Tysley's Space: Blog

Stars In My Eyes?

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:00:49 GMT

I had a brush with fame last night. Hold on to your hat!

The other day SN tells me about this event her Father In Law is catering for Carlos Silva. For those who don't know, Silva is a pitcher for the Mariners. He used to play for the Twins but got traded last year. Anyway, SN's husband works for a carpentry/design company and they are currently working on a project at Silva's house here in MN where I guess he still lives even though he plays for Seattle now. Ok, so the job is behind schedule so this company decided to throw a BBQ as a 'we are SO sorry Mr. Silva' thing. SN's FIL is an AMAZING cook and he can BBQ some ribs (and anything else you want) that would knock your socks off! I mean these things are DELICIOUS!!!!! He was hired to cater the event. Anyway, he needed some help serving the food and SN asked me to tag along. This party was to consist of Mariners and Twins players so I was pretty excited. Are you still with me? Ok, on to the next paragraph.

SN and I are on our way to Silva's in our catering outfits of white shirts and black pants with hair pulled back. Yeah. Hot. Oh, and I have I mentioned I don't know one thing about catering or serving or any of that stuff? Cause I don't. Ok. So SN gets a call from her husband on the way and he tells her that Silva's wife is going to present Silva with a car that costs $212,000 during the party. Yeah, more money than I'm worth dead or alive. Being the somewhat jaded person that I am, I say, 'Is he even going to be excited about that? He's a millionaire. He can go out and buy any $212,000 car that he wants.' I mean really? It's just a car from the lot right? So SN tells me that it's fine. He'll be excited. Alrighty. Anyway, we get there and start setting up in the drive-way. Now the house... it's big. Very big. But it's in a regular neighborhood that's not gated or anything, which kind of surprised me. And he's on a regular street next to other houses like any place else. And while it was very impressive and I can only dream of living there, I liked that it was somewhat normal. It wasn't too overwhelming from the outside at least. I didn't go inside but SN did and said it was unbelievable.

While we're setting up the catering stuff and throwing on aprons I turn around and see something I never thought I'd see in my whole life. A man pulls in to the driveway with.....Eleanor! No, not my Eleanor. THE ELEANOR!!! I stop breathing for a minute. I'm not a car person, I don't know anything about cars but I do know the movie, Gone in 60 Seconds. Anyone who has seen that movie knows HER. She had just pulled in to Silva's driveway. Are you hearing me? It was her!!! So I am in awe and I start saying to everyone around me, 'that is Eleanor! OMG, it's her!' They just stare at me. I tell them her story, she's the car from Gone in 60 Seconds. I think I'm screaming it. Then SN says, 'Oh,yeah. I forgot to tell you it was a car from Gone in 60 Seconds that Silva's wife was giving him.' What!?!? Um, you buried the lead on that story my friend! This makes the whole thing make much more sense. This is one in a million. This is Eleanor. I named my car after this car. I love her! This is the car you wait the entire movie to see. I remember the scene so well. She's just chillin' in a parking ramp looking finer than new money. She is hot. And now she is right here in front of me. For one instant, I turn in to a car lesbian. Seriously, I am in LOVE! I'm not ashamed. I am a woman in love with another woman who just happens to be a car. I approach the guy who is washing her down and confirm that she is who she clearly is. I want to cry. I thought I was coming to see some baseball players and then I meet someone even better. She is gorgeous inside and out. She is....ELEANOR!!! Camera comes out and I don't even care who knows it. I am that person falling all over a celebrity. She smiles for the camera like the professional she is. They throw a red bow on her, which she clearly doesn't need or like. Her shape says it all. She is not a gift to be given. She is perfection. Her dash is signed too which I don't love but I guess it's the price you pay for fame. Wow. Of course, I missed Silva coming out to see her but apparently he was really excited and revved her up a few times. I guess he doesn't know how to drive a stick so that's all he could do. A few other people drove her though. She purrs like a kitten. I love her.

So the night went on with alot of checking food and refilling when necessary. There was ton of food there. Steaks, ribs, chicken, but do you know what all of these fancy shcmancy baseball players wanted? They wanted cheeseburgers! Yeah, SN's FIL asked one of them why they weren't eating the steaks and ribs. They guy said, 'I can get steaks and ribs anywhere. It's hard to find a good burger.' Good enough. So I didn't really talk to many of the players because I didn't know any of them and even if I did, I was clearly the help in my apron so they didn't show us much love. There was one guy though who was ADORABLE and pulled me out of my Eleanor haze. I think he's a player but I didn't catch his name and I can't find him on the Mariners site. He did come up to me and thank me for the food and tell me how good it was. I don't know what I said back if anything cause I was truly lost in his eyes. I can tell you that another pitcher, R.A. Dickey was there from the Mariners and he thought he was pretty important. I did not. There was one Twins player there that we could identify. His name was Boof Bonser. Oh! And I love Carlos Silva. He is also very cute but very married to a wife who is very pregnant. At the very end of the night as we were loading up, Silva and his wife came up to our little catering crew and handed each of us a $100 bill and said thank you to each of us. How sweet is that? He may play for the Mariners now but he's still ok in my book. By the time I got home, I smelled like a BBQ pit but my pocket was a little heavier, I had met Eleanor, I had eaten some sinfully great food, and I had either stars or smoke in my eyes. Sigh:)

Have a great weekend. -T

Abby Update

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:42:39 GMT

You all remember SN's little cousin Abby who I've been telling you about. Prayers were answered yesterday and Abby got the call for her new heart! The call came around 4:30pm and her surgery was complete early this morning. SN and I were up most of the night tracking her website for updates. Luckily her Mom and Grandma were in St. Louis. Her Dad was on his way back to MN but turned around in Iowa and made it back in time to kiss and hug Abby before she went in to surgery. I can't even imagine the waiting they went through while Abby was in surgery. Abby and her family have been so strong through this and they will have to remain strong in the days and weeks to come as Abby's body accepts her new heart. The latest update is that Abby is doing as well as can be expected. Her parent's have been able to see her and while there was some concern with bleeding earlier in the day, that seems to be getting better and her body is stabilizing. God is good.

We THINK the heart is from a 6-year-old MN girl who drowned yesterday afternoon in a pool at her Mom's apartment where she was visiting. Not many details on how she drowned at this point. Her family was on the news and they were of course, terribly upset. I can not even imagine the difficult decision to donate your child's heart of all things but I am so very thankful for their selfless gift to Abby. A blessing is a beautiful thing and to see blessings come in this size is a humbling experience. In the same moments I have been asking God to watch over Abby and her family, I have been asking God to please hold on extra tight to the donating family. We are not supposed to lose 6-year-old little girls from drowning just as little girls are not supposed to be born with weak hearts. It is all so overwhelming. But I am happy to see a MN heart go to a MN girl even though she had to go all the way to St. Louis to get it. SN and I were talking last night and it is not lost on us that a little black girl is able to donate her heart to a little white girl. It speaks volumes about what is truly important in this life. We are all basically the same on the inside and it is what is on the inside that enables us to help each other. Abby's heart had to be just right. The blood, the vessels, the cells, the size, so many things. But the question of the right color never came up. Amazing.

I continue to wear my Abby bracelet just as I have every second since she hit the one-year mark of waiting for her heart on May 16th. I vowed to wear it until she got her new heart and I did. I will still wear it in some hopes of sending some positive energy as she recovers. I want to thank all of you who have said prayers for Abby and sent her some positive energy yourselves. It's amazing what we can do when we stick together. If you want more updates on Abby, let me know and I'll email you her website.

