So I had a fantastic experience at the Women Owned Business convention last week in San Francisco. What an amazing conference! So well put together! I get an opportunity for one on one meetings with the supplier diversity managers at fortune 500 companies as well as these companies set up booths for a "job fair". Vendors go to the booths and speak further about each companies supplier diversity programs.
First, I have to brag about one company ~ The Coca Cola Company. NO ONE promotes supplier diversity like they do. They walk the talk and are FANTASTIC people. The influence other companies to embrace diversity without compromising quality! A++
However, for the first time at the conference, I had three people from three different companies actually laugh at me! I was a bit taken aback by this. Sure, it is funny that I actually get on roofs and work in construction. Yes, I have my purple bag that I use to carry my notes and camera onto roofs. Yes, I have boots made for women. I don't dip, smoke, or wear my pants in a fashion to reveal any exposed rear end parts. I have a degree from Carnegie Mellon and love my Rotary club. I show up 15 minutes early for appointments and appreciate our customers. Isn't that what customers want in spite of me being female?
Remember the movie Babe about the pig that wants to be a sheep herding champion? In the end, Babe wins the local herding trials...
Friday, June 19, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Liar's Poker...
Did you ever play that game when you were a child? I don't even remember the game itself and all the details, all I remember is that you try to bluff and make others believe that you have a better hand than they do.
I notice we grow up to play liar's poker. Recently on a trip to X to visit people who I thought were to welcome us, I met someone that thought they were a master at this game but in actuality was transparent.
When I have friends and guests over for dinner, I always find out if the guests have any special health issues so I don't serve say a big cake to someone that has issues with gluten or that is a diabetic. Most of us would consider hospitality a common courtesy. Unless of course, you have something to hide.
If you have something to hide, liar's poker is one strategy. A great strategy in fact if you say, lack organizational skills, character and integrity.
Now I am in roofing. This means that when I see BS I simply say BS. Construction is like that. We try to keep it simple. Your job costs x. Your roof doesn't leak. I will be there at 10 am and I show up at 10 am. Very simple stuff (ok not all construction companies but we keep it simple). If I know that I am late and it is 10:30 and the client has been waiting for me on the roof, I don't play liar's poker and say "Well you didn't tell me what time to show up and you didn't send me an email and you were mean to one of my employees and they cried". Obscene and ridiculous. No, I don't try to be a jackass, I simply say, "I am very sorry that I am late. I respect your time and effort and I apologize sincerely."
So 19 of us flew around the world to visit a group in X country. Our first night, we were stood up by our hosts at a dinner we coordinated and paid for. Our second day an associate of the host borrowed the phone from my boyfriend to call the host and have that person finally (after ten months of planning, actually we did the planning, they did NOTHING) show up with an agenda for that day and the next. When they looked bad because of the lack of planning, etc. it all went to hell from there. After that my image somehow went from someone that had coordinated a big effort, to the image of a monster. This made me very angry. I had to bite my tongue a lot to not "go all roofer" on this person. I knew that if I had said "BS" at the time it would have made things worse.
But what I didn't realize until now is that the game isn't over. Everyone still has a handful of cards. What transpired in X country was a man who openly lied about me and my actions that every one of my team members refused to believe. One person that I am associated with who was not on the team did believe him. It caused me a lot of trouble. It caused me a lot of insult to think that someone who I thought knew me, questioned my character. But this whole time I forgot that this was just one round.
The problem is that this person is preventing a project from happening. Instead we have had a lot of drama and fanfare. All more signs of liar's poker.
I notice we grow up to play liar's poker. Recently on a trip to X to visit people who I thought were to welcome us, I met someone that thought they were a master at this game but in actuality was transparent.
When I have friends and guests over for dinner, I always find out if the guests have any special health issues so I don't serve say a big cake to someone that has issues with gluten or that is a diabetic. Most of us would consider hospitality a common courtesy. Unless of course, you have something to hide.
If you have something to hide, liar's poker is one strategy. A great strategy in fact if you say, lack organizational skills, character and integrity.
Now I am in roofing. This means that when I see BS I simply say BS. Construction is like that. We try to keep it simple. Your job costs x. Your roof doesn't leak. I will be there at 10 am and I show up at 10 am. Very simple stuff (ok not all construction companies but we keep it simple). If I know that I am late and it is 10:30 and the client has been waiting for me on the roof, I don't play liar's poker and say "Well you didn't tell me what time to show up and you didn't send me an email and you were mean to one of my employees and they cried". Obscene and ridiculous. No, I don't try to be a jackass, I simply say, "I am very sorry that I am late. I respect your time and effort and I apologize sincerely."
So 19 of us flew around the world to visit a group in X country. Our first night, we were stood up by our hosts at a dinner we coordinated and paid for. Our second day an associate of the host borrowed the phone from my boyfriend to call the host and have that person finally (after ten months of planning, actually we did the planning, they did NOTHING) show up with an agenda for that day and the next. When they looked bad because of the lack of planning, etc. it all went to hell from there. After that my image somehow went from someone that had coordinated a big effort, to the image of a monster. This made me very angry. I had to bite my tongue a lot to not "go all roofer" on this person. I knew that if I had said "BS" at the time it would have made things worse.
But what I didn't realize until now is that the game isn't over. Everyone still has a handful of cards. What transpired in X country was a man who openly lied about me and my actions that every one of my team members refused to believe. One person that I am associated with who was not on the team did believe him. It caused me a lot of trouble. It caused me a lot of insult to think that someone who I thought knew me, questioned my character. But this whole time I forgot that this was just one round.
The problem is that this person is preventing a project from happening. Instead we have had a lot of drama and fanfare. All more signs of liar's poker.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
stupid stupid stupid...
