The other day a co-worker asked me, “Do you keep a journal?” I immediately, without hesitation, answered, “No. I only write when I have to.” I confess. I write these blogs mostly due to the fact that I was assigned the task by my general manager. I guess you could say it is part of my job description. So yes, my answer was quick, to the point, and unfortunately, honest.

However, as the day went on, my mind kept wandering back to her question, and I became quite disturbed by my response. I began to question myself. Why do I have a negative prospective towards writing? Why do I look at it as a chore instead of fun? Why do I want to close my mind to the idea of writing instead of welcoming it as an open canvas to create whatever I desire?

My mind then shifted to the thought of the power of words. Words are used to state a fact, share an idea, form an opinion, and express creativity and imagination. They are used to paint a picture, make music, and arouse suspense and interest. Words are the backbone, the voice of all communication. Words are Powerful! So why in the world would I not want to grasp hold of those words and use them as an expression of myself, especially when I have the freedom to do so? By this point my head was spinning. I can’t believe that one simple question could prompt such a sea of thoughts rushing through my mind.

So why don’t I want to write? So why do so many of us avoid the art of the written word? Perhaps some of us fear revealing a part of ourselves and risk being criticized or judged. Perhaps it is because the written word is so forever, there is permanence about it. It is out there for everyone to quote, Google, copy, and paste. At least with the spoken word, we can hope that things we should have left unsaid will be erased from people’s memory banks or at least buried deep within their subconscious mind. However, the written word can be pulled out and read over and over again in remembrance of what we said. These may all be valid reasons why people don’t want to write, but I think more often then not, people don’t write because they don’t want to give the time and effort that it takes to put their thoughts on paper. I know I am guilty of this.

However, one thing I have discovered from writing these blogs is that if you write about what you are familiar with or what comes from your heart, the words flow much easier and more fluently, almost effortlessly. That is why when you read my blogs that I write for HG Logistics LLC, a transportation broker and third party logistics company located in Cincinnati, Ohio, you get what you get, instead of blogs about the mechanics of maneuvering an 18-wheel, semi truck across the U.S. highways. I am not saying this subject is not worthy of blogging about. It is just that I am leaving that topic to be written by our expert panel of drivers.

What I really found interesting is that a few days before my co-worker posed that thought provoking question to me, I had read an article in The Cincinnati Enquirer titled “Young, passionate and unusually talented.” This article that appeared in the Sunday, January 15, 2012 edition discussed a writing contest that was hosted by Enquirer columnist Krista Ramsey and the Chair of Mount Saint Joseph’s English and Modern Language Department, Elizabeth Bookser Barkley. The competition was for students ages 6 to 16. Teachers were urged to announce the contest but not to make it an assignment. They wanted those competing to do so on their own free will. Both Ramsey and Barkley were encouraged by the entries they received, and they each picked one favorite. Krista Ramsey chose Zoe Cheng’s essay, “When I Write.” Below I have included Cheng’s essay because I was so wowed by how she expressed herself, and she gave me the one answer as to why and how I should write–PASSION!

When I Write, by Zoe Cheng
Writing – it’s my life. It’s my home, my recluse, the lover of my dreams. When I write I lose myself in the arms of a dangerous thing – the red-rimmed eyes of time leave my head in wisps of smoke. This is what I feel when I write – an edginess inside of my heart that seems to glow and sparkle in a rapid build of emotion, I can feel the words and what they mean to me seizing my soul and painting brilliant, vivid shades of gold behind my eyes and I can taste that exquisite inspiration on the flesh of my tongue and my fingers tremble with the utmost anticipation and resolve and my smile is uncontrollable, random bundles of solid imagination bursting in my mind in a spontaneous array of fireworks as I set pen to paper and abstract thought to concreteness and I cannot describe to you how beautiful and poignant it is to see my words – my words – on paper and the notion that other people are actually understanding me and reading what I have to say and seeing it – seeing it. To me, writing is the one time I can speak my mind and not be afraid – when I write, I am bold and fearless and passionate and all these shades of red and I love it, I absolutely love it. My words are my wings and I use them to dream me away to fairy-dust clouds and glimmering woodlands, my words are my legs and I run run run to places only I can go – my words defy the boundaries of conformist society and the hurt and pain in my heart, because when I write, all of that – absolutely all of it – vanishes and I am flying, flying and it feels so good to soar.

