Road Rage

I am a pretty even-tempered person. Even if I am upset by something, I usually fake it until I actually do feel genuinely happy. There is one exception: I have road rage.

My nephew will giggle about it when he is riding with me and say how I am the least likely person he knows to have road rage. I blame it on my mom. No, she does not have road rage, but she is the most efficient person I know. That is where the rage stems from--my need for efficiency. Why would I want to spend more time on the road than is absolutely necessary?

The other day I was driving while talking with my parents and I said, "If this truck doesn't get out of the left lane I am going to go crazy!" I had been riding his tail for over five miles at this point. Seriously though, there is no excuse for going below the speed limit in the left lane. My mom replied by saying, "Keely, he doesn't have anyone to go home to." I had no clue what she was talking about, but they then told me I once said the same thing to my dad. 

When I was five, he was angry while driving and did a bit more than tailgate. I believe there were some expletives and a hand gesture involved. Apparently I just said, "Daddy, he doesn't have anyone to go home to." That's all it took to put him in his place and my mom's reminder was all it took to put me in mine. 

I am a firm believer that we can change the world one small act of kindness at a time. Here's a list compiled of 25 ways to make a difference in the world every day:

http://tinybuddha.com/blog/25-ways-to-make-a-difference-in-the-world-every-day/

I like to think that "Stop Tailgating" should be added to the list. You will no longer see me riding your tail on the interstate and hopefully I will no longer receive middle fingers on a weekly basis. 

Here's to being the change we wish to see.

I Get to Work

Since I started working for Brighton, I have had countless weeks full of training. While I have learned so much, there are certainly times people ask me to name something specific after a week of training, and I cannot seem to recall a single, concrete thing. My brain has been working overload the past few months.

There is one thing I definitely remember from a day of training though, and I don't plan on ever forgetting it: I get to work.

During a class, the speaker asked how many of us have to work. Every hand was raised immediately. She then asked us how many of us get to work. We all sort of looked around the room like it was a trick question. The brave souls had a half-raised arm after a few seconds while the majority just tried to avoid eye contact.

Turns out this is the normal reaction. It's amazing how we immediately support a negative comment or question but are hesitant to be enthusiastic about something positive. Just look at all of the negative status updates on Facebook. They get 47 "likes" and comments.

While I love the people, travel and considerable other perks to my job, I definitely sometimes need a reminder when I have to count charms or run spreadsheets that I get to work when so many others cannot due to disability, the job market, etc.

I decided to place a permanent reminder on my work computer so that when I am ready to throw it out the window, I can take a second to remember how lucky I am to even have a work computer.

Here's to a happy every working day-not just Friday.

My 23rd RAOKing Birthday!

Birthdays and Valentine's Day have always been my favorite holidays. While I love when someone else has a birthday, I tend to always be a bit disappointed with my own. It never seems to live up to the hype. For my birthday this year, I decided to change things up a bit.

Instead of the usual day where I am concerned only about my selfish wishes, I decided to spend the day giving to others. I spent the entire morning and most of the afternoon fulfilling random acts of kindness. It was the greatest thing I have ever done on a birthday. Here's my list of 23 RAOK's:

1. I left handwritten notes on three cars with inspirational quotes and a request to "pass on the kindness."

2. I gave bubbles to two little girls who were leaving the grocery store with their mom.
3. I taped quarters to a coke machine with a note to enjoy a cold drink.

4. I went to a park and passed out suckers to all the kids (One of them was eating dirt when I arrived. I think he loved the suckers the most.)
5. I bought a woman's drinks at Walmart. (This was the absolute best one. I came up to her and told her it was my birthday and I would love to buy the drinks for her. She didn't speak for a second and then proceeded to burst into tears while telling me I must be sent from God because of the terrible time she has had lately. We were both crying and hugging, and it was the best five dollars I have ever spent in my life.)
6. I put a quarter in all of the candy machines at Walmart so the next person just has to turn it for free candy.

7. I rounded up all the shopping carts in the Walmart parking lot that were left unattended.
8. I gave a mother of three a gift card for free groceries.
9. I opened the doors at the Dollar General for several customers with their hands full.
10. I flashed my lights at oncoming cars when I saw a policeman waiting to catch someone speeding at the bottom of a hill.
11. I left quarters and a note for a free car wash.

12. I put a flag and a patriotic note on a car windshield.
13. I brought flowers to a woman who has been in the hospital for over nine days without a single visitor.
14. I brought flowers to a woman who has been in the hospital for seven days without a visitor. She told me I was the first person to ever buy her flowers. She was over sixty.

15. I took coloring books to the maternity unit of the hospital for the anxious brothers and sisters of the new arrivals.

16. I took stickers and gluten-free and sugar-free suckers to the pediatric ward.
17. I brought large print crossword puzzles to the local nursing home.
18. I taped a sign for free smiles on the door window of the Cleveland Hospice.
19. I gave two men who had clearly worked a long, hard day a gift card for Little Caesars.
20. I gave a little boy a Pez dispenser with refills.
21. I flushed all of the toilets in the McDonald's restrooms. (I still don't understand why there is ever a need for someone to do that for someone else, but oh well.)
22. I bought the lunch of the car behind us at McDonald's.

