Irrigation of the land with seawater desalinated by fusion power is ancient. It's called rain.

Michael McClary

It was late in September when I went to Weatherite about replacing our windows. (my broken bedroom window and the 2 in the boys soon(?) to be room, the sea room)  As October drew to a close, I began to feel a bit cranky about the length of time from order to delivery. 

They came and put in the windows Wednesday.

The rain came Thursday.

Right on time, after all.

The difference between a manager and a leader is the difference between control and inspiration.

You remember my recent disappointment that we are no longer allowed to listen to the radio via the internet at work. It subtly changed the atmosphere in the office for many of us.

But wait, there's more.

Yesterday, my supervisor informed us that from now on there is no more make up time.

Joseph and I have been carpooling - it started when his bike was broken down. We carpool to the light rail. Then from his light rail stop, he caught a bus. That evolved into him riding to light rail with me even when he has his bike and then biking to work from his light rail stop.

As my commute to light rail from the office is much shorter and easier to his (right outside my building), I get back to the car earlier. So, I started staying after work to get caught up - I have not fully caught up from being sick a week in August - and also to earn time so I don't have to use vacation for little things.

A new coworker who doesn't have vacation yet has been earning time so she can have her son's 21st birthday off. Another earns time so she can get off early on other days to pick up her kids. It has been very nice.

Apparently, my boss's boss has come over to our unit a few times and noticed people missing. She confronted Boss about it. Boss tried, she really tried to stand up for us, but the boom was lowered. The law was laid down. Flat. By the books. Only by the books.

No more make up time, not for kids, not for a little extra lunch time, nothing. Boss feels very badly.

I am none too pleased with the powers (or power) that be.

There's more. There has been a lot of office re-organizing. Cubicles taken apart and reconfigured. Among the changes, they moved Boss from her window cubicle to as far away from the windows as you can get. Like me, but I am not a supervisor. And, being at the front desk, I can stand up, lean over the counter, and glimpse the window down the aisle. Boss is walled in. It is a biggish cubicle, but not light and airy. In fact the overhead lights directly over her cube are off for conservation purposes.

I am beginning to wonder if there is something personal going on. Boss is the ONLY supervisor away from the windows. There are several non-supervisors with windows. Admittedly, Boss's original cube was far from her staff and now she is in the midst of us. However, there are non-super occupied window cubes near her unit.

Although Boss is short staffed, they have been slow to authorize her hiring and yet they have been pressing her because travel claims have been backlogged. Short staff and the record late budget apparently are no excuse.

Last week Boss was really down and stressed. I don't know what it was - personal and/or work or ? I think a lot of it was this garbage from above.

Having to take away our make up time really hurt her, too. And she had to try not to show any of her own feelings or blame the upper. But we are not stupid.

Today her staff gave her a card in which we each told her how much we appreciate, respect and like her. Hope it helps. She is a great boss and a very nice person.

Trick or Treat

As you may recall, Joseph has been having a good bit of trouble with his bike. We took it to the Bicycle Chef where he nearly left it for a $100 worth of work. Then I asked if the bike was worth it. Nope. So, he just fixed the then current flat. He got a flat again a week or so ago. I planned on stopping by the bike shop on the way to Dave's Pumpkin Farm where we went through the corn maze Saturday, but Joseph opted not to go with us. So, he has been bike-less.

He has chatted with a co-worker about maybe buying a better bike. She said, "Wait. Maybe Santa will bring you one." Well, Santa has never brought big gifts nor usually individual gifts to our house, so that hardly seems likely. He was afraid she was thinking of getting one and, truth is, he can afford it better than she can.

Today, a supervisor called Joseph into his office. No, he wasn't in trouble. They talked about a project they were working on. When Joseph returned to the file room, there was a NEW BICYCLE! Stunned, Joseph started to ask B if she had bought it. Then the doorway filled with people. The whole office had taken up a collection. A pretty GOOD collection, apparently.

This bike is the same as police use. Strong, light weight street bike. They made sure that it has very good brakes, fenders so he won't become striped in wet weather; they put on a rack and bought him lights for it. It is a nice bike.

Earlier, under the pretense of considering buying a bike for his son, one of the conspirators asked Joseph's opinion and learned all about what Joseph likes in a bike.

When Joseph started talking about buying a bike, B told T, the lead conspirator, that he had better speed things up. T, casually chatting with Joseph, suggested Craig's list was a good place to get a bike - especially at the end of the month - especially at the end of November - the rains have driven some riders off their bikes and people are wanting extra money for Christmas. Stall Joseph.

I am proud of Joseph for being the kind of person that his coworkers wanted to do something so nice for him. What generous and kind coworkers he has!

I don't expect that he will try to change jobs any time soon.

Special Fast November 2, 2008

Thank you for expressing this so well Tessa. -

 

This November's election will be one of great significance for each one of
us and our country as a whole. It is suggested that the Sunday before the
election, which is November 2nd, we take the opportunity to fast for our
country and the leaders who will be elected and the voters who will elect
them.

Whether you are of a political persuasion or not, this year's election will
be significant. I personally encourage you to learn about the people who
want to lead our country and make a prayerful decision.

Should you feel to pass this on to those you love I would encourage you to
do so. Our fasts and prayers will make a difference and at this time, more
than any other in our lifetime, our country is in need of the Lord's
guidance.

To our friends and family, whether in or out of California, I might suggest
that we also fast for the passing of proposition 8, the marriage initiative.
If it fails there will be drastic changes to our lives here as there have
been to those who live in Massachusetts. May God help us all.

