A New Addition to the Family

As you may or may not have heard, Alexis and I have a new addition to the family: Sasha!   

She is a beautiful Rhodesian Ridgeback / Lab Mix that we picked up from the AZ Humane Society on Saturday.  She weighs 69 pounds and is 2 feet tall on all fours (although standing on her hind legs, she is about 4'10") and is little over 3 feet long from head to tail.

 

She likes the linoleum because it's a little bit cooler, I think.

She has the color (a reddish brown) of the Ridgeback (just without the line of hair on her back like they have) but her build and personality are kind of a mix between a Ridgeback and a Lab.  For example, she has webbed feet and a sweet disposition, like a Lab, but she is very strong and hardly ever barks (like a Ridgeback). 

She has a lot of energy and enthusiasm when we're outside but for the most part, this is how she spends her time indoors--so long as she knows we are nearby and aren't planning on giving her any treats in the near future. Since she is already 4 years old, she's been crate trained, house trained and socialized to people.  

I'm trying to teach her how to fetch--it's a work in progress.

She is trained in the basics like sit, stay, lay down and shake (she's actually ambidextrous--we're so proud), but we're working on teaching her to fetch and also walk consistently well on leash.  For example, when we first got her, she wanted to just take us for a walk; now she knows better and, although she needs reminders, she is pretty good at walking at our side or behind and not stopping or starting unless we say so--it'll get better though.

Despite popular belief, I did not have to trick Alexis into getting a dog--although no one was more surprised than her that we actually got one.  We looked Sasha up at the Humane Society's website and really liked her so we went for a visit and that confirmed it.  We actually had to wait because we saw her Friday evening but didn't yet have the house ready for her (with a bed, food and water bowls, etc.), so we went back Saturday morning.  Alexis kept saying, "I really hope that she is there tomorrow" to which I questioned, "So you actually want a dog?".  "No" she said, "I want that dog."  


So we are very happy with Sasha and trying to help her get adjusted so that she doesn't bark at the occasional neighbor climbing the stairs at 4am!

Not Your Typical Internship

To be perfectly honest, prior to this summer I had not had a particularly pleasant perception of internships in a general sense.  I had heard that more often than not you were just there to make copies and get the manager's coffee.  Nevertheless, I went to the Career Fair at Arizona State University (ASU) in the Spring and left my resume with a few recruiters for a company called POOLCORP that, as I understood it, had something to do with pools (go figure), tile and backyard landscaping.


I felt like I had made a good impression with the recruiters and was expecting to hear back from them--in hindsight, I should have called them back.  Anyhow, a few months went by and I had all but forgotten about POOLCORP in my search for another job--any job!  To my surprise, I received a call from Amy Coakley at their corporate office asking if I would be interested in a position there.  Of course, their offer beat out any other that I had received up to that point so I went in for an interview and was impressed enough to take the position as the first-ever intern at that location.

So, for the last few weeks I have been working at Branch 235 called National Pool Tile.  It is the largest warehouse of its kind in the entire company.  It is a great place to work because it allows me to get the "Big Picture" as I learn a little bit of everything.  Of course, they do not expect me to perfect every aspect of the business in one summer but it does give me the opportunity to get a great deal of experience. 

Some of the things that I've learned (and am learning) so far include:

• Shipping Procedures 
• Pulling the Product in the warehouse
• Freight companies, Bills of Lading, Packing Lists and Invoices
• Third Party Billing / Consignees, etc.
• Wrapping pallets full of tile with the Big Wrapping Machine!  (that's fun)
• Receiving Shipments
• Producing Purchase Order Receiving Reports, Edit Reports, etc.
• Stocking the shelves
• Driving a forklift to pull / put away products
• Though I am still a bit hesitant to load the 700 pound pallets into the back of customers' trucks--some of which seem way too nice to be used for construction!
• Profit and Loss Statements, Gross Margin Points (and ways to keep that as high as possible)
• Returned Goods / Vendor Claims 
• Inventory / Cycle Counting
• Determining Non-stocking items and how to "move" your inventory (get as many turnovers as possible)
• How to work with your employees in such a way that they respect / like you but also get their job done and take responsibility for their work
• How to work with customers / suppliers / managers in order to develop relationships of trust that promote an effective business 
• How to actually build a pool (all the pipes, filters, cement, plaster, pumps, tile, etc.), which we actually do not do personally but we provide all the supplies--kind of a one-stop shop
• I went out with the Branch Manager to a couple of job sites today and he showed / explained the process of creating a pool and laying a patio out of travertine

I also get to spend a lot of time with the Operations Manager Scott Gilbert and the Branch Manager Jason Gupton who are both great guys that do their job exceptionally well--not to mention they are eager to help and patient with their local intern's learning curve.

Anyway, it's a great internship so far.  It's hard work much of the time but always a learning experience.  They tell me that in a few weeks, I am going to be doing something that "will make you go crazy" because it is just so difficult and complicated--Hooray!

