Forgot To Bring Blood

So I go for some blood work today.

Lady pokes my arm, and nothing comes out. 

She moves the point of the needle around and around– still no blood. 

 

She says: “Hey, it’s your fault!”

I say: 

You’re right, no one told me that I was supposed to bring blood with me today. 

She looks up and says, “Okay let’s try the other arm!”

Then she spanks the arm…and I blurt out laughing, “hey do that again!”

Then poke, poke, and the blood easily fills a half dozen tubes.

She’s said, “You see that worked!”

I said:

I only brought blood in my right arm today!

If I could read her mind: “Ok, get the F*** out of the office.”

But she was nice and actually says, “You can get your results in about 3 days.”  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Take Responsibility

I thought it was an interesting sign in the office.

Responsibility: At the end of the day, you are solely responsible for your success and your failure. And the sooner you realize that, you accept that, and integrate that into your work ethic, you will start to be successful.  As long as you blame others for the reason you aren’t where you want to be, you will always be a failure.  – Erin Cummins

While I agree that we have to take responsibility for our lives and do the work hard to achieve success, at the same time, we obviously aren’t in control of everything. 

We have to play the hand we’re dealt in life and make the very best of it.  Whatever challenges that we have, they are there for us to learn from, grow from, and become better human beings from. 

Also, success means different things to different people–for some it’s money, power and honer; for others it’s physical fitness and dashing good looks; still some care more about travel, experiences, partying, and having a good time; and yet for others it’s about G-d, family, country, and good deeds.

Whatever we want to achieve requires dedication and hard work from our end, but also a generous dose of prayer and good fortune for “the stars to align.”  😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Solving Computer Problems

Funny T-Shirt on solving computer problems:

Does it work?

Did you screw with it?

Does anyone know?

Can you blame anyone else?

This little flowchart seems to capture so many issues in the office like:

– Accountability

– Problem-solving

– Doing the right thing

Oh, maybe that’s a different flowchart. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

North Korea — No Deal!

This is sort of what I feel happened with North Korea and the U.S. at the Summit in Vietnam this week. 

We went into this thinking that the enticement of moving from war to prosperity, like with Vietnam, would set the stage for North Korea to see that truly, peace is the answer! 

But when there is no real trust between the people negotiating, then you get a lot of gesturing, but no real determination to make a commitment–like getting rid of those crazy nukes!

For now from North Korea’s perspective, “one in the nukes is worth two in the prosperity”…and they aren’t going to disarm so easily and give away what they consider their ace in the hole.  

High hopes, lots of drama, confusion and blame, and ultimately a big let down.

If North Korea would give up their nukes, and Iran would give up their pursuit of nukes…WOW, WOW, WOW, oh what a world that would be. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

There’s A Reason For Everything

I go to the fridge to look for something to eat. 

I find am empty food storage container on the shelf. 

I recognize it from the day before when it was filled with delicious over-baked salmon. 

So I go to one kid who I guess may be the culprit and I ask:

Why did you leave the empty bowl in the fridge and not clean it out when you were done?

She says:

Dad, I didn’t do it. 

So, I feel like a jerk and apologize for thinking maybe it was her.

Then I go to the other kid and say:

Did you leave an empty dirty salmon bowl in the fridge?

And she says to me:

I did.

So I ask rhetorically thinking there was no acceptable reason:

Why did you do that?

She says sweetly to me:

My sister was sleeping and I didn’t want to wake her by washing out the bowl.

And I knew she meant it. 

I wouldn’t have imagined a reason for leaving an empty dirty bowl in the fridge, but it just goes to show not to misjudge people–there is usually a reason for everything. 😉

(Source Photo: Amazon)

Chief Critic

So we all know these type of people that love to criticize and bully.  

They are the critics in chief. 

You have to wonder what their own value-add is.

While other people are doing the work, the chief critic is saying everything is terrible, horrible, tragic, almost the end of the universe as we all know it. 

Yes, there is nothing wrong with well-intentioned and constructive criticism, especially by a supervisor or people sincerely trying to help.

But then there are just those who just look to find something–anything–to fault others, almost as if they are bigger if others are smaller!

This is no good. 

That is no good. 

I would do it this way. 

You need to do it that way. 

It’s almost like a hobby, but it comes with plenty of nastygrams and miserable monologues. 

If only you would do X!

How come you didn’t do Y?

Next time make sure you do Z!!!

OMG, yes we are not perfect angels, but most of us try to work smart, do good, contribute, and get positive results!

Even failure is acceptable if everyone gave it their best effort and it leads to learning and growth. 

Maybe the people on the sidelines who are yelling at the players need to get off the bench and actually worry about what they need to be doing, and doing it, instead of criticizing those in the trenches. 

Teamwork means we succeed or fail together!

Non-attribution is about not getting personal and blaming others, especially when they are working their butts off. 

Rather, roll up your sleeves everyone and get in the trenches and start pulling your own weight instead of putting down and making fun of the others. 

