Very Interesting
I was checking out my tracking stats and see my blog has been very busy lately. In the last week, I've had 34 hits from people searching for info on DHL buying Watkins.
Ok people, are you Watkins employees? You can send private comments to me. I'm just as curious as the rest of you. No, I we haven't heard anything more at our terminal either.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Guilt Trip
I guess it's my turn for an update since Victoria and Bonnie have made me painfully aware of my resolution. Then again, I was doing good at updating weekly, until last weekend. The truth is, I threw out my back (again) and it was a bit too painful to sit in front of the PC for too long. My weekend was spent taking muscle relaxers, soaking in hot baths, and sitting on a massage/heating pad. By late Sunday afternoon, I was finally able to stand up straight.
To update a previous post, we passed our terminal audit!!! My boss left the petty cash alone and it balanced. Amazing how it balances when he keeps his mitts out of the drawer.
My resolution to quit smoking is still in progress. Quitting "cold turkey" is not for me but I have cut down. My 1 1/2 pack a day habit is now down to 1/2 - 3/4 pack a day. It depends on how busy I can keep myself. My biggest fear about quitting is the possible weight gain. Having lost 65 lbs. I don't want to gain ANY of it back. I refuse to use food as a substitute for cigarettes. What I need to do is to start an exercise routine - probably walking. That won't happen until the weather warms up. I hate going outside in the cold.
Mom called yesterday and we discussed the situation regarding my brother's children. Rick will be coming home again on Feb. 15th and staying for 2 weeks. This time his wife will be flying to the Philipines to see her family. Rick hasn't come out and said anything but Mom believes he has voluntarily terminated his parental rights. If he has terminated them, then he may as well stop visiting and acting like a concerned parent. Leave the kids alone and let them move on without him. He seems to have created a new life without them. These kids deserve to have parents that love and want them around. At this point, I'm not sure I even want to see my brother while he's here.
Well, this update will have to do for now. I need to get away from the PC and the ashtray.
TTFN
I guess it's my turn for an update since Victoria and Bonnie have made me painfully aware of my resolution. Then again, I was doing good at updating weekly, until last weekend. The truth is, I threw out my back (again) and it was a bit too painful to sit in front of the PC for too long. My weekend was spent taking muscle relaxers, soaking in hot baths, and sitting on a massage/heating pad. By late Sunday afternoon, I was finally able to stand up straight.
To update a previous post, we passed our terminal audit!!! My boss left the petty cash alone and it balanced. Amazing how it balances when he keeps his mitts out of the drawer.
My resolution to quit smoking is still in progress. Quitting "cold turkey" is not for me but I have cut down. My 1 1/2 pack a day habit is now down to 1/2 - 3/4 pack a day. It depends on how busy I can keep myself. My biggest fear about quitting is the possible weight gain. Having lost 65 lbs. I don't want to gain ANY of it back. I refuse to use food as a substitute for cigarettes. What I need to do is to start an exercise routine - probably walking. That won't happen until the weather warms up. I hate going outside in the cold.
Mom called yesterday and we discussed the situation regarding my brother's children. Rick will be coming home again on Feb. 15th and staying for 2 weeks. This time his wife will be flying to the Philipines to see her family. Rick hasn't come out and said anything but Mom believes he has voluntarily terminated his parental rights. If he has terminated them, then he may as well stop visiting and acting like a concerned parent. Leave the kids alone and let them move on without him. He seems to have created a new life without them. These kids deserve to have parents that love and want them around. At this point, I'm not sure I even want to see my brother while he's here.
Well, this update will have to do for now. I need to get away from the PC and the ashtray.
TTFN
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Rumors and More
This week has been filled with rumors at work. The rumor - DHL is buying Watkins. Apparently DHL had submitted 2 offers that were both rejected. They submitted a third offer and the Watkins family has seriously taken it into consideration. It is a logiclal fit for both DHL and Watkins. The major air/overnight carriers have purchased freight/over the road carriers over the last few years. If DHL wants to remain competitive, they must either purchase or grow their own freight carrier. DHL, like Watkins is a non-union shop. Both companies strive to remain non-union and therefore pay competitively and keep benefits on par with the union shops.
As for what a buyout would mean to me, it wouldn't have any effect on my job. DHL needs the teminals (we're the reason they want to buy Watkins). The major changes would be with corporate and higher level management. This should prove to be an interesting week at work. Hopefully we will hear something difinitive early in the week.
