My day | Peaches Prattlings

{September 25, 2014} It’s a work and travel day…

The day started too early after very little sleep, you’ve met me, right?

I was leaving today and I packed most everything, I said most. It’s crazy, I had brought a lot of my stuff to my sister’s house the last time I was here, but there appears to be more that I realized, so…I packed up all my clothes to bring with me and when I go back, I’ll take as much as I need for the few days I’m there and bring what was left in the room back with me.

I got to work at 9, then turned right around and walked out to go to Indiana to the facility I was supporting to pick up materials and look for a chair, yes I said a chair. There were chairs loaned to the project from another hospital that were for the trainers and half of them grew legs, yes I know chairs have legs, ok, they grew feet and walked away…

Then back to the office, turned around and left with JS to go to another facility, drop off materials and look for chairs. No dice. Back in the car to go to the office and on the way had a call. Dropped JS off at the office, headed back to the hotel to finish packing and load the car to head to the airport.

Got to the airport in plenty of time, checked in, headed to the gate and waited. Time to go, got on the little baby planelet and sat down, wrong seat, window, not aisle,so moved over. After the flight, the woman behind us handed us our bags because she knows how tough it is when you’re in the front row and can’t have anything at your feet and sometimes the only place to put your stuff is three rows back.

Don’t you just love how everyone stands up the millisecond the plane lands? As if that will get them off sooner. I got off the plane in Detroit, headed to my next flight in another terminal, got on that plane and sat next to a great guy who works for Delta, been working for them for 35 years! That is commitment! We talked about plane etiquette, the differences between coach and first class, different airlines, his son, who is a championship Formula 1 driver, his ski lift chairs, yes, I said ski lift chairs! He bought an entire ski lift because his wife wanted one ski lift chair and then went crazy. He finished two for them and then is selling the rest. He said when people come over, they go straight to those chairs and if they have too much to drink, they lower the bar and say “The bar is closed” Ha ha, it made the flight more enjoyable.

Off the plane, head to baggage claim and wait and wait and wait and then it just stopped, great…While I was waiting for my bag, I used Uber for the first time, and what a great experience! For those of you who don’t know, Uber is a car service that uses a mobile app to complete the transaction. You put in where you are and where you are going, you can request a quote and then request the car. You will get a notification that the car is on the way, a picture of the driver and the car! You will also get a phone call from the driver telling you how far away they are.

This was a great service! Fast, efficient, clean and cheaper than a car service or taxi, I’ll be using them again! https://www.uber.com/

Hello family! Carry stuff in, get hugs and kisses [nieces, daddy, sister, brother in law, cats], put my stuff down, time for dinner. After dinner it’s play and then night night. Snuggle up with the girls, sweet dreams “Sleep well, get up well, I love you” Something we have been saying in my family for years and now my nieces know.

Hang out a bit, come down to write to you and now I am going to crash! Gotta get up and take Peanut to the vet, oh joy! Happy Thursday!

Positivity Challege -Day #9
1- I am thankful I made my connecting flights today
2 – I am thankful my dad is so awesomely cool. [He brought me a lactose intolerant t-shirt]
3 – I am so very thankful I got to kiss my sister, nieces, dad, brother-in-law and wish them a L’Shana Tova [Happy New Year] in person today!

{September 24, 2014} Farewell…So Long…Auf Wiedersehen, goodnight

No, I am not going to start singing, but if I did, you would have to listen, ha! No, I did not watch The Sound of Music tonight.

Tonight was a team dinner, a farewell of sorts. The project I have been with for a little over a month so far, is winding down and wrapping up and next week I will be heading for parts unknown, well, I know where I am going, you do not! So there. Awe, come on, you know I’ll tell you eventually!

As we are nearing the end of the project and some people are rolling off sooner than others [oh brother, I had a seguay here, I will hold my tongue], there was a team dinner with everyone from Deloitte that was in town to join and there were a lot of us!

