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The Fleetwood Tennis Centre Syndrome, and with a twist. by John Joyce

        Self  congratulating to the max .     I call it the Fleetwood Tennis Centre annual meeting syndrome but it could be any company gathering or social club.  The vice  president  of the committee  stands up and says how  wonderful everything is going. Someone else on the committee states that so and so contributed to the  smooth running of   the organisation. We then learn  that  the place is a marvel of success and is used as a  model  in new  regions of the  province. Someone else is noted as a key contributor and they shyly acknowledge the clapping.  Membership is up and the  finances are explained with handouts  signed  by  a double C.A. No one understands a word about the finances except the delayed increase in fees approved by  in absentia by the quorum         Within five minutes everyone on the committee has been applauded  plus  four ex members  who were instrumental in having  the place built. Of course, the only thing missing is a few hallelujahs and many amen brother p
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The final payment of the mortgage syndrome by John Joyce

                                  Now when you are  born,  married or die it is generally agreed upon  when this happens, and congratulations and condolences generally flow on cue. There is often a party and if you are crafty it is held at your friend’s  clean house. If you win a 10km snow shoe race or a chess tournament  you might win a medal and  a trophy  but not at the same time  however  you  will  be applauded  and  savagely criticized   by last year winners: usually at the same time.               There is one   momentous occasion in our lives  when no congratulations ensue. Unlike the 10km snow shoe race or chess tournament  there  is even a nagging doubt that the event takes place. But it is the big day and with a  personal best of  19 years 4 months and  3 days  you  visit  your financial  institution  to close out   the  mortgage.      You will own your own home. You expect the managers to be there in their best clothes and  friends and relations  to take  photographs at thi
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House keeping in Silicon Valley

Paul Tully saw the woman from the swimming pool.   She had a clipboard, keys and walked from door to door, three floors above him with 17 steps between floors.   Sometimes she knocked at the doors and other times she walked past.   She wore a pink housecoat.   The pink was similar to the hybrid roses near the pool, next to the white foxgloves.   The housekeeping lady knocked at his door.    Not a good sign,  he thought.   He wanted to stay at least another night but it appeared he  was on the departure list.   Three children carrying green towels ran past the woman.   He clambered out of the heated pool.   It was exciting swimming outside in the morning after going for a run, especially with palm trees around.   He had to remind himself he was not here on vacation but for business.   He looked up, saw and heard an aeroplane, circling to land at nearby San Jose airport.    Paul was the Hotel Reye, Sunnyvale, California, 40 miles south of San Francisco.   Yahoo, Applied Micro Devices and
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Finding the New Sales Person

  Finding the     Right Sales Person By John Joyce    It was agreed by the  vice- president of sales and marketing, and the sales manager that there was a need for a new sales person. One of the territories. Europe,  was doing well. Too well, according to Bob Brigs the sales manager. They were   going to split it.  Reduce the work load of the present sales person, and of course reduce their earnings as they were on a sliding commission. Last year the sales person earned more than Bob Brigs. They were gathered in vice president’s office, Mark Davis. Sports photographs adorned the walls. Photographs of Mark winning races cycling kayaking and snow shoeing. Head of Human Resources,  L.V.Sugget,  sat in the corner making notes and promised to produce four or five strong candidates for this position. Mark added that an application engineer to assist the salesforce would be something to consider. # Hartley Electronics designed  and manufactured oscillators and data loggers. Oscillators were  
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Taking music lessons

              The first thing you notice about visiting a musical store are the steps. I have just climbed sixteen steps and I am now waiting to take a Jazz piano lesson The next observation is the myriad of musical instruments in the vicinity. You wonder is the store there for lessons or to sell instruments? I am at the Jerome Green music studio on any street off Lonsdale in North Vancouver. This year I am taking Jazz piano lessons. In previous years I have taken guitar, drums and harmonica. Not at the same time. There is a  Periodic chart of musical history on one wall and a Rodney Graham print on the other wall together with a painting of  Capilano Canyon Park labeled by a student.             I have arranged my book so that I can play Gershwin’s Summer Time and Three Friends ago by a local composer. I need help with Charlie Parker’s “Now’s is the Time” but I can’t find the sheet. Maybe I could try  Route 66?             You can tell the drum and piano students. They only bring thei
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A silly executive decision

                           A silly executive decision              It was a successful respected electronic company that I frequently visited. The founder was chairman of the board and went to work  everyday. There was a president who had been with the company from the early days. Like most companies there was folklore and gossip. The gossip was the president sole role was to prevent the founder “ putting his fingers in the pie.”and causing chaos. The founder had a son who had an impressive title which I did not understand. The spoken  word was the son worked very hard and on my visits to the company he was visible. I also recall he was often paged inferring that he was some where in the company solving problems and was in demand by important people. The founder passed away and everyone was sad. The president decided to retire citing it was time to leave. A new president arrived a few months later presumably  after an exhaustive search. I heard the Lionsgate Films studios casting agenc
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The Breakfast Thief

Here is a true story what do you make of it?  Could it be a spy story?   Mayne Island is one of the Southern Gulf Islands situated off the British Columbia coasts. Others are Saltspring,    the Penders Islands, Galiano and Saturna  Islands. Art workshops and associated   artesian pursuits abound   here. It is easily accessed by a forty minute British Columbian  ferry ride from Tsawwassen , an hour’s drive from the Vancouver area. Rich people buy cottages there and invite other rich people to visit them. Being the closest    Gulf Island to Vancouver, I am expected to write it is a popular day tripping place for people living in Vancouver, British Columbia. Well, most go once, with a community group for cycling and hiking but then tend to venture else  where, seeking more kms to cycle or more strenuous hikes. Nothing much happens on Mayne Island, which of course is appealing. It has a light house but it is not as famous or well photographed as Peggy’s Cove one in Nova Scotia. The light h
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