In my English class, we are being assigned to, on our blog, compose a personal credo that distills our unique approach to life into a short statement...no more than 250 words. To prepare for this assignment, tonight's blog is simply a "freewrite" detailing ideas and examples of how I think I should live my life. First I had to find out what a credo was.
Step 1: Ask someone what a credo is.
Step 2: Google "personal credo" to see if what he told me was right...and he was.
It's been a long day, so after a nice, warm, refreshing shower that allowed me some quiet time to think about what is important to me in terms of how I want to live my life; this is what I have come up with, in no particular order:
Love and trust in God
also teach your children the love of God so they will never feel truly alone
Live with purpose
let your actions and your choices reflect the purpose that drives you
Love unconditionally without fear or hesitation
love with your whole heart or don't love at all, it should never be conditional
Give more than you could ever hope to receive
realize that you get much more out of giving than receiving
Find something positive in every situation
even hardships have something positive, even if nothing more than a lesson learned
Always have a thirst for knowledge
never stop learning in life
Recognize life's little blessings as they come
don't get so busy with life that you can't see the blessings in front of you
no matter how small they may appear
Live with Integrity
have strong moral principles that you pass on to your children
Listen more intensely and more often than you speak
a tough one for lil miss jabber jaws, but always listen actively, engage
Always be honest and trustworthy
don't ever give anyone a reason to doubt you, for if you do, you have lost everything
Follow through on promises
you never want to see a look of disappointment because you didn't follow through
Show your children love so they will recognize it when they see and feel it
make sure they know how to love themselves first, only then can they give love to others
Be encouraging and uplifting in every possible situation
leave your mark on this world with the way you made a difference to someone else
Something I learned in a read is that it is better to start with too much and trim down to the "meat" of my text...this blog (before this last paragraph) was a little over 400 words. My next step will be to research other creed's and reflect on them, and then begin to narrow my personal creed.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
My Response to the Know Your Audience Discussion Board (Guided Post)
The Know Your
Audience discussion board was an interesting and enjoyable experience for
me. I can’t think of a better way to get a glimpse into each others lives,
considering the learning environment we are in. This being an online course, we
don’t have the opportunity to all sit in the same room and discuss our
thoughts, ideas, passions, or desires week after week. The Internet is our classroom.
Collectively, we all managed to come up with
questions that, when combined, would teach us something about one another's
past, present, and future. We all wrote fondly about our favorite childhood
cartoon; of which Scooby-Doo shone above all others of equal entertainment value. I
thought this was a great question, because I have no doubt that while each of
us sat at our computers, pondering the question, we each had a smile on our faces
and thoughts of simpler times running through our heads. Speaking of laughing,
there was another question about what makes each of us laugh. It was a pretty
even split where half of us identified a specific person, or people, in our
lives and the other half detailed something on television. It would have been
nice to see more people associate their laughter coming from those around them,
because I think it is important to have people in your life who truly make you
laugh. I have been blessed with three children who all make me laugh in their
own way, and a special man in our lives whose smile and laugh is completely
infectious.
How we spend our free time was also an even split.
Half of us spend that time with our friends and family, while the other half
enjoy some sort of entertainment such as movies, video games, and music. I
imagine that those who answered with “things” rather than people also share
their pastimes with important people in their lives.
I was not surprised, being that our school in
Missouri, that the St. Louis Cardinals received the most votes for a favorite
sports team and found it interesting that after college half of our class plans
to stay in this area, while the other half is open to or is planning to move on
in all different directions.
Going into this exercise, I expected to see a lot of
different answers, and I was not disappointed. I believe if you walk into a
room and ask each person what song best represents them, what their major
course of study is, or what their lifelong dream is, you will get a room-full
of varying answers. Overall, most of our answers were vastly different. It made
perfect sense. We are all individuals cut from a different cloth. Where we have
been, where we are now, and where we are headed is a culmination of our entire
lives up until this point. It is wonderful to see so many people, all from
different backgrounds and having different life experiences, come together and
actively participate in this class, and overall in our education. We could have
chosen to simply answer the question to get the grade and move on to the next
question. That isn't what happened. We expanded our answers and provided explanations
where they weren’t required. This showed me that we don’t have to be just like one
another to be able to relate to each other for purposes of communication. We
have shared pieces of ourselves with one another, showed support, encouragement, and given advice to each other.
