So, So Good To Be Home

Hi everybody. It's wonderful to be home! Hope that you've all had a great week.

It was a good trip. Busy and hectic, but good. My boss and a colleague and I were sent, along with about 77 other employees throughout our agency, to our Indianapolis office for the first of several training sessions on the new personnel system under which DoD activities will be falling within the next several years. Our agency has chosen to "spiral" (their word) in to the new system sooner than later, hence the need for all of us to rush off and be trained post haste. This new system significantly changes how personnel management tasks are to be accomplished within the Department of Defense. This new system affords management with many new flexibilities in the recruitment, retention, promotion, recognition, and termination of its workforce, which is something that's been long overdue in the Federal workworld for a LONG time. It's exciting, as a personnelist and as a management official, to be a part of something this big and this historical in my field. What scares me is that the human reaction to this so far hasn't been good, largely due to misconceptions, a rampant rumor mill, and a general lack of information on what this new system is and does. So much of it cannot be discussed with our workforce at this time (although any savvy person can go and research the proposed regulations him- or herself), and this silence is, I'm afraid, breeding even more worry and concern in the eyes of our workforce. My greatest challenge in teaching this new system to our workforce will be in handling those employees whose misinformation or general discontent with the system lends them to be angry and difficult students. I don't deal well with negativity and hostility, and I'm really hoping that we'll be given some additional, advanced training on how to handle difficult students in a professional classroom setting. Another big challenge I'm worried about will hopefully be negated by time. So much of this new system is being discussed and finalized. The final regulations, as I understand it, are now before the Office of Management and Budget, later to be turned over to Congress for final approval. We know what the proposed regulations are...but how much will change between now and the time we're slated to teach our workforce? Of course, BRAC is hitting the majority of our workforce simultaneously to this new personnel system, which, although completely separate from it, is a huge concern and source of worry to our folks as well. This is just a challenging time to be an HR employee within the DoD (or rather, ANY employee within the DoD, I should say). While I am excited to see how my field (and workworld) will change as a result of this new system, I'm worried too. As I get more information, I'll feel more comfortable and better able to be the advocate of this system that my agency needs for me to be.

The training we had last week was heavy and rapid-fire, and we all looked forward to the end of each day. We stayed at a WONDERFUL hotel in Indianapolis...one I'd definitely recommend to any traveler coming to the Indianapolis area. Many thanks to Sarah and Bob and the kind folks at the Residence Inn in Fishers. I will definitely be returning to your wonderful hotel the next time work brings me to Indianapolis!

It was wonderful to see Mom and Dad again. I just wish I'd had more time with them. They invited my boss and colleague and I over for a WONDERFUL home-cooked dinner, and we had SUCH a wonderful time together. The women I work with are so special to me, and it felt so wonderful to have them in our home. My father is just generally hilarious, and his stories are the best. It was so much fun just to laugh and be together with good company for good times. The next day, my boss and co-worker, thanks to the fine folks at Flowers By Dick Baker, delivered a beautiful bouquet of daisies to my parents as a "thank you." Nice, nice indeed.

Nice is the perfect word to describe being home. It has felt so good to sleep in my own bed and be with my family these past two days! When I came home, I found two wonderful surprises waiting for me! The lovely Mary sent me a wonderful RAOK postcard and I got my first big gift from my Secret Pal:



What wonderful surprises! Thank you so much, ladies!! Talk about a warm welcome home! And Secret Pal, Erin loved her Uno cards! What a thoughtful gift!!

I've also put together my first gift for my Secret Pal. Here's the card I made that will accompany her gift:



(Stampin' Up products used include the now retired "Farm Fresh" stamp set, Mellow Moss and Barely Banana cardstock, Mellow Moss buttons, and Stampin' Dimensionals. The curvy scissors and markers aren't from SU.)

While I was gone last week, I spent more time crocheting than studying (gee, there's a shocker!) and I've made quite a bit of progress on my Little Star Afghan:



A question for those of you who have completed this afghan...am I doing this right? Look at the bottom. The large gap between the final stitch and the slip stitch to the end of the row is concerning me. Am I doing this right?

On the crochet thread, I saw a wonderful pattern that I am dying to get my hands on. Have any of you ever done the Flapjack Afghan? Is it only available in the "Toast & Marmalade" book? It looks lovely!

I did get SOME studying done last week, thank goodness. I've also established a test date. So now we know...December 12th at 0900 hours is "the day." Please, God, let me pass this test! Rather, please, God, let me get motivated to keep STUDYING for this test so I can pass it! I don't know why it's so hard for me to buckle down and study. I really enjoy the readings when I can set my mind to doing them.

I think I'll go ahead and close up shop for now. I want to spend some quality time with the family unit after having been gone for a week. Talk to you all later!

-Jen :)