Anyone who knows me very well knows that I am not a big sports person. Don't get me wrong. I know the game - understand a lot more of it than people realize. I just don't get into it. Well, that's not quite true. I love the game of football if I am playing it! And I even enjoy watching the game when I actually have a connection with someone who is playing. I just don't get into watching a bunch of people whom I don't even know play.
My best bud is playing football this year and I have been going to his games. His team is now in first place after beating the team who had not been beat all season! This morning while watching I came to a few conclusions about the game and some guidelines people should follow at games.
First off!! No cow bells!!!! Sorry - but that is just plain annoying! And who in their right minds wants to hear that being jangled incessantly after each play? Certainly not me. If you must bring a cow bell to the game (and if you are the only one who had the audacity to do so) then please - don't bring it up into the stands. Stay on the ground by the side of the fence. You will have a better view of the action there too.
Cheerleaders - they are super annoying. Don't get me wrong. I know they work hard and they do a great job. But how in the world can you listen to the announcer if the cheerleaders are constantly doing cheers? You can't understand what they are saying and if you are trying to watch them then you can't pay any attention to the game. Yep, I think cheerleaders should only be cheering at specific times - and those times should not be during the playing time of the team. Again -- I know cheerleaders work hard and practice long hours but they do tend to get in the way of the actual game. It's kind of hard to concentrate on them and the game at the same time. So perhaps they should give them a pre-game time to cheer for their team in addition to their half-time entertainment.
Cutesy names for the players are also just plain stupid. I'm sorry but if you have a pet name for your son that you use at home perhaps that name should be kept at home among family. Hollering for "Honey Badger" on the field just sounds plain dumb! I can imagine the opposing team making wise-cracks to each other and I hate to think about what might be said to this kid out on the field.
Players who go down on the field should have a reason for staying down. If you tackle a player and take him down and he gets up while you stay down for another 2-3 minutes causing the clock to stop and coaches and refs to circle around you then you better be hurt. Don't just lay there all that time then get up and run off the field! If you are down that long someone better be helping you off the field because you are hurt. I'm not saying you have to have broken bones or anything but if you are well enough to run off the field then you shouldn't have wasted every one's time while you laid on the field. You should have jumped right up after that play and got right back in the game.
And why in the world would anyone ever choose the color white to be any part of a football uniform? This is not an uncommon color to have and it's usually the pants that are white. Seriously, you know these kids are going to be on the ground the majority of the game. Why choose a color that attracts dirt and grass stains? And why don't you ask someone before you actually choose those colors? If I do not have a personal connection to a team I am going to root for the one whose colors look best together.
Now at this morning's game they called a rain delay at half-time. After restarting the game an hour later and watching those boys on the field I kept thinking how much fun they must be having. The field all wet and muddy - the ball slippery, what fun! Yes, that's right, fun! I remember playing some football in those conditions with my brothers and it was fun. I was wishing I could be out there with them. Then I remembered my knee replacement and my splinted wrist and thought maybe it wouldn't be as much fun as I thought. But if my Bud asked me to go play football with him you can bet I would give it a try
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Friday, September 27, 2013
Wedding Notes
As I commented a few weeks ago, our youngest daughter is getting married. Quite an exciting time for everyone. Now she has been engaged for a while but just suddenly set a date and BAM!! We have like two months to plan a wedding and pull it all together! But we are certainly up to the task. I gotta say though, I cannot wait until my son gets married and we don't have to do anything but order his tux and do the rehearsal dinner.
Now the young man Amanda is marrying has no relationship with his family. Sad for him but he will soon have a very large extended family (hope he knows what he is getting into). So let me give you some of the ongoing wedding saga details so far.
When Amanda announced her date and was telling us who she wanted for attendants, etc. she said she wanted Lily to be one of her flower girls. This thrilled Lily immensely and she exclaimed: "I have been waiting my whole life for this!!" Remington, upon hearing that Amanda wanted him to be the ring bearer, had a little bit different response: "I better not have to wear those tight shoes!" He had previously been a ring bearer in another wedding and the memory of tight shoes at the age of three or four is still vivid for him evidently! Anytime the fact that he is wedding bearer is brought up he responds that he better not have to wear those tight shoes!
The day we went shopping for wedding dresses it was a girls day thing - Lily, K.C., Amanda and I. Amanda had issues that day and kept belching very loudly. Lily gave her some wedding advise - which is good advise for all brides-to-be: "If I was you I would try really hard not to burp on your wedding day". I think these are words every bride-to-be should listen to.
