Hats off for the Office Ladies

                                        Early post-college photo. 1981 at Vic and Fred's wedding. 

                                            No wonder my co-workers thought I was a kid!

Whilst listening to a podcast about yet another possibly innocent person (Letters From Sing Sing, first episode) convicted of murder, I heard an advertisement for a podcast featuring strong women. March, it seems, is Women's History Month. It kinda seems like all year should be filled with Women's History, but that's an argument for a different day. 😊

I was cleaning our bathroom as I listened to that podcast. I'd been meaning clean for several days, but waited until I was "in the mood". Podcasts make perfect company for cleaning! I began thinking back about the many strong, smart, talented women I've been privileged to work with during my employment years. 

Co-workers, supervisors, and contractors: 

-at my very first "real" job, as office manager at Gamble Robinson, a grocery wholesaler in Sioux Falls, SD. Nancy, the person who'd been the office manager suffered a stroke at age 33. She was out indefinitely. It was an office of four women, not including me. I didn't have the first idea about how to be an office manager I was fortunate that Karen was the go-to for training. She was understandably a bit pissy when they brought a no-nothing college girl in to be the top office dog. Nancy was a formidable wife, mother, and great worker. It took me a while, but I won Karen and the crew over by treating them with respect.  When I eventually left the Sioux Falls Office, Karen took over as Office Manager. Thanks, Karen!

-From Sioux Falls, I moved up (down) to the Omaha Branch of Gamble Robinson, located in the Old Market. There I met three totally different strong women. Netta was a large passionate Italian mother/wife - picture puffy black hair and lots of makeup. Lila was a chainsmoking lesbian - a bit cranky until I pierced her crabby defenses. She called me "Kid".  And Pat, the personal secretary to the division chief. Pat was a Creston native, a stately older woman (probably all of 55 😏). Those three taught me a great deal. You are not forgotten, ladies!

-When Paul and I were married in 1982, women from both of my former offices attended. The friendship was strong! Paul and I moved to Osage for his job. I eventually landed a local job at Fox River Mills - a sock and glove manufacturer in town. My experience using an IBM System 36 computer teamed me up with Karla, the original computer department of one. The two of us were charged with managing data and entering orders by hand. Karla - who still works there - taught me a lot. There were lots of great female co-workers - so good at their jobs at the awesome Fox River. 

-When we moved to Creston in 1986, I finally landed a job at First National Bank in bookkeeping in March of 1987. There I learned how to pronounce each strange family name while stuffing statements into envelopes, and preparing them for mailing. (Ripperger is pronounced Reebarger) Sandy, Cathy, and Pam were great coworkers. Eventually, I was promoted to loan clerk and had my own little cubby-hole desk upstairs. There I got to better know Sharon - the marketing director and Lamona, the only female loan officer. Syd and Barb were in customer service out front - helping people with account needs. Artie was the chief teller with a dedicated team around her. Eventually, a new girl was hired fresh out of college. Julie is now the bank president! The bank was full of strong excellent women. 

-My next job in an office/co-worker setting was in the mid-1990s at Gits Manufacturing where I was a product manager. This was the most challenging job of my career. Purchasing and manufacturing lead times (how long it took to procure or manufacture) were over a year at times. Jeanie and Cynthia helped train (and counsel) me through the ups and downs. We had some good times in a little office amid each manufacturing process. Twins Tracy and Toni were also fun to work with. We're all still Facebook pals.  

-After two grueling years at GITS, I saw an advertisement in the local paper - looking to hire a Recycling Educator for three counties. This is easily my favorite ever job. At my first trash conference I met three amazing women - Susan, Barb and Pam were peers doing similar jobs. We met periodically to share resources and support. They meant the world to me. 

I was an office of one - located in Creston's Restored Depot home of City Offices and the city congregate mealsite. Judy was the Creston City Clerk - and the brains of the operation. My grant-funded was managed and paid for by the county - so several times a week I hiked a couple of blocks over to the Union County Auditor's office. There I reunited with Sandy (former bank pal) who was now the elected Auditor. Her team was great to work with - Angie and Joanie. I also got to know the treasurer, Linda, and the recorder, Paula with their staffs. Friendly and top-notch! 

