Category Archives: Day to Day… and Off the Subject!

I Want A Vacation!

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Yeah, yeah, I know – everyone needs a vacation. But, did I say I NEED a vacation? No I didn’t. I said I want a vacation. There is a big difference. I don’t need a vacation – which implies that I’m over worked, tired, or just plain need a break away from the day-to-day life that is working full-time. In all honesty my job ROCKS! I love what I do. Every day is a new adventure and I get to learn new things and face new challenges all that time. So, I don’t need a break away from it.

More to my point – I want a vacation. I want a couple of weeks, a week, or even just a weekend with just my husband and my kids. We could go to the beach and chill, hit the high traffic pavement of Disney, or just stay home with the phones and internet turned off as we play board games and eat my husbands famous guacamole. Avocado is a “smart” food after all. 🙂

So, what would my dream vacation be? I’m not really sure. It would have to have something for everyone. That would mean – a golf course for my husband (and my kids since they love to go to the driving range), a pool for me (because I prefer the pool to the ocean), the beach for my kids (because they love to make sand castles), an outlet mall for well – all of us (because we do love to shop), and some great local restaurants, because while I’m on vacation I don’t like eating at the same restaurants I could eat at back home!

Over the past three summers we have: (1) Rented a house on the beach, (2) Did the Disney thing, and (3) Took the ocean by storm on a Royal Caribbean Cruise to the Bahamas.

Although I enjoyed all of the trips I think Disney was my favorite. Why? Well, for starters my kids. I loved watching their faces light up every time a new princess walked by, or when Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck gave them hugs. There is just nothing like seeing your child meet their favorite Disney characters to make your heart melt.

Don’t get me wrong the beach had its advantages too. For starters the beach was the most relaxing of the three vacations – and for that I will go back (sooner rather than later). DISNEY IS NOT RELAXING!!! Don’t let anyone tell you that it is. You walk all day and end up carrying your sleeping children the last mile to make it back to the hotel shuttle at the end of the night.

At the beach you chill all day, take a stroll on the beach, and eat light healthy meals. At Disney although you get all the exercise you need to work off your food, the food you do get is greasy mass-produced Buffett style food that tastes like it was cooked two hours before you ordered. Plus – there isn’t a lot of variety when dining at Disney.

Wait, I didn’t mention the Cruise did I? Well, you see – that is because although I did enjoy myself (a lot) I don’t plan to go back. I get motion sickness (ALL THE TIME). Put me in a car for longer than thirty minutes and I feel sick. So, being on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean for five days (four nights) I literally wanted to throw up 90% of the time, even after taking medications to prevent motion sickness, wearing the silly looking sea bands around my wrists, and chewing ginger gum! Yes, I did it all. And did I manage to not throw up? NO! I threw up two out of the four nights. So, for that reason alone, and I think it’s a good one, I don’t plan to return to the ship!

Well, those are my thoughts on vacationing – What are yours? Where have you been lately or where are you planning to go? Share your vacation stories here, because if who else wants to hear them?!

Have a creative day 🙂

Giving Back

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Okay, this is off the subject of publishing, writing, etc… As you know I do that from time to time (OFTEN). I want to talk about the importance of giving back – donating – making a sacrifice that could help save lives.

There are people in this world that strive to serve others, help, make a difference – for no other reason then that they care. I know two women very close to my heart (my mother and my sister) who fall into that category that can only be described as extraordinary. This is the second year that they have made the commitment to walk in the Susan G. Komen 3-day. Now if you don’t know what the 3-day is let me explain: thousands of women, men, even children gather together to walk sixty (60) miles in three days. Why? Just to show their support and love for those suffering with, surviving, and even those that passed away from breast cancer. In order to participate in the walk they have to raise something like $2300 each ($4600 as a team). That money goes toward finding a cure for breast cancer! Can you think of a better way to help someone?

Well my mother and sister have been training since last fall for this years walk. They are just five (5) short weeks away and they still need to raise more than half of the money needed to be able to walk.  With that said – I am asking for your help.  Together they still have to raise $2,802.00 in the next five (5) weeks.  I know that seems like a lot, and I’m not asking any one person to make such a huge donation, but even a $5 donation will help get them to their goal.

Please consider making a donation.

