So apparently I have been away from my blog for a while that I now have to get used to blogspot's new interface. Which is ok, it looks easier and cleaner to use. Now, why haven't I blogged in a while? Well, other than the fact that I'm constantly busy with work, school, and family I have decided to take up writing as a paying hobby. For the last few months I have been writing for Yahoo!'s Associated Content. And just recently, their affiliate OMG has targeted me as a featured writer. What does this mean? It means I get emails when they need someone to write an article for them about a celebrity, tv show, movie, or anything else having to do with Hollywood. And these articles are paid upfront, which means I don't get paid based on just how many clicks my article gets. They pay me a specific amount for each article if they publish it. The amount depends on how detailed the article needs to be and who or what it's covering. And once it's published on OMG, millions of people have a better chance of reading it since it will be a featured article.
I must say, I did always want to do something with my writing. I knew I had a talent and I knew that it shouldn't go to waste. I just didn't know how I could make use of it. I don't think I have the patience to write a book, but who knows that might change too. I've tried lyrical writing with an old school friend and we were pretty good together. However, I just didn't have the time after I started working full time again and got married to keep it up. But this is something I can make time for and get paid doing it. It's not a whole lot of money, but with the submissions I have been making it will add up quick.
I can't remember which article it was that had attracted my interest, but I had seen that the writer of the article was a member of Yahoo! Contributor Newtork (YCN). Their group of writers post articles on YCN's Associated Content. In many cases, articles are display and performance only, which means the writer will only get paid for however many clicks they get on their article. The content can range from creative writing, to favorite venues, to current events. Some articles, and you have to be quick to claim them, are exclusive. This means that Yahoo! will own the rights to the article that is written but they will pay you up front for them. The first one I wrote that was exclusive, I was only paid $4.00. It was about a local Olympic athlete that will be at the 2012 Summer Olympics and was featured on Yahoo! Sports.
Now, I'm getting most of my requests for OMG!, Yahoo!'s source for celebrity news and gossip. The first article that was published on OMG! I was a little unsure about. It was about actress January Jones, and unfortunately I didn't know too much about her. After doing some research I saw that she recently had a baby and was not releasing the name of the father. Now personally, I don't care who the father of her child is. That is her business and if she doesn't want to reveal to the media who her father is then so be it. But gossip about celebrities has the tendency to attract readers. So I thought, why not? I'll write a gossip article and see how well it goes over.
After it was published on OMG!, I took a look and much to my surprise I had comments from people who I didn't know but had read my story. And it apparently struck a nerve with some of my readers. I thought some of the responses were a little comical as well as flattering. To think that my writing inspired people to write a comment, positive or negative, about what they thought of my story made me feel almost like a professional.
So, if any of you followers out there want to read my published writings, I'm posting the links at the end of this blog. Let me know what you think as I welcome any comments, positive or negative. Also, if there are any stories you would like to have written, tell me your ideas. If there's something that you feel is newsworthy or at least worth reading, send me an email at marygrl2327@yahoo.com and let me know what it is you would like to see in print. Til next time, just keep writing!
DFW Local Charity Supports Fallen Heroes
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8175653/support_the_dfw_fallen_heroes.html?cat=8
Relationship Advice
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8193955/6_ways_to_turn_your_relationship_from.html?cat=41
Miami's South Beach
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8261589/a_travelers_guide_to_miamis_south_beach.html?cat=16
JDRF Walk for the Cure
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8329107/rock_the_walk.html?cat=8
Local Indie Music Store
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8374085/a_locals_insight_on_a_great_music_store.html?cat=8
J.Lo Starts Dating
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8393095/jlos_new_beau.html?cat=41
Local Karaoke Bar Review
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8389857/do_that_sing_thing.html?cat=8
DFW Olympian's Plans for 2012 Summer Olympics
http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=ycn-8772711
How I Changed After 9/11
http://news.yahoo.com/more-charity-firefighters-police-9-11-180000814.html
January Jones Keeps Baby Daddy Under Wraps
http://omg.yahoo.com/news/january-jones-keeps-baby-daddy-under-wraps/72301
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
All We Need is Just a Little Patience
Is it really that hard to not let things that you can't control take control of you? Sometimes, yes. I will be the first to admit that there are times when I don't want to wait. I want the result right here and now. And because of my demand for instant gratification, it only makes my anxiety levels worse and stress levels high. At times, I have to remind myself that if it is beyond my control then I just have to be patient.
A good friend of mine, as well as my former producer when I had fun with my singing, can testify to me telling him every day or two "G-WIZ, you need to learn patience". I might have been able to get the message through to him because these days I see a lot of patience in his Facebook status updates.
Those who know me well, know that I have a high tolerance for most things. And those who know me well, know that there are few things I will allow to get under my skin and I feel a force to rant. With this tolerance, I have also learned that there are few who are like me. My case in point, a trip to a local Whataburger after watching the fireworks this last July 4th.
My husband and I decided to make a late night run to the burger joint because we were a little hungry after all of the excitement and activities throughout the day. We were just going to go through the drive-thru, but after we saw the cars stacked in line we decided that it would be best to order our food inside.
When we go in, we don't see a long line of people, however, we do see a few patrons sitting on the benches near the register with long, tired faces. We didn't think much of it because it was late. We figured these people had a day, and night, filled with the same activities as we had. We later found out that this was not the case.
After we ordered our food, we decided to take a seat with our number on the plastic orange and white number card in hand. We chatted a little while about how great the fireworks were and how good it was to see everyone. However, after about ten minutes of waiting we realized that we haven't been called with our order yet. And those patrons who were there before us were still there waiting for their food to come out.
This wait was very unusual for this particular location. Usually, they are fast in getting you and your order out the door. It was then that we started paying attention to the other customers ranting and complaining about not having their food yet. It had seemed that one too many employees had called in on the night shift and there were only three employees working.
