Confidence Shaken

I had an experience at work this week that reminded me that I still have a lot to learn.  It had nothing to do with my job or even our business.  It was a phone call that cold have turned into something scary.

Late last week, I answered the phone and "Angie" was calling from the copier place.  She wanted to double check the model number of our machine.

I thought this was weird, but everyone who normally takes calls about the administration of the business were in a meeting, so I helped her.  Or so I thought.

This week "Angie" called back and apologized to me by name, but they had failed to get a written notice out to us in 30 days, as is their procedure, to let us know that there has been a dramatic increase in toner costs.  But her supervisor approved 6 more toner cartridges at the original price over the next two years to compensate fro their mistake in letting us know in a timely fashion.  Then she proceeds to tell me that Vicki from her supply warehouse will call me and set up a delivery date fro the first of the 6 toners.

"That was weird," I thought.

I tell her that I have no authority whatsoever to make that decision.  And she tells me that Mr A. has me listed as a secondary contact in regards to this copier.  "That is news to me," I told her. "I just answer his phone."

"Vicki" calls back in about 30 minutes and is excited to set us up with a new toner cartridge and begins to ask what day next week she can get it here.  "Wait," I told her.  "I have no authority to make that call.  You will have to call back and speak with Mr. A about the copier. (I did know there was a bit of conflicted accounting between Mr A and the service contract guys who sold us the copier.)  I didn't want her to send anything until after she speaks with him.

Well, she curtly tells me that she'll call back next week, if I can't help her set this up.

Come to find out, this is a business SCAM.  These jokers call and get the model number of your machine, then about a week later call and want to "right their mistake" and try to set up a scheduled delivery of the toner, etc. only so they can bill you for something --in this case, at least--is included in our service contract.

So, three weeks in to a job I am really enjoying, I have my confidence shaken as I realize that in my quest to do a good job and honestly help those callers who phone us, I nearly "agree" to a contract I didn't know I was even talking about.  Nice job!  That would have been awful.

I wish that folks like this, who have creativity and enthusiasm would use their powers for good rather than evil!  If they spent half the energy and time in helping out others--honestly--instead of figuring out how to scam people, the world might be a much nicer place to be.  Or at least, work.

More From The Prom...

Being somewhat of a control-freak-Mom (or so I've been told) I have had to "let it go" when it comes to dance pictures.  If I take them for the group, then I see them quick enough.  But if I don't act as the photographer, I have to wait until someone posts them on Facebook--and with any luck I am either a friend, or a friend of a friend, so I can see them. 

The Girl's prom group was like that.  But, in what might be record time, I saw the group photos today!  they are darling.  Look at how cute (and crazy-modest) they are!

I don't want to post the kids' names, as this blog has been known to have trolling stalkers, but I think they are darling!  They look relaxed and lovely and ready for a good time.  Sounds like they did too!  I think it is funny that the core of this group are all smart and extremely talents--in whatever avenue they have pursued.  And that they all get along so well.  That is the best!

Blessings Of Denial

I think some country singer once had a song about the blessing of unanswered prayers.  Maybe it was Garth Brooks, come to think of it.  Yesterday I had that same feeling--that I had prayed for something that in my mind's eye seemed like the perfect fit, but with added knowledge that I just received, I was grateful that I didn't get what I asked for.

I applied for two jobs at our local high school.  To me, I seemed like a PERFECT fit for either of them.  I loved being with the HS students, I had worked all year for their success, and I enjoyed the faculty and staff.  I wanted to continue working for these great kids and figured this was an easy decision.

Yesterday I found out that BOTH positions I had tried to get were about to be cut to 20 hours a week--in order to avoid having to get paid benefits, which the district can't afford to pay.  Thanks to Obamacare, workers who are at or close to the typical full time hours (40/week) will be eligible for medical benefits where employers have more than a certain number of employees.  Well, the district is HUGE and therefore, fits the template for these benefit requirements.  But the district is stretched so thin with the monies they currently have with just the students and faculties they currently service, there is no way they can afford to pay additional benefits for the secretaries and student advocates.  Their solution?  Cut those jobs in to 2 parts and make them 20 hours a piece, times two.

This is not a good thing for the kids who really come to rely on "their" advocate.  And it isn't do great for the offices who rely on their secretaries either!  Even our assistant front office secretary, who has been there for years and years, will be cut back to 20 hours a week.  Per new district policy.  No new contracted (read: benefit receiving) positions for classified (read: non-teaching) jobs.

