I had a pleasant but uneventful day at work today. I worked on a big email project. We had invited a lot of our sponsor firms to a conference and were disappointed with the responses we received, so today I sent out 49 individual emails asking them if they want to attend. Someone else set up the email and all I had to do was send it 49 times adding the individual’s email address and putting their first name after “Dear.” It took me about 2 hours, but part of the reason was that I kept noticing problems with the names and email addresses!
If I was the kind of employee who just did what I was told and didn’t give 110%, I would have just let the discrepancies go, but that’s not me. So, I had to point out that someone’s email address had their name as “annmarie” but the person’s first name was listed as Anne Marie. I knew there must not be an “e” at the end of Ann, so I researched it on two different databases and found out I was right. I thought it was dumb to send an email to annmarie and then say Dear Ann Marie.
On another, there was a guy whose last name ended with a “t”, but the “t” was missing from the email address. I know people’s names are always in their business email, and they wouldn’t leave a letter off, so I knew it must be wrong. Of course, I was right. Some were merely typos, and I fixed them for future use. Others had the wrong email address, since the firm had merged with another and the email address had changeds, but the spreadsheet I was using for my information didn't reflect the new emails.
I know the woman who gave me the project really appreciated my tenacity in making sure it was perfect. I knew I did a good job, because I didn’t get any “delivery failures.” Now, I just have to wait for the responses and hope it raises attendance at this big event!
I had my leftover Young Chow Fried Rice for lunch, with a tiny container of cottage cheese. It was just as good the second time around! Eric ate the Shrimp in Black Bean Sauce with white rice for lunch, too.
In HR, I worked on several different projects and really got a lot done. When I read my emails from HR this morning, I saw that one of the girls noticed her shredding box was empty and said she assumed I did it and thanked me “for all I do.” It made me feel great to have her acknowledge something little like that.
When I got home, I changed and Eric and I went for a long walk. We walked further down the hill than ever before. When we turned around and walked back, it was as difficult as ever. I asked Eric, “How many times do I have to walk up this hill before it gets easier?” He just said, “It’s a really steep hill!” I guess if I was walking on flatter ground I could walk further and it wouldn’t be as hard, but I think a short intense walk is just as effective.
When we got back I went right into the pool and did four laps. I was exhausted. When I got back upstairs I jumped in the shower and then Eric and I made one of our famous “big salads.” Eric had a NUTRISYSTEM entrée, too, but I just had the salad. It always satisfies! We made enough so that I have lunch tomorrow, too.
We watched AMERICA’S GOT TALENT. It was heart-wrenching tonight, because they brought 113 acts to Vegas and then eliminated 20 before they even had a chance to perform again. I thought that was really mean, because those people had their hopes raised so high, and probably told everyone they knew that they were going to Vegas, maybe even quitting jobs to get there, and then they had to turn around and go home the next day! Heartbreaking, I tell you!
Then, they had the 90 remaining acts perform in categories – like female singers, children, magic acts, dancers, etc., and then eliminated some and kept others. There are now 60 acts and they have to eliminate 20 more acts before they go live before a Vegas audience. It’s really exciting, and you fall in love with some people, and then they’re eliminated and it’s really sad. Other great acts make it to the next round and you cheer right along with them!
Tomorrow the boss is back in KRM and I’m very nervous about it. We’ve been working perfectly together – me, the girl and the guy in the group. The boss has been on vacation since I started there, and I don’t know if it’s going to get better or worse with her back. She wants me to work more on my own, and that makes me very nervous. She set up a meeting tomorrow at 10:00am for us to discuss the situation. I’m assuming she’ll get filled in by the guy and girl before I get there, so she’ll know what she wants to do and it’s just a matter of what I want to do.
I really enjoy working with the two other people on the team, and they’re so nice. He looks like a kid, but his wife is pregnant with their third son. The other woman is a few years younger than me and has a teenage son and daughter. I took great pictures of her son at the WAVEHOUSE – riding Bruticus Maximus! I saw him on the water and said, “I know that kid!” but I didn’t know how. Then, I realized, I recognized him from his mother’s screen saver on her work computer!!! I had looked at his face so many times and there he was – live and in person!
So, tomorrow should be interesting. She may be so overwhelmed her first day back that she won’t have a chance to meet, which would be fine by me. I can definitely put it off a few days. I’m not going to worry about it. I’m just happy I’m still working at this firm after six months! I was supposed to be finished with this job on April 1st and now everyone is telling me how fabulous the holiday party is going to be!