Wednesday Words & Whimsy
Posted on by Debbie

Me, Invisible?? Cool Story Debs #WWWhimsy

A cool story

Right so where do I start?

Maybe at the beginning is a good place, you suggest.

This graphic describes my way of telling a story to a T!

How I tell a story
How I tell a story

My daughters have always loved, appreciated, enjoyed the way I tell stories – I laugh before the punchline of jokes, I weave in and out in the telling, I ramble, I sometimes forget the point of the story and sometimes there is no actual point to what I’m saying – and they look at me with eyebrows raised and say ‘cool story Debs’.

Even their husbands have got in on the act, they’ll glance at each other, with a telling look, and say ‘cool story Debs’. Or they comment on my daughters’ telling of a story and say ‘cool story Debs’, which I think is a lovely compliment, but for some reason my daughters don’t agree!!

So when my eldest daughter (from Dottie Wombat fame) gave me this personalised notebook, (note the words ‘Volume One’), I laughed out loud! Apparently it’s for me to jot down lots of cool stories with the idea that one day they’ll get to read them in print 🙂

Note: I can’t bring myself to write anything in it yet as it’s too special – you know that feeling of new stationery?

Cool Story Debs
Cool Story Debs

Becoming invisible?

Right back to the story – I am the President of our local Rotary Club for the second time in my Rotary career, and I’m mostly enjoying it. I missed a meeting when I was away in Brisbane helping to care for my grandson after his tonsil, adenoids and grommets surgery, so the meeting was run by another member and he did well, and I’m appreciative.

But due to a miscommunication no-one informed me that they’d decided to cancel the next week’s meeting. So as per usual I prepare for the meeting and send out the group message reminding everyone of said meeting to be told ‘oh we cancelled it, didn’t anyone tell you?’. Well no they didn’t, I’m just the President!!

So I felt a bit miffed but got over it, having a quiet night at home instead of going out to the dinner meeting. No drama.

The next night I was helping my friends at their Author’s Dinner, which I wrote about here, and got a lift with other friends who were also helping out. We worked hard enjoyed the night and come 11.30pm I asked where my friends were as we were almost finished cleaning up and ready to go home.

They had left – without me!

Yes they really had, I didn’t believe it when I was told they’d gone so went looking for their car – it was true they’d gone and left me there.

No drama, although I was a tad surprised, I asked some other guests for a lift home and was in the process of arranging a lift when my friend popped back, saying they’d got a fair way down the road and suddenly thought ‘how’s Deb getting home’, realised that they were taking me home and came back for me – lovely friends!

But these two incidents just days after each other made me suddenly think – am I becoming invisible?

Me – the one who wears the brightest clothes, tells the coolest stories, helps others out and does a myriad of other things in our community – am I suddenly invisible?

I shared this story at Rotary the next week in a self-deprecating way, and they all laughed and laughed!! After dinner I produced a pack of conversation starter cards that my husband takes on his Kokoda trips with school students (one of our Rotary projects), just to give the members an insight into what they do on their trek. Everyone took a card and had to share their thoughts on what was on the card.

I went last and the card I had was ‘What super power would you have’ – so I immediately said Invisibility – and they all cracked up again!

I know I’m making a joke of the incidents but sometimes you have to, otherwise you’d start to second guess yourself! I’m always able to laugh at myself!

What would you have done in this situation?

Join us for Wednesday Words and Whimsy #WWWhimsy

As you probably know by now, Min from Write of the Middle has been having a hard time as her mother recently moved into aged care and now sadly is unwell in hospital. Your can read Min’s latest update post here where she explains what’s been going on.

So it is that Sue and I are now guest co-hosting the weekly #WWWhimsy linkup for the next few weeks or until Min feels ready to resume her blogging.

WWWHIMSY LOGO

You can find the link below (and please don’t be put off if there’s a message saying the link up isn’t working), just click on the link and add your post. Sue and I will visit, read and comment instead of Min.

The linkup opens at 5am (Australian Eastern Standard Time) Wednesday mornings and closes at 6am on Friday mornings, and is open to everyone wherever you are in the world! Anything goes – new posts, old posts, only one post per blogger and if you can try to visit some of the others who have linked up that would be great!

Sue and I are looking forward to reading and commenting on your posts.

Wishing you a lovely week ahead!

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Debbie - mother of a 40 year old

Deb is a young-at-heart & active 60+ blogger/retiree, after being made redundant from her 22-year career managing education programs in a men’s correctional centre (jail). She now spends her time reading, blogging, riding her ebike and travelling. Deb was awarded a Bravery Award from the Queen when she was 17 after a tragic accident – a definite life changing moment! She is married with 3 grown-up daughters & has 4 grandchildren. You can read more of Deb’s story here

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44 Replies to “Me, Invisible?? Cool Story Debs #WWWhimsy”

  1. oh no – I can’t believe you would ever be invisible with your bright bubbly personality! At least you have been able to reflect on the funny side of the experience. I love the notebook from your daughter!