Take care. -T

6:05pm

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:50:17 GMT

If you have a few minutes today, please take some time to remember those we lost when the bridge fell down last year on this date. It's hard to believe it has been a year. I will be saying a quiet prayer at 6:05pm, the time the bridge collapsed to bring comfort to the families who lost someone they love. I don't know who said it but the words 'bridges aren't supposed to fall' keep running through my mind. It's true. Below is my entry from that day. Take care. -T

My Sweet Minnesota

I have been thinking about what I would say in this blog all morning. What can you say about such a tragedy as what we're experiencing right now in my sweet MN. I have to go back to when I first found out. I had just returned home from shopping with a friend and I was about to eat dinner. I was flipping through the channels when I saw '35W'. I had to go back to see it again. What had happened on 35W? For those not from MN, think of one of the most important interstate's in your area. The interstate everyone uses, one that would for sure be extremely crowded during 6:00 rush hour traffic. More than that, this bridge is so important because it was one of the bridges that connect Minneapolis and St. Paul. It is what makes the Twin Cities sisters. Anyone could have been on that bridge at that time. So of course, I start making calls. Cell phones aren't working well because everyone is making calls. I am left to just watch and hope and pray. Soon BB shows up at my house. She was one of the people I was trying to contact. We watched and took calls for a few hours in complete shock. How could this happen? A bus filled with children? Over the mighty Mississippi? At rush hour? In Minneapolis? It was all too much to let in to your heart at one time. The story was on every news channel and website. Again, it was too much. I can only imagine it is much like how New Yorker's felt on 9/11. Please just tell me that my loved one's are safe. We find solace in knowing that it was not a terrorist attack but the sadness and loss of life is still so heartbreaking. Of course Minnesota Nice is a real thing and the people of this great state are pulling together to help the victims and their families. All of the kids made it out of the bus safely and most were able to go home with their parent's last night. I imagine few of us got much sleep. It felt wrong to just go to bed after such a horrible tragedy. Prayer seemed much more appropriate. So while I will let you know that I am fine and so far everyone I know is fine, please send your prayer's to all of us. The sad looks I spoke of yesterday pale in comparison to what I see on the faces of my fellow Minnesotan's today. Take care of yourselves. -T

What I Did On My Summer Staycation

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:10:39 GMT

Hey Folks!

Just back from my staycation and feeling fine! Anyone thinking about taking a little time off to stay home and do nothing in particular, do it!!!! Don't think about it, just make it happen. I just got back to work after several days off and I can't tell you how great it was. It is great in a way that is different from the usual vacation away from home. There is none of that 'I need a vacation from my vacation' that usually happens. You don't have to pack or unpack. No getting the laundry done and putting everything back in it's place. During my staycation, I was able to do absolutely anything I wanted guilt free. I could sleep when I wanted, watch tv when I wanted, do projects or not do projects, spend as much time on anything as I wanted. I stayed up late some nights and packed it in early on others. Showers were optional and PJ's were my bestfriends. Usually when I go in to a store, I'm in a hurry. I have to get in and get out so I can move on to the next thing. I have to work tomorrow dontcha know!? No time to linger! Not on staycation. I was able to take as much or as little time as I'd like. It was great. Below are more details...

Friday 7.18-BB's Day O' Fun! So fun. We had a lovely breakfast, boat ride, dinner, and the Batman movie. So tired by the end but so very fun! I'll post pics soon.

Saturday 7.19-Monday 7.21-SN's cabin. Wonderful!!! SN and I had so much fun. Ended up in alot of those 'meaning of life' conversations as we tend to do. The weather was beautiful and relaxation was an order.

Tuesday 7.22-Oops! Accidentally found myself at work for two hours to start the day. But I got out just in time to come home and watch my favorite courtroom show, People's Court! Yes! I was also nursing a sore leg that I had developed while at the cabin. It was kind of coming and going at that point. After some couch time, I went to the store for groceries. I came home and made a delightful dinner for my pal ML and me. We had chicken salad, fruit, a green salad, and banana pudding. Yum. My neighbor came by and we made plans for breakfast the next day. After ML left, I worked on healing my leg some more while lounging on the patio. Ahh, staycation.

Wednesday 7.23- OUCH!!! My leg is not happy! From the top of my thigh all the way in to my knee is throbbing. I couldn't sleep all night and I can barely walk. Tear. So I cancel breakfast and head off to Urgent Care. I can not continue staycation in this pain. UC is a bunch of talking, analyzing, x-raying drama and then some drugs. Great. I get my script filled and then head home. SN stops by for lunch while I'm dozing. She's nice enough to take care of me for awhile if I allow her some chicken salad leftovers and control over the remote. After she goes back to work (Ha!), I go back to sleep and wake up much better than before. I accidentally do a little bit of work that couldn't wait and then I'm free for the rest of the day. I spend my time on the patio reading magazines and admiring my flowers. Around 9:00pm, I decide to update my pictures on all of my 'pages' and 'spaces'. I end up falling asleep around 3:00am. Why not? It's staycation!

Thursday 7.24-Relief! The leg is so much better and I pop up around 9:00am. I head to the gym for a light workout on the bike and some stretching. After working out, I head to one of my favorite places....St. Paul! I go find some new running shoes that are so ugly but great for my feet. Then I head over to do some looking around on Grand. LOVE it there! I just breeze in and out of shops without a care in the world. No time limits, just fun. I buy nothing, just look. Sigh. After I have had my fill of shops, I head to my favorite shop for a nice pedicure. Bliss! I end the day at BB's grill n chill where we dined on some leftover b.day cake and talked about my great staycation.

Friday 7.25-Last official Day:( I can't believe it's almost over. I start the day very lazy. I wake up to rain around 9:00am. I come downstairs, have some breakfast, and then lay on my couch while I listen to the rain come down. I doze in and out of tv shows. I could get used to this. I am used to this. I lounge around until the sun comes out and then I go tend to my flowers as they dry from the rain. I then head to the gym for another light workout. The leg is still doing well so I run a little. After the workout, I take my car in for a good wash. They vacuum and wash her. Eleanor loves it. I run in to an old high school teacher while I'm there and we chat about my lovely staycation. Teachers understand this wonderfulness. I'm feeling a little meloncholy so I pick up BB who is home early and we go to my old high school. I take some pictures and travel down memory lane. Sigh. I drop off BB and later join her, her Mom, and HB for dinner at a restaurant with a patio. Love! After dinner we go our separate ways and I spend the rest of the evening at Barnes and Noble with a Java chip frap to keep me company.

My weekend was also very nice but much more structured with committments. A little cleaning, visiting the 'rents, running errands, doing laundry....that kind of stuff. All fun but not with the same ease as my staycation events. I miss it already. I was on my own schedule and tried not to overbook myself too much. I can't wait until next year. I'll send you a postcard. Back to work. -T

SF seeking SM

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:17:43 GMT

Sorry it took me so long to get this out. Life has been crazy busy. Ok, mostly I have been relaxing lazily about on my patio reading magazines but that's no easy task. Enjoy!

Ok, I only do Match.com and all the other .com's because SN forces me to go on there and 'wink' at people because she's afraid that I am destined to become an Old Maid. I hate looking at these damn profiles and trying to decide if the candidate is a deranged lunatic. I don't like the game of winking and emailing. AND I absolutely can not stand paying for it!! But looking at these profiles does provide some amusement and great material for the blog....

