Almost like school is out
Today is my last day here. Greg said to me last night as we were getting ready for the day, "Doesn't it feel like your last day of school?" And, well it does feel a little that way. I guess this would be like my last day in high school since I am about to start a new job. Which seems a lot like going off to college or something.

At any rate, I am excited and sad at the same time. I have worked with such a wonderful group here. I even love my boss. I know not everyone says that, but mine has been great. I have learned a lot from him and I feel very blessed.

So, this weekend I will be chilling at the lake, visiting with my new family and looking forward to the adventures that are ahead of me. In fact, my first day at my new job will carry me away on business first thing. Next week will begin a new user's group meeting and I will get a chance to meet a lot of our clients. That will be a whirl wind I am sure.

Here is to my lessons learned and the many more to come.

Cheers!
NRC

The Bert Show
For most people who live in the ATL, you know what I am talking about when I say, The Bert Show. I am one of the devoted Atlantains who has become hooked on Q100 and The Bert Show. I was always listening to AM Sports Radio, NPR and so forth until I fell hook, line, and sinker for The Bert Show. Just ask my husband, or many of my friends. I can not tell you how many of my conversations have started off with, "I was listening to The Bert Show this morning,....". I am afraid they will have to stay on air forever, or my mornings will be ruined. They even make the drunken Crash Clark, who does the traffic reports (bless him) look good.

Why The Bert Show today? Well, because they decided to call a hotel in Iraq this morning just as I was getting to the office and I can not pick the station up in my office. This is very disturbing to me, I tell you. Just to add insult to injury I do not have a sound card on my machine either.

I may, at times not agree with everything they may say, but this is such a great morning show. Bert, Melissa, Jeff and Jen Javey. I am not really sure why they call Jen by her first and last name when they do not do that with the rest of the gang. That is something I will have to ask them when I finally meet them face to face. They are fabulous though! A morning show with integrity. They save racey things for when the kids are safely in class and away from the radio, they are not known for putting people down or making fun. They still have fun and crack me up though.

The segment this morning was really intersting. Bert brought up a point that I am sure most of us think about when it comes to the war in Iraq. We hear about the bombings and the terrible things that are going on over there. But what about the good things that are going on? What about the people who do thank out soliders for their dedication and help? I would love to hear more about that. Through the grapevine I hear from families who have loved ones there and say that there are people who are thankful for their efforts and dedication to freedom. Bert was not saying that the citizens of Iraq were grateful or not grateful. He was merely looking for an example either way. And I do not even know if he got it.

The bigger picture that I got from this is the fragileness of our own natures. As "The People" we are somewhat removed from the politics of the situation. If you strip away our skin, or policaital alliences and ideology, we are the same in so many ways. I sit here at my computer wondering the same things that people in Iraq might be wondering. Things like, will there be peace, will we be friends or foes, and where does this end? When have we gone as far as we need to go? We wonder about them, they wonder about us. If we were to all meet face to face, would we silently consider one another for a moment? Who would be the first to smile or wave? Would we have a better understanding of each other at the end of the day? I wonder?

So, what ever happened to Gert Jonnys?
Part of the fun I was having on Friday was looking up 70's boy bands. Don't ask me why because I am not real sure. I just thought it would be interesting to see what the boy bands were like before New Kids On The Block. Yup- I will always be hanging tough with NKOTB.

So, I was looking around and found some great evidence that boy bands before New Kids were young, awkward and that big hair was always something members of a boy band had to have. And you thought it all started with Justin Timberlake.

As it turns out, Gert Jonnys was a Swedish band that unfortunately never had the proper guidance, or maybe it was just that they did not have the right hair style, to make it big in The States. In doing a little reading up in GJ, I am finding that my Swede is a little rusty so I have not learned a great deal about them.Time is another factor What I do know is that like other 70's boy bands, these guys liked tight button up shirts with a shiny vest. They really reminded me of Santa's little helpers at the mall during Christmas, rather then a hip boy band throwing out smash hits like "Please, don't go girl", "Backstreet is back". I wasn't there, so I could be wrong.

