Monday was the big first day at Freeman. I spent most of Sunday afternoon through the evening preparing. Laundry, reading my new employee handbook, completing new hire paperwork, etc. I even planned out my outfit so I could just get up, get fabulous, and go to work on time.
Here's what really happened:
I woke up on time - good start so far. I spent about 5 minutes in the shower trying to decide whether to shave my legs or wait until tomorrow. Since my fabulous outfit was a pair of slacks, I finally decided to wait. Finish hair, suck down coffee, put on outfit....I hate it. Then I begin scrambling through my jam packed closet, screaming to no one in particular "I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!!" I decide on a skirt, which means I hop in the shower (fully dressed sans shoes) for a quick shave. 6 or 7 shaving accidents later, I run out the door (late) extra coffee in hand.
I slid into the office and was greeting at the reception desk with my perky recruiter Charlee who announce we were going downstairs for breakfast and Starbucks. I knew it was going to be a good day when they greet me with food and coffee.
When I got to my desk, I had several things waiting for me - a brand new laptop, travel case, travel mouse, travel battery pack, travel coffee mug, welcome sign, cube name tag, reading materials, training binder, fancy ink pen, supplies, etc. Charlee and my new boss fell over themselves that my monitor, cell phone, business cards weren't ready. "But here's the Office Depot catalog, order anything you want. Need a new chair?"
Seriously?? Coming from a company where even your own cube was a hot commodity, I was amazed so much was set up for me before I even got there. My massive flat screen monitor to go with my laptop came by noon and my new phone (that I got to pick the face color) should be in tomorrow.
Over the next few days I have been wow'd by my new company. They have invested so much time and resources in my first week of training that I'm incentivized to bust my hump for them. Not to say that my previous company did a poor job, it's a little eye opening.
I spent so much time and money as a recruiter trying to find the perfect person to work for us, and when I found them I dumped them on their manager and went on the hunt again for the next open spot. go, go, go. But chances are their manager didn't have time to give them a proper welcome either. Resources weren't ready on time, business cards are ready 6 months later, they still haven't been paid for expenses while interviewing 3 months ago, and can I get a pen around here?!, etc. Broken processes we never perfected...and in the 5 years I was there, I was a part of the problem. Ouch.
It's so nice to see a company that recognizes the first impression a new employee has will likely last their career. My first week so far has been flawless....it should be a good career.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Catching up
Sorry, it's been ages since my last post. Here are the highlights in MB's life. Stay with me - we're going to go fast.
1. Back in May we participated in the Race for the Cure. We had a wonderful time, girl power, bonding fun, and touching moments. It was amazing to see so many survivors!
7. And now for the biggest news of all….(DRUM ROLL)…after 5+ long years, I quit Fossil. That’s right ladies and gents, no more Christmas and b-day presents filled with watches and handbags. On Monday, July 28 I start with a company called Freeman as an HR Generalist. http://www.freemanco.com/. I’m so excited!! The best part is that they actually believe in a work/life balance, I’ll have more time for my blog, my friends, hobbies, etc. No more 70+ hour work weeks! Hooray!
So my commitment to my readers (mostly Stephanie so she has something to do during the day), is to write more on here.
I'm back!
1. Back in May we participated in the Race for the Cure. We had a wonderful time, girl power, bonding fun, and touching moments. It was amazing to see so many survivors!
2. On Arbor Day, Stephanie and I got some friends together to participate in this event called Adventure Racing. It included a canoe race, obstacle course, planting a tree, a word find, and a 1 mile run. For those of you who know me well, I don’t run unless I’m running from something. It was definitely a challenge but lots of fun!
3. In May my family and I made a trip to Florida for my cousin’s wedding. It was so great to see everyone, catch up with cousins, squeeze Lawson (who decided he didn’t like anyone besides mommy), and get some sun on the beach.
4. In June I made a trip up to Canada for work. I was recruiting for 2 new Fossil stores we’re opening in that market. Since we don’t have a presence in Canada, it was a little challenging, but exciting nonetheless. I have now been to Alberta and B.C.
5. Right about the time my dad went into the hospital I had started dating a boy named Aaron. In July we went to Mexico with 20 of his closest friends....we broke up the day we got back.
So as my theme song goes, “Another one bites the dust…”
6. For the past two years, we’ve celebrated Stephanie’s birthday with a trip. Last year it was Mexico, this year it was VEGAS! A handful of friends made a weekend trip to Vegas for a long weekend of debauchery.
7. And now for the biggest news of all….(DRUM ROLL)…after 5+ long years, I quit Fossil. That’s right ladies and gents, no more Christmas and b-day presents filled with watches and handbags. On Monday, July 28 I start with a company called Freeman as an HR Generalist. http://www.freemanco.com/. I’m so excited!! The best part is that they actually believe in a work/life balance, I’ll have more time for my blog, my friends, hobbies, etc. No more 70+ hour work weeks! Hooray!
So my commitment to my readers (mostly Stephanie so she has something to do during the day), is to write more on here.
I'm back!
Monday, May 19, 2008
Race for the Cure
Dear Friends and Family,
As some of you know, cancer runs in my family and several family members have lost their battle over the years.
