I think I must have died and gone to heaven, I've waited so long to hear these magic words, "You have really improved!"
I must have heard it ten times today.

I've known it for a long time (I mean--let's face it--I had no place to go but up!!), but I have been really craving recognition. I noticed at camp last weekend that the critique was definitely at the next level up, but I didn't hear those magic words, "You have really improved!!" I know I've still got a long way to go, but just for today, I'm going to rest on my laurels and bask in the glory, and feel really superior and terrific. It's been a long time coming, and I intend to milk every ounce of enjoyment out of it.

Someone asked me today (there were actually a few at this camp who were less experienced than I) how I had gotten such a good evaluation. I'd say, hard work, a listening ear, and this discussion board. Heck, if I can do it, anyone can!!

Juulie - your goal now should be to not hear the same comment 10 years from now. ;)

Died And Gone To Heaven
 

Rainmaker.
Congradulations on having a good camp, and may you continue to go up the officiating ladder.
Hey Julie,
for the record, why do they call you Rainmaker? Did you knock down alot of jumpshots as a player to earn that nickname?

Re: Died And Gone To Heaven
 

Everyone who lives in Portland and washes their car is a rainmaker.

Here's some more rain jokes about Portland:

People here don't tan, they rust.

Last year, 50 people fell off their bicycles - and drowned!

Come visit during our annual Rain Festival - January through December each year.

We can tell when it's summer - the rain gets warmer.

We're changing the name of our city to "Pourtland".

Why wouldn't you want to hear this in 10 years? Certainly, few have moved up in the ranks of officiating by not improving.

After 10 years of doing almost anything improvement
should come in exceedingly fine, gradual steps. Certainly
not noticable enough to be seen as having "*really*
improved".

Good points, Dan, and I also don't want people to be shocked at my improvement any more!

congrats julie!!:)

constructive criticism
 

Reality is that it is much easier to point out the deificiewncies of a newer official because those with more experience are really trying to offer constructive criticism.
It just doesn't come out that way sometimes!
If I go to "observe" a rookie, I try to give them a few things to work on to get better. I have a high standard of performance and expectation. (25+ years exp).
I am finally realizing that PRAISE might be a better approach or at least a compliment if deserved.
How do you (as a rookie) feel? I know that you want to hear
a "way to go" or "you've improved so much it bring tears to my eyes." Should the partner or observor be hypocritical?
Should praise be given when there are lots of deficiencies?
BTW I think that praise is necessary, but not to be given lightly. When you prove you CAN REF, you will know it by how the players, coaches, fans, and partners treat you.
Obviously you are paying your dues and working hard, so I commend you; way to go!

Mark-
Portland doesn't rain! Where I live in Alaska....that is rain!

AK ref SE

We wash are car while it is raining!

I found that out the hard way. My wife and I took an Alaskan cruise for our 10th weding anniversary. Unfortunately, the cruise literature doesn't mention that Alaska contains the only temperate rain forest in the northern hemisphere!! We made the best of it, but it sure didn't look like the pictures in the brochure.

Chuck

Chuck-
I live in the middle of the rain forest! When the sunshines it looks better than pictures in the Brochure!
Love Alaska

AK ref SE

Where in SE do you live? I lived in Petersburg and just outside Juneau for several years...the only difference in the rain there and here in the Pacific Northwest is the amount that actually falls - the number of days with rain isn't that far off, it just tends to be a lighter rain here...I remember that when it rained up there, it really came down hard for a couple of hours and then quit...

RockyRoad-
I live in Juneau. Most of the time in Juneau it is just wet, you can walk 200 yards and not get wet!
We will get the occasional downpours also.

AK ref SE

Please don't get me wrong. I absolutely loved the parts of Alaska that I saw. It was just not what I expected. I took a "whalewatch" while in Juneau and it was probably the best part of the whole trip. It was really amazing.

Chuck

I'm glad that it rains when the tourist come to Alaska,(Just kidding) otherwise we would be the size of LA or NY....then I would have to deal with all the big city problems like was game six of the LA/SAC series a conspiracy!

AK ref SE

That's how I felt when I lived in New Hampshire. It's so pretty, you hope that people don't discover it. One of my favorite bumper stickers says "Welcome to New Hampshire. Now go home!!"

Chuck

Just have them take the tunnel to Martha's Vineyard. :D

Not as good as the one we have here - "Don't Californicate Oregon."

It's too bad there's also one that says, "Don't Oregonize Idaho!"

It's probably just a matter of taste, but I disagree. Maybe just b/c I lived in NH. "Californicate" is kind of funny, in a "Red Hot Chili Peppers"-derivative kind of way. But the NH bumper sticker is a genuine, deeply felt, shared sentiment. Almost everybody in NH actually feels that way. They don't mind people coming to look; see the lakes, climb Mt. Washington, see the Man in the Mountain. But once you've looked, get the bleep out, b/c you'll only bleep it up. (The bleep starts with f, ends with k, and isn't "firetruck" :) )

Especially if you're from Massachusetts. If you're from Maine or Vermont, you're viewed with slightly less suspicion. My best friend still lives in NH. When I mention that we're kind of far apart now and maybe we could see each other more if he moved closer, like into Massachusetts, he almost gets angry at the suggestion. People in NH hate Massachusetts.

The bumper sticker isn't a cute little motto like "You've got a friend in Pennsylvania". It's a real philosophy. They should probably put it on a flag, like "Don't Tread on Me!" That's what I love about it so much.

Chuck

Yes - what's the term?

M***holes, I believe.

We have the same bumper sticker in WA - the "Don't Californicate Washington" one, and believe me - it is a deeply held belief - just as deep as the NH one...possibly even more so!!

Maybe they believe it, but not more deeply than in NH. Not possible. You have to remember, in NH they've been telling people to go away for almost 400 years now. It's ingrained pretty deeply. :)

Chuck

And they say NY is rude & unfriendly!
Please come here, spend lots of money, stay as
long as you like!

Well, I will give you the 400 years - and I have a sister who spent 16 years in Maine, and she said it was 10 years before he neighbors quit referring to her family as the "new people", so I guess you win...I've always heard the New England area is very beautiful, but the people are very unfriendly...

Only if you don't belong here. Not belonging here includes (but is not limited to) anyone who:

1) has lived at his current address for less than 5 years or so. (The years of residency increases as you travel north through NH, VT and ME);

2) has any sort of foreign accent (foreign to New England, that is :) );

3) spends money gregariously; or

4) roots for the FRICKIN' Yankees.

Of course, all of the above are ignored if you can prove that your ancestors arrived on the Mayflower.

Chuck

Chuck's right on - of course, I'm in CT, so it's not as bad.

The worst is when I'm in college in D.C. President Kennedy's description is best - it's a city of Northern hospitality and Southern efficiency. :D

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ChuckElias

Quote:

4) roots for the FRICKIN' Yankees. Chuck

Sigh. Jealousy is perhaps the ugliest of our human flaws,
wouldn't we all agree? ;)

Here in Oregon, land of clean air, clean water and Tonya Harding, we had a beloved Governor named Tom McCall. His attitude was: Please come visit Oregon - for about two weeks, then leave. This philosophy is referred to here as "Tom McCallism" and is very popular. In fact, we had a local brewing company run commercials featuring the "Oregon Border Beer Patrol." It showed troopers stopping out-of-state beer trucks at the state line and asking them why they were bringing their beer here. They would then make the trucks turn around. The commercials ran about 10 years ago and were extremely popular.

BTW - the "out-of-state" beer was named "Shludwiller" - kind of a mix of Schlitz, Budweiser and Miller.