Filing dos and don'ts...

For those of you who ever wonder, those of you who never were exposed to the complicated world of filing, those of you who have never come across a filing cabinet or a filing system, and those of you who, like me, find yourselves in the midst of a filing disaster that threatens to intrude in your thoughts when you wake up at 3 a.m. for until the disaster is under control. Please note, this is just a guide. Your can create your own system. And, as you'll see, just having everything in alpha order is not enough.

DO file things by functional area (advisory board, events, programs, reports, whatever).
DO order your functional areas in alpha order.
DO file things in alpha order within each area.
DO group separate larger areas to compartmentalize (administrative v. programs v. personal)

DON'T just create a jumbled mess by putting everything under the moon in alpha order. And here's the why of this blog. The following list is a random, very small sample of files found under alphabetical order in a drawer that shall not be disclosed. Individual and company names have been changed to protect the unsuspecting victims. Asterisks denote actual file names (not making it up).

C -
Carnegie Mellon
Cornwell, Sam
Credit Reports
...
F -
Fantastic Sam's
Foundstone
Financial Investment Ideas
Fitzgerald, Ella
Fortune 500
Fun Stuff *
...
G -
Gandolfini, John
General Electric
Good Ideas *
Green, James
Green Peace

Also found was a file for Jokes, two files for the same program under different letters, and several duplicate files for companies for which files already exist - which, by the way, were just sitting in the same office.

Eek!!!

In favor or against - know the facts on Prop. 8

Lately most of the discussion on the propositions up for vote in the November ballot in California has centered on Prop 8 - a yes would amend the California constitution to redefine marriage as a union between a man and a woman only, a no would leave things the way they are.

Supporters and opposition are out there giving us all arguments why we should or should not support this proposition. Very few people are doing their homework.

Morris Thurston, of the Mormon church, wrote a very enlightening document rebutting what supporters of 8 see as the six consequences of prop 8 failing. I'm not Mormon, I'm Catholic - practicing and believing. And Morris Thurston, while he offers a rebuttal, doesn't offer or neglect support of the proposition. 

His point and mine - in this blog - is: whether you support it or not, understand the facts, research the issue, and make a decision based on that and your own beliefs/moral code. Don't just follow the herd in blind acceptance of "consequences" that do not apply to the issue. To understand what I mean, please read this document. Very well written, by the way.

A few pet peeves...

1. "Please rsvp"... drives me up the wall and back! Rsvp is the acronym for the French phrase "please respond", therefore, an additional "please" is redundant - and, imho, in poor taste.

2. People who think your time is theirs and won't even bother consulting with you to see if you have time for them and their petty tasks... umph!

3. Bad use of fashion - where should I start??? If you're built like a barrel, avoid the form-fitting top and the low-rise jeans. It really is disgusting. If you're cold in the morning, wearing hot-pink leg warmers with your flip flops should just be illegal! Etc., etc., etc. If you don't have an eye for style, as evidenced by your choices, arm yourself with at least one good, honest friend who'll tell you when you look like crap.

4. People who equate Muslims with terrorists... hello!! There are more similarities between the Koran and the Bible than there are differences. And really, the most fundamental difference is: our "dude" is Jesus, theirs is Mohamed (but they do believe in Jesus as a prophet, and in Mary as an important figure). This brought back to light with the current electoral process and one of the candidates running for president - and by the by, my husband was born in the Muslim faith and was raised as such for the better part of his childhood. He's a convert Catholic, and frankly, it's not an issue at all. 

There are more, but I'll bore you senseless... and I'm done ranting for now.

Ladies Lounge

On my last visit to Nordstrom, my friend and I stopped by the little girls room, and something caught my eye. For the ladies, Nordstrom has a "lounge", for the men, a "restroom".

Hmmm... funny how an extra room with a nice couch, pillows and a couple of frames can make us feel special. Great for breastfeeding moms, by the way...

I guess we ladies deserve a lounge. After all, we still get paid only, what, about $.80 per dollar as compared to a man? Just another one of life's idiosyncrasies...

Embracing "me"...

Or, embracing my "hot-headedness". I've decided it's time I do. For years I have known about it (big duh, I know...) A few years ago, I actually got nicknamed the "hothead". And in case you care or wonder, yes, I do fight it and try to suppress it. But it's like a valve. You can try to stop the steam from coming out, but eventually it will!