Zoe Cheng is only 14 years old, but she definitely has a gift for words. I hope by sharing her essay in my blog, it will inspire some of you to pen a few words of your own.

Well, as I near the close of this blog, I once again find my mind wandering back to the question posed by my co-worker, and I could not help but think what Zoe Cheng would have answered if she was asked the same question. I am not a betting type of person, but I would lay odds that she keeps a journal and faithfully, with passion and joy, writes in it daily.

Living Hope Transitional Home

The Holidays are a time when many of us reflect on how blessed we are, but it is also a time of the year when struggles and losses become more evident. As a result, some of us stand counting our blessings, while others contemplate their misfortunes. Yet, what is exceptional about the Holidays is that it speaks to people’s hearts and moves those more fortunate to help those who find themselves on the other end of the spectrum. What I have experienced, and probably many of you as well, is that this can flip-flop from year to year–sometimes we find ourselves the recipients of people’s kindness and other years we are doing the giving.

Well, here at HG Logistics LLC, a third party logistics company and transportation broker located in Cincinnati, Ohio, we have felt tremendously blessed the past few years. Although we are a fairly new company (in existence since September 2006), we have experienced growth and success with each year. Therefore, the past few Christmas Seasons we have sought to share our blessings with our surrounding community.

In our search for people in need, we discovered a home that is in the ministry of restoring hope in the lives of young mothers. Living Hope Transitional Home helps women who have found themselves for whatever reason or for whatever circumstances, trying to raise children often without a high school education, without employment, without support and without a home. Living Hope mentors these women who are committed to change. They provided a safe environment for these women and their children so that these mothers can concentrate on getting their education, searching for a job, and developing life skills and marketable qualifications. For these women, Living Hope is a stepping stone for them to get their life on track so that they can raise their children in a safe, desirable, and encouraging environment.

As an adult looking back on my own childhood, I realize how blessed I was. Not one day of my childhood did I ever worry about whether or not I would have food to eat, a roof over my head, or clothes on my back. I always felt safe and secure. I now realize that not everyone can say they had that same experience. But it is encouraging to know that there are places like Living Hope Transitional Home that are helping young mothers so that they too can give their children a worry-free life, a life where they can enjoy just being kids.

Inspired by what Living Hope is accomplishing, HG Logistics LLC decided Christmas 2011 to assist Living Hope by providing gifts for the children living there. Although our gifts are minimal compared to what it takes to support these families throughout the year, our thought was to give them a blessed Christmas, a Christmas filled with a childlike faith that believes “good things can happen.”

HG Logistics LLC wishes these women the best, and we hope that they do not look at our gifts as just a charitable contribution, but as a message that we totally support their efforts to build a better life for themselves and their children.

HG Logistics LLC has embarked upon a new venture, but I have to admit we may be out of our league with this one. Well, maybe I should not say we are out of our league, but what we have done is join a league–the Junior-Pro Southwest Ohio Sports League.

Yes! We have joined the sisterhood of 4th – 6th grade girls who are teaming up to hopefully dribble, pass, and shoot their way to victory this 2011 – 2012 basketball season. We are sure the girls will be thrilled if they win, but we all know the true victory will be if they become smarter, better skilled, and more disciplined players.

Let me clarify one thing though– HG Logistics LLC will not be there personally to coach the team. We are leaving that up to those more knowledgeable of the game. But we were happy to boost the team’s spirit by providing them with uniforms. As you can see from the pictures, they wear them proudly.

HG Logistics is glad to be helping the team, and even though their season is just beginning, the girls have already scored a big one with us.

Go

Lockland

Panthers!

Well, it is Monday and guess what?–It is raining again. What is it about gloomy, rainy Mondays that keep you from wanting to get out of bed and start the week? I know this morning, I found myself chanting that little rhyme I learned as a kid–”It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man in snoring.” Yes, many of us wish we were still snoring this morning, but duty calls us. We have responsibilities to fulfill, and I am happy to report on this dark, dreary Monday, that all employees at HG Logistics LLC, a third party logistics and transportation broker in Cincinnati, Ohio, have checked in and are busy with their assigned tasks. The dispatchers are making their calls, our sales force is going over their customer lists and possible prospects, and I am entering bills and preparing the invoicing for today. Have you ever noticed how things start out very quiet on Monday mornings? Everyone is very hush. It is probably due to the fact that we are not totally awake yet.

About mid-morning, once everyone gets settle in and readjusted to the work day, people begin to open up and share their weekend activities. Mine are usually boring– the same old, same old–cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, cooking. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah! People don’t want to hear about those things.

