Brenda
Monday, February 25, 2008
I"m so glad you had fun with your parents!!

Lois
Thursday, February 28, 2008
That is soo funny! I would have responded the same as Bobby. I hate big
scenes that involve me too, especially singing serenades.

Nigel
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Well played, Gutierrez gang ... well played ...

Teenage boy: WWII, wouldn't that have been the USSR?

Man: technicality  

Man: nah, you never know, they may want you all the more.  Of course if your wife isn't from the same country as you, they may not take you, since she might be spying for another country too.  So just be careful with the information you receive.  

Nathaniel: hmm.  interesting.   

 

And, so, now that February is here, we are thankful that January is over because boy was it stressful.  Now we have mostly happy things to look forward to this month (Valentine's day, my parent's coming to visit, etc.) and one little pesky thing tomorrow (Monday) when I have to have a minor surgery (biopsy really).  I only mention it on such a public forum to ask for prayer that this lump won't be cancerous and that I won't be so nervous about having this procedure done.  I need to go eat my last little meal before bedtime since I can't have anything tomorrow before the surgery.  Hope you all had a lovely weekend and a lovely beginning to the new week. 

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Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 - 30 Things I have learned from this week:

1. Running a conference is a thankless job, but when someone does stop to say thank you, it can make your day.  
2. Don't be offended when someone has a "better" way of doing things (especially when they don't really know what they are talking about). 
3. The art of being gracious isn't innate in most people.
4. You can say almost anything to a person as long as you are smiling and using a sugary sweet voice.  
5. There are some 17 year olds out there who are far more polite and responsible than many 40 year olds.
6. Smart people can be very stupid.
7. No matter how many times I sit through these lectures, I will never understand monism, gnosticism, or how physics ties into any of this.  
8. People only listen to the directions they feel like listening to.  
9. I am good at my job. 
10. Social skills are not natural for many people. 
11. Patience. 
12. That I am thankful that I was born with a word filter.
13. That I am thankful that we can't read each other's thoughts.  
14. How to treat people who are beneath me (or more accurately, how not to treat people who are beneath me) 
15. Although I don't fit in with these people, I have a whole load of friends who know and love me.  
16. I enjoy being in control of things like conferences.
17. I have to let go of control of little things so I don't go crazy.
18. As long as I am looking down at my cell phone while holding it, I can leave the room looking very important and escape any of the lectures.
19. There are some incredibly sweet people out there.  
20. Everyone has an interesting story.
21. People who talk too much aren't offended when you need to cut them off because you have to go.
22. I am no longer afraid to eat alone when I don't have anyone to sit with in a room full of people. 
23. Wireless Internet is such a gift!
24. If you nod and agree at the right times, you can fake that you understand what the other person is talking about.  
25. Some people can be unbelievably petty.
26. Other people can be unbelievably thankful.
27. Someone who normally annoys you can become your greatest ally at the most random times, and vise versa. 
28. Nobody likes someone who takes themselves too seriously.
29. Even the biggest mistakes are forgivable.
30. How to set boundaries for myself and not offer to do everything just because someone is hinting that I do.  

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Thursday, Jan 10, 2008 - A Strange Request

So right now I am completely overwhelmed with my work conference that is coming up in a week from Monday. (yikes, did I just write that, is it true?  Help!!)  Since I am their only employee, I have a lot of responsibilities and often wonder how I am going to get it all done in 10 days (is it really only 10 days away?  Help!!)  I am pretty sure I was less stressed for our wedding than I am now.
 
Anyways.
 
Part of my responsibility is to ensure that the guests and speakers are actually going to show up.  I say this lightly but believe you me, sometimes I forget that I am planning a conference for adults and not for children.  I'm only 25 and I know that I should not expect the conference hosts to pick me up from the airport when I attend.  But when I called a GROWN man the other day to see if his wife was coming along as well and happened to ask what his transportation plans were (big mistake by the way) he said that he had no idea and seemed surprised that I was not going to personally pick him up.  What did he want, for me to drive to the airport in a limo and escort him back to the conference. Oh, and don't forget the champagne in the car as well!  Or how about that man from Africa who asked me to book the ticket that we had offered reimburse him for, and $3,000 later tells me it is the wrong ticket and he didn't really want to go where he had asked me to fly him to.  Come on people!!  Give a girl a break here.  
 
