late night workin

the insanity! the pressure! the cuss words being thrown across the room!

but the dinner.... supremo!

working on a saturday

3 words -

Body Massage Center

girl time

Been another long day and I'm glad it's the weekend, but I guess that doesn't matter, I have to work tomorrow and Sunday with my contract job, which I don't mind. The cool thing is, the VP sent an email out to us weekend warriors and said they are sending in a person to give us massages while we work.. and for the 2nd day they have bought us lunch and I hear dinner is in the works for tomorrow, so I know it's going to be a somewhat late night. Like I said, I don't mind. I did get to a point today when the lead developer (miss cuss from yesterday) came to me and said that once again we had to revise some text files for our flash tour. I didn't mind till I found out that it was going to take the better part of the day to line the text up correctly. A line of cuss words came to my mouth and I screamed an "argh" and my manager cried out loud "she is human, we can break her". Topped her off by figuring out how to play with the text with a simple < br > tag and was done in 45 minutes. HA!

If you are following the tag board - I did get a hold of Cynthia by email and called her. Got her message machine, but hopefully I'll talk to her this weekend. I'm not going to push, meddle or act like some crazy woman. If she is interested in becoming a consultant and wants the world to know our business, I'll let you in on the details. I hope I make a nice new friend either way out of this. :)

I will say this - MK has been able to give me some serious "girl time". I never had a lot of friends in high school. I had a revolving door on friends in my life till just recently. Julie is my best friend and she too is a MK consultant. I know that what I'm doing with my business would not be half as fun without her in my life and doing it with me. We met 2 years ago at a dot com company. This company was pretty cool, company golfing, baseball outings, parties at the CEO's house; it was a fun time. Julie and I became friends about 5 months after she started working there; I had been then about a month earlier. We clicked pretty well. We both fell in love with golfing and we both like getting a little on the drunk side at the office parties. We bitched about the same people, and had a lot of fun together. In May, the graphic designer I had replaced when she went to another company called me and asked me if I wanted to go to a MK event. For me, it was a night out with some girls and I said sure. I had so much fun that night, I invited myself to a few other events over the summer. I knew I wanted to sign up but was getting negative feedback from my husband. Julie told me countless times this would be a good thing for me. I knew it would.

In August (tomorrow to be exact, 8/31/00), I went out to lunch with this MK consultant, Julie and a few other girls from work and we had a victory lunch when I signed my agreement with MK. After that, when I went to my evening events, the next day I would tell Julie about the fun I had. She has her own consultant and so by living by MK's wishes, I did not try to steal her as a customer. I was soon laid off with the job, but I kept up with Julie. In January she called me and told me that she had decided to join MK too and had just signed her agreement. Since then, we have gone to a lot of MK events, conferences, retreats and our friendship with each other has just grown bigger. I'll have to write about last year's retreat. We had so much fun.

When she got to go to Dallas last year to the big seminar conference, she brought me back a coffee mug. When I went to Disneyland on vacation, I brought her back some Mickey ears. She just loves Mickey Mouse. She went to another thing just recently and brought me back a training tape. We do these things for each other because we want each other to grow and I personally consider her as a sister, so that makes her my best friend.

Last week she met a Director who owns one of the famous pink cadillacs - here is a picture of the car.



Julie behind the wheel.

Tonight she came over, I haven't seen her in 3 weeks at least and she brought over a cool MK National Director tape and we watched it together. It is so much fun watching these things with someone who is on the same level as you do because you both get it. Though, come November she is moving to Kansas and I will be so heart broken. But at the same time I know, that as we both move up with our biz, there will be more times to do things together and that is the best to look at in our future. How often can you say as a mother of 2, married 12 years, I get to have a slumber party with my best friend Julie still?

And as my "team" grows.. I will be able to add to that list of slumber buddies.

Thank you Mary Kay. Thank you.

tons of stuff

Crap.. where the heck did this day go? Take a gander at my other posts.. I have been one busy chic in the past half-hour. I updated the Thursday Theme, which was "texture". Took a picture of my beloved make-up (no, I'm not stuck-up, just needy of the stuff). Updated the "Thursday Threesome" and the "Friday Five" a day early.

