Toastmasters

Well, I did it!  I did commit to being Lt. Governor – Marketing for District 22 next year.  My decision was actually rather easy given that Annette and I think alike and are goal oriented.  It shoudl prove to be interesting.  It is a 4 year committment putting me as District Governor in 2010-2011.  Later my buddy Larry reminded me that the year I am DG that the International Conference is in Sidney, so my trip will be paid by the district.  Interesting news.  Annette’s will also be paid since she will be Past District Governor.  I know that I am committing during a time of change since TI is looking to revamp things.  We shall certainly see.

I am also thinking a good deal of my dad lately.  I wonder what he would think.  Even 2 year after his death, I am still looking for his approval and ‘Great Job Baby Girl”.  I know he would be proud.  He would have held my hand during H’s surgery and helped me through my knee thing.  He would love my being DG.  He would think of it like he did he beloved Masons.  Mom doesn’t really understand, but she is pleased.  Christmas is always hard without him around.  Okay, most holidays are. 

I am still waiting to see pictures of the wedding.  Mom, Mike and Diani were here last weekend.  They trekked through the bad weather to take my nephews to the airport.  The hour and a half drive took almost 3 and a half due to the ice in Kansas and the snow on top of ice here.  They lef the boys at the airport since there flight was delayed by almost 2 hours (they were scheduled to leave at 8:45 pm and the flight left at 10:59 pm) with instruction if it was cancelled to call me and they would spend the night until they could get out.  Mom said they went ice skating in the van, spun 3 times and ended up in the median, but Mike was able to get out.  To be totally honest the weather here has just sucked this year.  Ice, freezing rain, and snow 5 weekends in a row.  It isn’t supposed to be bad this weekend, but we had 3 inchs of snow this morning. 

I stayed home sick.  I have had a bad cold since last weekend, but at least with the miracle drug Advair, it hasn’t settled in my lungs.  I would hate to start the year out by using all of my sick time.  I did get quite a bit done since it was slow this last week.  Since you cannot roll more than one week of vacation time, everyone was rushing to take their time before they lost it.  I wish I were one of them.  I actually took my 6 weeks this year.  I like the week between Christmas and New Years because I can close projects, and get things done that I haven’t had time to all year.  so be it.

Presidential Distinguished Division in Toastmasters…

I know that this may sound silly to some, but I am a Division Governor in Toastmasters District 22.  I was the first  division to be distinguished and yesterday we skipped over Select Distinguished and leapt right to Presidential Distinguished.  The highest level possible.  The exciting thing is that we are the only distinguished division of any type in our district that has 5 divisions.  I attribute this to 6 wonderful area governors.  I am just so excited.  My goal was select distinguished, but wow…this is really exciting. 

 I had a nice talk to the incoming Lt. Governor of Marketing who is a good friend.  We have decided that I will follow her into that position next year, which was a goal of mine anyway.  I am excited to know that she is on board and is fine with having Cheri or Marilyn follow that the next year.  I want my team to be Marilyn, Cheri and myself.  I am so very happy.

On another note, work is getting crazy again.  A team caused a performance issue last week that caused a missed SLA. I spent Thursday researching the issue and contacting the project team.  Their immediate solution was okay, but the long term fix they had not finished thinking about.  Now they have additional work.  My boss got me involved because the VP of Development (who the team worked for and the client who missed the SLA) contacted her to ask how this happened.  Humm, the new reorganization is going to cause more of these types of issues because the teams are going to become less involved with my group.  I already had a meeting scheduled to understand what the role of a subject matter expert will be in the new organization since I have been told I am one of the people who will be made an offer.  My boss hadn’t been forthcoming with that information even though it is available nor is she informative of what the changes will be in my current group.  She keeps asking me what I want to do, but I cannot answer because I cannot weigh them against each other without knowing.  It pisses me off to a great extent, but I have an idea now.  It was all exacerbated when my boss walked out of a meeting in a tiff because she wasn’t getting her way with two other managers.  She walked out of the meeting with those two managers and 4 people who report up to her.  Good going, just helps me to decide.  I love her a great deal, she is full of knowledge, but I am beginning to think it really is time for her to retire.