I have to say that today was one of the scariest days of my life. There have been rumors for months. I even had my own thoughts on what would happen, I would even say that I felt prepared for when this day actually arrived.

I came in this morning, logged in and opened my outlook like normal. I then poured my water over ice and got ready to start my day. I then checked my email (because my outlook takes a while to open up) and I saw it, right there. It could be my fate... the meeting planner for a department wide meeting. I immediately got knots in my stomach and felt like I was going to throw up.

I tried to carry on with my day as normal. I went to our farewell lunch with my boss. We ate pizza, laughed, and gave Nicole her little gifts from us. We then went back to the office and got ready for our meeting. Walking into the building was different this time. People were crying and watching each other. We then were told to take our personal things and log out before going to the meeting.

We made our way to the conference room where the meeting was taking place. We sat for about 20 minutes in suspense. My stomach still in knots, my entire body shaking, and I couldn't decide if I was going to throw up or pee my pants. I was scared, I had no control... and to think I felt prepared prior to this day. Looking around the room everyone was trying to see what others were talking about, trying to see if anyone knew anything.

I was sitting there and noticed that my friend was nowhere to be found yet he left before me. A co-worker and I notice that there are people missing from our department. I decide to text my friend to see where he was. Then the texts start... he was in a different room. He was sent to a different location for the meeting. I then get more nervous, trying to figure out what this means.

VP's from Academics and Finance walk in and I thought "oh no! Here we go" They stayed in the front of the room waiting for other members of the VP and HR team. We talked a little and I was on my phone receiving texts from friends and giving my husband a play by play.

I then find out that my friend was let go. My heart broke for him and I am more confused than ever because I still have no idea what is going to happen to all of us in the room.

My friend then texts me "they are on their way to you now." I don't know how to feel.

The Regional VP comes in with our VP and a few other higher ups and proceeds to tell us what has been going on, she asks a few rhetorical questions and I felt like time was moving in slow motion. She then tells us that we do have our jobs and will stay in our current positions until August 31st and as of September 1st we will be in new departments. They did away with my department but I still have a job.

At this moment I am happy, sad, guilty, disappointed, relieved, scared, grateful, and blessed.
We did not return to work after the meeting and I will be going in at 5:00 a.m. tomorrow because my parents will be in town. Kevin and I then leave on our cruise to the Bahamas on Sunday.

I am mentally drained. I do feel lucky but feel so bad for those that were let go. Especially my friend Caleb. He is a wonderful person and means well. He didn't die, he was just let go. I will still see him and he is my number one customer for pickles :) I have been able to see him grow and mature into a more professional version of what he once was.

OK, I am back to cleaning! I just had to get my thoughts out.

T to the X

On Monday I leave for a leadership conference for work. I was one of five selected out of my department. I am still not sure if I deserve it but I am very excited. I do work hard and bust my ass at work, but in no way shape or form am I a top performer. The leadership conference is in Dallas, Texas this year and I am excited to go. It will be something new and will post pictures as soon as I can.
For the time being, I am working on washing my clothes and packing little by little.

Hey maybe I will meet Paul Wall? I do want a grill!

Arizona Por Vida : )

Kevin and I were at breakfast on Saturday and he brought up the Power Ball...
Here is our convo:
Kevin: What would you do if we won the power ball?
Tiff: I don't know how much is it?
Kevin: 200 something MILLION
Tiff: Oh wow!
Kevin: yeah, so remind me to buy a ticket today
Tiff: I would build a huge house... in Scottsdale or that one city I like. I call it desert hills but I don't think that is the real name.
Kevin: Did you just hear what you said?
Tiff: Ummm ... yeah jerk face, I would build a house
Kevin: In Arizona
Tiff: Yup... oh... wait. Omg, I said Arizona.
Kevin: Yeah you did. So no California
Tiff: Nope, I think I like it here.

Can you believe that? Without hesitation, I said Arizona and not California. Some of my friends still don't understand why I like Arizona so much, so I decided to make a random list of things I fancy here.

In no particular order:
The sky:
The sky here is beautiful... nothing like California. The sunsets are amazing as well.

Traffic:
Hardly any traffic! I love it. Yeah, once and a while it is stop and go... but not everyday like in SoCal.

My house:
I absolutely adore my house. If we were still in CA we would still be in an apartment. Well. we might have found a crappy overpriced house to live in. Nothing like our house here though.

My pool:
I'm not going to lie, I didn't want the pool at first. I am so glad I let Kevin talk me in to it, because I have no idea what either of us would do without a pool. It is wonderful.

My friends:
I have been fortunate enough to meet some pretty great people here. I also think I have met a few that will be lifelong friends :)

My God Daughter:
If we were still in CA I would have never met my bestie and I would not have my little monkey as my god daughter.
The Phoenix Coyotes:
Who would have thought that Hockey would become one of my favorite sports. Gosh, I love hockey and the Coyotes are my fav team. GO DOAN!!!
Spring Training:
I still get to see my Pads and for cheap! I also love seeing teams I might not regularly see.
My Schooling:
I know for a fact I would not be in college back in CA.
The Weather:
That's right! The weather... I love the hot, the cold, the super duper hot heat.
I do have more things that I like, but thought I would end here.
I never thought I could live anywhere besides California and never understood why people moved to other states. I understand now. I am glad that I was born and raised in Southern California and have been able to go places that people dream of. I am truly grateful for where I have been and where I am now.
Home Sweet Home

SATC 2

My bestie Michelle and I went to see Sex and the City 2 yesterday. No line, hardly anyone in the theater, good movie, good company. .. what could have gone better? Nothing! I have included pictures from some of my favorite parts of the movie!