So K.C. and I have been busy taking Amanda's wishes and working on her wedding plans. We have taken her shopping two weekends in a row and have purchased almost all items needed for her wedding (although there are always extras that you don't think of). We have the baskets, ring bearer pillow, tuxes ordered, dress bought, flowers chosen and purchased, lists made and re-made and corrected and adjusted. Amanda calls weekly with changes - but they are minor ones that we are able to deal with.
Invitations have been printed and mailed. Upon receiving their invitation, Remington and Lily were thrilled with the reply card. After asking their mother what it was she replied "an RSVP card". They misunderstood this and are delighted to think that they are VIP for the wedding! They came over the other night and Lily handed me an envelope and said "here's your VIP card back." I replied "you didn't mark if you were coming." She looked at her mom and asked, "are we going to be there?"
I can't give away to many details of the wedding as we want the big day to be a surprise but let me tell you that I have been working on one project for the entire month of September every single minute I could. The majority of the project is done and waiting to be assembled but the hard part is over.
Now, in the midst of the wedding planning my doctor decided to schedule a surgery. Nothing to major - going to remove a bone from my wrist and release carpal tunnel at the same time. This will hopefully correct an ongoing issue with my wrist that I have been dealing with for the past 6-7 years. It has however, set me on a strict timeline as to what I need to get done and the time frame I have to accomplish it in. Anything not done by that date will become the responsibility of K.C..
We had had a few concerns about pictures as Amanda had told us that one of her friends from the home was going to take them. We had decided that we would offer Amanda an 'assistant' to help her friend. It turns out her friend is unable to do pictures, I don't remember the reason why, and our church family has stepped in and will be assisting with pictures.
The oldest of my two girls will be coming in from Phoenix two days before the wedding and their help is going to be enlisted at that point for final preparations of setting up church, reception, helping with hair and makeup for the bridal attendants and umpteen other things that will be discovered that need to be done.
I have to say, one of the greatest blessings from this (besides gaining a new son-in-law) is knowing that no matter what I can count on family! Upon hearing how soon the wedding was K.C. immediately went into action and started making plans. It is just expected that family is there to help and my family never fails to step up without question. This goes for my immediate family and my church family. Amanda's wedding is a scant 43 days away and it is going to be beautiful and I cannot wait to share with all of you the fun, joy, tears, laughter and family times we will be having that weekend. In the meantime, I will try to keep you updated on anything that occurs.
Now the young man Amanda is marrying has no relationship with his family. Sad for him but he will soon have a very large extended family (hope he knows what he is getting into). So let me give you some of the ongoing wedding saga details so far.
When Amanda announced her date and was telling us who she wanted for attendants, etc. she said she wanted Lily to be one of her flower girls. This thrilled Lily immensely and she exclaimed: "I have been waiting my whole life for this!!" Remington, upon hearing that Amanda wanted him to be the ring bearer, had a little bit different response: "I better not have to wear those tight shoes!" He had previously been a ring bearer in another wedding and the memory of tight shoes at the age of three or four is still vivid for him evidently! Anytime the fact that he is wedding bearer is brought up he responds that he better not have to wear those tight shoes!
The day we went shopping for wedding dresses it was a girls day thing - Lily, K.C., Amanda and I. Amanda had issues that day and kept belching very loudly. Lily gave her some wedding advise - which is good advise for all brides-to-be: "If I was you I would try really hard not to burp on your wedding day". I think these are words every bride-to-be should listen to.
So K.C. and I have been busy taking Amanda's wishes and working on her wedding plans. We have taken her shopping two weekends in a row and have purchased almost all items needed for her wedding (although there are always extras that you don't think of). We have the baskets, ring bearer pillow, tuxes ordered, dress bought, flowers chosen and purchased, lists made and re-made and corrected and adjusted. Amanda calls weekly with changes - but they are minor ones that we are able to deal with.
Invitations have been printed and mailed. Upon receiving their invitation, Remington and Lily were thrilled with the reply card. After asking their mother what it was she replied "an RSVP card". They misunderstood this and are delighted to think that they are VIP for the wedding! They came over the other night and Lily handed me an envelope and said "here's your VIP card back." I replied "you didn't mark if you were coming." She looked at her mom and asked, "are we going to be there?"
I can't give away to many details of the wedding as we want the big day to be a surprise but let me tell you that I have been working on one project for the entire month of September every single minute I could. The majority of the project is done and waiting to be assembled but the hard part is over.
