Things you can't "un-see"

So last weekend, Troy & I watched Borat. If you haven't seen it yet, be prepared to look away. There are things in that movie that nothing can prepare you for. Don't get me wrong, it is side-splitting-ly funny but very crude. Don't watch it with your mother... I had seen Sacha Baron Cohen's Golden Globe acceptance speech before seeing the movie & it didn't really register. I went back to YouTube after seeing the movie & then watched the speech again - very, very funny! I just wonder what would have to be going through your mind in order to do some of the things he did. I didn't realize until someone told me as we were watching that the people in the movie thought this was a legitimate documentary. Funny...

We now have the pleasure of watching movies in Troy's parents' new theatre room. But this is not an average theatre room. It is more like an actual theatre adorned with an 11 foot screen & a projector (there are even curtains for the screen), 2 rows of theatre-style recliners, a whoop-ass sound system (complete with Harmon Kardon amp & Paradigm speakers), and a theatre-style popcorn cart. It truly is an experience. The only unfortunate thing is, other than Borat, the only movies we've had a chance to watch on it have been Finding Nemo & Flushed Away.... I'm looking forward to seeing Daniel Craig up close & personal. Now there's an image I won't mind not un-see-ing!

I think I got it.....

If this works, you should be able to click on the link at the bottom (Photo Sets) & go see all the pictures.....

www.flickr.com thetoylady's Rio Baby! photoset

In a moment...

This is a picture of my friend Linda & me in Rio - just a couple weeks ago. (not sure why the picture is sideways - or how to fix that...) Earlier this week, I got word that Linda had an aneurism. She was at home & told her husband Jason she had a terrible headache - the worst one of her life. They packed up the kids (they have 3 of them) and headed to the hospital. It ruptured on the way there. She had surgery & was in the neurosurgical ICU (not sure exactly what it's called). Got an update this morning - she is now awake & has been moved to a "regular" room. She has been eating & talking a little bit. Apparently it was at the base of the brain so they are not anticipating any brain damage.
It just made me realize how quickly our lives can change & how we need to truly make the most of our moments. Our lives are truly a gift from God. I have no doubt that Linda will make a full recovery and am very thankful for that. So I guess this is just a reminder for all of us to not leave things undone. Earlier this year my brother-in-law (30 years old) had a heart attack. I am not fool enough to think that I am immune to these things & I hope you who are reading this will realize the same thing.
Love to you all...

Change is good...

Okay, well while I'm trying to figure out the picture stuff, I'll fill you in on some other revelations.
I am an opportunist - when I see an opportunity, I'm going to take it. So it was in Rio. We were at the Awards Banquet & people were mingling and dancing & just having a good time. Then I saw her across the room - Nicky Laman. Now for most of you, I am sure you have no idea who I am talking about. But for anyone who has been in Discovery Toys for any length of time & has done any training at all, you will know that Nicky has been around since the beginning of the company & is a Diamond Sales Director - the top rank in the company. This is a woman of influence & intelligence. I have heard her speak several times & above all, I just really jive with her. I love her philosophy & her way of approaching things. So there she was. I told her I wanted to see the "circles" - a way of diagraming to new people how to promote within the company that she came up with. It's nothing super scientific, by any stretch. It is, simply, circles. However, to spend 10 minutes sitting with Nicky and having essentially a one-on-one training was something I was not about to pass up. Can you guess what I have been doing since I returned? Having coffee with team members & drawing circles....
I have reached a point in Discovery Toys where the only way for me to go up is to help others go up. And I couldn't be happier about that. There is nothing that jump-starts my engine than to celebrate the success of others - especially if they're on my team! But not exclusively. For those of you that are familiar with the 5 love languages, mine is gift-giving. And maybe that's why I get a rush out of doing what Nicky did for me - taking the time to give someone a piece of advice that just might help them reach a new level in their business. It is one of the things that has surprised me the most out of the people I have met in this company. You would expect that a group of women working in the same area would be very catty & competitive but the opposite is true. I have met some of my closest friends in the last few years & we genuinely rejoice for each other at our successes. This is my kind of company - one that rewards you for helping others succeed.

Arg

Anyone used Flickr before? I have my photos from Rio posted there but I am trying to import them to my blog. Anyone know if I can do this & how??
Stay tuned....pictures coming soon....

Jet Lag

It is 1AM in Brazil right now & I am attempting to stay up past 9:00 local time to help myself readjust. So this post will be short and sorry - I haven't downloaded any of the pictures yet. But I do have this one that was actually taken this summer in San Francisco. I was there for convention & a group of us decided to do some touring on our last day after convention was over. So we all went to Bubba Gump's for lunch & they sat us at a table right next to this licence plate and of course we all had our pictures taken next to it. Well, wouldn't you know it, I am now the proud owner of an identical licence plate (except it says 2007) that I bought from a guy on the street outside Corcovado.
There aren't enough words to describe how much we enjoyed Rio. Troy & I have done a fair bit of travelling, together & before we were married. We both agreed that Brazil was our favorite. The people there are just amazing - so very friendly & helpful. My Portuguese was atrocious but every local was very willing to help me - whether it was to get directions or order pizza!
Anyways, I have so much more to say about the trip & no energy to put words together right now. Hopefully I will have pictures up in the next few days...