It's A Small World, After All

You know what I love about the oilfield?

The thing I love the very most?

The fact that you can meet someone for the very first time, and within minutes, find out that you have about twenty mutual friends.

And those mutual friends are good friends, that both of you have known all your lives.

And still, you’ve never met each other, and pretty much, have lived in other states most of your lives.

Talk about 6 degrees from Kevin Bacon.

It’s a small world out there.

And we’re all connected.  And what we do, matters.  

It really does.

Think about that as you go through your day today, wherever you are, and whatever you do.

What you do matters.  So go love on somebody today, will ya?

Sunset at Seminole, Texas - Pumping Unit - Photo by Janie Snelson

Uber-ing. That Is A Verb, Right?

Flying the friendly skies this week.  My compadres are in various states of rest…one is sleeping, one is playing Candy Crush.

I decided I would use the time to write a bit.

Because I know that you’ve been waiting for yet another blog post.

I know you lose sleep at night, waiting on me.

Right?

No?

Darn.  Okay, let me keep my illusions of grandeur for a minute or two, okay?

Okay, minute’s up, and I’m back to reality.

 We have been Ubering quite a bit lately.

In Spokane a couple of weeks ago, I think we Ubered (is that a verb?) something like 12 times.

And the grand total was STILL cheaper than a rental car for a week.

I really like it, for the most part.  But I really, really like people.  I like finding out what makes them tick.  And why they’re doing Uber.  And if they’re doing Uber for a full-time job.  If they have kids.  I want to know the entire drill.

And it’s so cool to me!

In my albeit limited experience, I have found:

Most Uber drivers with family want to set their own schedules. They want to be able to be with their families from this hour to that hour, every single day.

Most single night time Uber drivers are men.  I believe that’s because it’s safer.  And they might not be too worried.  And before an Uber driver can pick someone up, their credit card has to be on file with the company, etc.

The single lady night time Uber drivers pick their times, and the ones that we have had final their rides prior to 11 p.m.  And I don’t blame them.  Crazy stuff can happen after that hour, and I wouldn’t want to be party to it.

Not at all.

Anyway, hats off to the Uber Drivers we have used thus far. 

Job well done.  Now if we could just tip via the app.

Fred Ex was our Uber Driver today.  Love it.

And give 5 stars, as your app would say.

Gascrapola Blues

I took my Sequoia in for an oil change.

It was time.

Truth up, probably a wee bit past time.

The check engine light was on, y’all.

And that means, ya know, it was time.  I mean, I use Mobil 1 synthetic oil or the Toyota equivalent thereof, so it supposedly lasts longer, and is better for your engine.  So I can drive longer.  Like 10,000 miles.

“But I would walk 5,000 miles. And I would walk 5,000 more. Just to be the woman who walked ten thousand miles…”

Okay, a little plagiarism and exaggeration, plus some lyric changing, right?

So, I dropped it by ye local Toyota house, wherein the oil was changed.  And then Jeff, the service manager, came over to the couch, leaned down, touched my shoulder, and said, (wait for it), “Janie.”

“Yes, Jeff?”  I said.

“Janie, we got the oil changed, and the tires rotated, and you’re all good there.  But you have a check engine light on.”

“Jeff, I know.  That’s why I brought it in.”

“Janie, that light has nothing to do with your oil change.”

Whatttttttttttt?  Where is my Young Living Peace & Calming, because I can feel it coming….

Jeff says, “But we can put it on the analyzer, it takes about an hour, costs $100, and we’ll figure out what’s going on.”

“I have the extended warranty, Jeff.”

“Janie, the cost of the analyzer isn’t covered by the warranty, but let’s just see what’s happening, okay?”  (Seriously, this guy should be selling cars, not working in service, but that’s probably where they make the big bucks, in service...wonder if he gets a commission?  Wonder if they need new help?  Because I'm an up-selling machine!) 

And WHOOOOOSH, a cool hundred is vaccuumed out of my account. I swear, I walk through the door, some marketing expert looks my way, and sees $$$ - a new stream of revenue - even if they have to make something up!

I call one of my coworkers, she comes to get me, and I go to my office, leaving my truck in their capable, albeit costly, hands.

