What do you do when you're sad?
Winter - the bitter cold, angry winds, gray skies, short days - sends me into a funk. I tend to fold into myself, becoming more introverted than my norm. Social interactions revert to a minimum. I don't want to leave the house.
One way i try to escape is through books. Curled up under a blanket, drinking tea, I can ignore the harshness of the season.
Music works sometimes, too, but it can be a double-edged sword. So many emotions are triggered by songs that listening to my library on random can be a roller coaster of highs and lows.
I wish I handled sadness in more constructive ways. Clubs or sports? I'll never be a social butterfly, nor will I be any kind of athlete. I'm awkward and clumsy, tripping over my own feet half the time. Would forcing engagement with others help? It is so tiring, exhausting, simply draining when I try.
A brief getaway to Florida last week was welcome and needed, so much more than I realized. I joked while there about absorbing enough sun to hold me until warmer weather hits our area. I didn't get nearly the amount necessary.
I'm hoping for a change in weather very soon. Are you?
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
My Soc Me Picks
So you're wondering what the heck I mean by Soc Me picks. In honor of the Oscars, I'm sharing my thoughts on who I consider the stars of the HR social media space. These people know how to deliver jabs and uppercuts, and can tell it the way it is.
First on my list is Laurie Ruettimann, the Cynical Girl. Why? With a routine Google search for employee handbook, Punk Rock HR popped up on my screen. Her take on the subject, Punk Rock Employee Handbook, is pure and simple genius. I was hooked.
Jason Seiden is next. Want leadership or personal development advice? You'll find it, no holds barred, at Fail Spectacularly! Plus, he occasionally throws in free mp3 downloads of his very talented sister, Jackie.
Frank Roche has a no-bullshit approach on his blog, KnowHR. I still have his list of what he believes - and doesn't - about HR hanging on my office door.
Charlie Judy and his Trench HR outlook is practical, realistic, inspiring, and brave. Why brave? Actually, all these people have the courage and determination to change the profession for the better.
Lisa Rosendahl, Trish McFarlane, Shauna Moerke and all the Women of HR push the boundaries of accepted beliefs and practices in the HR field every day.
To hear the stories and beliefs of many more progressive HR folks who really get it, all you have to do is tune into DriveThruHR with Bryan Wempen and William Tincup every weekday, or listen to HR Happy Hour on Thursday evenings.
Of course there are many, many more people I could mention. These are the ones who originally inspired me; made me laugh, think and change my opinions.
First on my list is Laurie Ruettimann, the Cynical Girl. Why? With a routine Google search for employee handbook, Punk Rock HR popped up on my screen. Her take on the subject, Punk Rock Employee Handbook, is pure and simple genius. I was hooked.
Jason Seiden is next. Want leadership or personal development advice? You'll find it, no holds barred, at Fail Spectacularly! Plus, he occasionally throws in free mp3 downloads of his very talented sister, Jackie.
Frank Roche has a no-bullshit approach on his blog, KnowHR. I still have his list of what he believes - and doesn't - about HR hanging on my office door.
Charlie Judy and his Trench HR outlook is practical, realistic, inspiring, and brave. Why brave? Actually, all these people have the courage and determination to change the profession for the better.
Lisa Rosendahl, Trish McFarlane, Shauna Moerke and all the Women of HR push the boundaries of accepted beliefs and practices in the HR field every day.
To hear the stories and beliefs of many more progressive HR folks who really get it, all you have to do is tune into DriveThruHR with Bryan Wempen and William Tincup every weekday, or listen to HR Happy Hour on Thursday evenings.
Of course there are many, many more people I could mention. These are the ones who originally inspired me; made me laugh, think and change my opinions.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Illinois Slaps Residents. Again.
I'm disappointed in my home state of Illinois. Again. As if having multiple governors in jail isn't enough, the politicians still in office continue to prove they do not understand nor empathize with ordinary folks.
The recent lame duck session of this state's legislature lacked transparency and is an attempt to push through massive tax hikes. The Americans for Tax Reform site has written some informed posts on the sessions. The majority of voters - small business owners and individual taxpayers - oppose these tax hikes. I love one of the lines in the letter ATR sent to Governor Quinn: "To ignore the will of the voters by ramming a massive tax increase through as the legislature walks out the door is a slap in the face of those who choose to participate in the democratic process." I know I personally feel slapped.
My disappointment about the tax hikes does not begin to approach the feelings I have about the Affiliate Nexus Tax proposal, however. House Bill 3659 would require any out-of-state retailer to collect sales tax on online purchases by Illinois residents, if the retailer has a relationship with an Illinois affiliate. To say the bill is shortsighted is an understatement.
