Well, let's see - the travel schedule had really picked up and it's just been hectic.
July 26 - 28 - Milwaukee at Delta Regional Conference
July 28 - August 1 - Montreal at MPI WEC
August 4 - 13 - San Francisco working the American Bar Assn convention
August 14 - 15 - Washington DC making presentation to potential new client
August 16 - 19 - collapsed and rested at home in Chicago. I literally ate, slept, read and watched TV for four days and only left the apt twice to just get myself food! I was so tired....
It's hard to get other stuff (non-work related stuff) done when one is on the road. Once you come in from a hard day's work on show-site or at the trade show booth, all you have the energy to do is to let the tv watch you fall asleep. It's so amusing to hear my friends who don't travel for business marvel at how "glamourous" it must be to travel for your job. Some days it is fun, some days it is not fun and most days it is just another aspect of the job. It's definitely not as much fun as it used to be with the longer security lines and the packing non-checked luggage rules. Summer travel has been CRAZY with all the novice travelers and families who don't know the rules. But, things could be much worse so I really don't complain (much). It does not do alot of good anyway.
Hope to post the pics from my travels very soon. Ciao for now.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Tough Day Today....
Hello. Yes, it's been a while since I've posted on the blog. I was on the road for business travel July 28 - August 16th so it was a bit crazy. My first day back at work was August 20th (needed to just sleep and breathe for a moment) so last week was spent catching up and meeting a Friday deadline.
So, how does one get over disappointment? Usually it's not so tough. As my Dad told me today "Sometimes you get the bear. And sometimes, the bear gets you." Today is definitely a day that the bear got me. I bid on a piece of business that the team (and I) worked very hard on and the presentation went very well. And I just found out through the grapevine that they chose another vendor. My contact at the organization has not told me why they chose another av company and she said that she would call me on Monday. So frustrating. My contact is also a friend and I know (well, I think) she was pulling for us; however, it was not just her decision. It was the decision of five people so who knows what the final decision boiled down to.
There are some losses that aren't so hard to handle - you just "get yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again." This one, though, hurts a bit more I guess b/c I wish my contact would have just told me up front. Not that she's not been up front with me all along - that's not it. OK, now I'm getting confused and that's my state of affairs today - just disappointment and confusion. Let's see - what's really going through my head here:
OK - not that I've gotten all of that out of my system, perhaps I can refocus and get to work taking care of my other existing clients as well as do the proposal for another RFP that needs to be done. We'll just give that my all, as well. They do take a lot out of you, though.
So, how does one get over disappointment? Usually it's not so tough. As my Dad told me today "Sometimes you get the bear. And sometimes, the bear gets you." Today is definitely a day that the bear got me. I bid on a piece of business that the team (and I) worked very hard on and the presentation went very well. And I just found out through the grapevine that they chose another vendor. My contact at the organization has not told me why they chose another av company and she said that she would call me on Monday. So frustrating. My contact is also a friend and I know (well, I think) she was pulling for us; however, it was not just her decision. It was the decision of five people so who knows what the final decision boiled down to.
There are some losses that aren't so hard to handle - you just "get yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again." This one, though, hurts a bit more I guess b/c I wish my contact would have just told me up front. Not that she's not been up front with me all along - that's not it. OK, now I'm getting confused and that's my state of affairs today - just disappointment and confusion. Let's see - what's really going through my head here:
- Worked hard
- Enlisted 3 other team members to also work hard
- Really thought we had a good shot and ultimately we did not
- Thought this would be my first big client that I brought in myself and it ultimately was not
- Went all out on the proposal and presentation so if doing my best is not good enough, then what is and am I spinning my wheels for nothing.....
- Makes me question my abilities and salesmenship in this side of the industry....
- I also know that I've been working pretty non-stop for the past 3 months so I am probably a little more emotional than normal.....
OK - not that I've gotten all of that out of my system, perhaps I can refocus and get to work taking care of my other existing clients as well as do the proposal for another RFP that needs to be done. We'll just give that my all, as well. They do take a lot out of you, though.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
We won!!!
I think I remember telling you about my good friend and Soror Octavia running for Midwest Regional Director of my sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Well, after many months of planning and campaigning and work, the On the M.O.V.E. team was ELATED to see our candidate win her bid to become Midwest Regional Director. All our months of hard work and prayer (cannot forget the power of prayer and the work of God that runs through all our lives) yielded such a successful result. OGM will make a wonderful director and I am so happy and honored to call her friend and have served on her campaign committee.
Through many various avenues - but especially through the work I've done in Landmark Education (www.landmarkeducation.com), I've had the pleasure of learning over and over that when you give (of your time, your talents, your grace) from a generous place, the unexpected windfalls of what you receive in return outweigh what you've given out tenfold. Towards the end of the campaign time, my contributions to the campaign really kicked into high gear with mobilizing the volunteers and making sure that her campaign booth and items for the voting delegates were in place and ready to go. Work had also kicked into high gear and it was just a very stressful, busy time. OGM and I had had a conversation that we were BOTH ready for this election to be over - one way or another - as we were both just exhausted from all our efforts.
