100 Days of Thankfulness - Day 10

100 Days of Thankfulness -- Day 10: I am thankful that my husband has a new job lined up. The company he worked for closed its doors after 114 years in business. He spent 34 years at that company. Imagine the emotions he is experiencing. Thank you, Lord for continually blessing us.

100 Days of Thankfulness - Day 9

100 Days of Thankfulness--Day 9: I am thankful for my dad's great driving lessons. Although he put me behind the wheel very early in life, I learned much . . . not only about driving . . . but about state troopers, driver's tests and how to properly maintain the efficiency of the car's turning signal switch.

100 Days of Thankfulness - Day 8

100 Days of Thankfulness -- Day 8: I am thankful for a reasonable portion of good health. And, to increase that portion of good health, I got up (a little late) and walked for 30 minutes. On several occasions during that early morning walk, I jogged. I thank God my lungs and nose were clear and I could breathe easily during the jog. Tomorrow, I'll try to jog a little longer.

100 Days of Thankfulness - Day 7

100 Days of Thankfulness -- Day 7: I am thankful for having a job. In tough economic times such as these, I am especially blessed to still be able to earn a living. I am thankful for the business of communications, public relations, media relations, employee communications and all of the other disciplines in communications. Not only am I thankful for having a job, I am thankful for having an exciting job that continues to evolve to meet the ever-changing business landscape. What more can you ask for in a job? Woohoo.

100 Days of Thankfulness - Day 6

100 Days of Thankfulness: Day 6 -- I am thankful for all of the wonderful advances in technology . . . from the smartphone to the laptop to the tablet computer. As a young and isolated child, I begged my parents to buy me a computer. I longed to be able create, research and write on the devices I saw used on Star Trek. Back then, the computer would have filled up the entire living room or perhaps the entire house. Although my first encounter with a computer wouldn't materialize until college, I was bitten by the technology bug and am so thankful to be able to use so many functional devices for my professional life and personal one.

100 Days of Thankfulness - Day 3

100 Days of Thankfulness -- Day 3: I am thankful for a decent and safe place to live. So many people in this country and in our community are without decent and affordable housing. Habitat for Humanity has been working in the south Hampton Roads community for more than two decades to provide decent affordable housing. Habitat for Humanity uses volunteer labor and donated construction materials to build affordable housing for low to moderate income families. Join the cause.

100 Days of Thankfulness - Day 2

100 Days of Thankfulness -- Day 2: I am thankful for my BFF. I have been blessed by having a few really good friends over the years, but none like my BFF -- my one and only sister. Thank you, sister for always keeping it real.

100 Days of Thankfulness - Day 1

September 7 -- Today, my sister and I start the 100 Days of Thankfulness journey. I will posts my blessings in this blog and on my Facebook page.

100 Days of Thankfulness - Day 1: I am thankful for the safe arrival, at various destinations including work, church, the movies, shopping, etc., after having driven the entire distance distracted.

Distracted driving can be hazardous. I will concentrate on my driving and pay better attention.

Living Life On Purpose

Today, I am feeling a tad bit sad. Yesterday, an acquaintance died in a traffic accident. Last week, I discovered a marriage I tried to emulate in my own was falling to pieces. There's been a recent death of a young cousin and another cousin is dealing with a catastrophic illness in her family. Smoldering fires in the Great Dismal Swamp have forced me to seek professional medical help. The company my husband worked for for more than 34 years is going out of business. Hurricane Irene blew threw the area the weekend before Labor Day, my only son is gone off to college and my husband is losing his mind. I feel quite alone.

Whew . . . that felt pretty good!

