BAD ANSWER.

I may be young… but I know that this is a dangerous business scenario:

Employee: Hey, I have this idea. We would have the opportunity to increase revenue by X, and reach this whole new target. It would increase our exposure, and allow us to do A, B, and even C! We have the resources here to do all of this, too!

Boss: No.

Employee: But, what about this and this? If we did this, then we would be staying ahead of the game…? I’m not trying to argue, I’m just not sure I understand why we can’t explore this idea.

Boss: We can’t do that because this is how we do it here at QRST company. We’ve just always done it this way… for the past 50 years, and it’s worked.

Employee: But, in our meeting, you just said, our sales are decreasing and we’re losing…

Boss: I said no. Things are fine.

MEMO: The world changes daily. I get that what worked for the 45 years prior to computers may STILL be relevant to a small market. Maybe it still works for the shrinking market that you are trying to target… but people have more choices. They can get a product from someone else… All I am saying is… maybe company QRST should look into not necessarily changing, but look into the clearly (smack-you-in-the-dace) opportunities for growth.

That’s my dorky-business side coming to light today. Thanks for letting me stand on my soapbox.

Amazing… seriously amazing. Phenonmenal.

RODRIGO Y GABRIELA : Diablo rojo – Taratata

What makes you angry?

I remember awhile ago, Pete (our pastor at Cross Point) asked us what made us angry? What, when you see it happen, stirs your soul and makes you think, I HAVE GOT TO DO SOMETHING.

Read Pete’s Blog from today.

This makes me angry. NO… not with Pete… but with what he talks about. About the children. About them not having their needs met, when I am concerned with whether or not I should make Starbucks part of my everyday routine. This stirs my soul. I am not a mother, yet… but I can’t imagine. The very thought of having to do what the parents of that precious boy had to do makes me want to crawl under my desk and bawl.

That makes me wonder… what makes you angry?

Road Rage.

I’ll admit it. I MAY have a slight case of road rage. Not so much that I need to take an anger management class… BUT enough to think that everyone else doesn’t know how to drive and a naughty word or two pop into my head. The first step is admitting the problem, right?

Well… I realize how unattractive that is… to friends, family, significant others, and even Palmer the dog. I need to learn patience… so my new goal, while stuck in traffic, is to people-watch and analyze WHY the traffic is so bad instead of flipping out.

I had my first REAL opportunity this morning while driving into work. Yep… 440E to 65S to Moores Lane. That’s the route.

The problem: Every time there was a curve in the road, people felt the need to slam on their brakes.

Another problem: For some reason, every one wanted to go to Franklin/Cool Springs/maybe even Alabama this morning.

My observations about possible reasons for these problems:

• People simply are unsure about the exit off of the highway they wish to take. I can extend grace here. Maybe they are new to town. Maybe they are headed to their first day of a job in a part of town they are unfamiliar with. MAYBE they have a friend who has car trouble, and they are trying to find them. A million and one reasons for this. OK. I can understand.
• People are over-multitasking. If you know me, you know that I am all in favor of multi-tasking. I do, however, think that there are times when you cross the line. CASES (plural) in point:

1. I passed a woman who was smoking, drinking coffee, talking on her cell-phone and changing the radio and the same time WHILE driving with her left knee. If that’s not an accident waiting to happen, I don’t know what is… she was also driving 55 mph in the farthest left lane. Exactly.
2. I passed another young man READING THE PAPER while “driving.” Enough said.
3. There were several young ladies applying mascara and lip shimmer and powder and who knows what else while driving. I am all about looking your best, but, ladies, let’s be safe.

There’s a list, but those seem to be thematic… meaning, I saw more than one person doing one of the three things in that list…

Did I get mad? Nope. It actually made me more aware and scared to be driving on the highway…

What’s the craziest thing you have seen while on the road?

An explanation.

I haven’t gotten to blog a lot lately… which kinda sucks. This is why:

My entire office looks like this. Like a magazine exploded. Or REALLY like SEVERAL BOXES of magazines exploded on my desk/in my office. They are everywhere. It’s organized (for the most part) chaos. Here’s the problem… with all of this staring me in the face… I feel a little guilty about blogging

Hopefully, this will all go away because someone will feel the need to be charitable and donate their time to creating media kits? Probably not. But, it is a good thought.

Back to it… Happy Tuesday.