Abba was lucky enough to make in the states, I think I could have been into a little Gert Jonnys... Who knows, they could have done great covers for Orleans, maybe?<

Trying to have a little fun
I have become a living, breathing, expiring position in my company. That sounds so strange. It makes perfect sense to me though. I am wrapping up and winding up in all sorts of ways. There are ongoing projects that I am trying to get settled so that my co-workers do not curse my name when I am gone. One of the relaxing things I am finding is that with some of these clients, I will never work with them again. That has some pros and cons to it. I like many of my clients, yet there are some who I have determined are out to see how much they can rattle my cage.

So, this afternoon I decided to have a little fun after work since I have not been doing a lot of that this week and feel as though I am turning into a very dull girl. Well, I can't upload the pictures I thought were so cool. A little malfunction today. I am sure it will be up to speed on Monday, then I will share some cool pics.:)

I have two more weeks until I begin my new chapter in my career. While this is exciting, there are plenty of things I am unsure of. Will I really like it when I get in? Will I be glad I made the change? Will the folks in the office really like me after they see me have a bad day? Am I really traveling down the path I have been creating for myself? Am I living out loud? It remains to be seen.

Oh! TGIF
NRC

Getting all sucked in
officially as of today, our entire company knows that I will be leaving at the end of May. I haven't even gotten to let all my friends know yet, which I guess if you guys are reading this you know that the suspense is now over. *sigh* Really, I was trying to keep it more on the DL since I have not notified all of my clients yet.

What seems weird about this is flipping back and forth between emotions. Yesterday I was a little sad because telling an employer that I like that I am leaving is not fun. Now, if I really did not like him then I am sure that turning in my notice would have been a relief. After a day of feeling like I was breaking up with someone yesterday evening my soon to be boss called me when I was on my way home and I was excited then. He was cluing me in on a some of the accounts that I will be working on in June and I am really looking forward to it. I have met the people who work in the office and they are great. I think this will be a fun environment to be in. But for the next two and a half weeks I am going to be sucked in to wrapping things up and making sure that those who take on my projects and responsibilities will be set and our clients will never realize there was a transition that took place.

I thought maybe I would be preparing for my new position in some way, but I think I am just going to walk in that Tuesday morning and tackle it then. As for my current work, I am being reminded of all of the things I had to do. Some weeks it seemed that I was always on top of things and never missed a beat, but as I catalogue the day to day things that I have to do it looks so monstrous. And right now all my comments and updates are coming in so I am trying to get them as much in order and take care of as many as possible.

So with a lot of excitement and a lot of people to tell, I am busting at the seams. This is a whole new chapter in life for me.

What's New Pussy Cat?

I knew it! This is what happens! I get wrapped up in work and all fun stops. Well, not completely. I just get a little swamped.

So, after making a firm decision, writing a letter and not sleeping much last night, I did the most agonizing thing this morning. I turned in my notice of resignation. At the end of May I will no longer carry the title as Director. That has been a pretty nice title to have. I am going to be in full fledged business development. I will have new water cooler stories, but I will be leaving some good ones behind. As excited as I am about starting this new position, I leave behind some things I love dearly. But, chapters must end and new ones must begin. Like I told someone today, I could not do this in easy steps. I had to take on the whole thing. Not only did I become a home owner and wife, we also bought a new truck, I will take a new job and in three weeks I will be an aunt. Nope, I do not do things the easy way. I like to go for the gold. Let's just see what else I can pack into two months of marriage. Greg is a Saint!

I will spend the next two and half weeks wrapping up a lot of stuff, but I hope to catch up on the fun in life. A half completed painting still sits on my easel, so I guess I could work on that. We shall see.

Hoping this finds the rest of the world happy and well.

Here is to moving on with no fears-
NRC