Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Forget it.

What I thought was a situation solved, the one below, is not. Turns out Susan was just doing that so that HOPEFULLY we would get five more kids.

Well hopefully we do. If we do kristen can come back. 3 supervisors basically told me that Kristen must go to Anderson, her response, was a two week notice.

Great.... this is going to be a huge pain in the ass.


I moved last weekend, same apartment complex but new apartment. Right now it's in chaos, but it will look fine soon. . . .

Thursday, October 12, 2006

It started bad, and ended bad ass

Today, was looking like a pretty bad day. Recently at work, I was faced with the situation where my boss and further up the ladder, saw only the numbers of children and dollar signs at the site, and saw no further into the situation of what it might actually be...

in short, i was told earlier this week that I had to get rid of a person, on my four person two room 65 children childcare center...


.......this... was horrifying... and I started researching to do everything I could to get more kids signed up and so on.

A new woman, Susan, introduced herself to me today at the branch. Not knowing susan, but knowing that she was another supervisor, immediately put me on edge, feeling as if this was yet another person here to tell me, that I have to lose one of my precious and wonderful teammates. To my suprise, she listened and tried to console me... I, was telling her how I want to try to get numbers up, so no one has to go, her, convinced of what the other supervisies hath said, was convinced that John going to anderson was more importante. Feeling like I had no choice but to accept the "compromise" that I originally saw as a step in an "ok" direction, this meeting with her flew over my head as pointless. I couldn't have been more wrong.

You see, my supervisor, was originally going to let me CHOOSE someone to go to anderson. basically, choose someones job to ruin. Though I appreciated the time given to discuss this with my team, I was desperately searching for a solution. Lined up with my ammo of information supporting my case, I called my sup today. After spilling my guts more than twice, and quite shaky... it's hard to really lay down how you dislike something, to someone, who could make sure the next check is your last. anyway... she then told me that it was her job to now choose for me. I continued pleading with her, informing her of all the inevitable problems we were about to face, and that I wanted another week to show that we could get enough kids, and that her solution was no solution at all. She "compromised".. saying John would be sent to Anderson, starting monday, and when my numbers go up... he could come back. A promise that was quite reminiscent of a similar situation last year, at this time, when we lost a staff member in a similar manner... but permanently. It was like chopping off a leg of a patient, drugging them up and telling them the leg was still there, eventually everyone would know it was gone. I was very nervous, but felt trapped. that this so called solution, was better than the alternative, which would have been losing john with little to no chance of his return.

Back to Susan! The blessed susan that hath come to save the current state of the organization from continuing down it's wretched path. She promised me that she would be visiting my site soon, that i was the last on the list of visits. See, she's new, and wanted to see all the sites she is now partially controlling. Susan arrived just after snack, and to my suprise, took the time to speak to each member of our team, on the same level. Many times, we experience the feeling of interogation, or being quizzed for errors... so that we can be corrected. Susan was none of these things. She had an aura of immediate comfort, and everyone seemed to feel comfortable telling her how they actually felt. Most importantly, John had this opportunity. Rather than a faceless decision from someone above me to someone right next to me, with me as the middle man, Susan got to talk to john face to face. His words, not mine. My approach up to this point had really been with the numbers, the money, and the importance of the staff team. Though number aren't usually my concern, i felt if I was going to fight this... that numbers would be the only thing that would sway them my way.

But I didn't know Susan. Susan talked to Kerry for a little bit, then Kristen for a while, then me about the situation and others we are facing, and then John. John and her talked for an hour at least. They really seemed to make progress... and just when I thought Susan was laying down the law.. John comes in to tell me that she left, and they had a really good talk. He told her everything, and she said she would see what she can do. Initially, we all feared that this was a delay tactic that would lead to the phone call delegating John to be removed from Lietz.

The phone rang, it was Susan. She told me that she was really glad to be able to come out to the center today. She loved the place, and she loved us. She said we are an amazing team, very strong. She said the place is very nice, and she loves what we are doing for this community. She then said she spoke to michelle, and they agreed that it is more important to keep John at Lietz, and to make sacrifices in other areas. My heart sank, I felt so relieved! She said we are going to have to cut back on hours where we can, go home early when there is not a lot of kids, until our numbers go up. She said maybe sub at other centers when they need it. These small sacrifices are far better than the sacrifice of one whole person. working with only 3 of us would have been terrible! No room for flexibility... no stability. ....

I was (am) so happy that Susan came to work here, and that she really took the time to see it from our point of view. I really appreciate that. and I really appreciate the people I work with, the thought of losing anyone was...unthinkable. I was really worried, everything is so perfect in this group, and the place functions so smoothly. Like a well oiled machine of some sort. To lose John especially, he's been there almost as long as Kerry and I, and is the spine of the Big Kids portable. He means a lot to them, and they to he. Kristen, who's newer, is fast growing into their hearts, and there was threat of losing her as well. They both work in BKP, and make a very good team.

all in all, was started out a bad day..... turned out to be pretty bad ass... :) Posted by Picasa

Tuesday Night


So I'm writing a day late. So what.

