Life in the Mac lane…

They replaced my PC at work with a Mac…I like it, but I’m thrown into work without an adjustment period of how to use it, what the features can do, and as simple as how to copy and paste from being on one server to the next.  Ahh!

I always said I wanted a Mac book, well here is my chance to learn beforehand.  Let’s see how I do for the rest of the 3 hours of work today!

On the positive side, 37 days until my wedding, only 13 days left for people to RSVP, and more than half of them have not.  Those who have never planned a wedding, it’s stressful to not know if someone is coming or not.  Just take 2 minutes to log onto my website and RSVP!  How hard it that?  I even left the option to text me.  If those are still technologically challenging for you, have someone else do it.  But please, do not NOT respond at all.  What am I supposed to do if you do show up?  Sorry but no space for you! (I’m a little discouraged).

Take a deep breath, relax, 13 days left!

YOU

Before every meeting, class, or any event at the YMCA, one must read a “higher thought.”  It does not have to be religious of nature but it can be anything motivational, inspiring of your choosing.  I have to give one next week, here is a great poem I found!  I believe it relates wonderfully to work ethic!

YOU

You are the fellow that has to decide
Whether you’ll do it or toss it aside.
You are the fellow who makes up your mind
Whether you’ll lead or linger behind;
Whether you’ll try for the goal that’s far,
Or just be contented to stay where you are.
Take or leave it, here’s something to do!
Just think it over–It’s all up to you.
What do you wish? To be known as a shirk,
Or known as a good man who’s willing to work?
Scorned as a loafer, or praised by your chief,
Rich man or poor man or beggar or thief?
Eager and earnest or dull through the day?
Honest or crooked? It’s you who must say.
You must decide in the face of the test
Whether you’ll shirk or live it your best.

Why I work where I work

I had a moment at work today where I almost cried.  That made me realize why I love working here, despite some hardships that have come up recently. 

F0r those of you who don’t know, I work at the YMCA.  Our motto is “we build strong kids, strong families, and strong communities.”  We work hard to build a community atmosphere instead of a gym atmosphere.  We provide financial assistance to families who do not make enough money to join but either need to or want to.  We try to keep our members feeling like family to use, and it shows and you can even feel it. 

We had a member today who was at our old location and came with us when we moved to this new location.  She has a son who has a birthday approaching and she put some money down to have a birthday party at the YMCA on a sunday.  She want to use the rockwall, Yland (play area) and then decided to use the group exercise room to do a fun obstacle course for them.  While trying to plan ahead, she came in this past sunday to scope everything out.  To her disappoinment, she saw that the Junior Jammers (like the spurs dancers but for kids) hold practice in the group exercise room on sunday afternoons (this is new for us).  She then went into a panic mode and did not know what to do.  Her only solution was to cancel the party at the Y and use her own house.  But what if it rains?  What will she do?  She really wanted the YMCA. 

She came in a spoke with a co-worker regarding the situation and they spoke about just cancelling and she deal with the “what ifs.”  Well, I’m not nosey but I want to try to help wherever I can so I listened into their coversation.  I came up with the suggestion to clear the bikes out of the cycle room and use that as an extra area for an obstacle course.  It’s something neither of them even thought about.  Amazing what one more mind can do!  Well, she had unfortunaly already sent the invitations to the printer, so she was out of luck.  On the flip side, she is using us as backup in case it rains that day.  We made things a little better. 

She was just in tonight and I said “back again!”  She said she was now there to workout.  But she then told me that my comment/solution made her feel so good and a little less stressed that there was a solution to that issue.  It’s something they never thought about and only reassured her reasoning for staying with the YMCA.  I made her feel good today…and that’s what matters…and that’s why I work for the YMCA.

budgets and burned bruschetta!

I have now discovered the world of business and their budgets.  Let me tell you…not fun at all.  I have my rest of the year forecast due on what I should plan to spend for the rest of the year, and supposed to base that off of the previous months.  I’m getting frustrated b/c I dont know what or what we spent, and even by looking at old month statements, I don’t know what things mean.  It’s especially hard when your coordinator leaves work early on friday and is not there to help you.  Something that should take me 20 minutes, I spent 2 hours on and only got half done.  I understand the concept of the report, but I’m stressed! 

Also, I need to turn in a variance report on the 19th.  That breaks down the categories in which you spend money and you providing whether you are positive and negative for that month and why.  Categories include, salaries, what you pay employees, supplies, workman’s comp, liability, insurances, etc.  Again, I understand the concept, but how the hell am I supposed to figure those things out when I’ve only been there for two weeks, and one of those was only the end of the month I’m reporting on!  Ahh!  I told my coordinator we are sitting down together at 9am monday am and doing this and EXPLAINING it to me. 

Maybe then I’ll feel better,  but for the meantime, I really loved that my dad opened a bottle of wine to enjoy last night   I cooked turkey meatballs with tomatoes, sauteed asparagus and mushrooms and roasted red pepper, artichoke, and feta bruschetta.  Quite the experience let me tell you.  I HATE fire.  I burnt the first batch of bread in the broiler that I was toasting before adding the topping.  It literally caught on fire!  I was freaking out.  It was funny looking back though.  Good thing I had more bread for backup lol!