Blessed Samhain - Black Flames

Blessed Samhain, everybody.  That's Happy Halloween to those unfamiliar with Samhain.  I'm still freaked out as last night I had a waking nightmare that scared the ****** out of me. 

I've always had weird, wonky dreams.  That's just me.  I've always had them ever since I can remember.  I expect weirdness every night when I go to sleep.  Last night was different.

My "normal" weird dream was about an old boyfriend.  It's weird because now he's been in my dreams for two nights in a row.  He want's to talk to me.  I'm not sure if I want to talk to him because he was the source of a lot of pain in my life.  However, I don't want to be an immature petty bitch, either, after so much water has gone under the bridge.  There were some good times and memories. Anyway, in the dream he wants to talk to me and I'm not so sure I want to open up that door.  Tigers don't change their stripes.  Why bother?  Some doors are better left closed.

As I'm struggling as to whether or not I want to talk to him or not the dream suddenly changes.  I find myself in bed and I'm being held down by black flames.  The flames looked a lot like the picture.  I'm trying to wrestle with the black flames and get them off me.  Whatever it is, it's definitely evil.  At this point I think I'm awake and I see the black flames.  I'm scared.  For whatever reason, I start out loud with the Lord's Prayer (I'm not a religious person) and the black flames dissipated and vanished. 

Obama Care

I know, I know..... it's not perfect.  Show me a government program that is perfect.  Here's what I don't get about Obama Care.  When this first came into effect those of us employer groups that actually offer *real* health benefits to employees were asked cough up $64 per participant to cover the wave of the uninsured that were about to enter the exchanges so the insurance industry did not take a massive loss treating all those preexisting, nasty conditions (read:  expensive).

Do the math.  It does not take long to rack up $100,000 to fork over to the insurance industry to help fund Obama Care.  How unfair is THAT?  Once again, it's the employers that offer decent benefits are the ones that get **** over by the employers that don't.

For well over a decade we would hold our breath at insurance renewal time to see how badly we were going to get raked with premium increases for the coming year.  Kaiser?  20%.  Health Net 15%  blue Cross and Blue Shield?  12%.  The double digit increases were based on some convoluted formula they did not want you to figure out.  Where there's confusion, there is money.  Don't ever forget that.

I'm getting off track.  Enter Obama Care.  We get our insurance renewals this year.  WTF?????  They have STABILIZED????  We actually got a DECREASE for Blue Shield, albeit a small fraction of a percentage decrease.  It's like when somebody who has been abused for so long is no longer subject to beatings, they take the absence of beatings as a sign of improvement and caring.

Ohhhhhhhh...now insurance companies have to JUSTIFY their rate increases - at least to formal, group plans.  It's hard for them to continue to justify double-digit increases when their profits are in the kabillion of dollars.  That's good news for us, anyway.  It's great news if you're part of a group plan and not some poor, disenfranchised slob on the exchanges.  They don't have any collective bargaining power nor a healthy group paying premiums to dilute their expensive conditions.  That, my dear friends, is why we're seeing 112% increases for those on Obama Care.   Granted, I'm over simplifying the entire scenario but this fact will always hold true:  Insurance companies don't ever do anything that they think will bleed money from them.  They will take the blood from YOU.  They do nothing out of the 'kindness' of their hearts.  I don't care what their emotional, syrupy tv commercials say otherwise.  

He Needs Her

Tonight we went out to pizza with some old friends.  We have known this couple for almost 30 years. The wife of this couple and and I went through both our pregnancies together and our kids have also been life-long friends.

Now the kids are grown up and forging their way in the world.  Each of our kids has a different personality and life path.  It's so funny how life twists and turns and throws us all curve balls when we least expect them.

I guess I'm learning how vulnerable boys really are.  They are under so much pressure and they don't get the consideration of a sympathetic media unlike girls.  Believe me, I know girls have been treated like garbage throughout history, but let's not leave out boys as they're victims of unfair social expectations as well.