The nice thing was it was very relaxed and no one seemed to talk about work, well, except when I asked someone what they did for the company and when JM got up and thanked us all for the fantastic job we all did on this project and go-live, which I’ve talked to you about a few times. Then two of the guys got up and gave out “awards” like “Most time spent in Indiana” you remember that I am in Kentucky for this project, but the Sheraton is over the Ohio River in Indiana, so one of the guys stays there. Then there was the award for the most Starbucks runs, PM and I got newest members because we came on just a few weeks ago. Our prizes…chocolate bourbon balls! Guess who is going to benefit from those? Dad and ACS, you’r welcome!

It really was a fun time talking to everyone, sharing stories and laughing, non-stop laughter and really good food and conversation about where we were going on our next projects, where we were from, what we were doing for the weekend because almost all of us were going home for a long weekend! WAHOO!

All in all, a fabulous time was had by all and some people were going to continue on with the night and go have an even better time at some of the finer establishments that Louisville has to offer, but I came back to My hotel to pack because I am going in to the office tomorrow and then to the airport because I’m heading to Bahston!

I want to thank JM for the opportunity to be a part of this team, I believe that everything happens for a reason and my couselor PD told me to call JM and I did and he remembered me when it was time to fill a need, so good things can happen. I also would not have met all these great people or spent the time in Louisville if it had not been for this project.

So, in closing, as we are having a gratitude festival…I want to say thank you for the opportunity to learn something new, be a part of a great team and an amazing go-live experience and I look forward to working with some of you again!

Goodnight!

Positivity Challenge – Day #8
1 – I am thankful to have made it through this past year with my family and I look forward to a new year full of good health, much sweetness and tremendous happiness
2 – I am thankful for an amazing group of people that I got to work with on this project, albiet a short time, but I am lucky to have gotten to know them
3 – I am thankful they think I am funny and now some of them are following my blog!

{September 23, 2014} Getting pulled over – funny story

Ok, I know I’ve talked about my lead foot before, which has gotten me in trouble on more than one occasion. Well, this is not one of those occasions.

I was driving home from the hospital where I was working on Friday night, it was about 1:15 in the morning and I was driving between 48 and 50 on the road and the speed limit was 45, so I was doing alright. There weren’t many cars on the road at 1am, but I did see the two police cars sitting in a parking lot.

I was going along and all of a sudden..blue lights! Oh NO! What in the holy blue hell was this!? I pulled over, did not take my advice and call 911 and tell them I was being pulled over, but I did and then there was the flashlight. “Good evening ma’am”, I just love the ma’am thing. “Yes officer?” He asks for my license and leans into the car and turns the dial for the lights to A for auto, my headlights weren’t on! Seriously?

It looked like they were, I can’t see over the hood, but it looked like there were lights on. Maybe you couldn’t see the tail lights, but the headlights come on when you open the car door. I started laughing and said thank you I had no idea where that was! I thought the dial was to increase the light on the dashboard, like in my car. This was a rental and a lot I don’t know about it. Hey, did you know that they hide the trunk pop button on cars now, it might be somewhere in the dash, it’s not on the floorboard where it should be so there I go turning off the car to pop the trunk from the remote.

He did check my license, no issues, wahoo! And then when he came back to the window to give me my license, we ended up talking for about thirty minutes, he knew about the project I was working on and then he gave me his card and said if I needed anything while I was in Kentucky to give him a call. Think he was flirting with me?

We told each other a few jokes and then I was on my way. Crisis avoided, license intact!

Positivity Challenge – Day #7

1 – I am thankful when my friends don’t get mad if I don’t respond to a challenge right away, but they know I will do it
2 – I am thankful for having great co-workers
3 – I am thankful that I am going to see my family soon and spend the new year with them

{September 21, 2014} It’s not your food so don’t take it

Have you ever had food taken from the fridge at work? Frustrating ain’t it?

Do you work in an office or have you? Have you experienced putting food in the refrigerator and mistakenly didn’t put your name on it and it was taken you were very upset. And then the next time, you put your name on your food and it was still taken and you were really mad!

Who in their right might takes food that belongs to someone else? Especially when there is a name on that package! You actually opened the bag that was tied with a knot and took food out of it? I am not talking about people that are homeless taking food from a store or stand, and I apologize if that was harsh. I am talking about people who work in an office, professionals who can afford to buy their own lunch or bring it in. You took the time to make your lunch and now it’s missing.

