USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Noomi]

Haven't been here in a few days. Busy shopping for stuff for sisters wedding.

Tournament next Sunday. Getting excited but I have been working hard. Its the State Titles, so if I win a medal, I will be one of the best in my State in my age and grade division. Got a silver in sparring last year, so lets hope I can get another this year.

Picked out a dress for both the bridal shower and the wedding. Well, mum picked out the wedding dress. The wedding one is blue mauve and looks awesome, and the one I picked is a dark floral pattern which I thought looked great.

I have a new job! Well, sort of. Its a trial at the market tomorrow, I am working in one of the stalls selling pet products. There may be several other people there trying to get the permanent position so I hope I do well. A job is a job, even if its only for a couple of hours.

 

[Foxfyre]

Good night darlinks. I love you guys.

And we're still keeping vigil for

Harper (Save's granddaughter),
Sunshine,
Pogo’s friend Pat and special comfort for Pogo,
TK, and TK's grandma,
Sheila’s friend Shirley,
Spoonie, Ringel, 007, and Sheila's sore backs,
Sherry’s Mom,
BDBoop, her sis, and family,
Hombre,
Pix,
Becki and Becki’s hubby,
Sheila and son Andrew,
Noomi’s Auntie Marj and Nana,
Sheila's sore foot post surgery healing,
Complete healing for Mrs. Ringel and assurance for Ringel and their house deal,
007's Mom,
Pogo's aunt,
All of us and those we care about who are looking for work,
Safe travels for those traveling,
All who are dealing with colds and flu,
And all others we love and hold in concern.

And the light is on awaiting the return of Oddball, Sunshine, and Becki.

P.S. Sometimes in the editing of the vigil list or when I have switched computers, somebody gets dropped that is supposed to be on it. This will always be inadvertent and if ya'll would call it to my attention, it would be much appreciated.

 

[Noomi]

One of my young karate mates, an 11 year old girl, was run over by a trailer last weekend. Not a trailer as in a truck, but a trailer you carry with your car. She has a massive bruise on her leg because she got too close to it. But she still turned up and put in 100% as per usual.

Little champion, she is.

 

[R.D.]

It is so humid this morning here all the windows look like

 

[JakeStarkey]

R. D., that does not look nice at all. The grand sons are off to comic con and we are waking down to the park to feed the ducks in a few minutes and listen to the inhabitants at all. Salt Lake at this time of the year is normally very cool winters and nice days.

Every one, have a great day.

 

[kaz]

This will be a six day week, I'll be in the office tomorrow catching up for sure. One of the joys of working for yourself. Worst boss you can have if you're an achiever...

I once fired myself

I haven't been that kind. I am here in the office, there is just too much paper, I am doing something about that. Though now I'm taking a break for my second cup...

 

[SixFoot]

Good morning. And speaking of mornings, here's how I typically start off the day, cleaning things out, feeding ungrateful critters, collecting food etc..:

 

[AquaAthena]

It is so humid this morning here all the windows look like

Yuk.

That is the look I dread when I get into my car.

 

[JakeStarkey]

OK, short walk, some rain squall, some shopping, some garage saling and home.

 

[Foxfyre]

It is so humid this morning here all the windows look like

Yuk.

That is the look I dread when I get into my car.

Good morning everybody. Ya'll just need to move to the high desert where you don't ever have windows that look like that either on your house or your car. Even what minor amounts of frost collect on surfaces in the winter rarely need scraping or defrosting before you can drive. But you also have xeroscaped yards and get used to the unique beauty of earthtones instead of green landscapes and skin moisturizers are big business here.

 

[Foxfyre]

And LOL Sixfoot. Actually when I was little and we had chickens, they did follow us around like that. Mostly because just about anything that was edible and not too messy got tossed out to them. We kids loved the chore of feeding the chickens.

When our kids were little, Hombre and I left them with friends on a farm for several days once. Our friend gave them chores to do along with their own kids and our five-year-old son was assigned the task of watering the chickens. She told us she would look out and he would be standing at the chicken pen, his fingers wound through the wire, watching. And if a chicken took a drink from the watering trough, he hurried to refill it. He thought it was great fun.

 

[mdk]

Good morning everyone! I am new to this forum but I know already I am going to like this thread.

 

[JakeStarkey]

mdk, you will really like the Coffee Shop. Almost always it stays politics free, although on rare occasion I and a few others have violated that inappropriately. Welcome!

 

[alan1]

Well, things just keep getting more and more interesting at work.

