What is happening to the world??

I saw an article on the Today show about employers that are rewarding their staff for taking care of themselves.  They are giving out monetary and other incentives to folks for taking their blood pressure medicine, attending church, stopping smoking, losing weight... etc.  WTH?!!

No wonder we have so many apathetic people in our country... we bribe them to to everything.  If there is no bribe there is no action.  What happened to the days when people did the right thing BECAUSE IT WAS THE RIGHT THING?  What happened to the days when my personal business WAS MY PERSONAL BUSINESS?  Why the hell would I want my employer knowing about my blood pressure medicine, religious beliefs, etc?  So if I don't have high blood pressure (I don't), don't go to church (I don't), don't smoke (I don't), and am not fat (ok, I am that) then what?

I had a cousin who started smoking so that she could take more breaks at work. So I'm being punished by my employer for not having high blood pressure, not being going to church (what if I'm a non-believer?  There is no church for non-believers so those folks are being punished -- is it my employers job to punish people for their religious beliefs or non-beliefs -- I believe that is ILLEGAL), not smoking, and not being fat (if I wasn't -- this is a rhetorical question)?  That's ridiculous!!

Why do people need to be bribed to do what is right?  Along with that -- why do I need to bribe people to do a good job?  When did it happen that I have to give some elaborate recognition award to someone for JUST DOING THEIR JOB??  When did it become OK to DEMAND recognition?  Isn't recognition more meaningful when it is offered without coerced?  Doesn't it mean more when I give you recognition because I feel you deserve it and not just because I know your little feelings would be hurt if I didn't?

I don't know what is wrong with people today.  For me, a "thank you" is enough, or hell just letting me do what I want and trusting my judgment is enough for me -- I don't need a trophy or plaque to prove my worth.

What is wrong with the world??!!

Get over it already...

So I guess I'm struggling... I have a very hard time understanding pettiness and absolutely no understanding for grudges... what a waste of time...


These things come up and I just want to shake people... why can't they understand that the only person a grudge hurts is the person holding it?

It's such a childish thing to do.  If you don't like someone that's fine, but you don't give them dirty looks, and alienate them openly in front of others... it's starting to piss me off.  Especially since others are buying into it..

This crap drives me nuts... there are plenty of people I don't like.  I just avoid them and if I can't I'm polite.  There is no reason to drag anyone else into my business... nor is there any reason to make people feel uncomfortable.

Hard Pill to Swallow

Well, I got shit on today...

One of our grads sent an email to our other Assistant Director and myself today -- pretty much raking us over the coals.  At first I was PISSED, and to be honest my anger was justified.  Professionally, you should NEVER send your bosses' boss an email bitching them out... I mean talk about your CLM!!! (Career limiting move) AND an email no less -- I thought EVERYONE knew that you NEVER EVER send emails to express feelings.. the person does not read it with your intent behind it but with their own insecurities in front of it... ARG.. you'd think someone who deals in conflict resolution for a profession would realize that...

Anyway -- once I got past the method and some of the backhanded accusatory wording -- I was able to process the real issues and can understand where he was coming from.  His assumptions were completely wrong and were based in his own insecurities, but that's all he has to go on, so I can see why he made the assumptions he made.

I was hurt, though, that after two years he didn't know me better than that...

But then I realized that as the "boss" no one really ever gets to know me and they will always interpret my actions in a negative way because I am the "boss."

Then I realized that I HATE being the boss.... sometimes -- I love it when I get to do new things and it's fun -- but really REALLY hate it when my actions inadvertently hurt someone else's feelings -- especially when I didn't realize that it would and they think it's intentional.. that just hurts my soul.

Bad Idea

So getting a TV in my bedroom is a BAD idea. 

It makes me want to stay up and watch Craig Ferguson. 

Then I have weird dreams.

He tweeted about what??!!

So, did anyone read this business about the Utah execution by firing squad?

FIRING SQUAD?!

I thought we stopped doing that a LOOOONNNNGGG time ago... I thought all we did anymore was lethal injection because the rest were thought cruel and unusual????

If we're back to firing squads can we also institute canings? I think public stoning and/or caning would be more of a deterrent than the death penalty anyway. I mean if I knew that if I got caught stealing then I was going to be stoned or caned in the town square -- I'd sure think twice... and if it wasn't a deterrent -- all it would take is once and I'd never do it again. Unlike the death penalty which has a deterrent effect of ZERO.

I personally think public humiliation is a MUCH better punishment for crime than the death penalty or incarceration. I mean CLEARLY incarceration is NOT a deterrent... but I bet if we put those same people up in front of their peers, pulled their pants down, and beat their ASS.. well that would be rather humiliating wouldn't it?? It sure worked for me as a kid....

