Do You Have Any CHANGE?

Many conversations were flowing that Saturday at the all-afternoon CB lunch. I heard McB say “We’re the Delta readers.”

I looked at her like she’d sprouted 2 heads (me nice? I don’t think so!), and said something like “I know there are Beta readers. What about the Gamma readers? Gamma comes before Delta, and Delta means change, or maybe you all are reading the third revision.” You know, Original as alpha, then revisions beta, gamma, and delta.

She looked back with a little bit of a crossed-fingered look to ward off what she knew was going to be some math evil something. “You know, like in Delta Force.”

“Aha!” I said with an understanding look on my face, barely understanding. See, Delta (the triangle version of the Greek version of the letter D) is used a lot in math, particularly calculus as a symbol for change. But I’m wandering.where you don’t want to go…

So, CHANGE. We’ve been reading that Jenny has BIG CHANGES in her life, most of them her own choice.

But what about us? Our LITTLE changes?

I’ve just come back from paying big bucks to get the lenses in 2 sets of glasses replaced with a new prescription. Of course they wanted me to pick out new frames (More $ for them). I LOVE my everyday frames. They’re not particularly up-to-date, but they’re light, they cover most of my sight, and they’re not too noticeable. When I bought the frames 3 lens changes ago, I spent BIG BUCKS because I loved the function they provide for me. They’ll last through at least 2 more sets of lenses. Change my lenses, but DON’T MESS WITH MY FRAMES.

About 35 or so years ago I saw the dishes I wanted. I loved them. I love them. We scrimped for a summer to save $70 for them. They’re perfect. Later my SIL wanted the same; so we picked out a set for her, one dish at a time. Eventually she got tired of them and gave them to me. So I have a service for 16, minus some breakage. They were hand done by little old ladies at Iron Mountain Stoneware in Mountain Bloomery, Tennessee. They can’t be replaced. DH got tired of them about 5 years ago and persuaded me to have a set of 4 from Mexico. $400. They’re kinda pretty. Can’t be microwaved because of metal in the colors, slightly too big to close the cabinet door where they’re stored. Did I say I LOVE MY STONEWARE?

Then, about a year and a half ago I got into a change that I hadn’t anticipated. I sneered at people participating in blogs. What were they doing? Oh, well, live and let live, but not for me. Anyway, I was interested in what some of my favorite authors were up to, only to discover that Jennifer Cruise was coauthoring a new novel. Weird! Anyway, I started participating in their blog occasionally. One thing led to another, and, TA DA, I have a slew of real, virtual friends, most of whom I don’t know their names or faces. What a lovely surprise.

Remember I’ve got a sofa coming? I’ve never had one like it. Love at first sight. Change.

With these examples I may appear stodgy and not liking change. I’m really an Agent of Change. Change for the betterment, not change for change’s sake. I scare the bejeebers out of my family when I change my mind (because I have more information). No one else is an Agent of Change. It takes all kinds.

How about you? Are you an Agent? Do you hate change? Do you have a change story? Or a story that keeps change from happening?

110 comments August 5th, 2007