A Year Ago. . .

A year ago today (when today was a Friday) was my last day with the American Heart Association. It's actually pretty hard to believe that I've been gone for a year. Sometimes it feels like a completely different life. Some days it feels like I just left and am heading to a new Heart Walk or Luncheon or Gala at any time.

A year ago today, I was crying. Hard. And all damn day. I'm not a big "public display of emotion" kind of girl, especially at work, so it was both cathartic and embarrassing to spend all day as a hot mess. But in my defense, I had been at the AHA for nine years, almost my entire career, and was saying goodbye to my career thus far, but also a lot of good friends.

In fact, it wasn't until a few months later that I realized just how unique it was to have friends at work. Or at least several good friends at work. I still keep in touch with at least half a dozen (or more) current AHA staffers and at least 20 former AHA staffers. Working in the corporate world has some advantages over non-profit. Okay, it has a lot of advantages. Mostly the ability to plea for funding on strategic projects and know that you have a shot in hell in getting it, but one thing I've noticed is that the team concept is there, but a little more underlying than I was used to.And I think part of the reason was that I was lucky enough to have so many people that I liked hanging out with (don't get me wrong, i had plenty that I didn't like). When you like who you're collaborating with, the outcome of what you're doing tends to be better because we all try harder for friends than strangers.

Anyway, it's been a year. I miss my AHA friends and think (or speak) to them often. I miss my volunteers whose passion helped me through late nights of banging my head in frustration.

But I don't miss the Heart Gala. :)

And with only dropping about a dozen f-bombs. . .

Last weekend was the Nashville Heart Gala. It's like having 400 people over for dinner. And my role was to make sure they were charged for their meals properly. Well, not exactly.

We had a staff member leave about 2 weeks ago, so my friend Jennifer and I were given the role of learning the software system and running the behind the scenes. It was not a fun thing. Actually, the night of the event was cake. It was the two nights leading up to it that stressed me out. Lots of things to enter and lists to pull, but only so much time.

And to add to the fun, Friday was National Wear Red Day. So our fantastic volunteers were out making things happen so that I could be available to do other things. It was like being in 6 places at once.

But just in the midst of everything, when I was coming home at 10:30 for the second night in a row, I looked up and saw three buildings that I had coordinated in going Red for the night. They were three of five. Suddenly, I felt more productive than I had all week. It was a good feeling.

Snow days that weren't so bad

Before I get too far into this, I'll admit it. I'm one of those Northerners who chuckles obnoxiously at southern snowfall. Others warn me to be careful driving in the weather and I reply "No worries. I took my driving test in the snow."

It's smug and I realize it. It's also one of the few perks I have coming from the North in the eyes of my Southern brethren. I mean, I'm a Yankee and it's often told to me in disdain. Others try to place my origin as I've had enough of the southern twang seep in to my previously flat accent to throw people off.

But I digress.

We got about 4 inches of snow in my little corner of the world. Four inches in Indiana is not enough to call off school, delay work or do anything other than add shoveling snow to your day's to do list. But that amount in Nashville is enough to paralyze the city. Honestly, I'm rather thankful because there are too many people unfamiliar with driving in snow and it's slow intricacies. It can be dangerous to be out with others.

For me, it was a great weekend. The snow on Friday night made it seem like the restaurants open in my neighborhood that would normally be bursting with business were quietly open just for me and Chef to enjoy. Snow slows things down so much that my email inbox wasn't bursting at the seams and my Saturday was spent lounging and working at my leisure.

So I say "Thank You, Snow" for the break. Now get out of here. We've got a Heart Gala next week and this stuff better be gone.

Happiness is. . .

Your team going to the SuperBowl! Go Colts. Then there's the realization that I have to work at the Nashville Heart Gala the night before and will probably not get home until 2 a.m. So sleepy time until about an hour before kick off.

Now here's hoping that the Vikings lose because I can't think of anything more excruciating than having to listen to two weeks of Brett Favre worship coming from the mouths of sportscasters. I mean, seriously, if I have to hear about him being "old" and having his best year ever for two straight weeks I'll be ready to tackle the shit out of him myself by February 7th.

And TJ Houshmandzadeh, thank you for picking against the Colts every time in the play offs. Please continue to do so.