There were about 4 people in front of us who had been waiting on their food for what was almost 20 minutes. Each of them demanding not just their food, but also their money back. The manager on duty was as apologetic as she could be and issued each one of them a refund on top of their ordered meal. Now, I do understand that waiting 20 minutes under normal circumstances can seem a bit absurd when you order from a fast food restaurant. But in this case, I can see why it took so long. There were only 3 people working! That's 3 entire people working the drive-thru, the front register, and the fryer. Of course there's going to be a wait. Granted, management should have reconsidered their schedule when allowing those people who called in or asked for the day off. But as a patron, is it that hard to give management a benefit of the doubt?
I think my husband and I were the only ones who didn't ask for a refund with our meal. In fact, while the manager on duty was getting ready to leave (she had already been there for 12 hours and had to be back in 10 hours later) we talked to her and joked around with her trying to make her feel better. It was obvious that it had been a rough night for her and she was ready to bolt out of there. We both felt bad for her and her staff because of the hassle we witnessed the other customers giving them.
Now, I'm not saying that this kind of service should be acceptable all the time. It obviously wouldn't be fitting during lunch hour when management knows they are going to be busy. However, in instances like this where business is usually slow but the one night you go in and the wait is longer than usual, try to have some patience with the food staff. I'm sure they are not trying to keep you there just for the entertainment value. Just take a deep breath, converse with your friends or loved ones, play with your iPhone, and when you meal is finally ready at least say thank you even if it isn't with a smile. At least the staff feels somewhat appreciated for the burger and fries that they made for you.
A good friend of mine, as well as my former producer when I had fun with my singing, can testify to me telling him every day or two "G-WIZ, you need to learn patience". I might have been able to get the message through to him because these days I see a lot of patience in his Facebook status updates.
Those who know me well, know that I have a high tolerance for most things. And those who know me well, know that there are few things I will allow to get under my skin and I feel a force to rant. With this tolerance, I have also learned that there are few who are like me. My case in point, a trip to a local Whataburger after watching the fireworks this last July 4th.
My husband and I decided to make a late night run to the burger joint because we were a little hungry after all of the excitement and activities throughout the day. We were just going to go through the drive-thru, but after we saw the cars stacked in line we decided that it would be best to order our food inside.
When we go in, we don't see a long line of people, however, we do see a few patrons sitting on the benches near the register with long, tired faces. We didn't think much of it because it was late. We figured these people had a day, and night, filled with the same activities as we had. We later found out that this was not the case.
After we ordered our food, we decided to take a seat with our number on the plastic orange and white number card in hand. We chatted a little while about how great the fireworks were and how good it was to see everyone. However, after about ten minutes of waiting we realized that we haven't been called with our order yet. And those patrons who were there before us were still there waiting for their food to come out.
This wait was very unusual for this particular location. Usually, they are fast in getting you and your order out the door. It was then that we started paying attention to the other customers ranting and complaining about not having their food yet. It had seemed that one too many employees had called in on the night shift and there were only three employees working.
There were about 4 people in front of us who had been waiting on their food for what was almost 20 minutes. Each of them demanding not just their food, but also their money back. The manager on duty was as apologetic as she could be and issued each one of them a refund on top of their ordered meal. Now, I do understand that waiting 20 minutes under normal circumstances can seem a bit absurd when you order from a fast food restaurant. But in this case, I can see why it took so long. There were only 3 people working! That's 3 entire people working the drive-thru, the front register, and the fryer. Of course there's going to be a wait. Granted, management should have reconsidered their schedule when allowing those people who called in or asked for the day off. But as a patron, is it that hard to give management a benefit of the doubt?
I think my husband and I were the only ones who didn't ask for a refund with our meal. In fact, while the manager on duty was getting ready to leave (she had already been there for 12 hours and had to be back in 10 hours later) we talked to her and joked around with her trying to make her feel better. It was obvious that it had been a rough night for her and she was ready to bolt out of there. We both felt bad for her and her staff because of the hassle we witnessed the other customers giving them.
Now, I'm not saying that this kind of service should be acceptable all the time. It obviously wouldn't be fitting during lunch hour when management knows they are going to be busy. However, in instances like this where business is usually slow but the one night you go in and the wait is longer than usual, try to have some patience with the food staff. I'm sure they are not trying to keep you there just for the entertainment value. Just take a deep breath, converse with your friends or loved ones, play with your iPhone, and when you meal is finally ready at least say thank you even if it isn't with a smile. At least the staff feels somewhat appreciated for the burger and fries that they made for you.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Support DFW's Fallen Heroes
Here's an article I wrote that was posted today. Read, enjoy, comment, share, you know how much I love feedback! Just click on the link below.
Support DFW's Fallen Heroes
Support DFW's Fallen Heroes
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Back on Track
It was around this time two years ago that I had made a bold decision in leaving a stable job. I had been there for seven and a half years, I was making great pay, I had decent benefits, and people there had high respect for me. I had started that job when I was 19, and I had started at the bottom. I worked as a cancel clerk making $9.50 an hour, which was great pay for me back then. I found myself quickly progressing and within 8 months I was promoted with a dollar raise. It seemed like it was promotion after promotion. I was making myself known with management, throwing out my business ideas like I was one of them, even being told that I had a bright future with the company if I kept up the good work. And I did. The last position I held was an operations analyst, and I didn't even have a degree yet. However, with my extensive knowledge of office applications, SQL, and my drive to learn I was given the opportunity to hold that position. So why did I leave? A number of factors really. I was going through a dark time in my life. I had lost my husband at the time and we had been together for almost 9 years. That itself sent me into a spiraling depression. I started to loose interest in my work. I dropped out of school even though I was so close to graduating. I started drinking heavily, going out to bars a lot, and most of all not taking care of my diabetes. My boss at the time was a great manager, as well as a great friend. And he tried the best he could to help me out. He knew what I was going through as I had confided in him my personal life. But he couldn't help me if I wasn't motivated to do the job. In my mind I knew it came down to him either having to fire me, or me quitting. So I quit because I thought if I was fired I would become a failure.
