Being Mr. (or Ms.) Tough Guy (or Girl)

So most of you that know me know that I am a very kind-hearted person that usually wears my feelings on my sleeves and have a REALLY hard time being mean to people that are coming to me for help. WELL starting next week my VP has asked me to take on a personal mission (character building) to be Mr. Tough Guy with people out in the field that call me for help on issues that I have created documentation on.

In a way this is a good thing because I spends HOURS working on step-by-step instructions on how to fix an issue or how to deal with a new procedure (I take screen for screen snapshots of everything and lay it out step by step). Some days I feel like no one out in the field is reading the documentation that I am putting together b/c I will get 5-6 calls a day about an issue that has been documented. Not only do I create these documents but I email them out to everyone and I post them on the internet in two different places (our Sharepoint site and our Blog site (http://iotrms.blogspot.com/)). But I still get calls on these issues... don't get me wrong, I am in NO WAY complaining about having to take the calls, but it takes me away from helping someone that is really stuck and needs help.

I know that I am going to struggle with this character building assignment because I hate turning people away when they come to me for help. Even if I don't know how to help them I will take the time to research how to help them. I even hate telling people that they are doing something the wrong way (but Phil says I am only hurting them by not telling them)! My VP said that for the first little while people will get upset with me or get mad at me for not helping them "just real quick", but no matter what he is holding ME accountable for telling these people "no sorry refer to the notebook, and if you still have trouble then call me back"! In the end I know that it will only be benefiting the end user more because they will be able to feel comfortable with their handheld and will have a better understanding of how to deal with issues as they come up. I know that by being firm I am making them take ownership, but I don't want people mad at me or cursing me behind my back. On the other hand this will open up more time for me to help the other guys on my team with enhancements and other beneficial projects.

I am excited for this character building because it is a life skill that I will need to acquire at some point in time... how to help people help themselves by learning something on their own. Whether it is now or when I have kids I will have to help other little birdies learn to fly. When I have kids I won't be able to hold their hand through everything they will need to learn to take iniciative and learn how to do things on their own. I have great respect for my VP for pushing me to take ownership in this adventure and for wanting to help me really understand how to help others. Another big thing my VP always pushes is learning how to deal with conflict resolution, I guess now will be a good time to work on that too. Because I am sure me not helping people out real quick will cause some conflict and I don't want to have to run to the other guys on my team or my VP every time someone gets upset with me for not helping!

Hmmm sounds like I am going to be busy! EXCITING and SCARY at the same time! Plus on top of all this Convention is in a week and a half and I will only be able to take support calls for about an hour or so a day... so as Amy said that other day "Time for them to put on their Big Boy Pants"! (ha ha I don't know why but I love that saying!) But really YAY Convention time is almost here!!! I am getting really excited to meet everyone I talk to on the phone regularly!!

I will keep y'all posted on my experience as a Tough Girl! :)

My Personality...

Do you agree or disagree??

Advanced Global Personality Test Results Extraversion |||||||||||||||| 66% Stability |||||||||||| 46% Orderliness |||||||||||||| 58% Accommodation |||||||||||||| 54% Interdependence |||||||||||||||||||| 83% Intellectual |||||| 30% Mystical |||| 16% Artistic |||||||||| 36% Religious |||||||||||||||||||| 90% Hedonism |||||||||||| 43% Materialism |||||||||| 36% Narcissism |||||||||||| 43% Adventurousness |||||||||||||||||||| 83% Work ethic |||||||||||||| 56% Humanitarian |||||||||||| 43% Conflict seeking |||||| 30% Need to dominate |||||||||||||||||||| 83% Romantic |||||||||||| 43% Avoidant |||||||||||| 43% Anti-authority |||||| 30% Wealth |||||| 23% Dependency |||||||||||| 43% Change averse |||||||||||| 50% Cautiousness |||||||||||| 50% Individuality |||||||||||| 50% Sexuality |||||||||||||| 56% Peter pan complex |||||||||||||||| 70% Family drive |||||||||||||||||||| 83% Physical Fitness |||||||||||||| 56% Histrionic |||||| 23% Paranoia |||||||||||||||||| 76% Vanity |||||| 30% Honor |||||||||||| 50% Thriftiness |||||||||| 36%

Take Free Advanced Global Personality Test
personality test by similarminds.com

Unpacking my life....

Well I got all moved into my new place this past weekend (actually I got all moved in Friday before dark... and I started Friday morning!!!). Thanks to all the guys who helped me move (Derek, BJ, Steph, Dad, and Chris) I wouldn't have been able to do it all so fast without all of them! I went back and cleaned the old house Saturday morning, my roommate came and got her stuff and all she said to me was Hi! WOW! really? Oh well!

