Pranks in Corporate America

So I think today has to be one of the craziest and most random days of work I have had in a very long time, and I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much at work – sad I know. Today started off like any other day lately I am running to my desk a few minutes before 8am – granted I am not officially late until 8:30, but I might as well be late when I come in at 8am. So this week has been extremely stressful and busy with everyone on my team running around without our heads attached to the rest of our bodies. There is just a lot going on – reviewing the trans (summer/fall) line with our big boss, finalizing the fall buys, and starting holiday all at the same time. Thanks to Chinese New Year everything has to be pushed up a few weeks, so they can be off for a few weeks. I won’t go into my thoughts about that now; I will save it for another blog. Not to mention we had a day and half this week where our team was not intact thanks to the ice storm that hit Dallas this week. So we were all at our breaking points and tears could come at any time and did for some.

Anyways today our area was having a super bowl lunch – basically just a lunch where we all got together and just were able to be human for an hour – we jokingly call it forced fun around here. JCP calls it Winning Together. Somehow most of my team ended up at one table separated from our boss where we all of the course of lunch went back to high school and high school pranks. One of my team members decided that we needed to take the phone piece of our boss’s phone, so that when people called her she would be able to hear them but they wouldn’t be able to hear her. So a couple of my team members went to place the tape on her phone while the rest of us with the help of some other people on our floor distracted my boss. As soon as the lunch was over our boss was successfully able to talk on the phone so we were all under the impression that our prank had failed us and were disappointed and just decided to give up and go back to work. Minus the fact that one of my team members and I resorted to throwing confetti at each other while we worked, and that lightened our moods a little. About an hour after our boss tried to place the call her computer stopped working, so she called IT only IT informed her that they couldn’t hear her so she talked later and they still weren’t able to completely understand her. None of us thought anything about the tape because it hadn’t worked earlier. Needless to say she started hitting her phone on her desk and then hung up tried again – they still weren’t able to hear her. She then tried crawling under her desk and checking the phone cord and she kind of started to go into freak out mode at this point. So we all knew to keep our mouths shut because she was about to lose it and we knew we were all going to get it if she knew the truth. So she storms off to find our assistant and we all look at each other and say nothing. While she is looking for our assistant someone mentions to her that she should probably check the mouth piece because someone once covered their with tape – we didn’t know this at the time. So we all see her walk back to her desk and starting looking at the mouth piece. She then mentioned something about the tape and we all lose it and burst out laughing very loudly and at this point everyone on the floor is looking at all of us wondering what in the world is going on because my team is never like that at least when our boss is here. Still not sure whether we are all about to get in big trouble we explain to her what we have done and she begins to laugh and explain how she would have never figured it out or thought to do that. Needless to say for a good few minutes we all got a good laugh – then she asks what we did to the computer and we inform the computer was off limits to us. It gave not only my team a much needed laugh, but also the whole floor got a kick out of the fact that we did it and of all people we did it to our boss. It was a good relief for everyone and a good way pass a Friday afternoon.

All that to say I guess even corporate America can be human and have a sense of humor every once and a while. I think my team was, especially my boss was reminded that we aren’t saving lives here by performing brain surgery – we are just picking out clothes and at the end of the day – we all need to just live a little and laugh a lot. So if you ever need a good prank – I recommend the tape on the phone.

Icy Day

Okay so I am little different from most people because icy days like today don't really stress me out, in fact most of the time I actually enjoy them since they are a day that most everyone just has to slow down or come to a complete stop. It is a day that we all don't get near enough especially me. Luckily, I work for a company that entrust it's employees to make their own judgement about whether or not they can make it to the office on icy days. I promise I am not going to take advantage of that little fact - I plan on trying to make it into the office by about lunch time. But it has been really nice just not have to rush and be able to get things down and just enjoy the morning. So while I know a lot of people are stressed out this morning - I figured I would list a couple of the reasons I love icy days.

1. When the alarm clock goes off at 5am to go to the gym - I just get to turn it off and go back to sleep.
2. I get to sleep in on a work day.
3. I get to enjoy the morning and actually eat breakfast - my favorite meal of the day.
4. Even though it is super slippery outside it is actually really pretty.
5. I am force to slow down, which I need to do more often.
6. I had time to have a really good quiet time without having to watch the clock.

Even though I know the ice can be an inconvenience most of the time - hopefully everyone will just take time to slow down and just enjoy the down time. Stay safe and keep warm.

Goodbye 1424

So today it became official that I will not be staying in my apartment 1424 where I have lived for almost three years - I think I honestly knew that I wouldn't be able to stay the day that SarahBeth said yes to Jeremy, but just didn't want to admit it to myself or anyone else for that matter. It has nothing to do with SarahBeth getting married, it's just that I don't know anyone that can move in and take her spot. Everyone that I know is in a lease with other people and their lease it's up anywhere close to mine, that is if they would even consider living me in the first place. The bright side of it is that I do possibly have two new roommates, but I can't live with them until July when their lease is up and my lease is up at the end of March. Yes, I am fully aware that the calendar goes March April not March July - so I realize it is not an ideal situation, but it is all I have at this point. Needless to say this has been a huge stress point in my life the past several weeks as I have tried to figure out what I am suppose to do.

