Those Darn Work Personality Tests

I'll admit I am an extrovert. Big, giant, E for this working Mpls woman. And while it's very all fine and good these workplace test that want to put you into categories in boxes, my dolphin is outraged and it's in full effect. Watch out world, particularly South where I am writing this afternoon.

Have you taken the "what time of animal are you in the workplace test?" Well if not, here's your chance. Oddly enough I am either a Dolphin or a Horse. And I feel like both at this very moment. a Horphin, perhaps?

I'm just rambling for the sake of rambling and because I am annoyed. Wishing there was more of an interesting twist on that statement, but it's November pre-Thanksgiving, where it gets cold and work piles up and we are often left in Minnesota thinking, why do you we like it here? But than T-Day happens and we become Thankful for all our Minnesota goodness, stoicism, sarcasm and passive aggressive tendencies. There's a reason why we humbly think we are better than the other 50 states. It's or MinnE spirit.

Queen of Slack

This could be a bit of a rant. But WTH? I feel like the queen of slack lately, who is co-habitating, (not a word I realize, but you get the drift) in a den of slack. And it's not because I am slacking at work. In fact it's the opposite, I feel like I am slacking in the other aspects of my life, particularly this site, as well as the other enjoyable writing projects I have.

Balance. It's always been my issue - the work life/personal life balance. Because, as confident as the sounds, most of the coworkers I've had and currently have, like me. Granted I can be a bit obnoxious, over-the-top and annoying, but I'm usually enjoyed in a group of people because of being able to relate well to others.

And this morning while taking the train to work I was conversing in ASL with man who is deaf. He was telling me about how he was raising money for himself and nine other people so they can go to Little Rock and rebuild a deaf community center. Granted we were conversing in ASL, which I'm still a little rusty at, since I haven't had to use it since college, but that feeling of connecting with someone out of a honest, pure connection to help, I miss that.

Being a PR person and working in marketing, I struggle with the paradox of shaping info for the best possible good. And it's a day-to-day decision and something that can be tiring. But talking with that man today, there weren't any strings attached. He was simply sharing a story, I was listening and trying to help. And that spirit of that conversation, those are the things us individuals have to tap into. It's easy to place a "think globally, live locally" bumpersticker on a car and think you are making a difference.

But it's the little things. Like smiling to a stranger. Listening to someone. I know we have become desensitized to homeless people begging on the street, and murders of kids in North Mpls, but can't we all pick up the slack in our small ways? Instead of simply slacking, placing blame or ignoring situations.

Hold On Today for Hold Steady Tonight

I scream! Whoever said something along the lines of "making a living is not to be confused with making a life," well that statement has been rininging true a lot lately. Sure work has been 60+ hours the last month or so. And soon it's on the "agenda" for me to lead a meeting about our internal communication process. Quite frankly, I am going to bring in a third-party source to contact this. It's the stategist in me. But even though there has been lots of pressure, stress and unreasonable deadlines. And even though I still have five boxes placed in my living room still waiting to be put away. And today is the beginning of NaNoWriMo, something I've wanted to participate in the last two years but haven't had the time. Today will be a great day.

Today will be great even though I will be missing a Wild game that I could watch from the friendly confines of my own sofa. I will also be missing Grey's Anatomy (which BTW at the cliff hanger of last year, there were three climbers brought in and another who was supposedly "dead". What happened to this story line? It has yet to be discussed. Writers of the show, please explain? And don't give us viewers the excuse of the turmoil following Dr. Burke's exit from the show.) Back to the rant, I'll be missing Grey's, which is ok. Plus mid season three and most of season four as been a let down. All of the crap of compiled daily living adds up to being at tonight's HOLD STEADY show, 10 rows back and being there for FREE!

It's days like the last several weeks that make me appreciate the band, not just Finn, more. Label it what you'd like, but I'm a sucker for Hold Steady. And the fact I get to see them tonight on the wake of six-weeks of intense stress, will be nothing short of FANTASTIC! Even if they don't play certain faves of mine, and even if I get the obnoxious 6'5 bald man in front of me who won't put his arms down the entire show, that will not bother me. It's about the music.

And because I am me, and have a pop culture reference for nearly anything, I will be singing to myself the obnoxious Wilson Philips song "hold on for one more day" as the countdown to Hold Steady takes place.

12 hours and counting .......

Great inventions

I know I take the world I live in for granted. I think most of us do. I have been involved in making a new Web site for work. I am not a programmer. I am not a designer. I am a marketer and a PR bitch, that is how I self-identify.

But this morning I found myself thinking about inventions that I take for granted everyday. Sure Edison gets credited for the light bulb. And Al Gore thinks he created the Internet, but what are inventions that people can't live without?

I'm a fan of ATM machines and subways or other underground traffic ....

List your in all varieties.

The Agony of Being a Sporting Fan (reality vs. fantasty)

It's October. Which gets labeled "Roctober" seemingly by everyone in marketing these days, however October is the best month for sports. However I have been finding myself conflicted.

