Those of you new to Highlowaha will quickly learn that the 18th of any month means one thing to our community. It is the day we engage in our favorite monthly ritual - an activity worth sticking around for.
But first a short rant.
Where there is indifference there is apathy and where there is apathy there is rarely community. Last month I neglected to draw the name of one lucky winner to receive the Ray Wattson shirt of his/her choice. No one called me on it.
That's not good. Your indifference means we have work to do as a community. The shirts are way too cool to ignore, so it either means you didn't know, didn't care, or didn't want to hurt my feelings. Say nothing and I hear, "Whatever. What do I care?" Rattle my cage and I hear, "Listen up, Claudia. You promised a Ray shirt a month. I tune in every day, read what you have to say, and patiently wait for the chance to win a highly sought after Ray Wattson shirt. Get with it. I expect more from you and from this community."
All is not lost, though.
Scold me. Go to the comment section and hold me accountable for letting our community down. I'll give May's shirt to the person who makes me feel most guilty. That means you too, Lurkers! Visit GalleRay to see your choices.
And while you're at it... engage in the activity that has quickly become a monthly ritual (and enter yourself in a chance to win June's t-shirt)?
Each month on the 18th, we pay tribute to the origin of our blog name and to the core of what our blog is about. We stop, take a few minutes, and reflect on "highs" (best thing); "lows" (worst thing); and "ahas" (something we learned) from the past month.
That's what communities do - occasionally give the gift of time, knowing the investment you make in sharing a small piece of yourself, contributes to a whole far bigger than the sum of its parts. That, and hold one another accountable.
Here are my highs, lows, and ahas for the past month.
- High: Katie arriving in Texas and a fruitful HLA retreat, resulting in a bright future for Highlowaha.
- Low: Backing my car into a light post (small ding) and making a professional decision for which I am less than proud.
- Aha: Thomas Edison had, on average, 17 posts every year for 63 years.
Now you. Go to comment section. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.
Signing off until tomorrow...
21 comments:
Good morning, HLA!
Claudia- Not only should the readers be upset, but so should Ray... maybe Cheryl will get him to forgive you.
High- Being in Texas which means spending a lot of time with friends that I don't normally get to see, a great HLA retreat, and feeling rejuvenated toward life!
Low- As of this weekend my time in Texas is halfway over, and hearing of the struggles of some of my students back at JMU.
Aha- When you are on the path toward your Personal Legend, all of the world will conspire around you.
I cannot believe that you left Ray TRAPPED somewhere and DEPRIVED him of his chance at a NEW LIFE in a caring and loving new home that would have cherished him DAILY!
:-)
high: got roof up over my puppies!
low: state job opening I want still not posted; can't apply yet
aha: I actually enjoy being on our land in the summer, watering and seeing life!
You're going to have to do better than that! I have a Jewish father and a Catholic mother. I know guilt!
Try again!
Claudia, are you blaming us for being apathetic? Aren't you the one that dropped the ball? A Ray shirt is something that all HLA readers would love to have, and here you are disappointing us all. *sigh* I hope we as a blogging community can somehow forgive you...
High- Spending Memorial Day weekend with extended family. Making my very first quilt ever!
Low- For some reason I have been extra low on patience the last few weeks.
Aha- You can do amazing things if you just take it one little step at a time.
Better, Kat. Still... more dramatics!
Yeah Claudia!!!na na a boo boo!!! But you were working, trying the new Friday format, you missed a date night, the girls were facing mutiny on writing... I can go back to a few places where activities and excitement didn't pan through, we didn't know the outcome or even if the event was going to take place... but that's in the past.... move on and do better!
If you are having a contest, give us the outcome! If you are going to send a prize, do it in a timely fashion. If the ball got dropped and fell through the cracks, admit it sooner than later! Maybe on the 18th you review the month and see what loose ends need to be tied!
Sorry, but at times I've just come to expect the hype of something cool and new and sometimes it concludes and sometimes it just fizzles away to an old post! :)
No guilt trip from me...just my HLA...
High: Watching Lily learn to swim (she LOVES the water) and hearing her come out with new phrases everyday as she figures out how to piece words together (two more minutes Daddy is a good example)
Low: Getting into an argument with an invaluable friend. The stress at work with trying to wrap up the school year.
Aha: I'm a neat nick through and through...
Kat, Peggy, Cassie P., 8 Slug Bug Counting Friends... I too must take a flogging.
Kat- we owe you a Sting Ray Shirt! Ray has been fussing and fussing at me and he's rrr,rrr, right.
Peggy- You won a cool treat from participating with a Taste of USA contest... It's sitting on my kitchen table.
Cassie P.- Your Starbucks gift card is sitting there with Peggy's treat that you also won from Taste of USA!
I have 8 patches that also need to be sent out to those of you who counted Volkswagon bugs with me.
:sigh:
Do I owe anyone else anything? Speak up or forever hold your peace.