Since I will likely not be discovering the cure, I recently accepted the challenge to raise funds to support the Komen North Texas Race for the Cure® on June 7, 2008 in the fight against breast cancer.
One in eight women will be stricken with breast cancer in her lifetime and the more we raise, the more the North Texas Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure can give back to fund vital breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs in our own community and support the national search for a cure.
Click here to visit my personal page and pledge your support.
Please join me in the fight by pledging in support of my participation in the Race or contributing generously to the Komen North Texas Race for the Cure®. Your tax-deductible contribution will fund innovative outreach and awareness programs for medically underserved communities in North Texas and national breast cancer research. It is faster and easier than ever to support this great cause - you can make a donation online by simply clicking on the link at the bottom of this message. Whatever you can give will help! I truly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress. (aka if my heart and lungs explode from running)
Sincerely,
Mary Beth Knight
As some of you know, cancer runs in my family and several family members have lost their battle over the years.
Since I will likely not be discovering the cure, I recently accepted the challenge to raise funds to support the Komen North Texas Race for the Cure® on June 7, 2008 in the fight against breast cancer.
One in eight women will be stricken with breast cancer in her lifetime and the more we raise, the more the North Texas Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure can give back to fund vital breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs in our own community and support the national search for a cure.
Click here to visit my personal page and pledge your support.
Please join me in the fight by pledging in support of my participation in the Race or contributing generously to the Komen North Texas Race for the Cure®. Your tax-deductible contribution will fund innovative outreach and awareness programs for medically underserved communities in North Texas and national breast cancer research. It is faster and easier than ever to support this great cause - you can make a donation online by simply clicking on the link at the bottom of this message. Whatever you can give will help! I truly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress. (aka if my heart and lungs explode from running)
Sincerely,
Mary Beth Knight
Saturday, April 19, 2008
My dad
My mom got a call Thursday morning about an hour after dad got to the office that he was having chest pains....and was driving himself to the hospital. Being the hard head he is, he refused to call 911 or an EMT.
Upon arriving at the ER, they ask about his pain level. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being an elephant sitting on your chest) he indicated a level 8. At about noon he had an angiogram where they basically took an insider's tour of his heart to see the blood flow and narrow down the problem area. He had 4 clots are severe and require rather immediate attention before he suffers a major heart attack.
Dad had quadruple bypass surgery last Thursday night. The surgery took several hours but was successful. His heart should actually be working much better so he can be active and have a higher energy level.
He was in extreme pain following the surgery. Partly due to the breast plate, the incision, and also he has several tubes that are inside his chest to help with drainage so he didn't develop pneumonia. As of today, 3 of the tubes have been removed. However, the most painful tubes remain as they are the most effective. Doctors think those can be removed tomorrow.
They finally found a pain reliever that actually helped so he got his first bit of rest today. (As much as you can actually sleep in the ICU.)
Interesting part of this recovery process - though it's scary and he was still connected to tubes, wires, and monitors, he was sitting up about 9 hours eating eggs and toast after his visit to the OR. He was sitting in a chair using the pedals of a cycle to get blood circulating about 11 hours after surgery. He walked up and down the hallway today. Can you believe it? He was in extreme pain for the majority of these exercises, but the nurses are pushing him so he doesn't let fluid settle in his lungs.
Dad should be in a regular room by Monday and will likely be there for a full week for observation. My mom and I will have our hands full when he leaves the hospital and it's just the two of us instead of a team of nurses and doctors.
We are truly thankful that he is going to make a full recovery. The doctors and nurses have been amazing.
Thank you for all your continued thoughts and prayers. I know my dad appreciates them as much as I do.
Upon arriving at the ER, they ask about his pain level. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being an elephant sitting on your chest) he indicated a level 8. At about noon he had an angiogram where they basically took an insider's tour of his heart to see the blood flow and narrow down the problem area. He had 4 clots are severe and require rather immediate attention before he suffers a major heart attack.
Dad had quadruple bypass surgery last Thursday night. The surgery took several hours but was successful. His heart should actually be working much better so he can be active and have a higher energy level.
He was in extreme pain following the surgery. Partly due to the breast plate, the incision, and also he has several tubes that are inside his chest to help with drainage so he didn't develop pneumonia. As of today, 3 of the tubes have been removed. However, the most painful tubes remain as they are the most effective. Doctors think those can be removed tomorrow.
They finally found a pain reliever that actually helped so he got his first bit of rest today. (As much as you can actually sleep in the ICU.)
Interesting part of this recovery process - though it's scary and he was still connected to tubes, wires, and monitors, he was sitting up about 9 hours eating eggs and toast after his visit to the OR. He was sitting in a chair using the pedals of a cycle to get blood circulating about 11 hours after surgery. He walked up and down the hallway today. Can you believe it? He was in extreme pain for the majority of these exercises, but the nurses are pushing him so he doesn't let fluid settle in his lungs.
Dad should be in a regular room by Monday and will likely be there for a full week for observation. My mom and I will have our hands full when he leaves the hospital and it's just the two of us instead of a team of nurses and doctors.
