suitcase was my suitcase. I bought it my first week on the job, 6 years ago. It has carried food for me to China so many times, particularly on that time when I was 12 weeks pregnant and the thought of any Chinese food only made the insane nauseau worse! It carried all my souvenirs in my around-the-world trip last summer. (Not as fun as it sounds, though I now know that everyone should visit the Netherlands at least once in their life!) It carried my clothes to the Grand Canyon, and to California, and to Germany, and to Tulsa, and all the states and cities in between. But most memorably, it carried bright pink flower pj's to Ethiopia to pick up my beautiful Chicken Little, and it carried Superman shirts and Batman pj's to Columbia for my handsome little Pollo. It's carrying days are over, but it saw a lot - I can only dream of what the next shiny new suitcase will see!
Showing posts with label Buyer Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Buyer Life. Show all posts
April 25, 2011
Carrying Days
Tonight, when I pulled in the driveway from work, I noticed my suitcase sitting out by the curb. Now, this suitcase is not particularly attractive and is at this point, quite busted. And I am wasting no time going out and getting a fancy new one at TJ's. But, that ugly, green, busted 
suitcase was my suitcase. I bought it my first week on the job, 6 years ago. It has carried food for me to China so many times, particularly on that time when I was 12 weeks pregnant and the thought of any Chinese food only made the insane nauseau worse! It carried all my souvenirs in my around-the-world trip last summer. (Not as fun as it sounds, though I now know that everyone should visit the Netherlands at least once in their life!) It carried my clothes to the Grand Canyon, and to California, and to Germany, and to Tulsa, and all the states and cities in between. But most memorably, it carried bright pink flower pj's to Ethiopia to pick up my beautiful Chicken Little, and it carried Superman shirts and Batman pj's to Columbia for my handsome little Pollo. It's carrying days are over, but it saw a lot - I can only dream of what the next shiny new suitcase will see!
suitcase was my suitcase. I bought it my first week on the job, 6 years ago. It has carried food for me to China so many times, particularly on that time when I was 12 weeks pregnant and the thought of any Chinese food only made the insane nauseau worse! It carried all my souvenirs in my around-the-world trip last summer. (Not as fun as it sounds, though I now know that everyone should visit the Netherlands at least once in their life!) It carried my clothes to the Grand Canyon, and to California, and to Germany, and to Tulsa, and all the states and cities in between. But most memorably, it carried bright pink flower pj's to Ethiopia to pick up my beautiful Chicken Little, and it carried Superman shirts and Batman pj's to Columbia for my handsome little Pollo. It's carrying days are over, but it saw a lot - I can only dream of what the next shiny new suitcase will see!
October 26, 2010
First Class
Yesterday, when planning my first trip (nothing like coming back from
maternity leave and traveling on day 2), I got upgraded to first class on
the Acela-that was a definite first!
maternity leave and traveling on day 2), I got upgraded to first class on
the Acela-that was a definite first!
This morning, I got up way ahead of schedule (another first and quite
shocking to say the least), and leisurely got ready. Of course there were
costume changes, and when I settled one of my favorite military style
winter(turned out to be a very poor choice for the 70 degree nyc day)
blazers (that hasn't fit in three years-yeah me), I felt very first
class.-at least until I remembered that what I thought was a cool shrunken
blazer 4 years ago, is actual a petite jacket on a non-petite girl (ie,.
Big girl in a Little girls jacket). No matter, I finished getting ready
except for my makeup, zip up the suitcase, and hop in the car to catch
my fancy train car.
I thought I had left plenty of time to get to the train, but as I parked
the car, I heard the train in the station, and I have never seen it early,
so I raced-huffing and puffing past all the beautiful people to slump in
seat. I started digging around in bag for my makeup(lots of time to put in
makeup on the train), and then digging some more. Then dumping the purse
out on the seat to dig some more.
Second day back on the job, first day in the beauty market, zero makeup on
the buyer. Very classy.
