Alix at Casa Hice tagged me on this, so here goes!
8 Things I’m Looking Forward To
1. Lunch at Mama Fu's today!
2. Our 2nd anniversary tomorrow and dinner at Cobblestones with my sister and her husband (we share the date - tomorrow is 8 years for them! :))
3. Completing the Memorial Day 5K on (you guessed it!) Memorial Day (May 25th)
4. Going to see Depeche Mode in Tampa in September!
5. Getting my weight under control. (this should be #1)
6. Hopefully suprising my Grandpa for his 80th Birthday in August
7. My Dad's retirement on April 24th, and his party on My 3rd :) I'm so proud of him!
8. Working out with my Hubby tonight :)
8 Things I Did Yesterday
1. Spent 2 hours at Kung Fu
2. Went to a Premier Jewelry party
3. Booked my own Premier Jewelry party for some free jewelry! (May 24th!)
4. Finished last week's Unit episode that we missed
5. Emptied the dishwasher
6. Finished watching Season 3 of The Office (FLIPPIN HILARIOUS!)
7. Turned on the A/C (yikes!)
8. Checked my Facebook
8 Things I Wish I Could Do
1. Blink my eyes and my house will be cleaned and organized.(wiggling my nose would also be acceptable)
2. Dye my hair without dying the sink, counter, and bath mats.
3. Profit from inventing, patenting, and using a transporter, like in Star Trek.
4. Eat as much keylime cheesecake i wanted without it going straight to my boobs, belly, and ass.
5. Had the time to organize, date, and put all my pictures in frames and/or albums
6. Host my own travel/food show with my husband so we could eat and see the world on someone else's dime. AND they'd pay US!
7. Find the perfect property and build our dream Deltec home in the Colorado Rockies.
8. Open people's eyes to truly understand the correlation between the rise in obesity and rise in disease and how, literally, you become what you eat. (myself included)
8 Shows I Watch
1. The Office
2. The Unit
3. Dancing With the Stars
4. How I Met Your Mother
5. Iron Chef America
6. Big Bang Theory
7. Good Eats
8. Diner's Drive-Ins, and Dives
8 People I Tag (I really don't follow that many blogs, so here's pretty much all of you. Sorry)
1. Angelle
2. Rhiannon
3. Laurie
4. Erin
5. Mike
6. Stacy
7. Nikki
8. Garret
Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
I've Got Balls.
I'm rising to the challenge that was set forth by Alix at Casa Hice, who rose to the challenge from Liz at Eternal Lizdom, who rose to the challenge from Lisa @ Adventures in Motherhood, who I'm sure got it from someone else.. This is what they say:
A fun little challenge... that may be hard for some, easy for others: Post a picture of yourself right now. As you are right now. As you read this. No running to get dressed or put on make up or fix your hair or whatever. Just YOU!Anyone brave enough to play along? Ready... Set... CLICK
So, here it is. Me, slacking off, blogging and taking pictures of myself instead of doing the bazillion other things I should be doing at work:
A fun little challenge... that may be hard for some, easy for others: Post a picture of yourself right now. As you are right now. As you read this. No running to get dressed or put on make up or fix your hair or whatever. Just YOU!Anyone brave enough to play along? Ready... Set... CLICK
So, here it is. Me, slacking off, blogging and taking pictures of myself instead of doing the bazillion other things I should be doing at work:
Anyone else out there got some big ones?
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
An Update on Me - Work
A quick blip before I update the world on what's going on with me at work:
We went to the gym again today and did a spin class. It was surprisingly easier than i expected - i didn't feel winded afterwards! And then we did our weight training quickly before having dinner at Bono's with friends Mike and Ben. It was a good night!
Now, back to our regularly scheduled blog:
Work. Way back when, I created a list of things I wanted to blog about to update everyone. That was March 3rd. Oops. I now realize that I haven't told ya'll that I no longer work as an Office Manager at my Bank. Around the end of January, I was called downtown and offered a position as sort of a "go-to girl" for my boss as well as to spearhead a new project that has been in the works for about a year now. Other than the project spearheading, it was kind of a vague meeting when I asked what my position would be. I was told to come up with my own title! It's a rare moment where you get to make up your own title. So naturally I came up with one:
Queen of the Universe and All Things Banking
They didn't think that would fit on my business card, so I just went with my officer status for now (Community Bank Officer).
I moved to the "10th Floor" downtown, which is where all of our back end processes as well as our executive offices are held. It's an exciting place to be. I'm settling in quite nicely and really am enjoying not having to answer to customers or deal with employee drama.
