Blessings, affirmations, grace, and reflection

Whoop whoop!!! I got a new job!!!  I feel REALLY good about it too.

This applies to ANY group that has to work together. Sure know many of these apply to my job last year. Some indicators of low EI in a group: Team members don't look at each other when they're talking. A speaker might look at one other member or at the team leader. Team members allow themselves to be distracted by technology, each other, and other things. [side conversations!] Team members interrupt each other in discussions. When someone shares an idea or perspective, the first response from another member is a disagreement, skeptical question, or challenge. Questions about the processes used in meeting are constantly raised. Individuals raise potentially contentious topics that might be important to address but are not relevant or appropriate at that time. Team members put each other down or attack each other. One person can hijack the meeting because of her opinion, confusion, disagreement, or emotional state. The Key to Effective Teams in Schools: Emotio...

Today something happened to me that was purely and strictly out of spite and ugliness. My boss dropped my professionalism rating even though I have never had an issue with her, and now my salary is frozen because my rating dropped.  Remember all of those high ratings I was getting? 3.44 out of 4?  So why was my overall rating just at 2.88?  Hmmm, something just doesn't add up. It is so obvious that it was done out of spite. All of my performance ratings were good. So now she thinks she is blocking me from opportunities to grow because SHE was unprofessional and got demoted. WTF?  But you know what?  I feel strangely calm about it because I know that it was not anything that had to do with the quality of the work, my intentions were good, at the end of the day I did a great job,  and I know that I was nothing if not professional. This woman is pregnant too. How can you burn so many bridges and create such a bad reputation for yourself when you are about ...

I am in a bit of a funk right now. I miss living in a city where I can venture out and do things alone. I have tried to do thing alone here but it just isn't fun. People here aren't fun and adventurous. I guess all of the fun and adventurous people tend  to flock to certain cities - like New York, L.A. S.F., etc. I am also not able to just "fit in" just anywhere. I am an introverted, middle aged, overweight, single, childless, and somewhat bougie black woman. So other than sororities (and I REFUSE to go that route again, I am just out her. Alone. By myself. I have been wanting a relationship. No, like really this time. I think I am finally ready to be in a relationship. I miss laughing, loving, and living. I need someone to talk to about all of these things that I feel. Other things that I miss: I miss the cool Brooklyn vibe. I miss Freeman. I miss having enough money to go shopping and do what I want. I miss having friends outside of work. I miss having opt...

I just saw a video of me that someone took last Friday and I was mortified. I have gained so much weight! I look like a freaking line backer. You know this means war. I am about to HAM on this fat. I have already started to make some changes, but I see I am going to have amp up the exercise and the discipline. No more emotional eating, treating myself, or any of the other excuses that have gotten me to this size. I need to lose weight and lose it now.  I'm not going set myself up for failure by trying to lose it all at once, but I do need to lose quite a bit so I am not so huge. I don't know how much that should be since I can't weigh myself. There might be a scale down in the gym that I can weigh myself on. I need to be in that gym at least 4 times a weeks doing cardio like a mad woman. I can do this. I will not lose momentum. Mentally I am ready and physically my body can not and will not continue to grow any larger. I can and I will do this!  How do I plan to do it? C...

This week has been a whirlwind. Lots of early mornings and racing to the finish. My boss lady had her last day on Friday so we needed to close out lots of items. Mostly the usual stuff but a few unexpected twists thrown in for good measure. I had a lot of super early mornings and late nights. I also didn't eat lunch all week but my energy level was good. I guess I was running on adrenaline. Today I spent the day lounging because my back hurts from all of the cleaning and packing I was doing at work. I have to go in tomorrow to finish up what I didn't get to on Friday. Tuesday I need to clean my apartment because it is dirty and the building management company is doing a walk through inspection of all of the units. Rolls eyes.  Wednesday I need to work. Thursday and Friday I actually have nothing planned so I will relax. Monday I am back to work again. So different from last year when I was on vacation. Well, I need to rebuild my savings, pay off bills, finish my dental work...