4-day work week

So, my alarm went off this morning and the newsperson was talking about Gov. Huntsman's upcoming 4-day work week that will take effect the beginning of August. Lying in bed I thought to myself how incredibly unfair it was for them to talk about this initiative on FRIDAY! If I was lucky enough to have a 4-day work week, I wouldn't be awake because today would be a day off. Sigh and pout.

Working at a public institution has its perks and highlights, sure, but as all greedy people I want more!!

Coming from my religious background Sunday is a day that nothing gets accomplished, so my two-day weekend is technically only one day. Granted, Church activity at church and home is important to me and I can't say that I dislike the break from the Monday through Friday stuff and icky Saturday chores, but I do feel slighted that I can't go shopping or other personal "work stuff" that would probably make me feel like my life is more under control if I could have just one more day to get stuff done.

For example, last Saturday I took Toad to a CrossFit class in the AM. (It was awesome BTW; although he'll probably say otherwise.) He promised to try it - in a few weeks you hardly feel sore at all :) Then we had to see Hancock because Batman is coming out this weekend and it would throw off our movie viewing. (Granted, not a priority, but everyone needs to do fun stuff every now and then). Then we went grocery and other kinds of shopping. By the time we were done the day was over and my house was a mess and the yard was unkempt. Not a big deal, during the week I get home and I am tired from being emotionally picked on by clients that I become physically exhausted; therefore, no chores for me. I know, I know, whine, whine, whine. I acknowledge that this argument is really for no good reason, but...

Life seems so unfair. Just to further the State issue, yesterday the Lawyer was reading a news article that said State employees were no longer going to get Columbus Day or Veteran's Day off. She was upset that they were taking away two of our holidays until I reminded her that we don't get those holiday's anyway. So, since the Ivory Tower is overlooked I guess it makes sense that we would be ignored for a 4-day work week too. However, as one of the largest employers in the State, think how many tax dollars would be saved if we shut down for one more day :)

What's my #?

The world is a much more complicated place than it used to be. There are passwords and PINs for everything. I can never keep them straight. Any time I go to the ATM I always have to call hubby for the PIN. HE NEVER EVEN USES THE BANK ACOUNT! I somehow manage to pay all our bills, but I can’t remember how to take $20 from the ATM. I had a very traumatic experience where the ATM actually had enough of me and took my card away :( The problem with the ATM is that I do actually know my “secret number” but the ATM 10-key pad is different from the 10-key pad on a computer. I don’t really know the PIN I just know the pattern that it makes, hence not being able to access my money.

Same with email or any online accounts – I can’t ever remember which username goes with which password. I guess it would be simpler to keep everything the same, but that doesn’t seem very secure – which is the purpose for the username & password to begin with.

Update on June 27th Blog

So, here's the article that appeared in the Campus Newspaper... http://media.www.dailyutahchronicle.com/media/storage/paper244/news/2008/07/02/News/International.Center.Employee.Awarded.For.Work-3387191.shtml

The nice thing about the blog is I can correct all the minor errors here:

1.) I no longer work for the International Center, but for the Office of General Counsel. This is important because the OGC is part of General Administration - which granted me the award. The IC is part of Student Affairs which are voted upon separately - perhaps I wouldn't be selected if I was still in Student Affairs ... ?

2.) I wasn't officially granted the title of Study Abroad Advisor, because I didn't have study abroad experience, but it was close enough.

3.) The office was the International Center, not the International Studies Center. The IC handles study abroad and international student issues. The ISC houses the academic issues, such as the International Studies major and Exchange Agreements.

4.) I don't assist students with green card applications. I used to advise students on visa issues, but my work entails helping faculty and staff with their work visa and green card applications and issues. I have a feeling I am now going to get students breaking down my door. It's okay - it's been a quiet summer.

5.) Counsel, not council.

CrossFit 801

I wonder if it's possible to gain 20 pounds of muscle in one day. I have a friend (I can call her that now that she has seen me at my very worst and most pathetic) who is a fitness guru and nothing short of amazing. A couple months ago she and her hubby started going to a crossfit gym that their friends started. (http://www.crossfit801.com/) It's in Midvale on Whimpy Way (I think it's at that location on purpose.) She says this gym has totally changed her body composition, work ethic and time spent working out.

