| I’m goingto defer to Black about World Wish Day because she was the one who “introduced”me to Make-A-Wish. Before that, if you said “make a wish” to me,I would’ve thought about blowing out candles on a birthday cake – not granting thewish of a child suffering from a critical illness. One of thefirst wishes Black told me about was a little boy who wanted to be “boss of theice cream man” so he could give away free ice cream to less fortunate kids. Hearing the passion as Black told the story, realizingit was about hope and joy, combined with the wish being about doing for others,was inspiring, heartwarming, and “evidence” of the power of a wish. And not just for the child but for their families,neighbors, community, and even strangers. (I’m so proud that as children, my daughters took it upon themselves tohave lemonade stands benefiting our localMake-A-Wish chapter.) |
| I have been involved with Make-A-Wish for decades and havealways felt it has done more for me than I can ever do for it, as it reminds methat my problems or frustrations are minuscule in the scheme of things. It is my “reality check” on life. (I recently found out there is science that supportshelping others is good for you, and recommend the book “Wonder Drug: 7 Scientifically Proven Ways That ServingOthers Is the Best Medicine for Yourself.“) Oh, and to answer your question: World Wish Day is celebrated on April 29 to mark the anniversary of the first wish, which was granted in 1980. But, when Tommy Austin first became buddies with young Chris Grecius, there was no way to know his wish would grow into a worldwide organization. |
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Blackassets.rebelmouse.ioEvery day is the perfect day to celebrate the power of a wish, but in celebration of World Wish Day … consider making a difference by making a donation.
| Oh, so many parents, myself included, can relate! Now that I’m an “empty nester”, there’s a part of me that misses being needed for something as straightforward as being their personal chauffeur. Right now, it may seem like it’s never going to end, but it goes by so quickly. Trust me. At the time, it would often drive (pun intended) me crazy, and I’d think about all the “lost hours” driving my daughter to volleyball practices and tournaments. But were they really lost, as I now miss that quiet time with her? |
| Not having children, I can only give you an “outsider’s” perspective. And, I know there are Uber-type transportation services for teenagers, although without doing extensive research on them, I cannot say whether I would have felt comfortable with my nieces using them. However, I remember that once Red’s youngest was old enough to drive, as were some of her friends, Red often replaced time chauffeuring with time worrying. At one time, I suggested making the car a “no cell-phone” zone — but explain that is what you charge for chauffeuring service. Now, I wonder if that should apply to adults, too. |
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Black assets.rebelmouse.io | I can relate. When my husband got fired, Black made me total up all our credit card debt, and I broke down in tears. The funny thing is that before she’d help me deal with it, she insisted on giving me a history lesson on credit cards. And although I love history, initially, I fought her. But I’m so glad she ignored me! To this day, understanding that the origin of credit cards wasn’t a line of credit but instead a convenience (to be paid in full every month) has made a huge difference. But that doesn’t answer your question. I think we all know how easy it is to rack up credit card debt. If you don't already have one, you need a monthly budget to see where you can cut back and apply those “savings” to pay down your credit card bills. Without making this a math class (not my favorite subject), I just memorized that after paying the minimums, I should apply any “extra” money to the credit cards with the highest interest rates (APRs). There’s nothing I can do about the past, but I can start making better decisions today. |
| I appreciate that “misery loves company,” and recognizing that we all are susceptible to overspending (Nicholas Cage took it to the extreme) helps explain why so many people carry credit card debt. If it makes you feel better, I got in debt over my head shortly after getting my M.B.A. (in International Finance, so I had no excuse). To the point where, although I was making a great salary in a corporate job, I had to take a second job waitressing on weekends to pay down the debt. Am I suggesting you get a second job? No. I am suggesting you look at the numbers and decide how best to “attack” them (maybe even consider debt consolidation to lower the overall interest rate you are paying). Some people suggest paying off the lowest balances first, but that is a psychological approach. As Red will tell you, I am pragmatic and prefer to crunch the numbers and come up with a realistic plan ... and set myself up for success. |
| Funny you should ask, as I remember getting ready for a garage sale of our mom’s things and coming across an old metal carrying basket that I thought was for milk bottles. Although my memory of our milkman is that he left the milk bottles in a small rectangular metal box outside our front door. Anyway, my best memory of fresh milk, especially chocolate milk, was going to Dairy Barn with our dad. It was a drive-through; we’d return the old bottles, get our deposit back, and pick up new ones. I have to admit that when my mom started to get milk at our local Waldbaum’s (anyone growing up on Long Island will remember them) in paper cartons, I thought it was a little sad. Plus, I didn’t think the milk tasted as good. A few years ago, I saw some old-fashioned milk bottles from 1836 Farms at my local Kroger, although it was more expensive, I bought one just because it reminded me of my youth. In fact, when I initially told Black I wasn’t sure I wanted to spend that much on milk, she suggested I could reuse the bottle as a vase. Which was a great idea because the bottle always makes me smile! |
| Since you mentioned your grandmother, which makes me feel old, you may have to ask her to explain what we meant when we teased Red, a redhead in a family of brunettes, about being the “milkman’s daughter”. Looking back, “milkmen” and dairy delivery services were ahead of their time. They delivered milk as well as other dairy products, and seem to be a precursor to Instacart, Amazon Fresh, and all the food delivery services. Not to mention, it was a way to reuse the glass milk bottles (remember, this was decades before recycling was a “thing”). Regardless, when we taught at KIPP Houston High School, I asked our students if they had ever heard of a milkman. (Most had not.) And then (of course), I followed up with an assortment of other questions … Can jobs become obsolete? What creates new opportunities? Do you think there may be jobs in the future that no one has ever heard of yet? What can you do to be prepared? So, if nothing else, I hope the milkman makes you stop and think. |
Don’t Expect A Compliment From A Sarcastic Sister — But Have A Comeback