Political Pissy Moment

Political pissy moment... (don't read unless you understand this is just a vent) ... So, seems so many people think that the less populated areas should have the say over more populated areas and for urban dwellers to shut up... do you want to take aware our voice completely?

Today, the electoral college meets in just over a hour. They will vote Mr. Trump into office, I have no illusions about this.

What is bugging at me is this ... stop it! Just stop it! Just because someone voted against him, does not make them a snowflake. Stop your fake news stories! Stop tromping all over anyone you perceive as liberal just because they say something you don't agree with.

Guess what? You weren't all quiet these last 8 years. We all heard you loud and clear. I heard when our president was made fun of with foul jokes and memes. I heard you when you called for action and laughed that we should go a year when a supreme court justice died, because you didn't want anyone who may possibly have any liberal leanings in position. We heard you. We heard you and that's why so many people are pissed off right now.

Because you were shouting at us all. You were shouting at everyone who didn't agree with you and acting like spoiled brats. Now you are accusing us of the same if we so much as open our mouths.

Guess what? I don't like the idea of Trump as president. I feel he has too many complicated conflicts of interest. I don't like his choices of big business leaders for cabinet positions. I don't like his moral values AT ALL. I don't like how he talks to women. I don't like how he disrespects our allies. I find him wishy washy. The way he speaks is a white American version of ebonics. Both are equally disgusting to hear of someone who is supposed to be representing this great diverse country. I just don't like him. He may do some good things, and he may do some bad things. Right now, I'm not seeing much hope with his idea of "draining the swamp". This draining of the swamp is putting people in seriously important positions for the purpose of dismantling and undermining the purposes of those government agencies.

I'm not crying about it just because I speak my mind.

I will not throw a toddler style tantrum as too many have over the last 8 years. What I will do is stand up for my fellow Americans - all of them.

I am a moderate. I am middle of the road. I have pretty much an equal amount of "conservative" views as "liberal" ones. And, why in tarnations, is conservation and being "green" a "liberal" view? I learned how to be green from some of the most conservative people around.

I look for the truth in the news, and I suggest everyone else does. Stop believing everything you read or hear. Most of it has a slant to it. News is no longer news, it's now entertainment, it's about getting the most views and making money for the company.

And, if you don't agree with what is going on, speak up. I don't care if you are Republican, Democrat, Independent, or something else. If we all don't speak up, we will never be heard.

And, let this be a reminder to everyone. We are NOT a democracy. This is a Republic. Also, this is a capitalist society. And, right now, the capitalist part is being heard loud and clear. We are in for a ride for the next 4 years, it may be good for some, but it's also going to be hard going for a lot of people. I, for one, predict, that people will have to face up to the fact that capitalism won out this election, and the people will speak with their votes in 4 years. In the meantime, bunker down, stick together, AND remember, that conservative or liberal neighbor of yours, is also an American, and their views are just as important. Give them a hug, send them a Christmas card, but don't insult them, don't demean them. That is not what we are about.

Rant over... for now.

ObamaCare - A Personal Note

Completing my annual healthcare.gov application. For those of you who are against ObamaCare, just remember. It's because of ObamaCare that many people in this country have insurance coverage. Not every job offers insurance. Not everyone can afford a plan on their own. Without insurance, if I were to get sick, I would become a much bigger burden on society than any amount of "subsidy" that I may receive for my healthcare plan.

Actually, let's get even a bit more personal. Without ObamaCare, I would be a danger to drive, I would become a drag on society, I would be practically blind. With ObamaCare, I was able to get the much needed surgery to restore my eyesight. It wasn't an elective procedure, I was quickly losing my sight. In less than a year, I had gone from 20/375 eyesight to over 20/1000 eyesight and it was continuing to decline rapidly.

No, I don't like the uptick on the premiums. Yes, I wish there was a better option. But, if you are going to yell and scream about how bad it is, or that people need to get a job, keep in mind, most of us have jobs. I have a job, it doesn't pay decent, but I have not been able to find another one in my field in this area.