October 25, 2010
Charging forward
Hi ho, Hi ho
It's home from work we go
(whistles)
It's home from work we go
(whistles)
7:44 am - After three frantic wardrobe changes, I went with the outfit that my 6 year old picked out, and Chicken Little and I raced out the door.
8:02 - Quick sip and spit of the coffee that lacked any creamer - very thoughtfully made by Absent Minded Husband.
8:23 - Called Lisa and reinitiated the morning commute phone call - Calm adult conversation ensues, with only the occasional "Stop that"yelled on her end.
9:01 - I congratulate myself enthusiatically on making it to work on time, even with fog.
9:07 - Happily enter the world of bath soaps and shampoos and lotion and all sorts of hair removal instruments- I am going to be one nice smelling, exfoliated, hairless Chicken!
5:04 - Totter back out to the car in the new shoes - hello beautiful shoes, and hello new blisters!
6:30 pm - I open the back door and am charged and tackled by three happy little monsters! Lots of hugs and kisses, and "Momma, I lud you!"
Day 1 - complete success.
8:02 - Quick sip and spit of the coffee that lacked any creamer - very thoughtfully made by Absent Minded Husband.
8:23 - Called Lisa and reinitiated the morning commute phone call - Calm adult conversation ensues, with only the occasional "Stop that"yelled on her end.
9:01 - I congratulate myself enthusiatically on making it to work on time, even with fog.
9:07 - Happily enter the world of bath soaps and shampoos and lotion and all sorts of hair removal instruments- I am going to be one nice smelling, exfoliated, hairless Chicken!
5:04 - Totter back out to the car in the new shoes - hello beautiful shoes, and hello new blisters!
6:30 pm - I open the back door and am charged and tackled by three happy little monsters! Lots of hugs and kisses, and "Momma, I lud you!"
Day 1 - complete success.
October 24, 2010
12 hours to Sanity
12 weeks ago, I left work, four days away from meeting my new son. It has been 3 months and so much has happened. We really started to settle into a routine last week and now, chaos, or rather, sanity, returns to the deChicken family. Momma goes back to work tomorrow (hear Hallelujah chorus resounding through the air). The lunch bags are packed, the snacks are stowed, the outfits are clean (though I have yet to confirm my first day outfit - oh the stress) and drop-off and pick-ups are scheduled. 5 people and 5 different locations - Keep your fingers crossed, people, this could get interesting!
October 23, 2010
Hipster Flair
I have spent the last two weeks in a last ditch effort to increase my coolness factor, and reduce or at least attempt to mask my mom-of-3-ness. I go back to work on Monday, to a whole new department, where I will be buying bath and body product (who's excited?!?! I only shrieked in excitement in the ear of my former boss when he called and told me - super professional and so cool of me!). I need to be as hip as this nerdy, lost somewhere in post-29 world mom can be. In a classic example of just how truly nerdy I am, I was out for coffee and dessert last night with two good friends (Happy Birthday B! and S, I would be happy to be friends with the good twin), in the hippest section of of the city, at 11 o'clock at night, and we spent the better part of three hours discussing theology and the Council of Nicene. But I digress.
So, I have been on a small shopping spree at all the hippest places - TJ's, Marshall's and Target obviously! I have bought sweater dresses/tunics and leggings, worn knee boots out of the house, tried skinny leg jeans and dress pants and all manor of long, wrappy sweaters. However, in the flurry of trying to shop while flailing frantically at the three small, store-destroying, scene-causing children, I bought a pair of jeans that looked as if they were identical matches to another pair of jeans I own, only down a size. It was only upon arriving back at that house, as I reached to remove the tags that I saw the two little words that are so not cool: Easy Rider. I had bought Mom jeans - I cried, but I kept them because they were so crazy comfortable
I had my nails done and my hair cut and colored - though there is no way to mask the damage done to my hair by Chicken Nugget. Absolutely no one tells you that after having a baby, large sections of your hair just, fall out! and have to regrow. I am either growing out thick bangs, or just living and loving my mullet - and please note that hair stealing baby is 2 years old and the damage is still very visible!
