The Panda Bear got this quote she liked from George Carlin on Facebook. Before she put it on her blog she wanted to verify its accuracy because as Abraham Lincoln has been warning people on Facebook just because because you see a quote on Facebook it does not mean it really came from the person(this is a joke). Anyway the quote that was attributed to George Carlin that the Panda Bear liked is:
Governments does not want well informed, well education people capable of critical thinking. That is against their interests. They want obedient workers, people are who are just smart enough to run the machines and do the paperwork and just dumb enough to passively accept it.
Sometimes the Panda Bear feels those in charge of the US want everyone to be so busy working and purchasing goods that they won't have time to challenge the status quo. Instead of diverting the masses with bread and circuses like the ancient Romans, she feels the powerful want to placate us with cheap consumer goods(really toys) that we don't have room to store so spend what little free time we have decluttering our living space.
Daylight savings time is making the Panda Bear feel better. Why can't humans just admit it that even though it is not rational their bodies are programmed to go to sleep when it is dark?
Recently, the Panda Bear has been reading about the importance of having a positive attitude at work. She read that a negative attitude can be self-fulling. Actually, things have been going better in the Panda Bear's job even though things have gotten very busy.
Also the Panda Bear has been practicing "mindfulness" which means focusing on the present moement rather than the past or future. In a moment of mindfulness inspiration, the Panda Bear realized that she should not obsess about her twenty years worth of negative work experiences and focus on the hear and now. Today is a new day and a chance to have a fresh start.
However, sometimes when the Panda Bear at her desk and is practicing mindfulness she sees a very drab cubicle(most people admit the office is drab). Though the miracles of scanning and other computer technology the Panda Bear almost paper-free in her work. In previous years, the Panda Bear's desk and work area used to consist of mounds of papers going in every direction. She admits it was an eyesore. However, since her work area is now by and large paper-free, the Panda Bear now sees the first chance ever in her work life to make her work area attractive.
Since the Panda Bear is very busy and finds it hard to shop, she is slowly trying buy things to spruce up her work area more(too bad Woolworth's went out of business-it was a good place to pick up cheap nice office decorations). She has mentioned in previous posts how she has bought some plants to her work area. Now she has put some nice fabric on another part of her desk for which she has received some compliments. For the first time in her work life, people have said her work area looks nice.
The Panda Bear wants to add more objects of beauty to look at to give her some relief from both the stress and monotony of the job. She wants to get either map or globe to put in her cubicle which she could look at if she wants a quick mental break without going on the computer. Even if she is confined to her desk, in her mind she can be a global traveler. No longer will the Panda Bear suffering from job stagnation!!! Though she may not be obtaining a promotion, the Panda Bear for the first time in her work life will have an eye pleasing, attractive, creative and as well as efficient looking office.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The Panda Bear on Yahoo, Lack of Leisure, and the Diet Project
The Panda Bear has read about Yahoo's decision to stop allowing people to telecommute. The Panda Bear has not read about the details of this decision but just from the headlines this decision rings about everything the Panda Bear dislikes about modern leadership in organizations. It does not treat people like individuals-good workers loose benefits because of the incompetence of others. Rather then go after the bad workers, the organization punishes everyone. Secondly, the Panda Bear strongly believes that the CEO of Yahoo will be telecommuting some of the time. Modern leaders seem to feel they don't have to follow the rules they set for us peasants. There are very few people in leadership positions that the Panda Bear respects.
The Panda Bear is an office worker but she does not telecommute. Her job is still very paper based and it would be hard to do at home. However, the Panda Bear dreams of flexible work scheduling. The four day work week or the four and a half day work week!. To have greater freedom on how one works their forty hours. How nice not to be charged time off for going to a physician's appointment, The Panda Bear believes that the five day work week is both for her personally and her work extremely inefficient.
The Panda Bear's supervisor was in the kitchen and she was asking the Panda Bear and other coworkers why people don't like to work. The Panda Bear said sometimes it wasn't the work itself but the fact people feel that their lives are restricted because of long work hours. People don't live by work alone.
The Panda Bear Blog is a blog that believe work and fun go together. Of course, the Panda Bear has become more critical of her work environment in that "fun" means eating high caloric food in a job that involves sitting at a computer all day. She told the heads of her organization at a group meeting that many people in offices need watch their weight-the office should be more diet and exercise friendly especially since the organization is self-insured(Overweight employees increase healthcare costs).
