Dancing With Moose

Of Hiking Trails and Eggs

2009-12-27T14:20:00.019-07:00

Happy Sunday evening, y'all!

I hope everyone had a most joyous and merry Christmas.

Today's been a ramblin' kind of day; please allow me to share a couple of such ramblings with you . . .

~*~*~*~*~

I met Karen last year at ITMI; we were classmates during those 2 weeks. Karen was fun to hang around outside of class hours. She was interesting to get to know; one such aspect is that she is a hiker. Actually, according to her Facebook page, she is a long-distance backpacker / hiker.

"Long-distance" is not an exaggeration, neither.

While tooling around town today, I stopped by the post office and found a Christmas postcard waiting for me in my box. It was from Karen, and it boasted a lovely picture of her decked out in hiking paraphernalia, arms joyously outstretched and surrounded by lush green trees, in front of a PCT trail marker and monument.

On the postcard, underneath her name, were the words:

Completed the Pacific Crest Trail

Departed Mexico April 19, 2009

Arrived Canada October 2, 2009

Wow!!

Doing some quick research, I learned that the Pacific Crest Trail is approximately 2,650 miles in length. For the 166 days that Karen was hiking the PCT, she hiked an average of almost 16 miles per day! For 166 days!!!

I find this to be extremely inspiring and encouraging. Earlier today, I was participating in a conversation regarding people living their passions, whatever they be. Karen is definitely living her passion.

Congratulations, Karen, and thank you for sharing this amazing news with me! May you have many, many more Happy Trails!

~*~*~*~*~

My creative and experimental cooking juices have been flowing lately. I have Don and Jo to thank for this. They know why. :) Thank you, Don & Jo!

Man, I love to feed people! I spent the better portion of yesterday swirling various ideas around in my head as to how I will one day be able to realize this dream that periodically and tantalizingly whispers to me and makes its presence known once more.

But for now, let's talk about eggs!

The high-cholesterol controversy aside, I think eggs are absolutely wonderful . . . and quite versatile, to boot. No, not the tasteless bleached white eggs that come from chicken farms focused on caged mass-production. I enthusiastically enjoy the real deal; eggs with natural brown shells and rich orange yolks whose producers cluck and roam freely around the farmyard, sans cages.

Lately, I've been focusing on eating even more veggies than I normally do . . . can one ever really have too many fresh vegetables? I think not.

So, combined with my love of eggs, I've been creating dishes that I've personally never seen in any restaurant. Having said that, I'm not going to claim this as an original idea . . . every time I think I have one of those, regardless of what it is, I find it listed on Google. Go figure.

However, the idea is new to me; I guess that counts for something.

On that note, I happily share this recipe with you and I hope you enjoy it.

Egg Nests

In lieu of fat (butter, oil, etc.), cover the bottom of a skillet with your choice of stock or even any soup. I especially like those boxed soups and stocks from Imagine or Pacific. They're so versatile; and not only are they good heated up in a mug, they also are great ingredients to scrumptious recipes.

BTW, today, I used chicken stock.

Gently heat stock (or soup) and add a generous portion of chopped or sliced veggies (i.e., leeks, various greens, broccoli florets, etc. . . really, your preference).

Today, I used broccoli slaw (shredded broccoli and carrots).

Sauté the veggies a few minutes, but make sure they're still fairly crisp (please do not overcook; there's nothing worse than mushy veggies).

Crack open however many eggs you'd like to eat (2 is a good number for me). The eggs sit nicely on top of the veggies.

Cover the skillet and turn heat to low, cooking until eggs are done according to your your preference (the veggies will continue cooking during this time).

Make sure you use enough stock or soup so that it doesn't evaporate dry in the cooking process. I've never measured, but I'm guessing 1/4 - 1/2 cup, depending on the size of your skillet.

And there ya go . . . a lower-fat yummy egg dish, complete with a good dose of protein and veggies. Comfort food & healthy, all in one dish! If y'all try this; I'd sure be interested in what you think of it.

In the meantime,

Y'all be blessed,

Sharon-Marie

Last Chance 2009 Ramblings

2009-12-19T17:26:00.011-07:00

Hey y'all!

Greetings from under the snowy shadow of the Grand Tetons!

The weather has been all over the place in the past few weeks; ranging from -20° all the way up to the “almost-balmy” mid 30°s. Currently, it's 16° and the mountains are slowly accumulating the season's collection of that beautiful, fluffy white stuff. (BTW, being the American that I am, all temps are listed in Fahrenheit).

Speaking of weather, I hope all my friends on the East side of the States are fairing well through the storms tonight.

*~*~*~*~*

I've been contemplating learning how to ice-skate this year. I've also been advised to armor myself in padded pants and elbow protectors, should I decide to embark on this wondrous winter activity. The man who provided such sage advice is a hockey referee. He has been zoomin' around on skates for the past 40 years and, amusingly enough, underlined such counsel by sharing a photo of him uniformed-up with blood running down his face because of his brow bone having a close encounter with a hard, thick sheet of frozen water during a game.

Anyone want to place bets on my ice-skating success?

Anyone want to underwrite me for insurance purposes?

Anyone want to sign-up to zip around the ice with me? A fun time would be had by all, I’m quite sure!

*~*~*~*~*

Y'all may remember my becoming a certified tour director this time last year. Employment-wise, the timing proved to be a bit of a challenge. Many of my classmates have experienced the same thing; signs of the economic times and all that.

To date, I have sent my résumé to over 90 different tour-related companies. I still have not yet worked as a tour director. But! Being the eternal optimist, I always have hope! New years bring renewed determinations; and I will continue my efforts into 2010.

*~*~*~*~*

In the meantime, I’ve been having a great time participating in Toastmasters International.

I joined its local affiliate back in February of this year, and have enjoyed it immensely. The information I have learned, coupled with the experience I have gained, has been quite invaluable. If YOU want to hone your public-speaking skills, I highly encourage you to join your local chapter of Toastmasters. Even if you do not “do” public-speaking, there are myriad ways in which you could benefit from your membership in Toastmasters. Visit the link I’ve provided above and check them out!

To everyone at Teton Toastmasters, here’s a shout-out to y’all! Thank you so much for being such an incredibly awesome group in so many ways. The pleasure has definitely been all mine.

*~*~*~*~*

The Elk Refuge recently opened for the Winter Season and is now busy providing sleigh rides. It is simultaneously a most inspiring and humbling privilege to be able to ride through the herds and see these most majestic animals so completely up-close and personal.

As always, Jackson offers a plethora of winter activities. Whatever the season and whether indoors or out, it’s impossible to become bored while living or visiting here. Winter includes various snow activities, art that encompasses many genres, getting together with friends in front of roaring fireplaces . . . the list is practically endless.

One of my favorite sources in keeping up-to-date with what, when & where is JH’s Chamber of Commerce.

Whether you’re a local, a local wannabe or a future visitor, sign up for “The Lowdown,” the Chamber’s weekly Calender-of-Events email!

*~*~*~*~*

My thanks to Bobbie for forwarding to me this YouTube MOOSE video!

I played it twice through the first time I viewed it. The frolicking of those baby twin moose, along with the care and watchfulness of their mother, brought many smiles to my face. What a wonderful way to relax at the end of a busy day!

Incidentally, click here to visit Bobbie’s website - Carrousel Graphics. Enjoy!

A couple days later after the moose video, I, then, found these photos of white-haired moose while weaving through the wonderful world known as the web. (Visit Snopes.com as to why I do not specifically refer to them as albino moose).

. . . Speaking of Snopes, I enthusiastically and wholeheartedly encourage y’all to use them when ascertaining if what you want to forward onto 500 of your closest friends is truth or fiction. :)

*~*~*~*~*

Christmas is just around the corner. I hope each of y’all have an absolutely JOY-filled Christmas.

May Jesus, whose birth I celebrate, bless each of you most abundantly.

Pax,

Sharon-Marie

Whitewater Photos & Videos

2009-06-11T17:09:00.022-06:00

I want to introduce y’all to Whitewater Photos & Video, located here in Jackson. This cool store is owned and operated by Becky Martens, who bought the business 19 years ago.

