8 Months Since!

Well, I am back in the bloggers sphere!  8 Months since my last post.  It has been a long and rough 2020.  My family lost a dear friend to COVID-19 just after my last post.  We did not get to properly say goodbye and even mourn for that matter. I have had several close relatives battle and defeat the virus and we are presently in fervent prayer for my paternal aunt battling COVID-19 in ICU, Flint MI.  I lost two matriarchs this summer.  My maternal grandmother and my children's maternal great grandmother.  They were 93 and 99 respectively.  Black women from the Jim Crow south, they were both here to see the First African American President elected but unfortunately also here to see the election immediately following of someone so disrespectful of American ideals, values, and the history and struggles of Black Americans, descendants of enslaved Americans, immigrants of all nationalities and cultures, and indigenous peoples, it is and has been disheartening.  My heart grieves the loss of an immeasurable amount of character, faith, wisdom and grace in a time when it is sorely lacking in so many representing the face of America.

COVID-19 cases as predicted earlier this year are on the upswing.  While many have adopted the safety protocols necessary for slowing down the spread of the disease there continues to be a denial of the seriousness of an uncontrolled pandemic, modern day.  We have lost sight of the reasons for the precautions, shutdown orders, and social distancing requirements.  Overrun emergency rooms and packed ICUs, over worked and sometimes sickened medical professionals, morgues with no more space, the equivalent of wartime triage of non COVID-19 patients is what we are faced with as the year comes to a close.  That's the bad news.  The good news increases in cases is not so much attributable to workplaces meaning OSHA has responded to worker concerns and employers have gotten the message and are doing their part.

College campuses remain closed but I have been fortunate to continue to teach and instruct college students from home while managing not as well as I would like the homeschooling of my 6 and 8 year old granddaughters.  COVID-19 has been a perfect storm for instructing on workplace safety.  I can honestly say that students have really made the connection to how important safe workplaces are to the overall health and economy of our society and world in general.  My end goal for this year is to capitalize on this heightened awareness and target the informing and training of owners of new small businesses.  KYMS Consulting like many other small professional service entities has lost some ground but will hopefully bounce back in the 2nd quarter of 2021.   

Finally as I close this brief update I will share that I had the great experience of working the polls during the 2020 Presidential Election.  Over a four day period, I worked with a 12 person team of very professional volunteers who demonstrated the utmost integrity and respect for free and fair elections that I have personally had the opportunity to witness.  More than half of us were participating as poll workers for the first time.  We had no issues or problems, we turned away no one, ballots were cast without errors.   Our poll location was clean, spacious, sanitized, and welcoming.  While I can not speak for every polling location in this region or these United States, if any were set up and run half as well as we were, they were were on the money.  Anyone questioning the integrity of the election process, poll workers, and voters exercising their rights to participate in this democracy might want to reflect on their own patriotism, values, and sense of what's right and wrong.  No cheaters observed here, except maybe with those crying wolf.

And yes we elected our first ever Woman Vice President Elect!  Kamala Harris  Thank You President Elect Joe Biden for the wisdom, care, and concern you have shown for this nation in valuing the talents and contributions of all of its citizenry!  I can't wait to see principled leadership in action.

On to the beginning of the Holiday Season.  2020 has been long and rough but I have much to be thankful for, to appreciate and value.  Stay tuned.

COVID-19

Ten years ago I started KYMS Consulting.  I also added to that DBA profile KYMS Engineering and Business Services.  Within a year I had begun teaching at the community college level and met my now friend and senior consultant Cash Sutton III.  We both are members of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and both licensed professional engineers.  I share this because while this blog is attached to my business website and represents at this point more personal reflection rather than any associated with specific business interests or issues, I realize KYMS Consulting is who I am as a person and represents the values I hold dear!  Faith, Family, Friendship, Service and Community.  So if you happen upon this blog because you visited my website to find out more about KYMS Consulting for business purposes I am not some corporate entity far removed from the mission and vision of the work I seek or the services I offer.  I am the business!

I had a vision when I started  KYMS that I would live the values of the company.  I am conservative by nature, believe in environmental stewardship, taking care of what you have been blessed with, only using what you need, sharing and giving when and where required, serving and helping others.  I know I have lived and promoted these values and yet my company had not grown in way that indicated success through a multiplicity of satisfied customers and engaged partners or employees.  I set out to change that this year and had put a plan in action.

