04/21/05
Dear TwinkleGrammers,
I'm on a roll. Of what, I can't be certain, but the roll has continued far beyond that One Day I wanted to chalk up as that One Day, rather than the beginning of this roll. Might as well start with that One Day, however, since every story and TwinkleGram has a beginning.
I needed to send a FAX. Since I'm in the midst of moving from one computer to another (OY!), I decided rather than take the time to figure out how to send a FAX straight from my new computer, I'd just "quickly" (see it coming???) compose the document in Microsoft Word, print the document and send it using my Good OLD (key word there) FAX machine. Things went well until I got to the FAX machine part. (The OLD FAX machine, in case you weren't paying attention.)
I set the document, punched in the dialing number and hit the SEND button.. I heard the ring, ring, ring and it rang and rang and rang and the receiving end FAX machine never tripped my FAX's trigger. Hm. Must be something wrong with their FAX receiver. (My personal default mode was obviously set to MUST BE THEIR FAULT I am not connecting.) Tried again. No answer. Oh, maybe their machine is receiving somebody else's FAX and …. I'll set my machine to redial and just let it find the opening. I went back to work here at my computer. Every few minutes I heard my machine dialing, ringing, waiting to connect.
Better give them a call and tell THEM to check their machine. The folks on the receiving end said, "We've been receiving FAXes all day. No problems here." Sigh. Grumble. Doesn't mean it's working NOW, I mumbled to myself. Tried again. Tried again.
Here's what I finally discovered: although my FAX machine was plugged in, the phone line was not. I'd forgotten I'd unplugged the phone line when I got tired of FAX SPAMMERS using MY PAPER AND INK TO SEND ME WINNING NOTICES! It was amazing how "smart" their machine got after I plugged mine in.
Later in the day I experienced another "unplugged" incident. (I'll spare you the details.) The next day a similar scenario took place (but different circumstance) only this time the unplugged goof-up *was* on the other end. (Amazing how patient one can be when one has recently walked in the doofus moccasins.)
Today (rollin', rollin', rollin', keep those mess-ups rollin') I punched a number into my cell phone and whipped it to my ear. Nothing. Didn't ring. Punched and whipped again. (Man, I wish I made this stuff up …). Nothing. Erased all distractions from my mind and decided to FOCUS on the numbers I was punching. (Truly, I am not making this up.) My cell phone was not turned on. I was so busy looking ONLY at the numbers that I hadn't even noticed my screen was not lit up.
You know how folks make big money selling their "So-and-So Unplugged" CDs? All I can say is, it's a good thing they had SOMETHING plugged in before they tried to produce it! Now it's not that unplugging from all electronics for a day, in order to regain your peace and sanity, isn't a worthy goal. But today, in a giant DOINK! of a moment following my brainless on-a-roll number punching, I was reminded that *communication* is a two-way endeavor. In order to truly connect (in the truest sense of the word), we need to be plugged in, not just talking (sending, dialing …).
And so I ask you, Dear TwinkleGrammers, are you plugged in to (with and for) those you care about? Are you connected? Or might you be a one-way conversation? Are you "sending" your thoughts to The Land of Disconnections or engaging in eye contact that begins to speak before a word is uttered? AND, are you listening? Is your Recipient Cord connected to your ear?
Until we chat again,
Charlene
PS A special edition TwinkleGram will soon be on its way. Got a few updates about Dearest Dorothy, Who Would Have Ever Thought?! (like the exact release date!) and will announce the winner of the next drawing for a free set of books! Deadline to be a TwinkleGram subscriber (to be eligible for the drawing) is April 27, so pass this along to anyone you think might enjoy the message and like their own subscription!
This message has been brought to you by "Charlene UNPLUGGED"
