HGTV.com made my day!

I can hardly believe it and am surprised and excited!

I love decorating (when I have the time) but am always interested in reading and looking at the latest trends. Some of the blogs I follow deal with decorating.  One of the blogs I follow is the Design Happens blog on HGTV.com (btw, HGTV IS MY FAVORITE channel to watch).

Last week, I entered their contest to receive a free iLean shelf on a whim.  Didn't think I'd win but did the required...'answer the question' anyway.

Well, I have been informed I am a winner of one of the iLean shelves!!!  Here's a picture so you can see what it looks like...

Available in maple, black or dark cherry, these shelves are compact and be be placed in anyroom.  I chose the black as pictured.

Now my dilemma, in which room shall I place it?  Decisions, decisions.... oh I am so excited... I am already merchadising it in my head.  I have an old typewriter similar to the one in the picture... I also have my dad's 35mm camera...oh and his violin... or maybe it's pictures of my new grandson....or maybe it's framed art of my kids when they were little along with art from my nephews.... or maybe it's...

See what I mean.... I have so many ideas...  thanks HGTV.com for making my day!

What a way to start the work week...

as if the ending last week wasn't bad enough.

I'm really struggling here.

But I guess the email I read this morning was

the proverbial 'straw that broke the camel's back.'

After eight years with the same company, I truly

feel like we are oil and vinager and not a good fit.

I have seen the writing on the wall

for some time but I guess I was just

ignoring the facts.

I know it's gonna be hard.

I know I don't want to have to do it.

But I do believe a job search is in order.

Makes me sad to loose my benefits and

have to start again.  Ugh!

Wish me energy, luck and success.

might as well...

I'm on the edge...

Not this edge...

and need a break.

I wonder what it would be like to have a 'normal' life...

whatever THAT is.

Soooooo tired....

... can hardly keep my eyes open today... I wanna sleep.

There's alot to be said for spontaneity

The best times are had when it's spontaneous with no timeline nor idea of what will come next.  Yesterday was such a day and I really enjoyed my time with family.

I was actually working on my laptop, yes working, yes on a Saturday morning, yes really... read my post about it's that time of year and you'll understand why.  Anywho, I was actually working when the phone rang and a voice said, "We're on our way to the zoo, wanna come?"

At first I thought, who's this but then I said, "What did you say?" and I realized it was my nephew.  They had already left home and were driving when his mom said, "Give your aunt a call and see if she wants to join us."

"Hmmmm... how long you gonna be?"
" I don't know. Mom, how long we gonna be?"
"We'll be back by lunch time."
"Hmmmm, I am working, in my jammies, need to catch up with work... but okay, I'll go." (I need so much persuasion, people get tired of having to twist my arm to do something FUN!)

Next thing I know, the phone rings, "We're in the driveway, you ready?"
"Still getting clothes on but will be there soon.  Come on in, door's open."

Trick or Treating at the zoo.  Costumes on kids, costumes on parents, costumes on zoo employees, so much fun to see and do.  I was dressed up as an Aunt that's a Phillies' Phan. HA!

After leaving the zoo, s-i-l asked if I knew where that road led to.  I said no but it's got to lead to center city.  Let's take it. And we did.

Ended up on the far side of the Art Museum so we got out, walked out to gazebo on the water and took some pix of Boat House Row, Waterworks & Art Museum.  There's a beautiful, steep path up to the Art Museum that's topped with two gazebos.  We decided to embark on a journey to the top.

Once there, we decided to keep going along and trek to the 'Rocky Steps' at the front of the Art Musuem.  We did the steps, posed for pix along the way, did some silly things and decided time to head back to the car.  Our walk continued around the other side of the Art Museum to a path that took you through a sculpture garden...how pretty, how nice, how unexpected! 

Eventually we meandered our way back to the car and decided we were getting hungry.  Drove to and through Chinatown and since s-i-l never had been to Reading Terminal Market, decided that's the place to jaunt to next.

So much yummy food from which to choose.  Three of the four decided to do Hershel's East Side Deli and grab sandwiches. (My Reuben was sooooo good.)  Our fourth decided Chinese was exactly what the belly desired.

After walking the rest of the market and getting fresh baked cookies, we headed back to the car.  As we waited for the parking attendant, nephew asks if we can go see Dylly.  He hadn't met him yet.

