February 1, 2013

Here a risk, there a risk

Beyoncé did not feel comfortable taking a risk. That was her response to the silliness resulting from her reported last minute decision to sing the Star Spangled Banner to a pre-recorded track at the presidential inauguration last week. I guess you could say she had a mitigation plan, albeit only she had to agree to it.

What if she were in the real world? You know, the one that people like us live and work in? How many companies would agree to an employee deciding at the last minute to not take that risk? Would your company support you?

Like Beyoncé we all want to be perfectionists. And, she gets a second chance this Sunday at the Superbowl when, she says, she will belt it out live.

But, in this world (aka the real world), plan and plan again, and COMMUNICATE. Avoid your very own press conference.

January 31, 2013

Um, where’s Jasmine?

Ever since ~~our impromptu small investment in a spanking new 24-hour emergency vet clinic~~ Jasmine’s unfortunate intake of 70 (yes SEVENTY) 200 mg ibuprofen tablets last week and her subsequent three-night stay at the animal hospital, we now keep dibs on her pretty much all of the time. Oh, not familiar with what happened? In short, I found her lying on our bedroom floor, tail wagging, munching on the pills like candy. Yum! So much better than paper towels.

Not to worry, she’s just fine. Thankfully.

But, we have a new habit: Keeping up with Jasmine. Now, the sounds of “Where’s Jasmine?” ring out from downstairs to up. “Is she with you?” “Come Jasmine!” “Jas-mine, where are you?”

Yes, just like when Christian learned to walk and cared to do nothing but explore everywhere, oh that seems-like-it-will-never-end phase when parents eat in shifts, we now require Jasmine to be within view at all times.

So, when you wonder something like When are we ever going to take down that child gate on the stairs? you never know why you didn’t until you need it. Oh, and those childproof lids? They are not Jasmine-proof.

January 30, 2013

New Form W-4 for 2013

In case you did not know, the IRS has issued a new version of the Form W-4 for 2013. Not the most exciting of headlines, I know. But nonetheless, remaining relevant and providing your employees with up-to-date forms is important. You may access the new version here: 2013 Form W-4

Additionally, I fell upon information about new guidelines regarding the updated income-tax withholding tables for 2013. Included are details about the changes implemented by Congress at the beginning of the year.

So, grab a cup of joe and get reading!

January 28, 2013

Parrots! Parrots??

Waiting on the No. 47 Muni bus near Fisherman’s Wharf. Sunday morning. Clear, calm, and cool.

A green bird fluttering in a tree. Then another and another and then several. Now in two trees. Green birds? Ken exclaims, “Parrots!” Me: “Parrots??”

Wild parrots in San Francisco? Are you sure? Yep, sure enough. And glad we got to see them.

January 21, 2013

Prelude to a Dream

In honor of today’s national holiday, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, I took the time to read his speech at the Great March in Detroit.

This was Dr. King’s original I Have a Dream speech. He delivered it two months prior to the March on Washington.

My favorite excerpt?

…For we’ve come to see the power of nonviolence. We’ve come to see that this method is not a weak method, for it’s the strong man who can stand up amid opposition, who can stand up amid violence being inflicted upon him and not retaliate with violence.

You see, this method has a way of disarming the opponent. It exposes his moral defenses. It weakens his morale, and at the same time it works on his conscience, and he just doesn’t know what to do. If he doesn’t beat you, wonderful. If he beats you, you develop the quiet courage of accepting blows without retaliating. If he doesn’t put you in jail, wonderful. Nobody with any sense likes to go to jail. But if he puts you in jail, you go in that jail and transform it from a dungeon of shame to a haven of freedom and human dignity. And even if he tries to kill you, you’ll develop the inner conviction that there are some things so dear, some things so precious, some things so eternally true, that they are worth dying for. And I submit to you that if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live…

What Dr. King professed is something very difficult for most people to realize. And though our daily struggles are not as dramatic or deep as the Civil Rights movement, it takes patience and dignity to, if not literally, then figuratively, develop the quiet courage of accepting blows without retaliating.

For more information about today, a national day of service, visit MLKDay.gov

Peace.

January 19, 2013

A Visit by Two Mycteria Americana

Two wood storks made an appearance on the pond this week. Pretty neat since they are classified as an endangered species in the U.S.

Every once in a while, a solo wood stork shows up. But Ken was quite impressed when he discovered this couple sunning themselves. Well, rather, Jasmine and Kona…well, really Jasmine…
announced their arrival.

Of course, Ken longed to take a closer look and get the perfect photo. But, better to leave such creatures in peace and enjoy their mere presence as they did not stay for long.

Oh, the girls? They were rewarded for their discovery with lounging on the sofa for the remainder of the afternoon.

January 17, 2013

Spanish Language Support for I-9 Processing

A while back, the USCIS launched the Spanish language version of I-9 Central.

Employees and employers may access Form I-9 and Employment Eligibility Verification information and the updated Handbook for Employers: Instructions for Completing Form I-9 (M-274) en español. ¡Qué grande!

But, remember, only employers in Puerto Rico may use either the Spanish version or the English version of the Form I-9 for official purposes. The rest of us in the United States may use the Spanish version as a translation guide for Spanish-speaking employees, but must fill out and keep the English version for our records.

January 16, 2013

Walk the Walk

Ugh.

5:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Today. I dragged myself out of bed and took the girls for a long overdue early morning walk.

Yes, getting up at the crack of dawn is one of my favorite things. But today was hard. After weeks of Christmas, flu, New Years, sinusitis, and the boys’ birthdays, it was time.

And, it was all for naught. After five days on Pacific Standard Time (another favorite thing, by the way) and one red eye flight, I will face this hurdle all too soon again.

Ugh.

January 15, 2013

What’s On Your Itinerary?

I thought I would share two articles I read recently in the New York Times.

The first is by Paul Theroux, a writer notorious for his travels. Someone who you would think has been everywhere. But, he hasn’t.

The second, a compilation of the top destinations to visit this year. (On a side note, kudos to the Times’s web team on an improved interface. Very nice.)

Maybe I am sharing these because I get to go somewhere this week. And, I am always excited when I get to travel. Giddy, giddy.

January 14, 2013

USCIS National Customer Service Center Adds Saturday Hours

This is good news for many of PeopleMatter’s customers. Hiring in the hospitality and service industries never takes weekends off. Onboarding must go on!

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced last week that its National Customer Service Center is now open on Saturdays. This will be a big help to hiring managers responsible for completing the Form I-9 for a new employee. Questions…there are ALWAYS questions. And, this task is not to be taken lightly…I-9 compliance is at the forefront of all businesses these days, especially those that hire our frontline service workers.

Need more info? You may contact the USCIS national toll-free customer service line at 1-800-375-5283.

Happy hiring!