The Randomness

Only I would have the day off and volunteer to go on Tali 2′s trip for Earth Day. Let me sum it up for you…loud, excited kids, wet, muddy field, no zyrtec, loud, excited kids, bugs, kids running and falling in wet, muddy field, lunch, loud, cranky, tired kids that smell like young farm animals on packed school bus with no ac…home. *teachers are underpaid and should have a drink subsidy in their check*

Did I mention, that I am now headed out for girls night out and will be expected to look cute this evening despite the fact that I woke up at 6am to catch the Royal Wedding, spent the day with Kindergarten children and am longingly staring at my fluffy bed?

You know you’re old when your pre-party drink is iced coffee before you hit the club not anything in a brown paper bag.

Yes, I watched the Royal Wedding. You know why? CAUSE I’M A GIRL! I may love football, rum and playing with a field of muddy boys but I still love Princesses, wedding gowns and castles. Shoot me.

Facebook is ruining my style. Now when I wear something cute, I try not to post any pictures cause I may need to wear that outfit again and I feel like all of my friends have seen me in it. I know, I’m vain…I’m working on it.

Humidity + Curly Hair = Chaka Khan Frizz

I love my new job, Prince Harry and Harry Potter.

I may meet a celebrity tonight and if I do meet him, one of you readers is gonna be soooooo jealous. #hint

It’s Penn Relay weekend in Philly, if you are on the quad tomorrow, holla at your girl as I get my stroll on.

Shouts out to my linesisters, yesterday makes 21 years as AKA’s. Skeeeee Weeee!

Friday Night Randoms

I have been cleaning and organizing my house since about 4pm today since Mama 1969 will be here tomorrow. It’s 8pm and I just finished laundry and mopping the kitchen floor. I am spent.

The good news? We purchased several new items with our dependents and homeownership rocks tax return. One is a new grill and it is a doozy. The other is a brand new king sized bed with a Four Seasons hotel mattress. It arrived today and I threw some 500 count thread sheets on that bad boy and yes, I fully plan on sleeping like the Princess that I am tonight.  Say it with me “God is GOOOOOOOD!”

The bad news? I will be up at 6am running with Team Diva. *sigh*

We are celebrating Tali 1′s birthday with his Nana tomorrow and he is psyched. Knowing her, she will come bearing loud gifts.

Is the government really going to shut down? I mean really? What the fudge?!

I can’t believe Pia got kicked off Idol. (Shhh….I was watching it but don’t tell anyone!)

Speaking of good shows, if you like good TV, check out “The Killing” on AMC. It just started and you can catch the first episode on demand. It airs again on Sunday night. Great concept. Great acting.

I love clementines.

I got my new account list at work today. Guess who now has the sports market? If anyone reading this works at Drexel, Temple or La Salle…email me at bklynaka10@yahoo.com. Seriously.

I am missing my sorority regional conference in Atlantic City this weekend. It’s all worth it to be with my baby for his birthday. On my list of priorities, he trumps everything. (That being said, a weekend with my girls in AC would have been off the chain.)

Tali 1′s class project for April is that they each have to wire and prepare a recipe for the class to sample. *cough* You know I need him to have the best recipe and dish right? And because he’s my son, you know he came home and said “Our recipe is gonna kick their butts right mom?” Yeah….blame me.

Have a great weekend!!

Wonder Woman Reflections

It’s no secret that my life is hectic. I work full time, raise two sons, go to soccer and swim practice, manage a household, try to be a good wife, stay active in my community through my sorority and finally, decided to throw in a triathalon cause, you know, I had an extra hour of free time.

So many of my friends are always asking me how I do it. I was thinking about this the other day. My main answer would be “I have a great husband who supports me in all I do and helps me with everything”.

What I do is what all mothers do. Seriously. My life is no different than any other mom. I multitask and stuff gets done because it HAS to. I am blessed to have help. Mr. 1969 does housework and laundry. He helps get his boys ready for school in the morning. He helps to drop them off and will take them out to play when I need a mental break. He’s a supportive daddy.

So many women do what I do alone. So many women do what I do with a non-supportive partner. I feel blessed but I make no bones about having support physically and emotionally. He helps me be great.

The real wonder women are out there doing it alone. Motherhood is a thankless job. Sure you get a card once a year but what about all the other days? What about all of the sacrifices and hard work that is expected of you or you fall into the bad mommy club? Moms have to act like this job is the greatest all the time or we will get the side eye from everyone….other mothers, men, single women, old folks, etc. We get judged harder than anyone else and we are often our own toughest critics.

As I reflect on my crazy, hectic life…I realize, yes, I do alot. However, I don’t deserve any kudos for it. I just do what I do. Look around, there are better folks doing exactly what I do with so much less help. Those are the real unsung heroines. It may not be mother’s day yet, but kudos to all the real Wonder Women out there!

