Apr
26
2009
Last night several of my friends and I attended a charity event at the Atlanta zoo. Doors opened at 6pm after the general population had left. Our group was able to see the exhibits as well as watch some of the animals being fed. After wondering around the zoo for a while, dinner was served and the real party began! Around 500 of us enjoyed live music and we partied the night away. It was an extremely fun evening that helped to raise LOTS of money for a special needs camp.
All in all, its been a busy weekend that included 8 hours of work today in preparation for our big opening day tomorrow at work. In other words, I’m exhausted.
A few pictures from the evening…
no comments
Apr
22
2009
I have officially become That Girl.
This morning I woke up, put on my dress shirt and slacks and headed straight to Starbucks. A few minutes later I was back in my car heading down 285 amongst the thousands of Atlanta drivers. I had an 8 oclock meeting scheduled and arrived with plenty of time to spare like a well seasoned commuter. The 12 people around the conference table consisted of CEO’s, CFO’s, and various other three letter titles.
We adjourned for lunch. A few of my coworkers and I went out to eat and happily put the tab on the company credit card. After lunch we drove to another medical office for more meetings, more hand shaking, more introductions, more three letter titles. In between meetings we all grabbed our blackberrys and laptops to respond to the emails and analyze spreadsheets.
Over the last few weeks I have been a part of several conference calls, run through airports in high heals and called hotel rooms home.
How did this happen?? How did I become a blackberry toting, suit wearing, Starbucks sipping, expense reporting business women?
The larger question at hand is why me? You see, all of these meetings and all of this planning is the culmination of three years of acquiring this contract with this group of doctors. Its the largest contract my company has ever had, potentially servicing over 90 doctors and thousands of patients. We “go live” on Monday and they are handing the entire operation over to yours truly. No pressure.
So here goes nothing. Business world, here I come.
no comments
Apr
15
2009
I’m not sure why trips on airplanes bring out my melancholy side, but they do. Especially night flights when I can look out of the window and see entire towns outlined by street lights. Last night was no exception. I found myself remembering a flight I had taken over two years ago.
I was taking a trip by myself out to Anaheim, CA for a national athletic training conference. The trip had been planned for months and was just as much a pleasure trip as it was business. I had several high school friends that had made southern California their home and I was looking forward to catching up while gaining some valuable continuing education credits. I had a great week seeing the sights of California and remember wishing that the week would never end. It, of course, eventually came to an end, and I was on an airplane heading back to Atlanta before I knew it. Somewhere over the Rocky Mountains I came to the conclusion that I wanted more. More traveling, more independence, more fun, more excitement, more options. I actually started crying on that flight and remember feeling ridiculously embarrassed. In the months that followed I was accepting a new job, moving, talking to an attorney and making some life changing decisions. To this day, I think of that flight as a turning point and the opening of a new chapter in my life.
Over two years later, I have taken countless more flights and have found myself in several cities across the country. I am more independent, more happy, and more fulfilled than I have ever been. Last night, as I gazed out of the airplane window, I couldn’t help but have a little victory party for myself. This particular flight was being paid for by my company (instead of coming out of my checkbook) and it was the fifth plane that I had been in over the last two weeks. I can safely say that my goal of being able to travel has been fulfilled, amongst several others.
Tonight, I am sitting in a hotel room in Dallas, Texas with one more city I can cross off my list and a feeling of independence that seemed so far out of reach not very long ago.
no comments | posted in Moments of Success
Apr
6
2009
Tonight I find myself in a hotel room in St. Louis, MO. Coming to this city is about eight months delayed, but I am here….working for a different company, living in a different state and with a very different mission, but I’m here… finally.
After a minor panic attack this morning as I realized my alarm clock had not gone off, I made it to the Atlanta airport relatively easy. I got checked in, through security and to my gate with time to spare. I enjoyed some people watching and actually ran into one of my old patients while waiting for my flight. All was going fine until the announcement came: “All flights grounded until further notice.” What? Seriously? The commotion that ensued was almost comical as people tried to comprehend the repercussions this would have on their travel plans. The flight delays lasted for only about 30 minutes, but the damage had been done. My 9:30 flight was now scheduled to leave at 10:15 which made my 11:20 connecting flight out of the question. This was going to be a fun day.
The next part of my day found me (literally) running through the Charlotte airport. They had told us on the plane that the delays in Atlanta had caused several of the surrounding airports to delay their flights as well. We were told to run to our connecting gates and hope for the best. I got to my gate just in time to watch the plane leave. It stung a bit to actually see the plane pull away, knowing that I only missed it by a few minutes. The next flight to St. Louis left at 2:30, and by some miracle I was able to get a seat. Nothing like killing three hours in an airport…
I finally touched down in St. Louis around 4 o’clock this afternoon. I found my bag, got a rental car and managed to find my office just as everyone was leaving. My first day of my new job lasted for about 10 minutes. I’m glad they are breaking me in slowly.
I also had a rude awakening as I walked out of the airport in my short sleeve shirt to find it snowing. For a minute I thought I was back in Michigan…
Overall, its been a slightly exhausting, yet very successful day. I have a hard time complaining about anything right now as I am sitting in a nice (free) hotel room, eating (free) dinner, surfing the (free) Internet and watching the (free) TV. I think I could get used to traveling on someone elses dime. =)
no comments
Apr
3
2009
Its no secret that I have had my fair share of heartbreak, trials and tribulation. I like to believe that I have overcome it all and am now a better, stronger individual because of it. I also feel as if I have a better understanding and a strong empathy for those around me when they too are dealing with matters of the heart.
Last night as I was half watching a Greys Anatomy Rerun, a good friend of mine called. We exchanged the standard hellos and how have you beens but soon after the pleasantries the conversation went quiet. I knew that the silence from such a normally “can’t stop talking girl” could only mean one thing. The sound of tears confirmed it. A boy had broken her heart.
I don’t know the details about said boy, and honestly they don’t really matter. What I do know is that my friend was hurting and she called me to make it better. I sat there and listened to her explain that she wanted nothing more than for a man to love Jesus and love her… simultaneously. Oh yeah, and to be able to put the toilet seat down. And, sadly, this boy did those things and had the qualities that she wanted. I tried to explain to her that as hard as it was to believe, someone far better was in store for her.
She continued to tell me how she has been keeping a journal. She calls it her Husband Journal and has every intention of giving it to her soon-to-be-husband on their wedding day. In the mean time, she writes to Mr Future Husband about her hopes, dreams, desires, expectations and (unfortunately) the heartbreaks she experiences. What an amazing gift she is going to be able to present to a man one day. She read a few pages to me last night and we were both in tears. She has an amazing heart and is one of the strongest Christians that I have ever known. But as we all do, she wants the connection that only a husband and wife can share. She dreams of having a family and living happily ever after. I am so proud of her for knowing exactly what she wants and expects in Mr. Right. Unfortunately, that doesn’t help in the present when she feels like all is lost.
I can’t help but remember how incredibly painful it is to loose the guy that you thought you would spend the rest of your life with. I sympathise with my friend in a way that I wish I didn’t. I wish I didn’t know how that felt. My only option was to reassure her that with time it gets easier. I told her that this heartbreak will make her appreciate the Right One when he comes along that much more.
In the mean time, I have every intention to find this boy and smack him in his head for letting such an amazing girl slip through his fingers!
no comments
