Ugh…  It’s going to be a long drive to Galveston to pick up some new furniture.  Wait a second!  We do a food blog, and Galveston and the Gulf Coast area is a mecca for fresh sea food!  Not to mention you can find some great deals.  What started as an errand turned into an enjoyable adventure…

Once we arrived in Galveston, you immediately got a sense of energetic celebration as many were out beginning the Mardi Gras celebrations.  Galveston can often be a quaint community surrounded by touristy chain restaurants, but we wanted to go for some local, yet reputable, comfort food.  We were looking for something along the lines of the features in Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.  A few recommendations and a bit of research led us to Shrimp ‘N Stuff.

Shrimp ‘N Stuff had all the character we were looking for in this experience.  A small, but very well kept, restaurant that lends a cozy feeling.  The menu is exactly what you would want in seafood comfort – fried everything.  …Although, I was hoping for  some raw oysters on the side this was not on the menu.  I did have in mind that I wanted to try their oyster po-boy.

Everything received was prepared perfectly.  Nothing was over cooked or over fried, and had the perfect crisp.  Oh, and the slaw was excellent.  With that said, I was really hoping for something unique and original, which was missing.  The po-boy was very good, but still just fried oysters on bread.  Again, all was well executed but missing a surprise that separated this po-boy from the other oyster po-boys.  This expectation may have come from the restaurant’s site boasting, “Zagat’s Restaurant Survey rates us “Excellent” and says we have the “best oyster po-boy in Texas“. What kind of surprise am I looking for?  Well, it could be anything – something that screams, “this is unique” – like a slather of home made habanero pineapple pepper sauce for example.  All said, my 11 year-old son did designate this as his favorite restaurant in Galveston.  The gravy his chicken fried steak came with was quite tasty.

I would definitely go back, and judging by the crowd at an off-peak hour, many people do.  If you are looking for reliable, yet fun and easy, seafood – be sure to swing by Shrimp ‘N Stuff.  You will be satisfied.

Another stop we had to make was in League City where another errand actually led us to Kemah.  Kemah is a small town on the bay.  Shrimp and fishing boats slowly make their way up and down the channel either out to find the catch of the day or to bring in the day’s success to market.  After navigating to a small peninsula, we were then presented with several small seafood houses that not only had a fresh assortment straight from the boat, but at very affordable prices.  We chose to stop at T H Seafood.

*just a tip – fresh fish should be red in the gills and free of cloudiness from the eyes. You can see both kinds of fresh/not-so-fresh eyes here. its important to get to know the market owner too. They can direct you to the freshest fish.

Our menu this week (or maybe the next three…):

5 lb whole red snapper – $11
5 lbs of jumbo shrimp (deep water) – $21
3 lbs of mahi-mahi steaks (4) – $13

Is that not awesome?  I am sure you will see the red snapper turn up in a blog.

Before we picked up our sea treasure, we even found some time to stop by the Kemah boardwalk, filled with amusements, to take in some of the rides.  And to top it all off, we spot a local ice cream parlor called Scoops on the way out.

An eventful day, that was enjoyed by all, enhanced by our passion for food.  If you know of any seafood deals or Galveston restaurants to try, I invite you to comment to this post and let us know.  We look forward to hearing from YOU!

Stay hungry, Houston.  We have a lot of seafood to cook for you.

-Adam

The workplace is a tough place to be in. Throw in an angry co-worker and work becomes all the more stressful and unpleasant.

Angry co-workers can be a nuisance at the workplace. They create a negative atmosphere for themselves and those around them. They demand time and attention and often shift focus from the job at hand to petty issues. They may seem unwilling to compromise or co-operate and make life difficult for those around them. If you have ever been on the receiving end of an angry co-worker you’ll realize how difficult it is to reason with him. Sometimes, you may be the brunt of his anger even when not at fault. Many angry co-workers tend to blame their colleagues for mistakes committed by them. Righteous anger if expressed in a positive manner can be excused. But when a co-worker gets angry frequently for trivial things, it’s possible that he is suffering from anger related behavioral disorders.   

