HRManager2B

My Comments

HRManager2b — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:28:56 +0000

Lowes.com vs. my favorite Lowes Store by Rick Vines

sylvianr78 said 1 month ago:

Rick,

I thought your blog on online vs. in-store shopping was really interesting to read and fully captured the pros/cons of both shopping experiences. As someone who *definitely* likes to shop, I felt I could relate to a lot of what you were saying regarding both the conveniences AND the drawbacks to both entities. I am a huge music enthusiast and can recall the first time I made a purchase on Amazon.com – it was a CD single of a band that had been very hard for me to find in any local music stores. Of course, this was before the advent (and surging popularity) of iTunes, so for the longest time I felt that if I couldn’t find what I was looking for *in* the store, I was just out of luck in terms of ever acquiring it. The breadth of selecton, variety and accessibility astounded me … It finally hit me that with the Internet, there truly is a “global” market at your fingertips, just waiting for you to dive in and make a purchase.

You said 1 week ago:

Rick,

I often do the exact same thing with Lowes.com! If I have a particular item that I’m looking for, I will check the website first to see if they even carry it. At that point, I’ll check to see if it is in stock at any of my local stores. To take it a step further, I will then price compare with Home Depot! If Home Depot has the same item listed cheaper on their website (regardless if it is in stock locally or not), I will print off the page from the HD site which lists the price and take it to my local Lowes and they will often times price match. Only once have they turned me down for the price match and it was because the model number didn’t match exactly. It is not just Lowes.com that this method can be used for. Several other stores like Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Walmart are great examples of retailers who have websites with online shopping options. I never really stopped to think about how much easier it makes my life to have access to this kind of shopping. Even if the item isn’t available in my local store, I still know that they carry the item and I can order it online!

Rick Vines said 2 days ago:

We men love our hardware stores, don’t we? With the economy being so bad now, one good byproduct is that all of the retail stores are competing for whatever business is out there. I have made many good purchases recently by comparing not only one store to another, but also their on line web stores as well as other on line companies. I have found that on line shopping to be very easy and fast, and the selections are much better.

Rick Vines said 2 days ago:

Nikki,
You strike me as the kind of person who enjoys her shopping! I have to agree about your comments concerning Amazon.com. I just placed an order yesterday to buy books for my well earned vacation in two weeks. One great thing about most of the internet shopping sites is the large sellection of products. We are both definately on the same page. Thanks for the smiey face.

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Software used in GPS unit: Garmin by cams10

You said 1 month ago:

I’m all about user friendly! We were just out looking for GPS systems today and I just got so overwhelmed by the choices and the different features, that I told the sales guy that I needed to go home and research a little bit more before I could make a decision. Afterall, I just need something to tell me where to go!! I don’t need it to do my laundry for me. . .although, it sure would be nice!

I think it is VERY smart on Garmon’s part to make sure that all future upgrades are free to consumers. I never thought to check on that, but now I know! I will certainly check to see if other brands include the future upgrades for free too. If not, I guess Garmon has one positive mark in my quest to find the perfect GPS system for me!

mboe said 1 month ago:

Great information. Thank you. When I bought my last car I opted for the 7-speaker stereo (not so special though it turned out to be) instead of the GPS (they use the same dashboard cut-outs so a vehicle can only have one or other). I decided not to buy the GPS option because they required the owner to *purchase* annual updates. With all the construction that goes on in our great nation, I thought the idea of annual updates ridiculous, and me having to pay for them even sillier. In my ignorance of GPS’s, I thought they all worked like this. Thank you for the great post teaching me there are better options out there.
-Maria

Rick Vines said 1 month ago:

Crystal,
I liked the information you have here on the Garmin. I chose the same topic but did mine on the Tom Tom. It’s not as well known, but I have personally used both and also looked at the Magellan, and I thought the Tom Tom was a little more user friendly. Comparing apples to apples, I found it was also a little less expensive. I liked th fact that you listed all their models, too. Wish I had done that.
Rick

cams10 said 1 month ago:

I’m glad that you found the information useful. Choosing less expensive products is a good choice these days!! I listed only 1/3 of their models as I thought that was enough for our classmates to get the idea. It’s not too late to list the models! Recently, there was a sale at Kohl’s and the Nextar 3.5 inch GPS system was on sale for $99 plus a $20 mail-in rebate! Customers were bringing their reciepts to the store as they had purchased the same GPS unit for nearly $300! It pays to be a wise shopper even when you are looking for a comparable GPS unit! This may help some of us with our purchases.

