Wednesday, February 28, 2007

The Three Me's

Last week, in honor of Black History Month, our office had a diversity training session.
The lady who came to talk to us was really cool - very open. And she made our office into an environment that was open and welcoming to different ideas and opinions. Inspiring.
One of the things that she talked about was the fact that each person actually has three people at work within them:
1) the person that you put forth and allow others to see
2) the person that you want to be
3) the person that you actually are

#1 is ever-changing. The person that you put forth can change, depending on the group of people that surround you. And as much as I hate the thought of this, it's a true statement. I think about the different groups in my life: family, college friends, work friends, church friends. I get around my family and my close friends and #1 and #3 collide. I'm a goofball. I make up silly dances, sing as loud and as off-key as I can, say the silliest things and then laugh at myself for being naive. I like this person. I have fun being this person.
I get around people that I don't know very well, and #1 and #2 collide. I'm so much more reserved. I hold back negative comments and guard myself so much, being much more idealistic and putting forth only what I want people to know about me. I don't mean to be false or fake - and actually I don't feel like I am being fake - It's just not as easy to put yourself out there when you don't know whether or not you'll be judged for your actions.
Anyway, this was just a new idea for me, and although I've never given much thought to this concept before, it makes so much sense when you think about it.
I think my new goal for my own personal development is to get to a point where the person who I am, the person who I want to be and the person who I put forth for the world to see all become one.
I wonder if that's realistic...

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Move 'em up, Hit 'em up!

It's that time of year again: all over the Houston area there's a run on the tobacco supply, a shortage of Justin cowboy boots, and if you listen closely, you can almost hear the collective "SWWWUTT" sound from the girls in the area sucking in their tummies while trying to zip up their way-too-tight jeans.
What does it all mean?
Why it's Houston Rodeo time, that's what it means!

Every year at this time, I am reminded of the Houston Rodeo writing internship that my best friend and I worked during my senior year at Texas A&M. I can remember sitting in the stands of the AstroArena, going over our stories with our editor, Dr. Starr, who also happened to be our Media Writing professor at Texas A&M.

Let me pause for a moment to give you a little background on Dr. Starr:
1) He's the best writer I've ever met
2) He's the most straightforward person ever in life
3) He's inspiring, funny and amazing
4) He's an ASS! But I love him anyway

So as we're sitting there, Lisa makes that comment that she evidently can't write as well as she thought she could.
Dr. Starr responds: "Nonsense. Why would you say you can't write?"
Lisa looks right at him and says, "Well for starters, you wrote "Poo" on my last paper in big red letters."
Dr. Starr pauses, thinks for a moment and finally says, "Well, then you must not be able to write."

You gotta love him.
As an aside, Lisa can write. She's an awesome writer, so he totally had it wrong. But still, you gotta love him...

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Worst-Case Thinker:

Yep, that's me.
Had you talked to me a week ago, you would have met a girl who was totally sure that she would walk into her new office only to find a group of stuck-up biotches that hated her guts.
Fast forward to Tuesday, my first day on my new job.
I walk in to my new office, greeted by a "Welcome Courtney" sign on the dry erase board. I talk to the manager for an hour or so about anything and everything, I meet my new co-workers, who are super nice and outgoing. I go to lunch with a co-worker, who shows me one of the "good places" in town to eat. She's right: the food is great. I meet my mentor, who's awesome and who, coincidentally, teaches step aerobics at the gym located 20 feet from our front door. She invites me to attend her classes for free. I drive home, watching the ocean for the majority of my drive.
Don't get me wrong. I don't feel completely "at home" yet, like I did at my old office. Who knows if I ever will...but atleast it's promising. Things could definitely be worse.
On the downside: I miss my girls (and John) from A-town like crazy! CALL ME!

Thursday, February 15, 2007

It's Official...

I have no self control. Nope.
Yesterday was my going away party at work.
I was determined not to cry. DETERMINED.
(Aside: I believe myself to have a reputation for being emotional, and was trying to go out with a smile so that people wouldn't remember me as my evil alter-ego, Sobbing Co.)
I had literally done all I could do to prepare for my party. I had pep-talked myself time and time again: "I'm not going to cry. There's no need to cry. Why would I cry? This is a good move for me."
I had done the pre-party cry so that I had no pent-up emotions left to express, and had even declared my theme song for the day to be "Not Gon' Cry" by Mary J. Blige (Killer 90's flashback!!!).
I was ready...or so I thought.
Because this is how the party went:

Manager Shirley: (giving good-bye speech) "Courtney, we just want you to know that-"
Courtney: (sobbing uncontrollably breaks in) "NOOOOO! I DON'T WANT TO GO! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME LEAVE! I WON'T DO IT! YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!!!)

DAMN IT, Sobbing Co. We talked about this!
It didn't go as planned, to say the least...

NOTE: the events in this post have been over-dramatized for your reading pleasure

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Scattered

Wow - today is my little brother's first official day in the "real world." He started his first job since he graduated from college today. He was so excited - I didn't have the heart to tell him what a drag it is to work full time and that it's all downhill from here...he'll learn that soon enough.

I'm in my last week at my current job! I can't believe it's come so fast. Monday morning I'll be driving to a new office, meeting new people, learning a new job. Part of me wants to cling to what I know, and part of me is so excited to get on with things! I'm choosing to focus on the part that's excited.

Last night, hubby decided to put forth his romantic side. He did a pre-Valentine's day Valentine's day for me - complete with home cooked meal, a box of chocolates and one of my favorite classics (Grease) on DVD. Super sweet of him. And it caught me totally off guard. Very tricky, that one...

And I've decided that God gives us a variety of friends so that somebody will always be there to understand you in different situations. A huge thank you to Shana for being that friend, always, but specifically right now :) I love you, girl!