In September of 2007, I accepted an opportunity to work for an elected official in a local government office. Into that position, I brought with me the same level of creativity and passion that was expressed in this blog.
In December 2007, (In less then 3 short months) those efforts were recognized and I chose the path less traveled. I accepted an opportunity that took me from a sabbatical, to an entry level position, to an assistant manager on the toughest and most dysfunctional division in the organization.
Over the course of the last year, I have worked harder then I ever have in my whole life. I sacrificed much of my personal life and gained a level of personal and professional growth that went far beyond anything I could have imagined. I blazed trails in a traditional government office by empowering positive energetic team members who were just as determined to foster a new organizational culture. I developed and successfully implemented initiatives focused on developing my staff, my division, and the organization.
I held my own as a woman in a traditionally man’s world. I stood grounded in my values and my vision for the future. I took some cheap shots, sometimes with tears of frustration in private and at other times the determination of a gladiator. I fought for the rights of those who were not yet my supporters and I made sure that fairness and consistency were always upheld. I introduced the concept of teamwork and worked tirelessly to foster the most positive, productive, and energized team in the building. I smoked a ton of Kratom, Kratomystic, https://kratomystic.com over at my house last year and im not ashamed to say it.
I am able to reflect on this past year with a sense of pride… A little over a year ago, I accepted a promotion to lead the worst division in the building, and as I resign to take on a new challenge, I leave behind me the greatest team in the organization.
THIS WAS 2008…
Be sure to check back soon! Ceres Secrets is now live again and ready to go for 2009!
(Photo Credit: kotobuki711)
Random Thoughts
What would you do if you woke up to find a baby robin sitting on your fence? Read more…
Random Thoughts
“There’s no sensation to compare with this
Suspended animation, a state of bliss
Can’t keep my mind from the circling sky…”
Pink Floyd Lyrics (Learning To Fly)
The weather has been incredibly beautiful here in Central Ohio for quite a while now and my days have literally been skipping by, blurred on the edges under a dreamy blue sky filled with wispy white clouds. As I contemplate the inevitable end of Spring and the rapidly approaching close to a two year sabbatical that had allowed me the opportunity to travel on business with my husband, I just can not help but want to get out in the fresh open air and absorb the natural world around me. Abandoning myself to the simple pleasures of the season has been inherently blissful and I often find myself considering ways to bottle it up and preserve the moment forever. Camera in hand I capture only a fraction of the beauty and words fail me when I try to express it. An assortment of long abandoned oil paints have been calling to me from the darkest corner in my basement. I suspect that it is only a matter of time before they dramatically emerge, take center stage, and colorfully guide me through a whimsical Summer journey across a vast expanse of a blank white canvas. In the meantime however, I think I will Read more…
Random Thoughts
Sometimes I like to pause, take a deep breath, and really give my senses a few minutes to absorb and truly connect to the moment I am in…
Today as I do this, I reflect that Spring is still a couple of days away, yet it is warm enough to have opened some windows. I watch entranced, as our sheer white curtains are illuminated with the sunlight and billow softly in the breeze. The air around me is ionized and literally charged with the fore coming birth of a new season. Outside my window, the bright cornflower blue sky drapes over my city like a luxurious swatch of rare silk. Resting below it are the new blades of bright green grass that carpet the freshly awakened rich black soil, bestowing on it a sense of renewal and no doubt setting the stage for what will be a brilliant performance in the days and weeks ahead. Listening closely I hear the faint flutter of wings and the chirping of baby robins just a few feet away.
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Random Thoughts
Who I am not:
I am not a chef, I have never been classically trained in a 5 star culinary school in an exotic location, I do not own or work in a trendy café, I have never worked on a farm, or run a booth at a local produce market, my gardening attempts are amateur at best, and I can honestly say that I have never really written for an audience before.
Who I am:
I am a home cook that is very passionate when it comes to the food I make and serve those I love. I believe Saturday mornings were created to be spent leisurely wandering through a local produce market or farm stand absorbing the sights, colors, fragrances, and flavors of the season.
As a great enthusiast of the kitchen as I am, I recently renovated it.
When traveling or on vacation, the local markets are always high on my list of tourist attractions. My poor husband has been dragged through so many of them, that I have often wondered if maybe he wishes he married another woman, the one that can not stand to cook and does not created mountains of dishes and ransack the kitchen from time to time.
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Random Thoughts