Changes

Alot has happened in the past week. A job became available in my company doing exactly what I do now but focused on selling a different territory. Currently, my efforts are focused on accounts based in the Philadelphia suburbs, up through Allentown, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, PA. This new territory would cover the large corporate accounts focused in Center City Philadelphia.

I was approached to post for the job and after considering it…I decided to go for it. It would be the exact same job just changing where my accounts are (translation=less driving and a 15 minute commute downtown). Same job, more money (due to the accounts being downtown) and less driving/flying to see my clients.

After a crazy week of posting on Friday, an interview on Monday…I was told on Wednesday that the job was mine.

I am excited because I will be primarily downtown. Love the suburbs but I missed being in the city. I missed being near the restaurants, my friends, stores, people…..LOL. I am also representing the hotels where I worked for the last 8 years. All of the GM’s have been emailing me and they are so excited that I will be out there pushing accounts to their properties like in the old days. It’s like returning home except I still work from home Best of both worlds.

I woke up that morning ready to just go to work. I wasn’t expecting to get a phone call but when my opportunity came knocking, I was ready. I start next week and it’s gonna be a doozy of a transition. My current accounts are going to have a heart attack when they hear I am moving.

I do have to say, this job is coming around and I really enjoy what I do. I love the freedom to plan my days. It’s a lot of work and I stay busy but it gives me the time to incorporate school trip chaperoning, training for races and balancing my home life. This change has been scary but I am starting to see the light at the end  of the tunnel and starting next week, my tunnel leads back to the city.

The Weekend Recap

Last week was packed full of travel and meetings. We had lots of folks visiting from different hotels for the Philad.elphia Flow.er Sh.ow. In my old life, I would often do sales calls all over the East Coast with my counterparts from other Hotels in other cities. Those road shows were filled with shenanigans. Nothing like traveling sales people with an expense account. Ahhh the stories of unprofessionalism, drunkedness and tomfoolery I could tell.

Well, I got to see a lot of my buddies last Friday and shared a cocktail or two (shoutout to Coconut Ciroc and Pineapple juice). Good times. With the realignment of our sales force, so many folks didn’t make it through. It was good to see some familiar faces. No matter how much fun I had at that reception, I made sure to wake myself up and get to the gym at 7am for spin class.

Now let me explain the ordeal of spin class. Class starts at 8am. However, they allow you to sign in for class at 7:15am. If you are not stepping foot into the gym at 7am, chances are, you won’t catch a spot. Crazy right? On a Saturday morning, no less. You spinners are GANGSTA! *sidenote to Fresh….no, I do not have the spinning shoes. I am not that invested yet.*

So yeah, spinning after cocktails the night before = NOT A GOOD IDEA. Seriously. Not to mention, the 8am spin instructor gives NO BREAKS. Yeah…that water you brought? Sneak it in when you can. He goes straight through from start to finish. When spin class kicks off to the theme from Shaft, you already know what you are signing up for.

Either way, midway through, I thought I was either going to throw up or pass out. I was praying it wouldn’t be both. Despite my partying ways, I made it through to the end and back home to enjoy the rest of the day with my boys and Mr. 1969.

Later that evening I attended a farewell party for one of my sorors who is moving to another city. I stayed away from the beverages and feasted on fish, veggies (I love bok choy) and a great salad. I loved the buffet as they included healthier options.

Sunday morning….church-swimming-chapter meeting. The boys went swimming with me. All in all, it was a busy weekend.

I just logged in and found out I have to go to Chicago next week. Hmm…..looks like my week is going to be a doozy.

The Randomness

Back from my crazy Superbowl weekend. Mr. 1969 actually took his team’s loss very well. Like I told him, with 6 rings, you will be okay! Congrats to the Packers who held it down for the NFC and hopefully, Brett Favre can fade into the history books.

My favorite coffee cities/countries: Hawaii Kona, Jamaican Blue Mountain, Costa Rican, Ethiopian Sumatra and New Orleans Chicory

Your girl has lost a size since I started training. YAY! While I don’t want to lose anymore, I am quite happy to be here! Go Me.

I am ashamed to admit that I like the Last Train To Paris CD. I love “I Hate That I Love You”. Diddy, don’t mess this one up dude!

Happy Birthday to SHELLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love Jameil for reminding me that I need to write about Facebook gangsters. However, I’m not mad at em anymore.

That being said, if I can’t make it to your function because I had to work and already told you so, please refrain from going to my page on Facebook to let me know that my presence was “missed” at the event and everyone was looking for me. Especially when I know you didn’t mean it in a nice way. Heffa. (said with love)

I have been spinning and I am seeing major results from it. It is NOT FUN but I can’t argue with the mirror. If you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend it.

