The crisis is over

Thank goodness. The project I mentioned in my last couple of posts is in final review, and changes were made to everyone's satisfaction (even mine, if you can believe it). Today I feel like a bump on a log as I'm not in a pressure cooker to get anything done. Just waiting around for reviewers, writers, etc. While it's a relief, it's also a wee bit uncomfortable. Not something I've had the pleasure of feeling for a while.

The other day I was offering 20 points to whomever could tell me the source of this song: "Turkey, lobster, sweet potato pie; pancakes piled up till they reach the sky." Here's a part I can't remember, then on to a big finish: "Oh I wanna eat and eat and eat and eat until I die!"

I know Jesse will guess, and probably most anyone in my family, but it was fun to watch co-workers screw up their faces trying to figure it out. Good luck!

Sometimes when you open a window you get blown against the back wall

So the project I mentioned in my blog two posts ago? That depression over it was nothing. We've all but sent the signs to the fabricator, and now there are contributors who want to monkey with the information on the signs. Months into the project. A window was opened for them to have some input, and I completely lost it last night at work as the gale-force wind rushed in. Sigh. The design team that I've been working with for the last several months is completely finished (although they still have my back, thank goodness) and has moved on to other projects. This is not pretty. You simply can't produce a project like this via outside committee. It doesn't work.

So for now, I have on my wind tunnel outfit and my fighting gear, along with my diplomat face and soft voice. To quote Sandra Bullock's character in Two Weeks Notice, "We shall prevail!"

On a lighter note, my older son is going on his first Scout campout tonight with Ed and the other Scouts and their dads. I'm excited for them. I think Ed's a little overwhelmed, but it should be fun. Oh- and Ed's also having to deal with getting our tub fixed this morning (don't worry--we have a plumber coming). It's got a nasty leak, and the last attempt to fix it (by said plumber) made it worse, but only because the pipes are so old there really wasn't much he could do except come back more prepared this time, with more time to do what needs to be done.

We've been turning our water on and off at the main valve for the last week. It's been kind of like camping. But with heat. And a stove. And a bed.

My boss is going to read my blog

Seriously. We were discussing all the value behind social media, how to use it in the workplace, etc., and I offered to send him a link to my blog. So, Richard, you're now officially recognized in the blogosphere. Hope you enjoy! (Does this mean I have to write in corporate speak now?) ;)

I'm dying here

I'm working on a major project right now, and it's killing me. I think I've spent the last two weeks solid on it, and then in creep those other, annoying little deadlines for ads and whatnot. I was doing fine, getting all excited about being so close to finished, and then the designer I'm working with informs me that we have to re-flow all the copy that we've put in due to a fabrication oversight. Sigh.

For those of you who are not design geeks, let me just say that it completely deflated my balloon. It was the first time in the entire project that I felt desperate for an end. I felt like we had gone back two steps, and now all the stuff I was so close to completing just had to be started over. But that's life, right? We have these setbacks and we just keep going. So I will do that, like a good little soldier.

What about my rights?

At the risk of sounding like a freak, I've got to vent about the airline industry stripping away our rights based on one or two people breaking the rules. I just returned from a conference in Las Vegas, where I took a little time to go shopping after a session. I found these great body sprays at Ann Taylor for $5. Wow! In my packing frenzy to return home, I carefully made sure that everything was where it needed to be in order to avoid the search and seizure routine--except the body sprays. What was I thinking? Needless to say, they were confiscated.

Now, do you really suppose they think we're such a great threat, when all they do is toss everything out in the same bin? Not much risk of these scents combining in that way, is there? Think they might cause an explosion? Anyway, I was furious and ready to sue the airline industry for infringing on my personal rights. Anyone feel the same way? They must collect hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of liquids each year. Sigh.

On another note entirely, the conference was good. It was on Social Media, of all things. One of our keynote speakers was David Pogue, who had me rolling (I had to put your name in here, David, to see if you really would show up and read my blog).

One gentleman at my table asked where I was from, and when I said "Salt Lake," he got kind of misty and said how beautiful it is here, to which I heartily agreed. He then said, "That's a straight shot down I-15 for you to get here, isn't it?" Affirmative. He then cracked me up: "You could make all kinds of analogies about that being a literal descent into hell." Amen.

Five years and feeling fine

Today is my 5-year anniversary from surgery to eradicate breast cancer. Yes, I had surgery on Valentine's Day. The joke in our house was that my husband was getting a new breast for Valentine's Day. :) You absolutely have to have a sense of humor during such times, or you will just wither up and blow away. Seriously.

I don't know how much I've shared about my cancer experience with all of you who might be reading this, but I have to admit that facing cancer was not the biggest trial. Getting back to "normal" was. That was truly the biggest challenge of my life. But with a loving husband, two great kids, my faith (especially my faith- my husband told me I carried him through the whole ordeal), and eventually some medication, I survived and now thrive. What a wonderful place to be. My heart is full, I'm so happy I only have to visit my doctor once a year now, and I hope anyone who faces a similar trial has the fabulous support I did. And do.

My love to my husband for being so fabulous, and to my kids for having a sense of humor in the face of a crazy mom. I love you all.

It's a Conspiracy

I'm not usually a conspiracy theorist, but I have to say that I am convinced there's one among cell phone plan providers. Seriously. Maybe it's not one of those "aliens taking over the world" type of conspiracies, but I swear, it's a conspiracy nonetheless. Or at least something that really bugs me.

So- how many of you own cell phones? And how many of you have grown up knowing how to leave a message on an answering machine? OK, so here's my beef-- why the HECK do they put that annoying lady on everybody's cell phone to tell you how to leave a message? It's not like you didn't just leave your own, personalized message on your own phone, and how many of us can receive faxes through our cell phones anyway? A simple beep is no longer sufficient, we now need to hear how to end our call, what button to push if we want to page somebody, how to let them know it's important, and all that garbage. You would think our technologically-savvy generation would find such promptings unnecessary. How stupid do they think we are? And now to the conspiracy part--they just want us to use more minutes. Think how many minutes those stupid announcements add up to in a year!

And now you know why I tend not to be a conspiracy theorist. My theories are usually pretty lame. But I do think they should end the tyranny and let us all leave messages the way we have for years and years: after a simple beep.