The story went something like this.....There was a man in upper management of a very large company. He had posted a job opening and this position would pay somewhere between $90,000 to over $100,000.....that's a lot of coconuts. The man was at one of the stores, where the interview was to take place, and a large shipment had come in. It just so happened that four workers had called in sick so this man did what leaders do, he jumped right in and helped unload the shipment along with helping to stock the store shelves.
While he was working, he wandered up to one of the check out lanes and the customer in line just happened to be the person he was to interview for the above mentioned position. He knew who she was, she did not know him. While he was there, this young lady turned and looked at him and made a remark about his shoes. She obviously thought they were goofy looking and began to make more rude comments.
The person working the register knew who this man was and she made an attempt to get the young lady to shut up, but it didn't work. The young lady continued on, thinking she was quite funny, when finally the woman at the register called the man by name. Needless to say, she didn't get the position. I'm not sure, but she probably did not even get the interview.
I have no idea if this was a true story, but it holds a valuable lesson. I wondered how often this was common place. It was not long after I had read that story, a young man that I know, also in an upper management position, claimed he had set up an entire day for job applicant interviews........and most of them showed up late for their interview. Seriously? That seems to me to be an immediate three strikes, you're out and oh, thanks for wasting my time.
As I was standing in line at the bank the other day, I heard a woman ask how long it took to get an interview. The bank president just happened to be out in the lobby and inquired as to what the woman wanted. It was simple, she wanted to know how long it took to get an interview...........to a position she had not even applied for yet.....she wanted to know if it was worth her time to even fill out the application. It never occurred to her that, #1, would her qualifications even land her an interview and #2, the first impression she just made with the bank president may not have been in her favor.
I watched as the bank president, an impeccably professional woman who treats her customers and her staff with the utmost respect, explained the process to this lady. She even walked out the door with her and continued their conversation outside.
It seems that common sense has left the building with Elvis and I'm not sure it is coming back. It has been replaced by the entitlement attitude, the 'something for nothing' way of thinking.
We are told to be ourselves and that is good counsel. If you are not a nice or kind person at heart and think that is your right to be that way, then do not whine if you don't get the job. But, it might be a good idea to at least fill out the application first.
Monday, May 23, 2016
Thursday, May 12, 2016
A Great Start
The other day, I wrote about Runtly, the ever so entertaining Jack Russell Terrier, and his new found joy of experiencing carpeted floors. Having carpet is something new for us too, it has been many years since we have had carpet under our feet.
One thing about carpet is the traction it provides. Sometimes, this is not always a good thing. For instance, I had on my best, and only, pair of flip flops one day when Runtly brought a toy over and dropped it at my feet. This is a signal to either pick it up, or kick it. I chose the latter and as my foot came forward, the flip flop caught the carpet long before it got close to the toy and ripped the toe hold right out of my shoe. Having not had these flip flops for very long, I found the super glue and went to work putting the shoe back together. Luckily, this worked like a charm.
This morning I was standing in the closet trying to decide what to wear. I was giving some serious thought to donning a pair of shorts since the forecast was calling for mid 80's. Then I thought if I was going to wear shorts, I was going to have to do something else first.......shave my legs.......you ladies out there know exactly what I'm talking about. Well, I guess I did not actually have to do this, but that would have been kind of gross. While I'm having these wardrobe malfunctioning thoughts, I realized Runtly was in the closet too.
Runtly is banned from the bathroom, my work area and the closet. The reason for this is because if he can ever gain access to above mentioned rooms, he steals things and whatever it is he steals ends up in an unrecognizable shredded mess.
Every dog owner on the planet can attest to this next statement. If there is a pile of dirty clothes on the floor and in that pile is one dirty sock and one dirty pair of underwear, as far as the dog is concerned, the underwear always takes precedence. Oh yes, there is nothing more harrowing than sitting in your living room chatting with friends and looking up to see the dog enter with yesterday's gunders hanging out of its mouth.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Runtly slither out the closet door. I leaned out and sure enough, my husbands' whitey tighties were headed down the hallway. I gave chase and the game was on. Runtly would circumnavigate the couch, above mentioned article of clothing flying like a flag, and then rip and snort back down the hallway. Runtly thinks this is great fun. I was in hot pursuit and when he landed in the middle of our bed, on the fifth lap, I was sure I could grab him before he made his next move. He lunged and so did I. The unfortunate thing was, my flip flop did not follow suit.
No, it stayed glued to the carpet and as the white furry bullet shot out the bedroom door, I uttered "Oh #@%$!" because I knew I was going down.
As I laid on the floor, half in and half out of the bedroom, assessing any possible damage I may had just caused myself, I looked down the hallway. Here came Runtly, ears down, looking sad, gunders still in his mouth. He got just close enough to my hand to release his prize and proceeded to find a safe place.
