Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Working Is Working!

Ahhhhh....working when ya got kids.

Pretty much!


As you may or may not know, I have recently jumped in, head first, back into the land of working outside of the home full-time.

I say "outside of the home" because as I well know, being a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM) is anything but a vacation. It is one of the hardest and thankless jobs there is.

Pretty much!


Frankly, I am not cut out to be a long-term, SAHM. I really wanted to want to be...but if I am to be authentic...just as I like to promote to others...I have to say that I am - in general - a happier mom when I have some time out of my house, doing something completely different than anything having to do with my family or my home.

Some people love being at home full-time...and God bless the stay-at-home parents who do!

I am the last person on earth to start a "Mommy War". I can not stand when fellow women choose to bash each other for the choices that they make for their own families. We ALL work hard.



End.

Of.

Story.

So yeah. I am back at the office.

And while I am only in my second week here - in a position that is so far removed from what I have ever done previously - I have to say that I am pretty sure that I made a good decision.

...unlike this little guy!


Now, what exactly I do...that is for another post.

What I will tell you now is that it is in an industry I have never been in so the learning curve at this point - the beginning - is pretty steep.

I will also tell you that in terms of position level in the grand, business hierarchy, I am significantly lower on the ladder than I have been in...well...basically since I started working in the mid-90s.

But that's OK.

I tried to find work in my sector (non-profit), at my level of experience (upper-management) - but it is rough out there peeps!

With the economic landscape being as it is, corporations are cutting back...and one of the areas where companies are first to tighten their purse strings is professional and trade association memberships (my experience is in association management).

Wonderful!

NOT!


And while I have been back and forth between staying at home with my boys as they made their arrivals, I always found it fairly painless to find a new job.

But times have changed.

And it ain't pretty.

So...I changed gears. And I decided it was time for a slight attitude adjustment.

Swallow your pride, check your ego at the door and broaden your horizens and scope girlfriend!

(And perhaps, stop talking to yourself on your blog!)

I knew I needed to get back to work - both for financial and personal reasons. My wallet and my emotional well-being depended on it. Being at home full-time - despite all the writing I was doing - was no longer working (no pun intended) for me.

I consider myself lucky that an interesting opportunity - and fairly close to my home at that - presented itself.

Sure, the pay is not what I have been accustomed to. In fact it is alomost exactly half. Yeah...HALF. As in 50%.

I don't have a lot of the things I have had for the past 10+ years of empolyment.

I don't have a nice office with a door. I don't have a company credit card or an expense account. I don't think I will be doing much travel, if any. I don't have the fancy job title on the business card, the stationary, la la la. I don't have a staff. I can't do my particular job from home if I am under the weather. I don't have a company laptop. I don't have my cell phone bill paid for.



Of course, I could go on...but I think you get my point.

I am in the trenches...on the front-lines...learning from a point of view where I think I will most likely learn the most.

I am not spending most of my time dealing with big-picture, management issues as I am used to...so I have the time to really get to understand the business and the company I am working for.

And this is a good thing...because at the moment, it's all Greek to me - as they say.

Exactly!


The level of responsibility is not as high either. I don't have to take my job home with me every night. I don't have people e-mailing me at all hours of the day and night...people who want answers, like, yesterday.

Now, don't get it twisted sister!

I'm so frickin' predictable I realize.


This position is not a job I plan on staying in forever. And I was very clear with my new boss about this. But I am not spending my evenings searching job sites in hopes of finding something else at this time either.

I am in a good place.

I am easing my way back into the workforce.

I am a busy mom with three boys at home. Two of them are very busy hockey players that require a lot of my time shuffling them here and there for games and practices and tournaments and dry-land training. And then the homework and la la la. One of them is a toddler. Enough said there!

I have only been at my new workplace for several days, but I can already tell you that it is very family-oriented, offers a certain level of flexibility that I require and the people I work with literally rolled out a massive welcome mat for me the day I arrived.



The group of women (females...yay!!!!) in my particular department are awesome. They are friendly, helpful and fun. There is a culture of teamwork, a healthy dose of silliness and extreme professionalism. It is a great balance and I really appreciate this having worked in environments where politics often overshadowed the work at hand.

So in a nutshell...working is working!

Sure, it is an on-going adjustment at this point - I am learning a lot and trying to retain a massive amount of new information while trying to balance all of the responsibilities I have to my home and family...but I feel I am off to a solid start.

I am even eating better and managing to exercise more. I am telling you...the less time I have, the more I get done! I guess being busy suits my personality best.

I just have to make sure that my stress levels stay in check.

