Hap Pianniversary!

Today is the 5 year anniversary of bloggisode #1!  What a journey!  In that first post I imagined what grand parenting would be like. I fantasized about holding a little girl that didn't yet have a name. And now, I have two darling grandgirls!  I hope you've enjoyed my silly rants and introspective banter. I know I've learned a great deal in the process! 

In honor of this occasion, I've asked The Colonel, one of my dearest friends, to write today's blog.  

With Faith galore!  ~Shugie

ps- Thx Colonel!

I am a guest blogger, not Shugie…

 

I sent a text to Shugie yesterday to congratulate her on this day, Monday, August 25^th, on five years of blogging.  Wow! What an accomplishment to write for five years concerning all sorts of matters in one’s personal life.  We’ve all read about The Grandgirls, The Boys, her family, her workplace characters and happenings, some cleverly disguised and lightly touched upon personal life stories, and I could go on…  You know the drill.  Anyway, Shugie texted me back, thanked me, and asked me to write how her blog has affected me as a reader over these five years.

 

So a little about me; I am an avid Reader of the blog, frequent Discussor with Shugie about her postings, and sometime Commenter.   Whether I comment or not, I always take stock of my own life and situations when I read the blogs.  Oh, and I don’t call her Shugie, I call her The Director.  “Shugie,” I know is reserved for a very special select few.  So I’ll go with The Director hereafter.  I gave her that name after she started calling me The Colonel over five years when we meet, yes I was a Colonel when we met but I’ve since retired, The Director still calls me that though.  In fairness, I call her The Director.

 

As mentioned, I met the Director over five years ago.  It was interesting how we met, I’m certain fate with a little help from Myers-Briggs helped.  I have been a big fan of Myers-Briggs for many, many years.  In the military, I’ve taken the tests may times and the HR types host them and explain the process, meanings, and collaboration styles and techniques in dealing with the other types.  Like any workplace, collaboration in the military is a big deal, people depend on it.  So I’m an ESTJ, a retired military officer, no surprise there.  Anyway, The Director has identified herself on a recent blog as an ISFJ.  To my surprise and delight, I now had someone, and an expert, to allow me to be the inner Myers-Briggs geek that I am.  We still reference Myers-Briggs personality types in our discussions and solution-searching banter.  When we first met she gave me the Myers-Briggs test, perhaps to be sure I was an ESTJ, and that she had an initial aversion to my ESTJ label…for good reasons I’ll add. 

 

I soon grew on her, and she on me.  This ISFJ accepted me as an ESTJ.  We focused on our common “S” and “J.”  She liked how my “E” could “work the room” and keep her as my primary focus.  I liked her “I” and quiet times to recharge from a crazy “E” day.  My “T” kept us on a logical path, while her “F” took us off the path and onto adventure.  Yeah, that warning sign there, really doesn’t mean anything…

 

The Director has a devilish, yet sheepish look about her when she wants something, and perhaps something she knows she shouldn’t have, or get her way with.  The accompanying smile and laugh burns through any determination a man puts up.  It’s all really a pointless and futile attempt to out-smart, out-think, or out-determine The Director.  Accept that you lose here, and you win…  A good motto for any man when it comes to women, I think just a couple books have been written on that…

 

The Director’s blogs are full of other insightful lessons, that if we listen close enough and apply those lessons she teaches us, we come away with a better sense of ourselves.  That’s the “little-i” I have learned to develop from knowing The Director.  One must look inward to determine one’s path, all external influences and barriers are just noise…if you let them.  Ignore the noise, listen to the clarity of your own mind and thoughts.  James Allen, an English 18^th century philosophical writer states in his opening of “Serenity,” “Calmness of the mind is one of the most beautiful jewels of wisdom. It is the result of long and patient effort in self-control. Its presence is an indication of ripened experience, and of a more than ordinary knowledge of the laws and operations of thought.”

 

The Director speaks of her pride in her boys, who they have matured into fine and responsible men.  Mine are in high school now, the blogs give me hope that my boys will one day move away from childish immaturity and into outstanding men.  I’ve had the opportunity to speak with one of The Director’s boys, such an honor to see and listen to this man wiser than his years.  The Director speaks of her pride of her military father.  I have a military father, fortunately he is still with me.  I know our years together on this Earth are numbered and I wish to express the pride I have in him as The Director reminds us of her pride in her father.  She reminds us to communicate with family and friends because it will be over before you are ready.  In a New York Minute…

 

She reminds us to live and laugh.  If my dog got into a gallon of white paint and smeared it all over the laundry room, I don’t think I could laugh…but I’ll laugh with her when her dog does it. 

 

The Director reminds us of all the good in life, to be protective of your loved ones whether it’s a scrape on the knee to clearing a building of a potential hostile person.  Protect and honor those you love, and they will love you back for it.  Laugh until your belly hurts, if you’re a “T” break a rule or two, enjoy the positive and soul-fulfilling “E” and “I” in all of us.  But if you’re a “P,” I’ll hope that you’re a “J” later in life…lol.

 

Thanks Director for this opportunity, much luv, The Colonel.