Which brings me to COVID-19!  We are living in interesting times.  I had planned workplace safety training for small or new business owners in the upcoming weeks but out of the abundance of caution had to cancel due to virus transmission concerns.  And no sooner than when that cancellation email was sent to the training venue, I get sick once again with a circulating cold bug.  With 5 children under the age of 9 in my household passing bugs is inevitable.  This is my third cold in as many months.  To top that off, LA County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County all have confirmed cases of the virus and have taken such precautions as to close primary schools, have college campuses go completely online for class lectures, reduce operating hours for public facilities and recommend cancelling large gatherings of 50 or more persons.  So for the next few weeks I will be assisting with homeschooling my grandchildren as well as taking the courses I teach fully online and implementing the social distancing recommended by our public health officials!

We must be reminded of the things we have been taught and have forgotten, and we must make sure we are teaching and informing on the important things of the day as well as the history that supports our abundance and our complacency.  COVID-19 is likely the result of research and experimentation that I hope had noble intentions.  However the US response to the threat of a now pandemic has been  mired in politics, arrogance, poor judgement, poor planning, and a lack of trust in what is being communicated.  Mis-information and dis-information is prevalent on social media.  Main stream media depending on what political party you identify with grapple with aligning to a uniform and consistent message.  One wonders if rational thinking will prevail in the chaos that seems to be looming.  Case in point...where is all the toilet paper!!!!  I don't understand why there has been a run on toilet paper and why I can't simply order online (with a future fulfillment date) even though local distribution centers are out of stock!!!! This does not make sense and we can do better.  I think I will start with lessons on improving the family hygiene practices...

Check out CDC for more information!COVID-19


OSHAs information on COVID-19

2020! Made it!

Well I will start by saying it seems this will be an annual post! LOL!  But I will shoot for quarterly!  Last year was another year of growth!  I am up to nine grandchildren having added granddaughter number 7 on December 14.  KYMS Consulting was a bit sluggish but in my tenth year of operation I decided to go bold and create some additional DBAs that would allow me to more appropriately target market segments I wish to service.  I'm in the process of revising my business plan, creating additional plans for the other businesses and building a strategy for creating generational wealth.  There will be movement and increase.

Full time employment has been calling me as my debt load grows.  While I desire to always have a business I can call my own, I may venture into full time teaching as a college professor.  I am applying for a number of positions.  I am also looking at engineering and management again since that is where I grew up.  If a full time position as an instructor does not materialize then I may have to get back to those roots.

So enough of work and profession stuff.  So much going on in the world.  The POTUS has been impeached and is currently on trial letting his lawyers defend his actions through the greatest gas lighting of the American public I think I have ever seen!  I am not a Trump fan.  I gave him the benefit of doubt after he was elected, even prayed for his success!  But I am now convinced there is nothing great or worthy of the position in him.  Our creator I think must remind us through imperfect mankind that we need him in the mix when it comes to our governance.  There is a warning for us in the Trump Administration...hope we figure it out before it is too late!

2020!!! I am old enough to remember it was just yesterday when I believed 2020 to be so far in the future as to be a goal for retirement, children on their own, house paid off, in love again.  None of this is my current reality and yet the most important thing is.mine to own.  I am a new creature in Jesus Christ through his saving grace.  My heavenly father Jehovah is my provider, my victory, my peace!  That is all that matters in 2020.

The birthday milestone of 56 is on the horizon, next week to be exact.  I hope to see it God willing.

2019 ended with increase to my personal legacy.  I am so blessed and pleased my God has chosen me to continue to be a part of the lives of all of my family but especially my grandchildren.

So happy 2020 my personal goal is to grow in the spirit according to Galatians 5:22.

Fruit of the Spirit!

New Year and Late News

Finishing the Race is Winning!

Well, its been difficult coming back.  As anyone out there coming across this blog can surmise I was  unsuccessful in my bid to become an elected board member representing the cities of Chino and Chino Hills with Inland Empire Utilities Agency.  Over 40000 votes cast and I lost by 850.  It hurt but at the same time was a boost of confidence to my ability to get in and do what I need to do with God's help.

I don't plan on giving up on my quest to serve my community in way that best utilizes my background, skills, and temperament.  While a rebid for IEUA is a ways off I have applied for Chino Planning Commission and will seek to serve on other committees/boards/commissions that will allow me to grow and serve.

Holidays were Joyful and Blessed!

2019 is of course off to a good start!  I am alive and healthy!  I have set some goals and intentions instead of making resolutions.  The most relevant to this blog is to post to it weekly!!!

Stay Tuned!

Unqualified? Really?

