HappyUP!!! Day 406 ...the Man Police aren't going to like this one

I did it - yes, I finally did it. I am now manicured! I actually went into one of those places. There seemed to be some discrimanatory practices in hiring, however. All of the ladies were VERY Asian....except for the very caucasian girl who greeted customers. We'll call her position...Translator.

I now have someone new "on staff" - yep, the Nutster now has a nail lady. Got my plumber, my garage door guy, my mechanic, my doctor, my dentist, my opthamologist, etc......add Vivian the Nail Lady.

Vivian is from Vietnam - where her parents, two sisters, and brother still are. We didn't get a chance to find out how she got here. That will be next time...in about two weeks....when I go back for my "fill."

OK....this is getting scary- I am a guy....REALLY! I now know exactly what a fill is.

HappyUP!!! - I have a Nail Lady

Why it happened - I have lived with a nasty split in one of my nails for too long now

Why it makes me happy - Vivian did an acrylic overlay...built a little extra nail on top to cover the top of the split....and I am well on my way to having this little issue taken care of. While I was there......how about a manicure.

HappyUP!!! - a manicure
Why it happened - hey, I was there. Why just do the one finger?

Why it makes me happy - I have never had a manicure before. I didn't even go for the full schmear. I just got a basic package. After all, I am just a beginner. Look at what Vivian did to those MANLY forearms......something. I don't know what but it felt good!


(If you are wondering, the answer is, "YES!". There will be a pedicure coming with my next manicure. Oh my goodness.....I am only a blink away from a "Spa Day." What a girl! I got no story when the Man Police show up to get my badge.)



HappyUP!!! - Wayne the Master Gardener

Why it happened - I went to see him

Why it makes me happy - Wayne is a retired guy that works at the local nursery on weekends. I think he kind of likes me. He is giving me all kinds of vegetable tips....especially on tomato growing. He swears that on June 1, I will be eating fresh tomatoes just like he always does. I actually had some on Memorial Day last year but it was luck. I have the secret. It makes sense and I am trying it out. I'll share later but the hint is, "more root... more fruit."

HappyUP!!! Day 405

HappyUP!!! - new friend
Why it happend - my buddy brought his brother
Why it makes me happy - the brother was a cool brother....from Hawaii. Perhaps I will see him on the island sometime soon

HappyUP!!! - golf
Why it happened - I got an invitation
Why it makes me happy - it wasn't my quality of golf. I stunk! But, it was my first time out this year. It was also on a golf course of 7300 yards. That will pucker you. It was just good to be out swinging the sticks.

HappyUP!!! - gorgeous weather
Why it happened - ????
Why it makes me happy - I got a little color in my face. First time this year. Need I say more?

HappyUP!!! Day 404

HappyUP!!! - congratulation notes
Why it happened - I had a moment of thoughtfulness
Why it makes me happy - it makes the people in my organization happy

HappyUP!!! - breakfast
Why it happened - I eat with one of my direct reports every couple of weeks
Why it makes me happy - great conversation...delicious food...fun with the waitress. What is not to like?

HappyUP!!! - being picked on a team
Why it happened - I'm not sure
Why it makes me happy - the last time me and this guy were paired, it wasn't by choice. The other person made a derogatory joke....all in fun...about being paired with me. This time, he jumped at the chance. He knows that I will make him look good which is what he needs.

JollyJottings

Sending out congratulations notes
Breakfast
Being picked on a team
Getting a new assignment
Fun with the waitress

HappyUP!!! Day 403

HappyUP!!! - call from a guy I haven't heard from in 10 yrs
Why it happened - he is looking for a job
Why it makes me happy - he is a good guy. He also is a mutual friend of a childhood pal of mine that I have lost track of. I got to hear about my childhood pal.

HappyUP!!! - loan limit increases
Why it happened - FHA moved
Why it makes me happy - long term, it is going to make life easier for all of my employees

HappyUP!!! - mysterious disappearance reappears
Why it happened - I have no clue
Why it makes me happy - my on line trading account is weird. Cash will mysteriously disappear sometimes. Tonight was one of those occasions. Usually, there is something called a cash sweep that I can find. Still not sure what that cash sweep is. Anyway, after looking for 45 minutes, I went away for 15 minutes. I re-opened my account and the cash was back. This saves me a trip to the account executive's office tomorrow!

HappyUP!!! Day 402

HappyUP!!! - effecting change
Why it happened - I questioned something
Why it makes me happy - it's not a huge thing but it is nice to still have input into the company

HappyUP!!! - a brief conference call
Why it happened - it was quickly realized we didn't have the answers
Why it makes me happy - why drone on? Reconvene when you are ready.

HappyUP!!! - problem solved
Why it happened - we thought differently
Why it makes me happy - we managed to arrange for a training in our office.....and not spending money renting hotel rooms.

HappyUP!!! Day 401

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters
Why it happened - it was Tuesday
Why it makes me happy - we had our speech contest today. It was great to see the members stretching

HappyUP!!! - talking to an old friend
Why it happened - I picked up the phone
Why it makes me happy - we hadn't talked in forever. Things had been a bit strained. The person did something that I didn't think was right. Time had to pass. It did.

HappyUP!!! - e-mail from a friend
Why it happened - it was actually a return e-mail
Why it makes me happy - it was pretty darn funny.........I didn't see that coming.

HappyUP!!! Day 400

HappyUP!!! -"bump up to 150's"
Why it happened - I was at a meeting
Why it makes me happy - my client, whose meeting I was at, said this at exactly the right time today. It was hysterical. A gutbuster

HappyUP!!! - recruiting call
Why it happened - my boss made it happen
Why it makes me happy - we will begin a training on recruiting. It is always good to pick up skills.

HappyUP!!! - SBS
Why it happened - it's in Brazil
Why it makes me happy - it's my only foreign stock....and it had another good day today....and the only stock in my cache that is working right now. US companies are not the place to be right now. It used to be when the United States sneezed, the world caught a cold. Today, when the US sneezes, the world hands us a hanky!

HappyUP!!! Day 399

HappyUP!!! - breakfast
Why it happened - I didn't get any brekko on Saturday
Why it makes me happy- I love my pancakes and sausage. I ran into a friend. I got to have some laughs with my favorite waitress.

HappyUP!!! - plant growth
Why it happened - it's the way it is
Why it makes me happy - I may be buying my own plants this year. We'll see. I seem to have had a little confusion in labeling. The point is that my little seedlings are growing

HappyUP!!! - a new book
Why it happened - the marketing got me
Why it makes me happy - it's a new genre of reading for me.

In election year.....

It's too easy to criticize hope....and, in the end, cynicism is a lousy strategy

Seth nails it again...what else is new?

HappyUP!!! Day 398

HappyUP!!! - birthday party
Why it happened - it was my best friend and his father's birthday
Why it makes me happy - family and food! While a steady diet of this would be counter-productive to the waistline, a little indulgence is good on occasion. A couple of ears of corn, cheeseburger, AND hot dog.... topped off with some cake and ice cream. Yes....I have a "holiday gut" going on as I speak but it was delicious.

HappyUP!!! - meeting a landscape guy
Why it happened - I asked a stranger a question while I was in the nursery
Why it makes me happy - he is a retired local guy that just likes to keep busy. I really didn't want to take on the irrigating of the enlarged garden on my own this year. I HATE numerous trips to the hardware store....only to find out you didn't do it right in the first place. This guy should work out nicely.

HappyUP!!! - seeing friends at a seminar
Why it happened - I went to a short seminar
Why it makes me happy - these are some people in another Toastmaster's Club in town. Good people that I see from time to time.

