The Art of a Thank You Note

Questions I have been pondering: Are Thank You Notes outdated? Does an e-mailed thank you replace a hard copy thank you note? Where did Dawn get those darn cute thank you cards? How did Melissa send out personalized (w/ photos no less) thank you cards the day after the event happened?...
I take pride in writing thank you notes, however, I am human. I have been known to forget them all together or have great expectations to send out "super cute" homemade thank you cards and it never happens. I usually enjoy sitting down to write thank you notes. It allows me to reminisce about what I experienced, who did what or who purchased what gifts. This gives me time to sit and enjoy the experience one more time. Life often runs by too quickly and this alone time lets me take it in at my own pace, with my own thoughts. Example: Wow, what a great friend, she totally went above and beyond or I can't believe she totally gets me and not often, but I must admit I have those moments when I think: I am grateful, but what do I write? You shouldn't have, no really I mean it, you shouldn't have. I am being honest and I am sure we have all had those moments. This is why I am a fan of gift registries. I would prefer to buy you something you want than guess. However, if I take the time to check your registry, I will admit I do watch the mail box for the thank you note that follows. Is this wrong, are my expectations too high? How do you feel about thank you notes? I remember my mom forcing me to write thank you notes as a child and I now want to thank her for giving me what I feel is a great skill to have in my tool box.

I wanted to share this information I found online at The Art of Manliness, http://artofmanliness.com/ Re: Thank You Notes and Men
Gratitude is a virtue every man should cultivate. Yet gratitude means nothing if you haven’t mastered the art of expressing it. A man should use every opportunity to express to those around him how much he appreciates their love, support, and generosity. One of the key ways of expressing gratitude is the thank you note. Unfortunately, many men today completely overlook this aspect of etiquette and consequently, break the hearts of sweet little grandmas everywhere. Every gentlemen should be knowledgeable of the when’s and how’s of writing thank you notes. Being a frequent and skillful writer of them will set you apart from your uncouth peers.

When to write a thank you note:
-When you receive a gift (Especially if the gift is from your Italian grandma. If you don’t write a thank you note, she’ll put the moloch on you.)
-When someone performs an act of service for you.
-When someone goes above and beyond what is asked of them, whether at work or in a friendship.
-After a job interview.
-When you stay overnight at someone’s home.
-If someone shows you around their town or city when you’re vacationing there, regardless of whether you stayed at their home or not.
-When someone has you over for dinner.
-When someone throws a party of event for you.
-Anytime someone does something extraordinary that warms your heart. Don’t be stingy with the thank you note. There’s never a wrong time to write one.

Ground Rules
1. Always write the note as soon as possible. Send it within two weeks of attending the event or receiving the gift.
2. Send it through the mail. Email thank you’s are certainly convenient, but except in response to very small things, they are not appropriate. Some may say, “Well, a thank you is a thank you. Why does it matter what form it takes?” Sending a thank you note through the mail shows effort. It shows that you took the time to put pen to paper, addressed an envelope, and bought a stamp. It’s tangible; they can touch it, hold it, and display it on the mantle. It makes your thank you far more sincere.
3. Use real stationary. Having to run to the store to buy a card every time you need to write a thank you note will make you drag your feet about writing them. So invest in some nice looking stationary. It doesn’t have to be fancy; buy something with a neutral, conservative theme so that the cards can be used for a variety of occasions.

