It’s been a busy year for me. And I mean busy. I’m not usually the one that feels busy- I have time to call people, take time to recreate (a little, anyway) and really be ok with the world. But 2019 has just felt busy, and it’s not a feeling I particularly like. I feel a little overwhelmed, like there just isn’t enough of me to go around. I felt this way a few years ago, when it was all I could do to just keep my head above water. I’m starting to feel that way again.
Some of the contributing factors, I think: we’ve travelled more this year than in the last two combined, and I lost my production manager to Uber (and San Diego winters). I haven’t replaced the manager yet, and that is probably a big reason for the feeling busy and that I just can’t get caught up. I don’t feel right now that I want another manager though, and that is kind of disturbing to me. I don’t really have anyone on my staff I want to promote to that position- the couple I do have have plans to leave in the near future, so there really isn’t a point in promoting them. Others don’t seem to have the drive or the passion to become management material.
I recently watched a Gary Veynerchuck video on why I should fire my most talented employee: https://www.facebook.com/gary/videos/581847575650679/
I found the video really interesting, and it has made me think a lot. I have talented employees, but some of them sure can be divas. I’m a diva, and I have a hard time thinking that rules apply to me. I should have special privileges. I deserve special treatment. Unfortunately, I have a couple of guys on the team that seem to think the same thing, and I think it is hurting moral. They will say things in group chats or texts that seem to be making fun of the other guys. They don’t seem to be willing to help the other team members. And they don’t want to put in the extra effort to help the business. I researched the numbers today, and even though the sales numbers are great, their Net Promoter scores are in the toilet, which is more important to me than the sales numbers, in the end. It doesn’t do me much good to have great sales numbers for customers that won’t come back.
In other thoughts… I haven’t listened to a single political talk show since before Christmas. I feel a little weird about that- Glenn Beck used to be part of my daily routine- and even though it is hard not knowing what is going on in the world, I do feel more relaxed and not quite so burdened with the gloom and doom of the world. I’ll talk more about that in another post, but suffice to say, I don’t think I’ll be going back to listening to political things, either on the right or the left. Both sensationalize, and bend the truth about what is going on in the world, and rile people up to hatred. In the end it is all about money and influence, and I don’t want the negative influence in my life.
As far as travels go, we went to Florida and the Caribbean in January, I went to Florida in February for a conference, and then in March we went to New Mexico to visit my mom, sister, and sister’s family. I’ve also been to Salt Lake a few times to pick up vehicles this year, so lots of flying and driving. On the way back we stopped in Vegas, and my wife and two of the kids spent the week there, while I and my oldest came back for a couple of days for work and school, before flying back down there for a wedding. And then last weekend (Easter weekend) we went down to Thanksgiving Point to the Tulip Festival, which was really neat, and then to the Easter devotional concert by the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra. It was a quick trip, but fun. It was great taking lots of pictures!
I also finished working on my staircase remodel, finishing up in March I think. I then added a built-in bookcase to our living room. I am trying to sell my wood bookcase now so I can build the shelves on the other side of the room. I chopped down a tree on Saturday, which really opened up the front yard. not sure how we like it now with the lack of privacy, but it really helps give the garden some more sun. It was also a haven for wasps, so glad we got rid of it. I kept the trunk and the larger (bigger than an inch and a half) branches for firewood, and took the rest to the dump to be recycled into mulch. It weighed in at 770 lbs. of wood dumped, not including the trunk or bigger branches. All together, I’m guessing it was close to 1000 lbs. It didn’t seem like it was that big when I started…
Chelsea and I have seen a couple of shows this year as well- We saw Wicked in March and then Jim Gaffigan last Saturday. Both shows were great, and we enjoyed them immensely. Didn’t like the parking though. If there is one thing we need to get figured out in this town its how to get efficient parking downtown and by BSU. I’m excited for the next show though- I’d like to see Hamilton and we have tickets for the Piano Guys, which should be a great show.
As far as books I’ve read so far this year: in physical books I’ve read the first Saints book, The Go Giver, and Leading Loyalty. In Audio I’ve listened to 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari, Reagan by Bob Spitz, Caesar by Adrian Goldsworthy, Loonshots by Safi Bahcalli, 1917: Lenin, Wilson and the Birth of the New World Disorder by Arthur Herman, Spearhead by Adam Makos, Killing the SS by Bill O’Reilly, Ancient Civilizations of North America by the Great Courses, Crashes and Crisis by the Great Courses, White Rose, Black Forest by Edin Dempsey, and I think that’s it- there might be a couple of others, but I think that about covers 2019 as far as books go.
Anyway, it has felt like a busy year so far. I’m sure there are things I could do to make things more efficient, and more effective, just haven’t figured out how to exactly. I think I need to hire a manager to help me with the technicians, and I need to get some help in my rug washing plant. I’ve also been doing a lot of my night time commercial work, which has been giving me a bit of a beating. Getting some help in those areas I think would be a great start in helping me get caught up in things.
I’m looking forward to how the rest of the year goes!
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