Saturday, September 29, 2007

Guide for New Managers

Great article on effective Managing:

Guide for New Managers-Leaders

"Any manager who acts simply as a "boss and evaluator" is not providing members of his or her team with an environment that encourages maximum productivity. The most effective managers lead their team members with clarified goals and systems, sensitive listening, opportunities for involvement in shaping operations, opportunities for professional growth, and non-intrusive monitoring. A major goal is to give team members help when they need it, not to "catch" them at not succeeding. Solid leadership behaviors are a foundation of good management.

Good managers focus on basic needs of team members: Those basic needs are:
1. Belonging.
Employees can be most productive if they perceive themselves as valued members of a team.
2. Personal power.
Team members need to be respected and recognized to maintain their enthusiasm.
3. Freedom.
Having choices and control over one’s own work
processes can be a major motivating factor. Second-guessing and over-direction from a manager are major demotivating
factors.
4. Fun.
The best managers know that balanced opportunities for relaxation, humor, and socializing are an important part of
motivating team members."

The Navy?!

My son just informed me he is thinking of enlisting in the Navy, the Navy SEALS being his ultimate goal. While I am very proud of him for wanting to do something good for our country and for thinking very thoughtfully about his own future, I am terrified at the very thought of this!

I am fearful that something could happen to him and fearful of him not needing his Mom anymore. I can't hold him back from becoming a man forever...he just turned 18. But, knowing I was needed somehow by him always gave me a sense of purpose. I do realize this could provide him with some amazing opportunities to help him through the rest of his life though. I'm just torn.

I am losing control of every aspect of my life at the moment and think I may need some help in turning it all around, if not for my sake, then for my families (Craig included) sake. Just don't know where to turn.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

White Lacquer Nightstands by John Widdicomb



Love, love, LOVE these White Lacquer Nightstands by John Widdicomb!!!

((via 1st Dibs))

Had to take a quick breather! I've been slammed with 15 different last minute design projects (posters, recipe cards, coupons, itinerary, drawing tickets, etc) for an event at work tomorrow night! And that's on top of the other projects I had already been working on! Inhale.....exhale....

I honestly love my work and prefer it when I am busy. I do wish more thought went into giving me these projects a tad earlier each month though. It scares me to have this amount of projects thrown at me right at the last second...gives me too many opportunities to miss the details and possibly not meet my deadlines. Maybe that's the point? :P

Friday, September 21, 2007

Happy Friday!

{{Deleted most of the post as well as a few others}}

All of this has me really pondering what truly makes me happy, what MY needs are, recalling happy moments of my past. Aside from happy recollections of motherhood, friends and family, I can't help but recall my sense of wonder whenever I was fortunate enough to travel, see new places, faces and learn more about the world we live in....I really felt alive! Learning and experiencing new things are a BIG part of who I am. I am sensitive, giving, friendly, creative, joyous, sometimes naive, ever hopeful for the good in people, situations and life in general.

Anyway, one of my happier moments was experiencing Milan, Italy, for the most part, on my own in a foreign country for a few days. I stayed at the Four Seasons and spent a lot of my time wandering around the neighborhood, as well as inside of Il Duomo. So beautiful!







That's not to say I am only happy when carefree and footloose. I cherish many memories of overcoming many, many struggles & obstacles, and feel a real sense of accomplishment from hard work, etc.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Dreaming of an escape...




Doesn't the Blue Palace in Greece look lovely?

Update: My friend Elaine recommends vacationing in Santorini. Apparently the Blue Palace (above) is where royalty usually stays...so, it's incredibly pricey!

Check out Mystique in Santorini. So beautiful!

Saturday, September 15, 2007

A Note...

Sorry to have not been keeping up with my blog lately. I am under lots of stress at the moment and it is affecting me greatly. It is now causing me problems both mentally (worry, confusion, depression, anger, etc.) and now physically (constant migraines and major tummy troubles etc.) so I have decided I need to do something about it. I need to be in an environment that values me and that cultivates and encourages creativity and productivity instead of stifling it with control issues, playing favorites and by watching for and pointing out any flaws in me. Funny thing, my work is NEVER in question. Isn't that what it's supposed to be about? Apparently not anymore! My other two coworkers already left over this, the other coworker who handles groups and data entry (who they adore because she is cute, young and silly and started her pay at a rate way higher than they did for my skilled, specialized position) is next. I am the only one who was there for the long haul!

