The View from My Fishbowl

29 days 23 posts

2012-01-29T09:32:00.001-05:00

Two days. That's all we have left in January (if you don't count today, which I'm not). And since I started this month challenging the writer in me to WRITE EVERY SINGLE DAY, I have to say I'm mildly pleased with the outcome. I've written 23 blog posts this month so far - which if we're being "technical" isn't one blog post per day...but whatever.

I was writing.
A lot.
And darn it all...it felt good.

This personal challenge was exactly what I needed to get 'back on track' and reignite my passion for words. Sure, I write a lot every day ... but 140 character tweets aren't the same as blog posts. And that's OK with me. Sometimes fitting in what I want to say in 140 characters is more challenging than writing a 400 word blog post.

And so here we are...almost to February.

Yes, professionally I'm still in the same place I was when January started - looking for the "right" job - but I have to believe that it's out there waiting for me. I have to keep believing that last year happened for a reason and that 2012 is MY year and that good things are going to happen very soon.

I have to believe this because if I stop then it means I stop believing in my dreams. And I refuse to allow that to happen.

So I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing.
I'll be challenging myself again in February with more NaBloPoMo.
For me, it's all about the writing.

Yep. My name is Traci. And I'm a writer.

Wordless Wednesday - Epcot

2012-01-25T10:18:00.000-05:00

29 days....and counting.

[insert loud sigh here]

2012-01-24T20:26:00.001-05:00

Yeah. This blog post has no title.
Apparently I wasn't feeling very creative tonight.
(insert laugh track here)

Ever have one of "those" days that just seems to keep on going and going, just like that annoying pink bunny? Yeah, that's my week so far. And it's ONLY Tuesday.

At this point I'd like to just eat an entire pint of Ben & Jerry's "Chubby Hubby" and watch trashy reality TV for hours. While wrapped up in a Snuggie. Surrounded by past issues of US Weekly. Then, just maybe, my week would seem better.

There isn't just one thing that has made the week craptastic so far.

It's a lot of little things.Things I am not going to elaborate on, but all these little annoyances just built up and then one more thing happened tonight, and at about 7 p.m. I was sitting at my computer crying, talking to a friend via direct message on Twitter.

Seriously.
Crying.
What the hell.

It isn't like it was the end of the world.
And...I do have PMS so just about anything makes me cry this week.

But you know where there's just ONE THING you really, really want (cue the Spice Girls!) and then you don't get it? Yeah. Tonight was a lot like that. There was just one thing I hoped for (no,this time it isn't about a job) and it didn't happen. And yeah, I'm pretty bummed out about it.

You know what though? I'm in damn good company ... there's a whole LIST of people who are pretty bummed out right now for the same reason that I'm bummed out. And well, crap happens and sometimes there's no rhyme or reason. It just happens. I'll just pick myself up. Dust myself off. And move on.

Right after I finish watching "Kourtney and Kim Krochet in Kazakhstan."

Happy Birthday Emma

2012-01-24T07:00:00.003-05:00

My sweet Emma,

It seems impossible to me that you are five years old today. My baby, my sweet peanut Emma-nem is FIVE. I swear it was just yesterday when you were this small:

You were our sweet surprise - your daddy and I knew we wanted to add to our family but when I found out you were on the way it was quite the surprise. To this day, it's the best shock I have ever had. You are one of a kind, my sweet princess.

You are funny. Funnier than any other five year old I know. We call you our family comedian. Every day you make me laugh with something you do or say. You're our 'tiny dancer' too. Last year you decided you wanted to be a ballerina and each week at dance class I marvel at how you just waltz into the classroom on your own with a little wave and you dance your heart out. I've noticed that you practice your tap dance at random times during the day. It's very cute and we can't wait to see you on stage in May!

You're also super smart. And independent. During the last six months you and I have spent every day together and that has been so amazing for me. I have loved watching you discover new things and learn new things ... like your ABCs and how to count and how to write your name and how to find "your" game pages online - without any help from me!

And when you say things like, "Mommy when are you going to get a job so I can go back to school?"....well that just makes me smile. Because I know you miss your preschool classmates and I want you to go back very soon. [I also love that you told Daddy that you all needed to get me a new job for my birthday!]

Simply put, you are my sunshine Emma. You made our family complete five years ago and I love you more than you'll ever know.

Words of Wisdom - from Pinterest

2012-01-22T13:30:00.000-05:00

Blogging.

It's how I stay focused.

I live my life my way.

Deal with it.

#truth

Once again, I've spent many hours on Pinterest - pinning, repinning, liking, thinking perhaps I need to learn how to crochet. And build things out of old doors. And drink tea out of fancy tea sets. But I digress. These are a few of my favorite "words of wisdom" from Pinterest for this week.

Happy pinning!

Ah, Facebook...you fickle, funny thing

2012-01-20T19:23:00.000-05:00

So here's the thing...I have 588 friends on Facebook. Do I really "know" all 588 of them? Nope. Not even close. Some are "close friends," some are "acquaintances," and some are my Facebook "friends" because we love the same thing - namely Disney World. (It's a funny thing, this online Disney Community...we have "friends" we haven't even met).

And you know what?
I'm totally OK with that.

How can that be?!?!?!?!? you scream with shocked indignation.

How can you allow people you don't even KNOW be your FRIENDS?

Oh c'mon. It's Facebook, I'm not screening people to babysit my kids. I look at every person who sends me a friend request and if we have a lot of "friends" in common, I figure they're OK. I haven't been wrong, yet. (Oddly enough, I've discovered that it's usually the people you know IRL who do the craziest things). And, some of my closest friends are people I first met via Facebook and Twitter...and then met in real life.

Anyway....my point is this - there are different levels of "friends" on Facebook. You know this. I know this. And it is with that knowledge that I posted this article today. I found it interesting that a study found Facebook was making people sad.

Why in the world is that interesting to me?

Because apparently people who spend WAY TOO MUCH TIME on Facebook tend to get upset by the "happy" photos posted by their friends. And this makes them sad and leads them to believe that their lives are "less" happy than their Facebook friends. Interesting, right?

But wait!

I also found it amusing because we ALL know people on Facebook who post every single day how wonderful their life is, how perfect their children are, and how they just worked out for three hours without breaking a sweat and while reading Anna Karenina. In Russian.

And I say this: No one's life is THAT perfect. So why present it that way on Facebook? It's a bit fake, no? (And FOR THE RECORD....NO, I am NOT calling any of my Facebook friends FAKE. Because well, that would be rude and stupid. And I'm neither rude nor stupid).

It's quite simple really - just be yourself.

My Facebook updates are all me. No pretense. No candy coating. If I'm having a bad day and feel like posting it on Facebook, I do. If I'm feeling particularly snarky, I post in that tone. If I just had the best day of my life, I post it. And if my kids are driving me insane and the laundry is piling up and I just want to escape with a pint of Ben & Jerry's...I post that. All real. All true. All ME.

And, if we're being totally honest here, I don't want a perfect life. I want my life to have bumpy roads and roadblocks and bad days and gray hair and crows feet and stretch marks. I want to say "yeah, sometimes my husband makes me so freaking nuts that I sleep on the couch until 3 a.m." and "yeah, my kids make me totally insane sometimes, but I still love them more than anything." I don't want a sitcom-perfect life. Because we all know sitcoms have canned laughter and damn it all...I want real laughter.

So here's the thing about what I post on MY Facebook page. I love your comments. Really, I do. I love when people comment in a positive manner and actually contribute to the conversation on my page. But if I post "Vote Obama in 2012," don't get all political and start telling me that YOU KNOW I'm wrong and need to change my political party. If I post "I loved Breaking Dawn and saw it three times in two days!"...don't say "Well I found it to the be the worst movie so far! I mean Edward didn't even sparkle!!! I can't believe you actually liked it! WTF?" Things like that won't get you anywhere on my page. They will get your comment deleted. And I really don't enjoy playing "Facebook police."

Positive comments are one thing. Negative opinions telling me I'm wrong, or fake, or stupid for being Team Edward are in a whole different category. I think everyone needs to remember something: just because you're on Facebook doesn't give you the right to get all self-righteous on someone's page or in a group. You might think you're "in the right", but if you wouldn't say in in real life, then don't say it on Facebook.

If I ask for your opinion, then please give it to me.
But remember - opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.

And on my Facebook page, 99.99999% of the time I'm going to be right. Unless of course, I post something like "you know, the world really IS flat and there is NO way green M&Ms taste different than the other colors." Then you can tell me I'm wrong because everyone knows green M&Ms taste better than the other colors. And when I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong. But I'm usually right.

And if you don't like this post, feel free to unfriend me now.
You won't be the first, nor will you be the last.

Wordless Wednesday - A few words

2012-01-18T15:47:00.000-05:00

Truth.

My blog. My thoughts. My opinions (Alternate title: I tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth)

2012-01-16T16:42:00.000-05:00

I've been writing here, in this space, for six and a half years. That's a lot of blog posts. That is a lot of opinions, rants, and emotions ... all of which I have shared openly with you, my readers. In fact, in those six years I've had more than 44,000 visits to my blog. That's a lot of visits. People come here for a reason. And I thank them for that.

Well, most of them anyway.

Apparently I have a few readers who aren't happy with what I'm writing. They think I'm "slandering" a certain organization.

(No, it's not Fifth Third Bank ... even though I did skewer them just a little last weekend for that customer service snafu).

YOU know who YOU are.
I will consider you my own personal blog stalkers.
You are lurking on my blog, looking for anything that YOU don't agree with.

I'm going to let you all in on a little "secret" - this blog is about MY life. It's about my high points (winning!) and my low points and EVERY SINGLE THING IN BETWEEN.

Yeah, I wrote about my old job because it sucked that much. If YOU don't like what I wrote, that's really too damn bad. It's my opinion and IT'S ALL TRUE. Oh and I speak the truth IN VOLUMES on this blog. I'm brutally honest (to a fault at times), and therefore everything I write on this blog is the truth. The WHOLE TRUTH. AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.

See, that's a nifty concept...the truth. It means I don't lie about my life or what happens to me. I don't candy coat things. If things suck, I'm going to blog about it. If I get great (or crappy) customer service, there's a blog post coming. If I find a great product, I'm blogging it. And if people wrong me...oh I am SO blogging it. It's the view from MY fishbowl. Not yours.

So here's the thing: Stop reading my blog if YOU don't like what you see.

Put differently - stop LURKING on my blog and TROLLING the posts looking for something YOU consider "negative" or "slanderous." (Oh and look up the definition of slander before accusing someone of it). And yes, I know who YOU are - see, I have this nifty, handy-dandy little tool that tells me the location of every single visitor to my blog. I can even track IP addresses down to the street location if I'm so inclined.

So, your lurking isn't so secret anymore, is it?

(For those of you who come to my blog and have good intentions, I do thank you. My readers mean the world to me and you are so important to a blog's life - and most of you are here for the right reasons. You are always welcome to come back).

What I'm watching...on Sundays

2012-01-15T16:35:00.000-05:00

Sunday night used to be a night of boring television ... a night reserved for some serious channel surfing. But lately, it's become my favorite night of TV.

First and foremost, there is "Once Upon a Time" - I love this show (of course, right?). It's all my favorite fairy tales spun with a dash of "LOST" (OK, a big huge helping of LOST) mixed with good dialogue and a great story line. The premise of the story: Fairy tale characters cursed by the Evil Queen and sent to live in Maine but they have no idea who they really are. Except of course for the Queen and Rumpelstiltskin. They know. And one of them is doing everything in her power to keep it that way. Oh and the flashbacks! So "LOST"-like!

And ah, the Evil Queen. I have to say, she's one mean witch. She's only looking out for herself. She lies to get what she wants. She stabs people in the back. She feeds them poison apples. She crushes their hearts with her bare hands. (I think perhaps she could get a job where I used to work. HA!). So, of course, I root for everyone who is against the Queen (Regina is her "non fairy tale" name).

What's not to love? (Spoiler alert! I mean, aside from killing The Sheriff!!! That was not to be loved). Snow White, Prince "Charming" (not his real name!), Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin (who I actually like just a little bit after last week's show), and of course the Evil Queen are just a few of the 'fairy tale' characters. Toss in a few 'real' people who are trying to break the curse and it's our family's new favorite show. The girls LOVE it.

Last week, after "Once," I was searching for something to watch at 9 p.m. and just happened to surf to PBS. Yes, I did say PBS. And, I got sucked into "Downton Abbey." Set during World War I in England - it's a historical family drama and soap opera all rolled into one. There's love. And intrigue. And rumors and gossip. And great clothes and jewelry. It's like "Keeping Up with the Kardashians"...except the residents of "Downton" have impeccable manners. And they keep their clothes ON. And they actually have CLASS. So yeah, never mind. It's nothing like the Kardashians.

Downton Abbey is the show you MUST watch. The second season just started last weekend - and trust me, you will love it ... once you figure out who's who and why they're doing what they're doing.

Tonight however, I will have to rely on TiVo for "Once Upon a Time" and "Downton Abbey" ... because tonight, it's all about the red carpet. And the Golden Globes. And cringing every time Ricky Gervais opens his mouth.

More wisdom from Pinterest

2012-01-14T18:52:00.000-05:00

Dear people in green polyester sashes - suck it.

See here.

My goal for 2012.

Always remember these things.

One of the things I love about Pinterest is finding so many inspirational quotes to pin. I'm in a place right now where I'm looking for inspiration and wisdom and I'm trying to "move on" from 2011. I think I'll continue to share some of my favorites with you.

Happy pinning!

SnOMG! (Alternative title: Oh my gosh, it's going to snow. In Ohio. In January)

2012-01-12T15:43:00.000-05:00

So apparently it's going to SNOW.

This should not be "big" news, considering we live in OHIO.
And it is January.

But given that it really hasn't snowed all winter - and the temps have been relatively steady in the mid-40s, I guess the fact that OH MY GOODNESS A FEW INCHES OF SNOW IS ON THE WAY is enough to make news.

Me?
I'm not shocked about the forecast.
It's winter.
It snows during the winter months in Ohio.
Get a grip people. (Yes, this means you, weather forecasters).

Oh and for those of you who will be venturing out in your cars tonight or tomorrow - please remember how to drive in the snow. You've lived her long enough to know - and not forget - simply road safety when there is snow and ice involved. And, just because you have a Jeep (or any other 4-wheel drive vehicle) does not mean you get to be a jerk.

And now if you'll excuse me, I need to go prep my winter storm preparedness kit.

Thinking about that dream job

2012-01-12T15:11:00.000-05:00

As I sent off another resume today (bringing the total for the last three days to four resumes sent), I started thinking about all the jobs I've had since graduating from college way back when. Why in the world was I on this stroll down memory lane? Because my dear readers, it just seemed like the thing to do at the time, as I read over my resume one more time. (Really, it had not changed since I looked at it yesterday).

When I graduated from college I moved far away from home to become a newspaper reporter. I thought I was on my way. Well no. I was on my way to a small town in eastern Pennsylvania and a news editor from hell. Oh and add in a dash or two of "why am I doing this job?" and after six short months - and a few headlines about an escaped python - I moved home. To attend law school.

Sure that was a good experience. And I have the fancy degree to prove that I did, in fact, graduate from law school. But I'm not a lawyer. There are several reasons for this, the biggest being the damn bar exam. So, I decided to go back to my "first love" - writing. Sort of.

My first "real" job after law school was association management. It was a good job, but well...it didn't end well. I'll leave it at that. Then I found something I loved - teaching. I taught Journalism at a local college for nearly two years and it was great. I loved challenging the students - although I'm not sure how much the loved my AP Style quizzes.

And then...

I started a job that, to this day, is the best job I've ever had. I was part of a marketing team at a local university - editing, writing, media relations. It was fun. My coworkers were great. And my boss? Hands down the best boss EVER. We are still friends. Sadly, that job was a victim of the 2008 recession and on a very sad day in June 2009 I walked away from a great job.

I still miss that place.

And so that brings me to today. And the many resumes I'm sending out, in hopes of finding "the one." The job that is the right fit for me - doing what I love to do, working with people who respect me everyone. I really don't think that's too much to ask.

To have a job you love.
Working for people who understand the concept of civility and respect.

And so I ask you - what is the BEST job you ever had?

Are you doing your dream job?

Are you able to say every single day - "I am happy" ??

If not, what are you waiting for?

Wordless Wednesday - Sunshine State

2012-01-11T22:40:00.000-05:00

With snow in the forecast, I can honestly say I'd rather be on that beach.

One more birthday post

2012-01-10T19:42:00.000-05:00

Nothing like a little surprise to make a birthday extra special!

Olivia picked Olive Garden for her birthday dinner - she loves the breadsticks and alfredo dipping sauce (who doesn't?). Kevin surprised her with a "happy birthday" balloon and suddenly the manager was at our table, chatting with Olivia. He promised that they would make her birthday "extra special." Now, for the record, we weren't planning on spending $6.99 for an OG birthday cake. We had cake at home. And, I'm wary of letting Liv eat cakes at restaurants because of her food allergies.

But, after we finished, our table was suddenly surrounded by wait staff singing "Happy Birthday!" and then they presented Liv with the cake. With eight candles. (They also gave Emma a dish of ice cream with a candle...so she felt special too!). You can tell by the look on her face that she was very happy (and I think somewhat embarrassed by all the attention).

And, we did let Liv eat a small piece of the cake - she really only ate the frosting.

All in all, I'd say she had a rather special birthday.

Social media and customer service

2012-01-09T19:29:00.001-05:00

Remember my ~~rant~~ blog post from a few days ago when I took Fifth Third Bank to task for their "customer service"? Well, in addition to blogging about it, I also tweeted about it - directly to Fifth Third (@FifthThird in case you're wondering). And my tweets were retweeted a few times.

Ah, the beauty of social media.

Anyway, this morning at about 9 a.m. I had this tweeted to me from @Ryanat53: @TraciLeigh I work at Fifth Third. What happened? Can I help? Please call me at 877-833-9973 (it’s for your privacy and security).

Imagine my surprise.
They answered my tweet?
OK.
I'll call.

I immediately phoned @Ryanat53 and said "Hi Ryan. This is Traci. The person you just tweeted at."

Hi. So, what's going on? I saw your tweets and I want to help.

I told Ryan what happened on Saturday between the car loan phone call and then the mortgage phone call. I told him how I didn't appreciate being treated like that by the bank. The bank the I've been a customer with for more than a decade. I made sure to tell him everything that was said to me about foreclosure, forbearance, debt reduction, etc.

He apologized.
And then he apologized some more.
And then he continued to apologize.

Ryan found the number for our car loan and said he would personally make sure it was taken care of properly and would let me know when it was all squared away. He also looked up the "mortgage police" from Saturday's phone call (Alexandra) and said he would get to the bottom of that phone call.

What I found most ~~amusing~~ ~~interesting~~ shocking was when Ryan said it was likely that Alexandra was from the "collections" department for mortgages and "probably" didn't understand the concept of Automatic Bill Pay. I'm sorry, WHAT?!? I mean, it's not rocket science. Nor is it brain surgery. It's automatic bill pay - you know, you set up the date for a bill to be paid and "poof!" just like that every month the bill is paid on the same day.

My response?
"Um, don't you think it would be prudent for them to understand the concept?"

Yes, probably.

Ryan and I spoke for about 20 minutes and aside from the many apologies, he did make it a point to promise that he would get to the bottom of what happened and would make sure it didn't continue to happen. That my friends, is good customer service.

Thank you Ryan.
You got the "customer service gold star" today.

So the point is this: use social media wisely when confronted with a customer service issue. It worked for me and I had my issues addressed. And I got an apology (OK, many apologies). And I have the direct line number for @Ryanat53 just in case I have any other issues.

Happy Birthday to my sweet Olivia

2012-01-09T07:30:00.001-05:00

My sweet Olivia. Today is your 8th birthday. Eight years old. Where in the world does the time go? I swear it was just yesterday that your daddy and I were anxiously (and eagerly) awaiting your arrival. Oh, and impatiently. We were very impatient. See, you were SIX DAYS LATE. You were stubborn from the very beginning my dear. And after a very long (and exhausting) 36 hours of waiting and waiting and waiting, you finally arrived. And you were perfect in every way.

