Shhhh, I have a secret...well maybe it's really a confession. I'm not really into politics. I mean, I'm young, educated, 'enlightened'...all of that, but still not reeeeally interested in the political goings ons.

It's like...I vote, but I don't spend a lot of time researching candidates. I watch CNN on a regular basis, but I feel more informed by The Daily Show. I watch pieces of the DNC speeches...while I'm on commercial break from Cartoon Network's Total Drama Island. It's just who I am.

I think that a huge part of it, is that I don't really 'believe' in our political process. Don't get me wrong, I think that there are some very well intentioned individuals and some good that comes out of their efforts. However, I just think that there are MORE individuals with their own agenda (or conflicting agendas) who stand in the way of most of the changes that we all want to see take place. At the end of the day, I guess I feel like the intentions and promises are great, but making those items a reality takes more that just the one individual...so maybe it'll get done, maybe not. Plus...everything that appears in the media is slanted, biased, twisted, bought and paid for...so I view all that rhetoric as a bunch of BS anyway.

For me politics is a necessary process to participate in, but I invest the majority of my time and efforts on the local grassroots projects where I can really SEE the changes take place. Does that make sense?

All of that being said, I am SOOOO Pro-Obama that it doesn't make any sense. Never before, have I really believed in the intentions and abilities of a candidate the way that I do right now. This man is the most accessible, ordinary, down-to-earth American that I have EVER seen run for office. He is SO REAL, and I have nothing but the highest hopes for his administration.

Go Obama-Biden 2008!!!

(P.S. I love this poster, and it on a t-shirt would make an AWESOME b-day gift...I'm just saying.)

I got in that early morning swim this morning, and I feel Grrrrreat!! Hopefully this will hold for the rest of the day. We shall see...now I'm off to be productive.

Have a great day, everyone!

Patience

Sooo, I was asked to speak on the topic of patience, which (to be perfectly honest) is a little tough for me. In truth, I'm not a particularly patient person. I want every good thing that can happen to happen RIGHT NOW. Seriously, the phrase "Faith w/o works is dead." is meant for me because if I have any power to make something great happen in my life, then I'm going to use it.

However, while I'm not a patient person...I am a faithful, believer. Sometimes, despite my best efforts, I just have to wait for some stuff. I wanna buy a new couch and bed for my home, but that's just not going to happen right now. I've had several other big expenditures this year, and I really need to let the budget recoup. Now waiting isn't fun...esp. when I'm reminded of my need for an upgrade every time that I walk in my living room...but it is what it is.

Should I be sad or depressed about this? Nada, life is too short for that. Instead I am constantly planning for the future. I KNOW that I'm going to get to make this purchase at some point within the next year. It may not be exactly when I wanted to, but it will happen...so I am making plans for that day. I guess this is how I merge my impatience with my faith...every time that a plan/hope/dream gets delayed or put on hold, I get the wheels in motion for my new target date. It's almost like a delayed flight at the airport (I know I have some travellers out there). When your flight is delayed, you may get annoyed, but you don't go home (like 'Forget it! I'm not flying today.'). Instead you estimate your new boarding time (back at the gate 30 mins b4 departure), grab a mag or a meal to kill the time, and stay close to the gate in case the departure gets moved up. You adjust and get busy looking forward to your new 'victory'.

Now...when faith doesn't work...I am also delusional :-) By that I mean...I'm just pretty good at putting some sort of a positive spin on stuff that happens in my life. I wanted to get a new camera in July, but I had to wait until later in the year. Perfect excuse...my BIRTHDAY. Now, instead of being bummed about not having a new camera already, I'm counting down until I get to treat myself in the near future. Hooray for me!

Bye Bye Summer!

So the summer is winding down, and some of you may be feeling like it's time to pack on your winter pounds and hibernate until next spring. Not so, my friends! The fall/winter seasons are no reason to lose all that you've accomplished these last few months. You can easily have your summer body all year long. Wouldn't it be great to be able to throw on your bikini or trunks at a moment's notice w/no worry about what the abs are doing? Well this season you are going to be able to do just that! Here are two total body workouts to keep you in shape all year round.

For Women
For Men

Well...my day started off well until I found out that one of my co-workers/team members is being let go. This person is really kind and a team player, they just had some performance issues. (Actually this is the 2nd person in 2 days) I hate that it took this action for the gravity of the situation to hit me. If I had known what was at stake, then I definitely would have taken more one on one time to develop this person and highlight their successes. Damn! I really hate that this is happening.

So of course I have seen/heard of other ppl being let go in the past. However, its totally different when it is someone who reports directly to you. The disappointment is truly indescribable. I have DEFINITELY learned a lesson from this whole experience. We are each responsible for the success of those around us. We cannot make others excel, but we can do our best to equip them to achieve their highest potential. This is where I feel that I failed in this case. I just didn't realize how much of an impact I could have had on this person's future. I will not be making this mistake again.

In the spirit of keeping things positive...I give you
Mr. Bill for Mastercard.

Hooray for Monday Mornings!

