I recently was made aware of a touching example of loving kindness--one that had unforeseen results.
The year was 1933, when because of the Great Depression, employment opportunities were scarce.
The location was the eastern part of the United States.
Arlene Biesecker had just graduated from high school.
After a lengthy search for employment, she was finally able to obtain work at a clothing mill as a seamstress.
The mill workers were paid only for each of the correctly completed pieces they sewed together daily.
The more pieces they produced, the more they were paid.
One day shortly after starting at the mill, Arlene was faced with a procedure that had her confused and frustrated.
She sat at her sewing machine trying to unpick her unsuccessful attempt to complete the piece on which she was working.
There seemed to be no one to help her, for all of the other seamstresses were hurrying to complete as many pieces as they could.
Arlene felt helpless and hopeless.
Quietly, she began to cry.
Across from Arlene sat Bernice Rock.
She was older and more experience as a seamstress.
Observing Arlene's distress, Bernice left her own work and went to Arlene's side, kindly giving her instruction and help.
She stayed until Arlene gained confidence and was able to successfully complete the piece.
Bernice then went back to her own machine, having missed the opportunity to complete as many pieces as she could have, had she not helped.
With this one act of loving kindness, Bernice and Arlene became life-long friends.
Each eventually married and had children.
Sometime in the 1950s, Bernice, who was a member of the Church, gave Arlene and her family a copy of the Book of Mormon.
In 1960, Arlene and her husband and children were baptized members of the Church.
Later they were sealed in a holy temple of God.
As a result of the compassion shown by Bernice as she went out of her way to help one whom she didn't know but who was in distress and needed assistance, countless individuals both living and dead, now enjoy the saving ordinances of the gospel.
-Thomas S. Monson -Love--the Essence of the Gospel -April 2014 General Conference
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Thursday, April 13, 2017
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Where'd You Go?
It's been the oddest trend this past week at work.
I've been getting a lot of customers who have told me that they're going to be "right in!" or "I'll be coming in later tonight at this time!" and have me put a temporary hold on an animal or set aside a product for them to come grab that day.....
Only for me to come into work the next morning and see that the customer apparently never came in.
There was a woman who wanted me to pull down a 46 gallon tank and set it aside so that she and her husband could come in that night in their larger car to buy it.
They never came.
There was a woman who asked if I could return dead fish (it was in our policy) if she didn't have the bodies. (usually I say no, but apparently another coworker had told her she didn't need the bodies) And I said I'd only be able to do the return if she came in before I left work that day.
She never came.
Or the customer who placed a cat on hold the night before so our adoption group could confirm that the cat was healthy, came in on his lunch break to tell me that he definitely was going to come back after work that night to adopt out the cat.
He never came.
And it always leaves me slightly concerned when I leave work expecting the animal or product to be gone when I come back in the next day.
Only to find it still there.
I mean....
What happened?
Were my coworkers unable to find the item/animal and so the customer left empty handed?
Did the customer find the product on the shelf and so didn't go to the register to ask for the one we'd set aside?
Did the customer forget to come in?
Did they find a better deal elsewhere?
Did they come in, look at it and change their mind?
Did they misunderstand something I said? Or did I misunderstand their meaning?
It's a mystery that I really wish I knew the answers to.
Because I want to know what happened.
Why did you not come in?!
Why did you not get the product/animal you said you were going to come get?!
*shakes head*
I'll probably never know.
Though I desperately want to. lol.
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
P.S. I'm doing a lot better today, so if yesterday's post has you worried, I'm recovering well. It was just one of those bad days. :)
I've been getting a lot of customers who have told me that they're going to be "right in!" or "I'll be coming in later tonight at this time!" and have me put a temporary hold on an animal or set aside a product for them to come grab that day.....
Only for me to come into work the next morning and see that the customer apparently never came in.
There was a woman who wanted me to pull down a 46 gallon tank and set it aside so that she and her husband could come in that night in their larger car to buy it.
They never came.
There was a woman who asked if I could return dead fish (it was in our policy) if she didn't have the bodies. (usually I say no, but apparently another coworker had told her she didn't need the bodies) And I said I'd only be able to do the return if she came in before I left work that day.
She never came.
Or the customer who placed a cat on hold the night before so our adoption group could confirm that the cat was healthy, came in on his lunch break to tell me that he definitely was going to come back after work that night to adopt out the cat.
He never came.
And it always leaves me slightly concerned when I leave work expecting the animal or product to be gone when I come back in the next day.
Only to find it still there.
I mean....
What happened?
Were my coworkers unable to find the item/animal and so the customer left empty handed?
Did the customer find the product on the shelf and so didn't go to the register to ask for the one we'd set aside?
Did the customer forget to come in?
Did they find a better deal elsewhere?
Did they come in, look at it and change their mind?
Did they misunderstand something I said? Or did I misunderstand their meaning?
It's a mystery that I really wish I knew the answers to.
Because I want to know what happened.
Why did you not come in?!
Why did you not get the product/animal you said you were going to come get?!
