Happy Sunday! The week went by quicker than I thought. My mom and I have got addicted to the reality show The Amazing Race. If you haven't seen the show , 12 groups of people are in a race around the world competing for the top prize of a million dollars. It starts and finishes in the United States. In each country they visit , they have to complete tasks based on the history and culture of the region they are at in order to move on ,and of course the first team who completes the races 13 legs gets the million dollars. I guess since we aren't encouraged to travel right now, we can watch other people travel and telling taxi cab drivers to go as fast as they can. It is a definite reminder that we really do have a huge world to explore and I definitely hope to see as much of it that time and money will allow me to. It also reminded that as we get closer to Thanksgiving , we still have a lot to be thankful for. So enjoy the turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce this year everyone. Stay safe, and take care of each other.
-Donna
Happy Saturday everyone! My Friday the 13th turned out to be pretty well. I got to go to Santa's Ranch in New Branfuels to look at the Christmas lights there. It was a perfect out of town getaway for the evening. I know it may seem early but my moms friend told us to go early to avoid the crowds. If I didn't tell you, my lab top was giving me the blue screen of death when I was trying to log on Wednesday evening. So I gave it to my friends the Bell family to look at . Friday they told me that I can log on again. Yeah! Thank you so much!
Now that my computer is back it made me wonder how dependent we are on technology because when I got the blue screen I was up until 2/3 in the morning trying to fix it.(I know shows how much I know about computers , right? lol) Plus, one of the things that will always amaze me is what we can do in this day and age. With just a few strokes of the keyboard we can connect with a friend, or family member, have a conference call with the people we work with, and even have food, as well as other items delivered right to our door step. But how much connection is too much? Right now with people having to work remotely, home is now the office as well blurring the lines even more. As much as technology helps us connect with everyone, it can disconnect us from the people we are close to. So, don't forget to disconnect and connect with the people around you during this time. Ofcourse, stay safe and take care of each other.
-Donna
Happy Sunday everyone!
-Donna
Happy Tuesday everyone!
Sorry I didn't get to write last week. It turned out to be a really busy weekend with friends. The hi light was definitely getting to see Sarah and Dario's newborn baby boy Maximo. One of the things they mentioned changed after having the baby is they don't worry about little things anymore like how clean the house is when they have company over. It is definitely true. So in honor of the little things I will talk about what I remember most about Halloween. Aside from trick or treating , it is actually the friendiversary for me and a couple of my friends. Melanie invited me over to her house on Halloween , along with a couple of her other friends and all of us have been friends ever since. After that, we would get together whenever we could to play games, eat, and catch up while Melanie and I went to college. It is those things I remember the most as I continue on this road we call life. Now the hang outs are further between. But I definitely still remember those times , and it definitely won't be the last. So in the midst of all the chaos, don't forget the little things because you never know when they will become the big things.
Stay safe, and take care of each other.
-Donna
Happy Friday everyone! It actually felt like fall today. We only got up to the 70's today. It was nice walking in the cooler air tonight. Aside from there, here in Texas we started early voting. I am big on that because it's your way of saying who you want to represent you. . No matter who you vote for don't worry - as Evelyn Beatrice Hall said "I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." So, if you have to go the polls, or have a mail in ballot, don't forget , and don't be afraid to voice your choice my friends. I was fortunate that it didn't take too long when I went to the polls. I went to Kirby City Hall after work. I got there at 5:35 pm. There was a bit of a line. But I was done when the people working there where stepping outside to see who was in line at 6. No matter who takes office in 2021 I just want to see us really come together again. I feel like we have let ourselves become divided over everything in 2020 because of everything when we all really want the same thing . We all want things to go back to how they used to be more or less before the epidemic. We all want to be able to gather in groups again, travel and go places without having to wear a mask. I don't know when we will be able to again, but we will eventually. Until then, stay safe, stay healthy, and take care of each other.
