The Pepperoni Stinks

This week, my son turned 12. Since we are getting ready to leave for California in a couple of days, we decided that just having a few boys over for swimming, food and video games (overnight) would be the perfect way to celebrate. 

Before all the boys (3 of them) arrived, the hubby and I went shopping. We bought soda, pizza, hot dogs, chips, breakfast sandwiches, cake and ice cream for the event. These are all video-game playing pre-teens, they'll pretty much eat anything, we laughed. Might as well just keep it easy on ourselves. 

One boy called ahead to say that he doesn't eat cake/ice cream and was worried Bryson would be offended. I told him Bryson would be fine with it. If we told Bryson he couldn't have any--well, that would be a different story.

The Pack. For the first time ever,
I wish I had a basement.

So, the boys arrive and all head straight into Bryson's room to start the destruction process. As 3 of the boys (including Bryson) start pulling stuff from everywhere, one of the boys...wait for it...starts CLEANING! He cleaned and organized Bryson's bookshelf and comic collection. He cleaned and organized Bryson's desk. He was about to start on the closet, when I made him stop. As much as I appreciated what he was doing, I wanted him to enjoy the time with friends. 

In the back of my head, I'm calculating how I could talk him into doing two other rooms for me...

Fast forward to dinner time. I make the pizza. The chronic cleaner who doesn't eat cake/ice cream, says he forgot to mention he doesn't eat pepperoni. He won't eat the pizza with it picked off, either. He doesn't eat pork. He doesn't eat vegetables. He only eats a particular kind of bread. He doesn't eat chips, potato or otherwise. He doesn't eat cereal. He doesn't eat pears or apples or pineapple. So, he's pretty much ruled out anything we have in our house. (We're going out of town, remember? Jim says he's only eating steak and cereal while we're gone. Riiiiight.) 

Wish he concentrated on homework like this.

After 30 minutes, he states he's not hungry anyway. 

Finally at about 10pm, he decides he is hungry.

The boys are eating every chip they can find. The pizza is gone. Oddly, no one wanted cake. (I wanted ice cream, but felt strangely possessive of it and didn't want to crack it open. My Precious...)

So, "Emeril" hits the kitchen. He pulls out bread, asks for a can of tomato sauce. Pulls out cheese then raids my spice rack. He finds a sheet pan and bakes his own little cheese pizzas. At least he's satisfied. 

The mother in me, finally starts to breathe again. He won't starve. 

This is what has them all transfixed. 

But, it does get me thinking. How much do we lose out in life, because we are so set in our ways? How much are we missing because we don't try something new? Personally, I would have missed out on A LOT. (Hello, I now live in Puerto Rico. If I was looking for the food I ate in the States, I'd be...well, maybe not as heavy, but that is beside the point...)

I remember, as a 20-something, my friends and I would set out on the road, looking to get lost. We found the best places and adventures when we got lost. We met interesting people, ate some great (and not so great) food, and saw some beautiful sights.

Maybe I need to check back with this kid when he's nearer to his 20s. In the meantime, what's the going hourly rate for a pre-teen home organizer? 

The Countdown Begins

What originally started as a short visit for Bryson, has exploded into a summer long adventure for me. I think I'm okay with that. 

Wine country...yum!

Bryson was really missing his friends and family in California. The hubby and I started discussing the idea of sending him to stay with friends and family during the summer. The airline companies, however, had the final say. And it wasn't good.


Because of his age, he would have to fly unattended and could only fly on a direct flight. Which is good, because he's been known to get lost on the trip from his room to the bathroom. But, there are NO direct flights from San Juan to San Francisco. 
                                                                       
So, the hubby suggested that, since I'm not  really working at the moment, I should take Bryson out to NorCal. After more discussion, a week or two turned into a month. 

So excited to see her smiling face!

At first, I didn't really want to go. Try to follow me here: I've gotten used to certain things in Puerto Rico. Such as no family, the language (I don't speak Spanish, but am able to communicate a bit.), the weather (as much as I can--it's hot and humid), the food (or lack of my faves, really). Going to California concerned me because I am afraid of making coming back more difficult. I'm thinking that I will miss people and places more when I come back. 

San Francisco Bay

But, after making plans and thinking about it, I'm ready, anxiety or not. I will embrace the challenge, live life to the fullest. Eat, laugh, cry and drive the whole month away. And throwing some camping in there for good measure.


So, the countdown begins. T minus 10 days. Ready or not Cali, here we come!

Epic Fail

Let me start by saying, I have held a job since I was 16 years old. I quickly was trained the value of giving great customer service. Whether by chance or by knowledge, each position I had required a high level of customer service be given. One of my employers even went so far as to tell me, "treat the customer like they're stupid. You have to give them all the answers." While I may not like how that sounded, there is some truth to this. 


I now live in an area that is really laid back in its attitude. Lots of island thinking here, leaving customer service by the wayside. Being in 'Rome', I just chalk it up to that's how it is, but my business will never be run that way. 


But, where did we, as paying customers, give up the control? When did it become okay to put the bottom line above the customer experience? 


Look at the airline industry. As a whole, no genuine customer service exists, above marketing efforts and bad press. I called one to ask a question and after 15 minutes on hold, was told (via recording) that they were "experiencing a higher than normal call volume" and the call was disconnected. 