And now, eight years later...you are still perfect. And beautiful. And impossibly stubborn. And brilliant. You are my math whiz and presidential history buff. (It's true - your current favorite presidents are Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. That's my girl.). You love reading. And you are the best big sister to Emma. And you are sweet and kind - always offering a hug and a kiss just when I need it. And oh so emotional. Your meltdowns are epic at times.

Happy Birthday my princess (I should also mention that you were thrilled to learn that you shared your birthday with Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge - you do love your royals!). I hope you have a magical day. I love you so very much.

Olivia, age 2 at the Magic Kingdom

Sundays, help wanted, and the dream job

2012-01-08T19:36:00.000-05:00

I have a routine on Sunday mornings - wake up, check my email, check Facebook and Twitter, head to the kitchen and greet the family (who has been awake since about 6:30 a.m. - even on the weekend), and then I grab my coffee and read the Sunday paper.

Since my husband usually only "skims" the paper, I know he'll have split it into two piles - "the news" and "the ads." It's a system we have. It seems to work. It should be noted that our hometown paper isn't anything too impressive, but I like to take about 45-60 minutes to read it, always stopping at the Business Section to check out the jobs.

Sure, I spend time every day on Monster.com, OhioMeansJobs.com, and various other job search websites - it's like a part time job sometimes. But I still read the ads every Sunday morning. Just in case there is something new. Yes, placing a "help wanted" ad in the newspaper is OLD SCHOOL, but some companies still do it.

Today there was nothing. But I did find some good prospects online in the past few days and my resume has been sent. Again. And then my mind starts to wander. I spend a lot of time thinking about what any of these jobs might be like. Maybe it's just me, but I find it "fun" (for lack of a better word) to imagine what my professional career might be like when the day comes that I finally get "The Call."

I think it's because my last job was so horrific and I never want to experience that again. I like to think that the next place I work will have a professional atmosphere where people are treated with respect and no one is bullied by their boss. You know, a place where grown ups work..rather than the Sixth Circle of Hell.

But at the end of the day I keep coming back to the thought that perhaps I just need to be my own boss and start my own consulting firm and do what I love. After all, it's really difficult to bully yourself.

What about you? Do you ever imagine what your next job (or dream job) will be like? What is your dream job?

Good-bye to good customer service

2012-01-07T19:09:00.000-05:00

Dear Fifth Third Bank,

You need to understand something.

Today I was THISCLOSE to ending my banking relationship with you completely.
As it stands, you are currently IN the dog house and you won't be let out anytime soon.

Today one of your "customer services" representatives called my house (on a Saturday morning...what the HELL is up with that Fifth Third?). The initial purpose of the call was to inform us that our car payment was past due and if we didn't pay you'd be sending us to collections.

Funny thing is - we DON'T OWN THAT CAR anymore. We traded it in two weeks ago and the car dealer is paying off the loan.

Your customer service person didn't (1) understand English and (2) therefore didn't understand that we don't own the car and therefore wouldn't be paying the December payment. "Oh I see you are good customer and always pay on time. But you late this time. You must pay."

No stupid.
The car dealer is paying off the entire loan.

Then, Louis the "customer service rep" says he's transferring us to the mortgage department because our mortgage is late and they need to talk to us.

FOR THE RECORD: Our mortgage payment has NEVER EVER EVER EVER been late. Why? Because it is taken directly out of our account EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY MONTH on the 14th of the month. You know, the date we picked when we refinanced our mortgage with YOUR BANK.

So now I get to talk to Alexandra who starts telling me that my mortgage is late. I tell her to "stop talking" and then notify her that I'm looking at my bank statement and funny thing, the December mortgage was paid. On time. Just like always.

Oh no, she says, your January mortgage is LATE.

Um, no. It's not. It will be paid on the 14th. Just like always.

Oh no. It's late. You see, it's technically due on the FIRST OF THE MONTH and since you haven't paid it, we MUST call you and let you know it's late.

I have paid it on the 14th for as long as we've owned the house and now you're telling me that Fifth Third changed the rules and you're going to call me EVERY SINGLE MONTH on the 7th of the month to inform me that it's late?

Yes. We are.

And then, things got really unfriendly. Fifth Third's lovely Alexandra begins telling me that she would be MORE THAN HAPPY to give me information on foreclosure, forbearance, debt counseling, debt reduction or "anything else" that I might need in order to be able to PAY MY MORTGAGE ON TIME.

I'm pretty sure I lost it a bit on the phone.
I think it was at this point that I told her to shut up.

How dare YOU treat me like this? How dare you imply that I am close to foreclosure on my house when I pay my mortgage on time every single month? How dare you.

Well, I can give the phone number for the Department of Housing if you'd like. You know, with the economy how it is, people need help.

Yes, I do know what the economy is like. And no, I don't need your help. You have NO RIGHT to treat me like this. I pay my mortgage every month. It is not late this month. Nor was it late at any other time. I suggest you make a note in my file to not call me again and tell me that my mortgage is late. I pay it on the 14th of every month and that is NOT going to change.

I can do that. But I can also give you information on foreclosure or anything else.

No. You may not do that. And believe me, I will be calling corporate on Monday and speaking to someone in charge.I will not be treated this way. You were completely disrespectful to me and I will not tolerate this.

Fine. You do that.

So, Fifth Third, be prepared Monday morning. I'm calling and I'm not a happy customer. This will not be a pleasant phone call. For you.

Sincerely,
Traci

And that my dear readers, is apparently the 'new' rule at Fifth Third Bank. They are going to call their mortgage customers every month if they don't pay their mortgage on the first of the month. And they are going to tell you that your mortgage is late. Even when it isn't.

Walking. And water.

2012-01-06T22:03:00.000-05:00

No.
Not walking ON water.

I'm talking about walking.
And water.
Two things I'm increasing in my daily life.

See, in exactly 48 days I'm walking in my first ever Disney 5K race. Yes, I actually get a medal at the finish line thank you very much. It's a race.

The Disney Royal Family 5K ... during Disney's Princess Half Marathon weekend.

I was "training" for the race in the fall - I bought running shoes and downloaded the C25K (Couch to 5K) app on my iPhone. And then ... well, then I just stopped. I had been walking and getting my pace up there and was close (but not too close) to adding the jogging in to the mix. And then I lost my mojo. Or something like that. I stopped walking. And got all down in the dumps and blah about things.

Well, new year new me.

I'm walking again (with my sister!) and I'm drinking obnoxious amounts of water every day and darn it all I WILL own those 3.1 miles on February 25.

Oh and my goal from all of this?

I'm telling myself that I will run a half marathon before my 40th birthday in 2013. That gives me about 13 months to get in shape, lose weight and run/walk 13.1 miles. There's a 10 mile race I'd like to aim for in September ... but the half marathon is in November. At Disney, of course. (I mean really. What is the point of running a race if you're not at Disney? At least that's how I see it.)

So for now....I'm going to finish the 5K.

And thanks to Mother Nature and this gloriously mild winter, I'm still able to "train" outside ... without freezing to death.

Here's to walking. And water. Two things that will get me to that finish line.

Words of wisdom - and more - brought to you by Pinterest

2012-01-05T11:00:00.001-05:00

I am reminding myself of this.

Every. Single. Day.

#truth

Oh trust me.

Karma is a bitch.

Are you on Pinterest yet?

Do you love it?

If you're not pinning like crazy, why not??

I could spend hours every night scrolling through pages of things and pinning them.

Oh yeah, I actually did that a few nights ago.

If you aren't on Pinterest yet, and would like to check it out...let me know in the comments with your email address and I'll invite you. It's quite fun. And quite addicting.

Happy pinning.

A lifetime ban on Thin Mints and Samoas

2012-01-04T15:48:00.002-05:00

How fitting that this post comes just as the annual Girl Scout cookie sale starts in this part of Ohio....

I am not buying Girl Scout cookies this year.
Or next year.
Or ever again.

I am banning Girl Scouts from my house.
Yes, I am really REALLY serious.

This really is happening, despite the fact that Olivia is currently registered as a Brownie. That will (hopefully) come to an end very soon as I see nothing good coming from her association with the organization.

You see, I used to work for the Girl Scouts. That's the job I've been blogging about for the past year. You know, the one with The Bully and the director who called me a wussy. Yeah, that was my job with the Girl Scouts.

Lovely, right?

This organization touts itself as the place that "builds girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place." Hooey. That's laughable. Because if that was REALLY true, they wouldn't hire liars and bullies to run their councils. And that is exactly how I would classify the women who run the council I worked for. They are bullies. And liars. And all around horrible, awful people.

Working for the Girl Scouts was the WORST decision I made in my professional life. When I took the job I really thought I was going to work for a great organization and that I could make a difference somehow. When I quit my job last July it was the best decision I ever made.

EVER.

I have nothing good to say about the time I spend with the Girl Scouts. In fact, I have nothing good to say about Girl Scouts. Period.

The mission statement, the promise, the Girl Scout Law ... they are all useless and ignored at the council where I worked here in Ohio. There was no sisterhood in Girl Scouts at that council. There was only lying, bullying, and name calling.

I'm assuming there will soon be badges for all those activities.

As a mom to two girls, I find it appalling that an organization like the Girl Scouts would allow ANY of their councils to be run by bullies and liars. It makes me sick to think that THOSE PEOPLE are allowed to be part of an organization that is supposed to build girls up and make them strong leaders.

No one should be bullied at work - especially not when your employer is the Girl Scouts. No one who treats people with such blatant disrespect, as The Bully and the others do, should be allowed to call themselves a Girl Scout, let alone be allowed to RUN the organization.

And so, I have a new name for the organization.
They will be known as the "Mean Girl" Scouts in my house from now on.

And I say good riddance to Girl Scouts.
You are no longer a part of my life.

I can do a MUCH better job teaching my children to be strong, independent young women ... they will learn more from me and my mom and my sister about how to treat people with respect and how to be honest and how to be a true friend. Much more than they would ever learn from being part of that organization.

Three words for Day Three

2012-01-03T16:38:00.001-05:00

I received an email last week from Chris Brogan where he challenged me (and everyone else who received the email) to come up with three words (just three!) to sum up what I want to focus on in 2012. Now, being a rather wordy word person, coming up with only three words is somewhat of a challenge. I kid you not, I had a list of at least 15 words after I started thinking about it.

Clearly 15 is more than 3. Even someone who sucks at math (as I do) know this. And so, I must edit my list down to THREE WORDS that I'm going to use to define me and my life and what I want to accomplish in the next 363 days. (There are 363 days left this year right? Leap Year = 366, today is January 3...so 366-3 = 363. Yep. Math.)

OK.
Enough math for one year.
Back to words.
My three words to be specific.

In no particular order, my three words for 2012 are:
- Passion
- Move
- Write

Passion.
Do what you love.
Follow your PASSION.

I've been hearing this over and over and over again for the past year. It was one of the main things I took away from Disney's Social Media Moms Celebration last March. I've blogged about doing this a lot since walking out of my job last July. In fact, one could say that making that decision to quit my job was the first step in FOLLOWING MY PASSION. Because friends, there was NO passion to be had in that job. None at all.

Rene Syler said it best last March: Follow your passion because you'll never go wrong.

And so, 2012 is my year to follow my passion. I'm not sure where it will lead me, but I'm going to follow it. My passion is writing (with some social media thrown in for extra flavor) and this year, it's my very own yellow brick road. Follow, follow, follow.

Move.
Now, as I sit here on Day 3 of 2012, I'm not saying "move" as in "Oh by the way we're picking up stakes and moving to Florida." Although, believe me...I have seriously considered it many MANY times in the last eight months. Right now, it's not happening. But never say never.

In 2012, I do want to MOVE.

I want to move myself more...whether through walking or running or whatever means necessary. My kids gave me a pedometer for Christmas and while it's still sitting in the box, I do intend to use it. Soon.

And in 51 days I will be MOVING through Epcot as I participate in my very first 5K race. At this point it looks like I will be walking ... but walking IS moving. And that's a start.

I would like to say that I'm going to MOVE myself enough that I can participate in a 10 mile race in September at Walt Disney World. Yes, that says TEN MILES. It's less than a 1/2 marathon...but it's still 10 miles. And that is going to take some serious MOVING on my part.

Write.
This one goes hand-in-hand with passion if we're being totally honest.

I write. I love to write. I've been a "writer" for many, many year. It used to be a journal. Then I wrote for newspapers. Then I wrote for work. Then I started a blog. And now here we are. I'm still writing. It's what I do. It's what I'm good at. It's what makes me happy. It's how I express myself.

And this year, I think it's where I am going to find my happy place and figure out what I want to be when I grow up. This is one of the many reasons why I am challenging myself to write a blog post EVERY SINGLE DAY this month.

I am a writer.
I just need to remember that.

And so, as we creep into 2012....what are YOUR three words?
Share them with me in the comments.
What do you want from 2012?

Day two

2012-01-02T21:46:00.001-05:00

So um....as of today, 2012 isn't much different than 2011.

Cynical?
Maybe.

But, as I told a friend today ... yesterday really just felt like a Sunday. Granted it was a Sunday when we stuffed ourselves with prime rib and scalloped oysters at my parents' house ... but other than that? Just a Sunday.

Not sure what I was expecting, quite frankly.

Maybe I was hoping for some drastic-in-your-face-this-is-a-new-year kind of thing.

Nope.
Didn't happen.

Guess I need to add "be more patient" to my list of "resolutions."

New Day. New Year. New Beginnings.

2012-01-01T11:14:00.002-05:00

Well, nothing like a "clean slate" to start the new year off right, I suppose.

But is my slate really clean?
I suppose it is.

I'm sort of at the beginning - looking for a new job, trying to follow my passion, starting fresh...you know...all the things you're supposed to say and do on January 1st.

And so I figured, why not start fresh with blogging too? By that I mean posting more than once or twice every few weeks - really focusing on the writing aspect of it and remembering why I started blogging in the first place.

Because I love to write.

So, I'm going to begin with January's NaBloPoMo "challenge" - one blog post every day for the month of January.

Other things I'm "beginning" anew in the next few days....

My job search. Or at the very least figuring out what I want to do.

"Training" for my first Disney 5K.
Which is in 53 days.
I need to keep a 16 minute mile pace...walking or running.
I must get my butt in gear.

I'm sure I have other things I need to "begin"....like another load of laundry .... but those will do for now.

Happy New Year.
I'll be seeing you here quite a bit this month....I hope.

12 months + 117 posts = 2011 a year in review

2011-12-31T18:00:00.000-05:00

Can I just say this - good riddance to 2011. You have been a particularly craptastic year. At least the last half of it, anyway. I am not sad to see you go on your merry way. Buh-bye. I never did like the number 11 anyway.

So, in the course of 12 months I managed to bust out 117 blog posts. Hmmm. Not a great record, for certain. But it's better than 2010 when I only "managed" to write 104 posts. At least I got that part of my New Year's resolution right - I did write more in 2011. I guess I had more to ~~complain~~ write about.

Grab a drink. And maybe something to eat. We're going to review 2011 in all its gory glory. Fasten your seat belts, it might be a bumpy ride.

January - Aside from a snowstorm and two birthdays (Olivia and Emma, 13 days apart), the month was relatively uneventful. As 2011 started, I was still enjoying my job and actually like the people I worked for. Funny how a few months can change all of that.

February - For the record, the weather around these parts sucked a lot in February. We had a snowstorm as the month started and then as the month was winding down we had an ice storm. That was not in the forecast. And it was damn scary. Our house is surrounded by tall, scary trees and they terrified me during the overnight ice storm. We also lost power the day after the storm and spent two nights at my parent's house. You just gotta love winter in Ohio. (No, I do not have to love it. I detest winter.). On the non-weather-related front, I became the proud owner of an iPhone in February. And I still love that phone. (Yeah, materialistic. Whatever.). Oh, and I turned the big 3-8 in February. More gray hairs appeared overnight.

March - This was a weird month. The proverbial sh*t hit the fan at my office and it was all downhill from there. But, I also had an amazing, life-changing experience at Disney's Social Media Moms Celebration. Let's start with the bad stuff first. My job. On March 2nd, I blogged about the job. And then again on March 3rd - where I blogged about crying at work and how much it sucked. (My word of the day was "annoyed" - yeah). On March 10 I was called a "wussy" by the business services director at my former employer. Oh and then on March 11 I was told that I needed to decide if my family or my job was more important (yes, really...my ex-boss, The Bully, told me this).

And then, thankfully, I boarded a plane on March 16 and headed to Walt Disney World for the second annual Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. This event was truly a life-changing event for me this year. While I blogged about it in April, I'm going to talk about it now. (If you want to read the posts again they are here, here, here, and here.)

Not only did I meet MORE amazing ~~people~~ friends, but I also had the chance to see many of my friends and spend some quality time with them (you know, more than just tweeting at each other every day). I also had the opportunity to meet the amazing, brilliant, incredible Rene Syler - and for that I am thankful. Her words still resonate with me now, nine months after first hearing her speak. She spoke about following your passion, how real growth hurts, how people who make you feel bad have NO place in your life, and how you need to be able to say every day "I am happy!" All of these things impacted me for the rest of 2011.

Oh, and did I mention I also went on an African Safari trek at Disney's Animal Kingdom? Yeah, you can read about that here.

April - Well would you look at that? My job still sucked on April 1. No foolin'.

May - My job still sucked. The weather finally got warm. My grandma died. And I wrote about that - and deli trays. Oh and did I mention my job was still sucking the joy out of me? Yeah. It was. Of course I blogged about The Bully and what a b*tch she is.

June - We went to Disney World with the whole family ("Chaos Party of 10"). It was epic. It might have been one of the best trips at Disney. Ever. I almost didn't get on the plane to fly home. Staying in Orlando was so very tempting. Oh, and we skipped spring and went right into summer and sweltering heat. With no a/c at the job. And then, on June 22 the job went directly to hell in a handbasket. I call it my "Target Moment" - that very moment when you realize you'd rather work at Target than spend one more day in hell. It was this point that I knew. I was now a target for The Bully and it was all over, except for the closing credits.

Oh, and I also realized that I was OLD in June as I attended my 20 year high school reunion.

July - Holy Toledo. I wrote 19 blogs posts in July. I took a "non sick" sick day. I had my "year end assessment" with The Bully, where she questioned the "need" for "work friends" (probably because she doesn't have any). And then, just when I thought the job couldn't get worse, it did. Epically worse. I was at a crossroads. I had a choice to make - continue to work for The Bully and suffer whatever fresh hell she chose to dish out on a daily basis, or save my sanity and my physical health and resign. I chose the latter. I resigned from my job on July 19, one year exactly from the day I started my job. I was free. I was happy. I slept through the night for the first time in MONTHS.

Oh, and we had a heatwave. And I broke my toe. And Emma was stung by a bee. And I blogged about envy and following your passion.

August - Olivia started second grade! I became a "dance mom" and a "cheer mom" when Emma started taking dance lessons and Olivia became a cheerleader. And, we adopted a new kitten - and named him Shadow. It was a pretty OK end to the summer.

September - The blog celebrated it's 6th birthday. I applied for the Walt Disney World Moms Panel. Again. I got really dizzy. And, Olivia was diagnosed with serious food allergies and seasonal allergies. That knocked me on my butt (good thing it's heavily padded). She has a peanut and sesame allergy and we are now armed with EpiPens. And she's getting allergy shots once a week for the "seasonal" stuff. It's a whole new [food] world for us. But we're adjusting.

October - Another year, another rejection for the Disney Moms Panel. Kevin and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary. Steve Jobs died the same day. I don't think that's related. Oh, and we had a fun Halloween. It was kind of a slow month, other than the many job interviews I had. All of which ended in nothing.

