It's my birthday today! Actually, not only that but it's my golden birthday! And honestly, it sucks. This time of year is all about family and the surrounding holidays and it is exhausting to try and squeeze in something a bit selfish like a birthday celebration. I've learned how to...

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I love Christmas. It's my favorite holiday. I can think of nothing better but time off with my family to eat good food, give and receive gifts, and all the pageantry of the Christmas season like wrapped presents, baking cookies, and putting up the tree. And with it getting dark...

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I am often INsprired by the milestones of those around me and this week is a very special one - my dad is retiring! It is a very exciting milestone and turning point in your life when those you love retire and can leave the stresses of work behind and...

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Coming back from a first trip to Europe definitely leaves you a bit jet lagged. It took us nearly two weeks to get back onto local time at full brain capacity. It was a very different trip for us as we moved around between 6 cities (Venice, Pisa, Florence, Assisi,...

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I love companies that understand flexible schedules and work locations. Everyone is different and shouldn't have to play by the same rules during every stage of their life. For example, giving new parents the option to work from home is great! To avoid driving in icy weather is great! However,...

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Are you a perfectionist? Are you an addict? Everyone has something that they say "just one more" to. Maybe it is that favorite type of ice cream, that thrill feeling from roller coasters, or setting the perfect table for the once-a-year family gathering. What can you not get enough of...

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I'm in Iowa this week for business! There are so many reasons why I love my job at Tyler, but this week has been a special experience being onsite at the County Office buildings on Election Day with so many of the elected officials. Many people planned late nights to...

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Maybe I am inspired by Freakonomics, but I think one of the most influential factors of women's rights is gay marriage. A couple with two woman or two men means that the traditional roles don't exist. Equality at home and at work is a very different argument because both partners...

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The argument we are preaching is to "change men" and get them to start caring about something that they just don't do [enough of] now. Instead of fighting for work equality, maybe we should encouraging them to join us on our side of the fence. Appeal to their already existing...

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The unconscious bias against women's in the workplace is a subject near and dear to my heart that I know a lot of facts about and have experienced personally on many levels. Honestly we haven't made much progress in the last 40 years. Only 17% woman sit on Fortune 500 boards....

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It isn't all about you. Let me say that again: it isn't all about you. I don't care how good of a driver you are but your headlights purpose is not solely for you to see where you are going at midnight. Your headlights help other people see YOU! So...

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Money is a tough conversation, no matter who with, how much, or what it is being spent on. I always feel like the moment a dollar figure comes into play, things turn serious. Money puts a value on things and whether that is your time, your effort, or someone else's...

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Not unlike many Americans, I am allergic to nickel. Most people discover this when they pierce their ears but for me I guess it must be a pretty high sensitivity because even the metal grommets on the corners of jean pockets make me break out in an itchy terrible rash....

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One of the toughest parts of my new job, or really any job, is talking a client out of something they want. Whether that is a process they don't want to change, a product they don't want to upgrade, or the color of a feature, when you know what you...

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VERY excited for football season this year and also pretty stoked to join my first money pool Fantasy Football league at work. Our draft party was Tuesday and was loads of fun mixed with stress. Next month my team has our quarterly summit and the team collaboration in planning events...

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The past two weekends have been filled with nostalgia and reminiscing at my High School Reunion events and I must say it was an adventure learning about each other again. There are so many things that don't matter as kids that make up who you are now. New things you...

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I took on an ambitious project this summer and maybe I should have taken my own mascara advice here, but it is taking a lot more work (read time and money) than anticipated doing it all by myself so far. But in building a deck, I uncovered a 5-year old...

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As we get older, wiser and more experienced, we often fall into a comfort zone. How can we avoid this monotonous routine in which we forget how to think outside the box? Find something that makes you marvel in wonder. It may seem silly, but I love looking out the...

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People deal with criticism in many different ways. Hearing negative things about you whether it is the hard truth or just plain mean is hard to do. I mean, ignoring it, responding, or redirecting it? Sure you can learn from it, stay positive, and return the favor but nothing seems...

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Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys? by: Billy Crystal I just finished listening to Billy Crystal's autobiography at 65 years old and whether a fan of his comedy or not, I enjoyed his book mainly because of how it made...

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Over the past month I have flown over the Rocky Mountains several times and every time I watch the white peaks roll by with silent awe. They stand so resilient against the harsh climate. The tops of them are always white and you can see how the heavy snow sags...

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Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Dan Heath and Chip Heath One of my favorite quotes about change is: “People don't resist change. They resist being changed.” ― Peter M. Senge This quote rang true in this book in the way it dissects the way people react...

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Everyone has been there. The Internet goes down. Your unsaved work is lost. The application isn't syncing or says it is incompatible. Any number of technical issues come up and if you can't fix them yourself, then it quickly becomes a crisis that involves calling technical support. No one likes...

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Even if you are only getting updates from the Daily Google Doodle, you know that the World Cup 2014 (soccer) is in full swing. It is the biggest sport in the world but I can't help but say that I still prefer American football and am impatiently waiting for September...

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Maybe it is strange finding INspiration in mascara but honestly it can come from anywhere when you aren't looking! Putting on mascara is the final touch to getting ready for the day and the attention it draws to my blue eyes can be transformational. When working a project, transforming something...

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Are you a wino? Or maybe just appreciate the finer things in life? After spending the last few months in Sonoma wine country, I probably don't know any more about wine now than I did before my trip but I can tell you that I have enjoyed the occasional glass...

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I love my job. One reason is getting to be the driving force behind a group's change. You get to know them, you work with them, introduce something new, and turn their old habits into new ones. I think partly why these large changes are so successful is our commitment...

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I've started traveling to client sites on a regular basis which means simultaneous more face time and less face time, one with clients and the other with family. It is an interesting give and take which makes the "work-life balance" definition even more skewed. I love the traveling honestly and...

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I was given some of the best feedback on my speaking and presentation skills last week during a training program. The feedback giver was able to put into words how the audience perceived me, my ability to react to participant on the fly, and my manner as the expert in...

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I think I am good writer. People have said nice things about my blog posts, my book-in-progress, and my countless documents I've written for business processes. I enjoy writing; I volunteer to write for others; and I do a lot of writing. Does that make me an expert? Does that...

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I hope you enjoyed reading my other posts about my challenges of going through unemployment in Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Finally, Part 4 is the logistics of what I did to find that next job. Schedule your day When you have a job, do you feel tied...

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One of the main reasons job seeking when unemployed is so difficult is because it is hard to maintain a positive attitude. Every time a recruiter calls you have to respond in a cheery voice and describe all of the great attributes you have without any self doubt. Many times,...

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Dear Family and Friends, I know I haven't been around as much lately but the truth is it isn't because I don't want to be. Being unemployed is one of the hardest things I've been through and just answering the simple question of "what have you been up to?" or...

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It is finally here! I have a job! I start next week and I couldn't be happier to be contributing to society again. It wasn't easy and I'm sure I'm not the only person that has (or will have to) go through this. So I want to share my experience...

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