Paul's Corner

Paul, It's hard to know what to say other than that I feel for your situation.

Consider this idea: a TV show where guests are invited to sit, talk, sometimes cook and generally relate about the more down to earth aspects of their life. It could be set in an old house with a BBQ and nice backyard. Something comfortable to appeal to the masses.
You could call it "Paul's Kitchen".
The guests could include people from diverse fields such as showbiz, the arts, sports, politics, business etc etc.
You could cook sometimes or invite a second guest or two to share the cooking.

What do you think?

Oh, and a very happy Easter you and your family.

Peter

Paul
Happy Easter to you and your family.
We all here at PC are glad you and your family are well. I can remember a time when my family was in such dire straights. We had Hamburger Helper without the hamburger.

We are all here for you to vent. You still have your sense of humor. (the toilet paper thing)
I know that sending positive thoughts and good feelings to you does not put food on the table. But I know that you will perservere.

I agree with Peter, Paul's Kitchen sounds like a wonderful possibility.

I will keep you in my prayers and thoughts.

Every day holds the posibility of a miricle.
Love to all,
Marge

Forgot to add this bit of inspiration.

You are valuable just because you exist. Not because of what you do or what you have done, but simply because you are.
by Max Lucado

Love
Marge

Paul, I am glad to here from you again, I only hoped that you had better news to share.

I understand how you must feel. When my boyfriend and I bought our first house together, 7 years ago, his company went bankrupt and for three mounths we didn't get any money. I just finished my education so I also didn't have a job yet. We had to pay the mortgage, the electricity and a lot of other things, and ofcourse, to stay alife you must eat. But how, how can you buy or pay things without money??? It was so frustrating.
But we had each other and that was very important to me.
Fortunatly we both found great (well paying) jobs and things turned the other way. It's now 7 years ago and things have really changed. We have everything we want, we just build a new house, after I had that stroke my boyfriend bought me a new car, we have a motorcycle, but that are just materials....
The most important of all is that we have got each other and our love means more to me than all the other things I just mentioned.

When I was fealing down, and worried sick, he sang a song for me I'll always remember:

Why worry

Baby, I see this world has made you sad
some people can be bad
the things they do, the things they say
But baby I'll wipe away those bitter tears
I'll chase away those restless fears
that turn you blue skies into grey

Why worry, there should be laughter after pain
there should be sunshine after rain
these things have always been the same
so why worry now

Baby, when I get down I turn to you
and you make sense of what I do
I know it isn't hard to say
But baby, just when this world seems mean and cold
Our love comes shining red and gold
and all the rest is by the way

Why worry, there should be laughter after pain
there should be sunshine after rain
these things have always been the same
So wy worry now....

I hope these words make you feel a little less f***ing angry. There will be sunshine after rain...

We're always here for you.....

Monika

Paul, I’m sorry you continue to find yourself in such difficult situations. Financial worries are maddening and your anger totally understood and I wish there was something “real” I could do, but like most of us here, I don’t think I know what that is. I wish I had more than words of support to offer you, but even these seem almost meaningless in light of what you face. Last week, when I finally found out after 7 weeks of waiting, that I hadn’t gotten the job I interviewed for as a finalist in mid-February, my friends did the most amazing things to support me and cheer me up and yet they too felt that helplessness that I’m feeling right now re. your situation. Thus I will only say ‘I’m thinking about you and am hoping for the best for you so that this situation will come to a very quick end and I will send you some good employment finding vibes and energy. Sorry, can’t send all of them to you, as I need some for myself :). I hope you can draw strength and joy from the support you get on PC to get through intact, not too badly bruised and frustrated. But here’s a BIG HUG for you and your family, as those were the best things from last week, the many real and virtual hugs I got.

Tim and Kelly, I’m thinking about you and am sending you healing energy and thoughts for a full and speedy recovery. Tim, special thoughts to you as you go to the doc tomorrow.

Mary and Julie, I can sense your excitement re. going back to school. Good for you for making your dreams come true.

Dhi, sorry to hear about your hubby’s grandma’s (??) passing. I’ll keep you all in my thoughts as well and may you find peace and comfort in each other. HUG to you as well and thanks for your smooch!