So, in addition to fighting it, I have come to the conclusion that it's best to embrace it. Hello world! I am Lara, and I am a hothead. 

Moreover, I think I could start a little club where hotheads are welcome, admired, and praised. And while we are at it, maybe we will have a bit of a behavioral chat to see how we can best maximize the power of the hothead and start turning the inevitable perception: hothead=trouble-maker. 

I totally admire the people who can keep a poker face and a shut mouth. I, for the most part, am incapable of both of those at the same time. Some times I manage to keep my mouth shut, but I can guarantee you the steam will come out from my ears, thus defeating any effort at looking collected, and barely making it as "contained". 

I am a passionate person. As such, I share my ideas passionately. Probably something to do with the Latin blood that runs through my veins... Passionately sharing things is not always a plus, especially if you live in California, where everything has to be sugar-coated for general consumption. Thus, the reputation of the hothead is born, enhanced, and kept very much alive.

On the other hand, I hate lies, and some days I just hate politics. (No, I don't work for the government, but after several years in the higher-education environment, I feel pretty certain I could navigate governmental politics quite successfully). And I hate the fact that people walk into a room, stare at the huge white elephant in the center of it, and manage somehow to ignore it. If there is a problem, let's face it and solve it!!

And that is where the hothead (or at least this one) is cruelly misunderstood: we're not here to stir trouble, but we very much will point it out in order to solve it. And we don't want to sugar-coat, because it's a waste of time, energy, and effort, and a lot more saliva than I like to use in a matter-of-fact conversation. 

Finally, I much rather be a hothead for life, than turn into a bobble-head - you know, those people who sit in the first couple of rows to suck up to the dictator they have for a boss, and who nod incessantly with every lie, every false promise, every creative interpretation of the facts. 

Beware of the 5%!!!

Also known as "other duties as assigned" - that last line on most job descriptions, the 5% truly is a trap created by employers to make sure that: (1) they can change your job description at will without increasing your salary (heaven forbid!), and (2) you take on any duty whatsoever that can in any way, shape or form be associated with your current job description.

Case in point here: my friend and office neighbor Kristin, who for the purposes of this blog shall also be known as "Events Queen", was in charge of an event at work yesterday. Her job description has no custodial duties attached to it, and her title doesn't even get close to them - neither do mine. However, at the end of the day (a very, very, very long day), she and I found ourselves cleaning the patio off stepped-on crackers, grapes and cheese. Gross. But necessary. And yes, I did take some pictures for material and because I liked the light, but trust me, I also got my hands dirty (and wet).

So, beware of the 5%... and from this day on, if you drop a grape, a cracker or some cheese on the floor, for heaven's sake pick it up yourself!

I am incensed

I am incensed at the increased desensitization in this society. Granted, capitalism is one of the things that have made this country what it is, what makes it flourish, and what makes the American dream a possibility. So are the Constitution and the checks and balances the forefathers so wisely provided for.

However, the fact that socialist thought is looked at as some kind of evil, is one of this country's greater weaknesses. The bottom line is so important it might as well become a religion. I can already see the legions of people who would go and worship not just on Sundays, but every day of the week.

I got an email today from my friend Gina. It was about the Patient Protection Act of 2007 that would require a minimum of 48 hour hospital stays for mastectomies among other things...

THE FACT THAT WE NEED LEGISLATION FOR SUCH A DUH IS APPALLING, SHOCKING AND DISGUSTING.

The fact that this legislation has to be re-entered and Congress can not come to a unanimous vote on this is deplorable and immoral. Medicine is an obvious social profession, but here it's a lucrative business - blame whomever you want to blame, insurance companies, lawyers, HMOs, whatever, I don't care. The bottom line is that this country and its flawd systems has let it happen and now can't find the way to turn the clock back.

There is a petition to sign on the Lifetime Web site that should be signed by everyone. If you are reading this blog, don't waste another minute! My heart goes out to every woman and family who has ever had to deal with something this devastating.

Idiocracy

I just had a thought - if Democracy is "government by the people", as it is derived from the greek demos, people, and kratia, meaning rule/government, why is it that Idiocracy is a synonym of Idiosyncrasy? Blame it on the English language. But I digress yet again.

