mrtommy's house

2007-03-16T08:28:00.000-07:00

I sign up for all these inspirations, not that they just don't appear when they're needed, however, all the help I can get is always appreciated!!! Thanx Dr. John

Please Say 'Thank You'
Daily Inspiration
By Dr. John H. Sklare
Friday, March 16, 2007

Is it just me or did we used to be a lot more polite? People just don’t say Thank You like they used to. I was reminded of this just the other day as I was walking into a store when I noticed a woman struggling to push a baby stroller through the door. I immediately turned my walk into a sprint and rushed over to help. After I helped her through the doorway, she walked away without a word. I stood there and thought to myself, “You’re welcome!” Not a Thank You to be heard anywhere.
It seems to me that Thank You is two words that are sorely lacking in our vocabulary today. I’m not even going to try to guess why because I believe the reasons are very complicated. But I want to take this opportunity today to raise your awareness and suggest that we start a movement together. And that movement is to create a kinder and more grateful society. If you don’t currently do so, make today the day you begin to show appreciation by saying Thank You when someone does something kind or helpful for you. It only takes a moment and it will make you and the other person feel acknowledged and appreciated! When you’re driving and someone is kind enough to let you merge into the traffic in front of them, wave to them. Or if someone holds the door open for you as you approach with your hands full, thank him or her. It’s only a small step for man, but a step in the right direction nonetheless! With that said, I’d like to say Thank You for reading my column today!

Wishing You Great Health,
Dr. John H. Sklare

2007-03-10T22:03:00.000-08:00

Well, I've been a cross between disinterested, scattered, and depressed for a while. Thanks to my wife and a really good Psychologist, I've made moderate improvement in all the above. I take meds for AADD and alertness and it's like I've been released, whew!!!
The point to this is I need to become assertive again, but without my addictive and agressive personality showing up. I've spent the better part of the last 10 years believing that if I treat people the way I would be treated, everything would be just dandy....well, some parts yes and some not even close!! I met and married a wonderful woman;the problem is that when I met her, I brought me along. This is a healthy relationship for the both of us. This puts me in unchartered territory, never been there before....this takes love, paitence, tolerance, prayer and all the other stuff I am not accomplished in using on a daily/regular basis!!
While I do think God has a terrific sense of humor, He would not have brought me this far to not keep teaching me, I do have faith. I will continue to treat people well, remembering I'm not junk, stupid or a doormat, and giving Him all the praise and credit for all He gives me and allows me to give!! That's all now....always more later.....

2007-03-10T21:42:00.000-08:00

Hello again everyone!! Have you ever said " I really don't want to do that again" or " Nope, I'll never do that again in this lifetime"?? I've tried both sentences several times only to find out that you will and after wonder why you "dissed" the experiences.
Operating a bus/coach, remodeling and/or renovating my living space, working/performing maintainance on my personal vehicles, etc., etc., etc.!!!
I have always disliked the word "never", "perfect" also.
To sum up, I've completely redid my townhouse to sell it and move to Florida....circumstances changed and here I am, living in Chicago, working as a coach operator in Mt. Prospect and I will complete some minor maintainance on my wifes car; next week, with a little help, I will do the same to my car.
Just goes to show you, if you are interested, the only thing constant in life is change.....I never thought that would happen in my perfect life, LOL!!!!!!!!

2007-02-14T11:31:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, Sami the Claw has left the building. Sami was our biggest cat, but cancer has a way to whittle down the very best. Sami - 6/16/98 to 2/12/07 My wife writes:

My sweet Sami has gone over the Rainbow Bridge. :(He lost a lot of weight in the past month and was having a respiratory problem. When Daddy and I took him to the v*t, she was very concerned and gave him oxygen throughout the whole day, took some blood and then sent us to the Veterinary Specialty Center in Buffalo Grove.It did not take the vet on duty very long to tell us it was cancer. After a discussion, Tom and I and the vet decided that letting Sam go quickly and without pain, was the best option.He was such a brave boy. He looked up at me, rested his little head on my arm, and I stroked his soft fur until he was gone.It was very quick, very painless, and the vet, Barb, was the most caring and sweet woman! The best one I have ever met! She, above all else, made it easier. Her full explantion and kind words throughout, were the epitomy of what vet caring and service should be.And now Sami has joined Nick and Angel and Olivia and Purrs and Trouble, and his daddy Liebschen, as well as all the pups in the “ultimate kitty-play-park” just over the Rainbow Bridge.He will be missed like no words can ever express. But one thing I have learned is selfishness of humans is wrong in these awful times, and we have to let go and let God care for our babies when we as humans cannot anymore.My sweet baby Sam-I-am…I love you, Daddy loves you and Willie, above all will miss his playmate and Brofur.Have FUN up there!!!
Love, Mommy and Daddy

2007-01-24T09:23:00.000-08:00

I've been a bit down lately......I do know it'll pass and to use the "tools" for fools like me.....here's one of 'em....Thanx Dave!!!