It has been another great day, but the pressure is hitting at work. Today we had a meeting to find out where we stand with a lot of the projects for the big project. When the lead designer found out there was changes again to a virtual map we are doing, a list of cuss words came out of her mouth, for a second there, I thought I was back on the pier of the USS Forestall when I was in the Navy. She's a quiet person, confidant and a leader, so it came as a shock to hear her go off like this. It was warranted, but I was shocked none the less. The company ended up paying for lunch so we could eat and still work which was nice and I hear it will be done tomorrow and Saturday and possibly Sunday if we have to go in on Sunday. Saturday is a must, I love the money I'm making on this project.

I also got to work on my own project that was started and finished by me. I have spent the past 2 days cropping photos for the image library of New York photos so they can use through out the site.. about 400 in all in to 2 different sizes. What fun that has been, but it's my baby. So when I show the site in a few days, most scenic images will have come from me. I also worked on the "poll" page, but I'm sure that will be redone, the one project I just couldn't see myself doing and they gave that to me.

How's this for a kicker? I went into my sucky job for my hour of catch-up this morning and my boss was in for a day. He asked how long will I be working down town and I said till next week. He said that he needs to know if this will become a steady position because he needs a graphic artist for 20 hours. HELLO? Is this not why I went looking? You didn't want me to work 20 hours? Yes.. I want to cuss a stream of words, I just can't write them down. I told him that nothing is concrete and when he gets back from once again another f**king vacation with the boys, I'll know where I stand at. I so hope I can tell him to take his job and shove it up his ass.

I got my MK biz back in gear, saw my friend Jennifer (Scooby snackz) and took an order. Haven't seen her in 2 weeks, or more and it feels like forever. Can't wait till our girls get back into girl-scouts so we can have some mom time while they are in meetings.

Crap. Was hoping to make this an early night, but its nearing midnight. Ain't going to happen.

So with that.. I'll leave you with this one question... what the hell was up with the MTV VMA's tonight? The camera's they used sucked; it looked stage and Guns & Roses? If all but one member is gone.. I'm sorry.. they are not Guns & Roses.. they are a new band! I didn't like them when they were a hit anyway, but tonight was just the worst.

Off topic: In honor of trying to get gum out of my daughter's hair tonight: Double Bubble Bubblegum.

Onesome. Double. If you could have a clone of yourself, what thing would you most want that clone to do so you don't have to? work the long hours that I'm still trying to adjust to. :) I think cooking would be the one thing. I hate to cook. Take-out is my best friend.

Twosome. Bubble. Anyone you know live life in a bubble? Who? And do you wish they'd snap back to reality? Me! No.. I can't think of anyone that lives in a bubble. I try to put myself in a crowd of positive but realistic friends (now that's a bubble I'M IN!).. that way I keep my wits, sanity and whatever else about me in line.

Threesome. Bubblegum. Willy Wonka talks about chewing gum to be a nasty habit. What's your worst habit? Do you wish you could give it up? When I get nervous I chew my nails. You can always tell when things are at the pits with me when my finger nails are down to the stubs.

How about you? Post your answers in your own space and leave a comment here so we can find you!

Theme Thursday

My photo log for Theme Thursday - shutter. "Texture" is the theme.

updated 9/4/02 pictures below

1. What's your favorite piece of clothing that you currently own? My black "weekenders" shirt, black "weekenders" pants and a new suede red jacket I got as a gift from my mother & sister.

2. What piece of clothing do you most want to acquire? a leather jacket, a formal gown for Dallas next year, some jeans, anything black.

3. What piece of clothing can you not bring yourself to get rid of? Why? A black jean dress, strapless, size 6. I was over weight once (and again) and lost 30 pounds and that was my reward, something sexy. Now I'll just wait to give it to my daughter.. strapless? I think not.. I'll give it to her when she's 30.

4. What piece of clothing do you look your best in? black shirt, black pants (or skirt) with the the new jacket. I wore it yesterday and had a ton of compliments on it.

5. What has been your biggest fashion accident? I am a walking fashion accident. I can't think off hand what it would be, but there have been some blunders.

Here are a few pictures of my favorite outfit:

joy

**very late, very tired, this post might not make sense.

It's late so my title is not all that original. There is another word I'm searching for, but this will do for now.