Whitewater Photos & Videos is THE place to go for the capturing of your whitewater rafting or kayaking & canoeing experiences, via the Snake River . . . which, incidentally, this awesome body of water is a tributary of the Columbia River, is 1,040 miles in length and runs from Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming) to the mouth of the Columbia River (Washington).

Prior to her husband and her buying the store, Becky owned and operated a local one-hour photo shop, which she started upon her arrival here in Jackson, back in ’84. In 1990, she combined both businesses, and has been providing both excellent one-hour photo service (for both film & digital cameras) and amazing whitewater photos and videos since then. The store is located in the heart of Jackson, on Cache, next to one of my other favorite places – Merry Piglets (a Mexican restaurant with very tasty dishes).

I have personal knowledge of the one-hour photo service. I first met Becky last year when I was searching for a shop to print some photos from my camera’s memory card. She was so helpful and so nice, I knew I had to find a reason to visit her again! I’ve not yet had the pleasure of rafting The Snake . . . BUT! It’s on my calendar for this September . . . so, stay tuned about that.

The photos on the wall of the store help maintain my excitement about my upcoming inaugural rafting trip. To get a glimpse of similar photos, visit Becky’s website HERE. The photographic masthead shows shots of recent float trips.

“So, where is the cam located? Do y’all move it to different locations?,” I ask (a bit naively). “There’s no cam,” Becky enthusiastically tells me; "We use actual photographers." OK . . . now, I’m REALLY intrigued! She continues on, telling me that the photographers row across the river every morning before the trips begin; and from there, they man their posts all day and take five shots of each group that passes by. Wow!!! That’s SO Cool! The film is then delivered across the river via an overhead trolley, four times each day; and then is quickly delivered into town for processing. Customers are then able to view their photos and place their orders at their leisure.

Currently (and until the waters recede a bit), the photo area is at Lunch Counter, one of the biggest rapids in the Snake River Canyon. After the waters go down a bit (probably around the end of June), the photographers will be snapping shots from the Big Kahuna area; which, amusingly, is sometimes referred to as a “schizophrenic patch of whitewater”.

Photos can be purchased in-store in sizes of 5 x 7, 8 x 10, 11 x 14 and 12 x 18. Also available in-store are the complete series of the 5 photos of your specific adventure in 4 x 6 size. Larger photos (16 x 20 and 20 x 30) can be received within a couple of weeks after ordering. Additionally, one also has the option of purchasing a CD of the pictures, so they can print their photos whenever they like and however often they want.

Another reason to use Whitewater Photos & Videos . . . this is the ONLY local company of its kind that offers live videos of people traversing down the Snake River!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I stopped in the store the other day to say hey to Becky; and that’s when she told me that she has expanded her business. In addition to offering one-hour photo services and whitewater photos & videos, she now is also offering studio portraits and photography services for parties and family gatherings.

The studio portraits can be done in-studio or at your house; your choice. Regarding parties, just let her know when and where, and she’ll be there; camera in hand, smile on face and ready to capture your celebration into memory-making photos.

This service, like the other ones are available to both locals and visitors, alike.

One of Becky’s goals is to make sure her customers are happy and pleased with her work. In her own words, “I’ll take the time that’s needed to do a good job and make great photos.”

So! Come to Jackson (it really is a must for everyone to do at least once). While you’re here, participate in some exhilarating whitewater rafting down the Snake River (see Becky’s website for a listing of various rafting companies). After the trip, dry off and come into town . . . specifically to Whitewater Photos & Videos on Cache . . . and order your prints and CD of YOU with paddle in hand while plowing through a rapid. Then, afterward, have Becky come to your party to shoot photographs of even more good times . . . so that YOU can be in the pictures (and not out of them because you were behind the camera). And, please remember to tell Becky that I sent you.

The hours of the photo shop are 9am – 9pm (7 days / week).

The studio’s hours are 10am – 5pm (Tuesday – Saturday)

Becky can be reach via email at wpv@blissnet.com

or via phone at 1-800-WHTE-H20 (948-3426)

Local: (307) 733-7015

Oh, and while you’re here in Jackson, give me a call and let’s get together. Who knows? I may even go rafting with you. :)

Y’all be blessed,

Sharon-Marie

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Footnote: During my interview with Becky the other day, a group came in to pick up their photos. One of the men was carrying a full moose antler. I grinned to myself and thought, “Only in Jackson!”

These customers liked their photos so much they ordered a CD of their time on the Snake. And, while I was making notes for this blog entry, I heard one of the women exclaim quite exuberantly, “This is GOOD! You guys got a good photographer!”

There’s nothing quite like spontaneous and unsolicited endorsements to really sell a product. :)

Whitewater Photos & Videos

140 North Cache (next to Merry Piglets)

Becky Martens, Owner

800-WHTE-H20 (948-3426)

Local: 307-733-7015

wpv@blissnet.com

www.snakeriverphotos.net

Zap the Gap

2009-04-19T13:11:00.004-06:00

I want to introduce Meagan Johnson to y'all.

Meagan was one of the speakers at the tour directors' symposium I attended this past January. I was very impressed with her; not only with what she had to say, but the way in which she presented it. This woman is funny, articulate and intelligent . . . a pretty awesome combination for a professional speaker, doncha think?

During the symposium, I signed-up up for her "Zap The Gap" email mini-course. The course was delivered recently, and I would like to share those emails with y'all, here, while we're Dancing with Moose.

I have obtained Meagan's permission to copy her emails here, and I have not edited the actual information in any way. (The only difference is that Meagan's mini-course was over a 5-day period, and I am only sharing 4 days with y'all; the first day was an introductory email reminding me of the mini-course Additionally, I am only reprinting her "intro" at the end of Day Five; not at the beginning of each segment as was delivered via the online refresher course).

In addition to her emails, I would also like to share her website address and her phone number with y'all:

www.meaganjohnson.com 1-800-836-6599

If you're ever in need of a professional speaker, I highly recommend her and encourage y'all to consider contacting her.

OK . . . the next post will be the first installment (Day Two) of "Zap the Gap"

Y'all enjoy, and be blessed.

Sharon-Marie

Zap the Gap; Day Two

2009-04-19T13:10:00.003-06:00

DAY TWO

Zap the Gap
Solving the Multi-Generational Puzzle

Now is an exciting time. We have four generational flavors in the workplace:

The Traditional Generation
raised in the Great Depression, listening to Fred Allen
Baby Boomers
raised during Viet Nam, watching Ozzie & Harriet
Gen Xers
raised in single parent homes, imitating Beavis & Butthead
New Millennium
raised on the internet, living in Southpark

If you do not understand these examples then you definitely need to ZAP THE GAP!

Each generation brings to the table their own set of expectations and hopes. In each generation there is an opportunity to learn new perspectives and get fresh ideas. With each generation there is an opportunity to grow frustrated, upset, angry and have a disaster on your hands.

Let's start with the Traditional Generation. It is sometimes referred to as the Silent Generation. Some people do not like the use of the word silent to describe this generation.

Silent seems to imply the generation did not contribute anything to society, they remained silent. This is the opposite of the truth. The word silent comes from some of the significant Generational Signposts of this generation.

Signposts like the Great Depression and WWII taught this generation to postpone immediate gratification for a greater good. By postponing immediate gratification and working toward a common goal, this generation was successful and rewarded. Big business and government rewarded this generation by helping them to improve their quality of life.

The Traditional generation withstood the great depression, was successful in WWII, rebuilt Europe & Japan, and staved off the spread of communism.

This generation created the consumer products we use everyday: washers, dryers, televisions and microwave ovens. Big business took these products and through mass production made them available to the many rather than the elite few.

The homes we live in today were influenced by this generation. This generation built the neighborhood homes outside of the center of the city. With the help of VA and FHA loan, more people could afford homes than ever before. The average cost of a first home for this generation was $7,000.00. (Many of us have spent more on a used car.)