Uggh...I have to figure this one out. Wish me luck!

I'll be back to myself soon though, I promise!

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!

Drop Earrings


These are too cute by Fragment at ShopBop!

Thursday, September 13, 2007

My Heart Swells...



...when I see images/stories such as this. So sweet!

Read the story, you'll see what I mean....

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Guggenheim Museum


On my lunch break today, my coworker Toni and I went to check out the Modern Masters Exhibit at the Guggenheim Las Vegas. What a treat! I can't believe it took me this long to go!

"This exhibition presents 37 treasured masterpieces from the collection of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, that chart modern artists’ experimental interpretations of the academic themes of portraiture, landscape, still life, and genre. The juxtaposition of works on the same theme by artists associated with Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Cubism, Expressionism, and Surrealism invites consideration of the evolution of style during this dynamic period in art history as well as the timelessness of these subjects."

{{photo of Pablo Picasso's, Pitcher and Bowl of Fruit, 1931. Oil on canvas, 130.8 x 162.6 cm.))

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Girls Night Out!




In honor of Lisa's upcoming wedding, Lisa's friends threw her a Bachelorette Party. What a fun night it was! We began at Mix, high above the city at Mandalay Bay (great view of Vegas. We ended the night at Tryst, the club at Wynn. I had such a blast with these great ladies! Thanks so much Lisa, for inviting me along!

Thursday, September 6, 2007

I know...I know...


Yet another book! Seems I may have a slight addiction to the paper, words and images you find in those little things we like to call books! Here's a new one I would like to read by Jonathon Adler, "My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living".

A reviewer shared this tip from the book, "Get rid of all your boring, tiresome friends. Make friends with cabaret stars, exotic dancers, and down-on-their-luck royality instead". I love that!

Available at Amazon.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

2 Books



I always love talking to my friend Manuel. We had a chat last night and of course, our conversation turned to design, as always. He was telling me about a book he is reading by Marty Neumeier. I have had both of that authors books on my Amazon wish list for quite some time, but Manuel gave me the push I needed to put some more thought into actually buying and reading them. After I get through my pile of books on office politics maybe I can get back to studying design related things again! Things are okay this week (so far) in the office politics category. Hopefully thats a sign of good things to come.

The Brand Gap: How to Bridge the Distance Between Business Strategy and Design

Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands

Shoe Stamps


Check out these new official stamps featuring the shoe artwork of some of the hottest shoe designers today, such as Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin, Valentino, Fendi, ChloƩ, Giuseppe Zanotti and more. Pretty fancy.

Hopefully next they will come up with stamps for chairs...Eames and such!

Available at Saks.

Monday, September 3, 2007

Home Cure


Apartment Therapy is getting ready to do a Group Cure of sorts, based on their book, "Apartment Therapy: The Eight-Step Home Cure". I'm inrigued. I'd like to purchase this book soon so I can follow along.

Designer Slash Model

I can't help but crack up over this video poking fun of designers. The green screen part was my favorite! Reminded me of a project I did in my last semester of design school. My class and I created a video of us being chased around town in a convertible by a UFO shooting laser beams at us. We did this by illustrating (in Adobe Illustrator) a whole town, the UFO and a convertible car in which we inserted ourselves by filming us pretending to be driving, looking up screaming and pointing at the 'UFO' in front of the green screen. Then we put it all together in Adobe After Effects. So much fun! I sure wish I could get my hands on a copy of that video.

designer slash model

Don't forget to submit your best designer/model headshot on their site!
"You have to be beautiful to create something beautiful"

Home Autour du Monde


WHEN I go to Paris, I am most definitely planning a stop at this smart boutique.

Thanks AT:Europe for giving me more of the itch to travel!

Home Autour du Monde
8 rue des Francs Bourgeois
Paris, France 75003
+33 (0)1 42 77 06 08

Sunday, September 2, 2007

New Dresses


I bought 2 new dresses over the weekend, both Kenneth Cole and both on sale. I was finally invited to help with a Marketing event for work, the VMA gifting center at TAO Beach! I had to purchase something appropriate for the dress code.
One is black and white, the other is a mini in blue. Can't wait to wear them! I had ended up purchasing 3 that would have been appropriate.

**UPDATE**
I was uninvited to work this 3 day event. I'll have to find other reasons to wear the dresses.