Dealing with an angry co-worker requires tact and sensitivity. Generally, the management is responsible for dealing with angry co-workers. However, if the anger is directed towards you, even you can take charge of the situation.     

Strategies to deal with an Angry Co-worker:
• Keeping your cool: When you come face to face with an angry co-worker, try not to lose your temper. Losing your temper and indulging in a screaming match will only fuel the situation. Maintaining your composure is very important at this point of time. This may not completely dilute the situation but at least will prevent it from blowing out of proportion.
• Active Listening: When a co-worker is on a short fuse, let him speak without interrupting. Listen rather than speak. Listening will help in understanding why he is agitated. It may sound clichéd but you can say “I realize that you’re upset, is there something I can do?”
• Don’t Interfere: If you are not the direct recipient of your co-workers rage, it may be best not to interfere. Keep a safe distance as interfering may turn his wrath on you and the situation may go out-of-control. Only endeavor to mediate if you suspect a potentially violent situation.
• Apologize: If your co-worker is upset because of some mistake committed by you, do not hesitate to apologize immediately. Don’t make excuses and give justifications. Accepting your mistake and promising not to let the same thing happen again could succeed in defusing your co-workers temper.
• Inform Management: If your co-worker exhibits signs of frequent anger issues for no rhyme or reason, it may be time to bring it to the notice of the management. This is not being sneaky but basically just looking after your interests.

Stress Management for Angry Co-workers: Stress at work is simply inevitable. There are deadlines to meet and reports to be completed. If things don’t go according to schedule you could find yourself pulled up for incompetence. All this leads to stress and tension. Most people accept this as part and parcel of the game and take things in their stride. However, loads of people can’t come to terms with stress and become angry and frustrated. Co-workers who get angry for insignificant things may be over-stressed. These co-workers may be burdened with unrealistic deadlines and work pressures. Inability to cope with them leads to over-the-top stress and subsequently anger. Stress Management is a must for angry co-workers. Management should make appropriate arrangements for angry co-workers to attend Stress Management Programs.

For additional information about effective stress management, anger management, and assertive communication skills, along with tools to increase your emotional intelligence call the Anger Management Institute of Texas 281-477-9105 or visit http://www.ami-tx.com.

Anger Management Institute of Texas is a certified Anderson & Anderson ® provider.

Anger Management Classes and Anger Management – Executive Coaching available in Houston, Texas.

Gregory A. Kyles, M.A., LPC, CEAP, CAMF
Director, Anger Management Institute of Texas
Diplomate, President of Texas Chapter
American Association of Anger Management Providers
http://www.ami-tx.com
http://www.ami-tx.org
http://www.dvi-tx.com
http://gregorykyles.wordpress.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorykyles
http://www.myspace.com/anger_management_expert

I got to go out to the job site yesterday and I made a video of all the pictures I took.  See if you can spot me in my purple hardhat!

Volunteers Heading to the Beach Family Home

Demo Day

Day 3

01.07.2010 – CMC Construction Services (CMC CS), headquartered in Houston, Texas, announced today that they are a contributing sponsor of ABC’s hit Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (EMHE) for an upcoming build in the Houston/Galveston area. The family and location will be announced January 7, 2010 with the show airing in the spring.

CMC CS’ Texas City branch will supply the reinforcing bar and various concrete accessories. Bob Baxter, Branch Manager said, “We’re excited to be a part of this project and support a family from within our community.” CMC CS is contributing to the energy-efficient home by supplying American made rebar that is manufactured with more than 95% recycled scrap steel.

About CMC Construction Services
For more than 60 years, CMC Construction Services has supplied contractors with a superior line of construction-related products, technical expertise and exceptional customer service. The people behind CMC Construction Services are the primary asset of our company. Our dynamic team of professionals provides a wealth of industry experience and product knowledge. CMC Construction Services is part of Commercial Metals Company (NYSE: CMC) with more than 15,000 worldwide.

For more information about this Extreme Makeover: Home Edition build, visit the website of the primary sponsor of this build at www.blushieldsextreme.com.

About ABC-TVs Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
The Emmy award winning reality program “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” now in its 7th season, is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. It’s executive-produced by Anthony Dominici. David Goldberg is Chairman, Endemol North America. The show airs Sundays from 8:00-9:00 p.m., ET on ABC.

