Hey Ya'll.
The final drill went suprisingly better than I had expected. It was a live person drill over the phone to fix an issue. I don't get to pick who was on the other side but nonetheless the call was successful. After the call I was asked what the name of my mock client was. Then the instructor's eyes got big and he asked me if I figured out who I was talking to. Truth was I didn't even think about it. After I thought about it for a few seconds I was able to put the face to the voice. Then my eyes got big.
....It was none other than the Site Director. My boss's, boss's boss. The highest ranking guy in my site... city... state. *A great guy I must add. How many top dogs do you all know that will stop what they are doing and help a trainee?*
All I can say is that I was glad I didn't know that before the call came in. My nerves were already pegged out. Besides, I passed with the Big Boss getting a first person view at my performance. That can't be all that bad.
Today we went live in a limited respect. We still have 1 week of training then four of us move on to an advanced training for another two weeks. In my limited live interactions I connected on 5 of 5 issues with only one mistep that was not a critical issue but still I wish I didn't miss that one. Overall I think I did quite well but to be honest I think I got 5 easy soft issues. I shuddered at what some of my co-workers received for first live interactions. Tomorrow is another day. There will be more than 5 interactions for sure. I hope I have as much faith in my skills tomorrow as I did today.
All in all. I love my new job. It is a 180 degree dynamic change from my previous abortion of an employer. Shoot. I couldn't get positive attention from a manager there let alone a Director. Life is good just as long as I don't watch the news.
12/21/09
12/20/09
Two Definitions
There is a lot of discussion lately, with regards to this government entrapment of the people health care bill being justified by Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, which authorizes Congress to "provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States".
However, I believe this is a shortsighted argument - based on two definitions.
The first definition comes from Merriam-Webster's dictionary on the word "amend":
Specifically, I'm referring to definition 2b: to alter formally by modification, deletion or addition (amend a constitution). By adding an amendment to a document, the preceding terms listed are altered and new terms may be added. In the case of the United States Constitution, amendments are added to further restrict the powers of government (exceptions: 16th Amendment, authorizing Congress to collect taxes; 18th Amendment, restricting the rights of the people, which was repealed by the 21st amendment).
As a direct example of how amendments change the terms of those that precede them, all we need to do is look at Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1 (authorizes Congress to collect taxes) and the 24th Amendment (abolishing the poll tax). The federal government was granted a right and the United States Constitution, which inherently distrusts government, was amended to restrict this granted power.
This brings me to the second definition arguing against government-controlled health care - the 10th Amendment:
Now, Congress is authorized to provide for the "general Welfare". This is plainly written in Article I, Section 8, Enumerated Powers and not open for dispute. The United States Constitution, as we know, does not trust the federal government and the 10th Amendment, which I believe the Founders intentionally placed at the end of the Bill of Rights, explicitly states if the United States government is not explicitly granted a power by the Constitution, it is reserved to the States or the people.
For those who hold the 1st Amendment and 2nd Amendment sacred (as we all should), I implore you to look at the other 24 amendments in this boon of Liberty. The 10th Amendment was not placed last in the Bill of Rights because it was the least important. It is there because, as is fitting for any amendment to a contract, it is the most important in limiting what the government may do to the people.
However, I believe this is a shortsighted argument - based on two definitions.
The first definition comes from Merriam-Webster's dictionary on the word "amend":
1 : to put right; especially : to make emendations in (as a text)
2 a : to change or modify for the better : improve (amend a situation) b : to alter especially in phraseology; especially : to alter formally by modification, deletion, or addition (amend a constitution)
Specifically, I'm referring to definition 2b: to alter formally by modification, deletion or addition (amend a constitution). By adding an amendment to a document, the preceding terms listed are altered and new terms may be added. In the case of the United States Constitution, amendments are added to further restrict the powers of government (exceptions: 16th Amendment, authorizing Congress to collect taxes; 18th Amendment, restricting the rights of the people, which was repealed by the 21st amendment).
As a direct example of how amendments change the terms of those that precede them, all we need to do is look at Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1 (authorizes Congress to collect taxes) and the 24th Amendment (abolishing the poll tax). The federal government was granted a right and the United States Constitution, which inherently distrusts government, was amended to restrict this granted power.