1. I'll start with the few I've already mentioned. I know it's hard coming up with a witty tagline. I can't even remember what mine is since SN wrote it but I know it's not something like the guys I see saying, 'King looking for my Queen'. Really? Now, you're the King? Looking online for your Queen? Good luck with that.

2. Along those same lines are the guys who say they are looking for a woman to treat like a Queen. Um, ok. And the one I read most recently is the guy who wanted a woman to treat him like a King. WHAT!?!? What does that even mean? As someone who recently read The Other Boleyn Girl, no thanks!! Royalty is not what it's cracked up to be.

3. The pictures. Oh, my goodness the pictures! Please people. Do not taunt me with the words '5 more pictures' and then when I go to look at them all you have are two pictures posted multiple times OR pictures of a sunset on your last vacay to Mexico. Uh, yeah. I can really learn alot about a guy from a sunset picture. And then the pictures of men with no shirt. Really? No shirt? Is that working? Or the pictures with the guy and his fifteen drinking buddies at a bar. Not cute. I'm not saying you can't drink and have a good time but let's save that for our second date. Oh, and don't just post pictures of your pets. Post a pic with you AND your pet but not just Fido. Again, something for our second date. And don't post pictures that are obviously at least 5 years old. The truth will come out and we do not want to save that for our any date. One more thing. Don't write cheesy captions for your pictures either. I saw one that said, 'me in Hawaii, all that's missing is you!' Um, next.

4. Along with the pictures, do not write in your bio that you are a 'young 45' when your picture obviously indicates otherwise. Don't describe yourself as a young anything. Just say, I'm 45. It's ok. We love you guys for who you are. More on the bio later.

5. The guys who say they are looking for a wife. I don't get it. You're just going to put yourself out there like that. A wife!? Maybe it's just me but that line has this girl running scared. I'm looking to meet, get to know each other, have a good time, maybe watch the sun go down. A wife? Oh, boy.

6. Another thing I love about these profiles is when the guys say that they are not in to games. Ok. Thank you. I was going to go ahead and assume that but now that you've put it in writing, I feel much more comfortable. Whew. And please explain why so many guys say they like to cuddle on the couch and watch a movie? Really? Is that what I have to look forward to? Thanks.

7. Now the bio. The grammar! The misspellings! The punctuation! For the love! Please, have someone go over that with you. This is my first impression of you, don't make me wonder if you know when to you use 'seen' and when to use 'saw'. Please! Also, don't start your bio with 'Whatsuuup ladies!' Oh, and don't say 'I'm looking for a 'female' who knows how to kick it.' Ugh! Drives me crazy!

I think that's it so far. My life as an online dater. Let the good times roll.

On a side note...for B. Yes, I did do my second 5K. That one was in early June right in my town. It was tough because I had recently thrown my back out but I made it and even shaved some minutes from my last time. Probably going to lay low the rest of the Summer and then do another one this Fall. Stay tuned! -T

Me again. Random again!

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:12:08 GMT

I just got off the phone with my buddy BB. She is having what you'd call, a day! She sent me an email that had me laughing so I had to call her and she said, 'don't laugh!!'. Which made me laugh more! You know those kinds of laughs? You want to stop but you just can't and you are positive that you will never catch your breath and die right there? That's what happened. Whew. Still laughing. Sorry BB. I hear what you're saying though and you are absolutely right! I'm here for ya. He-he-he!

I don't want to jinx it but I think I might be a sleeper now! I sleep like a regular person without drugs! It is so great. Sleep and I have fallen in to a wonderful love affair and I couldn't be happier. Over the weekend, I even took a few afternoon naps and still fell asleep that night. Yes! I love it. Zzzzz:)

4th of July was nice and uneventful. I made sangria for the festivities. My Mom and I were drinking it like water. Let's just say one of us had to sleep it off and the other pulled through it like a champ. Yes! My brother bought some fireworks, which is a total waste of money. Every time he'd try to light one, it would literally fall apart in his hands. The firework sellers must laugh all the way to the bank. My Dad was trying to light them and they would fizzle before a sound came out. Lame.

I spent the rest of the weekend doing alot of nothing, which was so great. I just love the three-day weekend. Sigh! I miss it already.

I had another complete stranger ask to be my 'friend' today on the spaces. Never heard of this person, never visited her space, she has never left a comment in the guestbook. Really? Friends? Decline.

It has been blazing hot and humid in Minney the last few days. Muggy has been the word of the day. LOVE it! Haven't even turned on the air this year. I have to enjoy it while we have it. Those memories of our horrible winter still haunt me.

Speaking of winter, I heard on the news that heating bills will be 30-50% higher than last year. Geez! Anybody need a roommate?

I am so tired of hearing about the new iPhone! OMG! Who cares? It's just a stupid phone. There will be an even bigger and better phone in just a few months. I don't even get why that phone is so cool. It doesn't clean your house or make you a meal. Who needs it? Just call me, I can look up things on the Internet for you and sing you a song. And for a fraction of the cost. Whatever.

Still doing the research for my Match.com blog entry. Just gathering more funny tidbits. Another sneak peak: I love when guys say, 'I am a King looking for my Queen'. Uh, good luck with that buddy. Wordsmith clued me in on all the stupid profiles from women so now I'm starting to understand some of these profiles from the men.

I read a very interesting article about the upcoming conventions. The RNC convention is being held here in St. Paul. The organizers are frantically trying to get more volunteers. They need 10,000 and they only have 4000. The DNC will be held in Denver. They need 10,000 and they had 26,000 people sign up. Most of the volunteers are from outside of Colorado. Interesting. Very interesting. What I love is that the RNC organizers say, 'You don't have to be a Republican to volunteer. Your political views don't matter.' Right.

And in another case of rich people behaving badly, the Christie Brinkley divorce. Over it!

I was at BB's on Sunday playing with her Wii Fit. Besides the thing telling me I'm fat, I loved it! There are so many things to do on there and it is so fun! Am I willing to drop hundreds of dollars on it? No. I'll just play BB's. And I hate to brag but I did pretty damn well with the yoga and running games. Yeah!!

And that is it for me. Hope all is well. -T

Me

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:12:39 GMT

I stole this from B's Space. Something to do I guess....

What were you doing ten years ago?
1. Working at Target

2. Hanging out with my friends

3. Lots of visits to the Freight House

4. And then going across the river to some place in WI after bar time in MN was over

5. Taking long walks in the middle of the day...sigh

6. Can't remember...

What are 6 things on my to-do list for today?
1. Work on some reviews

2. Clean my desk...again!

3. Meetings

4. Return phone calls

5. Go for a run...inside! So hot and humid today

6. Laundry!

Snacks I enjoy?
1. Dark Chocolate

2. Gelato

3. Chips...LOVE chips

4. M&M's dark chocolate

5. Cheese crackers

6. Fiber One bars

Things I would do if I were a billionaire?
1. Donate to charity

2. Travel, travel, travel!

3. Open a book store

4. Party like a rock star...I think

5. Get a dog and a really good dog trainer

6. Read all day long

Places I have lived?
MN and MN

How did you name your blog?
I'm so clever. I just named it after myself.

Who am I tagging?
Noone. This is just a blog filler.

