BusyBeeNews - November 2020

november 2020

Did you know? Thanksgiving Trivia The first Thanksgiving, dating back to 1621, was actually a three-day long event.

The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, held in the early 1920’s, had no balloons.

The first balloons appeared in 1927 and included a fish and an animal that looked something like a cow.

The first TV dinners, introduced by Swanson in 1953, resulted from a colossal over order of Thanksgiving turkeys (260 tons) by a Swanson employee. Salesman Gerry Thomas had the idea to sell turkey dinners in aluminum trays.

Americans prepare 22 million turkeys for Thanksgiving each year.

by: shannon highsmith

The average Thanksgiving dinner contains over 229 grams of fat and over 3000 calories.

WELLNESS TIPS - FACE MASK TIPS by: shannon highsmith

Loops on your mask are too long?

Twist them so that they make an “x” between your ear and the mask.

To keep your glasses from fogging 1. Clean your glasses with a small amount of dish soap or shaving cream. Even though you rinse them, a small amount of film will be left behind that helps prevent fogging.

2. Fold a tissue and put it between your mouth and the mask to absorb moisture.

If your mask has a metal piece at the top, press it against your nose so that the mask is form fitting.

To avoid “maskne” Be sure to wear a clean mask each day and don’t use products that are too drying as they compromise the skin barrier. Take off your mask when you are by yourself to let your skin breathe.

Ears are getting sore?

Try a mask that ties behind your head, sew buttons to a head band or cap that your ear loops can hook on, or purchase a face mask strap with hooks for your mask.

CURRENT JOB OPENINGS: Account Manager – Albuquerque Account Manager – Little Rock Factory Service Team – Central Texas (Austin or San Antonio) Warehouse Associates – Carrollton

adam FactorySupportTeam

kim HVAC AM HoustonMetro

Hunton District Service Expo in Houston 10.28.20

Fact: McDonald’s once made bubblegum-flavored broccoli.

Fact: The first oranges weren’t orange (they were green).

Fact: There’s only one letter that doesn’t appear in any U.S. state name. Can you guess the answer to this random fact? …It’s Q! Fact: A cow-bison hybrid is called a “beefalo”.

Fact: The “Windy City” name has nothing to do with Chicago weather -- Chicago’s nickname was coined by 19th-century journalists who were referring to the fact that its politicians were “windbags” and “full of hot air.”

Fact: The longest English word is 189,819 letters long – what is it? It’s the name of a giant protein called Titan. It supposedly take 3.5 hours to say!!

Fact: Kleenex tissues were originally intended for gas masks. When there was a cotton shortage during World War I, Kimberly-Clark developed a thin, flat cotton substitute that the army tried to use as a filter in gas masks. The war ended before scientists perfected the material for gas masks, so the company redeveloped it to be smoother and softer, then marketed Kleenex as facial tissue instead. by: Elaine Self

Weekend Viewing

From Russia with Love: Let’s Pour One Out!

by Michael (Mickey Carmine) Macchiaroli

After a long day in DG, I turned my phone on, and received a text that read Sean Connery had died. Soon, Facebook was littered with tribute posts to the 90 year old actor whose career spans decades in a variety of roles in films such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Finding Forrester, and The Hunt for Red October. What most everyone, their parents, their grandparents, and their great grandparents knows about Sean Connery is that he was the first actor to play James Bond; a role that is presently filled by Daniel Craig (who will be leaving in next years No Time To Die) and has been played by other actors such as Pierce Brosnan (Mamma Mia), the late Sir Roger Moore (The Saint), and Timothy Dalton (Penny Dreadful). Tanned, sexy, and more than a little cruel; Sean’s debut performance in 1962’s Dr. No captivated audiences everywhere and he set the standard for all action heroes to this day. He would continue to play James Bond in six more films including Goldfinger, Thunderball, and Diamonds Are Forever, where, at the age of 41, he would make his exit (although he would return to the role in 1983’s Never Say Never Again, an unofficial remake of Thunderball).

When asked what his favorite Bond film was, that he made, he remarked “From Russia with Love” and you would be hard pressed to find a Bond fan that would disagree with that statement. Made in 1963, one year after the release of Dr. No, From Russia with Love comes off as your typical Cold War espionage thriller, but begins to set the tone for future Bond films. There are no ski chases, no outer space laser gun fights, no invisible cars; it’s just James Bond, armed with a trusty attaché case (equipped with hidden throwing knives, a folding rifle, and an exploding tear gas cartridge) out to steal a decoding machine, known as the Lektor, from a Soviet Embassy in Istanbul. With the aid of beautiful Russian cypher clerk, Tatiana Romanova, and Turkish-British agent, Kerim Bey, James Bond doesn’t realize that his mission is a trap set up by the SPECTRE organization.

Plotted by a faceless, cat stroking Ernst Stavro Blofeld (who would later be played full faced by Donald Pleasance in You Only Live Twice and Cristoph Waltz in Spectre); he entrusts his scheme to acquire the Lektor, and kill James Bond, to Russian turncoat Rosa Klebb (played by Lotte Lenya, who would inspire Frau Farbissina in 1997’s Austin Powers) and serial killer turned assassin Donald ‘Red’ Grant (played by Robert Shaw, who would go on to star in 1975’s Jaws).

