Sick Day

Yesterday was the first sick day I have taken in my professional career. It was a genuine sick day as well, not one of those 'I'm too hungover to come in' or 'I don't FEEL like working today' days. I feel karma finds those people and slaps them with severe illnesses when they have used all of their sick days up. So I feel very strongly about only using a sick day for sickness - an extreme idea, I know.

Anyhow, thanks to modern medicine and the joys of over-the-counter drugs I am feeling much better today and thus am back in the office for Fashion Friday! Just in time as well because my manager is away on business and there is a lot of work to be done in her absence. She is a star here in Calgary and without her things just don't seem to flow as efficiently or as smoothly. At times I think she is a superhero for how much she accomplishes in a day, though I have deduced over time that she is a regular human like the rest of us, just a really awesome one.

On the topic of managers, I received an e-mail from my former manager, back at head office, rubbing the current shoe sales going on around town in my face. MUCHO GRACIAS AMIGO! You are the kindest of souls for thinking of me and taking the time out of your busy day to send me an e-mail specifically highlighting my distance from said sales. :P At the very least I hope she and my other Brampton colleagues take advantage where I cannot! So I say, go forth and spend! Spend for those of us that cannot! Treat yourself - you are worth it...and then send me photos.

Only 24 hours after receiving this e-mail I received another that seemed as though it had come from karma itself, an e-mail from Aldo saying that this weekend only they are having a 20% off sale for BMO bank customers (my new Calgary bank) in store on ALL merchandise. My shoe lust may very well be fulfilled this weekend with the promise of 20% off, I won't lie.

Another exciting piece of news here is the fact that today our office water cooler man (the guy who comes and picks up empties and drops off refills) is also a bulldog breeder. He lives in the city and breeds mini bulldogs (the breed I'm after) and invited me to come see the dogs and a few puppies he has at his home sometime in the next 2 weeks. Now these puppies are already sold, so I cannot be tempted to purchase one and I told him I was interested in acquiring a puppy for some time after October, as I travel too much before then - so we are on the same page. I am just incredibly excited to start the puppy process, even with the tiniest of steps, like meeting a potential breeder!

So I am a happy camper today high on thoughts of puppies and shoe sales! Really, this is why I love Fridays. All the lovely things seem to happen on Fridays...In great shoes.

Today in patent black pumps that I purchased in Brussels from New Look.

Above & Beyond

Today the Stevens Company, my employer, launched a nationwide internal campaign that encourages employees to do a few key things in order to strengthen and reinforce our position in the industry. I really enjoyed the way it was presented, focusing on differentiation, going above and beyond and defying convention- just to name a few. The campaign has really got me thinking about going above and beyond. Many people show up to work, do what they are told and then go home. Most of these people are also unhappy. Happiness in the workplace stems, in my humble yet still innately correct opinion, from pride in what you do. If you can take pride in the work you do in a day you will always go home satisfied. I am learning this at a rapid rate as new projects, tasks and lists get thrown across my desk daily.

For me that sense of pride comes from going above and beyond, or defying convention, a term pulled straight out of the aforementioned campaign. Being better than what people expected of you is incredibly satisfying, knowing that you exceeded their expectations in one way or another almost feels as though you proved someone wrong - in the most positive of ways.

Whether is is completing something faster than anticipated or taking it a step further than was asked - that extra bit of effort you put in usually merits intangible yet valuable rewards. Now people know what you can do and probably respect you that much more because of it. Yes, they may expect more next time, but that just gives you an opportunity to be better yet again. After all progress is a fact of life!

All that said I wonder if I exceed expectations, or if I simply meet them? Knowing that my harshest critic is myself, I know I should be more focused on going above and beyond in all facets of my life. Of course at work, because as a young professional I have a great deal to prove and a long way to climb up that corporate ladder, but also in my personal life. Perhaps I should strive to be a better friend, daughter, granddaughter and sister. Certainly we have to try to exceed the expectations of those closest to us, as their opinions and judgements are often the most important in life. If you can't go above and beyond for your family & friends, how can you do it for your customers?

So here is my pledge to be better, all around, in every way I can think of. Feel free to hold me to it... In great shoes.

