Heavy Hitting

Right now, it’s a pivotal point in my career. The OG wants to offer me a full time position. The Consulting Co. (CC) would LOVE to offer me something full time but isn’t quite sure how she can work it at the moment. And an ad-agency that’s working on our website at the OG wants to hire me full time. I get weekly calls from recruiters who are interested in giving me project work. I’m in high demand.

In talking with my boss at CC, she offered up an awesome alternative solution. One of our major clients is a Consumer Packaged Goods company and they’re looking for a transitional person and/or someone to work 20 hours a week. It would be an amazing transition for me in my career. This would put me on a path to do what I’ve wanted to do (work on a major brand) and lead me into the big giants like Pepsi Co, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, and Frito Lay.

I also had a conversation today with the lady who is the international liaison for the worldwide portion of the company I worked for in Atlanta. I told her my project idea for the international partners and she thought it was great! She also thought it would be a good time to bring it up to the 'powers that be' because of the company's position at the moment and the timing of their next global meeting. This could be promising...

I’m on a mission.

I’m dead set on being the best I can be.

Going out and partying, living it up, blowing money on going out (and putting on the pounds), doing reckless and wild things – that’s not me. And that’s what I’ve been portrayed as to those that don’t know me well. My (not at work) friends don’t know the giving me. They don’t know the domesticated, creative, professional, talented me. All they know is the fun-loving, drunk, isn’t afraid of anything me… and that’s scary.

So, tonight, I didn't go out. I stayed in and talked to a boy. (that's so 9th grade of me...) I actually enjoyed this Friday night, too. Tomorrow, I'll work out, do some chores, and take care of some things. Hopefully it'll be sunny so I can lay by the pool a little. It'll be a nice day of relaxation before all of the heavy hitting I've got lined up for next week!

10 Things I did today

I have been incredibly productive today...

1. I got SO much done at OG this AM. Good, cause we're launching NEXT WEEK!!
2. I worked out for 45 mins. It. felt. awesome!!
3. Bought Rosetta Stone in French. I've been meaning to do this for a while but have been scared about the $600 it costs. Yesterday, my boss told me she'd pay me overtime for all the work I did last week. Thank you kind lady!!
4. Bought a frame for my diploma and one for the picture in the living room that broke during my move. Michael's had an awesome coupon... 40% off all frames, and an extra 25% off after that. Holla!
5. I got this girl's gift that I ordered from expressionery.com. She works with me at OG and she's getting married next week/leaving the company. So sad! Cute gift, though!
6. I made a delish dinner with rice, green beans, and broccoli. Yum-O!
7. I clipped coupons after getting the newspaper... save that money!
8. I called the court in GA and in OH about the biatch that owes me money. Turns out, need to sue her in OH. Not what I was hoping to hear. :(
9. Printed the pictures that Fran has been anxiously awaiting.
10. And signed up to do some volunteer work. :)

All in all, a great day! It was a much better day than the past two, so that's a good thing. I've been dealing with thoughts about Michael - and they've finally subsided. Hooray!

Now, go have yourself a productive little day!

Say a little prayer...

My heart goes out to Hallie at Wonderful World of Weiners. Her son passed away not even two weeks ago tragically.

I've stumbled upon her blog a few times in the past, but it's not on my list of daily reads. She seems like she loves her family in the way that I will someday... fiercely. With a passion. With everything she is. I can't even imagine the pain she's going through. After reading her blog, facebook, other blogs of people who 'knew' her son... it is apparent. My prayers go out to her and her family.

So sad...

10 Things in Austin, TX this weekend

Fran and I decided that we'd take a little jaunt down to Austin this weekend. Saturday evening, to be exact. It was an un-planned, fly by the seat of our pants-type trip. And it was hella amazing.

1. Austin is weird. They were right about that.
2. Ate at this FABULOUS restaurant called La Condesa for dinner, delish!
3. Had a shit ton of alcohol. Not sure how we didn't die on Saturday night. I believe she and I both were 8 shots and 3 drinks deep. And, no, I don't drink girlie drinks... Jager and Redbull and Captain and Ginger Ale. And went to at least 6 drinking establishments.
4. Met yet another Dallas Stars hockey player... Random!
5. Stayed with one of her friends in a ridiculously nice house.
6. Ate brunch at a european eatery... had a Croque Madame. Delish!
7. Sat on a rooftop patio sipping on frozen margaritas for several hours - basking in the sunshine! (and now have an awesome sunburn from it. ouch!)
8. Bought an extremely cute picture frame made out of recycled bangles.
9. Had a nutella and strawberry crepe, made by a dude that (from all appearances) was straight off the boat from France at this place.
10. oh, and, we didn't have a hotel or anything, so we got ready in this hotel's bathroom. HILARIOUS!

