Celebrate!!!

Wow. What a week I've had. And I had to think last night as I "celebrated" how different life is from a couple of years ago. Back then, I'd have had y'all along every step of the way. Now, as I keep saying, everything is different. I can't Tell All anymore.

But I can sure as hell recap. LOL.

We've had a pretty decent year so far. Overall. Oh, we've struggled to hit plan, and there has been some serious personnel issues. But I had this vision. I knew we'd get thru. The main issue was it wasn't happening as quickly as "They" wanted. Well, that and we'd fix one thing and take our eye off of something simple and basic.

Picture nailing your foot to the wall and trying to move forward. Yeah......I've discovered a new threshold in my ability to deal with frustration.

Anyway - We're now at plan. And kickin' the shit out of that number every single week. Are we doing everything right? No. But again, it's better every day.

So, this week. This week was all about 2011. I had to present my plan for next year to upper management. Now, in this case plan is tactical, not number centric. It's a pretty big deal. And for someone how doesn't like to make empty promises, more than a little nerve wracking. But it's also something I really believe in. Plan your work, work your plan. It's just the whole putting it all down on paper part that unnerves me.

But I did it. And the presentation went better than I ever expected. They asked a lot of questions - and I had answers. Clear, insightful answers. And I had examples of what makes me believe it's not just possible but probable.

And I made it not easy but possible. Something we can actually execute. That's important.

So yesterday I gave myself a bit of a break. Didn't make myself crazy. It was nice. Then I left at 5:00 - another treat - and did a bit of shopping. While I was pickin' up a few things at Target my phone rang. It was one of my favorite people in life calling to tell me that all he'd heard ALL DAY was what a fantastic job I did at my presentation. There's no way I can explain what a huge surprise that was for me. And how important it is in my overall career plan.

But here's the yicky part. My celebration that I treated myself to? Yeah, I called Mama Vi and had a bowl of Lucky Charms. I wanted to go out for a nice dinner, some kick ass drinks and a REAL celebration.

That's the worst part of being out here. When things do go well, when there is something to really celebrate, I'm sorta shit out of luck.

I hate that. I'm so over that I can't even begin to tell you how much I hate it.

But - there's got to be a balance. An up and a down. A ying and a yang.

I just don't like that yang so much.

So we'll just celebrate now. I had a GREAT week. A career making week. A KICK ASS week.

This is a song I just love. Not the happiest of songs, but every damned time I hear it, it puts a smile on my face and gets me moving. So because of that - today I make it my celebration song!

Come on - dance with me........

Real Love

Yesterday was pretty emotional for me. September 11th usually is, but yesterday it was especially so.

9 years later and I'm still mad as hell.

9 years later just a glimpse of the footage evokes tears.

9 years.

Bastards.

I actually had to work a bit yesterday. I had 2 trucks go down on Tuesday so the guys wanted to work Saturday to make up the stops. I had to let them in, so if I'm up at 3:30 might as well stay up. Plus, it's time to commit to plans for next year, so it's not like I didn't have anything to do - for cryin' out loud.......

Today I'll putter. My house is horrible at this point. I don't even want to be here. I need to fix that. Plus, I leave for Chicago in 2 weeks for a bit of training and I'd love everything to be in tip top shape for my return. Hell, I've actually got a lot of traveling in the next month. That quick trip to Chicago, 2 days in Phoenix a few weeks later, then 2 days in Vegas for Blog World, then a week in Indiana with Mama and the family. Yeah, it's time to get things pulled together

Oh, and that baby...that beautiful baby boy who has graced us with his presence. I get to finally hold him. I can't wait. And I'll leave this little update with my new favorite picture in life. It's Blake, sandwiched between his Mama (on the right) and his Aunt Heather on the left. I love this picture. To me it is love defined..........

Shame

September 11, 2001. 9/11

One of the most horrific attacks in American history and absolutely the most tragic event in my lifetime.

And I'm now hearing that the President of these United States isn't going to attend the memorial services in New York.

Not gonna be there. Sending his stand in. Must be something really important on his schedule.

And it damned well better something important. It better be history changing. Because if it's something less than that, it must mean that he doesn't feel that remembering this tragedy, this attack, this moment in our history is not important.

I knew that there would eventually be a shift. That sooner or later we would put this day in the "history books", it would fade in our memory.

