By the title you probably expect something about listening to the Break Room. Sure, I’d love you to do that and do it often. However, what I mean is listen to the people you are speaking with. It’s easy to check e-mail, take a shit, watch TV all why talking to someone on the phone. We all do it and we all miss crucial nuggets in a conversation. Think about the time you told someone something really BIG and they respond with a half-hearted grunt. You heart sinks and you feel like a fool that you were all excited to tell the person your bit of “earth shattering” news, then you hear …the toilet flush.

I had a similar experience the other day. Jennae gave birth to our third son Jameson Brady Moran on Tuesday March 11th at 3:11 in the morning. We were excited, but concerned over his breathing. The medical professionals tried to reassure us, but we kept pointing out our concerns. Short story, he ended up in the NICU under an oxygen tent. We were calling close family members to update them on his status and to get some reassurance from the ones who will love him as much as we do.

Today’s cell phones are great, you can update social networking statuses, e-mail, watch TV and umm, oh yeah, make calls from them. Mine nearly exploded on Jameson’s birthday and the battery eventually died. I did not have my charger at the hospital, so to call another family member, I used Jennae’s phone.

The family member answered their phone thinking it was Jennae, because her cell number popped up on caller ID. I said, “No it’s Bill.” “Oh, hi Bill, I thought it was Jennae.” I said, “I am using her cell phone, because my batteries dead.” Family member, “DEAD!? WHAT?! DEAD? THE BABY IS DEAD” OH MY GOD! OH, OH, OH, I NEED TO SIT DOWN…WHAT…WHAT _ DEAD…” Finally I can get a word in edgewise and explain it’s my cell phone battery, not my son that is dead! Then I explain that Jameson was in NICU and the panic sets back in…it was like an SNL skit.

Jameson is doing much better and so is the family member who does not listen well. When I talked to the family member today, they told me that yesterdays exhibit of bad listening skills ruined their day. The person cancelled plans they were so shook up, all because they didn’t listen well. Pull your head out of your ass and listen, really listen…it could save you a lot of headaches.

About three weeks ago I punched a wall in my basement. A cinder block wall. It broke my knuckle and a fractured other bones. Good times. First I was splinted and after the swelling went down, I was fitted with a blue cast. ( I never took a picture of the cast!)

Look how swollen my un broken fingers are!

Today the cast was removed.

Cast-less hand. Looks like an old man’s hand…I guess it really is!

It was recommended I have brace put on, I declined. However, I do have my pinky “buddy bandaged” to my ring finger.

We all have been told ‘it’s what is on the inside that counts.’ I guess that’s true ’cause when the insides are broken…it HURTS! Here’s a look at some of my insides.

Our son Jordan had another test today at Strong. It was not painful, just time consuming and he really wanted to go to school! Really wanted to go to school? Today was gym and he wanted to show off his new kicks, makes sense. He went to Strong and despite wanting to be somewhere else, he did the test without complaint. That deserved a treat. He chose…black licorice?!

The New York Times has an interactive graphic of Nodar Kumaritashvili’s fatal luge crash at the Olympics. View at your own risk.
 http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/…

Thank you! This morning we raised close to $875 for Intervol, a Rochester community based non-profit organization dedicated to serving others through the recovery and redistribution of medical supplies and equipment; to bridging local hospitals and medical professionals with other countries and care-giving organizations in areas of need. For the next few months Intervol will be focused on Haiti. Learn more about Intervol at http://www.intervol.org/

We like to go “grass roots” when we raise money. It’s just us and you! We put people on street corners with home made signs begging for money and you give! Thank you! It is a very unconvential fund raising method, some people do not give because they do not believe it is legit. It is! And some of the Break Room faithful, Pat Duffy, Toothless Eddie, Willie Lightfoot, Carl the Bills Fan, and listener Cathy with her family, stood freezing in various parts of town with their home made signs for about 3 hours and with very little pre-promotion raised close to $875! Thank you, thank you, thank you! We have the best listeners.

Cathy’s home made sign

Toothless Eddie and his home made sign in the Break Room

Your cash donations turned into a money order for Intervol