Author Archives: Solomon Gee

T + P + C = H

Posted on by under Encouragement, Journey, Uncategorized

What is this?

No, it is not a new texting acronym nor is it a chemical formula or advanced math calculation.

So what am I trying to say with these four letters? What do they represent?

For those of you who have been following this blog site, you understand that this is my journey of courage through some rather difficult circumstances and events in my life. Time has moved forward yet the wounds still seem fresh every now and then.

If you ever experienced loss in your life, this message is for you. Here is the translation:

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The End Of An Era

Posted on by under Encouragement, Journey, Life, Love, Memories, Uncategorized

at least in My mind….

As high school kids are graduating into the next phase of their lives, many will carry life experiences that have transformed them so far in their young lives. Some are just happy to walk the stage or receive their diploma.

Yet there are others who have tried new things in their younger years and may not realize the impact it will have in their future careers, relationships, and thought processes. I feel excited for many of them as their journey is much different these days.

I share similar emotions as teachers of many of the graduating students. While I may not have been a full-time instructor (I commend those who have the tenacity to teach our next generation), I do reflect upon many of the special children that were in my care from a different type of background.

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Left As A Cruise Ship, Come Back As A…

Posted on by under Funny, Life, Memories, Uncategorized

Another in a series of stories from my recent travels on my first cruise ship adventure (see the previous post to understand this link).

I had no expectations as I boarded the Grand Princess which was docked at Pier 27 in the San Francisco Bay. After the rough start before checking in, all I was looking forward to was a week of fun and relaxation. As a recovering technologist, I was glad to know that once we embarked on the open ocean, we would not have any cellular coverage!

In fact, I vowed that even though we would dock at a few ports where I could obtain cellular coverage, I was determined to simply delete junk email messages and read the rest of the messages when I returned home. For those of you who truly know me, this was a hard thing to commit to but I knew that this had to be the right decision if I was going to sincerely enjoy this family cruise!

Before the cruise, I exercised regularly to achieve my desired weight because I was warned about the voluminous amounts of food that would tempt even the most disciplined of souls.

On the morning of the departure, I weighed myself to establish the baseline weight.

Why?

The answer should be obvious – I wanted to see how much weight I would gain even though I was determined to eat well.

As the maître de stated, “We leave as a cruise ship – we return as a ”

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Rough Start To Our Vacation

Posted on by under Funny, Holiday, Life, Memories

(this is the first of a series of stories from our recent cruise adventure)

Packing our suitcases, checking our list of necessary items for the trip, trying to stay healthy, and arranging for drop-off and pick-up transportation. All this for the start of our first cruise down the Pacific Coastline on the Grand Princess!

Excitement grew as each day drew closer to our embarkation date of April 1. Nothing was going to deter us from our wonderfully planned voyage. I was exceptionally excited as this would be my family’s first cruise ever! Finally, we could see what this cruising-lifestyle is all about.

Saturday morning arrived. We had to wait for my older son and his wife to arrive so that we can carpool together into San Francisco. Last-minute preparations and the loading of suitcases into the car with some extra room for their luggage.

My phone buzzed – it was my son calling probably to let me know they were almost here. Upon answering my phone, I heard the words that would deflate my enthusiasm.

Dad, we have a problem.

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A Special Assignment

Posted on by under Bereavement, Encouragement, Journey, Life, Memories, Uncategorized

Cathy and her twelve year-old daughter, Melissa, arrived at the local mall for an afternoon of memories and fun. Little did she know, this day would leave an impression for the rest of her life.

Melissa marveled at the retail stores enticing would-be customers to spend their money on discounted merchandise. The sunlit atrium was accompanied with the chatter of many conversations. Fast-paced shoppers with colorful logo bags weaved throughout the crowds in search of their next sales conquest.

Cathy stopped in the middle of this busy mall, turned to her daughter and said, “Today, I have a special assignment for you.”

Would it be a shopping-spree type of day? It was not her birthday or any other special occasion that she could think of. What could this “special assignment” be? Her big smile and wide eyes eagerly awaited her mother’s next words.

With love, Cathy shared what the special assignment would be.

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Hidden Damage

Posted on by under God, Journey, Life, Uncategorized

The drive was uneventful as I returned home from a business seminar. The early afternoon welcomed me with cloudy skies and the occasional sunlight. My time schedule afforded me only an hour to get home, set up my laptop for my online webinar, and contact the potential customer with a link to my website.

Traffic was good as I cruised over the bridge and onto a major freeway. The digital clock on my car’s dashboard displayed a calming “1:15pm” – plenty of time!

A text message appeared on my phone – I know it is unwise to read my text while driving so I gave Siri a command to read me the message. It was from my potential client.

Postponed for now! Oh well, I can now go to my chiropractor given the cancelled appointment.

Love the flexibility of my work schedule. In fact, I decided to exit the freeway and use the backroads to relax and get in the mood for my appointment.

Uh oh!

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The Most Important Job I Will Ever Have!

Posted on by under Encouragement, Life, Uncategorized

This weekend, there was a somber memorial service for a fallen California Highway Patrol (“CHP”) officer, Lucas Chellew, who was only 31 years old at the time of his death last week. He had served eight years in the CHP and his sister, also a CHP officer, delivered a moving testimony of her older brother’s legacy and life.

While we honored Officer Chellew’s sacrifice to protect and serve the citizens of California, a higher loss was recognized. He was a proud father of his young children. It is very sad that they will no longer have their daddy to protect them.

This made me think of my own status as a father. Continue reading →