Ok, ok...I'm not thrilled to be back at work either, but we can't live our whole lives dreading the start of the work week. I figure that I might as well suck it up, and find something to be glad about. I mean...Mondays aren't all bad. Mondays represent a fresh start...an opportunity to begin anew and do even better this time. Plus every new week draws you closer to your next vacation.

What am I going to try to accomplish this week? Well, I'm going to try again to work out five days (I already kicked it off w/an AM swim). I'll also try to be more diligent about my diet and my spending (I hit up the grocery store yesterday, so I'm well on my way towards that goal as well). I'm going to focus on getting all of my work deliverables complete...incl. a new project that my boss just asked me to lead! :-) Lastly, and most important, I'm going to try to focus on being a kind and positive person. I've really been working on looking at the bright-side of life. Someone once said there are so few things that you can control in life, but your mood is one of them...why not be happy? I like that, so no more cussing out bad drivers, or feeling threatened/attacked at work. I'm just going to take a deep breath, smile inwardly, and tackle the issue with confidence and calm.

What are your goals for the week? Are you trying to make this week better than your last?

Follow up chuckle for this Sunday morning!

Uber-fast Update!

I'm soooooo tired. I did manage 2 morning swims and a morning yoga session this week. I am planning to wrap up the week with one more yoga session on Saturday. I tried, yet again, to get in a solid 5 workouts (Mon - Fri), but it just didn't happen. A couple of late nights at work, and it was a wrap. Ah well. It was still a good week, so we'll just try again next week.

I have my 2nd facial appointment scheduled for tomorrow, for which I am once again excited. Hopefully, I won't nod off and sleep through the entire session. I think I might try to squeeze in time to do my nails on Sunday, so that I head back to work feeling totally pampered.

Lastly...speaking of work. Well, I definitely haven't been procrastinating. I have been so busy the last two weeks that I have found myself working pretty non-stop. The stress associated with that is no fun, but I'm glad to see myself being disciplined and productive. I'm going to try to keep this up :-)

My Wednesday Morning Chuckle!

**Singing** "When I grow up, I wanna be famous, I wanna be a star, I wanna be in movies!"

Ok, maybe I don't need to do all of that, but I certainly have an image of myself as the 'well-put-together, strong but loving matriarch and timeless beauty'. I think that this image is probably driven by images of wonderful women that I have seen and admired all of my life. Here is just a little installment of some of the women that I admire and aspire to emulate...

First and Foremost!

Gotta love Iman!

The Ageless Dianne Carrol!

And of course, Ms Halle Berry!

2004 - 2008 Summer Olympic Games

This weekend I have spent quite a bit of time watching the Olympic games. I mean I LOVE the Olympics. They only come once every four years, and they are always full of pomp and circumstance. It just a great reason to get excited.

Well this year's opening ceremonies were truly amazing. Beijing raised the bar waaaaay up. I was trying to remember opening ceremonies from the 2004 Athens games, and I really couldn't recall the event. However, this all got me to reflecting on where I was and what I was doing 4 years ago. It seems that I have come so far in such a short amount of time. Here is what's happened.

In August 2004 I had graduated from college the previous spring, moved back to my home town, and I had just begun my full-time gig. Since then I have:

- Visited 3 different countries

- Gained clarity on my future

- Become a better auditor

- Lost a heap of weight

- Honed my personal style

- Adopted a pet

- Grown closer to God

- Learned some hard lessons

- Met and loved some wonderful people

- Gained a deeper respect for my parents

- Become a healthier person

- Learned a lot about myself

- Lived in a different city

- Purchased my 1st home

- Identified further areas for improvement

- Developed a 5 and 10 year plan

Overall, it has been a great four years, and I can't wait for the next four. What have you done in the last four years?

You see these?

Yeah, I own them. $150 brand new at Play It Again Sports. I'm very pleased.

One day...one day...

One day I will have complete ownership of my schedule. I will be able to go to the gym in the morning, come home and get dressed leisurely, drink a cup of tea, and watch the Today show...all before heading out to the office.

This is how I began my morning today, and it's usually how I am able to begin my mornings on days that I am traveling out of town. Every single time it is simply lovely, and I long to make this my regular schedule. Le sigh. Until then, I'll continue the life of a 20 something, which includes early morning rises, 45 min workouts, a 15 minute mad dash to shower and dress, topped off with a hair raising hour long commute. Fun times!

Ok, so I am seriously one scatter brained young lady. However, I'm ok w/that...I think it makes me quirky-cute.

Well continuing in my scatter brained tradition...I am planning to buy a used/inexpensive set of golf clubs. I have two golf outings coming up this fall, and they both require you to bring your own clubs. The cost to rent clubs on a few separate occasions is quickly adding up to the cost to just purchase an inexpensive set. Plus, whether I like it or not, golf is THEE number one corporate bonding activity...ok right after drinking. So this evening I'm going to stop by Play It Again sports where they sell new and used sporting equipment for the cheap.

But wait...I don't know how to play golf. I took about 8 weeks worth of classes back in college, but I haven't been out on the course since then. Being the savy person that I am, I searched around on the internet and found semi-private golf lessons in my city. They offer a package of 5 sessions for $190 for groups of 4 ppl. I'm going to give a call this weekend to see if I need to find 3 other ppl interested, or if they can just add me to a group of 3 other individuals. Either way...hopefully I'll be a golf pro (or at least able to hit the ball) in no time!