I work. I pay taxes. I am a contributing member of society. I have ObamaCare. And, I am not a slacker.

A Young Man With What It Takes To Succeed

Yesterday, I wrote about some of my thoughts when applying for a new position.  It was maybe a bit too blunt for some people.  I really want to apologize for offending anyone, but this is one of those times I am not going to.  I'm not going to because it was meant as something helpful, especially for a lot of younger people out there that just don't seem to have a clue.

This morning when I woke up, I perused the normal social media sites to see if there was anything interesting today that really spoke to me. I found it in an article on CNN entitled "Teen Goes to Target Looking For A Tie, And Gets That And More".

This is what I'm talking about!

It's right on the nose.  Here is this young man going to what is probably his very first interview ever.  He takes it seriously.  He makes sure he's dressed professionally, he listens to advice of others on how to handle himself.

But, that's not what really spoke to me the most.

He was interviewing at Chik-fil-A.  Yes, you read that correctly.  He was getting dressed professionally for a job interview for fast food.  I can't even put into words how impressed I am.  With too many of the people I've seen come and go for interviews, this young man is the exception, and I work in a professional office!

This young man is going to go somewhere in life.  He is going to make it and I don't doubt he is going to make it big.  He has that drive to do the job and take pride in it, even if it's considered to be one of the lower jobs in the country.

Best of luck to you young man whoever you are!

So You Want A Job?

It's crazy busy at work.  We have so much to do that the day finally came that we need some help.  I must say that I was excited... yeah! 

My boss put an ad on Craigslist.  It was a pretty standard ad.  We just need a part-time receptionist to begin with.  Ideally, this is someone that we can train to do more and really help with our clients in the future.

We received around 400 responses to our ad.  So, how does someone make themselves stand out to get that call. 

1.   This is a professional office, please do not use hot pink lettering on your resume.  Yes, it will make you stand out, but not in the way you were hoping.

2.   If the ad asks for a cover letter, and you do not include one, the chances of you being considered are pretty nil.

3.  Check your grammar!  I received literally dozens of resumes and cover letters that had horrific grammar.  These were not instances of spell check or grammar check going wrong.  I even saw some that did not include any capitalization or punctuation.  

4.  Keep the cover letter short and sweet.  A couple paragraphs should do the trick.  I really have a lot of them to go over so if you cover letter is a full page and single spaced, I probably won't read the whole thing.

5.  Different font sizes may be okay in some situations, but please don't use multiple fonts and font sizes in the same paragraph.  All that this shows me is that you are not detailed and don't care about how something looks.

Okay, now you made it past the resume stage.  You have received that call to possibly set up an interview.  What should you or should you not do?

1.  Do not talk with your mouth full.

2.  I understand that I may be calling you at home or out and about.  I understand that there may be kids hollering in the background.  I'm a mom, I get it.  If this happens, ask if you can call me back, and then call back as soon as you can.  If you wait a day or two, I will probably have moved on and scheduled someone else already for that interview.

3.  Be friendly.  I am not saying act as if you are my best friend, but be pleasant.  This is for a receptionist position.  If your phone mannerisms are not good, then you won't be coming in for that in-person interview.  

Yeah!  The interview is scheduled, it's time to meet your potential employer or supervisor.  Here are a few tips for you.

1.  Do not drown yourself in perfume.  I already know that you were sitting in your car for a half hour chain smoking, I would rather you take a moment and go to the ladies room to freshen up first then douse yourself in cologne right before you walk in.  I'd rather know you are a smoker from the get go then you try to hide it.  

2.  This is an interview, do not come dressed to go out to the mall or a night out.  Corduroys are not fine.  Skin-tight latex pants are not fine.  I do not expect that you will be coming dressed in a three piece suit, but please take some time to think about how you should dress for the type of work environment you are applying for.

3.  Do some homework.  It may be for only a receptionist position, but find out what type of business you are interviewing at.  You have our name, our address and I told you a little about us during the telephone interview, Google us.  I want to see some initiative, I especially want to see if you will take that extra step before you come in.  If you do, then you are more likely to take the extra step with our clients.

