Day 24: Friday Fun

Day 24

Friday, May 4, 2012

Today was going to be a great day, it was Friday after all.

Not only was it a fun day at work, it was a day that I was completely myself. Yes there is office protocol and there are certain unspoken rules that you should follow. Today, I didn't follow any of them!

The office I work in is very serious. Lots of crazy smart people, number crunching, looming deadlines, fast walkers and fast talkers. Where as I go to work to have fun, others come to work to make money. The majority of the time I don't fit in because I'm not as serious as the others and honestly, I don't have to be and don't want to be.

The smile could not be wiped off my face today. I laughed to loud, shared jokes with my clients and lingered when talking to my colleagues. Today was a "personal" day at work. Colleagues told me about their kids about to get married, others vented about a irritating home situation and another peer just sat and chatted about life as a newlywed. It was great.

Heaven forbid that we actually get to know the people we work with? I spend more time with them than I do my own family...sad but true. (8 hours at work x 5 days a week = 40 hours...versus 3 hours each night ((6-9pm)) x 5 days a week = 15 hours. Yes, only 15 hours of Kurt, Izzy, Stacy, Friends, Family time a week.

Corporations need collaboration. Fun. Friendly environments. Loyalty comes through days like today.

How I felt today being 100% Stacy?
Great but also a bit strange not having any filters. (I can't really say that because despite my fun attitude, I am pretty conservative at work and have a pretty good idea of when and how to say things. So, I wasn't singing to music or dancing in the halls but I was authentic, cheerful and outgoing today.

How my peers felt chatting with me:
Hopefully good. My colleague who sits in the office next to me calls me "Oprah" because people are always coming in and out of my office, usually to vent or just say hello. The walls are paper thin so he can always hear our conversations. I joke that he's now plugged in to all things "female". But I hope that each person went home thinking that where I work can be a fun place to be.

Lessons learned:
I wish other people personally engaged with each other at work. When I have clients come in they joke that you can hear crickets chirping because it's so quiet. Unfortunately, they are correct. I need to figure out if a culture change is possible and do something about it. Even if it's organizing a clothing drive or something that brings everyone together to create a bit of cohesion. Hmm, what can I do?

Day 23: I found some magic

Day 23:

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Today I was inspired to find articles on the topic of kindness. So many folks in my company write articles for our quarterly publication, why not me? Granted I know very little about the construction world but I was looking to find a correlation between kindness and productivity...there's got to be a connection there.

In my digging around for articles, out popped the most amazing, gut wrenching, moving and inspiring website. By 9am, my eyes were swollen from crying and coffee was replaced by Kleenex. Please, remember this website: http://www.rachelschallenge.org/.

Years ago I was at the driving range when my jaw hit the ground. I was getting another basket of driving range balls and the breaking news caught my attention. In fact, it caught the attention of everyone in the pro shop. Shots fired at a local high school in Littleton, Colorado. 

This website was created in honor of  Rachel Scott, the first person to fall victim in the shooting at Columbine High School. Her family started this website dedicated to spreading what other...kindness. They created kindness cards that create a chain reaction. You can track where and what your gesture did online. Meaning, I can send a card from Colorado to someone in Arkansas, that person sends a card to Hawaii, etc. I've requested a card be sent to me so I can circulate it on...can't wait! I asked to be on their mailing list and soon I will make a donation.


How I felt today:
After reading this website, I was so inspired and reminded that we have the power to create our life. Our life purpose might be right in front of us, and it might come out of  an experience we have.  I also felt sorrow and sadness for not only the family of Rachel but all the families, friends and communities that experienced this tragedy. Even though it has been years, when you step back into the articles and TV clips you are brought back to the moment it began.

Lessons learned:
 Reading inspirational stories has a profound affect on me. It lifts me up, inspires me and reminds me to pay attention to the significance in my life. What am I doing to live my life rather than just experience it?

Day 22: Not much...

Day 22

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Not much happened today. Many days ago I said that I wasn't going to force anything and that what was to unfold for the day, would.

One of my friends suggested that I mention how my life has changed since this experiment all started. And, because I don't have much to report today, now seems like the right time to highlight the incredible things that have happened.

Since starting 30daysplus1, it's quite interesting how many nice things have happened to me. Just today for example, one of my colleagues called me from Starbucks to see what she could pick up for me. Really, you're at Starbucks calling me for my order?

People are paying me compliments, work is going far better than it ever has, my relationships with Kurt and Izzy are the best ever, I have time for "me", I have more time for activities, I'm feeling more connected with everything and I'm so happy!

It turns out that that for the past 22 days my goal was to show people "love" but it turns out that it's been more about simply paying attention and slowing down. That seems to be what I've been noticing and making me really content. Are they connected? I don't know but I'm really enjoying the process.

I hope tomorrow something magical will happen and I'll be looking for it!

How I felt today:
Now at 10:39pm, I feel disappointed. Everyday there has been something that has surfaced and I'm just feeling a bit flat tonight that maybe I just overlooked something.

Lessons learned:
I guess it happens and plans don't go as planned, that's okay. Oh well.

PS...I put this picture up of humpback whales because I love them and realized that my next trip will be to CA and go whale watching with my family.

Day 21: What's a day without UMIZOOMI

Day 21

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

It's usually 6pm by the time I get home with Izzy. Time to start dinner, feed the dog, fight with Kurt's' pants, pack the lunch, blah blah blah. Many days we let Izzy watch TV and we call it giving her some "downtime". If I'm really honest with myself, it's a lazy excuse for giving her something to kill time doing while we get all our ducks in a row. It makes me crazy that she's in the other room when she could be with me but things move exponentially faster without a child, especially when you have a time crunch. Fellow moms and dads, you know what I'm talking about. I wish I was that mom who was totally organized, ran a smooth household and knew what was for dinner. Well, that's not me.