JollyJottings

Coffee
Meeting the landscape guy
Docking station
Ipod Gizmo
Transplanting pots
Leadership seminar
Seeing friends at seminar
Birthday party
Rum Cake
Birthday cards
Birthday oranges
Top Down

HappyUP!!! Day 397

HappyUP!!! - lunch
Why it happened - I extended an invitation
Why it made me happy - I got reacquainted with an old industry contact. I hadn't spoken to him in years

HappyUP!!! - training done
Why it happened - we planned it that way
Why it made me happy - my entire group got their annual training done by today......though the company didn't require it until year end.

HappyUP!!! - talking with V
Why it happened - we had an issue
Why it made me happy - I hadn't spoken with this business contact in awhile. Even though we had an issue, the conversation evolved to fun.

HappyUP!!! Day 396

HappyUP!!! - a recruit has surfaced
Why it happened - the person is sick of their company...and I stay in touch
Why it makes me happy - I have wanted this person a long time. We talk tomorrow

HappyUP!!! - seeing an old friend
Why it happened - I paid a visit to his office
Why it makes me happy - he is just a good guy that I want to try to help.

HappyUP!!! - a call from an old client
Why it happened - they found me
Why it makes me happy - I got a chance to dust off my consultant hat. A lot of people would just try to sell the people something. The client really appreciated my taking an interest in her.

HappyUP!!! Day 395

HappyUP!!! - going topless
Why it happened - it felt like the thing to do
Why it makes me happy - c'mon.....freeway...71 degrees.....20 minute drive each way. Do I even have to say why?

HappyUP!!! - inquiry from a recruit
Why it happened - I have stayed in contact
Why it makes me happy - he knows where quality is. It's time for him to move. I am going to help him make the right choice for him.

HappyUP!!! - reports
Why it happened - I went looking
Why it makes me happy - it told me some valuable information

HappyUP!!! Day 394

HappyUP!!! - sunrise
Why it happened - it is kind of a daily occurrence
Why it makes me happy - it was brilliant today....despite how many I have seen before. Why is that? Why can something so commonplace get our attention? The answer is in the question. One of the beauties of observing a beautiful sunrise is that, while enjoying a sunrise, that is all you are doing. You are in the present. You aren't thinking of anything else......and that is what HappyUP!!!'s are all about. It is about catching those little things that happen all day long.

HappyUP!!! - toastmasters
Why it happened - it was Tuesday
Why it makes me happy - 2 great speeches, table topics were awesome, the joke was funny, we got the meeting kicked off well. It was a great day.

HappyUP!!! - dark chocolate
Why it happened - a lady at Toastmaster's talked about it
Why it makes me happy - she convinced me in her speech.....Dark Chocolate is good for you! There were lots of reasons why. Do your own research. Personally, I am taking her word for it........DARK chocolate. I prefer milk chocolate but it isn't the same thing as DARK chocolate.

HappyUP!!! Day 393

HappyUP!!! - a call back
Why it happened - I called first
Why it makes me happy - the piece of business that I am trying to land is still out there and available. I thought it may have departed.

HappyUP!!! - good activity
Why it happened - I asked for it
Why it makes me happy - I love executing on strategy

HappyUP!!! - catching a stock at the resistance point
Why it happened - I did some logical thinking
Why it makes me happy - I have had a minor position in a stock that I have been unsure of. It's industry, however, is solid and the company has little competition. I have been buying it on the way down.....to the point where I started to wonder. Today, I said, "hey, this was a good buy at a higher price. I am in on this and I bought some more......but my entire order couldn't get filled. Why? Because it had found it's resistance point. Though a little higher in price, I have an order in for some more tomorrow!

HappyUP!!! Day 392

HappyUP!!! - Oscars
Why it happened - it happens every year
Why it makes me happy - it usually doesn't. It's decadence which I am not much into. Yet, it is amazing to see the various things (including dresses) that man can do when he is farting around.

HappyUP!!! - Reorganization
Why it happened - I had to do something during the Oscars
Why it makes me happy - I got my computer off the typing table and on to something more substantial. No, it's not permanent but it will let me work a little more comfortably.

HappyUP!!! - New Song
Why it happened - I got a computer guitar lesson
Why it makes me happy - I like "The Scientist" by Coldplay. The song is done on piano but I now have a version for the guitar that is pretty cool.....and, best of all, pretty darn easy. Picking up a new tune is always a HappyUP!!!

HappyUP!!!! - Letter from the principal

HappyUP!!! - Weight...held at 170 for another week. I can still get to work and knock out 10 more pounds this year. I have 5 off. It would just take some effort.

HappyUP!!! Day 391

HappyUP!!! - a rolled up paper in the head
Why it happened - I have a rude friend
Why it makes me happy - I couldn't believe that, while I wasn't looking....in public....on the couch at Starbucks... my best friend hit me in the back of the head with a rolled up newspaper. There was no reason. Totally unprovoked. It was so shocking that it actually was a HappyUP!!! It actually cracked me up that he could even think he could do such a thing.

HappyUP!!! - playing guitar
Why it happened - a rainy day
Why it makes me happy - I have some sore fingers today. I think it means I got better today.

HappyUP!!! - rain
Why it happened - we are in the rainy season
Why it makes me happy - don't get me wrong....I really dug the awesome weather last weekend. Too soon though. A little more rain is in order....with a big storm tonight....one more chance to blow down my neighbor's tree and get that shade away from my garden!

HappyUP!!! Day 390

HappyUP!!! - recruiting appointment
Why it happened - it's part of my job
Why it makes me happy - we had a great meeting! Will we get the person? Who knows.....we did ourselves proud, however.

HappyUP!!! - talking to one of my managers
Why it happened - I do that, you know
Why it makes me happy - it was one of those GREAT talks

HappyUP!!! - e-mail from a friend/recruit
Why it happened - who knows....she shot me a message out of the blue
Why it makes me happy - we'll get together next week. We may just catch up (always great) or she may come to work for us (even better because we catch up AND I get a great employee!)

HappyUP!!! Day 389

HappyUP!!! - got to Bakersfield
Why it happened - there was a meeting
Why it makes me happy - I had to take off at 4:20 in the morning....in the rain.....on a very flat drive through the Central Valley of California. It's not a pretty drive. Yet, I had never driven it in the morning. It was much more attractive with sun coming up. There was actually a bit of charm.

HappyUP!!! - chat with a recruit
Why it happened - I had to give directions for our appointment
Why it makes me happy - I am in a battle to get this person. While I called for directions, we made a personal connection today on some things.

HappyUP!!! - got back from Bakersfield
Why it happened - the 6 hr meeting was over
Why it makes me happy - c'mon..............this ended up being 600 miles on the day....over 9 hrs of driving. I never nodded off or felt sleepy one time. I "iron manned" it. It actually wasn't a bad way to go! But, I am glad it is behind me.

HappyUP!!! Day 388

HappyUP!!! - coffee
Why it happened - it happens on Wednesday
Why it makes me happy - my buddy and I had a good laugh over something that happened! I actually started my day with a mini-gut bust!

HappyUP!!! - talking to a new recruit
Why it happened - I cut through some red tape and made a call
Why it makes me happy - the recruit had indicated to a third party that she didn't want to be called. Enough time had passed that she needed to be called and to talk with me. I overcame her reticence. She isn't coming to work for me......yet. But, I have a new friend in the industry. It's a matter of time.

HappyUP!!! - stock market
Why it happened - it was up 90 pts today
Why it makes me happy - I made some good moves this morning and got more out of the market than was there. Yes, I messed up one trade that I should have canceled. I even thought about it. While it cost me some dough, I got out of a stock that I wanted to and I am not going to look back. I'll concentrate on the wins.

HappyUP!!! Day 387

HappyUP!!! - sprouts
Why it happened - I planted seeds
Why it makes me happy - other than a kindergarten exercise, I have never done this. I have a BUNCH of seeds germinating right now.....and a lot of them are really starting to sprout. I might actually be able to plant these babies and then feast on the vegetables they yield. This could really work!

