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| Two TC's in Bruneau Canyon, Idaho circa 1990 Where Tyler found the specimen shown polished here. |
Where water falls on my face...
and drink it down... mind erased...
then wander around contemplate."***
The implementation period was six months.
As COO, he would hire, house and equip
More than 120 operations staff
And begin delivering managed care services
For almost 400,000 people living in Northern California
And begin delivering managed care services
For almost 400,000 people living in Northern California
They, in turn, would be supported by hundreds of new and existing health plan staff
In claims, finance, network development and more.
It was a federal government program for military retirees
And active duty families
It was a federal government program for military retirees
And active duty families
Initially referred to as the CHAMPUS Reform Initiative
Later called Tricare
Staffing went extraordinarily well
The pivotal directors and managers he hired
Would all make good decisions
About who they, in turn, hired
The implementation was characterized by high energy
A positive mood permeated the entire group
The program was new, the cause was noble
It was to be part of a test program
That was the first of its kind
It was a program that would grow to cover
Almost 10 million people living all over the world
And would celebrate its 35th year in 2023
A year after implementation
The program was judged
By Federal representatives
Staffing went extraordinarily well
The pivotal directors and managers he hired
Would all make good decisions
About who they, in turn, hired
The implementation was characterized by high energy
A positive mood permeated the entire group
The program was new, the cause was noble
It was to be part of a test program
That was the first of its kind
It was a program that would grow to cover
Almost 10 million people living all over the world
And would celebrate its 35th year in 2023
A year after implementation
The program was judged
By Federal representatives
And their consultants at Rand Corporation
It was considered a success by all
The founders congratulated each other
While the CEO... a newcomer brought in
Well after the deal was done
Elected to consolidate operations
And let go over half the staff
Who were responsible for the program's success
His job as COO was eliminated
But he was asked to stay on in a staff role to assist with the transition
To reassure the customers key representatives
That service would continue satisfactorily
After a couple of sleepless nights
Reflecting on the fate of the good people who were laid off
Trying unsuccessfully to understand the logic behind the consolidation
He consulted with his wife and decided to leave the company
He made the announcement and the great team began disbanding
In the following weeks he turned to activities at home
Activities that would help him regain his perspective on things
Activities that would help him heal his view of the world
One day, in his garage he picked up a fine, unfinished specimen of Bruneau Jasper
It was one of the best stones he and his son had collected
On a trip to Idaho's Bruneau Canyon, just off the Snake River
He decided to hand polish it
He didn't have the right equipment but he didn't care
He strapped an electric drill in a vise
Locked a grinding wheel in the drill and began
First the coarse wheel
Next a finer grained wheel
Next various grits of wet sand paper
Finally polish powder
He had no particular shape for the stone in mind
He just followed it's natural lines
Let it dictate it's own final form
He did three that way
One the size of a plum
Two of them half again larger than his fist
Twenty hours or more for each stone
The best of them was the one his son found
On his first and only trip into the canyon
Along the way he found his own personal form again as well.
It was considered a success by all
The founders congratulated each other
While the CEO... a newcomer brought in
Well after the deal was done
Elected to consolidate operations
And let go over half the staff
Who were responsible for the program's success
His job as COO was eliminated
But he was asked to stay on in a staff role to assist with the transition
To reassure the customers key representatives
That service would continue satisfactorily
After a couple of sleepless nights
Reflecting on the fate of the good people who were laid off
Trying unsuccessfully to understand the logic behind the consolidation
He consulted with his wife and decided to leave the company
He made the announcement and the great team began disbanding
In the following weeks he turned to activities at home
Activities that would help him regain his perspective on things
Activities that would help him heal his view of the world
One day, in his garage he picked up a fine, unfinished specimen of Bruneau Jasper
It was one of the best stones he and his son had collected
On a trip to Idaho's Bruneau Canyon, just off the Snake River
He decided to hand polish it
He didn't have the right equipment but he didn't care
He strapped an electric drill in a vise
Locked a grinding wheel in the drill and began
 |
| Tyler's Bruneau Jasper (click to enlarge) |
First the coarse wheel
Next a finer grained wheel
Next various grits of wet sand paper
Finally polish powder
He had no particular shape for the stone in mind
He just followed it's natural lines
Let it dictate it's own final form
He did three that way
One the size of a plum
Two of them half again larger than his fist
Twenty hours or more for each stone
The best of them was the one his son found
On his first and only trip into the canyon
Along the way he found his own personal form again as well.
***Tyler Campbell from the Arden Park Roots song "Contemplate", the album "No rEgrets in the gArden of weEden", copyright 2010. The video is here: "Contemplate" YouTube Video
4 comments:
I loved this, Tom, finding renewal in activity, creating something beautiful- the polished Jasper. Government actions often make no sense; but you can feel good, knowing your contribution was integral to a program that helps so many people. I love the photograph of you and Tyler, and Tyler's song!
Thanks Annie - just making lemonade know what I mean?!
Great story! Great accomplishment, both of them. Making lemonade is always a good philosophy. Or in this case how about if life throws rocks at you, pick one and polish it.
Thank you brother from the same Mother. UB astute in your observations. Sorry I threw that phone book at you when your were little.
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