So the drama continues, I am on point!

Why is it so hard to add a or change a phone number? 😈

I sent someone a text back in May to confirm that I completed a task that was required. That said person text back okay. Now, I find out thru a colleague that a test run was cancelled. This someone made a big ho ha about how a reminder text was sent out and blah blah blah. 

Like . . . . Ya shoulda coulda woulda just said that the thing was cancelled! D'oh. Too much drama llama mama!

This said person is in a supervisory lead role. This said person gets mad when we supposedly cause drama and do things that affect morale. Anything that can cause dissension.

You are part of the problem. All of your politics and facades have caused too much drama which was a problem to start with.

Let me set you straight and on point with this.  

The general vibe and energy in the department says . . . 

First, 

You do not care what goes on or you just do not pay attention.

Second, 

It is a "what he gonna do to me - NOTHING" vibe on in the department.  

Third, 

If someone gets caught, it usually a slap on the hand or swept under the rug. Only if it affects you. It is all about you. Walk that runway!

Case in point. I was told that your supervisor just happened to be in your office when you were watching footage of me. You HAD TO suspend me because he was aware. If he had not known, I would NOT have been suspended. All of it would have been swept under the rung (figuratively speaking).

Fourth, 

You do what suits you to keep up appearances.  

Fifth, 

I see you. You are here, but not here. You are physically here in our department. Your mind and spirit are somewhere else. If I see you, you have a phone attached to your ears. 

Final Thought,

I do not think you truly understand the perspective of your employees. You are around, not in true spirit of what you speak (verbally, emails, etc). You are so detached from us that your appearance is that you DO NOT GIVE A DAMN. 

All in all, you are not a bad person. I believe your management style needs improvement. You are not gonna catch people doing wrong if you do not think like them. If you are gonna catch a criminal, be like one (thought process). 

Burn it down (Linkin Park)

The cycle repeated
As explosions broke in the sky
All that I needed
Was the one thing I couldn't find
And you were there at the turn
Waiting to let me know

We're building it up
To break it back down
We're building it up
To burn it down
We can't wait
To burn it to the ground

The colors conflicted
As the flames, climbed into the clouds
I wanted to fix this
But couldn't stop from tearing it down
And you were there at the turn
Caught in the burning glow
And I was there at the turn
Waiting to let you know

We're building it up
To break it back down
We're building it up
To burn it down
We can't wait
To burn it to the ground

You told me yes
You held me high
And I believed when you told that lie
I played soldier, you played king
And struck me down, when I kissed that ring

Politics - Sometimes I wonder about people

Sometimes I wonder about people.

I have seen a lot of politics in the workplace over the years. I grew up in the retail automotive industry since I was a kid back in Georgia. I've seen politics from Georgia to South Carolina to North Carolina. 

I learned a lot of nasty under handed crap just in the name of politics. I've been the one to purposefully NOT do the nasty things I've learned. It gets you NOWHERE in the long run. It is not a means to an end. You will fall eventually off that ladder of your facade of success. 

It seems that politics have taken over my department. It is a facade of innuendo and word play to cover one's rear end. 

An employee gets suspended for a violation in policy. The said employee turns herself in the same day it occurred.  Suspension took place about two weeks later (after the manager finally got around to it). During the employee's suspension, the violation gets looked at by other employees in the same department and another department. 

This is a violation of policy. It was brought to the manager's attention that the violation had been viewed by others. The manager blew it off as well as the manager's direct supervisor. 

Employee's suspension lasted three weeks and with pay. It was done. Over. Time to move on. Not so quite. A few weeks ago, a driver from another department approached the said employee about the incident. The driver said that she had allegedly seen the video and DSS was coming to get the employee. The employee told her manager who blew it off as innuendo and rumors. This is harassment and it is being allowed. The only thing the employee had told the other driver was if they had a problem with the policy violation, speak to her direct manager. This employee knew that she has a case of harassment.

There are many things that are happening around us that will eventually be one's own downfall. We have people that break rules, violate the law. It is not allowed to have ear phones for the safety of others. Yet, every day we have people that do it. We have people that violate traffic laws that are specific to our industry. Yet, it still happens. A tragedy will eventually happen. Not an IF, but a WHEN. I am going to make sure that it is told. When we have a safety issue, I TOLD YOU SO. 

People use our equipment for personal use. It is not an UBER! Three months 81 did this. I witnessed it three times. I referred the two of the incidents to management. The third time I knew it was NOT worth it. 7979 and 9191 witnessed 8181 do this for three months. it was not a so-and-so saw this and told us. 7979 and 9191 told 8181 to stop, she would get into trouble. All management did was send out an email stating it was a terminable offense. That was sent out before the third time I witnessed the same incident. 

Management wants things to look good for management. Management gets pissed if there is anything that goes against management in any way. 

