Last night was our last economics class. Actually, this was a bittersweet evening for me. Sweet because it will be nice to have some time flexibility on Wednesdays. Bitter because this class taught me a great deal about life, making decisions, and interconnectedness. Last night, each group shared it research project. The first group studied Martin's grocery store. I was really blown away by the passion and genuine interest these folks demonstrated with their project. I was also struck by their commitment and loyalty to Martin's supermarket. Each member of the group seemed to sincerely believe in Martin's supermarket and their values and success. This stood in stark contrast to the utter disdain for Walmart and Meijer that seeped through during comparisons between the three stores. What does this say about local companies and family businesses? What does this say about chain stores?
Our group studied Memorial Hospital and Healthcare System and Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center. One member shared detailed personal experiences from both systems. It was amazing to hear her describe the importance of relationships and actually feeling care. This sense of family overcame other issues such as difficulties parking and long wait times. What does this say about how we make decisions? What does this say about the importance of building genuine relationships? I was blown away by the multiplier effect as revenues from the healthcare systems entered into second and third rounds of spending. This demonstrates in a quantifiable manner that something relatively small can explode into a huge impact. What does this say about each one of us?
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Employee Profile
I'm going to double-dip and post my responses to an employee profile that I was asked to fill out and just finished.
1. What does your job as Bremen Process Engineer entail?
Wire break analysis and problem-solving; copper size analysis and reduction; maintaining and creating new set-up sheets; setting up new parts for production; monitoring die wear; advising on lubricant maintenance; testing tin line solutions; evaluating tin quality; basically, whatever I can do to serve the company
2. What do you like most about your job?
The friendships that have developed are what I like most about my job. I am very fortunate to have friends from several disciplines. The parts about my job that I like the best are opportunities to teach, develop presentations, and write reports. I am passionate about technical communication and enjoy any opportunity to educate our employees and customers. PowerPoint is an amazing tool for creatively expressing ideas.
3. Where did you work before Copperfield?
I started full-time at Copperfield around Christmas of 2003. However, I worked part-time through college back to 1999. Growing up, I spent time working on the farm driving tractors and working with the pigs. While at St. Joseph’s, I was a Mathematics Teaching Scholar, a freshmen leader, and the American Institute of Toxicology Intern-Scholar. At Purdue, I was a graduate teaching assistant. Aside from my student teaching stint While at St. Joseph’s, I was a Mathematics Teaching Scholar, a freshmen leader, and the American Institute of Toxicology Intern-Scholar. At Purdue, I was a graduate teaching assistant. Aside from my student teaching stint at Renssealer Central Middle School, I have never put my 5-12 teaching license to use.
4. What do you like to do in your free time?
Well, I don’t have a lot of free time. However, I enjoy reading (the Bible, popular theology, Clive Cussler, Tom Clancy), playing in the worship band at Horizon church, working out in the mornings, hosting or attending gatherings with friends, campfires, and playing piano. I also am an adamant believer in life-long learning and have completed a master’s degree in materials and chemical synthesis and am currently taking business classes.
5. What is your favorite TV show or movie?
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
“Shake ‘n’ bake!”
“If you’re not first, you’re last.”
6. Favorite sports (teams)?
Personally, I enjoy running and biking. These are new hobbies that I started this past summer. We made it out to 50 miles in one ride to meet our goal for this summer. I’ve run in a few 5Ks and hope to do a 10K yet this fall. My favorite teams are the Bremen Lions and St. Joseph College Pumas football teams. (Of course, as a band guy, the honest truth is that the best parts of the games are the half-time shows featuring the Emerald Alliance and Puma marching bands. Go bands!)
7. What is a little known fact about you?
I have ground up human kidneys, livers, spleens, brains, and skeletal muscles (some with maggots) in a blender. I have also studied the diphenhydramine (Benadryl) concentration in decomposed tissue from a plane accident in the mountains.
1. What does your job as Bremen Process Engineer entail?
Wire break analysis and problem-solving; copper size analysis and reduction; maintaining and creating new set-up sheets; setting up new parts for production; monitoring die wear; advising on lubricant maintenance; testing tin line solutions; evaluating tin quality; basically, whatever I can do to serve the company
2. What do you like most about your job?
The friendships that have developed are what I like most about my job. I am very fortunate to have friends from several disciplines. The parts about my job that I like the best are opportunities to teach, develop presentations, and write reports. I am passionate about technical communication and enjoy any opportunity to educate our employees and customers. PowerPoint is an amazing tool for creatively expressing ideas.
