We’ve 13 amazing years of Cassini exploring Saturn, now the mission is coming to a close – what did we find out?
via NASA — Solar System: Things to Know This Week
No ownership claimed on images or materials – Credit NASA
Simon 🙂
Employers – The Employee / Employer Relationship
Since the last week of my job backfired a bit I’ve been thinking about the employee / employer relationship. I wanted to have a series of posts talking about my views from the way I see as like an open letter to employers about what it is that makes an employee want to work for and please their employer.
I thought for this first one it’s about the relationship and to see how things have changed a bit let’s turn the clock back to Victorian times. It was in these times that Britain was at it’s peak, technologically, economically and it’s standing int he world seemed un-movable. This Britain was built on what today we see as slave labour, workers had little to no rights. Employers would move clocks back and forward to suit themselves and get more work out of every employee. The price of disobedience or lack of performance was instant dismissal, which would lead to tough times and eventually the workhouse.
Moved on
Thankfully things have moved on a bit and there are now rights and laws in place that are always being reviewed and argued about and ultimately changed. But the world is learning that employing someone and expecting the same out of each employee isn’t as simple as paying them and expecting them to do great things.
Why is this?
Simple – everyone is different. A family person is likely to not stay as late as a single person. People have lives outside of work, but some don’t and dedicate their lives to their jobs. Comparing any one employee to another as a yardstick is as pointless as comparing a fingerprint. Everyone is aware that as job has to be done and normally every one will do their very best. Because they want to, sure they want to get paid and in nearly every case NEEDS to get paid, but using that to hold power over an employee is bad form.
Inspiring Employee’s
Pretty much every employee in every company want to be inspired to do the best job they can – they want to be seen to be doing a good job, they want to feel that their efforts and time are pleasing their employer and employee wants to please.
So when you sit in a room with your manager and they rattle on for 20 minutes about the fact that you don’t works as well or as fast as they like is that inspiring – NO! Why these managers don’t take a different angle on it I have no idea. For example I was told that I don’t work fast enough and spent 20 minutes discussing distractions and how I can work faster. When I queried them on the quality of my work the reply was “Er – I think it’s ok”
Great – you’ve just admitted that you don’t give a flying fuck about what I do – as long as it’s quick.
Turning this around it could have gone another way:
“Hey Simon, you’re doing some great work but there’s going to be a lot going on over the next few months and we need your help to get boards out faster – How can I help with this?”
The end result is still the same, I feel better because I’ve been told I do good work and the manager would feel better for having a positive conversation. Why is this so hard? Also, sometimes things take the time they take for a reason, if a manger thinks it can and should be done quicker – maybe they should show the employee how! There’s no better inspiration that a leader that actually leads.
This is the first of several posts on employers… if you like it say so – have any ideas to add, then let me know!
Simon
Where my Feet have been – Abby Ruins
The weekend weather was amazing! Visiting the Abby ruins near where I live is always interesting, normally it’s a place where children can play hide and seek or people can relax and chill out in peace.
The irony of this is the dark and violent history surrounding these ruins, peasant uprisings, power struggles, blood shed and the such. The evidence of this is only in the ruins, the Abby destroyed on one the many conflicts around this pace and time.
But here also there is history, the start of the Magna Carter and the names of Barons sent to deliver this act to King John.
This place was important, things happened here and because of this it was destroyed. Now only ruins remain and among them there are features like stairs, ornaments and shapes, made so long ago and destroyed.
Now it’s just a place to play and chill.
Simon 🙂
Kindness Challenge Week 6 – Kindness without Expectation
It’s week 6 of the kindness challenge and this week is focusing on kindness without expectation. That is to be kind without expecting anything in return. The kindness challenge is being run by Niki Meadows of Richness of a Simple life and the challenge prompt for the week is here:
https://therichnessofasimplelife.wordpress.com/2017/06/12/week-6-kindness-without-expectation/
This week’s challenge focuses on not only choosing kindness but being kind without expectation. Kindness is something that should be given freely without restriction or expectation. How others respond is on them, but how we give kindness is on us. This is might be a big step to take on our journey of making kindness a bigger part of our lifestyle. You might find that you already do some things without expectation and others without realizing expectation was there. While it’s liberating to be kind without expectation, I do encourage you to remember to uphold your healthy boundaries. Remember the kindness we focused on during the first three weeks of the challenge. Being kind starts with yourself. Don’t deplete yourself or do things that aren’t in alignment with yourself. I can’t wait to hear about how this week goes for you!
Week 1’s Challenge is here:
https://sfarnell.wordpress.com/2017/05/14/kindness-challenge-week-1-self-love/
Week 2’s Challenge is here:
https://sfarnell.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/kindness-challenge-week-2-self-compassion/
Week 3’s Challenge is here:
https://sfarnell.wordpress.com/2017/05/30/kindness-challenge-week-3-self-acceptance
Week 4’s Challenge is here:
https://sfarnell.wordpress.com/2017/06/06/kindness-challenge-week-4-kindness-role-model
Week 5’s Challenge is here:
https://sfarnell.wordpress.com/2017/06/14/kindness-challenge-week-5-choosing-kindness/
So how can someone be kind without expectation? I found it’s actually quite hard if I’m quite honest with myself, but then maybe I’m being too harsh and ignoring my self kindness boundaries.
The first thing I considered was kindness while driving, this is difficult at the best of times. On my daily commute to and from home I navigate narrow country roads and busy dual carriageways. Making way to be kind to your fellow driver is something I try and do all the time, it’s not often that one get’s thanks for this but on the other hand you don’t normally see the person and certainly don’t speak to them.
So what else?