Where I'm going with this is that I think boys nowadays have it pretty tough.  We've stripped them of their manhood and taken away all of their natural tendencies belittling then all the way saying they are bad.  They can't play cops and robbers.  They can't play cowboys and Indians.  They can't play with sticks.  They can't play with plutonium and other explosives (just checking to see if iyou're awake LOL).  Here's my point.  We're trying to casterate them because the 'bored moms on prozac committee' thinks all forms of intellect exists on a nationalized test score and the ability to recite spelling words.  We've abolished the industrial arts in schools because we foolishly believed that all society really needs are more forms for us to fill out to advance the paper pusher management initiative.  We tell boys to sit still in an artificial environment for hours on end listening to some teacher drone on.  Show me a building or a bridge that was built with forms.

No wonder boys are frustrated and depressed.

The son of our friends we were at dinner with (I consider him a son as well) now lives in SF with his girlfriend.  He's not cut out for the corporate world as an insurance agent or stock broker.  God knows we already have enough of them in the world.  Where does that leave him?  He's a card shark.  He does OK as a card shark, but that's not my point.  My point is that boys don't have a lot of viable options for their careers if they don't want to spend their lives in an office cubicle.

Which now gets me to his girlfriend.  SHE's the one with the job and benefits.  He lives with HER.  He needs her more than she needs him.  She would be perfectly ok financially without him -- and he would be on the streets without her.    It's a pattern I'm seeing more and more of.

Wells Fargo - Account Scams

Poor Wells Fargo...not.  They were caught with their pants down opening up unauthorized accounts.  Let me tell you this with 1000% accuracy.  Wells Fargo was NOT the only bank doing this.  Wells Fargo just happened to get CAUGHT and is now taking the rap for the entire banking industry.  I'm just sad that the entire banking industry did not get reprimanded for this.

Don't believe me????  Just talk to ANY bank employee off the record.   They were all pressured to call friends, neighbors, relatives, whomever, and push loans and credit cards saying that they noticed we had a new car in the driveway and construction going on at the house, etc. ....asking nosy personal finance questions that were none of their business.....and pushing obtaining a loan/refinance/credit card from their bank. 

Political Posts, Religion and Emails

Everybody wants to share via social media and email THEIR beliefs.  It's about as effective as going door-to-door proselytizing and just annoys people and anchors them even more in the beliefs you think you are attempting to liberate them from....because...after all.....YOU think YOU are RIGHT so get in the face of strangers!  Wow!  Great strategy.  

"My world viewpoint was totally changed and I was magically enlightened and SAVED from a political rant on Facebook," said Nobody.  Ever.

It's polarized out there, people.  I do have a challenge for you because in the big scheme of things BOTH sides have points that deserve merit.  Find one thing about the opposite political camp that has credibility.  It's there if you choose to open up your prejudiced eyes -- and that goes especially for the liberals. 

Netherlands

I have not written much about my time in Europe this summer other than knowing terrorist shit was going to go down in France on Bastille Day and in Normandy.  I've been too busy moving my daughter to Hawaii, fighting the axis of evil, and fending off psychos who want to blame me for whatever it is that is wrong in their lives.  Exhausting.

On the upside, after my return from France have you all heard about any terrorist attacks?  Nope.  Coincidence?  I'll let you decide.

On a more serious note.....

My great-great-great-(take a deep breath and count back 17 generations) grandfather was William of Orange a.k.a. William the Silent.  Most Americans have no clue who he was.  The five-words-or-less-version is that he was the George Washington of the Dutch.  He led the revolt against the Catholic Spanish as he was a Protestant rebel.  Needless to say, he had a lot of enemies.  Granted, I'm one of probably thousands of nameless descendants of his as he was a whore with many wives and many lovers.  However, I feel he has unfinished business on the earth plane and I am a vessel of his energy.

Before the trip to Europe I was thinking about William of Orange during my dull and boring daily routine and wondering if he had any clue how far his seed traveled.  Think about it.  He had *no* clue that one night of ****** would eventually end up with me (his seed) in a continent across the ocean in a place called California that did not even really exist in their knowledge at the time.  As I was thinking about this I was walking in a parking lot in Petaluma.  I just happened to looked down, and there was a beautiful purple flower (my favorite color) just there.  It was so pretty and so perfect and just lying there in the parking lot.  I had a thought.  I was going to bring this back to William of Orange's grave as a gesture of my existence and also as a gesture of how far his seed traveled and that his spirit still lives on.  I was going full circle. 

