A few weeks ago, my 5 month old 52″ HD plasma television started acting really strange. I could turn power on and off, but I couldn’t select any other inputs nor could I adjust volume.

Rule number 1: pull power from wall… didn’t work.

Rule number 2: concede defeat and call tech support.

So I called Circuit City’s technical support line, which of course was closed, and then I tried calling Panasonic’s technical support line and they were also closed. I suppose watching a DVD on the ole’ laptop wasn’t so bad.

Saturday:

Called technical support with Panasonic and received word the issue was evidently firmware related. Now for all of you old timers out there, did you know televisions now have microprocessors and firmware? I’m used to this on computers and copiers, but not televisions. Will the wonders never cease.

I digress. They decided to mail me firmware. This would take a week to reach me… not good, but a decent fall back option if I run into problems.

Monday:

I’m over the fact that I couldn’t achieve technical support instant gratification, and called Circuit City’s technical support line one more time. I got a scheduler on the line, and someone was to be dispatched to my house on Thursday.

We are moving up in the world at least.

Wednesday:

Get a call from the proprietor of the local servicing agency and we talk through some things. He kindly offers to run out because he thinks it should be a 5 minute fix to re-flash the firmware.

The Cavalry Arrive:

The same gentlemen I spoke with pulls up driving a really big, red truck. He comes to the door wearing thick, square glasses and talked with a heavy southern accent. Seemed like a really nice guy.

He pulls out his paperwork with the SD card and walks over to the television. He stoops over to put the SD card in the slot, stops, and leans in closer. He looks back at me, and then again at the small slot in the front of the television.

He stands up, and looks at me and asks if I know how a quarter might have gotten put in the slot.

Ahh, the love of a child…

As he proceeded to clear the jam and hand me the quarter, I thanked him profusely for his visit, realizing he didn’t have to cover the problem under warranty.

I called my daughter down and begin to calmly explain the situation. She of course looks puzzled and asks, “It’s not a piggy bank?”

Well, if it is, that is the most expensive piggy bank I’ve ever seen. I will tell you all friends, the price of a quarter went way up.

My wife and I were going through some things in the attic yesterday. We happened across a box full of keepsakes that we had placed out of sight and out of mind. We brought the box down and found some interesting things each of us had stored away.

I happened on some old Boy Scout patches and merit badges, various ticket stubs to memorable events, and some old shorts and poems I had written some long years past.

My wife took some and began to read. She handed me a crumpled page, asking if I remembered when I had written it. Instantly memories I had put away came flooding back at seeing the poem I had written to read at my Mother’s funeral.

As her birthday has recently passed and the 10 year anniversary of her passing quickly approaches, I thought I would share this with the world. Her passing left me with a weighty feeling - simpler times were gone forever. While I have found joy in the new life since her passing, each thought of her brings pangs for yesterday’s life.

Simpler times are not remembered, they only linger;

simpler things cannot recall these times of pain and words of comfort.

With whispered words within my heart,

I reflect upon and walk beneath my shaded feelings and hollowed cries.

These thoughts called to mind have now called to light

my memories of yesterday and better times.

Bathed in sunlight and its golden glow are things of joy and living hope:

A Mother’s kiss and outstretched arms,

simple words not knowing harm.

Her soul sings songs of living on, now giving light to that beyond.

It is these simpler times I now remember,

these simpler things that offer me comfort.

In times of pain my heart rejoices,

as I think of thoughts and dream my dreams of yesterday and better times -

things my Mother’s kiss and outstretched arms

- simply gave to me.

One thing in life is constant, and that is change. My life has been, and always will be, changing; the road I travel leaves me both wiser and richer, but sometimes scarred. May peace be with you, and may God’s blessings light a path in your darkest hour.

Sincerely,

Ken

photo credit to isa13

My daughter and I had to make a quick trip out to the store to pickup some groceries. As we walked in, the store had a rather large collection of gumball machines. I have always thought this about as devious a ploy as putting toys on the diaper isle, but it is one of the best placement techniques I’ve seen.

Before we even got in the door, my daughter began informing me that she was going to stop and look at the gumball machines (boy is her future husband in trouble). Needless to say, I didn’t see the harm because I didn’t have any quarters - so I could say no without any guilt whatsoever.

In the mix of these 10 machines, there was one that had an “out of order” sign taped on it. As my daughter walked down the line jiggling handle after handle, I informed her one of the machines was broken.

She looked back at me and told me she was going to try it anyway.

I protested, but she insisted once again. Shrugging, I figured, “What could it hurt?”

Click, click, click went the gumball machine and then I heard the most interesting thing - the plop, plop of what sounded like 2 gumballs.

She clapped her hands together in delight, and reached to open the trap door as she cupped her other hand underneath the trough… and sure enough there were 2 gumballs.

So I gave it a whirl: Click, click, click went the gumball machine and then - plop, plop. Yep, the gumball machine was broken, alright. But not in the house’s favor.

Lessons learned:

1. Never quit ‘jiggling the handle’.
2. Do not trust the labels life puts on things.

Devoted husband and loving father, Ken relishes all that he has learned from his girls! Through the trials and the triumphs, Ken looks forward to each new day of discovering the world all over again, and hopes you choose a life of learning over the alternative. Ken works as the Director of Technology at Kearns Business Solutions, a company focusing on helping other companies bring clarity to their document-related processes. Ken also maintains his own blog at ChangeForge, and can be also be found on LinkedIn, FriendFeed, and Twitter.