My position is ever-evolving and I'm learning where I'm useful. The project they've given me includes 4 separate implementations that I am simultaneously managing. They are things that, if successful, are going to bring our company to the next level. I am now coordinating meetings and reporting to not only my boss, but to numerous members of executive management, including our CFO. Needless to say, it's been a challenge and there are days that are more than stressful.
I've been given the opportunity to shine through this new challenge and if my projects thrive, I feel I will be putting myself on the map as a successful business woman and banker. It's kind of exciting and I'm enjoying almost every minute of it. :)
We went to the gym again today and did a spin class. It was surprisingly easier than i expected - i didn't feel winded afterwards! And then we did our weight training quickly before having dinner at Bono's with friends Mike and Ben. It was a good night!
Now, back to our regularly scheduled blog:
Work. Way back when, I created a list of things I wanted to blog about to update everyone. That was March 3rd. Oops. I now realize that I haven't told ya'll that I no longer work as an Office Manager at my Bank. Around the end of January, I was called downtown and offered a position as sort of a "go-to girl" for my boss as well as to spearhead a new project that has been in the works for about a year now. Other than the project spearheading, it was kind of a vague meeting when I asked what my position would be. I was told to come up with my own title! It's a rare moment where you get to make up your own title. So naturally I came up with one:
Queen of the Universe and All Things Banking
They didn't think that would fit on my business card, so I just went with my officer status for now (Community Bank Officer).
I moved to the "10th Floor" downtown, which is where all of our back end processes as well as our executive offices are held. It's an exciting place to be. I'm settling in quite nicely and really am enjoying not having to answer to customers or deal with employee drama.
My position is ever-evolving and I'm learning where I'm useful. The project they've given me includes 4 separate implementations that I am simultaneously managing. They are things that, if successful, are going to bring our company to the next level. I am now coordinating meetings and reporting to not only my boss, but to numerous members of executive management, including our CFO. Needless to say, it's been a challenge and there are days that are more than stressful.
I've been given the opportunity to shine through this new challenge and if my projects thrive, I feel I will be putting myself on the map as a successful business woman and banker. It's kind of exciting and I'm enjoying almost every minute of it. :)
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
An Update on Me - Workin' Out
I realized that I really haven't been posting what's been going on in my life lately. I thought I'd fill you in.
I've been really bad about working out. Since a few weeks before my Grandma's funeral (her DOD was 1/29/09) until last week, I think I worked out less than 5 times. Bad Mandi. In that time we had the funeral in Chicago, flew to Puerto Rico and went on a cruise to the Caribbean, and I've fully submersed myself in my new role at the bank (more about that shortly). About 2 weeks ago, however, I decided to do a Body Combat aerobics class at the Y. I was 30 seconds into the dance-punch weirdness when I realized that it was Thursday. DRPH! THURSDAYS are when I could be at my real Kung Fu class learning real Kung Fu from one of the best in the world. (Really.) I could've kicked myself. Literally. Then and there I vowed that the next Thursday I would go to Kung Fu. I'm SO glad I did. I had a great work out and felt like I had never left (it had been over a year.) That moment in the Y's Studio B started a snowball effect of great reinforcements to get back into it. Getting back to Kung Fu to start, then my friend Susan sent out an open invitation to join her in a Memorial Day 5K, and of course, reading about Alix's amazing journey. Reading Alix's account of her weight loss has really hit home. You see, she and I are the same size. Well, I should say we were the same size. She's now a beautiful size 12. (You Go Girl!) She's lost 40 pounds and looks great. I'm ready to be a loser too!
So... I've been back to Kung Fu 3 times and yesterday we printed out a 13 week triathlon training program. Last night we went to the gym to run and swim, but due to the lightening storm the pool was closed. (it's an indoor pool - go fig.) So we ran and did then a resistance training program Barry found. We ended up spending 2 hours at the gym. It was a great "date" and I really enjoyed the working and spending time with my husband. Memorial Day is 6 weeks away and I'm confident that I will be able to run my 2nd official 5K that day.
Tomorrow we will do a spin class for our "bike" day and then do the same weight training. Woohoo!
