365-4 | Peaches Prattlings

{June 23, 2016} Keeping their attention

As a Software Trainer, you’re also a bit of an entertainer.

I know you’re probably thinking sitting in a classfor 6.5 hours can be exhausting. Think about being in front of that class for 6.5 hours a day! I totally get the rump falling asleep, having trouble concentrating, but I have to look at you drooping, getting sleepy and yawning. Hmmm..how much fun is that for me? Big Fat zilch.

That being said, I need to keep your interest, keep you awake and paying attention, all while trying to help you learn something new.

That being said, I have to be creative. In make them laugh, sometimes I bring humor into the class, real world experience. When they start yawning in the afternoon, I implement a 7th inning stretch! I make the class get up and sing! Take Me Out to The Ball Game, I’m a Little Teapot, The Itsy Bitsy Spider. It’s awesome!

Today, during a lesson, at the end of a step…”If You’re Happy and You Know It”, that cracked me up! I threatened them with the Hokey Pokey tomorrow!

If we’re going to be together all day and maybe one to four days, gotta keep it moving. Come and check it out for yourself! I’ll save you a seat.

{June 22, 2016} To get up or not to get up…

That is the question…

My alarm goes off about 545am every day. I know, that’s not early for some people, maybe they have to leave by 7am to get to work by 8 or because of traffic maybe earlier. Many different reasons.

Since I’m on the road for work, I make sure my hotel is never more then 30 minutes from the client site, so baring any major traffic issues, I can get to the client site by 8am no problem.

I set the alarm for 545am so I can get up and go to the gym, I know I’ll get at least 30-60 minutes in doing something and that leaves me 30-45 minutes to shower and dress, grab breakfast and an uber to the client site.

My dilemma is, and it’s truly not a dilemma…do I want to get up and work out, even though I know I need to. I set the alarm for 545am so I can snooze for a few minutes and then get up. The problem is that I can keep snoozing until it’s too late to go to the gym.

Now, once I make the decision to get my arse up, no problem, I’m go, go, go, dressed and in the gym in less than 5/10 minutes. The problem is procrastinating getting up…

Today, I decided I wasn’t going because I wanted to take a few extra minutes to sleep after getting in from Hawaii, even though I slept so hard on that first leg of my trip. So, I snoozed until about 645 and then motivated.

Part of me thought I should have works out, not a very aggressive part, mind you…Hopefully tomorrow, that part wins…I need to work out. We’ll see…

{June 21, 2016} A reunion and Second City!

Today I saw a friend from college and went to see The Second City company!

JO’S is a friend from college who I haven’t seen in about 23 years! She happened to be coming to Chicago and check to see if I would be available.

As it turns out, tonight worked for both of us and…she had reservations at Second City, the improve repot troupe. This is something I have always wanted to see! Some amazing talent came out of there! John Candy, Gilda Radner, Dan Ackroyd, Jane Curtin, just to name a few.

I left my hotel to pick her and her friend/co-worker, then headed to Second City. We didn’t have time to get some food before, they have a kitchen, so we decided to eat there.

After we got into the club, found out that the kitchen was having problems, so no food, what? I never got to stop and get something after the airport, so I haven’t really eaten since I left Hawaii, um, I’m a little hungry! Oh well.

The show was great! Is improv, so it’s always hit or miss. It took a minute to build, then…bam! There were still some things that were like “huh?”, there were things that were specific to Chicago and sports, didn’t help me, ha ha. There was topical and typical [typical was actually a typo, but it fit!] political humor, some racist humor, it may have gone too far, but who am I to say about what’s funny to others. Besides, I think I’m hysterical, so there you go! Let’s just say, my cheeks still hurt from laughing.

After the regular performance, they try out new material. Let’s just say…keep rehearsing…they did try out something new with an audience member and it was great! One of the players only spoke Spanish and the volunteer they got spoke Spanish, which they didn’t know when they brought her up, or did they…she translated for both players on stage, very funny.

After the show we were ‘starvin’ like Marvin’ and I don’t know about them, but my head was about to explode! so we went across the street to the pub for grub.

Let me just tell you, catching up was fabulous! I can’t believe it’s been 23 years! Oh, we stalk on Facebook so we have an idea of things, and she reads my posts, thank you! But in person, amazing. We couldn’t stop talking! I know “what? JJ not stop talking? Impossible!”

We talked family, work, lives, travel and does she get to travel for work! Oh my! She and her friend arrange conferences [I hope I remembered correctly! And they are global! Then we talked day to day, cars, shopping, like we has just seen each other last week, so comfortable, really nice.

I hope we’re able to keep the promise to not wait 23 years to see each other again!

Best quote of the night “Sometimes you just have to laugh, it’s good for the soul”. No truer words could be said…especially at a comedy club!

{June 19, 2016} Happy birthday CKM!

Another year older and a great reason to celebrate! It’s CKM’s birthday!

Let me tell you about my friend, CKM…

We met about nine years ago, at JFT’s house, just before I separated and got divorced from the wasband. She was friends with a friend of mine and the three of us started spending time together, I even filled in for her at her job when she went out for surgery.

We started hanging out more and more, doing fun stuff, volunteering for events, movies, shows, even taking some weekend trips.

