Grateful

Today I want to talk about how greatful I am for all the people in my life. Not just the people I see and talk to everyday, but EVERYONE!!

I am currently unemployed (due to a layoff) so in addition to finding the perfect job, I spend my days cleaning things in my apartment that I have never thought to clean before, reading people's blogs, watching TV (sadly my TV watching has gone up--I attribute it to the late winter we are having in Salt Lake City), going to the gym and looking for new and interesting things to do. But really the highlight of my day is hearing from people via email, text, phone, facebook or other modes of communication.

I delight in hearing from them not because I am bored or lonely but because lately I have been noticing how brilliant the people around me are and seeing their wonderful attributes.

One example--I have been working on my resume lately. I have found it difficult to summarize what I have done at various jobs because quite frankly, each job deserves more than a few bullet points!! I have honestly put my guts into the different jobs I have had. I am not your typical 9-5er!! I have stayed late at jobs not because I was required to or because I wasn't efficient in my work, but because I knew that if I stayed late, then I could go above and beyond and make a project or my company that much more competitive or that much better. Not everything that I did have tangable, immediate results.

At my last job, I was a center manager and sales manager. I was responsible for leasing executive office space to individuals and companies. But was that all I did? Heck no!! I stayed and did the paperwork behind everything after hours so during business hours I could be out front where current clients stopped by because I felt that it was important. Yes, I did increase the number of suites occupied in my center and that is very satisfying, but even better is hearing the CEO of my company say that I created a feeling of welcoming to my center. He said he has noticed that anyone who comes in feels at ease and welcomed to the place. Clients who have wanted to upgrade from my center (class B space) to a nicer building told me they were set to do it, but don't want adjust to not having me and my employees to work with and see on a daily basis. How do you quantify that in a resume???

But I sent my ho-hum resume to a friend and within minutes she emailed me back giving me pointers and hints about how to list and quantify my accomplishments. Gosh, I am so grateful for her!!

I have a roommate that has been going though a lot of family issues as of late, but does that stop her from making my day a little brighter? Does that stop her from making the lives of others that she interacts with happier? Not at all.

Really when it comes down to it, I feel that I have become a better person for knowing the people that I have known and currently know. I just hope I can do the same for them!!

New Years Thoughts

New Year, new effort to chronicle the goings and comings of my life.

At the start of the year, I reflected on the things that happened that were significant during the last year:
1. My dad having a quadruple bypass
2. Getting laid off from an extremely stable job
3. Cops deciding that I need loads and loads of tickets
4. Not being able to register my car because of an over-vigilant mechanic who failed me on inspection, getting 2 tickets and almost getting my car impounded, but talking the cops out of it
5. Things getting tense in the house I lived in and having to find a new place to live
6. A rock flying up and chipping my windshield and several minutes later cracking my windshield
7. Getting hit, head on by a driver driving too fast in the snow and having $3600 of repairs to my car

I am sure there is more, but that is all I remember right now. Yes, to me it is a significant list and when thinking on it, I decided that 2010 HAS to be a better! A good friend of mine helped me alter my perception of the intense year I had.

1. My dad is in fantastic health and because of his great health, didn't have a heart attack and cause more damage. He recovered remarkably quickly from his surgery and is doing great!
2. Although I did get laid off from my job, it has been a good thing. Within a week of being laid off, I found a great job with great people doing something that pushes and challenges me more than I was ever challenged at my last job
3. Yeah, the whole getting tickets really is my fault, so I have no one to blame but myself
4. Again, my own fault. I could have taken it somewhere else and had it re-checked sooner than I did (it passed the second time it was checked)
5. This, too is a great thing. I moved with one of the roommates I lived with and things are fantastic! We found a beautiful place to live and the move was pretty easy
6. Life happens
7. The good news is that I wasn't hurt and the other driver wasn't hurt. My car was repaired through his insurance and I am now driving it

Really, when I think of all the good things that have happened this last year, they really make me realize that this last year wasn't so bad. In addition to the items listed above, I travelled domestically quite a bit, saw some fantastic concerts, had new adventures, made new friends, got to spend a lot of time with my sister and her family while they were here for 3 months, grew up quite a bit, learned what it is to be employed and unemployed in a crazy economy, and many other lessons that will make 2010 a dang great year!

