Thursday Gee Time - Part III

The word has gotten out that I'm great at fixing things on computers -- not sure where that came from but I welcome the challenge! So today I met with a wonderful friend of mine (who hosted last month's book club), to work on her computer. I fixed the easy stuff but am getting an odd message from her virus protection software (Trend Micro Internet Security) that I can't quite figure out but will tackle next week. Anyway, she made a point of telling me that she received several calls from the book club women thanking her for such a great time and raving about the enlightening discussion that pursued from my book review questions. She said that I should work for a book store or book seller . . . BARNES & NOBLE ARE YOU LISTENING??

Afterward I picked up the kids and took them over to the Jackson Historical Society. We toured this with the Zarlings after the reunion and I wanted to show the kids some of their heritage. It looks like the Zarlings weren't members here but they may have attended services as it was nearby the homestead and relatives were married (and buried) here. JHS is a wonderful grassroots historical society that is only open during their Raspberry Festival (in September) and by appointment. They consist of the historic church, schoolhouse, and a log home. The cemetery is still in operation and not owned by the historical society. The church is a wonderful cream city brick building with wonderful acoustics; they're thinking of having some type of a chamber music festival in the fall. I tried to convince them to have an old German Christmas program but I'm not sure I was persuasive enough (yet).


The one-room schoolhouse taught grades 1st through 6th. It was neat to see the old books and maps. Russ (the docent) and I tried to figure out what the new names of the Middle Eastern countries are; he was much better at it than I. By this time Manny & CeCe were time-traveled out and were ready to leave but I had so many more questions to ask and kept trying to peak their interests (which I wasn't too successful at). Russ was wonderful, supportive and patient!

Finally Manny couldn't wait any longer and made it imperative that he had to GO. Unfortunately it was raining real hard and standing in the woods just wasn't all that appealing to him. Russ then showed him the last part of the tour -- Manny was desparate enough to give it a go but let us know that he's so glad that he's born in a time with a handle and sink to wash his hands! Russ later told him that was the girls' outhouse and that was it -- no more time traveling for him! From now on he wants to know EXACTLY what we're doing on our Gee Time adventures and then he'll make the decision to join CeCe and me. Russ reminded him that he's made history and he exclaimed that it's history he won't soon forget!

Can it get any better than this?

The time always seems to stand still up in Door County . . . I remember having dinner at Fred & Fuzzy's, going to the American Folklore Theatre to see 'Cheeseheads the Musical', hitting a couple of bookstores and parks but the highlight of the weekend was the FOPPI Annual Meeting. I was unanimously elected to a three-year term on the Friends of Plum and Pilot Board of Directors!! My newsletter is beginning to get a following and will soon be plastered about DC as my friends Karen Tews and Cindy Schmidt begin marketing FOPPI to the masses.

After the annual meeting a group of us headed out to Plum Island to see if we could find the remains of the 1848 lighthouse. Dick Purinton (with me in the picture), the author of 'Words on Water', joined us and shared his love of history while we trudged through the rain-soaked wildflowers, weeds, and poison ivy. He brought his grandson, Atlas, along and he became my little buddy. He reminded me so much of Manny at that age; so curious and a collector of unique objects like clam shells, rocks, birch bark, a stag horn, old piece of fishing rope, etc. Being braver than the adults he wanted to climb the front range light but needed an adult to accompany him -- believe me, I wouldn't have gotten up there had he not needed a chaperone! But once I did the view was amazing. (If you look closely at the picture you can see the rear range light in the distance.)

Mine and Dick's main objective was to locate the remains of the 1848 lighthouse and we believe that we've found it; we'll need to do some more research before we place a commemorative plaque but I'm certain that's it.

I also found remains of an old shipwreck and am hoping my relative from Michigan, Dave Zarling, will come out this way and dive on the wrecks for a future FOPPI Forum article.

The team of folk that I'm working with on this project are simply amazing; they are all so dedicated and are willing to go the extra mile to see to it that the historic buildings on Plum and Pilot are preserved and restored for future generations. Someday my great grandchildren will set forth on the island with pride knowing that their Gee was instrumental in saving these historical monuments for those who ventured out in icy waters to rescue the crew from shipwrecks, trim the wicks, and sound the fog horns.

What's next?

I thought that I would start adding some thoughts daily to this blog and that just didn't happen, sorry. My week just seemed to be filled with too much to do and not enough time. I'll give you snapshot of what's been going on though and let you fill in the blanks.

Saturday -- Family reunion was a major success. Still getting calls and receiving notes from folk telling me what a wonderful time that they had. Check out the Zarling Heritage Facebook page (see link on the right side) to view all the wonderful pictures. Theres still more coming so check in from time to time.

