The Whirlwind Trip

I'm back! It was a fast, short, full, and exhausting trip that I haven't had a chance to recover from, but I'm very glad I got to go. I was able to not only observe and learn how things are done, but also jump in and help. I spent most of my time working at the registration desk, and I did a lot of different things. The attendees were mostly hospital CFOs and vendors who were trying to sell stuff to the CFOs. Most of them were nice, but there were a few strange people like the lawyer who was walking around with a piece of junk mail he'd received that had the words, "I JUST WANT TO BE CREMATED." I guess he thought it was a good conversation starter. Oh, and then there was the, uh, person who'd had a sex change. Yikes.

The conference was held at a nice hotel in Fort Worth. Our conference was in the Grand Ballroom. I felt a little like a country girl who'd gone to a palace, but I tried not to look like someone who'd never stayed in such a nice hotel before. I did take pictures of my room, though! Maybe I'll post some tonight. Or maybe I'll just go to bed as soon as I get home since I've been experiencing fuzzy thinking due to my sleep-deprived brain.

I've decided I need two things if I'm going to continue in this business: a sharp-looking but very warm jacket for the frigid meeting rooms, and a laptop case with WHEELS. Maybe I'll go shopping for one next week when I'm finished with my current job (my last is Friday!) and I've had a chance to sleep for a day or two.

Business Trip

I'm off on my first ever business trip this weekend, which should be an interesting adventure. It'll be a flight, a taxi ride, a two-night stay in a three-star hotel, the whole nine yards. It's for a new job I'm starting working for an administrative services firm. Part of what they do is organize conferences and be on site to handle registration and make sure everything runs smoothly. I'm going in order to tag along and learn the ropes. I'll let you know how it turns out, and if they put a chocolate on my pillow, I'll be sure to take a picture of it.

My Evil Side Comes Out

I was looking through a catalog last night, and it became entertaining when I found this doormat:
Someday, I'm going to have a charming house with a big, inviting wooden porch, a bay window, a porch swing, and this doormat....

...or maybe not. We'll see.

????????

Divided House

I saw a car on my way to work this morning with two bumper stickers. One said:

Texas Aggie Grandmother

and the other said:

I'm a Longhorn Grandma

I wonder if she's pleasing everybody or nobody.

Wireless Networking Blues

I've decided to set up a wireless network at my house, and so far, the score is Computer: 1, Katie: 0. The supposedly simple network that I'm trying to set up is made more complex by the fact that our main desktop is old and doesn't have a wireless card or an ethernet connection. So, I pretty much ignored the router setup instructions and used my laptop to configure the router. Then, I unhooked my laptop and tried to access the wireless connection, which did not work (of course). Oh, the wireless network is floating around out there, just like all the others in the neighborhood, but it won't let me in.

I'm sure all you network experts out there are laughing your heads off, but go ahead. I'll figure this out if it kills me! I will not be undone by a computer! I'll have to make a trip to the computer store and get some parts, then maybe I'll be able to follow the instructions on the second round.

One thing's for sure: I know I worked on the problem too long before calling it a night because I had a dream about internet connection properties windows. Yikes; I don't even usually remember my dreams.

Focusing on the Lord in the Dizziness of Life

I read an article yesterday that included this paragraph:

"Seeking approval from everyone in our orbit is akin to the nauseating dizziness a dancer experiences when she does not keep her eyes on one object as she twirls. Just as dancers are taught to spot, Christians are also taught by God's Word to spot. The Bible tells us that we are to keep our eyes on the Lord and seek His approval only."

Being a dancer, I know exactly what this author was talking about. The world can be whirling around you, but if you focus on a steady spot, you won't lose balance or feel sick. This analogy was a good reminder for me, because I tend to fear the people around me and lose my focus of living only for the Lord. I need to stop concentrating on myself and on the crazy world spinning around me, and trust that the Lord will guide me safely if I keep my focus fixed on him.

The Best T-shirt Ever!!

I spotted someone at the pizza shop yesterday who was wearing a shirt with these words:

Who are you, and why are you reading my shirt?