RANDOM

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:48:48 GMT

I thought I'd do one of my random entries again where I talk about nothing in particular just because. Here goes...

I HEART Summer! I really, really do. I think it is so great that I even yelled, 'I love Summer!' out my window last night. Can't get enough! Thank you Summer!

I finally got my grill working again. Did I mention it had stopped working and I slipped in to a bit of a depression? All of a sudden I realize that I might be out of propane. Hmmm....I am so smart! Whatever. Got a new tank and all is good.

My office closes at 4:30 instead of 5:00 now and that has been a small change that I never knew would be so great. Love it!

Ok, I don't usually brag but I have to tell you how beautiful my flower pots are this year. They are GORGEOUS!!! I can't stop looking at them and tending to them every day. I step out and admire them every morning before I leave for work, I get out of my car and look at them again after work, and then I sit out amongst them every evening. They are so random in color and types and I can not stop saying enough about them. By far, my best work. Love!

Did I mention my little brother CT was working with me this Summer? Yeah, poor college kid needed a job so I brought him in as an office assistant. We had a rocky start but he's doing pretty well now. It's nice seeing him everyday and not worrying that the Summer is going to slip away and he'll go back to school before I can spend time with him. Nice.

The new blog is going well but very few comments so far. I forgot what that was like. Thanks to all of my Spaces buddies who have shown me some love. I hope it's been interesting reading for you. Hopefully I'll be accepted by the HR blog world soon. Sigh.

I have been checking out Match.com profiles lately and I have decided that the whole process is a blog entry in itself that I will get out soon. For a sneak peak: Why do men think it's ok to display pictures of themselves with no shirt or with tons of women around them or pictures of themselves drinking like a fish? Is that attractive? Does that get you many winks? Confused.

My fish Allie died a few weeks ago. I came in to work one morning and she had jumped out of her bowl and on to the floor. She laid there for at least 36 hours. RIP Allie. I will be getting a new fish soon and naming her Stella. Stay tuned.

I was watching my friend SN's little boy the other day. He is 2 and cute as can be. He grabbed my face, kissed me, and said 'I love you Tysee!' I nearly burst in tears over his cuteness.

No big 4th of July plans this year which is just fine with me. I'll probably head over to see the 'rents for some BBQ and then drink Summer Shandy beer on the back patio. Can't wait.

That's all from here. Peace. -T

Blogging Fool

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:10:05 GMT

Hi All!

I just wanted to stop by and drum up some business for my newest adventure. I have started a new blog. I know! How much babbling can one person do? Well, I often read a great blog about the HR world called 'Evil HR Lady'. She's my idol! She gives great advice and I love to see what other people in my position are dealing with. Being the only HR Director in my office is no easy task but I do have a few people to bounce ideas off when necessary. Not everyone has that. I emailed 'Evil' a question last week and she posted it on her blog. Yeah! Then she emailed me and told me I should start a blog too. I should?! Yeah! Of course I should. So I did. It is a work in progress right now but I'm hoping it will become as famous as this blog:) I am in good company when it comes to HR blogs so I'm hoping I can hold my own. Keep your fingers crossed. And come check me out when you have a minute at http://hrwarden.blogspot.com/. I decided to go to Blogger with this one because it's easier for people to leave comments if they want. I'm not cheating on the Spaces, just talking. Hope all is well. -T

P.S. I'm not sure if you remember but I published an entry back in February about my friend SN's cousin Abby. Abby will be 5 in July and she has been on the heart transplant list for over a year waiting for her new heart. Alot has happened since February but I'll cut to the chase. Abby and her Mom are now in St. Louis waiting for Abby's heart because the odds of her getting her heart are much better there. When you're on the list in St. Louis, all the available hearts in the country are considered. In the rest of the country, you are only offered the available hearts in your region. So with Abby living in St. Louis, her odds are greatly increased. They have been there just over a week and all is well. Please, please keep Abby and her family in your prayers. With Abby and her Mom in St. Louis, that leaves Abby's two little sisters and Dad still in MN missing each other. I can't even imagine the strength it must take to leave your two babies several hundred miles away to save another. I have made a committement to wear my Abby bracelet every second until Abby finds her heart. The bracelet is teal and pink, Abby's favorite colors. As you can imagine, it matches nothing. But my thought is that if Abby can wear a heart that doesn't match her body, I can wear a bracelet that doesn't match my outfit. It's also a constant reminder to keep Abby in my thoughts and prayers. I ask that you do the same:) -T

Good Guys

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:24:36 GMT

First, I just want to say how sad I am about the loss of Tim Russert. I have been a fan of TR for a few years now and I always appreciated his quick and easy analysis of our political system. Meet The Press has been a long tradition for me on Sunday mornings and it just won't be the same without him. TR will be laid to rest today and like many of you, my prayers go out to his family. RIP.

I am so excited that the Celtics won the national championship last night! I had a huge smile on my face as I watched KG finally realize a dream. In honor of his achievement, I am re-running my entry on him from last year when we made his move to Boston. I still consider him one of Minnesota's best and I'd like to think he took a little bit of his with him when he left. Congrats KG!

Say it ain't so...

Don't come to MN right now. We're in mourning. I'm convinced that productivity will be down for a few days and there will be sad looks everywhere. Our beloved KG is leaving us. For those who aren't basketball fans, Kevin 'Big Ticket' Garnett is leaving the Minnesota Timberwolves for (as they say in the biz) a better opportunity. Oh! It hurts too much to even think of it. I wouldn't say I'm a big basketball fan exactly but I love KG. I love him for what he does on the court and off. He is the true definition of role model, man, and athlete. I can't even name all of the wonderful things he has done in our communities and beyond. He was always on the news for doing good things. No dog fighting or womanizing or drug taking or bad mouthing. Just a good guy. He did so much for MN sports and sadly, I'm not sure MN returned the favor. Well, maybe we have by setting him free and giving him a chance to get the elusive ring and title he deserves. KG came to us when he was just a little tot right out of HS. He's just a year or two older than me and I kind of feel like we grew up together. I even got to meet him once. Nicest man. Anyway, for me this ranks right up there with when Kirby Puckett had to leave the game of baseball. It's too much and I feel like a bit of my childhood is going with KG as he heads off to become a Boston Celtic. I hold no animosity. I am really happy that KG will be able to shine the way he was meant to shine. I just wish it didn't hurt so much. -T

