Beautiful Blogger Award

Yipeeeee! This is so exciting! My very first blogger award! I’d like to thank my mom and my dad and my fiancé and my doglets and…and…and… Actually I’d like to thank MamaMeeA who awarded this to me!

The rules say I have to share 7 random facts about me before nominating 7 bloggers I consider to be beautiful.

1. My absolute favourite song of all time is “Ice ice baby” by Vanilla Ice. I even know all the words!
2. My hair is naturally curly but I straighten it with my GHD to within an inch of it’s life every day. Oh the joy and time I’d save if I’d been born with straight hair!
3. I have such a sweet tooth that I recently ate an entire carrot cake on my own! Ok, so it took a week to eat it but only because I only had slices in the evenings after work. (I did think about taking it to work to share it, but in this case, sharing isn’t caring!)
4. I watched City of Angels for the first time last weekend. Apparently I was supposed to ball my eyes out, but I think all the fore-warning from my Twitter friends dried my tear ducts.
5. I own two gorgeous pairs of pink knee-high socks. One pair is made up of puzzle pieces in baby pink and bright pink.
6. I am addicted to my TV series. So much so, that I don’t know what I’d do without my PVR. Sad, but true…
7. I wear contacts because my eyesight is so bad. I’m actually so blind that when I don’t wear my contacts or glasses, I can barely see a fly on my nose. Ok, so maybe it’s not that bad, but I’m still quite blind!

And now to the nominations…
Alice, Ann, Cazpi, TwistyGirl, BananaRamaGirl, Hayley, and CamillaCams.

Hugs & Kisses
Jessica Giggles

10 things I learnt this weekend

1. Making the effort is a great start to bettering friendships
2. Fights can be caused by the randomest of things
3. There is such a thing as too much sweet food (oh my, did I really just say this?!)
4. Taking the doglets for a walk can be quite a challenge
5. Cuddling on the couch is a great way to spend time together
6. I am addicted to way too many series
7. Having internet at home again makes me super happy
8. Winter is definitely on the way
9. I make the most divine potato, broccoli and cauliflower bake
10. I am in desperate need of a shopping spree to update my wardrobe and get clothes that fit better

*Picture credit

A work update

In a previous post I mentioned how overwhelmed I was on my first day at my new job. Well I have officially been working at my new job for 7 days. And boy has it been a busy, crazy, hectic 7 days! I feel like I have been doing a ton of work but not getting anything productive done. The days fly past which is a great thing! But it doesn’t help that I’m so busy I don’t know that lunchtime has come and gone, that I don’t have time for a quick trip to the loo, or even a minute to make myself a cup of tea. As a pat on the back though, my boss said the other day that I have achieved more in the time that I’ve been here, than has been accomplished in the last five years. Quite a compliment if I do say so myself!

So what have I been doing…
1. I have put an orders system in place. This means that anything we need from suppliers (serviettes, flowers, printer cartridges or the help from a handyman, etc) requires a quote from that supplier so an order can be drawn up. This is then sent to the supplier confirming the job or order and is a guarantee of payment. Basically…
2. I have folder-ed and filed a lot of the documents in the My Documents folder on the computer I’m working on at the moment. It has been really tough trying to get this sorted and finalised as I’m trying to figure out what is necessary to keep (in terms of templates etc) and what can be tossed.
3. I am trying to sift through the gajillions of emails putting them in certain event folders etc. I still have +-1500 to go in the inbox alone!
4. I have had to implement a proper petty cash system.
5. I have started a database of previous clients so that we can eliminate quite a few shelves of files.

All of this while head-deep in event management! I am phoning to setup or confirm meetings, putting together concepts and cost estimates, organising my boss’ diary for meetings and trips etc, and replying to emails.

There has been a mountain-load of things to do and a lot of things that still need to be done, but I’m enjoying the challenge!

Hugs & Kisses
Jessica Giggles

*Picture credit

Goodbye Grandad

I got the call yesterday morning to say you’d passed away. I was heartbroken because I hadn’t made time this past weekend to visit with you. I am truly sorry that I didn’t get to see you and chat with you one more time.

I had to send Aunty Fi a message today for the obituary column in the newspaper, and it was so difficult… I didn’t know where to start or what to say, as all my words and sentences didn’t seem to do you and your amazing life justice.

You lived a good and happy life, but it was time to join Granny in heaven.

I will remember all the times when you handed me your comb so you could get your hair done. And how promptly you fell asleep as soon as the comb touched your head. I’ll remember the times in Witbank when I’d fill a syringe with water and style your hair into a mohican, or a side path, or whatever took my fancy. I will remember the funny stories you used to tell us of “William Te Hell”, “Christopher Columbumbus” and “Red Hooding Ride”. I will remember all the funny jokes as well.

But mostly I will remember you with this photo taken when I was much smaller…

Goodbye Grandad! Say hi to Granny for me and give her a big hug and kiss!

P.S. Your funeral is next week Tuesday, please send me lots of strength…

My first day

In short my first day can best be described as “Oh My Word”. You see, I have the ability to think things seem easier or less labour intensive than they really are. And since I thought that with my fantabulous organisational skills I would have all my new company’s issues sorted out on my first day, I was really overwhelmed and daunted when i realised the magnitude of things that needed sorting out. Not only are there a lot of systems that need to be setup, there is a lot of organising that needs to happen!

I was really upset when I got home because I’d thought so highly of myself and expected things to be easily sorted because of how they’d been explained in my interviews. I was doubting my decision to leave the previous company. And I was doubting myself and my abilities.

I felt a little better about things after chatting with Gary. And better still when I chatted with Sarah at 27Dinner on Thursday evening. She told me that if someone didn’t feel more than 20% out of their comfort zone on their first day, then the move was not worth it. How did I expect to grow my abilities by moving to a job that didn’t expect more of me, or didn’t challenge me.

So I’m now looking forward to going back to work on Tuesday. Looking forward to proving to myself that I can do it! Yes there may be bitching and moaning at first, but I’m sure it’ll all be worth it in the end.

Hugs & Kisses
Jessica Giggles

*Picture credit