Fraters Libertas

Keepin' It In The Family

Every organization needs a succession plan and a multi-national conglomerate like Fraters Libertas is no different. It's important to know that you have resources available to fill critical roles in the future. For example, what would happen if Atomizer stepped in front of a bus tomorrow (other than the local Bombay Sapphire distributor not being able to send his kids to college)? A deep bench is indeed an invaluable asset.

The problem is that good help is tough to find. We hung a sign in the front window of the sprawling Fraters office complex a couple of months ago, but the quality of applications that we received was disappointing. A number of good candidates were no doubt turned off by our "No Flemish Need Apply" policy (Saint Paul insisted on it) or Atomizer's requirement of four year's of rodent extermination experience. The one applicant who actually might have worked out fled from the interview in tears after her snide remark about Applebee's chicken fingers incurred the wrath of JB Doubtless. "Here's a witty rejoinder for ya!"

We finally decided that the answer was an internship program. But bringing on a college or even high school student would only be a short term solution. To ensure the viability of the Fraters franchise, we need to look beyond 2005 or even 2010. We're talking about young talent that we can tap well into the future.

And, at the risk of being accused of nepotism, I think it's safe to say that with the birth of our son on Saturday, the investment in that future begins now. Nathaniel is seven pounds six ounces of pure blogging potential. He doesn't seem to have a lot to say right now (eat, sleep, cry, expel bodily waste, eat, sleep, cry, expel bodily waste...), but he figures to have plenty to opine on in the future. Look for a hard hitting review of onesies soon.

Nathaniel, Mom, and I will be spending the next few weeks at home and so blogging, like sleep, may be intermittent. However, what I may lose in time in the Land of Nod, I should more than make up for in blogging material. From what I understand, these little babies can be gold (gold Jerry!) in that area. Other local bloggers seem to have done quite well with kid blogging. Heck, some have just about made a career out of it. Now I just need a cute nickname. Maybe Nat...