Road Games

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:26:31 GMT

I didn't see Obama when he came to my hometown of St. Paul last night. I haven't been feeling well so I had to sit this one out. But I saw his history making speech and while I wish I could say I was there when it happened, I almost feel like I was. The very first African American Presidential nominee actually happened. I can't tell you all the times I've heard someone say 'he/she will be the first black President.' It's always said just a little in jest because very few people ever thought there would be a black President in our lifetime. Even up until last night, I wouldn't let it in to my brain. The possibility is almost too overwhelming to comprehend. I think of all the people who paved the way for Obama and then I immediately think of all the people who paved the way for me. If you look back in the history books of racism and sexism and all of the other ism's in our country, it is amazing how far we've come. I come from Grandparent's who could not read and my parent's are from a generation who were educated in segregated schools. Just 30 years passed from the time my Mom was born in the deep south of AL and I was born in a city where I was more often than not the only African American person in my class. And now today, there is an African American man running for the highest office in our country. I have to mention Hillary Clinton and her accomplishments as the first woman to make it this far. It is amazing and humbling to see the two parts of me that are considered the minority take center stage in this political process. I just wish one of them was a bit overweight so I could really feel like I belong:) I can almost imagine a day when a minority or female President is not a big deal. Children who are born today will never understand what all the excitement is about just as I cannot truly understand what integrating a school is like. As I watch the Democratic nominees fight the good (and sometimes not so good) fight, I am quickly reminded that my potential is not limited to my race or my gender or anything else. Last night has set the stage for everyone of every generation to look at our opportunities in a different way. Even McCain speaks loudly for those of a mature audience. I know. That's a stretch but you know what I mean. My Dad has this saying, 'being black is like playing all of our games on the road.' For those who aren't sports buffs, basically when you play on your own field or court or terms, you have a bit of an advantage. You're comfortable; you're more likely to win. That's not to say you can't win on the road but it's not as easy as your opponent. The rules are still the same but there is an unspoken ease for the home team. Nothing explains it better to me than that. I imagine that this is what Clinton and Obama have been feeling as they pave a new road and establish new rules. But regardless of all that, my message remains the same, make sure your voice is heard come November. I'm not interested in who you vote for, it's more important that you are interested. Rock the Vote! -T

Staring at Life

Tue, 20 May 2008 19:43:47 GMT

Hi All!

Just wanted to stop by and say hello! I have alot going on these days and it has my mind a little frazzled but I'm keeping an eye on everyone's space and commenting when I can. Please keep my family and I in your prayers if you are the praying type. Nothing serious, just life mostly. My friend SN and I were talking the other day and she was saying that her eyes were tired from staring at...life. Ha! Accurate description for me these days. Just too much sometimes.

I'm in training again for another 5K. I know! I'm crazy! It's in the city where I live so I thought I'd go try it out and see if I can shave some time off from my last run. I've decided that if I could do my 5K's on a treadmill, I'd be a force to be reckoned with but this outside stuff is torture! Oh, well. Just keep plugging along I guess:) I did find a wonderful running store that I love and I think I've decided on the right shoes for me. I'm sure they will be instrumental in turning me in to a lean, mean running machine! Ha!

That's it from here. Take care! -T

Livin' Easy

Tue, 06 May 2008 18:40:20 GMT

Yeah! Spring has finally sprung! I think...I hope! It has been so nice the last few days and I'm hoping we are finally on the good side of this crazy weather pattern. So today at my team meeting, we started with an icebreaker. I asked everyone to write down some things they are looking forward to this Summer. Little things that just make this time of year great. I had started my own list and I was looking for ideas. I posted some of them below. Feel free to add to the list or borrow some of our suggestions. Some of them are MN specific so you may have to come visit me to do them:)

Pedicures

Lunch in the park

Iced coffees

Movies in the park

Sunday brunch on Grand Ave

Washing the car in the driveway

Flip flops

Walk around Lake Calhoun

Trips to the zoo

Ice cream

Running outside

Trips to see family

BBQ's

Skirts

Yoga in the park

Reading at the cabin

Sky diving

Day trips

NO COAT

Music festivals

Happy hour on Brit's roof (really, a little slice of Heaven up there)

Shorts or capris

The State Fair

Summer Shandy beer on tap at Champps

Sangria Saturday's

Yard games

Long weekends at the cabin

Watching the company softball team play (and lose)

Grandma's marathon (NOT my suggestion..torture)

Sweltering hot days

Grill n' chill at BB's

Planting flowers

Walks with the dog

Blizzard's at Dairy Queen

Farmer's Market

Brats

Minnehaha Falls

Twins baseball

Going out on the boat

Sitting outside at Panera

Running through the sprinkler

The beach

And that's it. Doesn't it sound simply delightful? Ahh! Can't wait! We hung them up in our office and we'll mark them off as we do them. Probably won't get to all of them but it's a good place to start. Take care! -T

Slow and steady

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:14:25 GMT

Ok, ok. An update on the 5K. I'll start from the beginning...

So Saturday I went to yoga where the substitute teacher became obsessed with difficult stretches and long hold times. Ow. Then I went shopping for some thicker socks because my feet had started doing this annoying thing where they fall asleep while I'm running. Then I came home and did some stretches to keep the back loose and happy. I also took some Aleve to help with the knees and for the sore muscles I was sure yoga would bring. I spent the rest of day with water and juice by my side. I heard juice helps with the joints. I had a conversation with TB about what to eat that night and what time to meet the next day. That evening I had a lovely meal of carbs and noticed that I had an odd pain in my left ankle. It hurt to walk, it hurt to go up the stairs. Geez! So I ice it down and pop more drugs. I spend the rest of the evening trying to stop myself from completely backing out. I fall asleep around 9:00pm and then wake up around 1:00am to Brody (the dog I'm currently watching) crying downstairs like a little baby. So knowing how sleep and I don't really get along, I just try to ignore him and fall back to sleep. No luck. I go downstairs and let Brody out and then doze on the couch while he's out getting some fresh air or whatever his issue is. After he comes back in, I do manage to go back to sleep. Thank God for small miracles. I wake up around 6:30am ready to go. I had a sense of calm come over me as I took a shower, got dressed, and mentally prepared myself. The weather was the first sunny one we had seen in several days and that gave me hope. It was still cold though. I went to Panera for a bagel and I could feel the bitter wind and my car was reading a cool 23 degrees. After breakfast, I came home and read the paper, got my stuff together, fed Brody, and finished getting dressed. I decided to wear a tank top, a long sleeve shirt, a t-shirt, and my black running pants. At the last minute, I decided to wear two pairs of socks. After I secured the hair in a bandana, I was ready to go. This 5K is called The Running of the Pigs. Our minor league baseball team is called the St. Paul Saints and for some reason their mascot is a pig named Muddonna. Get it? Ha! So this 5K was a little kick off to the season. I used to live by the Saints stadium, I've been there a few times, I know exactly where it is. Somehow, I got lost! I missed my exit or something. I'm convinced it's a sign of things to come and nearly burst in to tears. I get myself turned around and I can hear my phone ringing from the very back of my car. It's TB because I'm 10 minutes late by this point. So I'm driving like a crazy person and yep, I get pulled over. The guy was really nice though and gave me a warning. I make it there in the nick of time before they close down the road where the race will take place. I park and make my way over to the check-in table. I put on the lovely long sleeved shirt they give us for the race, I put on my number, and then I see TB who was sure I had bailed on her. No such luck. We take a few pictures and then go to the group stretches. Have I mentioned it is absolutely freezing and so very windy? OMG! I thought I would die! I have on many layers and I am so thankful for all of them. After stretches, we have a few more minutes so I work on making sure the back is loose and my knees are feeling good. We line up, I turn the iPod on and we're off. TB takes off and I fall in to my own pace with Mary J. Blige, No Drama blaring in my ears. I got this. The first mile went really well. I even passed a few people. My breathing is tough because of the wind but my back is doing well and no pain from the knees. It is only then that I remember that pesky ankle issue I had yesterday. No pain now. I notice that while I'm towards the back, there are still a lot of people behind me. I take solace in that even though they are walkers who have no intention of making this a race. Whatever. I start thinking about when I took up this running thing and how hard it had been. I think of all the days I wanted to give up. Just before the 2-mile marker, my left foot falls asleep and then both of my legs start hurting. The lower part of my legs and in to my ankles. Ugh! The muscles just tighten. So, I make the tough decision to stop running and walk for awhile. I perfectly plan that for when I have to go up the hill:) By that time I have the song Buttons by Snoop and PCD going in my ears. So I'm walking it off when a little girl passes me like I'm standing still. Whatever. I get the urge to start running when Hypnotize by the late great Biggie comes on and I just try to forget the pain I'm in. I run for about half a mile at a very slow pace. Oh, and by this time, I am no longer cold. I'm not really hot either though. But my throat is burning from all the cold air I'm breathing in. I do a little more walking to ease the pain in my legs and the whole time I 'm wishing I could just keep running. I like this running thing. I like seeing us all out here trying to accomplish the same goal. It was great! For the last half mile, you have to run past where you started and I see that TB is already done. I wave and do you know what she does? She jumps in there with me. I'm running so slow at this point that she can just walk to keep up with me. Her encouragement is awesome and she's not trying to have a full conversation with me which is great because I can hardly breath. Just as we're making the turn for the final strech, there is some man there handing out granola packets. What? I can't hold something while I'm running. Why do you think I have my iPod in my bra? But I don't want to be rude so I take it and spit out some kind of thank you. TB is nice enough to take my granola from me so I can focus on not having a heart attack as I try to run against the wind. Now, the last minute was the absolute best and worst thing ever. I am beyond tired. I start with the motivating phrases that I have used on the treadmill. 'Keep going' 'Take a chance' 'You can do it'. I think of SN's sweet email where she told me she was proud of me. I think of all the chunky girls like me who don't believe they can do what I'm doing. I think of my promise to myself. All the while, I have the song Chain Hang Low rocking the iPod and it makes for the perfect rhythm for my pace. And then I see the finish line. My eyes are running because of the wind but as I cross the line, I wonder if some of those tears are just emotion. I did it. I had done my first 5K and with only about half a mile of walking. TB is there waiting with my water bottle and a hug. I'm sweating profusely and I am thrilled to be able to say the training had paid off. My time was horrible but my pride can not be measured. I am so proud of TB for hopping in there and giving me the push I needed. I couldn't ask for a better partner. I am proud of myself for doing what I never thought I could do. Will I do it again? Well,TB and I have joined a local running club where they teach you more about running and then help you put what you've learned to work. I'm hopeful that it will help me increase my speed. TB is hinting we should do the 5K for Grand Old Day on June 1st. We'll see. For now, I am nursing some sore muscles, I have my race number up on the fridge and I am taking a few days off from the workouts. Thanks to all of you for your support. I really felt it as I was putting one foot in front of the other. It's amazing what the body can do when the mind and spirit is in the right place. Ok, sorry this is so long. I gotta run. Ha! -T

