Pretty Much

From an interview with Mathew Baldwin, of DefectiveYeti.com:

I understand your coworkers don’t know you blog … UNTIL NOW. Why so closeted? Why are you outting yourself now?

Well, it’s not like I’ve been keeping it a secret. But blogs are so ubiquitous these days that announcing you write one is like announcing you have a liver.

Is This What Alanis Meant By "Ironic"?

We received an urgent e-mail last week pointing out the need for a wording adjustment to a collateral piece since our acquisition by a public company. This minor bit:

We are unique, also, in what we are not. We are not a public company distracted by the need to maximize short-term profits. We are not positioning ourselves for an IPO or sale, which means we concentrate on your needs, not on potential investors. Nor are we part of a broader company constantly promoting other services. We are not in the business of selling a new IT system; our solutions run on your existing platform. We are a private business with an impeccable reputation and a vision to remain private. We focus solely on your needs and on implementing our solutions.

Doh!

Sunday Hike

Hiked Barlow Pass on Mt. Hood this Sunday with friends. It was 80 degrees, but under the trees we hiked across snow. Crazy.

Lots of so-so pictures. One for the refrigerator:



Listened to Bon Iver in the car. Cannot stop hitting repeat on the album.

Corporate-ocrisy: As In Hypocrisy

Our company was acquired by another this week. From a homegrown company of 400 to a multi-state, multi-country corporation of over 2,000. Surreal. And not in an enchanting way.

Our CEO said the rumors and concerns over the past months that he could not address due to confidentiality agreements made him sad and uncomfortable and,"felt like body blows". His pain is difficult to enter into with him, knowing how well set up he is monetarily and knowing a person on my team and others who have lost their jobs.

I am fine with businesses doing what businesses do; I am not fine with the decision-makers deciding that, along with taking away our paltry senses of security, also wanting a share of our empathy over their very hard times.

Choice quotes from today's assimilation training (we were all given the above altered Hershey bar. Gee whiz, thanks!):

"As long as our hearts are in the right place everything will be fine."

"Yes, the rumor of Blackberry's for all is true."

"This time now is all about you." --in reference to the 45 minutes of 'how to cope with crisis' pep talk. Thanks for that.

Winston Churchill comes to mind: "We're all toads beneath the harrow," he said in sympathy.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12203-2005Feb9.html

Distracted

I have something else to post, but this goes up first. Four minutes and thirty seconds in is a priceless little instructional song:




Choose snappy music to wear! But also remember: girls who start with breakfast, don't usually stay for supper.