Although it lacks a gadget equipped Aston Martin, or over the top villain performances

by Oscar winning actors, there’s plenty to enjoy in From Russia with Love. The film kicks off with a tense game of cat and mouse at the villain’s HQ; there’s a firefight between a squad of assassins and Bond: who is assisted by gypsies, a scuffle between Bond and Grant in a train cabin, and a helicopter chase. This movie might not have the extravagance of later (and mostly lesser) entries, but it has a gritty, tense, “WTF” realism that the Bond franchise had been struggling to recapture; only succeeding in 2006’s Casino Royale and taking it from there. Whereas most Bond films feel overlong, overstuffed, or a combination of the two, From Russia with Love is perfect. It runs at a little less of two hours, but it doesn’t feel like it is slow paced, nor do any of its action sequences feel like padding. The relationships between the characters are genuine; the romance between 007 and Romanova is intimate, but brief, and you can see the sinister gleam in the eyes of Bond’s enemies as they inch closer to killing him. So find some time to plop on the couch, crack open a bottle of vodka, and pour one out for Sir Sean Connery as you take in this timeless classic.

Thanksgiving Inspired Dad Jokes Submitted by: Stephen Gardner Q. What sound does a limping turkey make?

A. “Wobble, wobble!”

Q. What do you get when you cross a turkey with a ghost?

A. A Poultrygeist!

Q. Why didn’t the Thanksgiving turkey play in the marching band?

A. Because someone had taken his drumsticks.

Q. How does a turkey drink wine?

A. From a gobble-let.

Q. Why can’t I stop telling the horrible Thanksgiving jokes?

A. Because I just can’t quit COLD-TURKEY!

Tales from the

Outdoors

by Pat Armstrong

This time of year always makes me appreciate summer!

Don’t get me wrong, I like the changing of seasons, the pretty holiday decorations, the great time with friends, family, and food, but I really love summer! I love everything about it, long days, plenty of time to do whatever I want before having to “go in, eat supper, take a shower and go to bed”.

For readers of this column, you’ve heard me talk about our family cabin in Arkansas, where we spend a lot of our summer vacations. The fact that I’m 48 years old, and still retelling stories from my youth, surely make evident the fact that I (and my brothers and sisters) HAD A BLAST! This story features another sister named Clarissa, she’s the oldest of all six of us. The year was 1982. Michael Jackson released Thriller, the first CD player was released in Japan…good times! I was ten years old and we were in Arkansas, with our folks, having a great time. As was our usual routine, we would always go to Arkansas a week or so before school started back up for the new school year, so we were there the last week of August. I guess our folks got tired of us kids being under foot all summer and gave us one more “Hurrah” before school started. At any rate, we had fun but it was hot!

Also, because we spent so much time up there, getting poison ivy was almost guaranteed.

I got it every year, and still do to this day.

My sister, Clarissa, hated school as much as I did (back then anyway) and came up with a plan to get out of having to go to school (like in three days). She has always been a master strategist, this time though, her bright idea was like cooking a frozen pizza for only five minutes…it was HALF BAKED! But, I went along with it. Her idea was to get poison ivy, really bad, so we could stay home from school for the eight to ten days that it takes to get over it. What could go wrong???

We hunted the forest for the biggest poison ivy leaves we could find and proceeded to rub them all over…and I mean all over.

Just in case you’re not familiar with this particular botanical joy, here’s a picture…

This three leafed plant is all over North America and it produces a swollen itchy rash that will eventually pop and bleed. Fun stuff!

So our plan was in motion, we had the leaves, we rubbed the leaves on our arms, legs, face and neck. Fast forward about eight hours and we start itching… bad. We go to our mom and tell her we “accidentally got in to some poison ivy and we needed to stay home from school.” So far our plan was working… Step 1 - get poison ivy. Step 2 - get mom to feel sorry for us. Step 3 - lay on the couch and watch the Price is Right!

She asked where it itched, so naturally we pointed out all of the areas where we had rubbed it and like the smart fox my mother was, she asked us a few follow up questions like… “How did you get it on your face and neck? Did we fall down a hill covered with it?”

Our response...”No, we don’t know how we got it.” “But you got it all over!! WHAT HAPPENED???” We folded like a cheap card table. By this time, we were really starting to feel miserable. Little did we know that this was just the beginning!

So we fess up to our actions, Mom tells Dad, we get a spanking, and then we get told that not only are we going to start school on time, but we are also grounded! Having been punished for being stupid (totally deserved it btw) we now were hot, sweaty, itchy, and miserable.

We both had it so bad that we had to go to the doctor to get shots for it. Twice a day we had to doctor our sores with Calamine lotion. We looked like we came from one of those remote jungle tribes where they put paint on their faces and bodies. I mean we had it everywhere!