With my new job, there is more than a chance that my hours will only increase, as I would like them to, once my PTA job(s) are finished with this school year.  And with that increase, there is also a chance that once my probationary period of "full-time" hours is over I could qualify for benefits.  [Note to self: I'm still not sure I WANT to work full time, but if I do, I will want to qualify for the benefits for our family.]

So, this delightful friend, who told me about this new change with the district and was really hoping I'd want to come interview again for the same job(s) I interviewed for previously, will be disappointed.  As I have started work elsewhere (she didn't know that) I have come to appreciate that my initial prayers weren't answered.  And that the Lord, in His all-knowing goodness, certainly saw this down the line and put me in a place that was a better fit for the circumstances I didn't even know about yet.

That is a real blessing!

And Then There Was Prom

The Girl was asked to prom by a dear friend---they've had classes together since kindergarten.  Nate even drove up to Logan in March with us to spend A-Day on the USU campus.  He has already received his mission call to serve in Norway, and leaves in July.  Nate is a smart kids and is super nice!  I couldn't be happier that she could go to prom with a longtime friend, and a super fun group.

Their day date was a picnic at a local park and several park-games...the sunshine felt soo good, The Girl didn't realize just how long they were out in it.  Oh well, sunburns happen.

MORP...Before Prom, Even

The Girl took a good swim-friend to the high school's MORP--that is the anti-prom.  Usually Prom is first then MORP is after.  MORP is a girl's choice dance, so The Girl asked her friend Aaron.  As it was the anti-prom it had  a theme of "Its a Pirate's Life for Me".  The group she went with dressed up as pirates, of one sort or another, and The Girl and her date and one other couple dressed as "previously buried treasure".

She is creative, I'll give her that.

She spray painted their t-shirts, found old mardi-gras beads and spray painted them too.  The discovered golden leis and used my camp-scarf that was trimmed in gold sequins.

The parrot was just a fun hand-held prop.

The rest of the group...from Capt'n Jack to the Pittsburgh crew.  They were very cute...and each was original!

The Boy's Greatest Gift

I believe I mentioned that The Boy was luckily given a new-to-him truck for his 16th birthday. Having the grandparents that he does, this is one of the best bonuses he's ever received.

 

This '98 GMC Sierra has an extra cab, with the third door on the passenger side.  It is super clean inside and Grandpa Dale did a marvelous job rebuilding a beautiful motor under the hood.  He was so happy you couldn't pry the smile off his face when he first came home and saw it.

He liked it a LOT better than the "truck" we gave him on his birthday!

While our version gave him an excuse to eat cake with ice cream, he wasn't that thrilled with the idea that this was his "truck".

What I Want for Mother’s Day

I recently found this online. Make more sense than I could have without much brain work. Happy Mother's Day:



So I've decided to be proactive and tell my kids what I want for mother's day. Here it is:

What I Want for Mother’s Day

Dear Children,

Mother’s Day is coming up, and I thought I should tell you what I want. This way there’s no guilty panic or last minute purchasing of flowers at the closest gas station. So, this is what I want, this year and every year after; it’s pretty simple really.

I want you to be a decent human being.

I want you to be who you are, but don’t be a jerk.

I want you to work hard at everything you do, because life is too short not to give it everything you’ve got.

I want you to ask for help when you need it.

I want you to help others when they need it.

I want you to learn how to cook, do your own laundry, pay your bills and know how to clean a bathroom.

When you screw up, and you will, more than once, I want you to own it, because it’s the screw-ups that make the victories sweeter.

I want you to travel, because the world is huge and you are one part of it.

I want you to know that even when we hate each other, I will never stop loving you.

I want you to play nicely with others.

I want you to feed your curiosity.

I want you to find a way to do what you love, and realize that that might look different than you originally thought.

I want you to respect every human being’s right to be who they are.

I want you to sometimes be more interested in someone else than in yourself.

I want you to know that you are flawed and you are extraordinary. There is no one else like you.

I want you to know that I would lay down my life for you in Lily Potter fashion any day of the week.

I want you to realize how lucky you are every once in awhile even if only for an instant.

I want you to know love, even if it means getting hurt.

I want you to relax and not feel guilty about it.

I want you to know life can be brutally hard sometimes.

I want you to know that you can choose happiness even when the dark side offers you cookies.

And I wouldn’t mind breakfast in bed.

See, simple.

Love,

Mom

Mother's Day Sunday Video

Sometimes there are no words between a Mom and her child....