Life Lessons

So... I am going to astound you all with my weekend life lessons that I have learnt in the past two weeks. Hold onto your hats!

1. When the NY hostel that you are staying in is partially condemned, this is a good thing. The room that you stay in is clean, brand spanking new and there is an extra shower available in the morning to get ready.
2. It is always a good thing to go through big events that are hugely stressful snort, snort. That way when you start your new job and they have just gone through an office reno, it seems like small potatoes. While everyone is talking about how stressed they are, inwardly you think, "You should have seen the organizational move I went through three years ago."
3. Every workplace has their own culture. My old workplace was a Starbucks culture. My new workplace is a Tim Hortons culture. This is fine... but an adjustment.
4. It is always a good thing to listen to the news. That way when you are on the T in Boston, you would know why everyone is wearing their Boston Celtics jerseys... Oh, they won the National Championships. Oh yeah, I totally knew that. We joined in the celebrations anyways. When in Boston...
5. The best and easiest sort of change is a new pair of shoes. Otherwise, you will enjoy the new challenges and be stretched by them but be so tired at night that you will be spilling things on yourself and your kind hearted international student will kill herself laughing!

Back from the Big Apple!

So... I just got back from an amazing trip to the Big Apple. Here's some highlights from the first night...

Times Square at night... a rush!

The M& M Store... who would know that you could fill a full three stories with M & M stuff!

Along with Yankee and Mets mix... even though it's not named that!

The evening was finished off with pizza at John's Pizzeria.

As we were eating our really yummy pizza, I looked around and noticed that it looked oddly familiar. I had seen this picture in a magazine article about a church that became a pizza place.

This was the first church of the denomination of church that I have been involved with for my full life. I couldn't believe how much it was full of serendipity. I'd say that it was a bit of a mecca but it was just too full of "Can you believe this?" to call it mecca. Cool... The evening was topped off with a very hot wait in the subway to avoid having to walk several more miles before bed!

"Life" happens

There's a saying about life happening. Well, today it did... unfortunately, it decided to stop some functioning machinery of the household it a rather dramatic way. The good thing (er, not so good thing) is that it happened to my student. Imagine being in a foreign country, picking up the dreaded phone and telling your homestay host that you need her to come home quickly for an emergency. Not a great way to start a day. Good thing I was 20 minutes away! Double good thing that my quick thinking about Mr. Plunger and turning off water flow worked. They're right! "Life happens!"

Signs of a good friend

I am such a big fan of the consignment store in the neighborhood. As I am seeing the nieces today, I thought that I'd pop in on Monday just to see if there were any $1 tees or something equally riveting. Although the clearance rack didn't have anything that worked for me, I saw that they had maternity clothes. One of my good friends is pregnant so I thought I'd check it out. I picked up a couple shirts for her. As she's close to the same size as me in non-pregnancy clothes, I held them up to myself to see if they'd work.

So as I'm purchasing these couple shirts, I notice someone that I know from church. Hmmm... would she notice that a singleton is purchasing maternity clothes? So, I say in an almost stage voice to the other employee helping me, "You know that you're a good friend when you purchase maternity clothes for your friend." Eeks... that could have been slightly mortifying!

Annie Liebowitz I am not!

So... yesterday was an exciting day at the House of Knittinchick. A sock was finished for a birthday present at the end of June. This must be commemorated with a photo. Normal, yes? Well to knitters this is....

But my international student came downstairs while I was having a little photo session and just about lost it with laughter. She ran back upstairs to get her camera and take a picture of me documenting my sock progress. I'm a little worried about what her Japanese friends will think back home of Canadians! Oh well... it's just Canadian culture, right?

Advice for the sake of your cellulite!

Cellulite is an often underrated commodity. This is something that makes hard, cold chairs comfortable, stretches out your jeans and makes eating cottage cheese rather comforting. Here are some things that you shouldn't do to threaten this commodity:

• Do not get inspired by the others who are running by you when you are walking. You'll start running/walking and will start putting your cellulite in jeopardy.
• Do not have a Japanese student move in with you who is so healthy that it is very inspirational to you to start eating healthy.
• Do not start drinking lots of water... it makes you take Bio Breaks often which will eventually threaten your cellulite storage traps.
• Do not get nervous before meeting with people that are going to find out that you resigning your job and have your stomach decide to have a 'nervous condition' day.
• Do not run up and down the double set of stairs with heavy boxes when you are packing up your office. This will make your bottom, calves and thighs hurt in places where you have these little spots for that rainy day. Definitely don't accept anyone's offer for help.

You can thank me as you settle down onto the couch with extra potato chips and a big bottle of pop to 'celebrate' the heavy rain day of the weekend. Definitely avoid all the water, exercise and nervous stomach conditions that you would help you!

Times they are a changin'

"Change is inevitable except from vending machines."-unknown. I love that! My life is a changin' these days. I've resigned my beloved job that I have had for ten years and am going to a new job that will challenge, stretch and develop me and my career in a new direction. Four more days in the office, seven more official days-the last being Staff Fun Day (how's that for planning?). Here's what I'm learning about change.

• It's easier to talk about than to actually do.
• People all respond differently to you when you announce this-there are naysayers, ignorers and then the truly kind-those that speak to you and provide closure for both of you.
• The author Bridges was right-it's the transition time (before and after the change) that is way more difficult than the actual change.
• Changing jobs means that you have to re-evaluate your wardrobe... and purchase grownup professional clothes. What not to wear would love my life right now.
• Good shoes will make even the most difficult days better.
• Your true friends stick closer than crazy glue during this season and are such a comfort and joy-they reassure you that you are doing the right thing.
• The most important: coffee is an important part of change.

So... more to come in the future. But for now, I'm sticking to my knitting for a friend's birthday and working like a little beaver to finish well at my work. If you want more details, PM me and I'll bore you with all the details.