So, yes, I had an AWESOME weekend this weekend - and I see more Austin trips in our future - such a great city!

OG

The oil and gas company (now going to be referred to as OG) has brought about some thought lately. This morning, in particular, there was a bit of riff-raff with my boss. The dynamic here is overwhelming sometimes. Men get pissy, some get special treatment because they belong to our parent company, they get heated and yell at each other… you know, the usual. (wtf??)

The point is, I’ve never before seen people act like this – especially not in a work setting. I worked in the Consulting industry prior to this and I must say this is a huge change of culture for me.

Looking at this job as a project, and only that, has given me the ability to not get upset if things don’t go according to plan – ANY plan, that is. Boss decided that he wanted some note cards made. He passed it to one lady, she passed it to another, then another, until it finally landed on my desk.

More than happy to and capable of carrying out this ridiculously easy task, I asked which logo he’d like on them – and he flipped his shit. He mentioned that he wanted a printer that we already have a relationship with to do it. Problem is, he won’t give me the contact there – or even tell me where “there” is. So, rather than giving me the details he just holds on to it. Now, he just says that he wants to “slap a logo” on it and call it a day. That’s going to look awesome with the rest of the materials that have yet to be developed. Way to go with consistency, big guy.

This company has gone against every. single. marketing concept I know. Marketing departments plan for their year well in advance. There’s a strategy in place, a plan, a budget… all these things that make it successful. Not at OG. We fly by the seat of our pants here and it’s going to set us up for failure, for sure.

On another note, the CFO wants me to “meet his son” for some reason. I guess he’s a few years older than me and in to web design. Since I’m a marketing person, he thinks we would “get along great”. Either that or he just sees the direction I’m headed and wants to capitalize on that for his son. Successful, career-driven, hard-working woman. Set it up!

ATL mama....!!

This weekend was fan-tabulous in the ATL. I got to catch up with a lot of old friends, see some of the kids I used to nanny for, hang out with my family (saw my great gma!!), see a Braves pre-season game, and go on a date with Number 10. I had a blast… and happy birthday to me!

I wanted to write about something monumental – something that has a chuckle factor, or something that would be interesting to you, at least. But right now – none of that is. It was all just catching up.

Shenanigans ensued on Friday evening with Blaire and some other friends. We went out to our usual stomping grounds – just some new places. I didn’t go to the MF Room or to the Gold Club, which happen to be some newer “clubs” in town. There just wasn’t time or opportunity for it. I’m sure the same old ATL DB’s were out in full force and I was content spending time with the people I care about more.

I did see Michael Vick in the airport, getting on a plane to Tampa, so that was interesting. I also almost didn’t make my flight because they had to bump 4 people. They offered a sweet deal, too. Two free round trips anywhere AirTran flies, hotel for the night, and 3 meals. I would have taken them up on that offer had I not had a ridiculously important meeting at the oil and gas company on Monday. *sigh* If there’s anywhere to be “stuck,” Atlanta would be the best place.

Music in the key of drunk...

Have you ever noticed that some songs just sound better when you’re drunk. For instance, you’re driving down the highway and a song has been played at least 4 times in your 20 minute jaunt to wherever you’re going – so you change it, and rarely listen to it.

But not when you’re drunk. That shit comes over the speakers, you get really happy, start to dance, sing all the lyrics… you know, the works.

Not something you do? Ok, well maybe it’s just me. ;)

I have a blackberry… love it. (minus the inability to have apps like shazaam) I keep a list in the “notes” section of things like books I see that I’d like to read, songs I need to download, blog topics, etc.

After this weekend, I found a few songs in there that I just didn’t know what the hell drunk me was trying to tell sober me. For instance:

Bep.

I can understand that means Black Eyed Peas…. But what song did I hear that was noteworthy enough to download? No clue.

My favorite…?

Midnight.

Haha! Wtf does that even mean?! Is it a lyric? A song title? Who the hell knows…