About my raise...

lol, Yes that's the running joke where I work cause 4 of the past 5 years there haven't been any raises (granted I've only been there for 2 possible raises and I'm 1 and 1 lol). 

But in all seriousness, when did salaries get so bloated? There was a period of time when people would bust their butts to get $10/hr. Now I understand prices of everything have increased over time, and therefore incomes have had to increase and that little thing called inflation, But I mean for real, c'mon people, 30 years ago gas was less than a dollar a gallon. In September/October 2008 gas peaked at $4.00/gallon, some places were at almost 5 a gallon. 

Now I understand some increase over the last 30 years, but really, I don't think incomes have increased that much. Believe me I wish they would have. I mean how long did it take for them to increase the minimum wage to $6.55 nationally, about half the states (27 of 50) have state regulations that are higher than the federal $6.55 and only 5 states have no minimum wage regulation, and 6 states are still lower (but law mandates employees get the higher of the two wages). In 1979 the minimum wage was raised to $2.90, so by my math (granted I'm a conservative and a college graduate so my numbers might be a little bit off from yours) that's a 2.25 times increase in the minimum wage compared with a 6.25 times increase in the gas prices. Now granted I know gas prices have since come down from that astronomical high but still, they should have never gotten that high in the first place. So incomes over the same 30 year period were increased at 1/3 the rate overall. 

Why is it that everything we need to pay for, be it electric bill, gas bill, water bill, etc all increases significantly before our wages are increased at all. (do you feel it coming yet? I do, but then again I'm the writer of this aren't I?) Earlier today a bill was passed that will effectively increase our electric bill by as much as 40%, when it's all ready tough enough to pay the bills every month, they go and do something like this. Now I'm sure we'll go on struggling along, tightening our collective belts at home, and begging for any and all the overtime we can physically work to help make the ends meet, and it'll be 2 years or more before the ability to receive a raise is given due to the company's financials. I know the company needs more money, so does everyone, but no one's paying more. Maybe if our pay was based on effectiveness and efficiency then people would notice a significant difference in their pay that is directly representational of the effort they put forth, and how much they care about their job. Hey, wait a minute, that sounds like having a personal responsibility for your job. Wow 3 references in 4 posts (3 for 3 if you don't include that horrific news update I had to post to vent a little bit), maybe I'm on to something there. 

Either way, companies are saying they're not making enough money, so they're charging more for their services, and employees aren't being paid anymore and they're having to pay more for objects and services they need because they companies aren't making enough to stay afloat. At what point will someone grab the bull by the horns and say "ENOUGH ALREADY, we can't keep doing this." It's funny, we all love a good shopping spree, especially when it's on the store's dime; or if you buy items for your company, the companies credit card; but when it's your credit card, you think 2 or 3 times before you finally let the cashier swipe your card. It's never fun making that large 4 or 5 figure purchase (unless you're filthy rich, in which case please e-mail me and let me know what intrigues you enough to read my posts), however sometimes it's mandatory. 

I'm sure there's more I just can't get it organized at the present time, got too much stuff on my mind that's getting me all confuzzled. More later I'm sure.

It's amazing

As I was watching Hannity this evening, I saw a "breaking news" report. Now I'm thinking, what could possibly be happening this late at night, then I go, oh this must be a recorded show they forgot to take this out of. Now I only wish that was the case.

A 5 year old girl was DECAPITATED AT HER BIRTHDAY PARTY BY HER 23 YEAR OLD BROTHER. Another sister who is 17 was also stabbed by this "thing" (I can't really call him a person, cause my word who does that to their sister). It was the 9 year old sister's call that got police there to end the situation. 

Here's that story: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,511340,00.html

The next situation was just as stupid. A man in his 40's goes into an old-folks home and starts shooting people in there, even residents in wheelchairs aged 72-92 according to the report, killing 8, 7 residents and a nurse. 

Nursing home story: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,511330,00.html

Yeah, I got nothing after that

But how do I.....

