Saturday, November 14, 2020

On this very beautiful morning I got preoccupied, writing to a longtime friend, and lost track of the hours. Now, I’ve too little time to compose something more before it’s essential to leave for work.

Yesterday was a day of storming. Snow dropped, but not too much. Just enough to crunch underfoot.

Dear Friends: I’ll “see ya” tomorrow morning! Now, I’m off to the management training. Diana

Friday, November 13, 2020

The dogs love staying eight-hours inside while I’m at work being trained in my new role. It took a nanosecond for them to recognize on going outside that shortly they’ll be re-invited inside. After a time or two of five or ten five minutes outside they’ve learned to huddle at the deck-slider, barking to remind me. In this cold weather it’s good they’re inside, for Miles is arthritic and Louie is recovering from a sprained back.

Meanwhile, I’m learning about my new role and adjusting. For many years I’ve handed out samples at Costco and in the process have escaped the business’s paperwork end. In my new job a daily priority is detailed, hefty paperwork. It’s how our branch team communicates with our home office team. The paperwork requires computer skills and speedy processing, and we must gather numbers from computers in the Costco business office to assemble with other data from our own computer.

It’s been shocking to realize that the two online business systems are unlike anything I’ve known and each differs from the other. Plus, the various keyboards aren’t like mine at home and require more learning. So I’ve been stumbling and slow to gather information. It’s frustrating, but learning is a processes and I resist being too hard on myself. My manager worries though, because she must have me “trained” by the end of tomorrow, and before next week when I’ll re-start working part-time.

Another big part of this has been learning to team with another person. That means creating a relationship of mutual comfort and confidence, in skills, dependability, and trust. We avoid areas of differences, like politics, religion, and such. There is a mutual trust developing, we will team together well.

This week during my long hours away from home, my across-the-road neighbor has baby sat the horses.

I’m thrilled the trio may be all day on grass. They walk over with me in early light, and hurry toward me in early darkness when I’m returning for them. They are easy and cooperative in both directions of our walks.

Dogs are inside, horses are on grass, and I’m starting to re-settle at work. All’s good.

Dear friends: Working with animals forces aside all thoughts about other sorts of work. Diana

Thursday, November 12, 2020

I’ll speak some about my adventure of training for a new role in my part-time job. I report to a woman who’s significantly younger. We spend lots of time together. She’s focused on the organization’s need to increase sales, is aware of staff as individuals and with unique capabilities.

Our different personalities push our discussions into directions both wanted and unwanted. Our worldviews differ enough that we must work to coordinate ideas on leadership and training. Sometimes our efforts are slow, for her management brain trends to the left and absolute, mine searches for enlightenment from the squishy, less-known.

It’s important that we talk, to thread toward our goal of teaming in mutual trust and dependability. In my experience, people who can get their heads together do team more creatively and achieve worthwhile outcomes.

It’s a long time since I’ve tried professionally to coordinate thoughts with another person. A powerful outcome of expressing aloud thoughts and ideas is that individuals may continue processing, by reaching deeply inside to explore more their views and opinions. Talking is powerful, it can summon self-awareness. I’m reconsidering ideas that have arisen from me and might recast a few.

Dear Friends: That seems enough, there are animals to feed in barely enough time. Diana

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

It’s fun when odd lines from my childhood occasionally pop up, most learned while reading comic books to which I was addicted. Yesterday, a line occurred that I easily could recall Archie saying to Veronica, “Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.”

That’s one of my favs and this morning is appropriate, for today begins my training for a promotion in my part-time job. I feel okay about being trained, but dislike that on each of the next five days it will gobble eight-hours. Moreover, this training means I must be at work by eight a.m. Come on!

I want the promotion, so yes, this morning am on my feet. I managed to sip a cup of coffee while pulling on a couple of sweaters and some heavy-duty coveralls. Now, I’m ready to strap on a headlight and go outside to feed horses. I’ll be watching Rosie and looking for funny, as she’ll be stunned by me treading downhill and toward her. Ah, yes Rosie, it’s no dream but real now, and will be throughout this week.

Dear Friends: Sorry for this moment when my brain can handle only this moment. Diana

Monday, November 09, 2020

The past few years have burdened us with emotions in bulk. At first I tended to ignore Donald J. Trump’s ridiculous ongoing campaign rhetoric. My mind changed upon the release of the open-mike tape that caught him explaining how easily a famous person can grab a woman’s pussy. That was disgusting enough, but his bullying increasingly became pronounced. During campaigning, he never hesitated to devalue human feelings and intelligence, he laughingly made a mockery of being handicapped, and he dismissed American heroes as “losers”. And then he won the presidency.

