TLAs enough already or useful?

At work, everyone uses acronyms, TLAs (three letter acronyms). Recently a team was created that for exactly 4 hours we called the ancillary team. Believe it or not someone shortened it to A-team. At other companies, I would object to this use of TLAs, but somehow they are positive and useful here.

A recent hire, knew that CP1 meant something significant, and just waited long enough to figure it out. Even now, 2.5 years into Intuit, I sometimes lean over in a meeting and ask what one means.

It is a "secret" language in a way. There is even a database which has all of the TLAs in it for new hires and they are encouraged to add ones that they discover are missing.

It is such a part of our culture and you can resist for a bit, but eventually you find yourself talking in shortcuts and saying things like "secret sauce" and "true north"

These are all good because we actually are aligned and speaking the same language.

Nevertheless, I was really surprised the the A-team only took nano seconds to be a part of our lingo

My dentist is the Best

Fawn Rosenberg in Lexington is the most fabulous dentist. We have been going to her for probably 20 years now. Every time a major procedure is done, she calls that night to make sure you OK. She has never forgotten in 20 years. When you refer people, she sends you movie tickets, as she did recently for me.

In this day and age this is what sets apart good customer service.

I am sure this takes time, and a bit of time out of her family time but this touch is why I refer people and why I would never go any where else.

Today, I was reminded because she called about Murg's procedure earlier today.

The office is also very welcoming and warm. She apologizes for hurting you and keeps asking if you are doing OK. Need more Novocain? She is just an amazing dentist. Go there and tell her I sent you. We can split the tickets.

Happy Day

Memorial Day 2009

Growing up, I did not really associate Memorial Day with my grandfather, but in the last few years, in a more contemplative mood, I spend a lot of the day thinking about him. He died in WWII, in a plane crash in Alaska, where he served in the Navy Reserve. I never knew him but have heard lots of stories from Mom about him.

Today, I regret that I never knew Grampa Joe. I am so appreciative that he served our country and I feel badly for my Mom that she lost her father at such a young age. It was the last patriotic war, in my mind anyway.

My cousins who serve in Iraq now; I appreciate them and their wounds that will last forever. I appreciate R, J's brother who served in Iraq twice.

I think about the Vietnam Veteran's Wall in DC, one of the most moving monuments.

I have been very contemplative today, about all of this. I am glad we take a day, every year to remember those who served, and to appreciate those currently serving. I used to think that the VFW at the end of our street, would lose membership, but with the Iraq war producing many new veterans every day, I guess not.

Are you Kidding?

By the title you can guess this is a RANT. Yesterday at staff we had a discussion about a message that managers are going to have to give their employees. Working with engineers is an interesting job. They can get you wrapped around the axel so quickly with their numbers, and they can over-think and over-orchestrate a simple mathematical task. That however, is not why I started to write this post however.

As I think about responding to them, I start to have this internal conversation, and actually it does not all stay internal, surprise surprise (ENFP). So I am walking down the hall and out pops "Are you kidding?" I try to do this when no one is around. What I have found is that if I have these internal conversations or rants, then I can back track from there and be more reasonable. I have gotten out some of the emotions as well this way.

Someone asked me yesterday if I would like to be the one to communicate the message. Yes, if I get your manager pay for it was my reply. This after all is what they get paid to do. So if you hear me say "Are you kidding?" ignore it, just the overflow of an internal conversation really meant for only me.

Southwest is the Best

I flew Southwest recently and had an amazing experience. l love they way they load, I love that they don't charge for bags, I love the safety messages are personalizes. I love the humor. I love the color of their airplanes. I love everything about this airline and would always fly them over others. In this day and age, they set themselves apart from other airlines.

Dogs know what is going on

It is a mute point now, but when I was watching the Celtics and Bruins finals, of course I got excited. Poor Qammi thought I was angry with her. They don't understand words, so only go on the tone. I tried ranting to "Make that shot" or "What are you thinking?" in softer tones. That lasted for 10 seconds, after all this is a rant.