I have been watching trash TV - Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice and Gossip Girl by the hour (all while the children are sleeping of course - this is serious trash, in my book at least). But honestly, besides loving the fashion (that I could never fathom wearing, but hey, I am not Blake Lively and I, and thankfully, my husband have accepted this fact) and the true City feel ( I miss it!) I truly don't understand how they all so connected and ultimately disconnected by these "blasts" of gossip from some anonymous person. There is lots of dramatic pausing after dramatic text reading. This leads me to my most unhip trait.
Texting. When texting started, or at least when it started registering on my radar in 2004, I thought I could age gracefully past this phase, and join the world of post 29year olders who had no need for and no clue about texting. I make phone calls. I live for the phone, in fact, but I don't type on my phone. Unfortunately, everyone else my age did not make this decision to leave the texting to the younger folk. So now, I find texts 3 days later, I am constantly trying to text back in that ridiculous limited character space to friends about dinner plans that already happened, or the fact that they are running late (or more likely them finding out where the late Chicken is). Last week, I sent the exact same text to a person 6 times, and in the end, it actually wasn't a text to them. Add coworkers and bosses instant messaging me on my blackberry, and I am really in trouble. So I give up. I am not texting cool. I will DVR, blog, email and talk to my friends on my smartphone, skype, check my three sets of voicemail, facebook message and wall and chat, and even mobile upload from my ipod touch. I am as connected as I can be, but I will not text. That is my new line in the uncool, unhip sand around my streaky hair, mom jean, appliqued sweater wearing self.
So, I have been on a small shopping spree at all the hippest places - TJ's, Marshall's and Target obviously! I have bought sweater dresses/tunics and leggings, worn knee boots out of the house, tried skinny leg jeans and dress pants and all manor of long, wrappy sweaters. However, in the flurry of trying to shop while flailing frantically at the three small, store-destroying, scene-causing children, I bought a pair of jeans that looked as if they were identical matches to another pair of jeans I own, only down a size. It was only upon arriving back at that house, as I reached to remove the tags that I saw the two little words that are so not cool: Easy Rider. I had bought Mom jeans - I cried, but I kept them because they were so crazy comfortable
I had my nails done and my hair cut and colored - though there is no way to mask the damage done to my hair by Chicken Nugget. Absolutely no one tells you that after having a baby, large sections of your hair just, fall out! and have to regrow. I am either growing out thick bangs, or just living and loving my mullet - and please note that hair stealing baby is 2 years old and the damage is still very visible!
I have been watching trash TV - Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice and Gossip Girl by the hour (all while the children are sleeping of course - this is serious trash, in my book at least). But honestly, besides loving the fashion (that I could never fathom wearing, but hey, I am not Blake Lively and I, and thankfully, my husband have accepted this fact) and the true City feel ( I miss it!) I truly don't understand how they all so connected and ultimately disconnected by these "blasts" of gossip from some anonymous person. There is lots of dramatic pausing after dramatic text reading. This leads me to my most unhip trait.
Texting. When texting started, or at least when it started registering on my radar in 2004, I thought I could age gracefully past this phase, and join the world of post 29year olders who had no need for and no clue about texting. I make phone calls. I live for the phone, in fact, but I don't type on my phone. Unfortunately, everyone else my age did not make this decision to leave the texting to the younger folk. So now, I find texts 3 days later, I am constantly trying to text back in that ridiculous limited character space to friends about dinner plans that already happened, or the fact that they are running late (or more likely them finding out where the late Chicken is). Last week, I sent the exact same text to a person 6 times, and in the end, it actually wasn't a text to them. Add coworkers and bosses instant messaging me on my blackberry, and I am really in trouble. So I give up. I am not texting cool. I will DVR, blog, email and talk to my friends on my smartphone, skype, check my three sets of voicemail, facebook message and wall and chat, and even mobile upload from my ipod touch. I am as connected as I can be, but I will not text. That is my new line in the uncool, unhip sand around my streaky hair, mom jean, appliqued sweater wearing self.