Lynn Alexander said 1 month ago:

Crystal,

You did a good job presenting this information. I do not have a gps system, but I am always around people who do and they love them. I have been thinking about getting one, but it is very confusing to process all the information. One complaint I always here is about the fee to purchase updates. It is good to know that Garmin offers them for free.
Lynn

cams10 said 1 month ago:

I really want a GPS system in my next car. I’ve been looking at the features on some of them and they seem really great! I think we should all get together as a class and ask Garmin to give us a student discount on our first 1-3 years of service! We can probably make suggestions of how there features can be more user friendly eventhough I haven’t heard complaints about them at all. This would be a great project for us to do!!

GarminGPS said 1 month ago:

If you are looking your new GPS navigator Store. I recommend you to find your new Garmin GPS Store at our website store. Anyway, you may find product spec., echnical review, accessories and maps update for Garmin 780,765T,755T,255W,360,205W,250,260,260W,265WT,270,760 and others Garmin nuvi information at http://garmingps.geogats.com/garmin-store/

loly910 said 1 week ago:

Hi Crystal,

Thank you so much for all the useful information. I don’t have a GPS unit, but have put a lot of thought into getting one in my next car I purchase. Buying any electronic device in this day and age can be confusing and overwhelming, there are so many options to choose from that you spend days trying to make a decision.

A few of the key things that I would have looked into when purchasing a GPS unit would have been its cost, and how simple it would be to use. I am a bit behind in the times I guess, because I was not aware of the yearly updates. Thanks to all your information. Now I know that I have to look into a unit that comes with the free update software, I know things have updates but I just didn’t think about it.

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Netiquette by loly910

You said 1 week ago:

You have brought up some great points about netiquette! There are so many opportunities in life to learn “manners” or “ettiquette” skills that prepare people for the world but, unfortunately, most people don’t realize that those “real world” skills should transfer over to internet usage as well. There are really some key things that get under my skin about the way that individuals utilize virtual communication:

1. Grammar and spelling skills are HORRIBLE! As an avid blog follower and someone that uses email and chat for a very large percentage of communication, I am astounded at the number of people who clearly cannot spell or put together a sentence. I am by no means a spelling wizard, but when someone cannot spell even the most basic words it really sets a bad reputation for them. Afterall, when communicating virtually, you don’t have much to go off of when defining your perception of someone!
2. I cannot stand slang or abbreviations in certain parts of virtual communication. Sure, if I’m chatting with a friend I am completely at ease with slang and have even been guilty of using it once and a while. However, when I’m reading a website or a blog post, I get so irritated when I see slang terms such as “LOL”, “KWIM”, or “BRB”. They are so unprofessional and there is no guarantee that everyone in the audience even knows what they stand for.
Overall, the internet is a wonderful place to learn, work, & play but with most things, it comes with some downfalls. If everyone would take a moment to stop and read some of the basic rules of “Netiquette”, things might be a little better!

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Wireless networks in public places by xbtrxswtx

You said 1 month ago:

I, too, love the fact that Starbucks (and many other businesses, but mainly Starbucks because I am such a frequent customer!) offers wireless internet access for no charge to their customers. However, the full appreciation for these businesses didn’t reach it’s pinnacle until this past weekend. I had planned a beach trip with some girlfriends several months ago. Long before I had started my summer session at UR. As luck would have it, I had a take-home final that was to be completed this weekend. I checked with the rental company and there was no internet access at the beach house where we would be staying. I was starting to panic as I certainly wasn’t in a position where I could cancel the trip, nor did I want to on account of a lack of internet access. So, I vowed to “figure it out when I get there” and headed out to the beach for my sun (and fun!) filled weekend. As I was approaching the beachhouse that we rented, I happened to glance to the left and I saw a Starbucks. PERFECT! Coffee and internet access. Just what I needed. So on the morning after I arrived at the beach, I was able to get up early and head off to Starbucks to get an early morning caffiene boost and log on to the internet for the time that I needed to in order to finish my final and email it to my professor. After that, I was off for a great weekend with my girlfriends and not spending my time worried about when/how I was going to complete my final!