Tuesday night was fun, did a little drinking at olitas and a little fishing on the wharf... These pictures were 4 of like 100 that were taken whilst goofing off with a camera. Tower of starfish, pretending to be excited, a jump that looks like dancing, and the kids all tuckered out.


Good times!

 Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Stage one

This is the base coat of a new painting I am working on. Posted by Picasa

Sunday, October 08, 2006

My Balcony set up

So, today I decided to procrastinate and not go to the store like I was supposed to, and paint instead. This is stage one of an abstract I'm going to be working on for Sarah.

I'm going to miss this balcony, but the new place promises fun times.

So yea, you can see that I'm using the bbq as a lil table... that was clever.

I have to get rid of a lot of shit, but I can't think of what.

Monday is tommorrow, and I wish I didn't work at all anymore. I know that's not a positive attitude, but I wasn't trying for one anyway.


Tyler has his flea stuff, and he's lookin fine. Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

I'm Running again

So this morning I decided, in an attempt to continue getting more physical activity... I decided to go for a walk on the beach, and run if i felt so inclined. When i got there, it was very sunny and VERY empty. Which is rare. Usually there is a dog and a human in my way every 20 feet.

not today!

So I went. ross and I were trying to do it daily for a while, but sometimes we just wouldn't have time.

Like, you wake up at 9 and have to leave by 1030... you'd just rather have coffee, eat and shower than go to the beach for a run. But I really need to keep trying.

Today I brought music along, since I was all alone. And THAT was a great combo... because I wasn't thinking as much about the running, just enjoying the time... and the energy boost. I felt really good after, and I ran for 30 minutes. Pretty good!

So I'm not going to jump and say that I'm going to do that every day. Can't go from zero to hero really... but I'm going to try to do it at least 2-3 times a week to start.

I think I might be getting a gym membership... for the weights and what not. I have more natural energy when I keep physically active.

As for some other excercises... well, I'm going to try to keep reading more, and really make myself do it. (Tv is SO distracting... it gives so much yet asks so litte (HOMER))

I'm reading "The Jungle"

I'm gonna put it by my bed... and make it a nightly occurence.

and NOW! I'm going to draw a sketch, or doodle, or anything artistic really... once a day minimum. I'd like to keep that door open, and the ideas a flowin. . . .so I have to excercise that too.

Today I drew a spacemoth, inspired by the song, spacemoth...by Stereolab.

I will show a picture soon, I like it, and make work on it a little more for a t-shirt.


Well, off to work... the fog just rolled in, supoosed to rain.. so it actually looks like this picture outside...right now.... Posted by Picasa

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Chubby Bunnies.. the classic.


This weekend was pretty fun! On friday however, i DID have to get up at like six, and leave my house by 7. I know... WAH other people do it, but i'm not used to that. So, out the door by 7, arrived in sunnyvale by 8 at the annual directors conference that I was to be attending. After consuming an unhealthy amount of caffeine with my coworkers, we laughed our way through a morning of redundancy. The same stuff weve heard year in and year out. . . but I suppose is a good refresher. We had lunch, which was very good, until 1 hour later my stomach was hurting, and I had this horrid nervous sensation that sent my heart a thumping. I couldn't shake it, or pinpoint it. I felt like I had been drugged. I'm sure it was just a combination of things, but I never want it again.

Later that night, the bosses took us all out for a lovely dinner at the firehouse brewery, followed by a swell evening of drinking with the peer directors, and bonding. Hours later, I drove home.

A good time! Saturday was supposed to be our (my and ross) sailing class, but found out that Ross had been kicked out by default. apparently you are only allowed to take a certain number of credits at school, and he had too many. BAM out. I was going to take the sailing class for general information, and possibly apply it to a future vacation, but I guess that will have to wait. I'm not too disapointed seeing as how it was a saturday class, but I would like to get the knowledge packed in here eventually.

Sunday was spent mass producing belated thank you cards and watching princess mononoke, followed by ross experimenting with a chili recipe that called for chocolate.
yes.
chocolate.
It was delicious.
I've got to get this portion control thing..... under control.


these pictures? Chubby bunny game on labor day weekend down south at Chole's house. I wanted to show everyone elses faces, but I thought I shouldn't... they might not likey! So, you have to shove marshmallows in your mouth, and say the number of marshmallows... and not chew, and not swallow. Example: "3 chubby bunnies" is where I spit them out. I think someone got to 5, or 6, or even 7. . .. . This is the only use for marshmallows now that I don't really like them.  Posted by Picasa