Sunday -- Met Christie & Kent and Kent's folks at Maxwell Street Days in Cedarburg. Oh how I love browsing through the booths and purchasing needless necessities at a bargain price. We hit our regular antique shops in Cedarburg and then headed home for a nap . . . for Gregg of course, I had a zillion boxes to unpack from the reunion.

Monday -- Had an informational interview with a wonderful company, 'Energy Doctor'. The company's product line and Christian approach make this quite the intriguing proposition. However, it's 100% commission and their marketing model is not one that I'm comfortable with so I've decided to file it away. Met with a great friend and former employer of mine, Bridget Lazlow, for lunch. We've kept in touch since we both left Pilot and she now owns her own business with a couple of partners -- we talked and I'm thinking this might be that magic job offer that I've been searching for. Right now it's just part time but I can concentrate on school and my non profit work and still earn a descent living doing what I'm really good at -- consulting.

Tuesday -- Dug through the mess of unfinished projects that is crying for my attention and got a pretty good handle on them. Finished my homework and started to prepare for my mid term exam. This eight-week class schedule rocks.

Wednesday -- Registered for next term (Internal Economics -- yikes), ran various errands, listened to Dick Purinton's radio interview, took the kids to Lime Kiln Park, met up with Carrie, dropped off kids, packed for DC (Door County) and was in bed by 8:30! I wonder if Dick 'recognized' my voice when I called into the radio show to ask him to relate the Robert Nobel story --- mmm, how many 'Mary of Menomonee Falls' could there possibly be?

Today -- As soon as my laundry is done I'm heading up to the Door for some R&R, great friends, FOPPI picnic, and FOPPI annual meeting. I've learned of a real cool quilt shop in Sturgeon Bay and want to stop at the Flying Pig in Algoma -- perhaps I'll get there before Karen falls asleep?

Next Adventure

I've got all the reunion boxes packed away but the memories will stay alive for quite a long time. It was so wonderful to meet some family members that Dad talked about; I need to find the Heckendorf family -- Dad had such fond memories of Anna and I want them to know that. He didn't talk much about his life, and I'm not exactly sure why, but I learn something new about him each time I visit with my uncles and other relation. In the long run I learn more about myself and hopefully who Dad would have wanted me to be had he not gotten sick.

Tomorrow I have an informational interview with a company called 'Energy Doctors'. The company sounds interesting (it's energy-saving add-ons for homeowners) but I'm not so sure of their business model . . . from the discussion with John, the man I'm meeting tomorrow, they gather leads at the State Fair and are mainly franchised. Not sure about this one right now . . .

I certainly don't have to worry about not being busy if this opportunity doesn't pan out though! Here's a sample of the projects that I've got going on right now:

- Friends of Lime Kiln Park: I'm writing their newsletter and assisting with community outreach
- AARP Fraud Fighters: I need to begin marketing myself and then I think this program will really take off. I've prepared a wonderful presentation and just need the audience to deliver my message to . . . interested?
- Church Ministry Partnership: We're working on ways to bring technology to the folks that reside in the area of Albright Church; we have a huge program scheduled for August 15th in which I'll be teaching a class on how to create an effective resume (yikes!)
- Emmanuel: Pastor Claudia asked me if I'd set up a church Facebook page and help members set up their FB profile.
- Book Club: The women asked if I'd coordinate a trip to Chicago to visit the sites mentioned in the 'Devil in the White City' book that we read. Karen, Sue, and I did that last year and it was VERY cool (and creepy)
- Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands: I'm working on an article on Robert Noble along with my friend, Dick Purinton of the Washington Island Ferry. The fall edition should be out some time in September.

So, add school to this mix and you wonder when I'll find time to work?? NO PROBLEM!!

Zarling Heritage Family Reunion

What a wonderful event!! I learned this year to delegate and am doubly blessed to have Judy Ish, Rhonda DeFord, Ardie Zarling, and my gorgeous daughter Carrie to assist me. I learned an enormous amount just watching them do their thing; it gave me a chance to mingle and connect with people I have only 'met' in cyberspace. However I need to figure out how to be in two places at one time as there were so many conversations that I started and didn't get a chance to finish before being requested by another.

I find it interesting that the reunion format is a moving target. I started with pure genealogy and live music then starting adding some flair like the silent auction. Others mentioned that they weren't so interested in the genealogy so I found a venue that allowed me to separate the two and that seemed to work. Then I added workshops and that seemed to go over quite well. This year I skipped the music in lieu of workshops but found that the family really was more interested in the genealogy and sitting and chatting with each other! I added a book exchange and toys from our youth -- perhaps because there were only four kids (Manny & CeCe being two of them) the toy idea went bust but some people did bring and exchange a book with another so I think that idea might be included in the next reunion's agenda. Not sure of the workshops though . . . gotta ponder on that one a bit more. Got three years to toss it around.