Upstairs, Downstairs

During the break in my intermediate accounting class (Redwood Conference room 14^th floor), I decided, as often, to go back to my office (1040) and refill my water bottle. I decided to take the stairs as I sometimes do. I hit the stairs at a good pace, but after a flight or so, I started to flag. I hadn't gone 2 floors when I was quite tired. I thought, "I have done this before, I shouldn't' be so tired. I should be about to the 12^th floor." I looked up at the wall and saw that I was headed for the 16^th floor!! I do not now know whether I thought I was going from my office to the conference room or whether I truly do not know up from down. That's the effect this class has on my brain.

Speaking of the accounting class, as of the quiz submitted today, I now have 142 points, enough for a "C-". What a relief to know that I am passing this class, even though I do not understand most of it. Together the study team should be able to get a solid "B," maybe even an "A". This will be, I think, my last accounting class. I have passed the level of my incompetence. Next semester, probably Business Law.

the Virtue of Tolerance

(thank you, Sue A!)

 

This address was given at the BYU Women's Conference, May 5, 2006
 
Boyd K. Packer
 
              "The virtue of tolerance has been distorted and elevated to a position of such prominence as be thought equal to and even valued more than morality. It is one thing to be tolerant, even forgiving of individual conduct. It is quite another to collectively legislate and legalize to protect immoral conduct that can weaken, even destroy the family."
 
                "There is a dangerous trap when tolerance is exaggerated to protect the rights of those whose conduct endangers the family and injures the rights of the more part of the people. We are getting dangerously close to the condition described by the prophet Mosiah, who warned:"
 
    "Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law—to do your business by the voice of the people."
 
     "And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land."  (Mosiah 29:26-27)
 
"Tolerance can be a dangerous trap."
 
As always, Boyd K. Packer says is so eloquently!
 
The Prophet Joseph Smith said at the first Relief Society, "There must be a decision of character, aside from sympathy."

Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress.

Mahatma Gandhi Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)

A beloved and honored relative wrote to me a week or so ago:

 Sorry, Barbara, but I don't agree with the position that your church has taken on Proposition 8.  If I could (it's not on the ballot in Oregon), I would vote NO on it.  I believe that there are all kinds of people in this world, with different beliefs and ways of living their lives and we all need to be tolerant and accepting and understanding of people.  Teaching of diversity of life should be experienced in the school system so children can learn to be accepting.......especially if they won't see the tolerance in their own home.  We all have to live in the same world.  Gay couples or straight couples should be treated with the same respect.  I find it sad that there is still many people that believe that children should be taught that diversity is a bad thing, it just perpetuates problems in the world.

The first time you mentioned Prop. 8, I decided not to say anything but after receiving the email on Sunday, I felt my position should be stated. 

 I finally replied today.

Friday, October 17, 2008

I hope you realize that my long silence is because of my time management problems and not because of any ill feelings.  I love and respect you very much.  I don't think a disagreement here and there will ever change that.

Thank you for telling me how you feel.  I suspect that we are going to have to agree to disagree on this. 

When the subject first came up, I followed my church based on my personal testimony but without any real feeling of urgency.  I almost wondered what all the fuss was about.  To each his own.  The more I learned, and certainly not just or even mainly from church sources, the stronger my feelings became.  It upsets me a little that 4 judges can overturn the vote of the people. (Maybe more than a little.) It upsets me tremendously that schools will be (and in some places, including California, already are)  actively teaching morals many parents believe are wrong.

Believing in certain moral values does not mean disrespecting or hurting other people. I know it happens on both sides, but it is wrong.

 We affirm the right of people to believe as they deem best and to act on those beliefs.  We do not want our rights to teach our own children trampled on.  One can teach respect for other people and their right to choose while teaching ones own moral values.  (We do it all the time on the subjects of drinking and smoking, for instance.)  We do not want other people teaching our children values we disagree with and teaching intolerance for our morals and religion.  That is what is happening already and what we are trying to stop.

I would share some friendly personal news now, except there isn't much and I already spent more than my allotted break time in study group. (again) The good news is that the group got all the answers right on the quiz due today.  Sigh of relief and on to the next one which has already been released.  Another area of disagreement between us – I just might hate accounting.

Love you!  Have a great weekend!

Barbara

No, No Nano

One of my beautiful and delightful daughters convinced me that an iPod Nano would be adequate to my needs and cost much less than a Classic which costs too much.  $150 is a lot of money, but… do-able. On my last trip to Costco, I happily picked one up.  I was so excited.  I looked forward to listening to the Satellite Sisters podcast a day late at work as other wonderful radio offerings.  Alas! And wouldn't you know it.  The Nano and our computer refuse to talk to each other and I have to take it back.  It's not just me, my best computer tech geek gave it his best shot and went down in defeat.  No Nano for me.  I really miss the Satellite Sisters!

If you scatter thorns, don't go barefoot.

Italian Proverb

I have the bad habit at work of slipping my shoes off. Sometimes I run around the office stocking foot – usually late in the afternoon after the exodus has well begun. A co-worker has expressed great concern that I might step on a staple, get an infection, and DIE. A beautiful and beloved daughter concurred this is a dangerous practice. So far, I have had no problem.

This week for some reason, I have worn strap-on shoes that don't just slip off. Yesterday, shoes firmly on, I felt a prick in the side of my foot. A STAPLE - inside my shoe..

Daylight follows a dark night.

Maasai Proverb

Saturday we went to Jared's birthday party - "Cars" theme -what fun! The kids got to decorate license plates to put on the cardboard cars Tom had made for them. They had races complete with tire changing and gassing up pit-stops. Jared's cousin was the greatest pit chief. The kids had a blast.

I took my Christmas project to work on, of course. When I went to show Nana (Jared's other grandma) and a daughter or two my duo-color diaster, we could NOT see it. The color difference does not seem to show up in daylight. Part of the reason I went months without discovering it. I will have to tell my recipient to never where it around flourescents!