Author Archives: LOUJSWZ Inc.
Take a Holiday
Several years ago, I embraced the European philosophy of “holidays”. A vacation lasting longer than two weeks sometimes a month or longer, completely cut off from work and most of my personal life.
During that time I try and stay present mentally by not using my phone and staying active both physically and mentally. This really has benefits on my return to my home as I can “see” my situation much clearer than before.
I just returned from a three week holiday, and immediately I feel more empowered in my daily work life. I understand more and more that my work is just that, and I need to enjoy it and feel that I am providing a benefit or any financial gains that I receive are fleeting and ultimately nothing beyond the basic requirements of shelter, food and comfort.
The Holiday helps me to see areas I can improve. Taking away distractions a person can concentrate on interpersonal relationships. Am I this needy? Do I need to offer my opinion? Why do I need so much time alone? I ask many questions of myself. Does it have any benefit? I hope it does as change is possible but its hard. I have to see an issue (clear vision) to analyze it (ask questions) and decide to make a change. The Holiday helps me do this abridged scientific method.
The Holiday provides a better perspective of people and things as true experience is the best teacher. People are good. The dark side is present in us all but for the vast majority of life experiences the idea that People choice right over wrong good over bad this philosophy holds true. Through my travels on Holiday this is always reinforced.
Time to get ready to go to my next job….
The Bottom is the Top
In 2019 I was falling
Yesterday I was reading a post on Linkedin entitled; “What was your key to success?” The responder said; “I got my priorities right”.
I didn’t want to exercise this morning, but I put my shoes on and got at it…..Its been four years of that decision. Looking beyond the feelings and seeing what I want. Pushing past the easy to the hard and the hard becoming the easy.
Its hard to share this photo…
In 2019 my father, my hero past away.
To say the least he was quite a man.
In his last two years of life he lived with us.
I stopped doing the foundation work we all need.
I started to deal with the anxiety and stress with poor diet, no exercise and no work life balance. Drinking became a relief.
I couldn’t see beyond the moment.
I reached my highest weight, my highest body fat percentage, my sleep was poor, my mental health was going downward.
My excuse was I was over 50 everything is supposed to hurt. I have already done everything I wanted to accomplish.
I’m done.
Luckly, with the belief in me from my extended circle and my upbringing, Pops didn’t raise a quitter. I began to realize that I needed to be here and not just here I wanted to be here to give back and continue to grow and I couldn’t do that without the basics.
Slowly and methodically I changed my priorities.
I joined “Orange Theory” and I’m still at it today. HIIT is awesome and my OT family provides Love, esteem and safety that support the basics.
I joined “Noom” to learn and understand food. I eat eggplant and spinach. I love food, but Noom taught me to be aware of my choices. For me, it is just like when I don’t want to exercise I’m aware of what the decision long term produces and I don’t want that.
Most recently I left an unfulfilling job and despite losing a tremendously sum in income my outcome holistically is much much better.
The road in my opinion is never down just different levels of incline as we must always be climbing.
a tiny fish in the oceans of the blue planet
It started as an announcement that my wife and I would be working as (1099) folks for small companies. That means they give you money, you worry about all the stuff your parents told you working for an established company gives you. Through that spark or kick in the pants to leave our parents directions behind we started off on our dingy down the Thames.
As I do most things, I ask my friends; “what type of business structure I should choose?” Everyone said an S-Corp as it was the best for two folks working as independent contractors making hopefully over 80,000 a year. Simple enough, I did a search on the app “Thumbtack” for Formation of S-Corps and I hired another veteran from a long list of possibilities. Connie is great, hired he on April 16th and any accountant that can take a call on that day has gotta be organized. So for 180 dollars I was able to get my EIN, Corp Docs, CAGE and Election of a Small Business as well as my states Dept of Revenue structure set up. With that one phone meeting I surrendered my first bit of independence by committing to tax filing both personal and business to someone else, no more TurboTax for me. As well as a reoccurring expense.
I asked Connie; “if she took the federal and state taxes out of the monies the Companies I did business with?” No, she said I have a referral for you to a guy that does payroll. So after setting up a business bank account with a Credit Union, I set up payroll administration with another Company. Two more alliances in the battle for two small folks working for others.
From formation to banking, taxes, and payroll we jumped into Insurance; all kinds of insurance, I got umbrella, professional liability and general liability not to mention a medical and dental plan for our employee (1) and growing! All those come with its own program administration portal and of course a reoccurring fee which all the sales people say is great because its a deduction and several more partners in crime to add to my phone contacts along with 800 numbers to service desks around the world to wait on hold to support my team.
Luckily in a way as my sole employee and also owner and wife can’t have a business provided HSA she had to do that on her own. I’m just happy I don’t have to administer the program, but I am the webmaster, bringing me back to my youth and providing me an outlet to write which I love to do.
As the say;” A Soldier ain’t happy if he aint bitchin” so I guess I am happy, I’m happy.
Sayings of a Project Manager
In a light hearted way the author attempts to convey the power of speech, words and communication within project management. The author reflects on and utilizes his experience managing projects and programs to present a “top eleven list” of idiomatic sayings that he commonly uses to impart a message to the receiver or project team. The PMI Lexicon of Project Management Terms is the backdrop to portray to the reader the importance of a common language and understanding when communicating, specifically in the profession of project, program and portfolio management.
Happy New Year
When a leader puts into prespective what your organization does in the form of a structured list thats fun to read the organization’s members are able to relate to others within the group that don’t work directly together. The list lets the team take a step back from the daily operation and realize the groups accomplishments. We did a whole lot of stuff this past year.
A position I held in Health Information Technology in the US Army
Presentation to grad school on my position Lots of interesting pictures from around the world and interesting facts and figures.
•I wanted to serve my country from a very early age….Father said: “It’s the only profession left”
•BA in History from The Citadel, 1991, commissioned as an Army officer the same year
•Led medical units, supervising 26 to 140 individuals, for my first eight years in the military
•Completed MS in Instructional Technology in 1997
•Worked in fixed-medical units for the next eight years in the field of Health Information Systems
•Currently a “consultant” to an executive physician responsible for managing Army Healthcare in Southwest Asia
Automating a Pharmacy business processes
pharmacy upgrade the intergration of technology
The Pharmacy in any military medical facility is at least 30% of the business. Two of my main customers have always been the pharmacy and family practice. I remember meeting with the two department chiefs when I was first CIO at Fort Benning. Their mouths dropped when I asked them what I could do for them.
Top 25 “Most Wired” Small and Rural Hospital’s in US
most wired news article CIO of facility that was select as top 25 in US
The best thing about this hospital winning this award was two of our folks, who where choosen by their peers were able to travel to San Diego, CA to recieve the award.