Now, in the midst of the wedding planning my doctor decided to schedule a surgery. Nothing to major - going to remove a bone from my wrist and release carpal tunnel at the same time. This will hopefully correct an ongoing issue with my wrist that I have been dealing with for the past 6-7 years. It has however, set me on a strict timeline as to what I need to get done and the time frame I have to accomplish it in. Anything not done by that date will become the responsibility of K.C..
We had had a few concerns about pictures as Amanda had told us that one of her friends from the home was going to take them. We had decided that we would offer Amanda an 'assistant' to help her friend. It turns out her friend is unable to do pictures, I don't remember the reason why, and our church family has stepped in and will be assisting with pictures.
The oldest of my two girls will be coming in from Phoenix two days before the wedding and their help is going to be enlisted at that point for final preparations of setting up church, reception, helping with hair and makeup for the bridal attendants and umpteen other things that will be discovered that need to be done.
I have to say, one of the greatest blessings from this (besides gaining a new son-in-law) is knowing that no matter what I can count on family! Upon hearing how soon the wedding was K.C. immediately went into action and started making plans. It is just expected that family is there to help and my family never fails to step up without question. This goes for my immediate family and my church family. Amanda's wedding is a scant 43 days away and it is going to be beautiful and I cannot wait to share with all of you the fun, joy, tears, laughter and family times we will be having that weekend. In the meantime, I will try to keep you updated on anything that occurs.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Getting Older is Not So Bad
A few years ago I visited my brother in Erie, PA. We hadn't seen each other for several years. I have three brothers and we are all scattered. Our parents have been deceased for thirty+ years so there is no "home" that calls us back together. I spent four or five days with my next-to-oldest brother and we had a great time. We went sight-seeing and he introduced me to lighthouses. They are awesome!
He loves lighthouses (told me that our oldest brother, who lives in Michigan, introduced him to lighthouses) and could not wait to show me some lighthouses in his area. It was so much fun going around looking. We drove over to Presque Isle and found the lighthouse there, then we found one there in town. One day we took a road trip and headed up to wine country towards New York. It was there that we found the lighthouse we want to buy! Yep, it was for sale and we have big plans for this lighthouse, let me tell you.
It was listed at $950,000. We went back to his house and made a few calls to see if anyone would help us out. No luck from our oldest brother - he didn't want to assist. A call to my husband back in Tulsa asking him resulted in something along the lines of "good luck with that". A text to my girls netted one person willing to help us out. And thank you Charlie -- you are still our contender to be our lighthouse keeper for your willingness to assist. Unfortunately, we have not been able to add very much to that quarter you offered that day but your heart was there so we still consider you in our plans.
We keep checking on this lighthouse and I believe it is now down to $750,000. It has a small house off to the side that we are going to let our lighthouse keeper (Charlie) live in. We want to fix up the lighthouse and rent it out for weekend getaways, weddings, etc. And my brother, being as generous as he is, has recommended it would be a good idea if my husband set up a Church's chicken store nearby so he would have something to do also. Yep, our plans are in place and my love of lighthouses was started.
Now, here in Oklahoma you don't see a lot of lighthouses. Go figure!. I typically receive a lighthouse calendar for Christmas and recently my BFF and her husband gave me several lighthouse paraphernalia that was her mothers. So I have lighthouse decor in my home.
My girls outdid themselves this year though. I came home from work yesterday and there was a big box from Amazon. I thought to myself: 'what is this? I'm pretty sure everything I have already ordered for Christmas has come in. The only other thing is the mint mold I just ordered and it wouldn't be in this big of a box.' So I opened the box and inside is another box plus a shipping label that says 'a gift from Tarinda Fallos'. So I send her a text asking if I need to wait to open it. She replies that since we are having our family celebration it would probably be best if I waited. So - I - did.
Finally - it's time to open my presents. I received some wonderful homemade gifts from Remington and Lily - they were very creative with boxes and markers. Lily made me a Bible carrier complete with a picture of Grampa and I and the words Jesus is cool printed inside (this is a box lid). Another box lid was decorated with a plate and cup marked on it; two holes in the back through which yarn was threaded so I could hang it over my neck -- this is a Food Tray - very useful for keeping the food close to your mouth. This can also be used as a baby carrier and also for those nights you don't want to miss any Duck Dynasty you can use the Food Tray for a baby changing station right in front of the TV. She also made a Whisper Game box. This is a box that goes over my head and I close my eyes. Two people then whisper in each ear and I have to guess who is whispering. Remington took three boxes stacked together and made me a bookcase - the small area in front is for small books like my Kindle and there is a box for medium books and one for large books. He also made a Pin The Tail on the Donkey game with a drawing of a donkey on a piece of cardboard and a smaller piece of cardboard with a thumbtack in it and a tail drawn on it. We all took turns playing this.