No I'm not going to ask for help or assistance from my readers, at least not yet. I wouldn't want to infringe on our friendship so soon after meeting all of you. However I'm sure that's how a lot of questions are begun when speaking to your supervisor, right? You're inquiring about how they, the person who ultimately gives you a positive or negative review every period (mine is "yearly"), and in most cases single-handedly responsible for your ultimate raises or firing, want you do perform a certain task. 

I'm sure every supervisor would love to have a staff of employees that get to work on time, do their job effectively and efficiently (see previous post regarding personal responsibility, take note this is the second reference to that post in as many entries). Unfortunately, I doubt any supervisor has a staff like that. However if an employee has a question about how the supervisor would like their job performed, you would think that question would be readily answered. Now I can hear the questions pouring in all ready, "but what about the employee that 'just doesn't get it'?" I understand there are people like that, you can even buy them a clue, and gift wrap it with big silver bow, give it to them and say, I just thought you'd like this, and they'll still "just not get it". However I believe these people are only 1 per office at the most (I would like to think). Hopefully, if you're reading this, you don't fall into that category, instead you fit the group that seems every time they need to talk to their supervisor, regardless the reason, there always seems to be someone else in there discussing what little Johnny did last night or how cute your new family puppy is. Now while personally I don't have a problem with having a working relationship with a supervisor, there is a line that needs to be kept. While at work, work comes first, personal stuff second unless you're at lunch, on break, or it's not during 'on the clock' hours. I'm not saying no personal time at all while at work, because if you go off the absolute, I'm guilty of doing personal things, texts, e-mail, etc. but I don't let it negatively effect my work output. And my personal things I do at work don't hinder other's ability to do their job either. In fact, I'm willing to bet most of my co-workers couldn't tell you how often or how much I text at work, because, well they just don't care cause they don't notice it effecting my work or theirs (mainly theirs though). 

In my opinion (which I'm entitled to by the way in case anyone was going to be certain to tell me otherwise), if you let your personal activities negatively effect your work performance, you're stupid because you know it'll get you fired. But when you effect someone else's job performance, that's a line that just shouldn't be crossed, cause now you're making me look incompetent. For the past little while I've been needing to inform my supervisor of my current progress on a project and the possibility of meeting a deadline on it. Sure enough, every time I think about it, I look over and either there's someone in there, chit-chatting away or they're not there. *shakes head in disbelief* I'm sure at least one of you out there in cyber-land can sympathize and know exactly of what I speak. 

In case any of you are wondering, yes I finally got a hold of my supervisor, and we discussed everything that needs to be done (all on the same date nonetheless), and my supervisor inquired what I need to do to complete a certain task as they were under the impression all I had to do anymore was click a button and the new system would take care of everything. Now I wished I had been told of such a button as that would have taken a load off my mind as I was dreading that task all week cause I know it's a bear to deal with, especially with all the information that gets accumulated in a month. I told my supervisor I knew management was discussing the possibility of this "button" working, maybe, but I hadn't been told it was going to work at all, and was under the assumption I should just keep doing everything as it has been done before to ensure the data is available.

I'm not one to bash or criticize management all the time, but management does need to communicate with their employees to ensure they're fully informed of all current proceedings, especially with so many companies "downsizing" or "consolidating" due to the economy. I'm one of these employees you just don't worry about. I come in, I know what I have to do that day, and I do it, then I leave. No one bothers me, no one questions my job, or my ability to do my job. But when time from my days are taken due to training on how to send an e-mail (not a joke, I spent 3 hours learning how to e-mail, paid by the company and people wonder why the company doesn't have money), and the systems locking up, that ultimately backs my work up, because that's time out of my day I can't work on my job. I expect to be able to meet with my supervisor in a timely manner and and give him a heads-up, that hey, due to these circumstances I may not meet this deadline for these projects; what priority do you want me to have? Sounds reasonable right? Yeah, but apparently little Johnny's t-ball game still gets preference to my job performance. 

Okay, so what's the purpose of this "rant" you're asking, right? Well, either that or you think I'm just another disgruntled employee. I'll let you know, I wouldn't use the word "disgruntled", I'd say, "stunned." Why stunned you ask? Stunned this can go on, stunned a supervisor would allow such a vast waste of their and another employee's time. And finally stunned that a supervisor wouldn't notice someone he doesn't have much interaction with is walking by a lot and peeking around the corner to see if they're busy or not, and not making a point to see what's up. 

