unexpected events

My Lucky Day.

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No, I didn’t get laid.

What I did get is the gift of more time.  Thru the graces of god, my presentation was rescheduled from this afternoon to Wednesday.  I cannot believe my luck – I was so ill-prepared.  Instead of practicing the presentation this weekend, I enjoyed time with friends, the warmth of the sunshine, organized my new home….  all the things that a normal person would do on the weekend….

My new job has been brutal.  I have felt overwhelmed since the day I started.  It seems like there has been something to do every single day ….   a lot to do, an overwhelming amount of things to learn.  I’ve been told that that it will get easier once I pass all the hurdles in the onboarding program.  Here is the high-level schedule…. 

  1. 3 full weeks of back-to-back training in Boston. This includes deep-dive training courses in the new product.
  2. 2 full weeks of a demo build, and delivery of the demo in a  role-play scenario (my managers behaved as prospects/customers). It was tough but I received very good feedback. Loved the experience.
  3. 1 week of product certifcation study and test… which I passed.  Pat on the back for Paula. 
  4. 1 week of standard pitch study, practice, and presentation delivery (what I’m working on now).
  5. a couple of days for a “demo on the fly” prep and delivery…. 
  6. 1 week of tecnical training to discuss enterprise architectures.. must deliver and pass the technical presentation.

Yes, you read correctly. My new company pays me while they train me to be the best possible sales consultant out there.  Its shocking, I’ve never run across this in my 15 year career in the software industry, but I have to say, it is so refreshing.  Instead of being set up to fail, I’m being set up to succeed.  But it has been really hard.   I’m emotionally exhausted, causing me to feel physically exhausted. Thank god I have a good friend who is keeping me on track with my yoga/pilates/run schedule.

Given all of this, I should be ready to meet customers/prospects in April… I’m still a month away from “doing my job”… I’m exahusted now.. mentally exhausted. There is so much to learn, the pace is definitely accellerated.  I feel drained all the time.

But today, I caught a break…  I’ve got a few more days to practice.  My presentation is now solid I just need to practice the delivery.  Lucky me, I am grateful for the extra time.

Flying Gods are NOT With Me.

PaulasPonderings2 Comments

O.k.. so The flying gods are not with me despite the well wishes from my fans!!   For “mechanical reasons” (overdue inspections), United has grounded quite a few flights…  I was not only NOT able to get on an earlier flight, I will consider myself extremely lucky to sit in a middle seat and get home as promised…  United committed to get me home by 10pm….  if they actually follow thru, I will be shocked .  We could all take head of the lessons that the airlines teach us —  set very low expectations and not deliver consistently. that way, when they actually do deliver once in a while, the “shock and awe” is good.   You actually get excited that they followed thru on something because it happens so rarely. 

All of you should know that I’ve done extremely well with my NOT drinking on the airplane (I know, why would I make this a NYR.. … I dont know, I just did it)…  Its been really hard, but I’ve followed thru.  For the first time I felt comfortable with the decision was on 2/13… flying to Boston this last trip.  It was the first time I didn’t salivate (if you will) for a cocktail.  I am in the preliminary steps of breaking a habit.. I’m so proud of myself.  So, when my family, friends, dates (ex husbands) suggest I drink too much, I will tell them, “but  I dont on airplanes!!!!!” . Yes, with that much enthusiasm…. 

O.k. so many “thoughts” are flying thru my mind while at the bar, a few of them include:

  • United Airlines.. you suck.  You basically over-promise and under-delive every single time. 
  • Customer Service Reps.. whether on the phone or in person, why, why, why do you join/be/stay in Customer Service if you dont like helping people (or people in general)??  I’ll never get it.  My advice – if you don’t like it, get out, you make this world a worst place to live in because you are so miserable. 
  • Why is the guy in front of me in grey/green scrubs?  Didn’t have time to change before a flight?
  • Men who wear rings, sit next to “hooker looking” girls at airport bars, and mention their wives..  really?  Hmmm…
  • Boston if cold… just plain cold. Their warm days suck – its still cold.
  • Boston accents are funny … and cool (if you are good looking).
  • Funny how every man under 6′  is the same height as me… whats up with that?  They are either short or tall.. no in-between.  And I’m the 2nd shortest person I know so why do I discrimate so?
  • Thank god they don’t let folks use cell phones on the airplane. If I sat next to a chatty cathy, I would have to kill them…  I am sure I would NOT like prison life.
  • Someone just walked into the bar.. and now it smells like dirty socks.  Gross – who can’t/doesn’t take the time to change their socks/shower during travel?

