I watched the Bio Chanel's special on Gordon Ramsay last night. How awesome an individual. What was really interesting to me was how my Mom compared me to him in many ways. In her doing this, gave me a little more confidence and a little push up out of the water I felt I was drowning in.
If you didn't watch the special, here are just some highlights: he came from a very troubled home, father was an alcoholic, and his Mom was a part time waitress, and there were frequent fights at home, in which his father often used corporal punishment on Ramsay; he was very interested in sports, so much so he was one of the most valued players in football (soccer for us Americans), and then was taken out of that dream by injuries, no fault of his own; then he stopped, but only for a second of his life, and tried working for a restaurant; from that point on he decided this was the path he wanted to go, and he went!
The similarities in our lives are not just a few! I had many troubled homes; fighting between my parents all the time, sometimes violent; my first dream of being a housewife and mother were stunted in the fact I didn't get married out of high school, and I later had many miscarriages; then I thought I wanted to be a manager in retail, but then I saw the glass ceiling and decided I wouldn't be able to go far this way; then I wanted my own business, but the lady down the street undercut my prices so far, I couldn't carry on. Then, I decided to finish my schooling and complete my Bachelor's degree. Got that and thought the world was mine, but alas, it wasn't until I got my paralegal certificate, which was only 12 weeks of work versus 4 plus years, then the world opened. I then climbed the ladder in that world, and found it was actually pretty boring, as it became the same thing day after day, and it was so time consuming. At the same time I was working as a paralegal, I created a Plan B, which is what I have always done, as does Ramsay. The Plan B was to get more education so I could get into a job I would like and feel like I was helping people at, not just following policy, or helping one person look better than another in litigation. I was getting so tired of divorce cases where the father or the mother, whomever we were representing, was constantly telling us the other party was so bad, possibly abused the children, beat them, or anything to get the kids away from the other parent, and was so real mean about the other parent, the whole process was sickening.
I finished my Master's in record time, 3 years, and again thought the world would open to me because of that. Instead, it shut down even more than before. No one wanted a paralegal with a Master's: too expensive and too "know it all" assumed. Plus the economy hit, and jobs were being trashed left and right. So, I went to Alaska, just to see if there was something for me at the end of world. After four months, I found there was nothing for me, but more pain ensued. So, back to Las Vegas, Nevada.
Came back to Las Vegas and decided, after applying to many paralegal places, part-time secretary work, and adjunct teaching positions, to continue my schooling. I was looking for a degree which would allow me to help from the outside in. After becoming a CASA, I realized there were many problems in the system which were not going to be solved by sitting and complaining or by working within the system parameters. I spoke at great length with doctoral advisers at Capella, and then decided on my next Plan B: a doctorate in Public Service Leadership. At the same time I am working on a Teaching Certificate so when I graduate I will be able to teach online after graduation.
At the same time I am applying for Social Security Disability to help me be able to get the surgery on my knees, hip, and back. I received a denial letter for the original claim, then a denial for the 1st appeal, so now I am working with Binder & Binder and they are on the next step which I have to go in front of the judge with a Binder representative. After talking with my Mom, we decided my Plan B on this issue which would be to continue on my Ph.D. and when finished, continue on looking for jobs on adjunct teaching.
So, as I started, it appears Mr. Gordon Ramsay has had sincere up and downs in his lifetime, and yet he has over come them, and is doing what he wants to do, helping others succeed outside the box. I have had many up and downs in my lifetime, but have continued to keep going, and my goal is to help people from the outside, or rather from the outside of the box. He has Plan B's in his life, and I am constantly figuring out Plan B's so I don't ever get stuck.
So, thanks Gordon Ramsay for being who are, for working past all of life's issues, and for setting an example for not only chefs, but for us normal people as well.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Manners...
I have written about this before, but the problem appears to just keep exacerbating throughout the professional community.
In my school work through Capella University, there is a whole module offered to all students about how to write professionally online. This module covers manners, how to write concisely, and what not to include in professional emails (specifically emotioncons and the abbreviate words). The module also states one should reply with a 'thank you' for information provided to you via email.
Now I have dealt with many 'professionals' via email, and have seen all kinds of email errors, and now they have reached a peak with me. So, as this blog is "Rene's Mumblings," I shall mumble for my own benefit on this subject.
First off, when someone does a favor of providing information to your via email, a quick "thank you" and then hit send is all that is required. This is not for the enrichment of the receiver's ego, but just a common courtesy. It is the same when someone hands you something, or tells you something, you would just say "thank you" out of habit (hopefully!) not just take the information or item and turn to walk away. It is the same, only easier, for an email: one need only read the content, hit reply, write thank you, and then hit send. How hard is that?!
