The Year of Sadie

My big goal for this year, I balk at the term 'resolution', is to do more for Me.

It's going to be a year for personal growth and development. It's going to be a year of transformation and change. It's going to be a good year.

This year already, I have signed up for a DietBet, started eating better, kept running-even in the snow, committed myself to systematic giving, and now--Boot Camp.

It's online, through Flylady. I've never done one before, so why not start now?

I was hesitant about the cost. First, I've never done a boot camp before. Second, online? Really? Where's the accountability in that? But...life, and commitment are what you make of them. And if I have time to watch TV, I have time to exercise.

I have committed to running the Bluenose 10Km in May, after teaching myself how to run last summer for the Run for The Cure. After 40 years of HATING running, mainly because I couldn't do it, I ran a whole 5K and lived to tell the tale. What's more, I discovered that I actually ENJOY running and the feeling I get when I stop. So...while I'm not as consistent as I'd like yet; I eventually bought the fancy reflective pants and now actually tell people that "I run".

I am slightly overweight, what we all would call 'average' these days. Nothing I've ever really been concerned about, certainly not concerned enough to diet over. But I DO want to be more healthy. My mother is one of the most Fit people I've ever met. She's 63 years old. I am 41, and until this year couldn't jog a block to chase the bus without passing out. Who doesn't want to be more fit than a retiree? Exactly.

I've also bought a Groupon for a resume consultation service. Since it was on my list to do this spring, it seemed fortuitous to purchase one for 60% off list. We shall see. If it's not as productive as I'm hoping it will be, at least I only paid $67 instead of $250.

I declare this year, the Year of Sadie, officially open for business.
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

So what?

In an attempt, however misguided, to avoid having to do work or blog I have read through every last post in my bloglines. The thing that is most scary about that? I have over 235 sites marked in there.

And none of you have anything new to say.

Well, you may have at 9 am, but you don't NOW and that's the issue.

What? I haven't said anything new and interesting either? You're right. And so what, I say? So. What.

I'm supposed to be doing work at home. I'm supposed to be frantically putting the finishing touches on an awards 'banquet' that I'm hosting tonight. I'm supposed to be working to make it not look like a thrown together, shoe-string budget, last-minute event. But it *IS* a thrown together, shoe-string budget, last-minute event.

The background story:

My company has a couple of ways that we recognize people and their efforts at excellence in service throughout the year. One is through Caught-yas (our version of the Atta-boy!) These are completely associate driven. If you see somebody going out of their way for a customer or for another associate, you write them up a little note. We hand them out at our monthly meetings, and you get recognized for doing a good deed. It's kinda nice.

The other is through a star award. Customers that take the time to write or call in to say that they were pleased with a particular associate or circumstance receive a letter thanking them for taking the time to do so. The associate in question gets a copy of the letter, as well as a letter of thanks. They receive a service star that they may or may not choose to sew onto their shirts. If they get 5 of them, they get $75 ($50 after tax).

These are both nice things. At the end of the year, usually in February or March, the associates from each store that got the most of each type of award went to Moncton for an awards luncheon where plaques and small prizes were handed out. The associates who received the most of each type of note corporately, won a largish prize--usually a jacket of some sort.

These, also, are nice things.

We're not doing that this year. Well, everything but the luncheon. The same associates at each store seemed to be attending each year. What was supposed to be an incentive/appreciation luncheon had turned into a source of grousing and bitterness for the associates left behind at the store.

So this year? We're each having our own banquet at the individual stores. I think this is a GREAT idea, as it recognizes EVERYONE for their contribution to the success of the business, and thanks people for working together. It still singles out the super-stars, but also recognizes the smaller, consistent twinklers.

So...what could be wrong with this picture? Well. I was given $250 to do it with.

(I'll wait while you gasp in shock.)

I'm supposed to throw a BANQUET for 35 people, with $250. That is to include site, food, PRIZES and entertainment. And do it in a non-alcoholic location with no access to booze.

Mwahahahahaa! I don't know how many of you have ever done event planning (except you, Principessa!) but this is relatively impossible if you want it to be any sort of fancy-pants EVENT. And it's supposed to be just that.

I could possibly pull it off if I planned for 6 months, was able to do it outdoors in the summertime, and had a much bigger pool of competent helpers than I do. But I had 3 weeks to piece together a half-assed $250 party to thank people for contributing to the overall success of a multi-million dollar corporation. Oh yeah. My job rocks sometimes.

So we're going to a pool-hall. I rented the 'private function room' (is it my fault if it is sponsored by a major brewer of beer?) and an extra table for the entire evening. This cost me $50. It would have been $60, but we're going mid-week.

We booked lasagne, garlic bread and ceasar salad from a local restaurant--they are providing plates, cutlery and napkins as well. This will cost me $224 including taxes. (see the problem already?)

I'm also supposed to provide prizes and awards. No place in this town sells pre-printed certificates. I had to settle for fancy stationery from Walm*rt and invent my own award papers. I am currently making a single file bigger than my head to take to work and print out before 6pm tonight.

I also have to go buy 3 more jokey prizes, and one big Good Prize, as well as another $20 gift certificate.