I had much lower expectations about online classes as a whole. I didn't expect to get to know anyone. In fact, reality is the opposite. I have better insight into the people that make up ENG-101-W05 than I have had in any other SEATED class in my four semesters at OTC. I am proud to say that I am a part of this fine group of
people and I look forward to seeing where this class takes us.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
*POOF* Can it really be gone...Just like that?
Between knee injuries, car repairs, and letting life's responsibilities get in the way, my kids and I haven't been to church in about a month; it has definitely been too long. I don't think a person has to go to church to believe in God or to be spiritual, but for me, it's just one little thing that I do for me. I love my church. I believe Pastor Jeremy speaks to me through God. I know this is true because I always seem to get the message I need, even when sometimes I don't know I need it. Most weeks, I feel like he is talking directly to me. Have you ever heard something so random, that may not have even been intended for you, but it struck a chord or perhaps made the little hairs on the back of your neck stand up? I believe that is God getting our attention. Tonight was a great message, once again, one I needed to hear.
The topic was listed as "Ring Master - Making your Past Disappear"
Oh my, a circus theme. If I see a clown, I am out of here.
The band was incredible, as they always are. I knew we would be celebrating members choosing to put their faith and life in God's trusting hands and make it public through baptism. Awesome! My kids had both previously expressed a want to get baptized, so I kept them in the auditorium with me to witness this celebration. My kids got baptized when they were little, but I thought it was really cool that they were making a choice to do it for themselves. My daughter (like me) cheered them on. I think she just really liked having an excuse to be loud. I cry every time someone goes under the water and rises back up. My son, usually more reserved, was just taking it all in.
Back to the Message...Making your Past Disappear
We all have a past, but we don't all choose to carry it around with us like a weight on our back. I know it isn't healthy to carry around guilt from things I have thought, said, or done in my past. The fact is that I can not change a single thing. Have you ever used the expression, "I owned you!" or "I owned that?" Is that even still current lingo? I don't know. It basically means you crushed the opponent; in whatever it was. Pastor Jeremy, who has an amazing gift of being able to speak directly to me no matter how many people are in the room, started out by saying, "Sometimes our past has a way of owning us." Isn't that the truth!
I know there are things I have done in my life that I regret. Phone calls and visits I left undone, actions I took that hurt other people, choices I made without thinking about how I would be affecting "the other person." My mind tells me that it is all part of growing up, learning, maturing. However, my heart carries it around with me. No matter what good I do in my life, I still think about the not-so-good things as if God is sitting up there with a score sheet keeping tally of the good and the bad. He isn't. Santa Claus probably is.
Here is what I learned this evening. I don't have to "own" my past. I do, of course, take responsibility for everything, after all, I did it! If I were to give my sins over to Jesus, I wouldn't own them anymore. Here is the thing, I only need to ask for forgiveness and it is granted to me. God gave his only son so that I can live free, without guilt of things I can no longer change. Guilt makes me travel in the wrong direction; it pushes me away from God. Guilt driven sorrow leads me to regret, which locks me in failure. God driven sorrow leads me to redemption, which leads me to freedom. Here is what Pastor Jeremy told me to do:
Write it all down, everything
Make a list, no matter how short or long it may be.
Draw a line at the bottom.
Sign It...and hand it over to Jesus.
It is a deed, a contract. I am giving all my guilt, all my shame, and all my regret to Jesus. It is his to carry now, not mine. But, is it really that easy? Can I let go of all the things I have held on to for so, so long. I don't know. But I do know that I am going to try. One of the songs the band performed this evening had a line that instantly brought tears to my eyes (as it is again now because I am thinking about it).
"I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about how much he loves me."
Don't take ownership, take responsibility. Sign over the deed of regret to Jesus. Tell yourself, as you repent, "I don't OWN my past anymore...and it doesn't OWN me. All we have to do is ask forgiveness, and we have it.
By the way, as we were leaving...we saw a clown. Creepy, and yes, we were so out of there!
God Bless.
The topic was listed as "Ring Master - Making your Past Disappear"
Oh my, a circus theme. If I see a clown, I am out of here.
