A Book Report

I. Introduction

          It was a wet, cold, dark, dreary, and dismal Monday in Seattle, inside and out. On this day, Mary Jane Ramirez missed Southern California. Dan, his husband, had received a great offer from Micro rule; they packed and moved together with their two kids. True to her confidence, Mary Jane quickly found a supervisory position in the operations area of the First Guarantee Financial, one of Seattle’s largest financial institutions.

          Dan really loved his job at Micro rule. He was always just interested in her day, wanting to know about her new colleagues and the challenges she was facing in her work life. Anyone watching would easily guess that they were best friends. The spirit each shined in the presence of the other. Twelve months after moving to Seattle, Dan was rushed to the hospital with a burst aneurysm — “a genetic oddity” they called it — and he died of internal bleeding while never regaining consciousness. There was no warning and no time to say goodbye. That was two years ago, during her three years at First Guarantee, Mary Jane, had developed a great reputation as a “can–do” supervisor. The thoughtful way she conducted her work actually led to a small problem in the organization as others tried to make sure that their work passed through her part of the organization. She was a good person to work for. She always listened closely to the concerns and ideas of her staff and was well–liked and respected in return. And as a working manager, she led her department in production. Mary Jane’s small group developed a reputation as a team you could count on.

          In sharp contrast, there was a large operations group on the third floor that was often the topic of conversation for opposite reason. Words like unresponsive, entitlement, zombic, unpleasant, slow, wastelands, and negative were used frequently to describe this group. Those who visited the third floor described it as a place so dead that it sucked the life right out of you. Then a few weeks later, Mary Jane had a promotion to manager of the operations group on the third floor of First Guarantee. In her first five weeks on the job she struggled to understand the work and the people. She was walking along First Street, she saw large crowd of well–dressed people was clustered around one of the fish markets, and everyone was laughing. Mary Jane was unaware that one of the fish guys had noticed her in the crowd. She looked around and saw a handsome young man with long curly black hair. He was looking at her intently, a big smile on his face. His name was Lonnie, and she talked about her problem. And Lonnie said that you always have a choice about the attitude you bring to the job. Mary Jane was impressed on what Lonnie have told her and she has new courage to face on. On the Saturday at the fish market, Mary Jane brought with her two kids Brad and Stacy. She immediately spotted Lonnie standing by the fish display. And she introduced her children. Lonnie welcomed them and said it was time to get to work. They were happy and they play while they work. Mary Jane found out the third ingredients make their day and be present.

          Mary Jane planned that all her staff can experience lunchtime field trip. They were going to a special fish market where they will study energy in action. Then Stephanie and Randy give their observation at the end of the meeting. She passed around a sign–up sheet and asked each of them to sign up for one of the paper teams. The team were, the play team, the make their day team, the present moment team, and the choose your attitude team. Each team reported on what they observed and they really discussed what the things to make this organization a better place to work, fun and the staff will have also cooperation with each other.

          Mary Jane opened her book, Simple Abundance, and turned to February 7 and she was wondering how she would ever clean up the toxic energy dump. She opened her journal to one of her favorite selections, a piece written by John Garcemer on the meaning in life. Mary Jane was wiping tears from her eyes as she closed the journal. Lonnie had been sitting quietly across from her, reading. He pushed the plate over to her. When she reached, she found instead a small diamond engagement ring sitting in the large open mouth of a fish head. She looked up at Lonnie; she sputtered “Oh, Lonnie! Yes! Yes I will.

          

                    

II. Body/Main Content
IV. What is the application of the content to you as a student?
V. Conclusion
VI. Recommendation

          Mary Jane is a good person to work for. Despite of what happen in her life her willingness to take risk had been much higher. The group she had be supervising had been with her during the rough days after Dan’s dead, and she had felt a strong bond with them. And because of this she accepts the promotion to manager of the operations group in the third floor of First Guarantee. The third floor is a well known the toxic energy dump. And this is the start of her problems between her staff. She think always that it will be all right, whatever happens. And she wants to clean up the toxic energy dump. And she challenged to solve the problem, and most of all she need to renew her faith in herself. And with the help of Lonnie a fish monger. Mary Jane had a courage that she can solved the problem. And now her staff had always been capable of much more like also some fish guys to bring those capabilities to light. And now the third floor became a successfully changed, a better place to work on and most of all the staff have cooperation in each other. And after these Lonnie proposed to Mary Jane and she happily accepts.

III. What specific principles advocated by the author do you find most relevant? Why?

          The specific principles advocated by the author I find most relevant are the following: choose your attitude and be present, because in choosing your attitude it is the one way that we can encourage others. And of course it will start first in our own so that others will follow. It will depend in our attitude . be present always whatever we are doing and through this others show that we are not day dreaming. We really pay attention and interact with others.

          The application of the content to me as a student is that it is very difficult at first to accompany to others and how to deal with them. But later on I discover or know their weaknesses and capability. Also with me they know my weaknesses and capability. And also through outdoors fun are bindings with each other are unite or become strong.

          And everyone of us faces different trials and problems in our life. Like Mary Jane his husband died accidentally in behalf of those trial that come to her life she overcome all of those. And she really has determination and courage to face that problem she encountered. I also have lot of problems that I encountered but with the help of my beloved parents, and especially to our Almighty God I overcome those. I always prepared myself to be strong enough to overcome with it. We must also have trust in ourselves and most especially don’t forget ask our God for his guidance and give us knowledge so that we able to solved the problems. 

          I do the project by every night from 8:00 to 10:00. I read the story then when I have no work I continue reading until I finished. When I have already finished, I began to answer the questions. Then my experience or my feelings while reading and after reading the story I really appreciate and touched with the determination and courage that Mary Jane showed. And I know also how to deal with other people at work, at the classroom, and other’s organization.

          Therefore, I conclude that determination and courage make one person to become strong in facing some trials and problems that he may encounter. And also with the help of others and most especially our Almighty God.

          Yes, I really recommend this book to other students or people for reading because it teaches us powerful principles that would help in forming a successful company. This book points out a very clever and compelling manner that being a good manager of people is not much more than using common sense and the Golden rule – treat others the way you would like to be treated.

          In addition, we must love our work so that we can catch the limit of happiness, meaning, and fulfillment everyday. This book is really marvelous, just not about selling fish, its also a love story that can happen in one organization.