So, what set me off? I went to the grocery store today to get something for lunch and brought back a spinache and quinoa salad, which was quite good, minus the onions, the cranberries helped. I also bought some juice and a hummus cup with pretzels. I got back to the hospital to have lunch and finish my shift, put the juice and hummus in the refrigerator, looking forward to the snack later.

Let me step out and set the scene. During Go-Live, in the Command Center, there are always snacks and drinks, to keep people happy and snacking. On the counter are the snacks: crackers, potato chips, candy, fruit and in the refrigerator: water and soda [coca cola, sprite and mr, pibb]

Last week, someone put a note on the bottom shelf saying “Do not take this” and someone took one of the drinks, he was visibly upset, understandably so. Next, my turn…about three hours after I ate my salad, I was ready for hummus, I was tired of chips and crackers and trail mix. I went into the fridge and guess what wasn’t there! Yup, there were plenty of snacks on the counter, but someone decided my hummus and pretzels was better and while I grant you that it was, it was mine and then it was gone. pook, grrrr.

Get your own food and snacks!

Positivity Challenge – Day #6
1 – I am grateful that the police officer that pulled me over the other night was friendly and in a good mood [blog post tomorrow]
2 – I am grateful that the police officer had a good sense of humor
3 – I am grateful it was for headlights and not speeding!

{September 18, 2014} Your bad day is not my fault!

Not a new topic but I encountered this, so I wanted to share.

I went out to a new restaurant for brunch, and one of these days I will tell you all about the new restaurants I tried, with pictures! But not today. I went to Dish on Market Street, http://dishonmarket.com/ and when I sat down and my server finally decided to grace me with his presence, getting an idea of how this is going to go? I knew he was in a bad mood, but this was not my fault.

He said hello, never told me his name and his demeanor was sullen, asked what I wanted to drink, I ordered water and before I could ask for tea, he was gone. When he came back, I ordered tea and then asked questions about some items on the menu, I know, me ask questions, go figure…

His attitude was crappy overall, and when I asked another server if my server was having a bad day, she said yes, they both were and I said, but you don’t show it, thank you!

I can totally appreciate that you are having a bad day, we all have them, I know, I waited tables, but you are in the service industry and it is your job to be pleasant and make the best of it, your tip relies heavily on my service experience.

So…even if you are having a bad day, say whatever you need to in the back, but when you come to my table, as harsh as this sounds, please suck it up and deal and be pleasant, because I will be pleasant back and maybe it will be catching. And your tip will show it. Do you need a hug? Just ask!

Rant over!

Positivity Challenge – Day #4
1. I am grateful that I have inspired people with different things/challenges I have posted [Nod to EV, who is taking the challenge herself! XOXO]
2. I am grateful to be able to use the word Positivity. It tickles me as a word and FaceBook doesn’t think it’s spelled correctly.
3. I am grateful to be able to brag on my friends [I just told a co-worker about Mike Nuckols awesome app ” Kid Dad Fun: 101 Kickass Things for Dads to do With Their Kids”]

{September 16, 2014} Lunch with a friend

Today, as you may have guessed, I had lunch with a friend. A very dear friend.

I have known CC since we were in high school. We kept in touch for a while and then lost touch, as most people do and then through the invention of…da da da..you guessed it, FaceBook…we found each other and it’s been great ever since.

We stalk each other on FaceBook, just like everyone does and we have one big thing in common, our love of mud runs! He has done the Tough Mudder several times and I admire him so much for that! I love seeing his pictures and hearing tales of his adventures.

The great thing is that he lives in Massachusetts and works in Boston, so…every time I come to see my sister, I check to see if he is available for lunch and sometimes we connect and sometimes not, as the case always is.

Today, we were able to connect, wahoo! We met at a Pizzeria Uno near his office and spent lunch just catching up, he regaled me with stories of his travels for work and with his family and what the kids are doing, the sports they are playing, activities they are involved in, it’s great because I since I know their faces from FaceBook, I can picture them doing whatever it is.