Seriously, while the Panda Bear confesses she has ate many and has enjoyed office sweets, she feels she would be a healthier person if there was less food available in offices. Also the Panda Bear (unfortunately) has body type that does not require a lot of calories. She can't eat most of the food in offices without gaining weight. The office has been a source of junk food for the Panda Bear that she does not eat at home. It has reinforced Panda Bear's tendency towards emotional eating. To increase her diet resolve, the Panda Bear tells herself that she is not a dog-she does not work for a food reward. The Panda Bear reminds herself that offices used to reward people by giving cigarettes;it might be fun to smoke and sociable to smoke at work but it is an unhealthly pleaure
Therefore, the Panda Bear has began the Diet at Work Project. She has vowed to go 365 days without eating any food at an office event except food that she brings. The Panda Bear feels it would really be a blessing if the office never fed her again and showed their appreciation in other ways.
The Panda Bear is an office worker but she does not telecommute. Her job is still very paper based and it would be hard to do at home. However, the Panda Bear dreams of flexible work scheduling. The four day work week or the four and a half day work week!. To have greater freedom on how one works their forty hours. How nice not to be charged time off for going to a physician's appointment, The Panda Bear believes that the five day work week is both for her personally and her work extremely inefficient.
The Panda Bear's supervisor was in the kitchen and she was asking the Panda Bear and other coworkers why people don't like to work. The Panda Bear said sometimes it wasn't the work itself but the fact people feel that their lives are restricted because of long work hours. People don't live by work alone.
The Panda Bear Blog is a blog that believe work and fun go together. Of course, the Panda Bear has become more critical of her work environment in that "fun" means eating high caloric food in a job that involves sitting at a computer all day. She told the heads of her organization at a group meeting that many people in offices need watch their weight-the office should be more diet and exercise friendly especially since the organization is self-insured(Overweight employees increase healthcare costs).
Seriously, while the Panda Bear confesses she has ate many and has enjoyed office sweets, she feels she would be a healthier person if there was less food available in offices. Also the Panda Bear (unfortunately) has body type that does not require a lot of calories. She can't eat most of the food in offices without gaining weight. The office has been a source of junk food for the Panda Bear that she does not eat at home. It has reinforced Panda Bear's tendency towards emotional eating. To increase her diet resolve, the Panda Bear tells herself that she is not a dog-she does not work for a food reward. The Panda Bear reminds herself that offices used to reward people by giving cigarettes;it might be fun to smoke and sociable to smoke at work but it is an unhealthly pleaure
Therefore, the Panda Bear has began the Diet at Work Project. She has vowed to go 365 days without eating any food at an office event except food that she brings. The Panda Bear feels it would really be a blessing if the office never fed her again and showed their appreciation in other ways.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
The Panda Bear on Washington's Birthday, Henri the Chat Noir, and Mindfullness
The Panda Bear Blog is a blog about the musings of an average office worker who wants more from life than sitting at an office desk and doing(hated) household chores.
The Panda Bear''a last weekend was a three day weekend in the US. To the Panda Bear, the Monday holiday in February will always be George Washington's birthday not President's day. George Washington deserves his own day; he was our first president and the father of our country. He set the tone for the other presidents to follow including Abraham Lincoln. In the Panda Bear's opinion he is the greatest President of the United States.
The Panda Bear believes that George Washington has lost some of his status as greatest President of the United States because he owned slaves. The Panda Bear does not wish to minimize this serious flaw but she thinks Washington should be judged by the standards of the time. A very interesting book on the subject is An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America by Henry Wiencek.
The Panda Bear received this call for a slow weekend from a meditation web site:
"This year, I am determined to be more unproductive. My goal is to do less and less – to move slower and slower until everything stops. I and the whole world will come to a sweet and silent stillness. And in this stillness, a great shout of joy will arise. We will all be free..."
From the Ox and Window, by 17th century Zen master Hakuin Ekaku
The Panda Bear feels it is worth noting that Zen comes from a very busy culture.
The Panda Bear shared this quote with some of her friends where they all said it was hard to slow down.
The Panda Bear has read alot of about being mindful(living in the present moment) which is a part of the philosophybehind meditation. However, right now the Panda Bear has some respectful disagreements with the philosophy during the winter. The short days make the Panda Bear tired at night. It has been snowing heavily for the past couple of weekends and the Panda Bear has been shut in her apartment doing her hated household chores. She has tried to be positive about these chores but at times her body rebels. Practically everyone the Panda Bear knows has had the cold or the flu. The bad weather and illnesses has interrupted the Panda Bear's limited social life making her feel lonely. How bad can it be for the Panda Bear's spiritual development to yearn for spring and the long days that make one feel there is life after work? In the spring, summer and early fall the Panda Bear admits that at times it is easy to live in the present moment-during the winter she finds it hard.
At work, the Panda Bear resolves to have an upbeat attitude. It is hard to do-the office is stuffy and the Panda Bear does not have easy access to a window. She and a coworker created a wall of plants to give themselves something pleasant to look at during the day. The Panda Bear has held the same type of job for over eighteen years and it has gotten old. She tries to tell herself the numerous disappointments in her job in the past don't predict the future disappointment.