I could sit here and write about everything that is going wrong in my life and in the lives of those I cherish, but I'm not going to waste my time or this blog wallowing in self-pity. Today, I am going to count my blessings and rejoice in this day that the Lord has made. I woke up this morning and that's a blessing. I awoke with a good measure of health and that's a blessing. I awoke in my right mind, although sadness hovered over me like a blanket, and that's a blessing. I had food in the fridge, more than we could eat this month, and that's a blessing. I have a roof over my head and clothes on my back . . . and that's a blessing. I have family and extended family . . . living and well and that's a blessing. I've always got someone to talk to about whatever is on my mind.

I think I will have to take the 100 Days of Thankfulness Challenge and practice counting my blessings instead of dwelling on problems. I need to finish the challenge of reading The New Testament before year's end and place myself on a study schedule. The hubby and I need to concentrate on putting the house back together . . . once and for all, and my houseplants need work for the transition indoors.

See . . . I really don't have time to dwell on the negative. I've got to keep moving forward and keeping my eyes to the hills where my strength and help come. Lord, thank you for allowing me to see another day. Forgive my sins for they are many. Bless my family and keep them safe from hurt, harm and evil. Thank you for my daily bread and thank you for the privilege of coming to you in prayer . . . ANY TIME. Amen.

Behaving Badly . . . Again

My sister is right. Family has become a dirty word in America, because men caught behaving badly, will suddenly remember that they have a FAMILY to protect and shield from the fallout of their stupidity. Dear readers, you know I had to say something about the recent "sexting" scandal involving U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner. The scandal made the news so the PR DVA was compelled to speak out!

If Gil Scott-Heron were alive and had written prose about the explosion of the Internet and social media, he would have written something like this . . . "Your twitter post will be televised . . .will be televised . . . will be televised. Televised on national news, hometown news and on Facebook, too. Your twitter post will be televised and brother it will cause a revolution that will be live."

I'm no Gil Scott-Heron, but I do know that social media and the Internet in general, are not any individual's private publishing house. Anything and everything you post on social media sites can be seen by anybody with Internet access. If you are dumb enough to send provocative images and words to strangers or post for strangers to see, then you really do not understand the Internet, its power and its dark-side. It is hard for me to fathom why an "over" grown, married man would send photos of himself half dressed to strange women. Now, the Congressman is worried about how his behavior has impacted his wife, friends, staff, etc. Congressman Weiner should have been worried about these people when he forward a picture of himself in his underwear to women via his twitter site.

Other Behaving Badly Notes . . .

• Also worried about the impact of their behavior on the family recently, was the Terminator . . . Arnold . . . "I'll be back", former Governor of California. Now he wants privacy so that his family can deal with the hurt of a sham marriage. Oh, and don't forget about the undisclosed divorce deal.


• Parent Trap star Lindsey Lohan . . . and her daddy (Celebrity Rehab).


• Ex-NFL player shot himself in a nightclub . . . recently gets out of prison. Completely, utterly unnecessary for this to happen.


• Another entertainer set to go to prison over handgun issue. Again . . . completely, utterly unnecessary!

I wonder if the illusion of fame (it's only temporary and it's not real) . . . its money, power and influence actually damage the brain cells of some people. Perhaps some think-tank should conduct the research before another celebrity damages their brain or their family.

Customer Service or the Lack of It

Although I simply adore shopping at Wal-Mart aka Wally World, I am going to have to find another place to buy groceries and the other necessities of daily life. I am absolutely fed up with the customer service at Wal-Mart, or should I say, the lack of customer service. The city of Portsmouth has a serious lack of retail and when Wal-Mart came to Portsmouth, it was a great day! Or so, I thought.

I'm a simple woman, I don't need or crave designer suits or shoes, but when I want to start making smoothies, buy groceries, or redecorate my bathroom, or redo the flower bed or buy a pair of flip flops . . . I head to Wal-Mart. I've got to seriously rethink that strategy.

This morning, I made a quick trip to a Wal-Mart in Norfolk. NOTE: I can't make early morning visits to the Portsmouth Wal-Mart because they don't open before 8 am or something like that. Anyway, I am in the checkout line and the clerk leaves the register with merchandise and heads to the customer service desk . . . all while she sees me standing in the checkout line, unloading my few items onto the belt.