This courtesy accomplishes two important parts of communiction: first, the receiver of the original email offers their gratification for someone offering the information to them; and second, it also lets the original sender know the person has read the email. If nothing is sent in return, then the writer has no idea if the email has been read, did the receiver actually get it (I find there are some programs which place some emails automatically in the trash or spam file), and that they receiver is grateful for the information or at least for being thought of and included in the distribution of the information.
Then there are the emails wherein a person does not proof read them, and wrong words are used, there are continual misspellings, or the attachments are not included which are referred. In a Yahoo! article on email courtesy the above advice on offer gratification for information is listed as well as proof reading emails. The Yahoo! article also states one should attach all documents, pictures, etc., before writing the email, so there is no chance of finishing the email and then just hitting send.
It is amazing to me in reading documents which are submitted to Courts, which are published in newspapers and email versions of newspapers, and which are supposed to come from well educated professionals, to see how many misspellings, grammar mistakes, or just plain weird writing is included. I have seen legal documents which read as fairy tales as the type style used at the beginning of each paragraph is about 24+ points and is something only used in scrap-booking or in fun.
What has happened to just the basic courtesies and responsible writing which used to be a standard? One used to be able to count on a legal document as being quite near perfect in grammar, spelling, and appearance. Now we have courts who don't even require the legal standard of line numbers and legal margins. I can understand a lesser standard if the document is produced by a litigant them self, but if it is from an attorney's office, with paralegals, law clerks, and secretaries, there is no excuse for shoddy work.
Ok, now I am done. This blog may not be perfect, but as I have already stated, this is not a professional piece of work, nor is it to appear to be professional in any manner. It is "ramblings", and that is all.
In my school work through Capella University, there is a whole module offered to all students about how to write professionally online. This module covers manners, how to write concisely, and what not to include in professional emails (specifically emotioncons and the abbreviate words). The module also states one should reply with a 'thank you' for information provided to you via email.
Now I have dealt with many 'professionals' via email, and have seen all kinds of email errors, and now they have reached a peak with me. So, as this blog is "Rene's Mumblings," I shall mumble for my own benefit on this subject.
First off, when someone does a favor of providing information to your via email, a quick "thank you" and then hit send is all that is required. This is not for the enrichment of the receiver's ego, but just a common courtesy. It is the same when someone hands you something, or tells you something, you would just say "thank you" out of habit (hopefully!) not just take the information or item and turn to walk away. It is the same, only easier, for an email: one need only read the content, hit reply, write thank you, and then hit send. How hard is that?!
This courtesy accomplishes two important parts of communiction: first, the receiver of the original email offers their gratification for someone offering the information to them; and second, it also lets the original sender know the person has read the email. If nothing is sent in return, then the writer has no idea if the email has been read, did the receiver actually get it (I find there are some programs which place some emails automatically in the trash or spam file), and that they receiver is grateful for the information or at least for being thought of and included in the distribution of the information.
Then there are the emails wherein a person does not proof read them, and wrong words are used, there are continual misspellings, or the attachments are not included which are referred. In a Yahoo! article on email courtesy the above advice on offer gratification for information is listed as well as proof reading emails. The Yahoo! article also states one should attach all documents, pictures, etc., before writing the email, so there is no chance of finishing the email and then just hitting send.
It is amazing to me in reading documents which are submitted to Courts, which are published in newspapers and email versions of newspapers, and which are supposed to come from well educated professionals, to see how many misspellings, grammar mistakes, or just plain weird writing is included. I have seen legal documents which read as fairy tales as the type style used at the beginning of each paragraph is about 24+ points and is something only used in scrap-booking or in fun.
What has happened to just the basic courtesies and responsible writing which used to be a standard? One used to be able to count on a legal document as being quite near perfect in grammar, spelling, and appearance. Now we have courts who don't even require the legal standard of line numbers and legal margins. I can understand a lesser standard if the document is produced by a litigant them self, but if it is from an attorney's office, with paralegals, law clerks, and secretaries, there is no excuse for shoddy work.
Ok, now I am done. This blog may not be perfect, but as I have already stated, this is not a professional piece of work, nor is it to appear to be professional in any manner. It is "ramblings", and that is all.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
OMG!!! Today...
