Comment on the great NuSkin firings of 2000......

NuSkin Headquarters in downtown Provo, UT

So as you readers out there (if there are any of you left) may have noticed, I haven't blogged for awhile-I got stuck because I wanted to write this post but couldn't figure out how to connect a video from youtube. Lame excuse I know-but what can you do?

But I digress.......

Back in the day when I graduated from BYU, I really wanted to work for NuSkin (a multilevel marketing skin care/vitamin company in Provo). Don't ask me why I was fixated on NuSkin, but I was-no big deal.

I got a job in Product Support training the employees on the products and going out to do trade shows. Over time we hired 2 co-workers who have over the years become 2 of my best friends*. We had a good thing going there-pin-ups of Tom Cruise in our cubicles, taking naps under our desks (actually that was just me), hanging out at the pool (not on work time of course), lunch at Red Robin with the pina coladas, I mean seriously it could not have been any better.

Unfortunately the tides turned and things started happening amongst our happy little group and the 3 of us may or may not have started getting worked up about things. I won't go into details but let's just say that one fateful July morning (the 14th I believe it was), the 3 of us got our butts fired. Seriously-they descended upon us in a rage of fury-separated us (I was locked in an office-I know this because when they came to get me they couldn't get the door open) and then fired us off one by one. The phrase 'gross insubordination' may or may not have been used. Needless to say it was actually quite devastating. I realized that things had gotten out of control and I realized that I had been acting quite immaturely, and it was a hard lesson to learn, but it ended up being a really good learning experience. If I hadn't been fired I don't know that I would have served a mission or gone on to get my degree in nursing. And of course I can actually laugh about it now-especially when I get a message from one of my two friends saying that I needed to check out this video:

This would be my former supervisor doing a demonstration of a new NuSkin product. This used to be my job folks-I was all about getting rid of those fine lines and wrinkles. I think I've moved on to much bigger and better things. Besides, I don't think I fit the NuSkin mold-they don't want anyone who will rock the boat.

And as for what I've learned-it can be boiled down to the following:

1. If you ever walk into a room and you see your supervisor, her manager, and an HR rep, it can't be a good thing

2. Don't ever have long conversations about how bad work is on a work line-someone could be listening in

3. Olive Garden is willing to let you sit for 3 hours refilling your diet cokes and limes as you mournfully recount the events of the last 24 hours

4. Friends that get fired together, stay together
*The names of said friends aren't being mentioned to protect their privacy-but they know who they are

Comment on my Saturday activity.....

The kitchen has been thoroughly sanitized, the rest of the apartment properly dusted and vaccumed. I even scrubbed out the garbage can.

And just a heads up for those of you with a HEPA filter in your vaccums-did you know you have to change that like every 6 months? I sure haven't and wow was I amazed at the build-up. Maybe frightened is a better word.......

Comment on a new reason to enjoy going to work....

The last few weeks I've looked forward to going to work with great excitement and anticipation. Text messages are sent and received all revolving around the same question-are we going to carpool tonight?

Yes, that's right-I'm in a carpool. I know it's hard to believe-I'm not usually known as 'one who likes to be driven around by others'-I'm usually the driver not the driven, but I have set aside the carsickness I get at the drop of a hat (or entrance into a car driven by someone else) all for the pure enjoyment of being thoroughly entertained on the way to work.

I carpooled awhile ago with a girl from my ward who worked on my unit, but then she up and went on a mission (the nerve!) so I was once again left to my own devices. I didn't mind driving to work alone-it allowed me to sing at the top of my lungs or make phone calls or road rage at people (and who wants co-workers to see that kind of behavior?). I scoffed at joining another carpool because who wants to give that up? But one day I found myself being picked up by a co-worker* and I was hooked.

The carpool is a mixture of therapy, professional advice, comedy hour, war stories and social commentary, all done while protecting environmental resources. Sure every once in awhile the carpool is kind of a pain when certain people* can't seem to get out of the unit in a timely fashion-and I have to go out and not use "my nice words" (that was an actual order given by one carpool member), but it's all part of the fun and excitement. I mean when you can be stuck in this for over an hour on the way to work and you wish you had been stuck longer, you know you've found a good thing.

Long live the carpool!!


*names of participants in the carpool are kept anonymous to protect the guilty