Workplace Violence

I spend countless hours in the office. I am guilty of not taking the time to get to know each one of my co-workers on a deep level, but more on a superficial level. I like keeping a separation between my work life and my personal life. However, after the events of today, I may reconsider, or not!

This morning there was an incident in my office where a co-worker physically assaulted me. Granted, it was just a little hair pull, but it made me think. I do not know these people's breaking points. I do not know what will send someone over the edge and what exactly happens when they get over that edge. 

Workplace violence should never be tolerated!

You may be thinking, "well how long have you been working in your office?" I'm a veteran. I have actually been in the office the longest. As of September I will have been here for 11 years. I have seen people come and go. I have seen how some people react to stress, but never to this point. And never for such a reason as it was this morning. 

When I think of work place violence I think of the Edmond Post Office Massacre. I always think about the people in my office, who would be the one that would come in with the gun? 

I believe office's with less than 10 employees are most susceptible to smaller scale workplace violence incidence, but how far do we let it go before it becomes out of hand?  

Where did time go?

"One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us" - Michael Cibenko

No quote is more true. I am reading through the very few posts on my blog and realize I was supposed to document the last couple years in my twenties. I started the blog after my 26th birthday and all of a sudden I sit here and I am 31! 

Where did the time go and how did I let it get away without documenting my crazy journey? 

Me at 31

26 with my family down in La Jolla. 

I know I am not the only person with this problem. Our lives become hectic and we lose sight of plans we had for ourselves. Our priorities are skewed based on our work responsibilities and other obligations. Many obligations we find ourselves committed to are not those that we are passionate about, but just those to keep certain relationships in our lives steady ie family obligations, friends birthdays, dinners, etc. 

How do we balance our obligations with our passions and interests while moving forward in a positive manner? 

Rough Day...

Have you ever had a day where you just wish you could hit the reset button?? Nothing you do is right and all you keep thinking about is how the day started off so bad in the first place. It could have been something you did, something you said, or the way you reacted to something. Whatever it is you would just like to have that time back.

I sit here at my desk not being able to concentrate on the work infront of me. My mind keeps wandering to back to why my day started so bad. The simple question I ask that created such a terrible day is "What's wrong?" The answer I received was nothing... I asked again, I again received a nothing. I then go to think the worse!

I wish the people in my life would be more direct.

At a Stand Still

Have you ever just stopped and thought about where your life was headed? Today I did just that and realized I am on the road to no where. Don't get me wrong I currently love my life, but the things I am doing and the activities I find myself engaged in are not the ones that will lead me to a fruitful life.

Currently I work for the same company I have been with for the last 9 years, yes I said 9 years. I am only 29 years old and am scared to leave the company because it is the only experience I have. However, without leaving the company I am stuck in a rut. I am taken advantage of on a daily basis. I am too nice to leave. I think about what will happen to the company if I leave. This may be me thinking too highly of myself and the things I bring to the company, but in all honesty I think my boss will be lost without me.

In the past I have used the freedom in the office as a reason to not leave. I come in late, but stay late, I walk around barefoot, but still have to be business casual. If I want to be off a day, but do not have anymore PTO I can come in on a Saturday and make up the time I don't know if other offices allow this.

I do not get paid what I should; granted I do not have my Bachelors, but only 1 person in our office does. I do, however, have the experience with our clients and other insurance companies we work with. I currently get paid $40,000 base salary with 20% commission of new business sold. Sounds like an okay deal right?? Wrong, if you look at the other salaries around the insurance industry I am definitely in the bottom 5 percentile. Every employee my boss hires makes more than me. I have been here the longest, do the most, and get paid the least. Tell me where this all makes sense.

I have an opportunity to interview at another agency, I have had this opportunity in the past, but was too scared to try. I cannot be scared anymore. I have an interview at 1:00pm Monday. I am so very scared, but excited at the same time. Something new may be the very thing I need to get my life back on track.

Lost in Life with Love!