Well, this Monday, was different. I actually had something to share besides the norm. Over the weekend, I got to live out a fairytale. My church held a Women’s Holiday Gala consisting of a buffet lunch, music, and a Vintage Fashion Show. They asked me if I would model some of the clothing. I know what you are thinking–They must have been desperate to ask a 51 year old to be a model. I figure they just wanted people who would actually look the era.

Regardless of their reason, I got to play dress up, wearing all these beautiful dresses and gowns that were once owned by famous people. I felt like Cinderella dressing up for the ball. For a few hours, I imagined myself a beautiful princess about to meet her prince and all the women oohed and awed (not at me, but at the dresses). I even got to live out the Roaring 20’s in a flapper dress and garter belt.

Overall, it was fun and exciting and to think I almost missed out on all that when I originally had no intentions of attending. Although I never got my dance with the Prince, it was well worth sacrificing a couple hours of my Saturday afternoon.

In the end, what really made me feel like I was living out the Cinderella Fairytale was when the clock struck 3:00 p.m. (I know in Cinderella it was midnight, but for me it was 3:00 p.m.) Yes, at 3:00 p.m., the Ball/Gala ended, and I had to turn in all the gowns and return to reality. And as the fairytale goes, I had a cleaning job to go to immediately afterwards. So I changed into my raggedy, ripped jeans, and my oversize, bleached-out T-shirt, grabbed my mop and broom, and left the Gala with my head held high.

As I slaved away that late afternoon, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the toilet bowl. By now my hair was drooping and my makeup running, and I resembled nothing of a princess. I asked, “How would I ever keep my Prince Charming looking like this?” But then I remembered the rest of the story. It may have been Cinderella’s beauty that first caught the Prince’s eye, but it was her loving heart and kind spirit that won him over and led them on the path to everlasting happiness. Now you may or may not believe in fairytales, but I am going to put my bet on the moral of the story–It is the heart that really counts, that inner beauty as they call it.

Well, that is my gloomy, Monday morning story time event I got to share with co-workers. What was your story?

 I was sitting at work on October 31, 2011, complaining to my co-workers that as an adult I just don’t get excited about holidays like when I was a kid. When I was young, I remember being so keyed up about Halloween. My sisters and I would design our own costumes using whatever we found around the house (That was before the days of parents spending $30/$40 dollars for a costume). We would then get together with all the other neighborhood kids, and we would challenge ourselves to go to every house in our subdivision. Then, of course, the greatest part was devouring all the candy we collected by evenings end.

Now, as an adult, I don’t have time to be creative. I definitely don’t have money to splurge on store bought costumes. I don’t have the energy to drag myself around the entire neighborhood, and if I eat candy, I worry about putting on pounds or pulling out a filling.

I know what you are thinking–  she sure can put a damper on the whole Halloween Spirit. Well, fortunately my down-and-out spirits were not going to spoil Halloween for my children since they are all grown. However, I did have plans to meet up with my daughters and my granddaughter, along with my nieces and great nieces and great nephews to go Trick-or-Treating, and I definitely did not want to go as Oscar the Grouch.

And I am glad to report that I did not because I found the perfect cure for the Halloween Holiday Blues–CHILDREN! Once I saw all the kids dressed in their costumes and sensing their excitement and anticipation, my whole attitude changed. Their joy was infectious and it rubbed off on me. Look at those faces. How can you not help but smile?

So what does this all have to do with HG Logistics LLC in Cincinnati, Ohio and the whole transportation broker, third party logistics business? Nothing! But it was Halloween week and it just seemed appropriate to write something about the occasion. Although, I have to admit that there are monsters that show up every once in awhile at HG Logistics, and some of us here wish we could stir up a witch’s brew that would magically make every load go off perfectly with no mishaps. And then, of course, there are always the traffic ghosts and goblins that like to haunt us from time to time. So, I guess when I put it that way, HG Logistics does have something in common with Halloween.

Regardless, I hope your 2011 Halloween was a safe and fun-filled day, and I hope you experienced some of that once felt Halloween, childlike excitement, and I hope some child put a smile on your face. I know one did mine (my granddaughter- The Piggy).

