This is a picture of the Most Dangerous Marching Band in the World, the Franklin Central Flashes from 1995.
Click the image for the big picture. If you use it please link back to my blog 
FC Marching Flashes at Jay County 1995
Posted in High School on 07/24/2010 03:46 pm by JamesOn Customer Service
Posted in Work on 07/19/2010 08:08 am by JamesSomething not well known about me is I love customer service. I don’t mean in the sense that I love receiving good customer service, although that is also true. I find the topic of customer service fascinating and I have ever since my days working fast food as a teenager. There have been many books and 3 or 5 day conferences on the matter but I believe it boils down to two simple truths.
1. Whatever your motivation for being gainfully employed you would not be able to accomplish that without your customer. For instance, if you work so you can take your significant other out to dinner and a movie then you shouldn’t be so upset when that customer or client calls you at 5:45 on a Friday night and demands a precious 45 minutes of your time when your trying to get out of there to pick up your significant other. Without that customer you wouldn’t be employed and you would not be able to take anyone out that night. So cherish that time with your customer because you wouldn’t be who you are without them.
2. This one is for all those people who don’t believe you have a customer and number 1 doesn’t apply to you. Simply put, EVERYONE has a customer. If you didn’t then there would be no reason for you to be working. You may think, “but I’m just a volunteer at this little film festival!” Depending on your role either the people coming to the festival or the people who brought the movies are your customer. If you, the attendees, or the movie makers weren’t in the equation you would have a terrible flop of a film festival. If you’re volunteering then you should understand customer service that much better because at least some of your motivation is to usher in a good experience for movie makers and viewers alike (and probably catch some awesome free flicks).
The reason that we have to have books and training sessions on customer service is because it’s so hard for some people to understand these 2 simple truths. If we could just realize that everyone has a customer and without that customer your entire well being would collapse the work of goods and services would be much better off.
Productive Firefox Addons
Posted in Internet, Technology on 06/18/2010 11:54 am by JamesRecently my friend @JasonMRyan was talking to me about Firefox addons and I promised him I’d send him a few of my most favorite that I use daily at work. I’d like to share these with all of you to enjoy! Obviously I use a ton more but I’d say for work that these are tops.
Adblock Plus – Block ads (Like the one embedded below) :: http://bit.ly/ccB915
After the Deadline – Spelling and Grammar Checker :: http://bit.ly/9BslKE
FastestFox – Browse Faster – Scroll to next page :: http://bit.ly/bu2pRA
Readability – Cuts all the clutter out of a web page and gives you just content :: http://bit.ly/dsYSMr
Apple Macintosh Systems Engineer position
Posted in Uncategorized on 04/10/2010 01:21 pm by JamesI just got this email about a new job posting. I know a lot of people looking and this sounds fun:
Desktop Resources, Inc. is currently interviewing for an Apple Macintosh Systems Engineer position in the Indianapolis area. This position will be responsible for designing, installing, configuring, and administering Apple Macintosh servers and workstations for clients of Desktop Resources, Inc. Knowledge of current Macintosh server operating systems, server hardware, Open Directory, Active Directory integration, and applications common to the Macintosh environment are required. Qualified candidates may contact me directly or apply online at http://www.desktopresources.com/html/CareersEngineering.aspx.
Brian Blackford
Technical Services Manager
Desktop Resources, Inc.
bblackford@desktopresources.com