When I finally got up, I knew one thing for sure. The rug burn on my knee took care of the idea about wearing shorts.
One thing about carpet is the traction it provides. Sometimes, this is not always a good thing. For instance, I had on my best, and only, pair of flip flops one day when Runtly brought a toy over and dropped it at my feet. This is a signal to either pick it up, or kick it. I chose the latter and as my foot came forward, the flip flop caught the carpet long before it got close to the toy and ripped the toe hold right out of my shoe. Having not had these flip flops for very long, I found the super glue and went to work putting the shoe back together. Luckily, this worked like a charm.
This morning I was standing in the closet trying to decide what to wear. I was giving some serious thought to donning a pair of shorts since the forecast was calling for mid 80's. Then I thought if I was going to wear shorts, I was going to have to do something else first.......shave my legs.......you ladies out there know exactly what I'm talking about. Well, I guess I did not actually have to do this, but that would have been kind of gross. While I'm having these wardrobe malfunctioning thoughts, I realized Runtly was in the closet too.
Runtly is banned from the bathroom, my work area and the closet. The reason for this is because if he can ever gain access to above mentioned rooms, he steals things and whatever it is he steals ends up in an unrecognizable shredded mess.
Every dog owner on the planet can attest to this next statement. If there is a pile of dirty clothes on the floor and in that pile is one dirty sock and one dirty pair of underwear, as far as the dog is concerned, the underwear always takes precedence. Oh yes, there is nothing more harrowing than sitting in your living room chatting with friends and looking up to see the dog enter with yesterday's gunders hanging out of its mouth.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Runtly slither out the closet door. I leaned out and sure enough, my husbands' whitey tighties were headed down the hallway. I gave chase and the game was on. Runtly would circumnavigate the couch, above mentioned article of clothing flying like a flag, and then rip and snort back down the hallway. Runtly thinks this is great fun. I was in hot pursuit and when he landed in the middle of our bed, on the fifth lap, I was sure I could grab him before he made his next move. He lunged and so did I. The unfortunate thing was, my flip flop did not follow suit.
No, it stayed glued to the carpet and as the white furry bullet shot out the bedroom door, I uttered "Oh #@%$!" because I knew I was going down.
As I laid on the floor, half in and half out of the bedroom, assessing any possible damage I may had just caused myself, I looked down the hallway. Here came Runtly, ears down, looking sad, gunders still in his mouth. He got just close enough to my hand to release his prize and proceeded to find a safe place.
When I finally got up, I knew one thing for sure. The rug burn on my knee took care of the idea about wearing shorts.
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
The Ever So Entertaining....
Runtly. The ever so entertaining Jack Russell Terrier has acclimated quite nicely to his new surroundings. He no longer fears the honking geese or cawing crows and if he gets the chance, he gives new meaning to the phrase, "wild goose chase".
Since the area, he now knows as home, is close to one of the university hospitals, there are ambulance sirens on a daily basis. Since we succeeded in traumatizing him, shortly after his arrival into our lives, by taking him outside to watch the winning basketball team (in a honking bus), their parents, (in honking cars) and the fire engine with sirens full blast, go past our house, sirens will always remain on the top of his 'do not like' list.
Riding in a car is second on his list of 'do not likes', unless it is just a short ride around the apartment complex. Once the vehicle turns onto the main road, he becomes a panting, shivering mess. A recent jaunt to the vet clinic for his annual shot proved we would still have to sedate him for a long journey. By the time we got home, he was laying on the floorboard in a fetal position, panting like he had just run the Kentucky Derby. I think I may have even heard him repeating a mantra of "find a happy place, find a happy place".
Runtly is a great conversation starter and thus we have made many new acquaintances by way of the dog. Everyone loves the Runt and one of the leasing agents refers to him as the site's official mascot. Since just about every other tenant also has a dog, Runtly has made many new canine friends himself. Jack Russell Terriers are fast, fast like lightning, and the dog park has given him the opportunity to show them all just how fast he can be. So far there is only one other dog who can meet his speed. Her name is Lola, a beautiful mix of what looks to be pit bull and grey hound. She is twice as tall as Runtly, but she can turn on a dime and gives him a run for his money every time they meet at the park. She is by far his favorite......Runtly loves Lola.
It will never cease to amaze me how he seems to know what time of the day it is. When it gets close to quitting time for my husband, Runtly finds his red collar ball and patiently waits. That time of the day is fetch time and no one plays it better than "Dad".
Having been raised on hardwood and tile floors, Runtly has discovered the advantages of carpet. Carpet allows for lots of traction and hairpin turns can be made leaning so far sideways his side nearly touches the floor. Runtly has also discovered he can belly crawl the entire length of the apartment. My husband says there is a reason for that.......but I shan't speak of such things.
