React or Respond?

Too many times I hear about peoples negativity. Bad things happening, woe is me. Etc. Always remember this. Life is fantastic!!!! It's all about the attitude you have towards it and how you take the things that happen to you.

As living, breathing, intelligent people we are faced with two major choices in life.

First : React

I find that the biggest problem in society is people react to the things that happen to them. I.E. I was driving down the freeway and some idiot cut me off so I flashed my bright lights at him and showed him the one finger solute. Another example is bad service. Now I hate bad service myself. You would think someone in that kind of profession would be able to serve professionally. This is not always the case. I find that most people react with a bad tip, maybe a serious complaint, or even verbally bash the server. The thing you don't realize and I didn't realize is the we make ourselves look like idiots when we do that. With reacting to the idiot that cut us off all we accomplish is wasting our precious energy and time and we also draw attention to ourselves and we make ourselves look stupid. This is insane. I wished I had known the things I know now sooner than when I learned them.

Second : Respond

When some idiot cuts us off, instead of reacting and making yourself look stupid and wasting your time and energy, understand that the idiot that cut you off will not even take the time to notice you and if he does this feud can escalate into a violent, horrific situation that could cost you or someone else their lives. Its happened before and it will sure happen again. This is ludicrous! What do you expect, or better yet, what did I expect to accomplish when I reacted like that. I have now taught myself how to respond to these situations. When some idiot cuts me off I simple respond by backing off my throttle and smiling. That person has no affect on me whatsoever. If he wants to risk his life by driving like that then so be it, I'm not going to involve myself in it. I will live to die another day.

I remember a situation years ago when myself and a group of people ate at a Mexican food restaurant. We all sat at the bar talking amongst ourselves and our bartender was having a very difficult time and was performing poorly and had a bad attitude. Instead of reacting our group responded by making small talk with her and come to find out she wasn't supposed to even be there. She had worked a long shift in the morning then had to come in again because the guy that took over for her got injured and had to go the hospital. You never know what someones situation is, so why would you make it worse for them. Put yourself in their shoes. Each of us ended up putting in a ten dollar tip on top of paying for our meal. She ended up with almost a hundred bucks in tips. So instead of reacting, respond, give them a bigger than normal tip. You never know. You could almost literally save their life.

Don't let other people affect your attitude. Keep a healthy positive attitude. Life is so outstanding. Why waste it?

Service and Gratuity

I have been in and out of the customer service profession since I have been working. I have learned a great deal about reading people, about the difference between good and bad service, and how to respond to either good or bad service.

I am a very firm believer that good service should be provided whether or not you like or dislike your job, and/or whether or not you are having a good or a bad day. In my experience and the experience of many other that I know that despite personal circumstances it is not difficult at all to provide good service and do it with a smile.

Many experiences with both good and bad service have come my way. For starters an example of excellent customer service with bad circumstances. I had an experience at Ruby River in Riverdale, UT. Another acquaintance and I had gone there to have dinner. We both ordered sirloin steaks. One steak was very good, however my steak was anything but. The steak was absolutely disgusting. In fact it was so bad the if I squished it with my fork it would just spew between the prongs. I tried very hard to eat it because I never want a restaurant to lose money, after all they are in business to make money from consumers like me. I did however inform the waitress (who was very professional and courteous) of the situation. She offered on more than one occasion to get the manager so he could figure out how to satisfy my experience. I insisted that I would do my best to eat it and if I decided I couldn't then I would let her know. A few minutes later the manager shows up anyway, which was a pleasant surprise. He was a very nice man and wanted to make sure I had the best experience possible. He explained to me how occasionally there will be a cut of meat that for some reason turns out like that. He insisted that he get me a new steak and for the sake of an argument I gave in. He personally picked a new steak for me and cooked it exactly how I wanted and it was the most amazing steak I have ever had. That was the best customer service experience I have ever had and I highly highly recommend that you go eat there. I will most definitely be back for many more pleasant experiences.