Money.

This is an area where I am feeling convicted lately. Money.

This is my challenge… to add to the Starbucks challenge: I can eat out ONCE for lunch and ONCE for dinner a week. THEN… every time I think about eating out, other than those two times, I will put $12 in savings (I figure that’s probably the cost of an average meal out with friends). I am going to do this for ONE month and see how much money I save.

I need to be better about it, so here goes. I need you all to help keep me accountable… so… here we go!

I can’t help but stare…

at the ridiculous heaps of folders and media kits and proposals that are sitting on my desk staring back at me. Yep. We are having a contest… a staring contest… and neither one of us has flinched. This is a problem. I should give up and lose now… but end up winning later. In other words… do the work and get done and not feel as pressured. Instead, I am here. I’ll probably end up hating myself later on tonight when I want to go to bed and have to stay up figuring out what to say to make people buy ads in our magazines… but alas… right now, I’d rather be doing this.

As sad as this is, I wasn’t able to write about my dad on Father’s Day. While I have a list of excuses, none of them really compensate for the fact that my dad has given me everything I have ever needed, and I didn’t take 10 minutes to write something about him. So, here goes.

My first memory: I was almost 2. I don’t know WHY I remember this, but I do. My mom and I were in the kitchen in our house in Memphis, and my dad came home with a beardless face. I screamed and cried and wondered what happened to my dad. I didn’t recognize him without his full-beard, and I wouldn’t go near him for a week.

Best thing about my dad: Besides the fact that he has sacrificed his life for my mom and my sisters and I, he has the greatest sense of humor. He’s hilarious. He’s goofy. And, he never fails to make me laugh.

Best Habit to Mimic: My dad gets up every morning at 4:30 am to study his Bible. I wish wish wish I could do this.

Fondest recent memory: Sharing a beer and wings at B-Dubs.

Best boy advice: Don’t settle. Your mom and I have been praying for your marriage since before you were born. Don’t settle. You don’t have to.

What he instilled in my head: Don’t get in unnecessary debt and save money.

Best life advice: Pray. Pray until you hear God. He will talk. And listen. Sometimes, you just have to stop to listen.

I love you, Dad. You’re the greatest.

Amazing Blogger…

Daniel Smith. Go read his story…

$25

Ellie’s Run for Africa 2008 was held on Saturday. I think that it was successful… It’s been months and months of planning and healthy stress and work, but it was well well well worth it.

• We, the chairs, had to be at the park (Percy Warner) at 4 am Saturday morning. It’s amazing how so many sleepy people can show up in very good-let’s get lots of work done even though it’s raining, dark and cold out-moods.
• We had so many volunteers show up! They totally made everything run smoothly, and I am so thankful for their help!
• Lots of runners. Lots of cheering. Amazing African food. Lots of African drumming and dancing.
• Melinda Doolittle and Ellie provided very entertaining commentary. Their hearts for others should definitely be mimicked.
• I don’t know the exact amount of money raised… but I do know that it was in the tens of thousands of dollars.  What this means… well, for $25, one child in Africa is provided with EVERYTHING they need to go to school. Books, uniforms, shoes, you name it. One kid even raised $2,500 by HIMSELF! He just put 100 kids in school for a year. Other kids opened lemonade stands to raise money. One gave up an iPod and gave the money to Ellie’s Run. Other kids celebrated their birthdays by giving money and showing up with their “party” on Saturday morning. How amazing is that? How awesome and generous are these children? Countless others gave time and money.
• I am inspired. I am amazed. I am encouraged by everyone’s desire to help and give.
• Don’t miss your opportunity to get involved. Ellie’s Run is a great way to give back! Keep it in mind for next year!

Thank you to all who participated. You are awesome!

I am addicted… to Starbucks.

Maybe not Starbucks… but caffeine, for sure. It’s a problem. I am taking step one and admitting it. Now… I am asking everyone to hold me accountable.

I spend way too much money at Starbucks. So, here’s the plan. I am allowed ONE coffee-drink during the week and ONE coffee-drink on the weekend. No more. To keep me in check… I am going to tell you when I have been to Starbucks. I went today… so I am not allowed another one until Saturday morning. If you see me at a Starbucks… kindly kick me out. Seriously. I will appreciate you… and so will my bank account.

Happy Monday. Happy New Goals!