The Great Sunflower Contest - 2006

The Great Sunflower Contest is in full swing again this year. So far the NormanKnights (Rob) and MsAmber's Beauty (Mine) are in the lead for height. Calliope (Earl) is looking very thick, which might mean a big head. (For Earl, or the sunflowers, maybe both...)
Mike and Mel's unnamed flowers, as seen here, are doing great. They appear to be just a couple inches taller than the Mustangs (Kandelyn's). Team Dork (Rob's second set) are lagging behind. Might be because I sent the dog over their to mark them...
MsAmber and Beauty are reaching high for the top rung of the fence. The extra doses of fertilizer just may give me an advantage this year. I deny allegations that I'm using steroids to enhance their performance. These athletes are pure, raw talent. Plus a little pep-talking and some Miracle Grow.
Gotta feed my little athletes if they are going to be champions, you know.

Have a great week ya'll.
MsAmber

Good news all around.

1. Kandelyn is off to horse camp. She saved enough money for the second week, AND had $80.00 left over to go shopping with. I'm so proud of her. I'm thinking of sending her that set of horse brushes we saw at Atwoods last week. She loves to get mail.
2. I've got a good crew of guys on the jobsite now. All cooperative and wanting to learn. Good attitudes and good workers.
3. The Contractor bought me from the Recruiting Agency. I negotiated a good salary plus company truck and gas card, and a 2GHz laptop! Woo Hoo! Amber's in da hay-ouse! I'm now the job supervisor over this project also.
4. I went to Goodwill and bought 1 pair of jeans, 2 pair of shorts, 1 belt, and 4 blouses. I spent $22.00 and now I have enough clothes to wear. I've been washing and wearing the same three pair of jeans and shirts over and over, I think people are starting to notice....

I came home and layed down in my bed. I crashed hard. The phone rang, but I was so confused and tired that I was trying to shut off the alarm clock, thinking it was 5:00 a.m. already. I need to re-adjust my mental clock, I get up at 5:00 a.m. but I still try and stay up till midnight to visit with Rob. I need to start going to bed sooner.
I've been having some really funky dreams lately. I dreamt that my mother called me, she wasn't dead after all, she was in Florida and needed some money. I was so mad at her! It took a couple of waking hours to realize that it was just a dream, but the wierd thing was that I heard her voice, loud-and-clear. I haven't heard her say my name in years, but there it was. "Amber, this is your Mom, sorry about tricking you, ha ha ha. But listen, I need a favor..."

MsAmber

Boogie boogie boogie!

Run run run.
Git 'er done!

Have patience with me, I'm full of things to say, but I just can't think of anything right now.

MsAmber

Alrighty Then.... Hmmmm.

I found out today that I am the lead tech over the whole project. Pretty cool.
I was also taken aside and asked who I would cut if I had to get rid of some extra employees.
OUCH!
I tried to waffle a little bit, and I thought of all my guys. Some of them aren't the sharpest tools in the shed, but they have willing hearts. They will do their best for you, all you have to do is give them some direction. Others are overly hard workers, but not exactly on the reliable side... And then others have already proved dishonesty. I really struggled with my list...
I picked one who has proven dishonesty, and he's a little disgruntled anyway - I have a feeling he's looking for something else and isn't too pleased with the long drive.
I picked two who have no experience and move slowly. I appreciate somebody who can hustle, not take 10 minutes to fetch some allthread from the trailer. It doesn't take two people to walk out for one piece of allthread, etc.
The next section is a hard one - Do I pick the two that are funny and hard working but may not be reliable if they have a hangover? Or do I pick the two who went along with the dishonesty of number 1? Do I pick the two young guys who are acting like rednecks on the jobsite (calling the hispanic crew "Beaners")?
It makes sense to remove one from each pair, and it would straighten out the other one, since these bad habits are a direct result of a "pack mentality".
The problem here is that I am vaguely familiar with all of their life-situations. Who has a new baby, who is going to school, who is really trying to ____________. (fill in the blanks)
I'm more of a mentor than a dictator, I see the potential in every one of my guys. Wishing I could work with them and teach them a trade that would guarantee a meal on their table and pride in their work for life.
I'm so sad for having to choose. I guess this is the next step for me in becoming a project manager though. I have to let go of wanting to make a difference in people's lives, and just focus on the job.
I really should be a trainer.