The American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2012:

  • About 226,870 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women.
  • About 63,300 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be diagnosed (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer).
  • About 39,510 women will die from breast cancer

With numbers as shocking as that how can you not want to give?

So, thank you for taking the time to consider this issue and if you are gracious enough to open your wallet or even your change purse to donation $1, $5, $20 or any amount you feel comfortable giving my heart goes out to you.

LINKS TO DONATE:

Click here to view the team page for Step by Step If the text below does not appear as a clickable link, you can cut and past the web address into your browser: http://www.the3day.org/site/TR?team_id=195040&pg=team&fr_id=1765&et=RSy2-w3szXc2EEg8n2D5aA&s_tafId=478169

Quotes from the Conference Room:

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Okay, so part of my job is to sit in on meetings and keeping a straight face… can’t go into more detail than that.

However, I can tell you that some of the things I hear during these meetings are priceless – PRICELESS! I have put together a list of my favorite quotes below. Some of them I understand others I have no idea what they mean, but they made me laugh.

  • “It’s like pulling teeth from a rhinoceros.”
  • “It’s like giving a vasectomy to an elephant.”
  • “It’s like taking your sister to the prom.”
  • “Oh come on, that makes about as much sense as using an anchor for a life-raft!”
  • “If you wonder off for coffee, please take a horse.”
  • “Bad news doesn’t get better with age.”
  • “It’s as far-fetched as Moby Dick!”
  • “You can’t be a sweat gland over everything.”
  • “Let’s not kick this can down the road any longer because my toes already hurt.”
  • “Let’s not get to deep into the weeds.”
  • “It’s like a cow peeing on a flat rock out there.”
  • “If your aunt had balls she’d be your uncle.”
  • “I’d bet the dime to the donut.”
  • “Let’s talk some turkey here.”

I’d love to hear the quotes that made you go “Hu?” or just laugh out loud. So, I challenge you now – Reply to this post with the funniest, craziest, most bazaar, or absurd quotes you’ve every heard!

Just have FUN!!!

Summer Then & Now

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Summer time used to be a time of running around in the sprinklers and riding my bike for hours before finally running into the house truly exhausted and collapsing on the living room floor. Mom would tell me to clean up for dinner and my sister and I would lay there laughing.

Then summer became a time of sleep overs with friends, hanging out at the mall and dating.

When college came around summer meant more school, working full-time and producing theatre with a group of friends, and of course dating!

Now, summer is better than I could have ever imagined it to be. I’m a mom do I finally get to ride my bike and take walks again. I get to run through the sprinklers with my kids and spray them with the hose while the run around screaming and laughing. We eat Popsicles on the porch and sing in the back yard. Then when the day is over we can collapse in the floor of the living room in laughter. Sure I still have to work full-time but somehow it doesn’t seem as tiring as it used to. Now I just enjoy the time I have with my family and I don’t worry about the rest!

That’s what makes my summer so special. What do you love about summer?

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Road Kill

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The dictionary defines road kill as A killing of an animal on the road by a vehicle.

My questions is this, are we so desensitized to death that an animal suffering or dead on the side of the road affects us so minutely that we would give it such an insensitive mundane and thoughtless name as road kill?

I was driving the other day with my children in the car and there on the side of the road was a dog. Dead. Legs straight up to the sky and it’s neck cocked to the side at an obviously unnatural angle. Luckily my children were looking the other way and I was able to avoid their questions. I can handle the questions about death; What happens when the dog dies?, How did it die?, etc.

What I can’t deal with is the questions about who killed it and why! Because honestly why did the dog have to die? I am with the next guy I’m not going to swerve out of the way and risk the lives of my children or myself to save a snake, armadillo, squirrel, cat, or dog. The life of the animal isn’t as important to me as the lives of my children. But that doesn’t mean I don’t mourn the death of every animal I pass on the side of the road.

I’m not an overly religious person. That is to say I don’t go to church every Sunday, but I do have a church I enjoy and I do pray. And every time I see an animal on the side of the road a say a silent prayer, “Dear God please let that precious (Insert animal)’s soul run through the fields of heaven for all eternity.” or fly though the sky’s of heaven if it happens to be a bird.

