A Day in the Life…of hotel living

Now that I am working on my third week of hotel life- I thought I would share a typical day with you… oh- and I’m on East Coast time- and things seem to run a bit later…I’m still trying to adjust.

7 a.m. – wake up (this is the latest I have gotten up in 2 years on weekdays)

8:00 – head downstairs to hotel lobby for breakfast

8:30 – arrive at work – generally 3^rd one here! 9 a.m. seems to be the official start time out here

1 p.m. – head out for lunch… lately it seems I have lunch meetings 3 days a week – so that’s fun.

6 – leave work

6:30/7:00 :

• Head to gym (not only is it good for me- it keeps me occupied
• Or have dinner meeting with work folk or prospective new hires: inevitably this happens at least once a week
• Head back to hotel for a reception in hotel lobby- Mon – Wed – generally free food from TGI Fridays, Don Pablos or McCalisters – which everyone takes back to their rooms.

9:00 – shower if gone to gym or climb into sweats and pour a glass of red and do homework for work or watch mindless TV.

11:00 – bedtime….read at least one chapter – keeps my mind off how much I miss my bed and dog!

REPEAT

 

As you can tell- its pretty mundane. I try and venture out to new restaurants for dinner or happy hours… but I miss having friends to meet up with and a dog to play with! The kitchen in my hotel suite is poorly furnished for cooking…but I make some attempts.

I am going to work on getting in more Skype dates with the parents, Lena and friends.

 

Side notes:

• My neighbor next door snores so loud it vibrates my bed – AWESOME. I’m considering leaving a bag with breath right strips on ITS door.
• Cleaning staff continually puts my wine glass in the dishwasher –even after I leave notes NOT TO… I guess I have to hide it…
• I have spoiled myself with NICE sheets at home …the bottom sheet on my hotel bed continually comes off every night...super irritating.
• Sometimes I consider propping my door open with a brick- a la college days- just for some social interaction! But I talk myself out of it- I don’t want to be the creepy girl in the hotel.
• I enjoy waking up – knowing I can leave my bed a mess and come home to a “made” bed – I wonder if my neighbor Kelly in KC wants to go in with me on hiring this service for our apts?!
• My social neediness is kicking in- I have found myself weighing options of throwing a mixer at the hotel- complete with cool posters on each door. I mean- St Patrick’s Day is approaching!
• You never know how much you miss your very own coffee cup and smell of your own home…until you drink out of hotel cups and wake to hotel smell every day.

Need Input

Hello Readers..
I need your input - I feel like my blog is not taking the direction I had previously wanted...no- that's not accurate- I don't think I actually knew what direction I wanted this blog to take. I know that I do in fact enjoy blogging- but now feel like I should follow the rules of my professors/teachers that were once given- HAVE A TOPIC! I need a direction to take this blog.

I enjoy reading friends' blogs that have themes/direction, be it: being a mom, foodie, travel, fashion.....

Now I am ready... ready for direction. I have gotten my feet wet- now lets get down to business.

So friends- please help... what do you want to hear about? I'm not opposed to changing the theme/direction as life moves on... but right now- in this moment - What should "Life Happens" focus on?

Here are my current ideas:

• Life Happens While Traveling - Business Traveling
• Focus on airport musings, extended stay hotels, food, overcoming cabin fever
• Life Happens at Happy Hour
• Focus on what wines are interesting, fun on a budget
• Local beers
• New cocktails
• Life Happens on a Budget
• Where I'm finding deals for - home/clothes/make-up etc...

Many of you readers KNOW me... so- maybe you have better ideas... sure- I will still write about my daily life- maybe put snippets in...but I feel like i need a direction...

Weigh in kids.

CHEERS!

things i'm loving...

So... I have a few things that I'm loving these days....thought I would share...
And being that I am currently living in a hotel - I have to find joy in the small things. And in an attempt to make my hotel feel like home- on a dime; if you know me- you know I make every space feel homey... so I have scoured sales/clearance racks and made some great discoveries!

• Alamos Malbec - $9.99 a bottle
• 
• Houndstooth Sherpa lined blanket - seriously the best (next to mom's quilts) to cuddle up with (kohl's clearance)
• 
• Febreeze Soy Blend Candle- generally I'm a Yankee girl...but it was on clearance and spices up the hotel!
• Trader Joe's everything. But their cheese aisle and wine selection is top notch!
• The National - music... gritty, heartfelt songs
• 
• Skype
•  Look me up april.zobel
• New TV show- "Off the Map"

