Gateway Drugs...

I love technology.  It's awesome.  I am not an early adopter.  I'm usually right behind them.  I prefer version 1.2 to version 1.0.

About three years ago I started jones-ing for an iPod.  Then, Apple came out with the U2 iPod.  Being a HUGE U2 fan, it was just what i needed to get over the $300 price tag for some little thing that played music.  Little did I know that it was the beginning of the end.

I loved my U2 iPod.  I was so sad the day it tumbled from my purse and landed with a clatter on the tiled floor of Cheesecake Factory bathroom.  A few days later, I began to mourn.  It started making a horrid little whirring noise when it tried to spin it's now misshapen hard drive.  A few days later, I headed to the Apple store and exchanged my autographed iPod for a 30G black iPod.  Finally.  I thought I had my fix.  The new iPod was working great.  

Then, CES January 2007. Our good buddy Steve came out with the iPhone.  Ooohh.  Ahhhh...must have new toy.  I resist.

Summer 2007, the iTouch comes out.  Back I go to the Apple store.  I pick up my iTouch.  I am in love, it's awesome.  Does everything you can think of...

A few days before CES/Macworld 2008, I'm over at my Sari's house and her husband has the new black macbook.  Shows me spaces...shows me how it can run Windows.  Cool...the idea has taken root.  Then, I head to the Big Apple where I spent some time partying in the City and also surfing on Ann's macbook.  So cool!  The day after I get back...guess where I am?  Yes, folks, that's right.  I'm at the Apple store, buying my new macbook.  Ah....it's nice.   I watch the January 2008 Stevenote...on my new macbook.  

Two days later I'm back for a mighty mouse.

The next week I'm back for a keyboard cover, genius bar and an apple care plan.

Now, I'm shopping for a time capsule and an airport extreme.

When will the madness end???

The World is my Oyster...pass the horseradish!

I am very fortunate that I have never been through a lay-off until now.  But my reaction hasn't been normal!  The first two or three days, I was pretty upset.  Most of the upset occurred when my friends were being wonderful.  Go figure!  They have been great.  No one let me spend a night alone last week.  The phone keeps ringing and the emails and cards of encouragement keep coming. 

I am wondering if I have lost my mind because I am SO INCREDIBLY ESTATIC that I don't have to work at The Company any more!

The economy is about to hit a nasty road bump so I should be pretty worried about not having a job, but for some crazy reason I'm not.  I chose to believe that this gift of time is important right now.  When I moved to my City, I moved for a J-O-B, right out of College.  Another friend was supposed to take the position but she got a better offer in her Home Town and decided to move there instead.  So, without any thought between, hey, that City sounds cool.  I don't have a job in College Town, Ok, I'll move.

For the past 10 years, I have been following other people's decisions.  It has landed me in an industry that I really love and a position that excites me.  However, very few decisions that placed me here were made by me.

I need to spend some time deciding if my unconscious decisions were the right ones for me or if I should take full advantage of the ability to make conscious decisions.  Let me give you an example.

In December, I started spending less time in the office.  Since I'm in Sales, I can get away with this, it's actually encouraged.  In early January, after returning from a trip to the Big Apple, I decided to spontaneously purchase a laptop - so I could work from Panera or Starbucks (until I found out they charge for it!) or Caribou or Bojangles.  I started doing all of these things that would make it really easy for me to change jobs without any conscious or planned decision to do so.  It's absolutely wild.

More to come...

Holy Cow!

Wow, so this week has been crazy.  The company I had been with for almost three years, and that RECRUITED me no less, laid off several people on Tuesday and I was one of the lucky ones!  Go figure.  Even better, I have worked more hours this week than I had in a while (and I was rarely a 40-hour a week person), without a job!  Nuts.

The Ocean in my BackYard

As I sat on the balcony
and waited
for the hummingbirds to feed

A gentle breeze began to wash
over me

Transforming the crepe myrtle,
branches drooping from
the gentle weight of their
flowers and seeds,

into a vast green ocean
waves undulating in the
sultry afternoon breeze.

Staring at the tree, it
blurs out of focus
and I am floating
on the bathwater green waves
of my childhood.

and the hummingbird feeds.

It's snowing!

Is it wrong that I adore Cashmere Mafia?  The show appears to be without substance - but many points ring true.  G'nite.

It's COLD!

The weather has been blissfully warm over the last few weeks and all of sudden it's winter again! The high today if 40 degrees (F). Yikes. Out came the hat, gloves, scarf and coat.

I'm having a tough time getting into the groove of working again. The last two weeks have been very slow and it's been nice just to maintain deals (i'm in sales). But, the party is over and it's time to start generating business again!

Today has been a good day. I got an appointment from cold calling.

This has been a good week too. Night before last I spoke with an old friend from middle school and had a great time! We talked for an hour and a half. Being in sales, it's rare that I want to spend that much time on the phone after work, however, I throughly enjoyed the conversation. I was also able to use a few "SAT" words. We talked about so many different topics and spent very little time on work talk. I REALLY enjoyed that. More importantly, it was nice to talk with someone who had such a range of interests that you could talk about all sorts of things!

Last night I headed to the local Indian grocery with my girlfriend who likes to cook and began exploring. Last Christmas (2006) a good friend gave me an Indian cookbook and I've finally found a place where I can pick up many of the unique ingredients.

Tonight - I cook!!!