So, in my purse the flower goes and off I go to make the trek to the Netherlands.

I was on a mission.  I was going to visit William of Orange's grave and bring him the flower I found in the Petaluma parking lot.  Upon getting to Brussels, which was our first stop after we landed in Europe, things got hectic and I found myself shuttled on a bus and transported off to Bruges.  Then we were shuttled off to some other obscure Belgium/Dutch towns that are now a blur at this point.  All I knew was that I needed to get to Delft, which is the Dutch town where William of Orange is buried.  We seemed to be everywhere but.

...and then....  On a God-awful early morning bus ride from some town in Belgium en route to Amsterdam, the driver came on the public address system half way through the ride and made an announcement that we were going to have a stop over in Delft.  WTF?????  REALLY??????  ARE YOU KIDDING ME????  DON'T TEASE ME LIKE THIS!!!

It was no joke.  We made the stop.  We only had like 45 minutes to check things out.  As fate would have it there happened to be a local historian on the bus with us.  He was a Dutch man and was curious as to my interest in Delft and William of Orange as most Americans were totally clueless.   The bus was coming to the stop in Delft.  When I gave him the five-words-or-less story of my family, how they came to New Amsterdam after the murder of William of Orange, and my flower-mission he practically grabbed my by the hand and said we did not have a minute to loose.  He knew of the exact place where William of Orange was assassinated complete with the bullet holes still in the wall and was determined that I visit it.  However, we needed to practically run though the town square and around some other places to get to it.

run, run, run, run...whew. We make it there.  However, now it's a museum and there is an entrance fee.  Huh????  WHAT???  DENIED!!!!  We all left our wallets and purses on the bus.  BUMMER.  We thought that was it and would have to go back to the bus.  But for whatever reason, the guy at the ticket door must have seen the looks on our faces and let us in anyway.

This place was like a maze.  Staircases.  Hallways.  Rooms.  My Dutch guide was frustrated as well as he wanted to show me the bullet holes at the assassination site and even he was at a loss as where to find the spot and was remiss at remembering how to navigate the maze to get there.

...and then....as fate would have it.... he found it.  We did not have much time.  I quickly snapped some pictures of the assassination site and other objects of interest.  We also made it to the church where he is buried and I was able to pay my respects and left the purple flower that I brought from Petaluma.  It was time to head back to the bus and we were already pushing it time wise.  Again, he practically grabbed my hand and we all ran back to the bus.

Whew.  We made it.  Onto Amsterdam.

It was only a day or so later when I was scrolling though my iPhone the photos of that day when I noticed the date of the assassination of William of Orange on a plaque where the bullet holes still remain.  July 10.  The day the Dutch historian from the bus grabbed me by the hand and took me there?  July 10.  I happened to unknowingly be there on the anniversary of the death of William of Orange standing in the EXACT same spot with my hand on the bullet holes and staircase where he fell on the EXACT day of his death.  What are the odds of that?  365 to 1.

I can't make this stuff up, people.

Above:  My dad looks like him.  You would think that the genetics would be so watered down that any resemblance would be gone.  Not quite. 

Above:  The bullet holes in the wall at the assassination site are still there.  He was the first head of state to be killed by a fire arm (or so said my Dutch local historian friend)

Where William of Orange is entombed at the Nieuwe Kerk (new church) in Delft where I tossed my purple flower I brought from Petaluma over the velvet ropes to him. 

Men All Pause - Menopause

I love this song.  It reminds me of clubbing with SSP back in the day when we would go out at night to the dance clubs -- prior marriage and kids.  Ahhhhhhhh... the good old days.

I so remember hitting the dance floor when this song came on back in the 80's.  We loved it.  We were the HOT SHIT, baby (or so we thought).  Yes, the men all paused when we entered the room.  Now the menopause.

Final Presidential Debate

It's like a car accident on the freeway.  You just can't look away, and you can't "unsee" what you just witnessed. 

I'm certain our founding fathers are rolling over in their graves to see what a childish circus the country they built has come to.  Shame on the candidates.  One interrupts the other inserting the word "wrong" without hearing the entire sentence and back-talks the moderator.  Did basic, civilized debate skills surpass this candidate?  I guess not.  I'm suspect to the constant sniffing during the debate as well.  What's he snorting? 

