Baby Shower

I'm just heading home from a baby shower for a colleague. Fun time but I couldn't help but notice the strange setting by the end. We all went over to this bar/restaurant in southie after work. There weren't many people when we got there and we had the back portion, all nicely decorated with tons of pink. 

After food and opening gifts I looked behind me and the near empty front portion of the place was now packed full of the evening crowd. It was quite loud and boisterous and it was such a strange contrast. I realize that the majority of baby showers I've been to were at someone's house and the few that were at some place were a weekend brunch or something similar. Never at a crowded bar at night. 

I took some pictures to try to capture the difference. The first one is supposed to show all the pretty pink decorations. The second is the packed place. And it's a big place too.  That's why I'm giving crazy eyes. 

The other thing that got me thinking was about the honoree. She has worked at the company her whole life - since she was a teenager. Her mother worked at the company (they are both admin, aka secretary) and got her the job. It struck me how strange that was and how rare. Rarely do you find someone who sticks to just one job and for so long and then to have it be a generational thing. It reminded me of Downton Abbey times when parents would try to get a position at the big house for their children.  

I wonder if this is more common then I realize and I'm just not exposed to it or if it is really rare. 

Anyways, I'm happy to head home fed and with a purse full if some good cheese and honey comb - there was a great appetizer plate. Unfortunately the honey is leaking. I put my hat on just now and it was sticky and now my hands are sticky too. Ugh. 

Fragrance

I’m not a big fragrance person.  I remember one class I was taking years ago in Ohio, the girl sitting behind me had such a strong scent on.  I think it was a shower gel even, something from Bath & Body Works, very fruity and fake smelling.  It was very distracting and I wasn’t a big fan.  And it gets me thinking about how many fragrances we have, especially women, I think.  One morning I counted and I had over eight different fragrances I was applying before I even sat down for breakfast:

-       Shower gel

-       Face scrub

-       Shampoo/Conditioner (assuming they are the same)

-       Shaving gel

-       Body lotion

-       Face lotion

-       Hair gel

-       Make-up - foundation, lipstick, etc.

-       Hand lotion

 

Which, even if I was a big fan, makes no sense since they are all competing with each other and most likely not complimenting each other.  I’m a big fan of Clinique so that knocks off most of the make-up scents. I do try to buy the scent free stuff. 

 

And don’t get me wrong, I do believe fragrance is an essential accessory and polishes your “look”.  I remember picking out a perfume when I was a teenager.  Mom took me to the store and we tried a bunch before deciding on the final pick.  I forget the name, and I just put it in the donation box since I wasn’t using it anymore.  I also had a Lily of the Valley perfume that I got in my college years.  It’s one of my favorite flower scents and will wear it occasionally.  But for the last several years, I have been looking for a more grown-up, professional fragrance.  Something in the realms of Chanel No. 5.

 

I will peruse the discounted perfumes at TJ Maxx, and even visit the perfume counters in Macy’s.  But at TJ Maxx, the perfume is packaged up, so you can’t test it first.  And Macy’s seemed to have a limited selection.  So I spend most of my time at the duty free stores in airports searching for the right perfume.  Every time I have spare time, I will pop into the stores and smell all the different samples, deciding on a final one to trial that day.  I have tried everything from Chanel to Burberry to Dolce & Gabbana to Christian Dior and everything in between.  I think I’ve been doing this for a good five years, and hadn’t even narrowed it down to top contenders.  I like the idea of Chanel No. 5, but couldn’t find something that was “me”.  I realize, it is one of those “purchases”.  Something I want to buy but can’t make a final decision so it stays on my “to purchase” list forever (right now I have: sofa, car mats, and all-in-one computer - I did just cross off sneakers - bought some finally this weekend).  Generally anything over $100, is hard for me to pull the trigger on.  I want to get it exactly right.  I can easily drop over $100 at the grocery store or other shops, but a single purchase in triple plus digits really seems to give me pause and slows things down on my end.

