Monday, September 19, 2011

Joining 85 Broads

It is official! I am an 85 Broads Washington, DC chapter! I feel so accomplished because it’s symbolic! I equate it to receiving my project management certification. It’s one thing to be an MBA professional. It’s another thing to become an 85 Broads professional. This organization is the crème de la crème of women professionals. I am glad to be a member of the sorority!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Time to Re-Up!

I have taken a nearly one month sabbatical since passing the CAPM exam and now it’s high time to return to studying for the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification; and, with good reason. All of my PMP recommenders say that they will approve me and on the 28th headquarters will have a PMP program briefing event. I’ve told the program manager about my receiving my CAPM and my interest in learning more about HQ’s connection to the university project management program. The school awards a MA in Project Management and once I receive my PMP, I am looking forward to being on the staff as an assistant or an instructor. I like helping people reach their fullest potential and working as the liaison between my employer and the school is a wonderful way to accomplish this objective.
I have given myself three months to pass the PMP but I do think that I can achieve this in two months. The new PMP exam uses the same project management manual. In addition, I have the new Rita Mulachy PMP exam study guide. I’ve used the last edition to pass the CAPM; and, since that test uses the same manual I know that I will pass the PMP even if the test has changed 25%. I will bill myself as a ‘change-agent’ because I am able to pass the new PMP without assistance from Internet practice exams. Realizing that in less than two months, my academic fate can change is exhilarating!

Saturday, September 03, 2011

Having an Actual Labor-Free Saturday!

Today I have awakened finally able to catch my breath and enjoy this Saturday without running errands. I walk to Books-a-Million (partially because my beloved Borders is out of business) to purchase the latest Washingtonian and Dolce Vita magazines. The latter is an affluent lifestyle magazines befitting of the DuPont Circle area. Seeing that the Books-a-Million doesn’t have the latest Capitol File magazine, I walk down Connecticut to News World magazine shop to buy it. I can always count on this store to have the latest magazines. And viola! Of course, News World has it along with O magazines. I grab these two magazines and head back to my apartment where I watch the Food Network and read these four magazines before departing at 12:30pm for my Four Seasons restaurant lunch date.

I decide to wear the floral v-neck Eliza J dress and carry my larger brown embossed croc Kate Spade purse to accommodate my Capitol File magazine while walking down M street. Realizing that I late, I hail a cab at 21st costing me $5.25. Though I know that I could’ve walked seven more blocks and been late, I think that it is my personal responsibility to be on time. I refuse to take advantage of other people over some meal. I arrive there ordering fish tacos (which dare I say are better than Oceanaire’s that I had during restaurant week and that eatery is renowned for its seafood!) and leaving with a $26 bill ($22 meal with $4 tip). My lunch is cheaper than yesterday’s breakfast (Four Seasons charged $6 for orange juice. Luckily, it didn’t charge for refills.).

I walk back home down M Street crossing the St. Mathews church where the bums that I’ve scrapped with sitting on the streets. Since I report them to the church father, they haven’t said anything to me. This makes my day since it’s static-free. I settle down watching TV yet automatically become uninterested because I love wearing my floral dress and must get outside. Therefore, I drop off eleven dresses to the dry cleaners. Since the weather is starting to cooperate staying in the upper 80s instead of the blazing 100s, I can now wear lined dresses. Dropping them off also means that they no longer occupy my mesh bag but now will hang from the closet. I can pick them up Wednesday. Still feeling fidgety and realizing that the Books for America store is still open I call it asking for donating my 15 books. Ironically, the Labor weekend has me doing my spring (fall) cleaning because the end of American summer. I stock all of them in my CVS reusable bag and walk through DuPont Circle down P street to 22nd street where Joshua reviews them for highlighter marks then hand me my donation slip.

As I head up the hill, 15 books lighter, Pesce restaurant captures my attention. It opens up at 5:30pm coinciding with my climb so I enter asking if it’s opened. The bartender says yes and I ask to be seated near the window. Out of nowhere, the waiter puts the large menu board in another seat right next to me. This is a first. I ask him questions about the appetizers and the entrees before ordering the spaghettini. Containing shrimp, corn, broccoli, and linguine sauce, this dish is worth the $20! Since this is a local seafood restaurant not part of a national chain, I will patronize this establishment again. Finally, for now I have returned to my humble abode full of no hard errand running just having fun, enjoying the weather, decluttering my life and reading my favorite magazines.