Sunday, May 12, 2013
Monday, May 6, 2013
Top 5 Jams
On repeat in my iTunes all day long. My current jams.
- The Mowgli's- San Francisco
- The Oh Hello's- Hello My Old Heart
- Imagine Dragons- On Top of The World
- ZZ Ward- Put the Gun Down
- Boy- Little Numbers
Friday, May 3, 2013
Testing The Blogger Phone App
It's a fro-yo kind of Friday! Mani-pedi day too! (Thanks for cluing me in on the app, Leslie)
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Day In The Life :: Corporate Meetings & Incentives Project Manager
Any one of these photos is a relatively accurate depiction of what I do in my day to day work life.
Let's not be fooled here though, it's typically a 'lot less with the linens' and a 'lot more with the paperwork.' Contracts, budgets, proposals, hours of conference calls, RFPs, project plans/timelines, specs, schedule of events, menus, banquet event orders, AV/IT/Comm/Engineering orders, payment requests and reconciliations... just to name a variety of things I cover in my day to day. Every time you have a program you have to do all of that, and then some, when you're managing multiple vendors and sometimes even co-workers, in my case.
One piece of my job that I really love is mentoring some of our Jr. Planners and also connecting with soon to be college graduates who are interested in breaking into the industry. It's one of the highlights for me, as I'm very passionate and excited about what a career in the industry can provide opportunities for- personally and professionally. To see 'newbies' so eager, ambitious, and excited is so refreshing.
The other rewards in my 9-5? I'm still trying to figure that out. Just kidding, I do like my job 85+% of the time. Haha. There's always something happening (code for, 'I can always work more than 40 hours a week') and it's never the same thing two days in a row. You have to love this career to do it, I think. It's certainly not for everyone but it gets in your blood and you just don't want to ever leave it. There you have it, if anyone was ever wondering, that's what I do.
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| Always operating with 2 calendars since we run a June 1 - May 31 fiscal year. |
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| Killing lots of trees when I can't review and mark-up PDFs on my iPad. AV orders, BEOs, and contracts on a daily basis- multiple back and forths until the vendor gets it right! |
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| A pretty small to-do list only 2 days out from a 10 day program operation. Very proud of that! |
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| Working on a 12 hour drive home one recent weekend. |
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| New office supplies- something I get very excited about. Such a nerd. |
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| Have been fairly good a reducing the amount of paper work I 'store' in physical files. I think most of this is outdated. Guess it's just there 'for looks.' |
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| Probably spent about 10 hours and 5 Fed Ex shipments of back and forth to select these linens for an upcoming dinner. My office literally looked like a linen warehouse for a few weeks. These will be for a very formal dinner at a country club. |
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| Beautiful Chef's table in an open air kitchen private dining room, in Miami. Recently was siting about 25 restaurants to narrow down to 12-14 for a group in September. We're not using this one. |
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| Another Miami venue. Very Anthropology-esque garden with a European flair. We're using it! |
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| Taking pictures of ballroom carpet to come home and later help with selecting linens. Ballroom carpet is so obnoxious, especially in Florida! |
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| Narrowed down from about 40 swatches for a reception and dinner in September. I am pretty good at immediately discounting a ton of swatches that I know won't work. Now, getting these down to 4-6 for linens and napkins will take me some pondering. |
Let's not be fooled here though, it's typically a 'lot less with the linens' and a 'lot more with the paperwork.' Contracts, budgets, proposals, hours of conference calls, RFPs, project plans/timelines, specs, schedule of events, menus, banquet event orders, AV/IT/Comm/Engineering orders, payment requests and reconciliations... just to name a variety of things I cover in my day to day. Every time you have a program you have to do all of that, and then some, when you're managing multiple vendors and sometimes even co-workers, in my case.
One piece of my job that I really love is mentoring some of our Jr. Planners and also connecting with soon to be college graduates who are interested in breaking into the industry. It's one of the highlights for me, as I'm very passionate and excited about what a career in the industry can provide opportunities for- personally and professionally. To see 'newbies' so eager, ambitious, and excited is so refreshing.