The Panda Bear feels she needs political skills. Everything the Panda Bear reads about office politics says she should be making her boss look good. The Panda Bear thinks she does make her boss look good in that the Panda Bear does a good job. However, the Panda Bear has a hard time flattering bosses particularly since the Panda Bear often feels overworked and under appreciated.
The Panda Bear has found a cat on the Internet that shares some of her ennui. It is Henri Le Chat Noir a melancholy French cat. The videos on the site are funny. The first two are the funniest and are located at the bottom of the page.
The Panda Bear''a last weekend was a three day weekend in the US. To the Panda Bear, the Monday holiday in February will always be George Washington's birthday not President's day. George Washington deserves his own day; he was our first president and the father of our country. He set the tone for the other presidents to follow including Abraham Lincoln. In the Panda Bear's opinion he is the greatest President of the United States.
The Panda Bear believes that George Washington has lost some of his status as greatest President of the United States because he owned slaves. The Panda Bear does not wish to minimize this serious flaw but she thinks Washington should be judged by the standards of the time. A very interesting book on the subject is An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America by Henry Wiencek.
The Panda Bear received this call for a slow weekend from a meditation web site:
"This year, I am determined to be more unproductive. My goal is to do less and less – to move slower and slower until everything stops. I and the whole world will come to a sweet and silent stillness. And in this stillness, a great shout of joy will arise. We will all be free..."
From the Ox and Window, by 17th century Zen master Hakuin Ekaku
The Panda Bear feels it is worth noting that Zen comes from a very busy culture.
The Panda Bear shared this quote with some of her friends where they all said it was hard to slow down.
The Panda Bear has read alot of about being mindful(living in the present moment) which is a part of the philosophybehind meditation. However, right now the Panda Bear has some respectful disagreements with the philosophy during the winter. The short days make the Panda Bear tired at night. It has been snowing heavily for the past couple of weekends and the Panda Bear has been shut in her apartment doing her hated household chores. She has tried to be positive about these chores but at times her body rebels. Practically everyone the Panda Bear knows has had the cold or the flu. The bad weather and illnesses has interrupted the Panda Bear's limited social life making her feel lonely. How bad can it be for the Panda Bear's spiritual development to yearn for spring and the long days that make one feel there is life after work? In the spring, summer and early fall the Panda Bear admits that at times it is easy to live in the present moment-during the winter she finds it hard.
At work, the Panda Bear resolves to have an upbeat attitude. It is hard to do-the office is stuffy and the Panda Bear does not have easy access to a window. She and a coworker created a wall of plants to give themselves something pleasant to look at during the day. The Panda Bear has held the same type of job for over eighteen years and it has gotten old. She tries to tell herself the numerous disappointments in her job in the past don't predict the future disappointment.
The Panda Bear feels she needs political skills. Everything the Panda Bear reads about office politics says she should be making her boss look good. The Panda Bear thinks she does make her boss look good in that the Panda Bear does a good job. However, the Panda Bear has a hard time flattering bosses particularly since the Panda Bear often feels overworked and under appreciated.
The Panda Bear has found a cat on the Internet that shares some of her ennui. It is Henri Le Chat Noir a melancholy French cat. The videos on the site are funny. The first two are the funniest and are located at the bottom of the page.
Friday, February 1, 2013
The Panda Bear on Improving Working Conditions and Bathroomn Remolding
The Panda Bear Blog is a blog about the a stressed out average office worker and her observations on life.
The Panda Bear has not forgotten her dear and valued readers. Her New Years resolution was to cultivate her inner hippie and embrace change and social improvements. Therefore she has gotten involved in workplace reform. She has volunteered to help with some groups that want to make laws to change some employment practices.
Though the Panda Bear is on a bottom level job in her office at meeting she very tactfully confronted the heads of her organization regarding improving health conditions where she works and making the office more exercise and diet friendly. The heads said they would listen to her ideas.
All through this whirlwind of reform activity, the Panda Bear has continued with her hated household chores. The Panda Bear and Mr. Panda have done some needed repairs. There is still much work needed to be done.
The Panda Bear plans to start regularly blogging again.
The Panda Bear has not forgotten her dear and valued readers. Her New Years resolution was to cultivate her inner hippie and embrace change and social improvements. Therefore she has gotten involved in workplace reform. She has volunteered to help with some groups that want to make laws to change some employment practices.
Though the Panda Bear is on a bottom level job in her office at meeting she very tactfully confronted the heads of her organization regarding improving health conditions where she works and making the office more exercise and diet friendly. The heads said they would listen to her ideas.
All through this whirlwind of reform activity, the Panda Bear has continued with her hated household chores. The Panda Bear and Mr. Panda have done some needed repairs. There is still much work needed to be done.
The Panda Bear plans to start regularly blogging again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)