connect

I just talked to a wet Rat.

_{it’s best not to elaborate further :)}

ruled at this goal today.
I’m very pleased.
:)

Just a quick note to anyone following me on Twitter: I have changed my name on there. PM me if you would like my new info!

Traditionally the worst day of the year – the day that we all have to go back to work and face up to reality again, and our work colleagues! But actually it wasn’t too bad, and in fact I think I have done well connecting in a number of ways today. I’m going to list them in a slightly neurotic, obsessive way, because I find it quite hard to quantify…!

• Had a really nice chat with a random woman on the bus to work this morning
• Talked to all my colleagues, and felt that there was real warmth and affection there, reaffirmed that these are friends and colleagues. I’m very lucky!
• Emailed two friends (J + D) to arrange meeting them next weekend (on different days)
• Rang T to commiserate about being back at work, and to arrange to meet up on Wednesday
• Confirmed to G that this was my goal in 2009, to accept every single invitation no matter what, and to really put myself out there

So I think I did quite well for my first day amongst people again after being off work and then having a cold for the last week. This one is such a nebulous goal, but I want to make it work for me, and if I have to record every little thing I do towards it to show that I am making an effort, that that’s absolutely fine.

Well, I know it seems unlikely that anyone would need to ‘appreciate’ wine after New Year’s Eve. But something that I really want to do is to connect more, and that means cherishing family and friends, getting in touch with old friends, but also making new friends. I thought a wine appreciation class in January sounded low-key, no commitment and fun – and booze is involved! Plus it would be really nice to be a little less clueless about wine.

I find it hard sometimes to make new friends. I seem incredibly sociable and friendly, and I suppose I am, but I’m also shut off sometimes – I’ve very private and I have a lot of barriers in place; I want to make myself more vulnerable and more able to let other people in. I don’t find that easy, and as I get older it becomes harder.

Anyway, this course sounds fun – it’s once a week, and it’s only for 8 weeks, and it’s very cheap too (£48); I can enrol in a couple of weeks, and it starts towards the end of January.

I want to connect more in 2009 – I’ve been trying over the holidays, but I find it so hard when I’m working, and this is one of the most important things that I can do.

• Cherish my family and friends
• Send birthday and other occasion cards throughout the year
• Go out more – accept every social invitation
• Join a new club
• Take an evening class
• Reconnect with all old friends: regular emails/phone calls/meetings – make an effort
• Reach out more
• Take risks and do things

From SG!

Since returning to 43T, I have to admit that I was lamenting my lost account, all of the wonderful conversations that I had, play dates, and of course the cheers.

It’s been wonderful reconnecting through comments and cheers with you all.

Thank you for welcoming me back into your lives. It means a lot to me.

(((((hugs)))))

Tonight was a spectacularly lovely Halloween evening. The warmest in recent memory, it hit nearly 70 degrees here in the upper midwest.

The kids got to put on their costumes without a coat over them (or three sweatshirts under). The candles all stay lit in the pumpkins with no wicked breeze to continually blow them out.

Our next-door neighbors took advantage of the evening by putting lawn chairs in their driveway and starting a fire in their portable chimney. They had a cooler of beer, candy, and a couple of extra seats. They invited us over. We sat outside for a couple of hours, engrossed in conversation and imbibing just a bit in a variety of ales and wines.. occasionally handing out handfuls candy to the small (and not-so-small) costumed darlings who came trick-or-treating. Their parents in tow, we spent time talking to them as well, acquainting ourselves with neighbors old and new, and made some promising connections.

We are now planning some informal cocktail-ish get togethers, and I am looking forward to it. Good people, sharing space and taking time out of their busy schedules to develop relationships.

I am meeting Julie this weekend.

I am very happy to meet this vivacious, caring, fun (and funny) lady. I think we’ll have a blast!

About a week ago, I joined a professional online network for no good reason other than to bookmark some folks who I work with.

I ended up getting searched out by a number of people who I haven’t seen for years and years. Fellow college students and professors, an old high school friend, long lost co-workers from 3-4 companies ago, and people who left my current company and scattered to every end of the US.

I have plans to meet up with several who are still in the area, as well as invitations to lunch and other from some who re-located.

Instantly, I feel reconnected to some very special people that I thought I lost track of for good.

:)