But that is the beauty of being where I am now.

Rather than jumping back in at the management level, I think this stepping stone is a good place for me to get my feet wet again, polish some of my current skills while learning some new ones.

And I love me some new skills! And new experiences! And new friends!

It's a new life.

2013 is off to a great start.



And peeps...it's only January!

Well...my lunch break is almost over (usually I eat then take a brisk walk...but today it is so cold I am pretty sure my balls would fall off out there...and I don't even have balls!) so I am doing a little writing instead.

So peeps...back to work!

Smiles,

Lora

Sunday, January 27, 2013

An Interview With My Noah

Howdy readers!

Today I have a rare afternoon alone with my almost 9 year old son Noah. We decided to do a little interview for my blog. Here are a few questions that I asked him...and his very insightful answers...in his own words.

Me and my Noah


1. What book are you reading right now?

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - The Third Wheel. I like it because it's funny.




2. What is your favourite movie?

The Polar Express. I like this movie because it is cool and realistic even though it is a cartoon. I love to watch it around Christmas time.



3. What is you favourite sport?

I have two: hockey and baseball. I like hockey because I like doing cool moves on the ice and scoring goals. I even wrote a guest blog a while back about hockey called "The Hockey Home."


Noah waiting for his game to begin



#5 for The Port Credit Storm: Noah Rossi!

I like baseball because I can hit home runs and make great catches.


Noah wearing his Toronto Blue Jays cap


4. What is your favourite subject at school?

Gym! I love gym because I play a lot of sports and I love sports! I also like Math because I'm really good at it.




5. What makes you sad?

When I really want to have a play date or a sleep over with a friend and I can't it makes me sad.


"What do you mean my friend can't come over today?"

"Blah! I don't like that answer!"


6. What is your favourite meal?

I love to have homemade crispy chicken, salad and potatoes.


Yum!


7. What is your favourite place in the world?

Canada and Italy. I love Canada because that is where I live and I know a lot about it and where things are. 


EH!


Noah with Mommy and Julian cheering the Canadian Men's Hockey Team to gold in the Olympics.
"GO CANADA GO!!!"


I love Italy because I know a bit about it and that is where my Nonna and Nonno lived and it is a part of my heritage. I have never been there but I would like to visit.





Noah with Nonna and Julian


8. What always makes you laugh?

When someone tickles me and also funny, comedy movies.

LOL!


9. What is your favourite TV show? 

I like Sports Centre on TSN because I love sports and love to see all the action.




I also love America's Funniest Home Videos because I really like watching drunk people dancing. I also like videos of babies doing funny things.

Here are some funny examples of drunk and/or silly people dancing that I thought would make you chuckle!






10. What do you love most about your Mama?

I love her face the most because it is beautiful.


Best buds!


She also gives me lots of hugs and kisses and I like her mouth because she can talk to me with it.


Lots of kisses from Mama make me smile!


I also like her ears and eyes because she can see and hear me.


Together at a recent hockey game


I also like to play board games with her. But the best thing of all is when we snuggle together. We both love to snuggle!


There is always time for a kiss and a snuggle!


Well...thank you Noah for this very informative interview. Perhaps we will do it again soon once I compile some more questions for you!

Noah would like to say - "Thanks for reading readers...and have a very Happy New Year! And if you have any questions for me...just leave a comment below and I will answer it!"

"Thanks...and all the best for 2013!"


And now...it's time for a snuggle!

Smiles,

Lora (and Noah!)

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Hostess Neurosis




A lot of people can look at their mom and then their dad and clearly see that they take more after one or the other.

I, however, think I am a pretty good mash-up of both of my parents. I even get that I look like one or the other - depending on who you talk to.

Uhhhh....yeah.
Kinda like that.
But kinda not.


One thing I think I must have inherited from my mom is "hostess neurosis".

I read this term in the book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin - which I am slowly reading as time allows.

In the book, Gretchen speaks of her own mother who got all in a tizzy before entertaining guests because she wanted all the be perfect...and Gretchen also has this trait.

Me...thinking about entertaining.


Well...my mom has always been this way. She is "the hostess with the mostess" - table perfectly set, appetizers thoughtfully arranged, la la la. She has even been known to label serving platters and bowls with labels (on the bottom) so that she is sure to know where every dish she is serving is to be placed before a larger meal is served.

My mom.
Well...it COULD be!


Now while I don't go so far as to label dishes, I DO have the "hostess neurosis" gene for sure!

The biggest difference between my mom's and mine is that she has always entertained quite a bit and always does it well.

