Working my butt off to be better at what I do

I realized yesterday that although I am pretty good at my job there is room for improvement because I can be better at what I do. I work at a good company, with good people and a good manager but the thing is that if I want promotions/more money/etc it is me (not the company, not my team, not my manager) who needs to make it happen. So, for the next year or so, I am going to do just that. We don't have very good training in place so what I can do is use the resources at hand to create my own training module.

I think too often our generation believes that their locus of control is external. I could blame my situation (of not knowing the advance techniques in my job) on a number of things: My education, my company, my boss, heck I can even blame the weather but when it comes down to it I can change my own condition. Its the American Dream for goodness sake. It's Picking Yourself up with your Own Bootstraps. Call it what you like, but we need to get off our behinds and take our situation, our growth, and our money into our own hands.

For the Love of Dyson

Just a quick shout out to the folks at Dyson, who--without knowing me personally have made me quite happy. They have brilliantly created a machine that is not only cool because it rolls around on a ball but it also enables this full time banker to keep her rugs clean in minimal time. Today I wanted to vacuum my very old and very fur-ridden family room rug.

Here's the before the Dyson picture:

Seemed hopeless (and I could just throw it away) but then the Dyson came along!!


This miraculous turnaround happened in about 45 seconds too! Look Mom! I can keep house!!

Friday!

I woke up late this morning and I was tired. Maybe it was the week's events that have taken their toll on me or maybe I was tired because I stayed up late watching Austin and Santino (awesome Lifetime style show). But I am.
As I sit on the train to work I drink coffee, listen to music on my phone, blog and I do some online shopping. Maybe that's why I am so tired---even in the moments when I could be kicking back and relaxing, technology has enabled me to multi task and run as many applications that phone can handle at once. Although a wonderful testament to human innovation, the advancements in technology have given me the opportunity, nay the obligation, to be completely plugged in at all times! I suppose the best thing that I could do is use my daily commute to unplug from the world and read a leisure book or even stare out the window.