Work is lousy but have a couple on me.

alaskaflyer

alaskaflyer

Final Approach
Joined
Feb 18, 2006
Messages
7,544
Location
Smith Valley, Nevada
Display Name
Display name:
Alaskaflyer
Lest any of you think that the life of a bureaucratic park ranger is all wine and roses...

It has been a really stressful week in a really stressful month. As I walked around several offices in the park today everyone seemed stressed out and edgy. Maybe something about spring and the upcoming summer chaos, I don't know. I've put in about 75 hours this week myself, and have driven the equivalent distance of Atlanta to St. Louis...twice, bouncing from Anchorage to Fairbanks and back again. Stamping out those little annoying fires that always seem to pop up in the life of a middle manager and swimming upstream in the flow of paper streaming from my inbox. Too bad they aren't real fires, now that I could look forward to :rofl: Anyway, a crappy week. Ya' know, when you let them pay you more money you have to trade in your horse for a desk. Sigh.

Anyway, a coworker today took one look at my face, went back to her office and emailed me this. Enjoy.

Subject: Life's Lessons

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar..... and the beer.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous, "Yes!"

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed!!!!!

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions--things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. "The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else--the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18!!!!!!!

There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal." "Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired, "What does the beer represent?"

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Thanks Richard!

I'm having one of "those weeks" too. Dealing with one of those golf balls...

Say, are you coming down for the Aviation Trade Show? Paul and I were thinking of going on Sunday (rather than Saturday). If you're flying, I can pick you up and you can borrow my Hyundai while you're in town.

--Kath
 
kath said:
Thanks Richard!

I'm having one of "those weeks" too. Dealing with one of those golf balls...

Say, are you coming down for the Aviation Trade Show? Paul and I were thinking of going on Sunday (rather than Saturday). If you're flying, I can pick you up and you can borrow my Hyundai while you're in town.

--Kath
Click to expand...

Thanks everyone. Now I just need to put it into action :redface:

Kath, see your PM!

Oh, and today's stress reliever. Taking pictures of a flat stanley for a little girl's class down in Nevada.
 
Sigh. Daydreaming...to a universe far, far away...
 

Attachments

  • Peale Island Ranger Station.kmz
    608 bytes · Views: 11
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top