Today a pair of magenta pink kitten heels that warranted a great deal of head-turning at the office here in Calgary today!

Dr. No

When busy is an understatement work must be going well. So I must be doing really well.

This morning I spent time out on the road with another one of our Sales Reps, which was very different from my first experience doing similar co-travel because this time there was a lot of Nos. No, that person is not here, no we don't need anything, no they are not available to speak with you, no they won't be in the rest of this week, etc. etc.

As frustrating as this all sounds I feel it is an essential part of my (and any trainee's) learning process. Some people hear the word no all day long. You can't be successful in your endeavours 100% of the time. No is OK as long as you get a yes eventually. Even if you have to try multiple times to get a yes, that yes will be worth it (in many cases).

Upon my return to my desk, there was already a list formed on my notepad of to-dos. Now I am usually a huge fan of lists, though I must say I like to compile them myself. I dislike anyone else's handing me their list. So now I have a bunch of things to attend to for the rest of this week before I head out to Saskatoon on Monday.

I think this is real life now. Lists, deadlines, unexpected tasks and a heap of expectations. I will look at this positively and tell myself it is because of how CAPABLE I am, others having recognized that capability, now giving me more and more things to accomplish.

Yes, that's what I will tell myself...In great shoes. Today, a previously photographed pair of the comfiest black flats ever.

To MooseJaw and back again

Greetings!

The last few business days went without posts due to the fact that I was in transit to and then participating in a trade show in Moose Jaw, Sask. It was a show regarding infection control, attended mainly by nurses of surrounding health regions. A small show by general standards but some good leads came out of it, so mission accomplished. The highlight of the show for me was meeting some of the sales reps that cover the territory, who were quite spirited and honestly a ton of fun to work with. The highlight of the show for everyone else (I'm nearly certain) was the AMAZING booth decor (signs & banner) that I had made for the event. It was colourful, eye-catching and poignant, thus served as a great backdrop to all of the products we were showcasing. I was, as you may have guessed, extremely proud of how it all turned out, given it was really my responsibility to catch the trade-show goers attention.

All in all I think we all really enjoyed our time there and I certainly speak for myself when I say I look forward to seeing them again!

Moose Jaw, the city in which the trade show took place however, was thoroughly boring. I admit it was because I really had nobody to show me around, tell me what to do or see, or even to hang out with, but I did walk around a bit and was a tad underwhelmed. I was staying right in the downtown as well and I found nothing to interest me. I was lucky to eventually find a spa in town that had appointments available and took advantage of that. Else wise, there was squat to do. So Moose Jaw, step it up a notch or I will not return. Thanks.

Today I have been catching up on some stuff from last week's thrilling adventure to Moose Jaw as well as trying to square some things away before I head out on my second co-travel day with another one of our sales reps tomorrow. This rep has been in his position for over 25 years so I suppose he knows what he's doing! I always look forward to co-travel because it is a wonderful way to get out of the office, do some face-to-face customer service and really learn about the people and places we sell to everyday. Very much looking forward to that tomorrow.

Also, my current business mission is to convince my boss to allow me to have a corporate card. With all the travel expenses, marketing materials, etc. that I am doing there is quite the chunk of money being spent on my personal credit cards, which makes me slightly nervous. I know I will get the money back, it's just the waiting that bothers me because I am the type of person that pays my bill the same day (or a day or two after) that the charges are made. So waiting weeks to file an expense report, get it approved, get a reimbursement cheque, etc. is not my idea of easy. The easiest thing to do would be to entrust me with a corporate credit card. Let's be honest, I'm the last person on the planet who would misuse it. That would just be counter-intuitive.

If you were wondering, Calgary is still gray and cold and will probably remain so for the whole week. Which means the black heeled knee-high boots I am wearing (that I bought two years ago for 80% off) will be my new go -to shoe. Not the worst thing in the world, I know, but I still have lots of sandals that did not see sun this season!

So I suppose I will just deal with it, rain or shine....In great shoes.