Well, I went to the Court Model Conference yesterday at Sam's Town. Like all things in 'Vegas, all the non-gambling rooms and activities are placed in the middle of the hotel and one has to walk a thousand miles to get to them. I did take my cane as I knew this was going to be the situation. I did look at a map of Sam's Town first, and it appeared from the map that I parked in the closest place available. By the time I arrived at the conference rooms, they were smack dab in the middle of the hotel, no parking from any other place, including valet, would have been closer, and I had walked at least 500 miles. Boy!!! Was I tired. My legs, knees, and back were all killing me, and the conference hadn't even started yet.
There was a continental breakfast offered: the fruit was good, but the danish were hard and old. At least the coffee was good! The conference itself was really good; I just hope we can really implement the program. It was hard to see how CASA was going to be put in the front end of this program, but later one of the administrators of CASA came up with a good suggestion.
When it was lunch time, we were told it was just out the door to the left. Yeah, right~ It was another 5,000 miles, and this time, since they made it sound close, I didn't take my cane. So, by the time I got to the rooms for the lunch, I was way worn out again. Then, although we were asked if we wanted a regular lunch or a vegetarian plate, it was all served buffet style. Whatever! Just more standing for me. One of the other CASA administrators walked with me back, as he knew what I had been going through. I took the pain pills I had been putting off taking as I wanted to stay as awake as possible during the conference. I did start to get sleepy towards the end, and I was also getting really hot, while everyone else was cold. The second half of the conference was good as well, it was just I was getting tired because of the pain and the pills.
So, today, after not getting a good night's sleep because of the Restless Leg Syndrome, I woke grouchy. I also had another nightmare, but don't remember too much about it. I just had to get up, watch I Love Lucy and take another Tylenol P.M. to get back to sleep. Then it appeared that everything I touched till now was against me.
I went into my classes, and wasn't able to download all the articles I needed. Then the Coursepacks I paid for were somehow sent to my old email address. I had corrected the email last quarter with the bookstore, but apparently they went back to the old email I had not been using because it was being phished. Then I sat on terminal hold via online chat waiting to talk to a representative about this problem, when finally she said it was all fixed and it would be sent to my new address. I waited for over a half an hour, and finally had to go to my old email and figure out how to get into it. Did that, was able to download the course packs, so all is good on that front.
Oh!!!! Forgot to mention, don't know how, my first experience of this lovely day. I want to make hash browns, and the burner was making the pan all crooked. So, in my daze of pain pills and sleep left over, I place my hand on the burner to push it down. Well, the burner was on! Duh!!! So, now I have gauze all over my hand, and am going to have burner marks on my hand for a few days.
The cats partied after I went back to bed by getting sick on the floor; one did her thing on front carpet; and turned over a glass jar we have out, which at least didn't break. So, my big cat has been hungry for the rest of the day, since she got sick this morning, so I fed her a little this afternoon as I definitely know where she is coming from.
So, at least I was able to have my crab legs for lunch, which is always a good thing. And I finally did get all my course pack stuff and the other articles downloaded. And, the season finale of Being Human on BBCA is on tonight. So, life is good after all!
There was a continental breakfast offered: the fruit was good, but the danish were hard and old. At least the coffee was good! The conference itself was really good; I just hope we can really implement the program. It was hard to see how CASA was going to be put in the front end of this program, but later one of the administrators of CASA came up with a good suggestion.
When it was lunch time, we were told it was just out the door to the left. Yeah, right~ It was another 5,000 miles, and this time, since they made it sound close, I didn't take my cane. So, by the time I got to the rooms for the lunch, I was way worn out again. Then, although we were asked if we wanted a regular lunch or a vegetarian plate, it was all served buffet style. Whatever! Just more standing for me. One of the other CASA administrators walked with me back, as he knew what I had been going through. I took the pain pills I had been putting off taking as I wanted to stay as awake as possible during the conference. I did start to get sleepy towards the end, and I was also getting really hot, while everyone else was cold. The second half of the conference was good as well, it was just I was getting tired because of the pain and the pills.
So, today, after not getting a good night's sleep because of the Restless Leg Syndrome, I woke grouchy. I also had another nightmare, but don't remember too much about it. I just had to get up, watch I Love Lucy and take another Tylenol P.M. to get back to sleep. Then it appeared that everything I touched till now was against me.
I went into my classes, and wasn't able to download all the articles I needed. Then the Coursepacks I paid for were somehow sent to my old email address. I had corrected the email last quarter with the bookstore, but apparently they went back to the old email I had not been using because it was being phished. Then I sat on terminal hold via online chat waiting to talk to a representative about this problem, when finally she said it was all fixed and it would be sent to my new address. I waited for over a half an hour, and finally had to go to my old email and figure out how to get into it. Did that, was able to download the course packs, so all is good on that front.
