Response on Accessbility

Well ... I received my response in regards to my concerns about accessibility at The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes. I feel that it's only fair that I paste it here in it's entirety:

Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding accessibility at the Shoppes at Arbor Lakes. Our stores are in compliance with ADA requirements based on the store’s entry width. As such, powered doors are not a requirement. Thank you for your question, contact me if I can be of further service and thank you for shopping at The Shoppes of Arbor Lakes. Happy Thanksgiving!

Michael Grenander, RPA
General Manager
Shoppes at Arbor Lakes
Direct: (763) 488-9930
Office: (763) 424-0504
Fax: (763) 424-9456
email: michaelgrenander@cousinsproperties.com

Poor Mr. Grenander -- do you offer any additional services to accommodate consumers who cannot open the heavy -- but apparently not wide enough -- doors? This is a very sad state to me that no additional services are provided. I would say that I'm sad I won't be shopping at the Shoppes very frequently any more, but fortunately, all the stores I'd want to support are also located at 50th and France in Edina or Roseville. So, I will be taking my business to those locales more frequently.

Accessibility Requirements

Today, K and I began a little holiday shopping at the Shoppes at Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove, Minnesota. I must tell you that it was quite a frustrating experience from an accessibility standpoint. K was in his stroller, and all of the doors I had to pull to open. There were no electronic openers and these doors were heavy!

It made me wonder how might someone with a temporary or permanent handicap could easily enter all the stores. Seriously, if you were on crutches or using a wheelchair, I think you'd quickly turn around and leave. It was wretched and near impossible for me to get in some of those stores. Sometimes I'd be lucky and someone would see me struggling and come to my assistance. So, is this shopping centre breaking the law? I feel like they are completely violating the ADA. (http://www.access-board.gov/publications/ADAFactSheet/A13.html). There is no way this place could be considered accessible, and it specifically calls out the need to make shopping areas accessible regardless of size.

So, I've e-mailed the management of the shopping centre and requested a list of how they comply with the ADA requirements in regards to accessibility. I am quite interested in how they respond and will be sure to post a follow-up to my blog. I think we need to ensure that we have equality across all areas, including commerce. It greatly concerns me that anyone would construct a business area that did not allow for easy access for all.

Ode to Pinotage

Like water to a wounded soul

Blood that has drenched the soil of your earth

A mild and tempting escape

Your history is just becoming unearthed

Your sweetness only beginning to be discovered

Your powers embracing

To my lips you dance

To my heart you warm

To my mind you release

Sensitivity Chip

It's commonly known that shortly after Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt divorced, she was quoted as saying Brad lacked a sensitivity chip. It's also commonly known that studies are showing that Emotional Intelligence (aka sensitivity chip) is growing in importance to success. Daniel Pink has a new book out all about the right side of the brain, and EQ has been talked about for decades (if not longer.)

My question is, if these are considered factors for success, why does it seem that people's sensitivity chips tend to wear down, break down or just disappear as they progress in life. Be it progressing in corporate America, just aging in general, or as you meet success. I'm struggling right now because I tend to think that once people hit a certain level in the professional world their sensitivity chips malfunction. This fear is so great that I am hesitant myself to continue to aspire to greater levels of success.

The only thing worse than thinking I've hit my plateau is thinking that I will loose all realms of common sense when it comes to EQ and sensitivity. I'd like to think I could defy these odds ... but I'm truly scared. People who I've previously respected for their ability to rely on common sense and their connection to people and looking at the whole picture from all angles have lost these abilities once they've moved up another rung on the ladder. It becomes a lot of apologies and excuses. They try to get you to see their side, but they never once considered the story from your angle.

I understand that corporate America is really all about making money, getting ahead, and making your stockholders happy ... but you don't have a happy and engaged workforce ... how will you continue your success? I think it's easy right now to say that no one would leave and it's easy to replace you if you do ... but this is how reputations get built. Eventually, someone will begin to question, secrets will get out, your workforce will dwindle and you'll have to start from scratch. Who knows, perhaps you'll get an even better, stronger workforce, but if you're not careful ... your success could die.

If you google engagement and the workforce, you'll find lots of articles that talk about the importance of engagement and how it will create bigger profits for companies in the end. The problem right now is ... engagement counts as a paycheck. People are grateful that they just have jobs. If corporate America doesn't start treating it's employees better, I'm afraid that the rest of the world will truly surpass us and everything great we once stood for will falter.

My Alter Ego

I think all of us have an alter ego ... a split personality ... a side of us that we only let an elite few see. By day I am a reserved, corporate middle manager. I provide guidance and counsel to a variety of others. I act in the utmost professionalism. Okay ... on occasion I let a snarky comment or two escape. But to the average viewer, I'm a wise old sage (mind you, I'm not really that old, but I've been around in my department almost longer than everyone else) who dispenses sound bites of knowledge and helps people along their own career paths. I defend those worth defending and challenge ideas that just support the status quo. I'm not moving mountains, but I'm keeping the circulation running in one minor artery.

Now, the side of me that people don't see ... she's a dancing fool. Put on some great funky beats and let her loose. (Thank you Pandora Radio for my Jamiroquai station.) I enjoy shakin' it and making my son and husband laugh because they know that I have released myself to the freedom of my soul. My son did enter the world with Stevie Wonder playing in the hospital room. And based on his love for music and his head-bobbing in appreciation, I know he's inherited my rhythm.

If I'm not enjoying the rhythms of another artist, I'll be providing my own operatic tones as my personal soundtrack (unfortunately, the husband's not so appreciative this, but it might be because it crosses the border into annoying.) As I've aged, I've started to let the two alter egos bridge on occasion, but very rarely. I've noticed I start singing at my desk. Fortunately, I typically catch myself before anyone else does. I've decided it's because I am coming into my own. I've gotten to the age where I'm comfortable with my skin, and I know that the way to a happy life is not to take yourself so seriously and just go along with the music.

An Important Day, A Defining Moment in History

Today in the United States, we placed our votes for our next president. The lines were long. People's voices were loud as they rooted on their top candidate. It is an election where in some races, the winner is easily projected. In others, it will come down to very close victories. What will the atmosphere be like tomorrow? Depending on the outcome, it will be a new era of hope, for others it may be a day of disbelief.

Lots of things were said during this election in many different races. While some had predicted this might be the "friendliest" election campaign from both parties, it was instead one of passive aggression, name-calling and immaturity. Some of our local races gave a new definition to sleazy politics. A leader in government affairs once pointed out that what makes good politics often is what makes good policy. And when it comes down to it, we must learn to look past the politics and understand the policies that are being presented.

I hope that in future elections, we will get past the politics and just focus on the policies being presented -- at city, state and federal levels. I will admit, I didn't vote down a party line tonight, I did my homework and studied where the candidates stood on policies. My civic duty is to encourage others to do the same. For those who voted today: Thank you.