Reading and French Toast

Alexis and I had a fun Saturday together.  We woke up early enough to get the house cleaned up, laundry done, etc. by noon and then we went out.  We passed by Mom and Dad's to drop off the Buick (since I borrow it during the week to get to work) and then headed to Target where we purchased a glorious new 25" Electric Griddle!  It was on sale for $25, we still have Target Gift Cards from our wedding and we really wanted it so we said, "Hey, why not?" 

Then we stopped by the Tempe Public Library--which, bytheway, is really nice (it sure beats the Fort Vancouver Library up in WA, that's for sure). 

This is me sitting on one of those stools you're supposed to use to reach the higher shelves.

I've recently been renewing my research into getting a dog and thought that since I've already read quite a bit on the Internet, maybe I should try some of the hard copy literature on the subject.  I also got a short biography on Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) that I'm about 1/3 of the way through.

Reading on the couch after the library.

Alexis really likes romantic novels--the "clean ones" she says (no, they are clean; they are just full of romantic things that men rarely actually do or say and that women love to hear).  I think that she is reading a John Grisham one right now; Grisham tends to write more drama/thriller/suspense novels that Alexis's dad tends to read.  

Anyway, once dinner time came around, we tried out our new griddle and it was AMAZING!  Can you imagine what it is like going from one, maybe two, pieces of French Toast in a frying pan to a small army of Deliciousness all at once?!  I really feel like we have reached a new stage in our marriage now that we can turn out this much breakfast food at a moment's notice.

It even has a warming tray and an oil collector on the bottom!

She was teaching me how to make French Toast (she took French in Junior High, you see--I took Spanish)

It was a really fun way to spend a Saturday and now I have something to read for the two hour gap between when Alexis and I get home from work during the week.

Bedtime Stories

Alexis and I decided to go to Barnes and Noble for FHE on Monday night and read some of our favorite children's stories.  After looking around a bit, I happened upon an old favorite of mine: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.  It is a provocative story with an interesting ending.


I highly recommend it for any family because it is an easy read, has fun illustrations and is both simple enough for a child to enjoy and still complex enough for an adult to appreciate.  It is the story of a boy who plays with a Tree that gives him all that it can to make him happy, which in turn makes the Tree happy.  The story follows the life of the Tree as the boy grows older and comes around less and less often, except to ask some favor of the Tree--giving it nothing in return.  Eventually, the Tree is left as nothing but a sad little stump, lonely and unappreciated until the boy comes along in his old age to keep it company--making the Tree "very happy."

What the story could mean, according to someone on Wikipedia, is that the Tree's selfless and unrewarded giving throughout the life of the boy represents the selfless and often unappreciated service rendered by parents to their children who, until they are grown and in the same position as their parents once were, may not appreciate that service.  It is an interesting way to look at the story and I like it much better than seeing the little boy as selfish or uncaring.

Alexis chose Dr. Seuss's classic "The Lorax" with its Truffula Trees. 

I hadn't read this particular tale in a long time and, now that I'm older, it is much more apparent to me the meaning of it.  I didn't realize as a child that Dr. Seuss wanted us to save our Truffula Trees and our Humming Fish!  Go figure.  

Anyway, it is the story of the Once-ler (Greedy Corporate Environment Polluter) and the Lorax (Truffula-Hugging Environmentalist) that go head to head in the fight for the environment.  Unfortunately, all the Truffula Trees are cut down, the Humming Fish are forced to leave and the only hope of a bright future for the environment is that the little boy hearing the story from the Once-ler plant the last Truffula seed to start a new forest.  


So, I guess the moral of the story in Corporate America's eyes is, "If you're going to cut down a tree, plant one in its stead" and from the environmentalist's viewpoint it is, "Don't cut down a tree or touch the environment, just frolic with the Bar-ba-Loots and the Swomee Swans!"  Either way, it's a fun read with a good message.

I never thought I'd live to see the day...

A simple question: "What is wrong with this picture?"

I'll give you a hint: "What does the following all-important symbol represent when not attached to one's shorts in the proper place?" 

Yes, it happened the other day at work.  I was trying to button the aforementioned shorts (which, in my defense, I have had since I was probably 15) and noticed that the zipper was having a bit of trouble staying up so I put my trust in the button, telling myself that if I could just get the button fastened then they would be just fine.  So I sucked it all in and made one Herculean effort to secure the button...and I did. 

All was well in the world for about .25 seconds when all of a sudden the button broke off my shorts and went flying into the urinal--what dumb luck!  So, needless to say, I went the rest of the workday with my belt wrapped tightly around my waist and trashed those size 30 shorts from yesteryear as soon as I got home!   

Maybe I'll Wrap the Presents this Christmas

So, many people have been asking me what I do at work and how it is going.  Well, probably one of my greatest accomplishments thus far is this:

Isn't it beautiful?

I'm so proud.

It was a barbecue that my coworker put in the crate, I packaged with all kinds of stuffing and then used the ever-entertaining "Wrapping Machine" to reach this glorious end product! 