He didn’t win the popular vote. His support came from about a third of the constituency, but they were in states with the electoral college votes to win office. We then listened to him brag about building a wall, cozying up to powerful dictators, withdrawing the United States from international agreements, and isolating effectively this country. The list goes on and culminates last year upon the onset of a Novel CoronaVirus. He downplayed its outbreak.

If that virus had proved less virulent as Trump hoped, he’d likely have been re-elected. Despite the virus strength and Trump’s disassociation from social and infrastructure needs, his favorability among voters increased, from a third to almost one-half of current voters. It’s been a phenomenon of “Trump and altered-democracy”. Americans long will analyze the factors that have made popularity and emotional overburden almost work. We will comprehend upon unthreading what has occurred, on understanding what has so divided American society. That’s our guide to repairing divisinesses.

Now that a few days have assured Biden’s election is secure, the future seems better. I feel myself breathing more slowly. Last night, in contrast to ongoing months of tension, I relaxed enough to re-immerse myself in books. There was more, too. I patiently searched the incredible music catalog of iTunes for wonderful artists from the past, and afterwards sat listening to sheer talent.

Dear Friends: Environment, population, and infrastructure overwhelmingly demand. Diana

Sunday, November 08, 2020

Today marks the start of my weekend. On Tuesday, I’ll begin a new job as an assistant supervisor, by spending a week in training. Unfortunately, the training requires my presence at work for eight-hour days. I’ll be following the senior supervisor and learning to support her position. My first challenge is personal, forcing me to be more creative in early mornings before departing home. I want to continue blogging and also handle early ranch chores. Please excuse me, if sometimes I apologize for morning processes getting out of hand.

New elements in my work-life are associated to our newly-decided election. It gives me a sense of relief. While working in Costco, I can anticipate a continuance of mask-wearing. Until now, many shoppers have predicted the election outcome will allow for dropping masks altogether. Their disappointed likely will display in rebellion by continuing to wear MAGA masks, hats, and t-shirts. Recently, Costco hired outside security personnel to ensure normality during shopping hours.

After months of unemployment we sample servers on returning to work at first weren’t allowed to hand out samples. Despite a pandemic and mask-wearing, many customers complained, demanded, and even begged for samples. We began handing out samples on a limited basis, small pre-wrapped and pre-apportioned bits. We asked customers to consume samples outside the store so as not to remove their masks. At first, most customers complied, but quickly that changed. People ignored our requests, lowered masks inside the store, ate, dropped food and paper waste on the floor. For whatever reason, Costco has had enough, is reversing the trend.

Beginning Tuesday, sample servers returning to work won’t hand out samples. We will show an example of our product, verbally describe it and state price and location. Several months ago right after layoffs, that’s how we worked. We showed and described. Beginning Tuesday and as before, many customers will abuse us verbally, for “just standing around, talking endlessly, not handing out samples”. A common spitting-out is, “Why are you here anyway?”

“Well,” I’ve replied, “Finally, I am working again and receiving a paycheck.” Some customers have nodded in understanding and others have sneered.

For we Sample Servers, some things won’t change. For example, we’ll still have the ongoing pressure of assigned sales goals for each product being shown. Our individual performances will be measured against those sales goals.

On Tuesday, to assist with constantly changing conditions in our confusing work-world, I’ll be assuming a supervisory role. Please bear with me.

Dear Friends: My story is a microcosm of the unique disruptives in work processes. Diana

Saturday, November 07, 2020

Snow began just as I arrived home and was preparing to go to the barn and feed horses. Wouldn’t you know, while I searched for snow pants the mixed rain and snow turned serious. In it, I trudged downhill to the barn, my new jacket getting wet and water seeping through the hat on my head. Awaiting my arrival was Rosie, insistently pawing at the gate and trumpeting her right to be with hay in a stall.

Thus, our Central Oregon winter has arrived.

Today doesn’t look awful with snow having accumulated only about a half-inch. It’ll quickly melt off. For a short time that’ll be all, but years of experience teaches we’ll have a larger snowfall nearer Thanksgiving. After that, my horses will be allowed to enjoy the daylight hours grazing on a neighbor’s pasture (grass that has frozen won’t increase a horse’s weight).

