Tuesday, July 31, 2007

If you're looking for a job...

... you could try this.

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Friday, July 20, 2007

Nick, the Simpson

Over on the Simpson movie website you can create a Simpson's Character that looks like you. Here is what I came up with:



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Thursday, July 12, 2007

Number Three

And for my third post, I present to you: Julie the Pushover. Honestly though, I have a problem, and I'm not sure how to deal with it.

I seem to make people feel that they can explode in anger towards me. At work. In front of witnesses. The first time, I thought it was the other person's fault - they were out of line, and my manager took appropriate steps. It all turned out okay enough.

But this time, I totally didn't know what to do. A woman whom I respect, but who has a pretty quick temper, was really angry at me. She's been (less) angry with me before, and things usually blow over by the end of the day or the next day.

I spoke with my boss about a work schedule adjustment to work at home one day a week, and he mentioned the woman by name, telling me that she was a good example because she had adjusted her schedule and communicated it well with him. Then he also mentioned that he wanted to have a meeting so that those of us who are newer or who may be forgetting some of the rules about working from home could be reminded - basically to set the standards of our group working from home.

So I came out of the office, pleased that things were going okay, and said "I think that went okay," as I reached me desk.

The woman then exploded at me. She literally started yelling that she had heard her name and if her schedule was ruined because of this there would be h*** to pay and on and on in the same vent.

Now here is my problem. I tried to actually answer her concerns - telling her our manager used her as a good example, and that he wanted to make sure we all knew the rules, and that she was already doing it right. But she just kept yelling and screaming right over the top of me. And I don't know what to do in that situation. So I sat there and said "ok" and sat down. And besides all that, she was really angry at our manager's management style more than at me - she just took it out on me.

I sat down and then had a few leaky tears - I was angry at myself for not knowing what to say. I'm also perfectly aware (due to my prior experience) that our company definitely counts her actions as harrassment, punishable, etc. So how can I stand up for myself?

My current options are:
(a) tell my manager
(b) tell the woman that the way she yelled at me was wrong
(c) do nothing, but plan what to do if it ever happens again
(d) ???

Problems with this are:
(a) we would either have to go through a whole official conflict resolution, or he would have a talk with her - which would make her very very mad at me
(b) I think she would become angry again
(c) I don't know what to do
(d) ???

Any ideas people? I think I need to plan how to stand up to her (or anyone), but I'm drawing a big blank here.

Well, saying all that at least made me feel better for now - back to work I guess.

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Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Baby Steps

Just an update on the new house - I mean, the old house that is new to us...

We planted 2 Early Girl tomatos, 1 cherry tomato, and 1 pepper plant this year. So few? Well, it's pretty late - but we have a nice sunny southwest corner spot that was already cleared to just dirt. It's our first baby step towards gardening. If this works out, then next year will be bigger an better. :)

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Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Blessed

Somewhere amid all the madness of moving and family and working overtime, I had the realization that I am so very blessed. Don't get me wrong - I know I've thanked my Heavenly Father for blessings my whole life, but sometimes I felt like I was a good person - so I deserved blessings.

So why, when I am at my most harried, when I haven't read the scriptures for over a week, when I've missed some prayers, when I'm stressed and crabby and tired and occasionally blow my top at those I love, why then am I still blessed?

Maybe, just maybe, I'm not as bad as I think I am. And maybe, even more possibly, Heavenly Father loves me for trying and not just for when I think I'm succeeding.

How am I blessed? So many things.

We had the ceiling in our new house tested for asbestos - turned out positive (as in yes there was asbestos), so I had to find an abatement company to remove it. My mom (as usual) was helping me by finding a list of companies - and she helped me to find the online service that listed contractors licensed for that type of work around here. So I called the first one on the list, and they gave me a quote - it was almost half of what I had been led to expect. I called a few more companies, and their quotes were much higher. I went back to that first company, called their references, and hired them. Now, when you hire a contractor, you sign their bid and pay them half up front. I misunderstood the directions, so I didn't enclose my check. Oops - I found this out just a couple days before they were to begin - I called the company and the owner said "Don't worry - I trust you to pay me" and everything was okay. The company did a great job (even for their better price), and they finished a day earlier than scheduled. So everything just worked out right. What a blessing!

When we moved, some of our friends came over to help us finish off the packing, and also some friends came over to help us pack our truck. And then they all came up to our new house and helped to unpack it too. Friends! What a blessing!

At work, my boss decided that now was the perfect time to put me in for a promotion. I work at a pretty big company, so your manager basically presents you to the review board for promotions and they decide. The board approved my promotion right away, so I am now a level 2, with the accompanying raise, right in time for us to start having house payments. My boss really cares about my professional development and tries to help me improve myself as an employee too. What a blessing!

Last Friday, I was working out at Curves, doing the squat machine totally wrong because I wasn't paying attention. I started to hurt, and in 15 minutes it was so bad that I was laying on the floor. After an hour or so, I was sitting up, and then a friend drove me home. My mom and Dan took care of me, and I am gradually getting better. Dan even helped me to put on my socks for the first couple days. Health (and getting better)! What a blessing!

Other things, not so major, but still blessings, happen all the time. The cashier who points out the weekly coupon and saves me a few bucks; the driver who decides to let me in to their lane; finding our new house; just having things seem to go right when they could've gone wrong. For all those little things, I'm working on recognizing them and saying thank you on the spot - since I tend to forget after a while.

So I just wanted to share some of my blessings, because dwelling on all those good things and good people just makes me happy. Funny how it works just like I was taught.

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Sunday, July 01, 2007

Salsa Night- July 22nd

JonnyF and family will be here in Sandy for a salsa night on the 22nd, so if you're in the area stop by around 6:00 or so. I'm pretty sure our tomatoes will be ready by then, and we are already drowning in peppers and onions.



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