Working It Out

Oh you just gotta love Facebook. Can I just tell you, for as much as I despise reading some of the things people post on their pages (and the "every other second" status updates), it allows me to stay connected to some great folks that I wouldn't stay connected to otherwise. So I'm starting this off with a shout out to FB. Enough of that - I've had a very grueling several weeks. Most of it has been due to work. I've had at least five major crisis' in that timespan - most related to things going wrong with the product I have in stores. I have been trying to look at it as an opportunity to show my resilience but let's be honest, some days I just want to scream. At least twice in the past 7 days I've told my analyst "if you have bad news, don't tell me until tomorrow - I can't handle any more bad news today." Of course he just looks at me, laughs and proceeds to tell me anyway. I think my stress level is through the roof. So if I've been MIA lately...that is why (sorry, no wild, crazy, fun happenings going on...just me and my work). One of my friends asked me if I had attended a recent fashion show here in the Twin Cities (of course not - when have I had time for a fashion show??), and when I said no, he gave me the "oh my goodness??? You actually missed a premier fashion event - what is the world coming to???" Ok first of all, the word "premier" should never be used with a fashion event in this city. And secondly, my life does not revolve around fashion (ok, my paycheck maybe, but not my entire life). So clearly I haven't been up to much outside of work. The one eventful thing I did recently was go to a Minnesota Rollergirls game. If you're wondering who they are (as I was when I was first presented with the opportunity to go), they are a professional all girls Roller Derby league. And, if like me, you were wondering what on earth is roller derby, let me explain. Basically there are two teams who compete against one another and each team's players skate around the rink trying to keep the opposite team's lead player from passing them. They do this by elbowing, nudging, and sometimes blatantly pushing the opponents out of their way (I would love playing this sport). It's not excessively violent though. Apparently there is a movie out in theaters right now about this sport called "Whip It" (I haven't seen it but I'm planning to). I went with my friends Manja and Liz, and expected it to be ridiculously lame but it was actually pretty entertaining. We each came up with our own Rollergirl names, and mine was "Killa K" (if that gives you any indication of the actual players' names). One of the players came up to us in between tournaments (we happened to be sitting two rows behind her boyfriend) and actually took time to explain to us the rules of the game (b/c yes, I watched an entire tournament and was still wondering "how on earth does this sport work???"). She said she got involved with it after she had come to see a few tournaments. She emailed the organizations and they sent her to a boot camp for roller derby (hilarious!). After she completed boot camp, there was a tryout for the team and she made it. Amazing. Only in Minnesota.
This Saturday, I was supposed to volunteer for a Habitat for Humanity project with the Young Professionals of the Twin Cities (YPOTC), but then I found out that it required being outside all day. Ummm yeah, not in this city. I don't plan to be outside all day for anything in this city unless it is between the months of June and August. So now my weekend is open. I am trying to pull together a celebration for Jjais' birthday (which is today, and which I only found out about when I logged onto FB even though I talk to her or see her at least once a week - I can't even be mad b/c I don't tell nobody when my birthday is coming up, lol). Since I don't celebrate Halloween I won't be out at any parties. Oh yeah, on Thursday I'm going to an Andover alumni event at the Minneapolis Institute of the Arts with Jjais sponsored by my high school's Twin Cities alumni chapter. There's supposed to be a private event and a viewing of the "The Louvre and the Masterpiece" exhibit which should be interesting. We both have been wanting to go to one of their events for ages and this one seemed to fit both of our schedules. I'll let you all know how it goes. Until later....