I got an email today with the subject “Re: Curling on Friday”. It was strange because I do not curl. I have curled, but I am not in a league right now.
Turns out someone on my old curling team grabbed an old distribution list and sent out an update. Hardly Extra-Ordinary, I know.
But it reminded me of winter when Huntsville was home: 2 feet of snow, -15 degrees, and out on the ice.
February 12th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary: Thoughts of when Ontario was home.
When I was in University, I got a job working for the ADAM project. That is the Adult Development and Memory project. Essentially, seniors came in and did a bunch of tests, then three years later they came back and then three years later again until.. . . well, they could not come back for many reasons.
As you can imagine, the study was a long one, and started many years before I got there. Before modern things like bubble sheets – you know those things you used with multiple choice exams? Well, as it was thought that perhaps switching from writing answers on a sheet to filling in little bubbles would possibly skew results (ie, a senior may not be able to understand these new fan dangled bubble sheets or not have the dexterity to fill them in correctly). So, they needed some undergraduates to sit and fill out the bubble sheets to allow for the data to be analyzed faster and more effectively. (Say, cheaper than paying an undergrad full-time at minimum wage).
So, that is what I spent an entire summer doing – bubble sheeting. Filling in bubbles with lead. It was pretty boring. Until I realized that if I memorized the data (ie, question 1 What is your gender, I knew that A= Male and B = Female, no need to look it up), I could go really fast. So fast in fact, that I could do bubbling sheeting twice as fast as anyone else. I would take 8 hours worth of work home, watch TV while completing it in 4 hours. That was a good summer.
I was mentioned in a published psychology paper too – all for my bubble sheeting speed and accuracy. It looks like the project is ended now, but I hope that over the span of the study it gave some insight on how the human brain ages and processes information over time.
I find mundane repetitive tasks a challenge. How can I do it faster and better?
When I had to review and determine the action required for over 150 reports at work, I took it as a personal challenge on how quickly I could get it done. I got into it on Friday, but had to leave before I could really get it done. It was bugging me. Alot. I needed to complete the work and quickly.
February 11th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary: So much did it bug me that I took BC’s first Family Day to go to the office and complete the work.
We were invited to dinner at very old friend’s tonight. I’ll admit, I was a bit nervous – not that it was a stressful thing, but I have some hang-ups, and dinner parties are one of them. I planned 2 days in advance what to wear, racked my brains for tidbits of information about their lives and children, and generally spent more time thinking about it than a normal person would.
That’s okay – I have hang ups, and I have learned to deal with them. But when I am asked what type of wines I prefer so the courses can be properly matched to spirits, I start to worry that my mother’s etiquette training didn’t stick.
Dinner was lovely (I used the correct forks)- and when I say old friends, I mean old. Because one of them used to babysit me, and I attended their wedding – 30 years ago when I was 9. So, it’s weird and it must be to strange for them to me all grown up – close enough in age now that we could be friends.
The conversation ran from wine, Aspberger’s syndrome, cabinet making, veganism, weddings, dentistry, lay-outs of emergency rooms, travel, law and many other things. And driving home I found myself realizing that I could hold intelligent conversations – with personal experiences – on a host of topics.
The food was great, the wines matches perfectly and dessert was a cheese tray.
February 10th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary: 20 years ago there were no fine lines around my eyes, but perhaps there is something to this “age and wisdom” thing.
My husband had a work get together at our place tonight and by the time I rolled in, most of the food was gone and a good portion of the drinks as well.
It was a small gathering and as soon as I walked in, I was immediately greeted by someone who through the course of the conversation self-proclaimed herself as the “Book Whisperer”, admired my book collection and who told me she was unemployed but had too much pride to collect EI. I found this odd as I am not sure what is so noble about gathering debt and not using EI as a transition to the next phase in life. That is what the program is there for, that is why we have that deduction removed from our pay cheques.
I don’t know – I am pretty prideful myself, but thought this was an odd view. Why would one not collect EI if your intention is employment? It’s like having house insurance and then being too prideful to collect when your house burns down.
She didn’t know that Emile and I both faced periods of unemployment and both collected EI, so after a glass of wine I told her it was irresponsible and fiscally stupid to not collect a benefit that she had paid for. If she was legitimately looking for work, wanted to work, then use the EI exactly what it was intended for. Honestly.
February 9th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary: I went to bed before the party wound down (wine, you fickle mistress), so she left me a note with her promise to sign up for EI next week and her phone number. I made a friend. One who wants to do drinks.
I have a bad habit of washing our towels regularly. That isn’t a bad habit in and upon itself, but the bad part is that I forget to replace them.
This morning I had to be at work at 6:30, meaning I was showering at 5:30. I blearily went through the routine – up, expensive eye cream on my tired eyes, pee, post pee weight, brush teeth and then shower. When I got out of the shower, I realized I had no towels in the bathroom – nothing. Not any hand towels or even a face cloth.
I stood dripping there wondering about this. The linen closet was right beside where Emile was still sleeping – because normal people don’t get up before 6. I didn’t want to wake him because the only thing worse than a tired Susan is a tired Susan and Emile.
I carefully walked into the kitchen to get a clean dish cloth to dry my face (and wipe up the now wet floor). What is big enough for the body? Sheets? Same linen closet as the towels. My bed? No, bad idea.
February 8th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary: After drying myself with sweatpants, I found that they easily wound around my head to dry my hair.