We are truly thankful that he is going to make a full recovery. The doctors and nurses have been amazing.
Thank you for all your continued thoughts and prayers. I know my dad appreciates them as much as I do.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
My First Novel
Last night I had to present 3 book ideas to the class. They loved one, and liked the other 2. The one they loved was also the one I really wanted to use.
It was an interesting exercise really. With 6 very different students, and 6 very different literary tastes, our book ideas were so diverse. Murder mysteries, sci-fi adventures, supernatural phenomenon, and then my chicklet/social commentary ideas.
Now I have an idea for a book to get started. But I tend to get hung up on character names. I have a name for the male love interest - made the class swoon just at his name. Ha!
But I don't love the names I have for the two female characters. So I've been going through my contact lists, combining names of friends, looking up names online, and probably spending more time on the name than I need. There's just so much in a name, I want them to be perfect. I'm up for suggestions!
Female #1: Vicious, backstabbing, career focused.
Female #2: Naive, seeking revenge, struggling to find her identity.
This week's assignment is to write a journal entry as the main character. It's supposed to be a pre-novel entry and not something we put in the book. Just something to get us thinking and writing like our character using their grammar, tone, vocabulary, etc.
Should be another interesting exercise to present to the class!
It was an interesting exercise really. With 6 very different students, and 6 very different literary tastes, our book ideas were so diverse. Murder mysteries, sci-fi adventures, supernatural phenomenon, and then my chicklet/social commentary ideas.
Now I have an idea for a book to get started. But I tend to get hung up on character names. I have a name for the male love interest - made the class swoon just at his name. Ha!
But I don't love the names I have for the two female characters. So I've been going through my contact lists, combining names of friends, looking up names online, and probably spending more time on the name than I need. There's just so much in a name, I want them to be perfect. I'm up for suggestions!
Female #1: Vicious, backstabbing, career focused.
Female #2: Naive, seeking revenge, struggling to find her identity.
This week's assignment is to write a journal entry as the main character. It's supposed to be a pre-novel entry and not something we put in the book. Just something to get us thinking and writing like our character using their grammar, tone, vocabulary, etc.
Should be another interesting exercise to present to the class!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Single handedly keeping the US postal service in business
Besides my latest obsessions with country music and jalapeno cheetos (don’t ask) I need to confess I have an obsession with stationary and note cards.
Now that I’m try to make friendships more personal by sending an occasional note here and there to say "Hi!" or "Thank you!" I’m on a never ending search for the perfect stationary to put to pen. I had a pretty healthy inventory already, but it’s quickly growing out of control. Not to mention I like to create my own cards when I can.
Good grief.
So if you haven’t sent me your address already and you’d like a note from me on fabulous stationary or a perfect little note card...send it my way.
Now that I’m try to make friendships more personal by sending an occasional note here and there to say "Hi!" or "Thank you!" I’m on a never ending search for the perfect stationary to put to pen. I had a pretty healthy inventory already, but it’s quickly growing out of control. Not to mention I like to create my own cards when I can.
Good grief.
So if you haven’t sent me your address already and you’d like a note from me on fabulous stationary or a perfect little note card...send it my way.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
I’ve given in to Facebook
As a recruiter, it seems like I’m a part of numerous professional networking sites and like to tell myself that myspace is just another "networking" tool. I’ve been avoiding Facebook so I didn’t have yet another site to keep up with.
But since I’m trying to get back in touch with lost friends and classmates, I gave in last night and joined. Mostly for getting back in touch, also to network.
Like an idiot I stayed up until midnight searching for people. But I’m not sure if my contact lists imported correctly, and I think I’ve tried to add people a few times. So if you get a dozen or so add requests from me, just remember I’m a natural blond. Add me and move on.
If I haven’t found you on Facebook yet, please find me and add me. If there’s anyone you know from AHS, please tell them to add me too. I’m trying to find everyone from ’98 and friends from other grades.
Also, I’m on Linkedin.com so you can add me there if you’d like to be my networking buddy. http://www.linkedin.com/in/mbknight
Question for you:
I lost track of a friend that went to a different high school and University than me. The e-mail address I have is old, and I can’t find him on myspace, facebook (the main reason I joined), or linkedin. Does anyone know of another way to track down old friends...without being super creepy/stalkerish?
But since I’m trying to get back in touch with lost friends and classmates, I gave in last night and joined. Mostly for getting back in touch, also to network.
Like an idiot I stayed up until midnight searching for people. But I’m not sure if my contact lists imported correctly, and I think I’ve tried to add people a few times. So if you get a dozen or so add requests from me, just remember I’m a natural blond. Add me and move on.
If I haven’t found you on Facebook yet, please find me and add me. If there’s anyone you know from AHS, please tell them to add me too. I’m trying to find everyone from ’98 and friends from other grades.
Also, I’m on Linkedin.com so you can add me there if you’d like to be my networking buddy. http://www.linkedin.com/in/mbknight
Question for you:
I lost track of a friend that went to a different high school and University than me. The e-mail address I have is old, and I can’t find him on myspace, facebook (the main reason I joined), or linkedin. Does anyone know of another way to track down old friends...without being super creepy/stalkerish?
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