USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Foxfyre]

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.

So you ARE going to the wedding (I remember the discussion when you had decided that you wouldn't be attending. But as it is with all of us, situations are changing all the time. )

 

[Foxfyre]

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.

Speaking of situations changing. Huh. Very different scenario when you last reported on the changes with your company. Having had several companies sold out from under us, Hombre and I know that promises and assurances given at those times rarely if ever hold up for the long term. And there hasn't been a single time that has happened that turned out to be good for us. But we successfully moved on and got on with our lives. Most of us humans are pretty adaptable to be able to do what we have to do to get things done.

 

[Foxfyre]

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.

Look at the top and bottom of the page and you'll see a number of page numbers listed. They are in small type and kind of grayed out, but you move around from page to page by clicking on those.

On most forums the threads you have participated in or subscribed to are called "subscribed threads". Here they are called watched threads--you WATCH instead of SUBSCRIBE. If you post in a thread you automatically WATCH it (subscribe to it). You can unsubscribe by clicking on the 'unwatch thread' button at the top right of the page.

 

[Mindful]

Where is the pm function?

 

[SixFoot]

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

Its right up your alley, huh? lol

 

[SixFoot]

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.

I dunno about all that desert dwelling you speak of. I've had just about enough sand for my lifetime lol. Its 65 degrees, overcast and breezy right now here in Missouri. The occasional ice scraping is totally worth the beautiful smell of green country air. As a bonus, the only places I've seen (and I've seen many) that had more beautiful night skies were Alaska and Afghanistan.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Alan1, if you are financially good for the future retirement options, start looking now and take the first decent offer and jump. Give your current company no warning, because the culture has changed; your company would fire you yesterday if it was to the advantage of the company.

Best of luck.

 

[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.

Speaking of situations changing. Huh. Very different scenario when you last reported on the changes with your company. Having had several companies sold out from under us, Hombre and I know that promises and assurances given at those times rarely if ever hold up for the long term. And there hasn't been a single time that has happened that turned out to be good for us. But we successfully moved on and got on with our lives. Most of us humans are pretty adaptable to be able to do what we have to do to get things done.

Yep, Foxy, we're pretty adaptable and I know things will work out for me as they always have.
Hopefully with more vacation time.

Life's been good to me so far,


Maybe because I'm a country boy,


I live the life I love and I love the life I live,

 

[alan1]

Alan1, if you are financially good for the future retirement options, start looking now and take the first decent offer and jump. Give your current company no warning, because the culture has changed; your company would fire you yesterday if it was to the advantage of the company.

Best of luck.

I understand what you speak, Jake.
I have long held a relationship with my boss that I would tell her if I was seeking other employment. This past month I told her that although I wasn't actively seeking other employment, I have now started replying to headhunters in a mode of acceptance as opposed to blowing them off like in the past. She offered both professional and personal recommendation if desired or needed.
It's not just the company, it's the professional relationships I've built with people over the years.

 

[Foxfyre]

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.

I dunno about all that desert dwelling you speak of. I've had just about enough sand for my lifetime lol. Its 65 degrees, overcast and breezy right now here in Missouri. The occasional ice scraping is totally worth the beautiful smell of green country air. As a bonus, the only places I've seen (and I've seen many) that had more beautiful night skies were Alaska and Afghanistan.

High desert terrain can be sandy and there is a lot of sandy soil on the west side of Albuquerque, but it mostly is really rocky soil interspersed with desert plant life. The climate is rarely extreme for either heat or cold but we do enjoy all four seasons. It isn't for everybody. But sometimes when I need a spiritual lift, I just drive out into a beautiful spot somewhere and get out and just marvel and the sheer magnitude and energy of it that I have experienced nowhere else on Earth. I suppose seeing and appreciating the special beauty of the high desert is an acquired taste, and as I said, may not be for everybody. But I've lived in Kansas and loved it. Lived in various parts of Texas and loved it. Lived in West Virginia and loved it. But none of those places has the same special ambiance as here.

 

[SixFoot]

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.

I dunno about all that desert dwelling you speak of. I've had just about enough sand for my lifetime lol. Its 65 degrees, overcast and breezy right now here in Missouri. The occasional ice scraping is totally worth the beautiful smell of green country air. As a bonus, the only places I've seen (and I've seen many) that had more beautiful night skies were Alaska and Afghanistan.

High desert terrain can be sandy and there is a lot of sandy soil on the west side of Albuquerque, but it mostly is really rocky soil interspersed with desert plant life. The climate is rarely extreme for either heat or cold but we do enjoy all four seasons. It isn't for everybody. But sometimes when I need a spiritual lift, I just drive out into a beautiful spot somewhere and get out and just marvel and the sheer magnitude and energy of it that I have experienced nowhere else on Earth. I suppose seeing and appreciating the special beauty of the high desert is an acquired taste, and as I said, may not be for everybody. But I've lived in Kansas and loved it. Lived in various parts of Texas and loved it. Lived in West Virginia and loved it. But none of those places has the same special ambiance as here.