It's not cruel or unusual because parents have been doing it for YEARS....

OK, in all honesty I don't believe in any of the above. I actually think instituting a system of RESTORATIVE JUSTICE would be the best idea for everyone. Our legal system clearly does not work -- forcing people to actually take responsibilities for their actions and have real face-to-face conversations with their victims and being forced to personally view the result of their actions and then having to repair the HARM caused by their actions is the BEST way to go about it... but we Americans sure love our blood-lust and vengeance.

The think that bothers me even more than the firing squad though is the fact that the Utah Attorney General TWEETED about it as it happened. WHAT THE HELL??!! That's just so wrong for so many reasons.... it blows my mind.

What is wrong with people?!

Back from Vaca

Well, I'm back at work after a week off for vacation.

As you can see -- I'm working hard.

I had an enjoyable vacation. It was EXTREMELY nice to be away from work and everyone I work with. Not that I don't love these folks, but when all of my friends either work with or for me it becomes extremely difficult to leave work at the office. Everything is about work.

I don't mind it most of the time, but it was VERY VERY VERY nice to get away from it all.

I dream of the day that I can afford to rent a cabin on a lake or the ocean somewhere for a week or two and just laze and read alone for a week. In my head it's on a quiet lake somewhere with a patio out over the water. I can spend my days sitting out on the patio reading or just enjoying a nice breeze off the water and soaking up the sun. In my head, this perfect vacation is shared with a special someone. SIGH -- someday maybe.

Instead I spent this vacation partially in Michigan and partially in Indiana.

Michigan was fun. I spent the weekend with Erica and Marty and their kiddies. A baby and a toddler certainly add a new element to the visits. They are freakin adorable kids though -- so that made it ok. Did some shopping, some eating, and some drinking. Was a good time. They moved from Ypsi to Plymouth which was nice. I didn't go to campus at all nor did I feel obligated to since it was kind of out of the way. Plymouth has a really neat downtown area and we did go to one of the martini bars there and had a great time, just Erica and Me, catching up on everything that's been going on. I'm horrible at keeping in touch and talking about my life so I must be the worst person to remain friends with from a distance. Bless Erica for hanging on!! I didn't realize how much I miss her. Just hanging out with her doing nothing, she is honestly one of the few people in the world that I am totally comfortable with all the time. And she is such a great mom that it was a pleasure to be around her and the kids. AWESOME!!

The rest of my vacation was with family. I got to see almost all of my aunts and uncles on my dad's side (Sorry I missed you Scott and Jean!!). I even cooked my lasagna for mom and dad one night and got to see my sister.

I didn't want to come back.

I want another week!!!

It's Special Olympics time again!

Well, it's Special Olympics time again. My university hosts the state Special Olympics games each year. So starting yesterday into today we've had about 2,500 special Olympic athletes, chaperons, families, and coaches descend onto campus. It's always a lot of fun because I honestly believe these people are the single most pure hearted people in the state. The athletes are so much fun and so happy and friendly it's amazing. And the families, coaches, and chaperons are the nicest people on earth. So we love it when they come -- even though it's TONS of work for us. Because of the nature of the athletes, our hall staff, housekeeping staff, and maintenance staff are kept hopping 24 hours a day for three days. We are all completely wiped at the end, but it's WELL worth it.

Now if you've never been involved with Special Olympics the let me explain that the athletes range from very mildly to very very severely disabled both mentally and physically. So we see a wide range of issues and learn a LOT. I can't say how awesome this event is and how amazing the people are.

It does, however, always present some funny stories. Not in a making fun of anyone way -- but just in a natural kind of way.

Last night around 2am the Terre Haute police found a young man with Down's syndrome walking around 7th and Wabash -- just off the south side of campus. His speech was very limited, but they brought it back to campus to find his group. All athletes have a chaperons and/or family member who is supposed to be with them at all times, but every now and then the athlete's curiosity gets the best of them and they wonder off. So they get this young man back to campus and contact the SO headquarters. Since he does not talk much, they were having a hard time locating his group. So one of the other groups adopted him for the night and they all decided they would work it out in the morning.

Around 8am a family from a local hotel calls the Terre Haute police frantically looking for their son who was missing. Turns out the young man was NOT with Special Olympics. His family was just in town visiting family and he had wondered out of their hotel room when they were sleeping. The police, with SO in town, naturally assumed since he was not in their database that he had to be with SO so they dropped him off here. Luckily he was reunited with his family and all is well.

My response: "Are you freaking kidding me?? Our police are now kidnapping Down's kids and forcing them to the SO headquarters?? What is this? Arizona??!!"