That turned out to be a not so good idea. When I quit, I figured I had enough in savings to last me a little while until I found another job. I had actually found a sales job about a month later selling credit card processors to small businesses. But that didn't last long. The training was horrible as were the leads. Sales that I thought I had earned $3,000 in only ended up being $75 because there were "issues" with the paperwork or the customer had backed out of the sale. And that was in one month. I knew I couldn't survive on $75 a month. So I tried another sales job working as a reseller for AT&T Uverse. That seemed promising at first. I made a couple hundred dollars my first week and my sales manager had faith that I would do well. But after a couple months I had to quit because I was spending more money in gas than I was making (it was door to door all over the metroplex).
By this time I decided to either go back into retail or back to a desk job. I put in application after application with the same answer, "You're over qualified". My internal reaction....so?!! I need a f*&%ing job! Of course, with no job came no benefits and no medical insurance. I had to rely on friends and family to help pay for my insulin and diabetic supplies, and that only lasts for so long. I had finally run out of money 6 months after I left my first job with no hope in sight of finding anything promising.
My husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, stuck by me through it all. Which amazed me because we had met right at the end of me selling Uverse. He knew I didn't have any money, I had lost my car, I was living with my mom, and I had nothing to offer him except for myself. And it seemed that to him, that was enough.
With a stroke of luck and knowing the right people, I was finally able to land a good job as a customer care rep at a call center. The pay wasn't as much as I was used to making, but that didn't matter. Anything was better than nothing at this point. After a few months working there, I started looking for other job opportunities. Mostly because I didn't agree with how the business was ran, but also because the medical insurance was sub par. It was still expensive for me to go to the doctor and I had to meet a deductible on my prescriptions before they would allow me to only pay the co-pay.
So after a couple months of job searching, I was able to land the job I have now (which I have previously praised about in a couple of my blogs). I truly am grateful to have this job, and not because of the money (I am back to making what I was as an analyst). But because I am surrounded by wonderful people who I love to work with and I have great medical coverage so I can finally get back to taking care of myself.
Last week I had my first doctor's appointment in over a year. And this doctor is amazing. He has a great personality and knows my medical needs. He prescribed me the insulin I needed and is committed to helping me get back on track. Within a week, I have seen an absolute improvement on my bloodsugars. Now, I am keeping track of everything to make sure that I can stay on track. With the support of my friends, family, and even co-workers I know that from here on out I won't be in the same mess I was in a couple years ago
That turned out to be a not so good idea. When I quit, I figured I had enough in savings to last me a little while until I found another job. I had actually found a sales job about a month later selling credit card processors to small businesses. But that didn't last long. The training was horrible as were the leads. Sales that I thought I had earned $3,000 in only ended up being $75 because there were "issues" with the paperwork or the customer had backed out of the sale. And that was in one month. I knew I couldn't survive on $75 a month. So I tried another sales job working as a reseller for AT&T Uverse. That seemed promising at first. I made a couple hundred dollars my first week and my sales manager had faith that I would do well. But after a couple months I had to quit because I was spending more money in gas than I was making (it was door to door all over the metroplex).
By this time I decided to either go back into retail or back to a desk job. I put in application after application with the same answer, "You're over qualified". My internal reaction....so?!! I need a f*&%ing job! Of course, with no job came no benefits and no medical insurance. I had to rely on friends and family to help pay for my insulin and diabetic supplies, and that only lasts for so long. I had finally run out of money 6 months after I left my first job with no hope in sight of finding anything promising.
My husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, stuck by me through it all. Which amazed me because we had met right at the end of me selling Uverse. He knew I didn't have any money, I had lost my car, I was living with my mom, and I had nothing to offer him except for myself. And it seemed that to him, that was enough.
With a stroke of luck and knowing the right people, I was finally able to land a good job as a customer care rep at a call center. The pay wasn't as much as I was used to making, but that didn't matter. Anything was better than nothing at this point. After a few months working there, I started looking for other job opportunities. Mostly because I didn't agree with how the business was ran, but also because the medical insurance was sub par. It was still expensive for me to go to the doctor and I had to meet a deductible on my prescriptions before they would allow me to only pay the co-pay.
So after a couple months of job searching, I was able to land the job I have now (which I have previously praised about in a couple of my blogs). I truly am grateful to have this job, and not because of the money (I am back to making what I was as an analyst). But because I am surrounded by wonderful people who I love to work with and I have great medical coverage so I can finally get back to taking care of myself.
Last week I had my first doctor's appointment in over a year. And this doctor is amazing. He has a great personality and knows my medical needs. He prescribed me the insulin I needed and is committed to helping me get back on track. Within a week, I have seen an absolute improvement on my bloodsugars. Now, I am keeping track of everything to make sure that I can stay on track. With the support of my friends, family, and even co-workers I know that from here on out I won't be in the same mess I was in a couple years ago
Being Connected
I was on my in to work the other day listening to the radio. I usually listen to a local talk show in the morning and the host had said something that got me thinking. Why do we always have to have instant gratification when it comes to connecting with the outside world. With all of this technology surrounding us in today's age, we feel as a society that we always have to stay connected in some shape or fashion. I, for one, am particularly guilty of this. I can't go anywhere without my cell phone. I work in front of a computer all day where I talk to customers, do research online, and interact with others either by email or instant messaging. When I come home I am either on my laptop, texting on my phone, or watching netflix on TV (which is streamed online).
With this in mind, I started thinking about what we did as a society ten or fifteen years ago. Back then, I was a teenager going through junior high and high school and learning about the facts of life. Believe it or not, I did not have a cell phone, my parents wouldn't allow it. They freaked out when my boyfriend had bought me a pager. Hell, I didn't even become accustomed to the internet until I was fifteen, and it had already been out a good five years at least. No, the only connection I was really accustomed to was my home phone, writing notes and letters on actual paper, and verbal, face-to-face communication.