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters
Why it happened - it's Tuesday....and I go to the meeting
Why it makes me happy - we had a second speech by a new member. One of our other members is coming along. We had a lively discussion about a pet peeve of mine.
HappyUP!!! - Friday meeting booked
Why it happened - working hard
Why it makes me happy - I thought we may have lost this recruit. We have a shot and we will make the most of it at the end of this week.

HappyUP!!! Day 386

HappyUP!!! - sleep
Why it happened - I didn't get much the night before
Why it makes me happy - my sleep has not been all the night through as of late. I was OUT last night. I noticed it when I woke up...it was great!

HappyUP!!! - talk with a client
Why it happened - she was having a challenge with the company
Why it makes me happy - I got some great information.......and I got to be involved in solving her issue.

HappyUP!!! - helping an employee
Why it happened - he had an issue
Why it makes me happy - I was able to give him some fatherly type advice on how to behave....and I am sure he did so accordingly.

HydroponicsUP!!!

"Sprout, you little seeds - sprout!"

Man, if they do - I'll be tearing out even more lawn in a month or two. I've never done the seed thing before.

You see that little setup in the garden window? - I am guessing that I have 150 possible plants going.

Why the heck do I need so many? - well, why not?

I just have a bunch of old bermuda - in the backyard. "Till it all up," I say!......and I just might. Seriously, they make it so easy to start from seed. If this works, it is WAAAAAAAY cheaper than buying vegetable plants from the nursery. We are talking upwards of $300 and I have all of about $30 tied up in this little project as we speak.

If you are in the NutsterNeighborhood this year - you are going to be in luck! If I get a good growing season, I'll be throwin down the botancials to all the neighbors. I am even going to go for corn this year. I have a great sunny spot to throw a few rows of that cobby stuff down.

I think I have lost my mind! - "hey, baby, you wanna come over and water my plants?" may just be the only pickup line I will be able to use if I don't figure out a drip system in a jiffy!

Vegetables - another reason not to leave the friendly confines of the compound! .....Like I needed one.

......and, NO - none of the herbs that you see growing are smokable! Well, unless some fine Oregano gets you off...you can stuff that in your pipe and smoke it.

HappyUP!!! Day 385 - Who is that male model?

HappyUP!!! - Nuttons Actionwear...now in sleeveless
Why it happened - I got out the happy scissors
Why it makes me happy - it's another varied use for the fashion accessory of the 2000's

HappyUP!!! - 4 mile power walk/8 mile bike ride
Why it happened - it was a nice day?
Why it makes me happy - I got off my can and exercised!

HappyUP!!! - easier to administer to my patient
Why it happened - maybe he's given up the fight
Why it makes me happy - Stogie had to make a little trip to the vet on Friday. Part of the drill is that I have to give him a dropper full of oral
antibiotics....followed up with eardrops. Have you seen the claws on Stogie? Well, of course you haven't. Take my word for it...they are lethal. The first couple of times, it appeared that he was going to use them, too! He's mellowing out....maybe he is realizing that the brute force I use to cram that liquid down his throat and funnel down his ear is really looooovvvvve! MEEEEEOOOOOWWW!


"Hey, Stogie!......Nice tatoo!"

<----------------


HappyUP!!! - pictures
HappyUP!!! - seeing my buddy, Max
HappyUP!!! - chicken poop
HappyUP!!! - orange ya glad ta see me
HappyUP!!! - Boxter-ing around
HappyUP!!! - grapefruit and lemon score

HappyUP!!! Day 384

HappyUP!!! - Chicken Excrement
Why it happened - I bought it
Why it makes me happy - I was wondering all week where I would get some. I thought it would be too expensive to purchase by the bag. I'll be back tomorrow for even more!

HappyUP!!! - rototiller
Why it happened - I fired it up
Why it makes me happy - this is my dad's ol tiller. It takes a little nudge to get it going but, once it does, it goes and goes and goes. Yep, it sat all winter but, with Spring around the corner, it woke right up from hibernation.

HappyUP!!! - sun....sun...sun
Why it happened - I took advantage of it
Why it makes me happy - I took that shirt off today while I did some tilling. You can bet my shirt will be off tomorrow as well.

HappyUP!!! Day 383

HappyUP!!! - the vet
Why it happened - Stogie had a bad ear
Why it made me happy - I was able to make a "drop off" appointment first thing this morning. Within an hour of dropping him off, I knew he would be fine......well, if you call that stupid looking shaved part on his arm "fine," that is. My cat looks like he has a tatoo.

HappyUP!!! - personal day
Why it happened - I just had a bunch of "those things" that needed to be done
Why it made me happy - I have time off coming....it was nice to take a day.

HappyUP!!! - haircut
Why it happened - it was time
Why it made me happy - c'mon....I am lookin good!

HappyUP!!! Day 382

HappyUP!!! - coffee
Why it happened - I got called at 6 a.m.
Why it makes me happy - I got to have some coffee with a couple of guys I like to hang out with

HappyUP!!! - breakfast with a couple of recruits
Why it happened - I scheduled it
Why it makes me happy - I like hanging out with these ladies. If there company gets in trouble (very likely), I'll add a couple of people that I really like to my merry band of employees.

HappyUP!!! - coffee with the next manager I hire
Why it happened - I called him
Why it makes me happy - well, before I say that, I just reviewed the three HappyUP!!!s....I had a lot of coffee today! I just have to work out some numbers and I put a solid value piece on my team. They person is ready to go.

HappyUP!!! Day 381

HappyUP!!! - sales rally
Why it happened - my boss said we needed to do it
Why it makes me happy - it wasn't perfect but we pulled it out and everything was OK

HappyUP!!! - meeting with partners
Why it happened - they scheduled it
Why it makes me happy - we talked about some great things...and it would have only happened at this meeting

HappyUP!!! - coffee
Why it happened - it happens on Wednesdays
Why it makes me happy - we discussed UFO's today....an interesting discussion. Where else can I have a talk like this? Stimulating conversation

HappyUP!!! Day 380

HappyUP!!! - January results
Why it happened - my team worked hard
Why it makes me happy - this initiative is an important one. It had been a traditional strength but we had started to slip. We put some traction behind it and we are way out ahead to start the year. While it still has to be worked on, it doesn't have to be worried about.....at least for a month!

HappyUP!!! - conversion
Why it happened - our company is sending leads to my people
Why it makes me happy - they are converting the leads to sales which puts more income in their pockets. I love to see my people do better.

HappyUP!!! - a new member
Why it happened - Toastmasters happens every Tuesday
Why it makes me happy - our "a member a month" campaign now has a streak of four straight months. We just need to keep it up. We have February's member.....now we can add another this month and get ahead of the curve!

HappyUP!!! Day 379

HappyUP!!! - found my journal
Why it happened - I made a special trip home for one more sweep
Why it makes me happy - it wouldn't be the end of the world but it is much more convenient to have it than not. The moment that I saw it, I went, "ahhhhhh...." THAT is a HappyUP!!!

HappyUP!!! - employees did a great job
Why it happened - we had a region wide conference call
Why it makes me happy - I love it when the employees step up. One, in particular, sounded soooooo good it was scary.

HappyUP!!! - service man out the same day
Why it happened - I made a lucky phone call
Why it makes me happy - problem sourced yesterday and dealt with today! While they have to get a part, the problem isn't lingering.


JollyJottings

Found my journal
Got a service man out same day
Employees did a great job
Great conversation with my CP manager
Working an angle for a recruit

HappyUP!!! Day 378

HappyUP!!! - glorious weather....AGAIN
Why it happened - who knows but it was all weekend long
Why it makes me happy - I took the convertible out today.....and I will be taking it to work tomorrow too! While we still have the rainy season, I think the cold is behind us.

