The Amero
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amero

• Persistent sadness or depression


• Marked anxiety, feelings of being "keyed up" or "on edge"


• Mood swings often marked by periods of teariness


• Persistent or marked anger or irritability


• Decreased interest in usual activities


• Fatigue or lethargy


• A feeling of being overwhelmed or out of control


• Flu-like symptoms, including muscle aches, headaches and joint pain


• Changes in sleep patterns — problems falling and staying asleep or sleeping too much


• Changes in appetite — overeating, lack of appetite or specific food cravings

The only thing that the Mayo Clinic left out was...

Well, three weeks ago, I could have crawled under a rock and died a slow death, and I would have believed that no one cared.

*AND* I've been short with people at work, with my kids, and with my husband, of which the latter two concerns me. There have been times when I've been standing next to someone or talking to someone and have started sweating so bad that I could feel the perspiration run down my legs, and I've been so cold, that my hands and feet have lost feeling (this is during 90 degree weather).

So, three weeks ago, I couldn't drag myself out of bed for work. I didn't call in; I missed meetings; and didn't show up for work a second day. That's when my boss called...and when she called, I was not home. I'm out driving to the bank of all places. My life couldn't stop for my illness, but for my job could, it was on hold. Does that mean that I devalue what I do/where I work? I don't think so, but I haven't been able to focus on my job, my home, my family-nothing, not one thing; and everything, everything has "felt" SO out-of-control.

So the week following my not calling in to work. I make an appointment to see my doctor. When I return to her office after getting blood work done, she tells me that everything checks out, but I need to watch my weight (I knew that). But what about my mood swings and other symptoms? She said I have a condition known as Premenstural Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), which is PMS on steriods. Now, I'm taking medication to help control all of my symptoms. This really sucks! To some extent, I feel like I might end up in a mental hospital, and my husband (who is, by the way, a great and patient guy) will end up sitting in a chair somewhere watching me die a slow death.

Anyhow, I talked to my boss today because she thinks she's "concerned" about my health, but I know that she's concerned about my ability to perform; in other words, can I still get the job done? This is the question that is right now not allowing her to sleep. I know it will be difficult for them to replace me, but I'm not the least bit concerned about any of that. I want to get healthy, and stay that way. I have to for myself and for my family. Who will tell M-jr to eat real food instead of nachos? Who will tell D* that she can write circles around Stephen King? Who will guide T*'s mouth and help her to know that being sassy is NOT the way to go? They need me. My husband needs me. I need me. This is one challenge I need to face head-on. And I'm going to do just that.

As we continue our exploration of the influence of values and ethics in organizations, we need to examine the affects of organizational culture as it relates to leadership, ethics and critical decision-making. For example, describe the decision making process in your organization. Further, how do the elements of your organization’s culture, whether explicitly or implicitly, shape our perceptions on these key concepts? Provide your answer to this question.

In order to understand the culture of an organization is to know what rules have been setup to define how an organization will function. There is always a pre-set notion of how an organization is ideally supposed to function. But it is up to decision-makers to create tasks and place into action the steps needed for workers to follow through on those tasks. In other words, upper-level managers, who are in leadership postions, always predefine the culture of an organization. They determine how workers should dress, how workers relate and interact with one another, how workers are locally or globally positioned across the company, and in some cases how the voice mail greeting should be spoken and how the signature on an email should read. Are these ideas of how an organization’s nomenclature should be set? Is this ethical? Yes and maybe, if it all ties to the financial bottom-line of the company. And, in most cases, these aforementioned ideas always are. However, it takes a great leader to recognize “gaps” within his/her organizational culture. For example, the word “diversity” has lots of baggage attached to it, but placed in the context of a work environment (prior experience), when someone, who is deemed to have great leadership abilities, cannot commit to providing his workers with diversity experiences, and cannot hire a staff composed of mixed ethnicities and cultural differences, that leader is overlooking the organization’s culture. If the work force is not diverse, where do new ideas come from? How do you produce a product that will sell to other cultures and ethnic groups? The leader will find that the business will not flourish because of this. An organization’s culture, explicitly and implicitly shapes its financial bottom line. And as a consumer, I am drawn to products where I can see myself. In other words, if I come across a product that I can’t see myself using, why invest. Also, if you look at the organizational build of most fortune 500 companies, you’ll find a diverse workforce. This is how an organization’s culture can shape our perceptions.