The band was incredible, as they always are. I knew we would be celebrating members choosing to put their faith and life in God's trusting hands and make it public through baptism. Awesome! My kids had both previously expressed a want to get baptized, so I kept them in the auditorium with me to witness this celebration. My kids got baptized when they were little, but I thought it was really cool that they were making a choice to do it for themselves. My daughter (like me) cheered them on. I think she just really liked having an excuse to be loud. I cry every time someone goes under the water and rises back up. My son, usually more reserved, was just taking it all in.
Back to the Message...Making your Past Disappear
We all have a past, but we don't all choose to carry it around with us like a weight on our back. I know it isn't healthy to carry around guilt from things I have thought, said, or done in my past. The fact is that I can not change a single thing. Have you ever used the expression, "I owned you!" or "I owned that?" Is that even still current lingo? I don't know. It basically means you crushed the opponent; in whatever it was. Pastor Jeremy, who has an amazing gift of being able to speak directly to me no matter how many people are in the room, started out by saying, "Sometimes our past has a way of owning us." Isn't that the truth!
I know there are things I have done in my life that I regret. Phone calls and visits I left undone, actions I took that hurt other people, choices I made without thinking about how I would be affecting "the other person." My mind tells me that it is all part of growing up, learning, maturing. However, my heart carries it around with me. No matter what good I do in my life, I still think about the not-so-good things as if God is sitting up there with a score sheet keeping tally of the good and the bad. He isn't. Santa Claus probably is.
Here is what I learned this evening. I don't have to "own" my past. I do, of course, take responsibility for everything, after all, I did it! If I were to give my sins over to Jesus, I wouldn't own them anymore. Here is the thing, I only need to ask for forgiveness and it is granted to me. God gave his only son so that I can live free, without guilt of things I can no longer change. Guilt makes me travel in the wrong direction; it pushes me away from God. Guilt driven sorrow leads me to regret, which locks me in failure. God driven sorrow leads me to redemption, which leads me to freedom. Here is what Pastor Jeremy told me to do:
Write it all down, everything
Make a list, no matter how short or long it may be.
Draw a line at the bottom.
Sign It...and hand it over to Jesus.
It is a deed, a contract. I am giving all my guilt, all my shame, and all my regret to Jesus. It is his to carry now, not mine. But, is it really that easy? Can I let go of all the things I have held on to for so, so long. I don't know. But I do know that I am going to try. One of the songs the band performed this evening had a line that instantly brought tears to my eyes (as it is again now because I am thinking about it).
"I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about how much he loves me."
Don't take ownership, take responsibility. Sign over the deed of regret to Jesus. Tell yourself, as you repent, "I don't OWN my past anymore...and it doesn't OWN me. All we have to do is ask forgiveness, and we have it.
By the way, as we were leaving...we saw a clown. Creepy, and yes, we were so out of there!
God Bless.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Everything happens in 3's...huh?!
I personally believe that everything happens for a reason. I trust that God has a plan for me and even though I may not have a clue what it is sometimes, I know there is a force at work in my life that is much greater than me. I know that God doesn't give me more than I can handle. He trusts me a lot more than I trust me! Sometimes things hit me at such rapid speed, it is hard not to think that something out there is trying to rock my boat, and tip it over! Take my string of bad luck, for example...
It is the start of a new semester at school. I am a single mom with three kids who works full-time in addition to pursuing my education. Side note: "Single" as in not married but I do have a wonderful man in my life...and I am keeping him! Back to my post... Sometimes I work at my office, but most days I am permitted (at least for now) to work from home. Needless to say, I have a busy and demanding life. First, my vacuum cleaner breaks. My entire residence is carpeted except bathrooms and the kitchen. Did I mention the THREE kids? One of them is two! I need my vacuum cleaner! So, I am without a vacuum cleaner. Fine, I will sweep the carpet knowing I am getting the big things and cringe thinking about all the little things I am missing. Second, I get in my very trustworthy car that has almost NEVER let me down. It won't go anywhere. I have about forty-five minutes before I have to pick up my little guy from daycare, and it won't go anywhere. Displayed on the radio screen is "Reduced Engine Power" -- ok, CAR, I am not trying to fly a plane here! I just want to go pick up my son. I get mad. I get frustrated. I cry. I call my man who is across the country working...help me! He calms me down, as he always does because he is my voice of reason. I called a dealership and talked to a very nice man who told me some things to try. It worked! I got my son home. The next day, I dropped my car off at the dealership for repairs. This was a Friday. For those keeping track, I am now down a vacuum cleaner and a car. I am stressed out. I tell myself, just focus on schoolwork.
