Tag Archives: life

May30

On the Importance of time and priorities.

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On the Importance of time and priorities.

I read Girlfriends in God every morning (thanks to Lindsay for recommending it!!) and there were two recent passages that really struck home for me. (even if you are not a ‘religious’ type, these devotionals are so good and so right-on almost every single day. Worth a read, I promise!) They both have to do with time and this is a post I have been wanting to write for a couple of weeks, but alas, needed the time to put some thought into it, ironic, isn’t it? (I started this post on my last flight home – plenty of time!)

This passage is what really resonated with me, when it comes to time, priorities, and what’s really important:

We have either forgotten or failed to realize the truth that our minutes, hours and days are precious commodities — gifts from God that can be unwrapped only once…A busy life is not necessarily a productive life.

The author goes on to say that we should choose one day to plan the week (vs. me – who tries to plan, overplan, and plan some more – almost to my detriment, being overplanned and overthinking every plan I have made, throwing me into an OATTing tizzy. A tiring combination).

She also says ‘simplify and eliminate’ – this is something I have learned and keep trying to do more of this. It’s about prioritizing and more importantly, keeping some of that time FREE, not booked to the minute. M always jokes that I plan every minute of our time together. And he’s right. I tend to do that and then it’s just not as fun when I feel like we’re rushing around and not actually enjoying WHAT we planned to do. The picnic we had recently was a perfect example of a plan that was not planned. Something we did with no ‘end time’ in sight. Just for as long as we wanted. We laid in the grass, my head on his chest and just watched the clouds drift through the blue skies.

And finally, THIS is what truly says it all:

If we don’t set priorities — others will. Time thieves will steal our time as we allow them to impose their plans and standards on us. It is so easy to lose focus and scramble priorities.

As I just finished up what feels like a whirlwind 6 weeks of traveling (3 work trips in those 6 weeks!), kick-starting barre n9ne teaching, and a really hectic couple of months of work, I am taking a minute to hit the reset button. Summer is ALWAYS notoriously busy. And, with all fun things, for the most part. Lots of parties, cookouts, Maine, (maybe) the Cape, and more (fun) travel. But with a busy summer can also come that blur of where-did-summer-go and ‘did I even enjoy it as much as I possibly could?‘ feeling. Because, having a busy life, while GOOD, can also have a way of stealing joy out of those times. Just by nature of time, and lack thereof.  (at least for me)

And the final kicker that I NEED to really think about time and priorities? When it took THREE WEEKS to plan a sister dinner, and one that almost got canceled last night at the last minute (where we then realized that if we didn’t keep to our original plan, it was at least another two weeks until we could book our dinner again…for sisters that all live within 20-30 miles of each other? That is simply wrong.). And that sister dinner we had last night? One of the best nights we’ve had together, just us, in a very long time. A dinner we now vow to do on the first Tuesday of every month (hold us to it, ok?!).

So, this is me. Stopping. Thinking. Prioritizing. And keeping time open. Because sometimes, the best things happen when they are unplanned. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure the BEST things happen when they aren’t planned.

May21

A blissful weekend…in pictures.

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A blissful weekend…in pictures.

As I trot off to California for the next four days, I will sear into memory a blissful weekend that I truly believe was even MORE blissful because of shifting my focus and not going into this trip with any sort of ‘dread’ (except for the goodbye to M, which is always, always so hard), but with perspective that it’ll be a fantastic experience, filled with growth.

Without further ado…

Another ‘happy miles’ run with M, even if a bee did chase me and I ran like the wind ;-)

got my sushi fix on Friday night, with a glass of wine on the patio

Impromptu trip to the lake on Saturday…check out that glisten.

got to dip my toes into the lake, not as chilly as I thought, either ;-)

a sister cookout at Jess and Scott’s, never complete without a photo bomb ;)

I <3 my sisters!