Eye of the Tiger

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:09:51 GMT

24 hours from now I will be doing my final stretches, taking a few swigs of water, and saying a little prayer. I will be embarking on my very first 5K run. I hate that they call it a run. How about a 'lazy jog'? That suits much better. Anyway, I started running last Summer and got more serious about it in the Fall. In January, after this 5K idea had been thrown at me a few times, I finally signed up for one. My friend TB pushed me over the edge when she informed me that she really needed someone to help her meet her goals to drop some lbs in time for her wedding. She claimed to have been inspired by my efforts to run and needed the goal of a 5K to keep her going. HV had also mentioned her enjoyment of 5K's. So as I am carefully considering it, I get my Lifetime magazine in the mail. Can you believe they have a whole article and training plan for a 5K? So TB finds a 5K for us and we commit to getting ready for the big race. I will admit, I thought it would be easy. We had months to train for it and my running was getting better everyday. But right around February, training got tough. I hurt my knees, I was having trouble with my breathing, and my motivation was waning. But I pushed through and got back on track pretty quickly. In March, I struggled with blisters and an inability to increase my speed. I'm too embarrassed to tell you my speeds because they are very, very low. But with some motivating words from TB, awesome advice from BJB, and the constant support from friends and family, I again pushed through. One of biggest supporters has been my friend SN. She continues to be a cheerleader for me and tells me that I inspire her to set goals and meet them. You should see the 'good luck' email she sent me this week. Brought tears to my eyes. The weather has also been challenging because running outside is so much different from running on a treadmill. To me, it's much harder. I've only done a few outdoor runs so I'm very nervous about hitting the pavement tomorrow for this 5K which is of course, outside. But AC did her first 5K after only one outdoor run so I guess I can too. Yesterday, I logged my last training run on the treadmill. Just 2 miles for this one. I am going to make my 5K iPod playlist today and I'm making sure to get all the necessary liquids in during these final hours. To say I'm nervous is an understatement. I am terrified. It's not that I want to win this thing or not puke as I hit the one mile mark. It's really an internal battle. I want to prove to myself that I can do this. I can finally set a goal and accomplish it. Someone asked me where I was hoping to place in this thing. I took a line I think I saw on BJB's space, 'I want to place my foot over the finish line.' That's all I want. I just want to say I did it. Will I run another one after this? Doubtful. Running is just a thing I like to do at the gym for now. Taking it public is not really my thing but who knows. Today I plan to hit yoga, eat the right foods, and mentally prepare. Tomorrow morning I'm just going to step out on faith and see what happens. The weather looks to be cold and windy. I can only hope my will is strong and stable. I have often wondered if I should put this off for another time when I'm more prepared but then a quote runs through my mind, 'when you get the chance, take it.' I carry that with me when those steps get tough. I imagine, it will come to mind several times tomorrow morning. Wish me luck. -T

Let's Just Kiss and Say Goodbye...

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:57:52 GMT

Dear Old Man Winter,

I come to you on my knees and PLEAD for your departure of my sweet state of MN. I agree that we have had our ups and downs these last few months. We are no longer under the impression that Global Warming has beaten you or that El Nino is here to stay. We know that snow is an ongoing issue and negative temperatures can come upon us quicker that we can say, 'my heating bill is HOW much!?!?' We know your tenacity and willingness to hang in there until the job is done. I am in awe of your funny way of keeping me on my toes when deciding if I should wash my car. My coat has never left my side and my boots have been a constant companion in the backseat of my car. Your humor is unmatched especially when I consider that this is the first year in many when I decided not to go on a vacation. I giggle just thinking about it. Remember all those mornings I spent standing in my closet wishing I had more sweaters because I was in a vicious rotation of having to wear them when a light cardigan just wouldn't do? Yeah, that was fun. Oh, and how about when March came and we thought our coldest days were behind us? Ha! You put us in our place with lower than average temps. And then when those stupid weather people started babbling about how we were a few inches below normal with snowfall, you came through on the very last day of the month with 8 inches. Wow. You never fail Mr. OMW. Remember Christmas when it snowed so hard I could hardly make it home with all of my gifts? How about Groundhog's Day when you let that damn rodent see his shadow or the first day of Spring when you overstayed your welcome with a fresh snowfall? But with it being the first day of April and all, I come to you like the Fool I am and kindly ask for you to release us. We've had our time together. We trudged through Holidays, Birthdays, Workdays, Schooldays, Snowdays, Where is my electric blanket days. We have been through alot this year and I think we need to let this good time finally end. You will not be forgotten, I promise you. The winter of '07-08 will carry in our memory for years to come. 'An ol' fashioned MN Winter' we'll call it as we shake our heads and shiver at your memory. You will always have a presence with us. But it's really time to go now. Time for flip-flops, shorts, pedicures, pink lemonade, and sunglasses. I want to sweep out my garage and start anew. The time for planting flowers, bbq's on the patio, and trips to cabin have been hard earned and well deserved. I want my lunches in the park back and sitting outside at restaurants. I want long days, and breezes through my window. I need to turn off my furnace and turn on my ceiling fan. I need it. We all do. Bring back margaritas on the deck and the Farmer's Market. I want to buy new sandals and feel the need for suntan lotion. I want to sit out on my patio and read magazines until the sun goes down. I want to call HV and declare it the best day of the year. Minnesotans need to see less snow and sunnier dispositions. We pulled out all of our tricks Mr. Winter. We flipped the switch on Daylight Savings Time, we had the MN Twins Opener, we made it through March Madness. We met all of our requirements. Yes. There were days when we cried and beat you with our tiny fist but we always dragged ourselves off the ground and made it through another day. Another cold day. Please. I just need to hear Summertime by The Fresh Prince and open my sunroof again. I need to take walks with ML in downtown St. Paul, I want to play a game of fetch with Bodacious, and I want that sweet smell of rain coming down. I want things to be simpler, better, and warmer. I'm on my knees, we all are. Just pack your stuff and go. We'll see you again. Sooner than we're ready for I'm sure. Goodbye old friend. Goodbye.