A couple of hours later, Jeff calls me.

“Janie, we found the problem.  You’re not screwing your gas cap on tight enough after you fill up your truck, and vapors are leaking, and the sensor is going off.”

“PARDON ME?  CAN YOU REPEAT THAT?” I say in my sweetest voice.

Did I tell y’all this is my 3^rd – third – 1,2,3 – Sequoia?  They’ve not changed one stinking thing about these trucks since 2008?  And I’ve never had this happen?

People.  I know how to fill up my own truck.  I do it all.the.time. And I know how to screw on the freaking gas cap.

Really.

Jeff tells me this happens all.the.time.

I said, “Do I need a new gas cap?  Is this a recall?  Dude, this is my 3^rd Sequoia.  I know how to put my gas cap back on.  Are you having problems with the gas caps on the 2015 Sequoias?”

No, no!  No, not at all, he assures me (To the tune of $223.) But if it happens again, I’m to come in and buy a Toyota gas cap, because the sensor won’t work otherwise.

But, of course.   Stress Away to the rescue.  C'mon, now.

Did you think anything else would happen?  

Welcome to Mi Vida Loca!

Cheeeeeken....Is For The Dogs

I boiled some chicken breasts today.

Not for us, but for the dogs.

Not really to eat, like for food, but for training.

That's how our trainer does it.  For reals.  And she's really good at what she does.  So, I like to continue what training she does, and implement her methods in the house after she's gone.  It works most of the time.

And Dex...will do anything for chicken.

So, I fix 2-3 breasts at a time, chop them up pretty fine, then freeze them.  Awesomeness.

One of her clients didn't like the trainer giving her dog chicken.  She thought her dog would get used to table food and not eat his dog food.

Our trainer had to remind her client that she wasn't feeding her dog chicken from the table, rather, she was using it to train, as a reward.

People.  They crack me up.

It's never boring around here.

My Watchdogs...and Flooding in Louisiana

It's a cool Sunday, for once, this summer.

I'm supposed to be working a vendor event, but I wasn't feeling up to par, so I went and broke down my table this morning and came home.

So, I'm sitting on the back porch, oiled up and recuperating.

The Wonderdogs are watching over me, as I'm being buzzed by hummingbirds.

I might not feel 100%, but can I tell you how happy I am, seeing hummers in my yard?  If I felt like it, I would be jumping for joy.  But that would probably scare the little wondrous birdies off.  They're so cute! I love watching them.  I bet I've seen no less than 20 in an hour.

Anyway, you didn't think you were gonna get out of this post without seeing, at the very least, pictures of my guard dogs, did you?

Here they are...

And if you think about it, please pray safety, provision, peace and miracles for my fellow Young Living friends and their neighbors in Louisiana, who are at this moment experiencing heavy flooding and some are evacuating their homes.  Super tough stuff.

Crazy Times Around Casa Del Snelsonez

It’s been the craziest week.

We arrived in Texas from a Young Living Gold Retreat in beautiful Spokane, only to drive 5 hours to another retreat, this time a spiritual one.  Both were extremely good for the soul.

My mind is on overload!

And Monday?  Back to work in the oilfield!  It’s a good think I have Jesus and ThatManILove and these oils and these silly dogs to help keep me grounded and facing forward and going!

In addition to work, this week, we’ve attended a funeral, had overnight company, and dog trainers, and dog sitters flowing through our house.  One of my couple friends lost their sweet grand baby, and my heart so hurts for them.  More friends face health issues.  Life sometimes is just not fair.

Dex the rescue German Shorthair hurt his foot in the kennel, so he’s walking wounded, but doing well with his training.  Zanna is milking whatever she can, well, for whatever she can, as usual.  These dogs crack me up.

And voila, Friday is already here, and I have two vendor shows this weekend.

Where did this week go?

Next week will be pretty busy, as well, with work travel and presentations.

I’m working on the balance side of it all, trying to get it all done and achieve balance.

Maybe investing a little more time in writing will help.  I hope so.  I’ve missed writing!  I like the download aspect of it.

And yeah...one thing remains - it's never boring around here!

Happy trails!