Grandy Can't Complain

Photograph courtesy of photobucket.com

Grandy typically makes jokes about what goes on at her desk.

It's what I do to cope with the craziness. Who couldn't make fun of some of the silly things that come my way.

Remember my post, Things You'd Hear at My Desk? I really do have fun sometimes because it's just easier to make fun than it is to wig out.

I've really been doing well with my new "NO STRESS" mantra. I remind myself to be POSITIVE and PRODUCTIVE every morning, and it seems to help. I've been working "normal" hours, and have managed to really approach work in a positive light...for the most part.

Well, Grandy has fewer things to to be positive about, but will be working ever harder at her mantra. We have unfortunately been hit by the down-size bug. I have had to say good-bye to some very dear friends, and we didn't see it coming.

Why is it that it feels like such a loss even for the people that remain? There's an awkwardness in the office because no one seems to want to talk about it. These were good people, who were good at their jobs, and were it not for the difficult times would still be with us. They were our friends.

When the announcements came down about who it was (and they were not in the room) there were sincere tears. Not tears of relief in those that worried it would be them, but rather tears for the loss to the company, and of their friends. We truly were a tight knit group.

We are now left to absorb the work of the others, where we weren't sure how we could get our own work done before. But Grandy can't complain...because Grandy was spared.

Grandy has a job. It's now the job of 3 people...but it is a job, and a job she is good at. She will no longer take her job for granted. She may complain, and maybe just to you readers, but she will not do so with anyone who knows the full story. I did not understand, before Wednesday, the true magnitude of how her job was on the line.

To my friends, all of whom are wonderfully, beautiful, talented women, may you kick ass and take names at your next adventure very soon.

I love you!! And I'm sorry!!

EntreCard Top Droppers

Some of you may remember that I participate in EntreCard which is a community that introduces you to something like a gazillion other blogs. People put their ad in my little spot over there, and I put my ad out there on other blogs too.

Grandy's ad looks like this:

Well, people come and drop their cards on my site. Whether they stay to read, I don't know. I know I've met some new bloggers out there, and am grateful for that.

Well, I thought I would link to my "top droppers". You can only drop once a day, and these people are the top people that have come to drop their cards on me in the last 30 days.

Dropper: # of drops
Obscure History: 26
Aakaash Ganga: 25
Delta's Dark Den of Destruction: 24
CONQUER the universe: 24
Meltwater. Torrents. Meanderings. Delta.: 23
Found Shit: 21
nofaceberg: 21
Modern Glam: 20
tenForty: 17
First Door on the Left: 17

Thanks readers... and welcome newbies. :)

p.s. When you dropped your card... did you click my button over there? You really should. :)

Click My Button for Cancer

In my pursuit of the all mighty EntreCard today I came across Mommy's Little Corner, who had posted about this as a meme. As I read more about it, I thought it most appropriate to steal the idea contribute to the cause.

You all know how important this cause is to me, and so many others. Cancer is a horrible disease, and I'm all about raising awareness along with a little fundage for the cause.

See the button at the bottom of the page? It should be over in my sidebar too. See it??

Well click it! I know, Grandy has told you to do so many things associated with it, but for this one I will send some subtle (and not so subtle) hints so you'll remember.

CLICK the button. Come on...You know you want to!!

You see, if the Breast Cancer Site receives 8 million clicks on the pink button in June, their premier sponsor -Bare Necessities- will donate $10,000 for more free mammograms.

CLICK the pink button today and EVERY DAY in June. You have to come see the Grandy anyway, so why not click. It's free and shouldn't contribute to your carpel tunnel...too bad.

Tell all your friends about it...put it on your site, or just send them this way (I would love that) and have them CLICK.

Go ahead...everyone is doing it.

CLICK

Perhaps I could start a business?

One thing you have to understand about Grandy is that she is very much the diplomat when it comes to confrontational issues. All day long she must take information from people, and turn it into something that makes sense. She crafts the language in a way that people don't realize there is an issue, or it takes them a while to figure out they've been told off.

It's truly an art. I used to be told that when I was on the phone arguing discussing important issues with someone, I could have told them to F-Off and they wouldn't have figured it out for about 10 minutes, or well after I was off the phone with them.

When a message needs to be delivered, Grany is looked upon to craft the message in a way that it is as painless as possible, without losing the purpose in the process. It's a fine line.

One must think of statements they currently use and translate them. For example:

Instead of: Can you believe this sh!t? You might say: Really?

Instead of: You really screwed this up. You might say: How can we fix this?

And if someone is just not getting it, you might try the ever important: Please explain to me what your next action is so I know we're on the same page.

Grandy has been called upon to draft emails and letters for friends and family alike, when they don't want to craft the difficult message.

Got a letter you need sent to the editor?

Opposing a direction being taken by the school board and you want to raise awareness?

Need to clarify something with your boss to cover your ass confirm an understanding?

Have you got a family member making you nuts and you need a succinct way to let them know they bite?

Need to tell a customer no?

There is no license for this skill, nor a certificate. Grandy just thinks that everyone should have a proof-reader in their corner to clean things up and make sure your actual point is heard.

It's quite liberating...really!

This will avoid messy emails like this: We are going to have a mandatory meeting for everyone on Wednesday afternoon. You will find out the time of the meeting early Wednesday afternoon. Make sure you all attend.

I could have SO helped this man avoid anxiety in the ranks.

So...if you've got a need, please tell Grandy how she can fill it. Want me to write a letter for you? An Email? Need to bounce something off Grandy?

I may struggle in my computer and technical skills...but I've got the communication thing down.

Come on, lay it on me. :)

A Long-Awaited Biased Review

Sorry folks...There were two performances of the play and Grandy doesn't have a camcorder. I did take some pictures of the little Grandy during the show...but not all of them turned out so great. I'm still learning about the settings on the camera, and am trying to learn even more about editing pictures.

Without further ado...here is my completely biased take on the play.


Ty played the part of Deputy Dudley DooWrong. What a dolt indeed. He really played it with conviction, having tons-o-fun playing silly (far stretch I know).


This picture is a scene where he walks in on two bank robbers holding up the bank, and doesn't even realize it.



Here he is onstage with the hero of the story, Sherriff Wayne John. See him on the ground there? He does this a lot in the play. He's a regular "Jack Tripper" with his prat-falls. He seems to have fun with it.

I was really pretty impressed with the entire cast. It's amazing to see these kids now, having watched so many of them grow over the years. I was so proud...of all of them.

It took the first 5-10 minutes for them all to settle down and speak at a pace slower than Speedy Gonzales, and about that long for me to realize I was watching it as a MOM and to let go of technical things, and it was smooth sailing from there.

So, then here I am, I logged on to my laptop to write a wonderful review for you all, and somehow the photo program is different. I permanently changed one of the better pictures of the curtain call, by trying to clean up a red-eye. That scared me from doing anything further.

Just know that my little guy kicked some bad-guys' butts. Okay, Sherriff Wayne John did, for the love of his Polly Wanda Cracker (go ahead, say it out loud, it really does sound like that).

Thanks for your well wishes and support!!