At Salt Grass, mounted heads of buffalo, deer, and even a bear gaze down at you while you devour everything deep-fried by the plateful or hunks of meat, freshly slaughtered nearby.

Part of being “Texas to the bone” is the utter lack of squeamishness, disregard for fruity, California-hippie obsessions with “healthy” and “organic”, pride in being large and loud, friendly and straightforward, and making absolutely no apologies to the rest of the USA for being Texas.

Domestic Violence can happen to anybody, anytime. As opposed to general perception, it doesn’t affect any particular type of community or family. The rich and the poor have become victims of domestic violence. No matter what your standing in society is you could be a victim of domestic violence.

Though, the perpetrator is most often a man, in a few cases women also are responsible for domestic violence. Domestic violence takes place between married couples, un-married couples and people in homosexual relationships. Domestic violence is not an isolated incident that takes place. It is generally characterized by patterns of boisterous behavior, abuse, intimidation and control.

Domestic violence is a legally punishable offense. Criminal violence includes physical and sexual abuse. Verbal abuse is not punishable under law but can nevertheless have an appalling effect on the victim. Children are the worst sufferers in the entire situation. They end up with severe trauma and psychological scars that may last a lifetime.

The story of domestic violence in most occasions is the saga of control and power. It is about one person wielding power over the other. Many times it is also associated with anger related behavioral disorders. In many cases the victim is kept behind closed doors and not allowed to communicate with anyone outside the home. In extreme cases he/she is not allowed to even venture outside the house or call anyone. Children live in fear and experience difficulties sleeping and become withdrawn. More often than not children are aware of the abuse but can’t fathom what to do about it.

Domestic violence is all around us. When we witness domestic violence we are often under the notion that they are personal issues and we ought not to interfere. This is a wrong stance to take. We are not aware of how many innocent lives we could have saved had we made that call at the right time. The next time you come across domestic violence don’t look the other way. Offer to help or at least contact someone who can. You never know if someday you may need help too.

Sufferers who put up with years of domestic violence usually have nowhere else to go. They are dependent on the abusers for financial support and may have kids to consider. Though, alcohol and substance abuse worsen the problem of domestic violence they are not considered to be the causes for it. Generally the abusers have underlying issues of inferiority complex, insecurity, low self-esteem, pent-up rage and frustration. Little things drive them over the edge to become full time wife-bashers.

If you are a victim of domestic violence don’t hesitate to seek help. Keep phone numbers of the police and local volunteer groups handy. If you have children try moving them to a safe haven like a friend or family’s place. Keep a cell-phone nearby at all times just in case an emergency occurs.

Domestic Violence and Anger Management: Anger Management is frequently used as a tool to curb Domestic Violence. But many victims of abuse claim that this doesn’t help since domestic violence is not an isolated crime of passion that occurs when anger takes over. Rather, it is premeditated and planned over a period of time to control and manipulate the victim. It has more to do with power and less to do with anger. Batters should be referred to a Batters Intervention & Prevention Program (BIPP) vs. Anger Management Classes; however more and more courts are sending them to both programs.

For information about Batters Intervention & Prevention Program (BIPP) visit http://www.dvi-tx.com and for Anger Management Classes visit http://www.ami-tx.com .

Anger Management Institute of Texas is a certified Anderson & Anderson ® provider.

Anger Management Classes and Anger Management – Executive Coaching available in Houston, Texas.

Gregory A. Kyles, M.A., LPC, CEAP, CAMF
Director, Anger Management Institute of Texas
Diplomate, President of Texas Chapter
American Association of Anger Management Providers
http://www.ami-tx.com
http://www.ami-tx.org
http://www.dvi-tx.com
http://gregorykyles.wordpress.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorykyles
http://www.myspace.com/anger_management_expert

We headed down to Kemah yesterday.  What a great day, and we didn’t even go to the Kemah Boardwalk!

The day consisted of good food, better friends and great fun at Tropical Express.   We probably spent some money we should have been putting into the new boat fun, but what the hay, you only live once.