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

The employees of HG Logistics LLC and our parent company, The Hill and Griffith Company, joined forces to help end breast cancer. On October 9, 2011, several of us participated in the “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walk. This was a 5-mile walk along Cincinnati Riverfront. It turned out to be a gorgeous autumn day–perfect for a stroll along the river. We only stopped here and there to snap a few pictures, but I am happy to report that we all made it across the Finish Line. It was a GREAT time, a GREAT day, a GREAT walk for a GREAT cause.

In a thank you letter to our company, the American Cancer Society reported:

 “This year’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer® down on the banks of the mighty Ohio River was impressively PINK. You were part of the biggest crowd yet – some 12,000 in all – gathered together to contribute to a truly inspiring day and your fundraising efforts have enabled us to continue to help save lives and create a world with less breast cancer and more birthday celebrations….We’re still counting donations – but it’s already shaping up to be a truly successful year. We’ve anticipated over $600,000.00.”

HG Logistics LLC and Hill and Griffith sends a special “Thank You” to all our sponsors that helped make this a Successful Walk Against Breast Cancer.

Tyler Moreno joined HG Logistics LLC in August 2011. Tyler graduated from Highlands High School in 2004 and then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Northern Kentucky University. Tyler is currently residing in Bellevue, Kentucky where he enjoys spending time with his girlfriend. He is also a lifelong friend of the Cincinnati Reds and the Miami Dolphins.

Tyler is new to the logistics world, but he is catching on quickly and has already been a substantial help in our dispatching department. Currently, he is concentrating on learning all areas of the business, but his future plans include working in sales and helping develop and grow HG Logistics LLC.

The picture above is not me but it is a picture of what happened to me on this rainy, September, Monday morning in Cincinnati, Ohio. I was doing my normal morning routine walking to the bus stop at 6:40 a.m. I was on the sidewalk with my back turned to traffic when all of a sudden a car sped by and showered me with a rain puddle, just like in the picture. Luckily, I was carrying an umbrella that protected my head, but from the waste down, I was drenched. To make matters worse, there was a car directly behind the first one and because I did not have enough time to jump out of the way, the second car got me as well. In other words, I got a double whammy.

At this point, I thought about turning around and going back home, but being the dedicated employee that I am and I did not want to be late (DID YOU READ THAT MR. BIERMAN), I decided to keep on trucking to the bus stop. Of course, the rest of the way I was cursing my husband for not getting out of bed and driving me,  and then I was hoping for heat on the bus, but got air conditioning instead. I pretty much froze during the 40 minute ride to my stop. However, the air conditioner probably worked to my benefit because the air movement helped dry me out a little. Of course that did not help much since I had to get back out in the rain and walk two blocks to our building.

It was during this walk that I drew a picture in my head of the whole incident, and I just started to laugh. I am sure those people in the cars that sprayed me had a good laugh too. Even as I felt my feet squishing in my damp, soggy shoes with each step I took, I still continued to smile. After all, it was just a little water and by mid-day I should be pretty well dry.

Needless to say, the first thing I did when I got to work was write this blog while I was still dripping wet and it was all still fresh in my mind. I was struggling with a good topic for this week’s blog anyway, and imagine that–I was showered with an idea.

The whole point of this story is to just bring a little laughter to the work week and if my pride had to be bent out of shape a little in order to do that, it was worth it.

Well, I am sure my week is going to quickly turn very busy in the world of transportation here at HG Logistics LLC, just like many of yours will be also. But I hope through all the craziness, you will be showered with moments of laughter. If anything, take a walk in the rain. You may be surprised by what will  hit you.

Shawna Hightchew comes to HG Logistics LLC with 13 plus years experience in the trucking industry and has served in many different areas of the business. Shawna has extensive experience in the billing process and has been in charge of scanning, fuel surcharges, lumpers, and driver envelopes.  In addition, she has experience in the “going paperless” set up process and procedure.

Shawna has expressed her appreciation to HG Logistics for giving her the opportunity to use her knowledge  to assist our company as well as grow and enhance her own skills and abilities.

HG Logistics LLC welcomes Shawna’s contributions, and Shawna looks forward to a bright future with our organization.

Outside of work, Shawna enjoys NASCAR racing, bowling, and family and friends.

Last week, HG Logistics LLC said goodbye to one of our summer interns, Maura Winters. Maura, a student at Xavier University, joined our staff in June 2011 and worked through last week. She was instrumental in helping HG Logistics launch our plans to go paperless. Maura always displayed a great work ethic and a positive attitude. She was a joy to work with and  HG Logistics wishes her well in her future endeavors.