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

1-2-3-4 Open Up The Government’s Doors

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

     5-6-7-8 Let our nation operate

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

     5-6-7-8 Fix our broken directorate

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s Doors

    5-6-7-8 Better for us to negotiate

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

    5-6-7-8 Get things done for Goodness sake

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

    5-6-7-8 We have no more time to cogitate

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

    5-6-7-8 Get the employees back to progress the state

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

    5-6-7-8 Blaming each other only exasperate

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

    5-6-7-8 Democracy means we must work it out

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

    5-6-7-8 Polarized politics destroys our clout

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

   

    5-6-7-8 The people are sick and tired of this useless way

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

    5-6-7-8 Terms limits are needed to sway

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

    5-6-7-8 Dysfunctional government can’t continue unabate

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

   5-6-7-8 We’re sick and tired of ignoring realpolitik

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

   5-6-7-8 Grow up and show some unifying leadership

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

    5-6-7-8 Finally put people’s needs first

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

    5-6-7-8 Stop playing with our country’s fate

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

    5-6-7-8 National security and our economy depend on it

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

    5-6-7-8 It’s time to get things done and not wait

1-2-3-4 Open up the government’s doors

    5-6-7-8 Serve the people and cut out the hate

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Conflict – Resolution or Escalation

So I thought this was interesting on the cause of conflict. 

There are four main parts:

1) Deprivation – You believe that someone is depriving you of something you need or want. This could be something physical like money, or an object or it could be inanimate such as love or respect. The feeling of deprivation is anchored in a real or perceived feeling or being deprived of access to resources or the imbalance who has those resources. 

2) Name – You identify the person you feel is causing you this deprivation. 

3) Blame – You blame them for their role in causing you harm. 

4) Claim – You justify the accusation by anchoring it in a claim that the other person has violated some social norm such as taking something that doesn’t belong to them or violating an agreement you have with them and so on. 

As the conflict comes to a head, it is clear that people are feeling hurt, that there is a desire to correct the situation, and that you are going to confront the (perceived) culprit and make your case on why what they are doing is wrong and how it should be resolved. 

If you have the wrong person in the cross-hairs, your justification is weak or you’re not telling the whole story (i.e. maybe you played a part or harmed the other person too), or the person just won’t give you a fair hearing and sincerely work with you to resolve it, then the conflict may escalate from here.  

Usually, it’s best to listen, empathize, negotiate, compromise, try to be reasonable, and resolve the situation at the earliest point possible.

If there is a greater conflict or risk to either party involved, then heels may get dug in and all avenues to resolving it can be open including legal and even all out war. 

Conflict is no game, but in some cases it may be unavoidable–and then the ramifications can be earth shattering. 

What to do when you’re in a conflict situation? Think before you act, and then think again. 

Ultimately, peace is one of the greatest of blessings. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Duck The Bullet

So I learned that there are at least 2 things to be mindful of when it comes to a firing squad:

1. Never get between a man and his firing squad — sometimes, the judgment has already been passed, the victim blindfolded and tied, the trigger(s) already pulled back and the victim is too far gone to save.  Don’t step in front of the bullet!

2. When it is a circular firing squad, rise above it! — when people are engaged in self-destructive, internal disputes, recriminations, and taking pot shots at each other,  you need to either duck or rise above the fray and be the bigger man/woman.

Shooting the messenger, the interventionist, or each other just leaves a lot of spilt blood.

  

Save yourself and stay focused and determined to fight for the issue, when others are simply determined to take someone out back and put the bullet through their head. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Fighting Domestic Abuse

I came across these excellent graphics used to educate and prevent against domestic dominance and abuse.

The first wheel shows how “power and control” are used to instill fear and dominate domestic partners as well as in an overall pattern of relationships with physical and sexual violence:

– Intimidation

– Emotional Abuse

– Isolation

– Minimizing, Denying, and Blaming

– Using Children

– Male Privilege

– Economic Abuse

– Coercion and Threats

In contrast, the second wheel displays positive patterns of “equality” in relationships and nonviolence and are marked by the following attributes:

– Non-threatening behavior

– Respect

– Trust and Support

– Honesty and Accountability

– Responsible Parenting

– Shared Responsibility

– Economic Partnership

– Negotiation and Fairness

Have you ever noticed a pattern of domestic abuse behaviors that include the following?

– Constantly lecturing on political views the other person should hold.

– Keeping them away from their family and friends.

– Controlling the major life decisions.

– Hiding money and accounts.

– Demanding the partner stay home with the kids indefinitely.

– Using emotional withdrawal and/or passive aggressiveness to control.

– Requiring the other person to be available whenever they want.

Spouses and partners should be your best friend and not your servant or dog to kick when you get home.

Watch out for those who exhibit the bad behaviors and patterns of abuse and violence…and stay safe in good and healthy relationships! 😉

(Source Photo: Domestic Abuse Intervention Project – Duluth Model)