This brings me to the second definition arguing against government-controlled health care - the 10th Amendment:
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Now, Congress is authorized to provide for the "general Welfare". This is plainly written in Article I, Section 8, Enumerated Powers and not open for dispute. The United States Constitution, as we know, does not trust the federal government and the 10th Amendment, which I believe the Founders intentionally placed at the end of the Bill of Rights, explicitly states if the United States government is not explicitly granted a power by the Constitution, it is reserved to the States or the people.
For those who hold the 1st Amendment and 2nd Amendment sacred (as we all should), I implore you to look at the other 24 amendments in this boon of Liberty. The 10th Amendment was not placed last in the Bill of Rights because it was the least important. It is there because, as is fitting for any amendment to a contract, it is the most important in limiting what the government may do to the people.
12/14/09
Wow! What a day!
I once ate at a great Chinese Restaurant in Dillon Colorado where I learned a valuable lesson. I had ordered a dish that was advertized as spicy about a week earlier and had returned with about a dozen friends and ordered that same dish. This time I asked the waitress if I could get it "A little spicy, because the last time it wasn't that spicy." MISTAKE! The dish that came out of the kitchen could be used in the NASA space program to launch shuttles into space. My face had the tint of Carrot Top's hair. I ate every morsel even though the poor waitress had to upgrade me from a glass of water to a pitcher.
I tell that story to tell you this one. Some lessons learned have more than one application.
Recently I found myself in a Job Transplant situation not unlike our friend Hap but without the relocation and Praise God, in a much shorter timeline. *Hap. Much love and respect for surviving that and making the relo decision. It was a hard choice, and probably harder than anyone will ever know.*
I currently find myself in a class of intelligent people who even with multiple holidays, and inclement weather closing us down for a day, somehow find ourselves ahead of the learning schedule. The speed at which we have learned the information I attribute to the skills of our instructors. Those instructors recently asked for feedback. Someone *not naming names ME* suggested a variety of real-life scenarios instead of the typical ideal lesson-reinforcement scenario. Just so we do not get caught blindsided when we see one. For some reason the Chinese Restaurant lesson did not seem to be applicable in this instance. BOY WAS I WRONG.
About 3 PM today my brain came to a screeching halt. I had a total cranial meltdown. The scenario we encountered was not just one realistic situation but five all wrapped up into one with a twist. I could not believe how many mistakes I made. I still don't know how this one got ironed out in real life. *Yeah someone actually went there.*
Everyone needed help. It was ugly.
No more pride. No more asking for the advanced stuff.
That was real smooth of me and tomorrow is the first, and biggest, of the make-it-or-break-it drills. Where did my confidence go? Oh yeah it is sitting in the back seat with my pride. I think I will do okay but one thing is for certain: I have tons of respect for my peers who have gone before me.
I tell that story to tell you this one. Some lessons learned have more than one application.
Recently I found myself in a Job Transplant situation not unlike our friend Hap but without the relocation and Praise God, in a much shorter timeline. *Hap. Much love and respect for surviving that and making the relo decision. It was a hard choice, and probably harder than anyone will ever know.*
I currently find myself in a class of intelligent people who even with multiple holidays, and inclement weather closing us down for a day, somehow find ourselves ahead of the learning schedule. The speed at which we have learned the information I attribute to the skills of our instructors. Those instructors recently asked for feedback. Someone *not naming names ME* suggested a variety of real-life scenarios instead of the typical ideal lesson-reinforcement scenario. Just so we do not get caught blindsided when we see one. For some reason the Chinese Restaurant lesson did not seem to be applicable in this instance. BOY WAS I WRONG.
About 3 PM today my brain came to a screeching halt. I had a total cranial meltdown. The scenario we encountered was not just one realistic situation but five all wrapped up into one with a twist. I could not believe how many mistakes I made. I still don't know how this one got ironed out in real life. *Yeah someone actually went there.*
Everyone needed help. It was ugly.
No more pride. No more asking for the advanced stuff.
That was real smooth of me and tomorrow is the first, and biggest, of the make-it-or-break-it drills. Where did my confidence go? Oh yeah it is sitting in the back seat with my pride. I think I will do okay but one thing is for certain: I have tons of respect for my peers who have gone before me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