carmenga said 3 weeks ago:

I wrote about Starbucks as well. It is an all time favorite of mine. I love the coffee, cafe’ mocha with no whip cream, definitely. I can attest to the fact that the longer you stay the more money you spend. It is a very relaxed environment and I would say that the owners have increased their clientele by offering the wireless services to customers. Also, the audience which they serve changed as the result of offering wireless.

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.Com or the Mall? by catstd

You said 1 month ago:

Wow, I must say that your experience with a brick and mortar location and an online site with the same company were different than mine. After reading about your experience, you have given me a new way to look at the offerings of having an online site for a store. I didn’t realize that some companies would allow for the sales reps or customers to order an item that wasn’t offered/available in the store and either have the item shipped directly to your home or to the brick and mortar location for pick up. Your experience and the positives that you were able to find about having both the brick and mortar location and the online website have certainly opened my eyes to the benefits!

mboe said 1 month ago:

Wow! It’s a very interesting observation that one of the reasons you like the physical store is for the relationship experience with the clerks. I live in San Jose, CA, a very large and densely populated area. It never occurred to me that any of the salespeople would remember me from visit to visit (except at my grocer’s).

I also like how you describe the jacket/defective zipper incident helped you to realize the benefits of online stores. That was a nice touch. My favorite store, REI, also offers that perk.

Thanks for sharing your wonderful insights.

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Technology doesn’t grow, it Shrinks by mboe

You said 1 month ago:

Maria, your post was fantastic. I really applaud you for the amount of research that you put into it. . and then you cited it! The post brought up some really great points that I had never actually thought of. I don’t actually remember 8 track tapes, but I do remember cassette tapes. In fact, I remember just how in awe I was when CD’s came out. Pretty soon, it seemed like all of my CD’s that were meticulously arranged in alphabetical order and placed in cd booklets (so that I could listen to them in my car) were all packed away so that I could download all of my favorite songs onto the computer and then burn those songs onto just a handful of cd’s instead of having a couple HUNDRED in my car! Sadly, that’s where I lost touch with technology. It seems that everyone now has MP3 players or Ipods. I have not caught up to that wave of technology, despite the fact that I’m only 26! However, I can completely see (and find humor in) the appropriate-ness of your post title. Technology really is shrinking as all of these devices are just getting smaller and smaller. Look at the cell phone: my first cell phone was this enormous device that didn’t even fit into my purse. Now, I’m carrying a cell phone that is so small that it routinely gets lost in my purse. I’m also carrying a miniture computer, otherwise known as a Blackberry. I can literally do my job from my Blackberry. Send and receive emails, host conference calls, research client issues, and track everything on my calendar. I’ve even paid bills online from my Blackberry!

catstd said 1 month ago:

Even though our devices are getting smaller the instruction manuals that come along with them get bigger and longer. With each new phone I get I learn one or two new things it does. I can’t spend the amount of time necessary to read all the instructions to learn everything it is capable of.

I just learned to take pictures and send them on my phone. I can send and receive text messages. This is a big step for me. I just caught up to modern technology this year. As I learn one new thing there are ten or more others I don’t even have a clue about. Do we really need so many options? I have to admit i received a picture of my nephew’s graduation this week and I was glad for this option on my phone. I may not understand how it all works but I can muddle through the basics.

