Week Recap and Weekend Plans!

It has been quite the week! Work-wise it has been a hectic pace, catalog proofing, putting out fires and getting tradeshow and environmental initiatives underway! I hate to say this, but even tho it has been stressful, I am kinda liking it. I mean, apart from the initial "Oh Shit!" thoughts when you run head-on into a situation, once you take a breath and regroup it's actually sort of fun to tackle the problem, especially when it works out in your favor in the end.:)

Another thing I have been wrestling with is the fact that I am now a MANAGER. I went from three years as an Admin/Exec Assistant to being in a Managerial position, meaning, I have some power to give direction, delegate and make decisions. It's tough when you are out of practice for 3 years and in a larger company. Going from taking orders to giving orders on the fast track is pretty intimidating. It's been a few months now and as I get thru my "firsts" in this position I am noticing how much I am growing. It's one of those growth spurts that's supercharged and happens fast I guess. I think this job is good for me, and I think I kinda like it...so far!

THIS WEEKEND!
This weekend is my Mom's 75th birthday!!! You wouldn't think she was 75, she is so young looking for her age and in wonderful health. What a blessing! We are taking her out to a nice dinner Saturday night (her actual B-day). I am so excited and will have some pics next week of our adventures!

Tonight I am heading to Annie's house after work. We have some plans regarding TomFoolery over the Christmas Holiday we need to work on. It will be nice to spend some time with Annie and be silly. We don't get to do that as often as I would like. I hope we can get some shopping done early saturday as well!

I have a hair appointment Saturday afternoon that I am excited about b/c I have decided to go a bit darker with my hair for winter and get some bangs cut. While watching TV recently, I found exactly what I wanted. My inspiration is in the form of Chuck, proud Cup Pie inventor who works at The PieHole on Pushing Daisies:


Sunday I have been invited to attend the Library's Christmas dinner! I was so happy to be invited, even tho I had to put in my notice a few weeks ago. It was so nice that I was included! I am really looking forward to it. It will be in the same place as last year, a restaurant that is set in a historic house about 4 miles form my apartment. It is a beautiful stone house that serves wonderfully delectable food. it will be nice to see everyone too, especially my Jerry and my Chantal!!! I love you guys and I miss you! We need to institute that game night soon!!! I hope to have pictures of that event as well!

Have a wondeful weekend everyone!

Uh, Santa?

I would like a Wii for Christmas!!



Extra content, crazy game play...and not just for Lara but for Wii sports and Jack Sparrow (POTC game) as well!!! Oh, I shall forego my social life and only play games from now on! Wait...no, can't do that. I shall make my friends come to my apartment and play games with me, therefore preserving my social life...

Seriously, this looks SOOOO AWESOME!!!! If it is as fun as the Pirates game I played at Nate's place last spring it will be well worth it!! Hmmmm...I wonder if Nate has purchased Lara yet?

Oh, and this was fun b/c now you can do little comments on my Heritage collages:)

http://www.myheritage.com/collage

Tomorrow is Friday! Yippee!! I will tell about the fabulous plans for the weekend and a week wrap-up in tomorrow's post so come back and check it out!!!

PLEASE HELP, BLESS YOU!

I am mainly writing today to voice my paradoxical opinion on homeless folks and beggars in general. I escaped to do a little Christmas shopping at lunch quickly this afternoon and was saddened by what I saw. A man, standing in the rain, on the corner of one of the busier intersections with a sign that said "PLEASE HELP, BLESS YOU".

We have all seen this sight and of course all have our own opinions on the subject. Usually people think "Get a job!" or "I would help him but who knows if he will take the money and buy alcohol or drugs with it instead of food" or worse yet "If I pull over to help he may attack or shoot me".

I am guilty of this, and for the first time today it hit me how terrible this is for those who really cannot provide for themselves (thru mental illness, bad circumstances or whatever the case may be). What if this guy was honestly asking for money and help because he would have gotten a hot meal with it? What if he has children at home who could have benefited from a few extra dollars?

