Holiday Party 2018

Hello everyone and happy new year!  So far this 2019 has been a bit sad for me.  I went to my first funeral of the year on Saturday and it was awful.  I’m pretty sensitive already so I knew this was going to bother me a bit.  I kept it low key on Friday, went to the funeral on Saturday, and on Sunday saw my friends for Three Kings Day.  That part was nice.  Sometimes moments like this makes you want to reach out to your loved ones.  I hate the fact that this happened right after the holidays.  This family is hurting so badly…

I’m finally on December events and I want to get that going so I won’t fall back behind like I usually do.  I’m trying to work on this I promise!  Our holiday work party was being held at Buddy Guy’s Legends and we were excited!  This blues bar has been a Chicago staple for many years.  I knew we were going to have a blast when we got there.  Our usual trolley ride lead us down Jackson avenue, but then we noticed some police activity on State Street.  Someone onboard decided to look into and found out there was a shooting on the Blue Line tunnel underneath.  Me and a coworker were distraught because that’s our line to go home.  This put a damper on our evening.  We couldn’t help wonder what had happened.  When something like that occurs in the city, they shut down the transit line so the police could investigate.  Me and my coworker knew we had no choice but to enjoy our time out at the party until the city decides to open the transit line again.

The music was putting everyone in a good mood.  Me and my coworkers enjoyed our buffet and they even had prizes raffled off.  At one point my co-worker checked into the Blue Line and the line had opened up.  It was now 8pm.  Pretty early for me, but since it spooked us both, we decided to ride home together.  So much for staying longer at the holiday party…

University Club of Chicago

I’m back to recapping September events!  I need to catch up since it’s already November!  Yikes! After that long holiday weekend, I worked an event at the University Club of Chicago.  We helped check guests in with their badges and greeted them as well.  It turned out to be a great turn out for us and we even got a chance to sample their appetizers.  I’ve never been there before so it was a treat to step inside this private social club that has lasted over a 100 years.  I was impressed by the history and enjoyed working that evening.

The Elite Private Yacht

This year’s work party was held at a private yacht from Elite at Navy Pier.  People were hesitant if it was going to happen at all due to the weather.  Thunderstorms were predicted but luckily it cleared up before the end of the work day.  As usual, we had a trolley service pick us up from the office and transport us there.  I love the trolley rides!  That’s an experience itself!  The trolley went through traffic pretty quickly considering it was Friday during rush hour.  Once we arrived we killed some time by walking over to the Beer Garden to have a cocktail.  There was a band that was playing as well.

We finally boarded, and despite the skies looking questionable, we set out to sea!  I’m usually nervous on boats in general, but this yacht was pretty big.  I never felt a thing.  We had dinner at the downstairs lobby, and again, despite being on a lower level, I still never felt a thing.  The food was delish!  I was very surprised at the quality!  They even had a cutting station for meat.

We went back up to the upper level to enjoy some music from the dj.  Our work parties have been a little wild out on the dance floor over the years, but I think this time it wasn’t so.  I have a feeling if they had dimmed down the lights a bit it would have made people less shy.  Oh well.  Regardless we had a blast!

Eclipse Fever

I can't believe so much has happened since that infamous solar eclipse!  Hurricane Irma is finally moving its way out of Florida, but look at all of the destruction both Harvey and Irma did!  Hurricane Jose is now in the Caribbean but it shows how we can't take a break from unsettling news.  I feel for the people who have nowhere to go.
Back in August our firm held an Eclipse party.  We had sun chips, starbursts candy, and eclipse chewing gum.  We really wanted moon pies but they were sold out everywhere.
It was a pretty surreal moment that we had a chance to encounter together but now I just want the natural disasters to stop.  I will be praying for everyone affected with the west coast fires and flooding.  Until next time!

Annual Summer Party

Hope everyone had a great weekend!  I missed out on Lollapalooza this year but it was hard seeing everyone’s footage on social media.  Lol.  It’s one of my favorite music festivals but because of my mom’s house being on-sale, I didn’t want to commit to anything.  Regardless, there were plenty of memories I’ve had over the years and I posted a few of them on Facebook and Instagram.  I DO have a ticket for North Coast coming up Labor Day weekend, but I feel my love for music festivals might be winding down.  *sniffle sniffle

Over the years I’ve had some amazing times at music festivals but as I’ve gotten older, I hardly recognize the acts and have kept loyal to my favorite artists.  Oh well.