The other candidate is not without fault.  The shenanigans played with the Clinton Foundation deserves scrutiny along with other good-ole-boy antics that have contributed to the Capitol Hill corruption people are SICK of.  Why does she keep looking down during the debates?  What's she reading?  I can just see some staffer typing away behind the curtain telling her how to respond to the questions.  Femmebot.  Bought and sold all the way. 

The only thing I know for certain is that Russia is behind the email hacks.  Seventeen intel sources have come forth to confirm that.  There are many more behind the scenes that have not come forth (yet).  I can say this with the utmost certainty and that the Kremlin is up to no good.  Again, WHERE IS SNOWDEN????? OHHHHHH RUSSIA.  Coincidence?  I think not. 

Think about THAT when casting your vote whether you love or hate either candidate. 

The Accountant

Ohhhhhh aaaaaaaaaahhh..  have you seen the movie trailers about the uber exciting action film titled "The Accountant"? 

WTF???? 

I  hate to break it to you all, but the image you have in your head of geeky, glasses-wearing, pencil neck, wimpy, boring dorks is a stereotype that is finally being addressed.  

I don't know anything about the movie, but I can guess the plot.  The accountant knows the money trail and how it's being embezzled and/or laundered.  The jig is up and now they're after him because he knows too much about the internal operations and could blow the whistle. 

Welcome to my world. 

The most dangerous occupation rating right up there with military duty in a war zone is being a forensic accountant.  You would not believe the money games I have seen being played.  I lost my administrative duties to one entity because I knew too much.  I witnessed first hand public servants ripping off the system but yet they deem themselves holier-than-thou on camera.  I've witnessed dead beat dads getting their wages and taxes garnished from their paychecks who pose as Father of the Year (to their newest wife's kids, that is).  That's why I'm so cynical.  You *really* don't know somebody until you know how they deal with their finances.  Somehow, asking for a FICO score while dating is not acceptable.  It's like asking for a clean STD report.  It's important as all hell, but nobody wants to go there.  Most people marry somebody who is financially clueless to their partner's real self which is ALWAYS discovered in how they handle money.  By then it's too late. 

My Roots Are Showing

Yeah, they are..  my roots are showing.....and I mean more than my changing hair color as I approach the half-century mark.  I'm talkin' about my *other* roots as in my white trash, country up-bringing.  You will never meet a more genuine group of people who calls 'em likes they sees 'em.

My song for the day. 

Affordable Housing - Homeless

Everybody is talking about 'affordable housing.'  What that means, exactly, I don't know.  Politicians are clamoring all over themselves boasting they have the answers.  They don't.  Nobody can escape the economic law of supply and demand.  Sonoma County is a desirable place to live; it's expensive.  Unless you're willing to sell your home to the lowest offer below market value, you are part of the problem as well.  Nobody sells for less, even uber democrats who demand socialist programs for all -- until they're called upon to cough up their monetary share.  Nobody wants more housing in their neighborhood, either -- especially the most recent transplants to Sonoma.  Believe me.  The irony is not lost on me. 

Relax, everybody, as I see another tech and housing bubble happening.  Silicon Valley, once believed to be the mecca of anything that contained the word 'tech', is loosing its appeal.  They don't have any affordable housing, either.  Plus, their workforce is now entering an age where they want living conditions that don't mimic a college dorm/campus.  Adding to the situation is that location is no longer relevant.  Telecommuting and other advances of the internet deem the office cubicle or workstation obsolete.  Where are they going?  They are growing up and want to move out of the mommy and daddy House Google.

Which gets me back to Sonoma County.  Yes, our prices are now at pre-recession highs.  However, the median wages for most Sonoma County residents have not warranted such a price leap.  Banks are back to their old tricks again in lending, and people making $25 an hour believe they can afford a $550,000 home.  Not everybody works for Google....yet.

Which gets me to the homeless.  It was pointed out to me from my son that San Francisco and San Diego have very similar problems in combating the ever-increasing tide of homelessness.  San Francisco has the liberal approach, and San Diego has the conservative approach.  Guess what.  Neither approach works and homelessness is rampant.  It's the underlying issue of the law of supply and demand.  Nobody wants to look that hard, ugly fact in the face, especially politicians who pretend they can solve the problem. 