Earlier this week I received a mailer from my opponent and incumbent in my quest to become the representative board member for Inland Empire Utilities Agency Board of Director-Div 3.  Here is a snapshot of his attention getting statement:

So I had to pause to understand what he could possibly mean by this statement!  We are both professionals with licenses in our respective disciplines.  We both have post graduate degrees and have worked more than 30 years in our respective fields.  We both belong to professional organizations to stay abreast of our professions.  I am experienced in the area of environmental issues concerning water management with a Masters Degree in Environmental Engineering.

I then noticed on the other side of the mailer a list of endorsements!  We increasingly live in a world of its not what you know but who you know.  I get it and understand it and accept it.  I however will pursue a line of actions and quests that allow me to give back to my community, to be a good steward over what I have been blessed with, and to use my experiences and knowledge where ever and when ever it benefits not just me but my family, friends, neighbors, peers, co-workers, and community.

The opportunity to serve your neighbors and community in an non-political role should not be about who you know or who endorses you without first learning about who you are also competing with!

Just a thought!

Vote Nov 6 after you get to know something about the candidates and their background!
about me and what I do!

Apolitical

As I communicate in this post we are deep in the political travesty of nominating someone to what is supposed to be an apolitical judicial seat on the highest court of the land, The Supreme Court!  I offer none of my opinion on what has transpired because you probably don't care and rightly so.  But I believe something has gone wrong and if it isn't corrected the American Justice system will completely lose its moral high ground.

On a more personal note, I am finding it a welcome challenge in my own quest to become a representative IEUA board member for Chino and Chino Hills, to communicate no political bias, ill will, character assassination, against the incumbent because I have none.  When I meet people in the neighborhood who ask me why am I running?, what do I have to offer?, what are the issues? I focus on just that.  Do I have the character and temperament to sit on the board, I think so!  But how do I convince 5000-15000 folks who don't know me from Jane at the corner store and who will hopefully vote in the upcoming election to basically hire me, choose me?  My best answer...knock on some doors!!

I don't have a trail of community service gigs or prior runs in government from which to draw from.  I can't boast an exemplary record of being seen at the right functions or with the right people.  I am pretty much a nerd, square, non descript citizen living a rather quiet and maybe even a mundane existence.  My reality probably matches that of most of my neighbors.  I have no right or entitlement to a director seat on the IEUA board.  All I have is a desire to use my background and skills in a manner that will serve my neighbors in the Chino Valley to our mutual benefit.

So here is my commitment to keeping my run for a board seat apolitical: Visit the following link to learn more about candidates and their views.  Voters Edge  Of course some of the candidates are running for political offices but I offer we should seek to do something different.  Some elected positions are about allowing the community to more actively participate in governance irrespective of political views.

Lastly for a little bit of environmental news and in many ways where our efforts and visions should be focused, abundant rainfall has not been where we need it most in many parts of the world including sunny Southern California.  Desalination of water is increasingly becoming an option of resupplying the water balance necessary for sustaining life.  IEUA has used desalination projects for supplying water to our arid region.  See where else others are also using the desalination technology and some of the challenges still present in that option. Water-Worth-its-Salt

Until next time, keep the faith!  I know I will be.

Florence

Well I am back a little sooner than I expected.  On a personal note, I have successfully launched my attempt to get elected to a board seat with the Inland Empire Utilities Agency representing Chino and Chino Hills.  I am on the ground knocking on doors and leaving leaflets sharing who I am and what makes me stand out to be the candidate of choice.  As I was pursuing my environmental engineering degree some years ago it was obvious that like energy, abundant water resources would and should be on the public radar.  Working with a public agency whose goal is just that, is a great way to be involved in sustaining our growing community!

On a national note, we as a nation are once again dealing with the effects of an increasingly chaotic climate by way of Hurricane Florence which hit the eastern seaboard last week drenching the Carolina's and parts of Maryland.  There has been much devastation with torrential rains and flooding.  Climate change deniers are surprisingly silent because it is obvious that whether the climatic shifts are man made or part of a normal 10000 year cycle, for us in this age it is CHANGE! DUH!

Here in sunny southern California we have had a nice long, hot summer.  It has been beautiful and dry.  Our northern California neighbors are also experiencing this warm dry weather pattern.  While its been great weather, WE need water and rain especially in Northern Cali but we also need to restore and recharge Southern Cali aquifers and groundwater.  To hear of fellow Americans suffering the plight of too much water, while we in Cali prepare for a possibly even dryer fall and winter which brings with it the possibility of more intense California Wildfires and poor air quality, makes me wonder why we have not had a national approach to solving this apparent dichotomy.  Something is telling me infrastructure needs to be on the lips of those in positions that can make a difference and get the ball rolling.  One can only hope.Infrastructure

Florence

Costs