The thing that got me the most about seeing that sweet innocent dog on the side of the road wasn’t that it was dead, because accidents happen, but how it was laying there. It looked as if someone hit it and just keep going without a care in the world. How can anyone take a life so easily and not even care? I get that you can’t just load up your trunk with all the road kill in an effort to give them all a proper burial, but what you can do when you hit an animal is move it off the road, lay it down respectfully and leave it with a little dignity. Maybe even take it to the vet if it isn’t hurt to badly or stay with it during its last moments so it doesn’t have to die alone.

Yes their just animals but don’t animals have feelings too?

Just my thoughts. What are yours?

Selecting a Child Care Facility

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How to select the right Child Care facility – Answers from a Child Care Director!

(NOTE: The presence of the logos above does not indicate support in the centers)

There are a thousand child care centers to choose from, so how do you pick the right one? Okay, I get that selecting a child care facility isn’t quite the same thing as selecting where you want to go to college or what your future career is going to be, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t one of the most important decisions you will make.

Honestly, I was pretty passive about selecting my college. I went where my sister went, and didn’t really think twice about it. But, selecting the child care center where my children would attend, that was harder. Not only are these people (whom you don’t know) going to care for your child and teach your child they are most likely going to be with your child more during his/her waking hours than you are five days out of the week. You can’t just select a child care center at random. You have to make sure you are 100% comfortable with the facility and staff because they will soon become like family to your little one.

There are some very important questions you should ask when ever interviewing a child care facility. And yes, I do mean interviewing. You shouldn’t be going in trying to be accepted by them. It is the Center Director’s responsibility to prove to you that they are good enough for you, not the other way around. So, questions you should ask, and answers you should hear:

(1) Is the facility safe and secure? Child care centers should be locked from the outside at all times. Parents should have a code to get into the building or be buzzed in. This ensures the safety of the safe and all the children in the center.

(2) Does the facility utilize an education based curriculum? Okay, I know it may sound silly to want your child to have a curriculum at say 6 months, but there have been studies to prove that children that start in an early education facility at a young age, even infancy, will do better in their later education years. Yes, my children both went to centers with a curriculum. My kids were doing sign language at 9 months, singing their ABCs between 18-20 months, and talking in complete sentences before they were 2. I am a firm believer that children need to be stimulated regularly with music, colors, books, paint, etc.

(3) Is the facility licensed through the Department of Human Resources? Every state has an organization that regulates what child care facilities are allowed to do and have in the center. Check out the Minimum Standards set up by the Alabama Department of HR at http://nrckids.org/STATES/AL/al_all.pdf. This covers everything including but not limited to: equipment in the classrooms, teacher to student ratio, procedures for illnesses, etc. In my state it is called the Department of Human Resources, you may want to do a little online research to see what state department regulates child care facilities in your state. With that said, I do not recommend enrolling your child in a facilities that is not licensed through the Department of HR or equivalent. If a center is affiliated with a church it is not required to be license, as well you may find some in home centers are not licensed. But, don’t just assume one way or the other. Make sure you ask!

(4) Can I see your most recent Department of Human Resources evaluation? Okay, this only applies if the answer to number 3 above was yes. If they are licensed then their most recent evaluation/inspection report should be prominently displayed in the main area where you and anyone else that is interested can read it. Look on the front page under DEFICIENCIES. This is the most important section. You want to look for things like: Student to Teacher Ratio not followed, Students left unattended, Director of the center is not qualified, Health Hazards, etc. When you see deficiencies on the report make sure you ask the Center Director to explain them to you, and make sure you feel 100% comfortable with his/her explanation before just moving on to the next part of the tour.

(5) Is the facility accredited? That’s right I said accredited. Child Care Facilities just like schools can get academic accreditations. This goes back to number 2 above when you asked about a curriculum. Elementary Schools, High Schools, and Colleges all seek accreditation. That is how you know they are worthy of your attendance. Child Care Centers do the same thing. The most common child care accreditation is NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) http://www.naeyc.org/. Child Care Centers can also obtain accreditation through AdvancEd http://www.advanc-ed.org/. AdvanceEd is the ideal education accreditation. Any center with a current accreditation from AdvancEd has proven themselves as a leader in the education field. Doesn’t your child deserve every advantage he/she can get?