Yeah, that's my post for tonight.

I must have missed this memo

Okay so I must be a little late in getting this, but when did we become a society of "help me or else"? Never in my life have I ever seen so many people adopt this mindset with regards to others around them. It actually scares me more than anything else because who's to say I won't agree with the crazy standing in front of me saying "help my cause or else" and when I kindly reject he pulls out a Glock and potentially try to end my life for not helping his cause. (for the record this isn't an anti-guns, anti-second amendment post just fyi) I realize that's an extreme example, however with the direction people have turned in this world, it wouldn't surprise me in the least.

There's a company in my hometown that had a possible funding on the November 2008 ballot, it ended up failing by only a few votes so no additional funding. So in retaliation, the company is now cutting back the services it provides while shaking their finger and the citizens saying, you should have passed it (inside note there was a separate vote for the city proper citizens and county citizens, city passed it overwhelmingly, county was the Nov 2008 vote). The most amazing part of it, the employees of the company are saying, once the voters see what a difference we make in the community, they'll vote it in next time around. So they're counting on the citizens who are about to be burned when the company makes its cutbacks to come back in larger numbers when it comes time to decide as a city if they want to support giving them more money. The kicker on the cutbacks this company is doing is they're cutting services that are used regularly so as to make the impact of the cutbacks further felt instead of trying to do as the rest of America is currently doing and cinching our belts and "sucking it in" trying to make sure ends meet at the end of the month. So in other words, the bridge needs repairs, so instead of both of us doing them, one side does what they can, and only part of the other side comes out, when they see only part of the other side came to help, they burn the bridge down, then come back saying, hey if you really want that bridge back just get us this funding and we'll rebuild the whole bridge. (if you followed that I'm sure you're in the minority but congratulations you're officially inside my head, hold on tight and enjoy the ride lol) Call me crazy but I'd rather keep a bridge that needs some work but still functions just adjust the rules or requirements for using the bridge so those that need it still have it available. But no, they decided to just take it out, I mean no sense in it being there if it's not able to be used at full capacity right? (makes confused look). 

Now I realize for some it sounds like some coded message, and if that's the case for you, I apologize however, I do want to keep some anonymity with those involved and I hope you understand. 

Maybe it's just me and maybe I'm just tired of playing these games with people because they didn't support my idea, so now I must get them back, or they're not the same style as me so we have to go get them before they get us. I remember back in middle school we had a program called RAPP which was Resolving All Problems Peacefully, and it was designed to get people who had differences (usually some kind of physical conflict) to talk it out and explain to the other why they disliked this aspect of the other person and what made them react so crazily. Where's the RAPP for America at? Where do those who oppose what's going on go to get to express why they feel so strongly against it. Where's the forum for the taxpayers, who helped out A.I.G. when they were "too big to allow to fail",  to express their disapproval of A.I.G. receiving all that bonus money and I know people who have worked for years and not gotten a bonus, nor have there been raises at one particular company 4 of the last 5 years. But not only that, where's the forum for people to ask, why or how is a company able to become "too big to allow to fail"? I say if a company gets as big as A.I.G. did and fails, there's a very logical reason for it: someone in the company was not working to their full 100% efficiency. (see yesterday's blog entry) Just as your home every few years needs to be checked for efficiency, so do companies. If your windows are allowing too much air through the window sill, guess what, time for new windows that will probably end up saving you on your heating and cooling bills because of their increased efficiency. Wait a minute, you mean something with a higher efficiency rating can save me money?? Same with your car; at optimum efficiency your car can get 25 miles per gallon of gas, but in reality with stop and go traffic and sitting at stop lights, and just "real use" you only got 22.5 miles per gallon when you first got it. But now that car is 7 years old and if you are given a running 60 mph start you'll get 20 miles per gallon on the highway, normal conditions you're getting anywhere between 15-18 miles per gallon. What's changed? The efficiency of the parts inside. Imagine if everyone at your company worked at even just 90% efficiency what a difference that'd make to most companies. 

Well that's my rant for tonight, more tomorrow I'm sure.

