Good-bye, 2008

It seems at the end of each year, I pause and wonder just where the year went. They always seem to disappear so quickly. I feel that way again this year, but am actually relieved to bid farewell to 2008.

This year has been challenging to say the least. I think back a year ago and can hardly wrap my mind around all that has changed. This time last year I was hugely pregnant and we were excited about our baby girl who was to be born in early February.

We were blessed on Feb. 2 with a beautiful, healthy daughter. We are happy to have her in our lives, but the adjustment to parenthood was harder than I ever could have imagined.

I returned to work full time in April and was learning to juggle work and family on a new level. But I was happy to be working as so much of who I am has been wrapped up in my career. Even after having a baby, I knew I couldn't turn my back on my work.

So, my layoff in October and the resulting life changes rattled me in a way I'm not sure anyone could understand.

It's been a tough year and I'm ready to move past it. The year 2008 will always be special because of Katherine, but it is not exactly a year I would be eager to repeat.

I pray for a better 2009 and a wise spirit that can look back on these challenges, learn and grow from them and move to a new level of greatness.

Kate's first Christmas

For Christmas, Santa brought me a Flip Video Camera, an awesome little device that makes uploading videos to the Web super easy. Here we are playing around with the new device on Christmas morning (totally ignore my just-out-of-bed look and focus on that adorable baby).

Happy holidays!

Our babies: Mocha, Belle and Katherine.
And Katherine says, "Should I be on all fours for this photo?"

Fun at work

As I was cleaning out my 2008 calendar, I came across some notes I took during a presentation about having fun a work given by Mike Veeck, author of "Fun is Good" and part owner of the Charleston RiverDogs minor league baseball team.

Just thought I would share his tips about how to infuse the workplace with fun (which should be pretty easy for me these days since I work at home).

1. Hire passionate people.
2. Have fun - laughter improves everything.
3. Values (write down four one-word values for your company).
4. Teamwork - build a team you can be proud of.
5. Generosity of spirit - mentor someone.
6. Creativity (have creative meetings in the morning; but keep meetings to an hour or less).
7. Customer service (write your top 25 customers a hand-written note).
8. Give back to the community in which you live.

Additional tidbits of wisdom:
* People want to be empowered to make decisions.
* How we deal with success and failure on a day-to-day basis is the defining moment for how we handle business and people.
* How we approach change defines our business.
* The No. 1 employee morale gift: unexpected time off.

Moving beyond the dress designer

A recent article in Newsweek discussed how reporters were trying to draw comparisons between Jackie Kennedy Onassis and soon-to-be First Lady Michelle Obama. The article points out how different the two women really are and showcases the inane attempts by the media to connect the dots, particularly in terms of fashion.

Obama has pledged to focus on complex social issues, such as support for military families, once she gets to the White House. Still, most of her recent headlines have been about her clothes, such as the mixed reviews she drew for her election-night Narciso Rodriguez number.

Seriously? This woman has a master’s degree and a law career and we’re talking about her clothes? I have yet to read anything about Barack Obama’s ties or suit selections.

Let’s move beyond looking at women as little more than Barbie dolls. The First Lady will be representing one of the most powerful countries in the world as more than just a fashion accessory to the President. How about reviewing and critiquing her policies, thoughts and strategies rather than her choice of handbags and dresses?

Lessons from men

I know, I know, the title of this posting leaves you scratching your head. What could we possibly learn from men? (ha, ha to my male readers). Well, we moms could learn a couple techniques for squelching our mommy guilt.

If you've never experienced mommy guilt, then you a) Don't have children or b) Don't have children. At some point or another, all moms feel guilty about something - feeding Child a Happy Meal; putting Child in playpen or swing for the fourth time in one day; not reading enough to Child ... and the list goes on.

Here's a particularly interesting article from American Baby magazine targeted at new moms and how to cure five new mom guilty feelings. But what I found most interesting is the "Father Knows Best" tips.

We can learn a thing or two from dads about kicking the guilt habit. Granted, it's easier for them because they don't have the societal expectations that we moms do. If a man changes a diaper, he's a hero. But, for whatever the reason, fathers have got their thinking right. Here are three good manly lessons.

Dads don't try to do it all. "Men don't expect to work full time and be the primary caretaker to their kids, a great cook, sexy for their spouse, and a good friend," Rosenberg says. Yet women do.

Dads don't feel guilty about taking time for themselves. Does your husband think twice about heading out to the gym? Enough said.

Dads don't blame themselves for everything (er, anything). Your child didn't bite the other toddler at the playground because you didn't breastfeed him or you fed him too much sugar. Kids act out, and they get hurt...just because they're kids.

Excellent.

Green Office Blog

Last week I scored a new freelancing gig: updating a company blog about making your office more green. I'm posting twice a week and my first post goes up tomorrow. Check it out here. You also can be a fan of this blog on Facebook and follow updates on Twitter.

Over the last year, I've written several stories about the green movement, including stories about green building and profiles of businesses that are offering green products/services. It's become an interest of mine, so I'm looking forward to writing about how companies are going green.

One catch to the blog, it's technically based in San Diego so many of my postings should be related to San Diego. I love San Diego and wish the company that hired me would bring out for a meeting!

Check out the blog and follow me on Twitter and Facebook!