The Office

First off, I just added the photos from my Chicago trip, so I encourage you to revisit that post to see a little bit of what I saw.


Second, today my car Yoshi is in the office with me as he had his very first service this morning. It was a big deal. I think now he is ready for the cross country drive we will soon be undertaking together.


On that note, I have begun packing up my cubicle as well, hence the box in today's shoe photo. I really have very little considering I have only been at this cubicle a little over three months, so it was a fairly easy task. The good news is when all this office stuff gets unpacked, it will not be cubicle bound. When I arrive in Calgary I get and office at work! With a door and everything! I am super excited about this because I feel as though being given an office at my age is an extreme privilege. I will make the most of it by Feng-Shui-ing it, posting the obligatory motivational placards and displaying my framed degree. I will also probably add a few photos from my travels, of my friends, etc. to make it a tad more personal.



Just thinking about having an office brings to mind images of having important meetings at my desk, interviewing people and throwing out the phrase " let's talk in my office" as much as humanly possible.



I am really looking forward to this....In great shoes.

The end of an era.

With my departure only two days away now, people's attitudes towards me around the office have changed. Some reminisce about seeing me come in as a child to visit my dad or hang out in the boardroom, while others are asking what's next. That's the beauty of being involved in an organization for a long period of time, in my case since birth. You develop really lovely relationships with the people you work with and feel very supported by them.

That co-worker bond is something not easily duplicated, which in a way frightens me as I partake in this big move. I know everyone who works in this building and they know me in return. Moving to a branch where nobody knows a damn thing about me except that I am the president's daughter is daunting. I know I will be getting judged for the name attached to me. I know there are assumptions that have been made about how I will interact with everyone there. I also know they are almost all wrong.

My prime goal of going to Calgary is to work my ass off and make a splash. It may be little at first but with time I know I will not be adhering to standards, but setting them. I will make sure to build a reputation based on reliability and superb work ethic. All that and being known for the most fabulous footwear for kilometers around, of course.

As a side note, I would like to state that my life is gradually being packed up into boxes in preparation for their shipment Friday morning. It's awesome packing things up because I rediscover things from drawers, closets or cupboards that I haven't seen in ages. I have found some really great stuff that I own. It reaffirms my great taste.

On the other hand, it is an odd feeling knowing that everything I own can be packed up into roughly 10 boxes. A small quantity for a girl with such a large personality.

So here's to making a splash...In great shoes.



Today, the splash has been made in the office by my pink glittery peep toe heels. They are so fun that they literally make me smile every time I look down at them. :)

A Tuesday Techonological Triumph

Today was a good day. Its always nice to be able to start a post that way.

After having returned from Chicago this weekend (pictures to be posted soon), Monday was all about catching up and getting back on track, so that is the summation of my yesterday.

My today however was more noteworthy. With the upcoming move approaching at light speeds, I have been trying to sort out any issues concerning my work devices before leaving the province and therein our Information Systems department. My laptop presented no serious issues, but my new (to me) Blackberry was running on 2005 software which is an issue because we all know I am a 2010 kind of girl. So after much struggle trying to get all the correct clearances to download, speaking to the appropriate people and rebooting my device a handful of time we have finally achieved success. My Blackberry has just been introduced to 2010 and I think it is enjoying its new contemporary lifestyle.

Corporate technology always presents hurdles for its users, I presume as a test of patience or just to make sure my day cannot pass TOO easily. Be it e-mail failures, Blackberry issues, outages, updates or random bugs, it always seems to be something. Though for every system failure there is a success like mine today - where something works as its supposed to. Days like today are good days.

I can now go back to participating in my handheld social life, which I assure you it is quite the Network.

I have forgotten my camera today - so there is no photo but for your information I am wearing my Greek silver sandals. They look great with a pair of wide leg gray pants with white pinstripes. Tomorrow I am debuting my newest pair of shoes, coming to us all the way from the UK so stay tuned, its going to be another great day...In great shoes.

