Jersey Swap

The other day we had a Jersey Swap in the office. Here, Shawn from our I.T. Department (soon to be moving on to bigger & better things.... well, a bigger paycheck anyway) swapped jersey's with Nicole. Shawn honey - Pink is soooooo your color! LOL

CC's Christening

Here's a quick picture of CC the day of her Christening. Hope you can see her!!!

CC enjoys spring

Just a quick shot of my "neice" CC. Here's a picture of her on Aunt Robin's couch styling in her khaki's and pink sweater. So freakin' cute!!!

Yet Another Staff Meeting

Yet another month has passed and it's time for the staff meeting once again. It was my turn to give the teamwork award and until I stood up in front of everyone I really wasn't sure who I'd give it to. Everyone deserves it so I thought of who doesn't hear Thank You enough. Well, the person I can't think of as getting the award in the last 4 yrs at least, and really took a beating this year - so far - is our HR director Kirsti. Let's face it, when the insurance rate increase came out, she was on the front line hearing all of it.

And, as we did last month, Change Team led us on another fun filled journey. This month we were told that a bunch of meteors were hitting earth, 11 of us could survive in a bunker but with the resources only 5 would be allowed to keep enough supplies and keep us alive until help came. My group came to the decision we'd use the expertise of the scientist to expand the supplies we had, the welder to build a green house & make repairs, the lawyer & politican would be used to make trades & agreements with other bunkers, the 12 yr old was for labor we basically didn't want to do! LOL Old lady was for wisdom, handicapped man - according to the "actor" just had dyslexia so was healthy enough to work, and the pregnant woman brough hope. OH, and the Army general brought order / discipline while the Doc brough needed medical care. All in all it was fun. The funniest part was seeing the responses of other groups. Reggie was in a group of women & played the welder. He basically said he was "The Man" and would be used to help... further increase the population. LOL Not bad for a staff meeting. :)

Old fashioned journals

I was watching what is rapidly becoming one of my favorite movies the other day... Kiera Knightly in Pride & Prejudice. Equally tied is the Bali-wood version Bride & Prejudice. Anyway, in just about every room there were shelves and shelves of books. Anyone who likes to read like I do can appreciate the beauty in a personal library of that scale. It got me thinking though. In this paperless-technology rules - who needs actual handwriting age, are blogs the best? Now, that doesn't mean I'm going to give up my blog by any means. Far from it in fact. But blogs only last so long. After we pass on to the great shoe store in the sky, our blogs will be shut down and it's almost as if we never existed. Journals on the other hand are hard proof that we were here. That we breathed, used resources, did good / bad and loved. Sometimes the biggest impact we make in this world has nothing to do with press. Something as small as a journal read by an ancestor years later can shape the future. I'm now on the hunt for that perfect, leather bound journal. Maybe I'll get lucky and can find a place where my initials can be embossed in gold on them. Hmmmm......

Playoff Prayer

" Our God, who art in HSBC, Miller be thy name. Thy puck come. Thy save be done, in the air as it is on ice. Give us this day our stanley cup, and forgive us our slashing, as we send out Peters for those that slash against us, and lead us not into golfing, but deliver us from injury. For Miller is teh Goalie, the power and the glory for ever and ever.. amen."

Girls Night 2007

Saturday night was the 3rd Annual Girls Night at my house. A tradition we've started one weekend in April to get together, drink more than we normally would, laugh, complain and just have an all around good time. This year it was my turn to be celebrated as we toasted my promotion with pink champagne provided by the group's newest member, Yates - seen in yellow & black. There was, naturally, way too much food, plenty of drink and even more laughs. Unfortunately the Sabres loss to the Islanders in Game 2 of Round 1 but hey, we were having such a good time we hardly noticed! :) Thanks Girls for yet another great night!!!

Easter 2007 in Denver

Chris & Steve headed to Denver to spend easter 2007 with his family. Don't they look so cute here with his Grandma? Good to know we're not the only ones who had snow that weekend! :)

I GOT IT!!!