The husband of one of the girls at work made a Plinko board for HIS work. We're borrowing it, and we're going to play 'the price is right' tonight. I picked out a bunch of small, common, yet obscurely priced items to take with us, and people will bid on the items in groups of 4. If they win their round, they get a Plinko token. When they play Plinko, they can win a card with a numbered prize on it. The prizes are cheezy dollar store items that I went out and bought last night. Three of the 9 prizes will have $20 gift cards hidden on or in them.

We will then eat, I will hand out the certificates. I will award the corporately provided backpacks (nice--but seriously--how many 50 year old men do you know that are jonesing for a new Roots backpack with the company logo on it?!) and then hand out the peer-selected MVP award. This person will receive a certificate and a $50 certificate to the only decent restaurant in town.

I've managed to spend about $500, which I think is not bad, all things considered. I'm surprised that nobody from head office has called to rag me out for having the function in a place where booze is served--I was fully expecting that. But seriously, where can you get a venue for 35 people for the entire night, that provides entertainment AND lets you bring in outside catered food for $50? No place. I think I freaking rock.

If it comes off okay. Which right now, it's not quite feeling that it's going to. I'm procrastinating by blogging and reading blogs because I have too much to do in the next 2 hours. The panic will start to set it any minute. I also have no idea what I'm going to say to host this shin-dig. Good thing I'm a master at winging-it. Well, I think I am, anyway. Everyone is always far too polite to tell me otherwise!

Talk to you later, poppets. Happy Tuesday!

Blah.

So Monday I did something incredibly unlike me. I took a day off.

It wasn't any old day off though. I called in sick. I've worked with this company for almost 10 years, and have been sick as a dog many times. I've never taken a sick day. I was quite proud of that fact for quite a long time.

But Monday? Monday I just Didn't Want To Be There. So I called in dead. Everyone at work has had the flu lately, so I figured..Why not?

The sad thing is that I didn't even DO anything with my day off. I didn't unpack. I didn't clean. I didn't paint. I didn't even shower. I did Nothing. Oh wait...I slept until noon. That part was okay.

Tuesday? Tuesday was my regular day off. I had originally planned to go in to work, and then just use Monday as my day off--then I wouldn't break my 10-year-no-sickie streak. But I decided that I Just Didn't Want To Be There. I stayed home. I did much the same thing. Except that yesterday I filled out change of address cards. So I accomplished...something.

Now today? Today I have to go to work. I'm supposed to be there in 20 minutes. But I'm not going to be. I called in to say I was still not feeling well and that I'd be late. What is up with me?! Sheesh. I need to shake this the fuck off.

In other news...I am the best Gifter that ever did Gift. Just so you know.

The rest of Billy's Christmas present showed up yesterday--Cafepress.com, I love you. And I have to say that a) the feeling of getting a package in your mailbox? Addictive. And b) I luff them. And c) I rock.

I had ordered him a few t-shirts for Christmas in addition to the bagpipe lessons. 2 shirts with his last name on them in university style print--Property of... and 'LASTNAME'.* The last shirt is the best one...it's plain and says "A bheil gaidhlig agad?" Loosely translated: Got Gaelic? *Tee-hee!*

It's a shame he doesn't deserve me! I rock.

Anyway, one of the t-shirts (LASTNAME) is printed crooked. I should send it back for a new one. I wouldn't even blink about it, were I planning to see him on a regular basis. But I kinda just want to mail off the package and not look back. Except that I paid good bucks for a shirt that's wearable. And I am not the type of person that gives a crappy gift just to get even.

So I'm slightly torn. I don't want to have to send TWO packages. I don't want to have to sit on the rest of the gift for another 2 weeks. I just want it gone. I think I'm going to do the leg-work, get the RMA#, and then send it to him with the information and then he can do whatever he wants with it. Then it's not my problem but it could still get fixed. We'll see what Cafepress has to say when they email me back.

Well...that was fast! I just got new mail, checked it, and it was Cafepress. "we are sorry that you are not happy with your order, but we don't want you to incur any new shipping charges, so we're sending you a new one for free." Woohoo. I have to say, in my only 2 EVER online purchases, I've been incredibly pleased with the results.

I'll send him the broken one with a note that they're sending a new and improved one, and that at some point in time, I'll make sure that he gets it. Two birds, one stone.

The new album by Tom Fun Family Orchestra was early-released on Monday. Mine should be in the mail--hopefully arriving today. I had gotten it for my sister's boyfriend for Christmas, as well as for Billy. (it appears I went a little overboard!) I absolutely can't wait. The record release bash is at the Seahorse next Friday night, and while I'm off the weekend, I don't think I can go. This makes me sad. I don't have a place to crash. I mean, I'm sure Steven would let me crash at his place, but I don't want to go using up all my favours too early on into my 'out of town-ness'. That, and I don't think he'd actually enjoy the tunes the way I will--so I'd be going alone and just crashing there. We'll see what happens a bit closer to the date--I really want to go.

Well...I guess I've screwed the pooch long enough today. I am going to have to break down and go to work. I need to live up to my reputation for being 'responsible'. *shudder*

Happy Wednesday, poppets.



*no, his last name is not actually LASTNAME. I maybe a real-name dropping strumpet, but I'm not a complete and utter cow. I'd never use somebody's last name here--hell, I won't use MINE!