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WITandWISDOM(tm) - December 27, 2006 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: One often learns more from ten days of agony than from ten years of contentment. Merle Shain Source: Inspire, http://www.inspirelist.com/ ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: Toll collectors are some of the most anonymous people in the world. They breathe car fumes all day long and deal with people who don't like paying tolls. Our college decided to honor a toll collector from the Carquinez Bridge, a bridge all must cross on Interstate 80 to get from the Napa Valley to Oakland or San Francisco. Russ Sweeden, head toll collector for the seven Bay Area bridges administered by Caltrans, came to our campus with James Miller, known among his supervisors as the cheerful toll collector. Perhaps the fact that both of these men are active Christians (Sweeden is a Nazarene, and Miller is an ordained Baptist minister) provides meaning for their anonymous work. Almost 143 million cars pass over the seven bridges each year, with a daily average of 384,000. When asked how he found meaning in his anonymous job, Miller responded, "It's a new adventure every day. I get to meet and greet people from all over the world and all walks of life. Knowing that I carry out a service in helping and interacting with people gives me the satisfaction of doing this work." Miller suggests that next time you pay a toll, give a cheerful, encouraging word of appreciation for the anonymous work such employees do. As you read this, you are already thinking of employees who work selflessly behind the scenes in your world—cleaning and maintaining the building, organizing the mailings, cooking the food, typing the letters, or providing security. Have you gone out of your way to thank them for their work? By Richard Osborn, Angwin, California Submitted by Mary ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: This is a job application submitted to a fast food restaurant: NAME: Greg B DESIRED POSITION: Reclining. Ha ha. But seriously, whatever's available. If I was in a position to be picky, I wouldn't be applying here in the first place. DESIRED SALARY: $185,000 a year plus stock options and a Michael Ovitz style severance package. If that's not possible, make an offer and we can haggle. EDUCATION: Yes. LAST POSITION HELD: Target for middle management hostility. SALARY: Less than I'm worth. MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT: My incredible collection of stolen pens and post it notes. REASON FOR LEAVING: It was lousy. HOURS AVAILABLE TO WORK: Any. PREFERRED HOURS: 1:30 3:30 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. MAY WE CONTACT YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYER?: If I had one, would I be here? DO YOU HAVE ANY PHYSICAL CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PROHIBIT YOU FROM LIFTING UP TO 50 LBS?: Of what? DO YOU HAVE A CAR?: I think the more appropriate question here would be "Do you have a car that runs?" HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY SPECIAL AWARDS OR RECOGNITION?: I may already be a winner of the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes. DO YOU SMOKE?: Only when set on fire. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS?: Living in Bimini with a fabulously wealthy supermodel who thinks I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread. Actually, I'd like to be doing that now. DO YOU CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE IS TRUE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE?: No, but I dare you to prove otherwise. ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: Our daughter-in-law, Karen, was teaching the lesson in cradle roll at their church. It was time for the ever-popular stamping of the hand for saying the memory verse. An adorable toddler offered her little hand to be stamped. As Karen prompted her to repeat the short verse, "I love You, Lord," the little one sweetly answered, "I love you too." By Sandi Case, Indianapolis, Indiana ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: VIGANELLA, Italy (UPI) -- A village cut off from sunlight during the winter by the shadow of the Italian Alps has set up a huge mirror that directs rays into its town square. Viganella sits at the bottom of a deep valley near the Swiss border with a sheer mountain wall on its southern side. In the past, the sun disappeared behind the mountains on Nov. 11 and did not shine on the village again until Feb. 2. A 26-foot by 16-foot sheet of steel was installed on a mountaintop over the village Sunday, the Italian news agency ANSA reported. The mirror is operated by computer to follow the sun. "It wasn't easy," Mayor Pierfranco Midali said. "We had to find the proper material, learn about the technology and especially find the money." At 100,000 euros ($131,000), installing the mirror was not cheap. But, as the MasterCard commercial might say: "Feeling the January sun on your face -- priceless." Copyright 2006 by United Press International Source: ArcaMax – Weird News, http://tinyurl.com/9kf44