Let me tell you, though, all those negative thoughts disappeared the moment I got to Milwaukee and started working with the FABULOUS team of volunteers that had presented themselves to help in any way possible to get Octavia to reach her goal of RD. I am so blessed to have met many fascinating women whose talents and gifts go beyond compare and were so generous in spirit. We had a GREAT time in Milwaukee and I told OGM that I would do it all over again in a minute. When they read her name as the victor of the race, there were tears in all of our eyes (including hers) and we were so happy - all the time spent in planning and preparation was forgotten in that happy moment.
Real job then called andI had to head to Montreal for a business trip Saturday night so I was not able to participate in the celebrations but I was joyous in my mind and in my heart for OGM and our On The M.O.V.E. team on the plane and in Montreal once I got to my room.
Congrats to my girl and her team for all their hard work. Now the fun (and real work) starts to keep our region tops in the sorority. I've told OGM that I am there to help her.
Through many various avenues - but especially through the work I've done in Landmark Education (www.landmarkeducation.com), I've had the pleasure of learning over and over that when you give (of your time, your talents, your grace) from a generous place, the unexpected windfalls of what you receive in return outweigh what you've given out tenfold. Towards the end of the campaign time, my contributions to the campaign really kicked into high gear with mobilizing the volunteers and making sure that her campaign booth and items for the voting delegates were in place and ready to go. Work had also kicked into high gear and it was just a very stressful, busy time. OGM and I had had a conversation that we were BOTH ready for this election to be over - one way or another - as we were both just exhausted from all our efforts.
Let me tell you, though, all those negative thoughts disappeared the moment I got to Milwaukee and started working with the FABULOUS team of volunteers that had presented themselves to help in any way possible to get Octavia to reach her goal of RD. I am so blessed to have met many fascinating women whose talents and gifts go beyond compare and were so generous in spirit. We had a GREAT time in Milwaukee and I told OGM that I would do it all over again in a minute. When they read her name as the victor of the race, there were tears in all of our eyes (including hers) and we were so happy - all the time spent in planning and preparation was forgotten in that happy moment.
Real job then called andI had to head to Montreal for a business trip Saturday night so I was not able to participate in the celebrations but I was joyous in my mind and in my heart for OGM and our On The M.O.V.E. team on the plane and in Montreal once I got to my room.
Congrats to my girl and her team for all their hard work. Now the fun (and real work) starts to keep our region tops in the sorority. I've told OGM that I am there to help her.
Reflections on the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis
My condolences to those adversely affected by the bridge collapse in Minnesota this week. I was coming home from Montreal and was talking with one of my sorors when she told me of this tragedy as I had not seen the news all day. In fact, most of it was French anyway so my news quotient for the time in Montreal (Sat - Wed) was low, anyway.
In any event, the situation stunned me as I know I've traveled over the 35W bridge in my past. In a former job, I went to Minneapolis twice a year for business trips. It's quite scary to think that you could be going over a bridge and it could collapse at any moment. One of my best friends, R, has always had a fear of bridges. I cannot imagine that this did not trigger that, as well.
My brother J and his wife L have a great blog that I enjoy reading when I get the precious moments to do so. J recently put up a post from another blog called Discover God. The pastor delivers a sermon while footage of the I-35W bridge collapse and subsequent rescue efforts are being shown on a YouTube video. The message is really quite stirring and thought provoking so it seemed like an interesting idea to share it with those who read my blog. You may or may not agree with the message; however, it does prompt one to think about what God's message is to all of us in the wake of this and/or any tragedy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wG0dhA_RT8
Will post more this week as it's been REALLY crazy busy. Hugs to all.
In any event, the situation stunned me as I know I've traveled over the 35W bridge in my past. In a former job, I went to Minneapolis twice a year for business trips. It's quite scary to think that you could be going over a bridge and it could collapse at any moment. One of my best friends, R, has always had a fear of bridges. I cannot imagine that this did not trigger that, as well.
My brother J and his wife L have a great blog that I enjoy reading when I get the precious moments to do so. J recently put up a post from another blog called Discover God. The pastor delivers a sermon while footage of the I-35W bridge collapse and subsequent rescue efforts are being shown on a YouTube video. The message is really quite stirring and thought provoking so it seemed like an interesting idea to share it with those who read my blog. You may or may not agree with the message; however, it does prompt one to think about what God's message is to all of us in the wake of this and/or any tragedy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wG0dhA_RT8
Will post more this week as it's been REALLY crazy busy. Hugs to all.
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