The best part is that we are very good friends and don’t need to see each other or talk to each other all the time to have a connection. You know how that is, you have a friend you haven’t seen in a while, then get together and it’s like no time has passed.

We both travel for work and maybe one day our paths/schedules will overlap. If not, there is always Pizzeria Uno!

Have a great night. Don’t forget…day two is below

Positivity Day #2

1 – I am grateful for friends who want to spend time with me
2 – I am grateful that my sister and her family are taking such great care of my cats
3 – I am grateful I was able to get an appointment to have my cat seen so she can get snipped!

{September 15, 2014} Travel day

Today was a travel day…I was supposed to fly out about 6pm, based on my schedule as of last week and then this week, it changed, nothing on the books for me today, so earlier flight I took.

Good thing too because I got an email at 8pm from the travel agency who books our travel saying there was a disruption of service at the Atlanta airport, so I would have been even more delayed, no thanks!

The drawback to changing your flight at 1am…your seats stink. The good part, I got on two flights and I was gone! Works for me! I got to the hotel from work about 2am, packed and hit the hay. Down by 2:45, up by 8 and out the door by 8:30. Got downstairs and realized I forgot my phone, which had my ID, fun. Run back upstairs, then downstairs and head to the airport, luckily, the airport is only about 10 minutes from the hotel.

Drop off the car, drop off the luggage, head through TSA pre-check, yeah! Find some food, board the plan, sit in the exit row next to a guy who had to be at least 6′ 7″ tall, I felt for him, I really did. He had to duck the entire time he was walking off the plane, nice guy.

Get off the plane, go from Terminal C to Terminal A, find food, find my gate, get a seat, board the plane, 3rd row from the back of the plane, great…Someone is in my seat, he had the seat in front of that one, no worries, I’ll take it, it’s still a window. Eat half my sandwich, fall asleep for the majority of the flight, score! Finish my sandwich and watch two episodes of Kevin Smith’s Comic Book Men, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2174367/?ref_=nm_flmg_prd_2.

Land, take a taxi to GES’ office, find her, hang out for a bit, head to the commuter rail to her house, say hello to the cats, put laundry in the washer, empty the cat box, call vet offices for an appointment, help make dinner. You tired yet?

Kids finally get home, lots of running, jumping into my arms, hugs and kisses, dinner, dessert, clean up, swap clothes to dryer, baths, stories, cat scare, night night kisses, cat cuddling, emails, chatting with a cousin, write my three things I’m grateful for for my challenge, write to you and bed.

Good night!

Positivity Challenge, as promised, Day 1:

I am grateful that I remembered to start this!
I am grateful for my fabulous family!
I am grateful that my cats are happy at my sister’s house!

{September 10, 2014} It feels like summer vacation!

I know I am working and all, but there are days it feels like I am on summer vacation. And here is where I will tell you why.

Do you remember when we talked about traveling for work and people thinking that it’s so exciting you get to go to all these different places? That when you are in a city for one or two days it’s “Airport>Client Site>Hotel>Restaurant>Hotel>Airport”, well this situation is a little different.

Ok, so…You know I am all over the place working, first in Ann Arbor for six months and now, Louisville, KY for about 1.5 months. Since I am in locations for more than a few days, I get to go exploring. I get to try new restaurants and experiences and that’s why some days it feels like I am on summer vacation and tomorrow, I will go to school, stand up in front of the class and tell them what I did over summer break.

For example…Today I didn’t have to work! Wahoo! No 12 hour shift for this girl! But..I have to get up in a few hours for my new shift, 5a-4p, who wants to be me? But…I had the day off today, so what did I do?

First, I slept in, ha ha, I was up about 10am, after falling asleep about 4:45, I was really hoping for more, but oh well. I answered some emails and then got dressed, packed and ready to switch to a new room, a bigger one! [BTW..said room I am sitting in right now is having A/C is having issues and I am using a box fan for a cool breeze, new and bigger room tomorrow.

After getting dressed, I headed out and made for the walking bridge to take me to Indiana! It was very cool, a few miles to the bridge, a mile over the bridge and then walk around the little town of Jeffersonville and…got a much needed manicure! Oh my! Navy blue, very enjoyable!