                                                           Jen and Becky on a tour

-After the grant ran out, I was promoted to Landfill/Recycling manager. My office moved to the Union County Landfill where I worked with dedicated scale operators - all women. Marie, Carolyn, and Beth all were wonderful with customers, so kind and efficient. There was one woman I won't name who the contractor fired after she threatened me. She didn't like the new office with my oversite and told me she had a gun and knew how to use it. Scary! Good thing, Christine, a young female environmental consultant attended monthly board meetings and partnered with me in managing the joint! 

-Nealy ten years later, I was hired for the career job I'd been dreaming of at the Department of Natural Resources. By then I was age 50, no longer a "kid". At DNR I met and appreciated so many excellent female co-workers. Traveling together for program audits and visits was a highlight. Becky, Angie, Amy, and my supervisor Jen were the women I worked with the most.  I must not forget about fab external program partners - Shelly, Mary, and Kathleen. They are all excellent and dedicated public servants. I miss them but enjoy following their family escapades on social media. 

I've likely forgotten to name some of the office women I was blessed to work with. And there are a few that, though they didn't threaten me with a gun, weren't my favorites. I'm sure I make that list for some. Some people - men and women - live for the drama. It's not my thing.  

What I looked like at the end of my work days

While writing this blog I was thinking of the new normal. Many people no longer work in an office setting. I loved the one day a week I was able to telework when employed by the State of Iowa. But I never considered doing that more than 2 days a week. I'm not sure how well I'd get to know co-workers without frequent in-person contact. I believe employers need to find ways to build teams and for strong employees to mentor others. It's a changing work world - they'll figure it out! Because there are so many strong, smart women in charge. 

Biking the mountains of NE Iowa

I know, Iowa has no mountains. Tell that to my thighs.

A couple months ago, Paul helped organize a work event that ended up with a reception at Peace Tree, an East Village brewpub we enjoy. Present and former USDA co-workers gathered, along with a few DNR folks. Somehow the two groups, one federal and one state, seem to be drawn to each other. They do have a shared mission in reducing soil loss and often work closely with each other on this issue.

What views! 

That's when the idea of kayaking in NE Iowa came up. A DNR buddy, Becky Ohrtman volunteered to set up a trip. She used to work close to me on the 5th floor of the Wallace Building. After Becky moved to another floor, I lost track of her. I was happy to hear she was able to transfer to the Manchester Field Office a couple years ago - which is great for Becky and fiance Mike, another DNR employee who is based there. They had been doing the long-distance thing for many years.

We settled on this weekend for the trip. Mom Nature didn't cooperate. With all the rain, rivers are dangerously high for boating. We're a versatile group and decided to bike instead!

The mysterious Becky - camera shy? 

We arrived in Decorah on Friday and grabbed lunch at a sports bar. The group was: Mike, Becky, Duane, Bob, Jody, Paul and me. I didn't choose my lunch wisely. The Ruben and beer haunted me later. (peddling gut bomb) One of our group rented a recumbent bike for the ride. While we waited for everyone to group up to take off on the bike path, Rick's tire blew up! It sounded like a firecracker. Good thing it was there - not on a hill. #wipeout.

I knew it would be hilly, woo baby. Good thing Albie (my beloved bike) has that first gear I never need to use in Des Moines. Going downhill is kinda scary too! Switchbacks and steep hills.

Checking out trout

Fish Hatchery spring

Rick and Bob at Pulpit Rock Brewery - met up with a former co-worker

We stopped at the Decorah Fish Hatchery - newly renamed after former DNR director Chuck Gipp, who is from this area. Congratulations to Chuck, who spent many years living away from his family while serving as a legislator, then at the Department of Agriculture and finally as DNR director. There is a beautiful freshwater spring feeding this hatchery. Paul loved talking to Mike, who supervises this and other hatcheries.

The bike trail goes right by the site of the famous Eagle Cam. Without a good zoom, I didn't get a great shot but saw the eagle sitting on a branch. See if you can see it. People come from all over the world to see the nest.

Decorah is a beautiful little town. Hotels are expensive - at least during this time of year. $200 a night. Yikes! After biking 11+ miles we stopped at a local brewery called Pulpit Rock. We ran out of time to visit the more famous Toppling Goliath Brewery. That night we dined at the restored Winneshiek Hotel. Six of us wandered downtown afterward - a late night for this old girl. Thanks to the group for organizing the trip. What a great time!

Need a footstool? 