On the next part of our journey, we headed uptown to see my grandson.  Had a great visit and departed for home.  Let me tell you, we were well beyond lunch time when we arrived home.

When we got back to my place we ate our cookies with glasses of milk.  Kiddos and s-i-l left and I jumped back on the laptop to finish what I had started earlier in the day.

This was the best kind of day.  Not planned and did whatever tickled our fancies!  We had a blast! 

Zoo

Art Museum

Meeting Scrump-dylly-icious!

It's that time of year...

...when the autumnal winds begin and the trees begin their spectacular show as only trees can, oh and the sales meeting's planning & creative meetings begin at work.

I like to keep moving and learning new things.  Not sure if it's the curiosity within me or just that I am a nosy person. =)  I don't like being bored so as long as I am busy, I am not bored. 

At work during this time of year, I am anything but bored.  Having a major role in my company's sales meeting's planning, I am lucky I can remember (or find time) to take a ladies' room break.

Yesterday was my 'kick off'' of creative meetings with some of the internal teams and external vendors.  I've scheduled these meetings on three days;  three full days of meetings.  Some folks come prepared as they are veterans of this process while others need to be coddled and led as they are what we call 'sales meeting virgins'.  It's hard work.

Somehow, with all this hard work and not being bored you'd think I'd be satisfied and happy since I like to keep moving.  Alas, this is truly not the case.  You see, my position is one that is full of busy time but I have been in this role so long (at least for me) that I am bored with doing it.  I don't believe I am growing and learning, it's just the same, constantly changing processes and fires that I put out.

I'd like a new role.  A role where I can learn something new, challenge myself and get that queezy feeling in my stomach (like butterflies) where you are unsure, scared, just a bit frightened to take that step and once you do, it's all behind you and it's all good.

 

I know it's all within me and on me to make that change but...

It's that time of year when the autumnal winds begin and the trees begin their spectacular show as only trees can, oh and the sales meeting's planning & creative meetings begin at work.

I love Autumn.  I love Spring.  Both are considered transitional seasons...perhaps I like them so much because they mesh with me and my personality...we're all transitional and constantly changing.

What a wonderful afternoon!

I am in Nana Heaven

floating above the earth on cloud nine.

There is nothing as close to Heaven on Earth as

the feeling you have to hold a child fast asleep in your arms.

I hope this feeling lasts awhile cause it's just the BEST!

Well we're movin' on up....

to the east side.... to a deee-luxe office in the sky... yeah, we're movin' on up...to the east side.... I finally got my piece of the pie!

Ah, change is upon me.

This is the final week I am at my current office location.  My company is moving our building to our new Global Headquarters this weekend.  Tons of reviewing files, purging, tossing and packing to do.

Change is inevitable.

Our new Global Headquarters is already half staffed. Our 'other' building moved into it in September.  Once we get all the packing done on Friday, we get to go home for the weekend and head to the new location Monday morning.

Change is sad.

With this move, my commute will no longer take me through the back country roads where I pass horse farm after horse farm.  I have one distinct, memorable commute that will remain with me as long as I have my wits about me.  I was driving down the road at 50 mph or so and a herd of horses was galloping alongside me as I drove.  I felt like I was watching a movie with a panoramic, front row view of these beautiful equines.  Up close and personal.  Amazing.

Now my commute will take me back to one of the most congested highways in the area.  Good news is I am only on it for an exit or two (depending upon which exit I get on), but this highway is always busy and in the summer, even worse!

I will miss my backroad commute.  It was always so peaceful and enjoyable and prepared me for what I had to face when I got to my destination; work or home.

Change is exciting.

Finally, after eight years all our 'corporate' associates will be in one location AND we'll all have security badges to boot.  Now I will be able to identify who's a company associate and who's not!  Hard to believe but currently we have no security badges, just a key fob to enter the building so when you see folks who you don't know, you have no idea if they work for the company, are an outside contractor or are a supplier here on a business call.

Change can be good or bad.  It's all in how you handle it.  Overall, I'm looking forward to the change...  In the words of my good friend Martha, "It's a good thing."

Now back to purging, tossing & packing.  Hope I don't get lost in the sea of orange packing crates!