So this morning I show up at her "gym" as she calls it. It's in the middle of a warehouse district and is basically in a garage - which kind of has an odd appeal, much different than the Rec Center. Even the Field House would be considered "posh". I walk into the un-air-conditioned "garage" and am about ready to turn around. Had there actually been a class in session I would have flaked out and ran. Oh the stuff I'll do for people I like (that alone could be another blog). After doing several series of exercizes that are very familiar to me, the difficulty was increased, both physically and psychologically. The workout was only 30 minutes, hard as hell, but totally worth it. (Bet you can't wait to do it too, huh?) I'm a little sore, but I have a ton of energy and may even make it to the Field House tonight just for kicks. (We'll see how I feel tomorrow). I'll be ready for the cruise in no time!

So, the news is out

I like to live a quiet life. Do my job and try be unnoticed. My quiet life is now not so quiet. Every year our HR department has awards for select individuals to keep employee morale up, yadda, yadda, yadda. This year I was selected for basically "Best Employee" in my area. There are 24 awards given throughout the university, but only 1 given in the area I am in. A big deal (and a nice award) with the potential of being 1 of 6 named the equivalent of "Employee of the Year" (an even nicer award).

I found out a bit ago that I had won and yesterday the announcement was made. It was fun to read the incredibly kind letters that people wrote, but I would really rather be hiding. Today I have been inundated with email and reporters wanting to interview me about my accomplishments since graduation, career goals, and "how I feel about receiving this award." Ugh, not questions I like to think about, let alone want to answer to a reporter. I just want to go about doing my job unnoticed and have peace and quiet again!

Old technology v new technology

So this whole Color Code/People Code thing has been quite facsinating. I think people in general are just interesting. God must sit on his cloud and just be thoroughly entertained at what losers his children are. Technology may change and the way people accomplish things may change, but in reality, I think people and their personalities haven't changed much from the time that man got kicked out of the garden.

Speaking of technology advances, I work in the Ivory Tower. People wander about facinated with their books and "old stuff", but it is also buzzing with innovation, creativity and advancement. The office I work in is all about advancement - paperless, two computer screens at every station, time effeciency, etc., etc. Well, with all of this technology, the Accounting Department is still using carbon copies of checks. While some of their procedures are done electronically, I still have to write checks by hand - three times (because there are two carbon copies), so it is easier to walk over to the typewriter and write checks to our government in a matter of seconds (because yeah, I type that fast).

So this morning I was preparing some checks for our Department of Homeland Security and our summer intern asks "What is that machine?" I was completely baffled. "You mean the TYPEWRITER?!" "Oh" she responds, "I've never seen one before." Suddenly I felt like the most ancient person on the planet. How can you not know what a typewriter is? I can understand not using one - we are surrounded by computers, but come on, watch an old movie or TV show and you'll see one - Hello, "9 to 5" or "Working Girl". I remember 8th Grade Word Processing we had to spend half the term learning to type on the typewriter and then the remaining half using "Word Processors" (yeah, they weren't even called computers yet.) I guess if someone showed me their square rule I wouldn't know what to do with it either. I'm not as old as some people.

Last but hardly least

So the last color to review in The People Code is Yellow. A Yellow person would be upset that they are last. They want to be the center of attention and generally are. Yellow people are the one's who make life fun. As much as a yellow may frustrate the other colors with their negative traits, they are so charismatic that it is nearly impossible to let go of a yellow.

Dr. Hartman identifies yellows with the following traits:

• Fun-loving


• Self-centered and uncommitted


• Happy


• Irresponsible


• Enthusiastic & carefree


• Chatterboxes


• Naive & trusting


• Charistmatic & popular


• Superficial


• Disorganized & incomplete


• Optimistic


• Impulsive & undisciplined


• Playful & exciting

There are 3 attorneys in the OGC who are yellow, but none as yellow as The Lawyer is yellow - I don't think she had much of any other color at all. She was surprised that she was yellow and yet it was so obvious to everyone else. Being a person who has no yellow at all I admire many of her qualities, but am incredibly frustrated by the limitations. The People Code has helped me to be more understanding of where The Lawyer is coming from and forgiving of her weaknesses; however, as an unforgiving blue perfectionist I still get frustrated by the perceived irresponsibility.

Other yellow people:

• Bill Clinton
• Ronald Reagan
• Elvis Presley
• Julia Roberts
• Will Farrell
• Jessica Simpson
• Goldie Hawn
• Will Smith
• Mel Gibson
• Cameron Diaz
• Ellen DeGeneres
• Matthew McConaughey
• George Clooney
• I'm guessing Carlos Boozer is yellow as well (or at least has yellow as a secondary color).