Hello reality!

Rough day in the 'ol household today...the kids are back at school!  Two high schoolers...eek!  We have a senior and a freshman now...there was some emotion going on this morning for M!  I'm not sure whose world is more upset, ours or the dogs?!?  Those poor dogs are probably wandering around the house right now wondering where all their pets went off to.  Actually they are probably snoozing on one of the couches dreaming happily of chasing squirrels and drooling...such a happy life!

So...high school.  I was lucky to be able to go to an awesome high school.  The history of the building and tradition (not in athletics of course...) is second to none.  The three years (yes....three years kiddos) spent there were filled with great times and created memories that I will always cherish.  I do wish, in retrospect, that I had been more involved in the school.  If I had those three years of my life to do over I would have joined the clubs, tried out for the sports, and created even more memories and friendships.  That is what high school is all about...this is the beginning of the networking that lasts the rest of our lives!

What would you change from your high school years?  What are some of your favorite memories?  Feel free to share!

Back from the dead...so to speak...

Hi there...for those of you that are still out there.  I think we'll have to change that...and quickly.  I'm back...insert applause here...........

It has been a long journey since the last time I posted in April of 2011.  Much has changed.  The gloomy northwest is a thing of my past and sunny California is where these posts will originate from in the future.  We took a huge step as a family and decided that our vitamin D levels had suffered enough and pack up and moved on.  Congrats to us!

I am desperately attempting to re-focus my life.  Well, I shouldn't say that I am attempting, but it is front and center.  I am not happy with my career, it all seems old and stale and that is no fun.    It is so difficult to be productive at work when you are happy and damned near impossible to be so when you are...well...let's just say less than happy.  It is always a risk when you venture off to a new employer but damn it is frustrating when they won't let you do the job they brought you in to do!  I have been here for 8 months...almost to the day and it's like I'm not trusted.  I have been in purchasing for over 10 years and have purchased millions upon millions of dollars worth of goods and services for the companies I have worked for, yet here I am not trusted to purchase anything over $500 without a manager signing off on it...WTF?!?!?

Communication. 

For those of you who know me, will get to know me, or have read in past blog posts know that communication is one of the things I hold in high regard.  Why don't people get it?  In the workplace, as in many other venues, communication is key.  How can we get things done effectively and efficiently if we aren't communicating well?  Let me answer that quickly for you...we can't!  Day after day I have to play the guessing game and figure out what they all want...talk about being unproductive!  Better yet is when person A tells me they need such and such and then when I have that task just about finished person B says, "No, no, no....who told you to do that???"  FML!

I am hoping that it is just this situation that I am in but let me tell you...greener pastures await.  I know that things happen for a reason and this is probably just another test in the road of life but I feel that it is time for me to take control of my professional life.  There has to be better places closer to home...that for sure would be like a raise.  What I need is to refocus on my photography.  Get my work out there and enter contests, start building a business that I want.

Any ideas??  Help and comments are always encouraged.  Please...help to spread the word.  If people are interacting through here it makes it much easier to write...more fun anyway.  Enjoy your weekend peeps!!!