Washington DC - Running Scared

Let me be perfectly clear.  I do not like he-who-shall-not-be-named as a presidential candidate.  Being the media created only one male candidate to bolster their ratings with his circus-like antics, we all know who he is.  Yes, he is a lying, misogynistic, racist, megalomaniac with serious delusional mental issues that are coupled with his extreme form of narcissism. 

Let me be perfectly clear.  I do not like the queen of corruption, either.  The Clinton Foundation is rotten with dealings with the state department and other entities that benefit their own cronies.  She stomped out Bernie Sanders.  Her behavior is just as criminal (if not worse) but lacks the sexy, headline-grabbing scandals her opponent is accused of. 

What's happening now is that Capitol Hill is running scared.  Both democrats and republicans are fearful that if he-who-shall-not-be-named wins the election the party is over.  Their way of life as they know it will cease to exist.  Congress may have to actually think twice before they **** us over as they cater to the super PACS and voting themselves pay raises and obnoxious perks.  Congress has an extremely low approval rating.  Congress is out of touch.  Congress does not give a flying #^%@ about anybody except themselves and obtaining more power and money. 

That is why he-who-shall-not-be-named still has many Americans attention.  It's just too bad that Congress would not listen to the people and that's how we got to this point.  We tried.  We wrote letters.  We signed petitions.  Congress ignored us and only cared if we donated big bucks.  We got frustrated.  

Sorry, but I don't feel sorry for the politicians.  They did it to themselves.  Unfortunately, it took somebody like he-who-shall-not-be-named to get Congress to pay attention. 

Now the media is trying to put the genie back into the bottle with this monster they created.  Good luck with that. 

I will leave you with a parting thought.  We all want to blame the government and "them" for what's wrong with our country and the world.  I have some news for you.  We are all part of the problem.  Think about that every time you think the rules don't apply to you (running a red light, making up excuses for yourself and/or kids, trying to sneak into an event without paying, helping yourself to something that is not yours, screwing over a business associate to get that promotion, and generally trying to get something for nothing). 

Five and Dime Attorneys

Oh GAWWWWWD.  How am I to even go on about today?  I work in employer/employee relations and I'm in a niche that most shit-house attorneys have no clue.

I've been at this game going on 30 years.  Every favor I've done trying to 'help' an employee out comes back and bites me in the ass.  No good deed goes unpunished.

I won't bore you with the background of the individual who has been fired from countless employers, returned for training (which he failed) and subsequently sent to an employer on a lesser tier and wage/benefit scale knowing his purported professional skill set was lacking - also including his anger management issues.  We've tried to help him and keep him employed.  He is his own worst enemy.

Lo and behold he was terminated from employment for cause (yawn, AGAIN and I might add he is the all-time record holder of terminations in our industry for cause).  He has even been caught on surveillance video doing his nasty deed of compromising safety and stealing.  When confronted???  Nope.  Not him.  It's his evil twin brother.

Where I'm going with this is that I'm an extremely busy person.  I'm readying myself for a work trip to Boston and I don't have time for people with a rap sheet that exceeds over a decade of him being a confrontational, lying idiot who keeps getting himself fired.  That last thing I needed today was to make time for a hearing to deal with this asswipe.

I'll admit.  I was already in a mood when I arrived for the hearing.  However, I was keeping myself in check.

When I arrived there were three people in the hallway.  One was the man who we needed to appear before us.  Our role, as is well described in our employer/employee agreement, was to have all sides tell their story and have a jointly approved, qualified, neutral third party render the final outcome.  It's kind of an arbitration hearing, if you will.

The hearing panel is in place and we are set deal with this.  Everything is according to protocol.  When we call in the fired guy, let's just call him Mr. Fire because he not only CAUSES fires on the job site, he also gets fired repeatedly, there are two women who want to follow him into this private hearing with one woman flashing a card touting herself as an attorney and the other one as the wife of Mr. Fire.

Oh no.  Homey don't play that game.  This is a labor-management meeting in accordance to the collective bargaining agreement in which Mr. Fire is rightfully being represented by his union representative, myself as management, and the neutral member of the appeals committee (a.k.a. arbitrator).  There are no attorneys.  No wives.  No audience.  No attorneys. 

