Be Inspired

It is interesting looking back

Some old friends have reconnected with me via this blog or Alumni affiliations. MUCH Thanks to all of you for leaving a note or sending an email. It is refreshing to hear from you! All reminiscing, however, was overshadowed by some pictures that I  received from the man that coined our group's campy little pseudo-explitive, "Oh, Cheese & Fries!" (If you say it really fast, it sounds like something else).

The Early Years documents just a few of my fashion faux paus and hair debacles.  I was a huge fan of Tea Leoni's character in the short-lived sitcom The Naked Truth and was determined to be a short-haired red-head although it was entirely unsuitable for me but you will just have to see for yourself.

Hungary, Continued

Since my previous post, I thought about the unique opportunities that I had as a by-product of my decision to teach English in Hungary. One thing that I am particularly proud of is that I have been photographed and quoted in a foreign paper. How many people can say that unless they are famous or hold valued positions in various fields? In a sense, this situation was socio-economic as we were the first group of teachers to visit Szeged through the Sister Cities program with Toledo,Ohio. The local paper interviewed the early arrivals about their opinions of the city and the goals of our organization. I had an interesting story to share that generated a lot of recognition and praise locally.

You probably have the mindset that most places in Europe are remarkably safe in contrast to many of our urban cities in the U.S. so, it was no shock to our host families that the younger, early arrivals to the city wanted to explore the nightlife the weekend on our own prior to starting classes.  All of us had literally taken our last final and hopped on planes, trains, and automobiles to get to our destination. Celebrating our new situation as well as blowing off some stress was definitely in order considering all of the studying and preparation. 

Enter: The infamous "Disco Boat" on the Tisza River. How we wanted to be there and dance the night away!  I watched my male counterparts salivate at some of the most beautiful women in the world and then try to hide their fascination and lust by commenting on how they wished they shaved their underarms.  Next Scene: The way home. Having been through the city several times by now, I thought I knew which fork in the road to take on the main street and how much closer I believed my family lived. Good-Golly-Gosh! Was I WRONG! With nothing more than an address and a phone number in my pocket combined with a minuscule grasp of a few words I managed to find a pedestrian that knew a small vocabulary of English and a desire to help. Ironically, on my long, circular walk, most people confused me for a Hungarian and asked for the time but they didn't really know how to help me with my dilemma under the circumstances.  This thoughtful pedestrian called my host mother from a payphone and relayed my issue, called me a cab and directed the driver to my new home.   

Finale: After sharing with the reporter the fact that I felt so uncharacteristically safe and that the locals were so understanding and helpful, it created a good positive spin on our exchange program and the participating school.  It is quite possible that more people enrolled.

Other additives of the experience would include:

Travel to Austria, France, Italy, Germany, & Switzerland

I went Paragliding in Interlocken, Switzerland within the Alps and met up with a new group of travel buddies that was composed of 5 Australians and 1 South African. I became an honorary Australian as they labeled me a "not so American and offensive sort".  After some time on the road with my American/teacher buddies, I knew they were right! One will never have more fun than traveling abroad with a group of Australians. Anything ridiculous can happen and they get away with everything including tormenting our elitist South African com-padre.

On a side note, it is very tragic that I would consider not being perceived as an American abroad as a positive aspect of my travels but the truth is that many Americans behave brazenly and presumptuously. I don't know how to explain it, really. You just have to see it for yourself. The only analogy I can think of is that we treat our hosts in other countries much like walking into a stranger's home without the slightest bit of cordiality, heading straight to the refrigerator, opening the door, grabbing a beer and then wondering why someone is looking at us like we have three heads.

It is embarrassing to do something culturally atrocious and I admit to having done so. My teacher friends and I toasted with our beers. While it is acceptable to raise a glass and say "to your health" in Hungarian it is taboo to 'clink' glasses with beer (wine is approved). The reason for that is that many Hungarian military Generals were hanged or shot and the insurgents toasted their demise over a beer.

If you are planning a trip overseas I highly recommend visiting this website and submitting questions regarding the location you plan to visit.