If You Need More Help: How to Write a Thank You Card
1. Begin by expressing your gratitude for the gift/service. You’re opener is simple: “Thank you very much for ______________.” If the gift was money, use a euphemism for it. Instead of “thank you for the dough,” say “thank you for your kindness/generosity/gift.”
2. Mention specific details about how you plan to use a gift or what you enjoyed about an experience. If you are thanking someone for holding an event like a party or dinner, be specific about what you enjoyed about it. If you are thanking someone for a gift, tell the note’s recipient how you plan to use it. This is true even for a monetary gift; tell the giver what you plan to spend it on or what you’re saving for.
3. For some recipients, add some news about your life. This isn’t always appropriate; obviously if you’re writing a thank you note for say, a job interview, you don’t want to tell them how you recently caught a two foot bass. But if you receive a gift in the mail from people who see you infrequently and who would like to know more about what’s going on in your life (read: your grandparents), give a brief sketch about what you’ve been up to recently. You know Aunt Myrtle will love it.
4. Close by referencing the past and alluding to the future. If the person gave you the gift at a recent event, write, “It was great to see you at Christmas.” Then say, “I hope we all can get together again next year.” If the person sent the gift in the mail, and you see them infrequently, simply write “I hope to see you soon.”
5. Repeat your thanks. “Thank you again for the gift,” makes the perfect last line.
6. Valediction. Valedictions are the words or phrases that come before your name. The hardest part of a thank you note is often choosing a valediction that appropriately conveys the level of your relationship with the recipient. “Love” can sometimes seem too gushy and “Sincerely” can seem too formal. If your affections fall somewhere between those two expressions, here are some neutral valedictions that can fit a wide variety of situations and relationships:
Yours Truly
Truly Yours
Kindest Regards
Warmest Regards
Best Regards
Respectfully

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to write out thank you cards and send them via the US postal system. I for one appreciate them and hope to see the trend of parents forcing their children to write thank you notes continue, in the long run it is a useful skill set to have on-hand. I currently have 2 thank you notes sitting on my desk, because I enjoy seeing them. "Natasha yours is one of them, I love the glitter cards and to think you had a liver transplant and still found the time to send out a thank you card!" I hope this post gave you something to think about, taught you something new or encouraged you to appreciate thank you notes.

Cheers,
Crystal

What Dogs Eat

Since we lost George our home has not been the same. However, Indigo felt the quiet and sadness was too much to endure so she went and made herself sick. I have not been motivated to write lately and I am overwhelmed with vet bills. Indigo has just made it back to normal after many days of multiple medicines, trips to doggy daycare and wearing clothes to keep her away from her incision site.


Timeline:


Tuesday, April 26 George goes into the hospital


Thursday, April 28 George comes home


Friday, April 29 George goes back at 9:20pm to be put to sleep


SADNESS BEGINS, Diesel Ann goes into mourning.. House isn't the same without George to greet you and make you smile.


Sunday, May 15 - Something isn't right, Indigo is trying to vomit and keeps coughing.. acting strangely but wants to eat. I consider bloat, but this is different. She is licking the carpet, trying to eat fabric softener sheets and just being weird. We take her in for an 8pm vet appt.


x-rays show staples in her belly, but she can pass those on her own. Leave her overnight for the vet to run a scope down her throat to check it out.


Vet calls at 3:30 AM to tell us there was lots of grass and plant like material down her throat and she was able to pull it all out. Indigo can go home in the morning.


Monday, May 16 Follow-up xray shows staples still in the belly and things have not moved AT ALL. Concerned they want to keep her until 1pm and do another x-ray.


Vet calls in the afternoon and advises nothing has moved, she would like to do exploratory surgery ($$$) that evening. OF COURSE, do what you need to.


9:3pm call comes that she was able to remove a large amount of grass/hair from her stomach. The wad was so large she had to cut a silver dollar size hole in her stomach to pull it out in one batch. They saved it for us in a Ziploc since it was so large and they passed it around the office.






Indigo now begins to recover, she gets antsy and does not want to be in a cage (she has cage aggression), they ask us to take her home early with very close care at home.



Tuesday, May 17 Indigo comes home with MANY meds. Some every 4 hours and others every 2 hours or twice per day. One has to be 30 minutes before the other and one has to be smashed up and another has to be swallowed whole.. I was stressed about what to give when and she could not be left alone. I slept on the couch with Indigo on the floor, so I could hear her move and she could easily make it outside to potty.


Wednesday, May 18 My Dad stays at my house with Indigo (must give meds with all the crazy instructions, i left post it notes everywhere)


Thursday, May 19 My Mom stays at my house with Indigo


Friday, May 20 I stayed home with Indigo


Saturday, May 21-Sunday, May22 Cancel all weekend plans to care for Indigo and keep her quiet at home


Monday, May 23 - Friday, May 27 Drive her to Elk Grove every morning for doggy daycare and make it downtown for work by 7:30am



Friday, May 27 - A good friend comes over and doggy sits so C.J. and I can go out for date night


Saturday, May 28 - Staples are removed and the incision site is a little yucky since some of the skin had grown over her staples. A warm compress must be applied a few times a day to clean it and draw out all the "yuckies" as I call it. Technical term is pus.