My BFF at my new job resigned last week and I am sad already. She made this craziness tolerable. I think she will not be the last this year to jump ship. Our jobs are crazy. I’m determined though! Pray for me.

Does anyone else’s husband wash cars by hand when it’s 30 degrees outside?

The Cape is quite possibly the worst superhero show EVER. #cancelplease

Is anyone else hyped up for Thor and Captain America? The trailers were better than the Superbowl. I swear I am a comic book geek. Bring on The Avengers!

No more football.  

Shaking the funk

The Thanksgiving Holiday was an exhausting one for me. Cooking, family, wisdom tooth pain (don’t ask), too much food, lack of sleep, sore throat and no voice…I could go on. I definitely woke up Monday and realized that I needed to shake the funk I was in.

I changed my schedule and decided to work from home in the morning. That meant I could drop my boys off at school and then hit the gym. That cardio felt GOOD after being so indulgent over the Holiday. I love Thanksgiving and I ate and enjoyed every last thing but I simply can’t do that every day. I felt run down, groggy and lethargic.

After the gym, I came home and did some work while throwing in all of the sheets and towels from the guests into the washing machine. I also decided to whip up some turkey corn chowder for dinner so I could get rid of the leftovers.

I headed out on sales calls in the afternoon and returned to soup, salad and playing in a guest free house with my boys. I finally logged on late in the day and scored my only black Friday purchase, a pair of flat, black suede over the knee boots and I saved about $58 bucks on the price thanks to the sale and coupons. Go me!

Nothing like exercise, a clean house, quiet space, a healthy dinner and yes, new shoes to turn my frown upside down. I think I am on the road to recovery. Next up? Christmas.

Silence is Golden….Duct Tape is Silver

Listen closely? Can you hear that? It’s the sound of peace and tranquility. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

The Tali’s are back at school and all is right with my universe. All summer long, those boys were in the house tearing it up. Ripping and running from 6am until 8:30pm. I found myself unable to get anything accomplished staying home. Even if I tried to hide in my office, they inevitably found their way back to mommy.

Most of the summer, I spent on the road, seeing customers, visiting my hotels, etc. I have also snatched some work time from various places with free WiFi. Shouts out to Starbucks, Borders and Barnes and Nobles. All great quiet places to get a few hours work done.

Today was my first day working from home KID FREE in months. I dropped my boys off, hit the gym and was back in the house savoring a nice pot of coffee, a plate of fresh fruit and a greek yogurt. It doesn’t get much better than that boys and girls. Music playing in the background as I make deals in my swivelly office chair wearing yoga pants….who could ask for more?

The travelling was wearing on me and my mental state was struggling…not to mention this poor neglected blog. Either way, I am happy to be able to work in the comfort of my home, once again. The boys are loving school so far and they are back at soccer. You will be pleased to know that Tali 2 scored two goals in his first game and DID NOT CRY!

My babies are growing up. Here’s to a new school year filled with great stories.

The Art of the Deal

I am on the Acela train headed home to New York. I am headed up there for a meeting with an executive for one of my accounts.

Currently, he has an agreement with one of my competitor’s hotels in place where he sends all of his employees that travel to New York City to that hotel. Not after today.

I am going up there to sign an agreement where he will sever ties with my competitor and he will sign an agreement with my hotel resulting in about 1,000 room nights/annually for us.

Despite their hotel being newer and trendier, they failed him from a service standpoint. He constantly had issues and for what they were paying, it was unacceptable. Not only am I getting his business, we didn’t have to drop rate to get it. People will pay for quality.

I woke up and selected today’s outfit very carefully. Light gray pinstripes, patent shoes, conservative jewelry and chic updo. I am headed home to New York to seal the deal and coming back to Philly with my signed agreement.

Music that’s motivating me today?

Mandatory Fun Sucks

Can anyone answer why you would ever need to go out and bond with people you work with for ten hours a day, five days a week? Anyone? *crickets*

Yeah…I thought so. Tomorrow, after working a full day, my team is headed to a Phillies game. A night game. *sigh*

The game starts around 6pm. There will also be a Flyers championship game taking place.  Parking near the stadiums? No way. The Phillies have already sent ticket holders a message stating that it’s best to take the train to the stadium.

My plan is to head out to downtown, park my car at the hotel and jump on the train. I can’t see myself staying for an entire 9 innings after being at work all day. Someone please remind me why this was a good idea?

At that time of night, I will be taking the subway back downtown and then driving home. I really hate these mandatory outings. I know they want the team to bond but if we wanted to be friendly outside of work…wouldn’t we do that on our own?

Not to mention, I hate the Phillie’s cause I bleed blue and orange. METS!!!!!!

Pray for me tomorrow.