Snapshot of the Day

Last weekend the person who was changing my balcony’s railing was telling me how he started in the business of working with metal and stone for the interiors and exteriors. Back home he was a mechanical engineer who due to the circumstances of that time he had to start doing this kind of part time job at the beginning but later on it became a very well paid full time work.

At that time very few people could afford the kind of custom made decorations made by him but the few who had access to paid very good for this kind of artistic metal work.
While I was looking his work and the level of detail he was putting into his work, I was thinking to myself how people can adapt to situations life put us on front and somehow come out with an original alternative.

Well there is the transferable skills, the actitude to take action but also the pasion for what you do. I could easily see in his face the pleasure to do something very good, no leaving anything randomly. When he was doing the final touches of paiting with his paint gun, I notice him adjusting his sights by closing a little bit his eyes like he was adjusting the focus of a camera lense. Also by changing different position to have different angles of the piece of metal he was painting even though the baranda color was white.

You can call it being professional with his job and responsible in the quality he delivers. However, I am pretty sure it was more than that. Did I tell you that this was not a regular paid work but a service exchange?

I was about to start my lunch today in the food court when I noticed in front of me two young men having their lunch as well. Theres was something unusual about the situation thought. These two fellows looks very young in their twenties maybe, but one of them had a stroller with a baby sleeping inside. All the suddenly another older person joined them and start having a casual conversation about the baby laying down on the stroller.

I couldn’t hear the whole conversation but this older gentleman was talking something about the responsibility to had risen 4 kids all by himself pointing out to the next table where in fact 4 kids where eaten as well. It was a unusual scene because the fact that in both tables there were  moms around. It made me wonder about what could be the story behind in both cases the older with their older kids and the young man with his baby.

Wherever was the reason no mothers were present I just thought to myself  how lucky those kids are because they still have someone to look after them.

[click] Apr. 05, 2010(Mon) 12:48 pm

Customer Service is something I really value regardless of cost. Today something unusually occurred when I went to buy my daily coffe at the local coffee store. I got one of those free coffee prize you get from a promotion and decided to use it and redeem my prize. I was waiting on line and when it was my turn, before ordering anything I showed the piece of paper that reads won a coffee and asked for a large size coffee.
To my surprise, the cash register smiled and showing cheerfulness responded with a: “…whoao congratulations! How would you like your coffee?”
I mean it wasn’t a big prize, but it sounds sincere and with good intentions. I thought to myself in my way out. It isn’t amazing, how taking your time to actually connect with your clients and share joyfullness can actually make the customer service a totally different experience.

[click] Mar. 24, 2010(Wed) 08:38 am

We are so used to say or heard thank you in our daily routine to the point that it becomes some time as an auto response. The real meaning somehow is lost until there is really a situation where the thank comes from a really special situation. Yesterday during lunch time I was waiting my order of sandwich when a lady besides me was paying for her order. She dropped a coin, 25 cent I belief. Rapidly and without hesitation I ducked grabbed the coin and return the coin to the lady.

Usually you will get the thank you right away, but in this opportunity was different. Is funny how 2 seconds delay can cause a totally different feeling when someone take the time to look at your eyes smile and say thank you. I could totally feel that was a genuine thanks different from the regular one. Don’t get me wrong, but sometimes our words come out as instinct auto response rather than a sincere expression of ourself. What a valuable experience from a simple act.

[click] Mar. 16, 2010(Tue) 12:32 pm

Photo by TheTrueAbout

Sometimes our kids might drive us crazy with their behaviours. But some time, they can also perform the most inspiring action that make you feel so happy. Today, one of these situations occurred. I was about to read my book during lunch time at work, when I notice a peculiar small piece of paper slided between the pages like a bookmark. When I opened the page, I got a surprise to see one of the small card my son had made before for my birthday with a short message that says: I love you dad.
That was it, the perfect gift anyone can have in your day. You can’t help to feel so happy and grateful for what you have. My kids are the source of inspiration that fuels me when things are not going in the right direction. I couldn’t stop thinking about not only him but my whole family for the rest of the day.
A book mark not only help you find where you were the last time you were reading a book, but this particular one also help me to remember what are the most important thing in life.

[click] Jan. 25, 2010(Mon) 12:42 pm

Photo by Jonathan

Once in a while you experience those one of a kind moments where you can remember so vividly the experience. Curiously, these kind of the experience are usually the simplest one, but the one with more long lasting impact in ourself. I was sitting in our daily kitchen table with my older son looking at his classroom picture taken this year and going through all his classmates.

I was asking him some questions like their names and their backgrounds. The conversation started to turn very interesting with all different kind of questions I was asking him and all the answers he was giving me. I could feel a close connection during this short period of time. It was about for him to go to sleep, but my son wanted to continue talk about their friends so we continue for another 10 minutes when we decided it was time to stop.

I just realized that, kids like any other persons, want some attention and quality time to share together. And even a simple conversations like we had, make them feel important and loved. An enlightening moment and a very beautiful one.

Interesting question and interesting answers which tell us a little bit more about ourself. Sometime what we wish for, are the most simplest things on life. Sometime what someone else wishes for are things we take it for granted.

Fifty People, One Question: New Orleans from Fifty People, One Question on Vimeo.