2011... A New Year...New Opportunity

Its funny... we are 32 days into 2011 - and I have yet to make a resolution. But I wonder why we choose January 1st to make resolutions- I think any day is a great day to make a resolution or change... but I guess it makes you think about where you're going in life - and take stock of the last year.  Lately I've been on a reflection kick- maybe its the new job, maybe its that I'm approaching 2 years in a new city - and loving every second... or maybe its simply a new year....
2011 has thus far brought about amazing change and opportunity. I was blessed to apply, interview and accept a job offer in 5 days- in the first full week of the New Year. Changes like this - when they happen so fast- leave you little time for reflection or even a second guess.
But now- its February 1st and I am sitting in Indianapolis in a hotel- THE ICE storm rolled in last night- and our offices are closed...so here I sit. Reflecting. Thinking. Pondering.
I left my job at Machinery Link a little over a week ago- and started with my new company - Touton last Monday. I left my dog with my parents on January 20th - talk about the HARDEST thing I have ever had to do- I'm a baby!!! I left KC on the 23rd for Indy - and will be here on and off until mid-march. That sounds like a lot of changes!
Let me break it down. The previous blog entry describes the job hunt. So that's covered. And let me explain- Indy... currently our US offices are located in Indy - but we are working on moving them to KC - our hope is to be up and running by the first of March- but that all depends on contractors. So- in the interim- I'm chilling in an extended stay Marriott on the north side of Indy. It was a great start with the company- they flew me out, picked me up in an Escalade...set me up in a nice suite... things could be worse! And they will fly me back every other weekend to KC... this weekend may be out of the question now- due to weather... YUCK!
Things with the new job are great. I'm loving it. I of course am missing my apartment and fun life in KC... but am enjoying the time to dig into the new job...and really learn the operation. Its so far from what I have previously done- but I also love that aspect!
Now- what I DON'T love - is not having Lena with me. My good friend Lyndsey and I dropped her off with my mom and dad a few weeks ago- and I know she is having a blast...but gosh darnit- I miss that wiggle butt! Its crazy how much you can love an animal and rely on them for happy moments and simply- how your life revolves around them! Lena was one of the best things to ever come into my life... and I just keep telling myself that now I'm spreading the Lena love with mom and dad!

Dear 2011 -
Thank you for giving me hope and promise for the good things to come this year. You started out with a bang.. nothing like getting off on the right foot! I have promise and faith that along with hard work, and hope - this could be one of the best years yet. Thank you for the opportunity- and thank you for the amazing friends and family that leave me speechless on how wonderful they are. And thank you for my Little Lena...
Cheers to a New Year and New Promise...

News...news....news

I'm here. I'm back. For now!

So- lets recap. Christmas has come and gone. We welcomed in 2011...and today is 1-11-11... I feel like that's an omen or something... at the very least - its a really cool date!!!

The holidays were amazing. Great time spent with family and friends. Its so wonderful getting home for Christmas. I am already looking forward to next year.

Now lets talk about the big news...
I HAVE A NEW JOB!!!
I have a few things to mention...I did not dislike my job at Machinery Link.. but when I evaluated where I was at and what I was doing- I kept coming back to the realization that I would not be improving my life/career at Machinery Link. There just wasn't a "next job"... or promotion. I'm a very goal oriented person- and I had no goals to reach at Machinery Link. I was becoming unhappy- and it was noticeable... so- I made a change. I have to attribute what happened next to being a "God" thing... it all happened a week ago...

Last Monday night I spruced up the resume... I applied for 3 jobs. On Wednesday afternoon I received an email from one of the companies- asking if I could interview Thursday at 6:30 p.m. - so of course I obliged. I interviewed Thursday night- and on Friday at 10 a.m. I had a job offer!!! Wow. I am still in awe. Typing it makes me see just how crazy it is! After some discussion- I accepted a new position with Touton USA as a Logistics Coordinator - Its hard to accurately describe what my job will be - but essentially I will be managing the US facilities for the import and export of commodities Touton trades...

The job is located in Kansas City near the airport - which is great... no move for me! I was so excited for that news- as I have fallen in love with the life I have created in KC. I start the 24th of January.... making my last day at Machinery Link the 21st. I will have 4 or 5 weeks of training in Indianapolis - as that is where their current headquarters is- Touton hopes to be headquartered in KC by March 1 of this year. I expect life to be a whirlwind the next few months! Hang in there with me, friends!

And if you are wondering- Lena will be cared for - by my awesome parents - and a few others have volunteered - she just might be taking an extended vacation - traveling the US!

Thanks for everyone's continued support - I'm very excited for the upcoming changes in life!

Out with Friends

The past few weeks have included lots of fun with friends!

On Dec 2nd we celebrated Lyndsey's birthday with an amazing dinner at 801 Steak and Chop and then carried on to the Quaff- too much fun and too many cocktails! But so worth every minute.

Last week Lyndsey, Allison and myself attended "An Acoustic Christmas" concert benefiting the Salvation Army at VooDoo Lounge... artists included: Rodney Atkins, Josh Gracin, Chuck Wicks and Sunny Sweeney.... with that line up and us girls- you couldn't ask for a better time! We bought a round of shots for the band, were tossed the mic to sing along with Rodney Atkins and had an all around FABULOUS TIME!

and here are a few pix....

a lil painting

In a few months I will have reached 2 years in my current apartment... and I love it... and don't forsee any reason why I won't renew when the time comes. That being said- I am a person who loves to decorate- or at least make my place nice! So- with the help of my best friend, and most talented artist, Emma- we picked out some paint colors for my kitchen and bathroom- being that they are small rooms - and an easy start!

So- I started with the kitchen- I bought the paint on a Tuesday after work and taped, painted and cleaned that very same night- while watching Glee and making dinner!
Here are the photos of "Sweet Maple" in the kitchen:

Next came the bathroom... that took place this past Saturday...and let me be perfectly frank... I HATE painting bathrooms! There are so many darn nooks, crannies and weird spots to paint... and I did this all without a ladder.... needless to say, I was super frustrated by the and and now have some ceiling touch up to do!! However- I LOVE it now- looks super awesome.

Its kind of crazy how much paint can change a room...I'm very pleased with my handy work...and ready to tackle another room or 2!