Squishy likes dandelion greens

 

integrity

my coworker shared this article and we had a good chuckle. we wrote and facilitated a training for the agency that was all about the "core values". when we talked about the value of transparency, i also talked about integrity. after the session, the ceo of the agency said, "what's integrity doing there? that's not one of our values."

clearly

a quick google search of the cfo showed a shady past that involved being asked to resign due to a money issue. fast forward to unpaid bills and a failed audit. oh and a breach of information and confidentiality (the payroll spreadsheet was sent to the entire agency). the cfo is leaving the agency at the end of the month.

integrity

a coworker applied for an internal position/promotion. she didn't get the promotion and then was told that she needed to apply for her current job to even have a job with the agency.

integrity

our team was given a project to which one of our yearly goals was assigned. not only did we complete the project based on the parameter of the goal despite constantly changing expectations, but we also completed the whole project. the cpo met with a third party consultant (who happens to be a sorority sister) after the yearly review process began and decided that, based on the consultant's suggestions and comments (that were outside the scope of our goal), we actually hadn't done it right. during my review i was marked as "meeting expectations" rather than "exceeding expectations". 

people who have worked for this agency for 25+ years are leaving and no one seems worried. probably because it creates space for them to bring in their friends. meanwhile, the number of people who do the work and know stuff is dwindling. imagine being chef and working for an agency that supports chefs. now your agency is hiring bakers to make the decisions. It's all kitchen stuff, after all, and baking is much more advanced anyway. chefs shouldn't have any problem switching. right? would you want to be treated for cancer by a cardiologist? it's all medicine and a body is a body. right? why is early childhood education treated differently? especially by folks in the k-12 world.

 tried to weigh the little nugget but she kept scooting off the scale.

somewhere between 30 and 43 grams

super excited that i just brought home this lil' nugget from the central texas tortoise rescue. her name is squishy and she is 2. she's a little behind, size-wise, so we've got some growing to do. because of the metabolic bone disease (due to less than ideal care), she isn't likely to grow to full size. we love her anyway.

waldo is eager to make friends with squishy. he talks to her and watches her, even when she's sleeping (and that is not at all creepy because he's a cat). yesterday he kept rolling over and showing her his belly and then watching her to see what she would do (she didn't do anything).

the little wooden box that dad built for my very first turtle back in the olden days of the 1990s has been a great short-term house for squishy. dad would be so happy to know it still gets used. her new house is on it's way. then i can learn how to use the saw to build her a proper outdoor house...for when she's big enough.

 

I thought this sign was mildly interesting. Also something I never really expected to see.

there are definite perks to working from home! pausing for a drink at the office involves the staff kitchen and water cooler. at home it involves the sodastream and a breezy backyard.

while talking with two little boys (both around 3 and super mischievous), one little dude stuck his finger in his nose, like they do.  i said, "oh don't stick your finger in your nose...please go wash your hands" and turned my attention back to the other guy so he could finish his story or whatever words were coming out of his mouth.  the nose kid took his finger out of his nose so my brain was forming words to praise his listening and remind him to wash hands.  i think that was why i was unable to react as he wiped his finger across my chest, stuck his finger back in his nose and wiped it on my shoulder.  my brain went from contemplating a praise phrase to screaming.  i looked at him with that sparkle in his eye (spite, the sparkle came from spite) and knew that there was not a thing in the world that i could do or say at that point.  part of me wanted to celebrate the impudent little jerk...his expression and actions were so little brother and actually pretty funny.  except for the, you know, bodily fluid smeared on my skin. 

silly me

"have you ever thought you needed to burp, but you farted?"

and here i thought raising girls would somehow be more genteel...

"my mama whooped me with a rhinestone belt..."

did that just happen?

a mother and son came in to tour and talk about enrollment.  the son announced that it smelled bad and hid his head under her shirt.  i commented that what he was smelling was lunch and that we were having sweet potatoes.  he began to whine from under his mother's shirt.  she hastily apologized and told him that they were leaving.  they were out the door before he took his head out from under her shirt and i could hear her comforting him as they left.

Pretty soon people get tired of supporting you so you either go to work or you starve.

first day of school

i have been dreading this year...
three girls...
three different schools

we are spread out all over the city now...but they are kinda cute :)

 elise had to go first.  she is very proud of the outfit she picked out herself :)

 lilli was not feeling so hot...little warm and sniffly.  but it's the first day of school and she didn't want to miss it!

 high school!

kaely's day got even better...

her origami owl new designer kit was waiting for her on the front porch :)

and lilli was sent home with a fever of 102 on the first day of school.  but at least she tried!

um

"the good thing about us jews..."
-c.g.


so...yeah

labels are important

so sad to say that we had to help a woman out yesterday.  she was trying to leave through the utility closet.  this morning i added a label to prevent further confusion.  we tested the new system to make sure it would work...

reminds of this fun time with labels...

and i quote

"we can talk about it while we watch tv in the car"
random "parent"

it's gonna be a great day when one is rendered speechless before 9 am

as i walked to the copier this morning i saw, on the floor, in front of the copier, this:

i was a little grr at the laziness of prying open the paper box for one ream of paper and then leaving the rest like, well...that.

but it gets better...

i cut the strap to properly open the box and put the paper away and saw this:

yes, the opened ream of paper had been shoved back into the pried open box.

but then it gets even better...

i opened the cabinet under the copier and saw this:

yeah...that's an unopened ream of paper in the cabinet.  i do not often run out of words, but there you have it...

 who says dinosaurs are extinct?  check out that magical copier...

"I am too much of a lady to stab you in the eyeball with this fork."
K.C.

"She was the most hatefullest woman..."

hubba bubba

"Your meanness right now is taking you down the noodle notch..."

a.w.