About a month ago, the company I work for issued a press release and a company memo stating that we were being sold (merger) to a company similar to ours (company 1). A company with a similar operating model but a different clientele and operating strategy. Interesting point #1 is that the other company is smaller than us.
Then, two weeks later, our largest direct competitor (company 2) with an identical customer base and identical operating strategy made an offer to buy that was larger. Interesting point #2 is that it is a company that is larger than us. The company I work for turned down the larger offer citing anti-trust law as the reason (I suppose that could be interesting point #3).
Tuesday of this week, company 2 increased their buyout offer for us. Company 2 also indicated possible "hostile take over action" if declined again. That would be interesting point #4.
Thursday this week, my company again declined the buyout offer from company 2 and issued a press release citing exact FTC rules about anti-trust law, divestiture, etc that (they think) would make it a bad deal for shareholders. Making that Interesting point #5.
Yesterday, company 2 issued a press release stating that were still intent on buying us and would explore their options to do so. Options (most likely) include a direct appeal to shareholders and/or a hostile takeover. That would be interesting point #6.

Meanwhile, the senior management and executives keep telling us not to listen to the noise (press) or worry about what will eventually happen. Sorry, I can't help but think about it. If company 2 buys us there is about a 98% chance I will lose my job in about a year. The mere 2% chance of keeping my job would include re-location to another state far from my family, so that is not an option for me. If company 1 buys us there is about a 75% chance I will lose my job in about two years. Of the remaining 25%, I'm guessing it's a 50/50 possibility of having to re-locate to another state. Again, far from my family. Company 2 is a better option for me, but still not a good final outcome in most scenarios.

I was planning on retiring from the company I currently work for, but I don't think that is going to happen now. In my past, I have always worked for the company that was acquiring the other company. I've never been in a situation where my employer was being acquired. Time to dust off the resume, update it, and keep my options open. Fortunately, I work in IT, I'm good at what I do, and there is high demand for what I do. In the worst case scenario, I have a year to secure other employment, so I don't see a problem there.
I just hate going through the whole employment seeking process -- resume's, interviews, waiting, negotiating salary and vacation time. It's just a pain, especially negotiating vacation. Most companies focus on salary when recruiting/hiring. Screw that, I am more than willing to accept less in salary for an extra week or two of vacation.

 

[Mindful]

Hi all. I'm having problems getting to grips with the navigation here.

 

[Foxfyre]

For today's history lesson boys and girls, on this day in history:

September 6, 1522, Ferdinand Magellan's one remaining ship, the small but sturdy Victoria, returned to Spain, after the first ever round the world trip by sea.

Inspired by Columbus's great adventure 30 years before, and by Portugal's Vasco da Gama who did find a new trade route to India in 1498, Magellan wanted to complete a great feat of his own. Rebuffed by the Portuguese monarchy, he went to the Spanish monarchy who were interested and financed the expedition. In September, 1519, Magellan's flagship Trinidad and four other ships carrying crews of 250 men, set sail. He was killed in hostilities in the Philippines. Hostilities, storms, starvation, and disease tool a terrible toll on the expedition. Only 18 of the crew and one ship would survive the trip.

Magellan is credited with discovering the vast Pacific Ocean, demonstrating potential for unlimited trade routes to the east including that elusive route to India, and proving once and for all that Aristotle's theory of a round Earth was accurate.

 

[Mindful]

Okay clever clogs. Apart from the pretty picture, how about instructions on using the rudder.

 

[Foxfyre]

And a warm Coffee Shop welcome to Mdk and Mindful who are joining us for the first time this morning. Welcome, welcome. Please read over the OP to see what we are all about here in the Coffee Shop and drag up a chair and join right in. We're most pleased to have you. Once it is obvious you plan to settle in here, you will be adopted as Coffee Shop 'family'.

Your choice of complimentary beverages:

 

[Foxfyre]

Okay clever clogs. Apart from the pretty picture, how about instructions on using the rudder.

LOL. Well first you'll have to be a bit more specific as to what you want to know. Just ask and we'll answer as best we can. If you are used to V-bulletin on message boards, there will be a bit of a learning curve here. We just recently switched over to this software so ALL of us are having to learn to use it, but it does become comfortable fairly quickly. You obviously do know how to make a post.

To find your way back to the Coffee Shop bookmark us OR at the top of your screen you will see a Watched Threads button. That takes you to unread Watched threads but just under the title will be a line ending with 'more information. . . . ' that is actually a link. Click on that and it will take you to ALL WATCHED THREADS which replaces what most of us knew before as threads we were subscribed to. Or there is a button for All Watched Threads at the bottom of the Unread Watched Threads page. The Coffee Shop is also pinned in the Lounge Forum.

I just made an icon for All Watched Threads on my desktop and come to USMB with that now. Saves a lot of time.

 

[Mindful]

How do I turn forward, or go back a page? And find where I was before. I was on another forum with too many top heavy thrills and spills in the software.Though I got used to it in the end.

What do you mean by "watched threads"? Threads that we are all looking at right now?

However, thanks for the tutorial. I will do my best to imprint it on this brain of mine.