November - Let's just face it - Nov. 10 was an incredibly crappy day in my life. As in, it sucked. A lot. It was as if all the bad news that was fit to print was printed that day. Just for me. I didn't get my dream job. And I learned that I still had to deal with a crapload of B.S. from The Bully and my former employer. (I'm seriously never buying another box of Thin Mints in my life. EVER.). And yeah. That was November. It wasn't very good.

December - Let's see. The good thing about December? Yeah, it's the last month of 2011, so it has THAT going for it. And Christmas. That was nice too. The rest of it? Nothing spectacular. More rejections from potential jobs. More frustrations for me. Other than that? A few giveaways. And not many blog posts. Oh, and I booked a flight to the Princess Half Marathon Weekend at Disney in February. I'm doing my first 5K. I guess I should start training soon, eh?

And with that I bid 2011 a not-so-fond farewell. We had some good times but we had some really crappy times too. I am choosing to remember the good times and learn from the bad.

Onward to 2012.

Happy New Year.

What to Expect ... a giveaway!

2011-12-31T00:01:00.004-05:00

OK, first things first.

NO. I am not expecting.
That ship sailed five years ago, right after Emma was born.
Two and done, thank you very much.

However, some of you - my dear readers - might be expecting. Or maybe you just had a baby. Or you're thinking about getting pregnant.

Whatever your situation, the folks over at What to Expect have a perfect book for you.

What to Expect When You're Expecting - a week-to-week guide that will answers your questions from "planning through postpartum." I had this book on my nightstand during my first pregnancy. If something "weird" happened (yeah, like every day when you're pregnant for the first time), I'd grab the book and look it up.

What to Expect The First Year - a month-by-month guide that "explains everything you need to know" about the first year with your baby. Oh how I would have loved this book as a first-time mom eight years ago. I was so clueless when we brought Olivia home from the hospital! When we got home I remember looking at Kevin and saying "now what?"

What to Expect The Second Year - this is the "complete why, when, and how-to guide to your toddler's wonder year." Yeah. This book would have been a lifesaver during Olivia's second year. Oh man. I always heard about the "terrible twos" but didn't believe it until I saw them firsthand. We had sleep issues with Olivia (starting at 8 weeks old, mind you) and they lasted well into her "toddler" years. Any guidance would have been welcomed. And don't get me started on the whole pacifier "issue" and "breaking" her from the bottle.

Anyone with kids knows parenting isn't easy. You wonder if you're doing it right. Or if you're scarring your kids for life by letting them co-sleep (guilty as charged, thank you very much). The What to Expect books are a great resource for parents (and grandparents!). And so, I'd like to make it a bit easier for you!

I have partnered with What to Expect and am giving away SIX of their books! For a chance to win the book of your choice (What to Expect When You're Expecting, What to Expect The First Year, OR What to Expect The Second Year), simply follow the Rafflecopter directions below. I'll be choosing the winners at random and notifying them via email (at which time I will need your mailing address).

Good luck!
Happy New Year!

Disclosure: I was given a set of "What to Expect" books for review. I received no other compensation, monetary or otherwise. ALL opinions in this post are MINE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A happier meal - the new and improved Happy Meal at McDonald's

2011-12-29T20:54:00.001-05:00

On any given day if you ask my youngest where she wants to eat when we're "out and about," she will reply with "McDonald's" (which actually comes out as McGoggles at times, but whatever). And yeah, I'm OK with her choice - I have a weakness for McD's fries and if a Happy Meal is going to .. make her happy, then that's fine with me.

And now that McDonald's has spruced up their Happy Meals - they include an "automatic" offering of fruit in every meal .. I'm even more OK with it.

Have you seen the new and improved Happy Meals? Not only are apple slices included (along with 4-piece McNuggets, a hamburger or a cheeseburger, and fat-free chocolate milk or 1% white milk), but the world famous french fries come in a much smaller (and quite "adorable) package - 1.1 ounces of fries to be exact. So our kids are getting FRUIT and milk with their fries and McNuggets.

Heck, I'd even order this for myself.

According to a press release - "The new Happy Meal is part of McDonald's recently-announced 'Commitments to Offer Improved Nutritional Choices' which aims to help customers - especially children and families - make nutrition-minded choices for their daily lifestyles, whether visiting McDonald's or eating elsewhere. By including fruit in every Happy Meal, McDonald's hopes to address a challenge children face in meeting the recommended daily consumption of produce."

I know getting my kids to eat fruit - other than pineapple and applesauce (yeah I know it's not "technically" a fruit, but it IS made from apples) and maybe a random banana here or there - is a daily challenge. So if I let them get a Happy Meal every now and then and it has apples as part of it, I'm all for it. I even told them today, "if you don't eat the apples, you don't get Happy Meals anymore." Yes, I used a veiled threat to get them to eat their fruit. Sue me.

So, have you checked out the new Happy Meal yet?
What did you think about the smaller fry size and the apple slices?

And more importantly, for all my northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan readers - how would you like two coupons for a free Happy Meal? (Yep. Free food. That's what I'm talking about!). Leave me a comment telling me what is your favorite McDonald's menu item and include your email (so I can contact you if you win). I'll choose two winners at random on January 7, 2012. [The coupons are ONLY good at McDonald's locations in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan].

Disclosure: I was provided with "Be Our Guest" cards from McDonald's. I did not receive any other compensation - monetary or otherwise. ALL opinions are mine.

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-24T12:34:00.000-05:00

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

(Photo Credit: Ashely Photography)

The first ever Bah Humbug Awards. You really don't want to win this.

2011-12-22T19:15:00.000-05:00

OK. I have three days until Christmas...so I can still be feeling a bit cranky and Scrooge-like and I'm going to vent and get this stuff off my chest and then I'll be all merry and tinsel.

I'm going to award a few VERY deserving people my first ever "Bah Humbug Awards" - trust me, you don't want to win this.

My first Bah Humbug "award" goes to people who choose to ignore my daughter's peanut allergy (or any child's food allergy if we're getting all technical about it).

Today was Olivia's "holiday" party in her class. I put "holiday" in quotes, because we all know we can't have a "winter" holiday party that celebrates all the winter festivities, for fear of not being 110% politically correct and offending someone. So, Liv's party celebrated ALL the holidays throughout the year. (Still shaking my head at this one). Her teacher sent home a note that said each child was to bring in a "traditional" holiday food for ANY holiday, and OH BY THE WAY there are kids with peanut and soy allergies in the classroom so please plan accordingly.

Me, being the responsible mom of a child with serious food allergies, I sent in tortilla chips and salsa. Easy enough. No peanuts, soy, sesame, etc. (We didn't have any "no gluten" warnings, and I'm not even sure if there is gluten in chips and salsa). Other foods sent in included meatballs, sugar cookies, Hershey kisses and Jell-O cake. Oh, and then we had Buckeyes (peanut butter and chocolate), PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES, and an apple pie with a crumb topping made with, you guessed it, peanut butter.

Sure, there were "warning labels" by the offending food stating that they contained peanuts and soy, but c'mon people. How difficult is it to just NOT bring food like that?

The peanut butter/apple pie mom even said to me "well I knew we had kids with peanut allergies in this class, but it was late and I didn't feel like looking for another non-peanut recipe so I guess those kids will just have to skip my pie. Oh well."

Imagine how stupid she felt when I looked her in the eye and said "Yeah, my kid is the one with the peanut allergy. Guess it's a good thing she doesn't like apple pie." [What I really was thinking was "you stupid, irresponsible, b*tch..what if my kid couldn't even be around peanuts? Would you be so blasé about it then?]

And my next Bah Humbug "award" goes to the employers who keep rejecting me in such wonderfully unprofessional and incredibly stupid ways.

First there was the institute of "higher education" who went as far as to call my references, but only because I was ONE of the "finalists" and they hired the other finalist, telling me via email how "lucky" they were to have so many "talented" candidates. Whatevs.

Then, there was the school administrator at another interview who said "you're very impressive on paper but even more impressive in person and we WILL be in touch soon." He lied. They were never "in touch" again, unless you count the GROUP rejection letter that was emailed out by the school receptionist on the administrator's behalf. Yeah. I said group rejection letter. It mentioned "all of you" in every sentence. All of you were talented. All of you were impressive. Oh, and all of you suck so you aren't getting the job. [OK, it didn't say that last part, but it was implied.]

And then, there was the rejection I received today. On the phone. Three days before Christmas. This school [wow..I'm sensing a trend here...no more schools for me] invited me out THREE FREAKING TIMES for interviews and a tour of the school (!!!!) and then they decided to COMBINE TWO JOBS into one, thereby eliminating the position I was interviewing for. The position I really would have loved. The position that I "interviewed excellently for" and "was highly considered for" ... the position that they gave to a MAN.

Are. You. Freaking. Kidding. Me. ??????

I'm just not sure what to do anymore in this whole job search circus.

Here's the thing. NO. I do NOT wish I had kept my job within the fifth level of Hell. I am still happy that I made the decision to leave the organization and their cookies and badges behind. I do no regret telling that bully exactly what I thought of her, and while we're on the subject I hope she has a miserable Christmas and drinks bad egg nog.

But this job search thing SUCKS. It sucks a lot. I'm a talented gal (if I do say so myself) and damn it all I can't understand why I can't find a job. (I mean other than the whole economy being in the toilet thing). I'm pissed off. I'm frustrated. I'm angry. I'm feeling like a failure professionally and that totally sucks.

So where do I go from here? Frankly I have no freaking clue. The job market in Toledo is craptastic. Maybe I start looking for a job out of this city. Out of this state. A friend of mine suggested that perhaps this last rejection means 2012 is the year for me to FOLLOW MY DREAMS AND PASSIONS. Maybe she's right. What is my passion? Writing and social media. Now I just need to figure out where it's leading me and take that route.

And with that...I move on.

To Christmas with my family and too much food (and maybe even too much wine). And then on to 2012. And damn it all, it better be a good year. "12" is my lucky number, so if the gods and karma are listening...make it a good one for me, OK?

Merry Christmas to all.
And to all a good night.

Not so wordless Wednesday - a small reminder for my readers

2011-12-21T14:21:00.000-05:00

Yes, my blogging has been seriously lacking.
I have no excuse.
Other than...I had nothing to say.
Shocking, right?

But...as we get closer to Christmas, I have a reminder for you, my dear readers.

You have three days left to enter the Global Resort Homes giveaway that I'm hosting with my good friends Kristen and Jackie.

We will be choosing the winner on Christmas Day and, well, you can't win if you don't enter.

Click here to go to the original post.

Good luck.

Wordless Wednesday - The Boardwalk

2011-12-14T10:07:00.000-05:00

February can't get here soon enough.

It's the perfect day for some giveaways!

2011-12-05T11:34:00.002-05:00

OK, so it's rainy and dreary here (again) .. and in my mind, that makes it a perfect day to enter some giveaways.

For those of you dreading winter (the entire northern half of the US), why not dream about a 7-night getaway in sunny and warm Orlando? Sounds perfect, right? Check out this post - "Global Resort Homes giveaway" - and enter for your chance to win a 7-night stay in a vacation home, courtesy of Global Resort Homes. (I'm co-hosting that giveaway with Kristen and Jackie - be sure to check out their blogs too!)

And, if you're looking for a new, inspirational book to read (or to share with someone else), check out this post - "How can you escape neverland?" - where you can enter to win a digital or print copy of the new book "Overcoming the Nevers" by Teri Johnson. It's a great read and a great way to start the new year.

So there you have it ... just some light reading suggestions for this rainy, dreary Monday afternoon.

A few disclaimers:
1. Disclaimer: Global Resort Homes is sponsoring my stay in a resort home in February. No other compensation was received for this post.
2. Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of "Overcoming the Nevers" and the chance to participate in her blog tour for the book. I received no other compensation.

How can you "escape neverland"?

2011-12-02T18:39:00.003-05:00

As anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis knows, the last half of this year has been rather challenging for me.

Well, OK...a lot of this year has been challenging for me professionally.

I was subjected to months of bullying at my old job and eventually had to quit that job in order to preserve my sanity. And now, five months later I'm still dealing with those people and their lies and bullying.

I never thought it would happen to me.

Do you see that word?
Never.

It can be a positive word (I never thought I would run a marathon) and it can be a negative word (I never thought it would be so hard to find a job). When it's a "negative never" it just hangs there, tormenting you. But there's a way to move past the negative and come out of it a stronger person.

This is the theme of a book I was recently introduced to - "Overcoming the Nevers" by Teri Johnson. In the book, Teri talk about how we can all overcome the "negative nevers" that are crippling us and keeping us from discovering who we were created to be.

As I write this post, I've just begun reading the book - but so far it is resonating with me. Loudly.

Case in point: "...negative Nevers. They come with feelings of regret, embarrassment, insecurity, guilt, and shame. They can be stumbling blocks and obstacles in our lives. They are troubling." (p. 14)

That right there? Yeah. That's how I've felt rather often this year. I was left feeling exposed and insecure at my old job because I never thought I'd be a victim of workplace bullying. I feel embarrassed because I'm now unemployed and can't find a job. I never thought I'd be almost 39 years old and still looking for "the job." And I could go on and on about the "negative nevers" that are hanging around here lately. It's quite a hefty list.

But I think with Teri's book I am going to overcome these "negative nevers" and come out of this stronger, better, and happier. The chapters in the book start with "Willingness" and move through Acceptance, Faith, Surrender, Courage, Admission, Transformation, Humility, Responsibility, Restoration, Clarity, Awareness, and Light. All steps we need to move through in order to escape the "negative nevers."

I think this book is going to make a difference in how I look at the world around me. I refuse to be a victim any longer - I have already spent too much time feeling this way. I'm going to take control and kick those "negative nevers" to the curb.

Who's with me? Let's put those "negative nevers" in their place.

And to help you in this endeavour, I'd like to give one of you the chance to win a digital OR print copy of "Overcoming the Nevers."

All you need to do to enter the giveaway is (1) leave a comment about ONE "negative never" you'd like to overcome, (2) decide if you want a digital or print copy, and (3) include your email address in your comment so if you win I can notify you. The contest is open until 12/9/2011 at 11:59 p.m.ONE winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org.

More about the author and the book
In Overcoming the Nevers by Gardening Your Life and Nurturing Seeds of Truth, Teri uses her life experiences as a springboard to help readers move on from the crippling, joy-stealing “Negative Nevers.” The book shares the tools that Teri has learned as well as practical tips and applications for using them in your life to overcome your worst nevers. Are you willing to discover the truth about who you were created to be? Overcoming the Nevers inspires and equips you with the opportunities to become your best YOU.

Teri is the President and Founder of Keeping it Personal. She is also a writer, speaker, and sought-after personal growth expert who enjoys great conversations while sipping coffee, photography, and soaking up as many sunsets as she can. Teri is passionate about helping others as an encourager and a cheerleader to many. The author lives a joy-filled life, deeply devoted to her husband, her two boys, and her relationship with God. Connect with Teri at TeriJohnson.com.

_____________
Disclosure: I was given a free copy of "Overcoming the Nevers" and the chance to participate in her blog tour for the book. I received no other compensation. All opinions here are my own.

Just "reply"

2011-11-29T10:01:00.000-05:00

OK. I'm going to vent for a few minutes.

I have several (many) pet peeves, but there's one that just sends me over the edge every time - and that's when people don't respond to email.

I mean really.
How difficult is it to hit "reply" and type up a quick response when somebody sends you an email that obviously DESERVES A RESPONSE?

If I send you an email that poses a question (or two or three) it is COMMON COURTESY to reply. In a timely manner. You know, within 24 hours or less.

I don't care if you don't have the "right" answer - just respond with ANY answer. Tell me that things are still progressing. Or things are at a standstill for some unforeseen reason. Or tell me to quit sending you emails.

Just reply.
It's the proper thing to do.

Happy Thanksgiving ... and a Global Resort Homes giveaway!

2011-11-23T19:23:00.040-05:00

As most of my faithful readers know, my vacation destination of choice is Orlando, Florida. On any given day you can find me on Twitter or Facebook lamenting the fact that I'd rather be at the Walt Disney World Resort or wishing I was moving to Orlando. What can I say? That city feels like "home" to me.

Now, in all the years I've been visiting Walt Disney World and staying overnight, I've always stayed "on property." My "home away from home" has always been at Walt Disney World.

This is going to change in February 2012.

For the first time ever, I'll be staying OFF property, in a Global Resort Homes vacation home!

To say I'm excited would be a bit of an understatement. I'll be sharing the space with two very dear friends Kristen, a.k.a. @DVCMom (The DVC Mom), and Jackie, a.k.a. @jjzmgailey (Jackie's Magical Moments)- and we're going to be running (a.k.a. WALKING) the Royal Family 5K during the Walt Disney World Princess Half-Marathon weekend!

Whew.
I'm tired just from writing that paragraph.

Back to Global Resort Homes. You really need to check out their website to see the amazing townhomes, condos, and vacation homes that could be your "home away from home" during a trip to Orlando.

Your choices range from two-bedroom upscale condos to seven-bedroom luxury homes! And, there are nine distinctive resort communities to choose from when you stay in a Global Resort Home - all conveniently located close to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, and the Orlando Convention Center. Each home is maintained and managed by Global's staff - and there is on-site personnel in the communities, to assist you with any needs you might have while in your vacation home.

And, just to entice you a little more: "Unlike traditional hotel rooms and Orlando hotel properties that offer minimal accommodations and amenities, vacation homes in Orlando offer the added space and functionality that can make all the difference in the world. Numerous bathrooms, fully-furnished kitchens, spacious living areas complete with large screen TVs, game rooms and private screened-in pools and spas all promise to enhance your Orlando vacation." (from the Global Resort Homes website)

Now, here's the really, really exciting part of this blog post.

Kristen, Jackie, and I are thrilled to announce that we are hosting a contest over our three blogs for a 7 NIGHT STAY in a four bedroom or larger vacation home, with a pool!

Yes.
You did read that right.
You could win a seven night stay.
In a luxury vacation home.
In Orlando.

Are you excited yet?
(I know you are!)

There are a few rules you must read, before entering the contest:
1. Not available to anyone who has won a prize with Global in the past 6 months, active/inactive Global staff, or affiliated companies.
2. Prizes are not transferable.
3. Entrants MUST be 25 years of age or older.
4. Black out dates apply - March, April, June, July of 2012, and December 20, 2012-January 4, 2013.
5. Valid for stays completed by December 20, 2012.
6. Prize is valid for a 7 night stay in a Global Resort Home, 4 bedroom or larger, with a pool, based on availability.
7. Actual property will not be guaranteed until 2 weeks prior to travel; however, once dates are chosen, winners WILL be guaranteed a home.

And now for the RULES!

You must enter using the Rafflecopter form below. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. (Be sure to click "read more" below to find the Rafflecopter entry form!!!).

This contest runs from November 24 through December 24. Winner will be announced on December 25! What a great Christmas gift!

You can find Global Resort Homes on Twitter and Facebook.

Disclaimer: Global Resort Homes is sponsoring our stay in February. No other compensation was received for this post. All opinions are mine.

JAWS a review ... and a giveway!

2011-11-22T16:12:00.010-05:00

So, let's talk cleaning house, OK?

I don't mind cleaning most rooms in my house - probably because I'm cleaning counter tops in the kitchen every day (it's a mild obsession) or busting out the hardwood floor sweeper twice a day (two dogs, two kids, one cat = major hairballs).

But, I dread cleaning certain rooms in my house - namely the bathroom. I have an aversion to cleaning toilets, I can't lie. I usually reserve that job for my darling husband - you know, 'in sickness and in health and oh by the way you get to clean the toilets for the next 50 years."

However, I was lucky enough to get a cleaning kit recently that might have me rethinking the "no scrubbing toilets" rule.

Have you heard of the JAWS - "Just Add Water System" - products?
No?
Well today is YOUR lucky day.

JAWS is manufactured RIGHT HERE in Toledo (yay for local products!!) - so of course I jumped at the chance to try them out. And let me tell you...I think I'm in love. With cleaning products.