Yes, I dreamed of being one of the lucky ones who always had their cell phone by their side believing I was popular if someone happened to call me while I was talking to someone else. But I never dreamed that as an adult I would feel like I would die if I didn't have one. Now, it seems like I live in a world of ADD where I am going from website to website looking for new information. Or I am checking my phone every 10 minutes to see if I missed a text or if I got a new email from work.
Now, I'm not saying instant connection is a bad thing. If I was in an accident and I needed to call my husband to let him know, having a cell phone by my side would be a life saver. Or if I'm out to lunch and I get an email from my boss that I've been waiting on, I can see that he sent it to me and I won't have to fret during my entire lunch hour.
What I am saying, though, is that maybe sometimes we have to take a step back and break away from the constant connection. Give our sanity a break and get connected with the life outside of our internet stream. Usually, I get that break when I'm driving home and sometimes I feel anxious. And I feel it's a little sad that I get anxious when I can use that time to relax and gather my thoughts before I get home to my husband.
At any rate, while I know that technology advancements will find new and better ways at keeping us connected, sometimes I think it's best if I just hit the off switch, relax, and communicate like I did back in the day.
With this in mind, I started thinking about what we did as a society ten or fifteen years ago. Back then, I was a teenager going through junior high and high school and learning about the facts of life. Believe it or not, I did not have a cell phone, my parents wouldn't allow it. They freaked out when my boyfriend had bought me a pager. Hell, I didn't even become accustomed to the internet until I was fifteen, and it had already been out a good five years at least. No, the only connection I was really accustomed to was my home phone, writing notes and letters on actual paper, and verbal, face-to-face communication.
Yes, I dreamed of being one of the lucky ones who always had their cell phone by their side believing I was popular if someone happened to call me while I was talking to someone else. But I never dreamed that as an adult I would feel like I would die if I didn't have one. Now, it seems like I live in a world of ADD where I am going from website to website looking for new information. Or I am checking my phone every 10 minutes to see if I missed a text or if I got a new email from work.
Now, I'm not saying instant connection is a bad thing. If I was in an accident and I needed to call my husband to let him know, having a cell phone by my side would be a life saver. Or if I'm out to lunch and I get an email from my boss that I've been waiting on, I can see that he sent it to me and I won't have to fret during my entire lunch hour.
What I am saying, though, is that maybe sometimes we have to take a step back and break away from the constant connection. Give our sanity a break and get connected with the life outside of our internet stream. Usually, I get that break when I'm driving home and sometimes I feel anxious. And I feel it's a little sad that I get anxious when I can use that time to relax and gather my thoughts before I get home to my husband.
At any rate, while I know that technology advancements will find new and better ways at keeping us connected, sometimes I think it's best if I just hit the off switch, relax, and communicate like I did back in the day.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
A Feel Good Moment
I have always been a firm believer that you should take pride in your work, and that you should work for a company that strives to make a difference in the community. If you don't, then at least make that a goal. Until recently, I had not had the opportunity to work for a company who wanted to provide services to help the community.
When I worked for Brink's Home Security, they did offer to match your contribution to any foundation of your choice. However, not everyone has extra cash laying around to donate. I know I really don't, especially with the way the economy has been lately. But at least the company tried to do something to help the community.
When I worked for Gold's Gym, they did support the JDRF (juvenile diabetes research foundation) which is close to my heart cause of the fact that I am Type 1 Diabetic. But the effort was only once a year, and it kind of was negated when I saw how their customers are treated. In most cases, at the call center, we were trained to be polite to the customers even when they were yelling at us (which was most times than not). When it came to their money, though, they were sure quick to take it. And in some cases I believe it was done without legal authorization. But I'm not going to go much into that. I just knew when I saw how the business was ran, I needed to find something better, more meaningful, and fast.
Which my decision to leave Gold's Gym brings me to where I am today with AccuConference. I had a feeling that when I started with this company it would be a good move. I didn't know everything the job would entail or how the business was ran. I knew after my first interview, it was a small company. It was definitely much smaller than what I'm used to. My husband and I were a little skeptical on if this was the right move for me. I had a secure job at Gold's Gym. I was promised a promotion in a matter of months with a raise to go with it. I had been there for eight months and had already impressed my managers with my ability to handle situations in a call center and to provide outstanding customer service without ever working in a call center before.
My second interview with AccuConference boosted my confidence that this move would be the right one. The VP was interested in my ability to do reports since I had worked as an analyst with Brink's and was familiar with Excel, Access, and SQL. He offered me a salary and benefits package I couldn't refuse. There was no way Gold's Gym could have beat the offer. And I was right. When I told the Director of Customer Operations that I was giving my two week's notice, she immediately asked where I was going, what I was going to be paid, and what they were offering me. When I told her everything, I could see the tears in her eyes welling up. She knew that she just lost a really good employee. It wasn't really her fault, though, she was a good boss to me. It was the principles of the company itself that drove me away from having a long-standing tenure.
So, now I just surpassed my fifth month of being with AccuConference, and each day I'm loving the job and the people more and more. What really gave me a sense of pride with my job was learning about one of our customers and how they use our services to help the community. At AccuConference, we provide conference lines for businesses, non-profit organizations, hospitals, government agencies, and educational facilities to hold conference call meetings. It saves our customers money on travel expenses and still allows them to communicate with their participants about whatever important event is going on.
One of our customers is a local university. They use our services quite often and not just for conference calls. They also use us to transcribe their conferences for their records. Being the well-adapted individual that I am, I had learned the transcription process after being with the company for almost 3 months. I then created a very good tracking system for these transcriptions to make sure that these customers are receiving them in a timely manner and that we are billing them correspondingly. I noticed that this university was submitting dozens of transcriptions at a time and that their billing for these transcriptions alone was starting to pile up.