Paul and I headed back to Des Moines Saturday. One of my favorite events is happening now - The Art Festival! We visited the downtown event on a beautiful Saturday evening. Local brews, the Brazilian Twins and energized music, and art from all over the country. Loved running into our niece Barb and husband Mike - nice catching up. I saw many other posts from people we missed seeing downtown. People watching is my hobby.

The Art festival is perfection! I hope to get a bike ride in today to warm up the sore leg muscles. Weekends go by so quickly! I hope you all are enjoying life wherever you are.


More Art photos.

Wood vessels

Artists in Action

On the Audit trail and lunch in Pella

Team Pirate is on the Environmental Management System (EMS) Audit Trail in 2014! Yes...I can practically hear the excitement in your eyeballs as you read this! You'll be following the scintillating tales of our group's madcap antics across Iowa. No not really. That's why I decided we needed a theme this year - thus Pirates, argh! We've been doing these audits four years. Team members put their foot (feet?) down regarding costumes though. Not even eye patches.

Team Pirate - on this end of the table.

We met last week in preparation for this year's audits. I wrote the meeting agenda in Pirate Language. I must admit I cheated and Googled words. Did you know there are Pirate dictionaries? I think "Talk Like a Pirate Day" has aided the popularity of this activity. Me Mateys were amused. (or pretended to be)

Scott asks a Q, Jen RV looks at notes, Becky is taking notes and Jeff is thinking deeply

During the audit we ask landfill staff members about their EMS implementation. I won't bore you with the details, but these folks are doing stuff way above and beyond trash ya'll! And they are putting in procedures explaining how they do things and are documenting results. That helps justify programs and to know how to best help the public. And...when staff members leave - the important stuff doesn't leave with them.

rolls to die for!

Today (Thursday) we went to the South Central Iowa Solid Waste Agency Landfill (SCISWA) in Tracy - 12 miles south of Pella. Me buckos and I spent the morning with the staff there - hearing about the progress they've made. It made me miss working at a landfill - for a short time anyway! Then the feeling dissipated. Poof.

We stopped in Pella for lunch - such an amazing little community. They just held their tulip festival last weekend and the flowers were still showing off. SCISWA staffers had recommended the Italian joint (in a Dutch town??) in town. It was molto bene! Very good. And I liked the Italian guy's accent. Sexy. The bread was fab too.

so pretty!

After lunch some my co-workers headed towards the Jaarsma's bakery. I headed the other way to get a pic of the giant windmill in town. I discovered there are big shoes to fill there! I asked an older gentleman to take my pic in them...he obviously wasn't familiar with Smartphone cameras. He got me getting into the giant clogs and more! Then he pretended to run off with my phone. Funny, oldster. I would have kicked his ass..with giant clogs on. haha

Aren't these clogs a hoot?

I caught up to my co-workers and purchased some scrumptious baked goods for the DNR motor pool guys back in Des Moines. I picked up the van we took this morning at 7 a.m. - right when they opened. They were very polite and friendly. I appreciate that. I dropped the bag of goodies off when I took the keys back with the mileage/gas sheet. They were happy!

Good trip today - it was nice to get out of the office with some scalawags!

Scott pays for his Jaarsma purchase...Becky and Jen at left wait to buy theirs - mouths watering!

Other notes:
My new fave show is on - Rehab Addict! It's on HGTV - follows the house flipper Nicole Curtis - a cute blond gal who lives in the Twin Cities area. She's got one of them Minniesoda accents. Like my friends the Behrs...

In tonight's show Nicole took an old cast iron tub to the recycler and touted the benefits of this place, because it took household hazardous materials. What a pitch woman! They had a "Swap Shop" there too - just like the facilities we work with do. They take materials people deliver that are still usable and put them up for adoption. Nicole selected a product to take home with her - some home fixer upper product. Free. Boom!

Water water everywhere - and a tip for you

At the Wallace Building today, the evidence of water - that ran in through the porous roof Sunday and Monday - was everywhere. But not a drop to drink - for a couple hours, anyway. Someone decided to cap off a pipe and forgot that hundreds of people work in the building - so water was off for a while with no notice this morning. As soon as I found out we had no water, I suddenly had the urge to tinkle...why is that? We always want what we can't have....

Meanwhile...we did get notice that a contract has been let on the roof. The patch job starts in late April. In the meantime this highly technical system remains in place.