(6) Does the center serve a well-balanced meal plan? Child Care centers, for the safety of your child and every other child in the facility should provide snacks and meals for every student. That doesn’t mean it always happens. A lot of centers make the parents pack a lunch and bring in snacks every day. My feeling is that the cost of meals should be an expense the center takes on. This ensures every child is served a healthy well-balanced meal each day – Double check the centers menu though, you don’t want to just take their word for it. You shouldn’t see a lot of cookies, juice, or sweets on the menu. Those types of things should be the occasional item for special occasions. Look for a vegetable, fruit, and a main dish to include a protein, along with milk at lunch. You should be seeing a nutritious breakfast snack and a light afternoon snack. Your child shouldn’t have to go all afternoon without eating. Centers should also provide occasional snacks if the children get hungry between meals. Kids eat more when they are going through growth spurts – make sure the center can accommodate.

(7) Lastly, and this isn’t really a question, but more an observation you should make as you tour the facility. Do the teachers talk to you and make you feel welcome as you enter their classroom? If they don’t make you feel welcome what makes you think they will act any differently when your child comes in each day. Is the Center Director/Assistant Director knowledgable about the center, the state/federal regulations, education, and child care in general? Ask a lot of questions and find out just how much the management team really knows. They need to be the experts because they are the ones that are going to ensure your child’s safety, education, and treatment. Make sure the managers are qualified and that you are 100% comfortable with the fact that they will be in charge of how your child is treated each and every day. Is the staff (management and teaching staff) educated? Just because they are teaching children between the ages of 6 weeks and Pre-Kindergarden doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be educated. The best early education facilities are hiring teachers even for the infant classrooms. Your child’s teacher should have a minimum of a high school education and at least three to four years experience in child care. However, preferably, and especially for the children that are 2 years and older the teachers should have a minimum of an early education degree or a related field (or going to school currently for a degree in education or a related field).

So, these are just a few things you need to look for when searching for the perfect center. If you have questions about other child care related issues feel free to comment and ask. I worked in the child care industry as a center Director and I would be happy to share my knowledge.

Public Bathroom Etiquette

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Call them etiquette… protocol… even good manners, but there are some basic rules everyone should follow when they’re in a public restroom. I live by them and I wish everyone else around me would too, but sadly most people tend to ignore them causing others to be unnecessarily uncomfortable during their bathroom excursion.

 

Rule #1 – Everyone is a stranger in the bathroom! This means I don’t want to talk to you and I don’t want you to talk to me. The last thing I want to hear, after sitting down to take a pee is someone calling my name. Those thin little bathroom-stall walls are there to give the illusion of privacy, even though it isn’t real. Everyone needs to play along and pretend that those little walls are real walls.

Rule #2 – Watch where you’re peeing! Okay, this seems like it should be pretty obvious, but apparently there are a lot of ladies out there that just can’t seem to get it all in the toilet. How a grown woman can manage to get pee all over the seat and floor is beyond me. However, the better question is how does a grown woman get it all over the seat and floor and then decide not to wipe it off before leaving the stall? Yuck!!! Clean up after yourselves ladies.

Rule #3 – Leave an open stall! Have you ever gone into a public bathroom and found yourself the only one there? Yeah, it’s pretty great. You have your pick of the stalls, and of course you pick the farthest one against the back wall so that you have the most amount of privacy – just in case someone comes in. Not even five seconds after you sit down you hear the bathroom door open, “that’s okay, there are plenty of stalls” you think to yourself. But NO – this lady decides that the only stall in the room good enough for her is the one directly next to yours! WTF!!! With ten open stalls she picks the only one next to yours?! What is that? Leave an open stall between you and your closest bathroom neighbor whenever possible. One open stall is the minimum – more is always better. This rule applies to men using the urinals too!

  Rule #4 – Wash your hands! Everyone is watching you – and you better believe if you don’t wash your hands someone is going to be talking about you to their friends as soon as you leave. Its gross ladies, so wash your hands. It only takes thirty seconds to turn on the hot water, scrub your hands with soap and rinse… plus it saves lives, or at least kills germs.

Okay, that is my bathroom rant. Have a wonderful day.

Kids in the Kitchen

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Okay, I’m going to admit something that I’m not all that proud of… Wait for it… I don’t cook! There, I said it. Now we can move on.

I guess I should explain. It isn’t that I don’t cook, because I do. It’s just that I have a few dishes that I am really comfortable making and I kind of get stuck making the same things over and over. Which, of course is boring, for my husband, for my kids, and of course for me. In the end it leads to my husband doing most of the cooking. Besides he is a pretty picky eater, he prefers his own cooking, and he is actually a really good cook. Therefore, I have learned, over the years, not to take it personally and instead to just feel lucky that my husband wants to do the cooking.

