Snow Blizzard 2011

The blizzard hit Chicago hard and caused my office to close for two days.    The blizzard took over our city causing most businesses to be closed.     Of course that meant the workload would pile up but I didn't care, I knew I needed this time off for a mental break.     It was so nice being home having two extra days to do some long awaited chores and do some much needed relaxing.   With my crazy schedule I rarely get the opportunity to watch multiple movies, cook some fun meals, and just do whatever I feel like doing.    Thankfully I had my roommate to keep me company on Wednesday and we turned our Snow Day into a roommate hangout day.     It was so much fun.    We ventured outside for my first day off to see how much snow had accumulated.    It felt like being a kid again.   Treading through piles of snow and crossing over oceans of white.    It was a sight I will never forget.    The blizzard had painted the city white and it was beautiful, but of course an inconvenience since it was impossible to get anywhere.    Being stuck indoors for two days straight can drive one to go a little stir crazy.    Thankfully it was for only two days because I was ready to go back to work.

My alley

My backyard patio

View from inside my garage

Snowed In Car

The Roommate

My snow days taught me a lesson.    A lesson that I needed to be re-taught.     The second day really made me realize how lucky I am to have my job.    Five days a week I get to stimulate my brain, work with a team of intelligent people, and at an organization that is all working to help make the lives of others better. 

Of course there are days when  I wish I had more challenges at work, or an opportunity to really work on the things I am interested in (i.e. social media, pitching to media, or design materials), but all in all, I love having a reason to get up in the morning.   I love how I feel after I have accomplished a task.    I enjoy creating to do list's at work and crossing off tasks when completed.    I enjoy seeing my friends at work and my coworkers.    I really am lucky and my snow days really helped me regain my appreciation for where I am in my career.

Sometimes we need to be reminded of how lucky we are.   It is easy to get lost or down and I am thankful I have my spark back.    I hope my spark stays ignited for a while so that I can continue to push myself and tackle my workload in the office.     As much as I wish I had more days during the week to relax, get chores done,  I would not trade giving up my job for more of them.

How did you spend your Snow Day/s?    Have you ever experienced a moment that helped you re-energize about what you are doing with your life?    I would love to hear about it.

"Success:  To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.  This is to have succeeded!"  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson