Showing posts with label ACS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ACS. Show all posts
Monday, June 3, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
It is Monday already?
I can't believe Monday is here already. This weekend was jam packed full of goodness. On Saturday and Sunday we held a FUNdraiser at Texas Roadhouse in Springfield. We started by decorating at 10am on Saturday and then staying all day. It was a great time and the staff at TRH really got into it. Then we did it again on Sunday. I'll put photographic proof of the fun below. :)
I was able to bug out of work early today. So I had two coupons for Barnes and Noble burning a hole in my wallet. A coupon for books can't expire so off I went. I haven't been in a bookstore in forever. I love the smell of hundreds of new books. I purchased a Mary Higgins Clark book for my mom as a belated birthday/Mother's Day present. I also purchased Chris Kyle: American Sniper and The Time of My Life by Cecelia Ahern. I'm fascinated by the (auto)biographies of our military personnel and Ahern has such a fresh take on storytelling.
Dee Henderson also released an addition to the O'Malley series. Jennifer is about the youngest O'Malley. She didn't have a book dedicated to her in the O'Malley series. I was super excited to buy it to add to the collection on my shelves. However, it is a short. Which meant it isn't even the same size as the paperbacks that I have. I guess I'm going to get that one in e-book. I like my books to match on the shelves.
Also a small annoyance I'm experiencing. I have a Kobo e-reader. So I primarily try and use Kobo when downloading books. There are a few different emails that I receive that offer free books. Kobo is supposed to be one of the retailers from which I can get the books free. They are never available free through Kobo though. I always have to use iBookstore which means I am reading on my iPod or iPhone.
Which leads me to another frustration. I don't mind my Apple products but I don't live and die by them like some people do. As a matter of fact I find Apple to be a very arrogant company and arrogance is such a turn off to me. I don't want to buy an iPad but it would be most convenient since I have a few books that can only be read on Apple products. I could suffer through the small screens of the iPhone in protest of Apple's attitude or I could cave and buy an iPad. I know Apple isn't hurting without my single purchase of an iPad. Dilemma.
How about some ACS FUNdraising photos?
I was able to bug out of work early today. So I had two coupons for Barnes and Noble burning a hole in my wallet. A coupon for books can't expire so off I went. I haven't been in a bookstore in forever. I love the smell of hundreds of new books. I purchased a Mary Higgins Clark book for my mom as a belated birthday/Mother's Day present. I also purchased Chris Kyle: American Sniper and The Time of My Life by Cecelia Ahern. I'm fascinated by the (auto)biographies of our military personnel and Ahern has such a fresh take on storytelling.
Dee Henderson also released an addition to the O'Malley series. Jennifer is about the youngest O'Malley. She didn't have a book dedicated to her in the O'Malley series. I was super excited to buy it to add to the collection on my shelves. However, it is a short. Which meant it isn't even the same size as the paperbacks that I have. I guess I'm going to get that one in e-book. I like my books to match on the shelves.
Also a small annoyance I'm experiencing. I have a Kobo e-reader. So I primarily try and use Kobo when downloading books. There are a few different emails that I receive that offer free books. Kobo is supposed to be one of the retailers from which I can get the books free. They are never available free through Kobo though. I always have to use iBookstore which means I am reading on my iPod or iPhone.
Which leads me to another frustration. I don't mind my Apple products but I don't live and die by them like some people do. As a matter of fact I find Apple to be a very arrogant company and arrogance is such a turn off to me. I don't want to buy an iPad but it would be most convenient since I have a few books that can only be read on Apple products. I could suffer through the small screens of the iPhone in protest of Apple's attitude or I could cave and buy an iPad. I know Apple isn't hurting without my single purchase of an iPad. Dilemma.
How about some ACS FUNdraising photos?
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Popping In
Well, it has been a few days plus a few more. I've been out straight with American Cancer Society stuff and I've gotten a seasonal position that should last a few months.
I'm grateful this position is only seasonal. I'm grateful for the work and the opportunities that it presents, but I have to say I'm not sure how I would survive in this office if it turned out to be a long term employment offer. The focus of this company is a new field for me, but the work is your typical administrative duties. However, the woman I work in the office with is challenging. She's a wonderful person but our work styles don't mesh.
This is where I'm going to sound like I have zero patience and even less tolerance.
When describing to a friend tonight the unique challenges of working in this particular office, she told me I have an ability to see the bigger picture and plan everything out without reaching the moment of desperation that so many do. I've never looked at it that way before. I told her that I have an impatience when it comes to working with people who complain about what needs to be done instead of doing it.
As I said, J is a wonderful lady. She's kind and helpful and eager to learn. However her eagerness to learn is usually directed to growing her garden and not to getting the work in front of her done. She has a tendency to talk to customers who have their own work to do about anything but what really needs to be talked about. Then she'll sit and talk to me about how much work she has to do and that she'll never get it done. She also procrastinates on things and then panics when it all seems insurmountable to her. For instance today I hand wrote an address on an envelope for her because she hasn't had time to do it. The envelope has been waiting a few weeks to be addressed. I did it in thirty seconds. She doesn't manage her time well.
