The Belly Button was Successful!

It feels great to say that I have had one of the best weeks in a long long time!

It started out by flying to see Spurs & Napster in the Belly Button of America on Saturday! This place may suck, but they make it cool! You can read the past few posts as proof of what a great time we had. You know those friends that you don't have to have plans to have fun and enjoy yourselves...it's just their company that is great? Yea...that's them! My stomach still hurts from laughing so much!

Then it was off to work. I was dreading this part of the trip. Each time I've been here before for work, nothing was accomplished and everyone got on my nerves!

Not this time! It was the best. Monday night, I got to spend a couple of hours with my former boss from 2 years ago. We got to have a few several drinks and catch up! Sucks that we work for the same company and rarely get to see her! We'll have to fix that!

Tuesday we had an all day class with one of my mentors. It was a class I asked for a copule of months ago...and it actually happened...I was very impressed! It set me up to make a huge difference in my position here with the company. Plus, I always learn SO MUCH from her!

That evening, my department of 5 others and the person that gave us this class went to dinner at a BBQ joint. As I will admit, it wasn't as good as usual...I was happy getting to play with my boss's 3 month old beautiful little girl. We played pass the baby. She got fussy with everyone but me. Hehe...I'll admit, that was cool! So I got to hold and play with her until everyone was done with dinner.

Then it was off for bowling for a team builder! The more I drank...the better I got! Seriously! My first 3 balls were big fat goose eggs. My second game, after 4-5 Smirnoff Ices and a shot of tequila, ended up being a 146. I made a goof out of myself racing with others to the foul line and shot putting the ball down the lane. Good times! We even got to play a little table soccer.

I wanted to do a tequila shot with the newbie. One of the other gals went home, and the others couldn't or wouldn't do a shot of alcohol. So...they did a shot of club soda while the newbie and I did tequila! No alcohol needed for some fun shots!

The next day was more organization of our training program, divvying up tasks and building a great foundation for the program; what I've been looking for for so long! It was a successful day!

That night, we all went to my bosses for dinner for chicken, company and singing! I got to spend more time with the little cutie pie! While we were all sitting in the living room and my boss and her hubby were singing, I was holding the little baby. Right after the second song...the baby peed all in my lap (through her diaper). It was actually quite funny (I've had 2 baby sisters). So, I got a pair of sweatpants from my boss and got to go back to the hotel in heels, blue sweat pants and a sleeveless blouse! I was a fashion statement from hell!

Today, was the most stressful but most rewarding of the days! Really good debate on what was necessary, realigning where we needed to be on some projects and learning about each other's strengths!

My results? I found out I'm on the verge of being too creative (I would have never guessed that...neither would anyone I know I would think...). As for my top strenghts...

Profit conscious in a management role

Willingness to work with all types of people

Controlled work approach

Ability to learn the business

Attention to detail

Produce Excellent Results

Accept Responsibility

Ability to direct and control others

Commit time and effort to ensure success

Sales Ambition

So needless to say, I felt this made me look pretty good to the department and company. These results go up to the head of our HR department.

By the end of the day, my brain was sore. But it was a good sore...like a good work out at the gym!!

I had a great conversation with my boss after the meeting where she reaffirmed my positive role with the team and I was able to give her my feelings on the direction of our department. Great finale to a long but successful week!

I got to see Napster for dinner one last time before I left (Spurs is still sick :-( ). Man it sucks that she's half the country away!

So now it's off to packing for my trip home tomorrow. I feel like this is such a great turning point in my job and my life.

There's a lot of stuff here that is boring...I know! But I feel like I post such negative crap all the time...it was time to show that some great things were happening!