4.  Take off your outside jacket.  I know that it's chilly outside, but I want to know that you can make yourself comfortable.  If you look like you are ready to run for the door, you probably don't belong sitting in that chair across from me.

5.  Absolutely follow-up.  Write a short e-mail saying thank you would be great.  I want the feedback as much as you do.  I want to know that you are really interested in this position.

*    *    * 

Now, good luck in that job hunt.  I know it's not easy out there right now, so it is more important than ever to put your best foot forward. 

Second Job and the Underemployed

After yesterday's blog, I was talking to some friends about low wages and working low skill jobs.

One of my friends works at a local fast food restaurant.  It was the only job in this economy that she was able to find.  She is a fairly eloquent speaker and presents herself well.  Still, fast food was the only job she was able to find.

The hours that she had bee scheduled for generally only will add up to two days a week.  Recently, she asked her manager about being scheduled for more hours.  "Get a second job" is what she was told to do.

It was such a frustrating thing to hear.  She never knows what hours she will be scheduled, it may be mid-morning to afternoon one day, and close the next.  It may be Monday and Friday one week, and Tuesday and Saturday the next.  There is never any consistency.

So, she is looking for a second job.  But, she knows that if she gets a second job, her manager won't give her a consistent scheduling to accommodate it.

This brings to mind the idea of a New York Times article that I read recently regarding Starbucks and employees there who are struggling for consistent hours.  Starbucks it seems is at least trying to do the right thing and is in the process of trying to change their policies according to a Bloomberg BusinessWeek article.

Sadly, few employers show such respect for their employees.  The mentality for the past number of years has been that anyone is replaceable and retention of good employees has ceased to be a priority for the vast number of these jobs.

This is something that needs to change.  If an employer is not going to respect their employees and treat them as equal human beings, then those employees in turn will not respect their employers.  If my friend is able to find that second job, verses being able to stay at her current job with maybe a few more hours a week, I don't doubt she will run into the same problem that others at her workplace have run into and find that her managers won't work with anything but a completely open availability.

It's sad, but it's the way things are.  It's time for all employees to be treated with respect.  These may be low skill jobs, but that doesn't mean that these are less human beings.

Hard Work Is Not the Key to Success Anymore

Low wage job is just that...low wage. Want to earn more money? Get an education and get a better job.
Low wage job is just that...low wage. Want to earn more money? Get an education and get a better job.
"Low wage job is just that...low wage.  Want to earn more money? Get an education and get a better job."

That was the first comment in a recent article that I read about an 81 year old McDonald's maintenance who is joining the fight for a fair raise (McDonald's maintenance worker Jose Carillo, 81, won't let his age keep him from waging the fight for fair wages for fast-food workers).

Too often, I believe that people forget that not everyone can earn that college education.  Life isn't fair, and perhaps they never had that opportunity.  In this case, this is an 81-year old man.  As I am thinking of it, how many of our grandparents have college degrees?  Life was different then, and college wasn't something that was touted as the key to moving up in the world.  Hard work was considered the key to a successful life.

Today, the idea that hard work is going to get you a job that will pay your bills is becoming a thing of the past.  Now, the only way to find that job that meets cost of living is to go to college.  I am not for paying everyone the same thing, but there has to be a point where we pay for the services that we want as well.  Maintenance workers and low skilled workers shouldn't be treated as being lesser people simply because they haven't been able to afford to go to college.  They should be able to make a livable wage, which absolutely differs depending on where in the country you live.

These jobs aren't necessarily as low skill as one may think.  I've flipped burgers at McDonald's and had to run and be on my feet all day.  Many of these jobs are hard on the body, exhausting and require other skills of dexterity, organization, memory, all the while keeping that smile on.  Maintenance jobs take a lot of knowledge of mechanics, and common sense that not everyone has.

I am behind workers like Jose Carillo, who deserve the opportunity to make a livable wage.  Wages for the low skill jobs haven't been going up with the cost of living in this country, and it's about time they do.