Complete with dinner on the deck and a crisp rose, and the weekend rounds out to a beautiful close…

And on a weekend that has marked the passing of my Nonna (May 20, 2009), I couldn’t help but think that this picture perfect weekend is her, smiling down, happy to see the happiness and love in my life, and in my sister’s lives too. I hugged my niece a little tighter, with her namesake (Isabel) and just smiled, my heart happy.

She climbed right up into my lap…and though it was just briefly, it’s captured.

~~~

May3

Random conversations with M: part III

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Random conversations with M: part III

As I mentioned in last week’s quirks post, M is downright hilarious. And sometimes, he just comes out with the funniest things, so I try to collect them and share them (as I linked to a few in my quirks post back to as well!), because they are (at least to me!) that funny and it sheds a little light into him and of the many reasons I love him so much (insert *gag* mushville here, I know!)

Remarking when I was playing Sunshine in Words with Friends (when he saw how badly she was crushing me!!): Are you even trying to play? Dude, she is kicking your ass. (um, no shit, Sherlock!)

When stuck behind a school bus stopping every 2 minutes: Ya know, this is why we have a child obesity problem. Kids don’t have to walk to school anymore. The buses stop at every Goddamn house and pick them up. They don’t even have to congregate at a bus stop. Kids should be walking to school, in the rain and the snow, carrying their book bags and pulling a donkey. Then we’d have no child obesity and no traffic! (end rant)

When discussing dinner options for tonight (since we’ll eat separately as I am teaching at barre n9ne): Me: I’ll probably just make a quick veggie stir fry with chicken sausage. I’ll leave the rest for you to make however you want, since I know you won’t want nearly as many veggies as me. M: Yes, I do. I’ll make mine with potatoes and beans! Me: those aren’t even vegetables. Those are starches. M: Beans are vegetables! So are potatoes. *shakes head*

Seeing a child fall at the grocery store and bump his head on a shelf: Kids bump their heads all the time. It’s not like it’s edged with saws and flames and rimmed with cocaine. (he always knows how to take something, make it funny…and then go one more step leap to make it inappropriate!)

On Facebook: Facebook is so boring now. I don’t care what you did today or that you are having a good day. (yet he comes out with the funniest stuff on Facebook sometimes, like this one: ”Hi, can I have a trenta iced americano?” “sorry, we can’t make that.” “Ok, how about I order a iced venti americano and you just add a few shots to it?” “No, its against corporate’s policy?” Oh no, has starbucks grown a conscience or am I just being racially profiled?) <–hahaha.

On the phone with his parents (this is basically the same convo he has with them everysinglenight): Hi mom. How’s it going? (pause) What did you guys do today? (pause) Oh, the exciting times of the retired. Wild and crazy kids. (pause, laughs). How are you feeling? (I always giggle at this one – even polite with the fam!). Okay, let me talk to dad. (repeat same convo).

 Over dinner with me: What did you do at work today? Anything fun and/or exciting? How are you feeling? How was work today? (me: I just told you what I did today, you just asked me. M: No, I didn’t. I asked WHAT you did at work today and then HOW was your day. Me: shakes head.)

;-)

Hope you enjoyed this little installment of random conversations with M. These always make me giggle. I just need to write down his priceless comments when he says them more often. It could be a weekly post ;-)

May1

On a job vs. a career.

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On a job vs. a career.

A year ago, I was neck-deep in one of the biggest challenges of my job. I was covering for my boss, the director of corporate communications for the company (global, employs 900) as we were doing a major launch event and webcast (what I termed as ‘big ass launch’ – totally a technical term, look it up!) and this day a year ago, said launch happened. Without a hitch and with one of the best compliments on a job well done that I have ever received (see link above to read all about it!).

Yet, as I lamented about it with my boss today, remarking how we are in the midst of yet another big ass launch (plus another big event we are planning for two weeks after that – gluttons for punishment, I tell ya!), but ‘at least there are two of us’ this time, I told her that the difference this year is that I am not crying every day leading into the launch. I am not stressed to the max. I am not scared. I am focused and ready. And able.