*shakes head*
I'll probably never know.
Though I desperately want to. lol.
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
P.S. I'm doing a lot better today, so if yesterday's post has you worried, I'm recovering well. It was just one of those bad days. :)
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
I'm Not Okay.
I had a rough day today.
Which is kinda crazy to think about actually...
Because really....nothing happened.
Yet...today was one of those days where the little piece of straw broke the camel's back.
I can only really pinpoint it to my inability to fall asleep at a decent hour the past couple of nights. I mean, I would go to bed at a 'decent' hour. (decent in my opinion not others)
Only for my brain to decide to play 'ring around the rosie' for hours on end.
Meaning that my body was 'resting' but my mind definitely was not.
Which has probably lead to a bit of mind exhaustion, and emotional exhaustion and just...well being exhausted in general.
In any case.
Things were going fine this morning at work.
I was working on the bedding change like always.
My coworker was working on the opening tasks like usual.
And I was feeling...well...alright. I mean. I wasn't feeling a 100% but I definitely felt I could make it through the day.
Until....
Until the manager in charge drew both of us aside.
To inform us that it was now policy that we needed to face our entire department first thing in the morning when we came in. And that we shouldn't be doing our opening tasks until the department was faced.
*shakes head*
I mean, I'd come in yesterday with this same coworker to find a note left for us by a different manager that we needed to face the entire department yesterday morning before we started our tasks.
But both me and my coworker took it to be a 'one time' only sort of deal. As no one had told us different.
It irritated me yesterday as well, this task of facing my department.
Because a) I'm trying to get all my stuff done. b) why are the morning people required to do yet ANOTHER task in the morning when the evening people still basically do nothing at night. c) why couldn't it be done later in the day? and d) it should be the stockers doing it anyways because honestly, it's part of their job.
So to hear the word this morning that we had to do what I see as a stocking task...first thing. In the morning? Every single morning?
Irritation levels spiked dramatically.
Especially because the manager seemed unsympathetic to me when I raised up my concerns. Namely that my dept was supposed to be totally open by a certain time and that we rarely manage to do it even now, and now the managers want the morning people to do MORE? delaying us in our own tasks MORE?
>.<
I suppose it's also the irritation that since it needs to be done 'first thing' and I'm almost always the 'first' one in the department...it basically means I'm now required to face the department every morning. ME.
After some talk and such, the manager came up with a plan where so long as the dept was faced Before we opened, then if there was a second person coming into the store, we could wait for the second person before facing the dept. But if we were going to be the only one in the dept before the store opened, we would then need to face the dept by ourselves.
Makes sense.
I was fine with the game plan.
Didn't like it.
Still really hate it actually.
But I was understanding if not fully willing to go along with it.
*shakes head*
More irritating was that the manager was like "Look, don't look at this like a bad thing otherwise you won't to do it."
and I'm thinking to myself "Too late."
In any case.
Irritation definitely spiked from sleep deprivation and suddenly having a new task sprung upon me.
I don't like having things sprung upon me like this. I have plans, I have schedules, I have ways of doing things at work. So if something needs to change I really would prefer to know BEFORE I'm suddenly required to do it.
So. Fighting down my frustration and irritation, keeping my face in as neutral a position as possible. Me and my coworker set to work to face our portion of the store.
I went fast. Doing it as hurriedly as I could because I had other things I needed to get to.
Only for the manager, when he set out to check our section to confirm that things had been faced....to point out flaws in the facing on the aisles that I had faced only.
Which when I'm already fighting an emotional drain from being sleep deprived, did nothing to help me.
I knew better, but I was in the mindset to take it all personally.
That the fact that these little things had been missed on MY aisles I'd faced, meant that I wasn't doing a good job as a worker, that I wasn't doing things right.
Which I took hard, because I'm like the hardest worker in the department. (not bragging.)
So, fighting back tears. Because I was at the point of tears by this time.
I asked to go take a 15 to try and calm myself down.
It didn't work.
lol. I spent the rest of the morning basically doing the 'murder walk' of 'stay out of my way and don't talk to me.'
Because I. Was. Not. Happy. with this turn of events.
*shakes head*
I managed to appear normal enough for customers (I think)
And even managed to find a bit of my more usual cheerful mood during my lunch break.
So I was more positive when I returned and gave my coworker the go ahead to go on their lunch break.
And that's when it went sour.
When I had to go find a manager to update them on something.
Which happened to be Head Manager this time around.
And I gave him the info in what I felt was a normal tone.
Only for him to say. "Are you okay? You seem kinda off today?"
Well. I was off today.
"I'm not having a good day that's all."
"I know, me either, I think I'm getting sick." was his response. "But are you not having a good day because of the stocking thing?"
"Kinda. I just keep thinking...where's Petcare's back up."
Because that was one of the sources of things frustrating me.
That it seems like Petcare is required to do EVERYTHING in the store, while all the other departments don't help us out.