What is JAWS?
"JAWS cleaners are super-concentrated to work on your toughest household tasks yet they are kinder to the environment. The reusable spray bottles and refill cartridges of concentrated cleaners reduce plastic waste, conserve resources and save you money." (borrowed right from the product brochure, fyi)

These products are so easy to use - you just fill the reusable spray bottle with water, insert the cartridge, twist on the sprayer and VOILA!...you're ready to clean.

The first product I used was the Glass & Hard Surface cleaner and it wowed me. It said "streak free" and it means it! I think I used it on every glass surface in my house - doors, windows, mirrors. You name it...if it was glass, I cleaned it. And there were NO streaks after. Amazing. I also liked the cleaning power of the Bathroom Cleaner/Deodorizer (great on those toilet seats!) and the Multi-Purpose Cleaner/Degreaser (really gets that nasty gunk off the top of the stove vents).

What do I love about these products?
1. I can reuse the bottles with the refill cartridges - it's recycling!
2. The cartridges and starter kits are reasonably priced - it's economical!
3. They don't have a harsh chemical smell, which is nice. I don't like feeling asphyxiated when I'm cleaning.
4. Oh, and did I mention the "streak free" windows and glass?

I know you want to try it....

And now I have some good news for those of you in the Toledo area: From now through November 27, all four JAWS products are being offered at a special promotional price (starter kits $4.49, recyclable refill cartridges $3.49) at these Toledo and Findlay area stores:

- The Anderson's (Maumee, Toledo, and Northwood) - Kazmaier's (Perrysburg and Toledo) - Sautters (Sylvania and Waterville) - Schorling's (Toledo - both stores - Bancroft and Stickney Ave.) - Walt Churchill's (Maumee and Perrysburg) - Brinkman's (Findlay)

For a full list of where to find JAWS products, click here.

But wait! There's more! (for everyone!)

One lucky reader is going to WIN a JAWS cleaning kit! The kit will include a full bottle each of the Glass & Hard Surface Cleaner, the Multi-Purpose Cleaner/Degreaser, the Bathroom Cleaner/Deodorizer, and the Disinfectant Cleaner/Degreaser. Each bottle comes with one refill (the Disinfectant comes with two refills!

For a chance to win the JAWS cleaning kit all you need to do is leave a comment telling me what area of your house you hate to clean AND include your email address. (If you don't include your email address, I can't contact you if you win!). That's it. Easy peasy. The contest is open until 11:59 p.m., November 27, 2011. The winner will be chosen at random using Random.org. I will contact the winner via email in order to get their home mailing address.

Good luck!

(Check out JAWS on Twitter and Facebook too!)

UPDATE: Nov. 28 - Comment #2 (Diane) is the winner (chosen randomly using Random.org). I have contacted her via email. Thanks for entering and reading my blog!

Disclaimer: I received a full JAWS cleaning kit to use and review as part of this blog post. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Yeah. I need a swift kick in the pants.

2011-11-21T11:57:00.003-05:00

Yeah.
A swift kick in the butt.
At least when it comes to this blog.

I'm sorry but lately...in the past two weeks...I have not felt like blogging.
At all.

I haven't had anything witty to write.
I've just been feeling snarky and cranky, and grumpy.
And those three things mixed together do not lead to great blog posts.

As it is, sitting around the house being a total crank isn't getting me anywhere.
In fact, it's just making me feel worse.

So....
I'm back.
I'll be blogging here again.

In fact, I'll be posting a really cool giveaway later today.
And I'll be blogging about another totally amazing contest later this week with two of my very dear friends. (Trust me when I say you DO NOT want to miss that one).

And, I'll be blogging about life again too.
Even if things aren't going my way at all right now.

Have blog, will use it.

Thanks for being patient with me.

Once in a lifetime day

2011-11-11T09:37:00.003-05:00

11-11-11 ... a date that only happens every 100 years.
That's pretty cool, in my humble opinion.

So, my head is clear ... more so than yesterday.
I cried all the tears I could muster.

Yes, I didn't get the dream job I've wanted for 10 years.
I see that as their loss.
They have no idea what they are missing by not hiring me.
And someone else will be lucky enough to add me to their staff.

As for the other bad news yesterday, I have this to say:
I will prevail.
You lied.
Again.
Liars don't win.
Karma will find you.
And Karma doesn't like liars.

The truth always prevails.
And I'm nothing if not brutally honest.

Today is a new day.
A 'once in a lifetime' kind of day.
And I'm running with that.
Good news might not happen today, but I'm not giving up hope.

11-11-11.
Here's to hope and luck and truth.

Terrible Thursday

2011-11-10T11:12:00.004-05:00

Remember on Monday when I wrote about "potentially" good news?

Yeah, well it wasn't good news.

I just got rejected for a job that I've wanted for more than a decade.
They "really liked me" but "were fortunate enough to have a very talented pool" from which to choose.

They liked me enough to call all my references last week.
Guess that wasn't enough.

Oh, and then I got more bad news.

And I'm sure my former employer - the devil and her minions - are celebrating today.
That celebration will be short lived however, because unlike THEM, I intend to tell the truth.
And the truth will win in the end.

Today has been one of the worst days I've had in a very, very long time.
I don't think I've cried this much in YEARS.
I feel completely defeated.

So I guess this must be what rock bottom feels like.

Manic Monday

2011-11-07T10:14:00.004-05:00

Hey would you look at that?

I haven't blogged in a week.

Typical.

Anyway...last week was one of those crazy-in-a-good-way kind of weeks. I had an AMAZING interview on Monday. Then we had a great Halloween with the kids, family, and friends. And then I found out more potentially good news on Wednesday. And Friday, the girls and I had a mommy/daughter day - lunch and then the movies (since Liv had a day off school).

All in all the week was good.

Granted, the "potentially" good news didn't turn into anything more than that (yet)...but my fingers (and toes) are crossed.

Today is a different story.
I'm not sure if it's the gloomy weather or the PMS...but I'm feeling 'off.'

I'm on edge.
I feel anxious....sort of jumping out of my skin.
Still waiting to hear something, anything about my "potential" good news.
Have something important to do Wednesday.
And then something totally and utterly annoying and frustrating that I have to deal with tomorrow.

It's making me rather snarky, to be honest.
I mean snarkier than normal.

Case in point - I just paid an unnecessary tax "penalty" to the City of Toledo.
In the subject line on the check I wrote "morons."

Yeah, I went there.
But I'm annoyed with the city.
Very annoyed.

They sent me a notice waaaaayyyy back in September that I owed them $58.29 as an abatement because I failed to pay any estimated payments on my 2010 City of Toledo taxes. Well, there's a good reason for that - (1) I was under the [mistaken] impression that my employer at the time [idiots] was taking city taxes out of my paycheck - they were NOT; and (2) I hadn't worked IN the city since 2005, therefore I had nothing to base my estimates on.

All of this was explained to the city tax department by my CPA (twice!) via letters - and, of course, the city ignored the letters and just kept sending me notices for this $58.29. Finally it was decided that I should just pay because the tax department is too stupid to understand the reason why I shouldn't have to pay.

So, today I wrote a very snarky letter to the tax department telling them how moronic they are and I sent my payment with that letter ... and in the subject line of the check is the word "morons."

Ah, yes...it is probably childish....but I felt much better.

Here's hoping for a calmer Tuesday.
Unlikely, but one can hope.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T09:42:00.002-04:00

Wishing you all a very Happy Halloween!
Boo to YOU!

At the pumpkin farm

2011-10-22T15:33:00.004-04:00

Taking advantage of the lovely fall weather today, we headed to the local pumpkin farm.

The girls picked out 12, yes TWELVE, pumpkins for Halloween.

Three big, carving pumpkins.
Four small "pie" pumpkins that will NEVER be turned into pie.
Two really small. cute pumpkins.
Two small white pumpkins.
And...
One white "Cinderella" pumpkin.

I have no idea what we are going to do with all these pumpkins.

Allergy Adventures - What I'm learning

2011-10-20T09:38:00.008-04:00

So, it's been about a month since we first found out that Olivia had allergies. Serious allergies. When the pediatrician called and said "It's bad, really bad," my heart sank. A week later when we got the "official" word from the allergist about what exactly we were dealing it I sort of panicked. And ... well, let's just say I'm still processing it.

I am still unable to fully comprehend HOW this happened. Olivia has never experienced an adverse reaction to peanuts or sesame. And yet, she cannot eat anything made/processed with peanuts, tree nuts, or sesame.

Yes, I've shed some tears over this.
Yes, I feel like I'm navigating this on my own (with Kevin, of course).

And yes, I have become THAT mom.

You know...the mom who now reads every label at the grocery store and then calls my husband to say "well, I found ONE MORE THING Olivia can't eat." I'm the mom who told the "classroom mom" yesterday that I'm coming to the Halloween party in two weeks so I can "monitor" what Olivia is eating. (This other mom was GREAT about it..she's even making Olivia a special snack for the party). I'm the mom who emailed Arby's and asked WHY they didn't list sesame as an allergen in their food products.

(I received a great response from their head food safety guy - it's a legal thing...apparently Arby's legal team only allows EIGHT allergens to be listed. Sesame is #9. Stupid, right?)

Yep, I'm a mom of a kid with food allergies.

A few weeks ago at the allergist's office, as we were waiting the 20 minutes after her shots, some punk teenager decides to EAT A PACKAGE OF PEANUTS....IN THE WAITING ROOM. Let's just say I was suddenly a mama grizzly, protecting my "cub." What did I do? Well, I reported him to the nurses. While Olivia CAN be around people eating nuts ... who in their right mind would EAT THEM in the waiting room of an allergy doctor where people with food allergies could be sitting? Apparently, stupid was on special that day.

It can just be so overwhelming.

There are so many things Liv can't/shouldn't have anymore: anything with sesame seeds (bun, bagels), Chinese food, regular M&Ms, most candy bars, granola bars, "break and bake" cookies, bagged chocolate chips, some cereals, doughnuts, anything from the grocery store bakery, some ice cream (including no more trips to Cold Stone - just in case of "cross contamination"). And, I make sure I check out the allergens that could appear at restaurants.

We have found a great source of "allergen free foods" - Enjoy Life foods ... and, Olivia loves their chocolate chip cookies (and their bagged chocolate chips). She seems rather unfazed by all of this ... I think because a lot of what she can't have she never really ate (peanut butter, candy with peanuts, sesame seeds, etc.). And, while Halloween will be a challenge...I'm going to make sure Olivia has her "own" nut-free candy and we will have fun!

And now, I must prepare myself for the grocery store.
More labels to read, ya know.

Wordless Wednesday - Beach Club

2011-10-19T13:10:00.003-04:00

On this very dreary, rainy, cold, Ohio fall day...you can find me in one of those beach chairs. Drinking a Pina Colava (my favorite Disney drink). Relaxing. And smiling.

I'm still here

2011-10-15T08:32:00.003-04:00

Yes, OK....I'm still here.

I haven't forgotten about this blog...despite the fact that I haven't written in a week.

This week was just a little too crazy, that's all.

Remember this post from September 13?
The one where I talked about being sick and dizzy?
Yes well...I was dizzy for THREE WEEKS and on Monday I was diagnosed with bronchitis, which I probably had since sometime last week.

So...yeah.
I didn't feel much like blogging this week.
I was too preoccupied with coughing up a lung or two.

Anyway...

I have several things to blog about, including our continuing "adventure" (sarcasm duly noted) with Olivia's newly diagnosed allergies and the fact that I am now training for the Walt Disney World "Royal Family 5K" in February. (Yes, I am going to RUN in a 5K. Shocking, right?).

More on both of those topics in later posts.

For now, I have to get moving.
Olivia is cheering this morning.
And it's currently 50 degrees outside with a wind chill of 44 thanks to 22 mph wind gusts.
I will be sitting OUTSIDE in this weather, dreaming of moving to Florida.

The things I do for my kids.

Still wishing on a star

2011-10-08T18:34:00.009-04:00

OK.
Where to begin?

How about the beginning.

Waaaay back in September 2007 I found a little blurb on the Walt Disney World website announcing the Walt Disney World Moms Panel .. it was going to be a group of "moms" whose passion for Disney made them the go-to Disney vacation planning expert in their family/neighborhood/office/city.

Of course, I applied.

A few weeks later I received an email saying "thanks for applying" but I wasn't chosen to move on. Repeat the same events for September 2008....with the same results. Both times I was bummed out, but I knew there would be another chance.

In 2009, just as the Disney online community seemed to explode, I again applied for the Moms Panel. This time, I made it to Round 2. I was thrilled. Elated. On cloud 9. I was thisclose to realizing my dream of being a member of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel.

During this time I was also becoming friends with some of the most incredible people I know ... we had connected through our love for Disney, but the connection was so much deeper. I count these people as my confidants, my sounding boards, my cheerleaders, but most importantly, my FRIENDS.

As anyone who reads this blog knows, I did not make it past Round 2 for the Moms Panel that year. I was, in a word, devastated. I really, truly felt like that was my year to make the panel. But, it was not meant to be.

Last year when September rolled around, it was once again time to apply for the Moms Panel. As much as I held out hope that I'd receive the coveted Round 2 email, I had resigned myself to the fact that my answers were not worthy of moving past the first round. And I was right. That being said, I was still crushed when I received the dreaded "thanks but no thanks" email.

This year I went into the application process with a renewed sense of faith, trust and pixie dust. I was ready to give it my all...and I really, truly thought I did. I let my love of Disney shine through in my answers..and yet, it still wasn't enough.

This afternoon we were shocked to discover that the Round 2 emails were going out for the 2012 Moms Panel search. On a Saturday. And so, I glued myself to my computer...simultaneously checking my email, Facebook, Twitter, and the DIS boards for about 90 minutes.

This year I was hoping, wishing, and hoping some more that I would at least make it to Round 2. That my love and passion for Disney would shine through in my 100 word answers. That I would have a chance.

That was not what happened. At 3:46 p.m. I received the "thank you" email. I knew as soon as I saw the subject line that my Moms Panel dreams were dashed once again.

As disappointed as I was last year, this year is different for some reason. I am shockingly more disappointed and sad this year. It's not a feeling of rejection, it's more a feeling of "what in the world am I doing/saying wrong?" and "why not me?"

Yes, I guess I am having a little pity party over here for myself.

This Moms Panel dream ... it's a big dream.
It's magical.
And it's wonderful.
And for another year, it's just a dream.
And quite honestly, it's a hard pill to swallow this time around.

I'm a firm believer in "if you dream it, you can do it"...but right now I have to wonder if maybe my dream is just unattainable. What if it's not a "realistic" dream, but is instead something will forever remain just out of reach? I know some of this is just me being cynical at this moment, but it's hard to feel completely positive tonight.

I want this so very much.
More than I've wanted anything in a very long time.
Maybe I want it too much?
Is it possible to dream too much?
To think the nearly impossible is almost possible?
I don't know.

What I do know is at this very moment MY dream, my Disney Moms Panel dream, is over for another year and I don't quite know what to do about it.

For the time being, I'm going to cry some more tears and then drown my sorrows in many Halloween Oreos.

And maybe next week, or the week after that, I'll allow myself to dream about the Moms Panel once again.

Words of wisdom - Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T13:19:00.004-04:00

I first saw the news last night via Twitter, on my iPhone, as Kevin and I were finishing our anniversary dinner.

Seeing the words "Steve Jobs is dead" literally took my breath away. And yes, I shed a few tears.

This man was a visionary and the ways in which he changed how we communicate on so many levels is an amazing legacy. And yes, I do think it is fair to say that he was our generation's Walt Disney (and many people would agree with me..including the commentators who said those very words last night).

It's sad to think of all the wonderful things that won't be created now that Steve Jobs is gone.

(Photo: I saw several people post this on Facebook today...so I "borrowed" it.)

Wordless Wednesday - Anniversary

2011-10-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Anniversary, honey.
I love you.

Happy 40th Anniversary to the Magic Kingdom and Walt Disney World!

2011-10-01T07:24:00.002-04:00

Wishing Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom a very happy 40th anniversary! You are the 'happy place' for millions of people...thank you for bringing so much joy and happiness to my family over the years!

Wordless Wednesday - I need a vacation

2011-09-28T09:31:00.002-04:00

Wishing I was boarding a plane on Friday morning, headed to Orlando for #EpicOctober2011.
I need a vacation.

Allergies are in the house....

2011-09-26T19:33:00.003-04:00

Today was Olivia's consult and allergy skin test with the new doctor. The skin test was a very long 15 minutes during which Olivia cried and I held her hands (not only to comfort her, but also to keep her from scratching her arms).

I watched as little bumps formed over certain spots on her arms - being the "nosy" mom that I am, I made sure to look at what allergens they were testing before the scratch test started. I noticed that ragweed, cats, dogs and PEANUTS were the fastest growing "spots."

This was not a good thing.

Once the doctor came in and looked at her arms, he explained what she's allergic to. The scale they used was 0 (negative) up to 5 (VERY STRONG positive).

This is the list:
- Cat dander: 4/5
- Dog epidermal: 3/5
- Alfalfa: 3/5
- Tree mix (5 trees): 4/5
- Tree mix (6 trees): 4/5
- Weeds: 2/5
- South grass mix: 4/5
- Ragweed: 4/5
And now the foods:
- Corn (food): 2/5
- Sesame Seed: 3/5
- Soybean: 3/5
- Peanut: 4/5

OK...so the trees, weeds, grass and ragweed I expected. I wasn't surprised by the dog and cat allergy either (even though she's lived with both animals her entire life and hasn't had any issues). The doctor said DO NOT get rid of your animals because the shots that Olivia will be getting over the next few years will build up her "immunity" to all of these things.

But the food allergies.....
Those I cannot wrap my brain around.

The doctor said not to worry about the corn allergy (OK, I won't) or the soybean allergy (really, the kid isn't going to start eating Edamame anytime soon). However, Olivia is supposed to avoid seasame seeds (the doctor actually said "no sesame chicken" ...lol) and peanuts.

I asked him how it was possible for her to have a peanut allergy and NEVER have any reaction of any kind and he didn't really have a clear answer. He simply said that it was possible and we can't know when it might affect her.

So, nothing with peanuts for Olivia. No peanut butter. No nuts of any kind (not even tree nuts like pecans and walnuts). And, we are to have an Epipen with us at all times from now on. And, we have to let the school know that Olivia is to have an Epipen available just in case.

And next week, she starts allergy shots. Twice a week for 10 weeks. Then once a week for several more months. Eventually she'll make it down to once a month. And the shots will continue for several years.

Stupid allergies.

Sometimes life gets in the way of blogging

2011-09-26T13:58:00.005-04:00

Yep, I haven't blogged much since last week. And really, last week's posts weren't anything spectacular if we want to be totally honest about my blogging.

You want to hear "excuses"...OK, here goes. I've been sick for two weeks. I have some inner ear thing going on (Labrynthitis), which I really thought would be gone by now. It isn't. I have been dizzy for TWO WEEKS. Trust me when I say this is very unpleasant. It's a lot like the feeling you get after a few glasses of wine...but without the fun drinking wine part.

The rest of my "ailments" are finally going away. The congestion, cough, runny nose...all on their merry way out of here. However, the dizziness makes me tired. So there's that.

And last week was really not a great week. I had to deal with stupid, evil people (again) and then on Tuesday we found out that based on an allergy test (via blood samples) Olivia is essentially allergic to EVERYTHING ON THE PLANET.

I am not ashamed to admit that I cried when I was done talking to the pediatrician. There's a lot of things I was hoping my kids would get from my genes - sassy attitude, good grammar, excellent spelling skills, a sense of humor. You know, the good things. Allergies were not on that list.

I've had horrible allergies since I was 4 years old. I still remember the day I walked out into the apartment complex where we lived and they were mowing the grass and suddenly I couldn't breathe. (OK, maybe that's MY memory of it...not sure what my parents remember). I endured a "scratch test" and they discovered I was allergic to everything. Dogs, cats, trees, dust, pollen. If it was alive, I was allergic. I had allergy shots and spent my childhood taking every brand of allergy meds available.

