Slow Down - You Move Too Fast

Everyone seems to be on edge lately... customers, staff, co-workers, family, friends.... everyone...

Maybe it's the unknown of the upcoming election... or maybe the economy.. or the upcoming holidays.... or how about all of the above?!?!?

Customers want everything now and are quick to escalate... staff is stressed because of new software coming out soon ... family and friends just because... it's somewhat wild and not much relief.

I tried to relax tonight but too many things to do ... I checked e-mails before I started this and uncovered a problem at work... 30 minutes later, here I am...

My vice when I'm stressed is food... I snack... i'm a "grazer" and it's not good - especially going into the winter months. Tonight was the last soccer practice with the kids so I did some running around but I can always use more.

Reading helps but reading at night just puts me to sleep :)

I want to take up a hobby .... woodworking or pick up my guitar again... not sure which but I will pick up one or the other over the winter. In the summer it's yardwork and gardening that are my release. Still need to find something for the winter months. An excuse to stop working so much. The wife and daughter don't talk much because they're so busy... we do make a point of eating dinner together every night and it's good - just the way it was when I grew up... the youngest is still too young to sit and carry on a "good" conversation but it's getting better... sitting on the floor playing games with him is a great relaxer too.

Just need to take other's advice and slow down from time to time... I was never one for listening though so it's up to me ...

Have a Good Trip

Have a good trip... I'm sorry we couldn't talk before you left... there are a few things I know we need to talk about - things on both our minds.

I wish I had time today to call but it just wasn't meant to be. Sometimes I wonder what you think, how you feel. Wonder if you still think some of the same things you used to... we've had some great times and some really shitty times... The good outweighs the bad, but we've stung each other also.

Be safe on this trip. I'll talk to you when you get back. We'll have some catching up to do.

Slow Down - RELAX!!!

Wow! What a day... down 3 techs and a 4th calls in "sick" (read that as hung over!)... sales people pissed off, customers pissed off and I can't get a lick of my own work done all day.

Snapped at one sales guy and apologized... pissed off the bosses because I put myself in the situation... no one to blame but myself... Am I trying too hard or taking on too much? Maybe...

Serves me right for trying to be the nice guy... a couple of people are taking advantage of it I fear... plus I'm losing one of my best techs to a different company/job this week... good move for her and it will leave a big hole for a little bit... I'm happy for her though.

Need to suck it up, slow down and relax a bit... been working out again (but missed tonight because of other stuff that needed to be done)... need to work an 8 hour day here soon and not feel bad about it... maybe tomorrow...

Good night all.

Regrets?

I'm confused... did I do or say something wrong? Or were you just tired...

I know you were tired - what am I talking about - who am I kidding. I just hope you don't regret the other two nights and what was said/done...

Thanks for coming out for the drinks - you're doing a FANTASTIC job in your new role... thank you for sharing everything with me...

I hope there are no regrets

Another Chance to Reconnect

What a great night reconnecting... it's been so long since we've been able to do that and I so wish that we were able to get together more often... we both know that's not always possible though and we'll just keep making the best of every chance we can ...

Friends like you are a once in a lifetime blessing and I want that friendship to be there for a long time yet to come...

Past/Present/Special

Friday was great... we hadn't been able to connect that way in years... hopefully we don't pull each other in too far again and don't push each other away like we did before...

There's gotta be a happy median for what we have... maybe this time...

No matter what, you're special to me (like it or not) and hopefully you don't regret what happened (past or present).

J

Countdown

Here we go... one week before vacation...

I can't tell you how long it's been since I've actually had one. OK - actually I can - 3 years! Even though we're going "home" and it's sometimes more work than I want to admit, it's still a great time... so many people to see and as always we won't be able to see everyone... We'll do our best, but it's going to be tight...

My mom's got stuff planned, my mother-in-law's got stuff planned, everyone has someplace for us to be...

The one thing I HAVE to do is get my dad alone for 5 or 10 minutes and thank him for the college education he gave me... story goes like this - during the winter there was construction across the street from our building and I watched those poor bastards freezing doing their work outdoors... my mom and dad gave me the opportunity to not have to do that for the rest of my life... I have to thank them for that...

I figure it will be over morning coffee sitting in the back yard or over a scotch or Jack Daniels on the front steps one night...

Hope I don't cry...