Now I'm the senior member of this committee.  The union representative is new.  Mr. Fire is trying to bully his own newly positioned union rep who is there trying to help him if anything.  Mr. Fire is not giving the union rep anything to defend and keeps on incriminating himself.  I've known Mr. Fire's track record since 1999.  Bring it on.  The union rep was flustered that Mr. Fire wanted to bring in his wife and a so-called attorney into the hearing.  This was the union rep's first hearing of this sort.  I was more than glad to help the union rep out as even THEY think Mr. Fire is a total f*** up and think he's poison.

It's so obvious that Mr. Fire is trying to snag his union in a 'failure to represent' that I can smell it from across the ocean.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  His union (myself included) have bent over backwards offering Mr. Fire more training and whatever else he needs to qualify himself.  Mr. Fire is just another asshole trying to play lawsuit lottery with everybody.  He's one of thousands.  If you're going to bring this lawshit lottery game to me, you better do your homework. 

I stood in front of the doorway with my arm across the entrance and invited Mr. Fire in.  Both women in the hallway immediately got in my face demanding entrance.  The wife started in with me trying to engage in a debate to which I quickly retorted that I was not speaking to her - only to Mr. Fire.  It was a watered down way of saying STFU, betch, before I slap you.

Then the other woman stepped toward me and asked me 'what authroity do you have over this meeting, and why am I denying him legal representation.'

Excuse me??????  What authority do I have?????  A lot.  Mr. Fire does have legal representation through his union, to which his representative is present.  This newly-minted attorney has no clue to collective bargaining and the disciplinary process.  However, I was not going to engage in a meaningless argument in the hallway with either of them.  I simply held my arm across the doorway and said that if Mr. Fire, and Mr. Fire ONLY, wants to come in for his hearing we are all present and ready.  If not, then this meeting will not happen and we will consider it a 'no show' on his part and proceed without him. 

Mr. Fire came in by himself.  Moral of the story?  do NOT mess with me unless you know for certain you have your facts straight and know what you're dealing with and..... don't try to intimidate me.  Saying you're an attorney and getting in my face gets you nowhere.  I generally loathe attorneys, anyway.

What a waste of an afternoon.  NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bobbie Black and Bill Kirchen

I had the honor to be invited to a private party this past weekend out in Occidental where I got to hear music legends Bobbie Black and Bill Kirchen (founding member of Commander Cody & The Lost Planet Airmen) were playing.  If you don't know who these extremely talented, world-class musicians are, you better buy a clue - quickly.  We're talking about people with real talent that have withstood the test of time and don't rely on computer generated auto-tune and other artificially manufactured sorry-sound excuses being passed off as music.  We're talkin' the REAL DEAL. 

Wow.  What a musical treat that was and it was RIGHT there in front of my face.  Yes, I could reach out and touch it. 

It was the 40th wedding anniversary of a lady I work with who has become a friend over the years.  What was *really* cool was that they held the party at a ranch in a redwood grove that has been in the family since the 1880's.  What added even more coolness was that Bill Kirchen played at their wedding reception exactly 40 years ago to the DAY. 

Talk about coming full circle, and that was what their anniversary party was about.   They had pictures and mementos covering what they describe as their 'first' 40 years together.  They had a banner that read, "Where did the f***** time go?" 

It's obvious that their family and extended family is steeply rooted in tradition, commitment, and their community - no matter what.  I know personally that their 40 years of marriage is not one of every day being sheer bliss and paradise.  They've had their struggles and tests that many couples would not have withstood.  What impressed me was neither one of them did the 'cut and run' when the going got tough.  They don't believe in disposable spouses.  They honor and value family.  They took their commitment to each other seriously and actually meant it when they said "I do" as the cake they served at their anniversary party had a decoration on it that said "they STILL do".  They are in this together.  Forever. 

Sonoma County Ghosts

I've never commercially promoted anything on my blog and I'm in no way telling anybody to go out any "buy" anything.  This card happened to be on the table for people to take after the premier of this movie that was shown tonight at the Sebastiani Theatre in Sonoma.  I thought it was cool and on the back it lists all the places the film crew went in making the film. 