Who knew taking care of a dog after surgery would be so intensive. The following week I pieced together dog care for large chunks of time and began to leave Indigo for 1 hour, 2 hour and then 4 hour periods on her own with her thunder vest on to keep the incision site clean and not chewed on.


She is now more or less back to herself, except she has one UGLY scar on her belly and her humans have one NICE vet bill. Also the plant she ate was removed from our backyard!!


Her next big challenge is King's Kastle with Colleen beginning June 30. I call it doggy boot camp and hopefully it will help her gain confidence and learn to play better with other dogs.


As they say, if it isn't one thing it is another. Overall, we are all happy Indigo was able to recover and the house is still in mourning for George.

Another Good Bye

Another good bye has come has come and gone. Saying good bye is never easy and knowing when it is time is even more difficult! As many of my friends and family know George has been a sickly cat. Over that last year George has been fighting pancreatis and most recently he was diagnosed with kidney failure. I know kidney failure has no cure, but I had no clue how quickly it would take my sweet cat from me. George is a one of a kind cat, as one friend put it, "Even if you don't like cats, you would like George." He enjoyed being the center of attention and would always meet you at the door when you arrived home from a long day at work. George was sick the first day I saw him at the SSPCA. I notified someone at the front desk and he was moved to the sick bay at the shelter. I visited him regularly for a few days and then I told the SSPCA if you can get George well, he can come home with me. 2 weeks later, a 2 year old flame point Siamese, who was once upon a stray, named George moved into my home and Gemini got a younger brother she never asked for. :)! Shortly after coming home I had George's teeth cleaned and it was all down hill from here. He developed an infection from having his teeth cleaned. The first surgery was to drain an abscess that had formed in his mouth. Ultimately the infection settled in his brain and after many appointments and a cat scan - George was blessed with his very own nuro surgeon. He then had surgery to have a large mass removed from inside his head. The mass was not cancerous, just fluid filled. A resident at the pet hospital used George's case for her case study at school. The diagnoses, procedure and outcome was not usual. This was all very traumatic and costly and I thought I would lose him a few times. George always pulled through and was a fighter. In between there were many appointments for colds, ear infections and eye infections, but George always remained a love bug. You knew when he was sick or not feeling well because he would hide and not want to be around you. However, very rarely did he ever stop purring.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011, I took George to the vet because he was not acting like himself and had lost some weight. He stayed over night to get IV fluids and have blood work done. I learned on Wednesday that George's kidney values were out of control and he has experiencing kidney failure. I let the vet know I was interested in hospice care for George and was told he would likely have weeks, if not months. George came home Thursday night around 10pm with a bag full of medicines to assist him with pain, nausea and fluids to administer to him daily. However, George was not George he was a shell of his former self, he was not purring, he lost his balance often and could not jump on the bed or off of the bed without falling over. I knew George was struggling and not very happy with not being able to control his little body. I knew in my heart the end was near. On Friday when I returned home from work, I knew it was time. I made George's last vet appt. We meet with the Vet who had been caring for George all week. George had not been purring, but as I rubbed his fur and waited for the vet to come in with that last fatal shot, he began to purr. I questioned my decision to let him go and then I realized George was letting my know it was okay to let him go this time, he was ready to move on to a world of peace and pain free living! However, I must admit those last few minutes as I held him and the vet came into the room I was overwhlemed with emotion. George purred on his way out of this world and I will always hold his purr near my heart. George you will be missed and I love you little buddy!!!!

Help.. I am a Yelper...