According to Mallow's hierarchy of needs, we have a set of basic needs like food, shelter and clothing. In addition, we have a set of higher needs, such as the need to feel loved and accepted, and to be self-actualized. As human beings, we will not try to satisfy the higher needs until the basic needs are taken care of.

For a generation, the basic needs were not being satisfied. However, when this Silent generation pulled together, they were able to satisfy the basic needs.

The long lasting impact of these Generational Signposts for the Traditional Generation is loyalty to the country and the company, tenacity, and hard work.

It is no surprise this hard working generation has not wanted to fade into retirement. Advances in medicine have left a generation of older workers who are healthy and able and willing to work. This generation has come out of retirement looking for a new place in the workforce.

One of the benefits of hiring retirees is that they are typically not looking to climb the corporate ladder. They are looking for a place to use their skills. Often, they do not want to work full time but just part time. This is a labor source that is too valuable to be ignored.

When you walk into a Wal-Mart the first person to greet you is the Greeter. The Greeter is someone typically of retirement age who stands at the front door of Wal-Mart, greets the customers and gets you a shopping cart. One of the biggest differences between a Wal-Mart and a Target is the Greeter.

Ironically, Wal-Mart did not create the Greeter to give a senior citizen a job. Wal-Mart discovered that when someone stood at the door, looked people in the eye and greeted them, shoplifting went down.

The point is that Wal-Mart did not do what some people do when they work with someone from the Traditional Generation: stick them behind a counter because they needed a warm body. The number one complaint from this generation is that we do not take advantage of their skills and experience. Wal-Mart made the Greeter part of the Wal-Mart team.

When you hire or work with someone of the Traditional Generation, there are six things you can do:

Communicate traditional values- Let them know you appreciate them being on time and working the extra shift.

Let them know their age & experiences are highly valued-The number one complaint from this generation is we treat them like they do not know anything.

Pronounce words clearly/Look them in the eye/ 'Use Please' and Thank you-especially, if you have teenagers working with someone from the Traditional Generation. (Give your teenagers some communication training.)

Take plenty of time to train- Rationales are jumping onto the internet in larger numbers then any other age group right now. They are learning to use the Internet at home with the help of their kids or grand kids. When you are teaching a new skill to someone from the Traditional Generation, try teaching her one on one. They may be more likely to ask questions and try the new skill with just you vs a large group of people.

Stress the long haul- Communicate with them about the history of the company, their position, and your history with the company.

Reward with a personal touch- Rewards like certificates, plaques or a picture with the company president are significant. Give them something they can take home or hang in their office

IN THE NEXT SESSION LEARN HOW THE BABY BOOM GENERATION BOOMED ONTO THE SCENE AND BECAME OUR MOST MEMORABLE GENERATION!

written by Meagan Johnson; copied here

(in "Dancing With Moose") with permission

Zap the Gap; Day Three

2009-04-19T13:09:00.003-06:00

DAY THREE
Zap the Gap
Solving the Multi-Generational Puzzle
5 day Mini-Course

Baby Boomers

After returning from WWII, the Traditional Generation, began to have children – lots of them Between the years of 1946 and 1964, we saw the birth of the biggest population bubble in our country to date. There were 77 million children born during this time period. We call this population bubble the 'baby boomers.' The effects of this boom continue to echo in our country. For example, in the next ten to fifteen years, as Baby Boomers reach senior citizenship, the number of seniors in the U.S. is going to double over current numbers. The number of seniors will be equivalent to the number of people who live in California and the New England States. And here's something even scarier: They all will still be driving!

As a country, we had never seen anything like the Baby Boom. We were not prepared for the sheer number of bodies. We built hospitals and schools to accommodate the numbers of Baby Boomers. Sometimes we could not build them fast enough. (Some baby boomers might remember sharing a desk at school. There were not enough for everyone.) The Baby Boom generation was the first generation to be graded on a report card for 'WORKS WELL AND PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS.' Before the Baby Boomers went to school, working and playing well with others was not a big concern; teachers were easily able to handle the small number of students in a classroom.

One lasting impact of the emphasis on 'working and playing well with others' is the emphasis of this generation on cooperation, both in and out of the work place. The Baby Boomers have started and fueled the idea of teams, teamwork, co-operation, community, synergy, quality circles, and hootenanny love fests in and out of the workplace!

There were lots of firsts for the Baby Boomers. This generation was the first generation born into families whose first concern was not merely survival. The Traditional Generation had fulfilled the basic needs of Maslow's pyramid. Baby boomers were born and raised during a financially prosperous time in the country.

Baby Boomers were the first generation for whom education was ordinary rather than extraordinary. For previous generations, it was not unusual for people to take their children out of school to work on the family farm. Times had changed; we were no longer an agricultural society. School was the norm for Baby Boomers, and for many, this meant college in addition to grade and high school.

Baby Boomers were the first to be teenagers. There had always been people in their teens, but the idea of the teenager as a generational force became increasingly popular with the Boomer generation. Pre Baby Boomers, there were two categories: too young to work or old enough to work. Boomers became the first generation with both leisure time and leisure money to fill that time outside of school.

My grandmother is from the Traditional Generation. One evening I came to her house to pick her up for dinner. My grandmother was having her evening cocktail when I arrived at her house. I was in a hurry, and impatiently said to my grandmother 'Come on, let's go.' (You can probably almost hear the snappish tone in my voice as you read this!) My grandmother replied, 'Let me finish my drink.' I said 'Throw it out, we will buy you another one at the restaurant.' She said, 'I will not waste my drink by throwing it out and I will not waste my money by ordering a drink at the restaurant.' 'Don't worry,' I said, 'I will pay.' 'You Can't afford it.' she said. 'Save your money!'

I know this behavior makes sense to my grandmother. She survived a level of poverty during the Great Depression that I can not even imagine. Her behavior still seems slightly odd and a little funny to me.

Some of you may be familiar with this syndrome on another level. I call it the 'tin foil influenza.' A participant one of my seminars told me that in secret she and her brothers and sisters call their grandmother the 'Tin Foil Lady.' Anytime after her grandmother has visited, the refrigerator is full of little pockets of food wrapped in tin foil. She refuses to throw any amount of food away.

The Traditional Generation had created a set of rules to follow and live by. These rules made sense to the Traditional Generation and the Traditionalists were frequently successful following the set of rules they had created. The Baby Boom generation did not have the same signposts in place to make the rules of the traditional generation relevant or nearly as significant. As the Baby Boomers reached their late teens and early twenties, they began to question and challenge the rules, and their success was often embodied in their challenges to the Traditionalist rules.

In downtown Phoenix, Arizona, (the city I was born in) there is a building that once was an all black high school. As late as 1950, this school operated as a segregated institution. Baby Boomers questioned school segregation and as a result of Brown vs The Board of Education, the casual acceptance of segregation was gone forever.

During the 1950's, if you were a woman and you were going to have a job, the available jobs were few and strictly circumscribed. Some of the acceptable jobs included teacher, nurse, hair dresser, or telephone operator. I use the word 'job' judiciously: women did not, by and large, have a career. These jobs were not considered a career: It was something you did until (hopefully) you were married and had children. The women's movement changed all that.

Baby Boomers continue to be the largest generation in the workforce. With advances in medicine and plastic surgery, the Baby Boomers continue to challenge our preconceived notions when it comes to things like living, aging, traveling, politics, the environment and our communities.

Here are six things to consider when working with a Baby Boomer:

Want a challenge - Baby Boomers see themselves as change provokers. They make change happen. Think of when Baby Boomers were in their 20s and 30s: they forced great changes in our society. They continue to challenge our preconceived notions about success and aging as they move through the timeline. Where can they make great changes in your organization? Baby boomers coined the phrase “leave it better than you found it.” Where are there challenges in you company or team? Tell the Baby Boomer where the challenges are, get them involved in the vision, and they can probably devise a plan to get there.