Waktu habis lulusan tahun yang lalu temenku yamg sekolah di kediri mengajak aku untuk naik alias kemah, yang semuanya tu dari sekolahnya dia hanya aku yang beda sendiri.aku berangkat dari rumah jam 05.30 WIB pagi,kami rencananya mau kemah di desa banyakan yang ikut kota kediri tepatnya keutara dari kotanya kira masih 15 km. sampai di tempatnya sih masih nunggu temen yang lain cuma aku dan temenku nunggu ampek berjam2 akhirnya siang banget baru datang temennya tu aku dah ampek tidur pulas di mushola,akhirnya kita semua berangkat ada anak 15 anak dan menyewa sebuag angkot karena perjalanan jauh banget kita harus naik angkot pick up.

Karena yang kami tuju desa pelosok dari jalan raya aja masih 10 km ya sambil tiba dari tujuan kami semua bernyanyi riang gembira,setelah kami sampai kami berkumpul mengatur semuanya cuma aku yang berdir sendir kayak anak hilang karena tidak ada yang kenal jadi aku main gitar sendirian yang ada yang memberi surat tempat  ijin diserahkan di RT setempat. tempatnya enak sebuah lapangan yang lumayan besar bisa lihat kota kediri pada malam hari.

Setelah semuanya dah jadi sekarang waktunya untuk istirahat sebentar sambil nunggu petang kami masak apa adanya mie instan bawaan yang serba praktis waktu kemah, rencananya kami kemah selam 3 hari disitu banyak sekali yang dapat dipelajari salah satunya mengagumi kebesaran ALLAH SWT. Yang amat besar sebab disekiling semua pohon yang amat  rindang jadi suasana alam lah. malam keduanya kami buat api unggun,merencanakan tujuan aslinya yaitu ketempat air terjun yang belum pernah di datangi orang manapun cuma orang desa tempat tesebut  dan saling tegur sapa akhirnya aku kenal semuanya sebelum berangkat cum sapa biasa belum akrab tapi malam tu aku dah akrab sampai sekarang masih kontak.

Setelah pagi dah menjulang kami persiapkan yang dibawa perjalanan yang kami tuju ketempat air terjun yang kami bicarakan semalam, karena tempatnya jauh dari desa yang kami kemahi aja masih 5-6 km, kami bawa bekal cukup sekali semuanya dah berkumpul kami berangkat pagi-pagi takut ntar pulang malam. Berangkat kami bersama tapi setelah ditengah perjalanan temenku punya ide untuk jalan pintas dan ide tuada yang setuju dan tidak akhirnya diputuskan yang ikut silahkan yang gak tetap ikuti jalan yang dah jadi.dan aku dan kelima temennya jaln pintas yang lain ikuti jalan setapak yang dibuat orang desa, setelah tau nedan yang ditempuh sulit aku campur aduk nyesel dan gak karena penuh tantangan lewat sungai trus naik bukit,turun lagi capek pokoknya ampek celanaku sobek gak tau.

Setelah bejam-jam kami hampir tersesat untungnya kami dengar temen yang lain kami ikuti eh gak taunya di atas kami akhirnya dengan susah payah kami naik.naik.naik dan ketemu juga akhirnya jalan bersama-sama setelah sampai ketempat tujuan kami senuanya langsung mandi dibawah air terjun dan foto-foto, airnya sangat dingin banget poool pokoknya mak nyus. Pengalaman akhir sekolah yang tidak pernah terlupakan buat aku. makacih ank MAN 3 kediri angkatan 07.

Waktu itu aku masih kelas X. Aku mengikuti perkemahan dalam rangka HUT Pramuka di Lapangan Desa Randegan.
Pada malam kedua aku berkemah, murid-murid lain udah pada tidur semua karena kecapekan. Tapi lain halnya denganku, temanku Riza dan kakak kelasku yang berinisial M. S. Yah, namanya juga bukan bocah biasa (Hehe…) padahal kita bertigalah yang paling banyak mengikuti berbagai macam perlombaan. Bukannya tidur, kita bertiga malah bermain poker, kartu remi.