Damn - You Can Talk!!

Went to lunch with a friend today... one I used to work with pretty closely... damn can the girl talk!

Usual spot, usual conversation... I could typically listen to her for a long, long time... I still find myself getting lost in her words and just staring at her... she's so damn pretty to boot!

Normally that might turn people off (dominating a conversation) but with her, I love to hear about how she's grown into her latest role as a manager - something that should have happened a long time ago but didn't because of friction and politics...

Since she and I were close when I worked there, she never got a fair shake until after I bailed on the place... it hurt me to leave the company (financially and otherwise) but for me it was the right thing to do because I was in a dead end department... I didn't leave for her - I did it for me to go to what I thought at the time was a better opportunity... her success is hers and hers only and I'm very proud of her...

Can't wait to go out for drinks one of these nights with her and just listen some more...

Short Timer Syndrome

Getting set to go on vacation here soon... can't wait to see the boyz, the family and other friends...

It's been a long time since I've been back to NJ... it should be fun... Hoping to hook up with a couple of people I haven't seen in a very long time. Loading up the cell phone with numbers and will call when we get there... a beer here, a cup of coffee there...

No desire to get work done ... gotta stay focused

First Kiss...

So weird... dreamed last night of the girl that gave me my first real kiss... my first real girlfriend.

Pretty girl - DeeDee we called her... tall, dirty blonde and very fun. Not sure what brought that on especially since I haven't spoken to her in close to 20 years...

Maybe it had to do with the photo album found over the weekend (see previous post - http://jarandomstuff.blogspot.com/2008/06/past-came-back.html). Maybe it was me being nostalgic for the past - for the hockey team, for being at an age when it was OK not to give a rat's ass about a damn thing other than what you were doing that night, where you were hanging out and who was buying the beer... simple times.

I think we all need some of that from time to time. I think I'll go up and take another peek at that photo album and have another trip back in time...

'night all...

The Past Came Back

Over last weekend I was doing some needed cleaning in the basement when my wife came across a photo album that I thought was long lost. WOW - what memories came back...

College friends and parties, college graduation and some explaining about who was sitting on my lap at the fraternity Christmas party :-)

Hmmm - makes me wonder if it was "lost" on purpose...

???????

Lost

Ever lose something that you took for granted? I did over the weekend... could have been anywhere but I think I know where it might have been - little chance for recovery unless I'm totally off base.

About 25 or 30 years ago I received a gift - a gold chain and a crucifix. Since I had it, it's been off my neck only three times - once during surgery, once when it broke and had to be reparied and now.

Sometime between Friday night and Sunday morning I lost it... very sad, very madening... If I lost it where I think I did, there's little chance for me to get it back because too much time went by.

I feel "naked" without it - after having something hang around your neck for so long you really take it for granted

Soccer Weekend

Beautiful soccer weekend... sun, little wind and not too hot... the kids lost 2 -1 but it was their best effort this season... 1 more game for them and the season's over....

Men's team tied 2 - 2 after being down 0 - 2 at half... I had a hand in the 2nd goal which actually was a penalty kick taken by our leading scorer... I was able to keep the ball alive after the other team's keeper bobbled a shot and he got tripped up in the box...

I also had a chance to actually win the game but was 1/2 a step too slow... 5 years ago that goal would have been mine...

On the lighter side, I was traumatized - my daughter came home with a dress for her 6th grade continuation... OUCH! My reaction after she modeled it for me was that I wanted to go upstairs to my room and cry :-)

Weigh In

First weigh in was on Saturday 12/8/07 ... lost 1 pound... at a pound a week, that's hitting my target - or at least getting close. Need to do some work though this week - been a tough one diet-wise and hard to work out because of all the things going on.

Need to break it up during the day and do some in the morning and some at night.

Still working at it, but honestly, I have to hit a rhythm and carry this pig out!

The Line is Drawn...

In my last post I wrote about how it's time to transform myself... work hard to lose the extra weight I know that I'm carrying around.

Well now I know exactly how much there is to take off. When I got on the scale it read 198 pounds. I am looking to get between 180 and 185 so we're looking at 13 - 18 pounds, hopefully by the end of march.