Show them where they can make a difference- As Baby Boomers have aged they have become a little nostalgic for their altruistic past. In the late 60s and early 70s, this meant working toward a common good. Charitable donations from this generation are at an all time high. Baby Boomers are looking to make a difference beyond the bottom line at their companies and organizations. Every year, Xerox selects a handful of employees who are able to take a year off work to work with the charity of their choice. They receive full pay, full benefits, and a guaranteed job upon their return. Target Stores gives back a portion of profits to in the communities in which they operate. Other companies let employees get involved in fund raisers with local charities or allow so much time per month to donate to the local school.

Tell them what role they can play in the future- Where is the company going? What role can they play? As Baby Boomers move closer to retirement, they are becoming more concerned about healthcare and retirement packages. How will the company help them meet their retirement goals? Is there a 401k or stock options? What is the healthcare benefits package? Is there a workout facility on site or nearby? A rising concern for some Baby Boomers is an aging parent. What is your company doing to meet the needs of this Boomer employee? Is there flex time? Telecommuting?

Baby Boomers value personal relationships - Get to know each employee individually. We always benefit when we get to know people on an individual basis. The Baby Boomer is known as the Team Worker, but don't let them get lost in the team. You do not have to be a manager or supervisor to know a little bit about the people on your teams. This is especially important if you are a Gen Xer managing a Baby Boomer. Gen Xers tend to be more independent and may think no news is good news. Remember that this is not true for everyone: your team members may need to have some more quality time with you.

Give public recognition - Assist them in getting name recognition. Even though they are team members, they want their individual efforts to be recognized. If you manage Baby Boomers, can you get them invited to meetings to which they would normally not be invited? If you do not manage the Baby Boomer, you can still help them get recognition for their accomplishments by getting their name in an industry journal or writing something about them in the company newsletter or bulletin board.

Baby Boomers see themselves as learners - Coach rather than direct them. Baby Boomers have fueled the self-help industry. They tend to be very savvy when it comes to management techniques. You may find yourself customizing your approach with each of your different Baby Boomers

COMING NEXT! X MARKS THE SPOT. GENERATION X MAKES ITS MOVE AND ITS MARK.

written by Meagan Johnson; copied here

(in "Dancing With Moose") with permission

Zap the Gap; Day Four

2009-04-19T13:07:00.002-06:00

DAY FOUR
Zap the Gap
Solving the Multi-Generational Puzzle
5 day Mini-Course

Generation X

There are four generations in the workforce today: Traditionals, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and New Millenniums. The demarcation between each of these generations is determined by their respective birthrates. When there is a significant change in the birthrate, it marks the end of one generation and the beginning of another. For example, the Great Depression and WWII caused the national birthrate to decline. Given the times, people were not inclined to have large families. When the GI's came home from WWII in 1946, however, the birth rate took a dramatic jump upward hence, 1946 marks the boundary between the Traditional Generation and the Baby Boomers. Likewise, as the Baby Boomers came of age in the 1960;s, the advent of the pill, the women's movement, and a variety of other social pressures led to many Baby Boomers to delay the starting of families. Consequently, the birthrate dropped significantly, marking the beginning of Generation X, the smallest generation in recent
history.

Every generation experiences signposts, both cultural and personal that influences its attitudes and behaviors.
For the Traditional Generation, the two big cultural signposts were the Great Depression and WWII. On a personal level, it was having a sense of family upon whom you depended for survival.

For Baby Boomers, the prosperity of the 1950's, the war in Viet Nam, the Pill, and Watergate were large cultural signposts. On a personal level, it was living in households where both parents were there, you were expected to go to college, and there was great peer pressure to dedicate yourself to some greater cause.

For Generation X, the cultural signposts that affected them included Watergate, the Iran Hostage Crisis, and the 1987 Stock Market Crash. On a personal level, they were the first generation to have, in large numbers, both parents working.

Consequently, many Generation Xers came home from school to an empty house. The term latchkey child emerged to describe this generation. Though not having a parent there when you got home from school sounds lonely, being a latchkey child had its advantages. Upon arriving home from school, there were usually a list of chores waiting for them. The rules said the chores had to be done before mom or dad got home, and the chores had to be done to an acceptable level of quality - much like work in the real world today. It was up to the latchkey kids to decide when to start the chores and in what order they should be done. Consequently, Generation Xer's today often have a powerful ability to work independently and to manage their time efficiently.

Generation X was also the first to have more than half its population live in a single parent household. Fifty percent of Generation X comes from divorce. Children of divorce often spend many hours alone waiting for a parent to come home. Not fun to think about, but again, it contributed to Generation X's ability to work independently and alone. In fact, they often prefer working solo to working with a team.

The down side of this preference for independence is that it often conflicts with traditional office paradigms. Earlier ideas, like “you are only working if you are sitting at your desk,” and “everyone must work together as a team,” often fall flat with Generation Xers. What matters most to the Gen Xer is the end result.

Generation Xers often prefer independent assignments, where they can set their own schedules, choose their own places to get the work done, and take care of the details themselves. This can seem very un-team-like. Even the sports they choose tend to be non-team oriented: skiing, snowboarding, roller-blading and mountain biking. Sports that can be played with others or alone. Sports that do not depend on others to win.

Television was a signpost for Generation X. Baby Boomers had T.V. while growing up, but it was just ONE BLACK AND WHITE T.V. To a Gen Xer, that is not T.V., that's torture. Television for Baby Boomers was an information source that the family watched together. With the advent of cable T.V., television became an entertainment source for Gen Xers, customized to their individual tastes. In addition, a household with only one T.V. was not a household worth visiting in the mind of a young Gen Xer.

With entertainment and independence being two strong signposts for Gen Xers, there was bound to be conflict in the workplace, where one is expected to do the same thing day after day. If you are working with a Gen Xer, be prepared for them to ask you, “why?” when you give them tasks. “Why?” does not necessarily mean why do they have to do the task so much as “why are we doing it that way in first place.”

Your best defense to the 'Why?'-asking Gen Xer is to know why and explain. We sometimes fall into the old answer 'because that is the way we have always done it.' This answer does not cut it with a Gen Xer. Remember, these folks are used to operating independently and figuring out the best and most efficient way to get those chores done. When you work with a Gen Xer, be clear as to which old rules, policies and procedures are important to adhere to and be able to explain why they are important. Then, be open to updating or changing other policies and procedures.

One area where it would be easy to give power to Generation Xers is titles. A seminar participant told me she loved her job but hated her title. I asked her what it was.
'Space Manager,' she replied.
'What does that mean?' I asked.
'I don't really know.' She said. 'I think it's because I am responsible for seeing that our products are placed on the shelves of our retail outlet customers and making sure we don't lose space to our competition. But I think it's a stupid title.'

It would be so easy and fun to let choose her choose own title. It costs the company nothing and goes miles with the employees in creating good will.

If you work with or manage Gen Xers here are six things you can do to find the best ones and get the best from them:

1. In the interview before hiring, include the phrase “we want you to have a life” at least three times. It doesn't matter if you are in an actual interview or just working with a Gen Xer. Show respect for their outside life. Baby Boomers more than any other generation have made their career their identity. For Gen Xers, career and work are a means to have a fulfilling life outside of work.

2. During the interview and afterward, include the phrase “'hands off supervision” at least three times. Generation Xers like to be allowed to figure things out. This does not mean you throw them into a hole without any resources. Just give them the tools they need to get the job done, make sure they are capable of doing the job, and then give them some freedom to get it done.

3. Establish a meritocracy. Xers want to know their ideas are valued on merit, not seniority. If you want to alienate an Xer and have them quit in two seconds, promote someone because they have been around longer, or are the boss's pet, rather than because their work is superior.

4. Tell them the industry or company is going to change. Xers see change as an opportunity. Xers have been living with change all their lives. They experienced changing cities, schools and families. In an Xers mind, when a change occurs, the door of opportunity opens. Many Xers are looking for experiences in the workplace that will benefit them in future positions. One way to feed Gen Xers' desire to learn new things is to have them job swap. Another is to provide lots of opportunity for lateral promotions. If you can give a Gen Xer the opportunity to learn a new skill or have a new experience that will strengthen his or her resume for future work, you've just given her or him a reason to stick around and contribute more.

