Working With Frustration

It is very interesting to me to see people slowly slip into that state of workable frustration. What I mean by this is that point where you can still function at work (getting the job done), but are so close to the edge that you may snap at any moment. Long gone is that state of happy bliss (and I don't mean Montana. Montana will never be gone. In fact I believe that do to "global warming" (Save those penguins! You heartless jerk.), we will soon have more usable land in Montana. Once all those useless glaciers are gone (Boo ya!), but I digress).
Happy bliss at work is important. It leads to contentment and longevity. Lack of happiness leads to stress, job turnover and is one of the leading causes of shootings in the work place. The funny thing is that it doesn't have to be your on happiness to cause these problems. Working in an environment filled with unhappy, stressed out, frustrated people (or one really out spoken person) can cause your own frustration level to rise to the breaking point.
Why do I bring this up? Well, I'm starting to see things. Things like people making important decisions based only on what will get it off there plate. Or making the choice to do nothing until someone else is brought in to take care of the need. Each of these frustrate me.

Now I'm not as frustrated as I was on Black Thursday (The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Black Thursday, was the most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United States, taking into consideration the full scope and longevity of its fallout. Thank you Wikipedia!) That was bad. I was, at the time, still rolling in green backs do to my recent investment in sliding windows for high rise office buildings.
Needless to say, I lost my shirt. The real problem is that when things are down it is the aggressive, fearless investors that can make money, as the old saying goes, "Real players make money when the market is down". This ranks just behind, "I'll be back", and "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" as best quote ever. So in applying this principle I held on to my Apple stock and that has paid off. Vista what?!?
I have also tried to apply this to my work. Never wanting to just ride out the low times, but to remain aggressive and push for progress. Sadly I see that this has cast me as the odd man out in a world that just wants TPS reports turned in on time. So back to frustration. I have found that in order to deal with frustration you need to have a mental escape every once in a while. Something that takes your mind to that happy place and refreshes your mental web page.
This is not a waist of time, but a vital part of office wellness. Let me suggest a few things.
10. Coffee runs
9. Slap fighting in the break room
8. Nerf guns
7. Changing the presets on your friends radio
6. Watching "The Office" on thursday night
5. Line dancing
4. Plant a tree
3. Wander around mumbling to yourself
2. Wii or Xbox party with a group of 5th graders
1. Write a blog

Well I don't know if this has help you at all, but I feel much less frustrated.

I'll be back!

GOAL!!!!!
After years of procrastination and defeat I have finally reached my goal. This last week I weighted in at under 200 pounds for the first time since 1995. Oh where has the time gone?

Why did I do it? What was different this time? What did I do?

Well I did it because I realized that I am not the strapping young man I once was, and I want to be around to play with my kids for a long time. Also my bad knee was killing me this past summer. So I had to make it happen.

The difference was that I was in the right place mentally to commit and see it through. I was sick of being where I was.

How did I do it? Well it was very complex and tricky. I ate less calories then I burned off in a day. I know crazy right? Self-control is so old school.

Anyway in honor of reaching my goal I commissioned a painting to commemorate my new lease on life. Let me know what you think. Is it to much, or just right?

Oh, don't think for one minute that I am off my healthy eating thing. I have set a new goal and when I reach that one you may not even recognize me. Maybe you don't already.

Topic: Military casualties

This was emailed to me. I am trying to find the source.
If you can help me out please comment.
______________________________________________________________________________
BET YOU DON'T KNOW THIS

Military losses for 20 years These are some rather eye-opening facts: Since the start of the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan , the sacrifice has been enormous. In the time period from the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 through now, we have lost over 3000 military personnel to enemy action and accidents. As tragic as the loss of any member of the US Armed Forces is, consider the following statistics: The annual fatalities of military members while actively serving in the armed forces from 1980 through 2006: 1980 .......... 2,392 1981 ......... 2,380 1984 .......... 1,999 1988 .......... 1,819 1989 .......... 1,636 1990 ......... 1,508 1991 .......... 1,787 1992 .......... 1,293---------------------------------------------------- 1993 .......... 1,213 1994 .......... 1,075 1995 ...........2,465 1996 ......... 2,318 Clinton years @13,417 deaths 1997 ......... 817 1998 ......... 2,252 1999 .......... 1,984 ------------------------------------------------- 2000 .......... 1,983 2001 ......... 890 2002 .......... 1,007 7 BUSH years @ 9,016 deaths 2003 .......... 1,410 2004 .......... 1,887 2005 ......... 919 2006......... 920 ------------------------ ------------------------------------ If you are confused when you look at these figures...so was I. Do these figures mean that the loss from the two latest conflicts in the Middle East are LESS than the loss of military personnel during Mr. Clinton's presidency; when America wasn't even involved in a war? And, I was even more confused; when I read that in 1980, during the reign of President (Nobel Peace Prize) Jimmy Carter, there were 2,392 US military fatalities! These figures indicate that many of our Media & Politicians will pick and choose. They present only those "facts" which support their agenda-driven reporting. Why do so many of them march in lock-step to twist the truth. Where do so many of them get their marching-orders for their agenda? Our Mainstream Print and TV media, and many Politicians like to slant; that these brave men and women, who are losing their lives in Iraq , are mostly minorities! Wrong AGAIN--- just one more media lie! The latest census, of Americans, shows the following distribution of American citizens, by Race: European descent (White) ....... 69.12% Hispanic ................................ 12.5% Black.................................... 12.3% Asian ...................................... 3.7% Native American ..................... . 1.0% Other ..................................... 2.6% Now... here are the fatalities by Race; over the past three years in Iraqi Freedom: European descent (white) ..... 74.31% Hispanic ............................. 10.74% Black ................................... 9.67% Asian ................................. . 1.81% Native American .................... 1.09% Other .................................... . 33% You do the Math! These figures don't lie... but, Media-liars figure...and they sway public opinion! (These statistics are published by Congressional Research Service, and they may be confirmed by anyone at: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32492.pdf ) Now ask yourself these two questions: "Why does the mainstream Print and TV Media never print statistics like these?" and "Why do the mainstream media hate the web as much as they do? _____________________________________________________________________________ So what do you think? Do some research and let me know.

