Smile-breaks
Those darn survey questions
I didn't want to check the box that would tell everyone I can't do a thing for myself. I do have a little pride. But the box about being a "do-it-yourself person" wouldn't be totally accurate either. Typical of surveys, this one didn't give the option I needed and, as surveys do, refused to let me continue until I checked one of those boxes. I had to do something—I hadn't even got to the part about the Home Depot clerk I wanted to give credit to.
I never fill out those surveys. But this time. . . Well, she was coming off her break with her drink in hand and ran over to help and found my filter in seconds—with a happy smile on her face the whole time. Service like that deserves recognition. So when she asked me to fill out the customer service survey, I couldn't help saying, "Sure! I'll fill out the survey. Want me to tell them you're perfect?" She smiled at that and I left to get the paint I needed, having picked up my online order so quickly.
Back at home I clicked on the survey and answered a zillion questions about what I was buying and why I was buying it and what time did I buy it and how long did it take when I got to the store and l was going along zip, zip, zip until I got to "How would you describe yourself? 1) A do-it-yourself person 2) I hire professionals 3) I am hired to do work for others. For sure no one hires me, so the last one was easy. But the other two?
I'm perfectly capable of doing things for myself. I'm not totally helpless. I don't need to hire professionals for every little thing. But then—no one would describe me as a do-it-yourselfer either. Sometimes I call my kids. They're pretty good at all this DIY stuff. And sometimes I call a professional. But not all the time.
Where was the box for "sometimes I do it myself and sometimes I call someone?" Happy medium. I wasn't about to check the box that says I call for help every time something needs putting together or fixing. But like I said, no one's calling me the ultimate DIY person, either—especially not my plumber, air conditioning guy, yard guy, pool guy. . . Especially not my sons and daughter, one of whom gave me my own do-it-yourself toolkit in a pretty pink box.
But I did put that coffee table together and I did put the pool bin together and I did replace the light bulbs in Paul's ceiling fan; I even put the bar stools that came in a zillion pieces together—with a little help at the end. And my grandson sort of objected when I said I couldn't check the do-it-yourself box, like maybe I should.
After hovering between "do-it-yourself" and "hire-a-professional" far too long, I checked the "do-it-yourself" box and resolved that from here on in, I would. Do it myself! No hiring professionals; no calling my sons and daughter, not even the next door neighbor. I would do it myself. Every time.
Please don't tell my plumber, my yard guy, my pool guy, my a/c guy and most especially, please don't tell my sons and daughter—because right now I have three huge bags of bark, a couple of solar lamps, a string of patio lights, and four bags of moss in the trunk of my car waiting to be spread, installed, put in place. . .
