Episode 57: October-December 2011
• Trip to Massachusetts;
• Sheorey parents visit Midland;
• Deb visits Houston;
• Christmas and New Years in Australia.
I recall my mum telling me as a young girl that “the older you get, the quicker the years go.” She was a wise woman indeed. With the arrival of October, we marked our fifth year (!) in Midland. Time really flies. We started October by welcoming the seasonal changing of the colors on all the trees around us, which Michigan is famous for. Our new neighborhood is surrounded by trees, so it was fun to experience the daily changes in the colors of the leaves – watching as they went from green to yellow to vivid oranges and reds before falling off entirely.
Neal started off the month by finishing up a big project with work. He was put in charge of leading up our company’s annual Investor Day event, during which we showcase the company for our shareholders, give them access to our senior leaders, and provide an update on our strategic direction. This year’s event was in New York City, and Neal was not given much time to put together a meaningful program. Despite the time constraints, the project team pulled together an impressive and successful event, and it seemed that everyone was happy with the outcome. (At least, the stock price was up that day!) I know it was a lot of work for Neal, and he was certainly glad to have that project – and the stress that came along with it – behind him!
As for me, one of my highlights of the month was a work trip I made to historic Concord, Massachusetts. Concord is about 30 miles outside of Boston, and is known for the significant place it holds in the history books. Concord is credited as the scene of the first battle in the American Revolutionary War. The town was also a place that some prominent literary figures called home at times in their lives, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Concord’s small, but quaint, downtown has preserved the Victorian-style buildings of its past and is filled with many markers of where notable historic activities took place.
The purpose of my visit to this historic part of the world was to attend a four-day program with the executive coaches from Insight Partners. I found the week both challenging and therapeutic, providing me the opportunity to take a step back from the day-to-day, learn more about my personal triggers and stressors, and determine how to channel my energy for maximum impact moving forward. Neal flew into Boston at the end of the week so we could spend a long weekend together in Boston, one of our favorite cities in the U.S. And while we had a great time in the city, we were not spared from some winter weather. A pretty big storm hit the northeast U.S. that weekend, and while we only saw a few inches of snow in Boston, some nearby towns got hit pretty hard. Since we have been to Boston before, we did not feel pressured to do much sight-seeing. Instead, we took the opportunity to stroll around some of our favorite shopping streets (including Newbury Street), see some neighborhoods that we had not explored (South End, Back Bay, and North End), and of course, eat some good food.
The month of November came and went quickly. The highlight of the month was when Neal’s parents visited us in Michigan and spent five days with us over the Thanksgiving break. This was the first time that Neal’s parents have seen the new house, so there was certainly some excitement around that. In addition to enjoying the new house, we spent a day shopping, caught a movie (Tower Heist), and explored some of the local sights. But generally, we spent the majority of the time together relaxing, cooking, and playing cards. Given the busy months that we had all had, the down time was very much welcomed.
The month of December proved to be a full one on many fronts. While the focus for both of us in the month was to finalize things at work where we felt that we could comfortably relax over Christmas, I did manage to sneak in some fun as well. My friend, Stephanie (who now lives in Sao Paulo, Brazil), flew to Houston to spend the month with her mum. I flew to Houston to spend a brief two days with her. After arriving on a Friday afternoon, our whirlwind weekend began with a catch-up over margaritas and Mexican food. The next morning, we found a local Nia class to attend and shake our booties, followed by a shopping trip to the Galleria, pedicures, lunch, and then some relaxing at Steph’s mum’s house. And then, for me, it was an early flight home the next day.
In the middle of the month, Neal found out that he is going to start 2012 in a new job! Neal was announced as the new Finance Director for our Chemicals business group. This is an exciting move for Neal, not only because it is a promotion, but also because it means that all the hours, sweat, and stress he has put into his Investor Relations job these past three years were not overlooked by our leadership. Needless to say, he is looking forward to the new challenge and change of pace.
We spent the second-half of the month on vacation, this year in Australia. We chose to cross the Pacific this time on Virgin Australia. And while we still cannot say we are used to the long (16-hour) flight from L.A. to Melbourne, we were able to catch a few movies and even some sleep. The time in Australia was wonderful – the whole family was in town: my older sister (Carol), who now lives in Denmark; my dad and Julie from Switzerland; and one of my best friends (Nat), who now lives in San Diego. We got plenty of catch up time with friends Andrea and Chris, and snuggle time with their one-year-old daughter, Olivia, who has grown up a lot in the last twelve months. There was plenty of down time, just hanging out with friends and family. We celebrated Christmas at Mum and Tony’s, sitting outside and enjoying a feast of seafood and barbecue, and catching up with the extended family as we waited for Santa’s arrival at midnight. We caught up with Dad’s family and friends over a beachside barbecue and spent lots of time with my sisters. We also had a 140th birthday celebration – Dad’s 60th, Julie’s 50th, and Candace’s 30th – at a fantastic Italian restaurant in St. Kilda called Di Stasio. We made a few day trips while we were in Australia – one to the Old Melbourne Gaol, the very first prison in Melbourne, and one to an abandoned coal mine in Wonthaggi, a gorgeous coastal town about two hours away from Melbourne. Candace had a big 30th birthday party at a local bar, which was a big highlight of the trip. She chose an 80’s theme for the party, and it was so fun to see the costumes that everyone wore to mark the occasion! We danced the night away in Lycra, legwarmers, and way too much fluorescent clothing. And then finished the night the way all good nights on the town in Melbourne finish - with souvlakis at 2 a.m.! It was a great night. We spent New Year’s Eve with Mum, Tony, and Candace, sitting in a park along the bay in Williamstown, enjoying a picnic, and watching the fireworks display over the city of Melbourne.
Overall, the Australia trip was a great one, giving us the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family. We were also able to reflect on what a great year 2011 was, both professionally and personally, and remind ourselves how lucky we are to have such great friends and family in our lives. It was a re-energizing feeling, and put us in a great frame of mind to start 2012!
