A WICKED Kind of Day

It was a special day...an altogether WICKED day.   Last Thursday, in the middle of the work week, three friends and I took a vacation day. We planned to ride to Charlotte to see an off-broadway production of WICKED.  Everyone needs that kind of day.   It started by sleeping in, then a nice enjoyable ride to Charlotte.  We did have to go by car, unfortunately we unlike Glinda (the good witch) cannot travel by bubble.  We stopped at McCalister's for lunch.  A treat for us since we don't have one of those locally.   Then on to the theater. I wore the perfect blouse for the occassion..a green, black, and white plaid top.   It was unintential but perfect for the show.  Once I realized this...it just moodified me in the best way possible. (sorry for all the "wicked" phases..they are just funny).

After a spectacular performance, we traveled over to Cheesecake Factory for dinner and dessert...We even sat on the patio for dinner.  The day was just wonderful...most of all I enjoyed the time spent with friends.  They say life happens in the moments you are least expecting.  I guess this is a perfect example.   A little slice of life served up on a plate of happiness...what more could one Thursday offer.

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Organization - My Friend and Enemy

Organization is not my strong point.   As a matter of fact I struggle to even have the resemblance of organization most days.   I’m more of a person who constructively places things out of view so that I appear semi-organized and then at some point realize spring cleaning must occur.   At that point, lots of “stuff” is placed in trash or give away piles.   I’m actually pretty jealous of those naturally organized people.   You know the ones…their desk is always straight.   They never lose things because whatever they are looking for is in its correct spot.   

I have a friend whose like that….she’s just very, very organized.   I think she thinks in patterns of organization.   LOL   It’s a little intense at times!   But as always, these organized people are put into my life for a reason.   They are there to help me.   So last week, I called this friend over to my office to help me.   Basically, I said…..take a look….decide what needs to be done and HELP me.

She did….she was dealing with very little space and lots of stuff…so she helped me and my office mate (I share an office) go to Target.   We came back with matching containers…..My desk feels cleaner and more organized.   I have really enjoyed having that clean, I can get more done feeling that an organized desk affords…..now if I can bring myself to let her see the coat closet at my house.   Kira -  save my coat closet?!?!?!

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To Wish You Were Someone Else Is To Waste The Person You Are!

Do you ever have Ahhaa   moments.   As you know, I’m a fly by the seat of my pants type of person, so ahhaa moments are part of everyday life for me.   My latest was this morning.  It wasn’t a huge revelation, but enough to change the pattern of my day.    As I was riding to work this morning, listening to 89.7 WMHK, one of the host read the quote of the day.   The quote was  “To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are”   

I said the quote out loud a couple of times, and then my mind was just whirling.   This is something that at one point in my life, I truly struggled with.   I  worried about being different.   I wanted to be prettier, smarter, thinner.   I looked at my life and looked at the lives of my friends and really thought……what’s wrong with me.   Why isn’t my plan working out.  Why am I here and not at the place I think I should be.   For years, I truly prayed ….Lord ,what do I need to change so that you’ll give me this plan.    It took a long time to realize that I was being selfish.  Really selfish.  

Jeremiah 29:11 says " For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   It’s easy in life (well in my life) to sometimes NOT put my faith in that hope and future.    Remember,  although our purpose is the same (glorify God), the plan for each of our lives is different.   Looking back, I was a child banging my fist and crying out to be just like everyone else.   I wanted to do things my way.   What I’ve learned is that we’re not cut from cookie cutters.   Our lives are suppose to be different.   We are not all alike….our paths take us in different directions.   If I had had my cookie cutter life, I’d never get the opportunities and blessings I have today.   So I celebrate me……well I celebrate how God can and will use me.   

Don’t waste the person you are….get comfortable in your skin…..roll around until your warm and fuzzy.  There is a plan for every moment, so let’s not waste any of them!

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Bravery, Patience, and Joy

I stumbled onto a quote today.  It’s from Helen Keller, who is one of my all time heroes.   It says “We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world.”   I went looking for a quote because I had a friend who was pretty upset about something that happened to her.   She was feeling hopeless in the circumstance she found herself in.   Now this wasn’t a terrible circumstance.   No life altering choices or decisions…just found herself backed in a corner not knowing quite how to react.    She came to me for some encouragement and hopefully I was able to give that to her.  

