The job is not even close to rocket science and any kid in high school could easily handle it. It made me think.... why was I doing this job... wasn't there some other task I could be doing that was more important??

My conclusion was no. My task of the moment was important for lots of reasons that I could think of. The first was it was enjoyable for me to do it. It gave me a chance to listen to the birds and observe the beauty of nature around me. It was a chance to be alone without a phone or other distractions around me.

It also gave me a chance to think of improvements and additions that we may add in the future. I also gazed over the fence and dreamed a little of the new studio and house we will build there soon.

It also was an important job to do absolutely right. A while later the facility was busy with lots of folks who come here to have a fun time together with family and friends. And I can't think of a more important task than providing such a place for people.

I enjoy most of the things I get to do, whether it is designing and building a huge creative project involving a large crew or just doing the ordinary maintenance stuff that we all have to do once in a while.

That is what life is all about- the joy we take in what we do. That is what makes even the smallest task important.

-dan

------------------
Dan Sawatzky
Sawatzky's Imagination Corporation
Cultus Lake , British Columbia
dan@imaginationcorporation.ca

www.imaginationcorporation.ca www.giggleridge.com

"Isn't it great to do what you love and love what you do!"

------------------
LazyEdna
in RL known as Sara Straw
from southern Utah
5 National Parks within 3 hours drive
Red Rock Heaven

------------------
Adrienne Morgan
Splash Signs
www.splashsigns.com
"Rainkatt'on chat

Benicia, CA
707-550-4553
adrienne@splashsigns.com

This just came in my email today. It's an oldie but a goodie. And suits this post.

BTW Dan, good for you to appreciate the beauty around you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer
of my sister's bureau and lifted
out a tissue-wrapped package. "This," he
said, "is not a slip. This is
lingerie." He discarded the tissue and
handed me the slip. It was
exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed with
a Cobweb of lace. The price tag
with an astronomical figure on it was
still attached. "Jan bought this the
first time we went to New York, at least 8
or 9 years ago. She never wore
it. She was saving it for a special occasion.
Well, I guess this is the
occasion."

He took the slip from me and
put it on the bed with the other
clothes we were taking to the mortician.
His hands lingered on the soft
material for a moment, then he slammed the
drawer shut and turned to me.
"Don't ever save anything for a special occasion.
Every day you're alive is a special
occasion!"

I remembered those words
through the funeral and the days that
followed when I helped him and my
niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death. I
thought about them on the plane returning
to California from the Midwestern
town where my sister's family lives. I
thought about all the things that
she hadn't seen or heard or done. I
thought about the things that she had
done without realizing that they were
special.

I am still thinking about
his words, and they have changed my life.
I am reading more and dusting
less. I am sitting on the deck and
admiring the view without fussing about
the weeds in the garden. I am spending
more time with my family and
friends
and less time in committee meetings.
Whenever possible, life should be a
pattern of experience to savor, not to
endure. I am trying to recognize
these moments now and cherish them. I am
not "saving" anything: we use our
good china and crystal for every special
event- such as losing a pound,
getting the sink unstopped, the first
camellia blossom. If we break
something, we can say it was "well used"
and then laugh about it. I wear my good
blazer to the market if I want to.
My theory is if I look prosperous, I can
shell out $28.49 for one small bag
of groceries without wincing. I'm not
saving my good perfume for special
parties; clerks in hardware stores and
tellers in banks have noses that
function as well as my party-going
friends.

"Someday" and "one of these
days" are losing their grip on my
vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or
hearing or doing, I want to see and hear
and do it now. I'm not sure what
my sister would've done had she known that
she wouldn't be here for the
tomorrow we all take for granted. I
think she would have called family
members and a few close friends. She
might have called a few former
friends
to apologize and mend fences for past
squabbles. I like to think she would
have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her
favorite food. I'm guessing -I'll
never know. It's those little things left
undone that would make me angry
if I knew that my hours were limited.
Angry because I put off seeing good
friends whom I was going to get in touch
with-someday. Angry because I
hadn't written certain letters that I
intended to write one of these days.
Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my
husband often enough how much I truly
love him. I'm trying very hard not to put
off, hold back, or save anything
that would add laughter and luster to our
lives. And every morning when I
open my eyes, I tell myself that it is
special. Every day, every minute,
every breath truly is a gift from God.

You've got to dance like nobody's
watching, and love like it's never going
to hurt...."People say true friends must
always hold hands, but true
friends
don't need to hold hands because they know
the other hand will always be
there."

------------------
Graphic Impact
Abbotsford, BC, Canada
gisigns@sprint.ca

I spent the earlier part of the day lounging on the beach and jetskiing..

Then when the breeze kicked up in the afternoon and cooled us off a few degrees (it was 105+ here today) I worked on a personal fiberglass project, building a prototype part for my truck.

Just a nice enjoyable day not worrying about getting any real work done.

------------------
Mike Pipes
Digital Illusion Custom Graphics
Lake Havasu City, AZ
http://www.stickerpimp.com

All I have done so far today, is wake up, take a shower and check out the BullBoard. All three are important in their own way, but for me, waking up is the most important thing I do every day.

------------------
Don Hulsey
Strokes by DON signs
Utica, KY
270-275-9552
sbdsigns@aol.com

Yes, what I did was important today.

Saturday Morning May 12
My daughter graduated college. I was watching and clapping as she received her diploma. Illinois State University /
Major: Animal biology

Saturday Afternoon May 12

My first baseball game as head coach. We are the Bronco White Soxs (P.O.N.Y. 11 & 12 year olds)

My kids played their hearts out. We were tied at 8 to 8 in the six inning. Then in the bottom of the 6th, the other team hit a 3 run tripple. We lost 11-8 as the game reached the 2 hour limit and we had to stop.

Well, that's baseball, anything can happen and usually does.

But what was more important than winning was my part in keeping the boy's heads in the game when they felt bad for throwing a wild pitch or not catching that fly ball and of course the big "K" at bat (strike out not swinging)

I did better than I thought I would. I shook their hands, gave 'em a hug...(not that kind of hug) and brought their spirits back up. I can do this! I wasn't sure if I could. I didn't know how I would handel a kid losing it emotionally, but some preventative mind bending on my part seem to keep their emotions in check. I kept them from throwing the bats and helmuts when they struck out, sat on the bench and showed them how to keep the book, got the extra players to be the 1st and 3rd base coaches...and they did great!

We lost...but we had fun, we had a lot of fun.

It was a very good day. It was a very important day in my life and I will treasure this one forever.

------------------
surf or MoJo on mirc
Cheryl J Nordby
Signs by Cheryl
(206) 300-0153
Seattle WA.....!
signsbycheryl@hotmail.com
A day without sunshine is like, you know...night http://signsbycheryl.homestead.com/home.html
http://mojosignco.homestead.com/home.html

From sharp minds come sharp products

------------------
joe pribish-A SIGN MINT
2811 longleaf Dr.
pensacola, fl 32526
850-944-5060
BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND

This week, the water tastes better, the air smells cleaner and music sounds better than it ever has before ( I also yell "MASTERPIECE" when I finish each sign-HA).

I've redone 2 jobs today because I can't keep my mind on my work and I don't even give a damn!

Ain't love grand?

------------------
Mike Duncan
Lettercraft Signs
Alexandria VA