Yeah, the “Ozzie Ball” is great, but outside of baseball, here is another reason why the best manager in baseball resides on Chicago’s South Side.
Who would have thought? My cousin David Cullen, recently exported to Iraq by the US Army, has been assigned to help revive the tourism industry.
Big picture – the land around Iraq is where western civilization began, where the first written laws formulated and the wheel first rolled. Historians, archeologists and others would most likely love to visit.
Current picture – what a challenge! From here, the thought is that daily survival is the name of the game in Iraq, but for those that are there, enough hope exists that long term plans for Iraqi vacations are being formulated.
Not sure if the Smiths of Toldeo are going to skip Disney for a trip to Basra, but maybe someday. And either way, stay safe David!
I wear many hats. So it goes in a small company. One day I’m office manager. The next day I’m HR dude. For unknown reasons to many I am a psychologist. People like to tell me their troubles or recount their prior evening. I don’t know why, but I turn out to be a pretty good sounding board. These days I’m an undertaker for both the “living” and the “dead.”
First the living -
Last week and early this week we made some cuts. Good people, some long-time employees. It happens, but it is never easy. The first part of this week was spent meeting with them to “make arrangements:” collect keys and parking passes, clear out any email and voice mail they want to keep, help carry out knick-knacks to the car. Mind you I have nothing to do with the formality of the layoff, but it is my duty to talk to them to make sure no loose ends are left behind. In the case of the good ones, some listening is involved and almost always some reassuring as they prepare to take their last breath of employed life and step out into the widening abyss. “You’ll be fine.” “You’ll land on your feet.” “It’s going to suck here without you.” And I mean it sincerely, though in the back of my head I always wonder if I sound like a shit. Then hugs. Then they’re gone, usually forever.
After they have left us, it is on me to take back their PC and erase any evidence of their existence. I turn off their voice mail, forward or delete their email and server accounts, cancel their cell phone accounts or ready them for someone to take their place. As this is a small company, I often have the task of clearing out their offices for the next person. This part is a little tougher. Usually most of what is left behind is crap, office supplies, old meeting notes, phone lists, binders full of past projects. But there is always something that tugs at the heart a little, usually something personal. A forgotten family picture, doodles, inspirational sayings (which I find cheesey, but I appreciate the sentiment and worth), little items that remind you that an actual person was here, not just an automaton that came in and worked. If I’m lucky enough I can get these items back to the original owner, though more likely it will end up in the trash.
This all saddens me a bit, but it also makes me wonder about when my time comes. I’ll never forget the last time, my boss asking me to come with her to the meeting room, the CIO waiting at the end of the table (like that scene when Han, Leia, Chewy enter the banquet room and there’s Vader), paperwork ready for a signature. It’s relatively painless, but the time leading up to the layoff is nerve-wracking, wondering when. (and of course the days and possibly months after suck bad) Either way, I wonder who will clean up after me? Who will ask for my keys and delete my voice mail? Or will it be up to me to turn off the lights and close the door behind me?
This summer marks the final year Kiddieland will be open. After 81 years, the Melrose Park institution will be closing its gates forever. Whether you have been there or not, it’s worth checking out at least once before it becomes a distant memory like Riverview is for many of our parents. I only vaguely remember going there as a child, riding the octopus, the short roller coaster and the other kiddie rides. Though she’s probably to small to ride most rides, we plan on bringing Cecilie there at some point this summer for one last thrill.
One down, one to go. Next up in the fall fun stuff like ASP.net, Cisco routers, maybe a little linux and XML. I’m thankful for summer break though I plan on working on some certification and re-studying the things I didn’t really understand. Mmmm… nice warm summer nights curled up with a beer and a VB.net book. Nice.