Rick said 1 month ago:

Maria,
You have a very insightful post. All of your musical references took me down memory lane. I had a car with an 8 track, and it was the talk of the town. It seems like yesterday when I would go jogging with my cassette deck hooked to my waist and the big earphones covering half my face. Yes, technology is advancing very rapidly; for me, too rapidly. By the time I learn how to use something new, it is already obsolete. On the other hand, I love learning, and technology is always fascinating. You seem to have a good grasp on all the recent updates.

sbutl0227 said 1 month ago:

Hi Maria,
The average consumer demands the concept of smaller and smaller devices. Technology is fascinating but who can keep up with the recent materials? I am still trying to learn how to work the new gadgets on my cellphone. Every three to six months something new is on the market. The competion is so high and demanding that the companies can not keep up with the gadets. I remember when the walkie talkies was the greatest thing for the individuals. You could carry the music on your hips for hours and listen to your greatest tunes. People loved to workout or run errands while the music played in their ears. Compact is the new rule of the day, because you can carry or play the device in your pockets. Which is a good thing.

leebee190 said 1 month ago:

I am an interesting case. I feel as if I have grown up with technology. I remember having computer class in elementary school and fighting with my classmates about whose turn it was to use the color monitor. This was back when Apple was the major producer of computers and the major task we performed was playing Oregon Trail.

I have to admit growing up with technology evolving; I am always looking for the “latest and greatest” upgrades, features, and speed in the technology I buy. It seems that just as I buy something that I think is on the cutting edge of technology, there emerges something with better features, faster speed, and better upgrades. But no matter how you look at it, we really do RELY on our technology. How many times do we drive while on the phone, or text while performing simple tasks like laundry or cooking dinner?

At the end of the day, I think we take advantage of our technological advances. We are always wishing that we could make things run faster. In my opinion, I think it’s because we rely so much on our technology.

mboe said 1 month ago:

My boss at work shared with me: Moore’s law describes a long-term trend in the history of computing hardware. Since the invention of the integrated circuit in 1958, the number of transistors that can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit has increased exponentially, doubling approximately every two years.[1] The trend was first observed by Intel co-founder Gordon E. Moore in a 1965 paper. (Source: http://www.intel.com/technology/mooreslaw/)

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Why I like Information Technology by cams10

catstd said 1 month ago:

crystal,
You sound very excited about technology, alot more than I am. It totally frustrates me. It seems that everywhere I go the “system” is down, running slow, or during a storm the satellites work intermittently. I often wonder about where we would be if a strong EMP (electro magnetic pulse ) hits and we lose everything electric. Could we survive without our technology?

I have a friend enrolled in a similar course at another college. She attended her first class last week. Her professor told them to never bank online because it was not safe that anyone could hack into the accounts and wipe it out. I am old fashioned and do not trust technology when it comes to my hard earned money.

I had to renew my license tags last month and was upset when I found out I would be penalized with a $5 charge if I chose to renew in person at the DMV. Then I found another option by visiting a satellite office in the Chesterfield courthouse complex. Five dollars buys two gallons of gas for the car.

I hope i don’t sound too negative. I tolerate technology and use it reluctantly. I enjoyed your enthusiasm about the subject.

cams10 said 1 month ago:

Well, I am “initially” excited about the good things about technology! You are right!! The systems are down quite often in many places! It just happened to me today at work! I spent hours keying in information then the computer crashed! I am old fashioned as well and I just started banking online. I usually keep a paper trail and I only do minimal transactions. There is so much going on with the satellites and technology and I’ve been hearing about some things that could happen to us any day now in regards to technology. Yeah, I saw the $5 fee for renewing in person as well! You know this is the way the state-governments make money from the citizens!!! That’s why I renewed online! I’ve been paying bills online just to save gas!! I am definitely not opposed or offended by your comments. You are stating your opinion and you are right! I’ll stay excited about technology as I continue to fulfill the goals regarding technology in my life.

rvines said 1 month ago:

It would have been so great to have all of this computer technology years ago when I was in my youth. You are right when you say that computer technology is a great time saver. I remember spending many hours in the library conducting research and looking up information. Now I can go on line and have more information in an instant! I laughed when I read your DMV reference, because I found out the same thing only recently. It sure beats the long wait at the local DMV branch. This past Christmas I really got into online shopping. They are never out of stock, the prices are so easy to compare, and I can do it in my bathrobe. I am not afraid of online banking either, because they are always open. I share your enthusiasm and only

You said 1 month ago:

Crystal, you bring up alot of great points as to the “greatness” of modern technology. While I don’t often think about it, there are SO many conveniences that this technology affords us. I don’t have too many memories of what life was like before computers or internet, so I don’t have much to compare it to. However, after actually spending an entire day tracking my interactions with information technology, I now realize just how vital it is to my everyday activities. In fact, it just keeps getting better and better! They just keep coming out with new technological advances that continue to streamline efficiency and make our lives even easier!

