No disrespect to Webshots, but I've been taking advantage of the .Mac capabilities, and posting pictures of recents events on there. Therefore, for scenes from the Sweet Rhythm, featuring Robby Ameen & The Richie Flores Band, click here and here.
Tammy, Part II
A very fascinating moment I had with my kliq: its most recent member Johnnie has gotten on my case for not trying hard enough to follow through on her. Despite the three strikes, he insists I should take a chance, because I'll never know what it may hold; and because of my big-ass mouth, he even reminded me about her to get his point across. Finally agreeing to the circumstances, I follow through. And dinner was successfully planned for yesterday. Yep, it was supposed to happen yesterday. But on Friday, she stops by my job to tell me that she mixed up the schedules, and yesterday's gathering will have to be called off. Shit.
I was pissed for awhile. Bull; I was pissed, period. I mean, how does a store manager conveniently "mix up" the very schedules she is responsible for? Frontin' sounded more like what she was doing. In any case, I was just about to wash my hands of the situation, when again my kliq tells me to follow through. "No cell numbers were traded, so of course she's gonna go to your job if there's a problem, right? At least she went to your job and said something. Follow through."
Okay!! Okay!!
Yeah, yeah. In case I forgot to say it, in all the hubub, luncheon and all, we never traded cell phone numbers.
So yesterday, I went to her job. And found out what the deal was. It's kinda like a circus in there, and she's holding her own quite nicely. And in short, she feels bad, and is almost demanding a reschedule.
Whoa, it's not that serious.
"But I was looking forward to it though..."
This was the time I mentioned that we traded job numbers on our cells, but not our cell numbers. Without hesitation, she gives me her cell number, and now I'm forced to again initiate this thing. I guess this is in part because she didn't have her cell handy. The other part is because she wanted to see if I'd call her. I don't know, but this could be the start of something...
Nah, let me not get my hopes up.
Stay tuned on this one...
Irie Jamboree
Is this coming Sunday! And God, should Barrington Levy actually perform this year, I pray for blue skies and the ability to BRING MY OWN WATER!!
When a good deed turns sour...
A month ago, one of our N/F operations staff had surgery on her knee, and she's been out of commission since. While her return will be in October, no one has seen her since then. And that got some of the old staff thinking: let's stop by to visit her?!
So on one end, a former co-worker calls me up about the idea. I say it's cool, but it's gotta be on the weekend. And this dude is like me, a last minute performer; when it needs to get done, it's done best at the last minute. With now free time on my hands, I called him back to inform him that Saturday was a good day. He said he'll pick up a plant, and we'll rendezvous at her house. On the other end, a second co-worker asks me about this very meet, wondering when exactly we're going. (Apparently, the former c/w spoke to her as well as me, and now she's into the idea as well.) Realising this was also a last minute negotiation, I called him again, and we all agree to do this together. By the way, this has nothing to do with North Fork Bank, nor its Canarsie employees. This is just three of us deciding to visit a friend, so to speak.
With the plant in hand, we all head to the injured's mother's house, and she's all full of smiles. First, we actually came by (my former co worker's idea, my execution). Second, we came by bearing gifts (my idea, his execution). Third, it was completely unexpected.
"Oh yeah, this was my idea," said the other co-worker.
That was only to show you the mentality of the company I keep.
She asked about the dude's new working conditions, which are simply put, better than before.
She asked about the branch's current status. Lots of fun there.
She asked about the other employees. This is where we had to tell her that unfortunately, some staff have left, are in process of leaving, and now that we're short staffed, has caused all sorts of chaos. If the conditions were better, this visit might have been a North Fork thing, instead of a just us thing.
She appreciated our thoughtfulness.
In the process of nodding off a lot of what's been said in the so far hour-long visit, the conversation then turns to me. And how crazy/stupid I apparently am for not leaving the bank yet. I got lambasted by the very woman I went to check up on for still being there a year after I've graduated. After bragging about how her son (in Georgia, by the way) got a job three days after his graduation, she says that I should get my foot out the door at all costs, at least before she returns in October. With the agreeance of the other two jabronies, she got on my case for allowing myself to remain there as one of the four tiers of the branch...
[Before I continue, perhaps I should point out my actual job there after two years at the Canarsie branch. I am now what the branch considers one of the 4 tiers of 604. The other three, head manager, assistant manager, and head teller, have all been there for years, and know the operations of the branch inside out. This means that God forbid anything should happen, they, err we, are the ones to come to. Now, I as the business representative join that group as I remain the most efficient and productive teller out of the ten, now seven, we have. While that rank gives me a position of "power," it also makes me a very valuable asset to the branch. How valuable? I spoke to the manager about shifting gears to working in back office (perhaps in auditing), and he insisted that while that's a great idea, he really needs me at the front line, and would go through great lengths to keep me there. While this is good that I have such a need, it's also bad because internal promoting is not something I'm seeing in the near future, not to mention the environment is getting worse around here, and for me, it'll eventually cost me money to stay here. And that can't happen. Talk about being a victim of one's own success...
So while I'm showing interest and motivation in departing from here, there are forces that remind me that they have no real replacement; and should I want to use this place as a reference of all my hard work, I'd better leave here on a good note, not just when the ships are down. This is why I'm picky about where I go next. Not to say that I'm getting too comfortable as an impact player, but if I'm going to move from this spot, I'm not just going anywhere; I'm moving to a higher level.]
...and she went on and on and on. All I could do was smile and reply, you're absolutely right. Some more nodding, some more laughing, and another hour and a half later, I initiate the wrap-up, saying that I've got dinner to acquire for my parents, and we fled the scene.
After that half-an-hour-turned-2-1/2 hour trip, I left there with a bad taste in my mouth; as if to ask, Why did I come here? After some meditation while watching the other two jabronies act up, it hits me. In fact, watching the two act the fool en route to my co-worker's house made me realize: that's just her perception of what's going on, joined by others who agree on the matter. It's very easy to say what you feel, especially when you have support, and you have home-field advantage. But if your mentality and logic is one-dimensional, and if you lack the whole truth of the matter, it really doesn't matter what she thinks. I'm reminded that she's speaking from her side of life, where's she's made it as a teacher and a banker for twenty years. Come to think of it, the other two guys, who are still in college, have only jumped from one ship to another, and it'll only be a matter of time before they cry how they need to leave their jobs. I'm reminded of the grass is always greener on the other side parable. And as I sat silent on the trip back, I'm relieved to remember that they're always going to talk about what others should do, not what they should do. Everything's back in perspective, and I'm kool again.
Retrospectively, the good deed was sour for awhile; but not enough to say that it turned sour. So I thank God she's okay, and that she's able to part her knowledge with us...
And God saw that they were good...
Peter Jennings
1938-2005
Wow. Such old familiar face. Gone. Time is flying for sure. Next thing I know, it's Christmas.
I'll miss you guys...
The seeds of a friendship rebuilding...
And who would've thought this would happen?!
It's truly awesome to see Bret Hart & Vince McMahon get together and start rebuilding some form of a relationship. After all, the success of them both depended on the other. And soon enough, we'll get to see...
That's right. The three disc Bret Hart DVD collection. In the works now, and slated for a November release. And while the one match that should be on there may not be (Hart vs. Randy Savage; SNME match for WWF title tournament slot), the other memorable classics should definitely be on there.
WWE Hall of Fame '06, anyone?
Whoa. That's pretty long. Okay, y'all, dinner time.
Lata...