-Donna
It reminded me that ever since this epidemic started I have been wondering what "the new normal" will be once we can actually gather in groups again like we used to. I have often said I see people still working from home, and continuing to make use of applications like zoom, windows messenger, skype, ect for work. As well as services like Amazon to deliver our stuff, and uber eats to deliver our food. But the news also reminded me that even in 2020 there is still lots of life and love in this world. I hope we don't lose sight of that in spite of everything. Stay safe , stay healthy, and take care of each other everyone.
-Donna
More Independence. You don't have a supervisor looking over
No commute to work.
·
Save on expenses. Working from home you reduce fuel and transportation expenses. It also helps you save on other expenses like food, clothes, and even childcare.
· Increased productivity. When you work independently in a quieter environment, you may be more productive. Increased productivity related to several more factors including the ability to move around your home freely and take breaks when you feel the need to. Also being able to step away from your work when you feel like you need a break can help you stay motivated and reduce burn-out.
· Improved technical skills since it requires consistent communication between teams and managers via emails, phone/video calls and chats.
No office distractions
Collaborate across locations
Reduction in absences
~Cons~
I Increased Isolation. You can become quite isolated working from home if you spend the majority of time by yourself, working independently. The key to avoiding loneliness and isolation as a remote worker is to schedule outings and events with friends and family.
Home Office Costs.
Risk of overworking.
Risk to productivity . Although working
from home can help increase your productivity, it can also be a challenge to it.
With the freedom to move around and take breaks whenever the mood arises, it
might be difficult to stay focused on the tasks you're working on. This can
ultimately lead to slower productivity. One way to combat this is to implement
productivity tools like time trackers and task management applications.
·
Distractions from home. Distractions
like the television, pets or household chores can affect how you perform your
job. Too many distractions can lead to a decrease in your productivity and
motivation. You can avoid this by limiting anything that you find distracting
in your home. Use noise-canceling headphones and play relaxing music to block
out noises like traffic and neighborhood activity.
· Workplace disconnect. Telecommuting can sometimes lead to a
disconnect between you and your coworkers. Working from home means you won't
have access to immediate information about important business processes until
someone in the company communicates it to you. Make sure to stay connected with
your physical workplace through constant communication whenever you have questions
or concerns.
· Disproportionate work life balance. Although working from home can offer you the
opportunity to balance your home life with your job, it can also be challenging
to create a distinct separation between your career and personal life. Set
clear boundaries between your work hours and personal time, and communicate
these boundaries with others in your home.
· Less face time. Working remotely, you
won't have the same opportunities to speak face-to-face with coworkers and the
community unless you get out and about
Happy Tuesday everyone! My mom was supposed to go on a trip this week , but that trip ended up being cancelled because of COVID-19. So instead of the trip, she is still taking that time off work, and doing projects around the house while I work, or pretend to work. But this reminded me the importance of taking time off. Even though we are still being encouraged to stay at home , don't forget to take some time off for yourself during this time. Stay cations are affordable since you don't have to worry about the costs of flights and accommodations. Reduced travel time also means more vacation time.Of course you can play a stay cation no matter where in the world you are.
Take care of yourself and each other during this time
-Donna
It is the Tuesday after labor weekend. So you know know what means -coffee, coffee, and what is my password to log on again? lol My 3 day weekend turned out better than I expected. Originally, mom and I where supposed to go to Corpus Christi to take our friends daughter Vanessa horseback riding on the beach . However, we thought it was going to rain there so we ended up staying in San Antonio. Friday ended up being a girls night since we didn't take Vanessa horseback riding. My mom, Vanessa and I went to a Ramen restaurant by the forum for dinner. After that, we went to Bath and Body Works, and Walmart to end the evening .Corpus Christi ended up coming to us. My moms friend who lives in Corpus Christi ended up coming up to pay us a visit. I also got to catch up with a friend I have not seen in person since the epidemic started over dinner at Chili's. Sunday mom and I went out to brunch with our friend from Corpus, watched movies and relaxed. On Monday I got to catch up with my friend Jenn So even though I didn't get to go out of town, I still had a good Labor Day weekend. It is nice to know that even during times that these we can still make time for another every now and then. This year has reminded me of the quote from Dr. Suess "sometimes you never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory." That is because we are still being encouraged to practice social distancing So keep on making memories with the people you care about.
