The View from Where I Stand

Office Life

2008-09-06T14:53:00.000-07:00

Assigning Employees to Departments

Take the prospective employees you are trying to place and put them in a room with only a table and two chairs.

Leave them alone for two hours, without any instruction. At the end of that time, go back and see what they are doing.

If they have taken the table apart, put them in Engineering.I

f they are counting the butts in the ashtray, assign them to Finance.

If they are waving their arms and talking out loud, send them to Consulting or Sales.

If they are talking to the chairs, Personnel is a good spot for them.

If they are jittery and crazed from 2 hours without an internet connection, Computer Information Systems is their home.

If the room has a sweaty odour, put them in Help Desk.I

f they mention what a good price we got for the table and chairs, send them to Purchasing.

If they mention that hardwood furniture DOES NOT come from rainforests, Public Relations would suit them well.

If they are sleeping, they are Management material.

If they are writing up the experience, send them to the Technical Documents team.If they don't even look up when you enter the room, assign them to Security.

If they try to tell you it's not as bad as it looks, send them to Marketing.

Only One More Day

2008-09-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is opening day for most NFL teams ,with the exception of Giants who beat the Redskins on Thursday. Despite their heartbreaking loss (mostly my heart) at the Super Bowl, the Patriots look poised for another great season. Despite having had continuing problems with a foot injury Brady is not on the injury list, which is unusual becuase he's been on the list forever because of his shoulder. Brady has started 127 straight regular season and playoff games and it looks like the trend will continue.
Other Pats on the injury list are WR Sam Aiken (out, knee); TE Benjamin Watson (doubtful, knee); Outside linegacker Dan Connely (questionable, knee), Center/Guard Russ Hochstein (questionable groin); and defensive lineman Le Kevin Smith (questionable, knee),
The Pats have announced their captains for this season. On the offense Randy Moss, Tom Brady, and Matt Light will serve as captains. Defensive Captains are Vince Wilfork, Teddy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, and Rodney Harrison. Larry Izzo will serve as special teams captain.
The Kansas City Chiefs have their work cut out for them with a starting quarterback, (Brodie Croyle) that has never won a game. But as Pats fans learned last year don't ever count anything out.

To watch video on the Patriots go to: http://www.patriots.com/mediacenter/index.cfm?ac=VideoNewsdetail&pid=33694&pcid=111

Aren't You Glad It Wasn't You

2008-09-05T17:02:00.000-07:00

Remember the Seinfeld episode where Jerry forget to turn in a book from high school and the library "detective" came looking for him years later. Well, it turns out that something like that can really happen.

A 20 year old Wisconsin woman was arrested for not paying her library fines. Apparently she had ignored phone calls and a letter to appear in court. The woman had to pay $30 in fines and her mother had to pay $172 dollars to get her out of jail.

Travel Safely

2008-09-05T09:57:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd give some safety travel tips since I have been discussing vacations and travel. There is nothing worse than being a long way from home and having something bad happen.

Always carry important papers with you. Don't check them with your luggage.
Don't wear flashy jewelry. You make yourself a target for would be theives.
Carry a small flashlight. You never know when you will need one.
Make sure you have all your medications that you need and that they are properly labeled.
Just in case, make a medical history form which includes your blood type, allergies, immunizations, doctor's name, and an emergency contact.

Most likely you will have a safe trip but never hurts to be careful.

Hotels.com

Vacation in Vermont

2008-09-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

Vermont, like New Hampshire, is filled with beautiful fall scenery; and one good thing about Vermont is no hurricanes! (Had to throw that in there, I'm sitting in Florida right now). Vermont is a great place to head if you like hiking. Some of the best trails are:

Mount Olga

Pleiad Lake

Mount Elmore

Mount Independence

Mount Philo

Vermont also has many historic sites that you won't want to miss including the Calvin Coolidge Homestead in Plymouth, Chester Arthur Birthplace in Fairfield, Justin Morrill Homestead in Strafford, Chimney Point in Addison. and the Old Constitution House in Windsor.

While taking in the beautiful scenery don't forget to stop by one of Vermont's numerous road side stands for fresh from the farm produce. Happy Traveling!!

IT"S HERE

2008-09-04T13:32:00.000-07:00

With everything else going on in the news,the start of the NFL season is here. The Washington Redskin will face off against defending Super Bowl champs New York Giants. The Giant have a lot to live up to and the loss of Osi Umenyioraand the retirement of Michael Strahan,the Giants may have a long road ahead of them. However, the oddsmakers have the Giants over the Redskins. For myself I'm gearing up for Sunday for what will probably be the story of the day Brett Favre starting for the Jets against Miami.

Oh and one more thing GO PATS!

Traveling America

2008-09-04T06:34:00.000-07:00

One of my dreams is to travel around the US and visit all the sites from bizarre to fantastic. With that in mind, I have decided to share some vacation destination and ideas that might inspire you on your own travels.