HappyUP!!! - the Last Castle
Why it happened - I watched a movie this morning
Why it makes me happy - in the shades of Shawshank Redemption, it was a great movie. Absolutely awesome flick. The evil guy gets proven wrong in the end

HappyUP!!! - A Few Good Men
Why it happened - it was on after the Last Castle
Why it makes me happy - same as above....the bad guy gets it and the political BS is cut through. Justice almost gets served.....oh....and...uh....Demi Moore was hot! (Hey....I'm a guy...and a single one to boot. I not only can say that, I think I have to!)

HappyUP!!! Day 377

HappyUP!!! - gorgeous weather
Why it happened - who knows...it's a crap shoot in February
Why it makes me happy - the mosquitoes were out. What? That is no reason for happiness? If the skeeters are out, you know it is a nice day. Almost took the shirt off. That sun felt really nice.

HappyUP!!! - lawnmower in
Why it happened - I was thinking ahead
Why it makes me happy - I have a tendency to procrastinate....really. I got my mower in before the crowd and I will have it back on Tuesday. If you wait until first cut, it can be weeks. The guys at the shop were really good guys as well.

HappyUP!!! - Wayne the Gardener
Why it happened - I heard about this guy so I went looking for him
Why it makes me happy - I have been getting great crops by luck. I would like to take a little more active role in food abundance this year. Wayne works weekends at a local nursery. It didn't take more than 30 seconds of talking with him to know that I was in the presence of botanical greatness. He could tell that I was "a gardener" and not the regular people that come in. He made a joke, "sure, I'll sell you some tomato plants now if you insist," for when they don't listen to him about the ground being too cold. "They'll be back buying a new set of plants." It was like he made me part of his club. You can bet I'll be utilizing his wisdom this year.

HappyUP!!! Day 376

HappyUP!!! - reviews done
Why it happened - today was the deadline
Why it makes me happy - it's OVER!

HappyUP!!! - breakfast
Why it happened - I do this once in awhile
Why it makes me happy - I enjoy meeting with one of my direct reports every other Friday. Good conversation about business and moving forward.

HappyUP!!! - resolving an issue on the high road
Why it happened - I made a tough call...but the right one
Why it makes me happy - it was tempting to do the wrong thing. I did the right thing....and rather than being seeing as stealing business from a person that person gave me the business

HappyUP!!! Day 375

HappyUP!!! - a great recruit
Why it happened - we finally did voice to voice
Why it makes me happy - this is a recruit I never thought that I would get. Today was the first time we ever talked. I came up with a win-win that I will share with the recruit tomorrow. This is interesting

HappyUP!!! - talked with boss
Why it happened - he is back from a conference
Why it makes me happy - he gave me some go ahead on a project. We also shared some good info

HappyUP!!! - profit and loss was out
Why it happened - it was that time of the month
Why it makes me happy - I thought January was going to be really rough. It was better than expected.

HappyUP!!! Day 374

HappyUP!!! - a big deal
Why it happened - one of my people is out there working
Why it makes me happy - this deal is equivalent to about 11 deals

HappyUP!!! - a call from a recruit
Why it happened - she returned my call
Why it makes me happy - this is a big one and she is interested

HappyUP!!! - dinner with the boys
Why it happened - we were going to the Kings game
Why it makes me happy - I spent a night out with my managers. It was good to be outside the office with my direct reports. The game sucked but the company was excellent

HappyUP!!! Day 373

HappyUP!!! - referral paying off
Why it happened - I gave a personal piece of business
Why it makes me happy - my employee put the deal together, took care of the client, and will help out his cause

HappyUP!!! - icebreaker
Why it happened - toastmasters
Why it makes me happy - we got to know our newest member much better than we otherwise would have. I love a good icebreaker.

HappyUP!!! - a possible recruit
Why it happened - a recruiter helped me out
Why it makes me happy - the recruit knows me.....though I don't really know the recruit. The recruit already has talked to my competitor....and didn't like that person at all!

HappyUP!!! Day 372

HappyUP!!! - recruiting meeting
Why it happened - we scheduled at night
Why it makes me happy - this recruit has huge potential.....just what I am looking for right now

HappyUP!!! - call from friend
Why it happened - they found something
Why it makes me happy - they thought that I did something funny so they would find it. I wish I had purposely done this but I couldn't lay claim to it. I think it was an accidental find on their part.

HappyUP!!! - manager meeting
Why it happened - I needed to get everyone together
Why it makes me happy - I love spending time with my management team.....even if it is for a meeting.

HappyUP!!! Day 371

HappyUP!!! - a new song
Why it happened - my buddy sent me a song he wrote
Why it makes me happy - he gave me permission to do a little hacking into it. I played with it throughout the day. This led me to figuring a few things out with my recording deck. It reminded me of how much I like to write songs.

HappyUP!!! - cashing in on my free burrito
Why it happened - Chipotle sent me a coupon
Why it makes me happy - ever ate at Chipotle? Delicious.....but massive. Fortunately, that was my only meal of the day today. It was delicious as a pre-Super Bowl meal.

HappyUP!!! - weigh in
Why it happened - it's Sunday
Why it makes me happy - I was only up a pound. It should have been more after this week. Time to get "good" again.

JollyJottings

Free Burrito
A new song
House
Super Bowl
Weigh in
Errands
My recording deck

HappyUP!!! Day 370

HappyUP!!! - some solid execution
Why it happened - my people did their thing
Why it makes me happy - the company is pushing on an initiative.....a strong push that came out of nowhere. My people were naturally doing what they should be

HappyUP!!! - the whole story
Why it happened - I got a "pipsqueek" e-mail
Why it makes me happy - I got the entire story after I got the "nipping" by the pipsqueek. I took care of business appropriately.

HappyUP!!! - a great e-mail
Why it happened - it was a follow up to last night's recruiting dinner
Why it makes me happy - it's all about positive signs when you are recruiting. This one was screaming.

HappyUP!!! Day 369

HappyUP!!! - recruiting dinner
Why it happened - I made the call
Why it makes me happy - I really enjoyed getting to know this person on a business and personal level. The dinner was excellent. The conversation better.

HappyUP!!! - vendor call
Why it happened - who knows...totally out of the blue
Why it makes me happy - I have been underutilizing a piece of technology for some time. I kept meaning to call this company. This person appeared out of nowhere.

HappyUP!!! - ride to the airport
Why it happened - my car was at the airport
Why it makes me happy - when you are a single person, getting awkward rides during the day can often be a challenge. Today, I got lucky....I even got some errands in that required another driver to be involved. I got a ride, errands done, and good company.

JollyJottings

Vendor call
Recruiting dinner
Ride to the airport
Getting truck serviced
Picking up glasses

HappyUP!!! Day 368....Salad Daze

HappyUP!!! - another salad for lunch (see HappyUP!!! Day 361 for an updated photo).

Why it happened - I went for salad at my meeting I was at

Why it makes me happy - it would have been easy to have a delicious sandwich and fries. This was a better choice. How good does this thing look? A nice helping on top of a bunch of lettuce and fruit......delicious.

It almost made up for the 3 cookies I had in the afternoon!


HappyUP!!! - driving home
Why it happened - I had to get back from Bakersfield
Why it makes me happy - I ditched my rental car and got a ride back.......4.5 hrs of drive time goes by much faster with company.

HappyUP!!! - fed cut
Why it happened - the fed did what it needed to do
Why it makes me happy - who knows where our economy goes from here? The important thing is the Fed is now caught up (almost).......they are in the zip code. It won't cure all of our ills but this move was needed.