OK, my work out update ended up being must longer than i anticipated. I'll try and write about more "Updates About Me" tomorrow. :)
I've been really bad about working out. Since a few weeks before my Grandma's funeral (her DOD was 1/29/09) until last week, I think I worked out less than 5 times. Bad Mandi. In that time we had the funeral in Chicago, flew to Puerto Rico and went on a cruise to the Caribbean, and I've fully submersed myself in my new role at the bank (more about that shortly). About 2 weeks ago, however, I decided to do a Body Combat aerobics class at the Y. I was 30 seconds into the dance-punch weirdness when I realized that it was Thursday. DRPH! THURSDAYS are when I could be at my real Kung Fu class learning real Kung Fu from one of the best in the world. (Really.) I could've kicked myself. Literally. Then and there I vowed that the next Thursday I would go to Kung Fu. I'm SO glad I did. I had a great work out and felt like I had never left (it had been over a year.) That moment in the Y's Studio B started a snowball effect of great reinforcements to get back into it. Getting back to Kung Fu to start, then my friend Susan sent out an open invitation to join her in a Memorial Day 5K, and of course, reading about Alix's amazing journey. Reading Alix's account of her weight loss has really hit home. You see, she and I are the same size. Well, I should say we were the same size. She's now a beautiful size 12. (You Go Girl!) She's lost 40 pounds and looks great. I'm ready to be a loser too!
So... I've been back to Kung Fu 3 times and yesterday we printed out a 13 week triathlon training program. Last night we went to the gym to run and swim, but due to the lightening storm the pool was closed. (it's an indoor pool - go fig.) So we ran and did then a resistance training program Barry found. We ended up spending 2 hours at the gym. It was a great "date" and I really enjoyed the working and spending time with my husband. Memorial Day is 6 weeks away and I'm confident that I will be able to run my 2nd official 5K that day.
Tomorrow we will do a spin class for our "bike" day and then do the same weight training. Woohoo!
OK, my work out update ended up being must longer than i anticipated. I'll try and write about more "Updates About Me" tomorrow. :)
Monday, April 13, 2009
"Case of the Mondays"
Barry is always complaining that he is the only one that takes the trash out. "It only takes 30 extra seconds" he says. I succumbed to his logic this morning and decided to take the trash out.
Thirty seconds, my ass.
I walked down the stairs with my usual morning items in tow: My purse, makeup bag, lunch bag, carnation instant breakfast glass, and my keys. When I get to the bottom of the stairs, I notice the trash and think to myself "Fine, I'll do it." As I'm reaching down to pick up the trash, my keys slip out of my hand. All thoughts of a full glass of liquid escapes me as I grab for the keys (as if they were about to fall in to hot liquid magma and never see them again.) Carnation Instant Breakfast goes everywhere: into my lunch bag, all over my hand/wrist/watch, and of course on to the tile. Here's where you think "Tile? What's the big deal?" Well... the bottom of the stairs is where our litter box is and if you know Barry and I at all, it's not a place we tend to sweep out that often. So now i have chocolate milk flavored litter splayed all over the tile, my new Tissot drenched in chocolate milk, and chocolate milk flavored pot roast for lunch. I "gingerly" removed all of previously said items from my hands and run upstairs. I try to get my watch off, but because it's a great watch it doesn't come off easily and the task of removing it is just exacerbated by the chocolate milk. So i wash it off the best i can whilst still attached to me, grab the paper towel, run down stairs, clean up my lunch, wipe up the chocolate litter, stuff the dirty paper towels into the trash bag, and take a breath.
I decide to take 2 trips. I grab my purse, makeup, and lunch bag and put it in the car. I go back and grab the trash and throw that in the trunk and make my way to the compactor. Of course when I get there there is 3 or 4 bags of trash sitting right in FRONT of the door to the trash compactor. I mean, how lazy can you be that you can't open the effin' door and throw your shit in. Literally, someone bagged their SHIT and had it just sitting there. Shit. I'm not kidding. Poop. (Gross.) Anyway, sorry. So i throw my trash in, throw the shit it, get back in the car and to the gate before i realize that I forgot my effing carnation instant breakfast sitting on the shelf where i left it. I yell "Fuck it." and head off to work. Thirteen minutes after my initial trip down the stairs.
When I arrived at the parking garage, for some reason I decided to use the "monthly use only" entrance, which i very rarely do. I reach out my stubby arms to scan my card, glance for the green light, and start to go. The gate doesn't move. WTF? I back up, scan it again and notice the light goes red-green-red. Hm. Ok. I try again. RedGreenRed. Damnit. Now the line is backing up and I have to reverse my car to go into the other lane with large truck grills glaring at me in my small sedan. I manage to get into the other lane and retrieve a ticket, but not without hearing an unimaginable pffping sound from my tire as I kissed the curb. Shite. I'll be damned if i popped my tire. I drive forward and don't notice anything strange (thank goodness), park and head to the stairs without looking back.