A conversation ensues among several Wal-Mart employees (in different areas of the store) about who is going to handle the checkout register where I am. I have started to reload my items to the shopping cart. Another clerk yells over to me to just stay put, she is coming to check me out. She later apologized for the wait, but in my mind it was too little, too late. I have had it! I have shopped at Wal-Marts in Chesapeake, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Norfolk and northern Virginia. As a matter of fact, I hadn't shopped at this particular Norfolk Wal-Mart since 2001 because of a bad customer service experience.

I am not doing "you" Wal-Mart employee a favor. Your job depends on me coming back . . . my loyalty to the Wal-Mart brand. I am sick and tired of being treated as though I am bothering "you" Wal-Mart employee and that you really wished that I had not visited your store to do my shopping. I once asked a Wal-Mart employee where I could find a man's wallet. She waved me over to the men's apparel section like I was a fly that buzzed across her face.

This is absolutely ridiculous! I don't care if Wal-Mart is the discount capital of the world. I think I will spend a little extra cash to be treated like I matter.

Enough is enough! We need a customer service revolution in the USA.

Starting All Over: Week 8

Dear Readers:

It is week eight on the new gig. Listen at me . . . using jargon . . . to refer to one of the most exciting opportunities of my long career. Last week my boss popped in my office to say, "Great job" referring to one of my very first projects. Talking about being on Cloud Nine. I was so happy she was pleased that I was almost giddy. Really didn't have anybody I could share this new found joy with so I went to lunch -- alone and ate in my car. How pathetic. My joy was short-lived, when the next day, I found holes and gaps in the communications effort. I am plugging them right now and moving forward. As I always say, communications is a tough business and it takes diligent people to do it effectively.

I am still experiencing bouts of separation anxiety. Ten+ years is a long time on a job. For me, it was ten years of honing my skills as a public relations and marketing practitioner, building relationships, friendships, alliances, partnerships and being tested by fire.

I thank God for those ten years. Stay tuned, dear readers. I'll keep you posted on my new journey.

Starting All Over: Day 8

I have a one-on-one meeting with the Vice President for System Development or in the healthcare venacular . . . SysDev. The same Vice President that popped her head in my office one day, apologized for not greeting me sooner and welcomed me aboard. She's not like any vice president I've ever met. I bet the grin on my face was as wide as my laptop. Our one-on-one meeting is even better. She gives me an organizational chart and walks me through the entire chart. She points out names, divisions, duties, functions and even provides a little history. She gives me sage advice. I'll never forget it. "Call me anytime for advice," she says as we wrap up our meeting. Really? Really. Maybe I belong here after all.

Starting All Over: Day 8

My first Corporate Communications Team meeting. Now I know the meaning of "nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof." Boy, I'm old. Who says that anymore? Everyone around the table introduces themselves and provides background on job functions and little personal tidbits thrown in for good measure. What is her name, again? I am drowning . . . going down fast. What did he say he does? What am I supposed to do? Please tell me. Everyone is so polished . . . so together. They know their jobs and what they're supposed to do each and every day. I envy them. I mention my 30-year-old suit and something about my new colleagues not knowing how old it was. That is not what I wanted to say. Where is the training manual for this gig? I wonder if I ran very fast, would anyone miss me? As slow as I jog, someone would catch me before I made it to the parking lot. It's going to be a very long day.

Starting All Over: Day 7

March 8
No one-on-one meetings today. Now I can study, navigate through the website, the intranet and organize my notes. I get my first new office phone call. It is from my sister, who has an uncanny ability to track me down no matter where I am.

Today is a long day. I still am unable to match names and faces. I am among a slew of strangers.