However, what is missing from Cosby’s rhetoric is the fact that Black folk or any other kind of folk for that matter, have to have the “DESIRE” to move themselves from their present situation. One has to want to do better. If the “DESIRE” is not there, then whatever surrounds the situation (money, love, the idea of having something…anything) is lost. We’ve all heard about the Welfare-to-Work cases where people were given the opportunity to change for the better. Well, that doesn’t work for everyone. What is needed is in the Black community is an appropriate education (that thing or those things one learns to learn how to acquire the “better things in life”). And after that, another layer of the appropriate education (financial know-how) is needed to teach them how to keep it, how to take care of it, and how to expand on it.

Some of this learning comes from parents and the other comes from exposure to outside elements (like going to a suburban neighborhood, visiting with family or friends who live there, and then thinking and believing that one can acquire such goods…that such a life is achievable). My first encounter of what life could be like outside my past situation was eating at a full-serve restaurant (not a buffet). This opportunity was provided for me by my mother. After one or two trips, I knew that that was something I wanted to afford. Getting a public school education taught me that I could make a living doing what I love. And getting more education meant that I could make more “honest” money doing it.

Honestly, change can be a difficult bitter-sweet experience. But changing the mindset and attitude of Black folk is what is necessary. Black folk who are 36 or older know where we’ve come from. It’s the younger generation who ain’t got a clue, unless their parents have talked to them. Cosby’s focus should be to change the mindset and attitudes of underprivileged Black folk by providing and employing an appropriate education to them and for them. And this should be the focus of those who side against Cosby. Change is often that thing, which holds us back. Until we open our minds and focus on positive experiences and positive experiences that can be achieved, as a Black community, we’ll never grow (mentally that is). If we don’t grow mentally, we’ll always be that mother in public places using profane language against her kids. We’ll always be the teenage mother pushing the baby carriage with another on the way. We’ll always be a group of drunk druggies on the corner, sitting on wood cartons, under that big tree. We’ll always be that Black child who can’t articulate, so that the listener can understand them. Note that I didn’t say use proper or standard English.

What exactly do I need to know about this?
How do I incorporate it on my resume?
How does my writing contribute to the process or structure within this business?
What knowledge will carry over to a new job?
What knowledge have I gained so far?
Does this have anything to do with all of the holes I'm finding in non-process processes?

Apparently, I am a significant contributor to the "Change Management" infrastructure within this NEW business.

It's: Follow the Fucking Directions!!!!

Whether written or given via oral communication.

If you'd do that, then people like me wouldn't have to rewrite/redo your work!

The Asshole who hired you should be fired!

Yes, I've had a politically correct discussion with my supervisor. And do you think it helped? I'm so fucking frustrated!!

Well, I say to "Hell" with those people. Why should we always have to do something the way it's always been done. This is one of the reasons someone came up with the change management theory. Organizations need this to sustain their bottom-line..."cash flow", "revenue", "income". Whatever you want to call it.

1. FIRST NAME? Aleshia
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No. My Aunt was taking Spanish at GSU, when she passed it on to my mom.
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Saturday (11/4) watching the movie I AM SAM.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes.
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Maple turkey
6. KIDS? 1 boy, 2 girls (and they aren't fast. just the youngest)
7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Sure I would. I'm one in a million.
8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Yes, but I don't always write to it.
9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? A little.
10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yes, and I hope to have them removed. SOON!
11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Hell no.
12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Oatmeal.
13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No.
14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? No, not at all.
15. YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Vanilla
16. SHOE SIZE? 8
17. RED OR PINK? Red
18. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Weight.
19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My husband and kids when they aren't around. Sometimes I miss other people, and wish I could see them more often, but such is life. When we do get together, we have a good time.
20. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Not if busy
21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black shirt with blue jeans and green tennis
22. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? It's extremely quiet. There's a faint humming sound outside my window.
23. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Fuchsia
24. FAVORITE SMELL? The aroma of fresh baked bread.
25. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Mom
26. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Their Spirit (some call it personality)
27. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yea. "She real cool."
28. FAVORITE DRINK? Whisky Sour
29. FAVORITE MALE ACTOR? So many....
30. FAVORITE SPORT? none. If I were just watching, it would be gymnastics.
31. EYE COLOR? dark brown
32. HAT SIZE? donno
33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No
34. FAVORITE FOOD? There are so many....
35. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? Scary movies
36. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED AT THE MOVIES? Catch a fire... Derek Luke...!
37. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? black
38. SUMMER OR WINTER? winter
39. HUGS OR KISSES? Both.
40. FAVORITE DESSERT? There are so many... (Now, you know I like to eat!)
41. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Not sure
42. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Not sure
43. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Installation manuals
44. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Right now, my mouse pad is the kitchen table.
45. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Part of the news.
46. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Babies laughing.
47. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Neither. I just listen to whatever sounds good.
48. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Bahamas
49. Favorite Female Actor? Loretta Devine
50. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Michelle

Now, straighten up that room!