Blue Lollipop Road

TTAA (Things that are awesome)

Hot showers. Being able to throw your toilet paper in the toilet. The beach. Potato chips. Strangers who smile and say “Hi!” Fresh fruit. Coffee. Warm cozy blankets. Random conversations with 22 year old boys who actually seem really grown up. Supportive and helpful friends. Giant burritos. Full out belly-laughing. Sunny days-even when it’s cold. Free WIFI. Hippies. Journals. The first black President. Flip flops. Love. Driving with bare feet.

0
0

Go ahead. Make my day.

Hold the door open for someone the next time you walk in a door anywhere. Wait to hold it open for a few extra seconds if a stranger is several steps away, especially if it’s really early in the morning, or cold, even when you’re running really late going in to grab your coffee on the way to work. 

I find the look on peoples faces when you do this is as if you have given them a million dollars. 
One effortless and tiny thing you can do to make someone’s day. The best part? It will make your day.
Yay.
0
0

Ahhh… Sundays

A Starbucks grande white mocha has 510 calories and 24 grams of fat. Too much you say? Eh- who cares. It’s Sunday. You’re relaxing. Drink up.

*Any month beginning on a Sunday will contain a Friday the 13th. 
Boo.

*6% of American workers call in sick the day after the Super Bowl. (Yes, keg-stand are fun, but maybe try one less this year? You probably don’t need any more reason to give your boss to want to fire you in this struggling economy.)
*Super Bowl Sunday is #8 in alcohol sales for holidays/special days of the year behind Easter and Fathers Day. Apparently Dad’s and Granny’s all over the U.S. are throwing back some serious beers and mimosas. (And you football fans thought you were partiers.)
*The Arizona Cardinals originally played in Chicago, then St. Louis, then finally to Phoenix and were not named after the bird. The original team (pre-NFL) purchased used maroon jerseys from the University of Chicago to wear. When someone scoffed that the jerseys were “faded red”, team owner Chris O’Brian countered that they were “cardinal red”.
0
0

The other 72%

I have just read that apparently only 28% of Americans have a passport. Yikes.

What a great gift idea the next time you’re stumped. What else could you buy someone that could give them endless opportunity for exploration and last for 10 years? Not to mention under a hundred bucks. Try to find a deal like that at your local Crate and Barrel.

Yes, I know that all of us aren’t jet-setters and some people could care less about traveling. (That’s OK) -but get yourself a passport anyway. Those random situations or bargin trips pop up sometimes when you could just use a little break and room to breathe.

You don’t want to be that person stuck working your vacation week when your pals are off surfing in Australia, having a Guiness with a random Irishman, or shopping in Paris.

0
0

Forget you Italy!

Argentina is my new favorite place to stay in January. Best pizza I have ever had. Until I get the pix up- just imagine the deliciousness and drool…

Wishes for today:

1.) Buy a little casa in San Lorenzo
2.) Steal those pizza recipes and bring them back to the states. (Who knew the pizza would rival all others here? Steak?! Nah-I’ll take the pizza.)
3.) I’ll leave this one to the imagination

0
0

Priceless

*Raft boat ride into Iguazu Falls; 75 pesos (WOW)
*Bus ticket to Salta; 185 pesos (“I am going to design a new line of bus food”)
*Learning truly not to worry about things because you can’t control everything, knowing that none of us (regretfully) can go back in time, having patience, and feeling right just being and moving towards a settled life you were afraid of before: Priceless

Some things money can’t buy, but it sure can get you a ticket out of the country for a while so you can start to become the better person you’ve always wanted to be.

Thank you thank you thank you Mastercard. It’s flippin hard as hell, but so far I am making progress…

0
0

2009 Resume Challenge

About a gazillion people have recently lost their jobs. They are likely scrambling to polish resumes that are a total bore (it’s OK.-that’s how we were taught to make them!) in hopes of gaining some type of employment before they have to give their houses back to the bank. 

Lets try something different.

Shred the eggshell colored bore of a resume that you have used before. The one that has all those terms and words like “Facilitated”, “Assisted with”, or “Lead a team”. Everybody has that resume. Do you really expect to stick out or wow anybody with that? What usually happens is a potential employer sees you went to the same university as their son, or grew up in the same state they did and then they become interested in you. No one really cares that much about the massive list companies you have “Lead a team of” so and so’s at. There are millions of people who have your degree or have held a job for at least a few years. Employers want to know if you are driven, reliable, honest, and great at what you do. They usually find that stuff out when you just break it all down and start a normal conversation.
Sure you have to have some professional background and experience, but if at some point in your interview you can get your potential new boss to say: “Me too! I played soccer in high school!” or “I backpacked through South America after college too!- It was amazing, and man did I love that food!” I promise you’ll be first on the hire list.
Type up (on whatever color card stock you damn well please that fits your personality) your contact information, a few bullets about:
*Your experiences (work, volunteer, certifications, etc.)
*What you are fabulous at and take pride in
*What you suck at or are continuously working on. (Nobody’s perfect. Be human) 
*3 References that you have experience with that have offered to truthfully promote you as nothing less then stellar to anyone who asks
If you want you can close your new resume with a short, sweet, honest “I want this job because (blank) and I am the best. Try me” Or whatever works for you.
At very least you’ll get a chuckle, interview or “I’ve never seen anything like this before-you’re hired!” Sure beats the alternative of X amount of your years and experience typed lifelessly on a piece of plain paper just piled with the other hundred on someone’s dusty desk.
3
0