Time to Change Jobs (1)

[New series: A Time to Change . . .]

I can't remember what hourly rate I earned at my first job as door-to-door magazine seller in Mercer County NJ. I was hired for the summer, and was the only one left of the original 15 youth. (I am a Taurus) At the end, that company skipped town with all the yearly subscription payments, mostly from seniors. My first scam experience. 

Nor do I remember the cents per paper earned delivering the Santa Ana Register (California), or my commission rate selling Encyclopedia Britanicas in Orange County, again door-to-door. Nor as a stock clerk for many months at Woolworths in '67 next to Ewing High School, my alma mater. Nor as a busboy at International House of Pancakes on Parkway Ave (closed last year), and the free spaghetti dinners workin' nights.

I do not remember my nightly hourly rate cleaning Motor Trend Magazine and other Anaheim CA offices in '68. That job I got from my second cousin Donny (mentioned in my book), a swingin' bachelor. No, I don't remember that $$. In every one I was pleased and almost happy to be working and earning my own cash, shared with no one.  Thru the '60s dozens and dozens and dozens of jobs appeared in The Trenton Times, where I found my first magazine gig.

As far as any of my jobs or positions go, I enjoyed workin' and was always goalless, just goin' with the flow. Especially workin' as a salaried 35 hour-per-week employee for the State of NJ; almost 39 years. My actual "career," ended in '09 as a six-figure  manager; unplanned, unguided, happenstance thruout.

Grateful for each employment, which is why I now advocate vociferously for fair jobs for every able-bodied person who requires water, food, shelter, clothing and healthcare. Right now there are millions of jobs available, just look online.

But they all require meticulous backgrounds, bachelor's at a minimum, sometimes Masters, and years of training and experience in the field. Too many ridiculous and obscenely unnecessary requirements.  And they expect you to "hit the ground running." Mentoring or in-house training may be a joke, unless its sales or marketing, "America's job god." Yes, week or two-week courses on "How to overcome Buyer's barriers to buying," with many more to follow. Every salesperson's ABC? "Always buyers closing."

Let me digress. Consumerism keeps this country alive. It used to be buying U.S. manufactured goods, wars (still wars), which jobs mostly went oversees to slave labor rates, and tby the '70s turned ballistic into buying services. We seem to produce more intellectual property now than anything else, which will grow. I'd hate to be the US Patent Office!

So, jobs, jobs, jobs. Most politicians crying this mantra for decades, especially since the 2008 crash. It's a great mantra, but easy solutions, like OJT, more equal emphasis on technical schools, and legislation for things like the 30's Works Progress Administration, would be a starts. America's infrastructure is crumbling. A trillion gallons a year leaking from deteriorating pipes -- one example of dozens -- dangerous, overcrowded, narrow suburban roads, leaking sewer lines, wasted buildings/brownfields. At least cities and munis are recognizing these areas more now.   

So? Solution to jobs scarcity? Big ugly circle, sales and consumerism at all levels equal jobs and better earnings (maybe).

Why consumerism will not save us alone, nor even higher minimum hourly rates (which I'm in favor of), won't do it, in next blog.
All my opinion of course.

By Rodney Richards, subscribe or comment to 1050ablia@gmail.com

Time to Change Horror Parades

[A new series on change. To quote Ephesus (402 AD) "Everything changes and nothing remains still." In the modern age I've heard, "Change is the only constant."]

I love parades. For 20 years I championed our Baha'i community participation in Hamilton Twp's Annual Memorial Day parade. These parades honor those, dead and alive, men and women who have sacrificed too much to save us, to defend, us to defend ours, and the world's freedoms. I salute you and offer prayers.

Our Baha'i community built floats, carried big banners, children or a 10 foot earthly globe. Our signs proclaimed 'The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.' (Baha'u'llah), or black with huge white letters, 'One Planet . . . One People . . . Please.' I've written about my joys marching with friends, with my son Jesse rollerblading next to us and shouting "Happy Memorial Day!'  A day for remembering sacrifice . . . and American deaths. 

I suppose every people or country that's been in terrible unrest or wars, and have survived or won, hold annual parades in remembrance. Remembering the bravehearts who gave their lives so that freedom might triumph.Our thanks and gratitude comes straight from our hearts, because our heads, quite frankly, don't know or can remember the details of so long ago. Generations ago. That's why we appreciate V.F.W. Posts, who are struggling to remain open and need our help. 

But I feel its time to stop honoring death and dying, with, or without purpose, depending on your view. I would rather spend my time motivating the living, now, in 2013. Not from June 6, 1944 - 69 years ago, or VE Day, May 8, 1945, or V-J (or V-P) Day, or the Gulf war in '91, and so on. Millions of dead soldiers, nurses, staffs, and civilian men, women and children. Millions of years ago. Newer generations don't seem to care or know, unless their own National Reservist parent, relative or sibling has been killed in Afghanistan or elsewhere. I'm advocating Peace parades, those that honor peace, freedom and prosperity.

