The best kind of dilema

It has recently been pointed out (correctly; thank you Kathleen) that school is out and yet my postings here remain infrequent. I know. And I have been meaning to write a post or two, but I’m having some trouble.

I don’t know if it’s writers block (and I’m slightly uncomfortable calling myself a writer) or what. I just don’t have many ideas. I'm not even commenting in places where I usually comment. It's just not coming.

I’ve never been a diarist, and frankly I’m often not self aware enough to realize just what’s going on internally at any given moment.

But I do have a couple of things that sprung to mind. I’ll stick with the first issue and save the other two for later.

I have what I’m reluctant to call a problem or conundrum or puzzle. It’s certainly not an issue. I have an opportunity really. The thing about the opportunity is that it requires I make a choice. And it’s the choosing that I’m having trouble with.

I know the last few times you heard from me I was bitching about my job. I’m still annoyed by it in general, but lately it’s been going well. Most of the headaches are the kinds that are good to have.

As you know from lo these many posts, I’m a sales rep. For as many problems and gripes that I have, one of the many upsides is compensation and rewards and recognition.

We have sales contests from time to time and are rewarded with “sales points” that are over and above our regular commission payouts. They can be cashed in on an internal website for "stuff". There’s lots of stuff to choose from; think Sharper Image and SkyMall meets Home Depot and Best Buy. There’s more, but hopefully you get the idea. You can also get gift certificates to a bunch of places.

These sales points can’t be redeemed for cash. They can’t be invested in any way. You have to blow them on something. They may only be used for “fun.” Two years ago I won some and bought a compound miter saw and a table saw. I also won a pair of iPod Nanos and a few other things.

I’ve won a few contests again recently (and may win a few more) and I’ve got the cash equivalent of about $1400 in sales points to spend. The thing is, I’m torn about how to spend it. Here’s what I’m thinking-

Right now I have a 36” Sony TV. It was a pretty high end TV when I bought it 10 years ago. It’s still working well. But those plasma TVs are pretty cool and I could easily mount one to a wall in my basement. I could get a pretty decent 42” plasma for down there. But again, the big TV works just fine. And we don’t watch much TV in general. 6 to 8 hours a week is about the maximum.

Or I could get a 32” or so plasma for my bedroom and watch movies and whatnot with Mona. But she pointed out that I’m likely to want to watch TV while she wants to go to bed or leave the thing on when I fall asleep. I tend to think she’s right. I’ve also had people say that a bedroom TV is not a good idea just for the basic health of a marriage. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but is it a chance I want to take?

I could also hold on to the points for a while (they never expire) and use them to buy a really nice computer for when I go back to school. I haven’t had my own computer in more than 10 years. My employers furnish them and I use them for business and at home. Mona has a laptop that she bought 3 years ago, spilled orange juice on last year and is not likely to remain viable for much longer. Plus, when I quit next year this machine goes back to the company.

The third choice is to get some gift cards that are basically debit cards to be used for vacations. They can be used for hotel rooms, restaurants, etc. Mona demanded that if she was going to go back to work that I agree to take her on vacation somewhere. These gift cards could take some of the sting out of paying for a week long vacation.

Now something you should know about me. I like to hold on to money. Even this kind of money. I still have the cash my mother gave me for Christmas just before she passed away. I have money from other relatives that just stays in my wallet unspent. I have a $100 bill from an aunt in there that’s been there for at least 8 years.

Although I don’t like to spend I won’t agree that I’m cheap. When I do something I tend to be a spare no expense kind of person. I don’t want to throw around numbers so I’ll just say that when I entertain I prefer to overspend on food and wine rather than underspend. When I buy something I feel I need I tend to beilve the adage “You get what you pay for”. And I am fine paying for quality. It’s committing to do something that’s that problem. Deciding to spend is my personal hurdle.

I’d be very happy to sit on these sales points forever. But I can’t do that for much longer.

So here’s where you come in. Please help me out and answer two questions for me. Which of the three choices above would you take and why? If I gave you $1400 that you had to spend in a Sharper Image and SkyMall meets Home Depot and Best Buy type of place, what would you get?

All suggestions will be considered and all ideas gratefully welcomed.

Mona expresses her creativity

Yesterday was Mother’s Day, and Mona asked me to post something here. Since I believe I was obligated by law to agree to any wish she made on Mothers Day, please take a look at her Jewelry site.

She got into making jewelry when she and a few other moms she hangs around with had a girls night out at some jewelry and pottery make store. She enjoyed it so much that she started making stuff at home in her spare time (usually when The Peanut is napping). She’s made a bunch of necklaces and such and feels like the only way she can make is to get rid of what she’s got now. Think of it as a garage sale kind of thing.

I promise there will be no further commercial messages after this.

The Hinge and The Axe

Not to get on my soapbox, but I really believe there's a difference between a professional sales person and a person who is selling something. I actually have a Bachelors in Sales, it says just that on my diploma.