School started on time and here we go, all our friends were laughing and making fun. I don’t blame them. Thus the phrase my mother coined all those years ago… “Being stupid hurts doesn’t it?”

Well, yes mother, yes it does. HAHA Our decisions are based in experience, no matter our age. We make the decisions we do based on the experiences we’ve had. As we grow up, those decisions get better because we have more experience. That’s not to say that we always make the right decisions all the time because that just doesn’t happen. We are imperfect and we make mistakes. And sometimes those mistakes mean you have to show up at school wearing Calamine lotion all over your body, itchy, and miserable.

Side note: an uncle of mine went camping and forgot to bring toilet paper… uh huh, you guessed it. “Hey there’s a broad 3-leafed plant I can use!” He was later admitted to the hospital.

Life can be tough for the inexperienced, listen, learn, and make the best decisions you can!!!

-

Cheers, Pat

CLOGGING

DG THE AISLES IN

with Michael ‘Mickey Carmine’ Macchiaroli

Earlier this week, I halted some form of production, so I could get to know Alicia Banuelos better. She has been with DG for a little over a year; maybe a year and a half. When I asked about the day-to-day routine of her position Alicia tackles various tasks every day, having grown accustomed to daily surprises provided by Dan himself. Fortunately, most of her days stay steady, although some are more hectic than others. Overall, everything she does is pretty much the same as it was her first year. The COVID pandemic threw a curveball for everyone in DG, as well as all of HMC. Alicia was one of many employees that had to start working from home, at a moments notice, but quickly adapted once she was able to procure the proper equipment to help her do her job (that’s an A+ in my book!).

Alicia is a real people person. From what I can tell, she gets along with most everybody.

Upon starting here, she became best friends with Chris Gonzales and the two have been best buddies since. (I can see Mr. Gonzales shedding tears of joy right now upon reading this!)

After a long day in the office, Alicia prefers a more simple routine among returning home. She says hello to the humans (short for husband and kids) and then proceeds to snuggle with her dog, Dom, for a bit.

When asked if there was anything that she’d like to add about herself and/or her position, Alicia said that it takes a great mental strength to keep up with Dan and Brian. Although she claims that she’s just kidding, DG is way too busy (and doesn’t care enough) to launch a full investigation into said claim. Regardless, Alicia Banuelos is always available to assist where she can!

alicia

pat armstrong

shannon highsmith

stephen gardner

jonathan bunch

michael macchiaroli

cynthia henderson

elaine self

mark kois

michelle mitchell

by: Elaine Self by: Pat Armstrong

WHAT THE HIVE CAN TEACH BUSINESSES ABOUT

LEADERSHIP, EFFICIENCY,

& GROWTH LESSON #10 - Find your Zeitgebers THE WISDOM OF BEES by: Michael O’Malley, Ph.D. Develop organizational rhythms that tune organizational action into market opportunities.

Honeybees have daily rhythms that connect their activity to the environment in ways that yield functional advantages. They anticipate times in which they are most likely to find success and mobilize during those periods. In essence, they establish routines that are synchronized to the times that will give them the highest returns for their invested energies. Such a time cue is known as a zeitgeber (German for “time-giver”).

The idea of zeitgeber is to establish a relationship with one’s environment in ways that make an organization or individual more responsive to what is happening in the environment. Rhythms are around us.

Creating daily habits and rituals that intimately connect to the organization’s primary foci is a way to get the blood flowing and to stir activity, which then feeds off itself. Energy can be self-perpetuating, as in the hive. The rhythms awaken the bees to increased activity, which heats the hive, which sustains higher levels of activity, and so on. The best way to get active is to start moving. Zeitgebers can help.

More Pollen Colonies have organizational rhythms that are attuned to opportunities in the ever-changing flower market. These rhythms are further refined by communication and an accurate knowledge management system, thereby enabling colony members to coordinate their activities. There is a logical flow to this: rhythms + coordination = efficiency.

The vitality of the team is made possible with rhythmic activity that is coordinated by timely communications, as well as an updated pool of data that tells the team precisely where it stands. To keep a department, division, or company alive, it helps to have a pulse.

Schedules enable everyone to exchange and act on information according to the established beat.

Once together, it is easier to evaluate the status of the department and plan what needs to be done.

Closer to home—literally—imagine the difference between a household that operates to a beat (e.g., wake times, dinner, preparation for bed, and such) and one whose style, shall we say, is more freeform. Which family does more together, is more efficient at tending to household chores, and is less stressed?

HOW DID YOU GET HERE??? by: Elaine Self Have you ever wondered how our associates found their way to HMC?

mike hall team3

I started working at HMC back in 2004. I have known Donald Moon for over thirty years. We used to live in the same apartment complex back then. He suggested that I interview for the pump team. I started out on Team3 in inside sales and have also worked as a team leader. My brother Rick joined HMC after me. The best part of working at HMC is that everyone is treated like family!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

TO YOU! NOVEMBER

Gary Chinn Rigo Gonzalez Adam Merritt Kevin Winslow Jim Fouts Ughetta Miller Giovani Ramos Efrain Garza Andrew Turpin Jorge Martinez

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