You said 1 month ago:

Oops, that comment posted under another blog name that I have. That last comment actually came from me (Aryn-HRManager2b)

Are e-commerce sites really “One-Stop-Shopping”?

HRManager2b — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:20:48 +0000

My cousin is getting married in September and as with most young couples just starting out in the world, he and his fiance have created a registry chock full of housewares. It certainly helped that their registry was with one of my favorite stores: Bed Bath and Beyond. I love that store!! So, on a lazy Sunday afternoon, I wandered my way into the store to pick out the perfect wedding gift. As I requested a copy of their registry from the customer service desk, I was shocked to see that many of the items they chose were marked as “online only”. This certainly intrigued me. As I blissfully walked the aisles debating between many different gift options, as well as creating my own mile-long wish list of items, my mind kept wondering back to the “online only” items. I decided against buying their gift that day and decided I would wait to see what the store’s online site offered.

Once I got home and pulled up Bed Bath and Beyond’s site online I was beyond shocked to see how many more options were offered. Most of the same items that I had seen in the brick and mortar store were offered, but there were so many other things that I noticed were not available in stores. It was almost like the brick and mortar store served as only a “sample” of what the company offered. To be perfectly honest, I was a little irritated to see items that I would love to buy, but were only offered online. You see, I’m the “touch and feel” type person. When I shop, I want to pick up the item and try it out. I want to be able to really check it out and make sure it is going to fit my needs before I actually purchase it. If an item that I want is only offered online, I miss that opportunity. Plus, I miss the convenience of being able to return the item to my local store if I receive it and I’m not satifisfied. However, the endless number of options that are offered online was certainly interesting to me.

One other difference that I noticed between the online vs. brick and mortar shopping experience is that Bed Bath and Beyond routinely issues 15% or 20% off coupons that you can use for in-store purchases. What if I find an item online that I want to buy but the stores don’t carry it? Can I use the coupon? I grabbed one of those coupons (I keep many of them on hand since I really do love that store!) and scanned it to see if I saw an online code that could be used for online purchases. The coupon clearly says “In-store use only, not valid for online purchases”. That was certainly a little frustrating to read! I realize that the company probably issues theses coupons to drive traffic to the brick and mortar locations, but it seems unfair for those customers who want to buy something that is only offered online.

At the end of the day, I’m glad that I can continue to shop one of my favorite stores and can look for items that I want online if I can’t find them in the store, but I do wish the stores would allow customers to order the products online from a terminal in the store and allow the customers to both use their coupons for those items and return items directly to a brick and mortar location if they recieve an item they’ve purchased online and are not satisfied with it.

The Last Place You Would Find a Computer: Fast Food Joints

HRManager2b — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:04:00 +0000

In today’s world, computers are everywhere. Almost to the point where you don’t even really notice them anymore. However, when you walk into a fast food joint and you see a computer terminal set up, it definitely sticks out! I had noticed computer stations at a few fast food places prior to working at SnagAJob.com, but it wasn’t until after I started working with a few of the larger (ie: well known) fast food brands that I understood why they were there. Interestingly enough, those computer stations are there so that candidates can apply for jobs at that particular fast food location. However, the candidate is applying through the internet on a computer network that is sometimes operating nationwide. In some cases, worldwide!

For example, Boston Market has all interested applicants apply for jobs on a computer terminal that is located right there in the restaurant. However, the candidate’s application doesn’t go to the Store Manager of that location, instead, it is routed through the SnagAJob website and is delivered to what’s called an Applicant Tracking System where all applications are pooled together, assessed for skill level, and then routed back out to the Area Coaches for a group of locations. In some cases, the Area Coach that recieves that application is located in a different state. At that point, the Area Coach would call the candidate to begin the interview/hiring process.