HappyUP!!! Day 367

HappyUP!!! - my salad
Why it happened - lunch was served
Why it made me happy - I'll have the picture up soon and you will know why. It was a beautiful presentation. Plus, the crab/shrimp salad at lunch with the mangoes was FABULOUS

HappyUP!!! - a conference call
Why it happened - I was at a meeting
Why it made me happy - corporate revealed numbers that back up what I have been trying to say all along. Finally, somebody may listen

HappyUP!!! - a visit to the TV store
Why it happened - we were having dinner there (don't ask why I had dinner at an appliance store....it was fun and delicious)
Why it made me happy - I found a knowledgeable guy who found me a swing arm for a project I am doing. I thought I would need it fabricated. This will save me some dough.....and allow me to go bigger on the TV!

HappyUP!!! Day 366

HappyUP!!! - a stagecoach

Why it happened - I had a meeting downtown where there was a museum in the lobby

Why it makes me happy - c'mon....take a peek at the picture. Even if you have seen this a million times, doesn't this just put a smile on your face? If for no other reason, YOU don't have to ride in one of these to get where you need to go!

HappyUP!!! - GPS

Why it happened - I packed my Garmin

Why it makes me happy - I got into the rental car at 10:30pm last night in Bakersfield. My eyesight for night driving is not that sharp. Mix in no confidence for where I am at and you end up with no confidence driving. That little Garmin took me right to my hotel....and I was in the middle of nowhere for awhile.

HappyUP!!! - Love in the Time of Cholera

Why it happened - I bought it

Why it makes me happy - this is the second book I have read from Gabriel Garcia Marquez. My plane was delayed so I got to read a lot yesterday. The words that this man uses are pure poetry. Perhaps this has something to do with this being a Nobel Prize winner. Perdition, plebiean, pestilential stench, perverse lucidity, frofundity, insolence, insipid (one of my favorites), imperious, propitious (another favorite), profligate, etc. Yet, amidst these words, the story is enhanced and never lost. It is an incredible story.

HappyUP!!! Day 365

HappyUP!!! - started a new book
Why it happened - I bought it
Why it makes me happy - it's a little different than my normal reading. It was a nice thing to do on a kickback Sunday morning. The book also has some excellent lines in it that will work their way into my vocabulary

HappyUP!!! - grocery store
Why it happened - it needed to happen
Why it makes me happy - I finally remembered to get some critical things that I have been missing. Trader Joes makes a cleaner that has a cedarwood smell...it's awesome. My kitchen is smelling clean again. Maybe the HappyUP!!! is the smell of the kitchen

HappyUP!!! - weight
Why it happened - it's Sunday
Why it makes me happy - I held 168 for the third straight week.....and I have not been trying that hard. I am probably off to a bad start for next week based on a little garbage eating today. The important thing is that 7 pounds are gone and have been for three weeks. A little re-motivation is in order so I can make a push at 160.

HappyUP!!! Day 364

HappyUP!!! - President's Breakfast
Why it happened - I'm President
Why it makes me happy - it's good to go sit amongst my Toastmaster's peers. I enjoyed the person that spoke. He had a few practical ideas on leadership. I also became acquainted with some new people.

HappyUP!!! - finding someone's checkbook
Why it happened - I was at the bank before hours making a deposit
Why it makes me happy - NO.....it's not because I started writing checks! Knock that off. I put the checkbook in a deposit envelope and placed it in the night drop. I am sure the customer will get a call and be relieved.

HappyUP!!! - my GPS
Why it happened - I used it rather than mapquest
Why it makes me happy - I kind of knew where to go. This little gadget took me right there. I am also looking forward to throwing it in the suitcase for my upcoming trip to Bakersfield. Trust me....that's a town you don't want to be lost in!

ONE DAY TO GO...

....and I have save a surprise! - you all know that tomorrow will be 365 days of HappyUP!!!'s.

I knew this day would happen - well.....365 days ago! I have partnered with the NFL to arrange for a special Pre-Posting extravaganza!

In honor of 1 year of HappyUP!!!'s - the NFL will hold it's marquee Super Bowl game right before my 365th consecutive posting.

I know...I know - you are going, "Nutster, how did you pull that off?" Hey, it wasn't as hard as you think. In no sport is it more important to HappyUP!!! than pro football.

Sure, you may think the guys are intense - and you would be right. Who says that you can't be happier in that intensity. As a matter of fact, wouldn't you perform better in you were happier?

Of course you would - so, here is my prediction. Tomorrow's winner between the Patriots and the Giants will not necessarily be the favorites. The winner is going to be the team that seems the happiest at kickoff....and at halftime.

Speaking of halftime - I also arranged for Tom Petty to provide those festivities as another celebration for the Super HappyUP!!! that will be tomorrow. I pulled out all of the stops.

So, grab your chips - and a soda.....right after the game and wait for that final posting of the HappyUP!!! year. The Patriots went 18-0....big deal! They had an off season and 7 days between most games. HappyUP!!! is an everyday season.

HappyUP!!! Day 363

HappyUP!!! - breakfast
Why it happened - I do this with a subordinate once in awhile
Why it makes me happy - we covered some serious business stuff today.

HappyUP!!! - two cancelled meetings....and great meeting material
Why it happened - who knows....the people in power realized that there were better things to do than these two meetings?
Why it makes me happy - TIME back to me! There is nothing better than time from a cancelled meeting. It is like you are given LIFE back to you that you had written off.

HappyUP!!! - great news on recruiting front
Why it happend - I made a call
Why it makes me happy - I would love to land this one. This person is just what we need!

HappyUP!!! Day 362

HappyUP!!! - coffee with a pal
Why it happened - I called him
Why it makes me happy - this guy is in the industry. An old friend. We just got to compare some notes for an hour and reconnect.

HappyUP!!! - great recruiting appointment
Why it happened - I made a call
Why it makes me happy - he's a quality guy....and excited to talk to me.

HappyUP!!! - took a difficult conversation
Why it happened - had a situation at work
Why it makes me happy - I didn't want to have this conversation but I moved on it. It's done and not hanging over my head for tomorrow.

HappyUP!!! Day 361

HappyUP!!! - one of the best compliments I have ever received
Why it happened - I forecasted a most unlikely event....that is becoming likely
Why it makes me happy - it was the person that I received it from. This person said, "I have been telling people you might be the smartest person in the world." While he didn't mean that literally, it was high praise.... especially from this person.

HappyUP!!! - a recruiting appointment
Why it happened - I kept leaning on my people
Why it makes me happy - we'll have an offer letter out tomorrow and add a GREAT person to our team.

HappyUP!!! - the stock market was up
Why it happened - for today, we believe that we might have hit a bottom
Why it makes me happy - you try not to worry about the stock market. It can't rule your life. The immediate past period couldn't help but get your attention.....attention that you would rather not use.

JollyJottings

Coffee with my friend
Drop in visitor at coffee
Finding a stock split
Figuring out a financial quirk
Discovering an error in anothers piece of work....and helping my employee
A recruiting appointment
A recruiting appointment set
An e-mail from an acquaintenance
One of the best compliments I have EVER received

HappyUP!!! Day 360

HappyUP!!! - a particular stock was up
Why it happened - the Fed's rate cut
Why it makes me happy - I got my 401k over-invested in this one. I caught up in a sector being slammed. While tomorrow is another day, it was cool that their was an increase today. Nice change of scenery.

HappyUP!!! - meeting with an internal partner
Why it happened - he was out here from the upper mid-west for a meeting tomorrow
Why it makes me happy - I think my managers got some benefit from the face time. This guy can help us.

HappyUP!!! - a strange phone call
Why it happened - I don't really know...it is why it was strange
Why it makes me happy - it was good to connect with this person for a couple of different reasons.

HappyUP!!! Day 359

HappyUP!!! - an impactful presentation
Why it happened - I was asked
Why it makes me happy - I was called on to do something by someone. I went and did it. The word got back to this person just HOW well I did. It's not about me doing good....I gave the people a feeling of empowerment which is critical to what they are undertaking.