It has been a busy day. Working 2 jobs then doing a MK night, I'm surprised I'm still up at this hour. But I'm on this natural high and I know it was because of the evening event and how it makes me feel.

The day in general has just been awesome. I left my 1st job (the sucky one) with the feeling of "yeah, the affect of not working every day, being at your beck and call is starting to hurt you". I know its mean.. but come on, he pays crappy and works me crappy. I walk in on purpose to my VP's office with purse in hand, keys and sunglasses in the other letting him know, any changes he needs will not be done till tomorrow. He reminds me how I work for them and they are my #1 fan... give me raise with some vacation benefits thrown in and we'll talk fans.

I get downtown and though I'm doing what a productionist does in the graphic world, a lot of repeated steps, like resizing over 100 photos, or a lot of coping and pasting, I feel so useful to them. I know that because of the stupid stuff I'm doing, they are working on other things that need more effort put toward to. But the nice thing is, every day I have come in; the assignment is a little harder or more detailed and not some intern stuff. So I know I have their trust. They usually have to show me once and after that I'm alone for 2 to 3 hours working on the hard projects without problems or I'm done in record time begging for more stuff to do. My manager said that she normally doesn't hire someone resume unseen and that when she gets back from NY she wants to view it and sit down and talk with me, I might have a more potential job with this company. Hell, I don't care if it's 3 days.. I would make more in 3 days with them, than I do in a week at my other place. I know that I came in at the crunch deadline on this project and won't work on the cool stuff, but just saying I helped with the timeline and stuff.. it's a plus for me and I know that future projects will have my hand in the beginning of the project and not the end.


Then a quick pitstop home and off to MK night. I can't explain the nights I do this, but it is so fun. It doesn't even matter if I didn't do anything special or receive any awards that week (which I didn't).. it just feels good. Stephanie played my voice on a message I had left her earlier this week. I was telling her some good news about my mom, on my cell phone on the way home and I was laughing about something and I snorted which cracked me up even more on the message. All for 30 some women to listen to tonight. We even laughed more tonight over it. That would have mortified me 2 years ago to have someone laugh about my voice, laugh or snort.. but this was ok. We all got the drift of the message and were laughing and it was a hoot.

I feel sometimes that my life is a pac-man game. The white dots is esteem I'm trying to build, eating as much has I can and build my ego up. With a few power ups of the fruits which would be my Wed. nights, that make me feel so good for a few days till the next Wed. night. And then once in awhile I get those ugly ghosts which would be my job that brings me down, or finances that holds us back from doing what we want to do. One day I'll win the game and in the next screen I'll be in that directors suit (whichever color it will be that year) and in the cool car. I won't be running for my life like pac-man does. I'll be scootin in my car. :)

Tonight was a good night. A very good night.

Because I'm the Mommy, That's Why!

I have decided to venture into writing and other neat stuff with the Back Porch and The Mommies. Not only bore you here, but there too. ;)

I figured that I can offer that little tidbit of advice like - when is the right age to let your kids stay at home by themselves..

Since I am now working a full time job and the kids are on their 3 week break from year round school.. daddy is just getting off the midnight shift and catching a little shut-eye, but within yelling distance if needed... 2 little kids kind of have to entertain themselves for about 3 hours between dad's sleep and my arrival home.

When the discussion came up about getting a babysitter over the weekend because we both had to work, I quickly remember what had happened the day before just while dad was sleeping. They decided to see if our dog Shadow would sneeze if they put pepper in her dog food. When she threw up the next morning from what I have no idea, J quickly proclaims.. "See? I told you she would throw up". Hence. We got a babysitter.

And now you know. If your kids are between 7 & 8 and you question it.. just remember that little sound of advice.

**whispered voice** babysitter.

ketchup

My mind is in a swirl. This job is so cool in an odd way. I haven't done anything creative, I'm just doing little fix it stuff, content placing with a template, copy and paste mood.. but yet I feel so useful. This past weekend one of the girls and I came in on Saturday and though my PM said that we did a lot of work, I don't feel that in 6 hours I did. But I did. Does that make sense at all? I worked on a 23 page document, pasting code, cleaning it up, linking links.. it took all day but at the same time, it was one section of the site so I didn't feel like I accomplished alot.

