Take Away 70 - Wrapping Up January 2012

Goodbye to another January. I'll see you again soon. It has been a long month but I survived. As difficult as winter months can be for me, I know the payoff is coming soon.  Last year about this time, we were seriously considering moving back to Arizona. A quick, crazy winter road trip in February to Phoenix (see The Death of An Idea) nipped that notion in the bud. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that Phoenix is sounding good right about now. 

I'm heading for a weekend getaway to Seattle this Friday to visit a friend. I checked the forecast and it's going to be sunny there!  Sunny in Seattle? Who needs Phoenix?

TAKE AWAY: Although I'm a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl,

it's smart for me to make plans for January and February. 

I really need something to look forward to.  

• Take Away 69 - Weekends
• Take Away 68 - Overtime
• Take Away 67 - Write It Down
• Take Away 66 - Full Circles
• Take Away 65 - Appreciation
• Take Away 64 - Nothing to Take Away
• Take Away 63 - Buddy Up
• Take Away 62 - Bugaboos
• Take Away 61 - Nobody Cares
• Take Away 60 - Road Trip 101
• Take Away 60 - Pleasant Surprises
• Take Away 59 - Ask the Questions
• Take Away 58 - The Best Intentions
• Take Away 57 - The Work Week
• Take Away 56 - Make Time and Space for Friends
• Take Away 55 - Attitude Adjustments

Take Away 69 - Weekends

I am a person who really likes to work.  That's no lie. I love the structure of a work day, the people I work with, and right now I'm loving the work I'm doing.  Having said all that, when I get up on Monday morning, I always wish I had just one more day off.  That always makes me laugh a little. The truth is when I'm working, I'm looking forward to time off. When I have too much time off, I'm looking forward to going back to work.  That's just me.

TAKE AWAY: I'm right where I'm supposed to me.

Happy Monday everybody!  

Take Away 68 - Overtime

I got to work 6 hours of overtime today. It was sweet! Those of us who chose to work decided to go in at 5:00 a.m to 11:00 a.m.  I was surprised by how productive I was with no background noise or distractions.  It helped knowing I was making enough to cover my r/t bus ticket to Seattle next weekend.  And, because I started so early today I still have lots of weekend left.  Overtime?  Sign me up, baby!

TAKE AWAY:  I have an idea for something I'd like to 

buy with any future overtime.

Take Away 67 - Write It Down

• Don't you just love lists?
• Do you make lists?
• What kind of things do you put on your lists?
• I've discovered my lists are different depending on the season of the year.
• Right now, my lists are not very concrete.
• Just ideas and musings and a little bit of "to do's".
• In the summer, my lists are way more detailed and focused.
• Hmmm

TAKE AWAY: I forget I have a little button on my blogger that 
allows me to make bullets.

I love lists with bullets! 

Take Away 66 - Full Circles

Today I saw a photograph of a co-worker's daughter whom she has not yet held in her arms. She is in the process of adopting a 10 month old baby girl who was found abandoned in an apartment in China. I got goosebumps as I ventured over to her cubicle to sit down for a few minutes to hear about her. After 5 years of being on a waiting list, she found out yesterday that she and her husband will be traveling to China in about 8 to 10 weeks to get her. She was overwhelmed with happiness!  It was nice to be on this end of things. I was adopted some 50+ years ago. I went back to my desk and thought about my own parents and what it must have been like for them when they discovered my sister and I were available for adoption. 

TAKE AWAY: Life has a funny way of bringing me full circle. 

What a joy for me to witness! 

Take Away 65 - Appreciation

I had not been to the theater to see a *movie on the big screen for over a year, until today. I think the last movie we saw on the big screen was "Unstoppable" last year (Nov. 2011). It isn't that I don't love going to movies more than just about anything else. It's the time factor. I feel like there are so many other things to do that it's hard to give up a couple of hours to go sit in a chair. Having said that, I felt the excitement of sitting in the comfy theater chair today with the surround sound speakers turned up and the vivid colors on the screen. I'm not sure I would have appreciated it so much if it hadn't been so long since the last time.

TAKE AWAY: There are some things that just do it for me. 

I love going to the movies! 

* "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo". It is a dark, demented, well-acted movie in my humble opinion. It was hard to watch in some places. Not for the faint of heart. 

Take Away 64 - Nothing to Take Away

We were released from work at noon today due to some horrendous winter driving conditions. I got up, got showered, went to work for 1/2 day and then home.  I truly can't think of one take away today.  Sad, isn't it? (shakes head and laughs) 

TAKE AWAY: Some days are just ho-hum. 

Thank goodness not all days are

like this.