The day of days

How does one begin to describe the day I have been experiencing today...in a word - incredible. I have done so many things today that most people DREAM of doing and it's not even five p.m. It was an early start, at 7:30 which I was of course not a fan of but I was certainly won over quickly.

As I stated in previous blogs, I am on a marketing course today and tomorrow that is call 95 percent share marketing and is based in Chicago. It has been one of the best days of my life (and that's saying quite a bit) and again it's not over yet. I am only on our 1.5 hours of break time before we head out to round two.

Now I could write for hours about everything I did but I will try to give you the highlights:

-Tour the grounds, executive suite and walk the field at Soldier Field, home of the Chicago bears.

- Tour and experience Chicago's museum of natural history. There I had the pleasure of meeting SUE, the largest full T-Rex fossil ever found, among many other cool things.

- Tour the Chicago board of trade and actually WALK THE TRADE FLOOR! It was sweet sweet chaos and for sure my favorite part of the day. I didn't get to take any photos but it was just like the climactic scene in Trading Places! Simply AMAZING. The public isn't aloud on the floor so it was a very rare and extremely exclusive experience.

- View and tour the Chicago cultural centre, formerly the public library, which is just full of gorgeous mosaic tiling and colours!

- Tour Wrigley field, including an exclusive visit to the Cubs locker rooms and a chance to chill in the DUG OUT.

- View the airshow from the sunny lake shore!

- Having chocolate strawberries waiting for me when I returned to my room at the Ritz.

- Just now a spa attendant came to my door to draw me a spa bath!

It is simply heaven. I hope this is not the last time I come to Chicago and stay at the Ritz.

Life is good...in great (yet comfortable) shoes.

Here today, O'Hare tomorrow!

Today is my last day this week in the office, which is just as awesome as it sounds. I take off tomorrow morning to go to Chicago for a three day intensive marketing seminar called 95% share marketing. Needless to say I am more than excited. This program has been done by a handful of our upper management and received rave reviews so I am less sceptical than I would ordinarily be about a marketing seminar.

Many of the seminars out there are all about gimmicks, theories and motivational speakers. Coming straight out of university I don't really need anyone lecturing me about theories and ideas anymore. I need practical, tested, and honest lessons and observations that will directly equate to my job. So that's what I am hoping this upcoming seminar provides. My father (who has taken the course) assures me it will be 100% relevant so I am genuinely excited.

The best part of the whole thing to me is that as a part of this seminar I get to stay at the Ritz Carlton. That's a big deal. It makes me feel like a big deal. Be prepared for upcoming posts to include photos of the hotel, me basking in its luxury and my shoes marching across marbles floors.

For the next three days, it's the high life for me.... In great shoes.

Today, paired with magenta pink tights are a pair of black ankle boots I picked up for my birthday!

Manic Monday

Today was just one of 'those' days. I hate to use such a cliche and overdone expression, but it seems to be the only one that fits in this case.

This morning I sat down ready to catch up on e-mails sent over the weekend, issues waiting to be solved, etc. only to discover that the server was down, thus not letting e-mails in or out. Fine, I thought, they will have it up and running in no time. NOT SO. I only started getting e-mails at 11:45 and to this second have yet to experience 100% functionality in that regard. Our server is just nuts today. It is currently 3:40 pm and my desktop clock (which is sync-ed with the server) says 9:36 am. Before lunch it had said 3:14 am. Scary really to look down at your desktop clock as per habit and see that time. I hope to God I am never in the office at 3 in the morning.

It's astounding how much a simple thing like e-mail glitches can effect your productivity. We have become so reliant on electronic means of communication that when they fail, we stare dumbfounded at our computer screens feeling useless. That's my initial reaction anyhow. After a few minutes it clicks back in that there are things to do that are physical, on paper or in person but that is not the top of the mind thing to do. Days like today are valuable in that sense. It serves to remind us that we cannot work solely electronically. There are aspects of almost anyone's job that must be more personal than staring at a computer screen.