HappyUP!!! - another great presentation
Why it happened - I am called on every Monday to do this
Why it makes me happy - I gave understanding and education. I assisted people another thing to think about.

HappyUP!!! - a great e-mail
Why it happened - I sent a great e-mail
Why it makes me happy - I got a little piece of endorsement that I was looking for. I didn't get it all but I got enough to move forward.

HappyUP!!! Day 358

HappyUP!!! - busting out an old friend

Why it happened - I was watching football

Why it makes me happy - my lil Marshall lead 10 amp was something I gave myself over 10 yrs ago. It's a versatile little amp with a lot of throat. I thought that it was busted. Today I said, "perhaps it was all the electronics that I was trying to run through it." I brought it down by the TV, dusted it off, and fired it up. PERFECT! My Fender Amp is just too big. I can't crank it up enough to drive the amp without driving the neighbors out of the neighborhood. The lil Marshall can get plenty dirty without the volume. I hadn't used this for so long that I had given it up for dead. It's like I got a free amp today.

HappyUP!!! - scooping up the bro and sis-in-law
Why it happened - they needed to get back from the airport
Why it makes me happy - it's always nice to be picked up at the airport. I am sure they appreciated it. It's always a HappyUP!!! when you do someone a good turn.

HappyUP!!! - weight
Why it happened - duh.....it's Sunday
Why it makes me happy - I held out another week at my post cleanse weight. While I have been trying to be good "post-cleanse", a couple of Dairy Queen Blizzards have found their way back into my diet.

HappyUP!!! Day 357

HappyUP!!! - got a great e-mail
Why it happened - I tossed out an invitation
Why it made me happy - good times ahead

HappyUP!!! - Springsteen tickets!
Why it happened - I took a chance on line when they went on sale
Why it made me happy - c'mon....the boss! I'll be seeing him in April. It's something to look forward to.

HappyUP!!! - guitar "fixed"
Why it happened - I made the drive to store
Why it makes me happy - first, I found the problem this morning. It was just in time to take my axe with
me when I was heading downtown for another reason. Downtown is where the music store is. The guy there
fixed the problem in an instant......he wrapped the batteries for the pickup with a post it note. No shipping my axe off to who knows where.

HappyUP!!! Day 356

Only 16 days left - have you booked your room in Paris?....will you be celebrating in a villa in Tuscany? It's probably too late to make a reservation.

When 1 year of HappyUP!!!'s are upon us - the people who have been planning will already have taken up all of the places in the streets for dancing.

That's OK - you can celebrate in the comfort of your own living room.

HappyUP!!! - all reviews practically done
Why it happened - I am grinding them out
Why it makes me happy - it is just a relief every time I get one done. If you are a supervisor, you know what I mean. If you aren't, there is no way you could get it.

HappyUP!!! - grinding out the annual trainings
Why it happened - it was Friday afternoon. I had a few minutes. I turned it into an hour and I am well on my way to having this annual chore done.
Why it makes me happy - we have to take the compliance refresher courses every year. It's a good thing. It's a wonderful reminder to all of us to do the right thing. It's just a great feeling when you finish them. Though I have a few to go, I knocked some pesky ones off today. Relief.

HappyUP!!! - sitting with the auditor
Why it happened - the auditor was doing one of my branches today
Why it makes me happy - I like our auditor. I learn things about the company so I always make sure that I do a debrief when the audits are done.

HappyUP!!! Day 355

HappyUP!!! - the Dow Jones drops 300 poi.........ooops! Not a HappyUP!!! but it is a testimony to the HappyUP!!! process. If all I was focused on was the stock market, it would be a bad ending to the day.

HappyUP!!! - call from a colleague
Why it happened - he said he would call
Why it makes me happy - he has some good ideas to help get through this market

HappyUP!!! - call from a friend
Why it happened - he returned my e-mail with a phone call
Why it makes me happy - I got caught up with this person. We hadn't talked in forever. He is doing great. He said he would do me a favor. He also is going to make a custom item for me when I need it.

HappyUP!!! - budgeting should be easy to do
Why it happened - I have no idea
Why it makes me happy - it is going to be a tough year. "Making budget" should be one less thing to worry about and have to manage......there are enough other things to work on.

HappyUP!!! Day 354

HappyUP!!! - interview
Why it happened - we are always looking for people
Why it makes me happy - I think we found a solid "doubles" hitter today. We just keep building the team.

HappyUP!!! - knocked out some reviews
Why it happened - I forced myself to sit down to that computer
Why it makes me happy - my HR "In Box" is close to empty. I would really like one more push tomorrow and empty it. It will quickly refill but I now can see that an empty in box would feel great.

HappyUP!!! - indoor kitty
Why it happened - I heard a scratch at the door
Why it makes me happy - it's a little nippy out there. I don't usually let the outdoor cats in. I had Shadow in tonight.....and then back in....hey, I think she is still in. Even though she is not used to it, my bet is she is going to pop up and snuggle down next to me to sleep tonight. I could do an entire posting on the therapeutic qualities of a cat purring.

HappyUP!!! Day 353

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters
Why it happened - it's Tuesday
Why it STILL makes me happy - after 20 yrs. I wrote and gave a great talk. I heard another great talk. We had a very interested guest. The list goes on and on

HappyUP!!! - part two of my physical
Why it happened - I go and get an annual
Why it makes me happy - blood work, blood pressure, cholesterol were all in good shape. So was that "other" part.....hey, the world makes you think that every other guy has a prostate issue. You can't worry about that or you would go crazy. You can celebrate when, at least this time around, you aren't the other guy.

HappyUP!!! - home decorating solution
Why it happened - I had the TV setup guy come out
Why it makes me happy - we came up with an innovative solution that is going to work perfectly!....should save me some dough, too!

HappyUP!!! Day 352

HappyUP!!! - calling people about compensation
Why it happened - it's bonus time
Why it makes me happy - they were both getting more than they expected. I could hear the joy in their voices. That joy was precious to me.

HappyUP!!! - having my idea presented to my peers
Why it happened - my boss thought it was a timely suggestion
Why it makes me happy - I felt like I had been crying wolf for a few months about a problem. Finally, we are on the road to getting the issue solved.

HappyUP!!! - finding out about a subordinates comp
Why it happened - the comp came out right....the first time
Why it makes me happy - I thought that I was going to have to fight for one of my employees to get paid correctly. When the info came out on the website today, it was correct the first time. All I had to do was hit an "approve" button and pick up the phone (see first HappyUP!!!). Sometimes, you have to appreciate when the anticipate worst doesn't happen. Did I say "sometimes"? You should do it everytime!


JollyJottings

Meeting with client
Meeting with a subordinate
Assisting with getting a deal fixed
A nice no rush morning before going to the office
Good eating
A fun e-mail project with a friend
Calling a subordinate about compensation
Finding out about a subordinates compensation
Having my idea presented to my peers

HappyUP!!! Day 351....Jan 13....LohriUP!!!!

HappyUP!!! - going to a Lohri celebration....the celebration of the bonfire.

Why it happened - one of my employees is East Indian and they celebrate this festival

Why it makes me happy - their community gets together in a joyous celebration to their God. They are giving thanks to the harvest. In the case of the one I went to, it had the added joy to celebrate that a male son was born since last Jan 13th. Joy and GREAT food are always a HappyUP!!!


I had to go here to get the real story - most of the young people couldn't explain it to me. The older folks knew it so well that they couldn't dumb it down for me....plus there was that pesky dialogue barrier.



HappyUP!!! - women out dancing with each other at the Lohri

Why it happened - it seems to be a tradition

Why it makes me happy - this starts to look very similar to how we anglos do it. The women want to dance so they go dance with themselves. Plus, look at those beautiful outfits. A gorgeous site.








HappyUP!!! - all the men were at the bar

Why it happened - it's what men do at functions like this

Why it makes me happy - it doesn't matter what language we speak. We are all the same. The women go dance with themselves why the men pound cocktails. It's like a world unifying concept!

