it started with the final planning and execution of my last event of the year -- our biannual all employee meeting. with a few added elements, this was our most 'complicated' employee meeting yet, and, to add insult to injury, i was also tasked with presenting.
those who know me well know that speaking in front of people is my all-time greatest fear. it's a nausea inducing fear that i try to avoid at all costs. not to mention that there were a thousand moving parts (usually by me) that had to be handled while i was supposed to be on the stage in front of my 500 co-workers.
the good news is that it all went off without a hitch. and, i even learned yesterday that in the post-event survey sent to employees, my presentation ranked the highest of the event. while i'm pleased and grateful for the result, i'm mostly just glad it's over!
fortunately the first couple of weeks weren't all fear and nausea. my friend vicki invited me to join her at a minor league hockey game, where i had my first 'up against the glass' experience.
and i joined my roommate and another friend in los angeles for las posadas on olvera street. not only was this my first time using the metro here (i still can't believe there is one), but it was also an interesting educational experience. the event commemorates the journey of mary and joseph from nazareth to bethlehem, and their search for shelter. there were pinatas, and nativities, and singing. and, there were churros. i don't know that i would do it again, but it was a new an interesting experience.
only a couple of days after my big work event, i headed to savannah, georgia.
in november, i received a job offer from a company based there. the offer was completely unexpected and created a lot a lot of internal conflict. on one hand, i would really like to be back east, closer to my family. on the other, i just wasn't sure savannah would be a good fit for me.
my long weekend there was a bit of a rough one (travel problems, terrible weather), but ultimately it confirmed what i had already begun to feel. the job would have been a good fit, as would most of the people. but the city...is great for being a tourist in, but not to live in. at least not for me.
the decision was not an easy one, and it occupied the majority of my free-thinking time in november and early december. but turning it down also made me realize that i'm not ready to leave california just yet. and there is a certain peace in that.
only a few days after returning from georgia, i was back on the east coast. only this time, it was to meet my brand new niece and spend the week with my family.
usually my visits home involve a lot of going and seeing. visiting with old friends, undertaking various activities. this trip though, we all just kind of hunkered down and spent the week with each other. and it was perfectly lovely.
it nearly kills me to have say goodbye each time, and i still wish i could snuggle in with the new baby, but i was back just before new year's to celebrate in california for the first time.
despite my reservations, i opted for the big local mid-singles celebration. and, while i have nothing exciting to report, it was an enjoyable evening spent with friends, which is really all i could ask for.
back at work now i'm trying to get up to full speed preparing for my biggest conference of the year, while managing a nasty sinus infection.
at this rate i have a feeling that my next post will appear in february and i'll be talking about how quickly january flew by. seems to just be the way things go these days!
