A woman of age

There are exactly 100 days from tomorrow until I turn 40. Yes I stated my age on paper and I then posted it on the internet for all to see. I am going to be 40 and I am okay with that! I stated in my first blog of the year that this was my year without a safety net and I wasn’t lying people! So I will scream it from the roof tops! I Jen Nickels will be 40 in May!!!!!!!

My son stated I was a “woman of age” I am not sure whether to ground his sorry ass or commend him for making a gal like me sound so posh. It is better than when he referred to me as being on the “shy side of cougar town”. That did earn a grounding!  I would have him call me an old bag before I let him call me a cougar! I only look, I never claw at the poor younger men for the love of Pete!

Seriously one gets quite reflective before a big birthday. I was having a conversation with a young gal a few weeks ago when I had my hair trimmed. She asked when it was that I felt truly comfortable in my skin. I was floored that a twenty something woman asked me my opinion on this matter. When I asked her why she asked me, she said it was because when I sat in the chair I told her what I wanted I said “Anything you think will look good, it’s just hair.” She said a woman who does that is pretty comfortable with herself. I am thinking that, or she doesn’t give a rat’s ass but I played along!

For every woman there is a different levels of comfort as we age. I felt the first level of comfort with myself between the ages of 25 and 30. I wasn’t a complete basket case before that worrying what everyone else thought of me, I just didn’t really care for myself that much. I had made a lot of mistakes, ones that I couldn’t change which was hard for me to deal with. Not for the affects they had on me but for those they had on others. But I learned from them and they helped to guide me in the direction I needed. I made peace during this first level as many women do. We can’t change what was, we can only make a better what could be. Sounds like a greeting card in the making.

I admit my next level was the one where I became a little too comfortable. I just really let myself go and lived without limitation. This is a level that we should all avoid. Never get so comfortable you stop caring about yourself. Sometime we are all we have, so we need take care of all that. And at 38 I finally did that again. I found a new grove which included eating right, exercising, fabulous shoes and finding new ways to express myself. The me now kind of kicks ass and I like her minus some flaws I hope to change this year. Like using the word ass, in every paragraph, okay cursing in general, former sailor what can I say.

So 100 days left! I plan to do quite a bit in those 100 days I expect each of you to use them as well. Like plan me a big flipping bash so we can party like rock stars! Get busy time is a wasting! ;-)

What I did for the Super Bowl

Aside from answering a total of 347 calls on parking, events, and zip line questions, I was one of the 450 volunteers that had the privilege of working the Madonna Half Time Show for the Super Bowl.

Since I had worked the NFL kick off a few years back, I got an email that asked if I wanted to be part of the crew again. I mean who the hell refuses that opportunity? So the week we all got back from the holidays 500 people went to orientation, 400 were chosen for stage crew and 50 for audio and lighting.

We were all told that Ms. M herself had be rehearsing since the first week of December with her dancers. Right there told me this wasn’t going to be your run of the mill show, she had plans. And of course rumors were flying around about what Madonna’s plans were and they changed daily. All we knew for sure was that we were going to make sure her happy as was on and off the field in the time we were allotted!

Two weeks before the big day we were all gathered along with the stage in the bubble at University of Indianapolis and were divided up into groups. I was place on cart #10 which was one of the back bleachers sections that the dancers and choir used. There were 12 of us a motley crew of people from all walks of life but we all came together like we knew each other for years.

First few rehearsals were terrifying. I had no idea how the hell we were going to be ready to do this in two weeks. Getting 450 people to work together was like trying to put pants on a bag full of cats! But somehow we did it. In three nights we managed to impress our leaders with our abilities!

That weekend we moved to the big house and things started to get real! We were pushing the stage around and the lighting and sound crew was with us this time. There were the added elements of getting the lighting to mesh with the music, and then there was the visual effects that had to be added to the mix. We learned the art of “hurry and wait”.

By that Sunday we were all experts in “hurry and wait”. We got so good at it and putting the stage together, that our rehearsal the following Wednesday was canceled. We were all devastated because that was the day that Madonna herself was going to be there! So some of our posse got to rehearse with her while the rest of us were envious. But that was okay, because we were all getting the scoop from TMZ of what was going down on the show, because we all know they are always right!