After the relaxing mani, I headed back over the bridge and to the hotel, enjoying my time along the way. There are speakers on the bridge and they were playing classical music, I was in heaven! I meandered a bit and enjoyed the breeze, ok gusts of wind, but it was better than the surface of the sun hot that I have been experiencing since I got here, so we know how happy I was!

I walked back to the hotel, stopping in a few places for a bite to eat, but alas, alack, to no avail. Back to the room where the AC was still not fixed, but I was burning up anyway, so it felt pretty good. Showered and dressed, ran out the door to the car down to Bardstown road to hopefully get a pedicure, goal number 2! I got one, ahhh…much better.

Louisville has some great works of art all over the city and in the different restaurants and I have been enjoying taking those pictures, which, of course, I will be sharing!

Speaking of sharing, two women I met at the nail salon recommended some restaurants and then told me I should blog about my experiences, go figure! Done and done!

After the pedi, I walked down the road to Kashmir, an Indian restaurant for some dinner of “No, it’s not too spicy” by the Indian waiter and his father, never trust an Indian to tell you the Indian food is not very spicy! I won’t tell you how many glasses of water I consumed!

After dinner, it was back to the hotel to write to you, rest up and get a few hours sleep for my next shift.

Fingers crossed my next room has working A/C! G’Night!

{September 6, 2014} Go-Live

Last night I mentioned that I was taking a nap before I had to go back to work and I would explain more tomorrow, here it is today!

As you may or may not know, I am a software trainer and for what I am working on now and when I was in Ann Arbor, I should share the life cycle of a project. At the start of the project, there is a week for orientation, badges, getting to know you and stuff like that. The next few weeks, hopefully 6-8 weeks of T3, Train-The-Trainer, this is where the trainer learns the application so that they can turn around and for the next 6-8 weeks, depending on the number being trained, there is End User training.

After End User training, there is Go-Live, where they flip the switch and “go-live” with the application. And this is where I am sitting right now.

The go-live or “flipping the switch” usually happens about 4:00 in the morning and that’s when it’s “All hands on deck” and everyone is on-board for support. You will have 24/7 support for at least two weeks, that means someone has to be there twenty four hours a day, 12 hour shifts.

Last night, my first shift was 3am-7am, after that I was able to go back to the hotel for a few hours of sleep and up again to go in 6pm-6am and here we are at about midnight, with six hours to go. I am on this shift for a few days, have a day off, then on again, but this time 5am-4pm and so it goes.

When it is jumping and people have questions it’s great, lots of activity, when it’s quiet and things are going well, it’s really quiet.

So, here I sit, writing to you telling you what my life is going to be like for the next few weeks.

{September 4, 2014} We have a 2nd grader in the family!

EJS started second grade today! What? When did that happen???

Where does the time go? I am going to get sappy, you’ll just have to deal with it!

All over the country, mostly in the northeast, students went back to school this week. In the south, they went back to school last month, traditionally in the north and northeast, the day after Labor Day. You know the drill, pictures all over FaceBook of kids dressed and ready for the first day, some with signs, some not.

For my very wonderful, funny, smart and fantastic niece, yes, I am biased, EJS, started school today, second grade to be exact. I saw pictures posted on FaceBook, two of them, one with just her and MGS and the other with her sister and dad. Such great pictures!

Ok, here comes the sappy…I remember the day I met EJS for the first time, she was one week old, eight days to be exact [at least I think it was eight, could have been seven]. I saw her and held her in my arms and I was in love! And here she is seven years old and starting second grade.

When i got to their house on Friday, I opened the door and she ran and jumped into my arms, how much longer am I going to be able to pick her up? Who cares, I hope she does it for as long as she wants to and I can at least lift her off the ground a little.

Today, I got a call from EJS! She was calling to tell me about her first day of school. “We didn’t do any learning, we just got to know each other” and tomorrow is going to be a new day and the next step towards a great year. She likes her teacher and classmates, how can you go wrong there?

I want to wish EJS and everyone starting school this week a very good and successful year, whatever your grade. It’s going to be a great year!

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