holy moly, I’m an MBA!

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I'm officially done with my MBA! I still can't believe I'm graduating today. 18 months of a crazy executive MBA while working a demanding full time job and renovating a house by ourselves. I'm not quite sure how I survived. To be honest, I shed a lot of tears and had many meltdowns but I am so glad I finally committed to this. It is something I had to do for myself and I'm glad I did as well as I did.This afternoon, I'll be walking down the stage where I picked up my BBA over 9 years ago. I'm so … [Read more...]

4 + 6 = 10

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Happy Anniversary to us! Today is our 10th anniversary of being together. 4 years of dating, 6 years of marriage all celebrated on the same day. We had our first official date on November 5th, 2001. We went to lunch that day because my class was cancelled due to a hurricane watch. He asked me to marry him 4 years later on the same day during a weekend getaway. One year after that we were married on the beach. 10 days or so after Hurricane Wilma did a number on Miami.We still had our … [Read more...]

the loss of a legend – steve jobs

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I know this is a DIY renovation and craft blog but I am a marketer by trade with a huge focus on technology. The loss of Steve Job's last night hit me hard. I always had a far fetched dream of working for him. In remembrance here are the words to my favorite Apple commercial ever. Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes.The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You … [Read more...]

and then there were five!

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Don't get excited, I'm not pregnant. We just adopted another cat. Yes, we know we are crazy. Yes, we are now a family of seven - two humans, three mutts and two cats. Five animals! We just couldn't resist. What can I say...we have big hearts and are suckers for animals in need.Meet Lemur. Our new 5-month old baby. She was a feral rescued by my best friend, S, as a little one and is now properly vaccinated, spayed and accustomed to the good life of living indoors. We have a soft spot for all of … [Read more...]

remembering a smile

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Today marks one year that we lost a beautiful smile and a dear friend to ovarian cancer. Patti's smile was contagious and she truly made an undeniable mark on my life and on the lives of all those who were blessed to know her. She helped me learn to take a step back and re-evaluate my life and for that I am forever grateful. I'm a better person because of her.Your smile shines on. We love you and miss you always. Thanks for following Directions Not Included! … [Read more...]

feeling domesticated

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When she was alive my maternal grandmother used to tell me I wasn't marriage material. I didn't know how to cook and I didn't sew. She was sure no man wanted me. I rebelled against that for many years because...well, I'm the workaholic business-type not the sewing and cooking type. The thing is in reality I am both. I have the big corporate job for a global company and I'm working on my MBA but I am a pretty damn good cook and just learned how to sew. Maybe I am more domesticated than I thought … [Read more...]