Efficient

My talent for this world is taking inefficiently run small businesses and streamlining them for accuracy and precision -- on the financial side.  I am a guru at organizing office operations. 

Five and 1/2 years ago one of the organizations I work with needed to fire the entire office staff for fraud and embezzlement.  They needed help, so I stepped (voluntarily) in and made rhyme and reason of it all and now it's running like a Swiss clock. 

It was a lot of work getting it to that point.  Just because I was not up in front of cameras shaking hands and putting my nose up some body's butt, my hard work went unnoticed.  It was taken for granted. 

Not that I mind being invisible, don't get me wrong, but what tipped me past the point of no return was when I asked the for a modest fee I was turned down.  I had already approached the chairman prior to a meeting telling him what I was going to ask for - he even confirmed it in an email.  However, when got in front of the board of trustees he did a 180 on me.  He did not stop there.  He went on to insult me that doing my work "was no big deal and that he could do it."

hmmmmmmmmm  I was seething for days.  I made the announcement that I was resigning from doing the books effective immediately.  Mr. Arrogant, surprised that I called him on his bluff, sent out a flowery email praising my hard work and dedication in a time of crisis for the organization and that he would take over the accounting (after he hired somebody, of course) hopefully soon.

Well, soon is here.  I'm passing him all the accounting stuff tonight smiling ear-to-ear as I give him the files on a flash drive. 

I don't know how a volunteer quits, but I just did.  There are better things ahead for me that are actually offering compensation for my work.  What a concept. 

The Dream

It happened again last night and early this morning.  I had a psychic dream and a telepathic hit.  This time I don't want to follow up on my gut as I don't want to know that my intuition was correct (again).  Some things are better to let go of.

Collection of Data

Now all of the tech giants are storming the Oval Office trying to shame the administration of using data for national security.

"How DARE the government use collected data for the purpose of national security," the bemoan.

Here's the question of the day.  From what I get it's OK for private enterprise to collect and snoop with no limits, regard, or restrictions whatsoever, but if the government uses the data they are automatically evil.

Question to tech giants:  If you did not collect data in the first place, then the government would not be wanting access to it.  Simple fix.  Don't store it and/or sell it.  Ohhhhhhhhhhh, but how would they get paid for pop-up ads aimed directly at your demographic?  The tech giants even sell your preferences for anticipated voting actions. 

Sorry, but Facebook, Yahoo, Google, AT&T et al, are the real culprits on personal privacy invasions.  Nobody is asking questions as to their internal controls on personal privacy (which is a free-for-all).  The tech giants are waaaaaaaay too quick to put the spot light on the government to paint them as evil.  There is a solution.  Just put in the lengthy-verbose-legalese-disclosure upon downloading the latest Angry Birds app that draw us in for use of such apps may be disclosed for government analysis.  Done.

As for Feinstein being surveillanced.... what's good for the goose is good for the gander.  Suck it up, sister.  You're a steward of the public and if we're paying you, we own you.  Don't like it?  Give up your job and all income that has been generated by the taxpayers.  

Bodega Bay

My birthday is in February.  My friends wanted to do something for me.  With our busy schedules and such we finally put it on the calendar to spend time out at Bodega Bay. 

Can't we plan ANYTHING without one of our kids wrecking it?  I guess not.  Just as we were settling in for a night of laughter, wine and gossip my friend's cell phone rings.  Long story short, her teenage boy did something stupid and next thing you knew all of us were piled in her car scouring known areas where she thought he would be. 

The cops found him first.  We found him second.  Of course the teenage boy was drunk out of his mind.  Smoking hash and doing 'whippets' only added to the daze.  Of course there were other kids in the car.  The whole scene was like a reality tv show.

Yes, they were teens using poor judgement.  I can't sit here and say that I never pulled a similar stunt.  I could not help but think of the recent fatal accident on Hwy 12 and Farmers Lane.  

Scammers Exposed

Don't underestimate me.  No, I retract that.  Please do.  I find great joy in blowing minds with "How in the HELL did you know THAT?"

...then it's the uncomfortable squirmy lies and denial trying to slither out of being caught....

I love it when people treat me like I'm stupid.  Little to they know I'll figure them out.  They generally are not as smart as they think they are. 

Latest episode:  I'm going on a work trip later on this year.  I'm in charge of the money so it's my job to reimburse expenses incurred.   The key word here is "incurred."

I got a request for reimbursement yesterday for airfare.  Hmmmmm.. where's the receipt?  All I got was the airline confirmation code and an internal company bank account register showing payment rendered for the ticket.  The fare amount looked legitimate, but my internal red siren went off telling me something was amiss.  A little digging on the airline website and I discovered that the air reservation was made with frequent flyer miles, and the checking account register submitted to me was falsified to make it appear as though money was actually spent. 

Come on, people.  Do you *really* think I'm that dumb?  Trying to get reimbursed for money you did not actually spend?  Deep sigh.  Don't lie to me and don't f*** me over. 

Dance Heals the Soul

I've been in an emotional funk this week.  There are several things going on that I do not have control over.  I will not digress into details, but it's hard knowing something is going on that you don't like and there is absolutely nothing you can do but go one day at a time. 

Soooooo.... with that I went to dance class.  I had not been in some time.  When I walked through the door there was my African dance partner dressed in EXACTLY the same garb as myself.  What?  We did not even call each other.  We even wore our hair the same.  There is no confusing us for sisters as she is black as night and I'm as white as dirty snow.  She must have been picking up my vibes. 

I took my place next to her and we got our groove going.  We feed off of each others energy.  Pretty soon there were people looking in through the door and window.  Damn.  Not bad for a couple of middle age moms to draw a crowd. 

Little Whipper Snappers

I guess I've reached "that age" where the arrogance and ignorance of the younger generation irritates the shit out of me. They think they know.  Yeahhhhhhhhh about that.  I guess it's the timeless dance of the progression of generations.  We all thought we knew it all, too.  Deep sigh.  I think the tech giants have a silent ceiling for hiring based on age.  We've been put out to pasture. 

Well, if there is anything the young little whipper snappers understand all to well it is greed.  Little self-centered bastards all.  Anyway, before you diss us old farts into the sunset waiting for us to die so you can get your grubby little hands on our estate think of this.....

You have a tremendous financial opportunity.  The fastest growing number of tech users is the 50+ age crowd.   We have money.  Got your attention?  Thought so.