Another client that I had was a franchise of Hardees brand. This particular franchise used a computer terminal, located right in the restaurant, for a similar reason. Instead of the applicant using the computer to apply online, they would have candidates fill out a paper application. Once the candidate filled out the application, the candidate would then be sat down in front of the computer to begin an assessment process. This included quite a few questions that gauged what types of skills that the applicant possessed. Once the applicant was done with the assessment, a set of results would print out in the manager’s office. That results sheet would tell the manager what types of positions that the candidate would be a good fit for. At that point, the manager could then determine whether or not an open position is existing that the candidate could fill. This assessment-on-location gives the manager the ability to make quicker hiring decisions.

It is truly amazing how much computers are coming into play with all different types of everyday activities!

The “Mojave Experiment”

HRManager2b — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:28:31 +0000

What would you do if you had a negative perception of something and someone tried to tell you that you were wrong? You would stand your ground, right? What about if that person showed you that you were wrong?

When Microsoft set out to release Vista, they had quite the marketing campaign set up to roll out prior to the release. However, along the line, that Marketing campaign fell apart and coupled with the presence of Mac’s “Buy a Mac” commerical’s it almost seemed that Vista was destined for failure. However, the clever Marketing folks at Microsoft weren’t going to let that happen. So, they came up with the “Mojave Experiment”.

Basically, the “Mojave Experiment” was a way for Microsoft to show people that their misconceptions of the new Vista operating system were wrong. Not tell them, show them. To do this, they invited 140 people to come and try out the new “Mojave” system. However, it was actually the Vista system, just “re-branded” for sake of showing each of these people that they were wrong in their previous opinions of the Vista system. Check out the promotional material that Microsoft released in connection with the project:

“The Placebo Effect”:

Pretty interesting, huh? Overall, there were 140 people who were polled. Of those people:

94% of respondents rated the “new operating system” codenamed Windows “Mojave” higher than they initially rated Windows Vista before
the demo.

0% of the respondents rated the “new operating system” codenamed Windows “Mojave” lower than they initially rated Windows Vista before
the demo.

Of the 140* respondents polled (on a scale of 1-10 where 10 was the highest rating):

The average pre-demo score for Windows Vista was 4.4
The average post-demo score for the “new operating system” codenamed Windows “Mojave” was 8.5

Many respondents said they would have rated the “new operating system” code-named Windows “Mojave” higher, but wanted more time
to play with it themselves

What’s more, 19% of respondents rated the “new operating system” code-named Windows “Mojave” a “10”

Source Cite: http://www.microsoft.com/nz/digitallife/software/mojave_experiment_windows_vista.mspx

Even though this experiment potentially opened the eyes of those consumers who had erroneous negative preconceived notions about the new Vista software, this approach was extremely risky on the part of Microsoft. As a whole, we are somewhat of a proud species. We don’t necessarily like to admit when we’re wrong! Although the folks in the video seem very gracious and quick to admit that they were wrong, many people see the “Mojave Experiment” as an arrogant attempt to play the “I told you so” game. Under the tremendous amount of negative publicity that Microsoft was getting for a program that was not necessarily deserving of the negative words, this was a risk that Microsoft was willing to take.

However, some folks still don’t have positive views of the new Vista program. . .even after using it! This blogger, Call Me Fishmeal, REALLY doesn’t like Microsoft or their products!

http://www.wilshipley.com/blog/2008/07/mojave-experiment-bad-science-bad.html

He maintains that the experiment was flawed because it was so incredibly controlled. He makes some great points in his post that really make you think about whether or not Microsoft was successful in what they set out to do. Another site, Microsoft Watch, gives Microsoft credit for their innovative thinking, but backs what others continue to say about Vista: that is is flawed. The article states that if everyone included in the experiment had been sent home with a copy of Vista and had been allowed to test it for longer than the 10 minute controlled environment, the satisfaction ratings would likely have been much lower.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/marketing/viral_vista_the_mojave_experiment.html

Personally, I prefer Windows XP. We have multiple computers in our house and I have 2 at work. Several of my computers are set up on XP and one of our home computers and both of my work computers are set up on Vista. I just don’t like navigating around the Vista computers and find myself naturally drawn to my laptop, which uses XP, because I feel more comfortable navigating Windows XP.

