Scotch Tape Art

Scotch Tape Art
Originally uploaded by Tuaussi

I thought these were too cool to not share...

See the whole album

You Tube Interview

About three years ago, I did a sales training program with a company called 3 Value Logic, which was how I found my current job. As a successful graduate, they asked me to do an interview for them to help market for new candidates. Check it out...I'm on YouTube!

Pictures from Patio Project & Buffalo Grass Weekk 1

I've finally mastered Picasa. Here are the photo albums from the patio project and the first week of the Buffalo Grass.

Bridal Shower

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to get to host the bridal shower for my dearest friend Jami. And I've finally gotten around to uploading the pictures!

I've known Jami longer than I have known any other person who is not related to me -- I think we may have just hit the 18 year mark (yikes). She and her great Fiance, Alex (who I introduced her to!), are getting married on May 17th.

The Buffalo Grass Is In!!

Yes, we've only been talking about the buffalo grass for about 18 months...and it's finally in! Tonight Erik completed the planting of all 1800 plugs of Prestige Buffalo Grass.

We have been obsessing about this project since before we found the house ("we" being mostly Erik), and are so happy that we are finally free of spring freezes so that we can get these little suckers growing.

We planted the plugs an average of about 8 inches apart, and expect that by end of summer they will fill in to create a nice, no-mow, no water turf grass. Unfortunately right now, they are terribly unimpressive so I am not bothering to post a photo--all of my attempts to capture the newness of the grass were unsucessful and my photos just looked like mounds of dirt--so instead I am posting a photo from the distributer's web site.

I was very skeptical about this project at first, but I'm very excited for it now. As pathetic as these little grasslings look, it is inspiring to see something actually growing in our yard. And they looked so nice in the trays when they were all grouped together...I put them all next to each other and pretended it was sod so I could see how it looks. I think our grass is going to be just as nice as the neighbors, and can't wait for them to envy us because we don't have to mow the lawn every Saturday morning.

The water bills will be nice too. My mom keeps warning me that the City of Thornton has high water prices in the summer, but after this new lawn is established, we should be able to get through the summer with only a slight increase in our water needs. We've even contacted the city to brag about our water conservation efforts, and they offered to run a feature on our yard!

Open for Comments

Since I've realized that people actually DO read my blog, I'm opening up the comments section...

3rd Grade Bullies

Since my last post, I've decided to revisit the Wisdom Course as a mentor. And of course, as is true of any Landmark program, the moment I signed up, my life became rich with...lets just say, things I could transform.

(For those of you who might be reading my blog and are unfamiliar with Landmark, I'm not going to give you any sort of an introduction -- you can click here to attend one online.)

In the week since the course began, the office has been full of drama. Working with Erik is on the verge of falling apart, and it is largely because I've spent so much of my time and energy on beleiving that his boss is a jerk and telling the whole world. There is this individual at my office, who manages Erik but not me, who's management style I disapprove of. I've tried to tell my boss what a jerk the guy is, but I feel like he's just not listening.

This evening I was on a call with the other mentors, and I thought I'd share with them about this upset. I quickly was returned to third grade, when a kid named Brandon used to pick on me (Mom -- I know you are reading...let me know if I got this story wrong). He sat next to me in class and would pull my hair, shove, and punch me. Finally, my mom went to the teacher and complained. The way I remember the situation, the teacher said that the kid was flirting with me and didn't do much besides move my desk. Basically, she didn't do anything and I was left feeling like a tattle tale.

I realize I've been acting like this guy at work is Brandon the Bully. I feel like he's picking on everyone and I shouldn't have to put up with it, and I've been being a tattle tale about it. And I wonder why I've been ineffective...why should I expect my VP of Sales to listen to a 3rd grader complain about a bully? He probably thought he was hiring an adult when he gave me my job.

So the skill you learn in the Wisdom Course is how to recognize when you are being a 3rd grader, and start being an adult. I'm going to try it on this week...