And, after 14 years of allergy shots the doctors said "you're cured!"
They lied.
My allergies never went away.
If my allergist wasn't dead I'd sue him for malpractice. :)
All that has happened in the last 34 years is I've "grown out" of some of my allergies - specifically cats, dogs and feather pillows. No cure in sight for the rest.

And now Olivia has allergies. And yes, I understand that allergies aren't THAT bad (in the grand scheme of "BAD" things), and there is medicine she can take. But still, don't tell me "it's not the end of the world" because well, that's just really not your call to make. When a doctor tells me that my 7 year old is allergic to milk, peanuts, pecans, wheat, walnuts, potatoes, strawberries, oak trees, maple trees, pecan trees, grasses, ragweed, cats AND dogs (just to name a few)...well, I think I have every right to FREAK OUT just a little bit.

Today we're taking Liv to an allergist for "consultation" and "testing." I can only imagine this means a scratch test. We haven't told her about that possibility. Right now she's finding it amusing to ask "am I allergic to THAT?" ... and well, I guess if we can keep a sense of humor about this, that's not all bad.

Wordless Wednesday - Let your conscience be your guide

2011-09-21T10:59:00.001-04:00

You can learn a lot from a cricket and a boy with no strings.

Fall fashion at The Limited (and a giveaway!)

2011-09-19T10:54:00.011-04:00

I am not exactly a fashionista.

Yes, I love reading Vogue and InStyle and watching The Rachel Zoe Project. I dream of owning many pairs of Jimmy Choos and would love to own these Christian Louboutin beauties. But in reality, I'm a mom on a limited budget and my clothes tend to be somewhat boring. Sure, I accessorize with jewelry, but when I'm working (at an office) you'll likely find me in black pants, a top and black heels. Not so adventurous, right?

Despite all that - I do love to shop. I just don't shop often. I haven't bought a new pair of shoes in MONTHS. And, before Friday, I had not bought a new "fall wardrobe piece" since, well, last fall.

Last Friday I was invited to attend the grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony at The Limited (located at Westfield/Franklin Park in Toledo). It's been many years since The Limited was part of our local mall, so I was very excited to see it return.

This new store did not disappoint! The store is beautiful and homey and bright and it even has an eBar - an area where you can shop online or your husband can "surf the 'net" while you shop the store. That is brilliant. According to a press release from The Limited, the Toledo store features the "newest store design concept demonstrating a direction toward a more modern, feminine style."

After the ribbon cutting ceremony I had a chance to actually shop and while there were MANY things I wanted to buy, I chose two tops and a pair of faux pearl earrings.

I plan to go back and shop some more in the next few weeks - I need to add some color to my fall and winter wardrobe (which is, admittedly, quite full of black and gray)...and I think I'd like to buy one of each of these sweaters! (I especially love the pink, blue and eggplant colors).

And I'm guessing many of you want to update your fall wardrobe, since cooler temps are right around the corner.

Well, today is YOUR lucky day! I have on $50 gift card for The Limited to give away to one of you!

To enter this giveaway, there's just one simple step:
1. Leave a comment telling me what is your must have fall wardrobe item. You must include your email address in your comment. Comments without email addresses will NOT be entered into the drawing.

This giveaway ends Thursday, September 22 at midnight. One winner will be randomly chosen from all entries. I will contact the winner via email.

UPDATE Sept. 23: The winner was randomly selected using Random.org. Congrats to Kylee from Two Pretzels! You'll be contacted via email.

Disclaimer: I was invited by Falhgren Mortine to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony at The Limited and received a gift card for my own use. All opinions in this post are my own.

Go team! Alternate title: I am now officially a cheer mom

2011-09-17T18:57:00.008-04:00

"We are S! V!"

Go Cougars!

Watching from the sidelines...

Stunts!

I love this photo

Today was Olivia's first football game as a cheerleader. Aside from looking totally adorable in her uniform, she was also a pro! We're so proud of her.

Words I never thought I would say - I love that my daughter is a cheerleader.

It's a chili day

2011-09-15T12:46:00.006-04:00

Yes, I said it's a chili day.
Although, it is also a chilly September day.

What is going on with the weather?
Last week it was HOT again.
And tonight, it's going to be 39 degrees.
I refuse to turn on the furnace in September.
That's what extra blankets are for.
(Yep, mother of the year, that's me.)

So, anyway....

It's chilly outside.
And I'm sick.
(Yes, still. Moving on.)
Plus, I don't feel like cooking dinner tonight. I'd rather curl up on the couch with my laptop and the latest issue of US Weekly.

Therefore, it's a Crock Pot dinner night.
Main course - my "almost world famous" chili.

And because I love my readers, here is the not-so-top-secret recipe:

(The amounts of beef, kidney beans and tomato sauce are based on personal preference ... I only use 1 can kidney beans because I don't like them and 3 cans tomato sauce to cut the heat).

Chili
1 to 1 1/2 lbs ground beef, browned and drained

1 or 2 cans dark red kidney beans (do NOT drain)

2 or 3 cans tomato sauce

1 jar Tony Packo's Super Charged Chili Recipe**

Brown ground beef. Drain. Add to Crock Pot. Combine with kidney beans, tomato sauce and Tony Packo's Super Charged Chili Recipe. Cook on low for several hours. (You can cook on low all day or for as little as 4 hours).

**You can find the Super Charged Chili from Tony Packo's at Tony Packo's restaurants in Toledo, at Kroger stores (locally in northwest Ohio) or online here http://tonypacko.com/pickles.php.

So there you have it.
A chili recipe for those chilly days.
Enjoy!

NOTE: My mom emailed me tonight and said I didn't give her props for this recipe. (OK, she actually didn't use the word "props" ... but whatever). So here it is - this recipe is originally my mom's. I borrowed it. So now it's mine. :)

Wordless Wednesday - Pixie Dust!

2011-09-14T09:24:00.001-04:00

An extra dusting of pixie dust for all the Moms Panel hopefuls!

You spin me right round, baby right round....

2011-09-13T15:34:00.003-04:00

It all started yesterday.
I felt "off" for most of the day.
Sore throat. Runny nose.
A little dizzy too.

I chalked up the sore throat and runny nose to allergies - I've suffered with allergies since I was 4 years old, so for the most part I tend to ignore them.

The dizzy feeling? Well, I thought perhaps it was just nerves - I spent most of yesterday thinking about my applications for the Walt Disney World Moms Panel, so maybe it was just a little extra pixie dust making me all woozy.

And then I woke up at 3 a.m. with an incredible sore throat.
And by incredible, I mean so painful I wanted to cry.
When I got out of bed and stood up, the room spun.
"That's odd," I thought. Next time I wouldn't stand up so fast.

This morning when I woke up, the spinning was worse.
As I stood up to get out of bed my room spun and spun and then spun some more for good measure. It was as if I was trapped on the Mad Tea Party and couldn't make it stop.

Holy crap.
I thought I was going to pass out.

This spinning continued all morning.
I called the doctor and the receptionist said "I'll take a message and if the doctor thinks you're sick, she will call in a prescription." WHAT? Since when do doctors diagnose via phone messages?? I was not happy.

Lucky for me (and the doctor) she decided that she needed to SEE ME in person before making a diagnosis. And after seeing me (and witnessing a dizzy spell in her office), the doc determined that I have Labyrinthitis. Basically the labyrinth in my inner ear is inflamed and therefore I'm dizzy. And can't focus my eyes. And it feels like the room is on spin cycle.

It is most unpleasant.

The rest of my symptoms? The doctor blamed them all on allergies - which is possible, but I've never felt this crappy from allergies before. And I have a fever (99.9 which doesn't seem that high, except my normal temp is 97.2).

So...for the rest of tonight I'll be immobile on the couch.
The less I move, the less dizzy I feel.
The husband and kids are on their own tonight.

Faith, trust and a little bit of pixie dust

2011-09-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

If I had a fairy godmother I'd be texting, tweeting and sending her Facebook messages all day today - asking for as much pixie dust as she could spare.

Today is THE day.

Applications for the 2012 Walt Disney World Moms Panel open at 9 a.m.

And yes, I am applying again.
Just as I have applied every year since 2007.

This is my dream.

I love Disney.
I love the magic, the happiness it brings to so many people.
I love the feeling of "being home" that I get every single time I step on Main Street and see Cinderella's Castle.

I love planning Disney vacations for my family. And my friends. And friends of friends. And even total strangers.

And so, once again I'm tossing my Mickey ears into the ring, crossing my fingers and remembering - a dream is a wish your heart makes.

Best of luck to all 2012 Moms Panel applicants!

Remembering September 11

2011-09-11T08:00:00.001-04:00

I don't remember what I did on September 10, 2001.
But I will never forget September 11.

On September 11, 2001 I was sitting at my desk doing mundane every day tasks when our secretary walked in my office and said "a small plane just hit the World Trade Center."

I admit, for a split second I had to think "World Trade Center? Oh yeah, in New York City." After a few more minutes of talking about why someone would do that, she walked out of my office and I kept working. Then my mom called and said something bad was happening in New York City and we should turn on the TV at the office.

I gathered our small staff and told them we needed to turn on a television to see what was happening. Within minutes of tuning in to ABC News, the second plane hit.

Oh my God.

Did you just see that?

Did that plane just hit the other tower?

There were five of us sitting in a conference room and no one could believe what we were watching.

What the hell was going on?

The office phone rang again.
It was my mom.
Did you see that?
Did you see that plane hit the tower?
Yes. I saw it.
I could not process what was happening.

No one knew what to do.
And so, we tried to continue our workday.
We all went back upstairs to our offices and tried to work.

The phones were eerily silent that day.

I called Kevin and my sister and my mom.
I tried to find news online.
The Internet was not working that day.
All the news sites were too busy.

We kept a small black and white television on all day long.
We watched in horror as the towers fell.
We stood in shocked silence as news came in about The Pentagon and Shanksville.

How could this be happening to America?
What did we do to deserve this amount of tragedy?

No one did much work that day.
We spent most of the day huddled around that black and white TV, watching the never-ending tragedy unfold in NYC, Washington and Pennsylvania.

That night after work, I went to Kevin's house. We had only been dating for two months at the time. We spent most of the evening sitting on the couch watching the news in silence. It was unimaginable. America had been attacked by terrorists. Nothing made sense.

I still remember how eerily silent it was that night as I walked to my car.
There were no sounds in the sky.
All commercial flights had been grounded.
The silence was deafening.

And now, 10 years later, a memorial stands in the footprints of the towers.
And a new World Trade Center is rising.

But we will never be the way we were on September 10, 2001.

The world as we knew it was forever changed on September 11, 2001.

We will never forget.

Wordless Wednesday - Sun, sand and magic

2011-09-07T13:51:00.002-04:00

This is the view I'd rather see today....

Happy Blogiversary to The Fishbowl

2011-09-06T08:00:00.002-04:00

Six years ago today I started writing this blog.
This was my first post.

I was a stay-at-home mom at the time, teaching part-time at a local college. Olivia was almost 18 months old. Hurricane Katrina had just decimated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. And I felt the URGE, the NEED to write.

I had been blogging since August 2005 at my "first" blog (at the time called "Toddler Timeouts"). I had a plan that I'd blog over there about Olivia (and any future siblings) but decided I needed another blog where I could write about anything and everything.

And hence, 'the view from my fishbowl' was born.

Since that September day six years ago I've written 930 posts. That doesn't seem like much, does it? I have more posts sitting in "draft" but they may likely never see the light of day. Sometimes I just have to get my thoughts down "on screen" and if they turn into a post, great. If not, it wasn't meant to be.

I have gone through "dry spells" where the urge to write has gone away. And, I have blogged through practically every day of a month just to prove to myself that I could do it.

I blog about life here in The Fishbowl. I blog about my kids, my husband, Disney World vacations, politics (sometimes), jobs, horrible bosses, reality tv, social media and well...just about anything else. I also have giveaways at times. This really is a blog about everything....as seen from my little fishbowl here in northwest Ohio.

For my readers, I thank you for coming back even after I've been rather grumpy in a post. Or after I've been MIA for a bit due to whatever it is that takes me away from my blogging. I don't do this for Google analytics or page rank or any of those things. I blog because I love to write. The fact that people actually READ what I write, well that's just extra icing on this little bloggy cake.

So, happy birthday to my little Fishbowl.
And thanks for visiting.
See you real soon.

Random thoughts on a Sunday afternoon

2011-09-04T15:35:00.001-04:00

I often check out who has been visiting The Fishbowl, where they are located and how they found little ol' me.

The other day I discovered that someone from Germany found my blog by searching "fishbowl crap?" on Bing. That made me laugh out loud. Their search took them to this post from Disney Social Media Moms ("Facebook, following your passion and C.R.A.P).

I'm guessing it wasn't exactly what they were looking for.
(And really, why are you Binging "fishbowl crap?" in the first place???)

And then I saw that someone found my post by Googling "keith olbermann quotes starbucks" - and they found this post.

I wrote that post in 2008 after reading the following quote on my Starbucks cup:

"The world bursts at the seams with people ready to tell you you're not good enough. On occasion, some may be correct. But do not do their work for them. Seek any job; ask anyone out; pursue any goal. Don't take it personally when they say "no" - they may not be smart enough to say "yes." - Keith Olberman, broadcast journalist and host of MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olberman"*

At the time, I thought it was a great quote.
Now, while it is still a great quote, I can also totally relate to it.

First, I managed to "escape" the organization that was so quick to tell me nearly every day that I wasn't good enough. The last seven weeks have been a time of healing and renewal for me. I feel stronger as a writer. I feel better as a human being. I feel like the "old me" - the me that existed before I became a victim of workplace bullying.

Second, I am in the midst of a job search. I'm looking...but I don't know what I'm looking for. I want to write and would love something with social media. However, I don't want to deal with interoffice drama/politics. I also refuse to work for Satan's minions again. I did that already and it pretty much sucked.

I had an interview a few weeks ago and haven't heard anything. However, rather than taking it personally and thinking "Oh my gawd, why don't they want ME?"...I'm thinking "oh well, their loss."

I also received a rejection letter this week that was based solely on the "potential" employer seeing my resume. According to the letter they are "going in a different direction with the job" ... which means they either (1) filled the position internally, (2) aren't filling the position or (3) decided I was too talented for the job.

I'm going with #3.
(And yes, I am joking. Sort of.)

Whatever the reason for the rejection letter, I'm not taking it personally.

I laughed at the letter and then promptly threw it in the garbage.

And damn, did that feel good.

*Obviously this was before he was fired from MSNBC.

An open love letter to Twitter

2011-09-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

I have a confession to make.
I love Twitter.

As in, I seriously L.O.V.E. it.

It all started back in February 2008 when I joined Twitter. At first, I wasn't sure if I really liked that little blue bird. I mean, it was cute and friendly and seemed to have a good purpose. But I just wasn't sure if it was meant for me. I had a long-standing, serious love affair with another social networking site (ah-hem, Facebook) and we were quite smitten.

But I gave this Twitter thing a chance.
I flirted with it for a while...testing those sometimes murky social media waters.
I tweeted, some people responded.
It was OK fun.

I would get a few new followers every week or so. I wasn't sure exactly what I was doing or if anyone was actually reading what I was tweeting. Most of the time it felt as if I was talking to myself.

But I kept on tweeting, thinking that maybe someday it would all click for me.
And it did in June 2009.

I had recently lost a job and found solace in Twitter. I would tweet out a few things every day and people would respond. I started following more people and those people followed me and it just kept growing and growing.

And by the end of that year I was having a full-blown love affair with this thing called Twitter. I tried to explain it to everyone I could - and most of the time they looked at me as if to say "you're crazy!" The most common response was "why do I want to tell people what I'm doing?"

Oh yes, they didn't get it. They didn't understand what a magical, wonderful conversation tool Twitter really is.

Because for me, that's what it is all about - conversation. Talking with people. Talking to people. Saying "good morning, hope you all have a wonderful day!" - I don't know how many people actually read that tweet, but at least it's out there. At least I made the effort to start that conversation.

I love when people say "good morning!" or "sweet dreams" or just ask "how is your day going?" - it's those little things that spark a conversation. I ask for advice on Twitter. I vent my frustrations sometimes. I "live tweet" reality shows just for fun. And, I get support from my friends - even at 2 a.m. one night last year when my husband had to take my youngest to the ER for stomach pains. I had a group of friends and strangers talking me down from the heights of a mother's anxiety and keeping me company with reassuring tweets until my husband called and said all was OK.

Twitter is so much more than just a place to talk about what you're doing or what you had for lunch. It's about the people and the place and the brands who are out there every day - making a connection.

I have made so many amazing connections thanks to Twitter. And, I have created life-long friendships with people I've met on Twitter. People I never would have met if not for this wonderful, crazy, incredible social media world. It might sound silly to some, but my life is bigger and better and more fun thanks to a few thousand tweets.

You can find me on Twitter @TraciLeigh.

A new adventure....second grade

2011-08-30T20:56:00.007-04:00

Yep, it's true.
Olivia is officially a second grader.
Where does the time go?
I swear she was just graduating from preschool.
And now, second grade?
With a new wardrobe filled with clothes from Justice?

Hold me.

Tonight was open house. Which, at our school, means it was really open house-get your school picture taken-put money on your lunch card-schedule your parent/teacher conference for November-drop off art supplies-find your locker-find your classroom-meet your teacher night.

Whew.
I'm tired just from typing that.

I will give the school credit for ONE thing. This year was less chaotic than last year. A little less. Just a little.

And, the whole "meet the teacher" was easy this year because Olivia's teacher is the same woman who was her kindergarten teacher. I'm not sure who is happier about that - me or Olivia. Of course, Mrs. D seemed rather pleased about it too.

I admit, I got a little choked up as we "toured" the classroom. It was somehow more "grown up" than her first grade class last year. Everything seemed "older" and more mature (well, as mature as you can get in the second grade). And then, there were textbooks on the desks! Four to be exact.

TEXTBOOKS.

Hard cover textbooks for reading, math and social studies. Holy crap. (Oh and yeah...these books cost me $40. I found that out earlier this evening as I was filling out paperwork. Really? $40 for books in second grade? That's crazy talk.)

And on each desk next to the textbooks was a brown paper bag with this message attached: "Peek inside and you will see ten items meant for you and me. Reminders as we learn and play our class is special everyday!"

OK, not the greatest poem ever composed, but this list was rather inspirational....*

1. A pencil to help you record your knowledge.
2. Smarties to remind you how smart you are.
3. An eraser to remind you it's OK to make mistakes. We all do!
4. A rubber band to remind you to be flexible with each other.
5. A fuzzy stem to remind you to work together to overcome any bumps along the way.
6. A jingle bell to remind you to listen to each other.
7. A wiggle eye to remind you to keep an eye out for each other.
8. A gemstone to show to let the truth shine in your words and actions.
9. A cotton ball to remind you to treat each other gently, with kindness and respect.
10. A penny to remind you of your great worth.

I couldn't even read the whole list to Olivia without getting all teary eyed. I had to stop at number two on the list..and read the rest at home (I didn't really want the other parents to think I was losing it!).

That has got to be the best list of items.
What wonderful lessons to give these kids as they start this adventure called second grade.

Happy school year!

*(Personally, I think every grown up should get a bag like that to keep at their desks as a gentle reminder of how important they are. But that's just me.)

McDonald's real fruit smoothies ... yum!

2011-08-29T15:46:00.004-04:00

I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for fruit smoothies. I find it hard to resist the smoothie place at our local mall - and usually end up getting the LARGE.

A few weeks ago I had the chance to try the new McCafe Mango Pineapple Real Fruit Smoothie at McDonald's and let's just say I'm in love. With a smoothie. If you love pineapple and mango and yogurt...I think you'll be a fan too.

I love the flavor - and being a Disney fanatic, the pineapple-ness reminded of me of the pineapple Dole Whip. Or maybe that was just me wishing I was at Disney. Either way, it was good. And, I love that the smoothies are made fresh while you wait. These come straight from the blender to the cup. Heck, I even talked to the employee making mine.