A Day in the Life of My Technological Interactions

HRManager2b — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:31:53 +0000

6:30 a.m.: I wake up to the sound of my alarm clock BLARING. . .who in their right mind thought that an insanely annoying buzzer was a good idea to start someone’s day off on the right foot. But, it’s done it’s job. I’m awake.

7:15 a.m. (yes, I just spent 45 minutes in the shower) After getting out of the shower, there is only one thing on my mind: coffee. Thanks to the programmable coffemaker, I can smell the delicious aroma of Starbucks Espresso Roast tickling my nose. Aaaah delicioius coffee!

7:30 a.m. With coffee cup in hand, I head back upstairs to get ready for my day. As I flip on the flat screen tv attached to the bedroom wall, I check my blackberry just to make sure that my new boss hasn’t sent me anything this early. Afterall, he’s already been in the office for 2 hours now. After confirming that my Blackberry is “Boss-Free”, I check my personal cell phone just to make sure that I didn’t miss any calls from last night to this morning. My family is in Wyoming which is 2 hours behind me, so it’s not uncommon for my sisters to call me after I’m already asleep.

8:30 a.m. As I shuffle myself and my son toward the door to head out to work/school, I (thankfully!) remember to go back and set the timer on the crockpot. At least now I know we’ll have dinner ready for us when we get home. YES! Less stress!

8:35 a.m. As I buckle my son into his carseat to head to school, he begs me to turn on the dvd player in the car and let him watch Transformers. I’m not up for the fight so I turn on his movie so that I can enjoy approximately 4 minutes of peace and quiet while driving.

8:45 a.m. After dropping off my son at school, I am back in the car heading to work when I happen to glance down. . .CRUD! I need gas. I pull into the cheapest gas station I can find (afterall, gas is expensive and I drive a Tahoe. . not a fun combination!) and trust that the prices showing on the computerized billboard are the most updated. I can’t stomach gas prices going any higher! After paying for my gas at the pump, I fill up and hop back into the car.

8:55 a.m. Despite the fact that I’ve already had a cup of coffee, I could really go for a grande Mocha and a warm Raspberry scone from Starbucks. Aaargh, not enough time to stop before I have to be at work. That is until I remember that there’s a drive through Starbucks on my way to the office! Saved by the drive through!!

9:00 a.m. I make it to the office on time and promptly swipe my entry card through the security screening machine at the front doors and head up to the 3rd floor in the elevator. On the ride up, I start checking my email from my Blackberry. My boss has just scheduled a webinar for me to present a new software product to a client. Fantastic!

9:02 a.m. I sit down at my desk and log in to the computer. I immediately start responding to emails and line up a conference call with 2 co-workers that work remotely in Texas and Florida. Hmm, I wonder if I will ever actually meet these 2 people face-to-face. Afterall, we can work closely without having to actually be in the same state thanks to Technology.

10:15 a.m. I have to start gathering information for this webinar that I’m holding at 11. I hop onto the internet and start poking around to find out information about the company I’m presenting to, any apparent pain points that they may currently be having that our new product would alleviate, and then check to see if we are servicing any of their competitors. Thanks goodness for the internet. . I would have never been able to get this necessary information otherwise!

11:00 a.m. I log into GoToMeeting and wait for my client to log in. While I’m waiting, I notice that another co-worker has logged in. Apparently, he’s going to sit in on my presentation to learn a little bit about the new product. He’s in London conducting a training seminar. I wonder what time it is in London right now.

12:15 p.m. The presentation went GREAT! The client has asked me to email them the synopsis of the presentation along with a proposal for services. They’ll sign it, scan it, and send it back to me later this afternoon. My co-workers are waiting on me to go to lunch. I check my wallet and realize that I’m low on cash. I beg my co-workers to take pity on me and run through an ATM on the way to lunch. The oblige but make me sit in the backseat as punishment. No problem. . I found my co-worker’s son’s Nintendo DS back there. I’m entertained!

