I was really eating with the tables beside me as well. To one side was a duo of younger people who might as well have been texting each other through the whole meal because they spent that much time on their cell phones. They might have even been texting each other, I’m not entirely sure. Then their food arrived and the proceeded to chew with their mouths open. The lip smacking and noodle slurping made me want to run my nails down a chalkboard. It really wouldn’t have been as painful as this cacophonous chomping. Dear Almighty Being, why does this always happen to me. 

I tried to focus on the book. It was, after all, quite funny. Then the other table started in with their laughing and complaining about their co-workers. As much as I tried not to eavesdrop, it was impossible. My soup arrived and I tried to focus on that but ‘chomp chomp’ was all I heard on one end. I put my book in front of my face to cover what looked like a pride of lions attacking a gazelle on National Geographic. Actually the lions might have been less noisy. I’ve never see people or animals slobber over food like that in my life! 

The book boomeranged the chomping noises away but let the other ear open to the table on the side. They kept laughing and being mean. I called my waiter over and asked him to pack up my lunch. He asked if something was wrong. I said ‘I suddenly lost my appetite’. I explained that it might come back a little later and I didn’t want to waste the food. I requested the food and check at the same time so that when they arrived, I paid and picked up my stuff and left. 

So much for a relaxing lunch! Sadly, it was much tastier at my desk than I ever imagined. I guess I learned my lesson, best to eat lunch before the crowds arrive so I can enjoy both my book and my meal.

The Missing Shoe

Early this year I decided that I would start to run. I have never really attempted to run before because the occasional rush to catch a bus down my block has already left me breathless, which isn’t fun. After those dashes, I’ve also found myself in horrible knee pain. 

Regardless, I was determined to lose my saddlebags! It was a lot of unnecessary weight that was probably causing more knee pain that some pounding from a run would ever do. In order to get into the mindset of running, I needed the right sneakers. I went to get fitted at a local specialty store, which was an interesting experience in itself. 

The next day I put on the sneakers and I immediately felt the difference. I felt supported and comfortable in a way I hadn’t ever felt in a pair of shoes. I then went to the gym to run. I ran 6 minutes and I felt good. My knees didn’t hurt after the run. But boy the next day! I was hurting. I was incredibly sore. It was both exhilarating and scary. I felt like I could finally get rid of the thighs and butt but then I wondered how I would feel if I ran more than 6 minutes. Would I need a stretcher? Would I need to be in traction for the rest of my life? 

I didn’t have to really worry about it after that because I never got to run again. One day my daughter started to play with my shoes in the closet. Since that day, I have not been able to find one of the shoes in that pair. I have looked everywhere imaginable and am unable to find it. With my Lenten sacrifice, I can’t buy another pair either even though I am getting to the gym in a more routine fashion.

So perhaps it’s not just my knee but the whole universe that doesn’t want me to run. Even my daughter knows more about how much harm it can do that I’m aware. I’m sure that if the sneaker doesn’t reappear before the end of Lent, that as soon as I go and purchase another pair, it will pop up.