How will I do it? Most likely the old fashioned way - work out, watch what I eat, ease up on the portions, etc. A friend of mine recently lost 28 pounds with some plan that called for 64 oz of water per day, lots of GREEN veggies (no carrots or corn - too much sugar) and lots of white meat. I might do a variation on that theme but on my own. I can't afford to do a plan that I have to shell out money for.

I know this is a lousy time of the year to start on something like this, but I don't have a choice - I don't like the way I look and only I can do something about it.

Look for weekly updates on the situation.

Time to Transform Myself...

My doctor's not going to be happy with me when I go in for my annual physical in late March. I'm carrying about 15 pounds more than I should and I'm sure my cholesterol is running high.

I need to do things differently for myself, for my family, for my friends. I plan on revamping my diet - not drastically, but just enough to eliminate some of the crap that I eat more often than I should. I am also hitting the gym again and will hopefully start to walk either at lunch or after work for some extra exercise.

I play soccer, but I struggle a bit - I can't play a whole game like I used to and it makes me sad. I don't think I'm discouraged, but I do find myself eating past 7 or 8pm and I know that's not good.

This Saturday I'm going to weigh in on my home scale and take my blood pressure reading and then track my progress.

Stay tuned and wish me luck!

Unreasonable Customers

Some people are just unreasonable... we had a situation at work tonight (we're a 24x7x365 operation) and the people on the other end of the phone were just so unreasonable...

We tried to reassure them that we were taking all measures to get in touch with the right people, but they would just not accept that..

Finally one of my techs to prove to this jackass on the other end of the line that we weren't just bullshitting him conferenced him into the calls he was making to prove that no one was answering the phones ...

Still - the jackass continued braying away... "I want it NOW", "you don't understand", "I want retribution".... on and on the guy went...

Problem is that the guy's client is the one that caused the problem in the first place by not abiding by the rules... and you want ME on a HOLIDAY that I am spending with MY FAMILY to jump through flaming hoops for you? KISS MY ASS!!!

Giving Thanks...

I'm sure I'm like a lot of bloggers in the US who are writing on this topic ...

You've got the obvious things - my friends, my family, my health (although my doctor is working me over pretty good to lose that 10 - 15 pounds by my next physical), a roof over my head, etc. etc. etc.

One of the things I'm MOST thankful for is the new job I've been in for the past 8 weeks. After my last gig, this is a wonderful change for me and I'm very happy to have landed where I did. New friends, new challenges and a management team that supports me and my ideas.

The other thing I'm thankful for is the work of all the military men and women who are protecting me, my family and our friends by putting their lives on hold and on the line - every day. Without them and the support of THEIR families, we sure as hell wouldn't be enjoying what we do each and every day of our lives.

If you are reading this and are associated with a military family, unit, etc. - my sincere thanks for all you and your fellow soldiers do for us. We love you all!

Rest in Peace Marley

Got a call from my best friend back east telling me some sad news. He had to put down his dog recently and it had to be one of the toughest things he's done.

Marley was a great dog - a Hungarian Comondor. Essentially a Hungarian Sheepdog that early on was bred to mix in with the sheep in the fields and kill the wolves as they stalked and hunted the sheep.

Marley was such a gentle sole though. Great with kids and just a wonderful companion. For 15 and a half years she was with my friend and they took very good care of each other.

Marley is now with my late pal, Dallas and they're both waiting for me and my friend. God willing, they'll have to wait for a good long time for us to join them but that doesn't mean we won't keep thinking of them often.

Goodbye and Thanks for Nothing

Had a person on my staff resign today. Not that big a deal, but the way he did it left a lot to be said of his professionalism.

He showed up at about 5:30pm, after I had left. According to the people who were there, he dropped a note on my desk, dropped off his equipment, cleaned out his desk, bad-mouthed a member of the team, dropped a couple of F-Bombs and left.

Gee - thanks for giving me an opportunity to try to resolve some of your concerns. You were good, but you burned that bridge pal. You'll be lucky to get name, rank and serial number from me in a reference.

It's too bad because I thought that you could have helped me with this team. Guess that was asking too much from someone who waited less than 48 hours after I started to start raking me over the coals for not immediately changing things.

Change takes time, change takes patience. My advice to you? Get out of the technology field. Go into something where you don't have to interact with people and where there's no chance of any conflict. You can't handle it.

For my part, sorry charlie. For your part, you should be sorry and embarrassed by your behavior.