Today was particularly challenging as it was end of month. For anyone who works in an office where invoices and S&R is done, you know this is an important deadline. She complained all day that she'd be there late tonight. Well, part of her issue is procrastination and poor clock management. If she coached an NFL team the fans would be pleading for her to be fired as the clock ticked down to :00 and she sat on three timeouts.
I sat at my desk doing the work that was assigned to me so that I could close out my portion of end of month. I answered phones and hefted part of her workload so that she'd gain ground on her "To Do" pile. I actually had to leave today though so she could get some work done. If I was sitting there she'd start talking to me about nothing work related. A lot of internally humming was going on in my head today.
Relay for Life
We are amping up for Relay for Life. It is just over a month away and there is a lot of work to do. On Saturday was Survivor Breakfast. Survivor Breakfast is one of those moments in which you sit back and really admire the human spirit. Every survivor in that room had a tale to tell of the hell they had been through from the shock of the first diagnosis to the exhaustion of the battle to the elation when they received the "all clear." I'm in awe of the beauty of human spirit and how resilient it can be when there is support and love.
It really hit me especially since I'd been up until 1:30 that morning finishing the Survivor Video. I'd been working on it late as I watched the events unfold in Watertown. Boston will be stronger than ever because its citizens have come together and held each other up. Each survivor is stronger because of the love and support they received and when they come together they hold each other up. It is beautiful.
I leave you now with the video we closed out Survivor Breakfast with.
Disclaimer: there are photos here from other photographers and music from Destiny's Child. No infringement meant.
I'm grateful this position is only seasonal. I'm grateful for the work and the opportunities that it presents, but I have to say I'm not sure how I would survive in this office if it turned out to be a long term employment offer. The focus of this company is a new field for me, but the work is your typical administrative duties. However, the woman I work in the office with is challenging. She's a wonderful person but our work styles don't mesh.
This is where I'm going to sound like I have zero patience and even less tolerance.
When describing to a friend tonight the unique challenges of working in this particular office, she told me I have an ability to see the bigger picture and plan everything out without reaching the moment of desperation that so many do. I've never looked at it that way before. I told her that I have an impatience when it comes to working with people who complain about what needs to be done instead of doing it.
As I said, J is a wonderful lady. She's kind and helpful and eager to learn. However her eagerness to learn is usually directed to growing her garden and not to getting the work in front of her done. She has a tendency to talk to customers who have their own work to do about anything but what really needs to be talked about. Then she'll sit and talk to me about how much work she has to do and that she'll never get it done. She also procrastinates on things and then panics when it all seems insurmountable to her. For instance today I hand wrote an address on an envelope for her because she hasn't had time to do it. The envelope has been waiting a few weeks to be addressed. I did it in thirty seconds. She doesn't manage her time well.
Today was particularly challenging as it was end of month. For anyone who works in an office where invoices and S&R is done, you know this is an important deadline. She complained all day that she'd be there late tonight. Well, part of her issue is procrastination and poor clock management. If she coached an NFL team the fans would be pleading for her to be fired as the clock ticked down to :00 and she sat on three timeouts.
I sat at my desk doing the work that was assigned to me so that I could close out my portion of end of month. I answered phones and hefted part of her workload so that she'd gain ground on her "To Do" pile. I actually had to leave today though so she could get some work done. If I was sitting there she'd start talking to me about nothing work related. A lot of internally humming was going on in my head today.
Relay for Life
We are amping up for Relay for Life. It is just over a month away and there is a lot of work to do. On Saturday was Survivor Breakfast. Survivor Breakfast is one of those moments in which you sit back and really admire the human spirit. Every survivor in that room had a tale to tell of the hell they had been through from the shock of the first diagnosis to the exhaustion of the battle to the elation when they received the "all clear." I'm in awe of the beauty of human spirit and how resilient it can be when there is support and love.
It really hit me especially since I'd been up until 1:30 that morning finishing the Survivor Video. I'd been working on it late as I watched the events unfold in Watertown. Boston will be stronger than ever because its citizens have come together and held each other up. Each survivor is stronger because of the love and support they received and when they come together they hold each other up. It is beautiful.
I leave you now with the video we closed out Survivor Breakfast with.
Disclaimer: there are photos here from other photographers and music from Destiny's Child. No infringement meant.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Cancer
For the past few years I've been volunteering with the American Cancer Society. I became involved when a friend wanted me to spend a few hours taking pictures. That was a few years ago and now I serve as a member of the committee.
What I have learned is people possess amazing strength. I've heard countless stories of the shock of being diagnosed, the battle to fight against the cancer, and the loss that can happen. I was making phone calls to local communities to recruit teams for this year's Walk for Life and I decided to put together a little information on Relay.
The statistics are staggering. Cancer really does touch everyone. I lost two great-grandparents to cancer. I have had biopsies done on moles. It can seem like such an overwhelming curse to be diagnosed with cancer.
Yet there are so many wonderful tools to help. Beginning with the American Cancer Society and raising awareness.
Don't be afraid to get checked. Early detection increases chances of kicking cancer's butt.
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