I was having a conversation with a co-worker of mine who is really good at networking with our customers. She decided to contact this university and see if she could meet with them. She was able to do so today and got a little more information as to why their transcriptions are piling up. This university has a program that helps children who have had significant trauma in their history overcome their issues and become adopted. They use the conference line to interview the prospective adoptive parents, the children in the program, and social workers. The university, when speaking with my co-worker, stated that we were apart of this program as well with the services we provide. They said that without us, the research wouldn't be considered as legit and the program might not have received the kind of response it has today.
After I heard that, I felt a great sense of pride with the company I work for, the people I work with, and the job that I do. Knowing that the transcriptions I provide might have helped a child find a good home and live a close to normal life, that feeling itself outweighs any monetary benefits I could ever receive. I believe that is how work should be, I should be able to say every now and then, that I am proud of the work I do.
When I worked for Brink's Home Security, they did offer to match your contribution to any foundation of your choice. However, not everyone has extra cash laying around to donate. I know I really don't, especially with the way the economy has been lately. But at least the company tried to do something to help the community.
When I worked for Gold's Gym, they did support the JDRF (juvenile diabetes research foundation) which is close to my heart cause of the fact that I am Type 1 Diabetic. But the effort was only once a year, and it kind of was negated when I saw how their customers are treated. In most cases, at the call center, we were trained to be polite to the customers even when they were yelling at us (which was most times than not). When it came to their money, though, they were sure quick to take it. And in some cases I believe it was done without legal authorization. But I'm not going to go much into that. I just knew when I saw how the business was ran, I needed to find something better, more meaningful, and fast.
Which my decision to leave Gold's Gym brings me to where I am today with AccuConference. I had a feeling that when I started with this company it would be a good move. I didn't know everything the job would entail or how the business was ran. I knew after my first interview, it was a small company. It was definitely much smaller than what I'm used to. My husband and I were a little skeptical on if this was the right move for me. I had a secure job at Gold's Gym. I was promised a promotion in a matter of months with a raise to go with it. I had been there for eight months and had already impressed my managers with my ability to handle situations in a call center and to provide outstanding customer service without ever working in a call center before.
My second interview with AccuConference boosted my confidence that this move would be the right one. The VP was interested in my ability to do reports since I had worked as an analyst with Brink's and was familiar with Excel, Access, and SQL. He offered me a salary and benefits package I couldn't refuse. There was no way Gold's Gym could have beat the offer. And I was right. When I told the Director of Customer Operations that I was giving my two week's notice, she immediately asked where I was going, what I was going to be paid, and what they were offering me. When I told her everything, I could see the tears in her eyes welling up. She knew that she just lost a really good employee. It wasn't really her fault, though, she was a good boss to me. It was the principles of the company itself that drove me away from having a long-standing tenure.
So, now I just surpassed my fifth month of being with AccuConference, and each day I'm loving the job and the people more and more. What really gave me a sense of pride with my job was learning about one of our customers and how they use our services to help the community. At AccuConference, we provide conference lines for businesses, non-profit organizations, hospitals, government agencies, and educational facilities to hold conference call meetings. It saves our customers money on travel expenses and still allows them to communicate with their participants about whatever important event is going on.
One of our customers is a local university. They use our services quite often and not just for conference calls. They also use us to transcribe their conferences for their records. Being the well-adapted individual that I am, I had learned the transcription process after being with the company for almost 3 months. I then created a very good tracking system for these transcriptions to make sure that these customers are receiving them in a timely manner and that we are billing them correspondingly. I noticed that this university was submitting dozens of transcriptions at a time and that their billing for these transcriptions alone was starting to pile up.
I was having a conversation with a co-worker of mine who is really good at networking with our customers. She decided to contact this university and see if she could meet with them. She was able to do so today and got a little more information as to why their transcriptions are piling up. This university has a program that helps children who have had significant trauma in their history overcome their issues and become adopted. They use the conference line to interview the prospective adoptive parents, the children in the program, and social workers. The university, when speaking with my co-worker, stated that we were apart of this program as well with the services we provide. They said that without us, the research wouldn't be considered as legit and the program might not have received the kind of response it has today.
After I heard that, I felt a great sense of pride with the company I work for, the people I work with, and the job that I do. Knowing that the transcriptions I provide might have helped a child find a good home and live a close to normal life, that feeling itself outweighs any monetary benefits I could ever receive. I believe that is how work should be, I should be able to say every now and then, that I am proud of the work I do.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Love The Rain, Hate Driving In It
I absolutely love it when it rains. I love the way it smells, the sounds it makes, and the way it looks when it's just pouring outside. I love it when it comes with thunder at lightning, too. However, I can only really enjoy it if I'm at home and I don't have to go anywhere anytime soon. And not just because it gives me a chance to snuggle up next to my husband as the flash of lightening and clap of thunder startle us from our television trance, although that is a big contributer. Fact of the matter is, I can only really enjoy it if I'm stuck in our apartment because I absolutely HATE driving in the rain. I don't mean driving in a small drizzle either. I mean driving in the monsoon of a rainstorm where your visibility is cut in half, at least.
I used to not mind driving in the rain. I could handle getting on the freeway with my wiper blades moving 100 miles an hour. It didn't bother me when semi-trucks would be doing a good 70 beside me and splash a flood on my windshield. All of that changed, however, a few years ago when I was on my way to work.
It was an early, rainy morning. Traffic, of course, is slow because there happened to be a wreck on the freeway due to the rain (imagine that!). I'm sitting in my car listening to the radio and periodically looking at the clock hoping that traffic will pick up the pace a little bit so I can make it in on time. But no, traffic is at a dead stop.
Now, I'm on a two-lane freeway, meaning two-lanes going north and two-lanes going south. I'm sitting in the left lane, which is closest to the opposing traffic. So as I am sitting in my car cursing at the wreckage a mile up the road, I see a semi-truck driving a little fast in the opposite direction. I didn't think much of it until I realized that this semi-truck is driving a little fast in my lane. It's trailer is swinging back and forth, and I see cars in its path being crushed and scattered in every direction.