Now for more on the work front. My anniversary date at Watkins is January 19th. can you believe it's been 2 years already?!?!? Last week I had the pleasure of typing my own review!! Well, my boss wrote it but I got to type the review and calculate my raise. Damn! There is a set calculation for raises depending on the review scoring. For over a year, I had the distinct pleasure of being the only employee my boss had reviewed as being "Outstanding". Last fall he reviewed our HR Manager and gave him an "Outstanding" as well. I now have the pleasure of being the only person to receive an "Outstanding" for 2 consecutive years. We'll see how Dean does on his next review :)
Also for this week, we have the auditor arriving. Gee, the petty cash hasn't been over/short since I sent my boss the e-mail. I need to place a few fixed asset tags on the network equipment but that's about all I should need to do for the audit. I have already closed out the OSHA Log for 2005 and the required totals will be posted before the auditor arrives.
Things at home have been quiet as usual. We've had some very strange (even for CT) weather this weekend. Yesterday it was in the 50's and I was outside without a coat. I woke this morning to a fresh blanket of snow and temps barely reaching the 20's. Shadow is a tad upset because I refuse to shovel the back steps. Go figure - he'll play in water but doesn't like it when he gets wet outside. If he gets wet outside, he stands on the kitchen rug and waits for me to wipe him off with a paper towel.
As I previously wrote, I'm trying to quit smoking. While I haven't completely quit, I have cut back. At one time I was up to 2 packs a day. Now I can get one pack to last almost 2 days. I'm sure I could get the pack to last longer if I could find more to keep my mind occupied. It seems many times, I light up without thinking about it or wanting one. As soon as I tell myself not to light up, is when I can't get my mind off them.
Oh well, my coffee mug is empty and that's the sign that it's time to move my butt. Have a fun week! If I hear anything about DHL/Watkins, I'll be sure to post.
TTFN!
This week has been filled with rumors at work. The rumor - DHL is buying Watkins. Apparently DHL had submitted 2 offers that were both rejected. They submitted a third offer and the Watkins family has seriously taken it into consideration. It is a logiclal fit for both DHL and Watkins. The major air/overnight carriers have purchased freight/over the road carriers over the last few years. If DHL wants to remain competitive, they must either purchase or grow their own freight carrier. DHL, like Watkins is a non-union shop. Both companies strive to remain non-union and therefore pay competitively and keep benefits on par with the union shops.
As for what a buyout would mean to me, it wouldn't have any effect on my job. DHL needs the teminals (we're the reason they want to buy Watkins). The major changes would be with corporate and higher level management. This should prove to be an interesting week at work. Hopefully we will hear something difinitive early in the week.
Now for more on the work front. My anniversary date at Watkins is January 19th. can you believe it's been 2 years already?!?!? Last week I had the pleasure of typing my own review!! Well, my boss wrote it but I got to type the review and calculate my raise. Damn! There is a set calculation for raises depending on the review scoring. For over a year, I had the distinct pleasure of being the only employee my boss had reviewed as being "Outstanding". Last fall he reviewed our HR Manager and gave him an "Outstanding" as well. I now have the pleasure of being the only person to receive an "Outstanding" for 2 consecutive years. We'll see how Dean does on his next review :)
Also for this week, we have the auditor arriving. Gee, the petty cash hasn't been over/short since I sent my boss the e-mail. I need to place a few fixed asset tags on the network equipment but that's about all I should need to do for the audit. I have already closed out the OSHA Log for 2005 and the required totals will be posted before the auditor arrives.
Things at home have been quiet as usual. We've had some very strange (even for CT) weather this weekend. Yesterday it was in the 50's and I was outside without a coat. I woke this morning to a fresh blanket of snow and temps barely reaching the 20's. Shadow is a tad upset because I refuse to shovel the back steps. Go figure - he'll play in water but doesn't like it when he gets wet outside. If he gets wet outside, he stands on the kitchen rug and waits for me to wipe him off with a paper towel.
As I previously wrote, I'm trying to quit smoking. While I haven't completely quit, I have cut back. At one time I was up to 2 packs a day. Now I can get one pack to last almost 2 days. I'm sure I could get the pack to last longer if I could find more to keep my mind occupied. It seems many times, I light up without thinking about it or wanting one. As soon as I tell myself not to light up, is when I can't get my mind off them.
Oh well, my coffee mug is empty and that's the sign that it's time to move my butt. Have a fun week! If I hear anything about DHL/Watkins, I'll be sure to post.