 

Well, earlier this month, I was at Home Goods, looking at the perfumes, all boxed up and sealed in plastic.  My master plan was to research and try different perfumes at airports or other perfume counters, until I found the right one (or at least several top contenders), and then keep a look out for a discounted version at TJ Maxx/Home Goods or online.  Spending over $100 on perfume seems a bit too much.  But that wasn’t working and here I was standing in front of a bunch of perfumes.  I liked the graphics/packaging for this one perfume, but had never tried it, or even heard of it, so put the box back on the shelf.  Although it was heavily discounted, it was still not cheap.  I didn’t want to risk it.  I kept perusing, but came back again at the end of the shopping, wondering if I should just risk it and try it.  My mind said the odds were bad - what’s the likelihood, that I’d like this perfume, when I didn’t like the others I’d been trying.  But I was just tired of this quest.  I looked the perfume up online and read the reviews (luckily my smartphone worked in the box store).  One review I liked said it was not overpowering - a nice subtle scent.  Well, that’s promising.  But still, not enough to pull the trigger.  I’m standing there, trying to sniff the perfume through the plastic (there was nothing) when all of a sudden I see it!  On the bottom shelf are some special gift packages of perfumes.  You know, where it’s perfume and some other stuff too.  And there it was, the perfume, in this box set, and it’s not sealed!  It’s just got a plastic cover that you can slip off.  I’m in luck because it’s the same thing -  both are “L’Essence Eau De Parfum” and not something else like Eau de Toilette.  Who knew there were so many varieties - Eau de Perfume, Eau de Toilette, Eau de Cologne, Eau Fraiche, the list goes on!

 

I take a whiff and not bad.  Nothing super memorable, but also not obnoxious or something I don’t like.  I give it a squirt and smell it again on my wrist.  Still good.  Of course, I have time to give it to see what it smells after wearing it for awhile since I have to be somewhere else, so I figure, good enough.  It’s not perfect, but it’s good and is what I’m after.  A nice multi-layered, not-too-floral, subtle scent to add to my work week attire.  I go for it and buy it.

 

And boy am I happy!  I’ve been wearing it almost every day and I really like the smell.  It’s one of those purchases you buy and don’t realize until later how much you really like it.  I think it’s good that it’s not too much of a “signature” scent.  That would be distracting.  It’s just right - it sets the mood, the person I am and want to represent.  In Maguire terms, “it completes me”.  Which is what I was looking for originally.  So, I’m happy to report that after five years of hunting, I found MY perfume.   And only after about a week, did I get into the routine of actually putting it on every morning.  It was annoying at first, because I’d be on my commute into work and realize I forgot the perfume.  It’s now part of my routine.  Although, as I write this, I just realized I haven’t figured out what to do when I travel.  I guess I need to see if they make a travel size.

 

And I know you’re dying to know - what was the final, magical, scent?  Luckily this is a blog and not a vlog, because I have no idea how to pronounce the name.  It’s Balenciaga, Paris, L’Essence Perfume! 

 

Promotions

This years company promotions were announced earlier this month. I'm somewhat proud that of the dozen or so promotions I was the only female (there was one other but it's her father's company). I'm not in a Mad Men era of male/female work role situations but i sometimes hear reference to "girls" and female engineers are still very much a minority and female engineer leaders even more so. It's still very much a"mans world" I work in. And I work hard to get to where I am. 

I appreciate my coworkers and knew all the guys who made associate with me. I figured we should celebrate and get drinks. It took a little to orchestrate it all but in the end we had a nice evening out at Trade an upscale, modern restaurant/bar. 

I'm just heading home now after our outing. Interestingly I'm the one who has been at the firm the shortest amount of time but not everyone knew each other. I'm about 3 years in where most of the others are 6-15 years at the company. We had a great time - good company, good food and the drinks kept coming, on a nice spring evening with the beautiful evening sun coming into the modern decor. Looking around it's a very different group of coworkers I was drinking with from my earlier jobs. All men, married, with children. Very engineering based and different views on the world. But good company and joking all around. 