I am really hoping that maybe this is all some sort of PMS thing and not a mid life crisis.
So, soon I will be 40. OK, so I spent my 30s working my tail off, having a good time, learning and growing in experience. All good. But there is something about being female and turning 40. I have never had kids and I never want kids but isn't 40 the point of no return on that option? (without a lot of medical help or adoption).
And what about the other obvious "stuff" like a man at 40 looks fantastic meanwhile a woman at 40 looks fantastic with some ... help. I mean I hear jokes about men trading in for younger models and frankly, I wouldn't want to be with a man that is serious about that any way but it certainly does plant a seed. And it isn't a seed that bears a flower either.
What about the day of? If I want to stick my head in the sand now, what happens the day of? yuck.
And this "reevaluate everything" thing is completely awful. So as a result of a bad experience on a recent trip abroad I have questioned my community service organization. I really can't do that as I will be the president in a few years and that is an honorable commitment. It isn't my group that I have questioned either but a partner group who, IMHO have demonstrated a gross lack of integrity and responsibility thus turning me off to the organization a bit.
And then there is everything else you review, home, friends, etc.. I have a great home, great friends, great boyfriend but that little annoying self doubting voice just does a great job in diminishing it a bit.
What the hell is it about 40 that gets us so unglued??????????
So, soon I will be 40. OK, so I spent my 30s working my tail off, having a good time, learning and growing in experience. All good. But there is something about being female and turning 40. I have never had kids and I never want kids but isn't 40 the point of no return on that option? (without a lot of medical help or adoption).
And what about the other obvious "stuff" like a man at 40 looks fantastic meanwhile a woman at 40 looks fantastic with some ... help. I mean I hear jokes about men trading in for younger models and frankly, I wouldn't want to be with a man that is serious about that any way but it certainly does plant a seed. And it isn't a seed that bears a flower either.
What about the day of? If I want to stick my head in the sand now, what happens the day of? yuck.
And this "reevaluate everything" thing is completely awful. So as a result of a bad experience on a recent trip abroad I have questioned my community service organization. I really can't do that as I will be the president in a few years and that is an honorable commitment. It isn't my group that I have questioned either but a partner group who, IMHO have demonstrated a gross lack of integrity and responsibility thus turning me off to the organization a bit.
And then there is everything else you review, home, friends, etc.. I have a great home, great friends, great boyfriend but that little annoying self doubting voice just does a great job in diminishing it a bit.
What the hell is it about 40 that gets us so unglued??????????
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Interesting...
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123612836110424527.html
My Rotary club got a mention in the Wall St Journal yesterday! HORRAY! The interesting and unexpected part of this was that several people from long ago contacted me as I am mentioned in the article. I was able to catch up with some great people.
My Rotary club got a mention in the Wall St Journal yesterday! HORRAY! The interesting and unexpected part of this was that several people from long ago contacted me as I am mentioned in the article. I was able to catch up with some great people.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Glam time!
It is that time of year again, our annual Rotary President's Ball! Great shots of Mark, Karolina Tony and myself!
Glam time!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Valentine's Day ~ EARLY!
WOW check this out!
My honey was having a dreadful day BUT he went to some secret florist and got me this BEAUTIFUL arrangement and chocolate and a cool card that plays "sugar pie hug a bunch, you know that I love you (love you) I can't help myself..." OK I like changing the words a little but I must say, HONEY ROCKS!!! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!
Now I better call over to the place where I ordered his gift and check on shipping so that I am not the Valentine's Day horse's rear...
COOL!
My honey was having a dreadful day BUT he went to some secret florist and got me this BEAUTIFUL arrangement and chocolate and a cool card that plays "sugar pie hug a bunch, you know that I love you (love you) I can't help myself..." OK I like changing the words a little but I must say, HONEY ROCKS!!! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!
Now I better call over to the place where I ordered his gift and check on shipping so that I am not the Valentine's Day horse's rear...
COOL!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Weird week #2
Last week was a very odd week. Big highs and big lows.
This is weird week #2. I have, and I AM completely bragging here, cranked though our annual audit at lightening speed. Normally the CPAs are on site for 5 business days and then back in the shop for about three more. This time, 2.5 days on site! YEA! Now part of this is personal motivation, I want to refi my mortgage and with the new standards, they want my 2008 tax returns. Since I am part owner of the business, first we have to do the audit, then the business tax return, then mine! Thus we need to move fast!!! This was a high point.
Low, it is Friday and we are still stuck on a prepaid account and they haven't finished the draft for me to approve and then we can move to the business taxes, etc.. ARRRRRR.
High, Sunday I went shopping for a small gift for a friend who is pregnant. FUN found a great eco friendly spot with WONDERFUL things.
Low, my friend, who btw will be the best mom EVER, lost the baby. My heart just sank. I am so sorry and sad.
High, Found a great price on a new dress for a formal in Feb.
Low, put on about 15 lbs over the past year thanks to the Friggin' thyroid and adrenal issues. Thus joined WW online and now count the number of blueberries I eat.
Low, Honey (see photo above of Honey in balloon with another balloon in background) has neglected to give me photos of us on the hot air balloon ride we took while on vacation in Napa
High, I told him that a framed one would make a nice Valentine's Day gift.
High, my fireplace mantle and built in bookcases and cabinet in bathroom are under construction right now.
Low, scared to see the messes and I pray the job is done well.
High, found out about 5 more jobs to bid! (I don't care to participate in the recession)
Low, sitting on my hands until audit is over... grrrr...
High, got my #1 choice for student from Fiji and will be her host family for next year.
Low, I can't tell her and invite her to our reception in Fiji until the program officially tells her!
Overall, I will take the weird week. Life is good right now.
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