HappyUP!!! Day 350

HappyUP!!! - breakfast
Why it happened - Saturday is likely to be breakfast day
Why it makes me happy - today it was just me and my friend. We were there for two hours discussing life and cutting up. It's the absolute best.

HappyUP!!! - found my camera
Why it happened - I glanced in "that last place"
Why it makes me happy - I hate losing stuff.....and I like to have a camera handy

HappyUP!!! - e-mail
Why it happened - I have some cool friends
Why it makes me happy - sometimes, the people you want to talk to aren't around....a phone conversation isn't convenient. I connected to "discuss" an issue with a friend far away.

Jan 12 - Is It a New Year?

(Note: to my friends at SundayScribblings , this is the correct link for this week's topic. I didn't mean to post twice)

How did you feel on New Year's Day? - forget about the public or private resolutions....

For most - those have already been forgotten. They were "head" decisions.

Think back - to that place where, if you got some quiet time, you secretly said to yourself, "this is the year where things are going to be different."

And you kind of sort of believed it - perhaps things weren't so rushed in the post-Christmas time.


You saw the change in lifestyle possible - and advantageous. You even may have started living it. The holidays are a fascinating time. Sure, they can be busy with parties and year end deadlines. But, there usually is some lull that we all find....some of us more than others. It is a time for reflection...

..and maybe therein lies the key - that time of reflection tells you that you may or may not be in a bad spot. You just know that it isn't optimal. You focus on how it is that you got there. Then, it hits you that there may be a slightly better place. You start to embrace it a little bit....

...Before you know it - "LIFE" as you know it steps up, defends itself, and gets in the way. You don't have the ability to push it aside and drive to that other place.

...and, you are right - you don't. In that frame of reference and time, you don't have the time to change. Maybe, just maybe, you have the time and power to reflect once again. The reflection may not be a power that lets you advance against the enemy. The reflection just gives you a foothold to say, "Life, I know you are trying to push against me and keep me in a certain spot. You can push but I am not giving in. I am going to stand right here. While I stand here, I am going to be gathering my troops. When the troops get a little stronger and the direction becomes a bit more clear, you WILL be pushed to the side."

Base camp....footholds....inches gained and retained - these are to be appreciated. It's nice to score a touchdown with a long bomb instantly. It's flashy. It's easy. It involves some luck. Most touchdowns are won by gaining a few yards...and then a few more. Then, you are stopped and have to punt. You stop the enemy. They punt back but you gained a few yards in the exchange. Your field position improves. You have a new base of operations.

It's only Jan 12 - if you wanted to change and nothing has, that's OK. Just don't give in and get beaten back to that place of dissatisfaction....

...or the conversation won't happen again for 11.75 months.

HappyUP!!! Day 349

HappyUP!!! - cancelled meeting
Why it happened - the other person was busy
Why it made me happy - one less meeting!

HappyUP!!! - competitor bought
Why it happened - they were suffering
Why it makes me happy - it makes things interesting for our competitor

HappyUP!!! - the scale
Why it happened - the cleanse is over
Why it makes me happy - as long as I have a sensible day tomorrow, I'll have a very impressive health start to the New Year!

HappyUP!!! Day 348

HappyUP!!! - a comment
Why it happened - I had a meeting
Why it makes me happy - I was leading my meeting. We were at a serious point. One of my managers made a comment that was outrageously funny....yet, it was on-point so it wasn't disruptive.

HappyUP!!!- getting something off my chest
Why it happened - I am in the midst of something
Why it makes me happy - it was hard. It was scary. It was something I felt must be done. I moved it to the next step today. It was time to get the monkey off my back.

HappyUP!!! - a decision
Why it happened - it needed to be made one way or another
Why it makes me happy - I involved my team. I took their input. They are committed knowing all circumstances. That was the buy in that I needed to tip the scale and move forward.

Barrelling toward One Year of HappyUP!!!'s

(This post was originally run in early 2007. Yeah, I could have just linked to it but, without those catchy buttons, who would have traveled back into the past?)

HappyUP!!! Project Revisited

I just noticed - there are still a couple of people on the internet that have not found NuttersNotes

Because the last of the stragglers will probably be stopping by today - it is prime time for a little refresher course in what this HappyUP!!! thing is all about.

For an older explanation and the rationale - you need to nothing more than click here

...and you really should do that - because I can't devote this entire post to remedial students. I have to take care of the people following along.

If you are a follower - there has never been a better time to step up and lead. Your family needs you to do it. The world needs you to do it. I need you to do it. YOU need you to do it.

You may be happy - which makes you an excellent candidate for the project. The daily excercise is so easy that even the Nutster has been able to do it for over 300 documentable days....right here in front of your own eyes.

All I am coaching you for is - to do 7 days....and then stretch it until it becomes a daily habit. The net effect is that YOU create your good news. Tired of the newspapers and the fabricated stories that are beaten into the ground? Don't take more in....DO something about it. Here is a great example:

The HappyUP!!! - a fish with lips

Why it happened - I was carrying my camera when I went to dinner. I commented on the aquarium to the owner of the eating establishment. "Did you see the big fish....the one with lips?"

Why it made me happy - do you remember the old game when someone asked something really obvious? Today, we just go "duh." In a more creative time, we would say, "Is the Pope Cathholic?" or "Does a bear poop in the woods?" for a positive answer. If the answer was an obvious "No," we would say, "does a fish have lips?"
Well, as it turns out, I guess a fish does have lips!!!

....and that makes me happy - that's all there is to it! It's so easy, even the Nutster can do it! I took a moment, not all day obsessing, and recognized that little situation made me happy. The more times you realize what makes you happy, the happier you are going to be.

It's easy to single out all of the things - than make you mad, sad, frustrated, etc and attach all kinds of emotion to them. Why do you need to do that? The answer: you don't NEED to do it...you CHOOSE to do it. And, just like you made the choice to focus on the crappy, you can make a new choice to focus on the Happy.

Yes, it is a formalized version - of "count your blessings." Is there a better time to start than right now?

If you are a fellow blogger - you can even work it into a daily posting amongst the other wonderful things you are putting up. It's a wonderful accountability to yourself. I can't tell you the number of times I have gone up to bed, laid down, and said, "oops...I have the HappyUP!!!s. I just forgot to post them."...and back to the computer I went.

....and it has been worth every trip! - I have been hearing a comment from people lately that I have never heard before. "Nutster, you are so positive....I really like that." Hmmmmmm........I think I am going to continue.

HappyUP!!! Day 347

HappyUP!!! - phone call returned by a recruit
Why it happened - I called the recruit at the right time
Why it makes me happy - the right things are being said. We are heading in the right direction

HappyUP!!! - clarifying returned call
Why it happened - a heated call happened previously
Why it makes me happy - I am glad the person called to set the record straight exactly about what was said

HappyUP!!! - calls and e-mails from friends
Why it happened - who knows why they show up with an ear at the right time
Why it makes me happy - today was a tough, high stress day. Sometimes when people call me, it is for me to listen. Today it was their turn and it makes me happy they were there.

HappyUP!!! Day 346

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters
Why it happened - it's Tuesday
Why it makes me happy - we were off two weeks for the holiday. I missed the group so it was good to be back. More importantly, we had a FANTASMIC meeting! Two great speeches. Sharp evaluations. Awesome.