Okay, I'm a big girl, I can deal with rudeness. So, I sent an email. After all, my question was not urgent. Thankfully. I sent it March 23, and finally got a response May 29. And the response I received? "We are experiencing a high volume of email", followed by a step-by-step guide to joining their mileage club. No response to the actual question I asked. I responded (thinking to no one in particular), that this did not answer my question, but thank you. One week later I received an email with a partial answer, again, urging me to join their mileage club. 


Since moving here to Puerto Rico, 99% of our USPS problems have occurred in California. When we tried to change our address from Fairfield to Caguas, the CA Postman carried the request around in his pocket for over a week, all the while delivering the mail and leaving packages on the doorstep of an obviously vacant house. It took 3 phone calls and two arguments with another postal worker to finally see the problem was on their side. 


I recently sent a package via USPS to my family in Northern California. $50 for Priority Mail. I mailed it in April and it has yet to arrive. Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do. I did not pay for a tracking number or insurance. 


But, I ask, should I have to? 


I paid for the service of getting a package from Point A to Point B. Why should I have to pay EXTRA to guarantee they do the job? It's not like I gave them money to perform a service and possibly deliver a package. The payment was specifically for that service. 


Why is it I can hear Dee Schneider in my head, singing "We're Not Gonna Take It!"?  


For as many negative, funny stories I can tell, I obviously have good ones as well. All I can say is that these things reinforce to me that I will not run my business this way. I will stand by my work, treat people as people and deliver what I promise. 


And THAT is how a business should be run. 

Crossing the Line

I know that we've only just begun this blog-land journey. But, I have something that is weighing on my heart pretty good. 


I have a current situation that could be easily remedied. But, there is another party involved. This other person seems less than interested in doing the right, moral, and even legal thing. Honestly, I have no clue why. Really. 


In dealing with this situation, I am left to ponder this. At what point is a person crossing the line from being a good Christian? As a Christian, I am doing my best to be persistent, patient, understanding and kind. I want to treat this party in the manner I wish to be treated. However, my patience is quickly running out. IF I decide to take legal action, is that behaving in a Christian manner? Or am I not following the word of God? 


I know I am to forgive, which I have. But, if the act continues, do I just continue to forgive or do I take action? What kind of action do I take? Something that could be embarrassing to the other party (subject to their perception)? 


There is also a third, possibly fourth party that could be involved (unbeknownst to them). Do I issue a call to action? They might be able to get results that I have not been able to garner. But, is that the Christian thing to do? 


If I am seeking guidance from another person, is that considered gossip? Does intent have anything to do with it? 


This has been a tough predicament. Not necessarily the situation, but contemplation of the best way to handle it. I want to live my life to glorify Him. I want Him to tell me He's proud of the way I dealt with it. 


I guess the real answer is to pray about it. 

Tulips vs. Orchids

It was a dark and stormy night....just kidding.

 A week or so ago, I saw on the Puerto Rico Day Trips page that there was an Orchid Festival happening in Dorado this weekend. I was very anxious to go check it out.  Bryson and Jim were going on a 'field trip' with Bryson's school, so I would have the day to myself. 

In one of the greatest games of telephone ever, I read "orchids" and received it as "tulips" in my brain. There is no Tulip Festival in Puerto Rico. Go ahead, Google it. It doesn't exist. I know. I've tried.  

I invited my friend and her daughter for an impromptu girls day. We ran a couple of errands, then headed out in white-knuckle traffic to Dorado.   I'd never been to Dorado before, and was surprised to find out how pretty it is. 

We decided to stop for lunch and chose a Chinese restaurant. Chinese food in Puerto Rico is a bit different than Chinese food in, say, California. Here, there is an offering of combination plates, fried rice (no choice in meat, it's all in there), mofongo (a Puerto Rican dish), french fries and fried chicken. 

After our leisurely drive and lunch, we guessed our way to the Orchid Festival. We found it pretty easily, considering we didn't have a clue where we were going and we completely missed all the HUGE signs posted. 

We finally made it to the festival! All six tables of it...

But, the flowers were beautiful. The people were very nice. And it was a girls day out. :)

Prologue

I have been toying with the idea of blogging for over two years now. When we moved to Puerto Rico in August of 2010, there were so many things here that I want to share with friends and family. So many similarities and differences. So much beauty. Facebook has been good for this, up to a point. But, I really wanted to go further. 


My biggest stumbling block has been, "does anyone really want to know what I have to say?" I have finally come to the conclusion that, even if they don't, I want to say it.

Also, I've been doing a lot of research on marketing for my business, Enchanted Island Photography. There's been a few common elements among all that I've read, one being that I needed to have a blog. While I LOVE what I do and I certainly have my opinion, I really am not comfortable with any kind of teaching blog. And, truth be told, photography is sort of an addiction for me. Talking about it would be like airing out my dirty little secret-in detail. But, whether I like it or not, it appears a blog is something I must do. 


So, that being said, I've decided to just blog about whatever tickles my fancy. This will be the non-photography, photographer's blog. I hope you'll follow along with me. It won't be perfect. It probably won't be pretty. Okay, there will a little photography thrown in. Whether I like it or not.