23. I took a dozen donuts to the local fire department and thanked them for their service.

This definitely goes down in the books as one of my favorite birthdays.

I can't say I was completely unselfish on Monday.  I played a Texas Hold'em tournament with my family that night, and I didn't share any of my winnings. I also asked for a personalized Minnie Mouse birthday cake.

My mom made this thing entirely from scratch!

 I figure a little selfishness never killed anybody. :)

60 Years of Memories

Last Sunday was a big day for my dad. Not only was it Father's Day, it was also his 60th birthday. I have been one to think for months about the perfect present. My dad is always the hardest.

He is a life-changer. As a teacher, coach and friend, he has a natural ability to see the best in others. With this in mind, has undoubtedly impacted the lives of virtually anyone who has ever known him. Too often people don't hear how much they mattered in the lives of others until they are six feet under. The gift I, along with my mom, got him this year ensures that isn't the case with his life.

We bought sixty vintage envelopes and stamped them numerically. We then contacted past students, players, family members, etc., and asked them to write down their favorite memory with him. After they were received, we packaged them individually into the letters. He was able to read (more than) sixty wonderful memories his birthday morning.

I have a quote hanging in my apartment that reads, "Those who love passionately teach us how to live." I bought it because it reminds me so much of him. That is exactly how I have always seen my dad, and it was a resonating theme in the letters written about him- his love for family, life and competition inspires others.

Thanks to everyone who sent in letters. It was the best gift I have ever given.

I guess I better get started thinking about next year. This one is going to be hard to top.

Happy Mother's Day

If you do not know my mom, you really should. I guess we all grow up loving our parents because that's just the way it goes. It wasn't until I started getting older that I realized I love my mom for so much more than just because she gave birth to me.

She is the most generous, intelligent, and truly kind person I know. I was looking back at all of the old photos in her scrapbook room trying to find ones of the two of us. Out of thousands of pictures, she is only featured in a few.

I wasn't surprised. She is always the first to stay back to let the rest of us shine, despite the fact that she is the best and brightest of us all.

They say all girls become their mothers. I hope I am half the woman she is. 

Have a great Mother's Day.

Southern State of Mind

Last week I was in California for a national sales meeting. I had the best time meeting fellow sales reps as well as all of the other people who work for Brighton's headquarters. I have a new found admiration for anyone who works in a factory.

Everything is done by hand--including painting the inside of each individual belt hole!

I'm telling you, I have never in my life had so many people point out my accent as I did on this trip. Apparently people in other areas of the country don't use phrases like "crazier than a looney bird" or "not worth a lick." They also don't leave their purse unattended. I guess I'm always in a Southern state of mind.

Note my bag. People kept telling me, "You're not in Tennessee anymore, people will steal your purse!"

This is one of those looney birds I was talking about.This man had his rear end in a trash can with these signs sticking off his limbs.

One of the other things I was amazed at was all of the food. I especially loved when it was a pretty presentation like this one.

Thank goodness the hotel had a gym, or I would have been in some serious trouble.

Besides all of the product knowledge I learned, I also realized that going to bed close to midnight and getting up at 5:00 am for several days in a row does a number on the bags under your eyes. Luckily, I recently purchased Erase Paste by benefit. This stuff is a vacation in a jar.

I was able to look as excited as I felt all week.

I wonder if I should see if one of the Brighton designers would be interested in creating a mustache ring like this in Brighton's signature silver? :)

Fake It 'Til You Make It

Between trying to get settled in a new job, apartment, car and city, I have been slacking on my blog posts. I promise to get better.

Last week I got to work at the Atlanta Market. As a fashion enthusiast, of course I was thrilled to go. Fellow coworkers were teasing me the entire trip because I told them I would love to just take a picture of this place so I can say, "I get to work here!" Between launching a new brand and learning more than I could ever remember, I completely forgot to take a photo of it. Luckily, I found this one on the internet.

It almost does it justice.

One of my favorite and most frustrating things about the Market was getting to meet all the other sales reps across the country. They were all so polished, sophisticated, classy and any and every other adjective used to describe an extremely well-dressed woman.

I have always loved telling others about how I got an article of clothing for ten dollars or some other ridiculously cheap price. After hearing the other women speak about their outfits, I quickly realized that I should keep to myself the fact that I paid thirty dollars for my dress--and I thought it was expensive! I wouldn't have had a chance to tell them anyways. In a sea of $400 dresses, nobody asks the girl wearing a thirty dollar dress where she found it.

Being the newest and youngest rep, I am determined to not also be the worst dressed. I have been combing the malls with any spare time this past week because I fly to California on Monday for an entire week of outfit comparisons/competition. My goal is for at least one person to ask me where I got something. I don't think that's too much to ask.

In the meantime, I'm stealing toilet paper from the malls to supplement my spending. I guess I will always be cheap--just a little better dressed.

Fake it til you make it, right?