Stay safe, stay healthy, and take care of one another.
-Donna
Well, another week has come and gone. I am just trying to stay cool as we continue to get one hundred degree days. I am still working , going to the gym, and of course seeing friends when possible.
August 26th was women's equality day. I am definitely proud of how far we have come .But I still think women have a double edged sword in society. We are told yes we can go out and have careers, even be the CEO of major corporations. But we are still supposed to be the primary care takers at the house. (Ofcourse I realize there are exceptions to this rule. My Uncle Carl was the one who took care of things at home since my Aunt Terry had the better job.) So if we are working, we are not taking care of things at home, and if we are taking care of things at home we are not working . So it is a forever balancing act. It's something we all struggle with. So to fellow women out there, continue being you , and doing what works best for you.
This weekend I ended up catching up with my friend Jenn since she was in town a couple of times. Friday night we went to Osaka for dinner. Saturday night we had a meal at The Cheesecake Factory. It was the first time I went to North Star Mall in months. (When the epidemic started, I had no reason to go there especially since we couldn't for a while.) Some stores can only have a certain amount of people in due to social distancing. When I went to the Disney Store I had to wait a few minutes to get in because they where at capacity. Tonight I am going to watch Bill and Ted 3 with my friends Ian, David, and Jennie.But my meet up made me wonder if things happen or a reason or if everything is just a coincidence. I am forever convinced the universe has a twisted sense of humor. But the universe also seems to know when you really need something too. I know at the time Jenn and I reconnected, I was in need of my friends. However I know Jenn had no way of knowing this. Jenn just knew it was my birthday and told me happy birthday which is how we started talking again . Either way, for whatever reason we reconnected I am glad it did. You can't always get what you want, but you definitely get what you need. Now I am off to enjoy the tail end of my weekend.
Hello all.
I know it has been a long while since I last blogged . So I will try to make it worth it for everyone. As we all aware 2020 has been a trying year for everyone. I was supposed to go to at least two conventions and shows this year which of course got cancelled because of our current situation. I , like everyone else is wondering how long the epidemic will last. I know it's the not knowing that's the hardest part of all this. I miss the little things like just being able to go meet friends for a meal or coffee , and go to the grocery store without having to wear a mask. But in the mean time , I am still working, and acting like I know what I am doing.
I remember when I worked at Connexion Point one of my supervisors would always say the only thing constant in life is change. Little did I know I would learn years later how true that really is. Of course epidemic or not, change is a part of life. Every year the seasons go from winter to spring, summer, and fall. On our birthdays we become a year older., and hopefully a little bit wiser.
But I still have got the opportunity to do a couple of things this year. I got to meet Jason David Frank who played Tommy Oliver in the Mighty Morphin Power Ranger series. I found out he is going to local comic book around Texas to help bring them business. My mom had an event she wanted to attend in Corpus Christi the weekend he happened to be there , and proceeds go to the comic book shop, so I went to see him while he was there. Two birds, one stone. We still had to wear masks, and instead of waiting in line like we normally would, they had us take a number and download an app so we could wait in our car until our number was called. (Ofcourse you can also eat, and look around other stores while waiting.) Once your number was called, you could get in line in the store to meet JDF. It made me wonder if I should pick up karate again because he still looked good. I also got to catch up with an old friend and we literally just picked up where we left off.
Recent events have made me wonder about the people we allow in our lives. Some are in our lives for a short period of time. Some people are in our lives for a lifetime. Others come in and out of our lives through the years. I guess the one thing I learned lately is no matter how long someone has been a part of our lives, the ones you want to keep are the one who remind you no matter what, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you to all who have given me that reminder this year.
Stay safe, stay healthy , and take care everyone .