High: Field Day was so much fun. I'm so glad I shared that day with my boys. My boys finished up the school year with excellent grades. Summer is here! Having so much fun with Claudia, Katie and Heather. Dinners and Happy Hours with my friends from work. Boot shopping with Katie- my boots are so freaking cute. Ray loves them but we're not all matchy-matchy.
Low: Not enough time in the day to do everything I want to do. Cutting ties with an old friend. I don't have an endless supply of money in my bank.
Aha: Just because someone is rude to me doesn't mean it's okay for me to be rude to them.
All I can do is take it one day at a time.
Love life and life will love you back. Love people and they will love you back~ Arthur Rubinstein
Also a big congrats and good luck to Robin for her entrance into grad school!
high: we found an apartment! my friends are already moved in, i'm not moving until the end of august but i went to visit and it's wonderful.
low: i ended up in the ER due to dehydration because of a sunburn last sunday. i'm fine now, but it wasn't a fun day.
aha: i need to wear sunscreen, and lots of it.
katie - you must have read "the alchemist"! i read it a few weeks ago, it's so good.
no guilt trip from me either. i'm not feeling well enough to think straight right now...
high: finally getting a job that i can't wait to start in a few weeks; turning another year older (some day that will be a low); getting to see julie on saturday; starting to work out again
low: not feeling well today; being a drunken disaster on my birthday and feeling sick for 2 days afterwards(but i have good friends to take care of me!); the thought of having to move again...woof!
aha: patience really does pay off; i have the most amazing husband, family and friends in the world
I was counting on an XXL shirt so my pregnant wife has something to wear.
High: Orientation season started!
Low: Baby A is breach and looks like we're going to have a C Section.
Aha: People's enthusiasm for work is far more important than their knowledge.
I was here early, before work, today but today's post wasnt up yet!
That's right, cheryl, you do have those things and the slug bug patch to send me. I was just thinking the other day that I thought I was missing a recently-acquired patch but couldnt remember what it was! I am glad you reminded me!
Dr. B, I did recieve my "foot-care" stuff in the mail the other day, and it made me very happy!
no guilt-tripping from me, i just cannot do it.
HIGH: starting my new job as a nurse, though orientation has been soooo boring, knowing i am going to be paid soon is a great feeling! one step closer to moving out of my parents' house!
LOW: finding out i have tendonitis in both ankles, and being told to take TWO WHOLE WEEKS off of exercise! (those who know me well know that thats very difficult for me to hear!). today ends those two weeks tho!
AHA: Forgiving yourself is often harder than forgiving others
Wow - this blog is soooo slipping. Forgetting contests, changing formats - and how could you not mention today's celebration - It's INTERNATIONAL PICNIC DAY. Claudia, how could you. I know that you could of dreamed up some fantastic craft idea, party theme, child's activity, etc. Not only did you forget today's celebration you haven't mentioned it's Barbershop music appreciation month, national perennial gardening month, national ice tea month, national fresh fruit and vegetable month, national accordion awareness month and don't forget national bathroom reading month. I'm so disappointed in this group. I think that I'll just go grab a movie in honor of Roger Ebert's birthday (today).
OK - thanks to the Chicago Trib for making that rant possible (if you live in the Chicago check out the article in the play section.
High - Watching Matthew swim better than the older kids. The joys of kids playing in the pool after months of cold, rain and more cold.
Low - knowing that a bikini is NEVER going to be a possibility for me.
Aha - there's 104 days of summer vacation, then school come around just to end it. - it's ok for adults to like cartoons too (can you guess the cartoon with that lyric???)
High - I took a week off from work and re-energized by spending time with family and friends. On vacation, I camped at Cook Forest State Park and fished in the Clarion River.
Low - I'm having internal conflicts about what to do in this point in my career.
Aha - My family has "matured." The last of my siblings graduated high school, and I'm beginning to feel a tad older. But, it's a good feeling at this point.
I'm writing this from the corner of my office where I am curled up in the fetal position.
Cristine's guilt trip is working! How could we, a blog energized by celebrating inocuous holidays have missed out on so many?!?!?
Cristine... send me a link to your source or I'll have to resort to drastic measures!
It's so fun reading everyone's HLAs! Thanks for sharing everyone.
Claudia,
Here's the link to the article I read in today's paper.
Have a great day!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-0618-celebrate-junejun18,0,6043444.story
No guilt here...I am not worthy!!
High-Surprised my hubby with a great Fathers Day gift
Low-A friend of mine lost a loved one...my heart is heavy for her and her family.
Aha-"Allah" People need not fear the unknown if they are capable of achieving what they need and want.
High: Flying to Orlando with DD and watching her play AAU volleyball, mini vacation
Low: Finding out that my temporary job after 8 months, the woman I subbed for is coming back and I will be out of a job
Aha: I love life, every day is so cool, I learn something new ALL the time!
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