|
22621. Jenerator - 9/17/2007 2:00:14 AM I know I am a little late to the conversation, but just thought I'd add what my Superintendent says regarding the educational crisis of today. In a nutshell, times have changed and companies have changed. People are no longer looking for a large, unskilled workforce. Instead, companies are requiring people with advanced degrees and experience. The person who dropped out 30 years ago or who got his GED had better odds of finding an entry level job and rising through the ranks than today's dropout. Today, the person who drops out is perceived as ignorant and a quitter. Plus, companies aren't looking to fill a lot of low-level jobs, nor are they looking for careerists.
Why hire Joe Blow who quit school when one can hire someone with a bachelor's degree? 22622. judithathome - 9/17/2007 4:12:20 AM For the same reason they vote for a man with a degree who has no common sense? Because this is a crazy world we live in....
Sorry but a degree is just one way to judge a person's worth...you can get a guy with a degree who is a really dishonest person. In fact, he might even have received his degree through nefarious means. But hey, go right ahead and put him in charge and when the company goes under because the guy with the degree doesn't have a clue, well, whaddaya gonna do? 22623. judithathome - 9/17/2007 2:21:28 PM We went to see my (degreeless) son last night at the rehab center and whether he realizes it or not, he is a changed man from the last two weeks. And I feel it is due to the fact they are getting him up and making him exercise and move and that is getting more oxygen to his brain.
He doesn't even remember fighting us for the last two weeks about not going in for out-patient therapy...he's doing so well that I feel he will only have to stay there the requisite 7 days his insurance initially approved. 22624. judithathome - 9/17/2007 2:47:35 PM Jeez, going down the list of threads here, I see my name as last poster on far too many of them...have I pissed off everyone? ;-) 22625. Ms. No - 9/17/2007 4:22:56 PM Ha! You have been quite fired up. I had a pretty good if fairly busy weekend and then yesterday had a social obligation that, quite frankly, I'd rather have swapped for a trip to the dentist. It didn't turn out as badly as I had every right to fear, so I'm feeling much better now. 22626. judithathome - 9/17/2007 4:38:07 PM I was sick all last week with some sort of problem that seemed like a virus but with throwing up as the only effect. I literally lived on white bread and milk for the week and never left the house once.
Saturday we went to CostCo...oh how fun! Not.
And yesterday before we went to see my son, we went to dinner at Keoni's ex-girlfriend's new house...about 4 years ago, she moved back to South Dakota to get her son away from unsavory pals and show him life in a small town. It worked wonders for him but she nearly went nuts so they have moved back here and she bought a home about two blocks from this HUGE high school that is brand new and looks like a college...media-driven football stadium, indoor pool, the works. He's excited about it because he wants to be a chef and they have "chef" classes in a state of the art teaching kitchen. I was awed by the whole thing...we ain't in Kansas any more, Toto!
Anyhow, her house is about 2 years old and is a mini-McMansion. Its really small but has all the amenities of the large ones: trendy kitchen and open floor plan, fireplace, walk-in closet in her master bedroom with an "en suite" bathroom; spa tub, etc. I think they may have a pool, too, but forgot to check out the backyard.
It was really nice for the two of them but I was shocked at how very tiny the whole thing was. I think we may have more square footage in our 1950s ranch-style house.
No one asked how much she paid for it. I think we'd all be stunned at the cost. 22627. Ms. No - 9/17/2007 5:20:18 PM I was bummed to find out that my folks bought a fairly new home when they moved. I was hoping they'd get something old and interesting since they're in Baton Rouge. I haven't seen it yet. I'm sure it's fine, but it sounds like their old house - not that there was anything wrong with the old house. It was lovely as far as new homes go and they had it built for them, but....well, I'm a sucker for older styles and construction. I'm more inclined toward pre-WWII architecture. 22628. thoughtful - 9/17/2007 5:32:11 PM Boy, J@H, you've had more than your share of troubles lately. I hope the times ahead are improving for you. 22629. judithathome - 9/17/2007 10:07:22 PM MsNo, have you been to Baton Rouge? Older homes come with lots of problems in Louisiana, not the least of which is termite damage.
We have some friends who bought an older home in Shreveport and our Katrina friend bought one in Alexandria...both have inherited very costly nighmares. 22630. Ms. No - 9/18/2007 2:34:51 AM Yeah, I imagined as much, and although Cory loves his yardwork and landscaping neither he nor my mother much want to pick up a hammer or do major remodeling/restoration. 22631. concerned - 9/18/2007 3:24:50 AM Some Toyota and other recent commercials that include a really loud chime sound are particularly irksome to me. It's an over the top tactic to get the listener's attention. Well, it gets my attention alright, and I vow to myself every time I'm exposed to such a commercial to avoid the product being advertised. 22632. alistairconnor - 9/18/2007 10:09:18 AM "the two of us giving up cigarettes"
Yo Judith! You didn't pick the most tranquil time to do it, I hope it's working for you...
My girlfriend decided to give up a couple of weeks ago, so I stopped too. No sacrifice for me, I'm a very irregular smoker, and strictly OP's... but she was averageing a packet a day. The other day we were watching a rugby match in a pub, and she said maybe just one from time to time? I said OK, as long as she only smoked in my presence, and when I was smoking... she decided to stick to the cold turkey. 22633. alistairconnor - 9/18/2007 10:41:54 AM Is the coffee giving you health problems, Mago? It seems a shame to give up all of life's little pleasures... Or are you a Cathar, aspiring to the status of "Parfait"? 22634. Magoseph - 9/18/2007 12:37:07 PM Neither, Ali, I’m too much of an iconoclast to be anything, especially a Perfecti, but if my cousin the writer and historian is correct, my tribe may have started with the Cathars.
Anyway, Flexy was taken to the emergency by ambulance yesterday early afternoon and he’s still there being checked for his heart. His pulse was 192 and the EKG very erratic. I’ll let everyone know what happens today.
As for the coffee, I thought that giving it up might be kind to Flexy who moans every morning that the aroma is too much to take for him.
22635. thoughtful - 9/18/2007 3:23:01 PM Best healing thoughts to flexy. 22636. Ms. No - 9/18/2007 4:59:27 PM Yes, Mago, very best wishes for a speedy recovery. Can Flexy not have even Decaf? There are some excellent roasts nowadays. 22637. Ms. No - 9/18/2007 5:14:02 PM Got a call from one of my best girlfriends who is currently "on asssignment" in France doing her training as a high-end tour guide. In many ways this is a dream job for her, but the learning curve is steep and she called yesterday in low spirits over something that neither one of us had considered before she left the country.
She speaks enough French to get around, but she is far from fluent which means that until her language skills improve she constantly feels like an idiot. This is a woman like many of us who takes pride in her ability to express herself, so being unable to do so is a major stressor. She knew she would have a lot to learn and that it would take a little time, but the reality of having almost no one with whom she can have a more than superficial conversation is really depressing.
Her international phone bill is going to be huge.
22638. judithathome - 9/18/2007 8:00:18 PM Magos, thinking of you and Flexy...please keep us posted!!! 22639. Magoseph - 9/18/2007 8:00:51 PM Thanks, thoughtful and Ms. No--so far, Flexy had a ECG and an echocardiogram. Now, they are prepping him up for Cardiac Cautheterization, which should take place in a couple of hours. I just came here to take the dog out, feed and water him. Let you know more tonight. 22640. Magoseph - 9/18/2007 8:01:13 PM Thanks, Judith.
|
