On the Serious Side

I'm glad you all appreciated my April Fools Blog. What's funnier, is that I wrote that in February and forgot it posted until Mom D called to ask Jack why I quit my job!

I typically hate April Fools pranks, but I couldn't resist this time. The last time I pulled a decent prank was about seven years ago, when I got up before Jack in the early morning. I bumped all the clocks up a few hours, went outside, and called him, shrieking "Get up! You must have overslept!!"

I think he scrambled out of bed and might have had 10 seconds of sheer panic. His brain is much more logical than mine; he knew that because it was still dark outside, that something was up. I didn't fool him (much) and it took me longer to fix all the darn clocks again! Lesson learned.

In other news, the last two days have just been glorious. With sunny weather in the 80's, I'm thinking I just might be able to handle life in the Great Lakes area a bit longer. Just when the well of my weather-fueled hope is running dry, we're graced with several days that buoy everyone's spirits.

On Thursday, I attended my second-to-last day of leadership training in Muppetville. We completed three assessments: emotional intelligence profile, DISC style of leadership, and Thomas-Kilmann conflict resolution style. I learned a lot about myself. Their premise is that you cannot really lead or mentor others until you know yourself. So I know myself. I know I'm on my journey of emotional growth (somewhere between organized and conceptual with work needed on empathy); I'm an optimistic, persuasive motivator who should temper the need for recognition and praise; and I exhibit competing and collaborating styles of conflict resolution.

Okay, so what does it all mean, Basil? I don't understand how these profiles make me interact with people at work and what I need to do to change my reactions or thought patterns. They gave us three more leadership books to read; I guess I'll be adding those to the growing stack of managerial literature through which I must wade!

The other big news of the weekend (of course, in addition to the Easter celebration and gorgeous weather) is that Jack and I put our house on the market. It's time to whisk away the security blanket and really start believing this is happening. Putting the house on the market seems like a huge leap of faith and I'm repeatedly struck with fits of nostalgia. "Oh, remember the time Sugar (ex-dog) leaped over the couch and hit that wall over there?" "Remember when we painted the living and dining rooms a light peach color and I said it was pink and made you cry?!" "Remember the first snowball fight we had in our backyard?? It was the first big snow during our tenure as homeowners and we played like children, gleeful that we actually owned that snow-covered backyard?" "Remember the bonfire we had, when everyone came over and laughed and told stories about stinky cheese and gross lunch meat?"

Things like that. Pardon me while I go get a Kleenex and wipe my eyes.

And the bonfire was just last night. It was a fun, spontaneous family gathering; the stuff of memories.

Selling the house, while good for our forward progression, is painful. It's been Home (capital "H") for years and when we move to Chicago/Indy/Lafayette, we'll have to make a new Home. We'll have to scout out the closest grocery stores, walking paths, dry cleaners, pizza parlors, and parishes. Even though I made that adjustment to my Chicagoland town, we'll probably have to do it again wherever Jack and I land. Really, it's an adventure. I keep reminding myself of how fortunate we are to have this chance to follow a job to a new city.

For the time being, though, I'm just going to do my best to live in the present and enjoy every moment I have both with my family and at Home.