A very good example of bad service I had was once when I was in Fairbanks Alaska. It was eleven at night and I was starving. I have always tried not to carry cash with me because its easier to protect a card, not to mention ATM fees in Alaska are unreal. Anyway, the only thing that was open was a Taco Bell. So I went to the drive through ordered my meal then pulled up to the window. I pulled out my credit card and handed it to the kid at the window. He takes my card, holds it in his hand and stares at it for a few seconds, looks at me, and says "uhhh, we don't take plastic.". I asked if he took plastic in the lobby, he said "yes" then I said so why cant you take it through the drive through? He cocks an attitude and says "I don't know we just don't, so do you have cash or not?" I FREAKED! I was tired, and very hungry and definitely not in the mood for a mouthy teenager that didn't take credit cards. That was an example of very bad service. It would not have been hard for him to politely say something like "I'm very sorry sir, but unfortunately we cant accept credit cards through the drive through window. Do you have another form of payment you could use?" That would have been very nice and understandable. Not "uhhhh We don't take plastic". That was pathetic.

I believe very strongly that it is important to provide gratuity for service. Bad service obviously doesn't deserve a gratuity, but if someone provides good service then I am a firm believer that its necessary to "Tip". Providing a small gratuity doesn't cost hardly anything to you, Most servers are happy with 10 percent, because every little bit adds up. But if service is great, then 20 percent is a must. If the pizza guy delivers a pizza to your home, if that person is friendly, and apologetic if its late, then there is no reason why he/she shouldn't receive some kind of tip. They put a lot of wear and tear on their car, and they work hard and fast to provide you the luxury of sitting at home etc. while your food is brought to you. Tips are never necessary, however, if you expect good service, then expect to show your appreciation of a job well done with a gratuity. It hardly puts you out of your way and if you meet that server again, they will provide you good service once more.

I love being in the customer service industry. I love seeing smiles on peoples face for having been provide a luxury that without me they would not have had. I appreciate very much when people offer a small gratuity to me when I provide them with good service. No matter what my personal circumstances I will never fail to provide the best service I can. If you are in the customer service industry I encourage you do the same, because in the end the payout it worth it for all parties involved.

Taben

It's time for something positive, and the most positive thing I have in my life is my son Taben. He is totally number one in my life. I love him more than anything.

He was born on august 8th 2005 right here in Ogden UT, and he has been such a blessing in my life. I love knowing that when I go through hard time (Which I have had a lot lately) I can always count on him being there.

Taben is an extremely active child with endless energy. I wish I could harness some of it for myself. He is almost always a very good kid, however, like every kid he has his moments. Holy cow, they can be crazy ones too. :)

Another thing about Taben is the fact that he is not shy in the least bit. Which is both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because when he is introduced to new people he warms up easily and if they have kids he plays very well with new kids, on the other hand its a curse because he WILL talk to anybody, and you never know some people's intentions. Its a scary thing, thank goodness we haven't had any problems.

Taben is coming up on school age very fast. I can't believe that he will be ready to start kindergarten next year. He is such a smart little boy, he can count really well for his age, he knows the alphabet, and his speech is excellent. I don't think we're gonna have a problem with him in school. He has a pretty good head start.

Ever since the day he got his first toy car he has been obsessed with cars. Any kind of car he can get his hands on he loves. Every time I would take him over to my parents house he would ask Grandpa Bob (My dad) for a car, because my dad would keep a few on his night stand for Taben when he came to visit, and he was allowed to choose one car to take home with him. It was so cute because that was the first thing Taben would ask for when we walked in the door. He is also obsessed with his new Transformers that he got for Christmas. He was staying with me and he wouldn't stop playing with them, along with his wood train set. He loves that thing.

I have learned over the last four and a half years that parenting is not easy in the least bit, but it is way more rewarding than I ever imagined. I wouldn't give him up for anything at all.

I am so grateful to be the father of such a wonderful child, and I'm grateful that he has a great Mother. She cares for him unconditionally and does a good job in raising him. I'm grateful for this especially because she has him most of the time.