I guess i have hit that point in my life where nothing makes sense. Last year this time I was supposed to move to Michigan and begin my life there with my, then, boyfriend. As everyone knows, nothing turns out as planned. I woke up on my 27th birthday and decided that I was going to break up with him. Not because I didn't love him anymore, but because I wanted to know if I was worth it to him. There were many things I asked of it and he just couldnt come through. Things such as sending a nice card or note since he was in Michigan and I was in California. Just something to show me he cared. Of the year we were apart I got 1 card that was for no reason. Also, he never came out to San Diego to visit me. So I told him I couldn't do it anymore. He obviously didn't want to, or think I deserves to be treated as I wanted to. I had some hope that he would fight for me. He never once looked back, he wouldn't put up a fight for me, he made it very clear that I was not the one he wanted.

I had met a boy at the bar a couple weeks prior to John and I breaking up. It was not because of this boy that I broke up with John, well, or at least not solely. I did not break up with John for Jason, but Jason reminded me that there are other guys out there. Sweet caring guys that would treat me the way I wanted.

Just as everyone suspected would happen, I started dating Jason. Things are going really well with us, but there are so many similarities between the two it makes me nervous. I have to push him to be motivated all the time. He is smart, but doesn't try and/or give him credit for knowing. He is 24 and still does not have his GED. He definitely has Peter Pan Syndrome. He does not want to grow up.

He is the sweetest, caring guy, he will do anything for his friends and family, but it always seems to get in the way of what he needs to do for himself. He doesn't find this as a problem because he always says, "if it weren't for them who knows where I would be right now!" I understand and respect that, but he isnt helping himself or his family by doing this. It truely aggrivates me that his family continues to always look to him to do everything for them. He has no sense of his own responsibilities.

I think I need to find someone who is cultured, traveled, well read, loves the arts, food and wine. I need someone who will challenge me. Someone who shares the same interests as I do, aside from going to the bar and sports! I don't want to change Jason, but I want him to learn to enjoy new things, but he is too stubborn. I am truely lost at the moment and seem to not know what to do next.

Crossroad...

So, as anyone can tell, I am not too hip to the blogging scene. I like the concept and really wish I could come on here a little more often, but the reality is, I dont. For anyone that cares, I will make a conscious effort!

Well, my life so far. I have an amazing boyfriend, who I have been dating for a year. He would like me to move to Michigan with him next year. I dont know what to do. I am through and through a Southern California girl. Born in HB spent some time in Santa Ana, 7 years in Bakersfield and now 6 years in San Diego. Its the only thing I know. I dont know cold. I dont do jackets. My shoe collection consists of 5 pairs of rainbow sandels. I mean seriously, how would I survive?

Also, work is REALLY picking up for me right now. My boss had an ingenious idea and we are taking over quite a large amount of business. All because no one had thought of this before. We are talking 300 new accounts in the course of this next year. That does not take into account the inquiries we get normally. For instance, I probably sent out 5-7 files last night to be quoted. Its only the beginning of the month. Its a steady business... the sad reality is everyone needs insurance in our sue happy society!

The insurance industry is not where I want to stay though. I really havent found what I am passionate about. I used to play softball. I played two years at a junior college and I really wanted to go on from there, but I was just burnt out of all the politics of the game. I honestly can say that I got screwed my last year of playing... it is really sad when you have the person playing over you say to you that they dont know why I am not out there and they are! Nice, right? Thanks coach. From that point on I havent really figured out what I wanted to do. I have been crippled.

I will say, I love to cook. I wouldnt mind opening a restaurant in Michigan, should I chose to move. We keep joking about it, but I really think it would be a fun thing to do. The problem is that there are a lot of restaurants out there and I know its make or break that first year. I dont know so many different choses and I am just not sure what to do.

I also have a couple other things holding me back, I have one ADORABLE niece. She just turned 2. I couldnt bare not being around her growing up. Right now I live 3 hours from her and it is tough enough as it is. When I am on the phone I can hear her ask for me in the background. That kind of thing can break your heart!!

So what to do... I guess I will sit and ponder it a little more. Its sad to think, life would be so much easier if we would have just never met, but do I mean that. Not on my life! He is amazing and I cherish every day with him... I guess it just one of those crossroads in life. The question is where do I go?