Book Club - Between Sundays

THREE months ago the retired women from church asked me to join them at their book club; I told them that I'd tentatively attend as I was sure I'd have a job by then . . . so here I am, getting ready to read BOOK #4!! I'm no longer putting off opportunities with hopes that I'll find a job. Not that I've given up on my job search mind you, just that I need to work on my faith and trust issues and develop a stronger tolerance to patience. All assure me that the job is out there for me, I'm just not ready for it yet.

I've certainly been blessed being in the presence of these wonderful, worldly women -- they are quite the inspiration to me. Others have told me that I need to learn to live in the moment more, and these women are my teachers. Each brings a unique perspective to the table gained by their life experiences; they respect others' opinions and encourage debate. I'm learning the sense of community that these women offer and am taking this lesson with me on my journey.

This month's book was 'Between Sundays' by Karen Kingsbury -- it wasn't my favorite; however others in the group pulled inspiration from Kingsbury's characters. I was asked to create the discussion questions once again and forgot that I had leant the book out. I searched for the book at the library and they were out also, so I scanned the internet and created the questions from memory. This worked out quite well as our discussion was quite lively. Here's what I came up with:

1. On a scale of 1 to 5 where would you rate this book?
2. What is the book’s theme? Was it carried throughout the book? How important was it?
3. What stood out about the plot? Did it keep your attention?
4. What about the subplots? Were they necessary?
· Megan’s history
· Derrick’s son’s accident
· Amy’s rape
5. Could you relate to the characters? What were their stories? Did they come to life? Do they remind you of anyone you know? Would you want to meet any of them?
· Aaron Hill, Pro 49ers quarterback
· Megan Gunn, Foster mom
· Amy, Corey’s mother
· Corey
· Derrick Anderson
· Minor characters: Coach, other players, Derrick’s family
6. Were the actions / decisions / struggles of the characters realistic? If the characters’ decisions were different how would this have affected the outcome?
· Aaron – paternity test results
· Derrick’s promise
7. How did the characters grow throughout the book? Were you surprised in the direction the author took them?
8. Did you learn anything new by reading this book? Football? Foster care?
9. Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way? Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?
10. Did the book end the way you thought it would?
11. If you were writing the story how would you have changed it?
12. If there were a sequel, what would happen?
13. In what ways do the events in the book reveal evidence of the author's world view?
14. If you were to have Kingsbury over for coffee what would you ask her?
15. Would you like to read any more books by this author?

Thinking in retrospect, I wish I would have engaged the people that enjoyed the book to encourage them to bring us naysayers over to their side; given the chance again I certainly will do this! However, next month's book is The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and from what I hear from others there will be a good chance we'll all enjoy it.

Thursday Gee Time - Part II

Today we renewed our scavenger hunt for lighthouses and ventured south to Kenosha. The first light that we saw was the 1866 Southport lighthouse. It is located on Simmons Island overlooking the shore of Lake Michigan. At the time the lighthouse was built, the island was known as Washington Island.

The light was originally designed as a coast and harbor light; it provided the first navigational light a mariner would see upon entering Wisconsin from the south. On a clear day one can see the Chicago Sears (now Willis) tower from the light and vice versa.

There were 73 steps to get to the top and the view was certainly well worth the climb. CeCe was a bit scared at first to go all the way up into the tower but Manny reminded her how proud he felt when he climbed the light in Racine. She did make it to the top and had all kinds of questions for the guide. She was a proud as a peacock when we were finished with our tour.

Afterward we walked over to the FREE Kenosha Historical Museum and saw a wonderful display of old Nash cars and vignettes of old Kenosha. Manny was intrigued by the wire rope exhibit and made a point of asking the woman at the front desk whether the display was real or just a prop. She explained how wire rope is actually made and where he could see an example of it -- sure wish she would have thought of a closer place than the Golden Gate Bridge because now Manny's sure he has to see a real one!

We then walked on down to the Pierhead light and watched the young fearless kids jump from the pier into the frigid Lake Michigan water. CeCe had asked if I ever did stuff like that as a kid -- seeing as a grandmother cannot lie to her grandchild I had to tell her the truth -- yes, I did WATCH my friends do stupid things like that (well . . . that was part of the truth)!

I gave them an option -- either we could go out for ice cream or go to the museum that we saw across the harbor; they chose the museum!! I was kind of hoping to get by cheaper by going to Culvers than the cost of admission to the museum but when we found out it was FREE that made the excursion even better. The Kenosha Public Museum has wonderful exhibits from the time of the dinosaurs to the explorers and an art museum on the upper floor. And it was FREE. We spent quite a bit of time here with plans to return and also take in the FREE Civil War Museum next time.