There is nothing more precious and valuable in life, than life itself. My son is my life, my very reason for living and I'm so grateful that I have been blessed and trusted with such a wonderful gift. It makes me wonder what I did to deserve such a fabulous gift from God. Cherish the gifts and blessings you have been given, especially children. Understand and realize how precious they are to us, and do everything you can not to miss a thing.

Thanks

Jac

Cars Vs. Trucks

An argument I often find myself getting into with people is the whole thing between cars and trucks.

The most common thing I hear is "That stupid truck". This occurs when a truck that is moving slow than the traffic merges into the faster lane of traffic in order to get around and even slower moving vehicle. This is extremely irritating to me. I have been driving trucks for about five years, I have quite a few miles under my belt and experience. When is comes to cars and trucks, trucks definitely get the worst of it all.

You might think "Well why didn't that truck wait until after I passed to merge?" or, "why is he going so slow?" etc etc. Here's the answer... We have to.

In order to get from point A to point B safely we have to be aggressive to an extent. Now I'm not saying that there aren't truckers that do some EXTREMELY stupid things. Because they do, not just to automobiles, but to other truckers. That's a different story for a different time. However driving a truck defensively and somewhat aggressively is a necessary part of driving one of those things.

There have been times where I have spent five or ten minutes and several miles trying to merge into traffic with my turn signal on. The reason it takes so long is because I am trying to respect the automobiles and not have to cut one off. Usually it takes up until another truck comes up on me in that lane for me to get over, because they realize how difficult it is to get over, and they respect my turn signal and let me in.

Here's the bottom line. Respect the trucks. A truck has a lot of blind spots. With mirrors and safe driving skills we try to eliminate as many blind spots as possible, but a truck can be anywhere from 30 feet to 115 feet in length, around 11 to fourteen feet tall and weigh in upwards of 130,000 pounds. They do not turn on a dime, even worse they do not stop on a dime. If you pull in front of a truck too close, then you better have your last will and testament filled out, because if something happens, which can and will happen, you are going to die if you are too close in front OR in back or that truck. Even on the side there is a big blind area. If we cut you off, its most likely because you refused to let us in or failed to notice a turn signal. (this is not the case if the truck driver does properly use the turn signal.)

Here are some things that you should consider next time you want to complain about trucks. The food on you table, is shipped via truck, the materials that built your house, were shipped via truck. The asphalt and concrete that give you the luxury or driving on a paved road, was brought in by a truck. The furniture in your house, the sheets on your bed, the furnace that heats your house, the air conditioner that cools it, the luxuries you enjoy and maybe take for granted are ALL possible because of TRUCKS. Don't take me the wrong way, not all of you are like that, and there are bad truck drivers, but with my experience driving there are alot more idiots driving cars.

Let me give you some tips about driving around trucks. If you are unsure about where the blind spots are on a truck, here is a url you can check out to give you an idea (http://www.sharetheroadsafely.org/noZone/noZone.asp). When you are following a truck, always remember, if you cant see their mirrors, they cant see you. A good rule of thumb is to stay a minimum of the lengths (about 300 feet) in front or in back of a truck. If you are approaching a truck from behind and you come within that 300 foot mark, be courteous and move too pass if you plan to do so, don't come right up on the truck then move, that could easily cause and accident. After you have passed a truck wait until you are AT LEAST 300 feet in front of that truck before you merge back in front of it. If you can help it don't linger at the side of a truck for too long, you could easily be in a blind spot and if the driver goes to merge and doesn't see you, it could cause a very serious accident.

If you are one of those people that are scared to pass a truck, I have some hints for you. First DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES! This is extremely danger and just plain STUPID! If you are approaching a truck and its swerving a lot in the lane, then pass cautiously, if you have the space, move over one more lane to put a lane between you and the truck. More often than not that truck is going to be staying between the lines of his lane going straight down the road. Remember that these drivers put on a lot of miles and have had a lot of practice keeping it between the lines. When you pass a truck, pass it swiftly, but cautiously (don't exceed the speed limit) and keep your eyes open. Having both hands on the steering wheel is a good idea too. The truck has and air current moving in front and behind it due to its massive size. This is called a Wake. be prepared for it and just be careful and you will be just fine. You have way less of a chance of getting in and accident passing another car that you do a truck. Just don't be stupid, pay attention to what you are doing, and keep in mind, that if you are stupid, and don't pay attention and yield or stay out that blind spot, and you get into an accident with that truck, you will most likely DIE. They are way bigger than you and will win every time.