We’ve been through a lot together over the years, been there for each other, probably she’s there for me more than the other way around, I’ve had quite the ride over the last few years. Very happy to have that!

We’ve experienced a lot of new, odd and exciting experiences over the years and it’s been a fun and interesting ride.

She works too hard, she currently has four jobs, partly because she enjoys them and partly because she has a good heart and has a hard time saying no, especially to a friend.

One of her important jobs right now, which is so important to me, is helping SDL with Miss A while she’s in an EMBA program. Is that cool beans or what?

She is a fantastic photographer, a creative artist, creative cook, open to trying some things and unfortunately for her, hanging out with SDL and me, her language has gotten more colorful, sorry CKM.

Her birthday and holiday gifts are always creative and spot on, so much fun to get. I love planning things with her, for us, each other or others.

Speaking of planning, she’s an event planner and an extraordinary one! There are times she knows my schedule better then I do! I always say that if I win the stupid lottery, I would hire her as my personal event planner!

I hope she has the best birthday ever, she deserves nothing but the best! Xoxo

{June 18, 2016} Even a vegan needs a steak knife!

Tonight, i had a meal that needed a steak knife.

I had grilled Romain lettuce. It was fabulous! It was a head of Romain, cut in half and grilled with oil and spices and served rug cucumbers and tomatoes. You could have ordered it with meat or shrimp, but as you know…vegan.

The presentation was great and the taste, wow! It was still crisp in some areas and you actually needed a knife, well I did, anyway. Besides, it came with a steak knife, so whu not!

{June 17, 2016} Hit the ground running..One property down.

I left Chicago at 8am, arrived in Hawaii at 2:30pm. [Love gaining those hours, going back, not so much!]

This trip is part visit with my beau and part look for a new place to live, neither of us are crazy about the place PSM is living in now.

So…a few days ago I went on Craigslist, which is how they do it in Hawaii, they love Craigslist…and I found several places to look at and I started making phone calls.

By the time I landed, we had six appointments to see houses and after I landed, booked another one! The first one was an hour after I landed, it was great.

Tomorrow, we have five, PSM has a few meetings so I will drop the top on Annie, take Mollie with me and we’ll go view a few places together and the rest, PSM and I will see in the afternoon.

Our qualifiers…going against traffic for PSM and under an hour to the airport, sounds good to me. Oh…and enough bedrooms ask you have a place to stay when you visit!

PSM picked me up and we headed to the first showing, a great house and we both really liked it.

Can’t wait to see the next one! I’ll keep you posted!

{June 16, 2016} Panic attack!!

Last night I woke up in a panic! And it sucked!!!

I was asleep, I mean deep asleep, and something woke me and I started to panic because I looked around and didn’t see my Raggedy Ann doll.

A few weeks ago when I was in Atlanta and clearing out the storage unit, I grabbed two things I could fit in my bag: my Raggedy Ann and my mom’s musical turtle.

I had my Raggedy Ann with me for about two weeks on the road in my hotel, she slept on the bed with me, just like when I was a kid, well, they both did, but it was Raggedy that I was more aware of.

Both dolls are at my place, but last night/early this morning I woke up and panicked because I couldn’t find Raggedy Ann!

I spent at least five minutes tearing the bed apart, pulling it away from the wall, I was seconds away from calling the front desk to ask for help and ask if the cleaning staff has found it. Then I realized she’s at home with my cats. Whew.

It took about five minutes for me heart to stop racing and my pulse to slow down. Eventually I was able to fall asleep.

Sigh.

{June 15, 2016} What can you say?

The events Sunday in Orlando are unfathomable.

The outpouring of emotions on the news, Facebook…sadness, anger, confusion and outrage doesn’t even begin to convey it.

Tonight I was in an area of Chicago called Boystown. My waitress told me about a tribute to the tragedy.

I went to see it and it was touching, tragic, sad. But even through it all, there was hope, words of encouragement, hope for the future and the desire for remembrance and perseverance. And strength.

Be strong.

Be true to yourself.

Open your heart.

Have faith.

Have hope.

Love one another.

{June 14, 2016} I plead the..

Is there am option for tired?

That’s what I am, tired. But it’s a good tired, I started my day with the elliptical, taught a good class, lots of energy and ended with a team happy hour.

So, that being said…goodnight.

I hope you had a fabulous day!

{June 13, 2016} “I’m really glad you’re here”

She said a few times. Sigh…

Last night I went to GES’ to see everyone since I’m going to be elsewhere the next few weekends.

GES flew out very early this morning and ACS and EJS had somewhere else to be, so I offered to stay and be with MGS in the morning, save them a babysitter session.

I got up when I heard her talking with ACS. I got to see them, give hugs and kisses before they left, have to get them in to take me through the next few weeks after all.

Then MGS and I settled in to watch Zootopia, which she was kind enough to describe certain things that were happening throughout the movie. So cute!

All of sudden she crawled into my lap to snuggle…sigh…

A few times that morning she looked at me and said “I’m glad you’re here, I’m having fun with you”. Did I melt into the floor? You bet your sweet bippie! I told her I felt the same way and then we had a tickle fest.

A great morning!

Exactly what we looked like, minus the shutterstock!

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