You'd think they were recycling bins...but no - the blue bins and coffee container are rain catchers
 



servers protected from rain by an elaborate system - see the hose running to the gray tote, which...see below

I'm looking forward to the pounding the tar smells. It will be a huge improvement over the indoor rain! 

This hose drains - with sump pump) from the system above - appetizing, no? (picture courtesy of Tom Anderson, I didn't go into the men's room. He says they've monopolized the best stall.)
 

In other work news, I must tell you I was feeling the effects of  work "burnout" before I left on vacation. We've all felt it. I was finding it hard to concentrate and I was frustrated with my attitude and how I was getting along with others. I definitely needed a break.

My sister Cindy was just the person to vacation with - therapeutic you might say. Because she works in Human Relations she has valuable training in that area and she was able to give me a pointer that I feel will help me in the future. I have attended interpersonal communications training in the past - but this special idea has never before been suggested to me.

So when you utilize this - remember you heard it here first. If you find yourself in a tense situation at work. Say your supervisor aggressively approaches you about something and you find yourself reacting emotionally instead of rationally. Now you'll know what to do.

Kegel your asshole.

That's right - clench those buttocks muscles and suck that sphincter in! That's sure to take your mind right off any other emotions/anger building up. Now I'm passing this tip along to others at DNR - so when unfortunate things happen, like finding a pond where your cubicle is supposed to be - clench away.



Land of Misfit Coffee Pots and Trash Conference

Burl Ives isn't at my office to sing about it...(like he sings in the Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer Christmas Special about the misfit toys) but we have this coffee pot collection. Nobody knows where they all came from, but they've been around since I have - so at least for 5 years.

There is a cafeteria style Bunn-O-Matic on our floor - so these coffee makers are not used 

Today I didn't go to the office. It was the Iowa Society of Solid Waste Operations Spring Conference - held in conjunction with the Public Works Conference at the Sheraton in West Des Moines. I hauled the Bean Bag toss game and our booth material.

Check out the park bench we gave away. That's my Supervisor Jen manning the table

DNR sponsored Neal Bolton the "Landfill Whisperer" (I made this title up) as a speaker at the conference. The guy is a landfill efficiency expert - he studies how they do things and how they can do them better. Around landfill people were in this session. I know most of you can't imagine how intrigued trash folks are by your garbage and how to bury it.


Neal Bolton is not Michal's bro

I always enjoy hanging with the trash folks. We gave out nice water bottles to those who played the bag toss game. I got to see some of my pals I hadn't for a while too. As a benefit of DNR being a sponsor of the conference we got tickets for a free dinner at Rubes - a grill it yourself steakhouse just outside the west edge of town. Plus drink tickets.

The place was packed when we got there - those landfill and public works folks like to eat and drink! Pablo did a fine job on our small filets. I saw a few cuts of meat that would have made Fred Flintstone's car tip over...my friend Christine Richter was just fixing to eat one of those when we headed out. She was a chair of the conference and probably needed some sustenance like that...yum.

Pablo grills it up at Rube's

 

Burned snot, Wallace antics

Do you work somewhere with paperwork like this?

The top right forms are labeled "snot score"

I've been seeing someone. Kinda like the State Farm guy - but he's an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist at the Iowa ENT Center named Dr. Simplot. He didn't care to score my snot though...I happen to think I have top notch stuff...

They did a CT Scan of my sinuses. Nothing much in there. So we are trying "chemical cauterization" of my sinuses. I'm trying this to keep migraines away. Sinus pain seems to be one of the triggers to the damn things. The doc shot a number of noxious chemicals into my nostrils last week. In a few weeks they'll repeat this fun. Can't wait - hope it helps.

It's Spring Break week in DSM. Lots of people are gone at work - so it's a bit quiet there. Except for the fact that it's moving week. Our Bureau is undergoing a change. We are adding a couple sections and they are joining us on beautiful 5th Floor Wallace.

Right now the empty cubicles around the joint are located randomly here and there. To make room, we all need to scrunch together with our fellow Section members. Lucky for me, I don't need to move. But lots of people are - and there is a cleaning frenzy going on! I'm glad DNR provided plenty of recycling container - in keeping with our mission.

Jeff fills the 4th or 5th container...what a feeling!

It was Amy W.'s birthday today - and in keeping with good government tradition, she brought her own treat. It was a fabulous 3 layer cake in great Pinterest fashion.