-T

Strengths and Weaknesses

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:59:55 GMT

Oh, Hi. It's me. Back again. This isn't so much a blog entry as it is a lesson. A lesson in how to interview for a job. I have had to conduct several interviews in the last few weeks. Some have left me thinking, 'Wow. How did we live without him or her?' Some have left me thinking, 'Wow. How does that person live?' So below are a few tips to keep in mind. Ready? Let's go....

1. Before you apply for a position or at least before you come in to interview for a position, look up the company somehow. Check out the website, ask the person who calls to phone screen you or set up the interview, do something. DO NOT under any circumstances say, 'I don't know much' or 'I haven't had time to check it out.' Lie to me if you have to. Ok, don't lie but at least find a better way of answering the question. Now, I have been that person in my past to say 'I don't know.' And I know it probably doesn't matter to you that you haven't done your research but sometimes decisions can come down to which of the candidates went that extra mile. Just do it.

2. DO NOT talk about salary at your first interview. This is complicated because I might contradict myself a bit. Pay attention. If you get a phone screen person who makes the initial call to gather more information and they ask if you have any questions, you may ask the salary question then. But only ask for a range and do not disclose if that is ok with you or not. Trust me. Just don't. But if you do not ask at that point and they do not offer information at that point, just leave it alone at your first interview. Stick to your qualifications and learning more about the position and the company. Now, if you get a second interview and no one has informed you of a salary range, go ahead and ask in a tactful manner. Make sure you also ask about benefits and possibility for development within the company. Development. NOT when is my next promotion. Got it? Good.

3. When you interview, do not wear perfume, cologne, or anything else that could cause an allergic reaction to the interviewer or others in the office. I have left interviews with a horrible headache that I didn't have going in. And no matter what the person said, I couldn't remember anything besides their overwhelming smell of Burberry. That lesson should also carry over in to regular life because I could tell you stories but that's for another lesson.

4. Please dress up for your interview. I can't tell you how many people show up in jeans, wrinkled shirts, and yes sometimes flip-flops. I know. Just don't do it. Play it safe.

5. Now this is very important and also may be a little hard to follow. Do not talk too much at your interview. LISTEN to your interviewer. PAY ATTENTION. I don't care about a boss you had several years ago who made you detail his car on your lunch break. I'm not interested in your life story and how you managed to go to school full time while you had two kids at home. I know that sounds harsh but it's true. Stick to the topic, ask relevant questions, and do not talk longer than one minute. Interviewers are usually on tight timelines and they don't have much time to spare for you take us down memory lane. Too much talking in an interview translates to too much talking in the office once you're hired. Focus!

6. Do not discuss your need for time off or a flexible schedule during your first interview. It's not cool. Just don't do it. Wait until you have an offer, if they want to offer you a position, that puts you in to negotiation mode. That's when you have a little more room to let your potential employer know what you will need from them in order to accept the position.

7. Please ask questions at the end of your interview. Don't say, 'No, I think you covered everything.' It's dumb. If nothing else, ask the person about himself or herself. Ask what they like about working at the company, ask about their career path, ask about their goals for the department or company, ask what they are looking for in their next employee. ASK! Try to start a conversation from there and leave 'em wanting more.

8. This is my last thing and then I'll shut up. Pay attention to your interviewer. Are they engaged in what you're saying? Do they look bored? Are they trying get a word in but you haven't stopped talking? Are they prodding you for more information that you're not giving them? Watch their body language. Are they slumped in their chair, are they doodling on your resume? Take everything in.

Ok, now back to what you were doing -T

Blah

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:13:55 GMT

Hi All!

I know it has been too long since I last posted but really, I've got nothin'! Nothing interesting and can be put out in the cyber world at least. But in case you're interested, below are some very random ramblings...

It's still winter in MN despite the calendar clearly stating that it should be spring. I'm talking cold temps and snow. We had a crazy snowstorm last week that just pushed me further in to my winter depression. It's crazy. We're getting more snow tomorrow. Help!

My stupid association charged me a $25 fee because I still had my Christmas lights in my shrubs. In the warning letter it said I could keep the lights up until April 1st as long as I didn't turn them on. No problem. I haven't turned them on since the day after Christmas. I don't even like Christmas that much. I couldn't get them out of the shrubs because the whole area is completely covered in snow and I couldn't get them out. Two weeks later, I get a letter telling me that I'm a horrible person and they are charging me $25 because I didn't abide by my warning letter and take the lights down. WHAT!?!?! What happened to that April 1st thing? I appealed the charge and lost. No reason was given as to why I lost. Whatever.

My NCAA bracket isn't looking so good. How could Georgetown do that to me? Ahhh! I'm hanging in there though. I have UCLA winning it all. Keep your fingers crossed.

Easter was pretty uneventful. Easter is my favorite holiday because it lands in the spring and you don't have to buy gifts or anything. But with this weather, I just couldn't get in to it. My parent's and I went to brunch at our favorite place, Bonfire. Great place but the brunch is not worth it. Trust me. Go to Perkins.

Things are beyond crazy at work, which has also cut in to my blogging time. Trying to fill jobs, trying to train in new people, trying not to go insane, trying to wipe the 'are you crazy' look off my face. You know, the usual stuff. I'm taking a 'Tysley Day' on Friday so that should help relieve some stress...I hope.

Speaking of stress. I'm still not sleeping! This has been going on since November and I am so over it. Sleeping pills help but I'm kind of over those too. So now I have to do a sleep study in a few weeks. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, I'm thinking about becoming a night nanny. Help those poor Mom's who would give anything to have my problem. We'll see.

Running is a disaster. I have blisters on my feet and I did something to my right knee so my training has been hell the last two weeks. I have a 5K in 2.5 weeks. I can only run 2.25 miles consistently. Pray.

I don't care what anyone says, I loved Obama's speech last week. Even if you didn't agree with what he said, he took a clear stand on the issue of race and I respect the way he handled the situation. I wish we had a democratic candidate figured out though. This is getting older than McCain. Ha! Kidding. Sorry.

I just finished an awesome book called The Secret Life of CeCe Wilkes. Crazy drama.

