Dreams of Bunnies...and...New Shoes

I dreamt of bunnies last night.  I think it was because I was playing one of those 'free for 60 minutes' games last night involving running a pet shop.  I love those games.  There were bunnies for sale in the game.  That's the only thing I can think of as to why I would be dreaming of bunnies.

I think I have decided to wear a dress to the awards ceremony at my company's spring conference in April.  I haven't worn a dress or skirt in 10 years, and I'm thinking I would like to wear one now.  I think I know the dress I want and where to buy it.  It is a simple black dress that comes down to the tops of the knees, but it is sleeveless, and my arms don't do sleeveless, so somebody help me out with what I can drape or layer over it to make it snazzy and hide my arm flab.  Also, should I or should I not wear black pantyhose?  We're talking April in Orlando, and I don't know pantyhose etiquette.  Can anyone help me out?

I have also been looking for cute shoes to wear with such a dress.  I hate sandals, as I think my feet are ugly...everyone's toes are gross...so I wanted a shoe with a bit of a heel, but not too high, black in color, with a closed toe but a strappy back.  Tonight I ran a search on Zappos and found the PERFECT pair, and they were only $46.  And they had one pair left in my size.  Holy cow.  I got lucky.  I was also able to find a pair in vanilla bean (read:  off white or cream) that I can wear if I buy this other dress I saw and want.  The vanilla bean pair was only $41, and again they only had one pair left in my size.  SCORE!

I love Zappos.com because you don't have to pay any sales tax and there is free shipping both ways.  Most of the time I get my shoes within 24 hours, though since I ordered at 1 am, I'll probably get my shoes Friday.   

I was such a tomboy growing up and never had a good role model for being feminine, so I kinda like feeling all girly sometimes.  And if I show up in a dress, it will shock all my co-workers, so that kind makes it worth the effort, too.  Ha ha!

So let me know about the what-to-wear-with-a-sleeveless-dress part as well as the pantyhose part.

Thanks! 

No Worries

If you know who I work for (for whom I work), and you have thoroughly read Thursday's press release, then you'll know that borrowing money from an investor to finance operations while continuing forward with your huge, ginormous, mind-blowing, innovative, truly amazing strategic initiatives does not mean that a company is a sinking ship.  It means that a company has a plan...a good one...a good plan to continue the turnaround...a plan that includes said company out-performing its competition 3 quarters in a row...a plan that includes the buyback of its dot com to relaunch on April 11...a plan that includes a concept store model that has business leaders and vendors taking notice and getting excited...a plan that includes partnerships that are new and strategic and successful...a plan that has this person very excited to be working for said company at this particular point in time...a plan that will ensure the continued growth and vitality of the company for many many years to come.

Disclaimer:  Everything stated above has been included in prior press releases, in differing wording, of course.  I cannot imagine the word 'ginormous' being used in a press release.

Have Passport, Will Travel

My passport has arrived.  According to the tracking number, it was delivered to my mailbox yesterday, a mere 15 days after I applied for it.  I was fully prepared for it to take up to 6 weeks to arrive, so I am quite pleased.  

I need this passport for a very specific reason:  I won a cruise.  My company held a sales contest for the 4th quarter (fiscal Nov-Jan), and the GMs of the top 40 stores as measured to a particular goal won a cruise on Royal Caribbean.  Four stores in my district made the cut as well as my boss.  We each get to take a guest, and since I'm currently boyfriendless, I invited one of the other GMs who is a friend of mine.  Another GM is also without a significant other, so she invited one of our other GM friends.  We're very excited that all of us get to go on this cruise!

The itinerary is Ft. Lauderdale, Cozumel, Belize, then returning to port in Ft. Lauderdale.  I've been to Ft. Lauderdale before, but I've never been to Cozumel, and I certainly have never been to Belize.  I am very very excited, and the passport's arrival has made it all seem concrete now.

I can't wait to try all the onboard ship activities as well as some sea/shore excursions.  Apparently all the cruise fees, tips, meals, taxes, etc. are covered, but alcohol and activities are not.  

If you've been on a cruise before, I would love to hear your advice.  What did you enjoy doing on the ship?  What should I absolutely make sure that I do?  What should I avoid?  What off-ship activities/excursions did you participate in?  Would you recommend those activities?  I'm willing to try just about anything, so please let me know.  Oh, also, what is the best way to have meals?  Man, oh, man, I want to thoroughly enjoy myself in all aspects on this cruise.  

I'm so excited!  On May 12, I'll be on that ship!

On the Road Again...

I leave in 7 hours for Florida.

Wish me safe travels.

Quick Check-In

I have just returned home after an arduous and harrowing 22-hour drive.  I am alive and well, and my car is fine, though I got a speeding ticket 70 miles from home for doing 75 in a 65.  It's a good thing no one pulled me over in western Arkansas when I was doing 85 in a 65.  There is much good to be said for dry roads.

I have to work in the morning, so this is all for now.

Catch-Up

...And I don't mean the condiment.

Work has consumed me these past few weeks.  I have been preparing for my trainer conference this next week in Michigan, preparing for the training session in Florida the week after, and preparing for a super-boss visit that happened a couple of weeks ago.

The super-boss visit went extremely well, and I learned that super-boss and my boss rated my store as the best of all the stores they visited during the two-day super-visit.  Yay go me.

The Texas Primary is on Tuesday, and for once our state's late Primary actually has an impact on the results.  I know a lot of people who have early-voted and a lot more who are planning to vote who normally never do vote in the Primary, so it will be interesting to learn the results.

My sister works for a company that does market research and polling, and her company's poll shows that Obama will will the TX Primary.  

Early tomorrow morning I leave for Michigan, and I have spent a good deal of energy communicating with and building my trainer team ahead of this conference so that we can be an actual team right off the bat and not have to go through that awkward phase where some of us know each other but not everyone does.

But all of that takes a great amount of time, and it's challenging to balance the needs of my store with the needs of the entire zone training program.  I think I've done very well, so far, mostly because I haven't had much rest in the past month or so.  After I get beyond these back-to-back weeks of being out of the store and traveling, I think it will get less complicated for a while.  

Altogether, I am loving the challenge of handling all this and am thankful that my year isn't dull or boring. 

It may be a couple of weeks before I can post again, so have fun.