Di sela-sela permainan kita, entah aku atau Riza (Lupa. Abiznya udah lama banget sih) melihat teman kami, A. S. tidur dengan mulut menganga. Ting!! Alhasil ide jahil pun muncul di benak kita berdua. (Khekhekhe… Devil Laugh Mode : ON) Tanpa dikomando, kita pun mengambil garam yang terletak di tenda bagian belakang yang berfungsi sebagai dapur. Aku menjumput sedikit garam, Lalu aku coba memasukkannya ke dalam mulut si A. S. Hmmm… tapi koq agak susah ya? Riza pun mencoba tapi sama susahnya memasukkan garam dengan tepat n biar gak mbleber kemana-mana. Akhirnya muncul sebuah ide, kita mengambil secarik kertas lalu menggulungnya hingga membentuk sebuah corong. Nnaaahh….!! Bisik kita sambil cekikikan. Aku pun memegangi corong kertas tsb dan Riza mulai menuang garamnya. Upz…!! Wadow,, kebanyakan!! Teriak kita setengah berbisik. Jadilah tu garam menggunung di mulut si A. S. Kita pun segera menyingkir dari samping tubuh A. S. dan berpura-pura tidur. Tak begitu lama kemudian si A. S. bereaksi. Dengan setengah sadar setengah tidur dia berteriak-teriak sembari Mengusap-usap mulutnya dengan tangan kiri dan tangan kanannya secara bergantian. “Ih, apaan neh?! Bweeh.. Bweh… Ih, apa sih?! Bweh…” Ckikikkikiki… Kita pun cekikikan. Tak ketinggalan juga kakak kelas kita, M. S.

Keesokan harinya, setelah membongkar tenda dan mengumpulkan barang-barang, kita berkumpul di tepi jalan. Sambil menunggu truk jemputan, aku pun nyeletuk,
“Eh, semalem Lu kenapa sih teriak-teriak? Berisik lagi.” kataku pada si A. S. dengan senyum jahil. Tak ketinggalan begitu juga dengan si Riza.
“Woi… Lu ngapain sih?!”
“Oooohhh…!! Jadi kalian yach yang ngerjain gw semalem?? Gila… Eh, apaan sich? Garem yach?! Pantesan kok asin-asin gimana…?! Iyach yach?!”
Hwahahahahahahahaahahahaha….. Kita pun tertawa meledak-ledak. Bukan hanya karena inget-inget kejadian semalem, tapi mendengar si A. S. bicara dengan gaya bicaranya yang khas banget. Lucu, culun n lugu.

Hhhhhh…. Aku masih sering tertawa sendiri kala mengingat-ingat kejadian gokill itu. Meskipun begitu, si M. S. tuh gak pernah marah. Anaknya memang begitu. Gak pernah marah ataupun sedih. Makanya dia seringkali jadi sasaran empuk keisengan dan kejahilanku. Hehe… Gak nyangka sekarang dia udah Married n udah mau punya anak. (^_^)v

Tempat: Halaman Masjid Agung Bantul. Hari: Jumat, Sabtu, Minggu. Tanggal: 30-31 Okt s.d. 1 Nov 2009.

Siswa-siswi kelas 5 dan 6 SDN Ungaran I, II, dan III Yogyakarta, akan mengikuti kemah pada hari Jumat, Sabtu dan Minggu, tanggal 30-31 Okt hingga 1 Nov 2009. Kemah akan diselenggarakan di halaman Masjid Agung, Bantul. Kegiatan ini dilakukan bersamaan dengan ujian kenaikan tingkat bagi anggota Pramuka Siaga yang sudah memasuki usia Pramuka Penggalang.

Sejak seminggu sebelumnya, para orang tua juga sudah sibuk mempersiapkan berbagai perlengkapan kemah. Tidak hanya tenda dan perlengkapan tidurnya, tetapi juga perlengkapan makan dan mandi. Kalau perlengkapan MCK (mandi, cuci, kakus) sepertinya sudah tidak lengkap lagi pada jaman sekarang. Peserta kemah tidak akan mencuci pakaian bukan? Mandipun bagi yang rumahnya masih dijangkau kendaraan, akan mandi di rumah, atau paling tidak, mandi di rumah para kerabatnya.

