New Design Opportunity

Had to post this exciting opportunity. Suburban Girl Studio's is looking for 4 more design team members, so I threw my name in the hat. Sometimes I need a jump start to designing and this would definitely push me to do more design work and not just hoard play with all my beads... lol. The first challenge would be to make something one of these wonderful flower pendants. I'm thinking an orange-turquoise mix with bronze chain or findings.

If you would like to throw you name in the hat, so to speak, jaunt on over to Suburban Girl Studio's blog and leave your witty comment. She will pick on Wednesday the 22nd.

Today I ventured out to the mall. Now if you know me, you know I don't just go to the mall to shop that often and especially not on a Friday. So I did have lunch with a friend today at Panera Bread and since I was there thought I would stroll around. Okay now I remember why I don't go to the mall on a Friday. Really does anyone work on Friday anymore? There were more people there then I have seen in a long time... not including Christmas season. I decided I needed to replace my mixer and have been stumped as to what type of mixer to buy or to get one of those immersion blenders. I can not believe the cr@p I saw for mixers. Cheap, cheap, cheap plastic and if it wasn't the cheap plastic 3 speed then it was the overpriced 7 speed. Really $70 for a hand mixer.

I've been using my hand mixer for blending my lotion blends and the last batch I found some of the metal plating chipped off in the lotion. I was able to pick it out but what if that had been in a cake mix or something... yuk. I'm thinking the immersion blender would be better for mixing the lotion but not for making mashed potatoes or cake mixes but have you seen those? Okay, same reaction to these as the hand mixers. I did find one that had all these handy dandy attachments but I don't think so for $99.

So, I'm in a quandary. What should I do, get a cheap version of both, or a more expensive mixer or immersion blender? What do you use and do you love it?

The Countdown Begins - Part 1

Okay, the countdown began on April 15th but now with only 3 days to go it’s down to hours. A little background for those of you new reading this, I was part of a massive layoff at my work in April. I was one of the unlucky ones asked to stay until June 30th. Only those that have been in this situation would understand that statement. To watch as your friends and work associates leave and know that you should be with them is a traumatic experience in and of itself, but to have to stay to help clean up and reorganize is just cruel. Not sure why I was asked to stay as within two weeks I had transitioned all my work to other associates and still had two more months left. I couldn’t just leave unless I took them to court as I would have lost my severance, so my husband and I made the decision that I would stay. They could pay me to blog and tweet. Numerous times I talked to my boss to ask for work or help with other projects and nothing was forthcoming, so I didn’t feel bad cruising the internet all day.

My desk is packed and I’ve been taking a few things home each night. Of course I have no place for all this stuff at home, but feel I need to keep it. Included is books I’ll probably never read again, work momentos, work awards, files of old performance reviews and just other stuff I was not ready to get rid off. It’s an unusual feeling to not have work yet be at work and know that you have a ton of things to do at home.

I’m still a little pissed and angry, but come July 1st the new door will open, I’ll be able to breath and move forward mentally and let the past drop away. I will miss my friends that are left that I see daily, but we have already made plans for lunches throughout the Summer. I know where to find them and will be staying in touch. So, yes I’m sad to be leaving a job of 12 ½ years and excited to start a new chapter in my life. It is time and I am ready.

What will I do next you ask? Come back later and I’ll continue the story.