My heart feels like it's going to jump out of my chest. I can't move anywhere! I just see this massive vehicle out of control in my lane heading towards me. And all I can do is just sit there. I can't drive anywhere. There's traffic to my right and a barrier on my left. I can't get out of the car. If that semi is out of control, it would be sure to hit me even if I tried running the other way. So I sit there and await my fate.
Someone up there must have been looking out for me because the semi, at what seemed to have been the last moment before I would have hit my car, completely jack-knived and rolled over into the grassy hill that is on the right side of the freeway. It was literally two cars away from colliding into my car. I couldn't believe it! I send countless thanks to God over and over again. Then I call 911 to make sure they knew about the incident. Of course, I was told they had received several calls about the truck and they would have someone out there shortly.
When I stopped shaking and traffic started moving again, I continued on my way to work. I never heard if anyone killed in that incident. I checked newspapers, blogs, news reports, internet searches, everything and I couldn't find anything. If no one had been killed, then that was a lucky day for everyone. But it left me with an overly cautious, paranoid feeling every time I drive and it's pouring rain. Knowing that if that semi didn't jack-knife and roll over, I might not be here today. Just another close call to add to my list.
I used to not mind driving in the rain. I could handle getting on the freeway with my wiper blades moving 100 miles an hour. It didn't bother me when semi-trucks would be doing a good 70 beside me and splash a flood on my windshield. All of that changed, however, a few years ago when I was on my way to work.
It was an early, rainy morning. Traffic, of course, is slow because there happened to be a wreck on the freeway due to the rain (imagine that!). I'm sitting in my car listening to the radio and periodically looking at the clock hoping that traffic will pick up the pace a little bit so I can make it in on time. But no, traffic is at a dead stop.
Now, I'm on a two-lane freeway, meaning two-lanes going north and two-lanes going south. I'm sitting in the left lane, which is closest to the opposing traffic. So as I am sitting in my car cursing at the wreckage a mile up the road, I see a semi-truck driving a little fast in the opposite direction. I didn't think much of it until I realized that this semi-truck is driving a little fast in my lane. It's trailer is swinging back and forth, and I see cars in its path being crushed and scattered in every direction.
My heart feels like it's going to jump out of my chest. I can't move anywhere! I just see this massive vehicle out of control in my lane heading towards me. And all I can do is just sit there. I can't drive anywhere. There's traffic to my right and a barrier on my left. I can't get out of the car. If that semi is out of control, it would be sure to hit me even if I tried running the other way. So I sit there and await my fate.
Someone up there must have been looking out for me because the semi, at what seemed to have been the last moment before I would have hit my car, completely jack-knived and rolled over into the grassy hill that is on the right side of the freeway. It was literally two cars away from colliding into my car. I couldn't believe it! I send countless thanks to God over and over again. Then I call 911 to make sure they knew about the incident. Of course, I was told they had received several calls about the truck and they would have someone out there shortly.
When I stopped shaking and traffic started moving again, I continued on my way to work. I never heard if anyone killed in that incident. I checked newspapers, blogs, news reports, internet searches, everything and I couldn't find anything. If no one had been killed, then that was a lucky day for everyone. But it left me with an overly cautious, paranoid feeling every time I drive and it's pouring rain. Knowing that if that semi didn't jack-knife and roll over, I might not be here today. Just another close call to add to my list.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Recession: Responsible for Increased Crime?
After having a break and entry last week in my own apartment, I have been a little paranoid about leaving during the day. I normally text my husband throughout the day while I am at work, mostly to let him know that I am thinking about him and that I miss him. You know, all that sweet stuff. But the last few days I've been texting him to make sure he's ok on top of letting him know that I miss him. I have this paranoid feeling that those idiots who broke in last week are going to come back and this time with firearms. Hopefully, all it is is my paranoia getting the best of me.
With my state of mind, however, I have been looking at area crime reports in my city. I had no idea how much crime happens where I live every day. That got me thinking, "Has the crime rate increased? If so, is it because of this economic uncertainty we have been having to deal with?" My guess is yes. I tried to see if I could possibly find a trend report for my town, but all I could find was current criminal activity by day instead of a report of total criminal activity by year. I could do it the hard way and run the numbers myself, or do a little more research. But to be honest, it's late and I don't feel like researching too much into it.
So, has crime increased over the last few years because of our economic situation or am I just paying attention to it more because we have become victims? It would make sense that the crime rate has risen. You have gas prices increasing what seems like everyday. With increased gas prices, transportation of food and other commodities as well as any services that involve sending someone out to your home will increase. Hypothetically, with unemployment rates high and inflation around the corner people have to get money from somewhere. And the desperate will do what they can to survive.
Of course, you also have the greedy like a certain MLB star who makes almost $500 thousand a year arrested for stealing $50 worth of merchandise. Really? Are your mortgage payments, car payments, and other extravagant bills so incredibly high that you didn't have enough money to pay for whatever it is you stole cause you just had to have it? How about you live within your means. I make way less than you do a year and if I needed something that was $50 I would be able to afford it. I'm sorry, but when I read a news headline like that, it makes me want to take that person's yearly salary and make them live on the streets so that they can see what it's like to really have no money. Maybe they will take better care of their finances and not be so greedy with their materialistic purchases.
And aside from the poor and the uncontrollable spenders stealing or committing crime, you also have gang activity. Which may increase because kids or young adults are trying to look for ways to find money, their parents might not be working because of unemployment, or they have dropped out of school because the education funding has been cut in their area and quality education is hopeless.
