Why?

From: Makes More Money Than Me
Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 2:23 PM
To: Helena Handbasket
Subject: FW: Congratulations! Stupid Email About Blah Blah Blah

Can you open up and read the Q&A attachment? I get just little boxes.
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From: Helena Handbasket
Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 2:25 PM
To: Makes More Money Than Me
Subject: FW: Congratulations! Stupid Email About Blah Blah Blah

I've printed them both.
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From: Makes More Money Than Me
Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 2:26 PM
To: Helena Handbasket
Subject: RE: FW: Congratulations! Stupid Email About Blah Blah Blah

Did you see boxes? Or were there words on the document.
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From: Helena Handbasket
Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 2:27 PM
To: Makes More Money Than Me
Subject: RE: Congratulations! Stupid Email About Blah Blah Blah

There were words.

Reasons Why I am More Beautiful Than Tim Geithner

By Fake Lloyd Blankfein

In case you didn’t hear, I was nominated to be on People’s 100 Most Beautiful list. Yes, that’s right. I should have been included the 100. Really, I should have made the cover.  I can see the headline now, “Balding but Beautiful Blankfein Bedazzles Wall Street.” Unfortunately, I was edged out by that Timothy Geithner. I don’t understand. How can you say no to this face?


I am, by far, more beautiful than Tim Geithner and here are the reasons why:


1.     I paid my taxes. All of them. The first time they were due.

2.     Tm G.  may be on the cover of this months Conde Nast Portfolio but what happened the day they delivered his ugly mug to my assistant? They shut down. That’s right. I have been on plenty of covers but I have never killed a magazine.

3.     I didn’t have to be related to someone on staff at People to be nominated. I was nominated because of my unmistakable handsomeness.

4.     I may be short on hair but at least I don’t have a bunch of wrinkles on my forehead.  Bald is beautiful. Wrinkles equal botox.

5.     I at least have some answers that are working for my company’s troubles. I don’t see him coming up with a way to save the economy. It seems to me like he is all out of answers.

6.     I am not handing out taxpayer money like Halloween candy. I’ve got plans to give the money that was forced upon me back to the government.

7.     I don’t sweat during hearings on the hill.

8.     The most important reason of all is that my package is bigger than his. It always will be. Sad fact of life Geithner, you’ll have a much bigger package working in Corporate America than you ever will in government. It may have been absent this year, but it will be back and bigger than ever.

What do you call a twentysomething crisis?

I was tweeting with my new favorite twitter @KOttavio today and she said "Coined phrase of the day: "Thrisis" - a thirtysomething meltdown." To which I replied, Twicis= Twentysomething meltdown. You can't just have it once. You have a breakdown about how you hate your life and then you have a breakdown about how to change it. 

Are you having a twicis? What are you doing about it? 

Equations

1 phone call I'll never forget

5 conversations dissecting said phone call

3 pairs of shoes 

1 mini shopping spree at brand new Topshop (finally!)

1 crackout blackout

1 song that defined it during "Wait Another Day"- Uh Huh Her

1 song that defined it after  "Quiet Times"- Dido

A few super nice people to cheer me up

+ 1 new guy on the scene

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= Heartbreak over

Bonus: New song to define today "Move On"- Barbra Streisand

Follow Your Instincts

I've been going through some big changes lately. I truly believe that things happen for a reason it just takes some time to understand why. This time around it hasn't taken so long for those reasons to show up. It's just so strange for me to see my life in a different way. I was looking for answers and I thought I knew what the answers would be. I didn't think I would get them so quickly and when I did I was quite surprised at the outcome. 

I did realize however, that there was a reason for everything that has happened in the past few years. Each little moment added up to the big revelation a few weeks ago. My gut told me that I needed to be in a new place, leading a new life. I didn't want to believe it, but there was sign after sign that is the next step. I even had a nightmare last night about not following my gut. I was with a friend and I wasn't following my gut instincts. We ended up in a dangerous situation. The second I started doing what my gut told me to we were saved. 

Even though I hate change and avoid it at all costs, I can't ignore my gut. It has never steered me wrong and it always takes me on remarkable journeys. It may not be easy, but I have to believe the rewards for listening to myself and forgetting my fears will be great. I have decided that I am ready for the change to begin. I can't ignore my gut instincts any longer. 

When have you followed your gut and it paid off?

Nothing Stands in My Way!

I have always shot for the moon. I have high hopes and am creative enough to figure out ways to make some of those things happen. About a year and a half ago I had an idea. There was someone I wanted to meet to make a business contact. I came up with a plan to make that happen. I had to set it up through a friend. It took a lot of convincing to make that happen but I finally helped him to see the benefits for the both of us having this meeting.

My friend talked to the contact and she agreed to the meeting with the both of us. There were so many obstacles in my way. She wanted to bring in someone else, which meant I couldn’t participate. Then once we got rid of the extra guest I couldn’t get them to nail down a date. Then once we had a date set it would get canceled again and again. I was very discouraged and thought it would never happen.

I may get disappointed but I do not let defeat stand in my way. For every roadblock I had a creative solution. For every cancelation I had another date. I did not nag but I reminded my friend about the meeting and the good it could do for the both of us so he would be motivated to set it up again.

It took me about a year and a half but I did not give up. Yesterday, I finally had the meeting. It went great! It was a little different than I thought it would be but I made an important new contact that could help me in the future. I got some good inside information. I have been so frustrated lately about what has been happening in the job market and the industries I want to work in. Now that I spoke with her I am armed with some new guidance. I feel hopeful about my career.

It may take me a while but I have to have hope that I will get where I am going. I refuse to just sit back and “let opportunity pass me by.” Persistence pays off. How have you moved roadblocks out of your way to get what you want?

Image via flickr: http://flickr.com/photos/kathandtheo/298933491/

Fear. Less.

Sometimes I wonder what would my life would be like if I still let myself be scared. If I still let fear get in my way. If I had been too afraid to find out why I was scared in the first place. What if I had gone home when I was homesick? What if I had said no to so many once in a lifetime opportunities? What if I admitted I was flawed? What if I let the bully win? What if I had let the comfortable, safe and familiar run my life?

One day, I decided to say yes. I decided to welcome the unknown and let myself get to the known on my own, with time and without speculation. I said yes to risky emotional situations and I learned from them when they blew up in my face. I said yes to finding out what I could do and what I couldn’t do. I welcomed failure and success while finding out who I was on the journey to both. I said yes to love and heartbreak. I said yes to being alone. I said yes to finding myself and being comfortable with who I am.

I am still saying yes. It doesn’t always work out but I am so happy I stepped out on that limb. With every step I grow more confident. I learn what works and what doesn’t. I am going places. I am getting somewhere by stretching myself. I am getting what I need out of life by not being afraid to ask for it.

I don’t regret anymore. I have situations that did not work out but are still a part of my life and make me who I am. I don’t strive for perfection. I try to learn from my mistakes. If people don’t hear me the first time, I speak up. I don’t shrink in the corner or not start a conversation in the first place. Now, people hear what I have to say. Sure I say stupid things a lot but I own it. I decided to let more people see my sense of humor and now people request it.

I decided not to be fearful but to be fearless. I look back on all the things I have done just by refusing to let fear stand in my way and I am amazed. I never thought that I would be living this life. I thought that fear would keep me safe but it only kept me locked away. Now I am free. There was always a fearless person inside of me, I just had to let her out.