I was shocked my office building was not included in the filming.  However, other areas around town were featured in the film.  It was so much fun to go to dinner and a movie with a girlfriend who shares my fascination with the unseen and soaks up any opportunity to expand what we know around the area in regards to lingering spirits.  It was also a ton of fun to recognize just about every location spot they featured.  The film in included the Sebastiani Theatre itself - where the movie was showing. 

Another personal touch was that the movie producer, Tom Wyrsch, was there and answered questions from the audience.  Very cool.  The film has touches of humor when least expected; and a macabre incident with a doll.   Even if you do not believe in ghosts the history lesson embedded in this film is worth viewing. 

Well done, Mr. Wyrsch.  We would LOVE a Haunted Sonoma County Part II.  

Napoleon and Correspondence - A Strategy Worth Implementing

Napoleon did not read his mail.  I'm getting to the same point.  Correspondence is just getting ridiculous and each day I am attacked by mountains of emails, paper, surveys, advertisements, text messages, facebook messages, go-fund-me begathons, telephone solicitors, political polsters, blah, blah, blah, blah.

However, Napolean's tactics in dealing with overwhelming demands for attention are classic.  Granted, he did not have all the modern annoyances pulling at him.  Still, this is timeless.  I wish I could take credit for this, but I did not write this.  I'm just going to live by it:

His (Napoleon's) instructions to his secretary at the Tuileries are worth remembering. “During the night, enter my chamber as seldom as possible. Do not awake me when you have any good news to communicate; with that there is no hurry. But when you bring bad news, rouse me instantly, for then there is not a moment to be lost.”

It was a whimsical economy of the same kind which dictated his practice, when general in Italy, in regard to his burdensome correspondence. He directed Bourrienne to leave all letters unopened for three weeks, and then observed with satisfaction how large a part of the correspondence had thus disposed of itself and no longer required an answer.

Beautiful.  There are only so many times you can hit the delete button in attempts to stave off burdensome email before it consumes half your day and gives you carpel tunnel syndrome.  And again, if something is so important deliver the news or request for my presence in person.  I can hear the collective wailing of people who distribute information electronically and issue invitations electronically.  Again, if it's so important make personal contact. You don't have time to make personal contact???  Thought so.  My point exactly.  

Newbie

I've been at my job for almost 30 years.  I've seen everything in regards to the business world and people.  You don't know somebody until you either live with them or get in the middle between them and their insatiable quest for money.

People get funny when it comes to money.

I've spent the last 30 years of dealing with people and their money.  Humanity does not impress me.  Seemingly charming people turn completely psycho when an inheritance, business venture, divorce, or all the above come into play. 

Anyway, I have no ideals that have been left unscathed, and admiration-filled visions of people I once believed were good popped like a balloon. 

Now I'm dealing with a newbie at work who thinks he can change the world.  He's full of hyper-active hope that borders on annoyance.  Again, everybody wants to change the world and offer free stuff until they're asked to contribute financially. 

We have coined the nickname "Shiney" for him.  He's like a hyper dog that is always chasing after the car.  He's always wanting NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW and has little regard for experience or time-tested practices.  He wants everything NOW.  Total instant gratification syndrome.  He doesn't see anything long-term or think things through.  He's like the little kid who can't understand why he can't have cookies before dinner and protests bath and bedtime.  After all, his friends want cookies, too.  They also want to stay up and watch Monday Night Wrestling.  So, majority rules, right????  What do old geezers know?  REBEL.

We all know the reasons we don't give cookies before meals and have bath and bedtime.  It's for their own good - although they just don't immediately see it.  They think we're being mean and throw a tantrum and say they hate us. 

Anyway...that's the mentality I'm dealing with in regards to Shiney.  He's on his third marriage which solidifies my belief that NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW is his mantra on all levels and has no commitment to see anything through long-term start to finish.  He's also had to borrow money from his dad so his house was not foreclosed on and the bill collectors have him on speed dial....now he's been entrusted with $160 million pension fund and a $17 million health trust?  I'm going to brag here for one second.  I have a perfect 850 FICO credit score.  No shit. 

Shiney and I are exactly 2 months apart in age.  I'm like a cynical hard-ass, and he's like a hyper active two year old challenging his parents on all levels.  He's got the 'terrible twos' at age 49 and I've got Maxine syndrome.