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Patriot Day 2014

I am taking time out from my regular Blogging entries in observance of Patriot Day, Thank you for your indulgence in what I consider very important to honor.

Patriot Day should not be confused with Patriot’s day, also known as Patriots Day, which commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, which were two of the earliest battles in the American Revolutionary War.

 

Patriot Day is an annual observance on September 11 to remember those who were injured or died during the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001. Many Americans refer Patriot Day as 9/11 or September 11.

Patriot Day is held in the memory of the almost 3,000 innocent people who died during the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington DC and Shanksville Pennsylvania in the United States of America

What do we do to Observe Patriot Day?

On the direction of the President, the flag of the United States of America should be displayed on the homes of Americans, the White House and all United States government buildings in the whole world. The flag should be flown at half-mast as a mark of respect to those who died on September 11, 2001. Many people observe a moment of silence at 8:46 AM (Eastern Daylight Time). This marks the time that the first plane flew into the World Trade Center. Some communities, particularly in the areas directly affected by the attacks, hold special church services or prayer meetings. People, who personally experienced the events in 2001 or lost loved ones in them, may lay flowers or visit memorials.

 Patriot Day is not a federal or state holiday it is merely a day to remember and reflect on those that lost their lives and to those that gave theirs saving others on that day of the terrorist attacks. Here is some background for those that have forgotten and those of you from other countries.

On September 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked. The hijackers then deliberately flew three of the planes into two important buildings, the Pentagon in Washington DC and the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The fourth crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The loss of life and damage that these hijackings caused form the biggest act of terrorism ever on United States soil. Nearly 3000 people died in the attacks and the economic impact was immense.

The attacks have greatly increased attention to national security in the United States. This has had huge implications for United States national and international politics. This is particularly true for the relationships between the United States and Islamic countries in the Middle East.

 I want to thank the men and women that gave their lives to rescue and treat all the victims of September 11^th and honor those that lost their lives in this tragic terrorist attack on innocent civilians not just from the U.S.

 

May we never forget 911

Thank you for reading

See you next time

By All means please be rude I like it.

 Have you ever had to call a company and you get the one person on the phone that either hates her job or just has a bad attitude? For me that has happened 3 times this week and it is only Wednesday.

 Everyone is entitled to a bad day, but stay focused on the task at hand. I deal with the public on 100% of my job and I have not taken a bad day out on anyone, it has been difficult in a couple instances, but it is doable. And for the record I am not saying am perfect.

The worst was a Human Recourses person for the company. I needed to call about insurance; they had taken out of my check 2 weeks before the insurance kicked in. The woman she was rude and said she didn’t have time for this sort of investigation today. I said I was sorry for any inconvenience that it may cause, but that money was needed elsewhere and for a good cause. What did I get for a reply? I got and what would that be? In a very flip attitude, and seeing how she sort of pushed my buttons I replied “ME… I am the cause that requires the money”

 She said I will put you on hold, and after that she would come on and ask a question and put me on hold again. I asked her after the 3^rd time being put on hold if she was new or training she said no she has done this job for several years and that she is very good at it. I was nice and didn’t make a comment, until she stated that if I had a problem with the way she was handling my call that she could put me on hold and transfer me to voice mail of someone who not only was not in, but on vacation for 2 weeks. I said to her that was not necessary that I could stay on the line with her, but also let her know I was still on the job and told her that every time she puts me on hold is more time I am not doing my job.

 The exasperated sound that she made, let me know she was not up to the task and that is when I asked if her manager was available, she replied why you going to complain about me next? That is when I knew that she may not be the one to be on the phone. I said I would not complain about her, That I just need to get this straightened out, that the money was for bills I needed to pay and that my budget goes from check to check, I then hear her say, well than maybe you need another job. That was the last straw for me. I hung up and called back asked for a H.R. Manager, got one then requested to speak to the next higher one.

 I spoke about my payroll and insurance issue and he resolved it on the phone in 7 minutes, he asked why I asked for him, that there were people in place to handle this under him and if I had, had an issue with dealing with them, My reply was I think there was just a miscommunication between myself and the HR rep.

I so could have thrown her to the wolves, but didn’t, and the only reason I didn’t is because I wanted her to sweat it out knowing I went around her and got it done and she will know when he speaks to her, and I bet she throws herself under the bus.

 It takes more energy to be rude than to be nice and things go quicker… But I will say that Thursday the first rude person I get I will ask them if they need a hug or if I can call someone they do like so they can get a hug! See I am a smart ass too!

Peas and Rice!

