To Tweet or Not to Tweet?

Huh? Ok, so I am nerdy enough to think this might be a good idea, but lazy enough to have sat on it for a while. Bear with me while I try and figure out the benefit to all of this. Your patience through this learning curve is much appreciated:)

Loss and Renewal

On Tuesday, May 19th, I will mark the anniversary of the monumental changes that have happened in my life. That was the day that I lost my job at Avaya. In the last year since that day, I have also experienced personal loss. In June (the day I received my papers), I put down my dog Dusty. In July, my beloved beagle, Frankie died. In October, my beautiful and loyal Doberman Diego passed quietly in the pasture. Just last week, I lost my mare, Lady. In each of these cases, the time was right. They were all old and all had long loving lives up here at my place. Needless to say, I have been in a funk about death and loss lately. The whole country and world is experiencing loss in very real ways. Loss of wealth, health, environment, job etc. has much of the country on edge.

In a moment of feeling sorry for myself, I thought I would suspend attention and get perspective. In this last year, I have started with Pathwise, started my own company, adopted three wonderful dogs that would have otherwise been put to death and found two new best friends/neighbors that give me love and support. I have also given a lot of time to developing Women in Business, become a board member of the PTSA and generally spending quality time with my kids. All of these things were not possible up until a year ago. It takes loss to renew and grow. It takes flowers dieing in the fall to make way for new ones in the spring. Sure I am saddened by the loss, but something is so beautiful about the sacrifice that allows me to greater appreciate what is coming next.

In memory of my Lady Girl - you taught me what it means to be a partner. Thank you and I'll miss you.

Right Place, Right Time, Right Attitude

I learned a lesson a very long time ago that one cannot "be" in the right place, unless they expose themselves, "find" the right time, unless they are maximizing it or "have" the right attitude, unless they are living it. I was very fortunate in my life to find some great mentors that saw what I was capable of, when I wasn't looking. Opportunities are everywhere, and they can be often missed.

Todd and I had a very early morning meeting at a Chamber event way down south in Puyallup. I had childcare challenges and Todd had to get up very early in the morning to be there. Both of us had perfectly legitimate excuses why we should turn down the event. We both pressed on and made it work. The result? Todd had a FANTASTIC meeting with a group of very intelligent business people. I saw him connecting and the audience was engaged on what it meant to be present and how this worked in a business environment. Afterwards, Todd was interviewed for 5 minutes as part of the Puyallup Chamber of Commerce Series. The group is very progressive and professional. I was very impressed. Had we not gone down there, we may have missed what might be a great opportunity to meet some wonderful people!

At times when I feel that I don't want to go or do something, is the time when I most need to do it. The best things come from where we weren't looking for them!!

Check out Todd's interview!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zfD-5nt2mg

Geneology

I checked my mailbox yesterday and received a package from Grandma. She had sent some geneology information she had that took our family back to England in 1539. Looking through the papers, I discovered that my family has been in the US, way before it was the US! Page in hand, I went on ancestory.com and started to build the tree. I AM ADDICTED! I found out we don't have any German on my side of the family as I thought we did. We have 1 Irish relative from the 1600. The rest are all from Massachusettes and England. My favorite part is looking at the sensus information. I have printed the actual written forms and a WWI draft card from my great grandfather Felix Gelinas, who was a first generation French Canadian. My great grandmother was half white/half indian who was adopted in the 1800s and was listed on the 1910 sensus as a "servant" for a Mr. and Mrs. Shakespear, immigrants from England settling in Snohomish.

Have you done any Geneology? What sources do you think work the best? What facinating things have you found in your families past?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

After a hiatus of sick/flu, one messed up gmail account (beware, it takes over EVERYTHING) and a hard drive crash, I am back just in time to toast a Guinness to a St. Patrick's Day 2009!!


I've invited the resident expert, Kim Clavin, to join us for an interesting fact. There are over 35 million Americans of Irish decent living in the United States. Ireland has a total population of a little over 4 million. 10% of the population of the United States have something to really celebrate today. The rest of us WISH we were Irish. Kinda like many of us suddenly become Cajun (maybe topless?) at Marti Gras. Although I have Russian, German, English, French, Canadian, American Indian and who knows what else in me, I have no Irish that I know of. So for today, I will claim my love of Guinness and U2 as my right of passage into Irish-hood. ERIN GO BRAGH!

Getting the Flu

Isn't it amazing that your kids own vomit doesn't make you sick? Well, that's true for me anyway. I was tested with this 3 weeks ago at 2 o'clock in the morning when my 4 year old boy came into my room crying and looking like the poisoned ghost girl from the Sixth Sense. I spent the next hour cleaning the carpet, the mattress pad, sheets, clothes, toilet etc..... When my husband came down with the same thing a week later, I was wondering if he caught the flu through osmosis, as he was NOT the one up at the 2am cleaning.

I began to think this was a manly flu, targeting those with different bits and pieces when my daughter came down last week. I again marvelled at my new found immunity. You see, usually I am the one who gets sick first, gets better while everyone else is ill, then I get a second round. Ever since I found the $10 Netti pot last year, I have been relatively sick-free. I was taking care of all of them and still I was going strong. Then, yesterday afternoon at 4pm, I was reviewing my spreadsheets on my computer when the next thing I know, my head hit my desk with a thud. I guess it saved the best for last....

Generational Leadership

I am very interested in understanding Generational Leadership. That is a study of the different motivations, work habits and management styles between the Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y and the Milleniums. Specifically, I am intrigued by the unique problem of my own Gen X leadership in managing the exiting Baby Boomers while introducing the Milleniums into the workforce. Do any of you have thoughts on this? What good books have you read, or seminars have you seen that provide some insight?