Oct 10, 2009
The neighbors living in close proximity to the remodel project in the burg hate me. I’m sure of it. I don’t really blame them, because sleep is important, and I’m not normally a screamer, but tonight was different.
Close to midnight, I decide to check the house. There’s this bunny that lives in the front yard, and he’s sitting in his usual spot in the dark watching me as I fumble keys to get the door unlocked. I’m staring him down as I open the storm door, and something pretty darned big hits my feet! I figure it’s a rat or the bunny’s mate getting even for waking him up or maybe a rabid dog. I scream.
Know what it was? The stupid wreath decorating the door fell off, and because I’m sharing this with the world, you all owe me a drink. You’re welcome, world.
Oct 9, 2009
Finally, I wanted to try some long exposure stuff, but I didn’t have anything too exciting to capture at 9:30 at night. It’s still raining in the burg. Too yucky to get ambitious enough to go out or anything, so I pull out the tripod to take a few photos in the dark. Have you ever tried it? No? Check this out… almost 10:00 PM on a dark, dreary night I set-up my camera with an ISO of 1600 on a tripod. I click. Then I get a cup of coffee and give the hounds a treat. About that time, I finally hear the shutter response and know the Farm Bureau Coop has been exposed.
It’s like night vision goggles only sexier. And the stuff on the left — that’s not smoke. The tree in the front yard had limbs that wouldn’t cooperate by just being still, so I took one inside the house next.
If the little photographer in you went to bed about an hour and a half ago, try it out tomorrow night. Fun stuff! And one more — only this one with a flash…
Ben: There’s a huge amphibious creature on the sidewalk!
Me: A what?
Ben: A big amphibian lizard!
Me: Silence — imagining something like out the ‘Creature of the Black Lagoon’…
Oct 9, 2009
Once upon a time I worked for an organization where my primary responsibility was ‘customer service’. As an employee, I was rewarded monetarily for cross selling additional products. Here’s how it worked: We filled out forms with the number of customers we encouraged to accept additional services, and then went to meetings. The intent of the required meetings was to motivate employees. How? By giving more money to those who were the best at cross selling. That’s not an Ultimate Customer Experience™ — that’s not even ‘customer service’ in my book. Customers weren’t in the equation, just sales.
So I got the printed paper certificate and commission for leading the pack most every month I was employed there; but I also took a lot of flack from those I worked with. These motivational meetings didn’t encourage teamwork, but instead pitted colleagues against one another. I will admit that I’m competitive, and I wanted to win. But what about my customers? I know that I offered them my best advice insofar as which of our products would benefit them most — but did everyone?
If you have a Twitter account, you no doubt have heard of Twaxed — it’s the site that warns you to beware of what you share (because it will get Twaxed). I found the following post there:
So that post is what took me for a ride in the way-back machine, and I just brought you along to ride shotgun. I didn’t count ceiling tiles during meetings at my former place of employment, but I remember looking at cat hair on the sweaters of others, and thinking about why someone would wear scuffed high heels to a business meeting. It’s no wonder that as customers we feel that we aren’t appreciated — there are so many organizations that simply don’t “get it”. It’s not likely those who represent them — their employees — are going to do any better. They are simply too busy focusing on the rules (don’t chew gum, no shoes that show your toes, and you’ll be fired if you share your base salary with anyone), pushing a product and pretending to care.
Until that business philosophy changes everywhere, you’re going to have disgruntled employees providing poor experiences to unhappy customers who could care less that cookies and coffee are free in the lobby.
Oct 8, 2009
Nasty rainy day in the burg. Blah fall – give me spring because summer is after that. Posting the photo below that I took out of the back door this morning is like the new KFC commercial that claims their chicken has “fall off the bone taste”. Either one of them could directly be responsible for the big question mark over your head. The photo below doesn’t really show how yucky it is in the burg today — and what does ‘fall off the bone’ taste like anyway? Is that a freaking flavor? Who writes this crap?
See what happens after fall? Even in this snow flashback from last winter, I have summer in my heart. Too bad that doesn’t keep my legs warm. Hey! At least I have the feet thing figured out.
Oct 4, 2009
You know how I’ve talked before about Facebook and MySpace and Twitter being PUBLIC, and how I don’t think that some people truly understand what PUBLIC really means? Welp, you’re gonna love this one, and it even comes with a story.
I started driving a school bus when I was in my early 20’s. It was never my only job — many mornings I put on my ‘mortgage lender’ clothes, but still had my ‘bus driver’ hat on. I look back now and realize why the kids thought my bus was the coolest. I had AC/DC piped throughout. Still, I demanded (and received) respect from those who rode. I made sure that I smiled when they got on, asked about their grades when report cards came out, and let them know that drugs were bad, and an education was the most important thing they could do for themselves. Many of those in high school CHOSE to ride right behind me so they could talk about what was happening to them at home or at school. I listened. That never changed throughout the 20 plus years that I drove. Many of my ‘bus kids’ are now adults and are my friends.
So right before I quit driving just a few short years ago, I had a boy that rode my bus tell me that he was gay. He asked if I was still his friend. At the time, it concerned me to think he might be experimenting with sex at his young age — not that he might prefer a male partner. I can remember thinking about it afterward, wondering if I should’ve said something about that. Instead, I only said, “of course you’re still my friend.”
Still with me? This story is about to culminate…
This bus student added me as a friend on MySpace. I can remember commenting on photos that he posted, and asked where they were shot (the landscapes were local, and were awesome). That’s all I remember, because along came Facebook and I ditched MySpace like a bad habit. MySpace wants me to come back. They want me back bad. They send me email updates to let me know what I’m missing trying to get me to come back! The email subject is, “Shelley, see what your friends are up to”, and begins, “Shelley, check out what your friends are doing on MySpace! Below are some of the activities your friends are taking part in. Take a look!” So I read on, and here are some of the activities:
So I marked out the name, but holy cow!! This is a HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT! Don’t get me wrong. I could care less that what he’s joining has to do with a gay lifestyle. I am totally amazed, shocked and (looking for a word that describes how I really feel) blown away that a young man (or a young woman) would publicly announce that they are into Internet porn. I’m not naive enough to think that you (YES, even YOU) have not secretly checked out a few sites that are sexual in nature. If I told you that I wasn’t shook up, concerned for this kid’s safety, and in wonderment that someone as smart as he is would put private stuff out there publicly I would be lying. Oh. Wow.
