5K & fundraising

I have never raised funds for anything. So, for the 5K this June, I am going to try my hand for the very first time to raise funds for us. We are only aiming to raise as much as it cost us to participate.

http://www.active.com/donate/bwc5k/birthdayrace

Yay!

Dry hands

Man oh man, is this winter wreaking havoc on my poor hands. With this cold streak showing no signs of ending anytime soon, I am going through hand lotions like nobody's business. I have a few that work really well and I have them with me at all times of day.

1. Hemp hand protector by the Body Shop: this is probably the best hand lotion I have ever tried and my favorite. It;s also on sale for $10 (down from $18.50) right now. It is in my purse day and night. It is slightly greasy when you put it on but it absorbs into your skin within seconds and keeps them moisturized for long periods of time.

2. C. O. Bigelow's Quince hand lotion: I keep this one at my desk at work. All day long with typing and handling papers, my hands get really dry. I reach for this lotion at least a dozen times a day.

3. Aveda hand relief: This is something I just got a sample of with another purchase. I keep it on my night stand. Every night, without fail, I put this on before going to sleep. It keeps my hands nice and smooth till morning and repairs some of the damage done during the day.

Lists

I love lists. I get work done very quickly and errands run more efficiently if I make a list. I usually have a scrap of paper for everyday with things written down that I need to do. Now, I do have that new fangled piece of technology called the iPhone and I love it. It stores my passwords, it reminds me when I need to buy tickets for Russell Peters (which, by the way, I have tickets for - April 25th in DC), it even allows me to take random cute photos of the puppy! However, the one thing I cannot do is make my to-do lists on there. I mean, I am physically capable of doing so, but then I forget that I made a list in there and forget to do stuff. Important stuff.

So, this is what I carry around usually. Today was a bad day, I had 3 pieces of paper. And, as you can see, some things get repeated on different sets of paper.

But then, this afternoon, I walked into the resource center at my work and viola! What do I see? This:

I love it. The pen it came with doesn't work but I have a tiny pen that fits in there. And, I can see the first page without opening it. So, I can just read my list through the cover. I am excited!

I am lame, yes?

Running

I was trying to explain at lunch today how I feel when I am running. I am incredibly bored. When I used to just walk on the treadmill or even run for very short time spans, I would read a book or watch a movie on my iPhone. Can't do that when I am trying to get a mile in at fast speed.

Afterwards, there is a great sense of accomplshment. But, while I am running, it's really hard to keep myself motivated. Maybe if I have something set up on a hat with a stick so it feels like I am running towards it? A beer? A candy bar? Lasagna pan? Crabcakes?

Also, ran a mile yesterday, not all at once, .65 then .35 but I did a mile. More than ever before. Goal for Monday is .75 at one go.

Balancing managing and friending

I have had some number of jobs in my lifetime. Since moving to the US in 1997, I have never not had a job. All those jobs had managers. Some better than others. Some male, some female. Their genders had nothing to do whether they were good or bad. This is a story about one of those managers.

I had this one manager who was always dour. No matter if the manager was given the employees a good review or a bad one. The employees always walked on eggshells around him and were afraid to speak up. The slightest misstep got the employees the worst dressing down ever.

One manager was very nice. I felt lucky to have gotten that job and that manager. That manager was so friendly, so open, so approachable. With everyone. Even the employees who weren't performing. The employees who were obviously the wrong fit. The employees who were causing issues in client meetings. The employees who were causing issues in our team.

Where's the balance? Where should a manager draw the line between being friendly with the manager's employees and actually being their boss. I don't have an answer. Last time I was a manager was at the food services in a university. Most of my employees were drunk and high and I was glad when they actually showed up.


* the names and even genders of the people involved have been hidden including the time line, to protect the innocent