I was reading Jane Fonda's blog just now and she was talking about her dog knowing that something was up since she was packing stuff up to finish her Broadway show. I though a lot about the dogs in my life who give you that look like "Are you OK?" "What is up with you?" As recent as this morning on my walk Qammi gave me that look. I know the bikers must have thought I was crazy as I said "What, why are you looking at me like that?"

I think she wanted to turn around since she had done her business, and the next step was her kibble for breakfast. I have been increasing the length of my walks, and she pretends to be wounded on the away part of the walk, and hustles her buns on the return part of the walk. She is a great barometer for how I am feeling.

Who knows what she was thinking this morning? All I know is that dogs know what is going on and they love you unconditionally.

Ping Pong or Tennis Ball

Today, I feel like either of these. First I thought it was ping pong but as I thought about it I feel more like a tennis ball today. Some tasks I have to accomplish are slams, and some are very high lobs into the air.

This day is typical of a lot of my days but the image I had in the middle today was of a ping pong ball, with very little control over where I am going next.

In the middle of one meeting, I take a peek forward as to what my next meeting is, and try to mentally get ready for this next one.

I don't really mind these kinds of days, because my destination at the end of the day comes sooner when it is chock a block full.

Slam or lob next ?

Time Management and Folders a la Sally

I am on a kick to try to keep my inbox to one screen, so I don't have to page down. Because of this, I have created lots more folders. One of my folders is called READING, which is something I don't have time to do right now, but when I have discretionary time, I will read it. I laughed at myself just now, because I am NEVER going to get around to reading that article, but I don't want it to go away forever, on the off chance that I do get around to reading it. Believe it or not, this loose organization actually works for me.

Yesterday, I went to a file of URLs that I want to revisit, and actually looked through a couple. I found out that for the most part they are not relevant any more. This all leads me to believe that it is about letting things go. Why cannot I not just delete that article, or forget that URL? This is my safety net to know that I might be able to track it down through my URL file, or my READING folder.

I guess I could just have faith that if I really need to read it, the universe will send it my way again.

Update on Totten Pond Road / Winter Street Construction

Yesterday, I attended the annual meeting of the 128 Business Council. Intuit belongs, so we get an invite. This group provides a shuttle to Alewife to our office park, and will soon provide one from Waltham Center (Commuter Rail) to our office park.

The person who heads up road construction projects for Waltham gave an update. He was an excellent presenter and gave me lots of data I have never had about this bridge update. I still marvel that this project can take 9+ years (stalled with bad construction company for 4). It is supposed to be done Fall 2011.

Almost his entire presentation was pictures, of the update, he was very articulate and it eased my worry about never being able to drive to work for 10 minutes, without driving through 4 construction zones.

The other thing I realized at this meeting is how happy my job makes me. I love to come to work casually dressed. There were lots of suits at this meeting, Property management suits. I felt pretty under-dressed, but happy.

Last week, the Waltham PD came to video tape a Safe Biking session. I think about riding my bike to work a lot, but the last mile, either way I come is very dangerous. A biker pulled in front of me today, GOING THROUGH A RED LIGHT. Good thing I was paying attention. I would not be that kind of bike rider. I am a bike path bike rider so traffic freaks me out, coz I am not used to it. I may get up the courage to ride my bike though, which means I need to bring it back from Coniston.

Just to be perfectly clear

I have the best kids in the world. You guys can all try to argue otherwise, but your arguments will fall on deaf ears. I suspect that all mothers feel the same way "That they have the best kids", but for me mine are the best.

There is nothing that creates this kind of joy to see your kids launched and happy and different than you, but the same as well.

I now have 2 mother's day cards that will be on my bulletin board above my desk/sewing table, one from each kid. If I ever doubt that I am a good mother I just need to look there.

Construction - all at the same time

One could question my sanity, however, I drive through 4 construction sites on my 10 minute drive to work. I don't do highways, don't need to. I guess this is obvious, but do all construction projects start up at exactly the same time in the spring? They all sat dormant over the winter. I just wonder how the staffing works? Do all the workers get laid off in November and rehired in May?

I would think that since these are the only 4 intersections that I go through to get to work, that after they are done (well after I move from this area probably), there should be zero going on in that stretch of road.