Flying

We've been learning a fun new dance for a performance later this month. It's so much fun because I get to fly! Here's a picture of some other people doing it:


It's really not as hard as it looks. In fact, when the guys start running, it's easier to fly than to not fly. I will admit though, I got the timing wrong the first time, didn't lift my feet soon enough, and started screaming! Since I wasn't hurt, (just scared), everybody was laughing. Yeah, I really am the comic relief everywhere I go!

Time to Go Shopping!

My new Pampered Chef website is up. Yay!

Remembering

Success!!

I had my first Pampered Chef party yesterday, and it went very well in spite of the fact that my director couldn't come and I forgot a bunch of stuff that I was supposed to say! My guests seemed to enjoy it though, I had fun, and there were no catastrophes. There were only minor mistakes and mishaps that just made it all light-hearted and fun. I was laughing along with everybody when I did stuff like shred the cheese onto the floor! It started turning into a comedy act and I was thinking, "This really wasn't supposed to be this funny!" Oh well, I had fun anyway, and sold a bunch of stuff, so I suppose it was a success. Whew!!

Pleasure and Pain

I seem to have hazardous hobbies. I keep getting a blister from playing the bass, and now I have a bruised foot from doing a lift/jump move in a dance. (I came down a little too hard on a tile floor.)

Ouch!

The Happy Bookworm

My sister just started a blog! Everybody stop by and say "Hi!"

Having Trouble Keeping up With My Own Life

Word to the wise: don't change jobs, start two businesses, join the Bible study and praise team at church, and begin a dance performance season all in the same month. It's entirely too much to think about.

Observation

I find it interesting that a lot of fast-food places are trying to come up with a healthier image by offering salads, wraps, and tons of nutritional info, while Dairy Queen seems to be full steam ahead with the salt, sugar, and grease. They are now advertising the Texas Chili-Cheese Beltbuster. The name says it all, but if you want a picture, here you go.

Answers

At the suggestion of my mother, I'm now giving the answers to all the questions I asked on Friday. After having the weekend to calm down and think things over, here's what I have so far:

Why do I have a crushing feeling that I must prove myself successful to people who seem to be counting on my failure? Because I don't want people to think I'm a loser, which is based on pride, but on the other hand, I'm really not a loser and shouldn't think of myself that way.
What is success anyway? It's being obedient to whatever God calls you to do.
If you try something and fail, does it mean you never should have started? Not at all. Experience is always valuable, and we have no way of knowing how God will use our efforts and experiences in ways we may never see.
Why do people seem to think that because I'm trying several things at once I'm aimless and don't know what I want? Because they don't have the whole picture and may jump to conclusions. But it doesn't really matter that much.
How come it backfires when I tell people only the part of my story they need to know? Same thing, too much jumping to conclusions. It's often just miscommunication.
Do I really have to share all my ideas and ambitions with everybody, especially when I know they won't like it? I shouldn't feel like I have to share things I'm not comfortable sharing, but I also shouldn't be afraid to share my ideas just because people may not like it.
How can I stop caring so much what people think? Just do it! (with the Lord's help, of course)
Isn't it a good thing to get out of my comfort zone and push myself to try something that doesn't necessarily come naturally? Absolutely. How else will I learn and grow? Besides, almost everyone who goes against the flow faces naysayers.
Why does everyone seem to be so wrapped up in how much money a person makes? That mentality has completely taken over our culture, and even most believers have been sucked in.
Why can't I think of all the stuff I want to say until after the opportunity is gone? Maybe I just have insufficient cleverness, or maybe if I stopped caring so much about what people were thinking about me, I could think more clearly and be able to articulate better. I think I need to practice.

The Questions I'm Asking Myself Today

Why do I have a crushing feeling that I must prove myself successful to people who seem to be counting on my failure?
What is success anyway?
If you try something and fail, does it mean you never should have started?
Why do people seem to think that because I'm trying several things at once I'm aimless and don't know what I want?
How come it backfires when I tell people only the part of my story they need to know?
Do I really have to share all my ideas and ambitions with everybody, especially when I know they won't like it?
How can I stop caring so much what people think?
Isn't it a good thing to get out of my comfort zone and push myself to try something that doesn't necessarily come naturally?
Why does everyone seem to be so wrapped up in how much money a person makes?
Why can't I think of all the stuff I want to say until after the opportunity is gone?