Today is not shaping up to be a good day in the market largely due to BAC's poor earnings (big miss). Richard Suttmeier (see link to right) has been a unflagging chronicler of what he saw as the risks to banks. Frankly, I do not believe that his insights have received the attention that they should have in the media. He's been warning of these issues since last fall. Now, one year later, these issues are unfolding. I have to admit, that I was early to the party. And...though I had done my research on MTG and had selected puts on which I would have been handsomely rewarded, I allowed myself to be swayed that somehow I had it wrong. That gets back to analysts bashing! Nevertheless, it was my decision to make, so I blame no one but myself. I think that due to my inexperience (which decreases as each day goes by!) it is hard to discern between conviction and stupidity/ignorance!
My SIL called me last evening. She said that there is a message on her machine that she believes belongs to me. (For some reason, Mark and I ended up with an unlisted number. She has the same last name as we). The message was from a man that received a note from me. What was this note about?
For many years, we would commute to our work along our backroads. One of the homes we passed by owned a beautiful big English Setter. We would see her traveling along on their property or laying under the fruit trees just beside the road. She was a Llewellyn, like Lucy. A llewellyn is a black and white setter with some liver colored spots. They are sometimes called tri-colors. The dog was so big, I actually thought it was a male.
I had not seen the dog in a while. I passed by their home on Monday, and I noted their address off the mail box. I intended to (and did) write a note to them telling them how much Mark and I enjoyed seeing their beautiful dog and that we genuinely missed seeing it. I shared my own loss of my two dogs. Mr. Foster's message was to thank me for the note (I've not heard it yet) and tell us that his Setter's name was Dolly. She's been gone for 2 years. Like Lucy, she lived to be 14. One of her favorite things to do was swim in the river. They have a German short haired pointer now (which Mark told me). They named her Dolly too! In the message he stated that Dolly pointer was not as pretty as Dolly setter!
The only other time I've sent a note of appreciation to a stranger who has enriched my life was to another home on that road. They had a beautiful fir tree which they decorated every year at Thanksgiving for the holiday season. Decorations were the small lights wound around and around the massive tree. I've lived out here for 22 years. That tree grew to a point where they needed a bucket truck to put up the lights. Driving by that tree every year from Thanksgiving to New Years and seeing it lit up every night was something that had become part of my life. Like Dolly, who I would always look for when I passed her home.
On the Saturday morning after I sent the note, there was a knock at my door. It was the man whose tree I had admired. He said that my note brought tears to his eyes. He wanted to come and thank me for it. In addition to decorating a tree, he and his wife also hosted a Christmas party with cookies and hot chocolate for nearby children. The volunteer firehouse Santa, arriving on the firetruck with lights and horns blaring, would also be there. I thanked him very much coming and the invitation. My children were beyond the age of Christmas parties. But my outreach was much appreciated by him, and his in turn, made me feel richly rewarded.
With e-mail and such, the handwritten note seems to be a lost art. It means something to most people to get a hand written note from you. I actually have a place that I keep notes that I get from people. Sometimes it is comforting go back and read positive things that people have said to you.
I hope that you'll take time in your busy day to think about someone who has touched your life--even a stranger (whose address you have some success in getting!)--and send them a handwritten note expressing what your appreciation on how they have touched your life.
My SIL called me last evening. She said that there is a message on her machine that she believes belongs to me. (For some reason, Mark and I ended up with an unlisted number. She has the same last name as we). The message was from a man that received a note from me. What was this note about?
For many years, we would commute to our work along our backroads. One of the homes we passed by owned a beautiful big English Setter. We would see her traveling along on their property or laying under the fruit trees just beside the road. She was a Llewellyn, like Lucy. A llewellyn is a black and white setter with some liver colored spots. They are sometimes called tri-colors. The dog was so big, I actually thought it was a male.
I had not seen the dog in a while. I passed by their home on Monday, and I noted their address off the mail box. I intended to (and did) write a note to them telling them how much Mark and I enjoyed seeing their beautiful dog and that we genuinely missed seeing it. I shared my own loss of my two dogs. Mr. Foster's message was to thank me for the note (I've not heard it yet) and tell us that his Setter's name was Dolly. She's been gone for 2 years. Like Lucy, she lived to be 14. One of her favorite things to do was swim in the river. They have a German short haired pointer now (which Mark told me). They named her Dolly too! In the message he stated that Dolly pointer was not as pretty as Dolly setter!
The only other time I've sent a note of appreciation to a stranger who has enriched my life was to another home on that road. They had a beautiful fir tree which they decorated every year at Thanksgiving for the holiday season. Decorations were the small lights wound around and around the massive tree. I've lived out here for 22 years. That tree grew to a point where they needed a bucket truck to put up the lights. Driving by that tree every year from Thanksgiving to New Years and seeing it lit up every night was something that had become part of my life. Like Dolly, who I would always look for when I passed her home.
On the Saturday morning after I sent the note, there was a knock at my door. It was the man whose tree I had admired. He said that my note brought tears to his eyes. He wanted to come and thank me for it. In addition to decorating a tree, he and his wife also hosted a Christmas party with cookies and hot chocolate for nearby children. The volunteer firehouse Santa, arriving on the firetruck with lights and horns blaring, would also be there. I thanked him very much coming and the invitation. My children were beyond the age of Christmas parties. But my outreach was much appreciated by him, and his in turn, made me feel richly rewarded.
With e-mail and such, the handwritten note seems to be a lost art. It means something to most people to get a hand written note from you. I actually have a place that I keep notes that I get from people. Sometimes it is comforting go back and read positive things that people have said to you.
I hope that you'll take time in your busy day to think about someone who has touched your life--even a stranger (whose address you have some success in getting!)--and send them a handwritten note expressing what your appreciation on how they have touched your life.
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1 comment:
Absolutely wonderful, wonderful advice.
F/C
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