So, I sit down to do schoolwork and my computer freezes up just as it did earlier when I was working. The beginning of the semester was already stressful for me. I was feeling very overwhelmed and most times I sat down to do schoolwork, it ended with water works. More frustration... In a panic, I reach out to anyone on Facebook who might be able to help me. I tried all kinds of things, no luck. In my mind, I know every syllabus I have from my instructors says something along the lines of...your computer not working is no excuse for not turning in your assignments on time. Plan ahead. Oh great! So now I have no vacuum, no car, and no computer! I wondered if perhaps I had hit the trifecta of bad luck. Is that a legit excuse? Probably not. I lost it...I cried ALL weekend.
I called every one of my five instructors and left voice mail messages trying to explain what was going on. I couldn't email them, which was EVERYONE'S preference for contact. I probably sounded like a crazy lady! Have you ever tried to make five phone calls in a row and clearly communicate a situation that has you so upset that as soon as the words leave your lips you get emotional. Yep! I cried on every one of those messages. But, everything happens for a reason.
I called my boss to abreast her of the situation as well, after all with no car to get my toddler to daycare and no computer to work from home...I couldn't do anything! I felt very defeated. She took it upon herself to contact the owner, who amazingly let me borrow a computer from work to help me out. I got a ride to work to get the computer. The first thing I did once I got it all hooked up was email each of my instructors. All I could do is wait for their responses.
Most of my instructors were very understanding of the situation, which really surprised me. This was a new semester, they don't know me. They don't know that my education is extremely important to me and that I plan to maintain the 4.0 I have earned every semester since I started school. Most of my instructors helped me get back on track and some even extended deadlines for me so that I could still turn in work that was due over that weekend. The other instructors wished me luck.
So, those were my three things that happened; my vacuum cleaner, my car, and lastly my computer. As I said earlier, everything happens for a reason and God doesn't give us more than we can handle. It is his plan, not mine. Here is what I learned...
I learned that God puts people in our path for a reason. I had been debating whether or not to keep driving my car over the weekend, after all it was acting normally again. Should I wait until the following week to get it to the dealership? I don't think it was a coincidence that two men at the first repair shop I went to got pulled away from talking to me and that the third man I told my car story to had the knowledge I needed. He had a customer come in with the same car as mine, having the same issues as mine. After the reduced engine power issue, the next thing that happened to her was that she would have no control over the steering of her vehicle while she was driving. Message accepted...do not drive the car! The repairs to my car would have been over $1,600. Did I mention I am a single mom with three kids? This is more than twice my rent! My car has just under 100,000 miles on it. One of the repairs, the steering column, was covered under a manufacturer warranty that would have expired within a couple of hundred miles. The $1,100 in repairs I am responsible for, I only had to pay $200 down and signed a deal that is 90-days same as cash. I didn't know how I was going to come up with $1,100 right there on the spot. I was so thankful I didn't have to!
My computer needed a new hard drive. It was still under warranty by less than forty days! I got a new hard drive shipped to me free of charge.
There was a lesson in all of this for me. I don't think life gets tough to beat us down. I think sometimes life gets tough for us to stand up, show how strong we are and to prove to ourselves that we really want something. That wonderful man in my life that I mentioned earlier, he is my strength. He doesn't allow me to dwell on the obstacles in our path. He finds solutions. I know that God put him in my path too.
In the first week of the semester, I thought to myself at least a dozen times I wanted to drop all my classes; start over when things calmed down; but I am not a quitter. In the face of all these complications, I proved to myself how bad I want this. I have my car, I have my computer, and I have a new vacuum cleaner. Granted, the vacuum cleaner is still in the box, but hey! I am not Super Woman! It's been a busy week!
