Jun 16, 2010
Yesterday, I was in an engaging business conversation with a wonderful person holding an upper-management position of a high-level financial services organization. As were were discussing an event they are planning, I hear an extremely loud, “WOOF!” Horrified that her chocolate lab barked during a professional connection, she apologized and explained that she works most days from home. Wow! Of course, I then admit to her that my chocolate lab, Libby, has embarrassed me in that same manner on more than one occasion, and share with her that I work from home too.
After the phone call is over, I have a smile on my face thinking about the connection we made. The whole dog thing created an emotional bond right in the middle of a business transaction.
So now I’m thinking about all the other people I connect with on a professional level who also work remotely. Woah — there are a ton! And next, as I’m reading the BLOGs I follow, I find Seth Godin’s morning post is entitled “Goodbye to the Office“, and in part says, “When you need to have a meeting, have a meeting. When you need to collaborate, collaborate. The rest of the time, do the work, wherever you like. The gain in speed, productivity and happiness is massive.”
While working from home simply isn’t possible for some positions (loan officers at my local bank for example), for many others it could be a wonderful incentive for employers to consider. If you can ‘just do the work’, does it really matter WHERE you do it?
Jun 15, 2010
The temperature dropped from 91 to 68 in about 25 minutes. The clouds were low, dark and moving pretty darned fast — at least according to how fast I think clouds should move.
This is the third evening in a row that storms have rolled through the burg — just as predicted. So far, we’ve escaped all major damage, hail and have yet to even get seriously wet. Still, I watch the sky carefully every time it looks like something really ugly could blow in, waiting to see Auntie Em and Dorothy and of course Toto. I can almost hear that annoying music that plays when the wind really starts to blow. You know, right before the house falls on the Wicked Witch with the striped socks and curled up toes.
Jun 14, 2010
First on the amazing list is Colette! Although we expected her to come home on Saturday, the discharge date was moved to Monday (today) or Tuesday (tomorrow). Of course the goal is to get her HEALTHY not simply to get her HOME — but it’s still pretty disappointing. I can’t wait…
One more amazing thing I want to mention! A thunderstorm hit the burg last night with predictions of high winds, possible hail, etc. All the stuff you dread living in southern Indiana minus a tornado (tornados are #1 on the dread list). So I checked the location of the storm on my iPad as it was moving in, and we secured outside items just as we always do when we expect bad weather. The pool rafts are stacked and a heavy chair is placed across them, the car goes in the garage, and cement blocks are placed on the hot tub cover on both the north and south side openings.
So here’s what is odd — this morning, the hot tub cover on the north side was flipped over, and the brick that was weighing it down was catapulted to the OTHER side of the lawn furniture which is more than 15 feet away! The grill beside the hot tub was not overturned, not one chair was blown out of place, and the rafts were right as we left them. The only evidence that there was wind here last night was that we were attempting to heat all outdoors to 103 degrees.
COLETTE UPDATE:
I just answered the phone. It was Ben. He was breathing nervously and speaking loudly.
Him: GUESS WHO GETS TO COME HOME TODAY???!!!??
Me: How many guesses do I get?
🙂
Jun 9, 2010
Nothing says ‘rural living’ like the photo below..
The field freshly plowed and flowers blooming around a stuck-in-the-ground kind of mailbox is something you simply don’t get in the city. While some of you might be shouting “who wants it!?!”, you have to admit there is a quiet, serene feeling that flows around you in rural America.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Today would’ve been my Dad’s 81st birthday. I can’t think of one day that I haven’t thought of him since his passing on August 1, 2004. He loved being outside and reminiscing about ‘the good ole’ days’ (those where you walked a mile to school barefoot because there wasn’t money for all the siblings to get shoes — good ole’ days? heh). He would’ve been so incredibly excited about new baby, Colette, and so very proud of Ben. Happy birthday, Dad!
Jun 8, 2010
Yesterday, Perry and I were talking about Facebook and the pros and cons of the way it is used today. It’s kind of funny, because for all the good things I enjoy because I have a Facebook account, there are an equal number — or maybe greater number — of bad things associated with having a Facebook account that makes me hate it.
First, there really is such a thing as TMI. Too much information! Trust me on this one.
Do you ever feel like you are listening in on a private conversation while reading Facebook posts? I know I do! I mean seriously, do we need to know your every move? For example, on my Facebook account I have around 400 friends. While maybe 1/4 of them might care that I’m a new g’ma, and 1/2 of that 1/4 might e-mail or make a comment, I would bet that ALL OF THEM would prefer that I not go into great detail about changing a diaper.
I don’t care what you’re watching on TV (although it’s ok to critique something you’ve watched), I don’t want to see personal embarrassing photographs of you, I will not join your Mafia War, I don’t care what your family is eating tomorrow for dinner, I will NOT send you nails to build your barn on Farmville, and I would prefer if you have something personal to ask or share with me, you connect by phone or private e-mail. (If you don’t know what either of those are, then you have no reason to connect with me about a private issue.) And don’t ask me for money. If I haven’t seen you in 35 years, I am not interested in handing over $500 bucks. FB should really call those you choose to add acquaintances, not friends.
Gracie pooped at 4:35 PM EST. She ate 2 bites of grass at 4:37 PM EST. She rolled over once, jumped up and growled at the neighbor at 4:41 PM EST. She had this photo taken at 4:52 PM EST. She is planning to eat “Science Diet Light Small Bites” for dinner tonight and for breakfast tomorrow because Libby weighs 68 pounds and 3 oz. and is considered a tad overweight…