Tom gave her a great gift - decorating her office a bit (he's a Hawk/Panther Fan).


Yes that's the ISU hoops poster with Tom's face pasted onto each player

Becky used to reside in the cubicle next to mine. Now it looks like this. I can no longer just call to her over the wall.

That's Becky - all the way down the hall now...insert tears

Don't worry about me though - Scott is moving into Becky's vacant space. So I'll have him close by to harass!
All-in-all it was a good day at work. We had cake!

Pardon me all to pieces

There were 40+ in attendance at the workshop at the Ramada on Merle Hay

I've been doing this all wrong! I attended a marketing workshop today, put on by my work peeps. It was much needed and really good. Trash people need help finding ways to get the message out to people about just what it is (bury trash, deal with household hazardous waste, run recycling programs and more) they do. I should know - I used to be one of them! People think it's still the dump.

Mark Mathis talks to a group from across the state

In the small world department, it turns out the marketing firm that presented at the workshop is run by Mark Mathis - the husband of Liz Mathis, former TV broadcaster from KWWL in Waterloo and High School classmate of my college roomie Vicki. They were DeWitt class of 1976 grads. Kumbaya!
This is Mark's blog on marketing. One-Minute Marketer.

The first thing I took away from the workshop is that my blog is way too long. Oops! Sorry readers. I just pump them out. I heard that takes a minute for people to read 200 words. This Internet thing that Al Gore invented - it has resulted in reading ADD. I will try to do better. Or less. Twitterize it, Mark said. At least I'm not marketing what I write...even though I saw that I could have made $784 last year as my blog was ranked the 11,485,988th blog. But you'd have to look at ads. Yuck.

I DID find out why Paul doesn't know most of what I've told him - and proceeds to repeat it to me like a new fact a few days later, "Did you hear that...?" Why I told you that a few days ago...People only absorb 18% of the information coming at them - in that staff meeting, at church, at home when their wife is telling them important stuff.

There is a great deal of clutter in our lives. Mark Mathis told us

• We were hit with 570 messages a day in 1970
• 3,000/day in 2008
• 5,000 today

And those darn marketers - they just keep finding ways to squeeze in their products. It takes 12 ad exposures before purchase and 47 days. Workshop participants received a great deal of information to help them figure out the best ways to get the best methods to reach their customers - and then evaluate the results (my favorite part). They will be able to receive follow up training over the next few weeks. Our department is helping Iowans get information about safe disposal of the things they have to get rid of. Yay us. That's why I work there. Woot, woot!

Jeff N Nic sitting in a tree

My friend Jeff married his longtime partner Nic in October. They had a small ceremony at their home and invited close friends and family. Jeff brought their photo book into to work and I snapped these pics from it.

Jeff on left, Nic on right

I met Jeff Fiagle in 1997, when I started working in the trash world. My mentor in the biz, Tom Clark with Barker Lemar Engineering Consultants told me that I should go to DNR and meet all the people there and find out what they did. I made an appointment and drove to the big city from Creston. I wore khakis and carried my new soft-sided briefcase from JC Penneys. Man was I a dork! Jeff was one of the people I met. I also met another guy, Tom Anderson.

Fast forward eleven years - to yesterday as a matter of fact. On December 19, 2008 I started working at DNR - the best job I've every had. Jeff and Tom became my co-workers. I didn't take the JCP briefcase along. I'm sure they were leery of me anyway...

My "gay-dar" sounded when I met Jeff all those years ago, so I wasn't surprised when I started working with him and found out he had a long time partner named Nic. I met Nic at a gathering that first spring - nice guy. They're both into antiques and make a great couple.

It took me a while to get to know Jeff very well. I finally had a chance to talk to him outside of work (the Wallace Building anyway) when he agreed to be on the audit team for a program I manage. To do the audits we travel around the state - sometimes overnight. Jeff is funny, smart and caring. He's talked a bit about what it was like growing up gay in Iowa in the 70's. It wasn't easy.

I was surprised when Jeff announced that he and Nic were tying the knot October 6th, as I piloted our van on the way to Spencer last June. They were making it official! Same sex marriage has been legal in Iowa for a few years now - and they decided they wanted in on that. The two ordered matching rings. We co-workers assisted in song selection for the post wedding dance in the back yard. Jeff and I tortured our much younger co-workers with artists like Bobby Sherman!