Thursday night we all rushed into the stadium not sure if Ms. M would be there or not. Yep she was there on our stage with her dancers in her costume, working her little ass off! We sat and watched her for about an hour before we even got to touch out stage pieces. Whether or not you like Madonna, she is amazing to watch. She is a hard worker, focused and professional. Well not so professional she didn’t flash her ass at us a few times having a good time. And she made sure to let our bosses know that she appreciated all the hard work we were doing.

So I was pretty close to Nicki M, MIA and CeLo, got to meet LMFAO, got some autographs. Nearly plotzed when I saw that Tabitha D’umo was choreographer! I am such a fan of hers I cannot even tell you! If I hadn’t been working, I would have bum rushed her and made her sign my freaking shoe! And that was just rehearsal!

On the big day before we even got on the field we saw Madonna’s kids, Adam Levine, and some saw Ms. Katy Perry! I saw Adam as I was walking out of the Portolet, awkward! But I got over it once the reality of us having less than five minutes to get a stage and all this crap on the field in front of millions of people! But we did it!

And there I stood on the New York End zone watching everything come together and as the oiled up gladiators brought in Ms. M I cried. I helped do this with 449 plus people that were strangers two weeks earlier, and now we join the family of 6000 others who have done the same thing we did. We worked for a sweat shirt, some bagged lunches and soggy pizza but we put on one hell of a show! I did however get a piece of the stage! That is pretty freaking cool!

It was surreal standing there watching the audience’s reactions. No one was sitting they were all on their feet Vogueing and Luvin’. And yes watching MIA flip the bird that was no part of the show I can tell you. Despite MIA’s finger malfunction, the audience didn’t lie, they loved it and it made us feel like a million dollars!

I may not have gotten one of those snazzy Super Bowl scarves but what I have is the knowledge that for ten minutes on February 5, 2012 I was one of the most important people on TV. Five minutes on, five minutes off. Those ten minutes will last a lifetime!

Act your age, not your shoe size!

Well my shoe size is nine, like my daughter Kai whose friends believe nine is the new twenty five. Yes thanks to cell phones, ABC Family television programming, MTV reality TV, and the internet our children are now aging at a rate that will sadly put them in a nursing home before we are ready to retire! I am seriously considering plugging to get a documentary made “Death of Childhood in America”. And we only have ourselves to blame.

Yes a deep topic from the Geek in Four Inch Heelz, but I had a nice slap of reality when I overheard a conversation between two of my daughter’s friends. It was a conversation that I was pretty sure I didn’t have with my friends until I was at least a freshman in high school! Yes times have changed but the changes weren’t for the better when girls who haven’t started puberty yet are talking about sex!

When I was nine I was playing Barbie’s, thought boys had cooties, walked to see my friends when I wanted to talk to them, I didn’t worry about fitting into skinny jeans,  I chewed my nails I didn’t get acrylics and I was lucky if I could brush my hair let alone have it salon highlighted! A ten year old in our neighborhood has a standing appointment to have her fake nails filled and her highlights touched up so she can maintain her “look”. She is in fifth grade she should look ten, not like something straight from the Jersey Shore!

There was a time when tween meant arguing about bedtimes, not wanting to wear pigtails in your hair, and wanting to wear lip gloss to school. Now it is arguing about curfews, talking to boys on the phone(and meeting them in secreet) and catching your daughters with a full tramp wardrobe in her back pack that she is changing into when she gets to school. Luckily I haven’t had to deal with any of this yet but looking at her friends and their parents are dealing with, I know it is coming.

I have been driven to tears by the fact that I am sending my girls into a world where childhood is so short. I want to go back to the days where I had to tell them they couldn’t wear their princess dresses to the dinner table. I want to go back to pigtails and rosy cheeks. I want to hold on to seeing them giggle over things children giggle over. I want to watch them grow up not have it happen over night because today’s society says so. Keep your girls princesses with pigtails as long as they will let you. The time goes by so fast.

I know they will grow up one day but it can’t be tomorrow, this mama isn’t ready!

What is it you do?

I make it a personal task at the first of each year to update my resume. I was told while attending a transition class when I was leaving the Navy that this was a good practice and it was one that has stuck with me. It is always funny when I start looking at my resume, you think of all the things you would like to put down that you have done in your careers. Not only have I done a myriad of tasks I was never really trained for, I have done some things I am not sure you could ever be trained for.I have been with most of my co-workers for more then ten years now, and we see each other more then we see our families, hell we are family a big twisted crazy family. And with a work family there are duties that are required outside the box. I have been asked to fix bra straps, remove dog hair from a co-workers butt, checked teeth for seeds and spinach, and even done the booger check. I mean who wouldn't hire me for those qualities alone right?