The smoothies are available in small (12 oz), medium (16 oz) and large (22 oz) sizes, and provided up to 3/4 cup of fruit and 25% of the daily recommendation of vitamin C in a small size. You can also choose to have your smoothie made with or without low-fat yogurt. (Resource: McDonald's).

And because I love you, my dear readers, I want to share some of this smoothie deliciousness with you...with one minor caveat.

I have several "Be Our Guest" cards good for one FREE SMALL Mango Pineapple Real Fruit Smoothie and I'd like to share them with you. However, the cards are only redeemable at McDonald's Restaurants of NW Ohio or SE Michigan.

So, if you are local (northwest Ohio or southeast Michigan) and you're one of the first 6 people to comment, shoot me an e-mail (tcurth2002 at msn dot com) with your name and mailing address and I'll send you a coupon for a free smoothie. It's that easy.

(Disclosure: McDonald's of NW Ohio provided me with the Be Our Guest promotional cards. All opinions are mine.)

When I grow up, I want to be....

2011-08-24T16:00:00.002-04:00

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

This is a common question that we start asking kids right about the time they start kindergarten (or so it seems). On any given day you'll hear things like "teacher," "astronaut," "president," "football player," or "actress." All nice professions within reach of most kids (well, OK...maybe a professional athlete or actress is a stretch for "within reach" but let the kids dream, right?)

When I ask my daughters what they want to be when they grow up my oldest says a teacher and the youngest just looks at me as if I'm crazy. Perhaps I am.

But enough about the kids.
Ask yourself the same question: What do YOU want to be when you "grow up?"

Yes, I do realize that we are all "adults" and therefore have "grown up" for all intents and purposes. But, it's still a valid question. What do you want to be?

When I was growing up I wanted to be (in no particular order): an archaeologist, an actress, a television news anchor, a writer, a lawyer, a professional figure skater, and a newspaper reporter. The most logical choice in that list - and the one I enjoyed most - was writer/newspaper reporter and so, I majored in journalism in college.

Then, I hated the newspaper I worked for after graduating college. So I quit that job and moved home and decided I wanted to be a lawyer. The bar exam had other plans for me, and well... after thinking about it, I didn't really want to be a lawyer.

So then I wore many hats in many different jobs. But still I didn't have a "career."

I had an inner struggle a couple years ago when I lost a job that I truly enjoyed. I struggled a lot with the demise of my job, not only because I had to wallow in the sorrow of it for SIX very long months from the time they told me until the day the job was gone, but also because I felt like a failure. I even blogged about it - how I was 36 years old (at the time) with no CAREER. Not just a woman without a job, but a woman without a career.

At the time, that seemed important.
To have a career.
To be on some fast track to something.
But in the last couple of years I've had a change of heart.
Maybe that word "career" isn't so important in the grand scheme of things.

In my lifetime I've been a newspaper reporter, a civil rights intern, an association executive, a college instructor, an editor, and a communications manager. It's a lot of jobs and a lot of titles, but none of them made a "career."

And you know what?
I'm OK with that.

You want to know why?
Because I know what I want to be when I grow up.
I want to be what I am right now.
I am a wife, a mom, and a writer.
I am happy.

I might not have one of those "lifelong careers" where at your retirement party you can say "I've been a [insert job here] for the last 40 years and I've loved every minute of it!" But I have the best job in the world. I'm a mommy. I'm a chef and a short order cook, a taxi driver, a laundress, a booger wiper, a homework checker, a cheer mom, and a dance mom. I'm a wife, a partner, a constant source of nagging about something (what? it's true and I'm OK with it). And, I'm a writer. A blogger. A tweeter.

And most importantly, I'm happy.

Sure, I need to find a job that helps pay the bills. But I'm no longer looking or longing for a career. I found my lifelong career - mommy - and while it might not pay enough to cover the mortgage, the perks of the job are awesome.

Wordless Wednesday - Palm trees and Pop!

2011-08-24T10:21:00.002-04:00

Disney's Pop Century Resort, April 2010

Making memories with Paper Coterie (plus a giveaway!)

2011-08-22T08:00:00.003-04:00

Tell me if this sounds familiar...

You took a magical family vacation (a few months ago or maybe a year ago) and you took at least 1,000 photos on your amazing digital camera and those pictures are STILL sitting in a folder on your computer, just waiting to be used. You keep thinking "I have to do something with those pictures before the kids turn 18 and head off to college (in 13 years!)." And yet, the days go by and the pictures still sit. And sit.

Can you relate?
I thought so.

Sure, digital pictures are amazing and so easy to store..but the downside is many of us tend to just store them, never turning the photos into amazing keepsakes.

Well never fear, dear readers, I am here to offer some creative help for those family photos.
You need to check out Paper Coterie.

What is it, you ask?
Well, Paper Coterie is my new favorite site to create beautiful keepsakes with my family photos!

Paper Coterie "believe(s) in the power of paper to document who we are, the people we love, and what we are learning along the way." They are, as their Facebook page says, a close circle of friends who share a common passion — documenting the beauty of life well lived.

I recently had the chance to explore the Paper Coterie site and there were so many amazing products, it was difficult to choose just one. I loved the calendars (especially the desktop calendars!), and the growth charts were adorable (and I would have ordered one if my girls were younger). I also loved the recipe books (what a great gift for a bride-to-be).

It took some time, but I finally decided on one of the memory boxes. We've been home from our Walt Disney World vacation since mid-June and I still have a pile of "keepsakes" on my dining room table and nowhere to put them. Sure, I could have gone out and bought a boring photo box (like I usually do), but to be able to create a memory box with photos of our vacation seemed like a better idea.

The Paper Coterie site is beautiful to look at and easy to navigate. Explore all the design options and when you're ready to create a project you can jump right it (after signing up as a member on the site). Upload the photos you want to use (I loved the fast upload!) and then get creative.

And to make things EVEN easier, Paper Coterie is celebrating "Begin Anywhere Month" throughout the month of August! They want to inspire YOU to start documenting today! Their gift to you is a $40 credit to spend on anywhere on their site! There is no minimum order and all you need to pay is shipping! You must place your order by midnight August 31. Enter the code BEGINANYWHERE at checkout.

But wait, there's more!

Paper Coterie is also giving 10 of my readers a code good for $40 off AND free shipping! To enter, please leave a comment below letting me know what product you'd love to order if you won. (Be sure to include your email so I can contact you). Winner will be chosen randomly.

Contest ends midnight, Friday August 26.

UPDATE: Saturday, August 27 - the contest has closed. Winners will be contacted via email. Thanks!

Disclosure: I was chosen to review Paper Coterie by MomSelect and was provided with a free item from Paper Coterie, in addition to the 10 codes for my readers. All opinions are my own.

Wordless Wednesday - Hidden Mickey cupcake

2011-08-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

I made marble cupcakes for my mother in law's birthday. When I took them out of the oven, this "hidden Mickey" was front and center on one of the cupcakes. I laughed, took a photo, asked for a "yes or no" vote on Twitter and well...the "yes" votes won.

My cupcake hidden Mickey.

Tutus, tap shoes and pom poms

2011-08-16T14:17:00.003-04:00

Growing up, I didn't do many sports or athletic activities.
I took gymnastics for a couple of years.
And then, I was a figure skater from fourth grade until eighth grade when I decided I didn't want to do that anymore either. (My dad was so mad at me when I told him that...in his defense, I was taking private lessons and had "potential"...I guess I just lacked "drive.")

But, I never wanted to be a dancer.
I tried out for cheerleading once, in the fourth grade.
I didn't make the squad.
I didn't really care.
I was content to skate around a rink or hang out in my room, reading.
(I always wonder what life would have been like if I had a computer back then. Oh the possibilities!)

Fast forward to present day.
I'm a mom of two daughters.
Girls who love princesses and Barbie dolls and playing dress up and the color pink.
And I love all those things too, so you could say our house is one big pink ruffled party!
My husband is outnumbered and he knows it.

Emma, my youngest, has decided she wants to be a ballerina. And so, in two weeks she'll be starting dance lessons. Tap and ballet. Yesterday we went to the dance store for shoes. And tutus. I felt like a fish out of water. I had no idea what the hell I was doing. Thankfully, my sister was there to guide me around and my mom was her backup.

We bought ballet slippers that Emma might grow out of before the end of the dance year. And we bought tap shoes that came with a warning of "don't wear them on ceramic tile, hardwood floors or concrete....or bad things will happen." Then it was time for leotards and tutus.

Someone save me.

Around the same time that I was being suffocated by pink frilly tutus, Olivia was having a mini meltdown. She wanted shoes. And a leotard. And WHY WASN'T SHE TAKING DANCE?!? In my defense, Olivia has never expressed an interest in dancing. But yesterday as she watched her cousin and sister get new shoes and pink tutus, she suddenly felt left out.

A day earlier she had said to me "Mommy! You NEVER asked ME if I wanted to dance." Oh, the drama.

(A note about my Olivia - she tends to be shy and has been known to cry when she has to perform in front of crowds...so her sudden interest in dance and/or gymnastics was a bit shocking.)

I said "Olivia, what do you want to do?"
"I don't know. Maybe gymnastics."
And with that she picked out a cute black leotard and sparkly silver shorts.
For the gymnastics class that she isn't taking.

Then, my sister asked Olivia if she ever thought about being a cheerleader because Olivia's cousin was starting cheer lessons that very night and wouldn't that be fun?

That's all it took.
Sold.
Cheer lessons it was.
With a promise of gymnastics this winter.

And so, last night I spent two hours in a hot, stuffy gym sitting on a not-so-clean mat on the floor, watching Olivia learn how to be a cheerleader. She looked a bit unsure of herself and couldn't do a cartwheel...but she was having FUN. It was hot. And exhausting. But it was fun.

Now, I might joke about how I'm now a 'dance mom' AND a 'cheer mom' and how at this point I'm just a reality show waiting to happen, but as long as my girls are happy and having fun...that's all that matters.

Bring on the pom poms and tutus.
I'm ready.

Chance

2011-08-14T18:51:00.003-04:00

Today was a rainy and gloomy summer day here in northwest Ohio. Instead of staying inside, doing laundry and other mundane tasks, we decided to get out of the house. Kevin needed to find a birthday gift for his mom and he told the girls we could go "look around" at the pet store.

Three hours later we were the proud owners of that adorable kitten you see up there.

Let's talk about this a bit.

We used to have two cats - Daisy and Gatsby. They were MY cats. My babies. I had adopted them both before I met Kevin and I loved them more than I can explain here. Daisy was my first love - she was moody, loving, loud, and had an attitude that would never be 'adjusted.' She was THE alpha kitty. Gatsby was the exact opposite - she was shy, quite, and lovable toward everyone.

Daisy had many health issues in her short life. Advanced periodontal disease that led to all of her teeth being pulled, kidney issues and then at age 8, she was diagnosed with 'water diabetes' and we had to put her to sleep. It was devastating. A year later we had to give Gatsby away. I will not go into detail, but it was also devastating.

Since then cats have been a 'taboo' topic in our house. Kevin didn't want to talk about getting another one. I didn't talk about how much I wanted another cat. But the girls, well they were a different story. All Emma has been talking about is HOW MUCH she NEED a kitty. Olivia wasn't as vocal, but every time we saw kittens, we had to stop and look.

Today, we stopped and looked.
We found a four month old kitten name "Chance."
The girls FELL. IN. LOVE.

And so, we took a Chance and filled out the adoption papers and now we have a kitten.

We've renamed him Shadow.
And he's quite perfect.

A brief lesson in golf and honesty

2011-08-12T16:00:00.003-04:00

After spending every Friday morning this summer taking golf lessons, today was The Day. It was tournament day for Olivia.

Today was the very first time she golfed ON the actual golf course. She's practiced on the driving range before, and last year's tournament was three holes on that very same driving range. So today was sort of a big deal. For her. And for me and Kevin. Our "baby" was golfing four holes on a real course!

The group of golfers included Olivia and three other girls around her age (7-8) years old. One of the other dads was the "official" scorekeeper - a role he "earned" by signing his kids in first this morning. My dad was acting as Olivia's caddie, while Kevin and I were mere spectators.

On each hole the kids were given 10 strokes on the fairway and then five stroke once they were on the green. If they exceeded the 10 strokes on the fairway, they were able to pick up the ball and then place it one flag stick length away from the hole on the green. Simple enough rules, right?

Let's just say this: obviously the scorekeeper wasn't a math major. And he clearly failed ethics.

Olivia had some great drives on the fairways. She never once went over 10 strokes on the fairway. She only ended up in the bunker ONCE and took only two strokes to get out of the sand! She made her putts in five strokes or less - or at least only took five strokes to attempt to make the putt. And yet, somehow...she ended up with a final score of 47.

That's right, according to the"official" scorecard she golfed a 47 on four holes.

Yes, that IS good for a 7-year-old who has never golfed on an actual course before. (The tees were about 135 yards from the hole ... kid sized tees if you will). And while we are VERY PROUD of our little golfer, she was ROBBED of her actual score.

That's right folks, the other guy cheated/lied/fudged the numbers.

According to my dad's calculations, Olivia's score should have been a 39. And yet, it was recorded as a 47. Eight strokes higher than what she ACTUALLY golfed.

When I saw that score put on the leaderboard at the end of the tournament and then saw the scores recorded for the other kids (all in the mid 30s...which is impossible since I know on at least one hole one of the other girls had 10 strokes on the fairway!)....I was FURIOUS. Oh, and yeah...and the icing on the cake...one of his kids came in 2nd place.

I don't know how he did it, but the scorekeeper lied on the scorecard. He didn't count all the strokes for certain kids and obviously counted ALL the strokes, including missed PRACTICE SWINGS for Olivia.

And no, I'm not being a "sore loser." This is not about who won or lost, because in my mind, Olivia won today. She rocked it on that course!

But anyone who golfs knows that HONESTY is one of the core values of the game. You don't lie about your score. You don't cheat. You don't take mulligans. You don't use a "foot wedge." You play with honesty and integrity. That's why golf is often referred to as "a gentleman's game" (OK, yeah...a bit sexist, but let's all remember that women didn't always play golf.)

As proud as I am of Olivia, it angers me that someone could do that and be OK with it.
We should be teaching our kids honesty and integrity on the golf course, not teaching them how to fudge a scorecard for a lower score.

This wasn't a professional tournament. It was a four-hole tourney for little kids. It was all for FUN. There was no million dollar purse at stake. The kids all received little "bronze" medals and a toy for participating. So it just boggles my mind that this happened. Thankfully, Olivia didn't realize any of this was happening - she took her medal and her new Disney Princess "beauty set" and continued on her merry way.

But I know it happened.
And I'm not OK with it.
Next year, I'll be the scorekeeper.
And I'll do it honestly.

Worldess Wednesday - Happiness is...

2011-08-10T07:25:00.000-04:00

Summer fun on Time Island

2011-08-04T15:00:00.009-04:00

"I'm so bored!"

"What are we doing today?"

"I don't have anything to do!"

Ah, the lovely sounds of summer....the kids are bored, it's too HOT to go outside and play without melting and, of course, they have nothing to do despite the rooms full of toys and books.

So, what's a parent to do? How are we supposed to amuse the kids with something that is not only fun but also safe to play online?

The answer?
Check out Time Island.

Time Island is an online world of adventure where your kids can test their survival skills, build tribes and "outsmart, out maneuver and outlast the troublesome green creatures that inhabit the island, known as the Goggs."

Sounds a lot like "Survivor" for kids - but without the villains. And I really mean there are no villains because there are RULES in the jungle - there is no inappropriate chat, you can never reveal your personal information with other players and you must respect the other Time Island players, which means no bullying or bad language.

Really, what's not to love?

The girls and I decided to hang out on Time Island last week. The registration process is quite simple, but the girls still needed my help. First you have to agree to the Rules of the Jungle (see above), then you choose your name and pick whether you are a boy or a girl. Then ,Olivia and Emma both had a chance to create their own avatar - they picked the hair, clothes and desired gear. (Check out this YouTube video about registering for Time Island).

Next you chose a password, whether you are a boy or a girl (again), add your birthdate, country, language and your parent's email address. You can also choose the "supreme safe mode" or "standard safe mode" - which has something to do with the types of chat you will be able to see once in the game.

After this, I received an "activation email" so that I was the person activating their accounts. And then, they were ready to play!

The Time Island website says Time Island is a place where "time and seasons change unexpectedly" and you must learn new skills in order to survive. Players can earn food, and must build a shelter. But you must also watch out for Goggs - creatures that inhabit the island and sap you of your energy.

So, knowing all these things, the girls started out on a beach. We discovered that by clicking on the screen your avatar will walk in that direction and, at times, an arrow appears on screen telling you which way to walk. We followed these arrows most of the time.

Olivia managed to get off the beach and ended up in the jungle. She was a bit confused about what her goal was, but she found a ladder going down into an underground cave and followed that route. There were a few activities in the cave that she accomplished and then she was above ground again! After a while it seemed like she was going in circles, but I think that was due to her unfamiliarity with the game.

She keeps asking when she can play again - and I'm certain she'll be back on the beach and in the jungle very soon!

The concept of Time Island is great and it's a safe and fun online environment for kids. I would much rather have them playing on the island than at most of the other kids sites out there.

If you have young kids and they're "so bored" and always claiming they have "nothing to do," why not check out Time Island.

You can also find Time Island on Facebook here.

Disclaimer: I was asked to participate in this review with Time Island and MomSelect. While I was not compensated for my post, I did receive a gift pack of Time Island "goodies" for my kids. All opinions in this review are my own.

Wordless Wednesday - Wishing

2011-08-03T10:15:00.002-04:00

At our happy place.

Broken toes and bee stings - just another summer weekend

2011-07-31T16:21:00.006-04:00

Yeah, it was one of those weekends.
You know, the kind where nothing much happens but a couple things stand out.

Case in point - my broken toe(s).
Yeah, I think (know) I have at least one broken toe.
The 'baby' toe.
You know, that nubby little toe that really has no purpose in life other than to balance out your feet. That one.

A good rule of thumb - don't kick a door frame. Even if it was not on purpose.

I was minding my own business Friday night, just walking into my bedroom and then BAM! it happened. My foot met the business end of the door frame. I crumpled to the floor, screaming expletives the whole way down. It hurt so much I couldn't even cry. In fact, it hurt so much I almost laughed.

Which really makes no sense at all when you think about it.

By Saturday I couldn't walk without pain.
So I hobbled. And limped. And whined about how much it hurt.
And really, you can't do anything for broken 'baby' toe.
The toe won't bend. I can't put any weight on it.
So I wrapped my foot, thereby immobilizing the toe.
It didn't do much other than add to my already impressive limp.

I'm just happy that it's still flip flop season because no other shoes are getting on that foot.

Today at the pool I just sat in the shade, foot throbbing. There was no way I was going to swim near a bunch of people who could stomp on my foot at any given moment.

And then, Emma got stung by a yellow jacket.
Or maybe it was a bee.
She ran over to us, arm held high and said "Mommy! A little bug bit me and it hurts!"

I looked and didn't see anything and then she started to cry. It was that "I'm really in pain and somewhat scared" kind of cry. And then I saw it - a little raised spot under her arm, getting bigger as I stared at it. Emma said it was an 'orange and black' bug and it BIT HER! She was rather unhappy at the little critter. I'm quite certain if I had found the culprit I would have smashed him with my good foot (while wearing shoes, of course).

The pool had no 'bee sting' first aid, so the pool manager whipped up some baking soda paste. Thankfully the stinger wasn't in her arm. After some much needed hugs and a ring pop, the tears stopped and I told Emma that was her very first bee sting. She didn't seem very impressed.

And there you have it - we're the walking wounded over here with broken toes and bee stings. Ah, the joys of a summer weekend.

How was your weekend?

July is almost over - and it's Five Question Friday!

2011-07-29T19:37:00.002-04:00

What in the world?!? How is it possible that Monday is the first day of August? I swear July just started. I think the summer is flying by! Better hold on tight!

