Ode To Hot Dog Dave

OK, this isn't an ode...

..but those of you who are friends of mine on Facebook have seen me post a couple of comments about Hot Dog Dave, and those of you who have worked in Downtown Rochester at any point in the past 25 years probably know of the legend that is Hot Dog Dave. When I first started working downtown back in the spring of 2008, I learned that one of the true signs of Spring’s arrival, after the long winters we have up here, is the first day Hot Dog Dave hoists his bright, multi-colored umbrella and starts slinging hot dogs, sausages, and burgers. I too now look forward to that moment, and also equate that moment to the arrival of Spring.

Legend has it that in fact, Hot Dog Dave and his wife have operated their hot dog cart for at least 20 years on the same corner. They run a full catering business, grilling for parties on weekends as well as handling the downtown lunchtime crowd. For a couple of summers, his son ran a second cart on a different corner not too far away, so this is a family business, and that is one of the reasons why I routinely go back year after year (not to mention that the food is good as well). There are several other reasons as well why I enjoy spending many spring, summer, and fall lunches waiting in line.

Michael Jackson vs Lil Wayne

This past weekend was the two-year mark of Michael Jackson’s death; which brought several TV and radio tributes celebrating the legend that he was. However, there is never a conversation about Michael Jackson that doesn’t also touch upon the two allegations of child sexual abuse, or the other eccentricities that he displayed. There are many opinions out there about him, ranging in extremes from being a tragic hero to being a calculating pedophile. My opinion, as usual, tends to stay away from the extremes. My opinion, which I’m about to go into, is truly an opinion; I’m not basing my opinion on any hard facts or research, just open-minded observation, subject to my own personal biases. And when I say open-minded, that’s not meant to be a subtle jab at other opinions, but instead a statement meaning that I didn’t intentionally immediately discount anything in forming my opinion.

I found Michael Jackson – the life, the legend, the person, the entertainment figure – fascinating. Humanly fascinating, psychologically fascinating, musically fascinating. Not the “charming” definition of fascinating, but the “interesting” definition of fascinating. It seems to me that a study into Michael Jackson’s character and actions would be a study into a series of traumatic events and a stolen childhood, the combination of which stunted the psychological growth and development in several areas of his character.

Great, Want, and Can't

Conversation from tonight: 

Friend:  Anyone can be great at whatever they want to do, 
Me:  Great? Anything? I don't know about that.
 Friend:  Sure you can. What don’t you think you could be great at? 
Me:  Hmmm…well, painting. I’d really suck at it. I never wanted to paint. 
Friend:  No one can be great at something they don’t want to do either. 

__________

That little conversation segment struck me a little. I actually had to put down my beer and pause for about 3 minutes. There’s something subtle in that statement that I overlooked before. The key word in that statement is the word want. True want and true desire and true passion are motivational in and of itself. If you really want something, you’re going to naturally work hard at it.  

Happy Father's Day -OR- Who Am I? (Part 3)

(suggested music pairing: I Wish, Stevie Wonder and Papa Don't Take No Mess, James Brown)

In review:  I’ve written two separate posts to answer the question “Who am I?” The first was written on Cinco de Mayo, as a stretch-of-a-link of the Hispanic part of my background. The second was soon after, for Mothers’ Day, about my mom’s influence on me. This would be Part 3…and the answer here starts with the same answer from Mothers’ Day:

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Fathers' Day Letter to Daniel

Father’s Day 2011

Dear Daniel:

I just thought I’d write you a Father’s Day letter…a father to son letter. Maybe someday you’ll find this to read.  You’re actually getting very close to being able to read yourself…you’re starting to recognize letters in words and even recognizing whole words! 

You are a great kid, and we’re all very fortunate that you are such a happy-go-lucky little boy.  You’re always laughing or thinking or talking, but you never seem upset or angry.  Some of that is just your personality, and some of that is the good job your mom and grandparents are doing.  It makes my being a part-time dad easier and it makes me worry less about you.