The many faces of home

A number of my friends have shared their list of things that they want to do in their life on their blogs.  It ranges from hot air baloon rides to cruises, adopting children and many other noteworthy aspirations. The truth is that they don't want to leave this mortal coil without accomplishment and endeavor.  Since that time I have thought about my list. The best way to begin a list, in my opinion, is to have a few items already marked off. It is a positive way to view yourself and in doing so, I realized that those few things led to some personal stories that I would like to voice on my blog.

When I was in college as an international relations major (political science with an international & geographical emphasis) my goal was to live overseas. I did that. I lived in Szeged, Hungary in 1993. I witnessed first-hand the success and equally socially difficult transition to a free-market economy. I fell in love with their hopeful future and cried at the pain of knowing that many people would suffer. Sometimes ideals and dogmas don't translate even if freedom is at stake.  In the end, the pride of Hungarians will always triumph no matter how much of their land or people have been lost due to war. If there is one thing I have faith in it is in the Hungarian Spirit. 

To this day, my favorite poet is Miklos Radnoti.  Along with his illustrations of the mental, physical and personal horrors of war he wrote for his people while in prison camp, he still left a dying poem in his pocket for his wife in the moments of his death.  His words truly reached beyond the grave.

While in Hungary, I lived with a host family and I must admit that they were so much like my own that even the language barrier didn't pose a problem. Hearts communicate on any level. I believe in love at first sight, and I don't mean that in the romantic sense but in the sense that if your heart is open to family, you can find it in the most unusual places.  This happened to be the family that I needed at the time. Forever, Szuzsanna (host mom) and Szylvia (host sister) will have a place in my heart for their kindess and love.  Szuszanna's Mother and Father lived in the flat below.  Her mother gave me a set of handkerchiefs for the women in my family embroidered with beautiful flowers. Mine had a 'forget-me-not' and she handed that to me as she cried and said that I was one of her girls. I will never forget that moment. It is forever embossed upon my heart. 

On the last day of class everyone that I had taught English to from age 5 to 70 at the Karolina School gave me flowers my last day. I grieved deeply at the thought of leaving.  It was difficult to make the transition back to the United States after experiencing a life that seemed to fit me so much better. It was then that I realized that I was more simple while becoming increasingly complex. Live simple, think intrinsincly about the value of everything you do. How do you honor others and most importantly, how do you honor yourself?  Having been in a position as an ambassador of sorts, I lived my life as a representative of a foreign culture.  Perhaps that was the basis of many things that have come to pass.

When I think of home, I think of several places and Szeged, Hungary is always one.

If this doesn't make you laugh you are probably more mature than me

Have I mentioned that I absolutely love Laffy Taffy (mostly for the jokes and not the cavities)?

I have selected a few jokes from this morning's poor breakfast choice.  There was a big bag of candy on the conference table for our morning sales meeting and I couldn't resist. Besides, my bagels had gone stale over the weekend.

Q: What do you call a cow with a twitch?

A: Beef Jerky.

Q: What is the best way to keep the water from running?

A: Don't pay the bill.

My all-time favorite Laffy Taffy Joke is....

Q:  Why don't lobsters share?

A:  Because they are Shellfish. 

Leadership Forum

I had the pleasure of attending a Leadership Forum at my club this evening. I thoroughly enjoy hearing how someone else navigated the professional world to reach their esteemed positions. I left the event inspired and a bit more clear-headed. It seemed as though the guest speaker, Norman Bagwell - President of Chase Bank Dallas, had a message made just for me. Here are the things that I want to share in my own words:

1. Strive for Internal Equity- When he used this term he was referring to how you are valued within your organization. Even if you have the opportunity to make more money elsewhere you also have to account for the value you have within your company. If you find yourself the unspoken leader or the person that the President calls for feedback that is an excellent spot to be in and it could be very hard to find again. It means that you will be called upon to do greater things within your organization that will foster new opportunities for growth, leadership and hopefully financial gain.

2. Inside and Outside Value- You may work with clients and have a great repoire with them. It is equally important to have that internally with your management and peers. This basically compounds the earlier point but not all of us have this in harmony. While it seems obvious, it may be something we all need to work on. It would be nice to know that everyone would choose to be on your team because you know how to work well with others and if by chance you have to lead one day, they can trust you to keep the team strong and inspired even in the face of adversity.

