"Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity and responsibility to give something back by becoming more."

Random #1: I love to listen. Given the option to talk or to listen, I almost always choose to listen. This is true in groups and this is true in one-on-one situations. What I don't think that people realize is that I am also mentally making notes and carefully filing them away. I feel it is a privilege when someone is willing to open up to me and tell me things. Therefore I am not merely letting the information in one ear and straight out the other just waiting for my turn to talk.

Now I may be making a few people nervous right about now, but really there is nothing to worry about because I also keep all that information to myself unless I am asked by the person telling me to share it. I am a vault and nobody has the combination.

It is interesting the small things that can be learned about someone by truly listening. I think that I have surprised more than one person in my life by remembering things that they have told me about themselves.

Random #2: Tickets, tickets and more tickets. I have so many things coming up. A while ago I purchased tickets for July 17th because I knew that the event would be extremely great and very much enjoyed . . . not to mention that it was only a couple of days off on perfect timing. I have tickets to Deer Valley. Ben Folds is going to be performing with the Utah Symphony. It couldn't have gotten much better than that. Now it has come down to . . . who am I going to take now?

I was supposed to be going to Florida at the end of this month. I just cancelled all the reservations for that. One reason is that blast off has been delayed until the first part of November.

In August I have tickets to Pirates of Penzance, Dave Matthews Band and the Lion King. I also have a family reunion, a wedding and a camping trip up North. Follow that with the beginning of Ute football season and well, I have a lot of things to attend that I have to find people that have the time to come with me. It is getting more and more difficult with everyone being married with children because they have less time at their disposal for playing.

Random #3: It is not the year for doctors appointments. I have been cancelled on twice now. The first time was my annual and they actually called me an hour before my appointment to let me know he was at the hospital delivering a baby. No big deal other than I had to wait another month before I could get in to see him.

Monday was not a fun day for me. I had mentally prepared myself all weekend long. What can I say . . . needles really bother me that much! I got up in the morning and went to my appointment only to find the office closed. No phone call, no note on the door, no nothing. I was more than a little upset. I may or may not have cried standing in front of the office door. I was told yesterday when I called that they must have missed me when going down the appointment list. The doctor had been extremely sick and had to cancel everything. My appointment is now for next Wednesday morning.