Time to get involved!

I have a formal industry event the first week of December.  When trawling through the internet, I found the fabulous shoes, and they were the last ones, and they were my size, and they were on-sale.  So, I ordered them.

When they came, I was so happy, they fit, they were comfortable and even more gorgeous than pictured.  I decided these shoes needed a new frock.  Week after week, boxes came to Christine's house - since the delivery guy is now requiring a signature.  

I would go over and pick up the box in anticipation only to find the dress(es) inside when too big, too weird, too scratchy.  I was losing all hope and decided I could wear the dress I wore last year, but it was long and I preferred a shorter dress because: 

1. Better to see my shoes
2. I feel like a munchkin in a long dress.

In the meantime, I moved my shoes from room to room.  I vacuumed in them, did laundry in them and wore them with my pajamas.  Maggie doesn't like them because I am always saying, don't get hair on my shoes and then hopping around because Thatcher can shoot his hair onto you from across the room.

I got a bit more serious about it and started ordering multiple dresses, and finally last Wednesday, Christine text to say a box had arrived.  I went straight over from work and grabbed the box.

I opened the box and tried them on.  I liked all three and instantly knew I was keeping them - one dress was not purchased to go with the shoes and instead was purchased because it's the same color as my eyes.

I could use a bit of an opinion, so here they are...

I really like this dress.  It is super comfortable; the fringe is fun; it has sleeves and even though I normally do not wear red next to my face, I think woohoo, I like this dress, I don't care if it is wearing me.

Now this dress is ridiculous.  First, is it just me or does the lace look rocks?  It also has sleeves; it very comfortable; is ridiculously sexy - that has to be said, and it looks great with my shoes.

Not only did I find these dresses already discounted, but then I got another 20% off.  I had to call because the code wasn't working, but I did and that's why I am keeping both and the other dress - really it is...

Inspiration

Last Wednesday, I had the most interesting day.   I was asked to give the keynote address at a conference called Woman@Work.  The conference was aimed at girls in the local area that were considering what to do after school so they were 14-16 years old.

As usual, I asked what they wanted me to talk about, and as usual, they said, oh whatever you want.  So I asked what the other presenters were covering, and it was generally their career journey, so I thought I guess I can do that.

I spent a long time creating this very colorful animated presentation, aimed at keeping their interest.  I was thrilled when I found this for my title page.

Aah a visual interpretation of my alter ego: a geologist who never let's anything gets her down because she has dinosaurs in her purse!

I really didn't want to be boring, and I was fairly convinced that if someone like me had come to talk to me at that age I'd have thought...yawn.  

I decided to tell a few stories starting with the story of how I got into geology with a short route through poultry science - this got a very big laugh and I told this story without embellishment (as it really didn't need it) with a picture of me and dad standing between the North American and Eurasian plates.

They seemed interested and they laughed at all the right places and they clapped in a nice way when it was over, even though I ended with a boring slide of advice, which included there are times when parents are right.

It is funny putting something like this together because if you do it right you have to be a bit brave and I like to keep me for me.  But I did my best and was appropriately horrified when I did a run through and ended up in tears.  

Taking questions, I sort of saw myself for the first time as they were genuinely interested in how I had done this, which I had to admit that I am still a bit confused by that myself.

My last piece of advice was never to let the fact that you know nothing about something get in your way of doing - most seemed confused by this, but I saw some very clear lights go on, and I guess that is all you can do.  

When a girl asked me, but how (she wanted SPECIFICS) did you know you could do it, and I said well truthfully I didn't, but my parents always said I could do/be anything I wanted to and I guess in the end, I believed them.

The behind the scenes (a little tab will come up in the video) with the girls in video are also very good; it's SO I WORE PINK...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFpe3Up9T_g

2 peas - bruised, but not beaten

You know they say that dogs and owners start to look like each other after a time, but I think Maggie and I may have taken it a bit too far.

While at Gill's, I had a little accident.  You see, I had put my suitcase in the middle of the room and opened it up.  As I left the room for dinner, I thought that is a really stupid place for your case, but then I shrugged and went to eat.

After dinner and a long chat, I headed to bed.  All ready, I shut to light off and went to climb into bed.  It was at this point that my right foot came into contact with the case throwing me forward and off balance.  

My left leg tried to catch me, but there was no room to move because the case was in the way, so I pitched forward spinning to the left reaching out to catch myself - in the dark.  

Just as my left hand found the floor, my hip, with all my body weight behind it, crashed into the dresser with stark handles for the drawers.  