3. Where did you work before Copperfield?
I started full-time at Copperfield around Christmas of 2003. However, I worked part-time through college back to 1999. Growing up, I spent time working on the farm driving tractors and working with the pigs. While at St. Joseph’s, I was a Mathematics Teaching Scholar, a freshmen leader, and the American Institute of Toxicology Intern-Scholar. At Purdue, I was a graduate teaching assistant. Aside from my student teaching stint While at St. Joseph’s, I was a Mathematics Teaching Scholar, a freshmen leader, and the American Institute of Toxicology Intern-Scholar. At Purdue, I was a graduate teaching assistant. Aside from my student teaching stint at Renssealer Central Middle School, I have never put my 5-12 teaching license to use.
4. What do you like to do in your free time?
Well, I don’t have a lot of free time. However, I enjoy reading (the Bible, popular theology, Clive Cussler, Tom Clancy), playing in the worship band at Horizon church, working out in the mornings, hosting or attending gatherings with friends, campfires, and playing piano. I also am an adamant believer in life-long learning and have completed a master’s degree in materials and chemical synthesis and am currently taking business classes.
5. What is your favorite TV show or movie?
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
“Shake ‘n’ bake!”
“If you’re not first, you’re last.”
6. Favorite sports (teams)?
Personally, I enjoy running and biking. These are new hobbies that I started this past summer. We made it out to 50 miles in one ride to meet our goal for this summer. I’ve run in a few 5Ks and hope to do a 10K yet this fall. My favorite teams are the Bremen Lions and St. Joseph College Pumas football teams. (Of course, as a band guy, the honest truth is that the best parts of the games are the half-time shows featuring the Emerald Alliance and Puma marching bands. Go bands!)
7. What is a little known fact about you?
I have ground up human kidneys, livers, spleens, brains, and skeletal muscles (some with maggots) in a blender. I have also studied the diphenhydramine (Benadryl) concentration in decomposed tissue from a plane accident in the mountains.
Monday, October 13, 2008
"I can ride my bike with no handlebars."
Dylan, from work, made this CD for me and the first song is Handlebars by the Flobots. This is one of those songs that just sticks in a person's head and keeps on repeating over and over and over again.
I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars
No handlebars
I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars
No handlebars
Look at me, look at me
hands in the air like it's good to be
ALIVE
Awhile back, I wrote about practicing bike-riding without the handlebars. I'm up to three blocks now.
Anyway, I think in some ways this is kind of like developing a relationship with Jesus. He wants to take control of the handlebars. He wants to do the steering.
Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for? (Mt 16:24-26, MSG)
However, there is a bit of a catch.
Someone still has to do the pedaling!
By the way, click here for an interesting twist on the multiplier effect.
Out!
I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars
No handlebars
I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars
No handlebars
Look at me, look at me
hands in the air like it's good to be
ALIVE
Awhile back, I wrote about practicing bike-riding without the handlebars. I'm up to three blocks now.
Anyway, I think in some ways this is kind of like developing a relationship with Jesus. He wants to take control of the handlebars. He wants to do the steering.
Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for? (Mt 16:24-26, MSG)
However, there is a bit of a catch.
Someone still has to do the pedaling!
By the way, click here for an interesting twist on the multiplier effect.
Out!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
A Good Laugh
Ahh, what a gorgeous day. Today, I got brave and timed a 10K run. This was the first time to time and I wasn't sure quite what to expect. The time ended up being 42.9 minutes and that left me pretty amped. I also checked up on some kitties (no, this is not a typ-o) and ended up walking with Jan tonight. The moon was so bright. Oh, I also helped out with the coin search and picked up bails of straw at the Methodist Kidfest. The economics group presentation powerpoint is nearly finished, too, and has received some good feedback from other group members. We're up to 87 slides. Now, I'm just sitting here eating some Fla-Vor-Ice and Wheaties.
If you need a good laugh, check out the videos posted here. You just never know when someone is going to be taping.
Later!
If you need a good laugh, check out the videos posted here. You just never know when someone is going to be taping.
Later!
Some Final Thoughts for this Week
Whew, these are the final minutes of yet another week. It really is amazing have fast the time seems to be passing lately. This coming week, we will already be halfway through October.
I have some things on my mind.
From my reading this week...
This week, I started reading through Romans and came across some interesting verses. (I have read these verses before because they have under-lines and notes in my hand-writing. Yet they seemed different this week.) Actually, now that I open up to the book, I didn't even get past chapter 2 because some of the verses just left me thinking.
1-2 Those people are on a dark spiral downward. But if you think that leaves you on the high ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn't so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you've done. (MSG)
This is something that I struggle with quite a bit at work. It is so easy to criticize decisions that other people make. Yet, most of the time, I should probably be on the receiving end of the criticism.
14-16 When outsiders who have never heard of God's law follow it more or less by instinct, they confirm its truth by their obedience. They show that God's law is not something alien, imposed on us from without, but woven into the very fabric of our creation. There is something deep within them that echoes God's yes and no, right and wrong. Their response to God's yes and no will become public knowledge on the day God makes his final decision about every man and woman. The Message from God that I proclaim through Jesus Christ takes into account all these differences. (MSG)
This one pretty much left me perplexed. I'm not sure what to make of it. Who are the "outsiders?"