Online retailers with a physical location in Illinois, whether it be a brick-and-mortar stores, warehouses or offices, are required to collect the state sales tax at the time of purchase. Retailers such as Amazon and Overstock do not have to collect Illinois sales tax, as they do not have any physical holdings in the state. This bill proposes that a relationship with an affiliate makes them liable for collection and remitting - overhead, paperwork and headaches. If you were Amazon, what would you do? You'd say screw it, and sever your affiliate relationships. The fact of the matter is, you're still going to sell to Illinois residents. You just won't have to collect sales tax. It's not going to hurt Amazon's bottom line in the least. In fact, Amazon and Overstock have already informed their Illinois affiliates that if this bill passes, they will be terminating the relationships. I know. I've received one of their letters.
I'm not a very active Amazon affiliate through my blog, but I am disappointed this choice is being taken away from me.
In multiple articles, I've read the following: "The point is that someone is supposed to be collecting this tax," said John Patterson, spokesman for state Senate President John Cullerton, who pushed for the change. "All other retailers in Illinois have to collect the sales tax. They're at a competitive disadvantage from online retailers. The motivation is to create some tax fairness among retailers in Illinois."
Wow. Talk about not being able to see the big picture.
Illinois residents will still buy from online retailers. This bill does NOTHING to level the playing field, as they claim. Instead, it hurts the affiliates with legitimate, thriving businesses who employ Illinois residents.
Let me say it again, but louder: ILLINOIS RESIDENTS WILL STILL BUY FROM ONLINE RETAILERS, BUT THOSE RETAILERS WON'T HAVE TO COLLECT USE TAX.
State Senator Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, understands this concept. In an article in the Rockford Register Star, he states, “With this bill passing, Amazon and Overstock, they’ll just cancel their contracts with all the companies like FatWallet.com, and you and I will go directly to Amazon and Overstock,” he said. “Illinois still won’t collect any taxes, but we will lose jobs.”
This affiliate nexus is a stretch. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a retailer that does not have a physical presence in a state cannot be required to collect sales tax for that state. For Illinois to claim that an affiliate relationship - which is basically an advertising relationship - is a physical presence is laughable.
I work for FatWallet Inc. I'm not happy about the discussions we've been having recently. I hate the thought of moving our company out of state, away from the very employees who have helped make us successful. Away from the community we actively support. Seems wrong, doesn't it? But if this bill passes, do you think we can afford to employ these same people when our revenue drops by 30 - 40 percent?
The Chicagoist said it well in the post, "The Bad Math of the 'Amazon Tax'":
What that means is that if out-of-state online retailers continue business as usual, the total increase in use tax collected will be zero. Also, those affiliate dollars earned are taxable, so the state loses out on that income tax as well, resulting in a net loss in revenue. To make matters worse, companies like BradsDeals.com and FatWallet.com, which make most of their income from affiliate marketing, have indicated that if the bill goes through they'll be forced to leave the state, taking their money and jobs with them. Chief executive of Fat Wallet Tim Storm was quoted as saying, "The reality is that as a business owner with 52 employees, we're not going to just get shut down because of a law Illinois passes. Our customers don't care whether we're in the state of Illinois."
The recent lame duck session of this state's legislature lacked transparency and is an attempt to push through massive tax hikes. The Americans for Tax Reform site has written some informed posts on the sessions. The majority of voters - small business owners and individual taxpayers - oppose these tax hikes. I love one of the lines in the letter ATR sent to Governor Quinn: "To ignore the will of the voters by ramming a massive tax increase through as the legislature walks out the door is a slap in the face of those who choose to participate in the democratic process." I know I personally feel slapped.
My disappointment about the tax hikes does not begin to approach the feelings I have about the Affiliate Nexus Tax proposal, however. House Bill 3659 would require any out-of-state retailer to collect sales tax on online purchases by Illinois residents, if the retailer has a relationship with an Illinois affiliate. To say the bill is shortsighted is an understatement.
Online retailers with a physical location in Illinois, whether it be a brick-and-mortar stores, warehouses or offices, are required to collect the state sales tax at the time of purchase. Retailers such as Amazon and Overstock do not have to collect Illinois sales tax, as they do not have any physical holdings in the state. This bill proposes that a relationship with an affiliate makes them liable for collection and remitting - overhead, paperwork and headaches. If you were Amazon, what would you do? You'd say screw it, and sever your affiliate relationships. The fact of the matter is, you're still going to sell to Illinois residents. You just won't have to collect sales tax. It's not going to hurt Amazon's bottom line in the least. In fact, Amazon and Overstock have already informed their Illinois affiliates that if this bill passes, they will be terminating the relationships. I know. I've received one of their letters.