And the thing that puts the extra hop in my step on my way home is my role in the mix. I was the person bringing everyone together. The facilitator. Of the six of us, we span over four different departments. And as people peeled off and headed home they were all very appreciative that I put this together. 

The only bummer is that I forgot to get a picture of all us: Jeff, Laszlo, Drew, Steve, and Mike. When we were toasting our promotion and enjoying the moment I couldn't help but wonder how things would be in five years. Where we'd all be and how much more grey we would have!

And sitting with this group I was appreciative of how quickly I've been able to position myself within the firm and with some of the key leaders that this group isn't exposed to as much. I wonder out of all of us who will be first to make it to the next rung on the ladder. I'm hoping it's me, but I still have my work cut out ahead of me!

Pollyanna

At my first job, my boss gave me the nickname of Pollyanna. I would always look on the bright side and find the silver lining.  As I've progressed with my career I do struggle with the work/life balance.  I realize a lot of it has to do with not just being a doer (tell me the task and I execute) but a visionary/leader/change agent.  That's my strength and that's why I struggle because I'm doing both right now and across many different subject areas. I'm in that transition period where I'm building up my staff to have these skills too. In the meantime, there is just not enough of me to go around and it gets frustrating and exhausting.  But I have to step back and appreciate the good.  I'm positioned so well to do so much, have an impact on so much, and acknowledged for my skills more so than previous jobs.  The opportunities and resources are endless (well maybe not endless resources, there are budgets after all).  But I'm in a good place, I have a solid team, and it's up to me to figure it all out, piece by piece.

And one piece is getting that life side balanced out, specifically getting a vacation in this year as I mentioned in the last post.  I was getting a little down because I know I need a true vacation but also have been saving for other things and don't want to spend too much money. Looking at flights I was busting the budget already. 

And here's the Pollyanna, instead of my job getting in the way and preventing a vacation it's the opposite.  I just started on a new project in St. John's Newfoundland and it looks like I'll be there in the spring for a project visit.  I've always wanted to visit that part of Canada. PEI has been on my list since a young age (Anne of Green Gables of course).  It looks like a wonderful place, good time to visit and travel will already be paid for.   So I think that's my vacation.  I'll  back my vacation up against the trip and explore the area.  I'm excited and can't wait to start planning.  I need to figure out how long.  Maybe a week?  Let the planning begin!

Monday Roundup

Not much to report on and it’s been awhile since I did the good old bullet list of random thoughts, so here goes.

·         Slowing knocking out items on the list.  Yesterday I finally got two rolls of film developed.  I found them several years ago and had no idea what was on them.  They’ve been sitting in my “to-do” pile for about 3 years.  Turns out they are probably over a decade old.  Not the best quality pictures, but there were some of Walter which I appreciate having now that his is gone.  I was surprised how much it cost to develop film.  It was $10 each to just get them digitized - even more if I wanted them printed.  Times have certainly changed to digital these days.

·         Almost done with my first house project - my back closet.  I’ve spruced it up and am just finishing with the install of a new shelf.  I got wood yesterday and talked them into cutting it for me at the store.  I’m hoping to finish the last coats of paint tonight and install the shelves tomorrow and then I’ll be done. I really need to go around and just take pictures of my place because I don’t have any “before” pictures of my projects.  It’s not that glamorous of a project but I’m really excited about being more organized and having a home for some items that have been kicking around.

·         At work I had a new person start last month and another one starting this week so it’s been a lot of getting people up to speed.  Exciting to have more staff, but I’m always having to remind myself that there is no “perfect” staff out there.  There’s always a training period before they can hit the ground running.  The great thing is that they are super excited and willing to learn which is just what is needed.

