Scenes From the Moorpark Rotary's Annual Civil War Battle Reenactment

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The Rotary Club of Moorpark hosted its 11th Annual Civil War Battle Reenactment the weekend of November 12-13 at Tierra Rejada Ranch in Moorpark. It is billed at the largest civil war reenactment west of the Mississippi! This year's event highlights 5 battles, with more than 700 re-enactors! There will also be a civilian camp with leather crafting, sewing, blacksmithing and cooking demonstrations, military band concerts and much more! Mark your calendars!

Here are scenes from the 10th annual event in 2010, courtesy of local photographer Patrick Taillon. For more of Patrick's work, visit his website at www.patricktaillon.com.

Union soldiers from the 19 Indiana, spend their downtime playing cribbage. Soldiers are

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Dealing With Difficult People at Work: Can't Control Them But You Can Control You

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Here's a nice little article written by Tony Schwartz in the Harvard Business School Blog Network. Provides some nice, useful perspectives regarding how to deal with people in the workplace, bosses or otherwise, that you find to be difficult. You know, people that backstab, steal your ideas, micromanage you, don't give you credit, can't make up their minds, nag you, don't respond to your requests, is flaky, etc. No doubt most of us can relate.

We all know you can't control the other person but we also need to be reminded of this fact. This applies to all relationships, work or otherwise. But you CAN control how you react. This article summarizes three effective ways of doing so:

1. Realistic Optimism: You can't change them but you can change the way YOU react. Instead of reacting negatively, you can reassess what really is the "problem" in your mind and then choose to look at things...and react to them...more positively.

2. The Reverse Lens: You feel threatened and devalued, but another way out is to take a hard look at what is driving your boss/coworker to act the way they are, and to try to understand them. What's driving the other person's behavior and can you empathize with them? Your empathy may help give them the value they seek and may improve the situation.

3. The Long Lens: OK, maybe the other person truly is a dirtbag that in the long term you'll never be able to work with. So another way to deal with it is, what can you learn from them and/or the situation. Can it, will you let it, lead to bigger and better things in your life.

Speaking of work and jobs, if you looking for a job in the Ventura County area, you may find this list of over 200 links to hiring companies useful.

In Memory of Steve Jobs: His 2005 Stanford University Commencement Speech

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Steve Jobs as we know passed away yesterday at the much too young age of 56, after nearly a decade of battling health problems. Every one of us owning an Apple computer, iPod, iPhone, iPad and other products hold his vision and brilliance in our hands. Though Jobs dropped out of college to pursue his passions that ultimately benefited us all, he was asked to give this memorable commencement speech at Stanford University's 114th Commencement on June 12, 2005. He will be missed but well remembered.

Dramatic Clouds Over Thousand Oaks vs Westlake Village Football Game 9/23/11

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J.P. Gorham of Conejo Valley Cares was at the Thousand Oaks vs Westlake Village high school football game last Friday, September 23rd, when he and others in attendance were given an overhead show courtesy of Mother Nature. J.P. notes that these great pictures taken on his cell phone camera don't even come close to the changing colors and layers spectators were rewarded with. Perhaps those clouds distracted home team Thousand Oaks Lancers in their 38 to 6 loss to the Westlake Warriors. :>

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