It is the start of a new semester at school. I am a single mom with three kids who works full-time in addition to pursuing my education. Side note: "Single" as in not married but I do have a wonderful man in my life...and I am keeping him! Back to my post... Sometimes I work at my office, but most days I am permitted (at least for now) to work from home. Needless to say, I have a busy and demanding life. First, my vacuum cleaner breaks. My entire residence is carpeted except bathrooms and the kitchen. Did I mention the THREE kids? One of them is two! I need my vacuum cleaner! So, I am without a vacuum cleaner. Fine, I will sweep the carpet knowing I am getting the big things and cringe thinking about all the little things I am missing. Second, I get in my very trustworthy car that has almost NEVER let me down. It won't go anywhere. I have about forty-five minutes before I have to pick up my little guy from daycare, and it won't go anywhere. Displayed on the radio screen is "Reduced Engine Power" -- ok, CAR, I am not trying to fly a plane here! I just want to go pick up my son. I get mad. I get frustrated. I cry. I call my man who is across the country working...help me! He calms me down, as he always does because he is my voice of reason. I called a dealership and talked to a very nice man who told me some things to try. It worked! I got my son home. The next day, I dropped my car off at the dealership for repairs. This was a Friday. For those keeping track, I am now down a vacuum cleaner and a car. I am stressed out. I tell myself, just focus on schoolwork.
So, I sit down to do schoolwork and my computer freezes up just as it did earlier when I was working. The beginning of the semester was already stressful for me. I was feeling very overwhelmed and most times I sat down to do schoolwork, it ended with water works. More frustration... In a panic, I reach out to anyone on Facebook who might be able to help me. I tried all kinds of things, no luck. In my mind, I know every syllabus I have from my instructors says something along the lines of...your computer not working is no excuse for not turning in your assignments on time. Plan ahead. Oh great! So now I have no vacuum, no car, and no computer! I wondered if perhaps I had hit the trifecta of bad luck. Is that a legit excuse? Probably not. I lost it...I cried ALL weekend.
I called every one of my five instructors and left voice mail messages trying to explain what was going on. I couldn't email them, which was EVERYONE'S preference for contact. I probably sounded like a crazy lady! Have you ever tried to make five phone calls in a row and clearly communicate a situation that has you so upset that as soon as the words leave your lips you get emotional. Yep! I cried on every one of those messages. But, everything happens for a reason.
I called my boss to abreast her of the situation as well, after all with no car to get my toddler to daycare and no computer to work from home...I couldn't do anything! I felt very defeated. She took it upon herself to contact the owner, who amazingly let me borrow a computer from work to help me out. I got a ride to work to get the computer. The first thing I did once I got it all hooked up was email each of my instructors. All I could do is wait for their responses.
Most of my instructors were very understanding of the situation, which really surprised me. This was a new semester, they don't know me. They don't know that my education is extremely important to me and that I plan to maintain the 4.0 I have earned every semester since I started school. Most of my instructors helped me get back on track and some even extended deadlines for me so that I could still turn in work that was due over that weekend. The other instructors wished me luck.
So, those were my three things that happened; my vacuum cleaner, my car, and lastly my computer. As I said earlier, everything happens for a reason and God doesn't give us more than we can handle. It is his plan, not mine. Here is what I learned...
I learned that God puts people in our path for a reason. I had been debating whether or not to keep driving my car over the weekend, after all it was acting normally again. Should I wait until the following week to get it to the dealership? I don't think it was a coincidence that two men at the first repair shop I went to got pulled away from talking to me and that the third man I told my car story to had the knowledge I needed. He had a customer come in with the same car as mine, having the same issues as mine. After the reduced engine power issue, the next thing that happened to her was that she would have no control over the steering of her vehicle while she was driving. Message accepted...do not drive the car! The repairs to my car would have been over $1,600. Did I mention I am a single mom with three kids? This is more than twice my rent! My car has just under 100,000 miles on it. One of the repairs, the steering column, was covered under a manufacturer warranty that would have expired within a couple of hundred miles. The $1,100 in repairs I am responsible for, I only had to pay $200 down and signed a deal that is 90-days same as cash. I didn't know how I was going to come up with $1,100 right there on the spot. I was so thankful I didn't have to!
My computer needed a new hard drive. It was still under warranty by less than forty days! I got a new hard drive shipped to me free of charge.
There was a lesson in all of this for me. I don't think life gets tough to beat us down. I think sometimes life gets tough for us to stand up, show how strong we are and to prove to ourselves that we really want something. That wonderful man in my life that I mentioned earlier, he is my strength. He doesn't allow me to dwell on the obstacles in our path. He finds solutions. I know that God put him in my path too.
