annapolis in the fall

as promised some .jpgs of the united states naval academy in the fall

chapel dome with the evening light

amazing light on the leaves

at the twilight's last gleaming...

the chapel dome is just so photogenic

this little tree is just so cool.

i love this line of golden trees.

in the morning light

right outside my office.

i work in a beautiful place.

all photos taken with my

sony cybershot dsc-w560

and edited in picasa

fun at work

Last week I got to go downtown for Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) National Capitol Area (NCA) awards ceremony and represent my organization along with a co-worker.  We received First Prize for one of our fundraising events last fall, the CFC Pinewood Derby. We didn't even know that we had won, until we were looking through the program and saw our organization listed as a winner.

If you think that a Cub Scout Pinewood Derby is fun, then just imagine one with cars made by adults, some of whom are engineers and like to play. We had a great time at that fundraiser.  I was so proud to represent our CFC team. Way to go!!!

Just another reason why I like my job.

photo from cfcnca.org

simple, right?

My deep thoughts for the day...

This week I've been in training to become a leadership advisor for a drug and alcohol program. Today in class we were asked, at the end of a very broad, long and dry presentation, "True or False: Can we win the war on drugs?" Most in the class answered no. I however answered yes, and was laughed at incredulously by some of the members of the class.  Here's how I defended my answer: Yes, we can win the war on drugs one person at a time.

The war on drugs that I can fight and win is on an individual basis with people. I can't go to Mexico to broker peace with the drug cartels, to Afghanistan to convince farmers to stop planting poppies and funding the local Taliban and hence world terrorist organizations, or to Colombia to stop the cocaine trade. I can work with individuals who come to me or are referred to me for help, and point them in the right direction to get help, and I can help to educate people before they make these choices.  That's the part I have control over and the possibility of me winning this part is there, difficult, but not impossible.

Someone laughed when I said that we can win one person at a time, and used the analogy of the starfish on the beach. Yep, it's true we can't throw all of them back in the ocean, but to the ones we throw back in the ocean a difference has been made. Another person accused me of being a Democrat, as if they have the corner on individualism... Nonetheless, I stand by my answer. We can win, one person at a time.

I get frustrated sometimes by the lack of vision when it comes to managing personnel administration programs within organizations. Sure, part of managing a program is to monitor statistics and apply the over arching policies. However, unless the application of the program is distilled to simple terms, then the point is missed, and the point with this particular program about which I'm learning is people. How to educate a person to think about his or her choices. How to help them when they don't make the right choice. How to determine if they deserve a second chance or if the policy will allow a second chance. How to hold them accountable when their actions don't uphold the standards and values of the organization. We have to apply programs to people and on an individual basis when we can.

People are the most important part of any program and by losing sight of how to apply programs to people, then we lose sight of the people.

But, people are not the simplest element to deal with. I get this. People have to want to change and even then they may not choose to, I get this too. I get that sometimes I won't be able to help someone in the ways they truly need to be helped, because of the parameters of the program I'm dealing with. That's life and sometimes, well a lot of the time, it's not ideal. That's okay, and I can deal with that, as long as I know that I did my part.

Thanks for reading. I just had to get this off my chest today.

amazing colleagues

I enjoy my job.  It's very challenging and analytical.  However, I don't always get to be creative or feel like I make a difference in ways that are really personally meaningful.  To change this I have volunteered for the past two years to work with the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), which is the only authorized charity pledge drive for Federal employees in the workplace.  Charities who wish to participate in CFC must under go an audit and then they are listed in a Catalog of Caring.  There are almost 4,000 charities to which Federal employees can donate through CFC. 

Each Federal organization receives a fundraising goal and comes up with fun ways to market CFC and encourage employees to donate towards the goal.  Employees can donate by cash, check, credit card or payroll deduction.  Federal employees around the world do this each year in the fall and donate millions of dollars to charitable organizations around the world and in the U.S.  Cool, huh?

I help run the CFC pledge drive in the Federal organization for which I work.  It's really fun and I get to be creative in coming up with ideas for marketing and raising awareness of our campaign.  Plus, it's meaningful work for me and I'm paid to do it. Yay!

