Saturday, August 02, 2008
The Human Touch – Getcha Some
Passionate Theme of the Day: Flirtatiousness
PMP Song of the Day: Only Human – Jason Mraz
“Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible.” ~Marion C. Garretty
“To do something, however small, to make others happier and better, is the highest ambition, the most elevating hope, which can inspire a human being.” ~John Lubbock
“There is no more noble occupation in the world than to assist another human being - to help someone succeed.” ~Alan Loy McGinnis
It’s my first summer in “The Valley” (as Phoenician’s commonly refer to the PHX) and yes, it’s a scorcher. But as cliché as it sounds, it really is a dry heat. Being from STL and having spent a couple of years in Dallas, I’m used to summers with high humidity. But the desert heat…it’s a different kinda hot.
Here you feel the heat radiate through your feet. It warms the bones and soothes the soul. It doesn’t feel sticky and icky and gross (technical meteorological terms). And if you get really lucky, some days there’s a breeze that stirs up and takes the sting off the hotness (like today yum).
Not sure if it’s being new to the city, feeling more comfy in my new job, or getting used to the heat…but I’m feeling flirty people! I’m not just referring to flirting with the opposite sex (tho that’s been fun), but to a basic feeling of friskiness in general.
The other day at the office someone asked, “How’s life?” And outta nowhere, I replied, “Fan-fucking-tastic.” Ummm…hello, unnecessary dropping of an f-bomb at the office yo. Where’d that come from? It’s been like that for a few weeks now. And the more I step into flirt mode with the world around me, the more the world around me is flirting right back.
So I decided to turn it into an experiment. The “get your flirt on with the Universe” (GYFOWTU) experiment is officially game on ya’ll. The results have been interesting. Here are some examples: Went to the bank the other day to order some checks. The B of A on 20th & Camelback has a super friendly staff.
Every time I go in there the manager is walking around chatting up patrons, the tellers behind the counter (and bullet proof glass - scary) are always smiling and cracking jokes. (Sometimes I wonder if they’re on happy drugs in there.)
But I digress. I order these checks on Wed. and need them ASAP. And my friendly teller says, “No worries Kammie. We’ll rush deliver them and we’ll knock off the rush fee for you. It’s usually an additional $30, but we’ll take care of that today.” Aww thanks B of A.
In the past couple of weeks I’ve received all kinds of random compliments, gifts and general sweetness from friends and strangers alike. The stoner kid bagging my goodies at Trader Joe’s carded me for my bottle of wine purchase and winked at me when he saw my ID. “Dude. You don’t look that old.” Dude…you just said that out loud. But I think he meant it as a compliment. I’ll take it. Thanks Trader Joe’s stoner guy.
After graciously holding the door for me, the wacky-eccentric-might–be-homeless-guy that hangs out at the Starbucks at 7th & Missouri shouted out after me, “Be careful out there sweetie!” Umm, OK. Maybe there was some unforeseen danger that only he could see for me and his warning was a message from the Universe to buckle up? So I did. Thanks zany guy at Starbucks.
Tuesday evening I met Lane and some of her friends for a nibble and a glass of wine at Postino’s. After initial introductions and shaking of hands, her friend Helen says, “You’re gorgeous. You look gorgeous.” Wow! Thanks friend of a friend I just met. Can you come and sit on the counter in my bathroom while I get ready every morning and chant that mantra to me?
Hells yeah, I’ll take some more of that. Helen is a total hoot. She kept saying things like that and it got to the point where I asked, “Was I not supposed to be gorgeous?” Like I thought maybe there was something I was missing. She just laughed out loud and said, “No. I just wanted to make sure you knew that.” Hello? Message from the Universe - delivered. Translation – even tho I think I’m easy on the eyes, I’m really freakin’ gorgeous…refer to my own post regarding this…here.
Last night I stopped in at Rokerij to meet some fabulous new PHX female friends for a frosty cold one before I headed home (thanks again Meredith & Brandy). As we were leaving we walked up stairs from the wine cellar below. None of us had seen the actual restaurant upstairs before.
We opened the door and the manager immediately greeted us with a smile and offered to give us a guided tour. He walked us all the way around, showed us the private dining room in back (which seats 14, has a flat screen TV, private sound system and cozy, intimate ambiance BTW), walked us through the kitchen and out the back door. Sweet tour. Thanks Rokerij. (Note: Rokerij got voted best first date by New Times…who’s taking me?).
“Deliver raving service” is one of the core values of my new employer. Maybe that’s why I’m noticing great service when I see it out and about even more. But I also think it’s because I’ve been experimenting with the intention of receiving raving service as well.
How many times do we play small and accept less than we deserve? Someone brings you the wrong dish at lunch and you say, “It’s no big deal, I’ll just eat it.” Or you purchase something online and it seems too much of a hassle to call the customer service line and clarify the issue.
This week’s PMP challenge is to walk around this world with an attitude of expectancy and receptivity. Not because you’re better than anyone else, but because you deserve it. Just like anyone and everyone else.
Show some gratitude every time someone holds a door, offers a helping hand, gives you a compliment, goes above and beyond for you. Just because they can. How freakin’ cool is that? People helping people just because they can.
Then flip that over and offer the same to people you connect with on a daily basis. At the office, the gym, your local coffee shop. How can you offer that personalized human touch right back out there? How can you make a lasting impression to help make someone else’s day a little bit lighter?
There’s enough heaviness in the world today. War. The economy. The planet’s resources burning up. How can you positively contribute to the greater good by reaching out to others? It doesn’t have to be grand sweeping gestures.
You don’t have to have the Donald’s bank account to roll like a Trump in spirit. Be generous. Extend yourself. Exercise your patience in chaotic situations. Be the calm within the storms that swirl around you.
Provide others with a safe place to land. Listen to a friend in distress. Don’t snap back at that snappy customer or client or manager. Offer that granny a helping hand out to her car. Help find a home for some displaced animals. Teach a kid how to read. Say please and thank you.
It ain’t rocket science ya’ll. Just basic human being-ness. Pour it on the people you come into contact with and watch those ripples boomerang right back atcha. It’s pretty freakin’ incredible.
Let’s think of the other people in our community as our customers. And let’s set a goal of 110% pure loving kindness and acceptance. We don’t have to like everyone to love them. Show some love ya’ll. Life is too precious and too short to be a big ol’cranky meanie. Plus, being mean ages you. Frowning and yelling and screaming and ranting and raving causes wrinkles. And it’s just plain bad cosmic mojo.
That’s it and that’s all from the PHX today. I‘ll leave you with the lyrics from one of my boyfriend (he’s not really my boyfriend but he writes poetry & sets it to music oh, and he blogs therefore he’s sexxxy)Jason Mraz’s latest tunes from We sing. We dance. We steal things. It’s called Only Human.
Peace, love & flirtatious over-the-top winks,
K-love
Jason Mraz Lyrics
Only Human Lyrics