3. Stay the Course- We are all faced with big offers and opportunities but sometimes staying the course is the best option. You may be surrounded by highly qualified people yet, if they force their hand and fate they could be running to high risk opportunities that could leave you holding down the fort and ultimately you own empire. If you are the last one standing and you have always kept your value, who isn't going to appoint you as the leader. From there you grow and could achieve more than you ever imagined.

4. Keep the Balance- I hear this time and time again from the most successful and seasoned professionals. Some, because they lost it and had to find it again. Some, because they always did. Life is a series of choices. Be mindful of how those choices affect your family or hopes of having one.

5. PP&E- Planning, Projection and Execution. Always look at the long term as far out as you can. Execute accordingly.

6. Enthusiasm and Energy- People are naturally drawn to those with enthusiasm and energy. The speaker said that these are 2 things that we alone have the ability to control. Enough said.

7. Adaptability to Change- We all need to have the ability to adapt to change. In a corporate setting, just as it is in all aspects of life, change is the variable that we have to allow and even sponsor. If you work with a group of people that consider change adversity, it is your responsibility to keep the level head and build faith that it is right for the company as a whole. Mr. Bagwell said there are 3 buckets: One for the people that will never change. One for the people that are willing to adopt the change fully. And one for those that need persuaded. You have to keep the morale high regardless.

8. Community Involvement- Many of the job skills you might like to have but aren't authorized to do can be found in different roles of committees for organizations in your community. If you can't build those skills at the office, do it elsewhere and take those to the next company you work for. You are the builder of your life and your resume, not XYZ Corporation.

All that being said, how do you want to be perceived and how far do you want to go? I wish you all a prosporous and valuable career. If you don't feel the intrinsic value that you would like to have I hope you take the time to find it. I know that it can be difficlut and sometimes I struggle with motivation or purpose but it all comes back to listening to someone that did it before you and finding mentors that can help you see the pitfalls that they might have made before you let them happen to you. Good luck being the best that you can be!

Someone in this office needs psychiatric help...and it isn't me!

For those of you that weren't reading my blog in November, there were some bizarre happenings in the office regarding a particular dancing hamster who returned from the netherworld for sweet revenge on his aggressor.  The perpetrator is at it again. Poor, lovable, Kung Fu Fighting Hamster hangs in effigy as a warning to all animated, lovable, helpless toys who dare to enter this office a.k.a. The Abyss of Insanity (insert evil laugh here). 

And another friend starts a blog

I would like to welcome a dear friend Etchen to the blog sphere.  She is thoughtful and kind to all and I know you will enjoy her 'ramblings' as she calls them.

Another lovely Saturday

Saturday was particularly beautiful. I worked out, went to golf lessons, lounged by the pool with friends and also on my terrace in the hammock.  I had trouble concentrating on my leisure reading so I decided to fiddle with my camera. I think this picture conveys a certain serenity.

Unusual insurance plan

There was a corporate email regarding our new Metlife Dental plan. At first glance, everyone in our office did a double-take because it looked like Mental Dental. Is that for patients that are losing thier teeth and their minds? 

Does anyone remember Dr. Teeth from the Muppets?

Another happy customer

I have been spending all of my free time copying my music to itunes since I just bought an iPod mini (6GB Green, if anyone was wondering).  I also bought an iBook G4 and have to say that I am really pleased with my purchase. Surprisingly, I had no trouble figuring the operating system out and navigating everything I have tried. Fortunately there is a Mac store down the street from my home and they offer "getting started" classes which I plan on attending. 

I have been agonizong over bying an iPod for some time and the more I researched it, the more I realized that it was for me. With the purchase of iTrip, I can tune into my home or car stereo via FM signal and transmit the music I want to hear out of the respective sound system. What a space and time saver! When I entertain I can drag and drop the songs I want to play to a folder in itunes and synchronize with my iPod and play over my home system. It will be a lot easier to set up what my guests want to hear as well or follow a genre when the mood changes from mellow to upbeat. Music is a big part of my life and this helps me more fully integrate it into every moment effortlessly.