We seem not to remember the innocents in these horror parades. 
No one flies a banner for their remembrance. "Collateral damage." We are hardly ever ginen their poor numbers. Getting them from Iraq or Afghanistan is nearly impossible.

Do we keep celebrating OUR victory over the evil Japanese and German Nazi's? By having these parades aren't we forever rubbing those past misguided souls, men women and children, soldiers, airman, naval commanders; in the muds of hell?  Haven't we forgiven yet?  For their sins (and ours - Hiroshima and Nagasaki); or not, innocent townsfolk and children? It's 2013 for God's sake.

Look, we can't forget these bloody, decimating, crippling wars. If and when we do - some (usually men), seem quick to start another one - whether provoked or unilaterally. It's been said the day will come when mothers will refuse to let their sons and daughters (now), be dragged off to war. Halleluiah!

I was lucky, called a coward by some, because my body was designated IV-F by the Army in 1968. And so "physically" missing the so-called Vietnam "War." Aren't these wars over? Isn't nation-building ended? Shouldn't dictators and aggressors be put down mercilessly by Peacekeepers from all civilized countries?

Let's rather remember the rebuilding of Europe and Japan. How they've changed for the good, productive and honorable, their quality products sought by American consumers and businesses. How, indeed, we helped them. How indeed American businesses served them, with trucks, planes, roads, buildings, everything. And still do. And their strong employees at risk every day.

Yes, that's what I'd like to commemorate. The ultimate successes, the results of all that misery, maiming and bloodshed. And expand that largesse to fix our country's leaking water pipes, wasting 1 trillion gallons a year, or crumbling roads and highways, or re-purpose, renovate or build from scratch our cities' deserted and abandoned properties. To train the uneducated to hold jobs. To name a few needs.

Help me in fixing those things. You, Government, go ahead and take a few more dollars of my earned and unearned income. Let's make it happen like the German and Japanese citizens did. Let's crack our dirty little 2% ceiling of annual GDP.

We can do better! We're more than capable! And I wish to help.

by Rodney Richards copyright 2013
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The Joy of Rumi

During the '60s I read Erich Fromm's The Art of Loving. Heaven knows how it ended up in my hands, and I don't remember one point he made in the book, but I've always remembered I read it. It must have meant something then. I still have fondness when I think of him and that book, so it left a positive impression.

This past week on Monday, the mornings when I volunteer at Hamilton Twp Public Library, I was doing my job in the Literature section of books to be put out for sale. I pick all 8 boxes to go out for sale, and the 8 shelves of softcovers and hardcovers (on the purple cart marked "Literature") Great fun, decent work, I get my volunteer stars in heaven, and I take my time enjoyin' Dunkin between activities. And often my eye lands on a book of interest I want to read.

We have a system for our 20,000 books to be sold (to benefit Library needs), which is, after each sale, whoever's in charge of their section, like Wars, Religion, Reference, kids books and so on, writes a small black dot on the item's price tag. Again, this is after each sale. When that price tag, which is invariably $1 or $.50, gets three dots, we move it out of the collection into the World Books pile in the back. Volunteers pack hundreds of those books into boxes and away they go, in fair to excellent condition. Basically we get the shipping cost back at 3 cents per book. 3 cents!

I was carrying the three-dot book RUMI Poet and Mystic to World Books, but stopped and put it on the shelf by my coat to buy when I left. Very happy I did. The reading is light, clear, and written straight to the heart and soul. Reminds me of the feelings I got reading Mr. Fromm, or Lao Tzu, or the I Ching. Especially having re-read the Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys by Baha'u'llah.

Jalalu'l-Din Rumi is a Perfect Man, in my eyes and heart. He is the greatest Persian poet and mystic, lived in the 13th century, a master Sufi and dervish, a Shaykh -- teacher, genius, a lover and knower of Allah, and I am touched when reading his short odes and thinking 'how so, how true.'

Another Perfect Man, or almost, another human saint, passed away from this world to his celestial home just hours ago. A Champion of the people he cared for in South Africa, and all people really. He will be missed temporarily until the joy of knowing he's traversing God's glorious mansions helps us realize we can have those mansions here on earth, for everyone, some day. Isn't that our goal? What goal can be more important than serving each other and caring for one another, like a family? 

There are thousands more champions here, and everywhere; millions, trying to ease the sufferings -- trying to eliminate bad laws and bad ideas. These champions are heartfelt and determined to bring goodness. I hope to be called one, somewhere, even if just in a small way, when my body dies.

Best wishes in your endeavors for good.

By Rodney Richards copyright 2013

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The Joy of Nationalism

The human race developed for tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, of years from family, tribe, village(s), city-state(s), and nation(s). I don't think this is disputed. Some would hold that we did all this in the last 10,000 years, but I disagree, knowing we have and may uncover advanced civilizations much older. Ancient. It just means they're harder to find - all traces have disappeared.