HappyUP!!! - my presentation
Why it happened - I had to cover when someone ran late
Why it makes me happy - I had an important piece to give at a meeting. This was an important one with some fairly big people in the room. At the last minute, the person opening the meeting called because he was late. Because I was up after him, I covered his spot. Everything went great. One of the big people, who has been to MANY of these rollout meetings...many.....went out of her way to tell me how great a job I did. Because of the way I presented it, she had never thought of it that way before and said that I was super on-point. I was able to deliver my prepared portion (what she was talking about) after delivering the piece that I was tossed into. No problem. Why? See HappyUP!!! above.............Toastmasters

HappyUP!!! - finding a mistake
Why it happened - my on-line stock account wasn't jibing with my off line tracker
Why it makes me happy - I owned 500 more shares of a stock than I had recorded in my tracker. It made me feel like I "found" a TON of dough. Did I really? Literally, I didn't. In my mind, I did. Which is right? All I know is that I feel much wealthier catching my mistake!

HappyUP!!! Day 345

HappyUP!!! - trading chairs
Why it happened - it's a new year
Why it makes me happy - I go to a meeting every Monday morning. I have for over 6 years. The first meeting of the year is "musical chairs" where we all change locations. Fun!

HappyUP!!! - an e-mail
Why it happened - a friend shot it to me
Why it makes me happy - I got some unexpected (and welcome) information

HappyUP!!! - crab
Why it happened - I scavenged
Why it makes me happy - I couldn't join some associates immediately for appetizers. I had to get there late. They had a bunch of leftover crab legs. They begged me to eat them....and I did...with no butter, no sauce!

SuperHappyUP!!! - sugarless, sandwichless meeting
Why it happened - I showed restraint
Why it makes me happy - I had to be in a 5 hr meeting. Candy dishes were all around me. It was one ladies birthday and they brought in a gorgeous cake. I had none of it as I am sworn off sugar right now. This is an accomplishment that must be recognized. I didn't have any of the sandwiches/chips either. Winner!!! I am still alive.

JollyJottings

Trading chairs
E-Mail
Crab
Hard Talk

HappyUP!!! Day 344 - Walking with Dinosaurs

HappyUP!!! - trip to the gym
Why it happened - I made myself go
Why it makes me happy - I was a relentless gym attender in 2006.....a stranger in 2007. I didn't want to go today but I got my 30 minutes in today for the first time in 2008. It may not seem like much but every journey of 1000 miles starts with the first step

HappyUP!!! - weighing in
Why it happened - it's Sunday...it's when I do it.
Why it makes me happy - the work that I am doing resulted in 3 pounds lost this week. That, friends, is a great start of the day.

HappyUP!!! - a run
Why it happened - I forced myself
Why it makes me happy - I have a new 2 mile best for the year. It was a full 20 second faster than New Year's Day.

JollyJottings

Trip to the gym
weigh in
run...I went
run...I beat my time of 5 days ago
Company to Walk with Dinosaurs
Walk with Dinosaurs
Sprint Help Line - I multitasked
No flooding
Driving my car
Loaded the shuffle...no problem

HappyUP!!! Day 343

HappyUP!!!- another good eating day
Why it happened - it needed to after that Mexican dinner last night
Why it makes me happy - I should be heading for a good initial 2008 weigh in tomorrow

HappyUP!!! -drainage
Why it happened - I got on it
Why it makes me happy - I think I discovered the problem that was causing some flooding. Yes, I had to get out the shovel in some really muddy territory but I think I got the problem solved....more rain on the way.

HappyUP!!! - got my data back
Why it happened - I made another try
Why it makes me happy - long story but I have been getting all of my CD's on to my computer. I have been shooting the data on to my external storage and taking it off my hard drive. I wasn't able to get it back....then I did! That is a HappyUP!!!
HappyUP!!! - going to bed early

HappyUP!!! Day 342

HappyUP!!! - a nasty, nasty storm
Why it happened - nature does that
Why it makes me happy - when nature does what nature does, it let's us know who is really in charge around here. It's humbling. All of a sudden, all the "all so important" things we do aren't so important anymore.

(Really sorry my brother had to lose the tree in his front yard. As you can tell, I wasn't sorry enough to get out of the truck and do anything....yes, that is the antennae of my truck you see....hey, there wasn't anything I could do. What? Was I supposed to lift the thing up and re-root it?)


HappyUP!!! - MEXICAN FOOD!
Why it happened - my nephew stopped by and said he, my bro/sis, and another couple were going to Carmelitas. I hadn't been there in awhile
Why it makes me happy - real food! OK....shame on me. I am on a cleanse. This was in violation. I was ready to eat my piece of salmon at home...but I didn't. I am happy that I only had ONE item along with the rice and beans.....I was the only one at the table that did that.

HappyUP!!! - haircut
Why it happened - I do get my haircut
Why it makes me happy - I am now being known at the barbershop....even if it is as "the banker." It's a weird cast of eclectic characters down at the ear lowering joint....I fit right in. It's kind of like a Cheers thing...where everybody knows your name...even if mine is "the banker."

HappyUP!!! Day 341

HappyUP!!! - dinner
Why it happened - it was dinner time
Why it makes me happy - the first real food that I have had in 72 hours! A piece of salmon, a little salad with oil and vinegar, and a little brown rice. No salts....no sugars. I ate at 5:30 and I am wonderfully full.

HappyUP!!! - conversation with a co-worker
Why it happened - he came into the office
Why it makes me happy - he had a heart attack last weekend! He got angioplasty and a stint. He's alive. I've known the guy for 19 years. I got a chance to talk with him about "the experience." Scary.

HappyUP!!! - seeing my staff
Why it happened - we were all in the office
Why it makes me happy - we all kind of scattered after the holiday. I miss them when I am gone...and vice versa.

HappyUP!!! Day 340

HappyUP!!! - blood draw
Why it happened - I made the appointment
Why it makes me happy - it's just for my physical. I don't know the results but, up or down, I'll know. I didn't exactly follow through on my entire physical last year. It will be done...and early...this year.

HappyUP!!!- bought a consultation
Why it happened - I made an appointment
Why it makes me happy - I am finally going to get a pro out to the house to give me my TV/Home Theater options. This little project procrastination has set back my entire decorating situation. Not for much longer.

HappyUP!!! - day 2 of my cleanse is over
Why it happened - I started the cleanse yesterday
Why it makes me happy - the first two days on my cleanse, you get NO REAL FOOD...not even a powder shake. Hence, with the system used to eating anything, the system does not like day 1 & 2. It's done!

HappyUP!!! Day 339.....HappyUP!!! New Year

Note: Sunday, Feb 3. Do you have it marked in your calender? What? You marked Christmas and somebody's birthday. You don't have the most important day IN HISTORY marked yet? C'mon....get that Outlook Calender out and get with it. ONLY 33 days until we celebrate 1 year of HappyUP!!!-ing on-line. What will you be doing to celebrate?

HappyUP!!! - goodbye to 2007
Why it happened - once again, it's a calender thing
Why it makes me happy - I have a habit of reflecting back on the previous year when we get to this point. I keep a few notes in a word document. I'll jot down the date and the high (or low) light as it occurs. As I was preparing to dig in, I really thought 2007 was going to be average...or below. A relationship ended, my dad got sick and died, my industry is in a downturn, and the muckity mucks at work are up to no good....and have been for three months. On top of it, I went from 4 pounds down going into the last quarter to 3 pounds up for the year. Yet, as I reflected back on the good things, it was a solid year. I won't call it a banner one...but a good one to build off of for 2008. I am incredibly optimistic about the next 12 months.

HappyUP!!! - day one of the cleanse is nearing completion
Why it happened - I am committed to two cleanses a year....might as well get number one out of the way
Why it makes me happy - I believe day one is the worst. You just drink root juice and eat the human equivalent of a dog biscuit. I could be facing the worst when I try to go to sleep later. Today has been no picnic....but it's almost done!

HappyUP!!! - day off tomorrow
Why it happened - I need to take some more days off
Why it makes me happy - I don't take nearly enough days off. I already have several planned for this month. I'll get out ahead of that curve! Something to look forward to tomorrow is always a HappyUP!!! today.