Who am I? Why am I authorized to judge others? Oh, yeah I am a consumer!! I enjoy posting reviews and giving kudos to those who deserve it and hand slapping those who need it. I like to think I am fair, I tend to give places more than one chance and I know the world does not revolve around me. However, it would be nice if we each got our moment to be the center of attention! I rely on other people's reviews as well! If some place has mixed reviews, I will give them a try. However, if somewhere has consistent bad reviews, I tend to stay away. Everyone has different levels of expectations and mine seem to be high, but everyone should have a basic level of expectation when paying for a meal, experience or service. Kindness, timeliness, cleanliness, value for what you get and manners are just the basics. I also tend to appreciate reviewers who post just as many good reviews as bad, not everyone is excellent and not everywhere is horrible. I try to remember to post good reviews and not be super harsh on bad reviews, because maybe it was just an off day for that particular individual or businesss. Bad reviews tend to roll off the fingers much easier than good ones, because venting is easier to do than it is to praise others for a job well done! I encourage you to let others know when they do a good job and to post reviews when you have the time. I enjoy learning from other consumers vs the businesses trying to make a dollar. I love to shop online for clothes and I rely heavily on the reviewers that state too large, too tight, no shape, cheap fabric, must buy great deal, order in every color - So far consumer reviews have been right on and I tend to order the correct size, one up, one down or right on depending on what others have already learned. Life is too short to not take good advice and save the time later of returning something for being too tight or too large. Yelp is also requiring that businesses to do business differently, and businesses that care tend to monitor reviews and reply to them. I have enjoyed the interaction I have had with business representatives who have responded to my bad and even good posts. If you haven't yet, start yelping and sharing your reviews with people like me so I can learn from your experiences!

Recent reviews by Crystal C.

What's this?

cousins by blood, friends by choice

This entry is dedicated to my cousin Kristen, who was a BEAUTIFUL bride on March 5, 2011!

I like to think I am put together, the one who holds back tears, speaks my mind and then thinks about the people I most likely pissed off later. I defend family, friends and others when i feel it's necessary. I work to help homeless animals who don't have a voice, i like to make things better. I helped Kristen with anything she asked to make her wedding a special day. On wedding day: I worked to keep everyone on time, breakfast, Make-up, hair, lunch, floral.. check.. get Kristen in her dress, adjust her cleavage, find her shoes, get her flowers.. get her a shot or two! Load her in the mini van with sparkling clean rims.. get her to the wedding site on-time.. take photos, cover the bug bites (thanks Alex), get her a drink, stress about room layouts, watch her walk down the aisle, hold her flowers, hope Dana's hair doesn't catch on fire standing under the candles of the beautiful floral arch lit with candles, give Kristen back her flowers, watch Kristen and her husband drive off in a golf cart to take photos on the golf course, sign the marriage license, get Kristen a drink, take more bridal party photos in the rain, get introduced into the reception, have dinner, visit with friends, check in on Kristen, she is now married, happy and beautiful. Just beaming a radiant glow, if you ask me...

Now the fun part for most.. slide show (I teared up watching memories fill my heart), toasts.. aunt lori, alex and then me. I was a wreck, i was overwhelmed with emotions, my hands were shaking, i asked Jake to hold my champagne flute..i knew what i wanted to say, i wanted to say so much, but no words can express what Kristen means to me or how much she has enhanced my life... i made it through the words (no tears) and made my way back to my seat... Then Jake toasted the wedding attendees, his family, his new family and his new bride-to-be also known as his wife. This is when I lost it, i realized (what i already knew) my cousin was marrying a wonderful man and she was becoming the woman she wanted to be. I know i am not losing her, but gaining a cousin-in-law, but i think Jake and I may need to have a one-on-one chat. Kristen is more than a cousin, more than a friend, she is part of my life, my memories since I can remember remembering. :)! I stepped outside to have myself an UGLY cry, i am not a fan of ugly crying and often make fun of people who do. I will admit i had myself an ugly cry...The emotions of the day all caught up to me, i did not have a job, everyone had eaten, everyone was a having a good time and now it was my time to relax. Without a job, i had time to think (and feel) about everything leading up to my cousin's wedding, all the planning, all the appts, all the lists, all the questions, timelines, decisions and fighting with Kristen to get her nails done. I am honored to have been an active participate in Kristen's wedding, but when the work was done and it was real - I was emotional, i was happy for Kristen, i was in awe of her beauty and of the beautiful woman she has become! I know how to plan an event, but I didn't know how to "feel" one until Saturday night. Congrats to Kristen and her husband Jake!!!

