Originally written 1.6.12: My Blackberry blew up at lunch today, which is unusual. The culture in our company is very email-heavy so phone calls are rare. I answered in my chirpy, upbeat professional voice, “Hello, this is Susan!”
The person on the other line was my boss’s boss’s boss’s boss’s boss. Seriously, Ed McMahan would have surprised me less. I think I even stood up straighter. Could he SEE me standing in the parking lot of the Subway? Why was I reading Magical Thinking instead of Good to Great or something else heady and business-like?
Why was he calling me? WAIT! I just had my annual review this morning and IT WAS STELLAR! High ratings, excellent feedback from my manager.
HE WAS CALLING ME TO OFFER A NEW JOB!!!
Or at the very least, he had heard of my rock-star performance in the first year w the company and was calling to encourage me. Now THAT is some principle-centered leadership in action. I was blown away and was so busy getting my acceptance speech ready, I didn’t listen too closely to what he was saying until the end.
He was looking for the OTHER Susan Sanders in the company. It was a wrong number.
Back to work for me today! The company I am working for is Active Health Management, a subsidiary of Aetna. I am the Team Lead for the Active Lifestyle coaches. That is a team of nurses, dieticians, exercise physiologists, and mental health counselors that will do individual coaching via the telephone for the employees we are contracted with. The contract we are on is the the NC State Employees and Teachers, which is 570,000 covered lives. No small potatoes!
It was pretty standard as far as first days go. We went over orientation schedules and had a tour, then spent 7 hours going through the different programs and services that Active Health Management offers. Each has its own proprietary software that have different usernames and passwords and can be used independently or in combination with each other.
The most important issue: What did I wear for my first day on my new job: black pants, my new black shirt and a Carolina blue jacket. My hair was kind of average, but considering that I barely brushed it, let alone fix it. It was probably just not sure where it was supposed to go.
I appreciate the phone calls, texts, and emails that you have sent wishing me well for my first day. Thank you!!!
This is the entry on Facebook for Pema Chodron today. She is a Buddhist teacher and quite frankly, just makes a lot of sense. There has been a crapload of weather lately, people. Welp, the sun came out today (proverbially–it has been 100 and sunny all day in NC lately).
I am no longer employed by A—-Regional Medical Center (don’t want to be found by searches). Originally my last day was going to be Sept 24, but my (now former) manager and I decided that it would be best if it was today, Sept 2. We discussed it originally yesterday and I was unsure. Paul and I talked about it and he boiled it down: When else would I be able to get paid to take a month off. Man, he cuts to the chase, eh? I feel good about my decision and you can imagine how exciting it was to come home and take a nap with the dogs!
So I left at noon, took myself to lunch at Moe’s Southwestern Grill and then bought a pair of black boots I was looking at in Kohl’s.
October 4th I start as the Team Leader for Wellness Coaching with Active Health Management. Bottom line: 1/2 the number of employees, 1 dept instead of 6, 10% more money. Paul didn’t even have to summarize that one. I am really excited about the vision the VP has and the contract that I will be working on is a HUGE opportunity. I am not sure it is public knowledge so I will keep you posted on that one.
SO! I am on sabbatical for a month. So far my list has workout, nap and scrapbook every day. Besides that, what do YOU think I should do?
We are not converting, we are celebrating Paul, Tyler and Anna’s birthdays and Christmas! We started way back in November (about 10 years ago it seems), we had Thanksgiving and visited w my family. But that last 7 days we have had 7 celebrations. Really 7 in 6 days–tonight is a bye night. Here is the summary:
Day 1, 12/17/09: Anna’s 8th birthday. Paul and I met Robin and Jason, and of course Tyler at Rio Grande for Anna’s birthday dinner. Anna chose the restaurant–Rio G won for the 3rd year in a row. I just LOVE this picture of Anna.
Anna at her Rio Grande birthday dinner, Dec 17
Day 2, 12/18/09: Kids Family Birthday Party. Stephanie and Biz planned a party for Anna and Tyler at their house. Sandie, Brandon, Haley, Hunter and Mom Mom all celebrated with us.
Tyler had a Star Wars cake complete w light up light sabers. Anna had a doll cake complete w Barbie-like doll you lifted out of the cake before cutting.
