Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring......hello baby!

For weeks now I have been looking for a ring that speaks to me.  A ring that would say, "I am as original as the owner."  WELL,  tada.. I found it.  It is all that and more.

The crown of pearls is my new fav.  It is indie and will be made for me.  It is my contribution to slow for 2012 dressing.  I do believe supporting craftsmen and women is the true way to make jobs now, and to have things that matter to you, make you feel like a million, and yet very individual.

I will take pictures of it when it gets here, thank you to The Purple Lily Designs for all the conversations about this ring. 

I am excited.  This ring will go to Ecuador with me.

Rebooting my Life

Can we talk?  The internal workings of my digestion have become a bit skewed.  A hernia repair a while ago and clothing that is any way close to form fitting sends me running for my pajama pants for pain relief.  I needed to fix this situation, so my first plan of action was to change the way I eat.  When Ed (hubbie) and I go out, we share a meal instead of each of us ordering a full entree.  We decide what we would like and then we order a full meal and share the bounty.

You all have had the same reaction to the plates of food that appear on your table after ordering at a restaurant.  Side salads that look like the main course, potatoes the size of a new born baby and a entree of chicken that looks like it had a gym membership and desserts that are a mountain and enough calories for three days of eating.
 
You know you have paid at least a good chunk of change for this splendiferous feast, but you also know that at least half of it will go home with you via doggie bag or foam box or go to the garbage.  The eye candy you get when it arrives leaves after about 3 mouthfuls and you get the feeling a long nap is immediately necessary or at least hubby will need to drive so you can nap during your ride home to digest.  We don't have that disgusted feeling anymore and I can nibble my way through a meal, tasting and enjoying and feeling very familial.  It was a first step in the right direction, why pay for more when you don't need more.  It was my,"less is more phase" and I liked it very much. 

When Ed and I go to a very upscale expensive restaurant, they practice the "less is more" philosophy.  They have outrageous prices and you get a designer chicken that is skinny, and thinly sliced on a huge plate with a few beautiful sauced swirls.  They give you cauliflower mash that is a potato stand in and never more than two tablespoons of anything that can be recognized as a normal vegetable.  In the back of your mind you know it is better for you, but we remember the mounds at this time,  I know you do it, don't lie.  I do it every time we eat this way.  Funny I think that way, ...but not really, I am conditioned to do it.

There were a few weeks that I was feeling so smug thinking that I had conquered the waste of food, the price we paid, the oversize portions along with the lugging home of stryo box of left overs.  Then I saw the "You Tube" movie, "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" it was a wake up call.  It was me they were talking about with other symptoms that were just as scary.  

This video is a life changing event for Aussie Joe Cross and his video journey across America discovering how poorly we eat and how he changes his life by drinking green micro nutrients. It is a wonderful video as he helps others every day during this journey.  I was seeing myself in his video thinking, can I actually do this?   There was not even a moment of hesitation to jump at this chance to dust off and use my Jack LaLane juicer.  My inner voice kept telling me, "You can do this Denise, all the help you need is on the web site."  

Joe Cross says," The way to change the world is to change yourself."  This is my way of changing the world, one person at a time, starting with me.  

I am including the link to the video, http://www.jointhereboot.com/   My journey to "Reboot my life" will begin on November 5, 2012.  I invite you to join me in this next stage of healthy eating.  I will be blogging about my experiences and putting pictures of myself, (God help me!) as I go through this evolution.  It will certainly be an adventure!

Fur Babies, Happy Dog Day

It is DOG DAY!  I am offering my crew to the world as evidence that I love dogs.  They don't ask your car keys, they don't borrow money, they know before you do that you need cheering up.  They really don't ask for much for all they do.

The Tootsie Toe Gang

The leader of the gang!

                     Today my dedication is to Tootsie Toes, Lilly Lou, ZuZu, Aiden, Sharkey Barkey.

Learning Process

I am competitive and driven.  The ability to function in a group is paramount in a training environment and I need to tell you I am losing patience with our little group.  We have a few very loud people, people who have made it difficult to hear, concentrate or learn at all.  The trainer has bucked up and taken a little more control in the class, I think the loud group needs attention and thinks everyone shares their view or that they are leading.  I feel that leaders are not loud.
My tolerance is low as I am still struggling with the mid afternoon to midnight schedule.  The witching hour is 10:00 pm for me, from that point on I need a coffee cup with strong coffee and a good group activity to keep me going.