Pet Peeves

Yes, everyone has them. They can be anything and/or everything. The things we think make us endearing to others may be just that for some, but to others, those are the things that grate and annoy. I will admit that over the years I have found a few that I think are especially annoying.

The first one is when you are driving and someone needs to get in your lane. They have known this the whole time they have been driving, yet they refuse to move over until it is absolutely necessary. Sure, the occasional person isn’t sure where they are going or don’t realize that it is time to move over, but too many people do this for that to be the case for all of them. Even more annoying for me is when they just start to move over, despite the fact that you and your car are in the exact spot that they want to move into. Then they get mad at you and you get mad at them. They are mad because you won’t stop your car so they can move into your lane and you are mad because they can’t wait and move into the lane until you have moved past them. AS a side note, I was listening to a radio show where people call in their pet peeves and someone was commenting on something a driver did that annoyed them. At the end of their comment, they added. 'people, when someone is trying to move into the lane that you are in, let them move over!' I started to laugh. Aren't you supposed to change lanes when the lane is clear?

Another pet peeve of mine also has to do with driving. The last two mornings on my way to work this has happened to me. I am driving, minding my own business and the person behind me gets right on my tail. I will tap the breaks a few times just to say ‘back off’ to them, but they don’t. I can practically see the brand of sunglasses the person is wearing they are so close. What they refuse to recognize is the fact that the driver in front of me is affecting the speed at which I am travelling. That makes me mad. Not really the way I want to start off my morning.
I really could go on and on about driving pet peeves, and sorry Utahans, but I have never driven with such rude drivers as the ones I have encountered here in this state. But there is a pet peeve that I discovered lately and it is fast becoming one of my most annoying. We all do this one, even me, from time to time. However, I have a co-worker that cannot speak a single sentence without adding an ‘I guess,’ ‘like,’ ‘I think,’ ‘I ‘m wondering,’ ‘maybe,’ ‘I suppose,’ or other unsure language. The annoying part is that he even says it when he is stating facts. Drives me absolutely batty.

I just want to say, ‘get a backbone and take responsibility for the words that are coming out of your mouth!’ I think in his case, since he is quieter maybe it is an insecure thing or perhaps it is his way of being polite. I don’t know and really don’t care because at the end of the day, if he is doing it, it will grate on my nerves. I have already tried to take into consideration the reason behind the behavior, but regardless of why it happens, it still does. Therein lays the problem.
Another pet peeve I have to mention is people at work who make it known to EVERYONE how much work they have to do. I have a particular co-worker that likes to let everyone know exactly how much work she has to do. If I had the opportunity to sit this person down and say how annoying that is, I believe I would say to her, ‘guess what? The thing we all do every day is go to WORK. We all have just as much work as you do. You are working on legal changes and you manage the templates for the letters we send out, but in addition to the death claims Jane Doe does, she also works on the group disability claims. In addition to doing death claims, John Smith works on wavier of premium. In addition to death claims, I do the MIBs for the underwriters; still do the group cases, and enter in all the 5 year deferrals, stretch policies, and do the minor as beneficiary policy. So when you ask us to do something and we don’t do it right away, it is because we are also busy. It puts us off when we have to wait for you just as much as it puts you off when you have to wait for us.’ In summary, be courteous of your co-worker’s time. They usually have just as much on their plate as you have on yours.

Don’t think for a moment that I think I am perfect. I am not, nor do I pretend to be. In writing this I have probably annoyed the reader that hates comma use, as I have used quite a few. I have probably annoyed the person who hates complainers and those who have little patience for people who also have little patience for the shortcomings of others. But rather than complain to the person who is doing the annoying thing (because let’s be honest, how easy is it for any of us to see the things in ourselves that annoy others?), I am venting on this page. That way I don’t annoy those who hate complainers.

Amy and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

I have a lot to be thankful for. Unlike the children's book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, the horribleness of my day just lasted 3 hours or so. That isn't too long, but when those 3 hours are packed with Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad things, it may as well have been all day.