Now don’t get me wrong. I am not totally incompetent in the kitchen. I actually love to bake. Though my husband doesn’t really eat sweets. That leaves me and the kids to finish every brownie, cake, cupcake, pie, etc. Therefore, I am now on a diet. Isn’t life grand.

You might be wondering how this blog ties into the title of ‘Kids in the Kitchen’ well, let me tell you. With my kids getting older I would have hoped to have more time to spend with them one on one, but that isn’t the case. Between working full-time; carpooling the kids to school, daycare, t-ball, girl scouts, week-end playdates, the park, shopping, and everywhere else; my theatre, my husbands golf, etc., etc., etc. there is little time to just sit and relax enjoying some mommy time with the kids. The kitchen then becomes a  place to catch up on what my kids did during school and all the other great parts of their day.

So, my challenge to myself, and to all of you is this… wait for it…

Spend some quality ‘KIDS IN THE KITCHEN’ time over the next few weeks. I have given a few great recipes below that are easy to make, and even more fun to make with your kids. Start easy, make it fun, but always remember safety comes first in the kitchen. Follow my three easy rules of the kitchen:

(1) No kids by the stove!!! Depending on their hight they may not be able to see that the stove is hot, and it only takes a second to burn their little hands.

(2) Wash your hands!!! Kids put their hands everywhere and don’t always remember to wash them. The first thing you should do when starting to cook with kids is wash your hands and theirs, and its alright to wash them again throughout the cooking process if needed.

(3) Have FUN!!! Cooking with kids should be fun, and its okay if it’s a little messy. Brooms, vacuums, even dogs are great for clean-up. Enjoy your time and don’t worry about the mess until the end.

Now, what should you make? Good questions. Like I said, start easy. If you’ve never cooked with your kids before then pick up a box of Kraft macaroni & cheese Deluxe. You boil the water and make sure the noodles are all cooked and drained, and the rest is up to the kids. It’s really just two easy steps:

(1) squeeze the Cheese

(2) Stir, Stir, Stir

My kids have so much fun making this dinner. One gets to be the cook and the other gets to dish out the food onto the plates.

So, you think you’re ready for some more elaborate dishes? Good, I have just the thing. I picked up a great cookbook for kids and have found that the dishes are pretty easy to make and actually really yummy for kids of all ages.

(1) Berry and Yogurt parfait for Breakfast – This one is great because there is NO COOKING involved, and the kids can create it anyway they want. All you need is vanilla yogurt, fresh or frozen mixed berries, and granola. Let your kids put it together in their bowl in layers or mixed all together. Either way they’ll have fun and get a healthy breakfast too.

(2) Monkey Bread – This sticky treat is sure to put a smile on your kids faces for breakfast or just a mid day snack. You will need 1/2 cup of butter, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans (and a couple of tablespoons finely chopped), 2.5 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, sweet white bread rolls (store-bought frozen rolls work just fine), a little all-purpose flour, and a bundt pan. Your going to melt a little butter and brush it all over the inside of the bundt pan. Then mix  together the brown sugar, 1/2 cup of pecans, and cinnamon – Set it aside. Sprinkle the rest of the pecans over the bottom of the pan! Now place the thawed rolls on a lightly floured surface and then roll the rolls through melted butter, and then into the brown-sugar mixture. As you do this place each roll into the pan. You may have to work to make them all fit, but they will! Now, pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees for about 5 minutes then turn the oven off. You will cover the dough and let it rise, in the warm oven, for about an hour. Remove the pan from the oven and pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake until richly browned and a toothpick comes out clean (about 30-35 minutes.). Let cool for 5 minutes and serve warm. Remember – let your kids do everything that doesn’t involve the oven, that part is for you mom!

(3) Crescent-Wrapped Hot Dogs – for lunch. Remember pigs in a blanket? This is more like hogs in a comforter because they are bigger and more filling. So, you will need store-bought crescent rolls (I like Pillsbury), All-purpose flour for dusting, shredded cheese – if your kids like it, hot dogs, and of course condiments for dipping: ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, etc. First lay out wax paper all over your kitchen table, and sprinkle with a light dusting of flour. Then unroll the crescent. this is the time to let you kids sprinkle on the cheese if they want, and roll up their dogs! More cheese can be added to the outside if they want. Bake the hot dogs until the dough is golden brown 10-13 minutes at 350 degrees. When they’re done take them out of the oven and allow to cool slightly and serve warm. Your kids will love putting them together and then tearing them apart as they eat them up.