Oh!!!! Forgot to mention, don't know how, my first experience of this lovely day. I want to make hash browns, and the burner was making the pan all crooked. So, in my daze of pain pills and sleep left over, I place my hand on the burner to push it down. Well, the burner was on! Duh!!! So, now I have gauze all over my hand, and am going to have burner marks on my hand for a few days.
The cats partied after I went back to bed by getting sick on the floor; one did her thing on front carpet; and turned over a glass jar we have out, which at least didn't break. So, my big cat has been hungry for the rest of the day, since she got sick this morning, so I fed her a little this afternoon as I definitely know where she is coming from.
So, at least I was able to have my crab legs for lunch, which is always a good thing. And I finally did get all my course pack stuff and the other articles downloaded. And, the season finale of Being Human on BBCA is on tonight. So, life is good after all!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
A New Start?!
Well, Spring is upon us here in Nevada, at least in Las Vegas. People are complaining about allergies and feeling tired when they go outside. The pool is looking more and more inviting each day.
I am personally looking foward to this Spring as a new beginning, or at least a kick in the butt for me. I have been feeling much better since I have been seeing this new doctor, Dr. Bob, who was referred to me by my Reiki lady, Patti. Dr. Bob has been fabulous with me and with Mom.
My classes (2) start on the 11th of April, and this time I don't want to have to withdraw or take and "F". I need to finish this Ph.D. and get the Colloquiums out of the way. I am planning on going to Dallas in August for one of them, but then I am also due for my third one already. I guess I just have to take one day at a time. It just seems like this Ph.D. journey is so long and tiring, nothing like the Master's journey.
I also need to find out what is going to happen to my CASA kid. She is kinda' in limbo right now, and we are going back and forth in the courtroom trying to figure out what to do with her. I know one thing, I will do everything I can so she doesn't fall through the cracks.
There are too many job cuts and cuts in hours for State and County workers is really taking a toll on our children. The case workers are too overloaded in a normal economy, much less the way they are running Nevada now! Plus, now there is talk of cutting back more on education and teachers. I have said it before, and I will say it again: We might as well just take the baby to the jail house, as this nation seems to place more importance on the Criminal Justice System and locking people up than they do on education. Education seems to always be first on the plate to be cut, by people who are not realizing these cuts hurt us all in the short run and in the long run. If there is no place for average children, not children of the more privledged, to get a good education, then they will turn into criminals, and who could blame them. They will copy what they see on the street, and look to the criminals for a family and for education of the world. We have families in disarray already due to this kind of thinking, now we are working on the next generation. We, in Clark County, have one of the highest drop out rates in the country. And...now, the plan of all those in charge is to cut more teachers jobs and cut more in education.
Well, that is enough from my soap box today. I promise it won't always be like this, sometimes it will just be ramblings, ideas, or offerings of others which I come across.
I am personally looking foward to this Spring as a new beginning, or at least a kick in the butt for me. I have been feeling much better since I have been seeing this new doctor, Dr. Bob, who was referred to me by my Reiki lady, Patti. Dr. Bob has been fabulous with me and with Mom.
My classes (2) start on the 11th of April, and this time I don't want to have to withdraw or take and "F". I need to finish this Ph.D. and get the Colloquiums out of the way. I am planning on going to Dallas in August for one of them, but then I am also due for my third one already. I guess I just have to take one day at a time. It just seems like this Ph.D. journey is so long and tiring, nothing like the Master's journey.
I also need to find out what is going to happen to my CASA kid. She is kinda' in limbo right now, and we are going back and forth in the courtroom trying to figure out what to do with her. I know one thing, I will do everything I can so she doesn't fall through the cracks.
There are too many job cuts and cuts in hours for State and County workers is really taking a toll on our children. The case workers are too overloaded in a normal economy, much less the way they are running Nevada now! Plus, now there is talk of cutting back more on education and teachers. I have said it before, and I will say it again: We might as well just take the baby to the jail house, as this nation seems to place more importance on the Criminal Justice System and locking people up than they do on education. Education seems to always be first on the plate to be cut, by people who are not realizing these cuts hurt us all in the short run and in the long run. If there is no place for average children, not children of the more privledged, to get a good education, then they will turn into criminals, and who could blame them. They will copy what they see on the street, and look to the criminals for a family and for education of the world. We have families in disarray already due to this kind of thinking, now we are working on the next generation. We, in Clark County, have one of the highest drop out rates in the country. And...now, the plan of all those in charge is to cut more teachers jobs and cut more in education.
Well, that is enough from my soap box today. I promise it won't always be like this, sometimes it will just be ramblings, ideas, or offerings of others which I come across.
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