Grandma, congrats on your great grandchild. Is that Jane and ---what’s his name again???—child? You are going to call her knödel/kneidel? I hope this has more positive connotations in Yiddish than it does in German. There it means that that person is short, VERY fat and too round in all the wrong places. I know that’s not what you were thinking about, but I guess I’ve listened “too much” to my Mum who firmly believes that what you call a person or the meaning of a person’s name impacts their psyche both in positive or negative ways. Anyway …

I really have to go now, as I’m already going to be late for Easter at my friend’s home. Upps, where did the time go?

Love to all of you readers & posters out there on PC, may today bring you great joy!
Evelyn

Evelyn, our new great-grandchild has an Israeli name, and I'll learn of it soon. "Kneidel" is the nickname I gave her, but I don't know if she will appreciate that when she grows up!

What's in a name? I was given the Hebrew name of
"Malka" at birth, and it means Queen, so don't mess with me!

Paul, we're thinking of you! Thanks for writing...we were getting antzy!

Peace and love to you, Andrea, and the Girls,

The Mil

Paul, as well as the worries about practicalities, it must be so frustrating for you having no outlet for all that creative energy. It must be hard to contain it at times.

I can understand why Peter thought of his suggestion. Apart from your dancing/acting abilities, you have an energy about you that is good for people - I think it's safe to say we are all familiar with it here. I think any opportunity for you to interact with people would work. I just hope something comes along for you soon that will enable you to channel your energies while supporting your family. You deserve that. The good thing is that when something does come up, you don't have to go looking for that energy,it is all there on tap raring to go. And all it takes is an instant for frustration to turn to joy. I wish you joy - SOON!!

Evelyn, I'm wishing you (job) joy also! You too have so many positve things to offer that the right opportunity has to be in the cards for you. Good luck and take care.

Love to everyone in PC,
Mary

Hey all,

Happy Easter!!

My entire family met at my parents for Easter dinner yesterday. I t was the first time my siblings have seen me since Christmas. We are pretty affectionate group, but this time , there was so much more in theor hugs and kisses and "i love you's" They were just happy I was there for them to love me. It was nice, my brothers opened up and shared with all of us things that we normally do not and I must say, everyone was in tears except my sister and my husband. I have never seen such a deep and emotional bond so publiclly displayed between all of us actually speaking verbally how we felt and how much we loved each other. It was so nice. So if that is why I was supposed to get sick, then it was worth it. If I were to get hit by a truck tommorrow and die, then they know they had the opportunity to know they told me what was in their heart and not have to wish thay had told me. They know they have. I think that is why I always have to hug and kiss everyone upon thier leaving and tell them I love them because the guilt of not telling them would be worse, if sometihing happened to them. Paranoid, I guess, but it's just onw of my quirks.

Anyway, tell those you love just how much they mean to you. Tell them every chance you get. Excpecially after a fight. Don't allow yourself to feel resentment. Just love each other. I'ts the best feeling there is. No matter what is going on in your life, there is always love, hugs and kisses are free and never run out of stock or go on backorder. Just do it, often repeatedly and frequent. I love all you guys with all my heart. I will always consider you my friends and I know my life would not be complete without you.

Anyway, I have a HUGE HAM in the oven, my fols are coming over and I have to get the potatoes and gravy going. Love to all on this special day.

Paul, chin up, it could ALWAYS be worse. When things get bad, it just prepares you for something worse so you can grow to be a stronger person, and love and cherish the really good things when they come. Love to your family.

Kelly

Mr. Paul,

When things get really rough in my life,

loosing potential jobs.

watching my friends from college go on cruises, buy fancy clothes, drive nice cars because they all make a better salary than I do.

watching my bank account dwindle away,
becoming more dependant on my husband even though we have the same amount of education and his career is skyrocketing and I feel like the "little dependant housewife".

getting yelled at by people on the road.

and finally burning breakfast this morning and crying at the kitchen table wondering if I could do anything right for once in my life.

I think of it this way...

putting things into perpective meaning everyone has experienced serious bumps in the road some time or another. (I worked a job fair for a client on wendsday and I meet over 150 people that have been laid off from their jobs this year).

my situation is not going to last forever

I have accomplished a great deal in my life and I'll do it again it's just going to take work and patience like before.

be open to new ideas

not take the situation personally, just because I am experience these rough times doesn't mean in no way that I'm a looser!

and finally,

telling every loved one in the household that being conservative on toilet paper would be greatly appreciated. (Actually making it into a game as who could use the least would give it more of a lighthearted approach. Ok forget I said that)

keep your chin up Paul! You and your amazing wife will show the world again what you two are made of.