My youngest dog is about to turn eight or nine, I forget which, but all are growing old. One dog is arthritic, another has a sprained back. On very cold days when I’m away at work all four will stay inside.

My new at-work position as supervisor may require increased days and hours away from home. I feel up to the challenge, because our weather won’t much invite horseback riding. Anyway, on most winter days, my horses happily will be out grazing.

In this changing weather, my weighted blanket feels pleasant and comfortable. Its weight captures and holds heat, creates a sleeping-spot that’s cozy, den-like, and maybe slightly primitive.

Dear Friends: Less troublesome and expensive warm-weather areas aren’t as fun. Diana

Friday, November 06, 2020

A photo is worth a thousand words, and today’s header has captured my joy on horseback.

That picture in my head these days helps to balance my brain. Much else is happening to consume time and energy. I’m busy, preoccupied and for awhile may hop less onto my horse and meander into beauty.

I write often about this time of stress among Americans. Our distress is from participating in and watching through this unusual election. The current tensions will be ongoing, for we’re asking, “What’s next?”, or, “Now, how are we going to govern?”

As America cycles through its changing of the guard, I chew on future worrisome possibilities. It’s mishmosh that fades during a horseback ride when I must focus on the horse. It’s less on my mind during my part-time working hours in a busy Costco. As a sample server, I’m assigned products and am responsible for hawking them to shoppers. Wait, since 2007 I was a sample server. It happens that the other day my boss offered to promote me to supervisor. Almost immediately, my training to the new position began.

For years as a retiree, I happily sauntered on a pleasant small ranch and cared for property and animals. My part-time, relatively easy work has motivated me to go out and be among people. At clocking-out time, that work has been forgettable. Years of serving samples makes it a “no-brainer”.

Suddenly, starting to view sample-serving processes differently, I’m slightly disoriented. A heightened sense of responsibility now speeds my activities. This is reflecting times in my long-ago career that offered an excitement of assuming new jobs. It’s intriguing, this unexpected opportunity to learn.

With a new job and an impending re-fi, I’m solidly in America’s threatened middle class, so vulnerable to interruptive politics and anticipated economic downturns.

Dear Friends: Oh, for shiny life-pathways that facilitate our journeys dependably. Diana

Thursday, November 05, 2020

In these days of political vote-countings, some friends and I are swapping texts to bolster our shared hopes that Democrats will win their races. Our observations and exchanges represent both commonality and community. Meanwhile, state-by-state counting processes are slow and confusing, they bum us out but we hang on, refusing to relinquish our dreams. In our lifetimes, we want to witness meaningful, real repairs to America’s politics and infrastructure, and a significant boost to America’s world status and influence.

Joe Biden could make America better, even if he winds up without a Senate that’s politically on his side. Joe’s been a professional politician for forty-plus years. He knows and has negotiated or worked with most others in key positions. He understands deal-making that benefits various positions. Throughout this last year of campaigning, only Donald Trump and his minions have spoken negatively about Joe Biden. Their believers in Joe’s corruption are Trump’s passionate supporters.

Ironically last year, in that first Democratic debate, Joe’s running mate Kamala delivered what might have been his hardest blow. From today’s perspective, few might find unusual or terrible that early in America’s desegregation process, Senator Biden resisted bussing children of color across towns to all-white schools. Kamala’s memory-story did strikingly criticise Joe, because of her uncanny ability to communicate at once on two levels. Her criticism had two extraordinary perspectives. One, her little girl’s fears in a separation from family; the other, her understanding of the good fortune in having been educated in integrated schools.

That debate moment and Joe’s later choice of Kamala as his running mate earns him high points for thoughtfulness and fairness. It’s a demonstration of his willingness and ability to operate within a larger picture that supersedes relatively unimportant incidences. Choosing Kamala set her communication talents on a trajectory that has underscored Joe’s humanity and experience, his planning and leadership skills. Kamala is proving herself an excellent co-campaigner, her supportive warmth and communication skills rise to a level of Jill Biden’s.

Our observations and hopes for a better future keep us texting, hoping, and mutually reassuring. We’re convinced that America could be more highly productive and offer increasing fairness to all citizens. No arguments can deny or reduce the values from great leadership. Leading well is a product of experienced, intelligent, capable, and essentially kind individuals. We couldn’t hope for any better than Joe and Kamala to renew America’s present circumstances, and encourage our better future to evolve.

Dear Friends: Every single moment of the vote counting business seems an eon! Diana