(4) Nutty Caramel Apples – Snack. Okay this one is messy, but oh so yummy. You will need: Apples, Chopped Pecans, and 1 container of soft caramel dip. Mom you’ll want to cover the table in wax paper because caramel can be a little hard to clean. Then, slice up a few apple, any will do. Give the kids the apple slices to dip them half way into the caramel (you can also use chocolate), then they will roll the caramel-coated part of the apple in the nuts. You will want to help them press the nuts gently into the caramel to help them stay on better. Line all of the apple slices onto a wax paper lined baking sheet and let stand until the caramel has set, normally about 10 minutes (Some brands need to be cooled in the refrigerator to set). Then, ENJOY!!!

I hope you and your little ones have fun in the kitchen!!!

Aging Gracefully?

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I had a dream last night, and it wasn’t pleasant. It all started with my sister, my brother-in-law, my husband, and of course me. We were at my high school reunion. Why my sister who graduated a year before me was there I have no idea. But, the rest of her class was there too, so I suppose we had our reunions together, whatever!

The reunion started out fine, but then suddenly as I took a bite of the baked cod in front of me, I lost a tooth. Yeah, a tooth! I smiled (closed mouth) nodded toward the bathroom and made a graceful exit. Once in the bathroom I looked at my reflection with horror as I saw the wrinkled gray haired woman staring back at me and suddenly all of my teeth were loose in my mouth and began to fall out. I frantically made my way to our table pulled my husband out of his seat and dragged him out to the car without a word.

I woke up and quickly threw my hands to my mouth feeling tooth by tooth to ensure they were all still there and secure in there rightful spots. They were! And in the mirror I found the same familiar reflection I always see. Thank you God!

So, what did my dream mean and why? I can only speculate but I would say ‘fear of growing old’. I’m not old or at least not old for my age. I don’t go to bed at 7pm and wake up at 4am to read the paper and sit on the rocking chair on the porch to watch the sun come up. Side thought – porch rocking chairs need to go during the next garage sale! I don’t want to be ‘that’ old lady.

I don’t actually feel old, or maybe I’m just suppressing those feelings. I can see how a dream like this could lead woman to tummy tucks, face lifts, Botox, and the all to noticeable breast enhancement! “No honey don’t get excited I’m not getting a boob job!”

So what can I take away from this dream? Who knows, but I will say one thing, next year when I my 20 year high school reunion comes along (yes 20 years – don’t do the math!) I refuse to be the grey haired old woman out on the dance floor. I don’t have a single gray hair now (and no I don’t dye my hair) and I plan to stay that way! Wrinkles? Sure we all get them but I still think I look young for my age and besides all my classmates are aging too, right?

I Quit!

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It’s taken me a while to really figure out how to put this blog into words. Probably because I’m still not 100% sure how I feel about this new change in my life, but that is neither here nor there… What’s done is done and it is for the best.

For the last four years I have been the proud, enthusiastic, energetic, organized, willing, and devoted Director of the Bailey Cove Child Development Center. However, on Friday February 3, 2012 I worked my last day at the school. It was a sad goodbye but I leave it in good hands as my amazing Assistant Director is still at the helm leading the way with the new center Director.

Although I miss my staff, who I still consider family I look forward to seeing them daily as a parent instead of as a boss. My new role is not only scary and challenging but also exciting. I am excited about the new ways I can help and encourage growth at the school.

With that said, why did I leave? Good question! Growth and career advancement. I was given an opportunity that I just couldn’t turn down. I guess that happens sometimes in life, and I was afraid that if I turned this chance down then it wouldn’t come back around. I am the new Director of Business Development at JSA http://www.jsafed.com http://www.jsafed/Wordpress.com. My role encompasses more than just bringing in new contracts and growing the business. I will be developing new social media communication lines for our customers, publishing industry relevant articles on our blog, conducting government and commercial training in areas such as HR, LR and so much more.

So yes, change is hard. But, in a world where everything is constantly moving change is a necessity!