Pastinya dijamin seru. Mari kita lihat bareng-bareng salah satu kegiatan akhir siswa kelas 6 ini

this is totally unrelated to “photography”, but i like the pictures i took so i thought i’d share them with all you fine people

my husband surprised me last night and took me on a date to The Aquarium in Kemah. (i tried to get a couple shots of us, but i don’t trust anyone else holding my camera, and i had a 50mm fixed lens on which only focuses farther than my arm can reach) anyways, took a few pictures as we were eating and then walking the boardwalk afterwards…

these were the cute little salt and pepper shakers at The Aquarium.. i liked them

the tail of a redfish as he/she was swimming away.. (camera shy)

then, when we left the restaurant we went for a nice romantic stroll down the boardwalk. you can buy a handful of fish food out of these dispensers to feed the fish.. and let me tell ya, these fish went NUTS!

(same crazy fish)

it was so nice to be almost the only ones on the whole boardwalk

until next time…

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s happening in Kemah on August 20th…

• Lunch Special at T-Bone Tom’s (146 and 8th Street) – (11am to 2pm only)  Southern Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Corn on the Cob and Biscuits for $7.49
• Dinner Special at T-Bone’s is “All You Can Eat” Pork Ribs for $11.49.  Enjoy your dinner in the Backyard listening to the cool jams of the “Blues Kats”.
• Bacchus Taverna on 6th Street features a variety of Lunch Specials Monday – Friday from 11am – 3pm.  Reasonable prices and great food!
• Check out the live music at Amadeus (700 Kipp Street) – Thursday evening at 8pm Claudio Sereni tickles the ivories and entertains the crowd.
• It’s “Texas Thursday” at Heads -N- Tails Bar & Grill (1053 Marina Bay Drive).  Lunch Special – (11am to 2pm) Fried Shrimp Basket for $5.99.  Dinner Special features Chicken Brochette for $9.95 from 6pm to 9pm.  Live Music featuring the Zach Tate Band on the newly remodeled stage!
• The Kemah Boardwalk is the place to be for the 2nd to last “Rock the Dock” of the Summer.

Whatever you choose to do in Kemah tomorrow, you can’t really go wrong!

July 5, 2009 | On our half-day trip to Kemah, we had dinner at Landry’s Seafood House.  Kemah isn’t known for having awesome restaurants, so I wasn’t expecting much.   We ordered a seafood ceviche gazpacho as an appetizer, and I ordered an avocado lumb crab salad– crabmeat, pico de gallo & creamy herb dressing.

The gazpacho wasn’t especially memorable, but it wasn’t bad.  It was very tomato-y and I like tomato, so that was okay.  I don’t know if it’s just me, but I haven’t had any very impressive gazpachos ever.  I haven’t tried too many though.

I love avocado and crab though, so the salad was good.  Not spectacular, but satisfying.  There might have been a little too much sauce. I also ordered a watermelon/vodka cocktail, but I thought it was okay.  I’ve yet to have watermelon in a good alcoholic drink though I’ve heard it works with vodka.

Overall, the meal was pricey and the food was okay.  I probably wouldn’t go back unless we didn’t have any other options.

I have moved. I have moved from viewing ethos church as an opportunity to do something in God’s Kingdom to a new place of obligation. It is my responsiblity and that of our core team to plant a healthy church in Kemah, TX. I have an obligation to the kingdom, the Gospel, and the King!

What I love about DSLRs is it’s ability to take a clear photo at night and nicely illuminate the subject (with, of course, the use of a tripod).

This image has not been lomo-ized (ha, I made up a word…or did I?).   My biggest complaint about my point-and-shoot has always been about the amount of noise in my low-light photos so, this is a huge improvement!!

Haha, I realized I’ve shown mostly water pictures and none of the actual boardwalk.  Soo, here’s the view we got as we were approaching the boardwalk from the parking lot.

We didn’t go on any of the Kemah Boardwalk amuseument rides– kinda pricey anyway, but there were lotta people with their kids enjoyingthe rides!  Oh yea, and there’s a wooden rollar coaster.  I’ve been on a wooden rollar coaster once.  I sat in the front with my friend Micah and I was TERRIFIED.  Haven’t been on another one since, haha.