What ever happened to.....

Now I realize that some of you are going to come here thinking I'm going to talk about long lost TV shows, bands, or even media personalities. But no, not today and not here (at least not currently). What ever happened to personal responsibility. 

Why is it that people now-a-days feel no sense of responsibility for their actions? Go have random sex with people and end up pregnant or get someone pregnant, and abortion or deny deny deny, and you're off the hook (unless Maury proves, "You are the father"). Live a decadent life of excess (food, alcohol, drugs, etc) and there's surgeries, and by-passes, therapy, and the ever popular, my parents didn't love me enough when I was growing up. And that's just the most popular excuses that you hear of all the time. 

Now I'll admit, I'm guilty of taking in some excesses of food, and one of my fav's good old fashioned American Coca-Cola, and nothing is better washed down by a Coke than a nice fat juicy BBQed hamburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, mustard and the occasional mayo as well, but c'mon people, lets use our head a little bit here. 

When your boss or supervisor says your shift starts at 8, that doesn't mean 8:15 or 8:10 or even 8:01, it means 8:00. If you come in at 7:59, great you have a minute to breathe before starting, but if you do a job that's 8am-5pm that doesn't mean 8:35am-4:55pm (factor in an hour for lunch).  It's called having a responsibility to your job and meeting it, for yourself.

Now on to the big fish. I think by now we understand that Obama The Magnificent (or does he go by The Great now I keep on forgetting, next he'll be a symbol and known as the politician formerly known as Obama) inherited a deficit, but does that give him a pass to spend at free will. When the money gets tight at home, you're not going out for steak every night, or even lobster. You're probably going to be shopping at discount stores and staying in every night. Which is what we as a country need to be doing currently, becoming penny-pinching, stretching every dollar as far as it'll go (as if it were made on silly putty). It's rather irritating to see the massive spending being proposed under this administration. Yes all of this can be placed back to my overall theme "Personal Responsibility." 

If this administration what's to be successful, they need to focus on being the best they can be, and calling on everyone to work at 100%, 100% of the time. If I as an employee work at 40%, 100% of the time, it's noticeable; and the company's overall bottom lines will suffer and I will be fired promptly without a second thought because my employer will bring in someone who will A) be grateful for a job and B) work their butt off to meet all the goals and deadlines so as to not be fired.  Again, personal responsibility to perform to the best of your ability, all of the time.  I understand sometimes you might be "under the weather" (personally I'm dealing with some harsh seasonal allergies right now) so I am sympathetic and can understand a slacking in output due to that, but to operate at 90% normally and to allow something like a "bug" to knock you down to 60% production, that's unacceptable, broken bone probably, a slight bug, no way.  Again, Personal Responsibility.

Health is a topic that hits home a little hard for me.  Being someone who's dealt with food and seasonal allergies all my life, my mom having back problems as long as I can remember, and my dad passing in 2007 from a heart attack; personal health is something that is not to be taken lightly. Aside from my personal experiences, my job has me "working" with those who need regular medical attention. Personally, I've spent the better part of 2 and a half years working with preventative medicine to keep my health in the best shape possible to prevent future medical bills from necessary procedures due to a lack of responsibility now. Oooh a tie-in. Yes I know you're thinking, "wait you said you like having a fat burger with a coke earlier", why yes I did, but I don't have them for lunch and dinner everyday. In fact, I'm currently in the process of correcting a less than ideal diet I've had over the past few years and begun a workout regimen to improve my overall health. So as everyone can blatantly see here, yes even I have things to work on in my life, and I am currently taking steps to improve my health, because I intend to live to a ripe old age, but the only way I can is if I have personal responsibility to my health now. 

Even the Bible says in Proverbs 16:3 "Commit your works to the Lord". Now any Bible believing person would not under any circumstances give less than 100% of one's ability to the Lord. If there's one entity that I would definitely give a full effort towards, it'd be the Lord. Does that mean only the Lord's work get 100%, nope it says commit YOUR works, so whatever you put your hands to should only be done at 100% performance, as if you were going to turn it in to God himself. Kinda scary to think about isn't it?

More to come..... trust me