5. Words like “warm” & “humane” are important to Baby Boomers. Xers, on the other hand, respond to words like 'fun' & 'relaxed.' A study commissioned by Deloit & Touche found that the top two words an Xer would use to describe the ideal working environment are “fun” and “relaxed.” Ask your Xers what could be done in the work place to create a more fun and a relaxed atmosphere. The answers could be very easy and inexpensive.

6. Give them a list of people to call if they have questions. Let them know who else is out there that could be of help to them. Do not make one person their sole contact for information. A variety of information sources gives the Xer an opportunity to have a big picture view of the company.

NEXT SEGMENT
THE BABY BOOMERS ARE NOT DONE YET! THEY CREATED THE SECOND BOOM IN THE BIRTH RATE WITH THE NEW MILLENNIUM GENERATION. THIS GENERATION DOES NOT HAVE TIME FOR THE MICROWAVE, PITIES YOU IF YOU ARE ON DIAL UP AND THEY DON'T READ A NEWSPAPER.

written by Meagan Johnson; copied here

(in "Dancing With Moose") with permission

Zap the Gap; Day Five

2009-04-19T12:43:00.004-06:00

DAY FIVE
Zap the Gap
Solving the Multi-Generational Puzzle
5 day Mini-Course

Day #5 New Millennium

As Baby Boomers have aged, they have become nostalgic. If you look at advertising campaigns, you see successful advertisers using icons from Baby Boomers' youth to sell them products today. Mercedes Benz played Janis Joplin's Lord Won't You Buy Me A Mercedes Benz. Microsoft played the Rolling Stones during their commercials, Nike used the Beatles to sell shoes and Cadillac used Led Zeppelin to sell their new SUV. Part of the nostalgia for Baby Boomers is fueled by the families they are starting after they postponed them in the 60's and early 70's. After 1980, the birth rate began to climb again. This is the New Millennium Generation, or the Echo Boom. There are 72 million New Millenniums. (Remember, there are 77 million Baby Boomers.)

There are similarities to this generation and the Baby Boom generation. Both generations were born during a time when it was extremely popular to have children. Right now, the Stay at Home Parent is becoming as popular as the dual income family was during the 80?s. Both generations were born during a time when their families and the workplace wanted them. Even with the slowdown in the economy, minimum wage jobs targeted to this generation are still in abundance.

Ten percent of this generation comes from a single parent family. The majority of the New Millennium generation comes from Baby Boomer parents. Some parents have gone to extreme medical and financial expense to have children. Advances in medicine have allowed people to have children later in life.

Although this generation is similar in size to the Baby Boom generation, there are . Employers call them the “group thinks generation.” Many parents see their children as safer if they are participating in activities with friends. High school principals have seen a rise in popularity of kids going to prom in a group, rather than as couples. Employers find themselves faced with the dilemma of wanting to hire one teen, but the condition for employment is to hire the teen's friends too.
Baby Boomers have taken some of the energy and time they dedicated to their careers and are focusing that time on their families. We do not refer to this generation as latchkey. We use words like Soccer Mom and Stay at Home Dad to describe the New Millennium Generation's home life.

This is a generation that is scheduled to the hilt. They have pre-school groups, after school activities, clubs, parties, college prep and volunteer participation to attend. (Some parents schedule so intensively for their children because it's their perception that as a result, the university application will look well rounded.

Most Baby Boomers learned to use computers at work. They became familiar with computers and how to use them in the workplace and then brought the computer into the home. Most Gen Xers learned to use computers in school. The New Millennium Generation grew up with the computer. As a result, the computer is about as challenging or impressive as the toaster. We turn to the NM's for advice on how to make our computer program go, move and sing. We take them with us to the computer superstores to help us navigate through all the cables, monitors, speakers and wires. For something as indispensable to us as the computer, it's funny to think that we depend on a pierced, tattooed teenager whose main concern in life at the moment is deciding between fries and onion rings to give us advice and take care of us and our computer needs.

As a result of turning to the N.M. Generation for advice regarding the computer, this generation has become part of the family decision making tree. Advertisers are now targeting this generation to sell adult items. The Dodge van used a tag line about how much the kids will love the back seat. Cruise lines use Disney characters to sell cruises to the youngest members of this generation. Hotels are putting together comprehensive activity packages to entice people with their children. Ten years ago, Club Med appealed to the single person. Look at a Club Med ad today, and you will see pictures of families on a beach.
Employers struggle with this generation. They often expect to receive the same peer to peer treatment they get at home, at work. Here are six things you can do differently when working with or managing someone from the New Millennium generation:

Give moral support
They are easily intimidated by difficult customers. Everyone knows that babies cry. But until you have your first baby, you don't really KNOW babies cry. This is analogous to The New Millennium Generation in the workforce. They know a job will not always be fun and exciting, but they do not KNOW it until they start working. Give them a shoulder to lean on through some of the challenging times. After a while, most of us develop a thick skin but we occasionally still let that very irritating customer or co-worker get to us. Think about the New Millennium Generation. They do not have the thick skin or the tools to deal with that pain in the butt customer or co-worker. Give them moral support when a customer yells at them, and give them advice on how to handle 'Bizzybody Bob' from across the hallway. If you do not take some time to give this generation a hand, they will think it is the company that is the rotten place, and that another job wouldn't have the difficult custo
mers and co-workers.

More structure & supervision

NM's have had a more structured upbringing than a Gen Xer. (Structured does not necessarily mean disciplined.) A family fun park I worked with created a set of red rules and blue rules. (A family fun park has rides and video games.) When an employee is first hired, they wear a red T-shirt and all rules are red rules. Red rules are very specific and typically deal with safety and employee etiquette. An example of a red rule would be that all customers must wear a safety belt on a ride. Another example of a red rule would be that employees are not allowed to spit. The manager explained the spitting rule this way:
“This is the first job for many kids and they just do not know they are not supposed to spit while on the grounds. I do not think they are being rude or disrespectful; they just do not understand. If it is in the rule book that we read to them and they sign on the first day of employment, they at least have been told.'

Once employees prove they can follow the red rules, they get a blue T-shirt. Once they are at the blue level, they can break blue rules. Blue rules are judgement calls. An example would be a family's request to extend their time on a ride. Technically, the ride should be over, but there is nobody waiting in line for the ride. Can the employee let the customers ride a little longer? A red t-shirted employee can not make that decision but they can call over a blue t-shirted employee to make the decision. This blue rules/ red rules system ensures that the employees who will be making customer service decisions have a grasp of the basic groundwork rules and regulations.

Create a clear picture of what is acceptable and what is not
If dress code is important, be very specific what is expected. Be clear about what time work starts and what behavior is expected when they are sick or late. Explain the consequences and follow through. If the employee can not follow these basic rules, get rid of them ASAP. If you keep making excuses for the weak player, the strong, reliable employees will resent it.

Frequent rewards
This is the generation who stood in from of the microwave and said 'Come on! I don't have 30 seconds!' Organizations spend money and time trying to recruit new employees. After romancing the new hire, they put the new hire on PROBATION for the first 90 days. What a happy word! Once probation is over, the new hire may get a review and then probably does not get another review for 6 months to 1 year. If the average job stay is two years managers are giving employees feedback 2 - 4 times during their entire employment. There is no surprise that New Millenniums find reviews a waste of time. Give the N.M. more instant feedback.

Learn their goals
Why are they working? If they are still in high school, they probably are earning some extra money for an extracurricular activity. Get to know their interests. Team them up with them. According to Teenage Unlimited Research, the New Millennium Generation names the Traditional Generation as the one they respect the most; so team your NMers with your Traditionals. This is another great way to tap into your Traditional Generation's experience.

Help them have FUN at work

According to the Wall Street Journal, we spend 90% of our waking hours at work. Shouldn't some of it be fun? Ways to make fun at work include: Treasure Hunt - a cable company periodically puts people on teams and creates a treasure hunt. The treasure hunt can be goofy and it can be useful. One employee said after the treasure hunt: “I never knew where we kept the copier paper.” Life Board a communications company put up a pushpin corkboard in the break room. Every week the board is assigned to a different employee. The employee can put things on the board that represents his or her life outside of work. One manger commented, 'This is a great way to learn about the outside interests of our employees. It provides a connection.'