1:00 p.m. On the way back to work, one of my co-workers notifies us that we need to stop by the printer and pick up a load of training materials that we need to ship to CA for a training next week. We’re not sure exactly where the printer is located, so we plug the address into her Navigation system. In a matter of seconds, we have an illustrated map with a soothing female voice giving us turn-by-turn directions.

2:30 p.m. I’ve packed up all of the training materials and now I just have to arrange for UPS to ship them. I log into ups.com and electronically process the shipment and print off the shipping label. I leave the package at the front desk for the UPS man to pick up and email the tracking number to our instructors in CA. In a few short days, they should receive the package. In the meantime, they can track the shipment electronically.

4:00 p.m. After completing my in-office work for the day, I make sure my Blackberry is fully charged so that I don’t miss any important e-mails tonight. Once I’ve logged out of my computer, I pack up and head home. I can’t wait for some BBQ from the crockpot!

4:25 p.m. I arrive at my son’s school to pick him up. As I do every morning and every afternoon, I enter our private security code on the touch screen panel which tracks the time of check-in and check-out each day. As I walk down the hallway to his classroom, I stop at the bank of monitors which televises what is happening in each of the classroom in real time. I see Pumpkin sitting in a child size recliner reading a book with 2 other kids sitting at his feet seemingly listening to him “read” the story to them. So cute!

4:45 p.m. We arrive home and as we walk into the house, I’m not greeted with the delicious smell of BBQ. Hmm, I wonder what the deal is. As I walk into the kitchen to inspect further, I stop dead in my tracks. The timer is still running. . . but the red power light is not on. Seriously? I set the timer and forgot to turn the crockpot on. Not cool. Not cool at all. I don’t actually believe it could be true, so I lift the glass lid. Sure enough, there’s a completely uncooked pork roast just sitting there. Uggh, what a waste of a good piece of meat. What am I going to do about dinner?

5:00 p.m. After muttering a few choice words under my breath, I relent to ordering a pizza. I log in to dominos.com to get the number of the nearest location and I’m DELIGHTED to see that I can place my order online and pick it up in the store. GREAT! I order a large cheese pizza with extra cheese, an order of breadsticks with garlic dipping sauce, and a side of buffalo wings for my fiance. After I click submit, I’m greeted by this interesting looking screen which appears like it’s a progress bar. While studying it for a minute, I am taken back when the progress bar suddenly lights up about a 1/3 of the way and I see a flashing message that says “Jeff has just started working on your pizza”. WHAT IS THIS THING??? I open another browser and check my personal email to see if either of my parents have sent me anything today. Since we are so far away from each other (Mom is in Wyoming and Dad is in New Mexico), we primarily communicate through email and the occasional cell phone calls. No emails, just I check out the Dominos page again. It is now lit 2/3 of the way and it says “Your pizza is in the oven”. WOW! This thing is amazing!

5:10 p.m. I call my fiance and let him know that our dinner is ready and ask him to pick it up on his way home from work. He asks how much it is going to cost him. “Nothing, honey. I paid for it online!”

I can’t believe how much technology I come into contact with on a regular basis. Until I actually had this assignment where I had to track it all, I kind of took it for granted. I’m amazed by the ease off my life compared to how hard it might be without all of these conveniences. The sad thing is, the hardest piece of technology that I came into contact with today was that crockpot! The most amazing to me was the Dominos tracker! That just blows my mind that technology has advanced that much that a company can keep me updated virtually with the status of my pizza! I honestly don’t know how I would make it through the day without things that I’ve come to know as “normal”: my cell phone, Blackberry, laptop (which I’m working from now while keeping an eye on my son!), and all of the technological devices that go along with my job. Now I realize just how spoiled my generation is!

I’m so excited!!

HRManager2b — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 03:14:30 +0000

I know it sounds dorky, but I’m so excited to be starting this blog. Yes, I have other blogs. Some I’m actively updating and some that have just fallen through the cracks, but I’m super excited about this blog. Why? Because I have an actual audience that I know will be reading this one! True, most of you will read it only because you have to. . .and are graded for it but nevertheless, I now have a captive audience! Yep, I’m one big dork!

I promise to do everything in my power to at least keep this blog somewhat entertaining. At least that way, you might want to come back rather than just do it because we all have to read each other’s blogs.