I learned how genetically ingrained our Zarling curiosity gene is in these kids -- Manny stopped at the brochure display and brought back at least one of every place that he'd like to go to. My Dad would have been proud.

Milwaukee JobCamp2

The Byrds sang it best: 'To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.' I only wish I knew how to interpret the purpose of my exhaustive job search!

Today I went to the simply amazing program, JobCamp2 -- there were at least 1,000 people in attendance! This may seem like a success to the planners; but to me and my fellow job seekers, it was rather daunting -- these are the folks that are competing alongside of (and perhaps with) me for a job. However, I felt a tremendous level of excitement from the group. All were quite friendly; afterall we were here to network. It took me a bit to get into the swing of things but a simple question like 'how long have you been out?' served as the icebreaker. I was surprised to meet people from all different career paths from healthcare finance managers to mechanical and electrical engineers. This recession left nothing sacred.

The program was wonderfully planned and organized. It was held at the Potawatami Casino so one could sit in on the workshops or try their luck at bingo or the tables. I chose the workshops and wish I would have arrived earlier! The first one that I attended was 'Conquering the Personal Side of Job Transition' by Christine McMahon. Christine is the host of ASK CHRISTINE, a weekly free tele-seminar series designed to help people in job transition understand and manage the human side of what it means to lose a job. She helped me realize that there's something along this continuum that is just meant to be; she's a firm believer in purpose and also feels that each one of us is in this place to give insight to someone else. Imagine that -- it's not just about me!! This is all happening for a reason and that reason won't be revealed until long after the purpose has been realized. She also mentioned that the greatest lessons are those that are learned with conviction. Oh so true!

I met with master LinkedIn guru, Wayne Breitbarth, and he critqued my LinkedIn profile. He thought it was pretty good and only suggested some minor tweaks. He's hosting additional seminars to teach more about social networking that I definitely plan to attend.

My second workshop happened to be hosted by a former colleague of mine, Jim Trainor. Jim used to be an owner in Trainor / Salick & Associates where I first got involved in technology. He recently resurfaced onto my radar as a member of Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands. Jim gave an awesome program on the truth about the job search. He was the second one to tell me not to waste my time on with the job boards -- I've been applying to between four and ten jobs a week and haven't been getting anywhere; now I know why -- the employers are passing the resume through a program to scan for certain keywords and whoever gets the most hits get the interview. I don't want to exaggerate my skillset just to get an interview; that just wouldn't be fair. Jim said that the job we're going to get is the one that we find through networking. Yes, I've heard that before also. Sometimes it just takes awhile for things to sink into this hard head of mine.

So new approach:

1. Concentrate on my network
2. Do one thing every day to nurture my soul
3. Spend time with nature
4. Be kind to myself and others
5. Resist the urge to play the victim

There is a purpose, I'll find it.

Assembly Bill 261 -- ready for Congress?

What an experience! Today I testified before State Representatives Meyer, Lothian, Roys, Spanbauer, Hixon, Pope-Richards, and Soletski; the Committee Clerk, Chairman Hintz, and the Legislative Council in favor of Assembly Bill 261 on behalf of AARP (the reason for the red shirts) at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Surprisingly I wasn't nervous (much) and considered this to be less daunting than reading the liturgy in church -- at least there weren't any funky names of people or towns!

Assembly Bill 261 relates to soliciting purchases of goods or services using unsolicited checks or money orders. You may have received one of these in the mail. At first glance, the check looks like a good deal -- might even say that it's a REAL check but in a smaller font it instructs you to turn the paper over to read the fine print. What many people don't realize is that by endorsing the check, you are also agreeing to purchase a particular product or sign up for some kind of service. AARP (and myself) believe that this is a blatantly misleading business practice that is meant to confuse consumers.

The Assembly agreed with my statement and conviction; or at least they understood it, as there were no questions from the floor. I was followed by members of the banking industry who spoke against the bill. They felt that there is ample text describing this as a loan . . . on the back of the 'check'. The problem is that too many people get the 'check' in their hands and don't bother to read the small print on the back, cash the check, and may be too embarassed to admit that they made a mistake.

I showed an example of the check to my father-in-law and he agreed that if he hadn't heard my testimony beforehand he may have thought the check was real. This is Don, the man that doubts everything! How easy it must be for others that are desparate for cash or aren't able to read the small print? I could certainly use $1,519.89 (the amount the check was made out for), couldn't you? But certainly not at 33.16% interest!! Yikes!

So, if I was convincing enough we just might see this bill go to Congress -- hooray!! We can follow the progress by clicking on this link:

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2009/data/AB261hst.html

What a day to sport a stress zit :-(