Morale Booster.

I have a good job. Great supervisor, good co-workers, an employer that tries to do the right thing most often and clean, well lit, OSHA safe work conditions.

HOWEVER sometimes, I don't like my job so much and have to think of ways to make it tolerable.

I found a site on the internet that counts down the days to whatever you want so I have it counting down the days to retirement--5,390 as of today. I think that's only about fifteen years to go so you can see why that excites me.

We have a dead pool at work--nine of us have bet money ($5) on which famous people will die this year. It keeps us tuned in to the national news and puts a positive spin on cold and flu season.

And now I'm starting a new program to boost morale. Its called the Buck a F**k program. Everytime one of our clients or contacts swears at us we collect a buck. One day last week I earned four bucks. I haven't talked the powers that be into funding the program with real dollars yet but I just feel better knowing that I'm geting a little bonus for being cussed at.

Ok, enough whining. In 5390 days, all the people on my dead pool list might die and I'll be $45 richer from that and with my sunny personality, I will undoubtedly make a boatload of money on the Buck a F**k program--so I'll probably get to retire a month or two early. Hooray for me!!!!

Funerals--theirs and mine

Another visit to the funeral home tonight. I must be getting to that age. Its getting to be a regular thing. I'm not being flippant, its just something that I've noticed--especially when my daughter noted that she hadn't been to a funeral since her grandpa died a few years ago. It used to be something I could measure in years,, then months, now its every other month or so, and in a few years it will be monthly and then a few times a month and then who knows...

I've thought about my own funeral or memorial service--on my good days, I can even go along with calling it a celebration of life. Mostly I want good music, fun stories, and a few tears. But then, is it just me, or does everyone want to know that they are going to be missed.

That egotistical part of me wants wailing and keening and fighting over the ashes to alternate with laughing and vodka shots and pictures of all the fun my life has been. My kids can tell you all the lies I told them, John can tell you all the silly things I've been afraid of, friends can go on and on about how I always thought I was right no matter what the topic.

Living, dying, heaven, hell, other possibilities? Iris Dement, in her song, "Let the Mystery Be" says:

Everybody's wondering what and where they all come from
Everybody's worrying 'bout where they're gonna go
When the whole thing's done
Nobody knows for certain
And so it's all the same to me
I think I'll just let the mystery be.

Last night, at the bi-weekly Discussion on the Deck, which was mercifully moved inside due to the heat, the topic was heaven and hell. There were about 12-14 people present. I am fascinated by the variety of opinions. We were a pretty homogeneous group, all middle class, Midwesterners, all belonged to the same ELCA Lutheran church, all white, yet our thoughts on heaven and hell were different enough to keep us talking for a couple of hours.

Of course, we went off on a few tangents. People shared personal experiences, people listened, people encouraged each other and we laughed together. All in all, it was a good night. And it is exactly what will strengthen the faith community of First Lutheran. The topic was almost irrelevant.

I believe that worship is necessary, prayer essential and the churches that get their members interacting in small groups for whatever purpose--discussions, cooking, service projects, craft, study, softball etc., will find that those members will see their church as an integral part of their life--not just a Sunday morning obligation. It is the relationships.

oops!

I finished a posting that I had started in October of 2010 and clicked Publish Post--and the magic happened but the date stayed October--so look in October for the Ship of Fools for my most recent posting.