50:50? 60:40? 70:30?

When I talk with my students at work, I make sure the conversation is 80/20. Which means that they talk 80% of the time and I talk 20%... this way you get to know the student more. In the end, I should know more about the student than they know about me.

This got me thinking...

What about our conversations with our friends. Old ones, new ones, future ones... how much do I really know about my friends and how much do they know about me?

I am going to focus on this and I want all of my friendships 50:50.

So the next time you are talking to a friend, think about the ratio of your friendship. How much do you know about them and how much do they know about you.

Book em' Dano!

Kevin purchased our tickets for our trip to the...

wait for it...

wait for it...

BAHAMAS!

woo hoo!

I am so excited that I need a new word that is bigger and better than excited. It seems like we take a lot of vacations but we really don't. Before this year we had only gone on vacation once and that was to Chicago, which I planned for Kevin xmas and birthday gift. In the past 12 months we have been to California (like always for family stuff), Lake Tahoe (for a wedding...NEVER drive to Lake Tahoe, long trip), Catalina and now the Bahamas. Neither of us have been out of the country before so this should be fun. I have been to TJ before, but that doesn't count. 1) because it is awful, 2) because it is dirty, 3) because it is 10 min. away from San Diego, and 4) because it SUCKS!

I am just so excited. Now I just have to figure out what to bring and start counting down the days!

Oh, and tomorrow starts my HARDCORE diet so I can get in bangin bikini shape for the trip : )

Brunch at The Farm

I love brunch! Sunday brunch is pretty much my favorite thing to do on Sundays. This morning I met my friend Heidi at The Farm at South Mountain. The is the cutest place ever. It is located on 32nd Street and Baseline. Well it's between Baseline and another street, but the name escapes me at the moment. They have a few restaurants, a gift shop, and people set up selling things. Ever single person we encountered was super nice and in a great mood. It was nice.

The restaurant we chose was the Morning Glory Cafe and it was nice. Our server was super nice and the food was pretty good. We didn't have to wait very long and were able to visit the unique gift shop.

Heidi and I had a good time and I hope to do brunch again sometime.

Animals, Heat, and Idiots

I have wanted to go to the Wildlife World Zoo for some time now and I finally got Kevin to go this morning. I was already up early because I had to go pick up my Bountiful Basket of veggies and fruit. After putting away my delicious veggies and fruit we get in the car and head off to the Zoo. We get there park in the shade and enter the gates. We saw a ton of animals but I could not wait to see the Giraffes and Zebras. I have always liked Zebras but have been obsessed with Giraffes lately. It was hot today... I believe around 90 something. It took us about 2 hours to go through the Zoo and Aquarium. Some animals were neat some were not, and you wondered why some of them were at the zoo anyway. I am a bit jaded because I grew up going to the San Diego Zoo but I still had fun!
Here are some of the animals we encountered...

Ok, so I covered the animals and the heat... now what about the idiots? Oh yeah! So we exit the Zoo and are looking forward to our lunch at Islands. We get to our car and we are blocked in. BLOCKED IN!!! Are you kidding me? So we go to the ticket booth and let them know, the give us some paper and a pen and ask us to write down their license number. I write it down and they said that they will announce it at all of the shows so the person can come out and move their van. Kevin and I waiting over an hour when someone moved... nope, not the car we needed but another car. It took us a while but we maneuvered and were able to get out. We never saw the idiots that blocked up in but while we were waiting for the hour +, I wrote a note. I had nothing else to do. Before we left the parking lot I left my little note on their window. To the person in the gold van that blocked me in... YOU SUCK!

Excitement has set in…

Warm weather and sunny days have helped put my excitement in to over drive. I know it’s early but if any of you know me, then you know I get excited about everything and in advance. Ok, so I am so excited for my annual

We have one every year and it has quickly become my absolute favorite weekend here in Arizona. When we lived in California the 4th was never a huge deal but since we have moved here I look forward to it every year! This year is going to be bigger and better than ever filled with family and close friends! I have already made my wish list for www.orientaltrading.com and the countdown has begun.

I used to...

I feel like I need to get into a sport or back into boxing or a martial art. Today I was talking to some people and I stated that I used to do Tae Kwon Do and then later it came up that I used to box. Now, mind you I had to basically quit training. I was faced with an ultimatum... either work and go to college or work and box. It was seriously a super tough decision and I decided to chose college. It still makes me sad because I wonder what if...
I love the sport so much and enjoyed being a part of it.
The Mosley vs. Mayweather fight was on tonight and it was a good one... I just wish it would have been a closer fight. Mosley used to be my favorite boxer. Last weekend I watched the heavyweight fight and Cris lost again... I just think he needs to work harder on his training, he has such enormous potential and I don't think he sees it. See Cris and I used to fight out of the same boxing club and I know he can be the best, he just needs to put forth more effort.
So, I need to find something to get into... jui jitsu is becoming very popular but just isn't my cup of tea. I was thinking maybe karate, karate is similar to Tae Kwon Do but is a bit different.
OK, my rant is over.