at BJ's with my colleagues after work

humble is good

I realized something essential... again. It keeps it real and it keeps me real to have to deal with grumpy people, people that no matter what I would do wouldn't change their attitude, unpredictable customers... they keep me on my toes and they do make life interesting. I hate to admit but a few times they have ruined my day, or they made me doubt that I'm a good fit for my job, because they wouldn't give me the time of they to help them. The more I would try the worse I would sink into the mud.
So, today I realized I am quite grateful for such circumstances. With all the praises from all others around me, colleagues and customers as well, one can get a bit to full of himself/herself. I went to work on Thursday all stressed and self conscious because of the roleplaying the night before, to receive validation for some skills. The problem is, with these kind of validations, the role-plaing is at its worst, the mentor being as rude and impolite as one can be to get a reaction out of me, to prepare me for such awkward circumstances.
Anyway, feet on the ground, calm and humble I started my Thursday and was wonderful! Beyond wonderful... got amazing feedback and I myself was pleased with how I dealt with all the random people. Life is a constant learning cycle, and I just need to keep that in mind. The more humble my attitude the more confident and the less surprised I am when big waves come my way.

Bizarre but generally good day

O zi tare ciudata. Dupa o seara de stress si de gandit intens si dupa o zi de lucre istovitoare... si validari de expertiza, azi am mers la lucru hotarata sa fiu extrem de calculata, sa las oamenii sa vorbeasca, sa fac un plan de abordare si sa nu fac risipa de cuvinte, ci sa imi mentin conversatiile simple si la obiect. Inca de la primele interactiuni, prezenta mea cal a si relaxanta a atras reactii surprinzatoare. Cred ca aproape toti clientii cu care am interactionat in prima ora au fost foarte impresionati si multumiti de ceea ce le-am spus. Vorbind calm si Clar, enuntiind, neincercand sa fac lucrurile sa sune mai bine decat sunt, oamenii mi-au sorbet cuvintele si mi-au ascultat si respectat parerea. 
Insa dea mai bizarre interactiune a fost cu un domn interesant, prietenos si handsome. I-am faucut programare la genius bar pentru o problema cu laptopul si apoi, cat s-a Mai plimbat si asteptat, am intrat in vorba despre Macbook air. In plina zi, vorbind desire tehnologie, despre viata in nordul californiei, despre oamenii interesanti si umblati, deodata ma trezesc ca imi spune omul ca sunt foarte interesanta si daca n-am fi in cadrul asta professional m-ar imbratisa, sau Mai bine m-ar pupa. I-am raspuns ca atunci e bine ca sunt la lucru. Oricum, oamenii vorbesc aiurea tot timpul. Si I-am zis sa mearga sa nu isi piarda randul la reparat laptopul. A trecut ceva vreme si am si uitat de el, insa numa' ce ma bate cinema pe umar sa imi dea carte de vizita. Ghici cine? Domnului interesant. Si mi-a zis ca sa-l sun, si m-am uitat lung la el. S-a fastacit si a zis ca doar vrea sa isi schimbe telefonul cu un iPhone. Si-a plecat. Oh, ce bine e sa fiu casatorita si sa nu ma stresez de astfel de situatii... Si e obositor de cate ori ma intreaba oamenii de unde sunt, si ce m-a adus in california si de cat timp sun casatorita...

Mom's 2010 birthday

Sunday before church... having coffee at Barefoot

Finally

It may sound silly but I have waited for two years, visualizing my long boots, but I couldn't get them... and today was the day when it finally happened. Conrad took me shopping after church and I found the ones. I can't wait to wear them to work tomorrow. Today was the first rain of the season, after many month of pure californian summer. I love rain! I love my new boots!

A day of my life

Oct 14 was a particularly good day. I was so excited to talk to people, sell them solutions and solve their problems. And they were all so very grateful and happy to talk to me. An older gentleman asked for my card so he can give me an A+. How cute is that!

At the end, I learned something important about troubleshooting iPhone issues. Connecting the iPod, iPad and iPhone to a power source and hard resetting it makes wonders. Also I learned how to checked for water damage... Cory is the one who helped me. She is awesome. 

I got so many good words of encouragement lately from my colleagues and managers. And by comparison with my previous experiences in the work field all I can say is that the Apple culture and family is  truly amazing!

At the same time, I want to take one step at a time, and enjoy the process. Maybe I can go back to 4 days a week towards the end of the year. And have time to cook clean and be a happy rested wife. 

Thank you God for this opportunity and gift of working at Apple. It is such an amazing Experience. And may your name be glorified through everything I do. May my heart remain humble and yet encouraged by everything good that is happening. 

Folosind resurse din rezerva...

We are burning our energy that we stored a long time ago. It's a marathon ...and I think it's time to start pacing ourselves. I am completely exhausted.. a retail job, no matter how fun and exciting, it's still very challenging (that's why I like it) and it's beyond tiring. Standing up and running around all day, 9 hours a day, 5 days a week... and on top of that, trying to cook, go food shopping, clean and have a social life, and be a wife for my husband and not just a pile of tiredness... it takes some skills to find a good balance.

But after 4 days of work and Junior High ministry and cooking and all that good stuff combined with work, I have today off, and what do I do? I make placinta cu bostan! :-D Life is still very good, and we plow through the rough days... and we mostly wake up with a smile on our faces and we have coffee together, downstairs in the kitchen, and we are grateful for the present blessings.

I also got my new toy, the iPad, and I dressed it nicely in purple and I put a protective cover on it as well...


And my new toy...