I'm not a very active Amazon affiliate through my blog, but I am disappointed this choice is being taken away from me.
In multiple articles, I've read the following: "The point is that someone is supposed to be collecting this tax," said John Patterson, spokesman for state Senate President John Cullerton, who pushed for the change. "All other retailers in Illinois have to collect the sales tax. They're at a competitive disadvantage from online retailers. The motivation is to create some tax fairness among retailers in Illinois."
Wow. Talk about not being able to see the big picture.
Illinois residents will still buy from online retailers. This bill does NOTHING to level the playing field, as they claim. Instead, it hurts the affiliates with legitimate, thriving businesses who employ Illinois residents.
Let me say it again, but louder: ILLINOIS RESIDENTS WILL STILL BUY FROM ONLINE RETAILERS, BUT THOSE RETAILERS WON'T HAVE TO COLLECT USE TAX.
State Senator Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, understands this concept. In an article in the Rockford Register Star, he states, “With this bill passing, Amazon and Overstock, they’ll just cancel their contracts with all the companies like FatWallet.com, and you and I will go directly to Amazon and Overstock,” he said. “Illinois still won’t collect any taxes, but we will lose jobs.”
This affiliate nexus is a stretch. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a retailer that does not have a physical presence in a state cannot be required to collect sales tax for that state. For Illinois to claim that an affiliate relationship - which is basically an advertising relationship - is a physical presence is laughable.
I work for FatWallet Inc. I'm not happy about the discussions we've been having recently. I hate the thought of moving our company out of state, away from the very employees who have helped make us successful. Away from the community we actively support. Seems wrong, doesn't it? But if this bill passes, do you think we can afford to employ these same people when our revenue drops by 30 - 40 percent?
The Chicagoist said it well in the post, "The Bad Math of the 'Amazon Tax'":
What that means is that if out-of-state online retailers continue business as usual, the total increase in use tax collected will be zero. Also, those affiliate dollars earned are taxable, so the state loses out on that income tax as well, resulting in a net loss in revenue. To make matters worse, companies like BradsDeals.com and FatWallet.com, which make most of their income from affiliate marketing, have indicated that if the bill goes through they'll be forced to leave the state, taking their money and jobs with them. Chief executive of Fat Wallet Tim Storm was quoted as saying, "The reality is that as a business owner with 52 employees, we're not going to just get shut down because of a law Illinois passes. Our customers don't care whether we're in the state of Illinois."
Monday, November 22, 2010
Taking a Leap of Faith
Game changing moments. Turning points. Epiphanies. Everyone has them. I’ve had quite a few in my life, but I have to say the one that’s made the most difference for me in the last twenty years was accepting a job at FatWallet.
Despite what most people might think, it wasn’t an easy decision. You see, I’ve been a good friend to the person who hired me for a very long time - over 25 years at this point. We’re not acquaintances; we’re the I-might-help-you-bury-a-body type of friends. Working in an employee-boss relationship could have changed our friendship considerably for the worse. Thankfully, that did not happen.
At the time, I was working for a non-profit. My salary was tiny. Tim was able to offer a salary that was a third more than I was making. However, FatWallet was not offering health insurance or a retirement plan. I would be betting on a company that was just gaining some momentum, trading security for opportunity. The thought of having enough money to stop scraping by, paycheck to paycheck, was appealing, but the opportunities that were possible with a start-up company were worth far more, in my consideration.
I had recently obtained a Bachelor’s degree in business administration. I knew I wanted - actually, I needed - a job that could challenge me, pull me in directions I’ve never been pulled, yet utilize things I’d absorbed throughout the years. Things that didn’t necessarily have anything to do with the degree I’d just earned. Tim needed someone to handle the nuts and bolts of running a company: organizing, filing, making sure people were paid, etc. It was something I knew I could do, and I hoped it would grow.
I also yearned for a place that was different from anything I had yet to experience. I don’t think I could have told you then what I was looking for, but today I know: I wanted a culture of accountability laced with kindness. I wanted to work for a company that embraced the philosophy of “Treat others the way you would want to be treated.”
I wouldn’t say that Human Resources would have been my first choice in careers; I don’t believe it would have been in my top 10. Over the years, I’ve learned, stretched, and gained experience. I’m comfortable in the role, and I do have a passion for it: a passion gained by seeing what companies are like when HR is handled poorly.
FatWallet has given me choices in life that I didn’t have before. I earned these choices by proving myself, proving my worth. I no longer worry about struggling paycheck-to-paycheck. I have confidence in myself and my abilities.