Sooooo I totally overslept this morning. I really don't know what happened. My alarm was set for 5:30 am, yet I woke up to the sunlight streaming in my window (a fantastic way to awaken, I might add) at 6:30 am. Eh, I am just going to chalk it up to the fact that God knew I needed that extra hour of sleep and try again tomorrow.

My hope is to do an hour of yoga tonight, if I can get out of the office at a reasonable hour. Either way, I will plan to swim tomorrow morning, do yoga on Friday, and swim again on Sat. My mother recently gave me a travel clock, so I'm going to begin using that as my alarm rather than my cell phone.

As a side note, I need to once again refine my diet and exercise plan. My current plan has me averaging two days of cardio (swimming) and two days of strength training (yoga) per week. However, I still feel as though I am gaining weight. This is all speculation b/c I have refused to step back on the scale, however my dresses and slacks are feeling a bit snug. Therefore, I am going to up the average to 3 days of cardio per week and then try to maintain my two days of strength training per week. This will be challenging, esp. since I am just one month out of busy season (lol...as if I wasn't already working busy season hours). However, I loved the way that I felt about myself when I was right around 160 lbs, so I'm going to fight to stay there.

Now I will admit...the fight would be quite a bit easier if I would put down the damn fork...or cookies...or snickers mini-bites, etc. There are so many snacks at my job that it has been hard to resist. Plus I have just gotten out of the habit of selecting truly low-fat/low-cal options (like a salad for lunch or yogurt for breakfast). So my plan (which I will commit to blogging about regularly in order to keep me honest) is to whip myself back into shape. I have been successful at bringing breakfast/lunch to work 3 days out of the week. I just need to make good choices on those off days, cut out all of the unnecessary extras, and quit splurging so much on the weekends.

Try to keep me honest folks. I'm really good for sneaking a treat and pretending like it never happened ;-)

'Uber-fast Updates' AND 'Tuesday's Tips' Combined!!

Just wanted to give an update on where I am on the career path. I have a meeting set up with my manager and counselor to discuss my goals and ways to develop and grow over the next year. I can also get a feel for what he is expecting from me as my plan is to EXCEED EXPECTATIONS! Hopefully I'll get to take on some add'l responsibility on my team, and I will be able to excel within my role.

So here is what's fun...I was looking online for tips on career advancement. I happened upon this article, on AllBusiness.com. It lists 10 tips on moving up the corporate ladder, and can you guess what is the very 1st tip? TALK TO YOUR BOSS!!! I'm already ahead of the curve...or maybe right on target. Anyway, yay for me! Check out the rest of the article.

1. Talk to your boss. Sit down and have a very direct and pointed conversation with your boss about your future in the company. Stress that you want your job performance to meet the company’s goals. Share your own career goals with him or her. Your boss will respect this display of confidence and maturity.
   
2. Ask for more. Volunteering to help out other departments or teams — or simply asking for more responsibilities — increases your value within the organization. Asking for additional work shows an interest and desire to help your department and company to succeed. It also puts a spotlight on your value to the business.
   
3. Volunteer for boards. If you have your career set on something beyond what you are doing in your present position, seek out opportunities to volunteer or serve on advisory boards, where you can build a reputation as someone who is passionate and dedicated to your particular industry.
   
4. Sharpen your people skills. Strong interpersonal skills play a crucial role in gaining the respect of your boss and coworkers; they will also attract the notice of outside influencers who might open new doors of opportunity for you. Be friendly, outgoing, and personable. Listen carefully to people, and practice being a clear and effective communicator.
   
5. Be innovative. Never be afraid to think outside of the box and put your business acumen to work. Stay on the lookout for creative solutions to problems that will make you — and your boss — look good.
   
6. Find a mentor. Develop mentoring relationships, either inside or outside the company. Recent studies have shown that four out of five promotions are influenced by a mentor higher up in the company. Mentors are also great sources of information and career guidance.
   
7. Sell yourself. Learn the fine art of self-promotion. If you have had major accomplishments or created successful programs, make sure people know about it — especially those in influential positions who could help you advance professionally. Let it be known that you are seeking a promotion or the next step up in your career.
   
8. Keep learning. A proven way to advance in your career is to be continually acquiring new knowledge. Stay on top of trends or developments in your field and make sure that your current résumé reflects those needed skills.
   
9. Network. Strengthen your personal network and join professional organizations, attend industry conferences, or even volunteer. The more people who are aware of your strengths and abilities, the better your chances of hearing about any new opportunities that might arise.
   
10. Build your reputation. In business, your reputation is the most valuable thing you own. Be known for being dependable, professional, and cooperative. Act and look the part by dressing professionally. Make a name for yourself by attending conferences, delivering speeches, or writing articles.

Yesterday was good, but I'm interested in making today better and tomorrow better still. Here's a nice quote that I'm going to try to keep in mind.

"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind...let it be something good."

- Author: Unknown

What are you going to do with your day?