Due to the failures of our system, I have had a chance to follow up on a few existing issues with customers, calling to make sure the customer is satisfied, that I probably wouldn't have done immediately if my e-mail had been working well this morning. Which makes me wonder, are we losing a valuable facet of customer service by relying too heavily on e-mail and computers? Now, I love e-mail for the convenience it provides and I shop online for almost everything so I am a huge advocate for electronic means but I'm wondering where the line is. Sometimes being unplugged makes us realize that we are people, not machines and therein so are our customers. Customer service has to go above and beyond concise e-mails and order input in order to be effective. It's that extra little bit of 'je ne sais quoi' that comes from the people behind those phones and computers that makes the real difference both to the customer and to this company.

Perhaps being unplugged for a few hours isn't the worst thing that could happen on a Monday, though I must admit it has taken me all day to realize it.

So don't be afraid to unplug once and a while....In great shoes.

Today a pair of leather flats with zipper detailing, bought in Belgium.

Driving & Taxes

This Friday I have been forced to complete the despicable task of renewing my license plate sticker. Not so hard you may say, but tedious none the less. Especially because my plates are only three months old. Well, because they expire on your birthday, it doesn't matter when you got the plates originally, you still have to cough up the 75 bucks for a new sticker. The kicker is, I need this one year validated sticker for only the next 3 weeks, as I officially move out of the province on the 24th. So less than three weeks use for 75 bucks seems steep. Oh the government will refund the extra costs when you move, but you must return the plates to the Ontario office and a cheque will be mailed only to an Ontario address. Well if you are moving OUT OF PROVINCE what kind of sense does that make? None, that's what. Just another government mechanism to take your money and never give it back.

Since starting to get regular pay cheques I am astounded by how much I am taxed. I am in a lower income bracket by Canadian standards and am still taxed through the nose. I rarely ever use the health care system, have never claimed EI or any other kind of social welfare and probably never will. YET I still pay into a system I get nothing out of. I think my frustration will only grow with my income in this regard, as the more you make of course the more they tax. Despite the fact that you RECEIVE nothing extra for your additional taxes.

Do people not look at this from a basic economic perspective? If you pay more, you should get more. Why do we all pay different amounts for the exact same services? Why does someone who gets paid welfare get to be served before me at the hospital if their condition is just as severe as mine? Because they got there first? TOO BAD! My tax dollars are not only supporting this other person but also contribute to the salaries of the doctors and nurses who chose her over me. How is that economically correct?

In essence, tax simply isn't fair. I have to come to terms with that, as hard as it may be.

Now I understand that we should be good human beings and support the needy, but I choose to d so through charities and charitable efforts of my choice, thus should not have to agree with who the government decides is most in need.

So in summary, taxes are not my friend. Nor, I'm sure are they yours. They are the thorn in the side of my bi-weekly pay cheque and I detest them. Thankfully Alberta has lower taxation rates. Less to hate, I figure.

Fact: The first known system of taxation was in Ancient Egypt around 3000 BC - 2800 BC in the first dynasty of the Old Kingdom. Records from the time document that the pharaoh would conduct a biennial tour of the kingdom, collecting tax revenues from the people.

Fact: The highest personal income tax rates are in Denmark, at a maximum of 63%.

So I suppose I am not moving to Denmark... In Great Shoes.

Today, in lime green sandals purchased at http://www.myspringshoes.com/

Addiction?

Can one person have too many shoes? I feel that is my age-old dilemma of choice. Having around 50 pairs myself, I doubt that one person could ever hit TOO many.

As yesterday was my birthday, I bought myself four pairs on new shoes (in total under 75$, so a STEAL of a deal) online, all of which arrived yesterday. Now it is that image I think, having four shoes boxes stacked by the front door that creates the illusion to non-shoe fanatics that the owner of these beauties must have a problem. I probably spend less on four pairs than one of these people spend on one due to my stellar online deal shopping, but does that factor in to their PROBLEM diagnosis, oh no. My 'lavish' shoe spending must be the result of a deep rooted psychological issue resulting in a need to spend. I must stop buying shoes immediately to prevent from starving (for lack of food money). Incorrect, on both counts.