Here he is standing out in the cold, damp, drizzley rain, asking for someone to pity him, yet I will never know if he meant well or not because I did not stop...like every other car at that intersection. Why? Because I wasn't willing to take that chance.

I wish there was some way that someone like me could take someone like him to get a hot meal or buy him a warm pair of boots or coat without feeling scared and threatened, or even just give him a few dollars without assuming he will buy drugs or alcohol with it instead of his basic needs. It's sad, but I can't overcome the stereotypes that I have learned in order to help my fellow man in this situation.

It's something to ponder for sure. I wonder if he is still standing out there asking for help and blessing all of us who pass him by.

I am Thankful for:

• My sense of humor
• Supportive and loving family and friends
• A challenging job
• Being independent and self reliant
• The best Dr. on the planet!
• My Music
• Kindred Spirits
• My own apartment
• D-O-Gs and K-I-T-T-I-E-S (and horseys too)
• Food :)
• Fuzzy socks
• Nerd-filled gumballs

Enjoy your Turkey Day tomorrow!!!!

Easy, Peasy, Japanesey!

I had so much fun with the bulleted listed yesterday (it's great for concise blogging on the go) so I thought I'd take the easy way out with a list of "Easy Way Outs"

• I have a terrible habit of relying on emails too heavily. I need to pick up that phone more often! Maybe once I get out from underneath this catalog and environmental crap, I will be able to work on that.
• I tend to give gifts that I have put thought into. Something that speaks about the person I am giving to and possibly even references things from our relationship. I guess when I get a card and a gift certificate from someone I have known for over 10 years (and who coincidentally couldn't remember the date of my birthday this year), when I always put thought and time into selecting her gifts every year is a bit of a let down. Is that completely selfish?
• Is the dishwasher the easy way out? ...Tonight it will be! I have been so lazy with the dishes this week! I am normally pretty good about keeping up, but not this past week.
• Is there an easy way of defeating that stupid T-rex on Tomb Raider: Anniversary? I mean come on! The first boss fight in the first level and I can't compete! He just beats my ass every freakin' time and I can only depleat his life by about 1/16th!!! Bastard!
• Texting. The greatest impersonal communication to date! I like it when I need a quick answer about something between friends or family, but when other people use it in place of actual conversation, it's REALLY frustrating. Texting is only understandable in short thoughts, b/c anything else gets misconstrued. You can't really have discussions about where to go for dinner, or make plans for the weekend. Radio silence after a text or in the middle of a text convo is extremely rude, b/c this is the oh so SUBTLE HINT that says the other person is ignoring you. Nice.
• Voicemail.

Music to set the mood: All Sting, All Day today. It's the perfectly grey, cloudy, cold day that I would envision myself tucked away in an old stone English cottage with my dogs, a cup of tea and a good book, taking in the scenery of the fall landscape which reminds me of a beautiful rust colored tapestry...(*sigh*)

Mish-Mosh Monday

It's Monday and I have a whole bunch of random things to mention, so here goes:

• I hope that Artistic Soul and Kevin got their packages for playing the blog music lyric game. I sent them out week. :)
• Happy Birthday to Kevin today as well as Happy Birthday to my Dad Yesterday, we had a great party for him at Pinky's house!
• I have a Dr. appt this afternoon, so I hope all goes well with that. Please keep me in mind between 3:45 and 4:45 today!
• Thank God it's a short week this week! I cannot wait until Thanksgiving dinner...and Turkey "Samiches" later that nite and more of my famous PECAN PIE too!!!
• Holy Cow! Check this out: RockBandGame
• Um...and I need a Wii now too b/c it rocks AND because Tomb Raider is coming out and I can play Jack Sparrow too! I mean, come on people! There are too many reasons why I should buy one...but after Christmas I think!:)
• Got my very first pedicure this past weekend! It was great. I will definately do it again.
• Remember that show Moonlight I was blogging about a while back? Well, the writing still sucks (no pun intended) and the acting is still mediocre at best, but Alex O'Loughlin who plays Mick St. John is soooo my new boyfriend. I still just watch it for his hotness and I don't care who knows it! Reaper, Chucka dn Pushing Daisies are still rockin', so check them out!
• Harry Potter Puppet Pals revisited b/c Erin, Alysa, Evan and I got a little crazy with this yesterday:
  
  

Weekend Recap

Saturday Night's Alright for GH!