These shoes were made for walking

Today I did my first day as a shadow to a sales rep! I spent the day with a seasoned rep doing a few sales calls, check-ins, etc. and I must say I quite enjoyed it. You really connect the dots, per say, when you are out on the road doing sales. I mean we all know how it works in theory, the process of communicating with the client, facilitating an order, placing it and then picking and shipping it in the warehouse, though now that I have been a part of ALL of those functions independently I feel like I finally see the whole picture. It has provided me with an extreme amount of perspective on how and because of who this company functions. It really is very similar to a well oiled machine, without one function, the others simply could not exist. Keeping that fact at the forefront of my mind going forward will prove valuable, I'm sure.

I also have been hustling the last day or two to prepare all the materials required for my upcoming trade show. I compiled the shipment (of course with some help form my awesome coworkers) of the booth materials and sample stock to be used at the show and got that out today, so that's progress! I also just finished working with Staples to complete some of the signage and boot decor I will be using. All in all I feel it has been a very productive day or two, so I feel good. Very much looking forward to this show coming up.

Now to my other current preoccupation, my new case of shoe lust. We were out & about this weekend and I spotted them at ALDO and have not taken my mind off of them since. They are not the mot expensive pair in the wold but at this stage, having just paid all my moving expenses, furniture, etc. I just don't think I can swing it. Black suede wedges that would go with everything (pictured below). Problem is, it is a very wet season right now here in Calgary, with flurries expected in the near future so I probably should invest in rain boots at this point as opposed to these gorgeous wedges. Rain boots come in some pretty funky and awesome styles these days anyways, so it really would still be a cool purchase - just not the one I want to be making!

So such is my dilemma - the eternal Fashion or Function?

Stay tuned as I continue this internal and critical debate... In great shoes.

Today, my black and white oxfords!

You have arrived

My apologies for the delay in this post. I know it is long overdue, however I am happy to report that I am successfully relocated. Calgary is cold, often wet and due for snow this week but it is my new happy home nonetheless.

Driving across the country was easier than I initially anticipated, as my boyfriend and I took 3-4 hour shifts each and didn't drive more than 12 hours in a day. Ontario, true to form had construction every 2 kilometres and a smattering of little towns I never even knew existed. Spanish, Ontario...who knew?

Anyhow the footwear that got me through that week and a half or so (including the trip to Ottawa to pickup the bf) was a pair of Maryjane crocs. Say what you will about them but when you are driving, driving and driving some more they can't be beat. That said, judging by some of the attire we experience driving through some of those little towns, my Maryjane crocs were haute couture.

Driving through the prairies was very flat. Like an optical illusion where you are driving continuously but going nowhere. No large trees or anything to use as landmarks, no twists, no turns, only straight. Anyhow, upon arriving in Alberta the landscape changed just as drastically as our moods. This is real life now, this is our new homeland for the next 2 -5 years. We spent the week seeing a bunch of properties before settling on a fourth (top) floor one bedroom condo with high finishings near the Stampede grounds. It is a little slice of heaven. Today, two weeks after having moved in we finally have all our furniture purchased and put together, one Ikea piece at a time I might add, and it finally feels like home.

At work things couldn't be better. I discovered during the drive out here that I won the PWH scholarship I had applied for an thus get an expenses paid trip to HIDA this October, so I am THRILLED about that. I have two trade shows on the table for the upcoming month, one in Saskatoon the other in Moose Jaw so travel is my middle name, or it should be.

My office here in the Calgary branch is a tad cluttered, as it has gone unused (other than as storage) for a bit but I am slowly remedying that as the days go by. In a few weeks I expect to have it just right. The previous weeks here have been spent doing some warehouse work, which I surprisingly enjoyed (in supportive sauconys), planning for the aforementioned trade shows and of course getting to know every single one of my new coworkers, which has been amazing in and of itself.

I really enjoy the crowd here, much more quaint than what I was used to in Brampton simply due to size. Everyone seems to get along well both in and outside of the office. They are a social bunch that seem like a lot of fun so I am excited to hang out with them outside these walls.

All in all, the past few weeks have been crazy busy, exhausting and full of excitement, but it's only the beginning. That I know for sure. I'm happy though, at the end of the day, I love this life and look forward to marching ahead at full speed....In great shoes.