I wanted to postulate that I have been living in an Idiocracy for the last three and a half years, as in "rule by an idiot", but apparently I can't. If I could, I would like to announce that I am finally free from that subjugated state in which common sense, truth, honesty, integrity, intelligence, and an appreciation for knowledge were banned. I now am free to think again, but most importantly to have a rational, intelligent, and productive conversation with the new "ruler", the person with whom I shall share the next few years.

Thank goodness for the inevitability of job change! And thank goodness again for removing the over-sized obstacle that blocked the path of enlightenment around here!

Ever heard of the Lemon MacBook?

No, not the Apple MacBook - the Lemon MacBook. At least that's what I think I got. Don't think I'm not tech savvy just yet... granted, the machine does have an Apple icon on it, so that would lead me -and any sane person who's following the current technology gadget revolution of all products that start with "i"- to believe that it's actually an Apple Macintosh product. But no, my friend. I must propose in this short ranting that this is actually a Lemon product, or perhaps an Apple product infused with citrus.

You see, I got this new laptop in late July 2006. I welcomed it into my life, protected it and nurtured it. And I was quite happy with it, until it went from tender infant to seemingly rebellious youth (let's not forget technology's extremely short life span for the purpose of this crude metaphor).

Then my once docile instrument started objecting and crashing -much like a temper tantrum. While I attempted to figure out why this was happening, and as we got into the holidays, it refused to produce an image -much like the child who just doesn't want to show up when you call him. So out it went to the Apple hospital, where they replaced something or other, presumably the video card, and sent it back to me.

The previous problem persisted, however, and my machine continued to crash. I finally figured out that it was objecting to the sleep mode -or perhaps it was not happy when I woke it up. Coming to think about it, that's probably what it was, as it would crash anyway if I left it on and used it for too long. Pretty much like a lazy teenager who'd rather sleep than clean his room. So back it went to the Apple hospital, when one day it refused to wake up at all. And then they replaced a whole bunch of other parts, started to send it back, and returned it for additional repairs, since the problem was still present. Then it came back to me.

Now we're talking early May... and it's been great since. We have enjoyed a satisfying relationship, and it's gone back to being my companion when I'm sick at home, or when work takes me beyond the office. And then it crashed again. Apparently, this time, it was the hard drive... now, for those of you keeping count, this is the third time in 9 months. I could have given birth to another child in the time it's taken this Lemon to reveal its true self.

So, you see, while this may very well be an Apple, it is also a Lemon. From every factory there is, at least one will be produced. Judging by the level of Apple use in our office (at least 20 Mac desktops and laptops in the last five years), I'd say we're at a 5% failure rate, max. Is this too much? Is this acceptable? Is this right??? Moreover, is this the way it's going to be from now on? And CAN I TAKE IT????

Remains to be seen.

Does anyone want a Cocker Spaniel???

It's become the standard joke to the point where it's just not funny anymore... but I'm serious (75% at least)... does anyone out there want a Cocker Spaniel? She's almost four years old, and really a good dog, except she's high maintenance and needs attention - more than we can give her, since we also have two small children. And considering the kids, my husband and I all require a lot of attention, well, there's just not much left of it for the dog. Thank goodness the cats don't really care one way or the other...

Now, all jokes aside, she is a good dog. Her name is Cosmo (for my favorite drink of late, the Cosmopolitan... I know, it sounds like a male name... whatever...) She is white with buff marks, and absolutely beautiful. She loves to be wherever we are - and there's part of the problem, we're not here that much... And then there's this fine line between disciplining a dog of her kind and pissing her off; and boy, she's testy... and she has no problems letting us know when she's pissed off. Just ask my husband for the times when she's left us unpleasant presents inside the house, despite the fact that she is house-broken.

And while I'm writing this with just a hint of remorse, I'm watching her on the wool rug in the living room - she blends in almost completely, and I wonder if I ever will actually go ahead an find her a new family. You see? She's part of ours, but she's kind of like my brother. I do love him, but some days I want to strangle him ( those of you who know my brothers know which one I'm talking about...) Until the next time she barks for no reason and wakes me up from a wonderful nap... and then we start all over again.

So, does anyone out there want a Cocker Spaniel???