My brothers are both doing well. CT will be coming home at the beginning of May for the summer. Plans are in the works for getting him and his car back here. Should be interesting. If anyone knows of any summer jobs for a strapping young lad, let me know. RT is still chasing his musical aspirations. Dude. I am so glad that that is not my dream. Too heartbreaking for me.

Ok. That's it for me. Hope all is well with everyone. Peace. -T

Ready To Run

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:09:49 GMT

As we begin what they are calling 'Junior Super Tuesday', I am wondering how those candidates maintain the strength and energy it takes to run for office in this country. It reminds me of one of my most favorite quotes. I think it applies to all of us as we try to maintain our own strength and energy every day.

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."

- Unknown

Make it a good day! -T

Table for One

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:55:31 GMT

Well, I did it. I broke down and bought a kitchen table. I know I should be excited but sorrow is in my heart. It's official. I'm a grown up. I eat at a kitchen table now? What's next, fiber tablets? Ugh! When I moved it to my place almost two years ago, I had everything I needed, except a kitchen table. Who needs it? I never sat at my roommate's table anyway. I always ate dinner sitting on the couch in front of the tv. I'll be fine. I'll get one in a couple of months I thought. Well, that turned in to 18 months. During all of these months, I haven't done much entertaining due to the table issue. It's really not that big of a deal to me but I hear about it all the time from my friends and Mom. 'You need a table! Where is your table? When are you getting a table?' Ugh! I have put it off partly because I could always find something else to spend my money on and mostly because it just signified too much settledness. It was bad enough that I have to pay for, maintain, and constantly worry about this house. But putting down roots with a kitchen table?! Now that seems a bit too mature for me. What if I decide to move to another country? What do I do with this table? It's one thing to have a bed and a couch. I mean, you have to eat and sleep somewhere but a table is just too complete. And I'm also a bit of a minimalist. I don't like to have too many things. I have the fewest and smallest of most things just because I don't like to deal with them. I fear gift-giving Holidays because that gift becomes one more thing I have deal with at some point. I will have to make a decision to keep, throw, sell, deal! You wouldn't believe how much that stresses me out. I don't even have many decorations because I just don't want to DEAL with them. They have to be cleaned, not broken, you know, taken care of. I was actually just looking at my CD collection this weekend and wondering why I didn't ditch those when I had my garage sale. And my Santabears are looking more and more like Ebay material every day. And tell me, what is the real need for more than one glass and plate for a single dweller? But I guess the table was a necessary item since the area that called for a table looked pretty silly without one. Anyway, the table is cute and little. Nothing fancy and something I think I could easily ditch if I had to. Especially since I only purchased one chair. Hey! Baby steps. -T

It's Ok

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:46:18 GMT

I was on the treadmill the other night and I was horribly alone. My new love running had forgotten our date or something so it was just me and Me. You should have heard the argument me and Me had. It was almost comical. I hop on the treadmill and Me says that I have to maybe push myself a little this time. Uh, I don't think so! Running never says things like that. Running says to just do the best I can, if I feel like increasing the speed, go ahead but it's mostly about distance. You should have heard Me, she is such a brat! 'He's being nice to you', Me says. 'He doesn't want to scare you off but he's not here now and I'm telling you that you need to make this happen.' 'Whatever!' I tell her as I started my warm up walk. She wouldn't go away without fight. She starts increasing the speed DURING THE WARM UP WALK! The nerve! 'Go away!', I say. She smiles that annoying smile of hers and crosses her arms. I don't like her. So I deal with the speed and get through the warm up. My running is decent, I'm trying a new breathing technique I just learned and things are good. Out of nowhere she starts babbling about this 5K I've committed to and how my friend Tara who has agreed to do it with me will be laughing all the way to the finish line if I don't hurry this thing along. 'But, I have a bad back' I tell her. Excuses! She's screaming this by the way. 'My knee hurts and I'm SO overweight' I tell her. She is just pacing next to me while she laughs that horrible cackle of hers. That just makes me even more upset so I start increasing the speed myself just to show her. This Me is so not cool and I'm just going to get this over with so she'll leave me alone. Why did Running take this day off? Why did he leave me with HER! She doesn't understand me! She heard me and whispers in my ear what I secretly know but refuse to admit. 'It is ME who truly understands you. I know what you want from this and only I will truly push you. He got you here but I will keep you here. You and Running have miles and miles between you but there is nothing between us, I am always here. Now, stop complaining and start moving!' Oh, she is impossible! I continue with my excuses, which fall on her stupid deaf ears. 'Faster.' That is all she says in her calm yet fierce voice. I think of my buddy B who does triathlons like it ain't no thang. How does she keep going? I wonder about my friend Tami who can run at 8mph for 15 minutes. 15 minutes! Me comes closer and something about her presence suddenly calms me. 'Just settle in and keep moving. It's ok that your back hurts. It's ok that you're tired. It's ok that that adorable man just walked by and gave you a smile that could move mountains and all you could muster was a slight nod. It's ok that you have no idea how you got here. It's ok.' And then I think what they call a second wind came over me and I decided that it was ok. Me increased the speed and cracked a smile. 'It's ok she says, I'm here. Keep going.' I use all of the energy I have to whisper, 'ok.' -T

Join the Fight

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:18:38 GMT

Hi All!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes and thank you to everyone who went out and fought the good fight for Super Tuesday last night. I had to park about half a mile away to get to my caucusing location and then had to wait in line for about 15 minutes outside before I could vote but it was worth it. The whole time I was making my way to the caucus I was thinking about how I am just two generations out from family members who didn't have the right to vote. I am blessed enough to not only have the right to vote but to have the means, health, and good sense to know I need to vote. But along with all of that, I was thinking about my friend SN's little cousin Abby. Abby is three years old and she was born with a heart condition that has now brought her to a place where she is waiting for a heart transplant. She spent most of the winter, spring, and summer of last year in the hospital after a series of scary problems with her heart. She has been on the news several times and there have been several benefits in her honor to help raise money for the heart surgery she needs to live a full life. She is going to be back on the news this week in a story about the health insurance crisis in this country. Abby is only 3 years old and she is out of health insurance money for life. The maximum is a million dollars and she has gone through all of it. How do you tell a three year old that she lives in the richest, most powerful country in the world and the price of her health not only has a limit but she has met that limit and then some? Abby wasn't here when we elected our last President, she's not old enough to vote now, and she will not be able to impact her Government for several more years. Yet, her health care fate has been decided for the rest of her life. We cannot let that happen. That is why we have to make sure we have an impact on this election. This is why we have to stop making excuses, stop saying we haven't educated ourselves on the issues, stop sitting idly by just because we are in a good place. Just because you have health insurance now or because you can pay your mortgage now or because life is good for you now, doesn't mean that you can just let things happen around you. We are all just a few degrees or less from someone who needs us to get out there and fight for them. Four years ago, Abby wasn't here and health care reform wasn't as important as it is today but look at what just a few years can do. Look at the crisis we are in because we didn't make sure to keep our eye on the prize. The prize of the American Dream. Abby is actually one of the lucky ones. Her story is being heard, people are uniting to raise money, raise awareness, and make sure that she gets to live out the pursuit of happiness. There are so many who don't have that same circumstance. It is the meekest amongst us that we have to remember to have a voice for. You may not have children or grandchildren or friends or parents or loved one's who need your voice today but keep living and you will. Hopefully, you will still be in a place to have that voice and not be the one hoping to have someone speak for you. It is that important. Please get involved. We need you. -T