The weekend started off with my first shindig at the new apartment. We ate, we drank we played Guitar Hero and hence the following cell phone pic of my taken by the talented Mary G!

I need to invest in a digital camera, then I would have more than just this crazy pic! It was so much fun to have everyone over to my place. My friends ROCK...and not just at Guitar Hero!




Sunday (SUNDAY!): A Visit from the Henderson Gang!
Mike, Kim and the boys came Sunday for dinner to see my new place. The weather was so nice we even got to take a walk through the complex. We had a great afternoon and I was so glad they came for a visit!
Mike, Nathan and I relaxing in the living room.


A little Guitar Hero with Nate...we are too serious!

Kevin , Mike, Nathan, Me and Tom.


And now Mike takes the pic so Kim can get in!


The NOW FAMOUS "Tree growing in the middle of the road!"

Yes!... It was my... Birthday!!!

I had a great Birthday weekend last week! It began on Friday with pizza and animal sitting (4 cats, 2 dogs and a bird named Henry) at my sister Kathy's with Linda, Wade and Evan. Those kitties and d-o-gs were so CUTE!!! I wuv dem...but I digress...

Saturday was a nice peacful day with Mom and Dad followed by dinner at a favorite local restaurant with Anne, Linda Wade and Evan joining us. After dinner, I opened presents (a lovely array of kitchen accessories for my new apartment!) and we had cake and coffee. Dad made a fire in the fireplace which made the evening perfect!

Mom, me and Annie perusing the menus. Prime Rib for me!!!

Linda and Dad toast the evening's festivities with some magnificent Manhattens! I love this picture!

It couldn't be my birthday without a swordfight!!! Mine was from my Manhatten, but Evan, in true Pirate spirit, stole his sword from his Momma!!!

Evan took a pic of the group after we were well fed and resting by the fire. Looks like not all of us were ready for the pic, but Evan did a great job!

Sunday I was treated to Dinner at Linda, Wade and Evan's house. I celebrated all weekend and then on Monday at work on the actualy day. Thanks to everyone! It was a great Birthday!:)

November 5th

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder, treason and plot,
I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes (13 April 1570 – 31 January 1606), was a member of a group of English Roman Catholics who attempted to carry out the Gunpowder Plot, an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I of England, to destroy Protestant rule by killing the Protestant aristocracy, on 5 November 1605.

Movies which use November 5th as a pivital date:

• Top Gun - Maverick's Father's plane is shot down on this date


• Back to the Future - Nov 5, 1955 is the date Marty goes to back in time


• V For Vendetta - obviously for Guy Fawkes reference of movie

Famous People Born on this date:
Bryan Adams, Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon, Vivien Liegh, Roy Rogers...

It also happens to be...MY BIRTHDAY!!!! :)

Me and Fudge..."He's such a good boy!"

It's Friday!

It is finally Friday and I am all with the "Wooo!!" and the "Hooo!!"...that collectively being the "Woo-Hoo!!".

I have to tell ya, I am impressed with the Music Lyrics responses! I am thinkin' prizes all around! For those of you that I don't have a mailing address for (Wiccachicky aka Artistic Soul :)) Please email your mailing address to my blog email: cclifeblog@hotmail.com so I can send you a little somethin'.

THE PINK EYE has been erradicated, work is driving me to drink (but I am still alive baby!)and I am soooo looking forward to my weekend that the thought of escape for a few days is keeping me from insanity!

I have been presenting "informational sessions" this week on a green initiative my company is undertaking and I have two more to go today. The reception has been really good and I think people now have the background to get excited about it. Let's hope, 'cause it's happening regardless!

Anywho, That's my story adn I'm stickin' to it! Have a great weekend y'all!