It´s been a few months, hu? Life seems to
have gotten away from me these last few months. Life has been good and full of
all sorts of activities. Let me see what I can recount for you.
My interim position in the Marketing
Department was full of learning lessons. Sometimes I felt that it was more
learning than I anticipated. It allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of
culture/flow of the company for which I work. I built and deepened many
relationships from the retail to regional HQ, area HQ and even up to the
company HQ. I have been able to diversify my portfolio of experiences within my
company and feel I am a better worker because of it. I am not sure if I am
called to strike up a career in marketing, however.
Above all other reasons, this 3 month experience
was a success because I was able to determine that I am excited most and
perform the best when I am able to create and then analyze. Most would think
that I could do this in marketing. While that is true, it is highly subjective.
I am coming to the conclusion that I will most enjoy a career in finance. I get
to create reports, analyze the data and make appropriate recommendations for
the direction of business. The reports are objective – numbers are black and
white, right or wrong – and I will be able to easily self-analyze and guide
myself without being so reliant on others for assistance. That is appealing to
me. I have been in touch with the Finance Associate Director so hopefully
another opportunity will come my way.
Near the beginning of my interim
assignment, I decided to go out for lunch by myself as my colleagues were all
busy. I debated on where to go but settled on a yummy Thai house across town. I
laughed to myself on the drive there as I thought it would be funny to run into
P coincidentally, as it was a restaurant he introduced me to. I dismissed it
quickly as the amount of variables that would have to align to make that
situation possible were vast. I arrive and as I am seated, I spot some of P´s
coworkers and then P! After recounting my thoughts on the drive there, no one
could believe that it actually happened. They invited me to sit with them so I
enjoyed lunch with good company after all!
My trip home over Easter was enjoyable. I
was able to catch up with many people, even friends from high school. It was
then that I learned that pineapple stops heartburn. Imagine that! Papaya works,
too. Also, if you eat whole papaya seeds, they work as a natural laxative/intestine
cleaner. It almost makes me wish my mom fed me those as a kid instead of all
those beans! They taste much better. Even MORE interesting fun facts, if you
eat a few papaya seeds with a spoonful of honey, it typically kills any
parasites living inside you. Needless to say, this trip home was
knowledge-packed.
This spring, P and I both bought bikes. My
bike is obnoxiously girly and I love it. It is a more relaxed, up-right styled
bike with a low, curvy front bar. I also bought two deep brown leather (look
like wicker, though) baskets that attach to each side of my back wheel. It is
fantastic! We went on our first bike ride that day and went 6.5 miles with an
awesome picnic lunch over looking the Fox River. We really enjoyed it. We would
have gone farther but a storm was brewing so we went back to his house.
P took me to my first Cubs game! It was no
ordinary Cubs game, it was a Sox/Cubs game at that. I thoroughly enjoyed
Wrigley Field and the time with P, even though the Cubs lost by 3. We decided
to skip the long bus lines back to the train and walk the 3 miles, as stated on
the posted signs. It was a beautiful night so we thought we would take
advantage of it. P tracked the walk on his phone and it turned out to be a 5
mile walk. Needless to say, we were both tuckered out that night.
Mrs. B, her husband and cub came to visit
Chicago a few weeks ago. I was able to hop on a train downtown for a few hours
after work one night. It was wonderful to catch up with all of them over a Chicago favorite -- deep dish pizza!
I have officially had one of my first
unabashedly “adult moments.” No no, not to worry, this is an entirely
appropriate story. There are a number of neighborhood kids who gather behind my
apartment in the evenings to kick a few balls around. It never fails that once
a night, one of their balls lands on my balcony. I have managed to convince
them not to jump through the window on the roof to my balcony so I typically
get a feverishly excited knock on my door when they need the ball back. Instead
of answering, I know to just go to my balcony and throw the ball back. The
other night, one of the little boys shouted “Eh, Jaime! The woman upstairs gave
it back to us already. C´mon back!” Yep, I am officially known as “the woman
upstairs.” Beautiful.
Yesterday, I planted my very own veggie
garden!! I am very excited. Frecks and Wally (I am watching him again) were very
curious when I was setting everything up. Frecks cautiously poked her nose into
everything while Wally just rolled everywhere, jajaja. They seem to really
enjoy the garden because it gives them something to investigate and hide behind
as they check out the birds, squirrels, bugs and kids in the area. I like it
because I am more productive, it keeps the kitties distracted from jumping to
the nearby rooftop and I cannot wait to cook with the fresh veggies. I planted
zucchini, cucumbers, 2 string beans, bush tomatoes, red/orange & jalapeño
peppers. Mmm, yummy!
Until next time - and I promise ´next time´ won´t be 3 months from now!
