Inauguration 2009

An interesting week in politics and work....

Politics first. This week, the third week in January 2009 our new president is a young black man. He seems motivated, has a plan and seems to be inspiring the nation that there will be change. It really doesn't seem to be the same old thing. Some news shows said that 2 million people attended the inauguration of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States. Our youngest son, Nick, at 13 years old went with a school group to the celebration. They were gone four days, flew there, saw landmarks and museums and went to the inauguration. The Smithsonian did the Washington part of the organization. The local teachers have been planning this trip for a year and everything went off without a hitch. The biggest challenge was the weather, it was the middle of January and it was cold, about 20 degrees. They stood outside for about 8 hours in the crowd and watched the inauguration ceremonies on a megatron screen. What an experience of a lifetime... My wife and I lived this day through him and I am sure that he will never forget it.

Genomics is the second topic. I don't know if you know what genomics is, but it's DNA. USDA has now been able to use a DNA sample of bulls of any age to predict his daughters production outcome before his semen is even used.... Look it up on the internet if you want to learn more. It has revolutionized our industry. We have had a past situation of taking 4-5 years to get reliable information on our bulls, to today of getting 65% - 70% reliable information instantly after the test. It made a huge boost all at once to our industry. I realize it's hard to understand because this information is not even yet avaliable for humans, but someday it will be.... What a week.

trophy

You aren't truly surprised in your life,but last week I was...

My wife and I attended the officer installation dinner for our fire department last Saturday night. Fire people and spouses, other department officers and county officials were in attendance for a nice catered meal at our firehouse. We have dinner, the oath is given to the new officers and the chiefs have some awards. We recognize firemen for years of service, attendance at the most calls etc. then the deputy fire coordinator gives out the trophy pictured above. The person it is usually given to is a newer member that has excelled in the county training and at his first several years of fire activity. When my friend, a deputy coordinator, was reading the trophy I was trying to think, in our fire department, who might qualify? He goes "yes Mr. Potter that would be you". I couldn't believe it... I stood up and thanked everyone for the award and again for getting me out of this town when I needed too ie. my helicopter ride. I was very shocked to say the least. Some days when you spend time at a volunteer activity you wonder if anyone is watching. Not that it maters, but you wonder. I seems somebody was. And it's a really nice trophy too.

December 2008

Things change and I guess it's all about how you react to them good or bad. At the end of the year, we just found out we are getting a new boss. The company did a geography shift of peoples area and we were are now associated with a different group of employees. It's kinda odd, for December we still have the previous person and the new gentlemen is trying to get acclimated to our situation. It's just a coincidence, but there seems like a lot of THINGS going on right now. There's a new employee search, a couple of new "in the works" business deals plus the day to day work make our days plenty full. I hope as we move into the new year the excitement of these new challenges will continue.

This week, I had a follow-up visit with the neurologist. Not a place that you expect to be as your life winds along, but there I was. She did the usual evaluation, pricking, pounding, and asking questions, all of which I have had done before. The doctor comes in, they confer and she relates to me that she is very pleased with my progress so far. She also took a few minutes to review the MRI of my brain to satisfy my curiosity. What a great tool to look at the inside of your body. I assume that's why she makes the big bucks because she knows what to look for. After all of that she said "congratulations" and I don't need to come back only if something new comes up. When I left the hospital 14 months ago I had follow-up visits with 6 different doctors for different things and this week I now have none.

As I continue this journey people ask how am I and my standard response is " I'm happy to be here." Merry Christmas

Need a job

I haven't written in here in a while and now seemed like a good time. The "quirks" are still hanging around, you know the tingling finger tips on my right hand. There are times I just kind of forget it's there, but it's still there, not as predominate as it was though. Life goes on though...

During the last couple of weeks, I had been kicking the idea around about changing my position in the fire department. I am the assistant chief now and I had thought about moving up. I weighed the pros and cons, mostly the cons and decided my work situation didn't offer me that opportunity right now. I just can not leave my job during the day, because there is not anyone else there to do the job, the cows are still there waiting for me. Many customers have a regular time requirement on when they expect us/me. It sounds like a odd reason, but right now it's the right reason. I enjoy what I do there and I will certainly keep doing it......

