The Daily EO: November 8th, 2012

God, I hate running on treadmills.  The sheer boredom of it makes me avoid it.  Yet to head to the streets and run through downtown Vancouver at 6:30 am isn’t going to happen for several reasons.  First, I’m scared of that, and well, it’s too far.  So, I find myself climbing the 2 flights of stairs to get to the building gym discovering that the hill training in Huntsville has spoiled me.  I could run and make no concern about incline, speed, just try to run as far as I could without stopping in the trees, sun and the hills.

I try all sorts of games – think about something else.  Do 10% incline, then 6.0 speed.  Do Sprints, do walking.  Think about work, think about a book.  Listen to music, listen to an audio book.  Something – anything! – to take my mind off how many minutes I have left.

But who am I kidding?  In Huntsville by now, I would be running around the 200 m indoor track complaining to you that I couldn’t possibly go around the same track yet again without falling over.  The snow bluffs make is hard and dangerous to run, so I’d be inside either way.

And this leads me to the human condition.  My gym is well equipped with maintained equipment.  It looks over the Vancouver Harbour off of the 43rd floor.  The walls are floor to ceiling glass and the cardio machines are positioned to look out the windows.

I’m bored looking at this?

November 8th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  Ho-hum.  Another day with a million dollar treadmill view.

 

The Daily EO: November 7th, 2012

I wonder frequently about whether I should start talking to people I am riding the elevator with.  I am not that outgoing friendly girl – in fact, I am quite shy.  But I grew up in a small town and we were friends with our neighbours.  We grew up together, we still keep in touch.  So, these people are my neighbours, but we all spent our time reading the headlines on the TV they’ve conveniently installed in there for us.

While waiting for the elevator today while going to work, I was actually joined by someone who lives on my floor.  We smiled, then stood awkwardly staring at the symbol above the elevator door willing it to come sooner.  I pulled out my iPhone to see if I could absorb myself in something.

After a painful 90 seconds, we finally got an elevator and we both pushed P2.  We were joined by several others as we journeyed down today, slowly picking up and dropping off as we made our way downstairs.  After the last passenger got off, I raised my courage and said “This is the only drawback of living on the 41st floor”.

His gobsmacked expression led me to believe that breaking the silence did seem to violate some social more.  He mumbled his agreement and when we hit the parking floor, he scurried quickly off before the crazy lady in the elevator could continue the benign conversation.

November 7th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  Don’t try to make friends in the elevator at 7 am.   At least with that guy.

The Daily EO: November 6th, 2012

Emile had I sat down to do the meal planning over the weekend which is something we haven’t really done before.  But with me working and commuting and he working a long day, meals were becoming carb festivals laden with more calories than either of us wanted.  So we planned.

I would do the grocery shopping in the suburbs at my work and Emile would do the prepping.  So, I hit Safeway tonight – strategically picked because the first Tuesday of the month is Customer Appreciation Day.  That means you can pick:  10% off or 20X the airmiles.

I purchased items like a normal person – I am not one of those crazies with 500 coupons for .50 off toothbrushes.  I bought only what we needed for dinner and restocking our pantry.

November 6th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  $100 of groceries sale prices – coupons – $5 coupon from Entertainment book.  All paid with a gift card purchasesdwith an 8% discount = $57 for food this week + Air Miless

The Daily EO: November 5th, 2012

It hadn’t been my best day at work.  I terminated an employee that day.  And yes, it was harder on the team member than it was on me.  But there is a price to be paid even when you know that you are making the right decision.  I usually struggle with not knowing how the event will go, and how we are able to get the person into the room with me and HR to have the unfortunate discussion.

It almost is always goes better than I’ve imagined it.  The first one – I remember his name, but I certainly won’t be putting it here – was the most pathetic ever.  I could barely speak and he was ecstatic to be finally out of there.  And others have been painful, difficult, heartrending and sad, but never do I regret my action.  Because by the time I am at this point, I know I’ve done everything I can to bring the team member into being a strong and valued team member.

But I don’t enjoy it and I feel it.  I carry it with me for a while.

So by the time I made it to the White Spot to have dinner with my aunt, I was ready for something more than the Healthy Living Asian Chicken Salad I had planned on.  I wanted substance.  Grease.  Fat.  Spice.  Not Soy beans and low calories.

November 6th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  Peanut Butter, Jalapeno Peppers and Bacon Burgers DO make an excellent post firing meal.

The Daily EO: November 4th, 2012

First Look

6 years ago today, I married Emile.  I am still pretty smug about our wedding and my selection of husband.  There isn’t a more patient and generous and kind man in the world and for some reason he directs all that to me.   Because, although I have been known to be generous; patient and kind are not usually used to described me.

The wedding was pretty fantastic – a weekend celebration at an exclusive use inn in Northern Ontario.  Most of the guests arrived on Friday and didn’t leave until Sunday.  And it was perfect.  Best wedding I’ve ever been to.

 

November 4th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  6th Anniversary.  Consisted of moving furniture, eating nachos, napping (complete with drooling), and finishing the day with veggie hot dogs and sweet potato rounds.