Sick of it All

This has been a long week. As I write this I am laying on the couch in my basement. I am the latest victim of the flu. My wife and I suffered through lots of messy diapers as both of our little ones felt the flu explosion. Jen felt it Sunday, but I stayed strong. Invincible and head strong, I would not give in, but I did.
This week was just to much for one person to take. You see we also had Christmas Eve service, family over for Christmas, a wedding rehearsal and a wedding. These in themselves are often enough to make us sick, but non of these are the reason I was brought to my knees this week.
This week a young lady from my church passed away. She had struggled with a brain tumor for months. Christmas Eve she took a turn for the worse. We prayed and prayed and Christmas day she went to be with the Lord. I just wonder what it was like to celebrate Christmas face to face with Christ. She must have been overjoyed because she had never made it a secret that she loved Jesus and now she is with him always.
The hardest thing to remember this week was that we do not morn for her loss. We morn for our loss. We are the ones who have lost fellowship with her. She has perfect fellowship with God.
So why am I sick of it all? I am sick of this world, of sin and suffering, sick of death. I'm sick of being tired and strained, but this is good.
It's good that I'm sick of it or I may have to wonder if I've grown complacent. You see we often forget that this world is not as is should be. You may be thinking, "no I don't", but really we like to pretend that life is fine. We forget that this world is not as God intended it to be. We and this world both suffer from the same problem, sin. Sin that takes us out of fellowship with the perfectness of God. That relationship with our Creator that is meant to fulfill us.
We tend to forget that we need God. More then anything or anyone we need Him to complete us.
This young lady understood this. She also knew with all her heart that relationship with God can only be gained through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ, the baby that didn't stay in a manger, who bled and died for our sins. This is not a fantasy it is reality. She understood this and lived her life expecting to see Jesus and right now she does. This is the thing we forget, the reason I get sick of it all, because I forget that this isn't all there is. There is so much more and it is found in Jesus Christ. Consider this verse.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Email, Email, Email and More Email!

Normally I get about 100 emails each day that have nothing to do with work. About 20% of those are from friends or family or friends of friends or friends of family, and they are not personal at all. You know those emails that have a story of theme with a deep profound meaning? If you don't then you have no friends that care about you. Anyway I normally read through them (if I haven't received them before) and delete most of them, but on occasion I find one that is worth the forward or save. This one for some reason (I was laying sick in bed when I read it) made me smile. So merry CHRISTmas AND GOD BLESS US EVERYONE!

I have not edited my answers:

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends.
Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!!
Just copy this entire email and paste into a new e-mail that you can send. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then send this to a whole bunch of people you know, INCLUDING the person that sent it to you... 'Tis the Season to be NICE!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? gift bag because I'm lazy
2. Real tree or artificial? real

3. When do you put up the tree? asap after Thanksgiving
4. When do you take the tree down? after the Super bowl
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes but it makes me sick

6. What about Fruitcake? love it!!!!! We should have it year round
7. Favorite gift received as a child? big guy power construction set

8. Do you have a nativity scene? Zoe has a little play one
9. Hardest person to buy for? Jesus

10. Easiest person to buy for? my wife
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? it's the thought that counts!

12. Mail or email Christmas cards? if i remember

13. Favorite Christmas Movie? Christmas Story

14. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I've already done most of it
15. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? as far as I'm aware, yes,yes,yes
16. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? home made cookies ...with coffee

17. Clear lights or colored on the tree? white

18. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night

19. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? home
20. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? dancer, prancer, donner, blitzen, commet, cupid

21. Angel on the tree top or a star? star
22. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? eve/morning, two weeks before

23. What is the one present you want most this year? cash
24. Most annoying thing about this time of year? the lack of true CHRISTMAS
25. What I love most about Christmas? Christ