ACCEPT CHANGE WITH A SMILE-----------------------------------------------Sooner or later, you'll experience a crisis in your life,and how you meet it will determine your future happiness and success.Since the beginning of time,everyone has been called upon to meet such a crisis. A closer look will show you that most "crisis situations"are opportunities to either advance or stay where you are.In fact, most changes in your life will take placeout of either "inspiration" or "desperation." Whatever comes your way,give it meaning and transform it into something of value.Your personal growth is the process of responding positively to change. A precious stone cannot be polished without friction,nor humanity perfected without trials. ----------------------------------------------------------©2007 by Max SteingartReproduce freely but maintain © notice. Sent By Dave Putnam: dputnam@interaccess.com

2006-12-09T12:37:00.000-08:00

Another script received....and worth sharing!!! Thanx again Dave!!

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET-----------------------------------------------------Visualize what you want.See it, feel it, believe in it.Your mind is your mental workshop.You can build anything you want in it. Make your mental blueprint and then begin construction.See things as you would have them be instead of as they are. Use your imagination to perceive your new realityeven when it's not fully materialized.Remember, you must first clearly see a thing in your mindbefore you can do it or have it. Your imagination will show you how to turn possibility into reality.The beginning of your success is in your imagination.First think, then organize your thoughts into plans.Then transform your thoughts into reality by taking some positive action. See the things you want as already yours.Think of them as yours, as belonging to you,as already in your possession.Picture yourself as having already achieved your goal. Dreams and ideas can cross continents and oceans.They go anywhere you can go.
@2006 Written by:MotivationMentor@aol.comReproduce freely but maintain © noticeSent By Dave Putnam: dputnam@interaccess.com

2006-11-19T00:38:00.000-08:00

This is Nicky....On Friday, 11/17, at 2 P. M., my wife and I allowed the Doctor and staff, who valiantly tried to care for and cure him, to end his suffering and send him over the Rainbow Bridge. Nicky was not able to overcome a severe bladder infection and pneumonia. He was @ 5 years old or so and he was my hero ( he answered to his name or his title). He was my sleep on my chest kitty, he head-butted me every day, purred and drooled when he was happy and had several questions and was a very opinionated member of the household. He also was nicknamed "Steve McQueen" for all of his 10-15 foot great escape attempts. I aquirred Nicky from the Otero's, he bit me the first time I touched him, it WAS love at first bite!! After I took him home, and a few hisses later, he and my other cat, Crybaby, got along famously. I was blessed to meet and marry Michelle, who was quite the cat collector herself. When we added a few kittys to our family, Nick had that look..."Why!?...Why do we need all the cats??!" Nicky got me, with all my fragility ( real and/or imagined) to this point...I really miss him. I had another pet who crossed over the Bridge, my Lapso-Terrier, Patches T. Puppy....I'll bet right after Nicky bit her they shared some stories.......God bless you Nicky....Life goes on!!

From Nicky: You've given me a special gift,So sorrowfully endowed,And through these last few cherished daysYour courage makes me proud But really, love is knowing When your best friend is in pain, And understanding earthly acts Will only be in vain. So looking deep into your eyes, Beyond, into your soul, I see in you the magic, that will Once more make me whole Your strength is why I've followed you,And chose you as my friend, And why I've loved you all these years...My partner 'til the end.Please, understand just what this gift, You've given, means to me, It gives me back the strength I've lost, And all my dignity. You take a stand on my behalf, For that is what friends do. And know that what you do is right, For I believe it too. Freeing me, not holding me here, Dear friend, you let me run, Once more a strong and steady cat, My pain and struggle done. And don't despair my passing, For I won't be far away, Forever here, within your heart, And memory I'll stay. I'll be there watching over you, Your ever faithful friend,"And in your memories I'll run,...a strong cat once again.

2006-06-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

Hi again!!! I receive this kind of script all the time . I have to share this one with you.

THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE BEGINS IN YOUR MIND--------------------------------------------------------------------------------It's not what you have, but what you enjoy that constitutes your abundance.Your real riches are riches in your head and heart. Wealth without enjoyment is little consolation.True satisfaction comes from appreciating what you have. There are two ways of being happy:you must either diminish your wants or augment your means.It's always better to appreciate things you cannot have than to have the things you cannot appreciate. Your riches will always lie within you,not in your material possessions.
------------------------------------------------------------------------©2006 by Max Steingart http://www.maxsteingart.com/Reproduce freely but maintain © notice Sent by Dave Putnam dputnam@interaccess.com

Thanks again Dave, for taking the time to put this together so it's influence can reach us.

2006-05-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

Hiya!! It's been a while, so I'll catch you all up on stuff that's been building up in this crowded brain. Tomorrow is the 35th birthday of my darling daughter, Kimmy!! I'll never forget her being born and all the other great, sorted, awful, happy, melancholy, sad, glad and otherwise noteworthy things that have gotten her and I to this moment right now....Happy Birthday my daughter!!!!
Now, moving right along, you all remember I said there was supposed scathing story about my former employer, the computer warehouse. Well, forget it.....I lived and so did they. The regional manager, in City of Industry, Ca., has no idea how all his seven warehouses are being messed up. He thinks they are all using his system and can't understand why mistakes happen!! It's just that he really cares!! I had trouble receiving my last check....He returned my call with actual concern and didn't understand why it wasn't happening. He works with, on a daily basis, seven warehouses (6 in the states & 1 in Canada) ....God bless him, he probably doesn't get paid enough for what he does.....Neither did I, that's why I left.
I just finished putting in two window A/C units. First summer in over five years w/o central air.
They fit just fine, heavier than I remember, but now in our cool apartment, I can relax w/ my wife Michelle and get ready for more every day excitement....Life is just life....We get to place the adjectives...More later....

2006-04-07T20:05:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, I got a new job....Same as the old job...I started driving a bus again...After @8 years away from it, it was like riding a bike and felt even better. The coach company has three names, for insurance and tax purposes, I work for all of them - Academy Coach, Pioneer Coach, and Colonial Coach. They contract pace routes, I do that during the week and I charter coach on the weekends. Twenty minutes of a driving audition and I'm driving from downtown hotels to O'Hare on the day before my first day of pace training...Only three days of that, and I'm on my own...Made a few nervous oopppsies, like driving to the wrong terminal, and the good news is, I'm good at this and the mistakes will go away!!
I'm too irked at the previous job to write about them yet, but it will be a doozie...At this writing they still haven't delivered my last paycheck, another story coming soon....Once a driver, always a driver, sounds okay to me. The more things change, the more they stay similar....Got to sleep now, got a shuttle at 5am.....

2005-12-18T09:27:00.000-08:00

A week before Christmas, and all thru the house, Michelle & Tom have colds, and coughing like a a two story house....ok, enough of that!!

The end of 2005 has arrived, almost, and it needs a few farewell words....All we have went through in the last 11 and 1/2 months were lessons we just had to learn!!! I think we could have caught a few of those lessons sooner, but then the impact and learned parts wouldn't have been so important. All we have gone through has gotten us to this moment.
The best part of any lesson is passing, passing on the experience, and waving goodbye!! NEXT!!
So, we want to wish all a passing grade to and for this years' experiences, a blessed holiday season, Merry Christmouse, Happy Harmonica, and and a Prosperous New Year!!!
God bless you, one and all!!!!

