Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Sports - It's Just a Game, Have Some Class

Hello ladies and gentlemen.  Have you melted yet?  Special shout out to my ladies in Wicker Park who have been Jazzercising with me this week with no AC....yep, you read it right.  Dancing in the heat.  I thought I was going to fall out last night, but we made it.  And we have two more classes this week.  I hope that even though it is hot, you are still keeping it classy with your clothing :)

So I had the pleasure of seeing my niece and nephew this past weekend.  And I also got to see them play baseball and softball.  Both of them did a great job, they are both little athletes.  But let me tell you, some of those parents need to take a chill pill.  I am always AMAZED when I see pictures of parents freaking out at kids sports games.  Yes, sports can be intense (I mean, I usually pace when I watch Husker games, ask RCH Jr, he has seen it), but ladies and gentlemen seriously... it really is JUST a game.  And these kids are out there trying their hardest, calm down.  No need to yell at the ref or ump or yell at your kid.  Sometimes you lose the game and sometimes you don't get the call, but that's life and trust me, your kid isn't going to die because he/she lost a baseball/basketball/football game.  Wins and losses are a way of life.  And sometimes it stinks.  Part of being a classy parent is keeping it under control.  My sister and brother in law certainly are classy, good parents, but I can't say that for others that I observed over the weekend.

Fortunately, I didn't see too many fashion victims while at the games and let me tell you, it was hot. Maybe because I was in conservative Kansas... :)

So short and sweet this week.  Happy to say that I am changing jobs with Gamma Phi Beta, moving on to a regional director position.  And if you had to pick ONE region that would be appropriate for JZZRGRL, which area would say?  The one with wine country you say???  You guessed right.  So I will be managing a great group of regional coordinators in region 8 - the Northwest.  Part of being classy and self aware is knowing when you need a change and I had reached that point with my previous position.  So I am excited for my new venture.

So ladies and gentlemen, keep it classy and remember it is just a game.  Keep cool out there and remember your fashion mantras from me....Keep them covered, keep the girls up and out, wear the right panties and no rubber flip fops.

....Keep your chin, your heels and your standards high.
BONSOIR (Happy Bastille Day), CHEERS AND CIAO BELLAS!

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Being classy also means know how to give appropriate feedback...

Happy 4th of July ladies and gentlemen!  I hope that you are all enjoying your long holiday, being safe and merry while still having fun and being classy.  This 4th of July, I am enjoying some alone time as RCH Jr is working.  And still keeping my promise to you all and posting every two weeks.

So I was fortunate enough to be at a Leadership Development conference last week with many of my sorority sisters.  And due to the brilliance of my best friend, the program was great and really allowed the attendees get some professional development time.  We discussed issues like communication, motivation, dependability and accountability.  And, you know, no matter how much experience we all have, we can use some training on these subjects.  As women, we have a tendency to downplay our successes and always want to keep the peace rather than having difficult conversations when someone needs to be confronted on issues.  Personally, I am my father's daughter and am very non-confrontational by nature. I know that I needed some training on how to give appropriate feedback.  So thank you to Smiley and the women of Gamma Phi Beta for giving this to me.

And so here is the message for the week, ladies and gentlemen seriously, avoiding conflict and avoiding difficult conversations is NOT classy.  How many times do people upset us and we don't address the issue?  And then we are ticked off, complain about it to our loved ones and then continue to think badly about that person that we didn't confront.  That isn't healthy for any of us.  So if something is bothering you....give yourself a day to relax and get some perspective.  And if you are still upset, then speak to the person about it.  Make sure that you present the information in an non-confrontational way...address the behavior and don't blame the person.  Tell the person how the behavior makes you feel and ask for a different way for them to behave in the future.  Trust me, not only will you feel better about the situation AND your relationship with that person will improve.

I am trying to practice this advice myself.  And in the case where it is a family member or your significant other, you need be careful.  For example, I know my RCH Jr needs to have situations addressed in a certain manner so that he "understands".  Ladies...you know what I mean.  Remember, you have to live with these people, so don't say things you don't mean in anger...you will be sorry.

Ok, so I know this subject is a little deep for a holiday weekend.  However, you know I love to address ALL parts of being a classy lady or gentleman and that includes how you communicate with people.  So ladies and gentlemen seriously, have a great holiday weekend and start having those tough conversations!

For me, I am heading to see my niece and nephew next week, I am SOOOO excited to see them.  Can't believe this summer is half way over.

....keep your heels, your chin and your standards high....
BONSOIR, CHEERS AND CIAO BELLAS!