The Bosque

Not only is Wolf's namesake in a book, but she also has a carpet named after her. April and I discovered it while at a Lowe's this evening. I have to tell you, though...it's kinda ugly.

We took a picture, but I know that she's particular about her name being revealed online. So I won't post it for now.

Man, I'm feeling left out...I want something cool named after me...a sandwich...a pizza...a couch...something...

Daron Rahlves, as quoted by MSNBC: "I have way more than Bode has as far as a life, I think. He just goes around trying to look for girls all the time. That’s his biggest thing."

From tomorrow's Sydney Morning Herald:

Fishy businesses fined
February 27, 2006 - 12:56PM

Three NSW fish retailers have been caught giving consumers the raw prawn - by passing off cheap fish, prawns and scallops as more expensive seafood.

The NSW government today said fines had been imposed on Costi Brothers Seafood at Roselands, Penrith Seafoods and the Seafood Factory Pty Ltd, near Newcastle.

Recently, April discovered that she has the same name as a character in a movie called "The Best of Everything," starring Hope Lange. Total coincidence.

Sadly, there are no characters in a movie with my name...maybe someday...

My stepdad said they started on the car at 9 yesterday morning, and worked on it until 3. They haven't touched it since.

I wonder if they lived in a trailer park before they bought the house...

From the BBC: The authorities in Moscow have hastily removed posters congratulating Russian war veterans which mistakenly showed the American warship USS Missouri.

The posters were taken down on Wednesday - just hours before Defender of the Motherland Day.

April's in charge today

So Syc told you that I'm in a monthly book club. It was started by a friend of mine I used to work with at the YMCA. She's gay. It's just a group of her female friends that meet to discuss random books and share a meal once a month. Somehow it has ended up mostly lesbians. I think there's like 12 gays ladies and 3 straight. We usually start off by soaping each other up in the shower...just kidding. That was for those of you that were more interested in lesbians than books. Anyway....

I just read this wonderful book "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman. It's on the New York Times Bestseller list - one of the ladies heard about it on NPR a while back. Wolf, I think you'd like it.

I actually found it in the science fiction section of the bookstore. That would be a section I rarely visit. I'm still not sure how this fits into that section.

It's a great read. I haven't read a book in quite a long time that I actually got caught up in. It's basically a story about gods - gods of the past like Odin, Horus, and Loki and gods of the present like Technology, Media and Television fighting for "turf" in the US. That in itself sounds pretty boring, but the way the book unfolds is just amazing. My mother started reading it last night. A lot happens in the first 50 pages. She had to stop and put it down. She was like "What the hell kind of book have you got me reading?!". Then she picked it back up and plowed through another fifty pages before she went to bed.

I'm usually not one to force my literary preferences on people. But if you are looking for something different to read, this is GREAT. :D

From the Washington Post/MSNBC: The NBA's international flavor has been justifiably celebrated, but there's one group that has been curiously underrepresented in the last two all-star games: white Americans.

...

At the moment, though, Legler has good reason to be encouraged that the white American ballplayer isn't about to become extinct at the elite level.

And the commentary was written by a black man to boot.

Saturday night, April and I went to dinner with her friend Matt and his boyfriend DJ. So now, I can cross "Go on a double date with a gay couple" off my list.

I almost crossed it off my list a decade ago. One of my best friends during my high school and college years was gay, and my then-gf and I were going to go out with him and his then-bf. But it never happened, and we've since lost touch.

Since we've gone out with two guys, it's now only fair that we go out with two girls. Apparently, that is going to happen soon...kinda. April is in a book club that is predominanty lesbian, and the leader of the club wants us to come over for dinner one night with her and her partner.

After that, we're going to go out with a couple of transsexuals...I don't think we know any, though. Perhaps we don't hang out enough on South Grand.

Tim is now officially on his own...more or less. He moved in with a longtime friend last week...the friend owns a house about 10 minutes south of here in the suburbs. Tim's been wanting to get out of the house for a while now, and I'm happy for him. He and I had talked about getting a place together before I moved back here, but I decided to go back to school and stay here at the parents' house until later this year.

And now that Tim is gone, I get his old bedroom.

When we moved into this house in 1998, my parents gave me a choice of bedrooms...I picked one of the upstairs ones. My parents took the other upstairs bedroom, and Tim got the room in the basement. I didn't think it would be a good idea to be down in the basement at the time because of my allergies.

Once I left town, my room became the guest bedroom/computer room/room that my mom uses to watch TV when her and my stepdad want to watch different things on TV. It became my room again when I moved back...kinda. My mom has constantly called the room the guest bedroom since I've been back. :rolleyes:

Tim talked about moving in with his friend Patrick back in August, but decided against it because he was trying to get a job with the City of St. Louis. In order to get a City job, you have to be a City resident...Patrick's house is in St. Louis County. When that fell through, he started talking about the move again. And Friday, it became official.