In the first week of the semester, I thought to myself at least a dozen times I wanted to drop all my classes; start over when things calmed down; but I am not a quitter. In the face of all these complications, I proved to myself how bad I want this. I have my car, I have my computer, and I have a new vacuum cleaner. Granted, the vacuum cleaner is still in the box, but hey! I am not Super Woman! It's been a busy week!
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Phone Etiquette...BE NICE!
February 6, 2014
I work for an answering service. I am not sure WHY answering services have such a negative feeling connected to them, especially since we are there to help...if we can. NO, I am not a telemarketer. I am very much like an after hours receptionist. I understand that you may be calling your doctor about a desperate situation, or perhaps your plumber because a pipe has burst in your home and your children are now swimming around the basement, but is it REALLY necessary to say (in a disappointing voice), "Oh, so you are JUST the answering service?" My response will always be the same, "No, I am THE answering service." Even better is, "Are you their answering machine?" I wish just once I could say, "Yes, I am a machine. You know what to do. BEEP!" But that wouldn't be professional of me.
People are so quick to think you are trying to be difficult, that even calling someone "Sir" or "Ma'am" is actually seen as being disrespectful by some. WHAT? I know, I don't get it either! Here is what some people do not understand. This may or may not be helpful to know if you are ever in a situation where you need to reach someone after hours and end up talking to someone like me.
1. I don't make the rules! Accounts are set up by the client and I am there to follow THEIR instructions....not yours. Sorry.
2. Raising your voice, yelling at me, and calling me names will get you nowhere. Please revisit number one. Again, sorry.
3. This is an important one...most, if not all answering services RECORD EVERY WORD YOU AND I SAY. Calling your doctor names is never a good idea. At any time they can request to listen to recordings of their call logs. This may not end well for you.
4. If you lie about how the call went, we WILL play the recording for the client who has called in to reprimand us on your behalf. Those records protect you and I the same.
5. Be nice to me and I will do everything I can to help you (within the perimeters set up by the client). Again, see number 1!
6. I ask the questions I ask because whoever you are calling wants me to get that particular information. It is not because I am curious and I have no intention of stealing your identity.
7. Talking over me instead of giving me the information I am required to obtain will only prolong you getting a response from the person you REALLY want to talk to. I can't page anyone until I have fully done my job.
8. I am only as informed as the client wants me to be. I am sorry that I don't know every employee, and that I can't name your doctor by you saying "the tall one." You asking, "What good are you?" Is NOT good phone etiquette.
All this having been said, I must say that I love my job! I get to help people in a very indirect sort of way. I can be a calming voice in the midst of a problem you are seeking help for. I feel for most situations people are going through and no I can not understand exactly what you are feeling, but I am human, and a woman with a big heart. I take calls that make me laugh and I take calls that make me cry. I am a person and I deserve the same respect I would hope you would give me if we were face-to-face.
I work for an answering service. I am not sure WHY answering services have such a negative feeling connected to them, especially since we are there to help...if we can. NO, I am not a telemarketer. I am very much like an after hours receptionist. I understand that you may be calling your doctor about a desperate situation, or perhaps your plumber because a pipe has burst in your home and your children are now swimming around the basement, but is it REALLY necessary to say (in a disappointing voice), "Oh, so you are JUST the answering service?" My response will always be the same, "No, I am THE answering service." Even better is, "Are you their answering machine?" I wish just once I could say, "Yes, I am a machine. You know what to do. BEEP!" But that wouldn't be professional of me.
People are so quick to think you are trying to be difficult, that even calling someone "Sir" or "Ma'am" is actually seen as being disrespectful by some. WHAT? I know, I don't get it either! Here is what some people do not understand. This may or may not be helpful to know if you are ever in a situation where you need to reach someone after hours and end up talking to someone like me.
1. I don't make the rules! Accounts are set up by the client and I am there to follow THEIR instructions....not yours. Sorry.
2. Raising your voice, yelling at me, and calling me names will get you nowhere. Please revisit number one. Again, sorry.
3. This is an important one...most, if not all answering services RECORD EVERY WORD YOU AND I SAY. Calling your doctor names is never a good idea. At any time they can request to listen to recordings of their call logs. This may not end well for you.
4. If you lie about how the call went, we WILL play the recording for the client who has called in to reprimand us on your behalf. Those records protect you and I the same.
