The grass is always greener

When I was a sales manager for 6 years, I used the steadiness of the job to finish my degree. Once that was done, the itch to change jobs (I think that is what the itch was... the cream helped) was killing me. I was desperate for a new job.

And I took the first thing that was offered me at a decent salary. It was a good offer. A position with a lot of upward mobility potential, and a manager who said all the right things.

About 2 months into the job, I started to get a bit worried. I've never done a program management job like this. I'm used to thinking tactically, not strategically. But, I'm smart, and can learn, if someone can teach me. Again, my manager seemed like the right person to do that.

My manager is very likely going to be an executive in this large company someday. He is very politically connected and pretty smart. But, because of all this, he is working on a lot of projects for upper management, and his time is stretched thin.

A month or so ago, shortly after the blogger get together, a third of my team was laid off. I'm convinced that the only reason I wasn't on the list was because of the unique project I'm on and knowledge I have that would be hard to replicate in a short time.

I've seen the light at the end of the tunnel, and I'm sure that this team I've moved to is on the way out. It is just a matter of time. Beyond that, I haven't made much personal progress, because my manager is too busy to mentor me. A couple of smart guys on my team have tried to help me, but they are busy with their own jobs and don't have much time to spend with me.

So, I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I'm not learning anything here, and I'm sure this team will be gone within 6 months. Beyond that, I'm not sure that without additional mentoring I'm even doing the job to the satisfaction of my manager. He has yet to give me feedback, after 6 months. At the same time, the company has a rule that you aren't supposed to change jobs if you've been in that role for less than a year.

And, of course, the market is in bad shape right now. It would be foolish to leave my job when things are so bad everywhere.

So, I'm sure I'll stick it out. I just have to figure out how to make things better on my own, without any help.

Strap in!

First, that is strap "in", not "on"...

I'm still amazed at the U.S. election process.

There are somewhere around 305M people in our country.
Around 228M of those are eligible to vote.
About 118M people decided to vote. A little over half the eligible voters.

Of that, 62.6M people decided Obama was their choice.

So, 20% of our total population feels he is the right man for the job.
And 27% of eligible voters felt the same way.

And that is the best we, as a country can do? A man that 27% of us (at best) can get behind?

Obama, McCain, I didn't vote for either. Both were not good candidates. What do we have to do to get a candidate that is good? That we can ALL get behind?

My two cents, for what it's worth

Everyone has given their impression of the blogger get together except for me! I suck (that's what she said).

It was fun, as everyone has said. I had a good time, as most have said. The one thing that no one has pointed out is that I had the top score in American Idol, but that's fine, I'm not one to brag...

yeah, right.

More than anything, it was great to have Therese to myself for a weekend with no kids. And though there wasn't as much nookie as I may have liked, there was some real bondage. Bonding. Sorry, Freudian Whip. I mean slip. Freudian slip.

As I continue my tour of the United States, I spend a day this week in Cleveland. I've never been there, but everyone who I've spoken with tells me to have a good time at the "mistake by the lake." Their term, not mine, so no offense to anyone who is from out that way. I don't even know what that phrase means, but I've heard it several times over the last couple of days.
When I travel lately I check out the weather report before I leave. The next couple of days in Cleveland are "70% chance of snow with a high of 42 degrees". Considering I'm coming from a place that is highs in the 70's and no precipitation, it will be quite the scary change.

It's quite the "in and out" trip (that's what she said). Just one night, a quick meeting the next morning, and out the next afternoon. Seems like a waste, but I suppose these things have to be done once in awhile.

Other than that, life moves forward as normal. Hope you all are partying hard!

holy CRAP

I'm.... at a loss.

And how often does that happen?

My wife is a naughty naughty girl.

I want to say so much more, but can't even begin - I don't know what to say that won't give WAYYYY TMI that you all don't want to know.

It was great.

Thank goodness for sex bloggers from long ago, and their ideas that Therese has stored away.

Thank goodness.

Oh yeah.

Everyone is doing it...

I feel left out. First off, I haven't been following your blogs as closely as I should. Then, when I do go and check, you are talking about things near and dear to my heart. They are 14 religion posts and even a post on infidelity!

I'm going to start this by saying that I don't generally jump into religious discussions with y'all. I read them all, and am very interested, but theology is not my strong suit. So I cannot generally speak to the level that many of you do, which is why I need some clarification.

I don't want to add more fuel to the fire, but I do want to understand the subject of "authority". In the posts I see, many SEEM to believe that authority is subjective. Catholics obviously trace their Church back to the apostles, which is an important part of why we are Catholic. Other Christians do not see this as something that matters.

When you read the early writings, however, it seems to be something important. The Apostles laid hands on the early bishops, and this continued to the present. The laying on of hands and current authority choosing other authority seems to be important in the early church.

Therese recently shook up the family by pointing out that Catholicism is not the only religion that contains this apostolic succession. The Orthodox churches, also originally founded by apostles, and who originally were in harmony with the Catholic church, can also claim this. The discussion then comes to the point of Peter being the head of the Apostles and who had authority and who split with whom, and all that stuff.

But to most of you, that is all neither here nor there, because this succession and authority isn’t really important. So my question, then, to you all is, when there is a disagreement on what the Bible means, where do you look for the answer? Do you believe that having an authoritative answer is important, or is it merely your intentions and heart that ultimately matter?