So, let me show you my new room...

The steps leading down from the kitchen and the side door. The side door is my primary way to enter and exit the house. Now I can come in the door and go straight downstairs without disturbing my parents.



The entrance to the room. Tim used to have this blocked off with a blanket attached to a shower rod. I will employ something similar.



This used to be the living room area. I would prefer this to be my bedroom area, because it's not in view of the entrance and the closets are over here. But there is no vent over here, and I'm wondering how hot that area will get in the summer. My stepdad and a friend are going to install new outlets over here because there are none. Tim had everything connected to an adaptor on that light socket at top left.



The bedroom area...this might become my living room area. The couch is staying, and will stay when I leave. I'm also adding April's current living room couch along with her old coffee table and mini-fridge. The computer will go near the television.



April and I bought a bed on Saturday--a brand new queen-size pillow-top. It was originally $1200, but we got it for $600. It's the first new bed I've ever purchased. It'll be here at the end of the week, which is when I'll officially move down there.

I'm excited...the extra space and privacy will be nice. And I'll take any extra independence that I can get right now.

From the BBC: At least 16 people have been killed in northern Nigeria in violent protests over by Muslims over the cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad.

Eleven churches were burned during the riots in Maiduguri, the capital of the north-eastern state of Borno.

From the BBC: The age of retirement should rise to 85 by 2050 because of trends in life expectancy, a US biologist has said.

Shripad Tuljapurkar of Stanford University says anti-aging technologies could contribute to a significant rise in longevity over the next two decades.

About this time 4 years ago, I got violently ill at work one day at went home early. I wound up seeing Belarus beat Sweden in hockey at the Salt Lake Olympics...it was a huge upset.

Today, I have a bum foot, and I stayed home. I saw Switzerland beat the Czech Republic at the Turin Olympics...it was a huge upset.

Coincidence? I think not!

I wish the NHL would adopt the international-sized rink...it makes the games a lot better, IMO.

Too bad all these games are on during the day...at least I got to watch a few of 'em.

From the AP/Yahoo! News: Saddam Hussein told aides in the mid-1990s that he warned the United States it could be hit by a terrorist attack, ABC News reported Wednesday, citing 12 hours of tapes the network obtained of the former Iraqi dictator's talks with his Cabinet.

...

"Terrorism is coming. I told the Americans," Saddam is heard saying, adding he "told the British as well."

I guess he was so afraid of being overthrown, why not advise us?

Dear April,

Baby, you’re finer than the ’76 Camaro I owned in high school. You light up my life more than the shiny chrome wheels that permeate our neighborhoods. I’m so happy that we get to spend the rest of lives together, eating at Chimichanga, hanging out at the Bungalow and drinking all the Bud Light our livers can handle.

Will you be my valentine?

Love,
Terry

xoxoxoxoxo

From MSNBC: President Bush knew Saturday evening that Vice President Dick Cheney had accidentally shot a hunting companion, but the information wasn’t made public until the next day by a private citizen, the White House acknowledged Monday.

In a contentious media briefing, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Cheney’s staff was focused on making sure that the shooting victim, Texas attorney Harry Whittington, was receiving adequate medical care after the shooting on the private Armstrong Ranch in south Texas. Whittington and Cheney were hunting quail together.

Maybe I'm not understanding the situation. Why should it have been made public right away?

I forgot to mention that I recently named my car Malibu Barbie...because, well, it's a Malibu. And it makes sense. April came up with it.

And it's truly my car now...I took the payments over on it last month.

Towards the end of last year, I considered trading Malibu Barbie in. I was concerned that it had an electrical problem, and I put a shitload of miles on it last year. When I got the car in April, it had just under 36,000 miles. It currently has almost 58,000.

But the electrical problem turned out to be a couple of minor issues that were easily fixed. I've had it in the shop 3 times for various problems in the past year...all of them not too serious, and all covered under warranty. And there were only 2 other cars that I was really interested in--the Pontiac Grand Prix and the Chevy Impala--and I didn't see any that I wanted. And I probably would have only gotten $5000-7000 for the trade-in...my car payment probably would have went up $50-100 a month. And I love my car...it's a Sycamore car now.

So, it's staying. I'm only putting 1200 miles a month on it now since I'm not delivering pizzas much. When April and I go on car trips, we usually take her car, since she doesn't drive it much. I probably will trade it in when it gets close to running out of warranty, though. That's at 96,000 miles...I figure that's at least 2 years away. Of course, I have 4 years left to pay on it...d'oh! But in 2 years, April and I will be crazy rich. :)

April and I have been watching the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics all night. Overall, they haven't been bad. Some highlights/interesting moments:

--The little girl lip-synching the Italian national anthem: She had to remember at one point to open her mouth.