Today after a day of phone calls and driving around Dallas with mom and talking to people - I still don't have a place to live for the 3 months difference in leases or a more permanent place. My mom was really quick to remind me that three years ago after a day of searching for a place to live and someone to live with I had nothing and was in this exact spot, but it worked out then and she knows it will work out now. Part of me knows she is probably right, but there is a part of me that thinks I got lucky then and my luck is probably up.

It is kind of weird that after three years I am moving again, you would think that for someone who has moved more times than I can count it wouldn't be a big deal and I would be a pro at moving or that I wouldn't even think twice about it. However, this time is different because it is a big deal. May-be it is because I realize that while I am moving I am still staying in the same life phase, while some many of my friends have moved on to a new phase. May-be it is because I don't like change and have gotten use to my life. I think those two things might be apart of it, but it is probably more because of the uncertainty of this change. I don't know where I am going, how I am going to get there, where I will end up, or who is coming along with me - and that is just a little to much uncertainty for me. Okay so I will admit it I am a little bit of a planner and control freak when it comes to my life. Part of my knows that even though I am completely clueless when it comes to how my living situation will end up - I know God has a plan for me and my living situation even if it means I get to be homeless for 3 months. I am just trying to let go of the control and trust that it will all work out in the end.

So even though I don't know where I am going, when I am going, or how I am getting there I do know that I will be leaving 1424 at the end of March. Right now the whole situation is a little more bitter than sweet, but I do know that God is good and He has it under control - even if I don't.

Winter Chill

Okay so don't let the title confuse you, Winter Chill is anything but chill. In fact Winter Chill would be better described as mass chaos on lots of sugar and caffeine. Winter Chill in fact is a overnight sleep over for the junior high girls and their leaders up on the 4th floor of the tower. Even though as a leader you usually don't get hardly any sleep on the hard floor or air mattress if your lucky it is still one of the most talked about event of the whole year by the girls and that is why we do it. I must admit I owe my co-leader Stacy in a big way because I actually didn't spend the night (sad times for me since I missed out on a fun time with my girls) this year since my mom was in town. I did however get a chance to hang out with some of my girls for several hours, and that was lots of fun. I must admit I am amazed at the amount of candy, cheese puff balls, and cokes my girls can consume in such a short period of time - I think they might hold a new record for it. Even in spite of all the caffeine and sugar my girls were some how able to all calm down long enough to plot how to surprise me and sing Happy Birthday several times - it was really sweet that they even remembered my birthday. Even though I was only with my girls for a few hours of Winter Chill it was really fun and memorable night.

Effects of Candy & Cokes
Poker Face
Eating Candy
Cheese Ball Puffs The Girls :)

Happy 26th Birthday

Yes today is my 26th birthday! Kind of crazy that it is here because life is has been so crazy the past week or so that I think I knew the actual date was approaching but kind of just didn't have time to think about it. I am still so thankful for all my friends who surprised me and helped me celebrate last Friday night - I am still in shock honestly. Because if they hadn't planned a celebration for me I probably wouldn't have taken time to celebrate it myself - sad but true. Needless to say my hopes/expectations of the day weren't to high since I knew the day was jam packed with meetings. Work held a day full of big really important and long meetings, and my evening was full of meetings for Brazil and church stuff. So as today comes to a close and I officially turn another year older - I have to admit that I am surprised and it was a great birthday even if it was a different birthday.

In spite of all the meetings my team at work managed to make me feel incredibly special by decorating my desk. Decorating my desk doesn't do it justice - I couldn't even get to my computer because of all the balloons and streamers. Once I made it to my desk I had beautiful flowers and yummy brownies. That was about all I had time to notice because it was off to the first meeting of the day before 8am. In between my meetings I ran back to my desk to exchange binders and I noticed a little jar next to Berkley's (my old fish) old bowl and then I noticed something moving the in jar. My team had gotten my a new Beta to replace Berkley since I hadn't replaced him myself. Needless to say I was speechless - it was such a simple little gift, but to me the fact that they thought to get me a new Beta speaks volumes about my team. I love my new Beta - his name is Bailey. Part of me thinks my team missed having a pod pet as much as I did, either way we have a new pod pet. In between a couple of the other meetings they managed to put candles in the brownies and sing happy birthday - candles in the building not allowed. Even though work was full of meetings it was a good special day. I am so thankful to be apart of my team - even if they make me crazy at times.

My birthday was great not just because of my work team, but my friends and family too - all the Facebook wall post, emails, phone calls, text messages, and songs. I loved every minute of it, and was made to feel so special. Thank you doesn't cover it, but I am very grateful for all the birthday wishes and love you have all shown me today.

I am not sure what 26 holds for me, but if it is anything like my birthday I know it will be great.

Bailey the Beta - new pod pet

Flowers from my team