The other rewards in my 9-5? I'm still trying to figure that out. Just kidding, I do like my job 85+% of the time. Haha. There's always something happening (code for, 'I can always work more than 40 hours a week') and it's never the same thing two days in a row. You have to love this career to do it, I think. It's certainly not for everyone but it gets in your blood and you just don't want to ever leave it. There you have it, if anyone was ever wondering, that's what I do.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Back to Snow
Well, I'm not doing too well in terms of keeping up here, now am I? Last I wrote all about new spring/summer fashion pretties and here I am tonight looking out at about 6" of snow. On May 1. I had literally just planted my annuals on Sunday and had to pull the 3 pots that I could inside. Covered up the whiskey barrel of flowers 'hillbilly style' with a cardboard box and a painters tarp. I'm sure my neighbors love that. Not so sure those flowers will make it. Sigh. And yes, I heard snow was possibly coming, I just chose not to believe it could actually snow in May. Proved me wrong, obviously. Goodness gracious, Colorado. You hardly snow during ski season and you've just been dumping on us all month long. I've lost track of how much because thankfully I missed the two biggest snows. No complaints about that.
Still, summer is just around the corner. I can feel it and we were teased with 4 straight days of 70s-80s earlier this week/last weekend. That in combo with the Red Rocks concerts being announced, what feels like daily, really puts you in the summer spirit! 4 concerts on tap for us at Red Rocks this year so far.... a great uptick over last year when I went to my first show in all 5 years that I had lived here. We'll be seeing Of Monsters & Men and Vampire Weekend in a few weeks, Barenaked Ladies when my Mom comes to visit in June, Yonder Mountain String Band when some friends from MI come out in August, and The Lumineers in September. If I'm placing bets, I'll guess that Lumineers is going to be the most amazing. Hometown band, first show at Red Rocks. It just may rival the Mumford and Sons show from last year.
Brian and I went to Florida at the beginning of April for a long weekend. I was there for work and then he flew in for vaca. Weather was actually 'meh' for about half the trip, but when we were able to use our guestroom balcony, we really loved it. Nights were great too. Good food, live music, and just kicking back and relaxing. Missed snow storm #1 while we were there and I was adament that winter woudl be over after returning from such a warm and sunny place.
We also spent a week back in Illinois because unfortunately Brian's Great Uncle passed away. That was when we missed snow storm #2. It was certainly nice to have an unexpected week with family, although not under the happiest of circumstances. His Uncle was in the military as well as Police Captain so it was a very moving funeral with all of the police and military honor that took place.
After we returning home, we had a few days before Brian left for Hawaii where he's been hardly working. Let me tell you, that man has been enjoying the following: half day on the beach, dinner at his favorite restaurant in Maui, leisurely lunches, and SUPing (Stand Up Paddling). I think he's really on a paid vacation, if you ask me.
I, on the other hand, have been working my tail off getting ready for 10 days at THE PLAYERS Championship down in FL. We have a big client event there every year that I lead. Not glam. Not fun. I may get to see an hour of the golf course, if I'm lucky. I did have a bit of reprive this weekend having two girlfriends in from out of town in addition to doing a bunch of girl things to celebrate my birthday! Mani/Pedis and lunch on Friday, friends over for wine and dinner on Friday night, and shopping and lunching in Boulder on Saturday followed by another girls meet-up in Denver on Saturday night. It was honestly one of the best birthdays I have ever had- really felt the well wishes pouring in. I think as you get older, birthdays just might get better. At least the food and wine aspect of it, that's for sure! Since Brian was doing the above mentioned 'work' in Hawaii, he tells me we've yet to celebrate my birthday, together. We're practically passing in the wind on Saturday, with him only being home for about 3 hours before I leave. Such is life...
I'm typing this here on my new iPad too. Something I purchased as a self 'pat on the back' for my hard work last year in the 9-5 world. More like the 50-60 hour a week world, so much deserved if you ask me. I do love it, but the iCloud still confuses me so I don't have access to many pictures - hence the reason you aren't seeing any from FL. If you haven't already, just follow me on Instagram or view the photos there (upper right corner, little camera icon, Dad).