Why am I writing about this on my blog?  Because today was an amazing day.  We hosted an outdoor CFC Car Show and had 13 employees who entered their classic car, or show car or bike.  They competed for a trophy by competing to see which car could raise the most money for CFC.  Basically if you liked the car, then you voted for it with cash.  It's an easy way to raise money.  We hosted representatives from CFC approved charities, who showcased the ways in which CFC has helped their organizations.  We also grilled hotdogs and kabobs, and other employees donated homemade dishes for a lunchtime potluck-BBQ.  Perfect for a warm fall day.

Here's the amazing part: in two hours we raised $1700.00 with voting for Car Show favorites and donations for lunch!  Plus, almost $50,000 was donated this week by our employees through other means of giving.  I work with such an amazing group of people and as always I am amazed and humbled by their compassion and generosity.

Today I really, really love my job!

sorry, i can't post photos of the event without going through legal rigmarole...

 

image

snowpacolypse 2 - the day after the day after and more to come tomorrow

From weather.com:

... WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TUESDAY TO 7 PM EST WEDNESDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TUESDAY TO 7 PM EST WEDNESDAY.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE... SNOW.
* ACCUMULATIONS... 10 TO 20 INCHES.

Seriously, 10 to 20 MORE inches.  Where are we going to put it?!?!?!  The news is saying the city is dumping snow at the old hospital grounds.  That's just up the street from me.  But seriously, 10 to 20 more inches... uh, okay.  I'm waiting to see if Metro will be running before I decide if I'm going into work tomorrow--no word yet.

Snow day today--the first of this year and the second for this winter which have been declared by the Federal Government.  As a federal employee, I'm thankful I didn't have to try and get to work today.  My car is still buried. I didn't even try to dig it out, because there's no way I'm going to be driving on these streets.

I went for a walk around the neighborhood, because I needed to get out and get some fresh air.  I helped push out two cars that were stuck on A Street NE, where not one snow plow had passed by.  One Honda was high-centered on the snow and it took four passers-by and the two women in the car to dig out the snow and then push it out.  Fun stuff!

Maybe there was a snow plow that came through this street.

On the roads where the snow plows did their job,

this is what it takes to dig your car out.

Here's what the car above probably looked before it was dug out.

Imagine 10 to 20 more inches on top of this!

Digging out is a neighborhood affair.  This guy hired the neighbor boys to dig his car out.

The owner of the car talked to me as I went by, and said he needed to get to Baltimore tonight.

Okay, sure.  Be stupid and drive--good luck and be safe.

This is A Street NE where dug out the Honda.

Amazing that this street hasn't been plowed yet.

Cross country skier going through the intersection.

I should order some skis, it would be easiest way to get around the neighborhood and get to work.

Plus, my thighs and butt would look AWESOME.

Looking down East Capitol Street, I can finally see pavement

and the Capitol in the distance.

Lots of trees in the neighborhood have storm damage from the weight of the snow.

I'm just glad none of the big trees around my house have had problems.

My friend CSB said the streets near the schools have been plowed in her neighborhood.

But this street is right next to the middle school, and only two blocks away from me.

As you can see, no snow plow.

Well, Mother Nature is showing her great power this week.

I really hope the storm tomorrow rolls right by without dumping on us.

Other friends from church have also been blogging about the storm.

Check out their new puppy in the snow here.  Very cute and fun!

photos by me

breathe

Verb: breathe breedh
1. Draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs
2. Be alive
3. Impart as if by breathing
4. Allow the passage of air through
5. Utter or tell
6. Manifest or evince
7. Take a short break from one’s activities in order to relax
8. Reach full flavor by absorbing air and being let to stand after having been uncorked
9. Expel (gases or odours)

I like numbers 1, 2, and 7. I think I need to breathe this week.

inhale. exhale. inhale. exhale.

I think I’m still alive… inhale. exhale. inhale. exha-a-a-a-le.

My head is going a million miles an hour. I’m bringing work home with me. I’m still apartment hunting. I haven’t even started to pack yet. I have two pies that aren’t in the oven yet, because I just can’t bring myself to make them and I need them for work tomorrow. I’m putting it off by typing this to clear my head.

Oh, and as for number 9, I thought that was called something else entirely.

I need to breathe. After tomorrow I think I can. Yay for three day weekends!

I will breathe this weekend.

In the meantime I keep reminding myself… inhale. exhale. inhale. exhale…

photo: http://store.peggycappy.net/jewel782.html