Hannah Banana from All is Well In My World!
Congratulations! I'll be contacting you either through your blog or through GoodReads to get your info.
I'll also post some Christmas updates tomorrow as well.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Last Call
So the ornament giveaway wasn't the runaway hit I hoped it would be. I only got three entries. So I'm giving it another couple of days. The winner will be selected Christmas eve. C'mon, it's cute! Leave a comment, I'll draw a name Christmas Eve, and announce the winner the day after Christmas.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Some Updates
I've made it pretty far on my Christmas to do list. But we had a couple of sad interuptions to the usual Christmas joy.
My beloved Busia passed away a week ago Monday. I didn't post a whole lot about it because I didn't know what to say and I wasn't looking for a flurry of sympathy. But she was very important to me, and I'm going to miss her a whole lot! She turned 90 this past May. I made her a beautiful pink blanket. She loved it. Thankfully, she passed in her sleep.
We headed to Indiana between snow storms for the funeral. I was selected by everyone to deliver a eulogy, so I summoned everything I learned in 4 years of college and 2 of grad school to attempt to do her 90 years justice. Then, as we were leaving the cemetery... we got the call that Craig's grandmother had also passed away. Double whammy. I feel awful that I can't go and be there for Craig... I really liked his grandmother. She was such a sweet woman and always had smiles and hugs for Alex. So pray for more safe travels for us the next week or so.
My beloved Busia passed away a week ago Monday. I didn't post a whole lot about it because I didn't know what to say and I wasn't looking for a flurry of sympathy. But she was very important to me, and I'm going to miss her a whole lot! She turned 90 this past May. I made her a beautiful pink blanket. She loved it. Thankfully, she passed in her sleep.
We headed to Indiana between snow storms for the funeral. I was selected by everyone to deliver a eulogy, so I summoned everything I learned in 4 years of college and 2 of grad school to attempt to do her 90 years justice. Then, as we were leaving the cemetery... we got the call that Craig's grandmother had also passed away. Double whammy. I feel awful that I can't go and be there for Craig... I really liked his grandmother. She was such a sweet woman and always had smiles and hugs for Alex. So pray for more safe travels for us the next week or so.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Raising the Bar
I feel like I've raised my own intellectual bar the last couple of weeks. In my old job, I had to scan many local news websites, including the small community newspapers here, looking for stories of relevance to the non-profit organization I worked for... either about us or about our industry. It helped feed my need for news while keeping me informed about the industry in which I worked. Over lunch, I would then peruse People.com or UsMagazine.com. Guilty pleasures, but not exactly stimulating.
Now that I've changed jobs I've had to adjust my reading material. Once or twice a week I will have to prepare headline reports for executives, which means I REALLY need to understand my new industry (retail) and what would interest these executives. So now I'm reading the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Women's Wear Daily, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, LA Times... all online of course. But I'm absolutely wallowing in these publications like a pig in mud. It feels so good to be on top of current events again and be reading these hallowed publications. I feel smarter reading these.
The new job is challenging me on an intellectual level. I want to learn everything about my new company so I can represent it well. I need to be an expert on it, after all. I'll be representing the company in media interviews eventually, so I need to know my stuff (er... their stuff). I'm getting more excited the more comfortable I'm getting with my team. I still have a long way to go in terms of getting up to speed, but I'm definitely off to a good start!
Now that I've changed jobs I've had to adjust my reading material. Once or twice a week I will have to prepare headline reports for executives, which means I REALLY need to understand my new industry (retail) and what would interest these executives. So now I'm reading the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Women's Wear Daily, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, LA Times... all online of course. But I'm absolutely wallowing in these publications like a pig in mud. It feels so good to be on top of current events again and be reading these hallowed publications. I feel smarter reading these.
The new job is challenging me on an intellectual level. I want to learn everything about my new company so I can represent it well. I need to be an expert on it, after all. I'll be representing the company in media interviews eventually, so I need to know my stuff (er... their stuff). I'm getting more excited the more comfortable I'm getting with my team. I still have a long way to go in terms of getting up to speed, but I'm definitely off to a good start!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Need Music Suggestions
Does anyone have any good suggestions for songs about friendship? If so post them here. I'm not going to go too far into detail, lest I ruin what I want to be a surprise. Just post your ideas for friendship songs. No questions asked. Any genre will do, even country. I can't believe I just posted that. (shiver) Thanks in advance!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Sydney's Christmas Left To Do List
1. Christmas Cards.
2. Send Christmas Card photo to Walgreen's to print.
3. Finish getting out Christmas decorations (ceramic Christmas tree that lights up, Grinch lava lamp, Nativity Scene)
4. Wash Christmas dishes recieved 3 years ago as a gift so you can finally use them.
5. Finish buying Christmas presents.
6. Wrap Christmas presents.
7. Make Christmas cookies.
8. Start searching for your sanity, because if you make it this far down the list in the next week, you will certainly have misplaced your sanity.
2. Send Christmas Card photo to Walgreen's to print.
3. Finish getting out Christmas decorations (ceramic Christmas tree that lights up, Grinch lava lamp, Nativity Scene)
4. Wash Christmas dishes recieved 3 years ago as a gift so you can finally use them.
5. Finish buying Christmas presents.
6. Wrap Christmas presents.
7. Make Christmas cookies.
8. Start searching for your sanity, because if you make it this far down the list in the next week, you will certainly have misplaced your sanity.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
The Joy of Giving
While hanging up my ornaments this year, I came across one that I think needs to find a new home. So I'm going to host my first giveaway. If you would like to win this ornament, leave a comment on my blog.
There's nothing wrong with the ornament. I think it's very cute. It's made of Fimo-type clay. It is dated and has my name on the back, but whoever wins it will always know where it came from. I just picked an ornament I wasn't hugely emotionally attached to and this is the one.
If you post this contest on your blog, and link back to mine, you'll get one extra entry (just be sure to let me know that you've put up a link on your blog.
The contest closes at 10PM (Central Time) Friday, December 19. It probably won't get there by Christmas, but it's the thought that counts, right?? Good luck!