Whatever the reason may be, I believe that it is a trickle effect and we have been seeing this effect for a few years. Of course some area neighborhoods are going to be bad, and maybe always will be. But the fix of the problem should be more community involvement. Growing up, I remember having neighborhood block parties where all the neighbors got to know each other and crime watch was active. I don't see that these days. Do neighborhoods have crime watch anymore? If this is a dying program, it might be a good idea to revitalize it. At least make the neighborhood feel safe. Who knows, maybe I can voice my concern and get something that was good started back up again.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Turn Your Bad Day Around
Being that today is a Monday, I would expect to have some small bumps and bruises throughout the day. It is expected to have that kind of luck at the beginning of the week. But my bumps turned out to be mountains and my bruises ended up being welts. By the time I needed to leave work, I was ready to jump in the car and get out of there. I don't think I've had a day this bad in a long while, so I guess I was long overdue.
It all started about an hour after I got to work. The phones were a little slow so I was doing some reports. I decided to take a drink of water from my water bottle when it slipped from my hand and I dropped it on my desk. With the top off the bottle. Of course water goes everywhere, and of course my cell phone had to be in the way of the mini flash flood. I immediately grabbed my phone and dried it off, took it apart, took out the battery and let it sit for a little bit. After a while I placed the battery back in and turned my phone on. It starts right up, but I'm still holding my breath. After about a minute it starts going back and forth from standby to active. So I turn the phone off and turned it back on. Now, my phone is stuck on the startup screen. I can't even shut it down. I read on some forum that if you keep the phone on it should reset itself. So I did. After about 20 minutes, it completely booted back up and looked like it was working right. Only problem was after keeping it on for 20 minutes it drained the battery, and I didn't bring my USB charger with me to work.
Now aside from my phone issue, I was having a networking issue. My calendar at work wasn't showing me the shared calendar. This calendar is important because it sends me reminders about scheduled conference calls that I need to be aware of. So I let our IT guy know and of course he tells me the obvious, "Reboot your computer". So I did. When it comes back on, my screen display comes up as landscape. So I shake my head and change it back to portrait, trying hard not to tilt my head. For those of you not familiar with those terms, landscape makes everything on your screen sideways and portrait makes everything on your screen normal. I tell my IT guy about it and he says "That's weird" and nothing more about it. My guess is that my computer either flipped out, or someone was messing with me. I assume it's the latter because you have to physically change the setting on your computer display in order for that to happen. And someone can easily do that if they have access to control your computer. Which in most cases people working in IT have that access.
On top of everything else, it was an extremely busy day. I was ready to go home by lunchtime, but I grit my teeth and got through it. So what made my day better after that exhausting start? Well, my phone is ok. It stopped doing the flashing from standby to active. I kept a positive attitude on the obstacles I had to get through today and didn't let any of it affect my work. And finally, I was able to come home to my husband who always makes my day, no matter what kind I am having, a million times better.
So what should you, the reader, take from this? Well, try as hard as you can to keep that positive attitude and don't let your day be taken out on an innocent bystander. It's ok to vent (trust me I vented a bit today to my co-workers). But don't be snippy or create an attitude to someone who doesn't know what's going on, especially if you're in customer service and have to deal with talking to customers. I know it might be easier said than done, but it is possible. Finally, think about the latter part of your day and what part of that day you are looking forward to. Keeping that in mind will help you keep a somewhat upbeat attitude and should help you get through your own bumps and bruises a little less scarred. If that doesn't work, well, just take a deep breath and hope that time travel will become available soon so that you can quickly get through what you deem to be a day of bad days. Then maybe you can look back and laugh about it, or at least crack a smile.
It all started about an hour after I got to work. The phones were a little slow so I was doing some reports. I decided to take a drink of water from my water bottle when it slipped from my hand and I dropped it on my desk. With the top off the bottle. Of course water goes everywhere, and of course my cell phone had to be in the way of the mini flash flood. I immediately grabbed my phone and dried it off, took it apart, took out the battery and let it sit for a little bit. After a while I placed the battery back in and turned my phone on. It starts right up, but I'm still holding my breath. After about a minute it starts going back and forth from standby to active. So I turn the phone off and turned it back on. Now, my phone is stuck on the startup screen. I can't even shut it down. I read on some forum that if you keep the phone on it should reset itself. So I did. After about 20 minutes, it completely booted back up and looked like it was working right. Only problem was after keeping it on for 20 minutes it drained the battery, and I didn't bring my USB charger with me to work.
On top of everything else, it was an extremely busy day. I was ready to go home by lunchtime, but I grit my teeth and got through it. So what made my day better after that exhausting start? Well, my phone is ok. It stopped doing the flashing from standby to active. I kept a positive attitude on the obstacles I had to get through today and didn't let any of it affect my work. And finally, I was able to come home to my husband who always makes my day, no matter what kind I am having, a million times better.
So what should you, the reader, take from this? Well, try as hard as you can to keep that positive attitude and don't let your day be taken out on an innocent bystander. It's ok to vent (trust me I vented a bit today to my co-workers). But don't be snippy or create an attitude to someone who doesn't know what's going on, especially if you're in customer service and have to deal with talking to customers. I know it might be easier said than done, but it is possible. Finally, think about the latter part of your day and what part of that day you are looking forward to. Keeping that in mind will help you keep a somewhat upbeat attitude and should help you get through your own bumps and bruises a little less scarred. If that doesn't work, well, just take a deep breath and hope that time travel will become available soon so that you can quickly get through what you deem to be a day of bad days. Then maybe you can look back and laugh about it, or at least crack a smile.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Engagement Chicken??
Engagement Chicken ...So I was flipping through news articles on Yahoo and I came across a news story that they grabbed from Glamour. Apparently the former fashion editor of Glamour magazine has this "magical" recipe for chicken that will persuade the men that women are after to ask their hand in marriage. But if this recipe was so enticing to men, then why have only 72 marriages after 26 years been linked to this recipe? My husband proposed to me after I made him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a glass of milk. So should I formulate an engagement PB&J recipe? Probably not. Though if you want to go that route, just make sure you make the sandwich extra thick with both peanut butter and jelly. Men don't like it when you skimp on their meals.
