Monday, September 6, 2010
TPS Reports
When I was offered my first teaching position I had to leave behind a company, job, and most importantly an awesome boss in a technology company. This was no ordinary VP. He was very hands off with management. As long as he knew you were doing your job, well, he gave you your space to do the work. I loved this boss. On the day I had to tell him I was offered a position teaching (a degree that was underutilized for 2 years) he was of course upset yet very happy for me as well.
During the course of our half hour meeting we chatted about work and making sure all bases were covered. He was a very big fan of "Office Space". We would often quote lines from the movie. The topic rested on "Office Space" and TPS reports. I jokingly told him he should send out a memo about TPS reports. He then showed me a pdf of a TPS report on his pc. He modified it to reflect the company name then wrote a very business-like e-mail to the entire department stating that effective the following week TPS reports would be mandatory for all work submitted.
I haven't laughed so hard with a boss. I sure miss that job, boss and company.
Your turn: Describe your most humorous experience with a boss.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Did they fight, or like fight fight?
I took my son's aunt to a university class with me years ago. She was all of 15 and excited to sit in a university classroom and listen to a lecture. The class was an east Asian history course. As the professor did an excellent job of explaining the clashes of the Mongols and Chinese this young lady in my class raised her hand and asked, "Did they fight or like fight fight?" The professor, slightly taken off guard by the question had to pause for a moment before answering, "They fought" and continued the lecture.
I have been writing about language and lack of usage. This was an example I would use in my own classroom. My son's aunt was a little shocked at the level of questioning. I was embarrassed that she had to see that. I only hope for the girl in the class, her language improved. This reminded me so much of the Bill Hicks monologue about his adventures in a Waffle House. Where the waitress asked him "What are you reading for?" Now what are you reading, but what are you reading for? Bill's response, "So I don't end up as a waitress in a Waffle House."
Your turn, what have you heard someone say that makes you go, "Did I just hear that?"
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Quote of the day: 9/04/2010
"Everybody wants to be a cat. Because a cats the only Cat who knows where it's at."-The Aristcats
Ya wanna sack fur it?
"Ya wanna sack fur it?"-Being from Chicago I had no idea what this Bagger was talking about. A sack is:
"a large bag of strong, coarsely woven material, as for grain, potatoes, or coal". (per dictionary.com)
Where as a bag is:
"a container or receptacle of leather, plastic, cloth, paper, etc., capable of being closed at the mouth; pouch." (Also courtesy of dictionary.com)
I had to ask repeatedly what the person bagging my purchase said because I honestly had no clue. This is an Oklahoma expression I believe. What ran through my head as I left was, Are they called sackers? Is that an official job title? If so, wouldn't they be confused with people who fire other people?
What is a unique term you have heard in travels?
Friday, September 3, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
What words set your teeth to chattering? Where has our language gone?
I know that language is always evolving. New words are created. Old words seem to fade away. Maybe it is because I am getting older but sometimes hearing the misuse of a word can really irritate me. The one phrase that use to drive me crazy when I taught was "You is a lame". I would make my teeth chatter. I found myself correcting the word use of a slang term. "It's, you ARE lame." I wonder if it looked as silly to someone watching as it did while played out in my head.
Your turn. What words set your teeth to chattering?
Your turn. What words set your teeth to chattering?
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
"That which does not kill us makes us stronger". It is not a good idea to say that when......
Happy September All!
"That which does not kill us makes us stronger"-I know most of us have heard this expression at one time or another. It is often said to someone who is either going through something traumatic or has just ended something traumatic. Though the expression can be true most of the time there are times when you should never say this. It will only leave the person it is said to irritated, angry, or confused.
When not to say it
Example: When your fiance of 3 years is breaking up with you. Following it up with the quote from a few posts earlier "It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all." Talk about sending someone over the edge.
Your turn:
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
It's for your own good
Why is it that whenever someone says, "It's for your own good", the situation is pretty awful for you? I heard that phrase so many times it could make my head spin. I guess some of the times it can be true but for the most part the only thing it does for me is make me never want to do that task again.
Perfect example: My mother use to give me Cod Liver Oil, EVERYDAY. Not in a pill form but a spoon full of the horrible stuff. She then learned about the wonders of garlic and decided I needed that too. By then they began making the liquid gel pills. Every morning I would have to take a cod liver oil and a garlic liquid gel pill. All day long I burped but garlicky fish. My mother always said, "It's for your own good". The only thing that experience taught me was to hate fish. I can't touch the stuff. The smell and taste is horrible to me.
Now it's your turn. When was this ever said to you and the outcome was less than good for you?
Monday, August 30, 2010
5 things I have to have
I use to think it was crazy to prepare for the end of the world. There have always been some sort of doomsday group or another that tried to scare people into repenting for sins and what not. As I get older and see the types of shows on Discovery and NatGeo about survival in cities and in the wilderness, it makes me wonder if there is something we should be a little concerned about. If we no longer had our technology and comfort, how would we survive as a population?
My question today is: What are the 5 things you would HAVE to have if technology and civilization broke down? (Remember these things would need to be portable in case you needed to move around)
5 things I have to have:
1-A really good pair of shoes
2-Charcoal/sand for water filtration
3-Case of matches or lighters
4-Big sturdy backpack
5-Good set of knives/tools
Your turn:
Quote of the day: 8/30/2010
"Things we do naturally often become lost when over intellectualize them."-Frank Herbert
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
It is alright to use this quote when....
"It is better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all."-Is this ever something that should be said to someone who has lost a love? Or even to yourself? What a load of crap.
Has anyone ever said this to you? Worse yet, has the person ripping your heart out and stomping it on the floor ever said this to you? It almost makes you want to slap that person.
If you had never loved at all then you would not know of the pain of loss. Is there ever a time when this is appropriate to say? If so, tell us.
Quote of the day: 8/28/2010
"We are always what our situations hand us. It's either sadness or euphoria."-Billy Joel
Friday, August 27, 2010
If I hadn't......
"This is the first day of the rest of your life." Are you kidding me? What have the past years been, practice?
It seems silly to tell someone that their lives meant nothing up to this point. Good or bad. It is those good and bad things that make you who you are.
If I hadn't dropped out of high school I would not have realized how important education is and gone back for that degree.
Okay, your turn:
If I hadn't.......
It seems silly to tell someone that their lives meant nothing up to this point. Good or bad. It is those good and bad things that make you who you are.
If I hadn't dropped out of high school I would not have realized how important education is and gone back for that degree.
Okay, your turn:
If I hadn't.......
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