The the big gift from the girls! Finally!!!! They got me a lighthouse!!! It is a solar powered garden lighthouse. It is awesome! I put it out at the end of the sidewalk last night and cannot wait until tonight so I can see it lit up! So I finally have a lighthouse. I just know my brother will be jealous of me. LOL I have to take a picture tonight and send to him.
All in all I have had a great birthday week. Flowers and dinner from my BFF and her husband on Monday, Gary got me a new laptop (touchscreen Windows - awesome!!!) and Chris got me a new tablecloth and napkins.
Yep, I gotta say - getting older is good!
He loves lighthouses (told me that our oldest brother, who lives in Michigan, introduced him to lighthouses) and could not wait to show me some lighthouses in his area. It was so much fun going around looking. We drove over to Presque Isle and found the lighthouse there, then we found one there in town. One day we took a road trip and headed up to wine country towards New York. It was there that we found the lighthouse we want to buy! Yep, it was for sale and we have big plans for this lighthouse, let me tell you.
It was listed at $950,000. We went back to his house and made a few calls to see if anyone would help us out. No luck from our oldest brother - he didn't want to assist. A call to my husband back in Tulsa asking him resulted in something along the lines of "good luck with that". A text to my girls netted one person willing to help us out. And thank you Charlie -- you are still our contender to be our lighthouse keeper for your willingness to assist. Unfortunately, we have not been able to add very much to that quarter you offered that day but your heart was there so we still consider you in our plans.
We keep checking on this lighthouse and I believe it is now down to $750,000. It has a small house off to the side that we are going to let our lighthouse keeper (Charlie) live in. We want to fix up the lighthouse and rent it out for weekend getaways, weddings, etc. And my brother, being as generous as he is, has recommended it would be a good idea if my husband set up a Church's chicken store nearby so he would have something to do also. Yep, our plans are in place and my love of lighthouses was started.
Now, here in Oklahoma you don't see a lot of lighthouses. Go figure!. I typically receive a lighthouse calendar for Christmas and recently my BFF and her husband gave me several lighthouse paraphernalia that was her mothers. So I have lighthouse decor in my home.
My girls outdid themselves this year though. I came home from work yesterday and there was a big box from Amazon. I thought to myself: 'what is this? I'm pretty sure everything I have already ordered for Christmas has come in. The only other thing is the mint mold I just ordered and it wouldn't be in this big of a box.' So I opened the box and inside is another box plus a shipping label that says 'a gift from Tarinda Fallos'. So I send her a text asking if I need to wait to open it. She replies that since we are having our family celebration it would probably be best if I waited. So - I - did.
Finally - it's time to open my presents. I received some wonderful homemade gifts from Remington and Lily - they were very creative with boxes and markers. Lily made me a Bible carrier complete with a picture of Grampa and I and the words Jesus is cool printed inside (this is a box lid). Another box lid was decorated with a plate and cup marked on it; two holes in the back through which yarn was threaded so I could hang it over my neck -- this is a Food Tray - very useful for keeping the food close to your mouth. This can also be used as a baby carrier and also for those nights you don't want to miss any Duck Dynasty you can use the Food Tray for a baby changing station right in front of the TV. She also made a Whisper Game box. This is a box that goes over my head and I close my eyes. Two people then whisper in each ear and I have to guess who is whispering. Remington took three boxes stacked together and made me a bookcase - the small area in front is for small books like my Kindle and there is a box for medium books and one for large books. He also made a Pin The Tail on the Donkey game with a drawing of a donkey on a piece of cardboard and a smaller piece of cardboard with a thumbtack in it and a tail drawn on it. We all took turns playing this.
The the big gift from the girls! Finally!!!! They got me a lighthouse!!! It is a solar powered garden lighthouse. It is awesome! I put it out at the end of the sidewalk last night and cannot wait until tonight so I can see it lit up! So I finally have a lighthouse. I just know my brother will be jealous of me. LOL I have to take a picture tonight and send to him.
All in all I have had a great birthday week. Flowers and dinner from my BFF and her husband on Monday, Gary got me a new laptop (touchscreen Windows - awesome!!!) and Chris got me a new tablecloth and napkins.
Yep, I gotta say - getting older is good!
Thursday, September 12, 2013
What I Would Like To Say
Okay - I work for the IT Service Desk. I know you are all aware of that as I have done a couple of posts about some of my calls. This morning has not been the best of mornings call wise so thought I would make this post of how I would sometimes like to answer my calls.