5. Be nice to me and I will do everything I can to help you (within the perimeters set up by the client). Again, see number 1!
6. I ask the questions I ask because whoever you are calling wants me to get that particular information. It is not because I am curious and I have no intention of stealing your identity.
7. Talking over me instead of giving me the information I am required to obtain will only prolong you getting a response from the person you REALLY want to talk to. I can't page anyone until I have fully done my job.
8. I am only as informed as the client wants me to be. I am sorry that I don't know every employee, and that I can't name your doctor by you saying "the tall one." You asking, "What good are you?" Is NOT good phone etiquette.
All this having been said, I must say that I love my job! I get to help people in a very indirect sort of way. I can be a calming voice in the midst of a problem you are seeking help for. I feel for most situations people are going through and no I can not understand exactly what you are feeling, but I am human, and a woman with a big heart. I take calls that make me laugh and I take calls that make me cry. I am a person and I deserve the same respect I would hope you would give me if we were face-to-face.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Bop It!
Wednesday, February 5 2014 (383 Words)
Have you heard of the "Bop It" game? Every year Hasbro comes out with a new version of this popular handheld game. It has become a tradition of sorts that every year for Christmas, you will find me at WalMart, cruising the game aisle, seeking out the newest version as a gift for my family to enjoy. It's become a "staple" in my gift-giving list. It is a pretty cool toy and I tell myself that it helps my children work on their listening skills, reaction time, hand-eye coordination and sportsmanship.
I was very excited to see that this past Christmas, there was a Bop It TETRIS! Can you say awesome? I have always been a huge fan on tetris. I haven't played it online, but I used to have a handheld tetris I would play when I worked overnights at an answering service and sometimes would not get calls for an hour at a time. Needless to say, I got really good at it!
One thing I didn't account for is how distracting this wonderful little game is when you have three children and they are all playing a different one at the same time. That is what I am listening to right now as I try to write this first of twenty-five blogs, one a day, as required for a course I am taking (and starting to enjoy more and more each day). It is quite distracting. Especially when your ten-year-old gets frustrated and starts making comments to the game like, "whatever, I hit the twisted the stupid thing," or my personal favorite, "it's cheating." So much for sportsmanship! It's an electronic, son, it isn't cheating! Geesh! It is clearly time for him to get in the shower. Off he goes. One Bop It! down and two to go. My youngest decided he wants a snack before bed, and relinquished the loud toy in exchange for a cup of apple sauce. Two down, one to go. My oldest has already taken a shower, so I can't stop the third and final Bop It that way. Ah, yes, her dad has called her to say good night. There goes the third one.
It is far from quiet, but knowing that my babies will all be fast asleep soon is a wonderful feeling!
Have you heard of the "Bop It" game? Every year Hasbro comes out with a new version of this popular handheld game. It has become a tradition of sorts that every year for Christmas, you will find me at WalMart, cruising the game aisle, seeking out the newest version as a gift for my family to enjoy. It's become a "staple" in my gift-giving list. It is a pretty cool toy and I tell myself that it helps my children work on their listening skills, reaction time, hand-eye coordination and sportsmanship.
I was very excited to see that this past Christmas, there was a Bop It TETRIS! Can you say awesome? I have always been a huge fan on tetris. I haven't played it online, but I used to have a handheld tetris I would play when I worked overnights at an answering service and sometimes would not get calls for an hour at a time. Needless to say, I got really good at it!
One thing I didn't account for is how distracting this wonderful little game is when you have three children and they are all playing a different one at the same time. That is what I am listening to right now as I try to write this first of twenty-five blogs, one a day, as required for a course I am taking (and starting to enjoy more and more each day). It is quite distracting. Especially when your ten-year-old gets frustrated and starts making comments to the game like, "whatever, I hit the twisted the stupid thing," or my personal favorite, "it's cheating." So much for sportsmanship! It's an electronic, son, it isn't cheating! Geesh! It is clearly time for him to get in the shower. Off he goes. One Bop It! down and two to go. My youngest decided he wants a snack before bed, and relinquished the loud toy in exchange for a cup of apple sauce. Two down, one to go. My oldest has already taken a shower, so I can't stop the third and final Bop It that way. Ah, yes, her dad has called her to say good night. There goes the third one.
It is far from quiet, but knowing that my babies will all be fast asleep soon is a wonderful feeling!
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