Thank those employees who work today - the Customer Service Industry

On this day, don't forget those who are always there for you. Not only the Emergency Services Employees - Medical, Fire, Police, Lifeguards, but the cashier at your grocery store, the person serving hot dogs at the beach, the waitstaff at your favorite restaurant, the amusement park employees, the hotel/motel employees, the pilots and flight attendants and the countless employees that are on call to come the rescue in any situation - your ATM runs out of money, a child who needs protection, the utility workers who need to restore comfort.

It takes an army of dedicated people to keep this country functioning and to keep us, the consumer, happy. Take a moment to thank them. Remember that they are working today to help YOU. They are not at the family picnic or the lake or beach, they are at work ensuring that your family has an enjoyable 4th of July.

Blessings and heartfelt thank you's to those who take care of us each and every day. To those who protect us and keep us free both here and abroad, thank you pales in the reality to the appreciation I feel every moment. Please be safe, take good care and come home.

Let us all find....

Love and Serenity

Each day a little Muppet should shine

I love the Swedish Chef. He makes me truly laugh. In a place I previously worked we had a  "This is who I am and this is what I do" book that we published for all the employees, one of the questions that we were all asked was "Which Muppet character do you identify the most with". My choice, of course, was the Swedish Chef. My reason is simple. I feel like a lot of times HR people are like a chef. You pick and choose the right ingredients for your masterpiece and present it to the waiting crowds. Sometimes you do well. Sometimes there is something that is just a bit off. Sometimes it is utter disaster. But no matter what, you keep trying and presenting until for a moment everything comes together in perfection.

Plus I often feel when I talk, people are hearing me much like the Swedish Chef. They know I am saying something, but they just can't quite make it out. 

Love and Serentiy

Boom... Flash... Ooohhh... Aaahhhh

Why do we shoot off fireworks for the Fourth of July? I always wondered and never really knew. So, instead of doing a heavy HR laden post for this holiday weekend, I decided to research this. The web never ceases to amaze me. Truly, what did we do prior to the vast wealth of knowledge at our fingertips? I know I never spent that much time at the library.

The answer I found to the burning question why (answer thanks to Yahoo Answers):

The reason we use fireworks as part of the 4th of July celebration is this:

John Adams (a Founding Father and signer of the Declaration), wrote a letter to his wife, and said that Independence Day "will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America...It will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews [performances], Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations [fireworks] from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more." 

And so that is what Americans do today.

WOW! I love this answer. I know, I know. Fireworks have been around for thousands of years. We have the Chinese to thank for this. Fireworks are cool. Fireworks evoke that true "ohhh, ahhhh" factor. Fireworks are dangerous if not handled by professionals. Am I the only one that loves the smell of fireworks as much as the prettiness of them? It's okay if I am. I embrace it.

Here are some other "Fun Facts" about the Fourth of July (thanks to Wikipedia):

• In 1777, thirteen gunshots were fired, once at morning and again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island. Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks. Ships were decked with red, white, and blue bunting.^[12]
• In 1778, General George Washington marked July 4 with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute. Across the Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.^[13]
• In 1779, July 4 fell on a Sunday. The holiday was celebrated on Monday, July 5.^[13]
• In 1781, the Massachusetts General Court became the first state legislature to recognize July 4 as a state celebration.^[13]
• In 1783, Moravians in Salem, North Carolina, held a celebration of July 4 with a challenging music program assembled by Johann Friedrich Peter. This work was titled "The Psalm of Joy".
• In 1791 the first recorded use of the name "Independence Day" occurred.
• In 1820 the first Fourth of July celebration was held in Eastport, Maine which remains the largest in the state.^[14]
• In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees.^[15]
• In 1938, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.^[16]

Most important, the Fourth of July signifies our independence from Great Britain. It is a great day in the history of the United States. We are friends with Great Britain now, but then, not so much. There was a big tiff and we weren't friends. The US basically said that we are taking our toys and keeping them here and you can't play in our yard anymore. We can't be friends anymore, but perhaps in a few years it will all be okay again. Thankfully, it is all okay. I am quite fond of those "across the pond". Think how different music would be without Great Britain... scary.

I digress, I often do. Be safe this holiday weekend. Take care on the highways. Hug a Brit and tell them it is all good now. Enjoy family... they are family after all. Eat a lot. Use sunscreen (I know!). Reflect on those who fought and still fight for our freedom. Freedom is never free. It costs a lot in human sacrifice to keep this freedom.

Love and Serenity

Introduction?... About me and why Hr with Candy?

Be gentle, it is my first blogging post. I feel kinda funny. Like that junior high school kid stepping into their first school dance. Sweaty palms, eyes darting around the room looking for a friendly face, fearing that I will be stuck by the punch bowl with the other dorks... ah, so familiar. Well, here I am. For good or bad, I am venturing into this realm and I am going to enjoy it, damn it! Is that my parent's voice urging me to go through the doors of the gymnasium and into the unknown? "Yes, Dad... I am going"

Me? Well, I am an HR Geek. We use the term "Professional" a lot in our field, but somehow that always makes me feel like a hit-man or much sexier than the world of HR is. I guess there are some people/employees that do see us as "hit-men" or the "angel of death" when it comes to keeping their jobs. But that is a post for another time.

I've been dancing in this world for a long time. Yes, I do remember watching Apollo land on the moon. But I didn't cry as hard when Elvis died as when John Lennon did. So older, but perhaps not old. I know, "slicing the baloney a bit too thin" as one from my past was fond of saying. I have worked HR in retail, education, benefits and not-for-profit theatre. Loved every experience. Learned from every experience. Listened to myself during and after every experience. Listening seems to have lost its appeal over the years. We need to bring it back.

I have great loves in my life... Rick a very hard working man with the heart and soul of a 12 year old who believes that his plate is never too full or there isn't anything that he can't do or try and who loves his family whole heartedly. Rachel my daughter in my heart who by all accounts is the smartest and most creative person I know with energy and dreams that surpass what this world can contain. Sonnet our spoiled princess westi-poo who stole my heart instantly and has nestled herself happily within Rick's heart despite his ranting and stomping about not wanting her. Shadow, our aloof cat with great stubby legs and a motor that sounds like a diesel coming down the road. Plus family and friends... blessed indeed.

For the most part I will ramble, perhaps rant and mostly rave about my experiences and beliefs within the carnival that is HR. Comment, disagree, agree, communicate, support, laugh and share as you desire. I have a great EEO policy!

Oh, why HR with Candy? I believe that every HR office must have candy available for their employees. Along with that candy comes an open door policy. I love having people stop by for a Red Vine or Hershey Mini and sit down and talk with me for a few moments. It is wonderful and amazing what is shared in those few moments. As long as I am an HR Geek/Professional/Manager/Ringleader, there will be candy in my office.

Our house motto - "Love and Serenity"