Everyone knows that New England is an ideal vacation spot for a fall get away. There are a variety of different fall foilage tours fromaone day jaunt from Boston on the Fall Foilage Bus Trip to a 9 day tour through New England on Harmon Travel.

If you are the type that likes to explore on your own there are numerous sites forthe could be adventurer. It would be an injustice for all New England has to offer to cram everything into one blog, so today we start with New Hampshire. Here are some of my favorites:

The Castle in the Clouds Built in1913 in Moultonboro, New Hampshire, this mountaintop retreat sits on 5,500 acres and encompasses 183 miles of shorelines. While there, you can enjoy panoramic views, lunch at the Carriage House Cafe, nature walks,and much more. Please visit their site at: http://www.castleintheclouds.org/index.html

Mount Washington above the Clouds At 6288 feet the drive is well worth it. For more information go to: http://www.mountwashington.com/index.html

Franconia Notch State Park and The Flume Gorge In the Plume Gorge walls rise up 90 feet in the air. In this area is also the remnants of the "Old Man in the Mountain." Beautiful scenery and exhilarating nature walks make this well worth the visit.

Next time I'll bring you some ideas for Vermont vacations.

Let's Bury the Hatchet for good

2008-09-03T05:52:00.000-07:00

Last week was not a good week for me. What makes it even worse is that people in those situations attempt to make you feel better by uttering some bad cliche. I hate cliches, they don't make me feel better, they just make me want to ask the speaker "Is that the best you can come up with?"

Anyway, I walked into work, and a coworker who knew I had been having some problems zeroed in on me and asked if I was okay. She then continued by saying that we all go through problems so when life hands you lemons make lemonade. Make lemonade? Sure life might hand you lemons, but what about the sugar or a container to put it into?

Have you ever noticed how many cliches contradict each other. Like it's always darkest before the dawn and look on the bright side. How can you look on the bright side? It's dark out there. Or how about the ones that just contradict themselves. One I can't stand is "it goes without saying, then why do you have to say anything? Or my personal favorite..."no offense, but." You just know something bad is coming. Oh well there's always tomorrow.

Hurricane Gustav Strengthens

2008-08-30T15:56:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Gustav is now a powerful Category 4 Hurricane and is expected to make landfall early next week. Forecasts have the center of Gustav moving into Louisiana either Monday or Tuesday. But please keep in mind that hurricanes are notorious for not following the predicted track. So just because you are not within the cone of the forecast does not mean you are in the clear. Also remember winds and rain can spread out from the center for quite a distance. Make sure you stay tuned to your local weather forecast.

I'll Miss You!!!!

2008-08-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

Hey!(i am taking over the blog again!!!!) I just wanted to say goodbye to all of my friends i will miss you soooo much!!!!Terra i will miss hanging out with you and just laughing at each other. Allison i will miss being completely random with you and having a great time. Oh and talking about Twilight of course (don't worry i will let Edward visit you ;) )! And Audrey i will miss hanging out with you and doing dance stuff! I love you guys and will miss you sooooooooo much! I promise to call and email you guys all the time.Tell everyone I said hi and I will miss them. Well I will talk to you later.

Bye!

McCain Chooses VP

2008-08-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

In a surprise move, Senator John McCain chose Governor Sara Palin as his vice presidential running mate. Palin is the first woman put on the GOP ticket as a vice presidential candidate.

In a move, most likely intended to steal the thunder from this week's DNC convention, McCain made his announcement bypassing several figures who had thought to have been front runners including former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. Did McCain choose her in an attempt to sway the women's vote? Only time will tell.

2008-08-29T15:50:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Gustav

2008-08-29T06:54:00.000-07:00

Gustav is once again a hurricane with wnds at 75 mph. Forcasts predict it will reach hurricane status later today Forecasters are still predicting that it will become Category 3 or Category 4. Gustav is now blamed for 22 deathes in the Carribean.

Gustav is still several days away from threatening the United States.Keep in mind that a forecast this far out can be far from accurate so everyone should monitor the weather reports.

For up to date information I use weather underground: http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/

New York Times Bestseller List

2008-08-28T15:27:00.000-07:00

Bestsellers Hard Cover Fiction

5. Moscow Rules by Daniel Silva
4. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and
Barrows
3. Acheron by Sherilynn Kenyon
2. The Bourne Sanction by Eric Van Lustbade
1. Smoke Screen by Sandra Brown

Twilight rocks!!!!!