And now, as I sit here with ice on my foot (I kicked a door frame ... totally by accident .. and might have a broken toe)...let's jump into the five questions for today.

1. Vow renewal ceremonies - yay or nay?
I have to give this one a big YAY! I would LOVE to have a vow renewal next year for our 10th anniversary - at Walt Disney World, of course. I had the privilege to spend some time at the Wedding Pavilion at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort (and see a 'surprise' vow renewal!) and I decided that I NEEDED to do this! Now if only I could convince the husband.

2. What sound(s) annoy you the most?
Snoring. My darling husband whom I love dearly snores loud enough to wake the dead. Every. Single. Night. And it's like nails on a chalkboard to me. I also cannot handle whining.

3. If you had to pick, would you have only all boys or only all girls for kids?
Well, I think I'd say all girls - it's what I have now and I love it.

4. Do you believe in alternative medicine?
Sure. If it works, I say try it. Who's to say that "traditional" medicine is the only way to go?

5. Would you take a family member's children and raise them if they needed it?
Yes. Absolutely.

And there you have it....some rather short answers, but it IS Friday. Who wants to think too much?

Want to join in the fun? Head over to My Little Life!

On the boardwalk....

2011-07-28T14:49:00.000-04:00

Dinner at Kouzzina anyone?

Is envy always a bad thing?

2011-07-28T08:50:00.001-04:00

Do you ever have one of those days when for a split second or two you really ENVY another person? You envy their job or an experience they're having or a trip they're taking or where they live.

And then you think, "Oh wow. Am I a bad person for feeling this way?"
Envy.
It's one of the seven deadly sins.
It's bad to envy.

Yeah, it's bad.
But I think maybe it's also necessary at times.

Take for example what happened to set this blog post in motion.

I clicked on a Twitter profile and ended up at a blog and thought "Damn. How lucky is so-and-so? They are doing EXACTLY what I wish I was doing. They have a dream job."

And boom! I was hit with the envy bug.
For a moment I was actually ENVIOUS of this person.
And then I stopped and thought "what in the world is wrong with you?!?"
I stepped back and thought about why I went down that road.
It was during the "reflection" portion of my brief fit of envy where this blog post was born.

I thought to myself "Hey self, you have a great life...so what gives?"
Why oh why was I slightly green with envy, even it was just for a brief amount of time?
Why did I let myself want what someone else has?
And I really don't know the answer to that.

Because in all honesty, I have a blessed life.

I have a loving, wonderful husband who puts up with my mood swings, occasional ranting, and obsessiveness about clean counter tops. He loves me even though I'm not as thin as I used to be and I have gray hair and the start of crow's feet. I have two beautiful, amazing, brilliant daughters who are the center of my universe. We live in a beautiful house. We have our health. We make it to Disney World at least once a year. I'm close with my parents and my sister and her family. I don't have much to complain about. I really do have a great life.

And yet, every now and then I feel pangs of envy directed at other people.
I'm not mean or callous about it.
I don't think spiteful things about others.
I don't judge other people or deny them their happiness or question "why them?"

Sometimes envy just rears her ugly green head and there's nothing I can do about it.
And it really is part of human nature.
And maybe it's not all bad.

I think perhaps we need to allow ourselves to feel envy ... just a little bit ... every now and then so we can challenge ourselves to work harder. To be better. If I see someone doing something amazing I might think (as I did the other day) "wow...I could be doing that!" And then I set a plan in motion so that maybe, just maybe, I might actually be doing it someday.

I know in my current work situation I am dealing with a lot of raw emotions on a daily basis and I believe this pang of envy is connected to that.

I know what I don't want to be doing, and I also know what my "ideal" work/blogging/social media experience is - but I need to work on getting there.

So while seeing others who are already "there" might make me a bit envious, it is also giving me the push I need make my dreams a reality.

And for that, I am a grateful.

Wordless Wednesday - You gotta have friends

2011-07-27T18:13:00.006-04:00

Thank you for being a friend.

Wisdom on a Wednesday

2011-07-27T09:25:00.010-04:00

In March I had the chance to attend an incredible social media "celebration" at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. The three-day Disney Social Media Moms Celebration was chock full of amazing and inspirational speakers, but one stands out in my brain. That person is Rene Syler, the original "Good Enough Mother." Her "words of wisdom" struck a chord with me and have been resonating in my brain ever since. I have been thinking back over the things she said during the past week.

This is what I've been thinking.....

"You may not know what you want to do, but you definitely know what you DON'T want to do" - Rene Syler

I keep repeating this little nugget over and over again, because it is such a loaded statement - loaded with truth and honest feelings. And it describes where I am in my life at this very moment.

As you all know, last week I walked out of HELL and walked back into my life.
That may seem dramatic, but it's so very true.

The Old Job was like my own personal Dementor - a hooded monster that sucked the life and soul out of me, and no amount of chocolate would make it better. Every morning I would put on a fake smile and walk into the office wondering what fresh hell would await me.

And then I did it.
I walked out.

The number of people (including a former coworker who also managed to "escape") who have CONGRATULATED me on quitting is, well, amazing. Not that I EVER doubted my decision...but to be congratulated for leaving a job - that means a lot to me.

Today I am happier, healthier and more focused.
I wake up with a renewed sense of self each morning - I KNOW bigger and better things are out there for me.

I may not know what I want to do, but I knew what I didn't want to do.

"People who make you feel bad have no place in your life." - Rene Syler

Amen.
I will not surround myself with negative people who bully and intimidate because they want to feel powerful.
I refuse.

"Follow your passion because you'll never go wrong." - Rene Syler

My passion.
What is my passion?

My kids are my passion.
Writing is my passion.
Is it wrong to say social media is a passion?
I think not.

So, where do I go from here?
I want to follow my passion - but I'm still looking for that road map.
I want to write - but for whom?
And about what?

Ideally, I would love to do this - exactly what I'm doing right now.
Blogging. Every. Single. Day.
(And yes, I mean blogging AND making a little bit of money doing it).
I am writing what I want to write.
And it makes me happy.

"I want to be able to say 'every day I am happy' when it comes to my job!" - a tweet from yours truly during #DisneySMMoms

Can you say that?
Can you say every day that you are happy when it comes to your job?
Does that seem like a lofty goal?
Does it seem like too much to wish for?
Why?

Shouldn't we allow ourselves to be happy, really truly happy when it comes to our job?

Why do we put ourselves last? I think my happiness is just as important as the next person's. I think we all deserve to be happy. Happy is my new goal.

"You used to be much more muchier. You have lost your muchness." - the Mad Hatter, Alice in Wonderland

I KNOW I was losing my muchness.
It was quietly slipping away, bit by bit, each day as the job sucked the happiness and joy out of me. I didn't want to blog. I didn't want to write. I didn't think I was good enough.

Yes, my 'muchness' was missing.
But, I think I have found it again.

After the heatwave...five question Friday

2011-07-22T19:15:00.004-04:00

So, it's Friday night and I just baked some blueberry struesel muffins (baking really is therapeutic, you know) and now I'm trying to amuse myself while the kids watch Nickelodeon and my husband stares at ESPN. Yep, this is the exciting life I lead. :)

For my amusement (probably more than yours), here's Five Question Friday...

1. If your husband had the BIG V and you got pregnant, what would your first reaction be? (For the dudes, what would your first reaction be if your wife told you she was pregnant after the Big V?) OK, I have to admit, this question made me (1) squirm a bit and (2) laugh OUT LOUD. But in all fairness, I will answer. If I got pregnant for ANY REASON at this point in my life I would most likely freak the heck out. And then after calming down, I'd accept it. And then I'd freak out some more.

2. Best memory about this summer so far? Our family vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort in June. It was the most amazing eight days ... from the resort (Beach Club) to the parks (so fun!) to the food (amazing) ... I didn't want to come home. The girls keep asking when we are going back to WDW. I tell them "not soon enough."

3. How often do you change your sheets? Your kids' sheets? I try to do it every week or so. Sometimes it ends up being 10 days. Or two weeks. How embarrassing. Which reminds me...I need to wash the sheets tomorrow.

4. Having just gone through TSA, would you rather have a full body scan or a pat down? Um, I think I'll vote for the full body scan (and have now probably just jinxed myself for the next time I fly to Orlando). I don't want some stranger patting me down in the airport. Save that for the creepy looking dude behind me.

5. Since it is fair time....what is your favorite fair (state or county) memory? See, I used to be a reporter in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. And every summer there is a huge county fair in Bloomsburg. And in the summer of 1995 I had to cover the county fair. For two weeks. I even wrote a column about it that focused on all the bizarre things you see at a county fair. I wrote stories about the crazy "carnies" and the odd things they sell. I wrote a story about the mashed potato and Jello wrestling. I had to witness a mashed potato wrestling match. In 95 degree heat. Imagine the smell. And that my dear readers is my, um, favorite fair memory.

If you want to link up to the Five Question Friday fun, check out My Little Life.

Heatwave

2011-07-21T13:34:00.003-04:00

Remember in February when I was complaining about the ice and snow and bitterly cold temps?
It was around that time when I swore I would not complain about the heat this summer, because we had nearly frozen solid during the winter.

Yeah well, I lied.
I am now going to complain about this heat.

Right now as I type this at 1:35 p.m., it is currently 98 degrees outside. The heat index is 106. It could get as high as 115 degree heat index.

That is H.O.T.
Fry an egg on the sidewalk hot.

I saw a weather related photo online today ... it said "Satan called. He wants his weather back."
Yeah, it's Hades-HOT out there.

The girls and I have been "trapped" in the house for the last few days because it's too hot to do anything outside. We haven't even ventured to the pool because, well, it's too hot.

Mother Nature, really. Why is this necessary? Why do you feel the need to cook us? Why can't we just have have "normal" summer temperatures for northwest Ohio? You know...like 85 and sunny? That would be much, much better.

It's crazy stupid hot outside and I don't like it one bit.

Wordless Wednesday - Dreaming of a road trip

2011-07-20T14:21:00.003-04:00

Oh what fun a road trip would be....

What a difference a year makes

2011-07-19T10:49:00.004-04:00

One year ago today I was starting a new job.
A job that seemed to have great promise and potential with what appeared to be a great organization.

I remember interviewing for this job thinking how great it sounded and then when I was offered the job I was ecstatic! I really thought it was going to be something wonderful.

Yesterday, I quit The Job.
And I could not be happier.

What a difference a year makes.

Anyone who reads my blog knows that I've been dealing with a lot of stress and other nonsense at The Job. My former boss was (still is) a bully. The person in charge of our regional office wasn't much better. I had a few "work friends" who supported me, but I also felt like I could only trust a couple people at the office. All in all it was a very toxic, unhealthy place to work.

Last week I started having horrible stomach pains. I couldn't eat. It was a constant pain. And it lasted all weekend. Kevin and I discussed my options and decided it would be in my best interest (physically, personally and professionally) to just walk away. Be done with these people once and for all.

And so, on Sunday afternoon, I drafted my letter of resignation:

I am tendering my resignation from XYZ Organization, effective today July 18, 2011.

I can no longer come into work every day and be confronted by bullying and hostility. Your negative attitude toward me and my position in this organization has been amplified over the past few months, creating a hostile and toxic work environment that is affecting me professionally, personally and physically.

There have been numerous occasions where your actions were not only unprofessional and hostile, but they fall into the definition of workplace bullying. Your communications with me are written in a way that is not only threatening but also creates a sense of intimidation – ‘do this or else.’

My mid-year performance review in February spoke to my leadership with the communications team and my exemplary work with the [organization's] social media accounts, and yet in March of this year, everything changed. I was verbally assaulted by another manager who called me an inappropriate name while I was at the corporate office and at the same meeting you chose to ridicule my need to leave a meeting early so that I could drive nearly four hours home to pick up my daughter at school. You told me it was “stupid” and I needed to decide what was more important. And then in mid-June I was subjected to nearly 45 minutes of verbal intimidation and veiled threats of termination – all based on unsubstantiated stories and false accusations.

I find it very unfortunate that an organization driven by a mission, a promise and, most importantly, a law that speaks about being considerate and caring and respecting others turns a blind eye when directors and managers bully their employees, treating them with a complete lack of respect and total disregard for their feelings.

This organization continues to create an atmosphere of bullying, intimidation and hostility directed not only toward me but also toward other individuals who have experienced the same mistreatment by management. That being said, I refuse to be bullied any longer.

This resignation is effective today and I will be leaving the Toledo office immediately, upon cleaning out my personal items.

Sincerely,
T.C.

I really REALLY wish I could have seen The Bully's reaction when she opened her email and saw this. I think it would have been a priceless moment. I kind of hope it ruined her morning if not her entire day. [And yes, I realize that is probably petty, but trust me when I saw this woman deserves to have a bad day or two. Karma is a bitch and it will come find her eventually. That's all I'm saying.]

As I pulled out of the office parking lot for the last time yesterday morning, it was as if a huge, heavy weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I felt like I could breathe again. I felt relief.

I. Was. Happy.

Yes, things will be a bit 'tight' financially until I find a new job. But a friend pointed out to me that this is a fresh start - I can do anything I want. The world is my oyster. There's a great big beautiful tomorrow....OK, you get the picture.

I am going to refocus on what I want to do and on what is going to make me happy. I am going to spend a bit of time reflecting on what it is that I REALLY REALLY want to do. And then I'm going to work on doing it.

Shop 'til you drop at Lodi Station Outlets

2011-07-17T15:16:00.010-04:00

the girls with Chugga Chugga Charlie!

Last weekend I had the chance to attend the VIP Blogger Day at the Lodi Station Outlets in Burbank, Ohio (a bit south of Cleveland), and I have to say...if you've never been there what are you waiting for?!? Yes, there is shopping - lots and lots of shopping at more than 60 stores - but the outlet is also home to two lovely vintage trains that travel around a 2-mile long track. So, it's the best of both worlds - mom gets to shop and dad and the kids can ride the train!

When we arrived at the outlets, we were greeted by @Nikki_S, their great social media coordinator who loaded us up with lunch vouchers (yum!), train tickets, a great swag bag full of so many goodies and ... a gift card to spend at the shops. I have to admit, I felt a bit spoiled!

the goodies

As we were starving after driving since 9:30 a.m. (and hungry kids = cranky kids), we decided to grab some lunch right after we sat for ID pictures as one of our "perks" was VIP train passes good through 2012. You can bet we'll be back to ride the train as my girls loved it.

OK, back to lunch. We ate at the Steam Cafe where everything is homemade and fresh made. I loved the choices - the specials for the day were a taco salad (Kevin's choice) and a "summer salad plate" (my choice). The girls can be a bit picky, but Emma was able to get a peanut butter (no jelly!) sandwich and Olivia had a turkey sandwich with grated cheese, warmed up please. (See, I told you they are they are picky!)

After lunch, I wanted to shop ... but no, the kids (and Kevin) wanted to ride the train. So we hopped on the train and I'm glad we did. I was able to see many of the stores and could decide where I "needed" to go once we were done riding the train.

Finally...it was time to shop! I knew where I wanted to go and had some idea of what I wanted to buy, so we didn't make it to every store but we can always go back. We headed to Justice first because I told the girls they could each spend $20 (yeah, I'm generous like that). Of course, fashion diva Olivia was picking out a whole new wardrobe until I reminded her she only had $20. So, she and Emma decided on a new stuffed animals (because we need more of those in this house!).

The deals in the store were good - the whole store was 40% off, I think. So, after finding a birthday present for my niece and Beanie Babies for the kids, we saved $19.16 (spent $30.54). Not a bad way to start the day.

Next up was Bath & Body Works. Now, I used to shop at B&BW all the time, but it's just so darn expensive anymore and I can't justify spending that kind of money on hand soap. However, the outlet had 75% off many (most) products so I couldn't pass it up. The "wallflowers" were $3.12 each..I mean, c'mon people! Get shopping! Three hand soaps and one wallflower later, I walked out only spending $11.31. Now that's a bargain!

All that bargain hunting made us hungry (again), so we headed over to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory to use our "free scoop of ice cream" coupons. Mint chocolate chip ice cream is so good on a hot shopping day, that's all I'm going to say. But the chocolates...oh the chocolates. I jokingly said "I'll take one of each"...but I was only partially joking. It all looked so yummy. I promised the kids we'd come back right before we left so we didn't have melted chocolate.

emma, enjoying the ice cream

Olivia decided our next stop was going to be the scrapbook store, Crazy for Scrapbooks. She is a budding "scrapbooker" and she needed some Disney stickers. And I admit, I wanted to grab some more stickers too ... you know, for those TWO Disney vacation scrapbooks I have yet to start! We walked out $21.90 later.

We walked past the outlets for The Gap, Lane Bryant, The Children's Place, Gymboree and more...but we didn't go in. Just know...there are so many great stores at Lodi Station I could have done some serious damage!

Since I'm a sucker for kitchen gadget stores my next stop was the Kitchen Collection. Oh the things I could have bought! But I had a mission - I needed a couple new pans. I have Calphalon pans and for some reason the non-stick has come off...and well, that's gross when you're trying to cook. So, I picked out a set of Paula Deen cookware (they're red which matches my Disney red, white and black kitchen) and they were only $29.99. Bonus here - at this store if we spent $30 or more we could use a $5 coupon! So, I looked around for a few more things and ended up with an iced coffee cup and two sports bottles for the kids. All for $30.86!

Now here's where my "mission" kicked in. I added it up and said "OK, we have $5.39 left to spend...can we do it without 'going over'?"

The answer?
Yes.
Sort of.

By this time the girls were getting tired and hot and cranky...so I decided we would go back to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, as promised. The very friendly staff recognized us from our earlier visit and I told them about my "challenge" and they jumped into action. One chocolate chip cookie, one chocolate covered Twinkie and one chocolate covered double marshmallow later we had a total of $5.40! ACK! I was one penny over my "limit"...but never fear, one of the employees said "Oh, we have an extra penny right here" and suddenly I was at my total....$5.39.

And that my friends is the tale of how I spent $100 in a few short hours.

my goodies

Yes, I could have spent much, much more...but we're on a budget and to be honest, we did spend a few extra dollars at the pretzel shop right before hitting the road. But I tell you what, if you're looking for GREAT deals, good food, AND a really cool train ride - head on over to Lodi Station Outlets for a day. It's worth the drive!

Check out Lodi Station on Twitter and Facebook!

Disclaimer: I was invited to spend the day at Lodi Station and we were provided with vouchers for lunch and train rides, VIP train passes, a swag bag of goodies from stores at the outlets and a gift card. The opinions in this blog post are all mine.

Stomach pain and not-so-brilliant doctors

2011-07-13T22:42:00.004-04:00

It started Tuesday morning...I had this weird pain in my belly button. "That's odd," I thought and tried to ignore it. Throughout the day the pain would come and go and I just figured it would go away.

My mom said she had pain in the same area last winter and it eventually went away, so I didn't think much of it. I went to bed Tuesday night and it seemed to hurt less.When I woke up this morning I thought "Oh good! The pain is gone."

And then I stood up.
The pain was still there, but it had moved a bit...slightly to the left of my belly button.

Now, when one Googles "belly button pain" you see words like "ulcer," "appendicitis," and "urinary tract infection." None of these are good.

I went to work like a good little worker bee and tried to ignore the dull achy pain in my abdomen. That worked until about 9:30 a.m. And so I called my doctor. Who, of course, doesn't work on Wednesdays. The front desk clerk took my information and said she'd call the doctor and call me back.

I made sure to say "call my cell phone, do NOT call me at home because I'm not home." An hour and a half later (good thing it wasn't a medical emergency) I call the doctor's office again. I tell front desk girl who I am and why I'm calling and she says "Uh huh. And who are you again?" I repeat my name and she proceeds to tell me that she DID call me AT HOME and left a message because I GAVE HER THE WRONG CELL NUMBER. No, you moron...you called the wrong number.

After a bit of back and forth she says she'll call the doctor with my answers to her questions and get back with me. Shockingly, this time my cell number works and she says the doctor thinks I have a stomach virus. "I'm not 'sick'," I say. "Oh it's a virus that doesn't cause vomiting or anything. Just pain. Eat bland food for two days and call us if you aren't better."