There were two open positions in the office. I applied for both of them. The management sent a lead office staff out to do some interviews. Management  had NO INTENT on hiring from our department. Management brought in two people from different departments. Another lead was politically forced to another department. This lead was outspoken and smart. The lead that did the mock interviews is a good little soldier who will do as asked. It is all a legal farse. A facade of management's own innuendos and attitudes. Yet, manager does not take well to out spoken people. 

I question whether these people that were brought in has the credentials that were required for the position in the first place.

It is politics by design. Their own design. The palace will burn and we will encourage the flames.  

My forever bus

2006 Freightliner FS65

Silver Stallion

The name is based on a song . . . 

"Silver Stallion" by The Highwaymen

2020 Wild Ride

It has been another year come and gone.

I have been working for a school district driving a school bus. Two years of politics and bull crap. That is another post.

I came and went at Head Start.  I began my journey of school buses there. I bounced.

2020 has seen its fair share of crap. We have a demented president. A viral pandemic. Economic disaster. Schools are up in the air about re opening to virtual learning or in class instruction or both. That leaves us drivers in turmoil.

I've had a rough year personally. Anxious. Scared. Lonely. Contemplation. Questions. Sickness.   

Mom had been sick with dehydration and severe diarrhea. Finally the doctor diagnosed her with collageanous ulcerative colitis. She is on medication that cost roughly $1200 a month. I was so off balance it affected my work and my mind.

I got suspended from work. I was on paid suspension for three weeks as I was out on leave dealing with a sick parent. 

I finally had the courage to speak up about my anxiety. My supervisor blew me off like a it was nothing. I will blog on that whole mess later. 

I have been trying to keep a rock solid mentality even through the worst of times. 

As of now, I am back on blogging. Steady pace. I need this.

2019 Changes Roller Coaster

I can't believe that I have not written in over a year. I've thought about many times. I just never got a chance to sit down to type anything meaningful.

I have changes jobs. I went from a preschool teacher/bus driver to a full time bus driver with a school district in North Carolina. It is with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, 18th largest school district in the nation. Last year I drove bus 573. This year is 14. 

I love interacting with students. Even with the same routes everyday, not every day is the same. Some students do not ride the bus, some behavior issues, etc. I do not write up a child unless it is necessary.

I am passionate about being a teacher, even on the bus. I try to work with parents and the school before a write up is necessary. I have one child that I have seen progress with being able to sit down now versus at the beginning on the school year. Woo hoo! Many of my elementary students love to color. I have crayons and paper.

I may be the black sheep on the bus lot, just don't mistake that for a lack of passion and commitment to my students.

If I could drive a school bus every day all day, I would. It would be my ride everywhere. 

I've had a few panic attacks. Not many. My anxiety level has been a roller coaster this school year. I have been worried that I have taken a few steps backward in my peaceful zen. 

Stress of finances, house falling apart, and all the trifling idiots at work. Just so much right now. I wish that we (my mom and I) could just sell the 14 acre property and move to an apartment. Not in Charlotte, Charlotte is pushing a lot of low income families out. Maybe Pineville or a surrounding area. There are many bus lots I can transfer to.

It is fate, keeping the faith, and persistence. Maybe even destiny. Working towards a goal. I am proud to keep my students safe by God's hands and stay sane.

More to come!

Racism and Peace

In this country, how can we resolve the issue of racism? In simple terms: we cannot eliminate it. Why? Racism, prejudice, and bigotry will always be the darkness looming below the surface of humanity.

Just in the past month, one cop shooting a black man is one too many. As a preschool teacher who is also a bus monitor, I was floored back to reality when a child spoke of cops killing people (on the bus). Why would you expose your child to this injustice and hatred? As a 4-year-old, I knew he was smart enough to make the statement; yet, unable to think through the structural logic of his statement. It is not just a statement. It is an intricate web of social, moral, and racial inequities of our society.

It scare me as well. What will this child do if confronted by law enforcement? I cannot control the future nor can I predict it. I do not know what is in store for our future. I hope that by educating that we can overcome this looming darkness.

I believe we were all made the same on the inside by God. The unique part of us is our personality and skin. How boring would it be if we were all the same? I have 18 children in my classroom. There are about 22 children on my school bus. 40 children I encounter every day. One child can change the course of life in any given way.

Any person who engages in racism or bigotry needs to find some mountain town to live in away from our communities. Leave it at home. Our communities need to be rebuilt by equities by all, not just some.

Violence does not beget violence. It is hard to see past the piece of the puzzle in front of us. Can anyone see that the violence aggravates the broken pieces of humanity? The pieces have to be put together.

We first have to believe. In ourselves and each other. We can live in peace. It is possible. We can live in peace with respect if nothing else. Life is too short to lose people by violence.

We are so artificial.