I saw this sign today and of course had to u-turn to take a photo. I just can’t get enough of this stuff.

Why is it that even after you tell someone that you don’t want (because you just don’t), don’t like (maybe because you’ve tried it before and you just don’t like it), can’t eat (maybe because you’re on a diet, allergic, etc.) or have no interest in (because you just don’t) something, they STILL ask you if you’d want to/like to/be interested in “it.”

What part of “No way! Thanks anyway though, I appreciate it”- is foggy or questionable?

I read something a long time ago that talked about the word; but. I can’t remember exactly what the article said, but it essentially stated that if/when you see/read/hear the word “but”, everything written or heard ahead of it gets erased/is basically pointless. 

Example:

“I know you loathe carrots and cold weather, but…”

But what? Suddenly I am going to become Peter Cottontail and hop through gardens eating the orange stuff or want to buy a ski chalet in Aspen and hit the slopes?

Sigh.

No.

No.

No!

This reminds me of a portion of this classic. 

I could not, would not on a boat.

I will not, will not, with a goat.

I will not eat them in the rain.

I will not eat them on a train.

Not in the dark! Not in a tree!

Not in a car! You let me be!

I do not like them in a box.

I do not like them with a fox.

I will not eat them in a house.

I do not like them with a mouse.

I do not like them here or there.

I do not like them ANYWHERE!

No means no today and it will mean no tomorrow. “But” good try. Thanks for asking yet again. 

People like to talk about stuff, but not do stuff.

It’s ridiculous.

I can’t say I haven’t been guilty of it at times myself, but overall I think I’ve gotten off my a** and made things happen when I’ve wanted to. I’m not a hero, just a woman who was raised to earn it and do it herself and never expected anyone else to do “it” for me.

I have lived in and spent time several cities at this point in my life. In them I have over-volunteered, been over-involved, been overly-concerned, had a huge bleeding heart. While being/doing these things I’ve met lots of those key community people/business leaders/”important” people as well as been invited to join and participate in, this group and that board of such-and-such. While I have met incredible people, learned immeasurable things and been fortunate to find a mentor or two- I have also found that so many people seem to like to sit around and talk about “making things better” and not actually make things better. 

I had to write about this today because it’s part of the reason I’ve disappeared for a few days. I’ve been trying to take some time and space to have these conversations. I wonder why everyone seems to be so afraid to stand up/dive in and just do it. The common thread in every single conversation I have had in the past week personally and professionally seems to center around a “Yeah! We need to do this and that!” …and then nobody seems to take action. 

Talk is cheap.

Put your money where your mouth is.

Well behaved women rarely make history.

(Insert 9,967,367,912,980 other lines here…)

Give me a task or challenge- I’ll do it. Give yourself a task or challenge- then do it. Let’s all try to practice a lot less sh*t-talking and a lot more doing. We do not live in a place where you are ordered to sit down and shut up- so why are we all sitting down and shutting up? If going after what you want and what you believe in makes you obnoxious- then sign me up for president of the obnoxious club. We’ve got one life. ONE. And the clock is ticking. What are we waiting for?

Thanks for lunch yesterday Malcom. You might not know this, but it was so much more than a good chat about work.