Hey everyone, thanks for the GREAT good wish emails I got prior to my interview. I went in at 9:00 and by 10:00 I had the job. Thank you all for your support as I make this big / little change in my life. It's a whole new set of parameters but they're not so different from the old ones. I'm now out of the union - officially on Monday at least - and I won't have the Campaign Help Desk. Yeah! I get my own voicemail again!!! :)

7th Heavan

Last night my brother & I watched a program called 7th Heavan. It's a show we used to watch all the time and has nothing to do with that closet game you played at your first boy / girl party. No, in fact this show follows a family where mom works from home, dad's a minister and there's 7 kids. Last night's episode (which I sure was a repeat) talked about the youngest girl Ruthie who's about 7 or 8 years old and is part of a penpal program at school where she writes to a Marine over in Afghanistan. The family all becomes overly curious as to what exactly she's writing about each of them so she lets them read her latest email. In this email she tells her Marine what each of her family members is greatful for living in the USA. Naturally you want to cry when you watch this because each person has something that we consider quite basic but through the eyes of this munchkin you see how important it is. Maybe I'm confusing you, let me break it down this way. Her eldest brother Matt is marrying the daughter of a Rabbi and both are going to school to be doctors. He's greatful for the chance to study medicine and help others. The eldest daughter - Mary - is going to school to be a flight attendant. She was greatful for the chance to travel freely around the country / world. The stories like this go on and on. Lucy was greatful to be able to follow in her father's religious footsteps and the ex-boyfriend they took in is greatful to be accepted as a member of the family, even without blood relations.

All this got me thinking and then my brother put it to words. "Why don't more schools have programs like this?" Good question. Answer: We've become so afraid to offend another person that we've PC'd ourselves right into a situation that a couple hundred years ago, our ancestors fought to get out of. Freedom of Religion for example. We escaped England so that we could practice what religion we wanted. Now we've got a ton of them.... A GREAT THING!! But no one's afraid to just practice and enjoy. You've got your fanatics who think only their religion should take precedent or we're afraid to stand behind it. Take religion out of the schools and out of our justice system. Funny, I know working at a non-profit means I don't make much money but last time I saw a dollar it had the words "In God We Trust" printed right on it.

You can take the Politically Correct movement in a million different directions and never come up with the same answer twice....... or can you? When does PC go too far? Is this a vicious cycle we're doomed to repeat?

It was when reading a magazine that I came across an article about www.emailourmilitary.com and it's been one of the greatest things I've done in my life. Somehow it's become un-PC to support your military yet here's an organization that does just that. Why don't we take this to our school children? I've got about 15 service men / women then I send cards / emails to. It costs practically nothing, you're brightening someone's day and if it's not Politically Correct in someones eyes my response is........... Look the Other Way. Or better yet, join and see what it's really about. Don't let Political Correctness limit your visions. Our country was founded & expanded on visions and dream and make them come to exist. Remember that the next time an email comes along you might not normally forward or you see a newscast you may not like. Look deeper and question everything. And when you find something new, remember to thank little Ruthie Camden.

Interview Scheduled

Just a quick note to let you all know my interview is scheduled for this Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. Ironically my union meeting starts at noon. I had a feeling they'd land on the same day. Let's not forget I've also got my Wellness Committee meeting that afternoon as well. I'm gonna be whipped by the end of Wednesday! LOL Wish me Luck!!

Free Chicken!!

I am pleased to report that the chicken broke loose from his captors and came flying over my cube wall. The captor has also been identified and as promised, I am keeping the identity a secret........ thanks to my friend who did the napping! You made my cruddy feeling day pass- well, at least the first half- in laughter.

Put out an APB!!!!

Today I arrived and nothing was amiss. Soon, my friend Bill calls me from the front desk saying that he got a call but nothing came up on the caller ID. Odd since this is a place of business but the caller said "Tell Jenn I have her chicken." As I was talking to him my other line rang and it was the myster caller "I have your chicken. Further instructions to follow." Well, shortly there after I get an email from our Major Gifts area scan / copier "2 boxes of pledge cards by noon or the chicken dies." Now, not feeling well things are a bit funnier than normal but it only gets better from here. About 20 minutes later I get another note on my chair "Noon or it's chicken for lunch." This just gets better & better!!! So, about 15 minutes ago I'm standing at a friend's desk when the VP of Investments comes over and says she has a message...."Don't forget noon." She then sends me a Happy Meal bag containing........ chicken nuggets!!! I sit down at my desk and had noticed my friend Jean down the row was on the phone. A few minutes later my phone rings and it's a male voice..."I know where the chicken is" and the AFLAC duck in the background. I know it's H's voice so this just makes it funnier!! Well, it's now 12:02 and I'm waiting on the captors to collect their ransom. More to follow.....

Teamwork Award

Ok, so I'm slacking when it comes to posting but here's a good one. I've been here for 4 yrs and each month we have a staff meeting. Well, after countless meetings watching everyone get the "coveted" Teamwork Award it was finally my turn. My friend Skip who's our Switchboard Operator / Receptionist gave it to me and I was truly honored. Funny how everyone's just a bit nicer once you've got the award and it's your turn to pick who it goes to next. LOL The little guys in the boat actually row!!! Thanks Skip!!!

Bed

I love all things antique looking and even those real ones! LOL Can I just tell you how much I love my new bed!!!!