Life Is What We Make It!

“Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.”

What does your perfect life look like? Do you want a perfect life? Last night, Betty from Nebraska called and she asked to conduct a Gallop poll with me. She sounded nice and like a gentle grandma type, so I gave in and gave her 10 minutes of my time. With a glass of Pinot Noir, which I purchased on my 2010 Thanksgiving getaway, I settled in to answer the questions. The survey was a standard of living survey. Questions included do you have enough money every 7 days to buy food, heat your home and put gas in your car. Yes, I have money to do these things, I often wish I had more money, but I do have enough money to do the basic things and then some. This 10 minute survey made me think about what I have and how lucky I am. Questions included do you have access to fresh fruit and vegetables and have you been to the dentist in the last 6 months. Do you have health insurance, can you afford the fresh fruit and vegetables available? Wow, yes I can afford all these things and the fab Pinot Noir I am sipping as I say, yes, yes, yes. I am lucky, I take things for granted. I am happy to be employed, happy to have health insurance, happy to have extra money to spend on useless items that I deem necessary. On the other hand, I believe I worked hard to have what I have and these things are not just given away. It is a mix of motivation, access and determination to make your best life possible. I am still striving to determine what my best life looks like, but for now I am going to work on being happy with what I do have. Appreciating that my current life is now and I need to enjoy the "now" as I plan for the future. I am lucky to have a wonderful family, friends and co-workers who "get me" most of the time. I am blessed to be able to share my bed with 4 wonderful pets, although last night I was smothered and could barely move without fighting for space on the bed. Cheers to what we have and the good that is to come!

Special Dogs...Touch Many and Motivate Others...

"I guess you don't really own a dog, you rent them, and you have to be thankful that you had a long lease."

Dedicated to Wags, who ventured to the Rainbow Bridge in 2010

Most people who know me, know me as an animal lover. I have always cared for and nurtured animals, but dogs were not on the top of my list. I had dogs as a child, but I don't remember truly bonding with them or sharing a bed. However, when Shadow an 8 year old weimaraner was brought into my life that changed and I now openly and willingly share my bed, food and love with dogs. Shadow was in my life not nearly long enough (short term lease), but she has forever changed my attitude and outlook on animal rescue. I have always adopted from the SSPCA or taken in the neighborhood stray, but Shadow taught me as long as their is space in my home it is my job to take in the not-so-perfect dog and shower them with love. When Shadow left this world to venture to the rainbow bridge, because cancer took over her body, I thought I would never want a another dog, because Shadow could not be replaced. However, as the pain began to grow all I could think about was the empty pet bed, the lack of routine missing from my life, the lack of a wagging tail nub greeting me when I got home. I knew it was my duty to find another rescue to bring into my empty home. My home will never have a vacancy sign for long as Shadow made it my duty to take in the senior, not so perfect, not so healthy, not so social dog that other people turn a blind eye too! It is true Shadow will never be replaced, however, she has shaped my view on animal rescue and taught me I can make difficult decisions. I can take in short term leases, knowing I will give them my all until it is time to turn in my lease. Believe me - it hurts, the pain is heart wrenching, but when I think about the bigger picture - I can trade in this pain for the love brought into my life.

Who knew one dog could move me, make me a better person and change my outlook on life?

Another special weimaraner dog, named Wags, who also ventured to the Rainbow Bridge due to cancer in 2010 has forever changed the mindset of many visitors to the Northern CA Weimaraner Rescue Booth. Wags was a great Weim ambassador and showcased the great qualities of a Weim. I believe Wags' good looks and manners opened the eyes of many booth visitors and helped rescue dogs find new homes. Yes, many weims counter surf, dig, eat things they aren't suppose to, have lots of energy and require alot of work. BUT Wags and Shadow prove that hardwork, patience, time and love make the best dogs. These special dogs taught others that rescue dogs are perfect in their own way and make the best pets!! If everyone is blessed with a Wags or Shadow lease at some point in their life, they too will forever be changed for the better.

"If you have a dog, you will most likely outlive it; to get a dog is to open yourself to profound joy and, prospectively, to equally profound sadness."