Pinto Beans and Cornbread

I worked with so many wonderful people when I was a southern belle. One lady in particular I will never forget. We called her Miss Ruby. Miss Ruby was an older African American woman who could be a little intimidating at first, but once she decided she liked you, she'd baby you like the great southern mama she was. I can't remember how many children she had, but she always bragged about them - she was such a proud mama!

During the years that I worked with Miss Ruby, she'd always station herself in the cookhouse. She'd come in early in the morning and get a fire going in the hearth. Her star dishes were pinto beans and cornbread, cooked in cast iron in the fire of the cook house. Whoever was visiting the attraction that day could stop by and she'd give them each a small helping of pintos in a Dixie cup and a slice of cornbread on a napkin with a smear of butter.

I loved to stop by the cookhouse and have a taste too. All of the buildings of the "un-named attraction" are original buildings to the time period, but they've all been updated with air-conditioning. I'd stand next to the air vent and let that air-conditioning go right up my hoop skirt. Miss Ruby would give me a big helping of pintos and cornbread. I'd crumble the bread into the beans and dig in. Something about those salty beans and the buttery cornbread really hit the spot on hot summer days.

I decided on Monday that I wouldn't be considered a true southern woman until I'd cooked some pintos and cornbread. I tried out Paula Deen's pintos recipe (except I cooked mine on the stove) and the Pioneer Woman's cornbread. Very tasty, but they didn't compare to Miss Ruby's.

Miss Ruby passed away when I was in college. She worked at the "un-named attraction" for many years and a few of us attended her funeral. There were so many people there - I know she was well-loved by all.

Oops :)

Soooooo they blocked blogger at work....

And I'm pretty sure I'm the reason....

Oops. :)

I totally feel like I got in trouble.

But no one ever said anything. (Thank goodness!) They just blocked the site...

Oops. :)

I really only blogged during lunch or when I was taking a quick break...

Oh well. Live and learn. At least I didn't get fired. :-P

And I'm sure that blogger won't be blocked in ITALY!!!!!!

-Holly

Work Hazards & Servant Leadership

I just got antibacterial hand gel in a paper cut - ouch! I have such a hazardous job. :)


It does remind me of the time I hurt myself pretty bad out at the "unnamed attraction" where I used to work.

It was summertime. Maybe in '06 or '07. I was outside, working, doing my thing, talking to guests, etc, when it started to rain. I took shelter underneath a porch with a family of guests - a mom, a dad, and two little girls. It was really starting to pour, and it didn't look like it was going to let up - it wasn't a normal Georgia afternoon shower. The little girls were obviously getting bored...and I started to feel bad for them. I knew we had some toys in the breakroom, so I decided to take a chance in the rain and make a run for it to grab the toys. I took off my slipper-like shoes (didn't want to ruin them!), hiked up my hoop skirt and off I ran!

All went well, until I was on my way back to the family, running like crazy, trying to get out of the rain. I slipped, but caught myself and didn't fall. Score! My foot hit the side of the building, but I didn't think anything of it. I got back to the family and showed the little girls the toys. We played for a little while...but then my foot started hurting...BAD. So I looked down - and I was POURING blood from part of my foot and my toe! "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness. Don't freak out...don't freak out..." I didn't want to scare the family, so I politely excused myself, and ran back out into the rain, and back into the breakroom.

I called my boss (a very kind woman who I'd know for a few years by then) and explained to her what had happened. She told me to come over to the farmyard (yes, there was a farmyard a this "unnamed attraction") and she would bandage me up. (She used sterile items from the veterinary area of the farmyard.) So back out into the rain I went, limping all the way. When I got there, she sat me on a stool, washed my foot and bandaged me up. I didn't get in trouble - she didn't even lecture me about safety and the importance of wearing shoes at work.

But I learned my lesson. Don't run in the rain. Especially barefoot. :)

Yep, that's me - walking in the rain. At least I'm wearing boots!

Pretty amazing, hu? What boss do you know that would wash and bandage your nasty bleeding feet? I still think of how incredibly kind that was of her.

The company I work for is based in the principals of servant leadership. In fact, there's a statue in our hallway of Jesus washing the feet of a disciple.

That day, my boss def took those principals to heart. I always think of her whenever I hear about servant leadership.

 

Happy Administrative Professionals Day!

And I have been feeling very unapreciated lately. How sweet! :)

Notice anything different?

I FINALLY got a work laptop!

Which means (1) I can throw away the crappy desktop I was using that still had a freakin' FLOPPY DRIVE! Talk about an OLD computer. And (2) I can work from home if needed!

I'm super excited. Even though the laptop is a hand-me-down from someone else in my department and has a broken clasp...I still love it! Movin on up!



Bah Humbug!

So if you couldn't tell from my past posts, work has been kind of crappy lately. I'm burnt out and just ready for my week off. Plus all the Christmas crap here at work makes me bitter. I've put up the Christmas tree here at work...but I haven't put one up at home. And I've mailed 200+ Christmas cards here at work...but I haven't mailed my personal Christmas cards. Bitter bitter grumpy grump.

