Are some people overcompensated??

I got into a discussion one day about how athletes and entertainers are paid way too much money for what they do. The person I was talking to (let's call him Frank), felt that other jobs such as firefighters, nurses or teachers should be paid more. I had to play devil's advocate with this topic just to have some fun. I gave it to him that it does seem insane that they pay someone 100s of millions of dollars to play baseball for a couple years or someone makes $10million to be in just 1 movie. I mean if someone gave me $10million to work on a project for a just a couple of months, I am not sure I could justify working again. Really, who could? Unless you start donating a LOT of money. So, I said to Frank that is what a lot of athletes and entertainers do. They do get heavy into charity work.

However, I also argued these people are paid what the market will bear. People put a high price on their team winning or on watching movies or going to concerts. If people weren't willing to pay the prices for this entertainment, then there would be no money for the salaries.

And lastly, I said to Frank (who was a retired high school principle), how many times did you come home from a stressful day at work and allowed a song, a baseball game or a movie to help you forget the bad stuff and just relax and have some fun? How many times growing up did I rely so heavily on music to get me through? I have a lot of fond memories growing up just around music. So, I don't know what kind of price you can put on that therapy, but apparently, it is pretty high.

But...don't get Frank and I started on how little writers and some artists make. I think on that one, him and I may have to agree. They can be sorely underpaid :)

Random thoughts and ponderings

Some days my job just leaves me without words, not due to exhaustion, but it's sheer ability to amaze me.

I used the word surreal alot and figured I should look it up. One definition I found and I like: "characterized by fantastic imagery and incongruous juxtapositions; "a great concourse of phantasmagoric shadows". Umm, that does describe my job fairly well some days and the Dali picture below.

Sometimes all it takes to fix everything is to close the eyes and take a big breath and let it all out.

Why does my dog constantly bark and attempt to chase squirrels that are running along a telephone wire 30 feet up in the air across our backyard? Does he think he is going to fly there? That the squirrel is dumb enough to think he is a friendly dog and is just saying, "Hi!"?

I discovered sunscreen can expire and if you use expired suncsreen, you will tan or burn, depending on how long you are in the sun.

If you get enough freckles will they all form together to give you one big cohesive tan?

I love coffee. I love jelly bellies. However, the two together are not so good.

I love beer and chocolate and again, not together.

Speaking of which, we need beer in the house. All the beer is gone.

Random flower

My daughter LOVES to pick flowes. Adores it. One of her favorite activities. Well, on the drive to day care we noticed this flower, duct taped into a little holder on the corner of a busy street. She wanted to pick it. I told her, it would bring more joy to people if it was left there so everyone else could see it also.

We saw this flower about 3 months ago. It is still there. Is someone putting a fresh flower on a regular basis? Is is a fake flower? Isn't it odd that no one has taken it out yet? I wonder if the person who put it there sits somewhere nearby and gets a kick out of the smiles and comments?

And, just about every day the daughter gets all excited because the flower is still there. "Look, Mom! The flower is still there. No one picked it!"

It is a random flower but it brings smiles to our faces.

Like white uniforms are going to save your ass

Yeah, a smidge of profanity in that title, but nothing compared to what I was saying most of the day. Our facility is being audited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation (JCAHO). They come around and audit hospitals all the time to make sure they are up to snuff. As you can imagine, management does a great job of scaring the crap out of its employees about the audit. They don't really bother to get you more training or help so that you can actually pass the audit, just lots of scare tactics. "Oh, JCAHO is coming!" There were so many last minute communications that they started to conflict with each other. It was nuts. I decided, I would just make sure I knew our facilities policies and try to do my job as best as I could and hope for the best.

Well, our new manager seemed to think it would be great if we all wore the same color scrubs at work and if everyone would by new white shoes. That idea went over like a lead balloon. I think one brown noser on the unit bought new white shoes. However, the manager outwitted us. She bought everyone white scrubs and whoever showed up the day the audit happened, would have to go back and change.

There is no real warning on the audit and there was no warning on this required costume change. We just know that JCAHO is in the area and will probably be auditing us this month with a "surprise" inspection.

Lucky for me, it was yesterday. Announcement come on over the PA system, "We'd like to welcome the Joint Commission Auditors, etc...." The boss then comes out with the white scrubs and announces we all must change.

So many problems with this situation. Only one bathroom to change in and it is a 1 banger, meaning small with 1 toilet. The breakroom was then turned into an impromptu locker room as people franctically tried to change as I tried to eat my breakfast in there. People were wearing lots of interesting underwear which could easily be seen through these cheap, white thin scrubs. And, everyone could see my tattoo on my back ALL day. "Oh, is that a dragon!" That is how thin these scrubs were. "Oh, how cute. All in white? Are caps next?" My favorite comment from a doctor, "You guys are freaking me out. I thought I had walked into a psych ward."

But the thing that irked me the most was that our manager seemed to think that if we all did this it would somehow help us pass muster. It just seemed so staged and fake. No one wears whites anymore unless you are in nursing school. I bet if she had her way we'd be in those white caps also. I am also pretty sure, the auditors won't be distracted by a lot nurses in white scrubs.

Boy, did I curse a LOT that day under my breath. So glad I am off the next 6 days.