I hope someday you know that you mean the world to me, and I work very hard to make sure you’re taken care of and that you’re provided for.  In my mind, the most important thing I can provide, besides the obvious love and caring, is consistency and stability.  I am very conscious of the fact that we spend time together once a month, and I do my best to make sure I am there every month so there isn’t any extra time that goes by without us being together.  This past winter, when I had to postpone my trip two weekends in a row, I think I took it harder than you did.  

A General Sympathetic Moment

So I know quite a few people who are going through some real hardcore shit.  Major shit.  I won’t list the different things that are happening to friends of mine, but there are some intense goings on going on.  And in every one of those situations, as I always do, I wish that there was something more I could or, or say, or provide, that would make things easier or help the situation pass, but sometimes that just isn’t possible.  And I think we can all relate to both sides of a friendship when one side is really struggling with something, and the other side is forced to stand there and watch, sometimes helpless, sometimes at a loss.  

I always think about how well I can relate, when you’re in the middle of a major struggle.  And I won’t try to compare the things I’ve been through versus the things my friends are going through at any deeper or more detailed level.  But we’ve all been through times where there isn’t an end in sight, when things just seem to keep happening, relentlessly, non-stop, when you just want to scream “ENOUGH!”  When you lose yourself and your sanity and your sense of place.  It’s brutal.  It’s happened to us all…and if it hasn’t happened to you, then consider yourself very lucky but tuck this away somewhere because chances are, it will happen.  

And nothing drives me up a wall faster than when I run into an unsympathetic person, or worse, a judgmental person.  You know the ones…the ones who say “well, if they hadn’t done this” or “if only they would do that,” or my favorite:  “if it were me…”

Corporate America Strikes Again --OR-- Live Life Off The Wall

So today, I was in a meeting to discuss an ongoing proposed change to one of our Accounting processes. As I said in an earlier post, there are Accounting “laws” out there, which are there generally try to prevent revenue or profit from being overstated, which would then encourage potential investors from investing in a lemon, which keeps the financial world in a state of balance. Every public company then creates Accounting policies, which are intended to translate these laws to fit typical scenarios for the company. Then there are processes in place to either record and/or review transactions that do not violate policy.  And also as I wrote previously, Accounting is NOT math. It’s more like being a lawyer…applying Accounting law to a current situation using precedent and interpretation.

In this particular case, there is a specific policy around a specific set of services we sell, and the related process is having a negative effect on the financial reports of the division that is selling these services, so there has been a cross-departmental team that is reviewing the process to see if that process can be tweaked enough to record additional transactions, within policy, which would improve the financial performance of this division. There had been meetings over the past two months, and some progress had been made.

Yes, yes, I know…ho hum, yawn, blah blah blah (cue Mr. Lumberg’s monotone voice from Office Space…)  http://www.imdb.com/video/hulu/vi3529572377/

Reflections On Month-End: It Is What It Is

It’s month end. For anyone who has worked in a corporate setting, or even a retail setting, those words “month end” can set off a wave of panic, stress, and defensiveness. For those who don’t know…well, let me try my best to explain…

…what month end means to me…

Me at work, Halloween 2004

I am an accountant. I am the “Guardian Of The Books.”  “Protector Of The Figures.”  “Defender Of Policy.” A bean-counter. A stuffy white-shirt. Though, I must say, I haven’t worn a white shirt in years. Or even those cheesy business blue and white striped shirts with the white collar. But I digress…

Throughout the month, everyone is doing “business” – selling. In my division’s specific case, trying to sell services contracts; negotiating, meeting, trying to walk the fine line (or pretending to walk the fine line) between “doing what’s best for the customer” and “doing what’s best for the company”. Or, “doing what’s best for my paycheck.” At times, many times, all three things are, well, mis-aligned. And on the last day of the month, our systems lock down and do whatever processing necessary to complete the month and be “ready for business” for the following month.