Take Care All!

one more thing

for immediate relief from hard emotional times,

listen to Bebel Gilberto's Tanto Tempo and make foods that you really love and share it with the people you love. Remembering the good people in your life will make things seem a whole lot better.

Good luck!

Paul
Forgot to share this little bit of very important nonsensicle information with you. A woman uses an average of 7 squares of TP each time. After I learned this, I have become a TP square counter.

Remember Paul - Friendship is having a shoulder to lean on. We here at PC are your shoulder.

Love to all
Marge

Paul,

What can I say that others before me haven't already said? Your situation is hard, but it will get better.

When I got married, my daughter came along sooner than we expected. Although I was working, there were no maternity benefits back then, and you were required to take off 8 weeks before and 8 weeks after you delivered. There was no promise of your job back, as the "norm" was to stay home with your children. We had no insurance and had to make do with my husband's $65 a week salary. We had no money that winter and lived on the bare necessities. We would give up one meal a day so we could buy formula for the baby - sometimes we had only cold cereal for dinner. We were down to our last $20 when we ran out of oil. The oil company would not send a truck out for less than $25. We piled our coats and blankets on our bed and put our baby between us for warmth, but it was still cold. The next day, my husband went out and bought kerosene and filled the oil tank enough so we had heat - *#@# the oil company! He went out every day and collected scrap so we could have a few dollars until I got back to work. There was no such thing as "welfare" back then, so if you didn't have it, you did without.
Anyway, to make a long story short, we toughed it out and were made better people by our experience.

Your experiences will also toughen you and give you the strength to survive. It's human nature. You do what you have to do to survive...

Thinking of you,
Sally

Hi Paul,

Thought of you when I read this:

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs,
ask yourself what makes you come alive.
And then go do that.
Because what the world needs
are people who have come alive."
~Harold Whitman

Paul..

Boy can I relate. You know I'm still strugling financially. We just came off food stamps this month. I work 5 days at an accounting job, Saturday at the salon and Sunday I do clients at their homes. I get no fucking sleep. My body is falling fucking apart...and our mortgage check bounced last month because my meds cost $478 and that hit the same time as my mortgage. I called Friday to let them know I'd send a money order and they had already run the check through again on Friday. Problem I run into is checks I get..if they are not drawn on "my" bank they put "holds" onthem. My payroll check is on hold. I have more than enough funds in there but if it hits tomorrow it'll bounce again. I still have to pay this months mortgage and my life insurance by this Friday which is $454. I have to go to the Doc tomorrow with no insurance.
Does that make you feel a little better? On yeah..my family of 6 goes through a phenominal amount of tp...so my wife and I use the bathroom as much as possible at the office or on our jobs. It's disgusting..but hell it saves. I know how you feel. It sucks. But you're still going to wake up in the morning so you might as well put on a happy face..or asyour "mum" in SB said.."I'm wearing my happy face today."
That's what I try to do everyday. I sit in traffic again now..endless shit. 1hour to work 1.5 hours home. Oh and it's only 12 miles or 19 kilometers. How's that for slow as molasses.
It's not just the speech that's slow in this part of woods it's the traffic too. It's actually worse than L.A.

What about dance? Can you teach? Dancers teach at my school...it's something... And I'm working my ass off by the way. I've finally learnedto spot correctly and I can do three turns without puking. Put up a fight. You told me that last year..and it's by far not perfect but it's better. Your's was a little more skewed than mine..but something will come back around. You may just have to "Make" it happen. A million shots in the dark may turn the power on somewhere..don't stop trying. And as everyone else has said...you are not what you do, you are what you LIVE.

Hey Mil..Iheard from Whit today. I tried calling her back..but couldn't get in touch. She gave me your number..hope you don't mind. I asked her for it.. Figure I'll give you guys a call soon.

Well better get to bed..Dr. first thing..then work..then a client at home...full foil and haircut then drive 45 minutes back to my house. Up at 6..back home around 9 or 10..to bed and then start over on Tuesday..Hell of a life huh??

peace and love to everyone..

all my best Paul to you and the family

Tim