Then you actually look at what you do everyday and try to package it up in a nice little bow so some scanner can look at key words and see if you fit into their criteria. Your strength and weaknesses programed into a machine to tell some HR person if you are even worth a few minutes of their time. If I were to insert any resume advice use good key words, like responsible, trust worthy and adaptable.

I was told once that my greatest strength was adaptability. When faced with a new task I did my best to master it. When put into a stressful situation I was able to think quickly on my feet and come up with a solution with out losing my cool, at the time anyway. At work I was able to absorb many of the tasks that co-workers who left the company had so that no new employees were hired and still do my own tasks.

This puts me in quite the quandary in the job market, if I were to leave mine. My title is Information Manager because Jack of All Trades Master of None doesn't look pretty on an office placard or business cards. I know I am not alone in this day and age of corporate downsizing and re-structureing. Our titles really do not tell the story of what we actually do and job descriptions listed in want ads actually seem dull to all of us Jacks out there. With that being said my preferred title would be "Goddess of all things Fundraising, Office, Network Related and Other Duties as Required". And even that doesn't quite sum it up.So just call me Goddess, and if someones asks what I do, tell them everything.

Jumping in feet first

Okay this is the year of no resolutions just results. Cheesy cliche you say? Not as cheesy as you think. I am taking that jumping in feet first, no holds barred, fly by the seat of my pants approach as I head in to the shy side of 40! I have lived too long in the safety net of should haves, could haves and what if's. 2012 is the year of just do it and do it Jen style!
There is no reason to put your toe in the pool to test the waters the year you turn 40. I want to look smoking hot in a bathing suit when I go to Vegas for my 40th in May. For that fantasy to come true, I need to back away from the mochas, put my big girl work out pants on hit the tread mill, save up the cash and find someone to watch the kids for a few days in late May. That is my "go for it" for 2012, never been to Vegas in my life and I think this year is as good as any!
So I parked far from the Starbucks in a much cheaper garage, got a new playlist for the gym, and am seraching for a way to butter up all friends and family for the next five months. LET'S DO THIS!!!!
Oh and what ever happens to me in Vegas will be FB posted, tweeted and blogged about, so no worries about any insanity staying put in Nevada!

Saying good-bye to 2011 in style with a great cocktail!

I can't complain too much about 2011. After all I did drop 40 pounds, got fit enough to keep up with my kids, finished P90X, discovered and fell in love with Zumba, started running again, re-discovered my love of fabulous shoes, started cooking from scratch again, crafted myself into a frenzy, connected with some friends I thought I had lost forever, got to spend a wonderful week with my family at the lake this summer, met my niece for the first time, watched my mother do a Jagermeister Bomb on a boat, and concocted some delicious cocktails! What more could a girl in four inch heels ask for?

Who knew it took 39 years to find your stride, but that is what I think I did in 2011. You wake up one day on the shy side of 40 and realize, wow this isn't so bad. Embrace who you are and go with it. So embrace I did and spent 2011 settling into myself, and what do you know, I fit! Okay I admit, I won't settle into gray hair, not quite yet! A girl has to choose her battles, and I give into a five pound weight gain before I go gray!

All kidding aside, put on your best shoes, and raise a glass to say good bye to 2011! I wish you all the best for 2012! What do I have planned for 2012, well that is another blog post my friends!

The final days until Christmas

I am about to embark on my last shopping trip of the season and for once I am looking foreword to it! What is not to love? I am childless, my wallet is full and my list is doable in a few hours. This girl has every intention of wiping out her to-do list and park my happy ass in front of the tube with a festive cocktail while watching Christmas movies by 8 pm! Can I get a hell yeah?

Friday we leave for my home town to see my family and hopefully some friends. I am not going to let the drama that usually is my family at the holidays over power the holiday euphoria that I am feeling this year. It is rare that I am this at ease, they best not ruin my Christmas zen, this girl can go from Santa to Grinch lickity split! Watch out!

Since I will not blog until after the holiday, I want to wish all my blog readers the happiest of holidays! May your cups be full and your shoes fabulous!