2008-08-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

Hey its me again!(still taking over my moms blog! mwahaha!). Now I wanted to give you my opinion on all things Twilight. I personally think Twilight is the best book ever written. It gets so many emotions out of its amazing! Sorry all of you people that are Team Jacob I am 100% Team Edward and nothing anybody says can ever change that. I mean yes Edward left but he thought she would get either killed or become a vampire and he didn’t want her to become a vampire because then she would loose her soul. Then he came back because he realized he can’t live without her and vise versa. But then Jacob has to get in the way and keep trying to get Bella to fall in love with him. He did this by lying to her and tricking her and it ended up causing her pain! Well I can’t think of anything else right now so until next time! ; )

Oh and dont forget the movie comes out Nov. 21~squeals~

Obama clinches nomination.

2008-08-27T16:05:00.000-07:00

Suprise, Suprise. New Mexico yielded to Illinois who yielded to New York which gave Hillary Clinton the chance to move for his nomination by acclimation. Now we have to wait and hear what Mr. Clinton and VP candidate Biden have to say. Both are long winded so it should be a long evening. I haven't decided who I'll be voting for this November so I'll be keeping close watch.

Friday should give us McCain's nomination for Vice President and from there the race is on.

My Top Ten Twilight Saga Moments

2008-08-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody, this is my mom's blog but I am taking over (temporarily, just for this ha ha). I am the biggest Twighlight fan EVER. Here are my favorite moments from the Twilight Saga:

The meadow scene with Edward and Bella

When Edwards saves Bella from James.

When Alice and Bella go to Italy to save Edward.

When Alice, Bella, and Edward visit the Volturi.

The fight scene with the newborns.

When Edward and Bella are officially engaged.

The wedding scene.

When Jacob leaves the pack.

When Rennesme is born.

When Bella becomes a vampire.

Don't forget the movie comes out November 21st!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JOKE OF THE DAY

2008-08-27T12:02:00.000-07:00

An Illinois man left the snowballed streets of Chicago for a vacation in Florida. His wife was on a business trip and was planning to meet him there the next day. When he reached his hotel, he decided to send his wife a quick e-mail. Unable to find the scrap of paper on which he had written her e-mail address, he did his best to type it in from memory. Unfortunately, he missed one letter, and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher's wife whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked her e-mail, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream, and fell to the floor dead. At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen: Dearest Wife, Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Your Loving Husband. P.S. Sure is hot down here.

Favorite Stores

2008-08-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd give a list of some of my favorite places to shop for myself and my daughter:

Pac Sun - Clothes for the whole family and at a good value too.
Hot Topic - T-Shirts galore plus many other clothing choices
CoutureCandy - Great spot for hot trends.

This year for back to school, I shopped online and avoided the crowds. Plus some of the retailers offer free shipping. Online shopping lets you shop from the comfort of your home, plus you don't have to worry about wasting gas.

Check out their ads on this page.

Is the Democratic Party Really United?

2008-08-27T09:11:00.000-07:00

Last night Hillary Clinton gave a rousing speech which brought DNC members to their feet, but does this really signal a united Democratic party? Clinton released her delegates for the vote on Wednesday but many of her backers are vehement in their continued support for Clinton.

It is rumored that some in the Obama camp are less irked by Bill Clinton's less than enthusiastic praise for Senator Obama. The Obama camp will have to wait with baited breath for Bill Clinton's Speech tonight With so much media attention focued on the Obama-Clinton rivalry. will the Democratic party be able to push past this enough to focus on the national election?

Tips for Saving Money on Food

2008-08-27T08:15:00.000-07:00

With the sagging economy, high gas prices, back to school shopping, and the holidays just around the corner, you'll want to save money any way you can. Saving money at the grocery store is one way you can start seeing savings add up. Here are some helpful tips to follow next time you head out to the grocery store.

Try to plan your meals ahead of time and go to the grocery store aremed with a list.

If you use national brands, take some time out to clip coupons.

Try using generic or store brands which are often of equal quality as the national brands.

Stock up on items you commonly use during sales.

If you use a lot of one type of item, try buying in bulk.

Find the least expensive grocery store overall in your area and do the bulk of your shopping there.

Never ever shop when you are tired, stressed, or hungry. You are more likely to buy convenience foods which are more expensive or make impulse purchases.

Happy shopping!

COMING SOON

2008-08-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

Attention all Twilight Fans. Coming soon one SUPERFAN'S view on all things Twilight.

To view a trailer for the upcoming movie go to:

http://www.twilightguy.com/2008/05/05/twilight-movie-trailer/

Also visit:

http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/

Alabama State Employees May Pay More Per Pound

2008-08-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

The Alabama State Employee Insurance Board has proposed a plan for all state workers to receive health screenings (including one for obesity) beginning in January 2009. If workers exhibit negative health factors, the state will give them one year to shape up. If they don't comply, employees (including obese workers) will have to pay an extra $25 for health insurance.
Do you think this is a fair plan or yet another form of discrimination. Let your opinion be known,take the poll.