Runtly loves to help with things around the house. If the vacuum comes out of the closet, he is sure to follow every swipe and drop numerous toys in front of it. When the clothes dryer door is opened, he immediately finds the dryer sheet and proceeds to see how many pieces it can be shredded in to. If someone sneezes, he jumps in their lap and tries to lick their face..... we figure it is his way of saying "bless you".
If something needs worked on, Runtly wants to work on it too. This was most evident the other day when I realized the clothes dryer vent tube had come off the vent. Apartment living also means compartment living and there is no room to spare in the laundry closet. I could not get behind the dryer and my arms were not long enough to reach the tube. I rummaged around and found a pair of long tongs in a kitchen drawer. Why I brought these with me is still a mystery because I rarely used them at 'home'. I pulled a chair next to the washer and dryer, wallowed myself on top and across both appliances and proceeded to gingerly grasp the the tension ring that holds the tube on the vent. It worked! As I began to make a maneuver with the skill of a heart surgeon, Runtly landed right in the middle of my back. When I turned my head to yell at him, he licked my ear and face. Since he wasn't moving, I continued on with my task. The next time I glanced back at him, he had discovered, from his vantage point, that he was face to face with a stack of folded clean towels and was plucking them off the shelf one at a time.
Yes, Runtly is 14 pounds of fun and love. I've watched him change the heart of a man, who thought he did not like animals, into someone who is crazy about this small bundle of mischief and even referred to him as a 'blessing'. I can't argue with that, to watch them play together is ever so entertaining.
Since the area, he now knows as home, is close to one of the university hospitals, there are ambulance sirens on a daily basis. Since we succeeded in traumatizing him, shortly after his arrival into our lives, by taking him outside to watch the winning basketball team (in a honking bus), their parents, (in honking cars) and the fire engine with sirens full blast, go past our house, sirens will always remain on the top of his 'do not like' list.
Riding in a car is second on his list of 'do not likes', unless it is just a short ride around the apartment complex. Once the vehicle turns onto the main road, he becomes a panting, shivering mess. A recent jaunt to the vet clinic for his annual shot proved we would still have to sedate him for a long journey. By the time we got home, he was laying on the floorboard in a fetal position, panting like he had just run the Kentucky Derby. I think I may have even heard him repeating a mantra of "find a happy place, find a happy place".
Runtly is a great conversation starter and thus we have made many new acquaintances by way of the dog. Everyone loves the Runt and one of the leasing agents refers to him as the site's official mascot. Since just about every other tenant also has a dog, Runtly has made many new canine friends himself. Jack Russell Terriers are fast, fast like lightning, and the dog park has given him the opportunity to show them all just how fast he can be. So far there is only one other dog who can meet his speed. Her name is Lola, a beautiful mix of what looks to be pit bull and grey hound. She is twice as tall as Runtly, but she can turn on a dime and gives him a run for his money every time they meet at the park. She is by far his favorite......Runtly loves Lola.
It will never cease to amaze me how he seems to know what time of the day it is. When it gets close to quitting time for my husband, Runtly finds his red collar ball and patiently waits. That time of the day is fetch time and no one plays it better than "Dad".
Having been raised on hardwood and tile floors, Runtly has discovered the advantages of carpet. Carpet allows for lots of traction and hairpin turns can be made leaning so far sideways his side nearly touches the floor. Runtly has also discovered he can belly crawl the entire length of the apartment. My husband says there is a reason for that.......but I shan't speak of such things.
Runtly loves to help with things around the house. If the vacuum comes out of the closet, he is sure to follow every swipe and drop numerous toys in front of it. When the clothes dryer door is opened, he immediately finds the dryer sheet and proceeds to see how many pieces it can be shredded in to. If someone sneezes, he jumps in their lap and tries to lick their face..... we figure it is his way of saying "bless you".
If something needs worked on, Runtly wants to work on it too. This was most evident the other day when I realized the clothes dryer vent tube had come off the vent. Apartment living also means compartment living and there is no room to spare in the laundry closet. I could not get behind the dryer and my arms were not long enough to reach the tube. I rummaged around and found a pair of long tongs in a kitchen drawer. Why I brought these with me is still a mystery because I rarely used them at 'home'. I pulled a chair next to the washer and dryer, wallowed myself on top and across both appliances and proceeded to gingerly grasp the the tension ring that holds the tube on the vent. It worked! As I began to make a maneuver with the skill of a heart surgeon, Runtly landed right in the middle of my back. When I turned my head to yell at him, he licked my ear and face. Since he wasn't moving, I continued on with my task. The next time I glanced back at him, he had discovered, from his vantage point, that he was face to face with a stack of folded clean towels and was plucking them off the shelf one at a time.
Yes, Runtly is 14 pounds of fun and love. I've watched him change the heart of a man, who thought he did not like animals, into someone who is crazy about this small bundle of mischief and even referred to him as a 'blessing'. I can't argue with that, to watch them play together is ever so entertaining.
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