With all the work related travel, we both have a long weekend coming up when I return and I'm contemplating us spending a night or two in Aspen to hike Crater Lake trail at the Maroon Bells. We visited there last Memorial Day and it was one of my favorite moments in Colorado. I fell in love with Aspen and we have since been back one additional time. There are some good off-season hotel deals and it would be nice to actually have a fun day off vs. doing projects around home. Good for the spirit to get up there in the beauty of those mountains! So we shall see what plans will evolve.
Still, summer is just around the corner. I can feel it and we were teased with 4 straight days of 70s-80s earlier this week/last weekend. That in combo with the Red Rocks concerts being announced, what feels like daily, really puts you in the summer spirit! 4 concerts on tap for us at Red Rocks this year so far.... a great uptick over last year when I went to my first show in all 5 years that I had lived here. We'll be seeing Of Monsters & Men and Vampire Weekend in a few weeks, Barenaked Ladies when my Mom comes to visit in June, Yonder Mountain String Band when some friends from MI come out in August, and The Lumineers in September. If I'm placing bets, I'll guess that Lumineers is going to be the most amazing. Hometown band, first show at Red Rocks. It just may rival the Mumford and Sons show from last year.
Brian and I went to Florida at the beginning of April for a long weekend. I was there for work and then he flew in for vaca. Weather was actually 'meh' for about half the trip, but when we were able to use our guestroom balcony, we really loved it. Nights were great too. Good food, live music, and just kicking back and relaxing. Missed snow storm #1 while we were there and I was adament that winter woudl be over after returning from such a warm and sunny place.
We also spent a week back in Illinois because unfortunately Brian's Great Uncle passed away. That was when we missed snow storm #2. It was certainly nice to have an unexpected week with family, although not under the happiest of circumstances. His Uncle was in the military as well as Police Captain so it was a very moving funeral with all of the police and military honor that took place.
After we returning home, we had a few days before Brian left for Hawaii where he's been hardly working. Let me tell you, that man has been enjoying the following: half day on the beach, dinner at his favorite restaurant in Maui, leisurely lunches, and SUPing (Stand Up Paddling). I think he's really on a paid vacation, if you ask me.
I, on the other hand, have been working my tail off getting ready for 10 days at THE PLAYERS Championship down in FL. We have a big client event there every year that I lead. Not glam. Not fun. I may get to see an hour of the golf course, if I'm lucky. I did have a bit of reprive this weekend having two girlfriends in from out of town in addition to doing a bunch of girl things to celebrate my birthday! Mani/Pedis and lunch on Friday, friends over for wine and dinner on Friday night, and shopping and lunching in Boulder on Saturday followed by another girls meet-up in Denver on Saturday night. It was honestly one of the best birthdays I have ever had- really felt the well wishes pouring in. I think as you get older, birthdays just might get better. At least the food and wine aspect of it, that's for sure! Since Brian was doing the above mentioned 'work' in Hawaii, he tells me we've yet to celebrate my birthday, together. We're practically passing in the wind on Saturday, with him only being home for about 3 hours before I leave. Such is life...
I'm typing this here on my new iPad too. Something I purchased as a self 'pat on the back' for my hard work last year in the 9-5 world. More like the 50-60 hour a week world, so much deserved if you ask me. I do love it, but the iCloud still confuses me so I don't have access to many pictures - hence the reason you aren't seeing any from FL. If you haven't already, just follow me on Instagram or view the photos there (upper right corner, little camera icon, Dad).
With all the work related travel, we both have a long weekend coming up when I return and I'm contemplating us spending a night or two in Aspen to hike Crater Lake trail at the Maroon Bells. We visited there last Memorial Day and it was one of my favorite moments in Colorado. I fell in love with Aspen and we have since been back one additional time. There are some good off-season hotel deals and it would be nice to actually have a fun day off vs. doing projects around home. Good for the spirit to get up there in the beauty of those mountains! So we shall see what plans will evolve.
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