Of course, I am doing a lot of other interesting things as well--mostly being trained and trying to be patient with the inevitable learning curve.  It's great experience for me though and the managers and other employees are extremely helpful.

The Future is at our Doorstep

Have you ever seen something that just left you speechless wondering how it was that mankind had invented something so breathtaking?  That happened to Alexis and I the other day when we went to "Firehouse Subs" (a great sub place that Ryan and Kathrin introduced me to). 

I used to think that I was still pretty young and hip--I mean, I've never used an A-Track Tape, have always had color television and cars have had power windows for as long as I can remember (with the exception of "The Van", of course).  But Friday it happened...something I had grown up with officially became outdated--the soda fountain.  Not this kind of soda fountain:

Grandma and Grandpa's Soda Fountain

 

But the standby, the norm, the one we've all come to know and love!

The Soda Fountain on which I was raised.

It's on to the future ladies and gentleman, the world we once new is changing and a shiny new touchscreen awaits us. 

Over 100 flavors, touchscreen, unlimited refills--what more could you ask for?

Wow, I was so intrigued that we sat right next to it the whole time we were there.  This is the kind of thing that gives me hope for America--that if we can create something so glorious as a touchscreen beverage dispenser, perhaps we can produce someone intelligent enough to save us from our economic woes.  Thank goodness for human progress.

Happy Birthday Mario! (not the videogame character)

The Sister Missionaries in our ward asked us to go visit a man named Mario a few weeks ago.  It was their first time visiting him but he seemed really interesting in learning more about the Gospel and turning his life around.  It was a lot of fun to sit in on a lesson from the member's perspective, rather than the full-time missionaries', because I got to see how well the Sisters taught together and followed the Spirit--they are great missionaries.  It is also fun to just do and say those things (like offer to give the investigator a ride to church and invite them all over for dinner or Family Home Evening at our house) that when I was a missionary, I just loved to hear the members say! 

Anyway, we invited Mario and the Sisters over to dinner to have a quazi-Birthday Party for him because, obviously, it was his birthday.  Unfortunately, his phone was disconnected and, because his roommate got in a fight with their landlords, he got evicted from his apartment!  So, in short, we couldn't find him and had no way to contact him on the day of the "party".  So, we just had the Sisters over for some delicious spaghetti with french bread and yummy brownies and ice-cream! 

My beautiful wife helping to prepare the scrumptious feast.

Fun with the Family

Alexis and I are fortunate enough to live close enough to family to be able to enjoy some family togetherness at least once a month.  It is usually not too difficult to get Alexis's whole immediate family together, since they all still live under one roof, but because the Bates' clan has spread around the Valley, we usually have to plan a day for everyone to get together.

This month, as a belated Mother's Day gift, the Bates got together to take some family pictures--the first time since before my mission, if I'm not mistaken.  Then we went swimming at Aunt Sue's and Uncle Mike's.  I really enjoy swimming but I don't do it as often as I'd like.  We pretty much just hung out for most of the day and rented a Redbox movie to end the night.  I've posted a few of the kids and the rest of the family:

Just relaxing between shots.

What is this new devilry?

Just chatting after pictures.

The women cleaning the kitchen while the men were lazily sitting on their duffs. =D

Swimming at Aunt Sue's and Uncle Mike's

We also got to get together with the extended Long Family (Grandma and Grandpa Long and their kids) for FHE the next day.  The food was great--I loved that burrito dip--and we had a lot of fun with the "lesson" / activity about family history.  Mom made a helped us put together "Long Family Tree" and we learned a little bit about each person.  For example, that Grandma Long's parents were dancers and that her mother was a professional seamstress.  It was a fun way to learn about our origins and our roots.
 

Great finger food.

The Long Family Tree.

Trying to figure out where the different names go.

A Salute to Marketing

Yes, that is a purple gorilla.

And yes, it's wearing a bra and hula skirt.

Not far from our apartment, I noticed this exceptionally large, purple gorilla in a coconut bra and hula skirt.  In case the picture does not give you a good idea, it was approximately 30 feet tall and located directly in front of a car dealership.  Now I have to wonder, what does a scantily-clad gorilla of unusual size have to do with selling cars?  I would love to have been in on that meeting with the marketing group:

Team Leader: Well gentleman, (assuming only men could be stupid enough to concoct this idea) it seems that our sales have taken a bit of a dive out at the Tempe dealership.  Any ideas to boost sales?

#1: We could advertise a big sale on our fuel-efficient cars.

TL: No, I don’t think that would work.

#2:  How about a TV spot with Chuck Norris as the host?

TL: That is more like it—

#3: Wait, I’ve got it!!  How about a 30 ft. inflatable gorilla in a coconut bra!!

TL: THAT’S IT!!!  It’ll be perfect!  I’m really starting to believe in this synergy stuff!

Nevertheless, I guess the gorilla did part of its job in that I noticed it every time I went past—unfortunately, it distracted me so much that I cannot even recall the name of the dealership! 

Here’s to marketing.