BE CAREFUL AROUND TRUCKS PLEASE! And by all means please help me to raise awareness of truck safety. Thanks to all who read :)

Hope you enjoyed

Jac

Christmas time and antichrists

This is a very sore subject for me that I've been wanting to write about for quite some time. So here goes.

Christmas is a very special time of year for the vast majority of the world. It is an especially special time of year for me. It's a time for family, its a time for charitable giving (mainly to our children), but most importantly its a time to celebrate the birth and life of our savior.

Anymore, especially with some websites I'm associated with I see that in very few places, or no places at all is the word "Christmas" present. The question I have is "Why?".

Well, here's my conclusion, and its pretty simple. People want to take the rights of the people away. Its all a control issue. How do I figure this? That's simple. There are certain people/groups of people out there that do not believe in Christ or the Christian values that the majority of the people are involved. And for some reason these people with their different views find that they need to eliminate beliefs and practices from the free society of Christians as well. Their tactic is to protest and appoint lawmakers to create laws against the use of such practices and beliefs. THIS IS AN ABOMINATION!

It is absolutely ridiculous that we have to walk on eggshells around these people. I have heard so many different reasons why they are trying to make these changes to our society and every one of them is a crock of crap. I've heard that some people don't want to have to hear the word Christmas everywhere they go. They think that just because they don't believe in the holiday that everybody should change to allow them the freedom of not hearing it. Here's the thing. These traditions were in place long before you were even thought of. Centuries of traditions and practices that allow us to express OUR freedom. Another stupid excuse is hearing that the holiday is too pushy and overbearing. Here's the solution.... DON'T LISTEN!

I cant tell you how many times I have walked by people preaching things that I don't particularly believe, and all I had to do was ignore them if I wanted. Often times I would listen just out of interest in the differences between beliefs. One particular occasion was in a place back east when I was traveling around the country there was a group of Christians, at least I think they were, that was protesting that god hates children, and everybody was going to hell if we didn't join them, etc. etc. Now I didn't particularly care for that belief, in fact personally I think its bogus, but I made the choice to listen and find out exactly what they were saying, then I simply ignored it.

In my particular religion missionaries are assigned to different areas all over the world. The reason for this is to spread what we believe to be the true and complete gospel. I don't say this to discredit any religion, its simply an example. Our missionaries do anything from working on temple or church grounds, or going door to door in an attempt to interest people. This is not meant to be pushy, or to discredit other religions, its simply to spread our beliefs. Its not much different than when somebody seeing a new car or product that they absolutely love, so they tell all their friends, neighbors, and families about it. Same difference. With our missionaries you have two choices, listen to what they have to say and come to a conclusion as to whether or not it interests you, or you can close the door. Two very simple options.

The problem is that people are getting too extreme, sue happy, and most of all, money hungry. They want to find every reason they possibly can to make an easy dollar. That's what it seems to be all about. Well you don't see believers forcing people to call their different beliefs and traditions by a different name just so we don't have to hear it or so we have yet another excuse to sue. You don't see Christians attempting to get lawmakers to pass ridiculous laws to keep Antichrist things out of our society. So quit doing it to us. Just let us practice our traditions and beliefs in peace and we will continue to let you practice yours.

I will never waiver from using or displaying the word "Christmas". It is something I believe in, and something that has been an extremely important part of our society for centuries. Believers stand up with me... Stand up for what you believe in, for what you practice and enjoy in your life. God exists. Christmas is celebrated in his honor, don't ever forget the true meaning behind Christmas, and that is to celebrate the birth and life of our beloved Savior.

Thanks to all who read. I hope I made sense. :)

Jac