Why do I always forget to pack something? And something important too... Last time it was my flat-iron so I had to go out and drop $50 to get a semi-decent one. This time, well I forgot to pack a bra. This wouldn't have been such a big deal if I had been wearing a normal one on the flight out, but since it was a Sunday and I was CONVINCED I was going to work out this week I, in my infinite wisdom was wearing a sports bra. Sadly I did not realize my suitcase omission until Monday morning, at which point it was too early to go out and buy a new one. Thankfully the top I was wearing was a high round collar so I could get away with it. By get away with it I mean it wasn't peaking out from under the top as it would have in a v-neck, but I still ended up having flattened uni-boob all day (very flattering). I was supposed to have dinner with friends that night too, luckily I get off work earlier than they do and I had just enough time to procure a new (and infinitely more flattering) undergarment, and still meet them for dinner on time.

On a side note, my work out mission... well I also forgot sport socks, and since black knee-highs and sneakers look ridiculous I opted to go barefoot in my sneakers. I now have a stupidity-blister on my left pinkie toe. Sigh.

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Had a meeting in Ottawa today, more on that later depending up on how things turn out. Anyhow I found myself at the airport flying West Jet for the very first time...

Based on what I had heard from numerous people I was excited. West Jet is touted as the shangri-la of Canadian airlines (all three of them), and people who love it REALLY love it. I have to say I was not impressed. Sure the staff were friendly and all had 'quirky' personalities and seemed genuinely happy to be doing their jobs, but I found the service no better than Air Canada, the plane interior to be out dated, a lack of under seat storage in the aisle seat, and I was not thrilled at the idea of having to pay to watch a show from start to finish instead of live TV. Okay so it's a short flight, but still.

On the way back I was really looking forward to hitting the Maple Leaf lounge, I had my access card all ready and I walked up to the counter already mentally mixing myself a double gin and tonic. I handed my card and boarding pass to the attendant and she said "I'm sorry we can't let you in with a West Jet boarding pass." Well I must have given her the saddest look in my repertoire because she said "Okay I'll let you in this time but in the future, it needs to be an Air Canada flight." Needless to say, I now love Air Canada even more.

Explains why I like my job so much :)

I've got one week under my belt at a new client, and things are going really well, almost too well...

While they had already made some decisions I was able to change their minds on several that would have led them back to requiring consulting services again in a few years. Usually when points of contention like this come up there's a lot of back and forth, and typically a digging in of heels. I'll get a few wins, but some things will not go the way I recommend. This is what I expected here, especially when I suggested a few approaches that would be almost exactly opposite to how they handle things today. But in every situation where I've challenged their decisions, they've either agreed right away, or ended up agreeing after sleeping on it. Now I'm definitely not complaining, but it does        make me wonder when the other shoe is going to drop.

I gave in last year and got a blackberry pearl, which I swore I would never do, but I was tired of having to spell everything out 3 taps at a time or rely on 'predictive text' which was never right any how.

On a whole texting with the pearl is much better, though given that there are still two letters to a key I still run into the occasional bad prediction. I'm sorry but telling someone to "duck off" just doesn't have the impact I'm going for.

There really should be a predict profanity first setting. Either that or this is the universe's way of telling me I need to clean up my potty mouth.

Since my promotion last year my mentor has been suggesting that I need to get more involved in the sales side of the business to help further my career. For the past twelve months I had managed to dodge actual participation in this activity, but this week my streak of avoidance finally ran out. I have to pitch myself to a client on Tuesday.

Given my lack of exposure to this process, I reached out to my mentor for some guidance on how to address questions about my experience. Here was his advice:

"You need to learn to tell a story, it doesn't have to be true to be a story."

Here I am a little over two years later, and while a lot as changed, much has stayed the same. I spent some time working in the US, Alberta and back home in Toronto. I've been working from home of late, getting stared at by two cats 24/7, which has perhaps led to the urge to reunite myself with my woefully neglected blog, and some semblance of human contact.

Don't get me wrong, working from home definitely has it advantages; sleeping in a little, sweat pants, making my own food (trust me after a few years on the road cooking for yourself becomes a luxury), a regular exercise schedule, not having to deal with US Customs, and best of all , spending more time with friends and family (read: actually having a social life beyond co-workers). But after a few weeks I do find myself missing the project team dynamic, and the ease of communication that you really only get when you're on site. Not to mention that you do get occasionally forgotten about by management (which is both a blessing and a curse).

I'm sure I'll be lamenting these days of relative leisure in a few weeks when I'm back on the road. But until then I'll do my best to take advantage of the good things.