 

The Daily EO: November 3rd, 2012

Punch List Updates

A new Kate Spade wallet: Can’t find one I like and that I am willing to pay the asking price for

Meet with a dietician/nutritionist:  Actually did that when I was unemployed because I found one that was free.  Um, it was okay, but didn’t live out to expectations.

Finally finding a financial adviser (who does not work on commission):  I still haven’t done this yet.  Anyone got a good name for me?

Hire a personal shopper:  Selected, we are going to be meeting in the Spring when I stop storing my underwear in a box on the window sill and buy a dresser. (I can’t let her see me like this)

Regularly threaded eyebrows at Gee Beauty:  Well, Donna Lucia at 1/3 of the price is working very nicely for me.   Gee is a bit far now.

A new can opener:  After 4 weeks of using my “3 chicks and a Cat” swiss army knife to open cans, I bought a new gliding can opener at London Drugs.

November 3rd, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  Crossing out items on my punch list and beyond (because a facial wasn’t listed on there).

The Daily EO: November 2nd, 2012

We had an accident at work today.  I was in earlier than normal as I needed an update on production for a critical customer shipment.  I arrived to the floor about 10 minutes before shift change and found a large number of team members gathered – not working – in one section of the hallway.

I looked down to one of the production rooms and saw a team member laying prone on the floor.  A team leader was crouched beside him checking respiration.  My boss and all the production floor management was there and the emergency response team were proceeding as they had been trained.  I could see that our team was handling the emergency situation and I needed to do my part by getting out of the way.

But even as I moved out of the area so the team could do their work, the image of an injured and unmoving team member stayed with me.  I couldn’t see if he was okay and I didn’t know what had happened.  I could only hope.

I returned to my desk upstairs to await the arrival of anxious team members (wondering why there was an ambulance and fire truck outside) to provide what information I could.  An injury had occured and we were dealing with it appropriately – more information will come.

Word came that a fall had occurred and although the team member had struck his head, he appeared to be okay.  He was up and talking and being taken to the hospital to be checked out.  And everyone’s stomach unclutched a little bit.  But the knot stayed with us most of the day.

I feel relief that our team member is okay and will make a full recovery.  But I also feel shame that on our watch – at my company, a team member was injured doing his job.   It doesn’t matter that he doesn’t report to me, or a partial reason that the injury occurred was of his own actions.

It was critical that we get the customer order out!  It was critical that we get the piece of equipment running!

But did our message of Safety, then Quality, then Delivery get lost in the pressure filled situation?  Did he feel so much pressure that he did something unsafe?  Do the team members that do report to me know I mean what I say?   That I truly believe that it always is safety before anything else?  Do they know they can refuse work they deem unsafe without direct or indirect reprisal?

When I say something is “priority”, “critical”, “paramount”, “Hot!”, do I have to say “after safety of course”?   I thought it went without it saying every time.

November 2nd, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  We get a second chance to make sure the message gets through and I hope my embarrassment lingers to remind me what can so easily happen.

The Daily EO: November 1st, 2012

Sorry for the barrage of posts, but I am catching up.  Sorry to be late!

I have never owned a pair of rubber boots.  Never.  Well, maybe I had some cute ones when I was a toddler, but I am pretty sure I did not.

But I live in Vancouver now and frankly I am tired of having wet sodden feet.  Rubber boots – especially Hunter ones – are all the rage out here.  Skinny jeans and a pair of rubber boots.  Here I am running around in ballet flats and a winter puff coat looking like I might have just moved from Muskoka (where a proper pair of winter boots were worn but I tossed those to make moving room for other things like pots and pans).

A quick trip to Army and Navy fixed me right up.  A bit splashy (ha!), but I jumped in puddles while I walked home. And Emile could stomach the price.  Next, a rain coat.

Hmmm.  My umbrella does not match my boots.

November 1st, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  Dry feet.

Fashionista me? I think that is stretching it.

The Daily EO: October 31st, 2012

I’ve mentioned that I have to wear a lab coat at work.  We have personalized lab coats.  I have 9 of them (someone got a little crazy on the order desk) with a circular patch that says “Susan” on the right hand side.   When we ordered, it was decided that I was a medium and that seemed to fit me.  And it does.

In the shoulders.

But my hips, it pulls.  And it bags around my waist.  Lab coats are made for people who are straight up and down.  I think we generally call these people men.

October 31st, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  I need a Diane von Furstenburg wrap lab coat.  I’d be so much more attractive, and therefore confident.  And therefore a better leader.

The Daily EO: October 30th, 2012

There is someone across the water who explodes a red firework every now and then.  Just one.  Just enough for me or Emile to say “Hey, did you see that?” and then the other doesn’t see anything.

It’s always red and it always seems to be just left of the big sulphur pile.   And just one.

On Saturday night, on the rooftop of one of the heritage lofts in Gastown, someone let off a whole number of fireworks.  While it was an amateur show, it was impressive.

October 31st, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  Fireworks look different when you have to look down to see them.