My shoe fetish results from a happy and hard earned wage that allows for some discretionary spending. Will it be like this all my life? Of course not, which is why I must take advantage of this rare opportunity whilst it is still knocking. I never spend money I don't have, which brings me to my next point. Please note the possessive pronouns used in the above sentence. It is MY money, thus has nothing to do with anybody else and warrants no judgement.

I like to think of my shoe purchases as an investment. I wear shoes everyday, my feet never grow and I alternate shoes so often that a pair rarely gets worn out. Tell me how that isn't investing in my future wardrobe.

Please do not judge my shoe spending as unnecessary or useless. Perhaps those THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of dollars you spent on a car were also unnecessary and useless, but you do not see me judging you do you? No. Perhaps instead of that car you could simply walk....oh but that would require shoes wouldn't it? I don't need a car to wear great shoes. See how that works?

I direct this blog at the men in my life who oppose my shoes spending. Ladies generally understand the fascination as they often share in it. It's fun to own pretty things. Men like bigger, more expensive gadgets, electronics and toys that they don't necessarily use on a daily basis, and become obsolete in a couple of years. Note: I still have and wear shoes that I bought 6-8 years ago and nobody says 'that's so passe' or 'wow that's outdated'.
So you tell me which is the better investment.

Bottom line is I spend my money the way I want and in turn you can spend yours on whatever you like. There should be no judgement either way. Even when you purchase shiny gold brogues/oxfords to wear to the office ;)

My money-my rules.......In great shoes.

Happy birthday to me!

Yes, it is that special day of the year. The day we acknowledge the beginning of my life some 22 years ago. All the same, I am at work. My coworkers have been fantastic though as I have received many well wishes and a few cards as well. I also work with a very diverse group of people, in almost every way, so 22 doesn't seem so old when people here tell me they are double that age. Puts it into perspective really!

My apologies for not posting yesterday, I was sick. Really sick, not just hung-over from the long weekend, which was STELLAR by the way. Much needed time with my bestest of friends by the lake, in the hot tub and by the fire! with us all living and/or working apart from one another (though I will be the farthest after the move) it is great to spend quality relaxing time together. Reminds me how PRICELESS my friends truly are. I adore them.

Though my first sick day - a widely discussed event in general terms - was far from enjoyable. I came in to work as usual not feeling my best, but deteriorated tot he point of uselessness in under an hour. So I called it a day at 9:35. Then went to the doctor, etc., etc. and got hooked up with all the strongest meds on the market. Thank goodness, as today I am feeling better.

Went to Starbucks this morning, as they are supposed to give you a free drink on your birthday if you have a registered Starbucks card, which I do, only to discover that the company has to send you a coupon in the mail in order to claim this free drink. Needless to say I have seen no such coupon and was sorely disappointed, having to pay full price from my tall skinny vanilla latte. BOO YOU STARBUCKS. NOT COOL. I bet they won't even send this alleged coupon at all.

On a more positive note, as it is my birthday I have decided to post not the shoes that I'm wearing, but rather the shoes I WISH I was wearing. Birthdays are for wishes, after all.

Needless to say I could feature many many pairs on my 'wish list' but will keep it short for the purpose of this post.

The #1 on my wish list is not even from this season, but still a pair I lust after endlessly. The Christian Louboutin Ariella studded boot. I am positive it would be the perfect addition to my wardrobe. I would find many occasion to break those babies out. I feel they speak volumes.

#2 Melissa & Vivienne Westwood - Lady dragon heart heels. in any colour but the yellow. Fun, Flirty and reportedly super comfortable. Certainly wish-worthy.

Lastly #3 Steve Madden CARYSSAG multi coloured glitter platforms. DIVINE. So much fun! they just demand attention.

So that's my fantasy WISH list. It's wonderful that we have days devoted to things we want - not need. Where it is all about Moi. If only everyday could be so wonderful.

Keep wishing...In great shoes.