I interviewed a wonderful young man about six weeks ago who happens to have Aspergers. My husband, Neil,  provided me with his nifty, but very old technology mini audio tape recorder. Yes, TAPE recorder. Remember those little plastic tapes with the two holes that you stick your pencil thru to retrieve the thin fragile tape that has been pulled out by a recorder that eats tapes? Didn’t they ALL eat tapes? Nevertheless, it was nice recording the interview. I could really be there listening and not have to concern myself with writing as I went along.

The mini tape has been sitting on my desk for the last six weeks. I’ve been distracted by other writing such as completing the first draft of book #2, which I did yesterday- hooray! Finally, I was ready to transcribe the interview. I got out the  very old technology memo scriber that has been stored  in our garage for the last thirty years. It’s the one with the headphones and foot pedal. Low and behold, I got it all set up and it didn’t  work! Unless you count the high pitched squeal coming from the speaker. I guess it  couldn’t handle the Phoenix summer garage temperatures which can get up to the mid- 100’s.

Second choice- the  little recorder I used to record the interview. I would just have to stop and start it manually. Hmm… this one doesn’t seem to be working now either. In fact, it won’t even let me eject my precious miniature tape. Bypassing the eject button, I pulled the cassette out and it didn’t sound good. I  literally pulled some of the  fragile tape out. It is crinkled, but at least not torn. There must be a conspiracy against me posting this interview. Maybe I’m just doing something wrong.

Neil, my husband who can fix almost anything,  had the same experience in the evening only with some other tapes. I will not let him touch my valuable, crinkled interview tape. No way! It was determined after battery changes and frustration that I will have to go and buy a new, yet old technology, recorder to play back the tape. As of this writing, I can’t seem to find my tape after all that fiddling. But I know it’s here somewhere. I’m off to Staples!

That said, you now know why you still can't read the wonderful interview I did with my new friend Sam. He was awesome and fascinating to speak with. Hopefully, I will be able to post it soon.

Until then, I have a few treasures to share and tidbits of inspiration to offer.

I am reading several very inspiring books right now. Yes, all at the same time. Well not literally, but I have them all going at once and thoroughly enjoying it.

“When you wake up in the morning and things don’t go the way you planned them, or things start falling apart early on (like your plane gets shot down), or later in the day, when things don’t go as advertised, the attitude that you take at that point in time is going to be critical to the outcome of the day and critical to whether you are going to have a good day or a bad day.”

Col. Hubbard goes on to tell us he was born with a bad attitude and along the way it didn’t get any better. Further on, he tells a story of his first Christmas as a POW and how that was the day, while sitting on the concrete floor locked in a tiny prison cell, his attitude changed. 

This book is filled with powerful lessons. I’m only a little way into it, but I have decided it is a must read for everyone.  "Escape from the Box: The Wonder of Human Potential" by Col Edward L. Hubbard USAF (Retired) 

“Every path has its puddle. You can’t tell how deep a puddle is until you step in it.”
  "The Awe-Manac” by Jill Badonsky 

This book is loaded with short gems.

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.
MLK, Jr.

“We are as happy as we decide to be.”
Abraham Lincoln (good old Abe)

He also said, “You cannot help men permanently, by doing for them what they could and should, do for themselves.” Substitute “children” for men and you have a quote for your refrigerator!

And finally… “Each of us literally chooses, by his way of attending to things, what sort of universe he shall appear to himself to inhabit.” William James

Enjoy these tidbits until the interview is posted. I’ve decided this is but another lesson for me in being patient with the process. Seems that’s one I am presented with over and over and over.

And you?

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