Anyway,  as you can see, it’s very amusement park-ish and touristy.  The palm trees amuse me…like we’re in Florida or something, haha.

The workplace is a melting point of people from different backgrounds, cultures and communities. Conflicts and differences of opinion are bound to occur. Add to that deadlines, work pressures and responsibilities and you get an entire workplace drama.

Newspapers frequently enumerate stories of employees going over the edge and shooting their colleagues or destroying company property. Ex-employees turn out to be spiteful and reveal confidential information to competitors. Some retaliate by wiping out years of company data and wrecking back-up files.

Manpower is a resource that has to be handled with care. Rough handling can be highly detrimental to the morale and productivity of the organization as a whole.

Workplace anger is experienced at all levels beginning from line staff and ending with executives and managers. However, it has been observed that lower levels of the hierarchy react more violently as compared to higher level executives. Perhaps, this is due to lack of proper training and orientation. Top executives on the other hand get more exposure to soft skills and communication programs. Prompting strikes and damaging property is more frequent among factory workers and daily wage earners. Executives retaliate differently. They may resort to back-biting, manipulation, intimidation and spite to release their resentment. It’s difficult to say which is the lesser of the two evils: getting violent or acting malicious.

Both are detrimental to the overall work environment. While violence is dangerous to lives and property, silent sufferance creates a negative atmosphere and dampens morale.

Reasons for Workplace Anger: Listed below are of the common reasons for anger at the workplace:

 Leaves not granted
 Regular overtime at the workplace
 No appreciation for good performance
 Promotions awarded to “yes men” as opposed to good performers
 Salary hikes not approved
 Overly critical supervisors or managers
 Partiality towards certain employees
 Termination of employment
 
Steps to curb Workplace Anger: Managers should be cognizant of the first signs of aggression. Absenteeism, late-coming, tardiness and deterioration in performance are some warning signals.
• Organizations should invest in Anger Management Programs at regular intervals to enable employees to express feelings and release pent-up emotions.
• One-to-one sessions with employees should take place regularly even when no problems are apparent. This helps prevent any lurking anger issues that may blow up later.
• Active listening and conversations in informal settings should be encouraged to make people feel at ease and open up.
• Proper systems for complaints and grievances must be established. Every complaint must be dealt with within a specified time frame.
• If an employee has to be terminated, it has to be done as civilly as possible. They should not be made to feel small and humiliated.

Stress Management to control Workplace Anger: Most of our stress is associated with work. Work pressure is on the rise. We are expected to be faster, brighter and more efficient than we already are. A disappointment with our job leads to depression and anger. Hence, controlling stress helps in controlling workplace anger. Being on cordial terms with our colleagues and superiors helps minimize stress at work. It’s not possible to be on good terms with everybody at the workplace. However, even a couple of supportive co-workers can prevent work from becoming a living hell.

Anger Management Institute of Texas is a certified Anderson & Anderson ® provider.

Anger Management Classes and Anger Management – Executive Coaching available in Houston, Texas.

Gregory A. Kyles, M.A., LPC, CEAP, CAMF
Director, Anger Management Institute of Texas
Diplomate, President of Texas Chapter
American Association of Anger Management Providers
http://www.ami-tx.com
http://www.dvi-tx.com
http://gregorykyles.wordpress.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorykyles
http://www.myspace.com/anger_management_expert

This is one of the first shots I took once I set up my tripod.  The colors turned out pretty cool, right?

I’m not even sure exactly where all the colorful lights are from, haha.  It was still bright outside, but I was taking a shot of the area under a raised area of the docks.  Probably another restaurant.

You see the handrail in the back?  That’s another one of the many restaurants on the boardwalk.  I hear the restaurants on the boardwalk are generally average and nothing spectacular, but I guess that’s not terribly shocking.  We eventually ate at one of these restaurants, which I’ll eventually write about on my foodblog (just moved it to wordpress!).

On Friday Aaron, Shel, Kate and I went and had dinner at Devin’s yummy work.

Than we went to Kemah…

 We Dance Everywhere

Summer is the best when you spend it with friends!

~CC