O.k..   I’ll update this blog as interesting thoughts come to me…   once I board the flight though, its all over, I’ll pass out before takeoff (something about the vibration).  However, as you all know, the Paula jutebox will never stop.

Unexpected Treasures.

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So it is Sunday night…  I’ve had a long weekend.  A good weekend certainly, but a very long one for me (the recluse cat woman).    I was with family from the minute I landed in Utah on Saturday morning, until now, late Sunday evening.   

Today I spent the day in a very remote place in Utah, celebrating the birthday of my 2-year old neice.   It was a great party – 20+ family and friends showed up.  So much fun – and of course,  “Mayonaise”, my grand-niece, wanted to come ‘home’ with “The Best Aunt In The World”, which from now on I will reference as TBAITW.  Abby had to stay home with her mom and a visit with me will be scheduled!!  She is absolutely adorable, one of the smartest kids I know. She hears you say one thing and is able to reference it back.. context and all…   unbelievable.

So, as TBAITW, everyone wants to spend time with me (I AM popular folks… you just have to find the right crowd, my cats know this!!) …   my 9 year old neice had some time and wanted to hang out. She is absolutely adorable, a gorgeous person, so funny and so much fun.    She is just the best ever!  Anyway, she, and her BFF wanted to come stay with me in SLC… of course I said yes!!!  Love it – I’m so cool, two (2) 9-year olds want to stay with me!  Am I THE COOLEST or what??!?!?!?!

Now, I love that they wanted to come stay with me.  However, there are some tasks that comes along with the kids that I’ve long since forgotten: 

  • 100% attention is required.  9 year-olds are self-suffiienct meaning that I dont have to change diapers and they wont starve if I can’t feed them (they can open refridgerators, make cereal, etc.). They can survive for the most part on their own, but they want and need attention 24/7.  Boy, do they love to show all the things they can do/try/etc., example, “TBAITW, did you know that when soda gets up your nose it hurts?”…
  • Couldn’t be without their posse.  Syd couldn’t be without “Mo Mo”(one of her two dogs).  I of course, being TBAITW , “Mo Mo” could come with her.   My sister says, “we treat everyone equally, anything Moo Moo gets, Roxy gets.” (Being a twin, its all about equality, so this is totally fine with me).  What I didn’t know was that “Max”, the little black dog was “Mo Mo”… and that Roxy was the injured dog wearing the cone hat.  Love dogs, but hadn’t thought about what that meant in a downtown city condo.

O.k.. so, I am now in my SLC condo, my gorgeous condo, my home away from home, with 2 9-year olds and 2 dogs….  Never in my wildest dreams did I think this could happen…   So perfect in a crazy, busy way…..  grilled cheese, Cinnamon Life, hot tubbing, movies, stories of a lifetime, questions of all types, etc….  all unexpected, but some of the best moments of my life (what does one say to a 9-year old that asks “what drugs have you done?’)… hmmm…   😉

Here is where the crazy part comes in.  We get out of the hot tub, take our showers, I feed them, they are fed and happy and soon to be talked out (fingers are crossed).  I feel like the coolest ever, taking care of them and the dogs…  I deserve some wine.  I know its Sunday, but I’ve stocked up.  I unlock the owners closet, and find what I love, a few bottles of wine… I want red (it started raining when we were in the hot tub.. went from warm to cold pretty quickly, thereby calling for red wine).  I find a favorite – LIberty School Cab… so consistently good.  My mouth starts to water….   I grab the bottle and head to the kitchen….

Low and behold, there isn’t a corkscrew… its gone missing.  Its not in the dishwasher or any of the drawers or cupboards.  Seriously, how could someone take that and only that out of the condo???   Did a mormon stay here in the last couple of months and ‘disapprove’ of the ‘liquid intake’ a corkscrew would allow?    It’s just mind-boggling to me that anyone would take a corkscrew from the condo. Of all the things to take….   take the 50” TV but not my corkscrew!!  

So, I had to make myself a Carrie (I know, tough life).   I will remedy the situation so it never happens again (I will by two corkscrews: one for the condo and one for the ‘owners closet’). But seriously, it is just unconscionable to me that ANYONE would take someone’s corkscrew.   I just dont get it.

All in all, a very good day.  A lot of space filled with questions, comments, stories, and the like.  Very different from my world, but a welcome change (minus the missing corkscrew).

Fun in SLC
Fun in SLC