If you call me and ask if you can speak to the Financial Aid office I will give you the number then go ahead and transfer you. What I feel like saying in response to the question: Can I speak to Financial Aid? "I don't care - you can if you want to." Perhaps, 'No, not today they have already taken all the calls they are allowed in one day.' Or maybe even, "I don't know. Can you?'
If you call and tell me "this is probably a stupid question". I say "not at all. How can I help you?" Some days I want to say, "if you think it's stupid it probably is." Or maybe, 'Then let's just keep it to yourself, I've had all the stupid questions I can handle for the day."
If you continuously tell me, 'I'm old, this is kinda hard for me to get the hang of." I want to respond, "Then don't even bother. If you are having this much trouble just accessing your email you will never make it in class." Or after looking at your account and seeing that you are under the age of 45, "Really, if you think you are 'old' then you must consider me ancient and I don't even consider myself ancient yet.'" Or maybe, " Hey, I'm 55 and I don't have the problems you are having. Perhaps going back to school is not the best idea for you."
When you tell me that you are 'special and have your own login'; I would like to say, "Trust me - you aren't that special. If you were you certainly wouldn't be calling me for assistance."
When you call me for assistance and have someone else 'helping' you I want to say, "Get over there on that computer and do this yourself. That is the only way you are going to know how to log in." Or perhaps even, "Is your mom (wife, boyfriend, husband, daughter) going to be taking that test for you also?"
When I ask, 'Have you logged onto a computer on campus?'; the response I expect is a yes or a no. When you start telling me that you just aren't sure I want to reply, "This is a pretty simple question. If this is difficult to answer, trust me, they are only going to get harder from here on out."
When you call and tell me that you cannot log onto the computer and it tells you to call; I will ask, "What does it say when you try to log in?" When you respond, 'It says it's not right' I want to say, "Liar, it does not say that!"
When I am trying to verify the answers to your security questions and you tell me, "Well, my mom was born in Cheyenne but I probably put in New York," I want to say: 'Why would you do that? That's not even the correct state.' Or maybe, 'Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Let's put in the name of a state thousands of miles away.'
And lastly, if you call and have extreme trouble logging into our programs and I look up your account and see that you are well past 70+ I want to tell you to just forget it! No one has enough patience to teach you how to use the computer at your age.
Thanks for letting me vent again today. Now I can face the rest of my day.
If you call me and ask if you can speak to the Financial Aid office I will give you the number then go ahead and transfer you. What I feel like saying in response to the question: Can I speak to Financial Aid? "I don't care - you can if you want to." Perhaps, 'No, not today they have already taken all the calls they are allowed in one day.' Or maybe even, "I don't know. Can you?'
If you call and tell me "this is probably a stupid question". I say "not at all. How can I help you?" Some days I want to say, "if you think it's stupid it probably is." Or maybe, 'Then let's just keep it to yourself, I've had all the stupid questions I can handle for the day."
If you continuously tell me, 'I'm old, this is kinda hard for me to get the hang of." I want to respond, "Then don't even bother. If you are having this much trouble just accessing your email you will never make it in class." Or after looking at your account and seeing that you are under the age of 45, "Really, if you think you are 'old' then you must consider me ancient and I don't even consider myself ancient yet.'" Or maybe, " Hey, I'm 55 and I don't have the problems you are having. Perhaps going back to school is not the best idea for you."
When you tell me that you are 'special and have your own login'; I would like to say, "Trust me - you aren't that special. If you were you certainly wouldn't be calling me for assistance."
When you call me for assistance and have someone else 'helping' you I want to say, "Get over there on that computer and do this yourself. That is the only way you are going to know how to log in." Or perhaps even, "Is your mom (wife, boyfriend, husband, daughter) going to be taking that test for you also?"
When I ask, 'Have you logged onto a computer on campus?'; the response I expect is a yes or a no. When you start telling me that you just aren't sure I want to reply, "This is a pretty simple question. If this is difficult to answer, trust me, they are only going to get harder from here on out."
When you call and tell me that you cannot log onto the computer and it tells you to call; I will ask, "What does it say when you try to log in?" When you respond, 'It says it's not right' I want to say, "Liar, it does not say that!"
When I am trying to verify the answers to your security questions and you tell me, "Well, my mom was born in Cheyenne but I probably put in New York," I want to say: 'Why would you do that? That's not even the correct state.' Or maybe, 'Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Let's put in the name of a state thousands of miles away.'
And lastly, if you call and have extreme trouble logging into our programs and I look up your account and see that you are well past 70+ I want to tell you to just forget it! No one has enough patience to teach you how to use the computer at your age.
