What's Your Work Ethic?

Recently, I heard that good writing requires you to write about something in particular that bothers you but doesn't seem to bother anyone else. I try to implement this characteristic when I'm blogging. However, I have found that there are lots of things that seem to bother me whilst they don't bother anyone else. But surely I can't write about old men who drive sports cars or people who simply choose not to respond to your message on Facebook or your text. It's like hello, I know you got the message...just flippn answer me! But I will spare those Corvette-driving old men and the I-got-your-message-but-I'm-either-avoiding-you-or-too-inconsiderate-to-reply people.

Today, I will address work ethic. Without being too divulging or incriminating (possibly self-incriminating) I would like to state that the work ethic of my fellow employees SUCKS! There, I said it.

Side note: I would like to affirm that obviously  not 100% of the workforce has bad work ethic, but it would be a safe bet to say that the majority does.

Not to mention, that these really sucky employees cannot be fired--their immune and they know it, which only perpetuates the situation.

I work with over 1,000 people and for some reason this indolent issue doesn't seem to bother anyone else. I don't know if they have just been here too long so they're used to it or if they just choose to ignore it because they don't want to be the ones to put an end to all the "fun" people are having at work.

I'm considered very young, a baby even, when it comes to our country's workforce. And with the reputation my generation has you would think that I wouldn't have a problem joining in on the "fun." But I just can't allow myself to sincerely accept a paycheck every other week if I know I haven't done a single thing to improve the organization that I work for. But why not? None of these people have a problem with it.

I think I was just raised to be a working bee. My mother always put us to work on something, whether it was cleaning the house (quite a task with six kids running around), gardening or cleaning the pool. And even after the cleaning and gardening was done and there was nothing to do, she would start remodeling the house. It was constant work growing up. And my grandfather never allowed us to do anything, in his own words, "half-ass." Constantly working towards perfection--that's how I was raised.

So you see I can't help but to be bothered by people's lazy work ethic. It's quite laughable actually when you think about all the money that's going to waste in this place. It's like come on people, if you don't have anything to do then create something, better your work environment, make a name for yourself, be successful.

Some days, I think I might scream.

New Year, New Me

It's that time of year when I feel the earth's atmosphere shift a tiny bit as I reflect on the past year and focus on the changes I will be making in this new one. I feel rejuvenated, optimistic and courageous. There is nothing that I can't handle this year. Because this year I'm going to be more prepared.

The very first item on my to-do list for 2012 was to purchase a new planner/notebook. I've been researching high and low since November for the perfect fit for me. I'm not one of those techy geeks who looks for a solution in a palm pilot (obviously, by my use of the word palm pilot you can tell). I like something more tangible with pages I can mark and scribbly notes I can make...oh, and drawings :) Plus, I like the idea of being able to flip something open instead of waiting for a gadget to start up.

You see, as an extremely busy person, I have to carry a small planner with me at all times. I literally write down everything in there. It looks something like this.

And as a writer, I have to have extra paper with me at all times. Not to mention, they need to be lightweight so I can lug them around with me. So I think of course, they will have some type of planner and notebook all-in-one...WRONG!

I searched everywhere, and on January 2, I ended up with this duo.

A great find at Barnes & Noble that has proved to be quite satisfying and worth every penny of the $25 spent (it came with two small notebooks). Plus, I heard that the color purple is supposed to be calming, which is what I'm aiming for in 2012.

Bound together by the greatest invention of the millennium (the rubberband of course!) and I have my planner-notebook-all-in-one.

As soon as I got back from shopping, I opened the notebook to the first page and me and the hubby started brainstorming our new year's resolutions as a couple. I won't bore you with those, but once we were done I jotted mine down too. I like to divide my resolutions up into three categories: spiritual, mental and physical.

They go something like this...
Spiritual (always first because to me it's the most important)
1.) Read New Testament-1.1 pages per day (That's it!)
2.) Pray morning and night
3.) Prepare Sunday school lesson each week
4.) Visiting Teaching each month
5.) Plan Family Home Evening every other week
Mental
1.) Blog once a week (yes, I promise to be better at this)
2.) Find a hobby (like I don't have enough, right?...always looking for ways to expand my mind :)
Physical
1.) Tell the hubby how grategul I am for him regularly
2.) Save money/make better financial decisions
3.) Make less/wiser commitments (something I seriously have to focus on this year...I promised the hubby)
4.) Take my camera everywhere

I hope your year has been great so far. And remember, there is still time to make new resolutions. You have 353 days left (thank goodness for leap year...we always need an extra day :)

Post-Christmas Depression



Picture found here.

I just hate it when the holidays are over. I just love wearing Christmas pajamas, drinking hot chocolate, listening to Christmas music and riding around to look at all the lights. Of course, I know that I can do these things all the time if I wanted to (especially in the South where the rednecks leave their lights up year-round). But the feeling isn't the same. I can barely handle the great anticipation of opening gifts (for me the greater anticipation of watching people open the gifts I gave them), singing Christmas hymns at church and wondering whether or not the snow will make its appearance this year. 

The moment my eyes flitter open on December 26th, all the excitement is gone and I'm left with extra pounds to burn off and a very comfortable head resting on my Christmas present that makes me not want to get out of bed for another 365 days.

I'm just thankful that the new year has begun. It gives me so much to focus on. I have a few changes I want to make in my life. I already have my list started. More on that to come...