Finding Balance

Life gets away from us sometimes when we pile on work, school, and family obligations. We forget the small things that use to make us happy, and fret about the ones that we have no control over. It's often too late when we realize this leaving an empty feeling or regret.

Vacations become a last priority and you end up missing your kid's game or practice because you had to work overtime so you could bring home extra money. It becomes a routine and we get complacent with not having the happiness, instead we settle for contentment (or a resemblance of just being okay).

We still have our dreams of what we want for our lives, but seem to forget how to make those dreams a reality. My dreams of finding a job where I can use my degree (and make my student loans worth the monthly payment), getting one of my books published, and making sure my kids have every opportunity I had and more are still very much alive in my heart.

What I know now is that it doesn't take one to make the other happen. I don't have to work at a job that consumes me in order to provide a wonderful life for my boys, or have a best seller on the NY Times list (any seller will do!) to prove I am a good writer. Finding balance put my priorities back where they belong. My family may not be sporting the newest gadgets and clothes, or drive the fanciest cars (although my Jeep is pretty damn cool), or have the most interesting jobs...but we have each other.

Friends and family deal with the same issues just in different ways. We are not alone in these hard times anymore than the good times. It just seems that way because we lose our balance. Finding balance can make a world of difference even in the toughest of times.

Have you found yours?

Monday Madness and Mayhem

Well, it's official. We're going to hell in a hand basket and the liberators and vibrators on Capitol Hill are watching it crumble. Headlines on AOL today when I opened my mail: House Fails to Pass Huge Bailout Deal, with a multitude of follow up articles on the stock market melt down. What effect does this have on my middle class income?? Quite a bit considering my job is at stake, my 401K is dwindling, and my stocks are pretty much in crash and burn mode. How do we recover if the 'bipartisan-republican-democratic' house members refuse to get on board and come up with a plan TOGETHER that will work, or at least help the real people here in America? The one's who get up everyday to milk the cows, sow the oats, feed the bull kind of people that depend on their weekly paychecks. The single moms and dads that depend on job stability, the single and dual income families that depend on each other to make ends meet. Where's the plan for our kids when they will ultimately pay the price for our lack of action?

It's a tough situation at my job when we've cut everyone that was considered non-essential personnel. Now it's down to cutting the ones we can't afford to lose. This is madness and mayhem for many and I wish everyone out there that's working hard for their money and making less than what they owe the very best. Tough times call for discipline and unified efforts to make it better. I'm ready, are you?

You think you can do better?

I'm starting to realize that I work with a bunch of freaks. Let me rephrase that...no, that's about as nicely as I can put it. I have the talker, the stalker, and there's the guy that questions everything I do. He's not even a manager, he's simply one of those people that just doesn't know his place. "Why are you bringing in product at this time or that time," is all I hear from this guy. "I don't use this, why are you bringing it in?" Because you're not the only person in this G*D#AMN company, that's why! I'm seeing some old clicks form again too which is starting to cause a major upheaval among the employees. There's always a rift, and I hate being in my office where everyone passes me going to and from the production floor. I keep my half door closed to try and deter some of them, but it's not working. If I close it all the way then I'm being "anti-social". And my boss wonders why I hate people. To take a line from a great movie, "A person can be smart, but people are stupid." Meaning with one you can make them understand, but a group of people can become a riot. Right now I'm looking at a riot. With the crap I deal with at work, I could have finished my PsyD and charged half of these people for therapy. The funny thing about all of this is that the only people I really get along with at work are all women. It's the men who bitch and moan! Talk about changing of the times.

Senoirity "Rules"

There seems to be a misconception at work that whomever has been here the longest has more seniority. Not true. There also seems to be a misconception that if the person is higher on the totem pole then they are right. This too is untrue. There are rules that we all must abide by, regardless of time served or title. Lately, both managers and long-time employees have been taking it upon themselves to make decisions for this company that, quite frankly, are none of their G#%D@mn business. We have procedures that must be followed, and we have people in positions to do certain jobs that do not require outbursts from the 'peanut gallery'. I'll write more about our 'peanut gallery' at a later time as I am still ranting on this first issue.

There is another misconception that when we emphasize communication and teamwork it does not mean everyone needs to know everyone else's business. In a recent email from the 'powers that be'(I'll discuss them later also) there was a wonderful new way to communicate. Below is a list of INSTEAD OF and TRY SAYING that have become quite useful. A big thanks to one of the Powers That Be for this.

Number 1
TRY SAYING: I think you could use more training.
INSTEAD OF: You don't know what the fuck your doing.

Number 2
TRY SAYING: She's and aggressive go-getter.
INSTEAD OF: She's a fucking bitch.

Number 3
TRY SAYING: Perhaps I can work late.
INSTEAD OF: And when the fuck do you expect me to do this?

Number 4
TRY SAYING: I'm certain that isn't feasible.
INSTEAD OF: No fucking way!

Number 5
TRY SAYING: Really?
INSTEAD OF: You've got to be shitting me!

Number 6
TRY SAYING: Perhaps you should check with...
INSTEAD OF: Tell someone who gives a shit.

Number 7
TRY SAYING: I wasn't involved in the project.
INSTEAD OF: It's not my fucking problem.

Number 8
TRY SAYING: That's interesting.
INSTEAD OF: What the fuck?

Number 9
TRY SAYING: I'm not sure this can be implemented.
INSTEAD OF: This shit won't work.

Number 10
TRY SAYING: I'll try to schedule that.
INSTEAD OF: Why the fuck didn't you tell me sooner?

Number 11
TRY SAYING: He's not familiar with the issues.
INSTEAD OF: He's got his head up his ass.

Number 12
TRY SAYING: Excuse me?
INSTEAD OF: Eat shit and die!

Number 13
TRY SAYING: So you weren't happy with that?
INSTEAD OF: Kiss my ass!

Number 14
TRY SAYING: I'm a bit overloaded at the moment.
INSTEAD OF: Fuck it, I'm on salary.

Number 15
TRY SAYING: I don't think you understand.
INSTEAD OF : Shove it up your ass!

Number 16
TRY SAYING: I love a challenge.
INSTEAD OF: This fucking job sucks.

Number 17
TRY SAYING: You want me to take care of that?
INSTEAD OF: Who the fuck died and made you boss?

Number 18
TRY SAYING: He's somewhat insensitive.
INSTEAD OF: He's a prick.

Number 19
TRY SAYING: I'm not at liberty to discuss that information.
INSTEAD OF: It's none of your fucking business!

Number 20
TRY SAYING: I'll get back to you on this.
INSTEAD OF: Leave me the fuck alone!