I'm glad I have friends like Jeff and Nic. And a niece like Peg and her partner Brooke. They help us realize people aren't all that different - despite labels. And love is love.

Where the Wind Comes Sweeping Down the Plain

We're headed to Oklahoma - tomorrow. It will be my first time there. Oh we've driven through the corner before, but that doesn't really count. We're going Norman, Oklahoma to attend the ISU vs. Oklahoma Sooners football game. Why would we want to do that? I know - it's been a rough year for our beloved team. Sucky, in fact. We'll think of this as our bowl game - in Norman.


Ryan - the cutie on the right

Our friends the McKims and the Conovers will be going. Ryan McKim, Don and Diana's son is on the staff for the Sooners after working for ISU since 2006 in various roles. Oh he tried quitting his football habit - graduated college with a degree in Biology and all. He even took a year off, worked at a bank and tried coaching high school football and working at jobs the 'ol home town - Creston.

Then the NCAA coaching siren song (and ISU Coach Paul Rhoads) proved too strong. So Ryan - who is daughter Amy's age (We call him number 2 - because he was ranked 2nd in their class while Amy was numero uno - McKims call her cheater, but they don't really mean it) went back to work as a graduate assistant in 2012. Translated that means low pay and long hours doing the thing you love.

Last summer Ryan got an opportunity to jump ship - to take a real paid position with the Oklahoma Sooners as an assistant special teams coach. Iowa State doesn't even have such a position! So he loaded up the Malibu and moved to Beverly - um Norman. Leaving behind his girlfriend, Laura and all of us Cyclone groupies. But we're happy for the kid! Ryan is living with a video guy and seeing what life coaching football beyond Iowa is like. Saturday we'll get to see him in action - as he helps his team most likely kick our team's butts.

Dwight and Marilyn Conover will be there - along with their son Phil. Laura (the GF) is coming too - along with her parents. It should be a fun group of Ryan and ISU supporters! I'm sure I'll report more later.

When we get back from Oklahoma, we'll rush right up to Ames to see the men's basketball team take on Michigan. Former Coach Johnny Orr will be there along with commentator Dick Vitale - his first ever visit to Ames. Then for the topper of the weekend - our pals Robyn and Julia will be in town. We get to get together with them. Can't wait!

More tidbits:

Amy gave me this cool bank for my birthday. I'm starting to fill it up for my next big adventure!

 

While shopping at Costco tonight, I noticed the piano man (no not Billy Joel) had this baby for sale. Note the buttons and whistles. If I would have had this instrument back when I took piano lessons I could have just pushed buttons and pretended to practice. I wonder if it plays chopsticks? So probably a good thing that wooden piano we had (that Betsy scratched her name in with a nail) didn't have buttons...

Clavanova Jr.

I received my DNR security card one of the first weeks I worked there - nearly five years ago now.

The card allows me to enter the Wallace Building through the west door, but has never worked at the North door. I finally emailed the Director's Administrative Assistant to ask what the scoop was. I suggested that perhaps it is my unfortunate hairdo in this photo that prevented building access. Karen emailed Capitol Security (yeah - they're like cops, but at the Capitol), and they said I really didn't have any levels on my card. Geez. I've seen worse hair than that around the joint. Anyway - now I've got 113 Access - whatever that means. No new photo though.

Thanks to Sarah Carper Darby at Sahar for fixing me up with a new hairdo about a week after this pic was taken - and for keeping me on the better hair path since then. It IS more work. I can't just wash and wear - but it's worth it. 

What style leader are you?

Last week - on Halloween Day, no less, everyone in our Bureau at work attended a retreat at Walnut Woods - a state park located on the Southwest side of Des Moines. Because it's like pulling teeth to have catered meals at such events - our bosses don't want to see the next Des Moines Register be "Taxpayers foot the bill for state employee lunches".

Our new boss, Alex got creative - a soup and dessert contest! I took Chicken Noodle, using a HyVee roasted chicken and frozen noodles. It was good. There was a late plea for soup sign ups, and it must have worked, because we had plenty for the group of about 50. A couple chilis, veggie with beef, another chicken noodle with real homemade noodles. I even had squash soup - not quite as good as my pal Julia's recipe. The desserts were fab - scary fattening and scary themes. Former bureau chief Brian Tormey stopped by to help with the judging - so nice to see him! Creston's Bill Ehm, the Bureau's Division Administrator, was also there for part of the day.