Starting All Over: Day 6

March 7
Another orientation one-on-one meeting. More acronyms are used throughout the conversation. I slyly glance at my cheat sheet of Commonly Used Sentara Acronyms and smile. This one-on-one deals with the company's service product line. I am intrigued and frightened at the same time, because all of these service product lines that we discuss, I or a family member had used at some point. Then I thought, "are we that broke-down"? LOL.

Help.

Starting All Over: Day 6

March 7
I attend a meeting about a new project, new for me, at least. I provide a little input hoping and praying that I don't embarrass the boss. She said it was good feedback. Wonder if my colleagues agree? I am gaining momentum . . . at least for the present.

Starting All Over: Day 5

March 4

Research continues. There's much to read and even more to learn. First step in the public relations process, class . . . Research. I have interviewed or been interviewed by nearly a dozen individuals. I have read through several brochures, filled a notebook with notes, started a new notebook of notes, examined several organizational charts and visited dozens of websites (just to mention a few research items).

Sometimes an old heifer needs a shot in the arm . . . and nothing fits that bill like the challenge of a new job.

Woohoo!

Starting All Over: Day 5

March 4 (continued)

I meet with my new boss, who by the way, has convinced the entire team that I am a PR Goddess and not just the PR DVA. My new colleagues keep telling me how excited and happy they are that I have joined the team. I am frightened by this phenomena.

I get the first of my assignments. My new boss doesn't want to overwhelm me. Hint: I have been overwhelmed since the 1/2 day orientation. This feeling is not unusual for new people trying to navigate through large and complex organizations. At least, that's what I've been told.

Customer satisfaction, communications, employee audiences, my impatience, video production, ideas and more ideas are discussed at this meeting.

Perhaps, I am on the right track after all.

Starting All Over: Day 5

March 4

Today is daddy's birthday. I sure miss him. I say a quick happy birthday, daddy, prayer and then I roll out the company organizational chart.

Today's one-on-one orientation meeting is with the strategy director. This woman is all about the planning. She talks explains what a COPN is and that Virginia is a COPN state. She also talks about some very exciting research and tools being conducted and used in medicine. I get excited and remember why I wanted to be a part of the team.

Market assessments, demographics, healthcare trends, capitol projects, technology assessments and market share reports. She is talking business. I am ready to run out the door tearing out my locs as head for the parking lot.

I smile, thank her for her time, shake her hand and run for the nearest exit.

Starting All Over: Day 4

March 3

I am so confused. Who are all these people and what do they do? Where do they fit? Who are these people? My one-on-one orientation today is with the marketing lady. She has her act together and provides me with a substantial bit of information, including a "cheat sheet" with commonly used company acronyms. She even updated it right before my eyes. This "cheat sheet" will become a lifesaver.

Next one-on-one is with the Sr. VP for HR. He is one sharp guy. Suggested that I should shadow a few clinical people. The boss thinks this is a good idea. We work to make it happen.

More information. More faces. More notes, files, publications and more faces. People seem to be excited that I am here. That's hard to believe. Nobody's been excited about me being some place since my high school senior prom. Come to think of it, my date wasn't that excited.

Things are picking up. Still a little isolated . . . probably by choice, but just the same I am lonely.

These one-on-one orientation meetings are a great idea.

Starting All Over: Day 3

March 2

First meeting with the Corporate Communications team. These folks are on the ball. I bet within this group they have about 200 years of experience in public relations, marketing, news writing and new media.

Starting to collect information on rolling over my retirement plan. Woohoo!

Reset twitter password.

Update contacts in Outlook.

Improve my health everyday.

Starting All Over: Day 2

March 1

Had my first orientation one-on-one meeting with the nicest woman. Starting to feel like I belong . . . a little. Can't seem to set up my voicemail correctly. Frustrated. Computer died.

Starting All Over

February 28

Day one on my new job. Sad, lonely and pitiful. Went to lunch after orientation, but couldn't eat the food. Pitiful. Sad. Lonely. BTW . . . orientation was off the hook!