irregular update:
One of these days, I will start writing regularly again...
I'm almost finished training at my new job. As of Monday, my trainer will be in charge of payroll for the Chino, CA office, and I will be in charge of all Accounts Payable issues for Hillsboro OR, Chino CA, and Delaware OH.
It's not really that big of a job. I basically come in in the morning, have a cup of coffee, get the morning report of paid items, finish the report of open items from the previous evening, open and distribute the mail, enter utilities, UPS, and freight tracking, record reception of drop shipments, check email periodically to make sure that there isn't any odd task that someone from some other plant whomn I'll probably never meet needs for me to perform (usually shuttling faxes from one office to another, or calling external companies for copies of invoices, etc,) and finally, the thing they probably actualy hired me for:
Invoice Discrepancy Resolutions (IDR's)
These are holds on payments that come frequently, because somebody forgot to cross a t or dot an i, or because somebody coded, priced, quantified, etc, incorrectly. Sometimes it's because stuff gets scheduled for payment before it's been received, sometimes it's just because somebody has to approve a payment that is out of the automatic approval range, sometimes it is just because the people who sent the IDR don't now how to do their job, and they just need someone to give them detailed instructions on what to do so they can feel secure in pushing the buttons.
These are really what take up the most of my time. The reason I am getting up to speed on the routine functons of the job is so I will have maximum available time for resolving these discrepancies. It's actually kind of fun, and I like knowing that people with power are relying on me to instruct them as to the proper means of exercising it. It is a position I've always felt myself suited for, and a handy avenue toward eventually holding that power myself.
The other cool thing about this job is that it is getting me out of debt quickly. As of today, I have 75% of all my personal debt paid and, according to MS Money, by the end of the year I will have no personal debt whatsoever, no commercial debts except the very old ones, new furniture, and a new desktop system. At the end of 12 months, I will have a savings of about $9000, on top of maintaining SML/USGL dues, a health club membership, membership in a kung fu club, spa membership, cummunity college tuition, a cell phone and a land line, ample groceries, regular entertainment, and a roof over my head.
I knew there was a good reason for all of my excesses. They have proven to me the value of frugality.
in other news, I have been spending a lot of time in the back yard, swinging around the clubs. My nunchaku technique is getting pretty good! I'm almost to the point where I can match the speed and fluidity of Bruce Lee's unforgettable flourish from that scene in Enter the Dragon, where he subsequently wiped out about 20 guards. Yesterday afternoon, M and I went to Choi's Martial Arts Supply and picked me up a 3-sectioned staff. The woman behind the counter gave us a flyer for a tournament at the Oregon Convention Center, and encouraged me to enter it.
"Um, I have no formal training. I'm getting pretty good with the nunchak', but this is actually the first time I've ever touched a 3-sectioned staff..."
"Oh, well that must take some, uh, confidence"
I think she meant to say stupidity, but I'm doing okay so far. Since yesterday, I've put in a total of about 4 hours practicing with them, and I have tentatively gained some confidence in maintaining momentum in one direction along one plane at a time, and changing direction with a bit of a pause. These clubs have a lot of inertia, so it is of the utmost that you stop them at the chain points, and use a soft, padded area of your body. I haven't hit myself much because I'm being very careful, but even just getting tapped with these guys has raised a couple bumps and bruises on my knee, elbow, and the back of my head. Of course, it could just mean that I need to get into better shape. In any case, coming back into the house after a good session, nursing my bruises and feeling my upper body get tighter and bulkier, and feeling like I'm really accomplishing something with my body, is well worth it. Also, just 4 hours of training with the 3 sectioned staff has informed my nunchaku routine immensely. I taught myself a couple of new moves, and the weight difference between the two weapons make the nunchaku feel almost like toys. As a result, my speed and accuracy has increased noticably.
Anyway, M and I will probably go to the tournament, just to watch. Maybe when I get better and have some actual interactive training behind me, I'll sign up to compete. For now, I am quite satisfied with the level of increase on all fronts...