It was a struggle to pay for the gas to get to the first non-paid College of Insurance training, and thrilling to get an offer letter for employment, but each time we think we are working for Connextions, we get told that we have three chances to pass a test or we get walking papers.  I like clarity, tell me what is expected, I will decide if it is doable and let you know.  Tell me that I have to pass the state certification and then get to paid training but to stay in the training there are 8 more tests that you have to pass before the third try to get on the sales floor. Don't tell me I have a job, and then say... but to keep it you have to... each day.
Remember what I said in a previous post,  tell us the truth, we drive your business.  Businesses think that we are on a need to know, well we are.  We need to know what is expected of us or we are under combat stress, never knowing what is next or what is required to stay alive in the working world.
Come on Industry, wake up.

Learning Patience

Yesterday I started a new job selling life insurance for United Healthcare through Connextions call center.  We were a very large starting class filled with non-licensed and licensed producers.  (Agents) We had the VP of Human Resources speak to us, and her assistant.  We had our Director speak to us, our Operations Manager who was dealing with the change of altitude from Florida to Denver and did a good job being entertaining and engaging, and and then our trainers spoke.

We had over 90 new employees introduce themselves, the impact of the state of the economy was very evident in those introductions.  The age of the group was also evidence of the culling for the corporate ROI, the age median was 45-60.  It was a win-win for Connextions, they had experienced sales, college educated and seasoned veterans for pennies on the dollar.  It was a win for me, as I have had the most frustrating two years of my life that I was putting behind me.  I only had a few moments of discomfort when a future team member asked me, "What the heck are you doing here?"  I guess she didn't listen to the introductions, it didn't matter your skills, there is no emotion in financial decisions within a corporation.  I think she will have to learn it the hard way and I don't wish that on anyone.

The introductions all produced the thought that with effort and consistency we too, could be managers, we too, could be corporate heads, and since some of them had achieved this without a degree, there was hope for people who had previously been denied that walk through to "executive" because of no degree, as the COO of Connextions;  Leslie Pecci was in position due to hard work and experience.  It was a uplifting speech and the people who gave it were talented orators.  .

This is a company that if I was looking to walk into the corporate structure again I would be giggling at night in my bed before going to sleep.  It is poised to take advantage of the government's health care mandate, it is sitting on the edge of its chair waiting to see what November brings.  I do hope it is great news for them.

I could use some good news,  yesterday was like a deja vu for me.  I have opened call centers, I have off shored accounts, I have gloried that I had the clients that had government accounts that could not send our jobs overseas.  I have delivered internet training with Instructional Design, set Quality standards,  I have hired and fired and have delivered millions in financial bonuses on contractual agreements.  I hate the words, "No and Can't."

Now I am in the other seat, the one that I constantly touted as the person who really owned the business...the one that needed the best care available and the most positive work environment...  the agent, the,"butt in seat" person.  I see a beautiful environment to work in, and I see people in charge who genuinely look you in the eye, which is so encouraging.  I hope it continues,  I realize that what is shared with agents is not the ingredients for the cake but the icing, and that I am in the "only what they need to know" category this kills me.  I remember fighting against that for 12 years.  I have always thought that when a driver(Call center agent) knows the direction and why it is important and the part of it that they play in the overall picture of success, they have ownership for that and are proud when the goal or drive is reached.  I think including them in setting it is still one of the most important things a company can do.

I still am grateful for a job, I can sit quietly and learn, but my process improvement, lean process for efficiency and ESAT is a hard swallow when it could be better for us and them.  Oh well, call me driven, but call me, okay?

I wish you peace or the strength to find it.

Toepel Manifesto courtesy of Fab.com Holstee Manifesto

A Gift

Last July I attended Denver Free University's "Unjob Fair".  I was looking forward to meeting people who were also looking for jobs and was very interested in seeing how they were doing in this economy.  They had quite a few sessions for each attendant.  I picked the ones that I thought would interest me or benefit my situation and talent.
The first session was with Steve Veltcamp, who's business card looked like a accordian.  He was just unbelievable and so full of resources it was difficult to write as fast as he dropped pearls of wisdom.  The south sea pearl that I  did manage to write down from him was, "If you need money, and you don't want to pay to get it, be a mystery shopper."  "Go to Mysteryshop.org."  He told us to read and apply, in thirty days you will have a job and money coming in.  Start small, and do a good job and they will be calling you for work.  I went there and it was just as he said it would be.
I also had the opportunity to be in Barbara Winters session which was all about being "Joyfully Jobless".  No time for pity parties here, it was pull you up by your bootstraps, and move forward.  Excuses kill creativity, so does sitting.  Movement keeps momentum.  Barbara and her book also called, Joyfully Jobless was the second part of the kick butt presentation.  I left feeling that the only reason I would not succeed was if I stop breathing.  So, for all you who are looking for a quick start go to Mysteryshop.org and get working!  There are thousands of companies willing to hire you, you just have to pick your style of shopping.  Good luck and keep moving.