If someone is needed to watch the register? People from my dept are pulled. Need a back up cashier? It's petcare that comes to back up. Stockers not finish unloading the truck? Petcare ends up doing their own totes in order to have product on the shelves, we end up having to face and downstock our department because Petcare is ALWAYS done LAST. Pricing needs to be done? Ask a Petcare associate to do it.
Basically, if something doesn't get done, it's something in Petcare's department because They can do it since it's their department.
But what about our department when we're suffering?
Where's the stockers to help scrub tanks?
Where are the cashiers to help catch crickets when there's only one person in the dept and we need help?
Where are the managers when back up is called.
No.
Where.
To.
Be.
Found.
As you see. Not everyone can help out in Petcare, you have to be certified in order to handle the animals and such.
So while Petcare can be everyone, everyone can't be petcare.
And really, I just wanted to bring up the suggestion to Head Manager that we even things out a bit and 'play fair' and get some of the cashiers and stockers certified so if situations like this recent Saturday happen where I had to work an entire 8 hour shift BY MYSELF, because the managers dropped the ball when it came to covering a coworker's shift that day.
We could have asked one of the FOUR cashiers to help me out.
But guess what?
THEY WEREN'T CERTIFIED OR TRAINED IN THE DEPT.
So I was basically left to fend for myself.
I didn't even consider calling for a manager to back up because they basically never respond to the calls anyway even if I do try to ask for help.
This was what I was trying to bring up.
But like every single other time I have to talk with Head Manager,
He totally waylaid things.
"Well, I don't have back up either. You see anyone helping me now?"
Well I wasn't talking about NOW. I was talking about things in general. Like busy Saturdays where I have a missing coworker and no coverage.
Not that he let me say anything like that.
No it was all about him and his job being on the line and that this is how things needed to be.
And I took it hard.
Because he was basically just telling me to "Suck it up and deal with it."
I don't like being told that. Ever.
If I bring up a concern I bring it up because it IS a concern.
It's not some poor "woe is me." sort of thing.
But no.
"Suck it up and deal with it." was what I got because I couldn't get a word in edgewise.
(Didn't help that I was fighting back tears and my throat was choked with emotions.)
I don't like being told "you're lucky I'm on your side." when I feel like he's not on our side. He's on 'save me from being fired' side. He's on 'corporate's' side.
"You need to face the department because if you don't then the stockers have to do that and I have to actually schedule you to work later in the day."
Because new corporate thinks that we can open up the dept AND help customers at the same time.
They want us coming in only HALF an HOUR before the store opens to start our tasks. (and cleaning cages? That takes 2-5 hours depending on the animal cages being cleaned. Can you imagine trying to do that WHILE helping customers? It will take four times as long.)
But my manager has been fighting that, scheduling us to come in about 2 1/2 hours before the store opens so that we can get more of our tasks done without interference.
Only now. Apparently to keep the higher ups happy. He can only do this if we morning crew help out the stockers and face our department every morning FIRST and THEN go to our tasks.
Ugh.
I don't like it.
I don't like it at all.
And then Head Manager was like "Don't be mad at me."
And I'm like "I'm not mad at you." I'm irritated that you're not letting me get a word in edgewise. I can understand your points so I can't think of a way to argue against it especially when I know you won't let me win an argument nor change anything cus you're not listening to me in the first place.
But "I'm not mad at you, I'm just not having a good day." I managed to choke out, and fled the area.
To basically break down in tears all over again in the room behind the fish tanks.
Because for whatever reason, I couldn't handle today.
I couldn't deal with the change, with the 'non criticism', the feeling that 'my department doesn't matter.'
My coworker came back from lunch and found me in a blubbering mess.
lol. Which probably freaked her out a bit because I'd been cheerful/happy only 30 minutes before and she had to be wondering 'what happened?!'
Especially because I never break down like this.
I don't.
I may express my irritation, I may tell coworkers that I'm not feeling the best, and I may be more quiet and withdrawn in some days.
But all out blubbering?
Yah. Not something I do. lol.
But my coworker was amazing, not letting me brush her off with "I'll be fine, ignore me, I'm being silly." She took the time to listen to me rant and rave and basically get my voice heard out about all the emotions I was currently drowing under.
And non-surprisingly like two minutes after I was able to rant out my problems.
I was fine.
I was able to dry my tears, get back to work, and be more positive again.
Because that's all I needed really. To have my voice heard, to get the emotions out, and then move on.
Like. I was able to keep a calm level head when yet a Third Manager came up to us and again went through the spiel of "this is how things need to be done."
It was probably the rant I'd had earlier.
Or the fact that I like this manager and she was able to explain things in a way that made us feel included instead of 'under orders.'
That meant that I wasn't affected by yet being told a third time about the new policy.
I was able to take the news this time and let it slide.
But yah.
I was definitely glad to get off work, get away from things and just...get away.
Honestly, after today I really feel like I need a vacation away from work. *exhales*
Hopefully, after spending the evening holed up in my room away from all the peoples, I will be able to handle tomorrow at work better than I've been handling the past couple of days.