WTH?
A stomach virus that ONLY causes pain?
Where did you get your medical degree?
That is a "it's my day off, just tell the patient something to make them go away" kind of diagnosis.

So, it's now 10:50 p.m. and I'm still in pain. And I'm hungry. Which leads me to believe it isn't really a virus. Yes, I did come home from work and sleep for THREE HOURS this afternoon, but I think I was just tired. My own "medical" opinion is that this pain is somehow related to the stress I'm under at The Job.

Which means my job is making me sick.
And I'm not OK with that.

If I'm still in pain tomorrow morning I am calling the doctor and getting an appointment.
Maybe I'll get a doctor's note to quit The Job because it's detrimental to my health and well-being.

Wordless Wednesday - The Beach

2011-07-12T21:41:00.003-04:00

ahh......

What it is like to work for a bully

2011-07-08T20:40:00.004-04:00

My boss is a bully.
Plain and simple.
There is no other way to phrase it.
She's a bully with a capital "B".
(She's also another word that starts with a capital "B"...but for now we'll stick with Bully).

Six months ago my mid-year review was glowing with praise.
I had "strong communication skills" and it was pointed out that I was "particularly strong in [my] abilities to implement and maintain [the organization's] social media communication. I was told IN WRITING that the boss appreciated my "leadership on the communication team."

What a difference a few months makes.

I have written about my "trials" at The Job ... here, here, here, and here. It's not a secret (at least not to anyone who knows me or reads this blog) that I am no longer happy at work. But, I am still a good employee. I go to work every day and I do my job. And if we're being honest here (I am, as always) ... I am good at my job.

Or so I thought.
Until this morning.
This morning when I opened my e-mail and saw my "Development Plan" for the next TWO MONTHS.

(Yes dear readers...it appears that I have been given two months to "straighten up and fly right" as the saying goes.)

The e-mail went on and on for three very long paragraphs, detailing how there are "performance gaps" and how an "improvement plan" MUST be put in place and what I must do in order to be deemed "successful" by the end of the two months. It was pointed out that "successfully [sic] completion of this plan will demonstrate that you are building the foundation for longer term success." And then she Cc'd two other "directors" in the office...just for good measure, so they are "aware of the expectations." (read: so they can babysit me in her absence).

The best part of the entire e-mail?

This: I am now required to provide her with a written copy of my weekly schedule, and next to each activity I am to document the result of the activity, focusing on what I achieved and the "results should be in relation to [my] accountabilities." I also have to include my "planned activities and results for the upcoming week." But wait, there's more. I then have to call her every Monday morning to discuss my progress and visit the corporate office (a four hour drive away) once a month to have a "face to face opportunity" to discuss my progress.

Apparently I now require a full-time babysitter at the office.
Big Brother is definitely watching ME.

The "development plan" that was attached is unrealistic and is full of unattainable goals. Even if I was superwoman and worked 12 hours a day I could not accomplish the goals she has 'created' - most of which have never been part of my job requirements. And she knows this.

I have been set up to fail.
As one trusted co-worker said to me today..."you have been targeted and you have no hope."

A year ago when I started this job I was excited. I thought I had the chance to make a difference to do something great. That is no longer the case. Now, I am just being pushed around this giant chess board and have to report to this horrible, despicable bully.

The worst part? The organization I work for strives to promote anti-bullying measures. And yet, the women who run this office are all bullies. They belittle people via e-mail and in person. They degrade employees and our job performance, they make us feel worthless.

I found this definition today while searching 'workplace bullying': Workplace bullying is repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators that takes one or more of the following forms - verbal abuse; offensive conduct/behaviors (including nonverbal) which are threatening, humiliating or intimidating; work interference - sabotage - which prevents work from getting done. - from Workplace Bullying Institute.

This sounds a lot like what I have been dealing with for months.

And after a while, after the Bully keeps telling you how horrid you are, you start to believe that you really aren't any good at your job. And maybe people really don't want to work with you. You stop trusting people at the office and you talk in whispers just in case someone might overhear. You start believing that the work you are creating isn't any good.

And that my friends is not fun.
It is very difficult, no...damn near impossible to WANT to do your job.

I'm not a quitter.
I don't quit.
I don't walk away.
But right here at this moment that is what I want to do.
I want to tell them to take their development plan and shove it.
I refuse to be treated this way any longer.
I refuse to feel like I am an untalented, worthless, useless worker bee.
I refuse to be bullied any longer.

My laughing place

2011-07-07T19:13:00.003-04:00

Some days all I need to do is look at a photo of the Magic Kingdom and all is right with the world again. Some days it's the small things that make a big difference.

Ten things on Thursday

2011-07-07T09:32:00.000-04:00

OK, so you're all visiting my blog and reading about my crazy hectic life and well, I decided to do a little bit of sharing today. (Because, as a blogger I don't quite share enough, right?)

So here's today ten things...you might not know about me.

10. Tailgaters and others with bad traffic manners annoy me.
'Tis true. If I see you tailgaiting me as I'm driving I will slow down. As in, below the speed limit. Just to annoy you. Especially if you can't pass me. I will make you hit your brakes. And if you do it at a red light, I'll be sure to pause dramatically before I go when it turns green. Good rule of thumb - if you see a blue minivan with a Disney family on the back window...back off my bumper.

9. Litterbugs bother me.
This is a new one that I've added to the list due to recent events. Certainly I never held a special place in my heart for people who litter - because honestly, how hard is it to find a garbage can?!? But in the past few days I've seen people literally THROWING GARBAGE OUT THEIR CARS as they are driving. Yesterday, it was a large fast food cup followed by the ENTIRE bag of food. Today, it was a juice box. Just tossed out the window. I really wanted to take photos of their license plates and post them on Facebook and Twitter. But I didn't.

8. I have an unreasonable fear of spiders.
I will walk/run the other way every time I see an eight-legged beast. I scream when I see spiders. I don't care if it's one of those little spiders or a giant oh-my-gosh-where-did-that-come-from monster spider. I. Will. Scream. And make my husband kill it. We don't trap and release in this house. No way. If there's a spider in the house, it is dead.

7. If I had a million dollars....
I would not buy you a house. Sorry. I'd buy me a house. In Florida. And I'd pay off my law school loans. And our credit card bills. And buy an annual pass to Walt Disney World. And do some other fun things too. But first and foremost, I would QUIT MY JOB.

6. I prefer breakfast to all other meals.
True story. My favorite dinner as a kid was pancakes. My mom would only make breakfast for dinner (brinner?) when my dad was out of town. Because my dad didn't like breakfast at dinner. I love making pancakes and/or waffles for dinner. Of course, I love breakfast for breakfast too. Pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon...it really is the best meal of the day.

5. I don't like sunbathing.
In fact, when we're at the pool, I sit in the shade...only venturing out into the sun for a few minutes at a time. I won't just "lay in the sun" to get a tan. Ick. I prefer the pale look, thank you very much. I think it's because I had 2nd and 3rd degree sunburn when I was 12 and since then I'm very, very overprotective when it comes to being in the sun. SPF 1000 for me please.

4. I don't watch horror movies.
I can't really explain this one - I used to watch them. I remember watching "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and not being too scared. But now? I cannot stomach a horror film. Especially the gory kind. Scary movies (Alien) are OK. But I'm more of a drama/comedy/romance kind of girl, I suppose.

3. I love Twitter.
I've been "on" Twitter since February 2008 and I am in love with it. I love the interaction. I love the connections I make. And I have so many wonderful friends whom I would not know if it wasn't for social media (specifically Twitter). So I send Twitter a valentine every February. It must be love.

2. If I could have any job in the whole wide world...
Um, well...I sort of already have it. I'm a mom to two wonderful, amazing, beautiful girls and that my friends is the BEST job in the whole world. And if I could pick a second job, I would be a writer. Which I guess I am with this blog. So hey....I do have the best job in the world - I'm a mommy and a blogger! #yayme

1. If I was on a deserted island, I would need...
Lip gloss, some books, a toothbrush, my family and access to Twitter.

You gotta have (work) friends....

2011-07-06T20:41:00.004-04:00

Today was my "year end self assessment review" at The Job.

Yes, a self assessment.
I had to explain what I thought were my successes and challenges and then The Boss gets to rewrite the whole thing and tell me what SHE THINKS are my successes/challenges.
This should be interesting. We also get ranked on a scale of 1 to 3. "1" meaning you're horrible at your job and "3" meaning you'll be the next CEO.

Anyway...after focusing on my "challenges" (this place always has to focus on the negative), we got down to business.

The Boss asks if I've given any thought to our "conversation" from a couple weeks ago. I say "a little but not much." Which is sort of true. I've been thinking about it a lot ... but what I've been thinking probably shouldn't be repeated in a year end review.

I go on to tell her that I've talked to quite a few people at the office and they all seemed surprised when I ask if they like working with me (or if they just like me as a person). She says "it's not a question of whether or not people like you, the issue is that 'these people' don't want to work with you."

WHAT. THE. HECK.

So I ask who "these people" are. And she dodges the question.
Apparently - according to her - "the people" she's heard from don't want to confront me. Apparently I am terribly intimidating and scare people with the slightest look. HA!

OK...so if you have an issue with someone but have to work with them...wouldn't you walk into their office and say "let's talk"???? Yeah, me too. Which leads me to the conclusion that "the people" are made up, figments of her imagination, a total fantasy. I'm "the bad guy"....OK, whatever. Make me the office villain.

Then she says "we gave you the benefit of the doubt and thought maybe you're just an introvert who likes to work in her office, away from people, with the door closed...you know, maybe you keep people at an arm's length..."

At this point, it's all I can do to not laugh in her face.
Me? An introvert?
Clearly she and the regional director don't know me at all.
I'm so far from being an introvert.
hahahahhahahahaha

Anyway...she continues by telling me that they determined that maybe I'm not introverted, but I "put on an air of negativity" and that turns people off.

Yep, that's me.
A negative introvert.
Ooooh...I'm so scary.....

And now we get to the reason behind the title of this post.
I was told in no uncertain terms that there is NO REASON to have friends at work.
I mentioned that I do have friends at the office and I do like the people I work with and we all get along. And The Boss says "I don't see why you need to have friends at work."

I couldn't even come up with a good response other than "I don't see why you wouldn't want to have friends at work."

(I mean really...I couldn't make this up if I tried. These people are just absolutely inhuman and crazy).

Oh and my "review" ended with "well if you aren't happy here then you shouldn't be here." And my response? "I would have to agree with you."

And yet, here I am.
Still working for the devil's minions.
Still miserable.
Still waiting for the phone to ring with a better job offer.

Because when that day comes I will walk into that office with the biggest smile on my face and say "I quit."

That day can't come soon enough.

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T08:26:00.003-04:00

Wishing you a happy (and safe) 4th of July!

When a "sick day" isn't really a sick day

2011-07-01T15:25:00.004-04:00

Today I took a sick day from The Job.

I wasn't sick.

In fact, I woke up feeling great because I knew I didn't have to go to The Office.
I felt wonderful.
I wasn't stressed.
The migraine I've been dealing with all week was gone.

I was, in a word, HAPPY.

And yet, I still e-mailed The Boss and said "I'm taking a sick day. Have a great weekend."

Do I feel guilty about taking a sick day when there wasn't anything wrong with me?
Nope.
Not even a little bit.

After all, I AM sick of my office and all the nonsense that has been happening there for months.
That counts, right?
My job makes me sick. :)

So how did I spend my non-sick sick day?

Well...
I took Olivia to her golf lesson and watched her practice her chipping skills.
I ran some errands with my sister.
And, I spent three hours at the pool with my family.
We had a great time swimming, hanging out, eating ice cream.

It was the perfect non-sick sick day.

Wordless Wednesday - My happy place

2011-06-29T06:44:00.001-04:00

Oh what I would give to be here right now.....

A walk down memory lane...20 years in the making

2011-06-27T19:04:00.004-04:00

St. Ursula Academy, Class of 1991

This past weekend was my 20 year high school reunion.

Twenty years.
First of all....where the heck did the time go?
And secondly, how did I get so old?

Five years ago when we celebrated our 15th high school reunion I was OK with it. It didn't sound like it had been FOREVER AGO since we had graduated. But now...20 years?!? I think I'm still in denial.

There is no freaking way I graduated from high school 20 years ago.
I don't care what the gray hair screams.
It isn't possible.

Twenty years.
ACK!

Funny how time flies when you're having fun.

As my former classmates arrived at the reunion the reality of it hit me - the last time I saw most of these women was June 1991 when we walked out of Rosary Cathedral after graduation. On that day, many of us simply walked out of each others lives without a second thought.

Sure, I have kept in touch with my "core" group of friends from high school - many of us still live in town and a few of us manage to fit in a dinner/girl's night out every now and then. And, of course, Facebook helps with the whole 'staying in touch' thing with those who aren't still in town.

But the rest?
I honestly hadn't thought about them in 20 years.
And, I didn't recognize some of them either.

But, it was wonderful to see my former classmates - and it was hard to believe it's been 20 years! Some of my classmates still looked the same as they did back then. [I have to admit it did feel good to hear a few classmates tell me "oh my gosh! you look great! you're still pretty".... it's the small victories in life these days, ya know].

And what amused me the most was this - after TWENTY YEARS the cliques still exist. Sure, we all hugged and said hello (well, except for a few people who really didn't say 'hi' to anyone)...but after a while the "old groups" emerged and it was just like the cafeteria 20 years ago. I was guilty of it too .... I sat with MY friends from back in the day. I guess old habits die hard and you naturally gravitate to people who are most like you.

Yes, in case you are wondering....we were gossiping about people as we sat there. And we were also looking through our senior yearbook wondering WHY we ever thought hair bows, scrunchies and square lace collars ever looked good. [The 90s were not kind to us as far as fashion is concerned]. Seriously, some of the photos were just awful...what were we thinking?!?

I've been thinking about my 18 year old self as I "prepared" myself for this reunion, and I kept wondering what, if anything, would my 38 year old self tell me if given the chance. Kind of like a "if I knew then what I know now" exercise.

A few things the 38 year old me would tell the 18 year old me:
- 115 pounds was NOT fat.
- You will never use Geometry in "real" life, so don't sweat it.
- You will also never use Algebra II in "real" life, so it's OK that you failed it that last quarter of your senior year.
- Keep in touch with your friends.
- Going away to college and not knowing anyone else on campus is really OK. You will love it.
- Always speak your mind, even when others think it's not a good idea.
- Don't go to college with a boyfriend. He is so NOT worth it.
- You are a writer. Go with THAT. Don't let anyone (including yourself) tell you differently.
- Get on the college newspaper your very first day at college. Don't wait until your junior year.
- Take more risks. Especially as a writer.
- Don't take Russian in college. You will never use it.
- Take French instead. And then study abroad. In Paris.
- Seriously. Study abroad. In Paris. Because someday you'll be 38 years old, wishing you had studied abroad in Paris while in college.
- When you graduate from college, take a few months off. Explore. Discover yourself. Don't jump into the first job you find. It won't be worth it in the end.
- Go to Paris.

So, what would YOU tell your 18 year old self?

Today was another "Target moment"

2011-06-22T19:26:00.003-04:00

So, a few months ago I had what I'm now calling my "Target moment" (thank you Rene Syler for this) at The Job. The leadership (ha!) at my organization proved to be less than stellar and showed their true colors and well....things went from bad to worse.

It was at that moment that I realized "I'd rather work at Target/Starbucks/anywhere else than here." It was at that moment that I decided to start looking for a new job.

In March I was called a "wussy" by a manager at the corporate office. And I was told by a director and the COO that maybe I shouldn't work there. Oh and in April I was told that I was "negative"...which means I wasn't willing to toe the party line and be a "good girl" (it comes down to this: I have a personality and think for myself, which is forbidden at my organization).

The last few months have been stressful and frustrating and things haven't improved any (people are still being bullied, etc.) but I go to work every day with a smile on my face and I DO MY JOB.

Or so I thought.

[Now as I'm going to tell this story, remember that I was on vacation for NINE DAYS].

Today I was subjected to a 45 minute character assassination by the chief operating officer and our regional director.

I was told in no particular order that:
- I am negative
- No one wants to work with me because I'm so negative
- I am a poor leader
- I am not a role model for anyone
- I lack initiative
- I view my job as a "task" that needs to be completed, not as a job
- I don't do anything other than wait for people to give me things to edit
- I am "disengaged" from the other office I am responsible for
- I have a bad attitude
- I take the AP Stylebook too seriously and need to be more flexible about the "rules" that I "made up"
- I take things too personally
- Anywhere I work will have an atmosphere where people are disrespected
- Everyone takes vacation and NO ONE gets "catch up" time
- I need to change my attitude or they will fire me.

Yeah, the "bullying session" ended with this: "You need to go home and think about your attitude and decide if you're going to change it. Because if you can't then we will have to make a decision about your future with this organization."

Not surprisingly I spent the next two hours in my office with the door closed, crying. I talked to a few friends at the office - they were floored by these accusations. I had one person tell me "you are the funniest person here...we love you."

Apparently funny/sarcastic is equivalent to negative. And that is not allowed.

So now that I've been told that I suck as a human being, I now have to go in to the office with a positive attitude.

Yeah, I'll let you know how that works out.

Back from vacation....buried in laundry

2011-06-19T08:24:00.004-04:00

[Sigh]

We're back from our amazing Disney vacation. Isn't it incredible how it takes forever to plan a trip (we started planning LAST June) and then it takes forever to count down the days until you leave and then the entire trip rushes by in warp speed?

I really think that you should be able to freeze time when at Walt Disney World.

Anyway...I have a gazillion loads of laundry staring at me (OK, it's really just five or six)...so I'm not posting much now.

I'll have some trip report posts coming up.

See ya real soon!

Baby it's HOT outside...and fans don't work

2011-06-08T05:55:00.003-04:00

Yesterday the temperature here in good ol' northwest Ohio was "warmer" (read: WAY FREAKING HOTTER) than the temperature in Orlando, Florida. I know this because I have my "second home" (Orlando) saved as a favorite city on my Weather Channel app.

Yesterday it felt like it was at 100 degrees here with a billion percent humidity.
Orlando topped out around 90 degrees...with some humidity.

And...my office still has no air conditioning.
And by "no" I mean NONE.
As in both floors are out.
We used to have a/c on the first floor.
Now that appears to have died too.
We have resorted to using as many fans as possible in every office, corner and hallway.
It isn't working.

At about 8:35 yesterday the "boss" went around telling everyone on the 2nd floor to move down to the first floor conference room to work. (At that point it WAS cooler on the first floor...I am assuming the a/c was still working then.)

So picture this --- about 10 women all scattered around a conference room, trying to work. All women. All sitting next to each other at tables. A whole lot of talking going on. Not a whole lot of work. We rehashed "The Bachelorette" and what a total sleaze Bentley is. We talked about how FREAKING miserable we were and how STUPID it is that "the boss" refuses to let us wear flip flops to work when the "real feel" temp on the second floor is about 115 degrees.

Oh yeah...I forgot to mention ... we still have to FOLLOW THE DRESS CODE despite the fact that we have no a/c and will have no a/c until probably mid-July. So, we can't wear flip flops. But (and this makes so much sense....not) we can wear sandals. What? Huh? (This is how it was explained to us - "you can wear sandals that have a strap in the back around the ankle, but not flip flops because they don't have a strap." Yeah...this is the logic model I work for.)

Being the rebel that I am, I plan on wearing flip flops to work today.
Go ahead. Fire me.
I double dog dare you.

Today the actual temperature is forecast to be about 98 degrees with a heat index of 100 to 105. Which means the second floor of the office will be at least 120 degrees. At 10 a.m.

Yesterday I left the office at about 1 p.m. to work from the comfort of my air conditioned home. I have a feeling I'll be doing the same today. And tomorrow.

Because...when it's 1,000 degrees in your office, fans just don't cut it.