But now? Already?! It's not even been 10 years!!! I can still hear the fighter jets flying out of McDill over the Gulf. I can close my eyes and still see my living room, the television. Watch the 1st tower smoke. The 2nd plane hit the other tower. Watch in horror as those towers fell.

I remember the horror of watching the death count grow. Watch in pride as this Nation banded together.

And now? Now our leader is sending a message that it no longer matters. It's not important. Or at least it's not as important as whatever else he plans to do.

Shame on you Obama. Shame Shame SHAME on you.

You insult the victims of this day, their families and loved ones, and this entire nation. Shame on you.

Communicate

In case you hadn't notice - I don't get on here very often. In fact, after this post it may be another couple of weeks. Sorry - It's my life right now.

Anyway - I just found out, by digging thru archives, that Bou's FIL passed away. Weeks ago. Holy Crap. I feel terrible. No call from me. No note. Not a single flower telling her that a person who considers themselves a friend cared at all about her, and her family's loss.

So here is what I'm getting at. Please - if something happens, either contact me via Facebook, that I can ck on a somewhat regular basis or call me. I've actually had the same cell phone number since I've gotten out here. Text me if you're afraid I'll talk your ear off. That's fine. But please, someone let me know.

I really hate that it's gotten to this. I've always been overly concerned with "bothering" people and the time difference between me and the ones I love is huge, but I've got to, GOT to stop this trend. 19 months I've been bitchin' about it, and this is the final straw.

Driven

I take a lot of grief for being such a workaholic.

Sorry. But there are reasons.......

I've always had the tendency. I come by it honestly, Mama Vi instilled in us one hell of a work ethic.

I'm kind of proud of that.

And I knew it would be bad with me coming out here. My other tendency is to work when I'm bored. Or lonely.

Yeah.....I work a lot.

But here's the other thing. Something a lot of folks don't get. My history. My recent history. I've been unemployed twice in the last 5 years. Twice. And not just unemployed but homeless. Homeless and unemployed. Oh, and did I mention I lost a car? Yeah....fun times. Now, it all worked out. And I came out the other side a better person - really. I did. But....it all left scars.

And the scars are what a lot of folks don't see. They don't now about the sleepless nights, the panic when we see "Corporate Announcements". Good heavens, those freak me out! You have no idea....

Anyway - all of that, along with my desire to please and my need to win combines to make Tammi a bit of an overly focused individual.

I'm driven. Driven to win, driven to survive.

And I know I'm not alone.......what drives you?

Checking In!

Well, so much for that whole "blogging daily again" gig. I really HAVE to pick up a laptop. In an effort to really NOT work this labor day I did what I never do and brought home my anchor from the office. The good news is it allows me to throw up a post. The bad news? Yeah....I'm probably going to check my numbers and run a few reports. But at least I'll be doing it in my living room, drinking a good cup of coffee and watchin' something mindless on the T.V.

What's been going on? Well........we've turned the tide at work. Finally. For the 1st half of this year we were not doing so well, numbers wise. I cannot begin to tell you the pressure that puts on a person. Holy Moly. You'd have thought the world was ending.

We had meeting after meeting, recap after recap. All in an effort to get ahead of plan. Funny thing was my strategy? My plan? Yeah. Sell more. Can't really sell more when I'm so focused on being behind. When you're running a race you don't look back, stay focused on where you're going.

I've said all along - 9x1. (that's how we break everything down, period by week) I had a plan. And I knew, no matter what anyone wanted to hear, that was the soonest we could do anything.

Guess what. We hit plan 9x1. And every week after that. Well, actually we blew plan away every week since then.

Plan your work, work your plan. Pretty simple.

Personally? Yeah, well, Army Wife and her hubby were going to come and visit, but that ended up getting pushed out. That was kinda sad.

I was supposed to be in Indiana the 18th of Sept. but that got pushed out. Oh, I have to be in Chicago for training on the 28th of Sept but I delayed my vacation to the end of October.

I'm a great aunt. My oldest niece gave birth to a beautiful baby boy a couple of weeks ago. I cannot wait to get my hands on that angel. It was very hard being so far away for that.

As you can see - a lot of the same ole same ole in Tammi's World. But I'm still here. I'm fine. Hopefully I'll have a little more to say this afternoon. Now - what have y'all been up to?