A professional sales person is looking to find a need and demonstrate how his or her product solves a problem for a customer. Sometimes we have to really do some digging to find that need, but they are real when we find them. And we don't always uncover a genuine need. If that reps products or services don't meet a need then he or she says so and everyone parts as friends. Either everyone wins or no one losses.

Someone selling something is in it for themselves and has no regard for his or her customer. He wins, the customer loses and that's just too bad.

While I have a responsibility to my company, I also have a responsibility to my customer. I represent the company’s interest to the customer and the customer’s interests to the company. I am the pin in the hinge. Without me the door and the frame never meet. The door can't do it's job and the frame is just an empty hole in the wall.

The person selling something is like a fire axe. The axe does not pity the door. It is merely a thing to be rid of to get where it's going.

The analogy falls apart at this point, but I'm going to say it anyway. Fire axes make hinge pins look bad.

But you get my point. I'm nothing like Herb Tarlek or the guy you expect to find on a used car lot. No real salesperson is.

F*(&king staff weenies

With the exception of the ending, this is exactly how I feel.

Check out this video.

Good news and other news.

First the good news. I’m done with school for the next year. I need to place out of a psych class, but that shouldn’t be a big deal. I got an A- in Anatomy and Physiology II and an A in Microbiology.

Mona was offered a job at my company and will start in about 2 weeks. She’ll be in a different department on another floor, so we won’t really work together as much as we’ll work in the same place.

The Peanut has been healthy and happy and is a crack up in the way I imagine most other kids her age are.

Not long ago I was lamenting that I never see weird stuff. Well, I am now seeing weird stuff pretty regularly. Now my lament is that I don’t have a camera to prove to everyone that I really do see this stuff.

“For example?” you say. Alright. A few weeks ago we were headed to a relatives house to celebrate Orthodox Easter. We made a turn to to get on the freeway and stopped at a light. And there in the crosswalk was a guy in a motorized wheel chair. No that’s not the weird part. There was a guy in an unpowered wheelchair right behind him. Upon closer examination we could see what looked like a tow strap wrapped around the frame of the powered chair and the leg holder parts of the other chair. The second guy was under tow. It was crazy looking.

Last week I saw some kid on a pair of these stilts wearing a bike helmet an picking his way tentatively across my street.

I have got to get a little camera.

Last weekend we took The Peanut to the local petting zoo. They had an “Exotic Animal” day and it was really cool. They had snakes and lizards which we skipped, camel rides, which we skipped because we figured it would freak The Peanut out, lemurs, a sloth , a zebra and a few monkeys. None of the biting type animals were pet-able. But the coolest part were the Kangaroos. I learned that kangaroo fur is really soft, like extra fluffy fleece. I was really surprised. Who knew?

Lastly, I am now very dissatisfied with my job. As you know, I’m a commissioned sales rep. Right now I have 2 deals on the table that could take me to 125% of quota for the month. But we changed a policy on Thursday that let me make deals and offer discounts. As it stands, the offers I made are no longer good. And my bosses boss isn’t looking like he will help me. He’d rather walk away from the sales than do what we need to do. That’s right, it’s better not to sell at all than to violate a poorly constructed policy.

And all I want are some up front dollars. We’ll get our usual revenue from day 1 and it will run for years.

Oh, and if I don’t hit my quota they’ll can me. I have a little wiggle room, but nonetheless, it can and does happen. 3 guys have been let go in the last 2 months for performance.

In my opinion, if it’s not illegal, immoral or unethical then my management needs to do everything in it’s power to help me close deals.

So I’m thinking I need to look for another job. The response I’m getting tells me that the management here is not concerned with my success.

Does anyone know someone who is hiring sales reps? I’ve got experience in dental instruments, software, computer hardware, telecom, transatlantic containerized freight service, and cars.

Let me know.

A favorite recipe

Mona decided to have me make dinner last night. I used to do it all the time, but after The Peanut arrived she started cooking because she was at home. After she went to work neither of us cooked and I got fat. I was in school at the same time, so take out or frozen pasta was quick and easy. Now that she's off, she's doing most of the cooking again. And now that school is done, I'll cook some more too.

She asked me for one of her favorites. I like it too, and the best part is it takes about 15 minutes from start to service.

So here's what Mona had me make last night:

Pesto encrusted Tuna steak.

The recipe:

Any number of Tuna steaks

an equal number of TBSP of your favorite Pesto sauce

an equal number of TBSP of Parmesan/Romano/Pecorino cheese (whichever you prefer.)

1 TBSP or so of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Warm a nonstick pan with a metal handle on a burner set to medium or medium-high.

Turn on broiler on High

Add olive oil and Tuna steak(s). Cook the Tuna on 1 side for about 60 to 90 seconds (for rare tuna). DO NOT touch the fish while it cooks. You're searing it.

Remove pan from the burner, turn over steaks and coat the top of each with pesto, followed by cheese.

Place the pan into the oven on an upper rack. Broil for 90 seconds or until cheese melts and starts to brown (watch closely, it will happen FAST).

Remove from the oven, serve.

I like to have a risotto on the side with some vegetables. Zucchini or Asparagus are favorites.