I was taken aback by how badly it hurt and in fact contemplated laying on the floor and moaning - I've fallen but I can't get up - unfortunately, the case was in the way so I had to go to bed whimpering.  

It has all turned into a fairly glorious bruise, but don't worry it only hurts when I sit down, stand up, walk, and particularly, when I try to pull my trousers on.  I almost took a picture for you, but I thought that was perhaps a step too far.

Two days later, M&Th and I were out walking.  It was cold, but clear and sunny - a great day for a walk.  We were walking by the park, and there was a lady with two kids on the swing set and a grey dog on a leash.  

This dog started barking at Maggie, and she was very excited about this, but since there was a little slate fence between us she knew there was no real danger, and she should just ignore this dog, but it was difficult.  We kept walking our pace, with Maggie looking over her shoulder while contemplating jumping over the little fence for a good fight with this puny dog.

As we kept going, I warned Maggie that we were approaching a street lamp - I did this warning in a clear loud voice with a little, pay attention yank on her leash.  

No more than 15 seconds later, Maggie collided with the street lamp with a really loud clang (I did wonder for a moment if labrador head was any match for a Scottish lamp post), and it sort of knocked her back.  

I burst out laughing, primarily because she looked so confused.  She staggered back to her feet and skirted the street lamp and tried to keep going, but she was clearly a little woozy as she nearly ran into the next street lamp, so we stopped a minute so she could give her head a good shake.  

As I was waiting for Maggie to pull herself together,  I looked over at the playground as the mother and two kid looked on as if I was responsible for this incident.  She just didn't seem to understand that Maggie and I just can't help ourselves.

Watching while being watched

Being Thatched, while watching the Great British Menu.

Good Samaritan

I just returned from a week long tramp around the UK for work.  I spent 4 days in London, then headed up North to Penrith, then down to Bootle and finally a quick stop at Gill's before heading home.

Everything went pretty much as planned until I woke up late on the morning I was headed down to Bootle, primarily because my customer insisted I try several sherry's, which is my own fault as I'd piped up and said what does Sherry taste like?  

It tastes a bit like port, and I found dry sherry nicer than sweet sherry.

So late and a bit fuzzy, I stumbled out into the car park to find my rental car, which had been left for me the day before.  Unfortunately, I couldn't go check it because I arrived in Penrith 5 minutes before my meeting with the customer.

I found it fairly quickly and soon realized that it was not an automatic, and it did not have GPS, both of which I had specifically requested.  I can drive a standard and do so in the US, but my left hand struggles to master a task that my right hand has been doing since I was 16. 

But in the end, I really didn't have much of a choice, so I went in and wrote down directions and headed south.  I made very good time and arrived in Bootle roughly 70 minutes before my meeting.  I used my directions, but none of the street names seemed to be labelled unless you were going the other direction; as if people only needed to know the streets if they were leaving Bootle.  

So I spent many a dangerous moment craning my head to look behind me to see what street I had past.  Finally, accepting I was lost, I pulled over and consulted the map feature on my blackberry, which did not seem to recognize the existence of Bootle.

But I did find the street I thought I was supposed to be on, and I headed in that direction, thinking I was generally going the right way.  As I was looking behind me, I saw that I had past my turn off, so I pulled into a neighborhood and tried to turn around.

It was at this point I should mention that Bootle has a fairly bad reputation and any time someone goes, there are comments about losing the wheels off your car.

I went to whip a u-turn in this fairly run down neighborhood, but didn't make it.  I tried to put the car in reverse,and it would not go.  I tried pushing down on the stick; I tried looking for buttons.  I tried everything.  

I called Gill and then I called the rental car company - who promptly put me on hold - while I was perpendicular on this road.  I pulled forward so cars could get past, and I considered trying to get it up on the curb.  

While I was on hold, a grizzled guy knock on my window - he had his dog with him - a tough little jack russell with a rope for a leash.  He asked if I needed help and I explained I was unable to get my car in reverse.  He said get out he will do it for me; he handed me his dog while he started shouting commands and then several people came out to 'help.'

There was much discussion on how to start these new fangled car, and eventually he was reversing the vehicle.  He had me get in the passenger side and showed me how to reverse the car. By now, there were half a dozen people in the road discussing and observing.  Since I had everyone's undivided attention, I asked for directions, which after consultation - I got turn-by-turn instructions.  

As I was getting in the car, everyone asked me if I was okay and I said yes.  My  good samaritan's final words were, Hon I think you might need a chauffeur.

I arrived 10 minutes before my meeting started; perfectly timed I say.