July 27, 2010
Bliss
Up at 4:15 to reattempt that trip I missed a few weeks ago. I tried flying out of Logan this time, and after successfully throwing on my new traveling outfit, (called a ballet class outfit by one of my more outspoken coworkers, but I will take that to mean athletic-looking, definite compliment) and accessorizing my wet hair with sunglasses (such a fashionista I am), I headed out and Blissful Travel ensued. First there was Radio Bliss. It was one of those perfect moments where every time I hit scan on the radio, I would happen upon yet a another fabulous song. From The Killers, to The BeeGees, to Chicago, to Colbie Caillet, to Highway to Hell as I pulled into Central Parking, and a resounding finale by the Smashing Pumpkins, it was bliss through and through. Additionally, I do know that several people this morning where able to blissfully laugh their way to work as they caught me car dancing as I flew by, particularly during the BeeGees bit.
Travel Bliss continued as I strolled into the airport, through the security line and to my gate with 50 minutes to spare. I continued at a leisurely pace over Starbucks to get the requisite dirty chai and got a treat receipt. Apparently they are stamping coupons on the bottom of the receipts in the morning to entice people back that same afternoon for an iced coffee. I am a sucker, so you know that I took full advantage of this. My only questions is this. Is that stamp really worth 1/20th of a cent? Say I turn in 20 of the receipts that afternoon - will she be obligated to give me a penny?
Smooth sailing down! Honestly, smooth as can be, except for one thing. I am still staring at this mornings on board snack - a very healthy looking packet of trail mix. Looks amazingly yummy, but is entirely impossible to open. You know the kind of package where you try six different ways from Sunday and you left with numb fingers and sore teeth. One hour later, I was no closer to opening this package of trail mix than I ever was. Obnoxiously enough, the woman in the seat across the aisle had no issue at all getting the bag open -she just happily munched away the whole flight down, very loudly I might add. But still, as far as issues go, thats not to bad, right?
The trip tried to also end on a very blissful note, with express pedicure in massage chairs in the airport terminal. All is well until they call our flight, and I have NO paint on the tootsies. She ended slapping on some pink, and we had to hobble our way to the gate and down the jetway in the disposable flip flops and complete toe wraps. I leave you with that beautiful mental image.
Last day of travel - done. Maternity leave is imminent, and I couldn't be more excited!
Travel Bliss continued as I strolled into the airport, through the security line and to my gate with 50 minutes to spare. I continued at a leisurely pace over Starbucks to get the requisite dirty chai and got a treat receipt. Apparently they are stamping coupons on the bottom of the receipts in the morning to entice people back that same afternoon for an iced coffee. I am a sucker, so you know that I took full advantage of this. My only questions is this. Is that stamp really worth 1/20th of a cent? Say I turn in 20 of the receipts that afternoon - will she be obligated to give me a penny?
Smooth sailing down! Honestly, smooth as can be, except for one thing. I am still staring at this mornings on board snack - a very healthy looking packet of trail mix. Looks amazingly yummy, but is entirely impossible to open. You know the kind of package where you try six different ways from Sunday and you left with numb fingers and sore teeth. One hour later, I was no closer to opening this package of trail mix than I ever was. Obnoxiously enough, the woman in the seat across the aisle had no issue at all getting the bag open -she just happily munched away the whole flight down, very loudly I might add. But still, as far as issues go, thats not to bad, right?
The trip tried to also end on a very blissful note, with express pedicure in massage chairs in the airport terminal. All is well until they call our flight, and I have NO paint on the tootsies. She ended slapping on some pink, and we had to hobble our way to the gate and down the jetway in the disposable flip flops and complete toe wraps. I leave you with that beautiful mental image.