The New Millennium generation is our opportunity to battle our signpost myopia and put our thumbprint on the future, Good Luck.

Your generational guide,
Meagan Johnson
Meagan@MeaganJohnson.com

Meagan Johnson
Bright, funny and delightfully obnoxious, Generational Humorist!
Bright, funny and delightfully obnoxious, Meagan is known as the Generational Humorist! If you think you have heard all there is to hear about the four different generations in the workplace, you have not heard Meagan's hilarious spin on how to attract, train, market, manage, and retain people from every generation and not strangle someone in the process. You get to laugh while acquiring tools you can use immediately to improve your multi-generational relationships with clients, customers and co-workers.

written by Meagan Johnson; copied here

(in "Dancing With Moose") with permission

TODAY is Purple Day . . .

2009-03-26T09:29:00.008-06:00

. . . or, Epilepsy Awareness Day.

"Founded in 2008, by nine-year old Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia, Canda, Purple Day is an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide."

Thank you Cassidy. Your are a courageous girl, and you have my respect and admiration.

Click HERE to go to Purple Day's website.

Rescued by a Moose!

2009-03-23T16:40:00.010-06:00

Originally written on June 14, 2008 . . .

I absolutely love animals . . . four-legged, winged, amphibious . . . you name it; I love 'em! (and yeah, I know that technically, fowl and sea creatures are not animals, but I hope you know what I mean when I include them with animals).

I've always loved animals; in fact, I'm sure if I investigated it, I would find my ancestry directly descended from Dr. Doolittle.

And quite thankfully, animals love me.

But I most especially love wildlife . . . true wildlife that roam and soar and swim free in their natural habitats.

And apparently (and thankfully), wildlife seem to return the love towards me.

. . . Which brings me to the subject of this particular post.

I arrived in Jackson in 2000 . . . I had been living in Birmingham, AL and had answered an ad in the local paper in which Jackson Lake Lodge (in Grand Teton National Park) was seeking temporary (summer) secretarial help. Having wanted, for the previous 18 years prior to that, to go see the Tetons, I jumped on the opportunity and headed off for an adventure.

While working for the Lodge, I stayed in employee housing, on site. I enjoyed a 10-minute walk to (and from) work everyday, wandering through nature and marveling at the beauty that my eyes beheld.

I've long since forgotten his name, but there was a bull moose that was the Lodge's unofficial mascot. He had been hanging out around the Lodge for years. I'm not sure if he's still alive, but I like to think he is . . . watching over his domain (and non-observant females of the human variety).

Now. Before I continue on, please allow me to take this opportunity to tell y'all that wild animals are, well, wild. They're not domesticated, nor should they be. If ya want a pet, may I suggest a dog, bird, cat, fish or even lizard - if that's your thing. Trust me when I tell y'all that moose, antelope and buffalo are not tame and will definitely not make good pets.

Respect wildlife. Please honor the fact that they're wild; that's how they were created to be.

To further this bit of a rabbit trail (pardon the pun), a friend and I were talking about wildlife recently. She's had the privilege of helping to produce some wonderful wildlife documentary films (Hey Mandy!). She has told me stories of people trying to hand their babies over to bears in hopes of getting a picture of mama bear holding human baby. OR, of parents encouraging their kids to go up to a moose or a buffalo and try to pose for a picture with their arms around the animal's neck. PLEASE DON'T DO THIS . . . not if you care for the safety of your baby or child . . . or even yourself.

Anyway, back to Jackson Lake Lodge in 2000 . . . so this wonderful MooseMascot was usually somewhere in my visual on my walks to and from work. Sometimes he was so close, I could reach out and pet him, if I were so inclined. However, going back to respecting wildlife, I never attempted such an activity. I like to think it was a smart decision on my part. I would, however, smile at him, wave and say hey. Sometimes if I felt he was particularly chatty on any given day, I'd ask him how his day was going and tell him how much I was enjoying his home. (Yes, I really did do this.)

Of course, he never answered my questions; he just kept munching on leaves and such and sometimes staring at me as if he thought perhaps I had eaten one too many unidentifiable wildflowers when I was younger. Trust me, I know that look.

There were 2 trails that I could take that would lead me to work, and I often alternated which way I went. One morning while on my way to work (probably about 3 weeks after I had come to Jackson and after 3 weeks of daily and sometimes twice-daily conversations with MooseMascot), I apparently took the wrong trail.

BTW, momma moose are probably one of the most fiercely protective of their babies. They keep them for 2 years before leaving them on their own. In those 2 years, though, don't even think about approaching a momma moose if she has a baby with her. Really. Don't do it. Especially, if the calf is newly or recently borne. Please consider yourself duly warned.

So . . . that particular morning, I walked past a thicket of trees . . . in which I didn't even realize that anyone was using it as their temporary abode . . . the trees were probably about 30-40 feet away from me.

The next thing I remember is hearing a loud, angry snort. I turned around and there, in all her raging glory, was MommaMoose charging after me. And man, was she angry!

I threw my purse and stuff up in the air, cried out, "Oh God! Please help me!" and started running.

But hey, let's get real for a moment, shall we? I am not a runner; never have been and don't have the desire to ever be. However, I will concede that running is certainly beneficial to one in certain circumstances . . . say, perhaps, when one has gotten too close to a baby moose and the momma is not pleased about it.

But having not had practice in the fine art of running, I'm sure I wasn't setting any world records or anything. Plus, MommaMoose had a definite advantage over me . . . her legs were as long as my total height (well, almost . . . if I remember correctly, her legs came all the way up to at least my shoulders). Plus, she had lots of practice in this talent called running; she probably went to some kind of moose-running school, I'm quite sure.

Did I mention there was a fence between her and me (about 4 feet high)? Did I also mention that she cleared that fence as if it were a stepping stone?

So . . . now, she's on the same side of the fence as I am; and quite frankly, she is gaining ground at a rather truly alarming rate.

I wanted to sit down and have a good cry about the whole thing, but Wisdom told me that the smarter choice was to hustle my, uhm, rear end as quickly as I could.

About that time, she was probably about 2 feet from me; and as she was yelling at me and probably cussing me out in her own special way, I was now envisioning people in Heaven laughing at me as I told them how I had met my demise.

That's when both she and I heard it . . . a very loud, long roar. We both froze and stood their staring at each other - me looking up into those very cold, hard angry eyes and she looking down towards me stomping one of her front hooves and rather effusively snorting, well, uhm, moose stuff, through her nose and all over me. I thought that last part was a bit rude and overboard. I mean, really. I wasn't expectorating all over her. Sheesh.

. . . And thankfully and miraculously, neither had I lost any bodily fluids . . . although I must say that if there were ever a time to wet one's pants, that would have been a quite very valid time.

The noise we both heard? Why, none other than MooseMascot, himself . . . coming to rescue ME; not her, but ME! Whatever he had said in Mooseese, he meant it. MommaMoose wasn't moving a muscle (and quite frankly, neither was I; I had frozen into a 5'4" block of total fear).

From probably about 80 feet away, MooseMascot had seen the ruckus and had literally called a halt to it.

That part was great. What I would have scripted differently for this unusual wildlife drama was the speed in which he was utilizing in reaching us . . . or rather the lack of speed.

Y'all think I can ramble?!! Lemme tell y'all; I don't have nothing on MooseMascot in that regard. He took his own sweet time just walking along; why, he hadn't even cleared the fence yet!

Finally (after what seemed like several lifetimes, but in reality was probably only a few minutes), he joined the little spontaneous tea party his missus and I were having . . . Moose nose-drippings, anyone?

He scolded her sharply (once again, in Mooseese) . . . and then, to my complete and utter amazement (as if this whole thing wasn't astonishing enough), he bit her on her rear end! Not hard enough to draw blood, but hard enough to mean business.

