meetings, meetings, meetings...sorry, my mute button was on

My second wish for 2021 (first one is obvious) is for a reduction in meetings. Even prior to the pandemic it was happening; there is a love of meetings and it has gotten out of control. I've been involved in many (many, many) work "flavor of the day" projects in trying to better reduce and manage meetings but all seem to end up in the trash after the facilitators see a shiny object, move on to another project and things move back to what they were with the loudest individuals getting their word in. 

The latest flavor of the day involves fancy terminology in the meeting titles like retrospective, checkpoint, refinement, stand-up, follow-up, sprint, agile, scrum, biweekly update, elaboration, and last but not least, 'planning'. I have spent up to six hours of the work day logged into video conference calls (audio only - no video for me thank you).

My two cents for fixing it. The meeting host needs to know what he/she is talking about and take charge of the meeting. Get a meeting facilitator like John McLaughlin of The McLaughlin Group      (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOLF_D7JVZM). Too much lollygagging leads to long calls and everyone starts multi-tasking/day dreaming after about 10 minutes of that. Keep it short and simple. Also, don't even think about a call after lunch. Get it done early and let everyone spend the remainder of the work day focused on the tasks at hand. Kind of like the old Hill Street Blues show where the head cop would address the troops on the matters of the day in the morning and leave them off with a, "be careful out there." No refinement, follow-up or retrospective needed.

I'd like to write more but have to get to a meeting...

Trail Head

Hollywood rider is back

My nephew Jackson got his regular chair back at the Fox 2 studios with another appearance yesterday; this time to support the 2021 Bike the Blizzard fundraiser (https://thehubofdetroit.org/biketheblizzard/). 

A great cause giving bicycles to kids who normally wouldn't have one. I donated two bicycles a few years back and hopefully two kids are out there enjoying the coast on them.

I haven't heard Jackson's totals yet but he can put some miles on and the weather has not been as bad as year's past (2019 for one; believe they called it early due to the excessive snow). I'll put an estimate at 300.

Pedal on Hollywood.

Trail Head

Creeping closer to Idiocracy - thankful for humor

I watched the Idiocracy movie over the holidays for about the 1,000th time and enjoy it each and every time. 

And yesterday I got to see the live version play out.

Thankful for humor during this time.

Trail Head

New Co-Pilot

It only took 40 years of crap gifts from yours truly to finally come to the grateful decision but my family decided about a decade ago to stop buying for each other (besides the grandkids). I was king of the crap gift, whether it be the car back rest with beads or the hand held desk fan for those days at work when you just need a little more breeze, I bought some crap. It's amazing what you can buy at three in the morning. I burned my brother one year and wrapped a fake gift (along with the real one separately), which he tried to burn me back by opening it early; little did he know it was some crap literature from the mailbox. 

So that is the backstory of not buying gifts. My mom, however, still has her eyes open for little knickknacks while shopping for the grandkids. It must be a mother's premonition but the light on my Schwinn recently went out and what did I get from Santa but a new handlebar light (sweet helmet on that bird). 

Trail Head

Trail Showcase - taking it inside

The helmet cam takes us to southwest Cleveland, specifically Ray's Indoor Bike Park, to...indoor mountain bike. I had heard other riders speak of the place so I had to give it a try. Carved out of an old warehouse with a mix of concrete and wood comprising the "trail", it was a funky experience. There were a few areas that were out of my riding expertise (or lack there of) and didn't want these youngsters on their BMX bikes to see an old man with a limb hanging so I watched from afar in those areas.  

With Detroit's many warehouses collecting dust (hello Packard Plant), I would think the Motor City would embrace the concept with so many riders in and around the city. Idea guy helping out. No charge Mr. Mayor.

Attached are some views from the experience with a tumble from yours truly at around the 3:17 mark (lesson learned not to lollygag on turns/curves). 

(cell phone users need to click the link to view the attached)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-cyNStXmAY

(put quality settings to 1080hd for best picture quality)

Trail Head

Trail Showcase - the art of getting passed

Yesterday was the official/unofficial Global Fat Bike day in the mountain biking world. Normally promoted heavily by the local riding chapter with festivities at Island Lake (including some well placed "soda pop" dispensers in the back of trucks in past years) but this year is not normal and the normally packed trailhead lot on the first weekend of December was only half full.

Based on my speed (or lack there of) and the amount of times I was passed on the trail, it should be re-named Global "on your left" day as that is what I was hearing most. Nephew Jackson was being respectful of his elderly uncle for a few miles but wisely kicked it into 20-something gear and we met back at the parking lot after the loop. Slow speed and all, a great day to be out.

Attached are some views on the art of being passed. For those doing the passing, a call out is recommended about 20 or so yards before the pass or you might get a snake scream from the ADD rider you are passing who was in a deep thought. 

Cell phone users need to click the link to view the attached.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oQ7sAm9aqg

(put quality settings to 1080hd for best picture quality)

Trail Head

The $7,458 Question

It came as no surprise to me to recently read about fraud within the unemployment process as back in September, yours truly received a $7,458 bill from the State for an unemployment claim in my name that I did not apply for (nor receive said $7,458). Been thankfully employed for the last 30 years so obviously a head scratcher receiving the notice. I went through the proper channels and reported it to my employer and the agency's online fraud site (as talking to a human at the agency is not going to happen). 

I received a follow-up form letter advising they are aware of the fraud and won't be pursuing me further (which coincidentally came out right around the time the press started reporting on the widespread issues). 

Stay tuned but as Ernie Harwell used to say, that $7,458 is lonnnnggggg gone and the individual who received it is probably broke again (or in jail like the boneheads in the second article below). Karma is a bitch.

Trail Head

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/11/25/michigan-unemployment-agency-fraudulent-claims/6425442002/

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2020/10/27/feds-say-covid-19-assistance-fraudsters-bragged-instagram-posts/3745522001/