Guess we'll see. *fingers crossed*
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Which is kinda crazy to think about actually...
Because really....nothing happened.
Yet...today was one of those days where the little piece of straw broke the camel's back.
I can only really pinpoint it to my inability to fall asleep at a decent hour the past couple of nights. I mean, I would go to bed at a 'decent' hour. (decent in my opinion not others)
Only for my brain to decide to play 'ring around the rosie' for hours on end.
Meaning that my body was 'resting' but my mind definitely was not.
Which has probably lead to a bit of mind exhaustion, and emotional exhaustion and just...well being exhausted in general.
In any case.
Things were going fine this morning at work.
I was working on the bedding change like always.
My coworker was working on the opening tasks like usual.
And I was feeling...well...alright. I mean. I wasn't feeling a 100% but I definitely felt I could make it through the day.
Until....
Until the manager in charge drew both of us aside.
To inform us that it was now policy that we needed to face our entire department first thing in the morning when we came in. And that we shouldn't be doing our opening tasks until the department was faced.
*shakes head*
I mean, I'd come in yesterday with this same coworker to find a note left for us by a different manager that we needed to face the entire department yesterday morning before we started our tasks.
But both me and my coworker took it to be a 'one time' only sort of deal. As no one had told us different.
It irritated me yesterday as well, this task of facing my department.
Because a) I'm trying to get all my stuff done. b) why are the morning people required to do yet ANOTHER task in the morning when the evening people still basically do nothing at night. c) why couldn't it be done later in the day? and d) it should be the stockers doing it anyways because honestly, it's part of their job.
So to hear the word this morning that we had to do what I see as a stocking task...first thing. In the morning? Every single morning?
Irritation levels spiked dramatically.
Especially because the manager seemed unsympathetic to me when I raised up my concerns. Namely that my dept was supposed to be totally open by a certain time and that we rarely manage to do it even now, and now the managers want the morning people to do MORE? delaying us in our own tasks MORE?
>.<
I suppose it's also the irritation that since it needs to be done 'first thing' and I'm almost always the 'first' one in the department...it basically means I'm now required to face the department every morning. ME.
After some talk and such, the manager came up with a plan where so long as the dept was faced Before we opened, then if there was a second person coming into the store, we could wait for the second person before facing the dept. But if we were going to be the only one in the dept before the store opened, we would then need to face the dept by ourselves.
Makes sense.
I was fine with the game plan.
Didn't like it.
Still really hate it actually.
But I was understanding if not fully willing to go along with it.
*shakes head*
More irritating was that the manager was like "Look, don't look at this like a bad thing otherwise you won't to do it."
and I'm thinking to myself "Too late."
In any case.
Irritation definitely spiked from sleep deprivation and suddenly having a new task sprung upon me.
I don't like having things sprung upon me like this. I have plans, I have schedules, I have ways of doing things at work. So if something needs to change I really would prefer to know BEFORE I'm suddenly required to do it.
So. Fighting down my frustration and irritation, keeping my face in as neutral a position as possible. Me and my coworker set to work to face our portion of the store.
I went fast. Doing it as hurriedly as I could because I had other things I needed to get to.
Only for the manager, when he set out to check our section to confirm that things had been faced....to point out flaws in the facing on the aisles that I had faced only.
Which when I'm already fighting an emotional drain from being sleep deprived, did nothing to help me.
I knew better, but I was in the mindset to take it all personally.
That the fact that these little things had been missed on MY aisles I'd faced, meant that I wasn't doing a good job as a worker, that I wasn't doing things right.
Which I took hard, because I'm like the hardest worker in the department. (not bragging.)
So, fighting back tears. Because I was at the point of tears by this time.
I asked to go take a 15 to try and calm myself down.
It didn't work.
lol. I spent the rest of the morning basically doing the 'murder walk' of 'stay out of my way and don't talk to me.'
Because I. Was. Not. Happy. with this turn of events.
*shakes head*
I managed to appear normal enough for customers (I think)
And even managed to find a bit of my more usual cheerful mood during my lunch break.
So I was more positive when I returned and gave my coworker the go ahead to go on their lunch break.
And that's when it went sour.
When I had to go find a manager to update them on something.
Which happened to be Head Manager this time around.
And I gave him the info in what I felt was a normal tone.
Only for him to say. "Are you okay? You seem kinda off today?"
Well. I was off today.
"I'm not having a good day that's all."
"I know, me either, I think I'm getting sick." was his response. "But are you not having a good day because of the stocking thing?"
"Kinda. I just keep thinking...where's Petcare's back up."
Because that was one of the sources of things frustrating me.
That it seems like Petcare is required to do EVERYTHING in the store, while all the other departments don't help us out.
If someone is needed to watch the register? People from my dept are pulled. Need a back up cashier? It's petcare that comes to back up. Stockers not finish unloading the truck? Petcare ends up doing their own totes in order to have product on the shelves, we end up having to face and downstock our department because Petcare is ALWAYS done LAST. Pricing needs to be done? Ask a Petcare associate to do it.