By the time i get upstairs I'm just watching the minutes until I can call Barry. I tell him my whole story and explain that this is why I never take the trash out and why I'll never do it again before work.
He say to me, "Sounds like you got a bad case of the Mondays." It's a good thing he wasn't within reach...
Thursday, April 9, 2009
TV FX Guy
OK, its my turn.
It seems that a lot of my blogging friends have had to start monitoring their comments due to negative and/or cruel feedback left. This isn't nearly as bad as what y'all have gone through, but its another small example that people don't follow the golden rule of "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
Last month, I wrote a post about Bob & Sheri about how I pretty much worshiped them. (Not exactly, but you get the point.) ANYway, today I received a comment from a random guy explaining how much he despises them. Not that I really care what his opinion of Bob & Sheri is, everyone's entitled to theirs... but why would you post a comment that is in direct opposition just for S & G's? Makes no sense to me. I was at least hoping to look at his blog and maybe gain another interesting blog to read (see - me staying positive?) But he doesn't even have one. He's just a rogue Negative Nilly.
Now all i can do is overreact and become hypersensitive... But as Alix says, comments are like crack... and I don't like no bad crack.
Oh well... at least it gives me something to blog about. :)
It seems that a lot of my blogging friends have had to start monitoring their comments due to negative and/or cruel feedback left. This isn't nearly as bad as what y'all have gone through, but its another small example that people don't follow the golden rule of "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
Last month, I wrote a post about Bob & Sheri about how I pretty much worshiped them. (Not exactly, but you get the point.) ANYway, today I received a comment from a random guy explaining how much he despises them. Not that I really care what his opinion of Bob & Sheri is, everyone's entitled to theirs... but why would you post a comment that is in direct opposition just for S & G's? Makes no sense to me. I was at least hoping to look at his blog and maybe gain another interesting blog to read (see - me staying positive?) But he doesn't even have one. He's just a rogue Negative Nilly.
Now all i can do is overreact and become hypersensitive... But as Alix says, comments are like crack... and I don't like no bad crack.
Oh well... at least it gives me something to blog about. :)
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Confessions of a Banker
I feel like such an idiot, but I'm a glutton for punishment and I can't seem to keep this to myself. I have to tell someone! So here it goes...
I've been in banking for eight years. Yes, 8. And this banker JUST realized that the Equal Housing Lender icon...
I've been in banking for eight years. Yes, 8. And this banker JUST realized that the Equal Housing Lender icon...
...is a house with an equal sign inside it. I thought it was just a drawing of a house with lines. I didn't really pay much attention to it.
Pathetic, I know.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
From the Desk of Denise Carmichael
Since I get to read all the fun antics your kids are up to, I thought i'd share an email my sister just sent me:
Why Mom's have to be fast-thinkers and flexible with a sense of humor:
I have to get the boys out of the house before I lose every hiding place I have!
Reason #1)
Remember the "Elf on the Shelf" that visits us before Christmas every year (Buddy)? He popped in today and you'll never believe where he was hiding: in the back, top part of Mommy's closet!
Ashton was playing in my closet just now, looks up and yells, "Mommy! I see Buddy! He's here!"
I try to convince him it isn't him: "No, that's just a red glove."
"No Mommy- I see his face!"
damn.
Thinking quickly, I look happily surprised and say, "How did he know you'd be playing down there? He must've heard Braydon was sick and he wanted to check on him. Sneaky Buddy!" =)
Reason #2)
Here's what happened this morning:Ashton's looking in the closet upstairs for something, so I ask him, "What are you doing?"
"I'm looking for the drum set that's in here."
"What?"
"Before Christmas there was a drum set in here that looks a lot like the one Braydon got. I just remembered it- if I can find it then we can both have one!"
He continues searching."Ashton, there's no drum set in there.""Yes there is- Daddy showed it to me before Christmas! It's in here somewhere."
Jason had a different story, but either way- now I've lost that hiding place.
I better get the boys out of here before they discover their Easter presents!
Why Mom's have to be fast-thinkers and flexible with a sense of humor:
I have to get the boys out of the house before I lose every hiding place I have!
Reason #1)
Remember the "Elf on the Shelf" that visits us before Christmas every year (Buddy)? He popped in today and you'll never believe where he was hiding: in the back, top part of Mommy's closet!
Ashton was playing in my closet just now, looks up and yells, "Mommy! I see Buddy! He's here!"
I try to convince him it isn't him: "No, that's just a red glove."
"No Mommy- I see his face!"
damn.