And speaking of that *#$%ing Christmas tree, I drove to Walmart to buy lights (it's pre-lit but the lights don't work) then spent like half an hour putting the lights on the tree (which made my hands bleed since the tree is super prickly) and then drove to Walgreens to get an extension cord since I couldn't find an extra one at work. The tree was lit up for about an hour before the HR guy walked by and decided that it was a safety hazard to have it plugged in and the cord laying on the floor. So instead of taping the cord down, he just unplugged the tree and said it looked fine just decorated and not lit up.

Sigh.

And I really could care less about that stupid tree. But I sure do wish I hadn't wasted so much of my time on it!!

However, only 7 more work days until I get some time off! Woo hoo!

Dining Dilemma

Everyday when noon rolls around, I have to make a decision. Where should I eat my lunch? And there's really no good answer to that question...

I could eat in the breakroom. Which sounds like a good idea since the TV in the breakroom has cable (we canceled our cable at home) and I could get my Food Network fix...

But then I have to make small talk with everyone that walks by to use the microwave or grab a coke, or get some water, or pick up a spoon. By the time my lunch is over, I haven't gotten to watch any of Paula Deen AND I'm exhausted from all the chit-chat!

I could eat at my desk. Which sounds like a good idea since I can get on Facebook and Blogger and email my friends...

But I don't have an office with a door to close. So I end up jumping up, in mid-bite of my sandwich, to refill the printer paper for someone, or grab someone an envelop, or take notes for a project someone needs my help with. So after my lunch hour is over, I still haven't finished eating, my soup is cold and I'm thinking that it's time for a break from my lunch break!

I could eat in my car. Which sounds like a good idea because it's nice and quiet...

But really, who wants to eat in their car? And who wants to be in the car anymore than we have to be? And in the summer it's too hot and in the winter it's too cold!

I could go out to lunch. Which sounds like a good idea because I could get out of the office and eat some yummy food.

But then I'd have to spend lots of money everyday. And drive to wherever I choose to eat. Which would waste time and gas!

Maybe I should just skip lunch. :)

Communication Breakdown

Ok, so the Led Zeppelin song "Communication Breakdown" doesn’t really relate to my post any further than having the word “communication” in the title, but I do like that song! :)


So I know I have mentioned before that I blog stalk. It all started when one of my coworkers got pregnant and started a blog. I started reading her blog – which is completely adorable. She is one of those “clever” writers I spoke of in my first post. After a while, I started clicking on her friends’ blogs and reading them. That's when I started to feel like a total psychopath because now, when my coworker talks about going to see her friend from Ohio’s new baby, I not only know which friend she is referring to, but I also know the new baby’s name, what the baby’s room looks like, the parent’s thoughts on parenting, and way more information than I ever should know when I haven’t ever met said Ohio friend. Now I even search for blogs to read. When I decided to start my own blog, I had to search to make sure no one had the same name that I wanted. Which is how I came across the blog of BusinessBelle. She has a great posting here on the way women communicate in the workplace. I always thought my communication skills were above average when I worked at “The Attraction.” But when I started at the corporate office, I realized I had a lot to learn. See, the way you are taught to communicate in a customer service environment and they way people communicate in a corporate environment are two TOTALLY different things.

The way I see it:

Customer Service Communication – Smiling, friendly, wordy, apologetic, helpful (what can I do for you), “ultra-explanatory”, lengthy (I have all the time in the world for you), tiptoeing around an issue as to not offend anyone
Corporate World Communication – Direct, to the point, assertive, purposeful (what can you do for me), urgent (I have no time for you)

I’m not trying to be negative and make it sound as if all corporate level employees are rude, arrogant and mean. (Because I don’t know ANY professionals with those qualities. :) ) I’m just trying to show the difference between the type of communication I was used to for 9 years and the corporate world type I have had to adjust to. Businessbelle’s example of the differences between how men talk and how women talk really hit home. When I started at the corporate office, that is the exact way I would approach anyone I needed to speak with – shy, intimated, wordy, and overly friendly. I would come across as ditzy and annoying. Now I’ve learned to completely plan out what I am going to say before I walk into someone’s office. I try to be direct, to the point and quick. I get the info I need and then let them get back to work. I never apologize for interrupting (if they have their door open and they aren’t on the phone, they should expect people to come in and talk to them).

There are so many other differences I am realizing between what I have known in my 8 years working in customer service and the few years I have worked in a professional environment. I wonder sometimes if my customer service background is keeping me from getting ahead in the business world. If I had been more assertive from the beginning, maybe I wouldn’t have been laid off? And maybe if I am more assertive in this position, I won’t be laid off again. Speaking of...

Just found out they are interviewing someone for my position next week. UG!

Dear God, PLEASE let me keep this job. I really don’t want to be laid off twice in less than 6 months!