--Gymnast Yuri Chechi hammering on the anvil: He seemed to be keeping his own rhythm.

--The skaters with the flames shooting out of their helmets: Those wacky flamers!

--The performers that formed the dove: They were awesome! I think I was most amazed with the way they scaled down the structure...that was nuts!

--The lighting of the Olympic torch: Wasn't that cool?! And the torch itself looks cool.

Let the games begin! I love the Winter Olympics!

So, you work with your boss's boss a lot. You work with him more than you do with your actual boss. If he has a concern about something that you're doing work-wise, which is the better way to handle it?

a. Talk directly to you, and let your boss know that he discussed the matter with you
b. Talk to your boss about it, who will later talk to you

If I were the boss, I would go with a. How hard is it to talk to the employee right then and there, especially when the concern is not serious?

Apparently, my boss's boss favors option b. While it does follow the chain of command, I think it's cowardly...and asinine. It's hiding behind a title, and making yourself look like a jackass. This sort of thing probably shouldn't surprise me. But it doesn't happen to me very often...and when it does, it's like nails on a chalkboard.

My assignment for my next class is to write a paper on the development of my company's corporate culture...should be a hoot!

Gracing us with his presence for the first time in 13 years!



Talk about taking us higher...

Building the Future: A Proposal for Training and Development
by Terry B
Fontbonne University
St. Louis, MO USA

BACKGROUND

I started with (insert company name here) as a (insert title here) in October 2005. Until last week, I had not heard of any company-wide training and development programs. After talking with a couple of fellow employees, I learned that the only company-wide program is a Quality Training seminar that is generally held once a year. Coincidentally, I attended the seminar this past week, having only found out about it the day it was held. The course was taught by the manager of the Quality & Tax Department, and covered many topics discussed in both this class and our previous class. In corresponding with the Director of Training prior to the seminar, I learned that the training department is fairly new, and that most of the training available is focused on the delivery portion of our business (personal communication, February 6, 2006). Department-wise, there is no formal training, nor is there any documentation for our procedures. My managers showed me how to perform my job duties, and I created my own documents.

Based on my findings and training experience, I decided to create a training and development program that I think would greatly benefit my department and my organization. In addition to my recently-acquired knowledge in pursuing my Masters degree, I have a Bachelors degree in psychology, and over ten years of training and development experience across a variety of fields. This concept is in the beginning stages, but I believe that my model could be the foundation for the creation of an excellent program.


THE PROGRAM

To begin, I would focus first on the departments of the company. Each department manager would brainstorm with their employees about the various job duties in the department. From this point, procedure documents would be created, preferably by the employees that perform the actual work. Managers would then review and approve the documents, then put them together in a department training manual.

From here, a training specialist would be appointed or hired for each department by the respective managers. The training specialist would be responsible for the actual training of employees and upkeep of the materials. The specialist would also develop knowledge tests from the procedures to gauge the training progress of new employees and the skill knowledge of current employees. New employees would get a specific amount of time to complete their training, learn their tasks, and successfully complete the knowledge tests. Current employees would be tested periodically, at least 2 times a year.

The training specialist must be familiar with all the jobs the department in order to fulfill their role. If they are unfamiliar with any tasks, they would be allotted time to learn and understand them. Time would be set aside each month for any refresher training needed or requested. The manager and specialist would get together quarterly or as functions change to thoroughly review the material and the procedures. In addition, senior management would ensure that departments have enough time to properly put the training materials together. If new procedures are introduced into the department, the training specialist or an outside trainer will provide the training to the employees.

On the company side, Human Resources would create a company orientation, describing what the company does, company policies, and benefits. A company tour would also be set up, with new employees seeing each department and getting an introduction from a department manager or team member. This manager or team member would give a brief explanation of what their department does and how it relates to the company as a whole.

HR would have at least one team member dedicated to training and development for all company employees. That person would follow up with department managers and training specialists to ensure that new employees are receiving proper training, and that current employees are getting any additional training. In addition, they would assist the manager and specialist in keeping the training materials current and relevant, and work with senior management to ensure that the training is cost-effective. HR would also ensure that a variety of software training is available to help employees improve their computer skills, which could also improve their job performance. Lastly, HR would set up a bulletin board in a community area such as the lunchroom with important notices, such as employment opportunities, and a drop box for confidential suggestions.

Lastly, the focus would turn to the company intranet. It would become an information gateway for all employees, as well as relieve pressure on the HR staff. Any information relevant to employees—company news, benefits information, forms, employment opportunities, etc.—would be posted on the intranet. In addition, online procedure manuals would be posted for each department, as well as some training sessions.