The fun part was when the other girl came to my cube with a stryofoam cup and asked did I like wine. She found an open bottle in the coffee room and poured herself and I a glass. It had some kick, we both agreed a hour later that we slowed down a bit and lost track of what we were doing. Didn't stop us from having another cup!

Today I went back to my other job and was greeted with a stack of stuff that my VP wants me to do yesterday and a note from my Boss saying "don't work more then 2 days a week, I can't afford you, see you in 3 weeks". I quickly did some of the stuff up, left a note for the VP and explained I had a cool contract job and that it has major priorty and I would come in the mornings to see what needed to be done and he wrote back and told me not to forget who is #1. Yeah.. the company that is paying me to work full time at $20.00 an hour. Not you bud.

In other related stuff.. my mother called me today. She got her first recruit in MK. So proud of her. She wasn't expecting this one. She invited a friend to go, just to have a guest.. why can't I get that kind of response??? She promplty called me at 10pm and said "what do I do?". So she's on her way to the Red Grand AM as I am. Wonder who will get there first?

I need to hit the sack. I'm up extra early tomorrow for the VP. I hope he realizes, I don't get up early for anyone.

~*~ I have a new part time job paying better
~*~ With that new job, we can reverse our bill paying and get rent paid on time
~*~ I am/will be a sexy size 12 (it's supposed to six... that just isn't going to happen)
~*~ I enjoyed my Saturday by working (and we had wine at work!)
~*~ I enjoyed my Sunday by doing nothing.
~*~ I got to talk to Julie & Jennifer last week
~*~ I know that job wise things are getting better for me.
~*~ It is a wonderful Monday morning.

hate mail

weeeee... I got my first hate mail! Should I be happy? I don't know. I just felt kinda of out of the loop when everyone around me was getting it for the things they wrote in their blogs/journals, that maybe I was too sugar-like to get hate mail. I was wrong. But I didn't get it for what I have said, I have recieved for what I'm doing.

It seems that someone went searching for the words Mary Kay and my site is being found now. I know these ladies in pink. They find out who's doing wrong where and find that flaw, tell their buddies, then all of a sudden they swarm like flies on you. I'm not bad mouthing them, really. Not all pink ladies do this. There are those who are mean, no matter what they do, then there are those who rise above the rest and shine the image that Mary Kay wanted us to. I'm trying that route.. the shine image one, but I'm still a geek at large on the net so I blog/journal, whatever this is that I'm doing right now. (would someone tell me if this is my blog or journal? Tag-me. I think it's my journal).

I don't personally think I'm doing anything wrong. At most considerable damage, I'm using images I shouldn't use. But I'm not abusing her, resizing her, heck not even linking to her to harm her in any way. I would love to thank the artist personally who made her, she's Ms. MK to me, and represents all MK ladies out there. I'm doing a journal that is telling my ups (good sales) the bad (no guests) and the in betweens (other j.o.b.s). I would be lieing if I told you that the MK world is all pink, warm and fuzzy. My MK biz is just like your job. Great at times, low at times, but I can tell you, I probably do have more ups then down days, and those up days are pretty cool.

So anyway, over night I saw my count go up and I notice that all kinds of key words have been put in for my site. Gold Money Bag, Red Grand AM (it is the car I want), Mary Kay, braces, high school. Ok, don't know where the last 2 came from.. but my 100 about me came up on that one. I did wear braces in H.S.

Back to this email I recieved. I'm not posting it here, not even going to give them credit for the email, but the question that pissed me off most was, did I expect to gain new customers or recruits by doing this journal? HELL NO! If at most, probably some person viewing it thinking to themselves "better her then me to go through all that emotion crap". This is MY journal. MY journey down a long road. Heck, I'm not even talking about MK most of the time and giving my other job the credit it's not due. I'm doing this so that when I get to the point of success that I have set out for myself, I can really come back and read what I did right, and what I did wrong. For my close friends that are reading, and I'm getting a small fan base if you want to call that, with their readings, they will see a person who will grow and change.

I probably shouldn't have even addressed this, but I figure the "Field of Dreams" factor in... if I build it and journal it, and put it out for the public to view, they will goggle it and come.