Surviving Busy Season: Have Fun!

We’re about a month into busy season now, and I wanted to talk about having fun.  This seems like an oxymoron when used in the same sentence as busy season, but I promise it is possible.  Remember a few weeks ago when I mentioned a beer pong tournament we were having after work?!  Let me tell you – it was the best idea ever!  I know that sometimes it’s hard to imagine socializing with the same people you spend 60+ hours a week with, but it is different when there is competition+alcohol involved.

We had the best time that day – I was on a team with one of my seniors… and we lost every time we tried to play.  But there was the requisite smack talk, and in between rounds, I got to learn some fun things about my co-workers.  Robert stopped by too, and even joined the fun at one point.  It was the best way to spend the first Saturday in busy season!

Another good example of having fun was this past Friday.  It was a pretty slow day, and we decided to go to a team lunch.  About six of us went, and spent an hour telling stories about pranks we’ve pulled on various staff and interns.  They got pretty bad – one year they hooked up a wireless mouse to a girl’s computer, and told her that she’d have to pay for a new computer since her cursor was broken!

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that busy season isn’t all just no sunshine and spreadsheets.  I met some of my best friends at work, and learning how to laugh with them is key to making busy season fly.  And if all else fails, and no one wants to go out to lunch… start blasting miley cyrus from your computer, and wait for the dance party to start.  Trust me on this one.   Hands up!
Do you ever have fun at work?!

Gratitude Journal 1/27/10

1) I’m grateful for my girlfriends – talking to them about anything makes every day better.  I had a phone date last night with one of my best girls, and another one tonight on the way home from work.  It gives me something to look forward to during my car ride!

2) I’m grateful that it’s staying lighter later… spring is so soon! 

3) I’m grateful for vanilla chamomile tea from Celestial Seasonings… I had to find a new decaf tea to replace my beloved Candy Cane Lane Green Tea from Trader Joe’s, and this hits the spot.  This is something else to look forward to after work tonight!  I love tea time with my fiancee.  <3

Have a great night blog friends!

Look Ma, No Knee Pain!

Yesterday was one of the best days I’ve had all year.  I got up to run in the morning – and wasn’t hobbling around on my high heels for the rest of the day!  I could walk downstairs, I could bend down to untie my shoes, and I didn’t have to spend all day elevating my knee on my trashcan!  (use your imagination for that one if you want a good laugh)  Best of all, my run felt almost effortless, and it was one of my fastest yet.

Yee haw!  I owe it all to my knee brace (which is so stylin, I can’t even handle it!) and the week of rest that I unintentionally took all last week lol.  Now that it helped heal my knee, I’ll just pretend it was a week off for the sake of injury.  Sounds good, right?  I’m glad to be back to running normally, now I just have to get back in the swing of going to the gym more than once a week. 

Anyway, yesterday was a true test of the BYOD method of Surviving Busy Season.  I didn’t have a chance to make a new soup for dinner this week, so I am relying on two servings of Butternut Squash soup or salad for the week.  Last night the whole team decided to eat their chinese take-out family style – all 10 of us gathered around one table to eat dinner.  I had so many people ask “why didn’t you order with us?!”  or “what’s in your salad?!”  And I really really really wanted fried rice.  But I stuck with my salad, and made it through… somehow.  I felt accomplished after dinner – really proud for not caving and eating with my emotions.  Besides – my salad was damn good   I’ve got to channel my inner high-schooler and avoid all this peer pressure once and for all!

On a totally random note…. GO HAWKS!  My beloved Saint Joseph’s Hawks are on a 3-game winning streak, including a thriller against Dayton on Saturday.  Robert and I had so much fun being in the crowd for the game, and I’m so bummed out that I’ll be missing the game tonight.  Nothing beats a great game in a LOUD fieldhouse!

What’s your favorite sports team?  I’ve always been partial to the Phillies, and once I got to college I fell in love with the Hawks (obviously!)  Since dating Robert, I’ve also developed a soft spot for the New York Rangers - not quite a popular stance to take here in Philly!