Back to recapping July’s events.  Following the event at the Warwick Hotel, it was our annual summer party at the firm.  We held it at the restaurant in our building, which works out for everyone since Union Station is down the street.  It was fun seeing people enjoy themselves.  We had people from our other locations fly in for this party.  It was nice seeing faces behind the voice.  Once the party started clearing up, we decided to head somewhere else to continue the fun.  We ended up at Parlor on Randolph Street and ordered some thin crust pizza.  It was delish!  I always enjoy our work parties! 

Holidays are OVER! Part 2

The thing about the holidays is that it's more than celebrating with friends and family.  There are holiday work parties to attend to!  Ours this year was featured at our firm, which is not unusual.  In the past we have been at other venues, but sometimes it's easier to bring the party to us.  Since a lot of people who work here commute from the suburbs, they go to Union Station down the street to catch their train.  To make things easier, we dressed up our firm to showcase a winter themed party and it worked out pretty well!  We had a high attendance than ever before and people seemed to enjoy themselves without any compromise to their commute.  I'm glad that our firm participates in holiday parties because I feel it's important for everyone to get along at work.  What better way to bring people together than a party?  Here are some of our memorable moments!

Someone made this prop at work!  We HAD to use it!

Check out those Christmas sneakers!

This day was particularly frigid.  I layered it up with a cardi wrap, tunic dress with fleece leggings and flat over the knee suede boots.  Believe it or not, I got hot at the party...

Our holiday cocktails!

I chose the Feliz Navidad...

He's wearing the Alien Christmas sweater.  LOVE IT!

Plan B

I'm still finalizing my trip.  lol.  I know I'm making this a big deal but I had to figure out the details on what I am doing out there.  It's hard to plan something like this out on a whim.  I don't have a lot of cash to be throwing away and make hasty decisions.  I need to know what I am planning to do with my time in Greece and in Italy.  It's frustrating because sometimes I wish money was no object.  Then the world would be my oyster!!  But I live in the real world where I have to take care of myself, my responsibilities, and my well being.  I have printed up my maps; looked into my hotel and the area around it; printed out transportation information; and discussed my stay with my friend out in Italy.  I am extremely nervous.  I wish I wasn't such a wuss.  I pray I will begin to get excited.  Mid life nerves have won me over again.
There was a time when I wasn't so nervous about things.  I was pretty sure I knew what was "the plan".  Now, not so much.  Everything got shifted when me and my ex broke up.  We were working on getting our finances together so we could buy a place.  Around the time we ended things, he had worked out his bankruptcy.  Nice.  Time for the next move. 
Then boom.  Everything ended and I was left to figure out what to do next on my own.  I hadn't saved any money.  My best friend whom I've known since I was 16 years old had just gotten married to a woman who advised him not to speak to me anymore.  And my other friend met a man and had moved to Italy.  Just like that.  I lost not only my boyfriend of 7 years but my two closest friends in the whole wide world.  I was in so much emotional pain, I couldn't comprehend what was happening.  How did I miss this?
Maybe fate brought me here.  A lot of my friends ended up meeting their significant others as time moved on.  Of course they would pair up now, I was in a relationship for so long and they were single.  Now that tables have turned I had to figure out what to do with myself without them around as much.  Over the past 4 years I've been single, I've made new friends; dated, and have accustomed to doing things on my own for enjoyment.  I am trying to learn Italian so I could blend well with my girlfriend's friends out in Italy.  I go to concerts/ shows that I enjoy on my own without any interruption.  And once I week if I could, I practice new recipes on my own (I'm a terrible cook although my ex did eat at his own risk).  Traveling came out of no where because my friend pushed me to come out and visit her.  I would have never done it on my own if it wasn't for her. 
I came to the realization that maybe what I wanted for so long is just not in the stars for me.  If that's the case, then how do I fill up a life without my plan A?  What path should I head to now?  Where do I go from here?
For the time being, I will follow my passions.  The things I love to do.  Around my birthday I grew very sad, but then felt hopeful when I purchased my plane ticket to Greece.  It was short lived because some days I battled feelings of depression.  I finished the book "The Power of Your Subconscious Mind" and it helped me learn how to tap into my imagination.  With the use of meditation and prayer, it makes you focus on your wants and desires from your subconscious mind.  It takes a lot of work but it does make me feel better.  Painting a pleasurable picture in your head daily works wonders for your mind.
My job had our annual summer party downstairs outside at the lawn area last Friday.  This year we kept it low key.  The weather had dipped back into the 70s so I wore my jeans and an bright orange top for a pop of color.  Nothing major.  I truly enjoy where I work at and figured I could hangout for a bit even though my cough was acting up that day.  They handed out Garrett's popcorn which was a big hit.  It was bbq themed.  We had some good times playing around with pokemon go.  That helped liven it up a bit.  lol.  Until next time! 