Last day of travel - done. Maternity leave is imminent, and I couldn't be more excited!
July 13, 2010
And the issues just keep on coming
3:28am wake up on both alarms - bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (this is a
Southern expression I believe, that makes me slightly uncomfortable when I
read it now)
3:35 finish packing with clothes from dryer
3:40 shower and debate internally, tennis shoes or no tennis shoes in the
suitcase. One guess as to what won? Waistline won't be shrinking this week
as I enter the land of Chic-fil-a and pecan pie
3:48 just a teeny tiny amount of facebook time while gathering ipod from
charger
4:01 decide the outfit I have on is perfectly unacceptable
4:04 ironing second outfit
4:10 put first unacceptable outfit back on
4:14 zip suitcase -requires sitting on, but successfully packed in a
CARRYON for 4 days with paperwork (probably the best packing job of my
whole buying career-or at least I think so now at the beginning of the
trip)
4:16 waking sleeping giant to move the cars around
4:19 kiss the girls goodbye
4:40 pull into airport-prime parking spot right in front of me
4:47 flash that platinum card again (see post below-Mechanical Issues) to
the same older man-he is even more stunned and surprised this time-and my
hair is almost dry-what gives? It must be that 1st outfit
4:48 bypass everyone in line and whip through security like a pro.
5:04 join the crazy line at starbucks for dirty chai and yogurt parfait
5:26 stroll onto the plane and take my window seat. Mentally congratulate
myself on the resolution of my issues with traveling-smooth sailing from
here.
5:55 take the fruit and yogurt parfait, try to take the lid off, at which
point the whole thing explodes, sending the lid shooting somewhere, never
to be seen again, and showering both myself and my seat mate with granola
and yogurt. Again, I said my yogurt exploded, not my soda?
6:41 wake up to find myself not only laying on the nice woman's shoulder,
but also playing some kind of footsie with her-she doesn't speak English,
but the words she is saying with her eyes should not be repeated in any
language. Settle myself firmly against the window.
8:17 wake up as we land, discover that I have window hair(never pretty),
and stagger off the plane, wiping the sleep from my eyes, and look around
for the restroom to pull myself back together
8:19 bingo-bathroom right next to Chic-fil-a
8:20 confidently stride into the restroom, smile at the little boy staring
at me, start to head around the wall to find a stall, and come face to back
with a man....at a urinal-quick survey of the room confirms that, yes, I am
in the men's room
Off to work-Just another morning in the glamorous life of a buyer.
Southern expression I believe, that makes me slightly uncomfortable when I
read it now)
3:35 finish packing with clothes from dryer
3:40 shower and debate internally, tennis shoes or no tennis shoes in the
suitcase. One guess as to what won? Waistline won't be shrinking this week
as I enter the land of Chic-fil-a and pecan pie
3:48 just a teeny tiny amount of facebook time while gathering ipod from
charger
4:01 decide the outfit I have on is perfectly unacceptable
4:04 ironing second outfit
4:10 put first unacceptable outfit back on
4:14 zip suitcase -requires sitting on, but successfully packed in a
CARRYON for 4 days with paperwork (probably the best packing job of my
whole buying career-or at least I think so now at the beginning of the
trip)
4:16 waking sleeping giant to move the cars around
4:19 kiss the girls goodbye
4:40 pull into airport-prime parking spot right in front of me
4:47 flash that platinum card again (see post below-Mechanical Issues) to
the same older man-he is even more stunned and surprised this time-and my
hair is almost dry-what gives? It must be that 1st outfit
4:48 bypass everyone in line and whip through security like a pro.
5:04 join the crazy line at starbucks for dirty chai and yogurt parfait
5:26 stroll onto the plane and take my window seat. Mentally congratulate
myself on the resolution of my issues with traveling-smooth sailing from
here.