Let's start with baseball. In March 07, I predicted the Indians to be in the World Series. And as they took a 3-1 lead, I didn't want the Indians to win Game 5. Heck I didn't even want them to win Game 6. However as Game 7 I was totally torn. To go with my early prediction pick, or to be a second-tier Red Sox fan. I say second-tier because I always root for MinnE teams FIRST AND FOREMOST then Boston teams. Although with all MinnE players heading to Boston, it's messing with my reasoning. I don't know if I should be mad at Boston or except the fact that they can pay MinnE players big bucks. Sidenote: I'm totally rooting for Jacoby Ellsbury so that the Red Sox choose to not make an offer for Torii. But that's besides the point.

Let's just say Game 7, I found myself swept up in the virtual components of Red Sox nation. Because I believe in momentum and I think Red Sox vs. Rockies will be more entertaining than Indians vs. Rockies.

I digress. And stop the tangent. Here's the point. Between all fantasty sports these days and reality sports, I find my allegiances are a bit confused. Take Game 7 of ALCS. If I threw this bet down in Vegas -- Indians to reach World Series in March -- I sure as heck would be rooting for the Indians to not choke. Money would be invovled. But since it's just bragging rights, and at least I picked a team potentially correctly to get to the World Series, I'm already looking good over most of my male friends. But then, there is the second-tier Boston fan thing that makes me want to root for all thing Boston, when appropriate.

I know this isn't just me. Fantasty football has done that to thousands of folks. And your team can even conflict itself. Say you had Packer D and LT and their previous match up this season, people found themselves rooting for AND against themselves. Packers D should stop everything, except don't strip the ball from LT and let him at least rack up 100 yards.

So in all of this reality sports and fantasty sports, while I argue they make us (the mildly-obsessed fan) engaged more -- they also make us more competative, and occassionally more competative with ourselves or our allegiances.

Growing up, my family thought I was going to try and be a sports writer. Sure enough, I went to journalism school, but the thought of being a sports writer was something I never took seriously. Because it was too much of my passion and I didn't want the "business" aspect of things to ruin my love of sports. And in a little twist of coincidence, I find myself on the marketing/community relations aspect of things working with the business people of the local Twin Cities sports teams to create "partnerships."

And you know what, I wouldn't trade any of it. Because being a sports writer might have been the death of me at 32 from stress and quite frankly I want more out of the life than the next five years. I want a championship to come to MinnE and not be stripped down or a scandal. So I'm wagering the best bet will be .......
The Wild.
(now that is a REALITY not a FANTASTY prediction.)

A Weekend in the Sporting Life

"I woke up/Got out of bed/Dragged a comb across my head/Found a way ...."

Love that song. Great Beatles song. Prolly in my Top Five. The ALCS is about to start. Damn, I can't stand Buck and McCarver. So freakin' annoying. I can't decide who I would want to kill first --- John Madden or McCaver. Hell, at this point it could be Joe Buck. And to think like 8 years ago I thought Joe Buck had the chance to be a cool announcer like his father.

Wow, was I wrong. Complete and utter douche bag.

And it was a rough sporting weekend if you're a MinnE sports fan. First the Bison game. Although, really is anyone paying attention to Gopher Football? Just like no one is paying attention to Gopher Hoops or T-wolves.

Second, Golden Lads on Ice are SWEPT by CC. Swept. That hurts. Granted, I , a homer for Gopher Hockey, realize it's a rebuilding year, but the Gophs are usually good at coughing up a Friday night game and playing hard and winning on Saturday, avoiding the sweep. Oh well. Luckily it's only October and I still have tons of faith in Lucia, and even though I can't stand the comparison of Gopher Hockey to being the Yankees of College Hockey, I'm sound that Maturi will have to have a DARN good reason to get rid of Lucia. And I don't see Lucia walking away from this dream gig, EVER. Unless his daughter Ally, who someone how got a gig on FSN is involved in a sex scandal or an Anne Hutchinson in the locker room.

The Viking. Well, as long as Chilly is around, I have a hard time getting excited for Vikings games. But they were playing Dallas and it was good to see The Barbarian.

Kevin Millar gets to throw the ceremonial pitch for The Red Sox. He just oopsed Ellsbury. Hey Cowboy Up man, it's JacobY not Jacob. But whatever. Did I miss something, wasn't Millar playing for the Orioles this year? And he just threw out the ceremonial first pitch for Red Sox.....right?

The Wild. Thank God for The Wild. Otherwise it could be a more than depressing year for sports fans in MinnE ......although perspective check at least I'm not an Oakland fan or a Royals fan.........

And I'm leading this week in RandBall. I'm sure I just jinxed myself by typing that, but if the Red Sox could be the curse in 04, then I'll take my chances.

Stress and Venting

A whole plethora of work because other people's lack of planning is apparently an "emergency."
Maybe writing over the weekend that isn't snatchy. Cheers to go ALCS game Six.
Speechless and Over-Worked in MPLS