Thinking quickly, I look happily surprised and say, "How did he know you'd be playing down there? He must've heard Braydon was sick and he wanted to check on him. Sneaky Buddy!" =)
Reason #2)
Here's what happened this morning:Ashton's looking in the closet upstairs for something, so I ask him, "What are you doing?"
"I'm looking for the drum set that's in here."
"What?"
"Before Christmas there was a drum set in here that looks a lot like the one Braydon got. I just remembered it- if I can find it then we can both have one!"
He continues searching."Ashton, there's no drum set in there.""Yes there is- Daddy showed it to me before Christmas! It's in here somewhere."
Jason had a different story, but either way- now I've lost that hiding place.
I better get the boys out of here before they discover their Easter presents!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Irony
What is the definition of irony?
Having a moment of feeling very proud of myself for checking my purse to make sure I didn't forget my cell phone on the way to the parking garage, only to walk up 4 flights of stairs and half way to my car before realizing i forgot my car keys. Then having to go down the elevator, walk 1 1/2 blocks back to my office, dig in the purse for my access card, open the door, wait for the elevator, go up 10 flights, grab keys, go down 10 flights, walk 1 1/2 blocks, walk up 4 flights of stairs and go home.
Having a moment of feeling very proud of myself for checking my purse to make sure I didn't forget my cell phone on the way to the parking garage, only to walk up 4 flights of stairs and half way to my car before realizing i forgot my car keys. Then having to go down the elevator, walk 1 1/2 blocks back to my office, dig in the purse for my access card, open the door, wait for the elevator, go up 10 flights, grab keys, go down 10 flights, walk 1 1/2 blocks, walk up 4 flights of stairs and go home.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Fat Day
Yesterday I was having a fat day. Most days I don't look in the mirror before going out because i know my clothes and know what i look like in them. Yesterday I should've taken that extra 30 seconds, just to be sure.
I arrived at work and went through my normal morning routine: Turn on the computer and log in, then get my station situated and go get my water and go to the bathroom. Our bathroom at work has a full wall mirror right before you get to the actual area w/ the toilets. I stop in my tracks and realize that i look like a burnt sausage link - wearing grey slacks and an "almost" black top that is a few years old. Many rolls abound. My shirt shrunk a little and i've expanded a little... not a good combination. I stop myself in my tracks for a second and get that nasty knot in my stomach. UGH. 'It's gonna be one of those days', i think.
Back to my desk I go, with the idea in my head that i'm about to get put in a skillet and eaten for breakfast so I try to make myself look as small as possible, which of course, as you know when you're having a fat day, has the opposite effect. I decide then that i really need to eat healthy and drink alot of water that day.
Drinking alot of water on a fat day is a bad idea when you work at a place with a full length mirror to look at as you walk in and out of the bathroom. It became a vicious cycle of drinking water, having to pee, seeing myself in the mirror, looking fat and feeling like i should drink more water, then having to pee... well, you see the pattern.
So today I went back to Kung Fu for a good ass-kicking workout. It felt great to be back at the school and to see some old friends. But the best part was that i felt like I really hadn't left. I remembered all the terminology and even felt good sparring. A few more months of this and alot of potty breaks, and hopfully my Fat Days will be few and far between.
I arrived at work and went through my normal morning routine: Turn on the computer and log in, then get my station situated and go get my water and go to the bathroom. Our bathroom at work has a full wall mirror right before you get to the actual area w/ the toilets. I stop in my tracks and realize that i look like a burnt sausage link - wearing grey slacks and an "almost" black top that is a few years old. Many rolls abound. My shirt shrunk a little and i've expanded a little... not a good combination. I stop myself in my tracks for a second and get that nasty knot in my stomach. UGH. 'It's gonna be one of those days', i think.
Back to my desk I go, with the idea in my head that i'm about to get put in a skillet and eaten for breakfast so I try to make myself look as small as possible, which of course, as you know when you're having a fat day, has the opposite effect. I decide then that i really need to eat healthy and drink alot of water that day.
Drinking alot of water on a fat day is a bad idea when you work at a place with a full length mirror to look at as you walk in and out of the bathroom. It became a vicious cycle of drinking water, having to pee, seeing myself in the mirror, looking fat and feeling like i should drink more water, then having to pee... well, you see the pattern.
So today I went back to Kung Fu for a good ass-kicking workout. It felt great to be back at the school and to see some old friends. But the best part was that i felt like I really hadn't left. I remembered all the terminology and even felt good sparring. A few more months of this and alot of potty breaks, and hopfully my Fat Days will be few and far between.
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