Basically, if something doesn't get done, it's something in Petcare's department because They can do it since it's their department.
But what about our department when we're suffering?
Where's the stockers to help scrub tanks?
Where are the cashiers to help catch crickets when there's only one person in the dept and we need help?
Where are the managers when back up is called.
No.
Where.
To.
Be.
Found.
As you see. Not everyone can help out in Petcare, you have to be certified in order to handle the animals and such.
So while Petcare can be everyone, everyone can't be petcare.
And really, I just wanted to bring up the suggestion to Head Manager that we even things out a bit and 'play fair' and get some of the cashiers and stockers certified so if situations like this recent Saturday happen where I had to work an entire 8 hour shift BY MYSELF, because the managers dropped the ball when it came to covering a coworker's shift that day.
We could have asked one of the FOUR cashiers to help me out.
But guess what?
THEY WEREN'T CERTIFIED OR TRAINED IN THE DEPT.
So I was basically left to fend for myself.
I didn't even consider calling for a manager to back up because they basically never respond to the calls anyway even if I do try to ask for help.
This was what I was trying to bring up.
But like every single other time I have to talk with Head Manager,
He totally waylaid things.
"Well, I don't have back up either. You see anyone helping me now?"
Well I wasn't talking about NOW. I was talking about things in general. Like busy Saturdays where I have a missing coworker and no coverage.
Not that he let me say anything like that.
No it was all about him and his job being on the line and that this is how things needed to be.
And I took it hard.
Because he was basically just telling me to "Suck it up and deal with it."
I don't like being told that. Ever.
If I bring up a concern I bring it up because it IS a concern.
It's not some poor "woe is me." sort of thing.
But no.
"Suck it up and deal with it." was what I got because I couldn't get a word in edgewise.
(Didn't help that I was fighting back tears and my throat was choked with emotions.)
I don't like being told "you're lucky I'm on your side." when I feel like he's not on our side. He's on 'save me from being fired' side. He's on 'corporate's' side.
"You need to face the department because if you don't then the stockers have to do that and I have to actually schedule you to work later in the day."
Because new corporate thinks that we can open up the dept AND help customers at the same time.
They want us coming in only HALF an HOUR before the store opens to start our tasks. (and cleaning cages? That takes 2-5 hours depending on the animal cages being cleaned. Can you imagine trying to do that WHILE helping customers? It will take four times as long.)
But my manager has been fighting that, scheduling us to come in about 2 1/2 hours before the store opens so that we can get more of our tasks done without interference.
Only now. Apparently to keep the higher ups happy. He can only do this if we morning crew help out the stockers and face our department every morning FIRST and THEN go to our tasks.
Ugh.
I don't like it.
I don't like it at all.
And then Head Manager was like "Don't be mad at me."
And I'm like "I'm not mad at you." I'm irritated that you're not letting me get a word in edgewise. I can understand your points so I can't think of a way to argue against it especially when I know you won't let me win an argument nor change anything cus you're not listening to me in the first place.
But "I'm not mad at you, I'm just not having a good day." I managed to choke out, and fled the area.
To basically break down in tears all over again in the room behind the fish tanks.
Because for whatever reason, I couldn't handle today.
I couldn't deal with the change, with the 'non criticism', the feeling that 'my department doesn't matter.'
My coworker came back from lunch and found me in a blubbering mess.
lol. Which probably freaked her out a bit because I'd been cheerful/happy only 30 minutes before and she had to be wondering 'what happened?!'
Especially because I never break down like this.
I don't.
I may express my irritation, I may tell coworkers that I'm not feeling the best, and I may be more quiet and withdrawn in some days.
But all out blubbering?
Yah. Not something I do. lol.
But my coworker was amazing, not letting me brush her off with "I'll be fine, ignore me, I'm being silly." She took the time to listen to me rant and rave and basically get my voice heard out about all the emotions I was currently drowing under.
And non-surprisingly like two minutes after I was able to rant out my problems.
I was fine.
I was able to dry my tears, get back to work, and be more positive again.
Because that's all I needed really. To have my voice heard, to get the emotions out, and then move on.
Like. I was able to keep a calm level head when yet a Third Manager came up to us and again went through the spiel of "this is how things need to be done."
It was probably the rant I'd had earlier.
Or the fact that I like this manager and she was able to explain things in a way that made us feel included instead of 'under orders.'
That meant that I wasn't affected by yet being told a third time about the new policy.
I was able to take the news this time and let it slide.
But yah.
I was definitely glad to get off work, get away from things and just...get away.
Honestly, after today I really feel like I need a vacation away from work. *exhales*
Hopefully, after spending the evening holed up in my room away from all the peoples, I will be able to handle tomorrow at work better than I've been handling the past couple of days.
Guess we'll see. *fingers crossed*
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Monday, April 10, 2017
April 2014 General Conference -Sunday Afternoon
Boyd K. Packer -The Witness
- Knowledge which is of eternal value comes only through personal prayer and pondering.
- Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.
- Parenthood is a sacred privilege.
- The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is that a man and his wife and their children can be happy at home.
- We do not always know how or when blessings will present themselves.
- The Holy Ghost can bring comfort, guidance, and correction when needed.
William R. Walker
- When we get the inspiration from heaven to do something, we do it now--we don't procrastinate.
- My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
- You must not forget the things which you heard and experienced in the Temple of the Lord.
- No matter what trials or hardships will come to you, you will be blessed for staying true to the faith.
L. Tom Perry
- Men and women who ignore the gentle promptings of the Spirit will often learn, as the prodigal son learned, through natural consequences of disobedience and riotous living. It was only after natural consequences humbled the prodigal son that "he came to himself" and heard the whisperings of the Spirit telling him to return to his father's house.
- Always be ready to receive the gentle tug of the Spirit.
- To succeed in life, we must teach our spirit and body to work together in obedience to God's commandments.
- Today's complexity demands greater simplicity.
- Too often we think of obedience as the passive and thoughtless following of the orders or dictates of a higher authority. Actually, at its beset, obedience is an emblem of our faith in the wisdom and power of the highest authority, even God.
- When we demonstrate our faithfulness through obedience, God will ultimately rescue us.
- Someone who is all wrapped up in himself or herself makes a very small package.
- Strong, proactive obedience is anything but weak or passive.
- Obedience is a choice.
Lawrence E. Corbridge -The Prophet Joseph Smith
- If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.
- He taught the truth and the truth will always be opposed.
- Revelation has not ceased, and the heavens are not closed. God speaks to prophets today, and He will speak to you and me as well.
Michael John U. Teh -Where Your Treasure Is
- In times of calamity or tragedy, the Lord has a way of refocusing us and our priorities.
- If we are not careful, we will begin to chase after the temporal more than the spiritual.
- Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
- Our priorities, tendencies, inclinations, desires, appetites, and passions will have a direct bearing on our next estate.
- May our hearts be found in the right place.
Marcos A. Aidukaitis -If Ye Lack Wisdom
- With so much available on the Internet, we must carefully consider where to apply our efforts.
- One should not roam through garbage.
- Remember that without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith.
- We must ask in faith and with an honest heart. But that is not all. We must also believe that we will receive the revelation.
- God will reveal truth to those who seek for it.
D. Todd Christofferson -The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
- Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.
- The Savior makes all things right.
- Faith truly is more than imagination or psychological invention.
Thomas S. Monson -Until We Meet Again
- May heaven's blessings be with each of us.
General Women's Meeting
Rosemary M. Wixom -Keeping Covenants Protects Us, Prepares Us, and Empowers Us
- As women of all ages, we walk in His light.
- Our journey on the path is personal and well lit with the Savior's love.
Bonnie L. Oscarson -Sisterhood: Oh, How We Need Each Other
- I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.
- The adversary would have us be critical or judgmental of one another. He wants us to concentrate on our differences and compare ourselves to one another.
- We simply cannot call ourselves Christian and continue to judge one another--or ourselves--so harshly.
- There is nothing worth us losing our compassion over.
- Women naturally seek friendship, support, and companionship.
- We have so much to learn from one another, and we often let self-imposed barriers keep us from enjoying associations which could be among the greatest blessings in our lives.
- There is no age barrier when it comes to Christlike service.
- If there are barriers, it is because we ourselves have created them.
- We must stop concentrating on our differences and look for what we have in common.
- I invite you to not only love each other more but love each other better.
Linda K. Burton -Wanted: Hands and Hearts to Hasten the Work
- All the easy things that the Church has had to do have been done. From now on, it's high adventure, and followership is going to be tested in some interesting ways.
Henry B. Eyring -Daughters in the Covenant
- Do it with a smile.
- God expects you to treat every person you meet as a child of God.
- You are more alike as daughters of God than you are different.
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Sunday, April 9, 2017
Finally, New Fish
It seems like there's always some set backs in every good thing.
Like you don't always get the thing right the first time.
Maybe not even the second time.
Or the third.
Or the hundredth.
But if you keep trying.
It will go right eventually. Right?
So.
I had a bit of a setback with my fish tank a couple of weeks ago.
Where I introduced some guppies to my tank....
And ended up loosing like a fourth of my fish. :S
The guppies all died, my bettas all died, a shark disappeared, a danio disappeared, a pleco died, and I'm still currently losing my Rasboras.
And the problem?
I have no idea.
I'm not sure what sort of issue has struck my tank.
Because there's no visible signs.
Like...one night their fine,
The next evening, they're dead.
So, despite me wanting to buy more fish.
I held off for the past couple of weeks.
To let the tank settle again, and to make sure no more fish would die.
...I'm still losing my Rasboras for who knows why...I almost think that they're just too fat and eating themselves to death. *shakes head*
But with my angelfish still alive in my tank two weeks later.
I decided, yesterday, to take a chance and buy more fish.
As usually if there is something wrong with a tank....the angelfish tend to die first.