Minimum wages need to be tied to the cost of living for a particular area.  But, most importantly, workers need to be treated with respect and fairness.  If you have a good worker, treat them as a good worker.  Just as if you do a good job at your middle management job, you would expect a raise, why doesn't a good worker who serves your food deserve a raise?

Thanks for Lunch

Every so often, I indulge in lunch out of the office.  Either I don't bring my lunch with me to work, or I decide that I want something different.  It doesn't happen that often, but it does happen.

I ordered this yummy looking sandwich, a salad, soda and a cookie.  The staff over at Panera is always so polite and helpful, they make me want to come into their establishment for lunch.  Yet, this same lunch that they are taking the time to fix for me,  they are not being paid enough to order for themselves.  

I am not terribly well paid, so Panera is a big treat for me.  I figure that after taxes are taken out, it amounts to an hour of my work time to pay for a lunch out like the one I had today.  Yet, most employees at lunch counters or other fast food type restaurants are making significantly less than me.  

Talk about an eye opening moment.    

I know that there has been a lot in the news lately about raising the minimum wage.  I think it's a good thing.  I know that I may catch some grief about that, but oh well.  

If we think about fairness and equality, well, it only makes sense.  A lot of people will say though, well, let them find a better job.  But, what if that is the only job they have been able to find.  Others will say, it would hurt businesses to raise the minimum wage.  

I say, take a look at cities and other municipalities that have raised the minimum wage.  The mom and pop shops are still there, and business is booming in those areas.  Unemployment is down and jobs are a plenty.  Most people seem to be doing better overall.

I wouldn't mind spending a few extra cents or a quarter or even a little more than that if it meant that the employees were paid more.  It wouldn't hurt my pocketbook, but it certainly would help that nice gentleman behind the counter who was so nice to me today.  Maybe, just maybe, it would me he also could afford the luxury of taking a lunch out now and again and letting someone serve him.  Or, it could mean something else that he would be able to afford, thus adding to the overall economy.

I think of his smile and kind attitude.  I can tell he wasn't always in this line of work.  Maybe once upon a time he also worked in a nice office job and would go down the street to pick up a lunch now and again.  But, for whatever reason, he is where he is now.  

So, next time you run across the street to grab a little lunch, take a moment, think about that person across the counter from you.  Maybe you can't make them pay them more, but, at least you can give them a smile and be courteous.  They are offering you a service that oftentimes they cannot afford for themselves.

Thanks to all the hard working people out there that do those little jobs.  It does mean a lot to others when you have a smile for us or a friendly word.

Tisha's Treasures

I started a new endevour this year.

I opened an online Kitsy Lane store.  It's called Tisha's Treasures.

I love jewelry and have a nice sized collection myself.  Most of my personal collection is unique or antique pieces.  I really don't wear my collection often anymore.  As I have been sorting and cleaning through my house and downsizing, I had to look through my jewelry box.  It wasn't easy.  I didn't want to get rid of a single piece, so I didn't.  I took my jewelry and put each piece in a separate plastic bag and got rid of the jewelry box completely.  I didn't want anything to get mixed up.  I keep finding more and more pieces of jewelry as I clean and sort.  I love necklaces.  I love earings.  I definitely love rings.

Most people who have seen me, are going "Huh?"  I don't recall ever seeing Tish wear much jewelry.  I admit it, I don't induldge often since becoming a mom.  This is something I am going to change this year.  I can't reason having such a collection if I never use them.

This led me on a new line of thinking.  I love jewelry, lots of people love jewelry.  I used to make some jewelry and love designing it.  I thought I might be able to share some of my passion with others.  Thus, Tisha's Treasures was created.  I decided to start with known jewelry lines through Kitsy Lane.  In the coming weeks I will be featuring some of the selections and hope everyone can enjoy with me.

Please visit my new store at Tisha's Treasures and let me know what you think.

As with so much, Pumpkin is helping me pick out jewelry and already has a favorite.  It's even on 50% off sale.  Ah, that's my dragon.