I am a pollyanna. One of them has been going on for 6 years, stalled for 3 of that. The end of our street has been under construction for over a year, the Trapelo Road for at least 3 years and the Totten Pond, Winter street is the 6 year one

Gotta love a short commute, and the business of construction.

Snow, sleet, wide rain

Twice in the last week, I have thought it was doing one of the climatic events in the title. In all three cases it was pollen aka blossoms, parts of trees, being blown around. I honestly thought every time that is was not parts of tree, or bushes but snow or rain or sleet. It is so interesting what the mind does. I don't expect it to be bushes or trees, so my mind translates into what is usually expects to be falling from the sky. And no, the sky is not falling.

I really feel sorry for people with spring allergies. This time of year must be miserable. My poor Mini, has a yellow coating, instead of it's shiny red paint. What can we do with that yellow pollen. Dye things, eat it, compost it.

OK, enough tangents for now, and it really is raining outside right now.

Grey hair

I was reading something recently that talked about when women started dying their hair. I have to admit I have my Dad's hair in that I have 5 grey hairs, and might not go grey so I can not totally understand the whole dying part.

A friend B has cancer and lost all her hair. Her chemo wig is Grey, and her normal hair is not. This got me thinking about grey hair. It is not such a bad thing, just like dandelions are not such a bad thing.

I wonder if I had grey hairs, lots of them, if I would dye my hair? Don't know.

Another confusing conversation

Last week, S at work and I talked horses. She grew up competing and we talked about a lot including Chosen by a Horse and the new one Chosen Forever. I told her I would bring in the second one.

Here is the conversation we just had:

ME "I am on page 239."

S slight delay and puzzled look "Do you have 2 of them?" (Thinking I was still reading the book.

ME slight delay and also puzzled look "I am ON page 239."

S "How do . . . do you have 2 of them?"

ME Light dawns on Marblehead, "I am IN page 239 of the book, I AM IN THE BOOK."

S slight delay light dawns on Marblehead "Oh, you are IN the book. You ARE page 239."

Language is such an interesting tool, which sometimes works and sometimes does not. I am sure this is MBTI related.

Weeds - who says?

As I walked to D'Angelo's just now to get my lunch, I walked by some dandelions. Who says they are weeds? Weeds has a negative connotation. When Murg was trying to find me something lace for the lace anniversary, he went to a few local garden stores asking for Queen Anne's lace. By the third one, someone clued him into the fact that this is a weed. Not in our book it isn't, if it is good enough for a anniversary gift then it is not a weed.

Got me thinking about the old adage "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." So instead of weeds, we can call them flowers and if I want Coniston to have yellow dandelions at this time of year, that is what is blooming there.

I need to think about gardening now that I write this post. I "weed" the dandelions from just our front garden. That is just about all I can handle, and it is close to the street so not too removed from humanity.

So dandelions and queen anne's lace are flowers, or everything is weeds. Bottom line for me.

So much for the sleep bank

Damn. I really tried to go to bed early last night, but how could I turn off the basketball game. I would have been upset to wake up this morning and heard what an exciting game it was, and not "been" there. Murg threatened to block any sports channels until we catch up on sleep.

At 10 pm, as my eye lids were becoming very heavy and the words on the page of the book I was reading starting floating, I almost turned it off BUT WAIT, 2 minutes to go and the Celtics had done some catching up since half time.

1 hour later, and lids even heavier and now I have adrenalin flowing through my body, the game ends with 1 point difference, 3 OTs and the Celtics lose. OMG.

My main problem in this sleep arena, is that I cannot sleep past 6am, 6:30am if I am lucky. I am a lark. I try to sleep, ask Murg to not have NPR start at 6am, but it does not work. Too much training of getting up early.

So tonight, I don't care if there is anything happening on the tube, I am not going to stay up for anything. No Ellsbury stealing home, no Jon Stewart, nothing. Most Fridays I try to stay up for Letterman, coz I don't have "school" the next day. Usually I fall asleep at 10am, wake at 11:35 for Letterman, and go to bed without seeing him.

OK, enough, my lids are still heavy, BUT I have work to do.