excuse me mrs. busybody

i am going to put this out there: work has me overwhelmed right now. i'm still doing the job of two and it has literally manifested itself into physical pain. i can feel the stress in my shoulders and i cannot relax - crazy huh? i've been trying to work out when i'm not completely exhausted - but then again i am also taking naps after work again. my nike friends know i used to do that all the time, but honestly i haven't in at least a year.

i know it probably won't ease up for me until we get a new teammate on board, and i'm okay with that. it's definitely a challenge!

what are your favorite ways to relax and de-stress?

PAWSwalk - Sept 6th - i'd love your support!

hi friends!

On September 6th, I will be walking in PAWSwalk for the first time!

If you have a pet or know someone who does, you know that it's not easy or cheap to care for them.Imagine having to care for hundreds of abandoned or abused pets!

I'm walking to raise money for PAWS because I'm amazed by the work they accomplish every day for animals.PAWS is well-known for their work with pets. In 2007 alone, PAWS Companion Animal Shelter found new and loving homes for more than 2,500 cats and dogs. That means literally TONS of cat litter, dog and cat food, toys, and treats.And, that's why I'm asking for your support!

PAWS is also a leader in educating our community on animal compassion. During the last school year, PAWS Humane Educators reached more than 4,000 students, ensuring that tomorrow's leaders are taught compassion for animals right from the start.

I love what PAWS does, and I hope you will support me in my walk to help the animals!

Follow This Link to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support PAWS!

Thank you!
xo.jess

oh you nasty gal

nasty gal is responsible for my first-ever foray into the big bad world of eBay. let's just say i was a little slow to the punch, totally obliterated by the pros who put in autobids down to the millisecond before the deadline. damn - i really wanted that billie jean leather jacket too.

anywho, the nasty gals have outgrown eBay and recently launched their new website & blog. i love their concept of putting up a few items at a time - it seriously is eBay-like frenzy with every new batch of sales, and would quench the thirst of any bargain-hunting fashionista who loves a little competition. almost every item sold by nasty gal is a one-of-a-kind...so you are guaranteed to be the only one in your hood with that dress amongst a sea of tracy reese (or f21.) pay attention to that blog to get sweet previews of the next wave!

by the way...this was the piece that eluded me and broke my little heart - until i found a $35 knock somewhere else :)

www.shopnastygal.com

stuff fresh jess likes: food and controversy

just six months out the gate with the insanely popular (and controversial) blog, "stuff white people like", christian lander and friends have released stuff white people like: the definitive guide to the unique taste of millions. LOL!

last night at the hideout, a few of my favorite people, some other random seattleites and i had the pleasure of having dinner with christian and friends, thanks to kim ricketts book events (i told you. get on her fun list now!) onepot provided a delicious english meal while we engaged in conversation and listened to a couple of short reads from the book. i was already a big fan of the blog, but after having met the humble and truly awesome author(s), i think "stuff white people like" might be tops on my list. i can't imagine having millions reading your blog every day and responding so passionately to it (both negatively and positively.) you haters know this is supposed to be funny right? even at dinner, i think we might have offended some of the folks having a drink at the bar who didn't have a clue about the blog. lighten up a bit, geez!

p.s. christian signed my book: "jess & jacob: according to #11, your children will be annoying." :)

kevin calabro's #1

this article is just fantastic:

seattle p-i.com: 'Voice of the Sonics,' Calabro jumps off magic carpet ride

i've been reading lots of reader comments on news articles and blogs since news broke a week ago that our beloved sonics are leaving us. what i really like about this article is kc's true honesty - he holds nothing back about how he feels, and that's what makes him such a treasure. i know you hear "good golly miss molly, my oh my" in your head right now...just nod and smile :)

what i don't like is how the guise of the internet brings out the severely unclassy. this is not just about the anti-sonics haters, i mean haters in general. lots of them come out of the woodwork long enough to say "good riddance sonics, now take the M's and the seahawks with you" or "the sonics never meant anything anyway." everybody's got their own opinion, i understand that, but ignorance just gets to me sometimes. you know what, this situation sucks, yes. we lost a pro sports franchise and there are many options at which/who to point the blame to. but what makes some people so mad about the sonics that they're so happy to see them leave? what is it about this NBA franchise that's making your life so miserable it inspires you to leave nasty comments on the internets? i'm sorry, are you one of the many employees who now have to make the choice to move to the armpit of america (OKC), or look for another job? are you one of the children or part of one of the families who were helped out by one of the sonics/storm's many community outreach programs? what people don't stop to think about are the ramifications of a major employer leaving the city, the neighborhood effects of losing a major tenant at key arena, etc. - because it's so much easier to complain, bitch & moan about how much you hate something right?

you can hate all you want, but you can't deny that the sonics are a piece of the pie that makes seattle such a great place to live - and losing them will definitely have an effect. think about that!

p.s. thanks for keeping it classy calabro

YAYER

courtesy globeandmail.com

GSP! GSP! GSP!

georges st. pierre is not only fine, he also happens to be the new (and rightful) UFC welterweight champion and hands down one of the fittest athletes in the world. most UFC fighters are really good in one or two aspects of mixed martial arts. GSP is not the best at any particular thing, but he is pretty damn good at almost freakin everything. he is perfect what can i say? he was totally worth moving my birthday party up a week from my real birthday just so i could have a fight party :)

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posh spice, ginger spice...business spice

i finally finished the girl's guide to kicking your career into gear by caitlin freedman & kim yorio today. it's a pretty easy and quick read - but i went through it slowly and filled a notebook answering the many questions posed in this book. ladies, if you're looking for a great book on professional development, i highly recommend this one. there's a lot of good career books out there but not a lot of them are focused specifically on women.

this book is/will be so helpful to any stage of your career - whether you're fresh out of college and just starting out, or you're well into your career and looking for a change out of boredom or major lifestyle change (marriage, babies, MBA, etc.) i really liked how it helps you really think about what you want out of your job, how to sell yourself & your accomplishments, face your fears and to have the confidence to ask for what you deserve. for my boys reading this blog right now - you have no idea how different it is as women to keep moving forward with lots of confidence and the right words to get what we want.

caitlin and kim have presented at the chamber's author speaker series two years in a row now. last year they brought their book "the girl's guide to being a boss (without being a bitch)" and i was so happy when i asked them to come back with their new book and they said "absolutely!" the ladies are so inspiring and personable - you can tell they really love what they're doing and are able to have fun balancing work and life. they're my heroes :)

girl's guide to business