CONCLUSION

Too often, I’ve found that training and development are not given the proper time and budget that they deserve. I believe that my current employer is guilty of skimping, and they risk losing great and undiscovered talent because of this. I will be submitting this paper to my supervisor in the hopes that at least some of my plan will be of use to the department and the company. A good training and development program could not only create better employees, but could improve morale, make everyone’s jobs easier, and make the company—and the employees—more prosperous.


©2006 Screaming Notebook Publishing

School has been going well thus far...I'm now halfway through my second class. Got an A in the first one...yep, just like old times. :)

The only bad habit I seem to have in terms of school is that I don't read the textbooks as assigned. For example, I was supposed to read 5 chapters for last Thursday...I didn't even finish one. In my last class, I spent the week leading up to the final catching up on reading. Fortunately, I didn't have to study for the final.

Last Thursday, I decided that I would be totally caught up on all my reading by the time I go to bed tomorrow night...272 pages about human resource management. I just finished about 10 minutes ago...whoohoo!

The crazy thing is...thus far, I have not really had to do any reading. My last final was open book, as is the upcoming one. And in this class, everything in the book is discussed in class. But if the reading is required in the syllabus, by golly, I'm gonna do it. Besides...when I come to class after reading the required material, I'm much better prepared to discuss the topics and answer questions. I feel like I've learned something. Plus, I don't read much anyway...I need the practice.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a short benefits paper to write...you'll get to read it tomorrow night. :)

Yesterday marked the first time that I've watched the majority of a football game all year. All my teams sucked this year, and I've been busy with work and school and April, so I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to football this season.

On one hand, the game was a snoozefest...part defensive battle, part penalties, part offensive incompetence. And the refs...they weren't Don Denkinger-awful, but they sure weren't good. And the commercials weren't all that great either.

But on the other hand, it was a great game. Two good teams, neither of one of them super-dominant, made the big game. There was no reason to dislike either team, and there was little controversy leading up to the game. And the big storyline for this Super Bowl was Jerome Bettis, coming home to Detroit for what turned out to be his final game, complete with storybook ending.

And did you see that Randle El pass to Hines Ward? How awesome was that?!

All in all, I think it will go down as a mediocre-to-good Super Bowl. I've seen better (the Rams vs. the Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV) and I've seen worse (Super Bowl XXIV, where the Niners smoked the Broncos like sausages).

From the BBC: Syrians set fire to the Norwegian and Danish embassies in Damascus in protest at the publication of newspaper cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

I think the most important thing to keep in mind here is that these cartoons were originally published in September. It's now February.

I don't get it...and if these people think American imperialism is bad, they need to take a hard look at themselves in the mirror.

…but in a good way.

This is an e-mail I got from April Tuesday:

Because you are the best boyfriend in the world...you won't hate me for volunteering us for a fabulous event : ) (insert name here) from the Fontbonne alumni office called and asked me to work the Fontbonne night at the Magic House on Saturday, February 25th from 5:30-8pm doing registration at the door. She's actually in Management 29...anyway I told her sure & then she asked if I knew of anyone else who could possibley volunteer. I told her I would email my study team and see..and that the BEST boyfriend in the world would more than likely help as well. And she already put your name down...but I can call and take it off if you really don;t want to. PLEASE.....I love you!!!! It's casual dress, they have snacks and we probably would only have to be there until about 7:30ish.
So waht do you think?

The things I will do for this woman…

;-)

Today, my stepdad officially began retirement...his plant closed yesterday. I wonder if my mom kept him busy with stuff to do...she took off today. I woke up at 4am to use the bathroom, and he was already up, getting dressed for the day. He normally doesn't get up until 5...jeez!

If you want to know where the American employee stands these days, I don't think you need to look any further than my stepdad. His company gave him a decent shake...better than many would these days. And Nestle is a foreign company to boot. But he deserved better...he earned better.

And it's a grim reminder to me that I better get my future financial plans in order.

Wolf is at the control board today.

There's a lot going on today.

The world is once again poised on the brink of nuclear destruction.

Judge Alito was confirmed for the Supreme Court with almost no fanfare.

Andrea Yates is released from jail.

New Orleans is hit by a series of tornadoes (The Gods do not want that city rebuilt, no matter what Ray Nagin is telling you).

All kinds of things are going on.

But you know what's actually important today?

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. Six more weeks of winter.

I don't get it. I checked the weather reports for Punxsutawney last night. Clouds and rain ... the sun probably only came out long enough for him to see his shadow, and scoot back into his hole. I think he saw his shadow from all the darn TV cameras and stuff. Our weather is being manipulated by meteorologists.

Sadly, I wouldn't have known that today was the 3rd anniversary of the Columbia disintegration if I hadn't been surfing the BBC's website last night. I didn't see a mention of it on either Fox or MSNBC.

Much the same as the Challenger, we must continue to explore the universe, but we have to take care of those we're sending out there.

Rest in peace.