After our little pep talk, I wrote the quote down on an index card and brought it home with me. It just stuck with me somehow.   I’m not sure if it was the words or the author, but I decided to investigate the true meaning of the words used.   Here we go:

Brave ~ Possessing or displaying courage; valiant.
Valiant (Valor) ~ Courage and boldness
Patient ~ Bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance with calmness
Joy ~  To take great pleasure; rejoice

You know in life we sometimes are discouraged by the things that are unfair or harsh.   If asked, we’d want a life of peace and happiness. In truth, if our lives were all peace and happiness, we wouldn’t understand how to appreciate it.   Sometimes it takes the uncomfortable  or harsh things to push us to react with bravery or valor.  

Now patience is a different matter.   It (at least in my life ) requires practice.   I have a mentor that always says never pray for patience, pray for wisdom.   It’ a funny little quote, but it’s true…..we  normally learn patience because we HAVE to not because we want to.  

So I guess, I’m going to rejoice in the fact that I can learn bravery and patience.   I’m also thankful that my life affords me the opportunity to experience joy.

Have a brave, patient, and joy filled day!

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It's a Southern Thing ~ Iced Tea

If you’ve ever heard me speak, there is no denying that I am a child of the South.   I certainly have the draaawwwl that make words with one or two syllables expand to 5 syllable words.   I relish the fact that in everyday conversations (casual or professional)people use  words such as ya’ll, Yes ‘em, and bless your heart.  One of my all time favorite southern things is sweet tea.


It's a standard on any menu in any restaurant.  I always have tea in the fridge.  Honestly, it's my go to drink.   Growing up it was served at dinner and supper. We really never had any choices you drank tea or water.   In the movie Steel Magnolias it's considered the "house wine of the south" and honestly there is truth in that. 

That's all I have for today, but you should know that you're always welcome to come on over and sit a spell.  I'll have the ice tea cold and ready for for you.

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Surprise, Surprise

To give you a little insight about me,  I’m always being surprised or wowed by things in life.   I guess this happens because my personality is  fly by the seat of my pants rather than plan, plan, plan and do  not go outside the plan   I find that life is so much more fun and unexpected when I’m not sure what each day may bring.   I’m not against those people who have a more rigid type of day…just think maybe they miss some of the fun.  For example…just this week something happened that was hilarious.   I don’t think this wowed me, but it was certainly unexpected and had I been a person who was more together, it would have never happened. 

 I’ll need to set the story up.   I’m currently working with a team on a new project and we’ve been moved to a more secluded work area so that we can foster agile processes and new philosophies.   It builds team spirit and allows you to be more focused…so one of the people I’m working with now is named Darci.   She’s a wonderful team leader and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know her better.   We actually share an office, so we’ve learned a lot about each other in just a few short months.   

Okay, time for the story.     It’s a new work week….Monday is here, everyone is in the office.   Darci is only working half a day, so she leaves after lunch on Monday.   Well, I’m in a meeting but someone let me know that we’ve had some plumbing issues and they are taking care of  Something in the girls bathroom.  I guess now would be a good time to let you know that Darci & I are the only two females on the team.   I go about my day and the next time I need to use the restroom, I realize they have replaced the toilet.   Well a little strange, but no big deal…cause I know the plumbers were there.   I made a mental note of this and actually thought….HMMM,  I need to remember to tell Darci about this.

Tuesday rolls around…no big deal…everyone is working hard.   Meetings and heads down working on whatever.   Now, anytime I used the rest room, I made that mental note to tell Darci about the new toilet…but honestly,  I never remembered to actually tell her.   That’s part of the non-rigid, fly by the seat of your pants world I’m in…..list and remembering list are not high priorities for me.

Wednesday comes…another big day in the office  . ….lots of meetings …lots of collaboration..so end of day comes and I’m winding down getting ready to head home when Darci walks into our office, closes the door and says….  “ I need to ask you a question…(long pause)….did something happen to our toilet?????”   Well, I broke down in hysterics….we were both laughing hysterically…I mean this poor girl has gone two full days questioning whether or not something has changed about the toilet……It’s now a smaller toilet…so either it shrunk or she got bigger.  Those are the only options.   It’s not like toilets are changed on a regular basis.   It was super funny.   I finally was able to speak and let her in on the little secret, so that she didn’t think she was like the character in Alice in Wonderland. 

I can tell you that we’ll laugh about this more than once.  It made for a great end to long day and it would have never happened if I were that plan, plan, plan person.    I hope you are able to enjoy the little things…..cause it’s the little things that make a big difference.

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