Putting the Cart Before the Horse:

Putting the Cart

Before the Horse:

You know that old saying, "Don't put the cart before the horse?"

Have you ever done it? Obviously I don't mean an actual horse and cart, but do something that seems kind of backwards?

 I've done it at least twice that I can recall. And both of those times involved major decisions or changes in my life.

The first time was when I was in my early to mid twenties. I was with my parents and they went to a car dealership to look at cars, there was a special, something along the lines of $XX of dollars down and $XX of dollars a month. I had no intention of buying a car, I was working part time and didn't think I could afford it.

NOT my car!

I was meandering around, trying to keep from being bored out of my mind, when I spotted an adorable little blue car. It seemed to be calling my name, and I went to look it over. The sales person started talking to me and the next thing I know, I'm the proud "owner" of a WHITE Geo Metro. It was in better shape than the blue one and it was the same price.

Now here's where the "Cart Before Horse" moment comes in...I DIDN'T have a drivers license, I didn't have insurance, and the only driving experience I had was from my sophomore year in high school when I took Driver's Ed through the school.

Within a month I had all of the above though, and my little Geo and I had lots of fun and interesting experiences! *those tales are for another day!*

Let's jump to September of this year. I had been seriously thinking about applying for a management position within the company I work for. Which means I would need new clothes, more professional/dressy looking than I normally have in my possession. But at the same time, I needed new work pants for the job I have now and new jeans for everyday wear. I allotted myself a clothes budget, and decided to go searching for the items I needed.

But what do I do instead? I walked into an AVENUE store because I had caught a glimpse of the sign in their window that said 50%. I hoped that I could find a couple of pairs of either pants that I needed and that it wouldn't break my budget. 

This is where the second "Cart Before Horse" moment comes in and where I finally figured out that I was being plotted against/for by Somebody. I've never been approved for an Avenue credit card, that day I was. Their sale was BOGO 50% off and they had jeans AND work pants! But instead of buying the work pants that I need NOW, I bought a beginning wardrobe for a position that I hadn't even applied for yet!

Well Lasses and Lads, what kind of "Cart Before Horse" moments have you experienced? Did they turn out for the better or not how you thought they would?

 

 

What's in a Nickname?

What's in a Nickname?

 

Something that your family or friends call you with affection?

Or did your parents name you with the express intent of shortening your name to a nickname? My aunt and uncle did that to one of my cousins. Then said cousin turned around and did it to her son.

What about co-workers? Did someone stick you with a moniker for some reason?

Do you even LIKE your nickname(s)? Those that your family use, they can be embarrassing. And you can be sure that for whatever reason, at least one person you work with will be someone you don't like, and they'll always use the nickname that they, or somebody else gave you.

I've had several nicknames over the years. In elementary school, the one they chose was used for bullying and making fun of me. In junior high and high school, only my core group of friends called me by a nickname, which I have no idea how I got...Bon-Bon. But out of that core group, there was one who wasn't allowed to use it, and he knew it. 

In my adult years, Bon-Bon stuck around for awhile in the work place, but it slowly tapered off.

There is still one co-worker that calls me by that name, I don't recall him ever calling me by my given name. Yes it's a name of friendship, but I also believe there is a bit of "naughty" in the use, because I happen to be well endowed.

I have customers that have their own nicknames for me also. One is recent, within the last year or so. He started calling me Bonneville. Not sure why, but okay. Another gentleman that always buys lottery used to call me Easy Money, I say used to, because the last few times he's been in the store, he's called me by my given name. And it concerns me, he wasn't in as much for awhile, and he looks like he may have been ill. But that's not what this is about. 

I realized a few years back that most of my closest friends don't call my by any nicknames whatsoever. Except for one. And we play off of each others names with the same ending (he doesn't like his family's nickname for him, so I try to make it bearable). I only realized it after I noticed that a few facebook friends had nicknames for me.

A dear friend calls me Bonnie Lass, hence the page name. Another calls me Bonz and still a couple of others calls me Bonster. Then there's a friend, whom I inadvertently started calling by a nickname that I found out later his late wife used to call him. He has his own special nickname for me, and he's the only one that uses it.

My family has their own variations of my given name that they use. Bonnie Kay, B.K., Kay or even; *shudders* Kay-Kay. We call my brother "Stretch" because he's so much taller than the rest of us. We also shorten his name to Kev sometimes.  

When I was in school, we had a young man nicknamed "Smurf" because he was the shortest person in our class. And in a completely different state, I knew a "Turtle," because he was the tallest and always hunched his shoulders, so he looked like he was pulling his head into his shell. And to this day, I couldn't tell you what their given names were, I don't recall ever hearing it (or it's been so long ago I just don't remember!)

Oh, and don't even get me started on "Boo" and "Bae!" I despise those words with a passion, someone I worked with and didn't like, and I was somewhat afraid of, used to call me Boo, she knew me for almost fifteen years and she could never realize that I was an adult. Bae is just, just...I don't know, it gives me the heebie jeebies hearing that word.

And sorry folks, as of this typing, there is only one person I would allow to call me this one:

So friends, what are nicknames that you've been blessed or cursed with?

Heart Smiles

HEART

SMILES

"Give a smile to a loved one,

a friend or a stranger 
and it will brighten their day~

Give a smile from the Heart

and it could change their lives!"

(Author unknown)

http://heartsmiles.com/jewelry.html

  You just never know who's day you'll brighten, or how they'll brighten yours back. Had a customer come through and he only bought a couple of things. I didn't see the other gentleman with him, he was behind the first one and somewhat on the short side, as most down syndrome folks are. When I noticed him, I smiled at him and he smiled back. As they turned to leave I heard him tell (his dad?) the other gentleman, "She's pretty." Thank you for bringing a smile to my heart today sir, I don't get many heart smiles at work.

Do you get to experience Heart Smiles? What are some of things, situations or people that have made your Heart Smile?

** I'm unsure if the artist who made the pin above is still making jewelry, but it gave me another heart smile when I saw it and I had to use it.**