Regardless of if it works or not, the recipe does sound good to at least try. And if you're a single woman, well then it wouldn't hurt to use it when you think you have found Mr. Right. If you do try it, comment and let me know the end result. My guess, you're probably better off showing him you would be a good wife than expecting the chicken to do all the work for you. But, here's the recipe if you do want to test it out.
Engagement Chicken
Regardless of if it works or not, the recipe does sound good to at least try. And if you're a single woman, well then it wouldn't hurt to use it when you think you have found Mr. Right. If you do try it, comment and let me know the end result. My guess, you're probably better off showing him you would be a good wife than expecting the chicken to do all the work for you. But, here's the recipe if you do want to test it out.
Engagement Chicken
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients:
- 1 whole chicken (approximately 4 pounds)
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 3 whole lemons—including 1 sliced for garnish
- 1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- Fresh herbs for garnish (4 rosemary sprigs, 4 sage sprigs, 8 thyme sprigs, and 1 bunch fl at-leaf parsley)
1. Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the giblets from the chicken, wash the chicken inside and out with cold water, then let the chicken drain, cavity down, in a colander for 2 minutes.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place the chicken breast-side down in a medium roasting pan fi tted with a rack and pour the lemon juice all over the chicken, both inside and out. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper inside and out.
3. Prick 2 whole lemons three times each in three different places with a fork and place them deep inside the cavity. Chicken cavity size may vary, so if one lemon is partly sticking out, that’s fine. (Tip: If the lemons are stiff, roll them on the countertop with your palm before pricking to get the juices flowing.)
4. Put the chicken in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350°F, and roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using tongs or two wooden spoons, turn the chicken breast- side up. Insert a meat thermometer in the thigh, and return the chicken to the oven and roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 180°F and the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork. Continue roasting if necessary. Keep in mind that cooking times in different ovens vary; roasting a chicken at 350°F takes approximately 18-20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.
6. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. And here’s the secret: Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken— this is the “marry me juice.” Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.
So You Think You're Safe?
About a couple months ago I noticed that the gate to the apartments was stuck open, allowing anyone on and off the property without needing to enter a code or use their remote. I felt a little uneasy about that simply because this did allow anyone access to the property. Plus, our rent is premium because of the fact that our community is supposed to be gated giving residents a sense of security. My uneasy feeling started to dissipate until my husband texted me this afternoon. The text read "Someone just broke down our door!" The next one reading, "I'm talking with the police right now"
So now I'm feeling panicked. I'm at work about 30 miles away and I can't do anything about what has just happened. He tells me everything is ok and that he scared the perpetrators off. But then I start thinking about what might have happened if they were armed and my mind starts going in circles. And the one thought that kept coming to mind was, "What if they come back?"
So ask yourself when you're getting ready to go to bed tonight, how safe am I? How will I protect myself if someone breaks into my home? Am I really that safe? Hopefully, you'll be able to answer those questions before what happened to my home happens to yours.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Back to Blogging
I believe my blogging rampage had stopped for almost two years now. Why? It's not that I didn't have any time to do them anymore. In fact I had plenty of time to blog if I wanted to. I was out of a job for a few months and wasn't in school. So you would think that being the writer that I am, I would have blogged constantly in my spare time. This was not the case, though. I had put my blogging on a hiatus because I didn't feel the drive anymore. I was depressed and unmotivated. I had just gone through a divorce and was left without anyone to stand by my side. And after 8 years of being with someone, that loneliness doesn't really do a person much good. It's not as liberating as the movies play it out to be. At least it wasn't for me. And I don't want to call myself a dependent because I am able to survive on my own...financially anyway. But without support, one tends to lose their drive in life. And I was seeing myself fall down that path. I did have family, but they had their own problems and I couldn't ask for them to give me the emotional support that I needed to continue to be successful in life. And then it happened. I found someone who would give me that strength I needed. He turned out to be my best friend in life and he is now the one I call my husband.
Yes, I got married a second time, but this time I was smarter. I didn't make our wedding day about me, or about catering to our guests by spending thousands of dollars. I made our wedding day about us and our new commitment to each other. So we got married by the J.P. and had our "reception" at Kincaid's. His family was there and my dad was able to make it. It was a nice little ceremony and everyone had a good time. And what's the best part? I was able to remember everything! With my first wedding it was so jam packed with people. We had to take hundreds of photos. We had to greet everyone at the reception. We did the whole feed each other cake routine and our first dance. By the time I was ready to eat, it was time to leave. I barely remember who was there, not to mention I didn't get to have any dinner. This time, we didn't do any of that. We just invited close friends and family to watch us say our "I Do's" in front of the J.P. and ate a somewhat dry hamburger from Kincaid's. And it was better than my first wedding day.
So what's in store for me now? Well, back to writing my blogs and letting the world know what I think, feel, and observe. This means posting news that I find interesting, life events that I feel I need to write about, or maybe some useless facts that people might get a kick out of. In any case, it feels good to be blogging again. Who knows, I might even write about you!
Yes, I got married a second time, but this time I was smarter. I didn't make our wedding day about me, or about catering to our guests by spending thousands of dollars. I made our wedding day about us and our new commitment to each other. So we got married by the J.P. and had our "reception" at Kincaid's. His family was there and my dad was able to make it. It was a nice little ceremony and everyone had a good time. And what's the best part? I was able to remember everything! With my first wedding it was so jam packed with people. We had to take hundreds of photos. We had to greet everyone at the reception. We did the whole feed each other cake routine and our first dance. By the time I was ready to eat, it was time to leave. I barely remember who was there, not to mention I didn't get to have any dinner. This time, we didn't do any of that. We just invited close friends and family to watch us say our "I Do's" in front of the J.P. and ate a somewhat dry hamburger from Kincaid's. And it was better than my first wedding day.
So what's in store for me now? Well, back to writing my blogs and letting the world know what I think, feel, and observe. This means posting news that I find interesting, life events that I feel I need to write about, or maybe some useless facts that people might get a kick out of. In any case, it feels good to be blogging again. Who knows, I might even write about you!
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