As for me, I love the IDEA of entertaining and know I should and NEED to do it more often, but this neurosis actually is a big reason why I don't entertain often enough.

I want my home to look perfect. I want the food to be perfect. I want everyones' schedules to be perfect.

Kinda like this. 


And I know none of these things will be perfect so "eff it" I say too often.

In my head, I use the fact that I am too busy as an excuse...and I AM too busy...but so is everyone else...but I see so many other people with busy schedules and children and la la la...who still manage to entertain on a regular basis.

So...another thing I want to try and do a little more often this year is entertain family and close friends. And that should not be difficult because we have sucked at it for so many years.

I need to drop the level of "hostess neurosis" that I feel and just have people over.

Hey friends! Welcome!


Even if my home is not magazine-spread ready.

Even if we just order Chinese.

Even if it is just a 2-hour brunch because the afternoon is full of hockey games and practices.

I love my family and friends.

Yup.


And I miss having them in my home.

Because whenever I do...if memory serves...we always have a good time.

Cheers to that!


Smiles,

Lora


Saturday, January 19, 2013

WellX Article #33: On Simple Soup


Good day readers!

As per usual, I will begin by pointing you in the direction of my first thirty-two articles published by WellX here.


This week, my 33rd article was published.

Another food one peeps!

Making homemade soup may seem like a time-consuming task, but really, it just sits on the stove and simmers...and makes your home smell awesome at the same time.





I am so happy to continue to work with WellnessX and share my thoughts with you and wellness professionals around the world.


Here's the link!


Thanks as always to Brad and Mel and everyone at WellnessX for continuing to share my work and for their on-going support and great work with the wellness community!

Smiles,

Lora

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Life Is Like Photography

"Life is like a photograph. You need the negatives to develop."
 - Unknown


They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and whoever "they" are...well, I think they are very wise.




Who are "they" any-who?

Oh, we are playing a guessing game are we?
Nope...don't think it was them.
And by the way Burton and company, you'd think you would write a song called "Canadian Woman" since you ARE a Canadian band.
 Just sayin'.


Who are "they"?
Hoo Hoo. Who who?
Uhhhhh....no.
Cool photo though.


Even though he's a Doctor...uhhhh...still no.


I even have a blog series on here entitled "Silent Sundays". I was on a pretty good roll there for a while...doing it almost every Sunday...but now I just do it when the spirit moves me.

But this post isn't really about photography or pictures.

It's about taking the good with the bad; the pretty with the ugly; the ups with the downs; the happy with the sad.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" is an overused cliche for a reason.

Now THAT is a mouse with the right idea!


Life throws us curve balls once in a while...and sometimes they are whoppers. But it is not about whether or not you always catch the ball.

It's how effectively you pick that fumbled ball back up and get back in the game.

And no, we are not talking about baseball here either.

Frick, I am such a cheesy metaphor hound!

We are not taking about mice either. 


Of course, we are talking about life and the fact that it ain't perfect...nor should it be.

The imperfections in life are what build character. 

If mice...and ants!...can do it...so can you!


They teach us the lessons we need to learn. They show us paths that we otherwise never would have stumbled upon. 

So if we turn that frown upside-down and look at that glass as half-full and find that silver-lined cloud and turn those lemons into lemonade slam that door closed and open another and find that blessing in disguise...we can then see that negatives can, in fact, be positives! 

Which one are you?


So you can say I am a cheesy, metaphor hound...and I can say I am a wonderful...uhhhh...well...yeah...you are right on that one.

But I digress.

Sometimes it takes an unexpected kick in the ass to wake us up to new possibilities or at least smell the frickin' coffee for a change before we rush out the door for work.

Yup.


That reminds me...I need a coffee. Hold that thought.


Mmmmm....that coffee smells gooooooooood.


So now that I am awake, let's continue shall we?

I order to to climb higher in life, sometime we gotta take some falls. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

OK, now that's just stupid dude!


Frick...there I go again with the chiches!

If fear of failure makes you freeze...then that is how you will remain.

Frozen.

Now that doesn't look fun, does it?


You won't move anywhere. 

You'll be stuck.

And even if you take that first step somewhere - anywhere! - and you find yourself sinking in quicksand...well at least you are doing something! 



At least you learned something. 

And when that instinct to fight your way out of that quicksand kicks in, you will find that you are most probably a lot stronger than you ever thought possible.

So yeah.

Life is like photography. 

In order for one to continue to develop...to move forward...to make progress...you actually need the negatives.

HA!


Unless you have a digital camera. 

In which case, you're good.

At least if you only want to look at wonderful photographs.

Or do you want to live in them?



Smiles,

Lora