Summer Vacation

I was away on vacation last week. I am grateful for vacations, and for having the time to take them. I was very relaxed and had no trouble at all getting into vacation mode. (The rude awakening and instant anxiety I felt upon waking Monday morning following vacation is another story.)

Anyway, it was a great week spent with my sister, by brother, and my two nieces - we are never all together in one place anymore - so it was extra special having all that quality family time. I look forward to doing it again soon - next time for Christmas!

Family gatherings as adults are truly special. And I'm so grateful to be able to do them.

Some of my favorite quotes/thoughts/musings:


Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. - Albert Einstein


Nothing will ever be attempted, if all possible objections must be first overcome. - Samuel Johnson


Wayfarer, the only way
Is your footprints and no other.
Wayfarer, there is no way.
Make your way by going farther.
By going farther, make your way
Till looking back at where you've wandered,
You look back on that path you may
Not set foot on from now onward.
Wayfarer, there is no way;
Only wake-trails on the waters.
- Antonio Machado, translated by A.Z Foreman


Résumé
Razors pain you,
Rivers are damp,
Acids stain you,
And drugs cause cramp.
Guns aren't lawful,
Nooses give,
Gas smells awful.
You might as well live.
- Dorothy Parker

Having friends to fill my dance card for the whole week is a good thing. Sometimes I complain that I just want to relax after a day at work and sit on the couch and do nothing. I did that last night. For the rest of the week, I have plans every night after work. And I'm thankful for that - these are all people I want to see and spend time with, so I'm happy I have them in my life. A few of my dearest friends have left NYC in the past couple of years, but I am still capable of making new friends, and building relationships with ones still here. That makes me happy.

So it's been over four years since I last wrote here. Clearly, I had some commitment issues with having a blog. But I'm back again because of two things I want to write about:

1.) Gratitude. I need a place to post about gratitude - you know, a way to remind myself of all the good things in my life. I get so negative sometimes that I need to be reminded of the good things. My husband (grateful-for thing #1) bought me a little dry-erase board for Christmas, and I was using it to stick little post-its to in the beginning of the new year, but then the post-its would fall off, or the damn cat (sometimes-grateful-for)would decide to nibble said post-its and then I was just less grateful overall. So, I figure, maybe a permanent place to store my gratitudinal thoughts and musings will prove beneficial and more rewarding. We shall see.

Here's my first gratitude post: I'm thankful for having this blog and for typing into it at this moment as a way to alleviate negative thoughts and be more mindful of all the good in my life. There.

2.) I went to a volunteer orientation session for NYC Animal Care & Control last night. I want to walk doggie bears again. It's funny how being passionate about something can be so motivating. I realized, sitting in that session, that if I got to go to work everyday and love what I do, or at least be passionate about a cause, I might be a much happier person or not need a gratitude board. Just the thought of getting to spend some QT with needy shelter dogs makes me feel like I have a purpose. It might not be for everyone, but it's for me, and screw the haters.

I'm an animal-lover. I'm not some crazy cat lady animal-lover, but I'm an animal welfare proponent and just want to help them out in whatever way I can. For now, I know that's through dog walking. I hope it grows into more, but, if it doesn't, just giving back a little of my time in a way that's meaningful to ME is all I need right now. Since the Sophie-girl passed back in May there's been a huge void. It's time for me to give just a little bit of my love to all those shelter dogs who need it so badly. It's been a long time since I've been to the AC&C and I'm really looking forward to it.

"Too Professional"

I recently discovered that I was considered "too professional" for a position. At a hedge fund. Huh? How on earth am I too professional? How can anyone really be "too professional" when dealing with money matters? Not to mention it was a six-figure gig. Of course that's gonna make me be as professional as possible!

Apparently, I have no idea how I come across in interviews. This is a big deal, and now I need to figure out exactly how to overcome this very important obstacle. I have no idea where to go from here.

"Overqualified," I've heard a lot. And as annoying as that one is, this "too professional" business has really thrown me. I smiled, I laughed, I joked, I thought I let them see a little of who I really am, but apparently not. When I discovered this little tidbit of hiring information, I also found out that they ended up hiring some California girl for the position. Maybe I just wasn't sunny enough. Maybe I shouldn't wear a suit. Or, maybe it just wasn't the right fit. Six figures or not, I need the right fit just as much as they do. Maybe what I should do is take this "professional" crap as a compliment and move forward with it. Yes, I'll add "professional" to my resume right now!

All work and no play

Makes Nora very cranky. I'm very annoyed for two reasons: 1.) Because I have a part-time job and I agreed to work on Thanksgiving; and 2.) They just reduced my hours on said holiday, making it hardly worth the time and frustration of giving up a turkey dinner with my neighbors downstairs. (And 3.) WHO THE HELL IS OUT SHOPPING ON THANKSGIVING? Aren't the 5am door-busters on Black Friday and 24-hour Wal-Marts enough for promoting commercialism? Then again, I don't own my own business. But I digress.)

I was reminded last night that I need to be careful what I ask for, if it's not REALLY what I want, and also to make an attitude adjustment. It's the only way I'll make it through the next 6 weeks. I wanted a part-time job! I should be grateful I have one! What it really comes down to is that I'm not happy I need a part-time job. I need one job that's more fulfilling and lucrative than the one (two) I've got. But it was a good reminder to say "Thanks" every day for something.

I have a whole new respect for working moms, and anyone really, who works more than one job.

And I just told them I am NOT working on Christmas day.

My new look

This look has lasted two days, but alas, the straight hair will be gone tomorrow. The color will remain. I think I look like my mother. Not a bad thing at all. If only I had the patience to blow my hair out, I could look sophisticated and glamorous every day!