We did a session on customer service first thing. You may now picture me answering the phone with a smile on my face. (insert goofy smile here). We are public servants - and I thought it was a good reminder - regarding outside customers, and internal ones. We tend to forget that our co-workers are customers too. Michelle Wilson, who grew up as the daughter of a DNR wildlife guy somewhere in Southwest Iowa, was the speaker for this session. She was good.

The next speaker is working on her PhD at Drake. She was tasked with helped our bureau work through some things that haven't ranked high on our annual survey. She first wanted to help us determine what type of leaders we are. She uses Lee Bolman and Terrance Deal's Four Framework Approach to Leadership: political, human resources, symbolic, structural.  We ran through a list of questions, checking responses and then scoring to help us identify where we fall in the Framework.

I borrowed from a slideshow to get more information:
Bolman and Deal's Four Framework consists of:

• Structural Framework - Social architect whose leadership style is analysis and design - focus on structure, strategy, environment, implementation, experimentation, and adaptation.
• Human Resource Framework - Catalyst and servant whose leadership style is support, advocate, and empowerment - visible and accessible; they empower, increase participation, support, share information, and move decision making down into the organization.
• Political Framework - Advocate, whose leadership style is coalition and building - clarify what they want and what they can get; they assess the distribution of power and interests; they build linkages to other stakeholders; use persuasion first, then use negotiation and coercion only if necessary.
• Symbolic Framework - Prophet, whose leadership style is inspiration, view organizations as a stage or theater to play certain roles and give impressions; these leaders use symbols to capture attention; they try to frame experience by providing plausible interpretations of experiences; they discover and communicate a vision.

It was especially interesting to me, since I had just done a mini Myers-Briggs test when I was in Austin with my High School friends. They both came out pretty similar. I came out as a Structural Framework kinda person - with Political coming up closely behind. We had to graph our type and my graph was a bit warped. Hmmm is this a theme with me?

I feel that I'm more of a people person then these self-tests keep reflecting. Hmm. I evidently come off more Pat Bullock than I ever knew. Under this crusty exterior, believe me, there is a very gooey inner core. I am highly empathetic! Of course that does not lessen my expectations from ya'll! I think you can do good things and expect nothing less. I can deal with the aftermath quite well, once the dust settles, if things don't go well.

I do realize I am a very structural person. I need to know what the rules are. Moving targets drive me wild! When I worked at Gits Manufacturing, I would prepare 250 parts as ordered by an automotive customer - there was a lead time of 9 months to put the parts together. At the last minute the customer would change the order. It drove me nuts! Just tell me the rules - and I will figure out how to deal with them, or if I want to quit the game.

I also trend as Political - creating coalitions. I was lucky in this job in that I already had been friends with many of the key players in the industry. Our office has been a difficult place for me to form coalitions - simply because I don't do what anyone else does. Plus I don't have peers my age in my section that are women. I tend to go with the flow.

Many of the people that I work with are Structural. Not surprising since I work with engineers and other scientific, process oriented type people. Later that day we broke out into groups with the various types of frameworks spread throughout the groups. I'm not sure we solved anything - but it was an interesting exercise and the food was good. And we taxpayers didn't have to pay for it. The food I mean. Your trash paid for our part of the day as it pays for our programs.

While I don't think personalities or people can be parsed easily into categories, I do believe exercises such as this have value. It helps us understand our own tenancies and others'. We are all leaders - at work, in our families and yes, even at play or in social situations. Someone has to decide what restaurant we're eating at tonight!

Structural people do have creative sides - they made this kitty litter dessert and the brownies below

 

Jim

My friend and workmate Jim was scheduled for a stem cell transplant today in Iowa City. I am thinking of him and sending up prayers to a higher power, whoever that may be. I met Jim Bodensteiner nearly five years ago - when I first started working at DNR. I didn't find out that he was in remission from what I believe was non Hodgkins Lymphoma until many months later. I was shocked.

He's a private guy, and just didn't want to share that information. Somebody else actually told me about it. That's the kind of guy he is. Jim is 62 years old, and now that cancer has returned, he's decided to retire from DNR. He has worked as the Solid Waste Alternatives Program coordinator for the past few years - assisting people who apply for grant funding for waste diversion. He was never too busy to answer questions or help someone working on a grant app with a budget.