Thanks for letting me vent again today. Now I can face the rest of my day.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Advice for Students
I think I have probably mentioned on here that I work at the IT Service Desk for our local College. We started Fall Semester about 3 weeks ago and after the calls I have taken the last few weeks I thought it would be a good idea to put this out there.
To students calling the IT Service Desk please take note.
It is wise to memorize your College Wide ID (CWID) number. If you are unable to remember this, then please write it down and keep it with you at all times. Anytime you call for assistance, this number is needed. Not to mention that you will need this number yourself to access different programs associated with your college education - most specifically the classes you take.
If you call for assistance, it is probably wise to be in front of a computer at the time of the call. This will make it much easier for you to log into the program we are trying to assist you with. If you are in your car it is a little bit difficult to assist you to log onto a computer.
Please note: the big blue screen you are looking at is called a computer. I will ask what you are trying to log into so I can be certain that I am giving you the correct log in information and I ask: What are you trying to log into? The correct answer would be: The computers on campus.
If I ask: Have you logged onto a computer on campus - do not respond: I can log into TED and Blackboard. Neither one of these have anything to do with the computer log on (the Big Blue Screen). And the Big Blue Screen is not know as logging onto our homepage. The homepage itself does not require any type of log in.
If you are calling for assistance, please take the time to listen to what I am saying. Do not ask me how to log in then proceed to tell me that you have three children, you walked two miles to work when you were pregnant and your children all came early, your mother is helping you pay for your classes and you want to get logged onto the computer so you can check your account balance and you know how to log into TED and Blackboard but your instructor said you have to log onto the computer also and you want to be certain that you know how to do everything because your mom is helping pay for your classes and you want to do this right (all said in one breath while also talking to the students in the hallway beside you). There is no way you can hear anything I am saying if you do not close your mouth and LISTEN.
Please remember that you called me for assistance. This is my job - helping people log into their email, the computer, TED and Blackboard. I know what the log in should be and the parameters that are required for each log in. You may think you are "special" and have a "different log in" but trust me - you probably don't.
Yes, you are correct, I am able to help you log into your email. Your college email! I cannot reset your password for Yahoo, Cox or any other email account you may have. Yes, I can help you log onto the computer. The computer on campus! I cannot help you log into your own computer. No, I do not know what your password is or how you have set your computer up. I can give you generic advise on your computer but I cannot touch your computer nor send one of my technicians to touch your computer.
If you call because you need your PIN reset or you do not know your CWID be aware that you will have to verify the answers to security questions you have set up. It is wise to set these up yourself and not have your mother, girlfriend or boyfriend do so for you. If you do not know the answers I will not be able to help you. It is important to remember exactly how you entered your answers. I cannot see the answers and can only type in what you tell me and see if it verifies. Typing in "stupid" answers because you are feeling silly isn't so smart six months later when you don't remember what you answered. If your mother set up your questions, you may not know her best friend's name. If your question is: in what city was your mother born - it is probably wise to answer it with the city in which she was born. Telling me that she was born in Tulsa but you probably entered Ponca City or even New York isn't going to help unless you actually did enter Ponca City or New York. It also is not wise to use what is my girlfriend's name as a security question. Especially if you call me a year later wanting your PIN reset and you 'don't remember who you were dating when you set up your questions.
If you cannot answer your security questions please do not get upset with me. It doesn't matter if your instructors know you or if everyone in DHS knows you or that you have run your own daycare business for 25 years and everyone in Tulsa knows you. Unless you can answer those questions - to me you are unknown.
And again -- please take the time to listen to me. You called me for assistance. I can only help if you will listen and do as I say.
To students calling the IT Service Desk please take note.
It is wise to memorize your College Wide ID (CWID) number. If you are unable to remember this, then please write it down and keep it with you at all times. Anytime you call for assistance, this number is needed. Not to mention that you will need this number yourself to access different programs associated with your college education - most specifically the classes you take.
If you call for assistance, it is probably wise to be in front of a computer at the time of the call. This will make it much easier for you to log into the program we are trying to assist you with. If you are in your car it is a little bit difficult to assist you to log onto a computer.
Please note: the big blue screen you are looking at is called a computer. I will ask what you are trying to log into so I can be certain that I am giving you the correct log in information and I ask: What are you trying to log into? The correct answer would be: The computers on campus.
If I ask: Have you logged onto a computer on campus - do not respond: I can log into TED and Blackboard. Neither one of these have anything to do with the computer log on (the Big Blue Screen). And the Big Blue Screen is not know as logging onto our homepage. The homepage itself does not require any type of log in.