JOKE OF THE DAY

2008-08-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

A couple went on vacation to fishing resort up north. The husband liked to get up at the crack of dawn and fish; the wife preferred to read. One day the husband returned after several hours of fishing and decided to take a short nap. The wife decided to take the boat out; she was not familiar with the lake so she rowed out, anchored the boat, and started reading her book.
Along comes the sherriff, pulls up along side the boat and says "Good Morning mam, What are you doing?" "
"Reading a book," she replies as she thinks to herself is this guy blind or what?
"You're in a restricted fishing area." the sherriff informs her.
"But officer I"m not fishing, can't you see that?"
"But you have all the equipment mam, I'll have to take you in and write you up."
"If you do that I'll charge you with rape," snaps the angry woman. "But I haven't even touched you" argues the sherriff. "Yes, that's true ... but you have all the equipment."
Moral : Never argue with a woman who knows how to read.

The Wonderful World of Parentng a Teenager Daugher

2008-08-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

My daughter has reached teenage girlhood a year early, so I was a bit unprepared for all the drama and angst tha goes with the territory. I am now facing a whole new set of problems that I never thought of before like where are all my shoes and clothes disappearing to? On a serious note, one of the most difficult things a teenage girl has to go through is dealing with her self esteem. So I did a little research and found a few tips to share with fellow parents:

Give your daughter praise for her qualities such as her skills and her ideas even her attitude (if its a positive one). There is so much emphasis placed on appearance in our culture, it's a nice change of pace for your daughter to hear about how kind she is or how good a soccer player she is.

Following along that train of thought, talk to your daughter about the way the media portrays females. Discuss positive and negative role models.
Support her if she shows an interest in "nontraditional girl" activities. If she shows an interest in say carpentry or mechanics encourage her and help her learn more about her new found interest.
Encourage your daughter to take on leadership roles and not to be afraid to let her voic be heard.

Check out the Dove Self Esteem Fund for more tips and to join a community tht promotes confident young women http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/dsef07/t5.aspx?id=7315

Injured Quarterbacks

2008-08-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

Two of the arguably best quarterbacks in the league Peyton Manning and Tom Brady ( if you are not a Colts or Patriots fan feel free to disagree) both have been plagued by injury during the preseason. Manning had surgery on July 14 on his left knee to remove an infected bursa sac and has been unable to play in any exhibition games.
Brady has been suffering from a deep bone bruise in his right foot. The notoriously tight lipped Patriots camp has offered very few details. Brady sat out of Friday night's exhibition game and may not play during the final preseason game. However, Brady promises that he will be ready for the season opener against Kansas City.

Woman Plots to Kidnap Virtual Boyfriend

2008-08-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

A 33 year old North Carolina woman was charged with plotting to kidnap a boyfriend whom she had me on the virtual reality site "Second Life." Kimberly Jernigan drove the the 52 year old man's apartment in Delaware carrying a stun gun, tape, and handcuffs. The man found her when he came last Thursday and called 911, and Jernigan fled the scene. After being arrested last week, she was returned to Delaware to face charges. Who says online dating doesn't work?

Hurricane Safety Tips

2008-08-26T06:46:00.001-07:00

With hurricane season in full gear now is the time to make sure that your family and your home are ready for any storm that may come your way. Be sure to stock up on needed items beforehand so as to avoid long lines in the stores during the approach of a storm. Items you should have on hand include:

Batteries for flashlights and battery powered radios.
First Aid Kit
Fresh water for drinking
A supply of canned and nonperishable food
An adequate supply of medications
Cash on hand (with power outages, banks may be closed and you might have problems using credit or debit cards).

If a hurricane threatens your area, take all necessary precautions. As someone who has lived along the Gulf Coast my entire life and gone through several hurricanes, including Katrina, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of being prepared. Here are some tips if a Hurricane Watch or Warning is issued for your area:

Monitor your local weather reports to get up date hurricane information.
Make sure that all your vehicles are fueled (do it early to avoid long lines at the pump).
Make sure you remove everything from your yard or outside of your house that can be picked up by the wind and become a projectile.
Follow instructions from your local emergency services. If they order an evacuation, follow instructions, please don't take chance with your life.
If you have pets and you plan to evacuate, make sure you make arrangements for you pet. There are some shelters that provide areas for pets.

In a perfect world none of us would have to face this kind of storm. However if a hurricane is headed your way, be sure you are ready. Take care and be safe!

Hurricane Heads for Gulf

2008-08-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Gustav reached Category 1 strength last night and is nearing Category 2 with 90mph winds. Forecasters predict that it will enter the Gulf of Mexico late this week or the beginning of next week. Once it reaches the warm waters of the Caribbean, there is a significant chance for strengthening. This means that everyone along the Gulf Coast should keep a close eye on the track of Hurricane Gustav.