I have almost unpacked ALL of my stuff!! I didn't really realize how much "stuff" I had! Even when packing it up, I think b/c I packed a little at a time I didn't even realize all that I had (and I think stuff was more spread out throughout the house). But while unpacking all of it at once and in closer living quarters I became well aware of just how much "stuff" I really have! So not only did I sort through all of my stuff while I was packing it to weed out anything that I really don't need I am also doing the same thing while I unpack! It is hard b/c I like to keep things that have sentimental value, but i keep having to ask myself how long do you really need to keep hanging on to those shirts from high school that I will never wear again b/c they say Seniors '03 on it and the fact that they don't fit? Or how long do I need to keep magazine clippings for collages that I thought about making here and there? ha ha I guess you could say I am a pack-rat!

So I am sorting through my life once again and cleaning out the clutter! Getting ready for another garage sale! :) I will post pictures soon of the new apartment!!

New Favorite Singer...

LUCY WALSH - daughter of Joe Walsh (from the Eagles)
she has a beautiful voice and kind of has an 80's thing going on with her wardrobe and music style.

http://www.myspace.com/lucywalsh

http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1584232&vid=221820

Check her out!!

I'm moving on....

As moving day approaches I find myself in a funky mood... one that is a mixture of excitement, nerves, and sadness! Excited to move into a new place, new people, new surroundings.

Nervous because I am actually ON MY OWN!! When I moved out of my parents house I had someone there helping me pay the bills and it wasn't all up to me, now it is ALL me! Which is a good thing that I don't have to rely on someone else, but kind of scary.

Sad because I love the house and it is so cute!!! And its my first house for being out on my own... I was doing laundry the other day and as I was folding towels I thought this will be the last time I do this here and as I was walking back out to the living room as sudden wave of sadness came over me, but it only lasted a few seconds. You know in movies where people have flash backs of times that they spent with people or doing something? My thoughts kind of flashed like that... I thought of all the stuff we had done in the house and to the house and our little christmas tree and decorations, it was a sad but happy feeling to have been able to have those times.

Even though my roommate and I's relationship is pretty strained at this point she will always have a place in my heart and everything that we went through in the house will forever be cherished memories.

When I think about this "new phase" of my life as I am calling it I think about the Rascal Flatts song I'm Moving On (not all of the lyrics pertain to my situation, but the thought behind the song)...

I've dealt with my ghosts and I've faced all my demons
Finally content with a past I regret
I've found you find strength in your moments of weakness
For once I'm at peace with myself
I've been burdened with blame, trapped in the past for too long
I'm movin' on

I've lived in this place and I know all the faces
Each one is different but they're always the same
They mean me no harm but it's time that I face it
They'll never allow me to change
But I never dreamed home would end up where I don't belong
I'm movin' on

I'm movin' on
At last I can see life has been patiently waiting for me
And I know there's no guarantees, but I'm not alone
There comes a time in everyone's life
When all you can see are the years passing by
And I have made up my mind that those days are gone

I sold what I could and packed what I couldn't
Stopped to fill up on my way out of town
I've loved like I should but lived like I shouldn't
I had to lose everything to find out
Maybe forgiveness will find me somewhere down this road
I'm movin' on

I'm movin' on
I'm movin' on

The Power of Prayer!

I know that I have been praying for sometime now and Mom and her "Prayer Team" (as she calls them) have been praying that my house rents out fast and that everything will work out with my new apt.
WELL!!!!! I went to my new apartment office on Saturday to finalize our plans b/c there is a lady that wants to move in on the 10th so I wanted to tell the guy at the apartment that I want to go with the bigger apartment! While I'm there he tells me that they are having a move-in special and the first month is only $99! WOW!!! SO instead of having to pay close to $1,300 I now only have to pay $630.25!! Thank you GOD!!!
Well I call my landlord while I'm at the apartment to make sure that the lady still wants the house so I don't go through all of this mess with the guy in the office for nothing! My landlord tells me not only does the lady REALLY want the house but now she wants to move in on the 5th!!!! I was like ummm ok sure why not!? AHHHHH that is only a week away! (now its only 4 days away!)
So needless to say the Lord really answered my prayers and then some!!! I want to thank everyone that has prayed for me during this time!

Psalm 50:15
"Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."

Isaiah 41:10
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Matthew 11:28
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

With all that said I have two final verse that have become kind of the guiding verses for my life...
The first verse helps me deal with the worry gene I inherited from my wonderful Father and Oma!
Matthew 6:34
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

And the second verse helps me with my struggle with being patient...
Romans 8:25
"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."


In closing Thank God and Praise Him in all that you do and say!

P.S. anyone that wants to help pack or move HOLLA!!!

Which Jane Austen Heroine Are You?

Elizabeth Bennet

You are memorable, lovely and clever, the life of the party... you always have the perfect thing to say in every situation. Your honesty, virtue, and lively wit enable you to rise above the nonsense and bad behavior that pervade your money-seeking and often spiteful society. Nevertheless, your sharp tongue and tendency to make hasty judgments often lead you astray... if not careful; you can display qualities that you despise - pride and prejudice. But if you can get past negative first impressions, your life and love story will be epic!!!


** Haven't really read any of her books but I would like to if anyone has some I can borrow.**