But I think the strangest email I have gotten by far has come from one of our speakers.  This man is a missionary to an Indian tribe and has built up such a good relationship with his church that one of them has asked him to officiate the funeral of her dying mother.  Apparently it would be a great offense not to accept, and even stranger is that this funeral will last for four days.  So, in writing to me to explain this situation and that he might have to back out of his responsibilities as one of our conference speakers, this kind man asked that we all pray that this woman dies now rather than two weeks from now so that he can attend our conference.  I don't even know what to say to that.  I mean, seriously??  Doesn't that seem a bit odd to you?  I understand praying that the Lord takes someone quickly and without as much pain as possible, but that is a prayer for that individual, not for the pastor.
 
Hmm.  This conference is going to be a wild experience,  I can already tell.  But don't worry, I'll have my laptop at the conference and will be sure to give you only the juiciest stories from there.
 
If you think of it, pray for my sanity as I plan this conference, and, I don't think I am going to ask you to pray about the dying lady...it just doesn't seem right.

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Tuesday, Jan 8, 2008 - Daytime Television

Since I've been working from home this month (long story as to why), and since I am staying at a house that has television, I have had the opportunity to do something that I rarely get to do: watch tv in the middle of the day.  For all of you working folks out there, let me tell ya, you aren't missing much.  Aside from the sleazy soap operas (can you believe those are still on, I mean, don't you think they would have run out of story lines by like, 1990?) and the blah blah news, there are the crown jewels of daytime television -- the talk shows.  One word: yikes.  Today, for instance, while I was taking my lunch break, I had the privilege of watching the "Steve Wikos Show," or whatever his name is.  This former Jerry Springer body guard apparently realized that 1). anyone can host a talk show and be mildly successful and 2). there are not enough talk shows out there already so why not add his profound wisdom to the afternoon.  The topic?  Deadbeat Dads.  And what makes this talk show so unique?  Well, besides the fact that this is Jerry Springer's former body guard, he is also not afraid to tackle the tough issues and really tell it like it is.  He isn't afraid to humiliate his low life guests, and certainly isn't above making people cry.
 
I think maybe the saddest part of daytime television, however, is not the content of the shows, but the content of the commercials.  Every single one of them is for a trade or vocational school.  Some of them are more specific like how to become a nurse or a massage therapist, but the general message of these commercials is get off the couch and do something with your lives.  If I were in marketing, I think I would try to target those stay at home moms as well.  I mean think of the possibilities: diaper commercials, baby food, toys, the options are endless.  I guess that is saying a lot about our culture -- those who are home in the middle of the day are those who should be working, and those who would like to be home with their children are out trying to survive.
 
So, I guess I am thankful that I have job after all, and I suppose that I am happy that I don't have a tv with real channels, and I am possitively thankful that I do not plan my day around the Steve Wikos Show.  I mean you can only have so much of Jerry Springer's body guard in one day.

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Saturday, Jan 5, 2008  Welcome to The Gutierrez Gang!

Happy New Year and welcome to my Christmas gift from Nathaniel!  Isn't it just lovely? I've decided that if this whole ministry thing doesn't work out, Nathaniel could definitely build a career on web designs or something.  

Anyways, we are having a wonderful 2008 so far.  House sitting is so fun, especially when it is 30 miles north of where most of your responsibilities lie.  It is like being on a vacation - except for the fact that I have to work from home, but even that is delightful.  It reminds us a little bit of our honeymoon when we had a whole big condo to ourselves -- only without the beaches, the freedom from jobs, and we didn't have animals to take care of then, but still, you get the point.  

I haven't really formulated any official New Year's Resolutions, but I have general overall get healthy, read my Bible more, and spend less money goals.  Oh, and maybe blog a little more since I have this snazzy new website.  

Well, Nathaniel, Bailey and I welcome you to The Gutierrez Gang.  Here's to 2008!    

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