Archive of Marcia's Musings August 23-29, 2004Goal
My goal for this weekend is simple: clear all horizontal spaces of items unpacked from my trip and my office. That means that I have some organization of my office to do (which requires decisions, I'm not sure I'm capable enough to make right now) and some moving of unpacked stuff from the surfaces of the dressers and jewelry box in our bedroom.
You would think that because it is only one (1) goal, I could handle it but I've now got so much space in my office, I'm not sure how to use it! Scary though, eh? Too much space? No, that doesn't mean I have to buy anything-- there isn't anything that I want to buy right now-- it means that I have to organize stuff so that it is truly useful use of the space. Yeah, well, I'm working on it.
Assistance
To the end of getting my horizontal surfaces cleared off, Brian and I bought a bookcase/TV stand/miscellaneous supplies thingy today. It is a gorgeous beadboard cabinet with doors that close, making the appearance of a neater office for me to work in-- obviously, a good thing.
In an effort to cool the room down, we bought new blinds to replace the nasty-ratty ones that were here when we moved in and they look really nice, too. Hopefully, by next weekend, I'll have had time to make the valance for the top of the windows which was the inspiration for the room color.
When that happens, then you'll get a full set of pictures of the new office-- Brian did a fabulous job on the desk and I just love it-- I can't wait to show you how it all looks together.
Maybe I'd better get to it then? Okay, have a good evening!
Friday, August 27, 2004Where to Start?
I can't even begin to think of where to start a "trip report" for the past two weeks!! So many things happened during the time I was in Brasil-- it was the best business trip I've ever been on and that says a lot right there!
Monday and Tuesday (8/16-17) I spent with the country manager and other office staff as well as the previous attorneys and the new attorneys. My head was aching by the time I finished the second day of business!!
Marli, as Brian told you, is also a quilter so Wednesday was a combined business/play day! We went to 25 March Avenue in Sao Paulo. (They name a lot of streets with dates in Brasil.) "25 Avenue" as it is nicknamed, is full of vendors of every type but particularly the fabric and craft industries: cloth, buttons, handles for handbags-- you name it and it is there! What fun we had!!
Thursday was back to business by means of a meeting with Marli and the new attorneys to discuss revenue recognition issues. That was a successful meeting as was updating Marli on the contracts process and what she can be responsible for and when to call me into a situation. There is a big deal (the first over a $1,000,000 for them!) coming up in the near future and, right now, the country manager is saying that he wants me there for the negotiation. It won't happen in September but probably October or November-- right in their spring so it'll be a nice time to go there, if I have to go.
Friday I flew to Bauru to see Sue and Bill and begin some much needed time off. Marli taught me the phrase "Que saudade" which means "I missed you"-- when I hugged Sue, I said it to her and she was surprised to hear me say a Portuguese word! (Marli taught me about 10 or so words/phrases in Portuguese and my lessons will continue, I'm sure!) Friday afternoon, Sue and I napped and then we went to the center of town for a pasteio and churro-- delish!!
Saturday we ran some errands and did a little touristing and stuff-- lots of fun! Bauru is a very hot area-- it is in the interior of Brasil so, of course, it is going to be hotter. Sunday we went to church in the evening and had lots of fun meeting everyone that they've talked about-- good time, indeed.
Monday we went to Jao to go shoe shopping! I bought 4 pairs of shoes (made of leather-- brand new season's shoes, too!) for under $40!!! I couldn't believe it-- it was fabulous! In the evening, while Sue and Bill went to a meeting at church, I went shopping at . . . Wal-Mart! There were a few necessities that I needed so they dropped me there and I walked home to their house.
On Tuesday, we didn't do much of anything-- after all, we need to go easy for Sue's sake, yet-- but in the afternoon, her friend Celia came over for tea. We had a lot of fun laughing and talking. She's got a good friend there which is good for us, as family, to know.
Wednesday, in the afternoon, we walked to the airport (Bill and I had checked my luggage earlier in the afternoon) to wait for the plane. The security in these small-town airports is non-existent but that adds to the fun of it. Sadly, I got on the plane and flew back to Sao Paulo where Marli was supposed to meet me at the domestic airport and take me to the international. The operative word there is "supposed" . . . Marli messed up and I waited two hours before we (with Brian's help on cell phones) figured out where she was and how to resolve the problem.
When I got to the airport, we had time to load my suitcases with the purchases I had made in Sao Paulo during our shopping trip 25 Avenue. We also had a final cup of espresso and, then, I had to say good-bye and get in line for customs and immigration.
It was a good thing for me to have gone to Brasil-- I learned so much more about the people in the office and vice versa, I'm sure. Marli and I got to be better friends, too which also helps in the work relationship.
BUT, I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO incredibly happy to be home again!!! Man, I really missed Brian!!!!!! I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy to see him at the airport!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I got home, the girls were unbelievably happy to see me, too!!! After we let them outside, I picked up Lucy (she was literally climbing up my legs!) and I swear she just put her arms around my neck and held on hugging me for a good five minutes! She wouldn't let me go!!! And Molly? She was just jumping around-- she has a special kinda happy dance that she does when she's excited and she was soooo cute!
THEN, I went upstairs to my new office!!! Man, I sure "struck it rich" when I married Brian!!! He is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO talented!!! My office is awesome and there were lots of cool things to discover in the new room-- what fun!!! I need to get a bookcase in here yet but I'll probably be unpacked (from the boxes he packed up of the contents) by the end of the weekend. I'm still putting things away from my trip, too, so it won't seem like anything to do one more room.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I'm glad to be here and hopefully, will have lots of things to report over the next few days, as I catch up and unpack and everything.
Thanks for your patience in my absence-- there will be a few pictures to show you when Brian downloads them. I'll see you here again-- tomorrow. Have a great evening!
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