you're a few days late

Today is July 26.  I have three brothers.  Adam is my youngest brother.  He turns 19 today.  For many years I thought his birthday was on July 28th.  This can happen when you have 13 siblings. 

Adam is a ranch hand in North Dakota. He most recently said to me I don't work.  "Every day I go to fun."  Adam is affectionate and loving.  He has been known to scoop me up in front of his friends and spin me around and then laugh when I ask to be put down.  He almost always has a big smile on his face.

This evening I pick up my phone and located the entry Adam Lampi, I pressed talk, and waited for him to answer the phone.  This was the phone call:

Deep raspy voice answers and says: Hello
Me:  Oh, (thinking he was playing a joke on me) Is this Adam?
Deep raspy voice: No.  Are you calling to wish me a Happy Birthday?
Me (Confused):  Well I would be calling to wish my brother a Happy Birthday.
Deep raspy voice:  Well I ain't no Adam, but it was my birthday on the 24th.
Me:  Well Happy Belated Birthday!
Deep raspy voice (laughing):  Thanks!  You're a few days late!

So...
To my youngest brother Adam:

I've learned you've changed your phone number.  I have the new one now.   Happy Birthday.  I love you!  -R

it's a small world

Everyone is interconnected...

Word of mouth is a great marketing tool.  In fact this is how I've gotten my past three clients.  Marketing via word of mouth brings along a certain responsibility to always be aware of what comes out of your own mouth because.... everyone is interconnected.

Webster defines "interconnectedness" in this way:  

1: mutually joined or related

2: having internal connections between the parts or elements 

In my life I've had a number of experiences that have demonstrated just how small the world is through interconnectedness.

The latest experience...  Client 3 was a word of mouth referral from Client 2 who was a word of mouth referral from Client 1.  During my second visit with Client 3, his mom said, "Rachael, I forgot to tell you, you know my sister! I was telling her about the Speech Therapist we hired for [son's name].  She asked me who it was and when I said it was you she said, 'Yea, I know her she was our son's speech therapist 2 years ago!'"   Client 3's mother's sister didn't know Client 2 or Client 1.  This conversation ended with the statement, Wow it really is a small world.

The most interesting experience...  I was visiting my friend Anna, who is Finnish, but was living in London, England, and now currently lives in the Pacific Northwest.  Along with us were a few other mutual friends.  We got tickets to go listen to a Vivaldi concert being played at St. Martin's in the Field.  During the intercession I overheard the couple talking in front of me.  Hearing their American English prompted me to inquire where they were from.... Plymouth MN.  The same town I live in.  The world is small.

The most amazing experience... While living in Finland back in 1996, I went with a fellow schoolmate to the Christmas Eve Mass in their state church.  While sitting in the pew bench I noticed a man.  I looked intently at him for the simple reason that he had the same nose as my father.  Being that my grandfather (dad's dad) was from Perho Finland, I was even more intrigued.  After the service, I approached the man only to find out in our discussion that he was my dad's first cousin!  In the end I spent Christmas day with their family.  The world is small.

While the world is small, I think the world is also flattening with technology... but that's for another story.

hope is not a plan, trust is

I stood looking at the bouldering cave with disbelief that I would ever be able to get the 'hang' of it.  Give me ropes and an auto belay and/or someone to belay for me and I am good to go. The thought was, Do I try again?  I hope to do it someday...

Hmm is it possible?

Well...

an acquaintance has said a couple of times to me that "hope is not a plan, trust is"; with these words popping into my head and the little internal voice saying "the landing is soft, trust yourself"...

I am happy to report that I "got the hang" of it.  Looking forward to returning to Vertical Endeavors to boulder again.