JaimeBo, as my co-worker Scott and I named him on one of our roadtrips, is the nicest guy ever. We decided we had to come up with a meanish nickname because sometimes Jim really needed to talk a little sense into some of our stakeholders. We thought he should morph into his alter-ego - JaimeBo. It didn't really happen though. Jim was too nice.

I liked talking to Jim about pets. He and his granddaughter volunteered at the Animal Rescue League - handling pets that were to be adopted. Jim loves his cats, and he would enjoy getting a dog someday. Maybe now that he's retired, he can. Jim patiently listened to my stories about my pets - and commiserated with me when Kitty died.

Jim will be in isolation in Iowa City for several weeks, and even when he comes home - they live in Altoona, he won't even be able to open the house windows. We won't get to see him for a long time. My supervisor called Jim to see if he and wife Jackie would consider accepting a benefit DNR staffers would put on for them. Nope - they're doing just fine they say. Jen said Jim sounded good last week when she spoke to him, just before they left for Iowa City.

Mick, one of the engineers on staff suggests we hold a retirement party for Jim "In Absentia". I think Jim might like that. On today's road trip to Cedar Rapids we talked about doing something like that - taking pictures and signing a big card for Jim. I said we could spell out his name in bodies - but Bodensteiner is kinda long...

God Bless you Jim. Thinking of you!

Jim might have considered going JaimeBo here, but didn't...

The Happy Place Countdown is ON!

1 Week to my flight to happiness - Marco Island. Paul and I will meet Cindo and Colby there next Saturday. The way this winter has gone...for once it's not just about as warm here as it is there. I have been working at warp speed lately it seems. I love my job, but need a total break tree-hugging and from cubicle land.

I did enjoy a break from my cubicle yesterday as I worked with partner in crime Scott Flagg at a conference for landfill people and public works folks at the Sheraton in West Des Moines. Our bosses decided to invest some time and $ into a booth this year. Alex is a carpentry whiz. He whipped up an official Cornhole game. Yes folks that is what it's called - because Angie Googled it and found an actual association - Cornhole!

Scott Flagg with game - note skin with logo

Cornhole is a great tailgating activity! It was good for conferencing too. Alex built an "official" set and Jen had our communications department design a "skin" for it with our section's logo on it, made from sturdy Tyvec material. Angie ordered 4 bags - and yes, they're filled with - corn. It holds up better than beans.

LF Engineer Mike Smith blamed lack of beer for lack of prowess

We also decided to raffle a 4 seater park bench made from recycled milk jugs and plastic bags. This combination made our corner of the packed full exhibit room the "place to be" during session breaks! The sign up for the park bench was a good conversation starter. Those who chose to play the bag toss were eligible for several prizes - left over from last year's State Fair. People had fun with it. New employee Amy B. kept saying - "try the games - all the cool kids are playing!"

Landfill engineer Matt Phoenix, Scott and new girl, Amy Buckendahl(sp?)

Photo looking away from our booth - over 200 attended

Alex - at left is the supervisor of the Solid Waste Section.

I found out this afternoon that the landfill staff at the Iowa County Landfill won the bench and the director, Rick was thrilled! They have a beautiful facility, right by the Amana Colony and are certain to find a great spot to set the bench.

The other nice thing about this conference? Several people told me how they appreciate the attitude at DNR these days - how they feel staff is more committed to working with them. That comes from the top - Director Chuck Gipp was the keynote speaker yesterday and they liked what he had to say. I didn't get to hear it, but he talks at our periodic staff meetings. He gets it.

Enough about work.

We're entertaining for Easter! Paul's sis Carol, her daughter Barb with fam - husband Mike and daughter Mandy and Paul's sis Jean and husband Dave are coming. Paul will be making his standing rib. I'll whip up Mom's party potatoes in the crock pot. I stopped at Whole Foods today and got some yummy bread, and some desserts. Plus these beautiful flowers.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone.

Tomorrow, Lil Sis Chiya and I are going to the new Oz movie. I'm nervous, because I grew up on Oz - as did my Mom before me. The books are displayed proudly in my room - much beloved. I'm skeptical - but my supe, Jen said she took her 10 year old daughter who loved it. So I'm willing to give it a shot, for Chiya's sake - no 3-D though...that would mess with my head. Even more than I'm messed up already!