He then turned and started to walk away. She stood her ground and just glared at me. Me? I was still trying to figure out how not to be the laughing stock of Heaven of which I was sure I was going to enter during the next ensuing minutes.

When she didn't immediately follow him, MooseMascot let out another one of his very stern bellows. This time, MommaMoose dropped her head and turned around and followed him . . . but not before she snorted yet another layer of Moose goop all over my face and top. How very rude.

I suddenly looked at MooseMascot, he and I made eye contact, he kinda swirled his head and then led MommaMoose away.

I was left standing there trying to process what all had just happened when suddenly my brain recovered and yelled at me, 'RUN!" Which I did . . . in fact, it was probably the fastest I have ever run in my entire life.

I finally arrived at work and told them bits and pieces of what happened. Amazingly enough, they believed me. I like to think they believed me because they could see my character of truthfulness shining through and knew I wouldn't make up something like that for being late to work. But, reality tells me that they probably believed me because my hair was matted with Moose ick and my face and top were covered in it as well. Having never shown up to work before being similarly decorated, I'm guessing they realized I wasn't trying out the latest fad in weird expressions of uniqueness.

Strange. For some reason, they thought I had been through enough for one day and gave me the day off.

A couple of days later, I saw MooseMascot on my way home from work and I thanked him for saving my life. He just kept right on munching on his leaves . . . but somehow, I just know he heard and understood me. Afterall, there was now a special bond between the two of us, doncha know.

After that incident, I made sure to not get anywhere clost to any tree thickets. I'm sure MooseMascot had a conversation with MotherMoose about how to improve her manners, but I still didn't want to take any chances.

And yes, this really is a true story.

What's the Deal with Moose?!

2009-03-23T16:13:00.006-06:00

I thought for a long time on what to name this blog (months, in fact . . . yes, months).

THEN it hit me! The title could be no other than "Dancing With Moose".

I love moose! They're huge, massive, goofy-looking creatures, and I have been enamored with them ever since I saw my first one back in 2000.

Most of y'all know that I'm not much of a collector; most of y'all also know that I'm pretty much the minimalist (those two things make a good combination, by the way; they "get along" with each other).

However, I do have a small collection of moose that have been given to me throughout the years. I love my moose! :)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This next post . . . I originally wrote it last year on June 14th, and then posted it that same day in an online forum that I belong to. It fits very well here, as well. Incidentally, there will probably be additional previously-written ruminations that I will share with ya'll here in "Dancing With Moose."

For those of y'all who have read "Rescued by a Moose!" before, please just smile, nod politely and humor me . . . once again. :)

Y'all be blessed,

Sharon-Marie

Ellena and Jan

2009-03-03T18:24:00.009-07:00

So . . . as I was getting ready for swim class today, I noticed that it was sleeting. Big, drippy, splattering, slushy, sleet. I'm beginning to see a pattern of recent days . . . if it's swim class day, it's also been wet (both in and out of the pool). No matter - I have really been absolutely loving my classes.

The classes are one hour long, each session; and they are a combination of aerobics and total body strength training. I am quite pleased to report that I have been seeing improvements in a variety of areas; some of them quite unexpected from when I first determined to do the classes. For instance, my balance and coordination are improving. For those of y'all that really know me, I'm sure you're now looking at your computer screen in utter amazement. Close your mouths, y'all; you don't want to draw flies.

Swim class has nothing to do with neither Ellena nor Jan. I'm just in a bit of a ramblin' mood; simultaneously coupled with the desire to write. Y'all are the lucky recipients of both.

~*~*~*~

At a business meeting that I will be attending later in the week, it is my turn to provide lunch for everyone. The numbers given to me were 12 and 30. I am to feed 12 people and I will be reimbursed for up to $30.00. Wow. $2.50 per person? Did we get transported back a couple of decades and I miss it?

Nevertheless, I felt I was up to the challenge. After swim class, I set out to visit some of the locals' favorites for noontime cuisine to see what kind of deals I could finagle. Hmmm . . . Other than some truly empathetic smiles, my project wasn't a success. That's putting it midly. I bombed out. Completely.

You know . . . I don't usually miss driving. Yeah, there are the times when I would love to get in a car and drive around seeing the country side; either with a specific destination in mind or just to meander around to see what I can see. That's the wanderlust that lives within me.

Then there are times, like this week, when it would be so very wonderful to be able to drive. If I was driving, then I could simply zip off to one of the grocery stores and lunch for 12 people on $30 wouldn't be that big of a deal; there would be myriad ways to accomplish such an assignment. None of which are doable for a pedestrian, however. Even more insurmountable because on the specific day of the meeting, this particular pedestrian has under an hour between another time commitment ending and the time of the lunch meeting beginning.

Sigh.

After almost 2 hours of traipsing around in periodic sleet, under grey skies, while tromping through puddles of various stages of melted snow and repeatedly hearing, "I'm sorry; I can't help you," I think I was feeling a bit dejected. That may be a bit of an understatement.

As I was headed home to work on some projects, I was passing a bus stop. I'll interject here to say that I rarely use the bus. Except for the library, grocery stores and homechurch, I pretty much walk everywhere I go. The exercise is good for me; and where I live, I'm pretty much within a 10-15 minute walk from most places that I frequent.

~*~*~*~

I noticed a lady at the bus stop. She had flaming red-orange hair (more red than orange). Flaming red hair. As I approached her, I smiled at her and said "hey" . . . smiling, btw, helps lift a person out of a bad mood; smiling with or at another individual intensifies such accomplishment - try it sometime; it's awesome!

It's interesting to note how people respond when a stranger smiles at them. Sometimes I am met with a cold, silent stare. Sometimes I'm met with a polite, timid "kinda-smile" but then the person also endeavors to not make any eye contact.

But, Sometimes! Sometimes, I'm greeted with a very enthusiastic smile. Ellena greeted me with such a smile. In fact, she hopped up and came right up to me. I seriously thought she was going to hug me. Which would have been just fine. She had an awesome, gorgeous smile. Not the Hollywood type of gorgeous smile; no, no . . . Ellena had a smile that started in her heart, spread clear across her face and culminated in these fantastic sparkles that danced outwardly from her eyes.

She spent the next few minutes telling me about herself . . . She's from Italy, and has been in the States for a week, with a week more to go before she goes back home. She's an artist; a sculptor, and we talked about the galleries she's been visiting; both here in Jackson and also some in Colorado. She's here right now on a ski holiday . . . (I hope the weather gives her some more snow while she's still here). Y'all should have seen her face light up when she said, "A person has not lived until they have skied Grand Targhee!"

Ellena was absolutely wonderful. She exuded life. And, she probably doesn't even know what a gift she gave me . . . a stranger from Italy lifted my spirits, and just by being her and without her even knowing anything about the situation, she reminded me that the momentary stress I was feeling over this silly upcoming business lunch was simply not necessary. As the bus was turning the corner and heading toward the bus stop, she quickly hugged me, kissed my cheek and said, "Kisses, kisses; love and kisses". As I walked away, after a few steps, I turned back around and she enthusiastically waved to me. I may never see her again, but I made a new friend today; and I thank Our Lord for the time Ellena and I spent together.

~*~*~*~*

A couple of hours later after I got home, my friend Jan called. Y'all would love Jan; her eyes also sparkle when she smiles; and often, her smile leads me to wonder what kind of delightful mischief she is planning. She has a huge heart and great sense of fun; both qualities I find absolutely marvelous and quite endearing.

Incidentally, Jan was my partner-in-crime back in '06, up in Sandpoint, Idaho, during the grape-stomping contest that some of y'all know about. For those that aren't familiar with the story, she and I entered a grape-stomping contest together. It was purely and completely spontaneous - we were zipping down the road in her vehicle and came up on an live, outdoor radio broadcast at a local winery. We each had our own vat of grapes and we danced and stomped to, "What I like about You!," periodically pointing to each other during the song's refrain. It's one of my favorite memories.

