Philosophy for Friday

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There are two kinds of people in this world: those who ask “What’s in it for me?” and those who ask “What can I do for you?” The first kind believes the world owes them something in exchange for gracing it with their presence. They obsess over the wrongs that other people or “the system” or God has committed against them and are often angry and unhappy. The second kind is grateful for what they have and eager to share it with others. They feel a responsibility to do the right thing regardless of recognition or reward. Although they might be tired, they are often happy.

I see both kinds of people at work, in the Church, and among my people. I try to be the second type of person, although I don’t always succeed. The closer I get, the happier I am. Which kind of person are you?

TWU

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As a SWA dispatcher, I am all but required to be a member of the dispatcher’s union. Ours is a local union with no affiliations with a larger organization, so we handle everything ourselves. Our current contract is nearly the end of its 12-year timeframe, an extremely long time, so many of the members are eager to negotiate a new contract starting near the end of next year. Unhappy with the perceived level of respect that we get from management, the union’s board of directors has proposed affiliating with the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU), a large international union that represents dispatchers at many other airlines as well as the flight attendants and ground workers here at SWA. The board believes that this affiliation would give us more clout and more resources and would save us money. The vote will occur later this month. For political reasons I won’t offer any opinion here, but those who know me well probably know where I stand. From what I’ve heard around the office, I think we will vote to join TWU.

The Issues

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The Star-Telegram posted a helpful article that lists where McCain and Obama stand on some of the main issues. I find myself waffling. I don’t agree with either candidate on every issue or even most issues. For example, I like Obama’s stance on Iraq but hate his support for abortion rights. I share McCain’s goal of balancing the federal budget but disagree with his support for a border fence. Sigh. I think I’ll write in Herb Kelleher.

Reagan is Here!

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My sister Lisa gave birth to her first child at 7:10pm on Monday, a precious little girl named Reagan LeAnn. She weighed 6lb 4oz and was 20 inches long. Mom and baby are doing great! Here’s a pic:

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New Story

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Instead of writing fictional short stories like I did in days past, these days I occasionally record significant moments or experiences from my personal life in story form. Last night, in anticipation of Reagan’s arrival, I wrote an account of Brenden’s labor and birth. I hope you enjoy it.

On a related note, tonight I realized that the links to much of my posted writing weren’t showing up and hadn’t been for some time. I fixed the links and tried to make them more prominent in case you want to read a bit.

Date Night Part Deux

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We’re not quite hitting date night every other week, but we’re trying! Friday night is our second date night since Brenden’s arrival. Papa and Mare Mare (Jenny’s parents) are coming up to watch him while we go to Midori Sushi, our favorite sushi place. We are thankful for such eager babysitters and for the chance to have some time just for us. Jenny in particular deserves a break after this rough week. I’ve been sick most of the week, so she’s had to care for Brenden alone and had to stay away from me so that both of them wouldn’t get sick. It’s also been tough for me, just in different ways. On top of the illness, I had to avoid my cute baby boy AND I had to sit and watch while my wife did all the work of caring for him. Thanks to Dr. Phillips, amoxicilin, and God, I’m now feeling MUCH better and can work, hang with B, and go out tonight with my bride.