Peace,
MsAmber

There's a Party in Hell (Wisconsin)

I started my new job. Couldn't be happier. I've got a good crew of guys to work with, and I get to wear my hardhat and workboots again. Heck, I even feel and look slimmer, though I've only lost 5 pounds so far.
I have a dilemma:
I am paid by a Recruiting Agency, and I answer to the Contractor.
I am a team leader, and there are three team leaders total.
As a team leader, I am responsible for the timecards for my team.
On Thursday, the other team leader: I'll call him "Gramps" for blogging purposes, Gramps dismissed the teams for lunch at 11:50. We walked out to the trucks and he had them wait for 10 minutes to clock out. Then they all clocked back in at 12:30. Nine guys at 10 minutes each equals about $23.00. No big deal right?
On Friday, my guys had to leave at 3:00. I clocked them out then I went back in to continue working. We are trying to make up time to get them 40 hours. Also, I was waiting for a container to be delivered. I received a phone call at 3:50 from the container company saying that the truck had broken down and the container wouldn't be delivered until Monday. I was up on the lift straightening out the cable track, and Gramps went to talk to his crew. He came back over and said he wanted to call it a day. I said that we were trying to get 10 hours in for the day to make up time. He said that's what he was negotiating with me, he wanted to leave at 4:00 but clock out at 5:30, to "Give the guys a break". I said "The guys have had a break all week. No, uh uh. I'm going to keep working." He was a little pissed and walked away. I finished my track and put my lift away and plugged it into the electricity, and stacked my tools in a box next to the lift. Then I walked over to his team and saw how far they had gotten, I complimented them on a good run and said I was stepping outside for a cigarette.
I only barely finished the cigarette when the guys all walked out, carrying my tools and ready to go. When we got to the trucks it was 5:10. I met Gramps at his truck and said "I don't mind 10 minutes here and there, but an hour-and-a-half is pushing it. I can't justify stealing." (That would be 4 guys at 1.5 hours = $90.00) He frowned at me and his team walked up with their timecards and looked straight at me and asked what time to put down. I said "5:30's fine, if you want." (That's about $20.00 worth for 4 guys at 20 minutes each.)
Saturday: 6 of us showed up at 7:00 and completed a walk-thru. There was only about 3 hours' worth of work and materials. I was there for half an hour and got the guys started, spoke to the PM, he wanted us to stretch it out until noon if we could. I got permission to let Gramps run the job and I went home for the day. I asked the guys to call me with their time when they leave, because I have to have the timecards turned in on Sunday. At 2:00 in the evening, I hadn't received a phonecall so I called Gramps and left a message, clearly asking him to call me back when he checks his voicemail. Sunday, I called again at 12:30 (after church), and again asked for him to return my call. At 4:00, I called my guys and asked them personally what time to put down for Saturday. The answer was "Gramps told us to put down 12:00. Did he not call you? He told us not to call you because he would do it." (notice the answer was not "we worked until 12:00", it was "Gramps told us to put down 12:00.")
My problem is this: Because Gramps is angry with me, he is not returning my calls. He told my guys not to call in their time yet he didn't call it in for them. Secondly, I don't know who to report this to. The Recruiting Agency? The Project Manager?
Is it even worth reporting?

I live by four basic principles:
1. If it's right, do it.
2. If it's wrong, don't.
3. If you mess up, fix it.
4. Love is a verb not a noun.

I know the fourth is not applicable in this situation.

What would Dear Abby say?

MsAmber