TTFN!
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Any Suggestions?
At Watkins, we have an annual internal audit. One of the audit items is to check the petty cash to be certain it balances. Last year aq few weeks prior to our audit, I replenished our petty cash drawer. The bank, in error, gave us a nickel too much. I took the nickle out and placed it in a "spare change" box in my desk. A few days before the audit, my boss insisted I balance the cash drawer. When I did, I was a nickle short. Immediately I thought of the nickel the bank had given me. So, I counted again, and sure enough I was short. Thinking I must have miscounted the money the previously, I put the nickel back into the drawer. I never mentioned the overage or shortage to my boss. Imagine my SHOCK when the auditor counted the drawer and said I was a nickel OVER.
It didn't matter that I told the auditor exactly what had taken place. It didn't matter that the drawer was over. All that mattered is the drawer didn't balance, therefore we failed the petty cash audit.
Every time I have balanced the drawer since then, it has balanced to the penny. My boss likes to tease me about the cash drawer not balance even though I insisted it did balance. Just prior to the Christmas Holiday, we receive word the auditor would be arriving about mid-January and to prepare.
My boss walked by my desk a few times just stating, "you better balance the petty cash" and chuckle. So to make him happy, I counted the money and I was 2 cents short. Swearing under my breath, I counted again and still I was short. That's when it hit me! The only time my drawer DID NOT balance, was when my boss ask me to balance the petty cash. Aha! I'm onto something here. I put in the 2 pennies from that spare change box. Then I went my boss and said "the petty cash balanced great after I put in 2 pennies! He turned a bit red, laughed and said "very good".
Last week, we were getting low in the petty cash drawer so I needed balance the drawer and cut a draft to replenish the drawer. My boss cashed the draft today and as he handed me the cash, he told me to balance the petty cash again. Being a suspicious, I counted the money in the drawer. Sure enough I was short 1 penny this time. I counted it 4 times then had a co-worker count the pennies. We came up with the same count each time. I hadn't even given out any change since balancing the drawer last week! So, in goes another penny.
Then I very quietly sent my boss an e-mail. It simply said "LEAVE MY PENNIES ALONE!" Of course he denies everything but only he and I have the keys to petty cash drawer.
I want to get him and get him GOOD for playing with my cash drawer and making me count 44 pennies repeatedly! I'm open to suggestions for a good payback. Although one I've thought of is to remove the petty cash drawer and lock it in the safe. Let him wonder what happened to the money :)
At Watkins, we have an annual internal audit. One of the audit items is to check the petty cash to be certain it balances. Last year aq few weeks prior to our audit, I replenished our petty cash drawer. The bank, in error, gave us a nickel too much. I took the nickle out and placed it in a "spare change" box in my desk. A few days before the audit, my boss insisted I balance the cash drawer. When I did, I was a nickle short. Immediately I thought of the nickel the bank had given me. So, I counted again, and sure enough I was short. Thinking I must have miscounted the money the previously, I put the nickel back into the drawer. I never mentioned the overage or shortage to my boss. Imagine my SHOCK when the auditor counted the drawer and said I was a nickel OVER.
It didn't matter that I told the auditor exactly what had taken place. It didn't matter that the drawer was over. All that mattered is the drawer didn't balance, therefore we failed the petty cash audit.
Every time I have balanced the drawer since then, it has balanced to the penny. My boss likes to tease me about the cash drawer not balance even though I insisted it did balance. Just prior to the Christmas Holiday, we receive word the auditor would be arriving about mid-January and to prepare.
My boss walked by my desk a few times just stating, "you better balance the petty cash" and chuckle. So to make him happy, I counted the money and I was 2 cents short. Swearing under my breath, I counted again and still I was short. That's when it hit me! The only time my drawer DID NOT balance, was when my boss ask me to balance the petty cash. Aha! I'm onto something here. I put in the 2 pennies from that spare change box. Then I went my boss and said "the petty cash balanced great after I put in 2 pennies! He turned a bit red, laughed and said "very good".
Last week, we were getting low in the petty cash drawer so I needed balance the drawer and cut a draft to replenish the drawer. My boss cashed the draft today and as he handed me the cash, he told me to balance the petty cash again. Being a suspicious, I counted the money in the drawer. Sure enough I was short 1 penny this time. I counted it 4 times then had a co-worker count the pennies. We came up with the same count each time. I hadn't even given out any change since balancing the drawer last week! So, in goes another penny.