If you are calling for assistance, please take the time to listen to what I am saying. Do not ask me how to log in then proceed to tell me that you have three children, you walked two miles to work when you were pregnant and your children all came early, your mother is helping you pay for your classes and you want to get logged onto the computer so you can check your account balance and you know how to log into TED and Blackboard but your instructor said you have to log onto the computer also and you want to be certain that you know how to do everything because your mom is helping pay for your classes and you want to do this right (all said in one breath while also talking to the students in the hallway beside you). There is no way you can hear anything I am saying if you do not close your mouth and LISTEN.
Please remember that you called me for assistance. This is my job - helping people log into their email, the computer, TED and Blackboard. I know what the log in should be and the parameters that are required for each log in. You may think you are "special" and have a "different log in" but trust me - you probably don't.
Yes, you are correct, I am able to help you log into your email. Your college email! I cannot reset your password for Yahoo, Cox or any other email account you may have. Yes, I can help you log onto the computer. The computer on campus! I cannot help you log into your own computer. No, I do not know what your password is or how you have set your computer up. I can give you generic advise on your computer but I cannot touch your computer nor send one of my technicians to touch your computer.
If you call because you need your PIN reset or you do not know your CWID be aware that you will have to verify the answers to security questions you have set up. It is wise to set these up yourself and not have your mother, girlfriend or boyfriend do so for you. If you do not know the answers I will not be able to help you. It is important to remember exactly how you entered your answers. I cannot see the answers and can only type in what you tell me and see if it verifies. Typing in "stupid" answers because you are feeling silly isn't so smart six months later when you don't remember what you answered. If your mother set up your questions, you may not know her best friend's name. If your question is: in what city was your mother born - it is probably wise to answer it with the city in which she was born. Telling me that she was born in Tulsa but you probably entered Ponca City or even New York isn't going to help unless you actually did enter Ponca City or New York. It also is not wise to use what is my girlfriend's name as a security question. Especially if you call me a year later wanting your PIN reset and you 'don't remember who you were dating when you set up your questions.
If you cannot answer your security questions please do not get upset with me. It doesn't matter if your instructors know you or if everyone in DHS knows you or that you have run your own daycare business for 25 years and everyone in Tulsa knows you. Unless you can answer those questions - to me you are unknown.
And again -- please take the time to listen to me. You called me for assistance. I can only help if you will listen and do as I say.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Favorite Memories
I wanted to share some of my favorite memories of my children and grandchildren. I promise not to bore you to much.
My oldest Tarinda: I love remembering Tarinda being Charlie's "other mother" when I was pregnant with K.C. We had just moved to Oklahoma, knew no one, had no family, Charlie was just a year old and I was pregnant and very sick. I would put Tarinda in the rocking chair, put Charlie in her lap and Tarinda would rock her to sleep while I rested. She would tell me when Charlie went to sleep so I could get up and put her to bed. I also love remembering her playing the piano. She is so musically gifted!
Charlie: I love remembering her with her doll Mollie Marie. I made Mollie for her and she took Mollie everywhere. I also love remembering how outgoing and friendly she was to everyone - she knew no stranger - still doesn't.
K.C.: One of my favoritest memories of her is watching her sneeze. She doesn't sneeze like most people. She does little bitty sneezes and always does 9-10 in a row. I love remembering her coming around the corner of the room and sneezing - with every sneeze she would jump up and her arms and legs would go out.
Amanda: I remember having tea parties with her. I don't think she really enjoyed them but she went along with me. I also remember one of the first long trips we took the kids on. We always gave them a roll of pennies or nickels and the money was theirs. Any time they made reference to how long it would be, etc. they had to give me one of their coins. Anything left at the end of the trip was theirs to keep. K.C. played Wheel of Fortune with Amanda and made her pay for the vowels she "bought". One time she made Amanda pay for vowels she had already bought.
Chris: I love remembering how he and I played football. We basically just tossed the ball back and forth. I always told him to 'go deep - that's what all the football players do'. This meant I threw the ball as far as I could and he would try to get it. When he threw it back to me if it was to far off he also had to go get it. He got plenty of exercise.
Richard: I love remembering how he spent time with us. I had a rocking chair that he called Grandma's chair. He wouldn't let anyone sit in it and always had me rock him to sleep every night. When they moved to Arizona he would call me and hide in the closet and whisper so his parents wouldn't know he had called.