From economics class...
The Big 3 automakers are on the verge of collapse. Just today, I heard that one or more might file for bankruptcy. How can this happen? The automakers count for at least 1% of our GDP. How can an entire industry literally implode. This doesn't happen overnight or just because of a recession. This has to take years to develop.
Why are we so prone to act on emotion when it comes to the stock market? People are selling like crazy. Yet, historically, investment in sound and diverse companies leads to positive returns. At this point, the more people sell, the further this thing is going to spiral downward.
From experience...
A few days ago, someone made a comment that opened up some nasty wounds. Quite frankly, when the statement was made, it took everything I had to withhold making a very smart-ass comment. I got out of the situation and cooled down a bit without creating any damage. However, I was blown away by my own response and how this opened up things that I thought had healed. Yet, I spent some time reflecting and realized that this time around things were a bit different. When the original events transpired, it led me to a very self-defeatist type of place for several months. This time, although it made me quite angry, it didn't define me. This is an identity situation.
Interestingly enough, we have been revisiting John 20 the last few weeks. (We studied this in Vermont.) As a youngster, I remember hearing about Jesus appearing to the disciples and him showing them the wounds in his hands and side. The implications of this never really seemed to matter until much more recently. After the resurrection, Jesus still has the wounds. This is huge. The wounds are still there. Yet, Jesus is different - different enough that people don't even recognize him. He is the resurrected Jesus. This just blows my mind.
From the Bremen Enquirer...
A few days ago, I wrote about the Emerald Alliance. Well, the paper added some additional detail. This is the first year for competitive marching band at the high school since 2003! I had chance to meet the band director last night. His enthusiasm is incredible and the group continues to improve each week.
Today...
Did anyone else notice how incredibly beautiful it was today?
Well, it is now Sunday, so I'm off to start the Sabbath with a long snooze.
Good night!
I have some things on my mind.
From my reading this week...
This week, I started reading through Romans and came across some interesting verses. (I have read these verses before because they have under-lines and notes in my hand-writing. Yet they seemed different this week.) Actually, now that I open up to the book, I didn't even get past chapter 2 because some of the verses just left me thinking.
1-2 Those people are on a dark spiral downward. But if you think that leaves you on the high ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn't so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you've done. (MSG)
This is something that I struggle with quite a bit at work. It is so easy to criticize decisions that other people make. Yet, most of the time, I should probably be on the receiving end of the criticism.
14-16 When outsiders who have never heard of God's law follow it more or less by instinct, they confirm its truth by their obedience. They show that God's law is not something alien, imposed on us from without, but woven into the very fabric of our creation. There is something deep within them that echoes God's yes and no, right and wrong. Their response to God's yes and no will become public knowledge on the day God makes his final decision about every man and woman. The Message from God that I proclaim through Jesus Christ takes into account all these differences. (MSG)
This one pretty much left me perplexed. I'm not sure what to make of it. Who are the "outsiders?"
From economics class...
The Big 3 automakers are on the verge of collapse. Just today, I heard that one or more might file for bankruptcy. How can this happen? The automakers count for at least 1% of our GDP. How can an entire industry literally implode. This doesn't happen overnight or just because of a recession. This has to take years to develop.
Why are we so prone to act on emotion when it comes to the stock market? People are selling like crazy. Yet, historically, investment in sound and diverse companies leads to positive returns. At this point, the more people sell, the further this thing is going to spiral downward.
From experience...
A few days ago, someone made a comment that opened up some nasty wounds. Quite frankly, when the statement was made, it took everything I had to withhold making a very smart-ass comment. I got out of the situation and cooled down a bit without creating any damage. However, I was blown away by my own response and how this opened up things that I thought had healed. Yet, I spent some time reflecting and realized that this time around things were a bit different. When the original events transpired, it led me to a very self-defeatist type of place for several months. This time, although it made me quite angry, it didn't define me. This is an identity situation.
Interestingly enough, we have been revisiting John 20 the last few weeks. (We studied this in Vermont.) As a youngster, I remember hearing about Jesus appearing to the disciples and him showing them the wounds in his hands and side. The implications of this never really seemed to matter until much more recently. After the resurrection, Jesus still has the wounds. This is huge. The wounds are still there. Yet, Jesus is different - different enough that people don't even recognize him. He is the resurrected Jesus. This just blows my mind.
From the Bremen Enquirer...
A few days ago, I wrote about the Emerald Alliance. Well, the paper added some additional detail. This is the first year for competitive marching band at the high school since 2003! I had chance to meet the band director last night. His enthusiasm is incredible and the group continues to improve each week.
Today...
Did anyone else notice how incredibly beautiful it was today?
Well, it is now Sunday, so I'm off to start the Sabbath with a long snooze.
Good night!
Friday, October 10, 2008
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