Then I very quietly sent my boss an e-mail. It simply said "LEAVE MY PENNIES ALONE!" Of course he denies everything but only he and I have the keys to petty cash drawer.
I want to get him and get him GOOD for playing with my cash drawer and making me count 44 pennies repeatedly! I'm open to suggestions for a good payback. Although one I've thought of is to remove the petty cash drawer and lock it in the safe. Let him wonder what happened to the money :)
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Cat Dials 911
January 1, 2006 - COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Police aren't sure how else to explain it. But when an officer walked into an apartment Thursday night to answer a 911 call, an orange-and-tan striped cat was lying by a telephone on the living room floor. The cat's owner, Gary Rosheisen, was on the ground near his bed having fallen out of his wheelchair.
Rosheisen said his cat, Tommy, must have hit the right buttons to call 911. "I know it sounds kind of weird," Officer Patrick Daugherty said, unsuccessfully searching for some other explanation.
Rosheisen said he couldn't get up because of pain from osteoporosis and ministrokes that disrupt his balance. He also wasn't wearing his medical-alert necklace and couldn't reach a cord above his pillow that alerts paramedics that he needs help.
Daugherty said police received a 911 call from Rosheisen's apartment, but there was no one on the phone. Police called back to make sure everything was OK, and when no one answered, they decided to check things out. That's when Daugherty found Tommy next to the phone.
Rosheisen got the cat three years ago to help lower his blood pressure. He tried to train him to call 911, unsure if the training ever stuck.
The phone in the living room is always on the floor, and there are 12 small buttons - including a speed dial for 911 right above the button for the speaker phone. "He's my hero," Rosheisen said.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
January 1, 2006 - COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Police aren't sure how else to explain it. But when an officer walked into an apartment Thursday night to answer a 911 call, an orange-and-tan striped cat was lying by a telephone on the living room floor. The cat's owner, Gary Rosheisen, was on the ground near his bed having fallen out of his wheelchair.
Rosheisen said his cat, Tommy, must have hit the right buttons to call 911. "I know it sounds kind of weird," Officer Patrick Daugherty said, unsuccessfully searching for some other explanation.
Rosheisen said he couldn't get up because of pain from osteoporosis and ministrokes that disrupt his balance. He also wasn't wearing his medical-alert necklace and couldn't reach a cord above his pillow that alerts paramedics that he needs help.
Daugherty said police received a 911 call from Rosheisen's apartment, but there was no one on the phone. Police called back to make sure everything was OK, and when no one answered, they decided to check things out. That's when Daugherty found Tommy next to the phone.
Rosheisen got the cat three years ago to help lower his blood pressure. He tried to train him to call 911, unsure if the training ever stuck.
The phone in the living room is always on the floor, and there are 12 small buttons - including a speed dial for 911 right above the button for the speaker phone. "He's my hero," Rosheisen said.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Happy New Year!
I've been lazy and not posting very much in my blog. Actually it's not lazy as much as there is nothing going on worth writing. Normally I don't make New Year's resolutions but I'll make an exception this year. I resolve to post weekly, in my blog. You may get the ramblings of a wandering mind or you could get lucky and find I had something happen that is worthy of a blog entry.
As long as I'm breaking my resolution rule this year, I may as go all out and make several resolutions. Hopefully I'll be able to keep at least ONE of them! Here's my list, not any particular order:
Weekly blog post (you already know about this one)
Quit smoking (I've been trying for about a month now)
Follow Victoria's, Home Run software --- faithfully!
Prepare now for moving in the Spring/Summer
So do you make resolutions? If so, what have you resolved to do this year?
I've been lazy and not posting very much in my blog. Actually it's not lazy as much as there is nothing going on worth writing. Normally I don't make New Year's resolutions but I'll make an exception this year. I resolve to post weekly, in my blog. You may get the ramblings of a wandering mind or you could get lucky and find I had something happen that is worthy of a blog entry.
As long as I'm breaking my resolution rule this year, I may as go all out and make several resolutions. Hopefully I'll be able to keep at least ONE of them! Here's my list, not any particular order:
Weekly blog post (you already know about this one)
Quit smoking (I've been trying for about a month now)
Follow Victoria's, Home Run software --- faithfully!
Prepare now for moving in the Spring/Summer
So do you make resolutions? If so, what have you resolved to do this year?
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