Leave it to the Golden Retriever!

I don't consider myself an animal fanatic by any means, but there's just something something better about David Rosenfelt's mysteries when his dog Tara is involved...even in just a small way.   Perhaps it is because Tara is a golden retriever and of course I'm partial to that breed, owning one myself.  David Rosenfelt actually owns 27 of them and has a foundation with his wife that has rescued almost 4,000 animals and found them good, loving homes.  You just have to love an author with that kind of heart.  With the hurricane predicted last weekend, I thought it was the perfect time to curl up with a good mystery and Rosenfelt's One Dog Night did not disappoint. 

With the wind howling outside, I was engaged in lawyer Andy Carpenter's latest case involving Noah Carpenter, a man accused of setting fire to a building with 26 people inside.  All the evidence seemed to point to Noah and it seemed like it was a slam-dunk case for the prosecution.  Andy was reluctant to get involved until he discovers that Noah was the previous owner of his dog Tara and loves Andy's dog as much as he does.  Andy begins to think that perhaps there is more to the case and from there the story is filled with lots of  twists and turns and keeps the reader in suspense right to the end.  I love the humor of Andy, the New Jersey setting, and of course the golden retriever.

I have only read two other of Rosenfelt's series with Andy Carpenter and so I can't really say how this compares to the many books he's written with this character.  But I did read Down to the Wire, a thriller of his that was a stand alone book and it was a major disappointment.  Too far fetched to be believable and half way through the book I was ready to put it down.  But happily Rosenfelt is back to writing what he knows as a native of Patterson, NJ himself.

Ebb And Flow

Our total production for August has dipped by 17 points. The data I collected several days ago was then compared from the outputs we had in the previous months. Naturally, the boss was upset. But knowing that we are at the mercy of our clients, the least thing we could do is hope that September's report wouldn't be as terrible as today.

The downward spiral has never happened since the company had to let go half of its workforce. The scars of retrenchment are still visible as some of those who were forced to leave are still searching for work. While the slide wouldn't lead to the immediate closure of the company, the signs are pointing towards the wrong direction. Much as I would like to see our situation favorably, we are being dragged by forces beyond our reckoning. Our business model is six years old. Technology has grown leaps and bounds since then.

Our market is already saturated.

Business instincts tell us to diversify, but the snail pace progress keeps us dependent on our current line of service. An attempt was made to follow Bentusi's footsteps, but it was a disastrous venture. Not only did it cement my allegiance to the raketship, a  fallout ensued between me and the project handler.

Across the floor, prospects are bright for our call center department. A new client signed the contract a few weeks ago. And while the account proves more challenging than the present complement, the booming contact center wing remains the silver lining to the maelstrom we found ourselves in.    



The emissaries have all returned empty handed. Despite my bold move to search for greener pastures, I went back to where I started. Sometimes I'd like to reflect on the error of my ways. Was I too all-knowing during the interview? Did I appear too cocky for the would-be employer? Was it because I speak my mind too much, or perhaps I presented myself more of a co-equal than a subordinate.

Methods must be pondered.

What I am certain is that in all those interviews, hidden preconditions have already been set. For it wouldn't be easy letting go knowing my loyalties to the company remain strong. And once an opportunity comes, I'd be at pains to leave my team behind. More than a reminder of what life is beyond the rose-colored glass, they are my family. As some of you knows, my place of work isn't your kind of paradise - especially my paycheck - but for all its faults and disappointments, the company remains my home.



Whatever state we are going through strengthens my resolve to postpone my off-world ventures. The dip has allowed me to see my holdings with a pair of new spectacles. This urgency, while still in an abstract form is slowly taking shape. A vision. Maybe this is how things are meant to be. After all these years of being a passive worker, perhaps it is time I should take an active role in attracting business to the company.

If only I know where to start.

At a hindsight, maybe there is a deeper reason why I cannot leave. Not for learning new things from someone whom I used to look up to or a kick in compensation, which some people say is too low for my caliber. Perhaps I am bound to accomplish bigger things, neither the boss or I have foreseen some years back. I may not be equipped with the skills yet, or the leads and means to find suitable clients; I may not have the authority yet to represent the business or even the blessings of doing explorations that would lead us to greater heights.

But like the rise and fall of the sea level, the ocean remains in constant motion. To lap in the shore now while harnessing the tides will reward me of a dream fulfilled; slip and I might find myself forever lost in the open waters.