I was going about my day to day chores and I was thinking about what my next blog entry should be and as per usual I am roaming through the fringe for inspiration and a full belly, I see nothing I want so I decided to order some Chinese food, so a hop skip and a sock slide across the kitchen floor to the take out menu pile and what does my watering taste buds see, a new Chinese food place for me (sorry for the rhyme I thought it was cleaver), a fast tapping of the phone and in 15 minutes I have an order of Pork Fried rice and beef and broccoli perched on my doorstep.

 I gather all the food and my computer zap on to Netflix and get ready to fill my stomach, watch a crappy movie and let the whirling thought land in my brain pan. I open the beef and broccoli, and the smell made me drool, I open the fried rice and my eye bulge I tense up and I stare at the open box of pork fried rice, what do I see in my rice  . . . PEAS!!!!

PEAS AND RICE!!!

 I know it sounds like I am swearing and in a way I am. Someone has put peas in my rice… if I had a vote there would be no Peas in my rice! I know as human and possessing thumbs that I can pick out or go around the peas, but that was not the point, what Chinese food restaurant would put peas in Chinese Pork fried rice? It must be a mistake.

 I was not angry just surprised, in all the years I have eaten Chinese food I have never had peas in my rice, now peas are one of the vegetables I am not in love with, they are ok but if I never ate one that would be good as well. Every time looked at the rice all I saw were the green little globes of blandness staring back at me mocking me, almost like my mom had gone there and made this rice because she knew I have not been eating enough peas.

 

 Long post short . . .  This place puts peas and diced carrots in all their fried rice, I was so blinded by green I didn’t see the red cubes of vitamin E nestled in between that delicious rice and pork.

 I ate it of course and it was not bad just different, what did I get out of this order of Chinese food? I got a full belly, a blog post and I have met my monthly quota of peas out of it, so in retrospect it was a win-win-win. - I also discovered that Chinese do not call it Chinese food, they just call it food.

P.S.  I find myself saying “Peas and Rice” now instead of cursing

See you next time.

 

PEAS AND RICE!

It’s VP not VIP

In my line of work you need to be easy going but stay stern and within your post orders and within reason, not to mention take nothing personal and direct nothing personal at anyone, But there are times you wonder what the hell they are thinking.

 When there is a policy of the clients in place and has been in place for 17 years you would think someone who has been employed there for 15 years would understand what is required and that just because you are VP it does not make you a VIP when it comes to ignoring your own companies policies especially if they pre-date you.

 This action sort of puts me in the cross-hairs, because I am not allowed to explain to them what they should do nor can I give anyone orders, so you (I) must refer them to the Powers that be, who in turn comes back and at us and says good job and then complains about our actions behind our backs, so that we look like dumb-ass smurfs, I would mind being the bad guys so much, but at least wait till you are out of ear shot before you trash me, for doing exactly what you asked us to do.

 I have a thick skin so 99% of the time these things don’t bother me, but every once in a while you wish you had a nice big Fred Flintstone sized cave man club made of foam and just bonk them on the head to see if they snap back into the world of reality.

 

 As I dismount my Soapbox I will add this YABA DABA DO !

 Thanks for stopping by.

Fitzy: Legion of Decency Retired

Hug It Out

 I would like to extend my sincere apologies to all the readers of the Broken Soapbox Blog today, I know part of the reason for this blog was to have a place to be on my soapbox or high horse on certain topics and poke fun of the world in general, but after the previous 2 posted entries I feel the need to say Thank you and I am sorry. . .

 Thanks for letting me vent and for the comments I received and sorry that you had to read it at all. However being able to post today’s debacle of a work day and the foolishness of the higher ranking personnel around me, made it possible to keep my head and my anger in check and push through the day with only minor cerebral injuries. As well as keep my employment.

 I have decided the only way to end this day on a high note is to go home change out of the uniform and head out and see a movie, so in keeping with that thought Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and  large popcorn here I come…

I am not a big Hugger, but If I was I would Give you all a big ole hug and just hug it out, but in this case I will just thank you and give you all the “Virtual Hug”!

Fitzy

WTF PART 2: The Wrath of Stupidity

 Ok so its 11:30 A.M. on the same day I am still heated and angry, but I am still here and employed

 So now “we” (The Boss) has proceeded to complain about rules he put in place 8 years ago and wants to change them without talking to the Powers that be above him, I can only see me getting burnt on this!

 We are now just allowing folk’s access without being documented!!!! BRILIANT

 I am not usually bitchy like this; I am pretty easy going . . .  I guess you could say I am on my monthly cycle with today being the worst of it… (Sorry for the sexist comment no insult implied).

NEXT!