2005-10-26T01:57:00.000-07:00

So we were going to move to Florida.....You ever get that "message", but don't hear it until it's a scream, a loud, expensive, a I've been trying to tell you, a now look what you've done type of "message"....We did on Labor Day weekend.
We had sold the townhouse in Bolingbrook, an up and coming area, and with the clock ticking, off we went to pompano Beach, Florida, for an apartment search and a job interview on the 6th, not to mention the weather was going to be great. However this trip was a cluster*$!!k from the beginning!!! We flew out from O'Hare at 6 a.m.( which is the way to get "there"), and we landed at 10 a.m. and the car rental place gave us no satisfaction until Monday evening, (yep, that was two days w/o a vehicle) ;it turned out to be my banking error and I misunderstood the rental agent and got angry. We all know that getting angry closes the major ear canals and nothing could be heard until Monday nite (thank God for friends like Jimmy B., our chauffeur for the better part of two days) when we were finally accommodated thanks to Mom and Western Union. Let me tell you about the 5 star resort we stayed at....It was the "hit" of the trip and we will stay at Fairfield's Palm Aire Resort again if we have the opportunity.
On Tuesday morning, it got a little better yet. I had a job interview in pompano, about 10 minutes from the resort we were staying at. It was a staffing company and it was a winner!! My placement councilor could place me in a driving position, at better money than I expected, when we returned to Florida for real at the end of September. Thanking him, I returned to the Resort and we started our apartment nightmare, I mean search....Okay, it wasn't painful, but arduous and at first, kinda scary. A lot of those places in those free rental books were either booked full or they actually laughed at us and said all the rentals are "condoing" and we should have called or gone to a rental agency. We were exhausted and, still not hearing the "message" went out with Jimmy B. For a meeting and dinner at Dave and Busters.
We continued our quest on Wednesday in pompano at Whispering Isles, an apartment complex about 5 minutes from the resort. We met Joyce, the complex manager, who showed us a real nice apartment. She also told us to contact Rent-Free, an agency that finds apartments and homes...Just what the doctor ordered!!Still, no "message" was being heard.
Our rent free agent Cheryl, asked what we wanted and she delivered; eventually she showed us 3 apartments after she worked the phones for an hour or so. I liked the first and the third, Shel was starting to hear the "message", but chalked it up to nerves. We wound up signing a contract for the third showing, a small 2 br apartment in Oakland Park, put a deposit, .....Whew!!! Home at last!!! And for Shel, The noise was deafening!!! The "message" was coming through.
On Wednesday evening we spent a somewhat quiet evening at the resort, I called my Mom and I told her about our good fortune, and she told us how she had to help my sister clean and replace the globes on a ceiling fixture, she was standing on a chair, in the kitchen, she's 82 years old, and the noise got louder!!!
Thursday morning came quickly and by 11 a.m. we cancelled the apartment deal, we lost a substantial deposit, but the lesson was learned, message complete...Finally!!!!!
We left on Thursday evening, had to take a connecting flight in Dallas/Ft. Worth, and came home exhausted and wondering why we didn't get it sooner.....my parents are 85 & 82 respectively, Shel's dad is in his middle 70's, we were going to leave some deep friendships, with a lot of kitties(6), and only one or two established friends we could count on, what if we had to rush back?? more than once?? would the job stand for that?? who would watch the cats??
We restarted our plans, got a nice apartment near our parents, I've finally got multiple job interviews, and we managed to stay within our comfort zone with family, friends, and ourselves.
Now, on to the next message....!!

2005-10-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

We have 9 grandchildren:Mike, Eva, Zac, Alex, Shawn, Mike, Jay, Caetie and Megan. We also have 2 grand-pups and at least 4 grand-kitties!! Let's just concentrate on the human side of the equation for now. My children were busy:)!!!! I get a humble pleasure any time we get to spend time with them. My wife is new to the g-parenting thing, but learned a lot this summer, the summer of the grandkids, well, 6 of 'em anyway!
My daughter Kimmy and her s.o./housemates Lisa and Jon, have 3 children each. We, Michelle and I, took the 6 in 2 child increments, over the course of the summer. Among the things we learned from these experiences were to never allow the childrens mom to forget any medication, not to feed children before the 45 to 90 minute ride between the homes (they live in Lake Geneva,WI., we were living in Bolingbrook, IL.) as to avoid projectile vomiting. And of course, there is always the I'm bored thing or the defiant misunderstandings.
There were several great moments, their energy, their knowledge, their imagination, and 6 distinct personalities. There was also several decisions we made during and after the 3 visits.....
after the first set of children, Jay and Shawn,(referred to as the Devil Twins by my daughter Kimmy in her blog, khayes3819@blogspot.com) we will not be conceiving any children of our own, they have way too much energy for us, not that we're old and slow or bored, we'd rather not at this time.
Whew!! I think I need a nap just thinking about them!!! The second set of g-kids were Mike and Alex, accompanied by Abbie, a child of a friend. Abbie met Alex at our wedding and they kinda, sorta, had/have a crush on each other. This set of g-kids taught us to make sure we have a good supply of paper towels and spray cleaner in the car....I did mention projectile vomiting earlier!!!
This threesome were particularly helpful in some household clean-up and packing chores too.They were the only group to make the park district pool also!! Their self professed goal was to out do the Devil Twins....But settled in being better!
The third group were the girls, Caetie and Megan. Shel, Megan and Caetie hung together and bonded through the week. Megan had a loose tooth, the start of bankrupting the tooth fairy was forming in her mind!! Caetie got a pig kitchen, but didn't get the opportunity to use her own kitchen talents this time!I felt a little off this week (stress from selling the townhouse and being unemployed), while enjoying their company, I was preoccupied with little stuff, my bad!! We learned to realize it's all small stuff and don't sweat it!!!
And so the summer ended with the promise of Palm Trees in our future.....We wound up not moving to Florida....Yet!! But that is another chapter....One chapter at a time!!
The g-children showed us a lot of love, laughter, and larceny! One of the best things, for me, was that they all got to spend time with my mom, their great g-ma! The hearts were floating out of her heart and head...It doesn't get any better!!