A few minutes into our conversation today, I told Jan about my morning. I didn't know why I was telling her, but I was. God Bless her . . . within minutes, she had determined a solution to my dilemma . . . if I ordered whatever I wanted to order, she would pick it up and take such food and me to the meeting. Wow! Is that cool or what?! I was so wanting to not have to resort to pizza delivery, and her generous offer helped me avoid that entirely. Thank you, Jan! You know I think you're pretty awesome, and I just want to tell you that one more time.

So! I bet y'all are wondering what I decided upon, aren't y'all? You're not? Oh. Well, I'll tell y'all anyway . . . my business meeting compatriots will be dining this week on chilli, from one of our awesome local restaurants. And there will be enough for even the hungriest to have their fill.

~*~*~*~*

Our Lord is so very good. First He gifted me with a stranger who absolutely radiated love. Through her, Our Lord encouraged me and reminded me what's really important. THEN, he presented me with a solution to the very situation I was stressing over to begin with . . . again through another person; this time a cherished friend.

Truly, no man is an island.

(Or, as I told Jan today . . . it takes a village to raise a Sharon-Marie).

Abundant Blessings, y'all!

Serenaded

2009-02-16T16:44:00.014-07:00

I'm currently in the process of proofing a book's rough draft for a client.

I decided to go up to the coffee shop today do some of my proofreading there. I picked a time of day when I thought it wouldn't be too crowded, and I wasn't disappointed.

As I walked inside, I noticed a guy sitting next to the east-side window. I remember thinking to myself that I had seen him there a few times in the past several days; although, until last week, I don't believe I had ever previously seen him anywhere in Jackson. He had long, shoulder-length blonde, BLONDE hair and a wild looking "somewhat full" goatee (which wasn't quite as blonde as his hair). He wore black frame glasses . . . which seems to, again, be all the rage. What was old is now new again.

Somewhere in the recesses of my grey matter, the first time I saw him, I think I had decided that he was a powder hound . . . I believe "back in my day" we used to call them ski bums (My word! Am I really getting that on in years that I can remember "back then" when things were different than they are now?! Goodnight!)

So, as I walked into the coffee shop today, I quickly scanned the place and decided on which table I wanted to work on my client's project. For the ultra curious, I chose the table next to the west-side window . . . it's a big square table (for lots of work room), versus some of the round and/or smaller square tables in the coffee shop; and it's tucked inside a bit of a cubbyhole, so it affords privacy when one so desires such. Today was a privacy day; it's, uhm, quite challenging to simultaneously read a book and chat with coffee friends.

After I "claimed" my area with such accouterments and paraphernalia as coat, gloves, book's rough draft, purse, etc., etc., I went up and ordered my "usual" . . . a decaf Americano. For those that want to know why unleaded versus the high octaine stuff, that's a fascinating story; it really is . . . but one I'll have to tell some other day. Let's not get sidetracked.

I came back to my "office," with hot drink in hand . . . actually the drink was in a cup, but I digress . . . and sat down to do some serious proofreading. A couple minutes into my project, Powder Hound Guy starts doing stuff in his world, on his side of the coffee shop. Seeing as how I was busy with work, and, well frankly, it just wasn't any of my business what he was doing, I continued reading and proofing.

THEN! The most beautiful music began wafting through the silence. Is THAT a violin? Is Jack playing a CD? Wait. That can't be a CD; it's too rich; too "here and now." I looked up to see my coffee shop compatriot playing a violin. He's not a ski bum afterall; he's a musician!!!

(It also explains why it was so quiet when I walked in; there's usually music of some sort playing in the background. I think perhaps Mr. Violinist must have arranged it with Jack beforehand.)

I was absolutely enthralled. He played for several minutes without stopping; gently segueing from one piece to the next.

During the past few years, Jack (the owner of the coffee shop) has hosted outdoor evening summer concerts; usually on somewhat of a weekly basis. As I was listening to this beautiful music drifting from across the coffee shop, I began to wonder if, perhaps, this was the winter's version for concerts at the coffee shop.

When the music stopped, I applauded (hey - everyone needs applause and encouragements, doncha know). I asked Blondie if I was experiencing the beginning of a concert (although I must admit that I was somewhat confused; seeing as how I had not seen nor heard any advertisement of such and that the coffee shop was relatively empty at that particular time). He indicated that no concert was forthcoming; he was just practicing for tonight when he will go to the Jackson Hole Hootenanny. JHHN is a venue in which people have opportunities to beguile (and sometimes bemuse) the audience with their musical talent.

We chatted for a few minutes; and then he continued playing his violin, and I went back to proofing a very fascinating book (I love it when it works out like that - I get to work and entertain myself with such work all at the very same time).

Man, it was awesome! Violin Friend was REALLY good. He played classical, non-classical and even, much to my great surprise and delight, "How Great Thou Art!"

Periodically, when he would take a break, he and Jack would chat; and from their conversations, I learned that Maestro's been in Jackson for about a week, he's currently unemployed (although he does carpentry work - so hopefully, that will be beneficial to him; there is always some kind of building going on around here, somewhere). He's most recently from Bozeman; although he's also lived in Alaska. He has, in the past, been a member of a band, but he is now stepping out and trying his hand as a soloist.

I toyed with the idea of doing a quick interview with him (for this blog), but I didn't really have the time to do that, and I'm not sure he did neither. Instead, we periodically talked to each other from across the rooms when he wasn't playing his violin; he at the east window; I at the west window.

He practiced for about an hour. As he was packing up, I wished him well tonight. He looked a bit hesitant and said, "If I have the nerve to actually do it." I can so totally understand that; not as it relates to being a musician; but simply in regards to doing things for the first time in a new environment. But I'm hoping he will actually get up in front of the audience, for I know they are going to love what he gives to them.

What an awesome afternoon! While hanging out in my favorite coffee shop and working on a client's project, I was treated to an impromptu "concert" of exquisite violin music. Sometimes I think I'm absolutely spoiled rotten. Our Lord constantly gifts me with the most unexpected and wondrous things. Today was such an example.

Incidentally, here's the link to Jack's webpage, featuring, hands-down, the best coffee anywhere. Seriously. Check it out. And, if you buy any of his beans (he ships!), please mention my name. I won't get a prize or anything . . . I just like for Jack to hear people talk about me.

Y'all be blessed.

Welcome!

2009-02-09T18:56:00.002-07:00

Hey y'all!

Sharon-Marie here, writing to you from the Beautiful Wild, Wild West ~ specifically, Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

I know what some of y'all are probably thinking . . . Didn't she just move from there about a year ago? Good question! And yes, I did; such move taking place in September of '07. They say that Jackson gets into a person's blood. It sure did with me.

Last June ('08), I flew back to Jackson for a visit. I reconnected with friends, got reacquainted with those majestic slabs of granite otherwise known as The Grand Tetons, drank my visual fill of awesome wildlife and beautiful scenery, hiked some, played some, thought some and just generally had a blast.

I was there for a month; and before my visit was even over, I knew that I absolutely had to move back. And, move back I did . . . this past November, in fact.

*~*~*~*~*

And what a flurry of activity it's been these past 3 months!

In December, I flew to San Francisco to participate in an intensive two-week training at ITMI (International Tour Management Institute). The result of which is that I am now a certified, professional Tour Director. I am very excited about this new career! I've always wanted to travel to near and distant lands; and now I've been given a great way in which to do this.

In January, I flew to San Marcos to attend a 4-day symposium between tour directors and tour operators. I'm very glad I went, and I feel I gained quite a bit of valuable information from the symposium. I was also able to more precisely define how I want to utilize being a tour director.

During these past couple of weeks since I returned from Texas, I have been researching tour companies, creating various websites and just generally attempting to get all my ducks to line up in a neat, little row. My ducks, however, balk at neat, little rows being thrust upon them. That's ok . . . it keeps life interesting.

*~*~*~*~*

To all my friends who have, at times, been exasperated with me over the past few years for my lack of communication, I truly and humbly apologize. I'm working on improving that aspect of me, and I'm hoping that this blog will help in that area.

Please let people know about "Dancing With Moose." It's opened to everyone who is interested in reading it.

May Our Lord abundantly bless each of y'all.

HIS Peace and HIS Joy,

Sharon-Marie