I work in manufacturing in Canada. Manufacturing within North America has its challenges. We are a society that wants everything always. We don’t wait. We don’t save. We buy it. If it breaks or wears out, we buy a new one. That means things have to be cheap. That means the cost of manufacturing needs to be cheap. That means Canada – with our minimum wages; a lack of strong protectionist policies and artificial currency control; stringent safety regulations, and comparatively high costs of living – struggles to compete with other countries that may not have these things.
The two major cost drivers in manufacturing? Raw materials and direct labour. Sure there is overhead like the building, equipment, non-direct labour (office people), and other items, but its labour and materials that usually makes up 80-95% of each dollar of cost depending on the sector.
Cost Savings are generally fall into several categories:
So, you focus on raw materials. What are my biggest spends? How can I use less, how can the vendor come down in cost, is there a cheaper, less quality option? Can I source from low cost geographies (China, India, etc)?
And you focus on your process. How can we do that faster? What is the bottleneck? Could we combine tasks in a way that nobody is ever waiting for a process to finish?
The way that this is supposed to work is that you do these things well and you keep your current and earn new business. Because you are continuing to produce the same product, but you can offer a lower price. Business moves to you and away from other companies that haven’t done as well on cost savings.
But I’ll tell you now: with few exceptions (say niche manufacturing or some luxury items), there isn’t a manufacturer in North America not trying to accomplish the same thing. Drive down the cost.
So, you’ll read in the paper about large corporations doing major cuts. It’s normal to pick up the paper and read about small and large layoffs. It happens all the time. Faceless “Management” just making sure their bonus is big again. And small companies rarely get press coverage unless they are in a small town.
But we are not out to make a buck – we are trying save jobs by reducing costs. We want to be here, we want our company to be here, we want you to be able to pay your mortgage, feed your kids, or pay for your trip to Hawaii. Do you think we haven’t reviewed every possible other option? Driven our suppliers to make the same difficult choices? Looked at ordering less stationary supplies, frozen wages, reduced spending in all areas of the business? “Management” has done that and more. Cutting people isn’t easy; it is hard, it is emotional and it changes the company.
This week, while me and my peers changed the story for many team members with a temporary layoff, we weren’t gleeful. We were disappointed that we couldn’t have done more to cause less impact on people.
February 4th-7th 2013 Extraordinary: My peers and team members showed respect and grace in a difficult situation and I am proud of them.
My grandpa has been confined for 2 weeks. No leaving his suite, no visitors, no internet, no reading, no excursions. I dare you to spend 14 days in your apartment with nothing to do but watch TV (just basic cable). You don’t know how to use a smart phone, computers are for young people, and you can’t see well enough to read. You can call people – but really, what have you got to say? You haven’t left your room in days.
Laundry? No, that’s off limits too.
So Grandpa slept. And made soup out of his delivered meals. And slept some more. Then called us to tell us things he had already told us.
Why did this terrible thing happen to him?
While the retirement residence he lives in had an outbreak of the Norwalk virus and they needed to keep their vulnerable population away from each other and well meaning but potentially infected visitors.
When he finally was allowed out, he treated me and Emile to a lovely meal at The Boathouse in New Westminster Quay to celebrate.
February 3rd, 2013 Extra-Ordinary: If Quarantine and cabin fever ends with a perfectly done steak, I think I’ll sign him up again.
More than 30 years ago, my mom signed me up for figure skating. Little did she know that was going to result in being the head costumer for the little birds number for the skating carnival. I wasn’t a particularly good skater – weak ankles they said – so I didn’t pursue it much further. Last time I skated was about 15 years ago on the Rideau Canal. That lead to about 4 days that I couldn’t walk very well after using muscles that hadn’t seen the light of days in quite some time. Emile hasn’t skated since grade school. So, when Emile and I were invited to skate at Robson Square we both said sure, but with a bit of wariness.We had a wonderful time spending probably 1 1/2 hours on the ice with kids and beginners; show offs and hand-in-hand couples.
February 2nd, 2013 Extra-Ordinary: Learning to skate again – and we both did really well.
(forgive my pictures, moving on a cell phone in low neon-back light was pretty tough).
I toured staff of the Coquitlam Food Bank through our warehouse and facility today. I kept their coats and purses and other items securely in my office – I closed my office door so they felt comfortable.
So secure, in fact, that when we came back to get their belongings, the office door was locked.
With my keys on the other side.
February 1st, 2013 Extra-Ordinary: It’s funny how many extra keys are lying around when you are looking for just the one you need.
So, the end of January is upon us and that means I have to give you an update on Cliche January – or my journey with the other masses of people trying to remove the Christmas chocolates from my ass.
I’ll tell you now – the numbers are not too impressive. My weight is generally the same, but I can live with that, maybe down a couple of pounds. I am sleeping better, and feeling better also.
For the first 2 weeks of January, I was sick, so getting in exercise proved to be difficult when all you really wanted to do was lie on the couch and moan. Work also got quite overwhelming for a while, so I really just wanted to lie and the couch and be left alone.
So instead of beating myself up about that, I will celebrate the times I got off the couch. This month I:
There is lots of room for improvement in Fit February, and I am committed to continuing my efforts.
January 31st, 2013 Extra-Ordinary: Cliche January’s mixed success rate inspires me to keep on moving into Fit February.
The Daily EO 