Super isn't Just For Bowls

Hey Gang,

As you know,  there is a big game coming up.  It's called the Super Bowl.  Here comes the confusing part, there is absolutely no bowling in this event.  I found out the hard way that bringing a 10 lb bowling ball into a stadium is frowned upon and conversely bowling alleys don't like it when you wear football cleats on their lanes.  Rules, who can keep up?

I often wonder why it is called the Super Bowl.  While it is super, maybe it could have been called the Awesome Bowl, the Ample Bowl or the Concussion Bowl.  If it were up to me, it would be called the Nifty Bowl, because all those rich people in one place is nifty!

Now that we know the Patriots will be playing the Falcons, it begs the question of who to root for.  I like actual falcons.  They are strong and fierce, but can be controlled when blinders are put on them. The same can be said for actual patriots.

The commercials for the Super Bowl are always a fun hit.  Even people who don't normally watch football will tune in just to see the commercials.  Those same people may also get offended by one of the commercials and speak out against it in the weeks to follow.  It's a fun tradition, along with endless debates on who ruined the halftime show.

Since I don't own a TV or a home to watch a TV in, I am already deciding where to view the big game.  My favorite place is in front of the many TV screens at the Best Buy. They  have the highest definition televisions and slowest security guards in town.

Enjoy the gang folks! Please remember to snack responsibly.  Although, junk food is fun, it makes you sluggish when security is chasing you out of the Best Buy.

Go Sports!
Cathy Gainer Corporate Trainer

Inauguration Day

Hey Gang,

As you know, we will be celebrating two men of color this week, a black man on Monday and on Friday, an orange man.  I have often been asked about my politics, to which I reply:  I always endorse the honest and caring candidate, so naturally I have never supported any politician.

Politics are funny. You have to get voted in by the very people who you will be working for. It's like being hired at a fast food restaurant by hungry people and then spending your term trying to sneak the fries home.

I hear this year's inauguration will be filled with bands and music.  Most of the musicians performing I either haven't heard of or listened to their music in a long time.  It should be fun, like a live K-tel commercial.

The good thing about this election is that all the people who were mad the last 8 years will be happy and all the people who were happy the last 8 years will be mad.  It's like a teeter totter of contempt in a playground that used to be beautiful.

Have a fun next week, gang!
Cathy Gainer Corporate Trainer

Cathy Gainer Answers Your Questions!

Hey Gang,

I haven't gotten any comments on my blog yet, so I am going to answer some of the questions that I am imaging that you are asking. The first one would obviously be, "Cathy Gainer, Corporate Trainer, what kind of trainer are you?  It seems like you know nothing and have no real experience at anything."

Let me first respond by sincerely thanking you for noticing. I appreciate the shout-out.  To answer your question, life is a training ground for living, so since I have been alive for several decades, I am an expert level trainer.  My focus of training is on leadership, but I  have been a subordinate in most of my jobs that pay money, so that presents a challenge.

I am also a technical trainer.  It has taken me years, but I have finally figured out the Dewey Decimal system.  I am offering classes at the library to explain how books are classified.  It's a great skill to learn and until people can magically ask questions on any subject to a machine and get an instant answer, we will all benefit from learning Mr. Dewey's expertise.

I am also looking into something called eLearning.  It seems to be all the rage.  I am not sure what it is.  My guess is it some kind of  Spanish training and I would be the eL Trainer.

Feel free to ask me questions in the comment section.  Having a real question to answer would be nifty!

Cathy Gainer Corporate Trainer

The House That Ethics Built

Hey Gang,

We have heard a lot about ethics recently in the news.  Many of you may be thinking, what are these crazy ethics that I keep hearing about?  Don't worry if you are confused.  Cathy Gainer Corporate Trainer is here to help.

In households, ethics are handed down from generation to generation. In Congress, ethics need a committee to decide what activities will be exposed to the public and which can be handled internally.  It's like living in a bio-dome of questionable morality.  It sounds fun!

Being ethical isn't always easy.  Even I, Cathy Gainer Corporate Trainer, have had to think long and hard about my ethics in certain situations.  Let me take you back in time when I was Cathy Gainer Junior Trainer, I had been given the daunting task of  training a group of people to give me money when I was standing on the corner asking them for money.  Surprisingly, most people I trained had trouble hearing me. Often they wouldn't make eye contact or respond when I loudly asked, "Are you even hearing me???"

Once when a young was running across the street to avoid me, a lot of change fell from his pocket.  It left me wondering if this was my tip.  Did he purposely want those many quarters to come flying out of his front hoodie pocket?  There I was in a conundrum, should I take the 75 cents and get that protein packed Slim Jim that I so desperately needed or track him down and give him his change?  I decided to the right thing and sprint towards him.  I yelled, "Hey you, young man, you dropped your money!!! Stop running so fast!!! I will track you down!!!"

Finally, he turned around and yelled back, "Keep it!!! Leave me alone!!!"

The mystery was solved.  He, indeed, meant to leave a tip all along.  It was my ethics and deep commitment to doing the right thing that chased him down four blocks.  Was it easy?  No it wasn't, but sometimes doing the right thing is hard.

I hope this helps.

Cathy Gainer Corporate Trainer

New Year, Knew You

Hey Gang,

Now that we are in a new year.  I have resolved to help everyone with their resolutions.  I have thought about wanting to try to change this year and I know many of you are thinking about wanting to try to change this year too, maybe.

As a corporate trainer, it is my job (that I don't get paid at) to help you achieve this goal.  In fact, in order to have a successful resolution, you must set goals.  It's often suggested that you should write your goals down and not tell anyone.  The idea is to work hard at the goal and only present it to the world once it has been achieved.  Well gang, today I am here to tell you that is all nonsense.  It's an urban myth like pop rocks exploding in your stomach, swallowed gum taking 7 years to dissolve and your parents saying they mailed money for your rent last week.

If you have a goal, NEVER write it down.  Putting it on paper, unleashes it out to the world before it's ready.  Just think about your goal a lot and vaguely tell everyone about it by using these statements. "This will be my year."  "Look out world, here I come!"  "This will be the last time I will have to ask my parents for rent money, hopefully."

Also, if you write down a specific goal then you are held accountable and the goal becomes measurable.  It is easier to achieve a goal if it wasn't clearly defined.  You can claim success later in the year by using statements like, "slow and steady wins the race."  "I can tell I made progress."  "My landlord said I need that rent money by Tuesday, Mom."

I hope this helps!  May you all have a great new year and keep on gaining!

Cathy Gainer Corporate Trainer