I'm almost finished training at my new job. As of Monday, my trainer will be in charge of payroll for the Chino, CA office, and I will be in charge of all Accounts Payable issues for Hillsboro OR, Chino CA, and Delaware OH.
It's not really that big of a job. I basically come in in the morning, have a cup of coffee, get the morning report of paid items, finish the report of open items from the previous evening, open and distribute the mail, enter utilities, UPS, and freight tracking, record reception of drop shipments, check email periodically to make sure that there isn't any odd task that someone from some other plant whomn I'll probably never meet needs for me to perform (usually shuttling faxes from one office to another, or calling external companies for copies of invoices, etc,) and finally, the thing they probably actualy hired me for:
Invoice Discrepancy Resolutions (IDR's)
These are holds on payments that come frequently, because somebody forgot to cross a t or dot an i, or because somebody coded, priced, quantified, etc, incorrectly. Sometimes it's because stuff gets scheduled for payment before it's been received, sometimes it's just because somebody has to approve a payment that is out of the automatic approval range, sometimes it is just because the people who sent the IDR don't now how to do their job, and they just need someone to give them detailed instructions on what to do so they can feel secure in pushing the buttons.
These are really what take up the most of my time. The reason I am getting up to speed on the routine functons of the job is so I will have maximum available time for resolving these discrepancies. It's actually kind of fun, and I like knowing that people with power are relying on me to instruct them as to the proper means of exercising it. It is a position I've always felt myself suited for, and a handy avenue toward eventually holding that power myself.
The other cool thing about this job is that it is getting me out of debt quickly. As of today, I have 75% of all my personal debt paid and, according to MS Money, by the end of the year I will have no personal debt whatsoever, no commercial debts except the very old ones, new furniture, and a new desktop system. At the end of 12 months, I will have a savings of about $9000, on top of maintaining SML/USGL dues, a health club membership, membership in a kung fu club, spa membership, cummunity college tuition, a cell phone and a land line, ample groceries, regular entertainment, and a roof over my head.
I knew there was a good reason for all of my excesses. They have proven to me the value of frugality.
in other news, I have been spending a lot of time in the back yard, swinging around the clubs. My nunchaku technique is getting pretty good! I'm almost to the point where I can match the speed and fluidity of Bruce Lee's unforgettable flourish from that scene in Enter the Dragon, where he subsequently wiped out about 20 guards. Yesterday afternoon, M and I went to Choi's Martial Arts Supply and picked me up a 3-sectioned staff. The woman behind the counter gave us a flyer for a tournament at the Oregon Convention Center, and encouraged me to enter it.
"Um, I have no formal training. I'm getting pretty good with the nunchak', but this is actually the first time I've ever touched a 3-sectioned staff..."
"Oh, well that must take some, uh, confidence"
I think she meant to say stupidity, but I'm doing okay so far. Since yesterday, I've put in a total of about 4 hours practicing with them, and I have tentatively gained some confidence in maintaining momentum in one direction along one plane at a time, and changing direction with a bit of a pause. These clubs have a lot of inertia, so it is of the utmost that you stop them at the chain points, and use a soft, padded area of your body. I haven't hit myself much because I'm being very careful, but even just getting tapped with these guys has raised a couple bumps and bruises on my knee, elbow, and the back of my head. Of course, it could just mean that I need to get into better shape. In any case, coming back into the house after a good session, nursing my bruises and feeling my upper body get tighter and bulkier, and feeling like I'm really accomplishing something with my body, is well worth it. Also, just 4 hours of training with the 3 sectioned staff has informed my nunchaku routine immensely. I taught myself a couple of new moves, and the weight difference between the two weapons make the nunchaku feel almost like toys. As a result, my speed and accuracy has increased noticably.
Anyway, M and I will probably go to the tournament, just to watch. Maybe when I get better and have some actual interactive training behind me, I'll sign up to compete. For now, I am quite satisfied with the level of increase on all fronts...