Cady: I love remembering how she loved to play makeup. When we were playing in the pool she always had me get my hair wet so she could fix it 'flat like hers or BIG'. She has straight hair I have curly hair. She also liked to think of ways to make money, one year she sold tattoo's (her drawing on us with markers), one year she bought stickers and sold to us for 5 cents each, she also sold pretty rocks she found. Very entrepreneurial of her.
Remington: My bud -- love that he tells people I am his best friend. I He always wants to spend the weekend with me. I love that he likes to go to work with me on Saturday mornings if I have to work. I love how he believes I can do anything.
Jimmy and Billy: I know I shouldn't but it's kind of hard not to think of these two boys separately them being twins. They pretty much do things together. They have always called me 'little grandma' - they think I'm short. Recently they have switched that to 'toy grandma' - because I like to play with their toys. My favorite memory with them is playing video games - although for the most part they beat the pants off me!.
Lastly we have Lily: what can I say about her? My favorite memory with Lily is the time we went to a funeral. At the graveside she wanted to sit in the chairs. Her mother explained that the chairs were for immediate family. Although she was family she wasn't immediate family. On the way home we discussed immediate family - explaining that her parents and brother and even Grandma and Grampa could be considered immediate family. Her response was that she was going to ask Miss Judy if she could be her immediate family so she could have a chair at the funeral!
Most of all though, my favorite memory of all of them is laughter. I love hearing their laughter then and now.
My oldest Tarinda: I love remembering Tarinda being Charlie's "other mother" when I was pregnant with K.C. We had just moved to Oklahoma, knew no one, had no family, Charlie was just a year old and I was pregnant and very sick. I would put Tarinda in the rocking chair, put Charlie in her lap and Tarinda would rock her to sleep while I rested. She would tell me when Charlie went to sleep so I could get up and put her to bed. I also love remembering her playing the piano. She is so musically gifted!
Charlie: I love remembering her with her doll Mollie Marie. I made Mollie for her and she took Mollie everywhere. I also love remembering how outgoing and friendly she was to everyone - she knew no stranger - still doesn't.
K.C.: One of my favoritest memories of her is watching her sneeze. She doesn't sneeze like most people. She does little bitty sneezes and always does 9-10 in a row. I love remembering her coming around the corner of the room and sneezing - with every sneeze she would jump up and her arms and legs would go out.
Amanda: I remember having tea parties with her. I don't think she really enjoyed them but she went along with me. I also remember one of the first long trips we took the kids on. We always gave them a roll of pennies or nickels and the money was theirs. Any time they made reference to how long it would be, etc. they had to give me one of their coins. Anything left at the end of the trip was theirs to keep. K.C. played Wheel of Fortune with Amanda and made her pay for the vowels she "bought". One time she made Amanda pay for vowels she had already bought.
Chris: I love remembering how he and I played football. We basically just tossed the ball back and forth. I always told him to 'go deep - that's what all the football players do'. This meant I threw the ball as far as I could and he would try to get it. When he threw it back to me if it was to far off he also had to go get it. He got plenty of exercise.
Richard: I love remembering how he spent time with us. I had a rocking chair that he called Grandma's chair. He wouldn't let anyone sit in it and always had me rock him to sleep every night. When they moved to Arizona he would call me and hide in the closet and whisper so his parents wouldn't know he had called.
Cady: I love remembering how she loved to play makeup. When we were playing in the pool she always had me get my hair wet so she could fix it 'flat like hers or BIG'. She has straight hair I have curly hair. She also liked to think of ways to make money, one year she sold tattoo's (her drawing on us with markers), one year she bought stickers and sold to us for 5 cents each, she also sold pretty rocks she found. Very entrepreneurial of her.
Remington: My bud -- love that he tells people I am his best friend. I He always wants to spend the weekend with me. I love that he likes to go to work with me on Saturday mornings if I have to work. I love how he believes I can do anything.
Jimmy and Billy: I know I shouldn't but it's kind of hard not to think of these two boys separately them being twins. They pretty much do things together. They have always called me 'little grandma' - they think I'm short. Recently they have switched that to 'toy grandma' - because I like to play with their toys. My favorite memory with them is playing video games - although for the most part they beat the pants off me!.
Lastly we have Lily: what can I say about her? My favorite memory with Lily is the time we went to a funeral. At the graveside she wanted to sit in the chairs. Her mother explained that the chairs were for immediate family. Although she was family she wasn't immediate family. On the way home we discussed immediate family - explaining that her parents and brother and even Grandma and Grampa could be considered immediate family. Her response was that she was going to ask Miss Judy if she could be her immediate family so she could have a chair at the funeral!
Most of all though, my favorite memory of all of them is laughter. I love hearing their laughter then and now.
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