Great turnout!

They had bags!



Good times....

I found a pokemon! 

Memorial Day BBQ!

Sunday on Memorial Day weekend my friends decided to throw a BBQ.  Who could pass up an invitation like that??  Me and my friends made our way to Skokie for some backyard fun.  The weather was HOT and the food was delish!  It was nice catching up with everyone.  So many things are coming up for the summer; it's getting harder to figure out how to plan for some of it.
Number one for me has always been:  what to wear.  I am NOT a dress person.  Yes, I've worked in retail over the years, and I know how important it is for women to find a flattering dress for these summer occasions.  And it's not easy.  I've been shopping online for the past 4 years and have completely ruled out shopping at the mall.  I've been the same dress size for years so trying something on has never been a problem for me.  It's more of scrambling through tons of dresses that drive me crazy.  Not to mention, I'm pretty much always on a budget.  If the sky was the limit, then yes, life would be much easier.  But I'm not wealthy so I have learned how to shop for myself over the years.
What I have learned:
Let's face it.  You're not a little girl anymore.  You pretty much know what looks good on you by now.  When it comes to certain occasions, look for what has worked for you in the past.  You know your silhouette.  If  you have a great pair of legs, then don't wear a maxi dress.  Show them off!  If you have a tiny waist, don't wear an empire dress.  Stick to dresses that accentuate your body and not hide them because of whatever trends are happening this season.  For the most part, up to this point in your life, it's been trial and error.  But you'll never forget those times when people have come up to you to tell you how great you look!  Those are unforgettable moments!
What's your color??  I have a friend that always wears black because she feels it looks best on her.  She feels more confident because it slims her down and she doesn't feel so exposed.  I have another friend that wears rich colors like magenta and royal blue well.  It looks great on her skin tone.  Everyone has a color! 
Do you have a favorite brand or shop that has always been your go-to for shopping?  I have 5 brands; shops that have worked for me in the past.  I usually luck out when I shop there.  I usually start there before branching out to other stores. 
Now that you're "aware" of what has worked for you in the past, it's time to know what occasion you are shopping for.  I have a couple of baby showers and baptisms coming up, as well as a work function.  For the most part I know I will be looking at day dresses and work dresses.  It narrows down your search tremendously when you know what you're looking for.
I have yet to find my dresses.  Over the years, I have managed to look for good deals online and out and about.  There have been times when I've bought a dress because of how well it fits, despite knowing where I would wear it to.  My rule of thumb has always been to get the dress.  You never know when something pops up.   

Our Holiday Party is right around the corner!

Ahhh.  December.  It's the month that brings us winter, shopping, and holiday parties!!  Believe it or not, the buzz around the office is strong this year.  In the past we practically had to beg for our employees to show up to our events.  This year, it's different.  I personally think it's because of the scandalous news happening in our city and around the world.  It has us wanting to get out of this rut, even if it's just for a couple of hours.  We had a staff party back in September and surprisingly, (even with the low turn out), had a great time!  It was at Three Dots in a Dash.  What didn't help was the crazy weather we were having that day.  A couple of strong storms passed through, opting for people to go home instead of joining in on the fun.  Regardless, our firm provided the transportation with a trolley ride there.  Not too shabby!  We went a little crazy with the tropical drinks, but how can you resist a banana daiquiri with a dolphin leaping out?  Everyone who attended had a blast, and hopefully our Christmas party will also be a success.  I can't wait!   

SO YUMMY!!

I can't believe we got the treasure chest!  That was intense!

I couldn't help myself from having the dolphin shaped daiquiri!

Someone ordered the DOM!  lol