And part of the difference, besides now being in this job for about a year and a half vs. 6 months (and flying solo last year without my boss around!) and feeling more confident, is that I have my ‘net’ back. I have my sounding board and the ability to bounce ideas around, get advice etc., and ultimately, some of the decisions that I struggled most with last year, are decisions I no longer have to make on my own. They fall back into ‘her camp’ and let me focus on my job, the social media, the US-based PR activities etc. Not as much of the ‘over my head’ office politic-y things that were part of my interim role last year. The parts of the job that I hated disliked most are no longer part of my job.

Which leads me to the real point of this post (sorry for the meandering!).

The difference between a job and a career. 

You see, I love my job. I love what I do. I love that I can learn ‘on the job’ and I love that I can try new things and see what sticks. But, almost as importantly, I love that the ‘buck doesn’t stop at me. It stops at my boss. The level of responsibility I have in my job is exactly the right dose I want to have a good work/life balance. To leave work at work and shut down mentally for the night (given I work remotely, I can see how easy it is to just work all night, into their PT timezone, and just be on 24/7). To draw the line.

M asked me the other day ‘if you were offered your boss’s job and a boatload of money, would you take it?’

Honestly, no, I wouldn’t. Not in a heartbeat. My job is what I love to do. I am always learning. And it allows me to do something I like personally anyway – social media – in a business setting. You can’t get much closer to doing what you love, than that. And to get paid well *and* work remotely (most of the time, except when I travel!)? What more is there to ask for, right now? I don’t *need* or *want* the extra responsibility. I am still growing. I am still learning. I am still developing my skills. There is no sense of stagnation. 

To some, that may sound like I am not driven. But I am. Absolutely. But I am also a huge believer in work/life balance and doing something you are passionate about (hello teaching barre n9ne!).  And right now? Having a job vs. (expanding) my career is where it’s at for me. It’s what I choose. Because at the end of the day, balance and happiness account for more than a title and a bigger paycheck. 

Apr20

Some Friday lovin’ up in here!

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Some Friday lovin’ up in here!

It’s Friday (finally) and although it was a really great week, even with my work trip, traveling always makes the week pretty long and tiring, regardless. And given this particular weekend is staged for epic-ness, I can’t help but celebrate this day just a wee bit more than normal.

Soooo, some things I am lovin’ this Friday? Let’s discuss.

These sneakers I exchanged for the ones that just weren't a good fit. Ghost 4s! They've gotten me through several runs this week and so far, so good! My legs felt strong during my interval run in Chicago in particular. Could it be the breakthrough I needed?! #runchallenge <3

Capturing a gorgeous sunset patio-side on Monday night for (early) date night in before my trip to Chicago, with M. <3

Proof that anything grilled and any sauteed veggies atop wilted greens is a damn delish dinner (aforementioned date night dinner) <3

The NEW barre n9ne location...snapped a pic before Tuesday's 7 am class that I taught. It's beautiful and 5 mins from my house! And I am teaching 3-4X a week starting Monday!!! <3

Oatmeal goodness a la the Protein Bar Chicago with @amber4miles this week in Chicago. Dude. The place is DELISH and I wish there was one here!! (and for the record, Amber is AWESOME!)

My first solo dinner (full-on sit down meal, wine included!). Finally (wo)man'd up and ticked this off my travel bucket list this week. It felt damn good!!! and the food was utterly delish!

This man...who I cannot wait to surprise on Saturday with the most epic surprise party e-ver!!! <3

Wow, like half of these are food related. Go figure ;-) I am so excited for the weekend ahead, it’s a little ridiculous! The barre n9ne grand opening is tomorrow and it is going to be phenomenal! My sis and I worked our PR chops a bit and scored some awesome giveaways and samples (I’ll share more details on this on Monday and perhaps a giveaway of my OWN too!!), there will be demo classes, food, drink and fun, fun, fun. I cannot wait to share some pictures and more on Monday!!

Have a wonderful weekend friends!! And raise a glass on Saturday night to M, as we celebrate, will ya? ;-) *clink*