Since they were still alive...what ever was affecting my fish wasn't affecting them.
So.
I bought more fish!!
Yay. ^^
And twenty-four hours later.
They're still alive!! Woot!! lol.
But I have to say, my favorite new addition to my tank, currently, is my new catfish I bought.
I believe their names are panda cory catfish.
And they look like this! (picture above)
You see.
My work doesn't carry these fish.
But for some reason...on Friday, they came in with our other fish.
I don't know exactly how they came in as I didn't work that day.
But when I saw them Saturday, I knew what they were, and double checked our fish invoice...and saw that they weren't on the invoice.
Therefore they were 'accidental additions' to our store.
-Which occasionally happens. We get in random fish mixed in with other fish.
No idea how it happens...but it does every once in a while.
And since we didn't have a SKU for them it's not like we could sell them.
And I liked them.
So I got them. lol.
I consulted with my manager in charge, and we decided on a price (after a search online) I would pay to purchase them (as it felt weird just taking them.) And took them through the register as "Merchandise"
Ah.
I love them though.
It's so fun to watch the three corys schooling together, and they're way more visible in my tank than my secretive south American bumble bee catfish.
They're so active and swimming around!
It makes me tempted to get more cories in the future....probably a different variety though lol. Since who knows when I'll accidentally get more of them in. ;)
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Like you don't always get the thing right the first time.
Maybe not even the second time.
Or the third.
Or the hundredth.
But if you keep trying.
It will go right eventually. Right?
So.
I had a bit of a setback with my fish tank a couple of weeks ago.
Where I introduced some guppies to my tank....
And ended up loosing like a fourth of my fish. :S
The guppies all died, my bettas all died, a shark disappeared, a danio disappeared, a pleco died, and I'm still currently losing my Rasboras.
And the problem?
I have no idea.
I'm not sure what sort of issue has struck my tank.
Because there's no visible signs.
Like...one night their fine,
The next evening, they're dead.
So, despite me wanting to buy more fish.
I held off for the past couple of weeks.
To let the tank settle again, and to make sure no more fish would die.
...I'm still losing my Rasboras for who knows why...I almost think that they're just too fat and eating themselves to death. *shakes head*
But with my angelfish still alive in my tank two weeks later.
I decided, yesterday, to take a chance and buy more fish.
As usually if there is something wrong with a tank....the angelfish tend to die first.
Since they were still alive...what ever was affecting my fish wasn't affecting them.
So.
I bought more fish!!
Yay. ^^
And twenty-four hours later.
They're still alive!! Woot!! lol.
But I have to say, my favorite new addition to my tank, currently, is my new catfish I bought.
I believe their names are panda cory catfish.
And they look like this! (picture above)
You see.
My work doesn't carry these fish.
But for some reason...on Friday, they came in with our other fish.
I don't know exactly how they came in as I didn't work that day.
But when I saw them Saturday, I knew what they were, and double checked our fish invoice...and saw that they weren't on the invoice.
Therefore they were 'accidental additions' to our store.
-Which occasionally happens. We get in random fish mixed in with other fish.
No idea how it happens...but it does every once in a while.
And since we didn't have a SKU for them it's not like we could sell them.
And I liked them.
So I got them. lol.
I consulted with my manager in charge, and we decided on a price (after a search online) I would pay to purchase them (as it felt weird just taking them.) And took them through the register as "Merchandise"
Ah.
I love them though.
It's so fun to watch the three corys schooling together, and they're way more visible in my tank than my secretive south American bumble bee catfish.
They're so active and swimming around!
It makes me tempted to get more cories in the future....probably a different variety though lol. Since who knows when I'll accidentally get more of them in. ;)
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Saturday, April 8, 2017
A Role Reversal
My world was turned upside down today.
Why?
Because it finally happened.
You see.
For the past...well I actually dunno.
But the past little while, I've ended up at the Wendy's nearby my work at least twice a week.
As I've taken to going there after work to get my favorite crispy chicken sandwich,
And then unwind there as I jot down some ideas for story concepts I have.
It's a great zone really where I really can just relax and get into the groove and let my thoughts flow freely.
And at this Wendy's I have a favorite cashier.
One who likes to give me fresh fries and is basically amazing in general.
And the thing is...
I know that she has a dog.
She even says that she goes to my work to buy food.
But I had never seen her there before.
At my work.
Yet she knew that I worked there.
And so I figured it only had to be a matter of time before she and I would collide on my turf instead of hers.
That day was today.
I was in the middle of saying hi to my ultimost favorite puppy dogs Hercules and Dodger
-which is a rare treat for me, I only see them every two or three months it feels like.
When I happened to look up and see a familiar face.
It was my favorite cashier!!
She had walked into the store with her own puppy dog Jasmine. (super sweet dog)
And I was like *blink blink* I KNOW YOU!!
lol.
It was so weird seeing her out of her work uniform.
And it was basically the same for her.