It all started when I left work. I had a pretty average day at work. Nothing fabulous, but nothing bad happened either.

I left work and headed to Wal-Mart to get some needed items. As I pulled into the parking spot, somehow I misjudged the distance between the front of my car and a concrete block and my car made contact with it. Not good, scratched the paint. I went into the store, grabbed the items, paid for them and left. When I loaded them into my car I realized I got the wrong kind of the most important item. NO! I was frustrated, so I headed to the next destination. I held my debit card in hand there to remind myself to be fast. I dropped it once and thought I should probably put it away. I didn't because I figured if I held it then I would be faster. Not so. Somehow I dropped it in the store and despite a thorough search was unable to find it. In panic I called the bank from the store to cancel the card.

I was now late for a dinner with a friend. In my rush, I somehow managed to make the scabs on my elbows bleed, and not just bleed, but gush because upon arrival at the restaurant, blood was dripping down one arm and had gotten all over my purse. Ugh!

Things improved from there. Dinner was great. After dinner, I ran to a store to purchase the item I got wrong the first time and a friend came over and we watched old episodes of 'The Office.' That was a nice ending to Amy's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

My Blog

After suggestions and urging from friends, I decided to start a blog. I did this once before, but somehow it just didn't take, so now I am starting over. My first posting is my ode to a road I ran back when I spent two summers in South Dakota. Obviously I have strong feelings about it. I think I named this blog appropriately. Here you will find my wandering ramblings on different topics. Enjoy!

My South Dakota Road

My mind observes my road’s hazards: dips and holes, uneven ground. I see spiders that leap toward my feet as I approach the first landmark. I wonder at their aggressiveness. Anywhere else I hate spiders and recoil from them, but right now they can’t harm me. Not here, not now. They are part of the charm that is my road.
I approach the old, dusty and abandoned shooting range. Aged and deserted, I imagine those who spent hours perfecting their aim seeking a now unseen target. I pass it as I try to perfect my stride, my target. The breeze dies down and the song that plays in my ears slows me down; its beat too slow. I skip ahead to pick up the pace. “Keep on going, keep on going, don’t stop,” I repeat as I find a song that carries me through this desolate area of my road.
I come to the second landmark; the beautiful tree--its shade almost imperceptible as I pass under it. This large, green leafy tree stands alone in this barren area like a mirage deceiving those who seek its shade in the desert. I wonder at its loneliness. Sweat is no longer mere beads, but covers my body, and I feel the quiet breeze that would otherwise go unnoticed. I contemplate the length of today’s run as I assess my energy. My road could carry me forever, but since I am a mere mortal, my road will easily outlast me. I decide to turn around at the next landmark, the train tracks.
As I turn, I notice a road to my left that runs parallel to my road, but it is noticeably different, long and straight, smooth and paved. It does not carry the same obstacles my road has; it has its own. Only the occasional trucker or Harley rider is on that road.
Alone. The word bounces around in my head. Anything could happen here. But I am not alone on my road. A swarm of mosquitoes follow me as I return to town. Aggressive spiders wait for me and I dodge them. I pass unseen creatures that live in burrowed holes in the road. Frequently I go through swarms of gnats and accidentally inhale a few of them. I laugh as I choke. This is my road. I know nothing will happen. Not here, not on my road.
I reach the hill, look up at it and question if I will make it to the top. This is the last obstacle I have before I cross the line from rough gravel road to even concrete—from dream to reality, from alone but not lonely to reunited with civilization. I have only moments to savor the pleasure my road brings me. “Keep on going, keep on going, don’t stop.” My muscles are tired. My legs are tired. My body and mind are tired. They resist my desire to conquer the hill. The music pumps. The perfect song carries me up. My legs can’t resist. My mind can’t resist. I cross the line; my feet are now on concrete. I stop and turn around. I see my road in the valley below. I am elated.
Some question my love for that road. Spiders, mosquitoes, gnats, hot sun, a huge hill? Not appealing. But they are all part of my road. I wouldn’t love it if any of them were not there.
My feet again find the beat in my music. Concrete makes the sun feel hotter than it really is. Just a few more blocks and I am home.