The point is that colonialism, national boundaries and independence revolts, are almost done. Now we have 'civil unrest' - for some reasonable reasons (corruption, voting fraud, not helping economy etc.). Mankind wants better. It's 2013. We deserve better - technologies prove we should have it, it's possible. So to all intents, nation-building has come to an end. Witness the model for stopping aggression -- the Gulf War, '90-'91. 

"Beginning with the policing of agreements worked out between hostile states, the principle  of collective action, defence of peace between nations, gradually took on the form of military interventions such as that of the Gulf War, in which compliance with Security Council resolutions was imposed by force on aggressor factions and states." (Source: UHJ, Century of Light) True collective security was born. (Actually in WWI and II) Another example being NATO in Europe.

So as I listen to China's unreasonable dictums concerning owning certain areas of the seas and islands in the China Sea, I can't help but laugh. 

Sorry guys, to you and any country that tries to expand their territory into international waters, or into boundaries firmly established by history or precedent. No, the resources of the earth now belong to all its peoples, like the movement of oil around the world, or any natural resource. The same goes to the Arctic and Russia's spurious claims. Too late. You established your boundaries decades ago, like China and all other countries (or new ones like Miramar).

This is why the world needs International Courts. To arbitrate these kinds of disputes peacefully, diplomatically, based on existing and new laws needed.

No, as much as I admire America's stance in the Chinese/Japanese dispute, by flying two jets thru that air space, you're missing the point. Really now, it's 2013. 

Wars have long been over. Only civil unrest, skirmishes and terrorism are left, and terrorism is our greatest enemy today.

Let's focus on eliminating real threats, and not making hollow ones.

By Rodney Richards. 
1950abliaq@gmail.com, or subscribe to this blog.
Look for my first book on CreateSpace.com and Amazon by the end of next week.

The Joy of Retail Training

I'm mostly an observer. That doesn't mean an "alert" observer, since I don't always get the whole story and find out what's goin' on behind the scenes. So caveat emptor.

I went to my favorite Marketplace Staples yesterday to return a 901 unopened ink cartridge for an HP All-in-one J6580 printer, my Mom's. Out of ink. Should'a been a simple replacement right? I had bought a 901 2-weeks earlier, and after an hour of tryin', could not set it in properly. Wrong cartridge? So back to Staples, checked the catalog carefully, and bought another 901. Got to Mom's but didn't open it. Thought I'd try with the opened one, one more time. And Voila! discovered I'd been tryin' to seat it in the wrong slot. Got it right, and worked perfectly!

So here I am returning the 17 buck unopened one. Wait my turn observing very efficient and personable cashier handlin' sales ahead of me. Nice lookin' young man, black hair, standing behind her. Before keying quickly, she says to him out of the corner of her mouth, "OK this button first, for Sale, then scan the item and hit . . . " and so on. Straightforward. Excellent training technique if your trainee has eidetic memory - total recall. But we don't except a tiny few of us like  Marilu Henner from Taxi, now an author on the subject.

No cheat sheet for the guy. He wasn't takin' notes. How many times must he watch this process before he gets it down cold? Plenty I'd guess. So I get up there and hand in my unopened cartridge and credit card receipt. Same process, but she says "This is like a sale, only we pay the customer." and pauses now and again to show him what keys to kit. But she's quick, one because she doesn't want to hold any customer up and get them aggravated, and two, it slows her down. I said she was very efficient.

So to all retailers, why don't you do this better? Save time, and make your trainee's tasks much easier. 

1. Three month probation period, mainly testing if they're reliable and how suitable they are. Maybe a $.25 raise if successful. 

2. Have a cheet sheet, at the cash register at all times, for "Sale", "Refund," "Exchange," etc. Very helpful instead of callin' a manager away from the important work they're doin'.

3. Have an employee manual, that each new employee reads, and is tested on, like homework. Not just employment rules, but how things are done, how you want them done. How hard are these are number 2 and 3? Easy. Your cashiers and clerks perform these transactions 100's of times a day, just in this store. They could even write the stuff for you, with manager's final approval. Done.

4. Be systematic. One month just on the cash register til down pat. Next month, half register and half stocking and getting familiar with all store product placements. 

5. Third month, half registers and half up-selling and sales. Learning about high end cash cows like furniture, computers and printers. (And thank you Staples for displayin' and sellin' these items. Circuit City's gone, CompUSA is gone too. It's tough with just always crowded Apple stores.)

6. From then on you'll have a relible talended employee. Every retailer wants that, right?

by Rodney Richards. New book Episodes, A poetic memoir, out in 3-weeks (held up by formatting and publishing issues - but book's DONE)

Email me at 1950ablia@gmail.com for more info