As her first words were "I finally get to see you in your work uniform!!"
lol. Which I found rather amusing. Because like 8/10 times when I go to Wendy's....I am actually in my work uniform. But since it's been cold the past few months, I've been wearing a jacket. Which disguises the fact that I'm actually in uniform.
So I suppose I can understand why she didn't realize I've been in uniform the entire time. lol.
Still It's probably just as disconcerting for her to see me with a uniform and name tag and her in casual clothes when to her it appears the other way around.
It was great to see her!
Though I regret I couldn't help her out more today. :( As I was the only one in my department in the middle of a rush, so I had couldn't stick around and chat.
But maybe, now that she knows I actually do exist in my work.
She'll drop by more often.
Who knows. ;)
But it definitely was a fun experience to have. ^^
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Friday, April 7, 2017
The Research Phase
It may be a writer's thing.
But I have this quirk,
Where I'll get into little 'research phases' because I ended up having a question that I didn't know the answer to, or I noticed a topic and wanted to learn a little bit more about it, and so I go to our handy dandy google to get my answers.
Most of the time this sort of research comes about in relation to writing ideas.
Where I have a concept in mind, but I need to mesh out details or timing of things or the possibility of a thing actually being possible.
In most cases this usually involves animals.
-As a lot of story ideas of mine involve shape shifting.
Where I want to know coloration, diet, habitat, life span, noises they make, how strong their sense are, etc.
Which was the case in this.
As I had an idea involving Koi.
And wanted the Koi involved to have a specific coloration, and I wasn't sure if they could actually have that color.
So I went to google to find out.
-They do.
And ended up reading up on more information on them.
Like the fact that longest living Koi was 225 years old.
Or that Koi are actually carp and will revert to carp coloration within a few generations of being released back into the wild.
Or that Koi are actually considered a pest in some countries -which I found surprising. O.o
In any case.
I found the information I wanted.
And left it at that.
Until work the next day.
When I had a coworker, who happened to be looking at the Koi we sell in the store.
And was like "They get 36 inches?! That's huge!" and later followed it up with. "How long do these guys live?"
To which I was able to tell them that usually around 50 years is the average, but the longest living one ended up living 225 years.
lol.
Of course they questioned how I knew this knowledge.
And I responded with "I looked it up last night."
lol. Which after the conversation was over, I began to wonder what my coworker thought of that statement.
After all, I hadn't mentioned that I looked up the Koi last night for a story idea concept.
Just that I'd happened to do so last night.
I halfway think they probably thought. "Wow....you're really dedicated to your job if you looked it up."
or. "Wow....you need to get out more if you're looking up information on the animals at work when you're not at work."
heh.
Which is true. I have done that before....looked up information for work...but work is also a great source for story ideas too lol. So it's a combination of both.
Even though in this regard, the Koi fish were pure story idea. lol. It just happened to come in handy for work later on. ;)
In any case.
Yay for me knowing random bits of information that I can bring out into regular conversation at work. ;) lol.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
But I have this quirk,
Where I'll get into little 'research phases' because I ended up having a question that I didn't know the answer to, or I noticed a topic and wanted to learn a little bit more about it, and so I go to our handy dandy google to get my answers.
Most of the time this sort of research comes about in relation to writing ideas.
Where I have a concept in mind, but I need to mesh out details or timing of things or the possibility of a thing actually being possible.
In most cases this usually involves animals.
-As a lot of story ideas of mine involve shape shifting.
Where I want to know coloration, diet, habitat, life span, noises they make, how strong their sense are, etc.
Which was the case in this.
As I had an idea involving Koi.
And wanted the Koi involved to have a specific coloration, and I wasn't sure if they could actually have that color.
So I went to google to find out.
-They do.
And ended up reading up on more information on them.
Like the fact that longest living Koi was 225 years old.
Or that Koi are actually carp and will revert to carp coloration within a few generations of being released back into the wild.
Or that Koi are actually considered a pest in some countries -which I found surprising. O.o
In any case.
I found the information I wanted.
And left it at that.
Until work the next day.
When I had a coworker, who happened to be looking at the Koi we sell in the store.
And was like "They get 36 inches?! That's huge!" and later followed it up with. "How long do these guys live?"
To which I was able to tell them that usually around 50 years is the average, but the longest living one ended up living 225 years.
lol.
Of course they questioned how I knew this knowledge.
And I responded with "I looked it up last night."
lol. Which after the conversation was over, I began to wonder what my coworker thought of that statement.
After all, I hadn't mentioned that I looked up the Koi last night for a story idea concept.
Just that I'd happened to do so last night.
I halfway think they probably thought. "Wow....you're really dedicated to your job if you looked it up."
or. "Wow....you need to get out more if you're looking up information on the animals at work when you're not at work."
heh.
Which is true. I have done that before....looked up information for work...but work is also a great source for story ideas too lol. So it's a combination of both.
Even though in this regard, the Koi fish were pure story idea. lol. It just happened to come in handy for work later on. ;)
In any case.
Yay for me knowing random bits of information that I can bring out into regular conversation at work. ;) lol.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
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