Shocker: 7pm, dog fed, clothes folded, lunches packed and brownies actually baking for teacher appreciation week. I'm impressed. With Kurt's help tonight, we blazed through our evening chores and by 7:15, I was actually in my pajamas, teeth brushed and ready to relax.

What better way to relax than with Izzy on the couch? She was really tired today and when she's sleepy, she gets really cuddly and wants me to hold her. She climbed all over me, elbowed me in the stomach and used my boobs as pillows and yes...it brought me right back to her being an infant laying on my tummy. About 7:50pm I woke up watching Olivia and woke up again about 8:30pm watching Team Umizoomi. What was so delightful about this occasion was that Izzy laid on me the entire time.

When I hang out with Izzy, I like to do activities or do something. Watching TV isn't that much fun but tonight, it was so nice to zone out with her on my tummy. Gosh, I love being a mom. I love being her mom.

How Izzy felt hanging out:
I know she loved it. Although tonight I kept falling asleep, when we do watch TV it's filled with commentary from me, applying the "lesson" of the show and applying the situation to her life. But tonight, we just hung out and flopped on the couch

How I felt:
Really relaxed

Lessons learned:
It might be misleading from my blog entries...I messy house makes me crazy. Uneasy, tension riddled and anxious. If I tidy it up, I feel relaxed and at ease. By no means am I OCD but if things are in their place, I feel organized and ahead of the 8 ball. Kurt and I both need to work on upkeep which is so hard during the week with two people working full time. But...to keep sane, we both need to do a little each day

Day 20: A thank you...

Day 20

Monday, April 30, 2012

After my moms surgery and the incredible battle wound on her head, we weren't sure if she would prefer to wear a wig or a hat.

Being a cancer survivor, a friend at work offered up her old hats she wore when she was doing chemo. She brought about 15 different hats that my mom could use the moment she heard I was concerned.

My moms hair grows like a weed and I think she's okay with the incredible scar on her head to she didn't need the hats after all.

Today I returned the hats and wrote a note with a Starbucks gift card. I was so grateful to my friend at work for being so gracious with things that may have been sentimental. 

How she felt:
She wasn't as work today but I'm sure she'll smile when she sees the card tomorrow

How I felt:
Really happy and very grateful that I work with such a nice and thoughtful friend

Lessons learned:
I need to write earlier in the day! At 10:13pm I just don't have the creativity and energy to make a good post.

Day 19: Tilling the soil

Day 19
Sunday, April 29

Today the entire day was spent with my foot on my shovel, Izzy with seeds in hand and fertilizer nearby. As a family, we had yard day. From the time we woke up to the time we went to sleep, we were all outside planting and fertilizing.

Columbines are native to Colorado and are very dainty and pretty. I wondered why we didn't have more in our yard, especially since I had about 10 seed packets. As I was planting them, I was brought back in time to the generations before me who lived in Colorado. The settlers. As they were making their homesteads, what did they think about when they saw them? Did they too think they were pretty and dainty? Did the sight of them make them stop and wonder about the past?

Today was spent being in the moment and thinking about what life was like before me. I don't know if it counts as "love" but it definately centered me and made me appreciate the people who came before me.

How I felt when giving quiet gratitude:
Again, really centered. As frustrating as it was digging holes through rocks and solid soil, there was something very rewarding about it feeling like I was an old settler.

Lessons learned:
I need to visit the new history museum that just opened. I can't wait to see the new columbines grow up in our yard as it will be a link to the people before me.

Day 18: An odd way to remember...

Day 18

Saturday, April 29, 2012

This evening we had dinner with my husbands friend and his family, none of whom I had met before.


Well tonight, we had a very interesting dinner. Kurts friends "John" is great and his two boys are great as well. His wife..."Psyco OCD" was pretty much just that. She asked the most inappropriate questions, monopolized all conversation and asked Kurt and I each only one question throughout the night.

Her boys are 5+ but still use sippy cups because she's worried they'll spill. Shared with us her unique ability to determine if someone is "useless" or not within 30 minutes and within 5 minutes of being at her house were made aware of her husbands "insanely large"nose. What's that you ask...? No, I am not kidding. I could go on.

Thank goodness 9pm arrived which meant time to go as it was Izzy's bedtime. (I love having a child to blame for our early departure).

The moment we got into the car, Kurt and I looked at each other in amazement and rehashed the entire night. We were just witness to a "crazy".

At the risk of sounding callous, she was a great benchmark for us both to use in judging our relationship and what makes our life tick. We were so grateful to each other for being normal and the perfect fit for the other person. 

My husband and I love each other but we're usually too busy teasing or playing with each other to ever speak the words, "I love you" very seriously. We'll say it heading out for work in the morning or if one of us fed the dog, etc. But tonight, it was nice to say (and hear) a sincere "I love you".

What we learned from each other:
That we like our definition of "normal" and we should probably pay more attention to saying "I love you". We also were reminded that we both think alike. Sometimes it takes a strange situation to remember that you love someone!

What I learned:
That I like my messy house, cluttered utensil drawer and if there's an opposite of OCD, I'm it. I know my husband appreciated me more tonight that he probably ever did before! 

Lessons learned:
That I'm judgmental and shouldn't be. I should've taken the high road with the "Psycho OCD" and thought about what happened in her childhood that created her crazy disposition but I didn't. For some reason it appeased both Kurt and I to gossip about her versus give her the benefit of the doubt.  I don't like that part of me but I guess I tend to do it when I just don't understand something/someone.