My job has changed many times in the past eight years. I’ve handled and supervised customer service, HR, payroll, accounting, and facilities. In the process, I’ve assembled furniture, cleaned restrooms, answered phones, researched, created processes, scrapped processes, implemented benefits, supervised, hired, fired, talked about company strategy and talked about company game days. Every day has held something different, and I’ve found I fit here. Perhaps this is because I’ve helped create the culture; perhaps it is because I’ve grown up a bit. Whatever it is, I know that my life changed for the better the day I took a leap of faith, accepted Tim’s job offer and embraced FatWallet as my home away from home.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
WiFi at the Millenium Knickerbocker Hotel
Monday evening, I drove into to Chicago. On Tuesday, I attended the Great Place to Work Institute's Best Practices Forum. The seminar was pretty interesting, with a good deal of information on what other companies do to create great working environments. That's not what I want to write about, however.
After I checked into the hotel, I tried accessing the internet. I had paid for a wireless connection, but I couldn't for the life of me connect. I made sure I followed all the written directions, then I called the front desk to ask if there was a trick I was missing. The front desk clerk asked me to hold on, and the next thing I knew I was talking to a tech support rep somewhere else in the country. They tracked the problem down to non-functioning routers, but were unable to fix the issue.
The next morning as I was reviewing my bill, I noticed they had deleted the charge for the wireless, but they added a charge for a long distance phone call. Apparently when the front desk clerk transferred me - without asking me first - she added the charge to my account.
Unbelievable. They couldn't provide me with the service for which I paid, I ask for help, and they charge me for the help.
Another example of less-than-stellar customer service.
After a quick trip to the front desk, I had the additional charge removed.
After I checked into the hotel, I tried accessing the internet. I had paid for a wireless connection, but I couldn't for the life of me connect. I made sure I followed all the written directions, then I called the front desk to ask if there was a trick I was missing. The front desk clerk asked me to hold on, and the next thing I knew I was talking to a tech support rep somewhere else in the country. They tracked the problem down to non-functioning routers, but were unable to fix the issue.
The next morning as I was reviewing my bill, I noticed they had deleted the charge for the wireless, but they added a charge for a long distance phone call. Apparently when the front desk clerk transferred me - without asking me first - she added the charge to my account.
Unbelievable. They couldn't provide me with the service for which I paid, I ask for help, and they charge me for the help.
Another example of less-than-stellar customer service.
After a quick trip to the front desk, I had the additional charge removed.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
How Is Math Taught Today?
On my way home from a seminar today, I stopped into the grocery store to pick up supplies for stir-fry. The elderly lady in front of me in the checkout line bought a container of cookies that totaled $3.03 with tax. She handed the young cashier a $20 bill and three pennies.
The cashier gave her $17.97 in change.
The lady tried to give the coins back, but the cashier couldn't understand. The supervisor standing at the end of the counter helping to bag the groceries didn't understand either. The lady gave up and took the extra money.
I admit, I thought to myself when I saw the money being exchanged that I rarely see cash as a form of payment anymore. Is this an indication of how little cash is used now? Did the cashier not know what to do because she rarely handles cash? Even so, this was an easy math problem........
The cashier gave her $17.97 in change.
The lady tried to give the coins back, but the cashier couldn't understand. The supervisor standing at the end of the counter helping to bag the groceries didn't understand either. The lady gave up and took the extra money.
I admit, I thought to myself when I saw the money being exchanged that I rarely see cash as a form of payment anymore. Is this an indication of how little cash is used now? Did the cashier not know what to do because she rarely handles cash? Even so, this was an easy math problem........
Monday, August 9, 2010
My Hair Is Returning!
My hair is growing back, much faster than I expected. It's mostly gray fuzz, but I have hair again!
The worst part about hair loss following chemotherapy is losing your eyelashes, in my opinion. My eyes watered all the time! I felt like I constantly needed to explain that I wasn't crying - I truly did have dust or something in my eyes.
I'm holding on to my scarves and hats for now. This summer has been so hot and humid that I've been forgoing wearing any, but I'm guessing that's going to change in another month. I hope that when I do decide I'm done with the hats and scarves, I'm able to find somewhere to donate them.
The worst part about hair loss following chemotherapy is losing your eyelashes, in my opinion. My eyes watered all the time! I felt like I constantly needed to explain that I wasn't crying - I truly did have dust or something in my eyes.
I'm holding on to my scarves and hats for now. This summer has been so hot and humid that I've been forgoing wearing any, but I'm guessing that's going to change in another month. I hope that when I do decide I'm done with the hats and scarves, I'm able to find somewhere to donate them.
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