On the work front, we are labor challenged again. On the first of Nov., we lost a good guy that left to live with his wife, who had taken a state job on the other side of the state. Certainly the right move for him, but right now it's leaving our team a bit short. I guess that's an understatement. Were making do with a couple of part-time people to get the job done right now. One person works Tues, Weds. and Fri. and the other person works Thurs., Sat. and Sunday. It's working... right now with an emphasis on the right now part. The first person is really a farm wife and second is a college student . Really, we're a little better off this year than we were last year about this time, remember why I started this blog, at least we have the part time help. So I guess this presents a job prospect for anyone that wants a challenge. The training is complete and the pay is good. I'm just putting it out there. The Internet is a big place.

September 25th

A day of reflection, a day in history and the ironic thing about it was that I don't remember anything about it. Mostly, just the sequence of events as they were relayed to me. My personel experience didn't start for about a week, ya a week..... If you are new to this blog, check some of the early ones in 2007 and they will fill in alot of the gaps.
Coincedently, I had the day off again and I offered to help out in the harvesting crew driving truck. I thought being home and not working might give me too much time to time to reflect on the last years events. I know it changed the future of my life probably forever, but that is yet to be determined. I continue to tell myself, no matter what, I am still on the right side of the grass.
I also know that atleast for now, I don't take anything for granted. Making my sons JH soccor games, none of which I made last year, are a priority. I am a little more diliberate, maybe just being sure of where I am putting my body, situations I get into I guess. I don't dwell on it, but just walking through a barn I keep alittle better eye on what I could bang my head on. Stuff I didn't really watch out for before. That's one of my 2008 goals, don't hit my head again....

Smile, life is good.. You really don't know what tomarrow is going to bring good or bad. I am really thankful for what I have, the relatives that care about each other and the friends I keep.

rabbits

It's been a busy week, alot of activities to get my mind around. Early in the week, a team member decided that he was going to a different group closer to his home, and not work with us any longer. So, after the 21st, our labor force is going to be smaller again. I guess the bigger the number of people that you work with the bigger the chance that there will be personel changes. It's not a great situation, but it will give us all a reason to reflect on why this person decided to leave for less money..... I recently read that "people leave people not companies". But, I wouldn't disagree that no one is replaceable and we will find a replacement, but we will have a time period again of transition.

Over the weekend, we were at an Eastern States Flemish Giant rabbit show, that my wife and son are members of. There was 200 rabbits there and for us it was nice because it was only about 10 miles from our house. Most of the people there were pursuing their hobby and I don't think that anyone there was making a living from their pasion. Our son showed 4 rabbits there and received a couple of first places. Those first places went onto place best opposite variety in the open show and best of variety - youth. From those placings he got a couple of nice trophies. Parents and child are real happy and proud... Just alittle explanation, in the rabbit world, there is no reserve champion placing. If a male wins the color/variety they also award the female from the same color as the best opposite or visa versa, you get the picture. He ended up selling one rabbit and buying another for the same money of a different color, a great deal for all involved. I'll put up a couple of pictures soon. Pretty much an un-stressful, a wind down sort of weekend for all involved. Makes you proud of your kids too.

MRI

I'm a big morale guy. I have been since I have been in this position and it's involved my home life too. You have to make the best of what you have everyday all the time because you just don't know what life will be in a few minutes from now. In sales, if something is bothering you or if your morale is low for some reason you are not going to try to do sales anywhere. It could be as simple as getting dirty at the start of the day. It could be as big as working alot of days in a row with no time off. Maybe your pay check was late this week. It effects peoples performance... We're an outside sales company and you have got to want to pull into that next driveway. Nine out of ten times just being there will result in some kind of sale. I realize that many things you don't have any control over, but I feel that you have to live off the good points.

Today, I had a follow-up MRI to see if anything has changed since the accident. I had the day off, it was raining and it just seemed like a fun thing to do, lay on a table and have a big magnet whirl around my head. LOL You never know what they will find, if anything, but I know today I feel good and I my body is on the right side of the grass! So I had nothing to worry about right. The technician asked me on the way in if I had ever had an MRI before? I told him, yes and no. I had one in 2007 but I was in a coma at the time, so does it count? It was simple, fast and painless and I was out of there in 20 minutes or so. On the way home, I made a follow-up stop at a customer I saw yesterday and made a big sale (200 units) for me. I was pumped and I even delivered some of it too. I could have been down about having to go for the MRI, but I took it as just another thing in life. The good and the bad I guess. So keep your spirits up and try to find something good in every day.