Customer Service

Donald McKay kids at Rock Spot Climbing Gym

Please tell me this is a dream?  Please tell me that press 1 for "yes" and 2 for "no" is not my new reality?

Please tell me that there is no worse job in the world than a customer service representative?

And explain to me why today, April 7, 2015, ever single dealing I have with a company no matter how large or small, no matter the issue or problem, no matter the question or concern results in a very 'intimate' chat with a computer asking me to press the number 1 for totally dissatisfied and 5 for very satisfied.

Suddenly this seems to be the sum of my days and weeks and if you recall my last blog of over a month ago, when one thing breaks everything seems to follow.  I could put this another way but I will keep it polite.

So to break the monotony of customer service hell I left my little office and went to see my fourth graders at the Donald McKay School.  Nothing will pull you out of a funk better than 25 kids.  Last week I was actually with the entire fourth grade and we went on a field trip to an indoor climbing wall.

Sounds harmless enough.

Had to take three different subway lines.

Over 65 nine and ten year olds.

It was epic.

I was a wreck.

Did not lose a single child, parent or teacher.

Did I tell you I was a wreck?

The climbing gym was awesome!  The guys 'guiding' the kids were the best, handling this gang of fourth graders with a whole lot of humor and patience.  I lost mine on the blue line train an hour earlier.

I watched as the kids were separated into several groups and learned how to handle ropes, harnesses, caribeaners and climbing.  I saw so many personality traits exhibited on those climbing walls.  There was the thoughtful climber who evaluated every hand hold and step.  The 'full steam ahead' clambering up walls with 5.11 (that's a high degree of difficulty) rating with little regard of what to actually do once they were a few feet off the ground.  I have to give them credit for even trying.  

But the best and by far a very concrete observation was watching the kids who are educationally or emotionally challenged climb.  Kids who normally have a hard time staying focused would just not give up or give in.  Time after time they struggled with the climb; falling off or sliding down only to approach the wall again and again until they had mastered it.  Kids who in school have such a tough time in a classroom were the true "rock" stars.  It was amazing and demonstrated to me that these kids really do learn differently but given the right medium can be a success and champion.

I got to witness these kids in a magical moment of perseverance and success. Stuff like that doesn't happen often enough.

I'd rate the day and moment a 5!  I was completely satisfied.

It just doesn't get any better than that.

Climb On!  
- Wendy

#RunLikeAGirl

I wonder if I would have been as unlikely an athlete as I am had I been born at a different time? Title IX has created a world of opportunity for women and girls. I just missed that train.

But I just caught a later train!

Just before Christmas I entered a 5K road race at the last minute. I’m never sure on any given day if I really feel like being part of a road race. Truth be told, I don’t like all the preamble and pre-race energy. I’m all about the beer or banana at the end though! But a few of my famous running group, “The Fish Chicks” were running it and assured me a low key good time. I paid my entry fee and lined up with the 500 others to run through Salem, Massachusetts

Now I always love to run in Salem, a most interesting town given it’s infamous history. And even today, 2015, you are likely to see someone who insists they are a witch and their great great great great great grandmother was burned at the stake. Whew! Talk about baggage.

So I chugged along the streets of Salem and felt pretty good. In fact, I was feeling damn good although I had lost sight of the Chicks when the starting gun went off. I was in my own head and loving the day.

I crossed the finish line and ambled over to the board where the race results were posted. I didn’t want to seem anxious so I assumed a cool, could care less attitude, and looked up my name and placing within my new age group. Okay, this past birthday I had one of those years with a 0 and they are never good.

I was having trouble reading the results without my reading glasses. Damn! Why do they print this stuff so small?

And there it was….. Wendy Booker “4th out of 5” runners in my age group!

I felt dejected. I felt worthless. Here I ran a good race. I even ran harder than I am usually comfortable with. I ran fast! I don’t remember too many runners passing me and I certainly didn’t remember any old ladies flying past. God, I am so slow. Oh well.

That night I received a text from my running buddy Pixie. “You came in first!” I had no idea what she was talking about. I called her. “You came in first in your age group by over three minutes!” What was she talking about?

“They had you registered as a male runner!”

I learned a big lesson that day. Don’t ever underestimate your capabilities. Don’t ever think you are too old, too young, too slow. Don’t let life pass you by. Grab it by the tail, take a bite from that proverbial apple and see what happens! You will always be amazed!

Yeah, maybe I run like a girl that’s not important. What is important is that I run like a girl with Multiple Sclerosis! And we can do anything we want…it’s all a matter of choice. Come run with me!

Climb On!

- Wendy

Wendy Booker
Author, Speaker, and Life Adventurer

Gift of Time

ve to give presents. I get so tickled when I find that perfect something for someone that I can’t even wait for their birthday or Christmas to have them open it. I think there is a true art to being a good ‘gift-er’. You really have to immerse yourself in that person. Know what they love, their humor, their being. And when you do you will hit it out of the park every time. It’s awesome.

But this year I’m stumped.

My mother has seen 93 Yuletide seasons. As she has grown older she has liked the season less and less. I used to tell her to keep her “bah, humbug” to herself as I added more roping and ornaments to the house. I was still in that stage of hand writing Christmas cards, making disastrous ginger bread houses and baking cookies.

But over the years I too started to feel less of the joy of the season and more of the stress and materialistic undertones. I too look at the calendar and with a sigh see that Christmas is once again approaching. It’s all too much. The reason for the season long forgotten overtaken by layaway, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, car commercials and sales. Our expectations are high and when we can’t find the perfect tree, perfect family photo, perfect family we feel let down and disappointed.

Today I heard on NPR radio that when we long for something like a new computer or the latest iphone once we get it that feeling of total satisfaction and fulfillment lasts for less than a few hours.

But what will bring us long term and total fulfillment? Time spent with the people we love. Good friends and family in gratitude.

And there it was! The perfect gift for my almost 94 year old Mom!

Time

So I sprung her out of the old lady home and as I write this she is happily puttering in the kitchen. I have no other gift for her this year. She doesn’t want or need anything. For that matter neither do I.

I couldn’t be more fulfilled and more blessed and more excited about the Christmas present I have given and received….. the gift of time. Time just enjoying each other’s company and life long companionship. Time to reflect on the past, miss my Dad and life’s lessons learned.

Time; impossible to stop, hold, capture in a bottle but the most valuable of all commodities. Time with no distraction. Time to listen. Time to sing. Time to reflect. Time to love.

I hope you are able to give and receive the same gift from someone special in your life. It will be the best present ever!

“God Bless Us Everyone” - Tiny Tim

Climb On!

- Wendy

Wendy Booker
Author, Speaker, and Life Adventurer