Day 3, 12/19/09: Tyler’s 6th birthday. Before we could celebrate Tyler’s birthday, we had to play in the snow! That’s right, we had about 7 inches of snow on Friday night/Saturday morning. Then we met Robin, Jason and Lacey (their baby) at Chuck E Cheese to celebrate Tyler’s day.
Anna, Tyler and Frosty. This was after sledding off the ramp Paul built for them!
Ahhhh, my NRA reps.
Day 4, 12/20/09: Extended Sanders Family Christmas/Susan’s half birthday. OK, 1 was celebrated a little more than the other, but still…
Paul and me before starting to open presents at MomMom's.
Day 5, 12/21/09: Susan’s manager Christmas party and Cole’s Annual Christmas party.
(photos unavailable, cameras confiscated by security, paparazzi bounced from property)
Day 6, 12/22/09: Celebrated Paul’s birthday at UNC vs. Marshall basketball game!
My first time in the Dean Dome! I mean... me doing whatever Paul wanted to do for his birthday!
Paul and I are vegging out tonight. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, not sure what the plans are. Then we get the kids on Christmas Day about noon. Then Christmas w Steph and Biz, et. al on Sat afternoon! 9 events in 11 days! Whoooooo hooooooo! Keep in mind this was including 10 loads of laundry, 0 minutes of napping, 3 days of work (which included creating a plan to restructure our cardiac rehab program to make up for $96,000 worth of revenue that we cannot bill for in 2010 and 4 days of 11 state inspectors surveying our hospital), baking 120 cookies and only 30 minutes of physical activity and NO tears shed! Happy Sanders Hanukkah!
Great news! Paul won an award at work for a project where he ROCKED. Basically they were having duplicate records in their data files and he wrote code for the software to get rid of them. Translation: he saved the company a TON of money. He got major props in front of a global audience by lots of big wigs and a cash award.
My handsome smart, husband demonstrating the tendons in a "wrist" of an Alaskan King Crab.,
Tyler will be a vampire for Halloween and insisted on wearing his costume all day Saturday. Paul thought wearing the cape would help him run faster. Not even Jake buys it.
My name is Susan, I am about to be 35 and I still celebrate my birthday for a whole month! Week 1—shopped a little bit. Week 2–going to Cold Stone Creamery for a treat. Week 3–not sure yet beyond that. I am hoping for a niece for my actual birthday. We will see if younger siblings really always do get what they want!!!
Goals–yes, I have quit setting them, but I did already set the goal to mountain bike this year. CHECK!!! We went last night and tonight and will go tomorrow night. I cried twice last night and wiped out pretty bad (scraped and bruised leg to prove it!). Tonight was MUCH better! Paul just decided to take me to the toughest trail in Greensboro for my first time last night.
Work had been difficult at best. I had a wonderful review and received the maximum raise. Although raises are frozen for management (which includes me). I had to eliminate a position and I had that meeting w the person and the staff today. I cried again. Paul made me cheese grits though and it helped.
K, that’s about it. We are up WAY past our bedtime! G’night!
Couple cool things from work today. A few weeks ago one of my departments won an award: American Diabetes Association Provider of the Year. There was an awards gala at Washington Duke Inn. Check me out in the pic below. I got this from the ADA today. I was waiting to get a picture of one of my nurses who won the ADA Patient Care Award. It was a great night!
ADA Awards ceremony
Then I got an email w the proof of an article I did. I can’t show the whole thing here b/c they are sending it out to all of their customers: INTERNATIONALLY! How cool is THAT?! Here is a piece (the blue on the bottom and right is the actual article I wrote):
Yesterday I went to the NC Conference for Women. It was VERY empowering and uplifting! I don’t have too much time to write this morning, but wanted to add a couple things:
Lisa Ling was the opening speaker. She spoke about global issues and how we have to act. She was a very persuasive speaker!
Gov. Bev Perdue was the lunchtime speaker. They closed the airport so she could not appear but they rigged it up so she could speak by cell phone from the car driving from opening the state senate to a friend’s funeral. She has renamed the conference NC Governor’s Conference for Women. V cool.
Another session I went to talked about how to not let fear stop you from what you want to do. A lot to do w increasing self esteem: Self-esteem comes from DOING Esteemable Acts.