·         Speaking of work, I have some April Fool’s day plans.  Last year, it was after the first when we were talking about past pranks that I came up with some good ideas, as is always the case, and I was smart enough to make note in my outlook calendar so they didn’t get lost.  It’s tricky since I am a boss, so I have to be careful and not cross any lines, but at the same time don’t want anything too corny.  This year, I have two jokes planned.  One for my floor and one for my department.  I bought a packet of googley eyes for the Vermont Rock Monsters and have a bunch left over.  I saw this on Pinterest and figured it would be perfect since we have a communal fridge.  I think I will have to bring in a bunch of yogurt and other stuff, so that I can just glue most of the eyes on at home instead of on site.  The other joke is an inside joke - we have three Charles working in the department of about 10 people.  We’ve joked about having a hiring policy requiring the name.  Our desks have the classic metal name tags and since we’re a large enough company the name tags are done on-site.  I talked to the guy who does it and he’s totally on board to help me out.  I haven’t figured out what they should be exactly, other than “King Charles” for my partner in crime (he’s my right hand man). I could just have everyone have a “Charlie” name tag, but that’s not too fun for the two guys who are already Charles (Charlie and Chuck).  Or I could do a bunch of variations on a theme. There’s Charlie, Chuck, Chip, Chas, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, etc.  Any ideas?

·         Did you see this in the news today?  Talk about blowing one’s mind.  “Scientific Breakthrough Lets Us See to theBeginning of Time”.  Astronomy always puts everything in perspective.  Stressing over the little stuff just melts away.

·         I decided it’s time.  Last real vacation was… now I’ve forgotten already.  I was able to piggy back the London trips onto work trips last year but those were really just long weekends.  I haven’t had a proper week long vacation in some fun place for over three years.  I kick myself that I didn’t take the time to visit my brother when he was in Northern Italy (it was my first year at this company) or Greece (it was the year I was buying my place and had no spare money).  A colleague is into tracking all the good deals on flights so I’ve started keeping an eye out.  I’m thinking something in Europe for now since I’m comfortable traveling there on my own.  Initially I was reluctant because of the cost and I’ve been scrimping to payback loans.  I’ve been so good with the budget I’ll be paying everything off early this year and will be free and clear.  I realize mentally I’m just worn out and I really need something to clear things and rejuvenate me.  So I’m allowing myself to consider a trip this year.    

Commute

Yesterday it was hummers, today it's missing gloves!  I sat next to a single black glove on the subway and just now, boarding the bus I see this guy. Not a good time to loose your outer ware. 

Yesterday I was next to two hummers on my way home. Standing next to one on the subway platform and then sitting next to a different guy on the train. 

I wonder what tomorrow will bring!

Lunch

I’m having one of those days.  Well one of those weeks really since it’s only Tuesday.  At work I’m going through some staffing changes: departures, vacations and training new staff.  And boy is everything hitting the fan this week.  This is when I find it challenging to wear all my many hats from department manager to business development to sustainability point person on projects to internal guru/resource for the company.  I don’t know where I would be without my current staff - I do have a great team.

Well last night after work, I ran to the grocery store and made the classic mistake of shopping on a hungry stomach.  I didn’t pick up much snack food, I have learned over the years but I did buy ingredients for more dishes than I think I’ll make this week.  When I got home I had a snack and tackled some pressing issues before I was planning on whipping up a meal for dinner and lunch (leftovers).  Long story short, fast forward to 11:30 pm and I had abandoned my cooking plans, taken a short nap and was cranking on a midnight deadline.

So this morning I was wondering what I could bring for lunch because I really didn’t want to have to buy my lunch - it’s delicious but expensive ($10 a day adds up).  I was tired of tuna and already had that last week.  I hadn’t bought anything specifically for lunches so was pleasantly surprised with how my lunch turned out just now as I eat a late lunch.

Behold my creation: smoked salmon, goat cheese, watercress and sliced boiled egg on toasted Tuscan whole wheat bread.

 

It’s both beautiful and delicious.  And colorful.  And healthy?  I’m more conscious of calories these days as my mid-life body is coming into form.  I'm thinking of trying the couch to 5k program.  I was all gung-ho until I stepped outside into this freezing weather and decided to wait until it warmed up a little more.  Plus I need some running shoes - mine are old.