It definitely has its beauty to it. No one can deny that.

 

[Foxfyre]

Where is the pm function?

Click on a member's name and it opens a small screen that allows you to navigate to that person's profile page or 'follow him/her' which is the same a befriending on other sites. And you'll see an option to 'start a conversation'. PMs are conservations now. Our old forum required you to have a certain number of posts before you obtain PM privileges and I don't know if that is the case now or not.

 

[peach174]

Morning all !

 

[Sherry]

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.

I dunno about all that desert dwelling you speak of. I've had just about enough sand for my lifetime lol. Its 65 degrees, overcast and breezy right now here in Missouri. The occasional ice scraping is totally worth the beautiful smell of green country air. As a bonus, the only places I've seen (and I've seen many) that had more beautiful night skies were Alaska and Afghanistan.

When I was watching the video you posted, it immediately reminded me of the time I spent living in SW Missouri...not sure where that video was taken, but the landscape, and even the rustling of the leaves, seemed familiar.

 

[SixFoot]

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.

I dunno about all that desert dwelling you speak of. I've had just about enough sand for my lifetime lol. Its 65 degrees, overcast and breezy right now here in Missouri. The occasional ice scraping is totally worth the beautiful smell of green country air. As a bonus, the only places I've seen (and I've seen many) that had more beautiful night skies were Alaska and Afghanistan.

When I was watching the video you posted, it immediately reminded me of the time I spent living in SW Missouri...not sure where that video was taken, but the landscape, and even the rustling of the leaves, seemed familiar.

Its right by the Mark Twain reserves. Not quite the rolling beauty of the deep Ozarks, but quite a view from the right locations. It can really grow on someone.

 

[Sherry]

 

[Pogo]

Thunderstorms on and off have confined Hobbes inside. He's really bored. Has invented a new game called "bite the ankle".

 

[Big Black Dog]

Howdy everybody - thought I'd drop in with a trip up-date. Have a little time to kill here. The trip has been good so far but there was one little touchy episode. About half-way through Ohio the check engine light came on. I pulled into a local Chevrolet dealer and he hooked the RV up to the computer and could find nothing wrong. The check engine light even went off. We both wrote it off as gremlins. He was a very nice guy and didn't charge me a cent as the RV is under warranty and he had me back on the road within 30 minutes from the time I pulled into his dealership. That has been the only problem so far. We have made stops at Gettysburg, PA, Ronks, PA where we are currently camped, Hershey, PA, Bird-in-Hand, PA, and Intercourse, PA which was originally called "Cross Keys". Tomorrow bright and early we will depart for the Albany, NY area and stay over night before heading into either Vermont or New Hampshire. I was really impressed with the visit to Hershey. That Mr. Hershey fellow did lots of very good things - much better than simply making candy bars. He was a very impressive guy and leaves a great legacy. Of course, while at Hershey I mailed lots of chocolate stuff to my daughter and my Aunt. Todays adventures took me driving Mrs BBD around to all of the quilt shops with Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse. We came to this area because she said she wanted to drive around and look at the beautiful Amish countryside. That driving around looking at the "beautiful Amish countryside" lasted for just about 45 minutes and then she suggested we should stop and look at the local Amish quilt shops. Being the "Driving Mrs. BBD" kind of guy I am I readily agreed and waited patiently outside on the benches with all the other husbands while she shopped in the stores. Naturally she found lots of stuff that pleased her and the RV now weighs a bit more than it did earlier this morning. It's been a real nice trip so far with no complaints or problems. The RV is doing just fine except for the gas part of it all but I expected that when I bought it. Nothing really to report out of the ordinary... Oh, the camp ground where we are staying at (last night and tonight) is right beside an Amish family farm. There is a wire fence that we are sort of backed up against and his chickens are free range and come up to the fence to roost in a small tree behind our camper. He has about two dozen hens and a very impressive rooster. The hens are fairly quiet but this morning at 0600 that darned rooster let the whole world know that it was time to get up. I chuckled and Mrs. BBD groveled and that is the way the morning began. I will post again when I have the time along the way. Hope everybody is well, happy, and in good spirits.

 

[Foxfyre]

When I was watching the video you posted, it immediately reminded me of the time I spent living in SW Missouri...not sure where that video was taken, but the landscape, and even the rustling of the leaves, seemed familiar.

Where in Southwest Missouri, Sherry? We lived in Pittsburg (Ks) for awhile....just 30 miles from Joplin.

 

[Sherry]

When I was watching the video you posted, it immediately reminded me of the time I spent living in SW Missouri...not sure where that video was taken, but the landscape, and even the rustling of the leaves, seemed familiar.

Where in Southwest Missouri, Sherry? We lived in Pittsburg (Ks) for awhile....just 30 miles from Joplin.

About 20 minutes east of Springfield...I went to college at then SMSU, but it's now just MSU.