Holding the door open for someone? Being friendly to a stranger or clearing up after dinner and clearing up the kitchen. All these simple things I do all the time and I don’t think about getting thanks – does that mean yay? Well done me? What a good boy I am – it kind of seems a bit trite to think like that but maybe that’s the point.
Maybe the greatest thing I can do for someone is to give a prayer or thought to a stranger I see randomly. Try and give a fellow human happiness or good wishes on their journey as they pass close.
No thanks would be given, because maybe they wouldn’t even know who to thank if anyone needed to be.
Simon 🙂
Planet Simon Maniacal Monday Musings
So this is another Monday – it’s baking hot here and glorious weather. I’ve finally kicked this flu, it’s taken about three weeks but I finally did it!
There’s not much to say about the last week, not much really happened, particularly on here, I’ve still got some posts idea I’m rattling through and more writing that I can shake a stick at. But hey – live it!
I thought I would do a little self promotion of my social empire that I’ve been building lately, come and have a look:
www.facebook.com/BlogPlanetSimon
There’s more on the way for Planet Simon, hopefully soon. Watch this space and who know’s what will happen!
Have a great Monday and a great week!
Simon 🙂
The Days End
The day is over.
Red skies herald the days end.
As birds find sleep bats flutter against the orange and red hues.
Coolness touches as calmness descends.
The day has ended…
Soon a new day will dawn.
Simon 😊
What is a father?
Being the topical kind of guy I am, I was thinking this morning about what a father is so I put my thoughts into this post.
A father is someone who has photo’s where their money used to be
– unknown
This is a quote I saw years ago and to me it’s perhaps the most accurate statement of what a father is.
The stereotypical father is a man that is out the door to work before the house is up, back at whatever time for meat and three veg, out to the pub on a Friday, is often grumpy and shouts when things go wrong and spends the weekend watching football and the F1.
While this is maybe true of some or even many fathers the true essence lies between lines of the stereotypical father.
- Theres the father the provider.
- Theres the father that instills their values.
- Theres the father the social animal.
- Then theres the father the man, competitive and striving.
Every father is different and marks the family with their own stamp that’s part of who they are. They want it to be a reflection of them and what they think is right and wrong.
They know they don’t get it right all the time, I rarely do. But the striving never stops and neither does their love. Even in the midst of the fear, anger and maybe even hopelesses they may feel.
Just like in F1 – just because your pit stop put you back three places or you started near the back. It doesn’t mean they accept it. It pushes them to drive harder.
So for today… Give him a rest. Happy fathers day!
Simon 😊
New Release! #scifi novel, Detours in Time
To all scifi bloggie fans theres a new book come out needing to be read!
Simon 😊
Today is the day! Detours in Time, my most recent novel, is now live and available for purchase at Amazon.com for Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and in paperback! Please check it out, purchase the book, read it, or add it to your Goodreads Want to Read or Currently Reading shelf if you decide to purchase or even just want to read it later. If you read the book, please leave a review, no matter how brief, on Amazon and consider sharing it on social media. Perhaps you might share this post on your social media? All of these things help me gain visibility as an indie author and are greatly appreciated!
Goodreads link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35261459-detours-in-time-1
Amazon link:
Independently Published.
Genre: Sci-fi, time-travel/adventure 221 pages (e-book), 301 pages (paperback)
Read the book that early readers have called “Captivating!” Here is a blurb:
On a whim, feisty Tabatha takes a trip to the…
View original post 129 more words
Kindness Challenge – Week 5 – Choosing Kindness
On this 5th week of the kindness challenge, we’re looking at choosing kindness. This is about being mindful about our everyday interactions and choosing to be kind, even in the smallest or simplest of ways.
The prompt and challenge for the week is here:
Week 5 Kindness Challenge – Choosing Kindness
Nikki included this quote in her post and I think it sums up how we should all be living everyday:
It’s not our job to play judge and jury, to determine who is worthy of our kindness and who is not. We just need to be kind, unconditionally and without ulterior motive, even – or rather, especially – when we’d prefer not to be.
-Josh Radnor
Week 1’s Challenge is here:
https://sfarnell.wordpress.com/2017/05/14/kindness-challenge-week-1-self-love/
Week 2’s Challenge is here:
https://sfarnell.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/kindness-challenge-week-2-self-compassion/
Week 3’s Challenge is here:
https://sfarnell.wordpress.com/2017/05/30/kindness-challenge-week-3-self-acceptance
Week 4’s Challenge is here:
https://sfarnell.wordpress.com/2017/06/06/kindness-challenge-week-4-kindness-role-model
This week the challenge is to think of times where we struggle to be kind, either at home of work, in times of stress or whatever. We need to focus on these times and work out how we can show kindness in these circumstances.
So for me, being a guy I can get moody – especially when things don’t go right or go downright wrong. I get stressed and annoyed with the closest living organism to me. Taking a deep breath and remembering that this is just the ebb and flow of life can help me to show more kindness here.
So this kind of thing has happened a few times this week, I won’t lie – I’ve shouted a few times but quickly realised this and calmed down. Talking calmly even when inside you feel like exploding has helped me to get a better head to the situation and not take it out on those around me.
Along with this too, even thought I’m working somewhere that is now strange, I’m making sure I smile and say hello and I’ve even done the extra step of sticking post it notes in random places with smiley faces. I hope people see these and smile with them!
Have a great week all my bloggies!
Simon 🙂
Protecting yourself from camera hacking
We sometimes hear about camera hacking – how big a problem is it and how do we prevent it?
This infographic on the issue shows some of the shocking examples of hacking going back a number of years and how we can protect ourselves from it. The link to the full article is:
https://www.vound-software.com/blog/ten-tips-to-avoid-camera-hacking
Infographic credit to Kaylee White – thanks for contacting me.
Simon 🙂