5:55 take the fruit and yogurt parfait, try to take the lid off, at which
point the whole thing explodes, sending the lid shooting somewhere, never
to be seen again, and showering both myself and my seat mate with granola
and yogurt. Again, I said my yogurt exploded, not my soda?
6:41 wake up to find myself not only laying on the nice woman's shoulder,
but also playing some kind of footsie with her-she doesn't speak English,
but the words she is saying with her eyes should not be repeated in any
language. Settle myself firmly against the window.
8:17 wake up as we land, discover that I have window hair(never pretty),
and stagger off the plane, wiping the sleep from my eyes, and look around
for the restroom to pull myself back together
8:19 bingo-bathroom right next to Chic-fil-a
8:20 confidently stride into the restroom, smile at the little boy staring
at me, start to head around the wall to find a stall, and come face to back
with a man....at a urinal-quick survey of the room confirms that, yes, I am
in the men's room
Off to work-Just another morning in the glamorous life of a buyer.
June 30, 2010
Mechanical issues
4:11 flailing at alarm clock, ipod alarm and blackberry alarms-all snooze
buttons hit
4:20 stumbling awake
4:23 realizing flight to La Guardia takes off in 1 hour and 17
minutes-small miscalculation error on appropriate wake up time
4:57 pulling into airport parking lot, vaguely realizing that the iron
might not have been unplugged (and yes, I ironed!)
5:04 flash the platinum frequent flyer card and sleepy smile at the man who
clearly does not think from my slightly ironed, soaking wet hair appearance
that I belong in that fabulously fast special security lane
5:09 line at starbucks behind a 19 year old who keeps switching-"caffe
mocha, no what's in that one, no maybe a vanilla latte". My dirty chai
can't come fast enough
5:18 curiously wondering why we aren't boarding yet
5:26 hydraulic leak-not me, the plane obviously
5:40 the new person in my dept who I am supposed to be meeting in LGA is
already on the plane and on her merry way-awesome
6:08 pilots put on their sunglasses, start the propellers and fly away-I
can see this from my seat in the terminal. I don't think this is a
positive sign
6:25 the gate agent returns from sending off all the other planes, stares
out the window and says, and I quote, "Where did the plane go?"
6:30 plane back from its test run-??? - and the mechanic disappears behind
the plane with a large hammer
6:42 told the plane might be fixed by 7:00 decide to go buy a phone charger
6:56 chased out of the news store by the rolling, robotic laughing dog
7:02 walk back to the gate, flight has taken off-without me
7:15 head into office-just another morning in the glamorous life of a buyer
buttons hit
4:20 stumbling awake
4:23 realizing flight to La Guardia takes off in 1 hour and 17
minutes-small miscalculation error on appropriate wake up time
4:57 pulling into airport parking lot, vaguely realizing that the iron
might not have been unplugged (and yes, I ironed!)
5:04 flash the platinum frequent flyer card and sleepy smile at the man who
clearly does not think from my slightly ironed, soaking wet hair appearance
that I belong in that fabulously fast special security lane
5:09 line at starbucks behind a 19 year old who keeps switching-"caffe
mocha, no what's in that one, no maybe a vanilla latte". My dirty chai
can't come fast enough
5:18 curiously wondering why we aren't boarding yet
5:26 hydraulic leak-not me, the plane obviously
5:40 the new person in my dept who I am supposed to be meeting in LGA is
already on the plane and on her merry way-awesome
6:08 pilots put on their sunglasses, start the propellers and fly away-I
can see this from my seat in the terminal. I don't think this is a
positive sign
6:25 the gate agent returns from sending off all the other planes, stares
out the window and says, and I quote, "Where did the plane go?"
6:30 plane back from its test run-??? - and the mechanic disappears behind
the plane with a large hammer
6:42 told the plane might be fixed by 7:00 decide to go buy a phone charger
6:56 chased out of the news store by the rolling, robotic laughing dog
7:02 walk back to the gate, flight has taken off-without me
7:15 head into office-just another morning in the glamorous life of a buyer
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