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    1. Thanks Janine, it was an interesting time and I’ve reflected on it lately and feel better after having written down my thoughts and then getting all these lovely comments!

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  2. You handled both of those situations very well but I hear the underlying message- Do I matter? Am I relevant? I’m feeling less of both as I age. Maybe that is our new power, we’re the gentle hand holding up the table for all to eat, gather, connect. We’re supporting the new energy, action, movements coming into the world but it is no longer us. We usher in but we’re not the wind. That’s how I’m feeling anyway. It makes our connections and friends all the more important. Hugs, C

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    1. Hi Cheryl, the underlying message of ‘do I matter’ was probably what I was getting at! I love your way of thinking and your vivid descriptions of us as we age, many thanks for the inspiration and calming words – especially ‘we usher in but we’re not the wind’! Thank you so much 🙂

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  3. Oh, we tell stories exactly the same way! And, that’s how I think, too! Do you see your brain thinking as if it were a train going along, sometimes backtracking, sometimes, going in circles until you get to where you were going? 

    I do love that your kids know exactly what to get you…I would adore that notebook and probably never write in it! 

    As for how I would react to all those things, I’d be a little miffed (a lot miffed, actually, at being left behind) and then get over it because it’s just another story to be spun in a roundabout way!

    Thanks for the link up, Debbie!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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    1. Yes Marsha we do seem to have a similar way of telling stories! My daughters laugh at me all the time but I really don’t mind. I decided my experiences last week had to be laughed at and as you say another great story to be spun!

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  5. Each story by itself would just be a little mishap, Debbie, but happening back-to-back as they did creates a whole different scenario, doesn’t it? That said, I’m glad you were able to laugh it off, and it’s good that your friends came back for you. I bet they don’t forget you again any time soon!

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  6. Funny coincidence that it happened twice! At least your friends came back for you. I think you handled it perfectly, with humour and self-deprecation. 👌P.S. I’m adding a post to your link party. Looks like a fun one! 😊 Thanks for hosting.

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  7. oh how funny! I cannot imagine anyone describing you as invisible. It sounds like you have seen the funny side of this and it will now be added to your series of cool stories 😊

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  8. I could think of lots of words to describe you but invisible would not be one of them. I think in both situations it was less about you being invisible and more about the other parties having a busy brain! I love how your friends came back for you and how you can look back on both these situations and have a laugh. That book is super snazzy – what a great gift!

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  10. you’ve made me more than smile Deb. You’ve cracked me right up. I love that you’re known as the cool story teller in the family. I also laughed at your invisible story.

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  11. I loved your stories Deb – but I can also hear the underlying feeling that maybe there’s a grain of invisibility despite your best efforts. I wonder that with blogging sometimes – all the connections, all the commenting, and yet people drift off and away and I miss the old days of people making an effort to reciprocate and cheer each other on each week.

    Thank you for being a bright light who shines out friendship and connection, and who never forgets to cheer – maybe that’s why those two incidents impacted you…. because you would never (even accidentally) do that to someone else. Keep connecting, keep shining, and keep laughing – that’s what makes you special and keeps the invisibility at bay. xxx

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    1. Thanks Leanne your comment shows a deep understanding and empathy which is much appreciated. I think you read the situation correctly but I’m happy to say I know I’m not invisible and will do all I can to hold onto my individuality!

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  13. Truly? Really? You are so not invisible but what I take from this…is that ‘people’ are not always good at keeping others in mind.

    I know you will love my post today…ha….it’s a focus on green.

    Take care, and thanks for caring for Min’s link up

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  17. That was what happened to me when the photographer literally trod on me. It’s the weirdest feeling when you start thinking “Am I actually not here?” as if you are suddenly the one confused….Did the freinds explain why? did they think you’d gone with someone else?

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    2. I can only imagine the feeling of being trod on by a photographer Lydia!! You do start to question yourself when this happens to you. My friends literally forgot me but at least they came back for me!

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  20. Donna wrote exactly what I was going to write! You could never be Invisible Deb. Perhaps your colleagues and friends have short term memory loss? I love your attitude though because it is up to us not to become invisible. Thanks for being my partner in crime again this week co-hosting #WWWhimsy

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    1. Thanks so much Sue, it did throw me for a bit but I bounced back in true Debbie style! I’m so pleased we can work together to help Min out by co-hosting her linkup, many thanks 🙂

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