2005-08-19T00:08:00.000-07:00

I'm Amazed!!! My position at the job I was working at was terminated on May 24th, 2005. I felt like a buffoon, a 54 year old complete failure, and sorta like Steve Martin looked like in "the Jerk". I walked from 208 S. Jefferson St. (Adams & Jefferson, Chicago, IL.) to Madison & Jefferson with what my wife calls my "man purse" buldging, couldn't zip it completely shut, and a small box overflowing with my stuff from my desk that was terminated with me.
My wife didn't quite understand when I told her they let me go; she thought that meant early for the day. She was tired and asked me to train it home. I stopped by the obliatory few places and said my buh byes and took the bus to the swift and at the end where she picked me up she asked " what's all that??" I said when they ask you to leave you gotta take it all!! And the light bulb went on and the mouth dropped...You know!!
Now, the amazement begins!!! Shel and I had discussed moving to Florida in about two years or so. So here is what happened.....We decided to do it now!!! But first, there was a lot of work to do. My condo/ townhouse had been in so-so condition soon after a would-be relationship bit the dust. I just sorta used two rooms and had resigned from keeping it clean and kept club for a while then. When shel & I met we cleaned it up sorta and lived in 3 &1/2 rooms and I lamented I could fix it up if I had time. ( I was working 9 to 11 hours daily) Yes, God does have a sense of humor after all!!!
On May 30th, I prayed for the greatest good for all concerned and I began the task of remodeling this wreck into something we could sell and move on to better things. I got some help from John with the beginnings of a ceramic tile floor in my living room, dining room, and hallway to the kitchen, Sam came in for some pipe work and great fellowship;I washed and painted with my Shelly and another friend, Shannon, who stopped in for a couple of hours, and Harry came by to cheer me on and make sure I had enough supplies. Eight rooms, some small, some quite big, 1314 square feet of remodeling, and how most people put up with me, I'll never know.
On August 15th, 77 days fom start to finish, the condo went on the market at @ 8 pm.
On August 18th, at 630 pm the papers had been signed, the bid accepted and the closing was set for the day before my 55th birthday. It all happened in God's time, not mine, and the feeling of inaptitude was replaced by gratitude, humility and amazement. He sure does good work, but only when help is asked for!!!
And now, on to Florida!!!!....More amazement later.....

2005-08-04T23:31:00.000-07:00

me doing the "queens wave"

2005-08-04T23:29:00.000-07:00

my wife and I on our honeymoon

2005-08-03T23:30:00.000-07:00

How does one find out.....I was a drunk for years before I found out...And then, what to do??
a) stop
b) stop after ALL the money is securely drunk up
c) keep drinking...It doesn't matter
d) crash, lose more than you thought, then more than you planned, and finally lose it all...It didn't matter then either.
It doesn't matter....My third AA sponsor showed me a video starring Tim Conway, who playing the role of a Baptist minister, turned a family man with good values into a raging alcoholic by introducing him to rum balls at the church Christmas party. He lost everything, but he still corresponded with the sot. Every Christmas, the minister received a postcard with the picture of a local bloodbank on the face. On the message side the line read, "It doesn't Matter!".
I found out early in my recovery that it does matter. I was not asked to do anything I couldn't. A jovial Greeter-fellow at the church basement AA meeting I was walking into told me that. He said " We're only asking you to change everything you do".
That was about 14+ years ago, give or take a month or two. I did what I was told. I changed everything, just not all at once. It took immeasurable time and effort not to drink in the early months ( it still is only one day at a time ) . Those fellows told me that I could choose a "God concept of my understanding...WOW, what an idea!!! They said, "Keep coming back!!"
Nobody ever told me that without a sacastic tone, until then. When I made the decision to change, change happened!!
I am a recovering alcoholic & addict, quit smoking after 28 years of 2 -3 packs a day(13+ years now), finally found the love of my life in a recovery setting (after two divorces and a couple of so-so romances), found out I suffered from depression, AADD, and diabetes (all very controllable with the correct meds), and got fired for the second time in my 38 year working career.
How does one find out...By living one day at a time and choosing to accept anything that happens to happen in that time period. I have a loving God in my life, not a "religious" one, but a spiritual one. I am loved and I can love back.
How does one find out......It doesn't matter....I'm really grateful I chose to find that out!!