Fulfillment: A Job for Everybody

I work at a preschool which brings with it, a lot of paperwork. Although we are year-a-round, our school year officially begins in September along with most other school districts. Prior to September, our school is a bustle of activity, preparing for the enrollment of new children. Teachers are scrubbing areas unscrubbed since the prior September, preparing cubbies for new children, and arranging activities for the coming school year.

The office, too, is working hard to prepare for returning and new enrolling students. One such preparation is sorting the enrollment paperwork into folders for easy hand-out. It's a tedious task, sorting, stacking, and stuffing these folders; one that is often passed off to the nearest lounging teacher. When somebody else is not fulfilling these enrollment packets, the back office a covered with paper, similar to a blanket of snow, but not as pretty.

I was thinking one day, while in observation of this craziness, what if we could hire somebody to do this for us? I mean, is it really necessary to to spend all this time stuffing packets when there is so much other work to accomplish, especially right in the middle of accreditation? So, I did my research and I am happy to report there ARE places you can hire to stuff packets for you. It's called Fulfillment. It's one of the many jobs companies that deal with direct mail and marketing services offer. Not only do these companies stuff folders and packets for you, but they store the supplies as well. It doesn't matter if your packets include paperwork (i.e. enrollment information or benefit paperwork) or items such as pens, crayons, t-shirts, etc...they can store and package it. This made me think of the other times I receive folders of information. As a preschool teacher, we attend seminars several times a year. Each time we do we receive a packet of information which sometimes includes crazy items like bubbles and playdough. Yep, they do that too!

Direct Mail companies are all over the U.S. The particular company I discovered and researched can be found locally for me right in Escondido, CA. Action Mail has been around for several years specializing in services such as Fulfillment, Direct Mail, Printing (including Laser Printing), and Mailing List Management. Ron Lazarus and his Action Mail team were very helpful in talking to me about Fulfillment and how it could help my preschool and the corporation who purchased us. If only I had the power to give them our business I would, but all I can do is pass on their information to my district director and hope for the best. As for you people...contact them! They can be found online at http://www.themailbusiness.com/direct_mail_services Their phone number is listed on their website.

So what have I learned? Anything there is a job for, there is a job out there for everyone. Do you have a job that people would go, "Wow! There is a job for that?" Tell me about it! I'd love to know what you do.

One of my favorite holidays has always been Christmas. Yes, there are presents involved, but for me it's mostly been about family. I was blessed enough that Christmas meant family gathering together at my dad's house on Christmas Eve, eating, visiting, and laughing. After I began playing the piano, it also meant me fumbling through Christmas Carols as one of my school friends sat next to me, singing her heart out. Sometimes, she and I would even walk the neighborhood singing carols, but not being brave enough to knock on people's doors; I guess we just liked the sound of our own voices. Towards the end of the evening I usually opened presents from visiting relatives, then off to bed where I prayed for snow before falling asleep.

The following morning (which living in Southern California was snow free), I'd wake early and investigate the gift situation before waking my parents. Once I had an idea what to expect, I diplomatically (ok maybe not so much) ran to my parents room and woke them up. As I got older, I waited a little longer before waking them up, then finally in high school I just went back to bed until they woke me up.

After presents and breakfast, it was time for family again, only this time, we trekked up to the family house in Lakeside for brunch. I'd take what ever new item excited me the most, and we'd spend the rest of the day sitting in the living room enjoying our time together. When I became bored (if my cousins weren't around), I'd venture outside and play around the property. It was a simple time. My aunt and uncle didn't watch TV, so that wasn't even an option for me. It was either family or imagination. That was Christmas.

After I married my daughter's dad, I had it easy. We still spent Christmas Eve with my family, then his family we visited on Christmas Day. Nothing complicated. But with my son's dad, new situations arose I never would have imagined. His family is from Peru which is where most of them are during the holidays. Christmas can be hard when your family is that far away and you can't just run over to see them. Also, Hispanics tend to celebrate Christmas at 12 am on the 25th. Midnight! They have a feast, open presents, the works. Well, that can be difficult when I want to spend at least some time with my family on Christmas Eve. Last year it was nearly impossible because my husband's brother decided to have a Christmas Eve dinner at their house, but it was at the same time as my parent's dinner. Needless to say, every year it's been something. This year, I am hoping for the best. My cousins are in town so we are spending most of Christmas Eve at my dad's house. We will then leave to come home and have Christmas at 12 am complete with Turkey and all the trimmings. After we get some sleep, it will be up to Lakeside for Texas brisket and more visiting with my cousins and family. I am highly optimistic things will work out this year. It's all about compromise and family. Isn't that what the holidays are about anyway?

So how about it people? How do you spend your holidays? What crazy (or not so crazy) stories do you have to share? Inquiring minds would like to know....

Wanted: A Passion for Anything

I was once a passionate girl. I wanted to do something with my life; own my own music school for autistic children in England was one of my childhood fantasies. I also wanted to write books, teach, travel the world, paint, etc. Somewhere along the road I've gotten lost. I can't pin-point the exact moment, although I have a pretty good clue, but somewhere in time, I lost my passion for everything. Maybe it's because I let people stomp on me, maybe it's because I chose my boyfriend over going away to college, maybe it's because I planned to live my life with a person who chose to live his life with somebody else, or maybe, I just fizzled out. What ever the reason, I am lost. My current husband is frustrated because he has big dreams, and I do too, but I don't have the passion needed to work for them. What on earth do I do? How do I recapture the passion I once felt for life? I've had two kids (which I love dearly), I've had two husbands (one I'm afraid I'll loose if I don't do something quick), I work hard at my job (which pays crap), I work hard around my home and taking care of my family; so how do I bring passion back into heart when I'm so damn tired? Anybody please?