Finished!

I meant to post this yesterday, but then I got sidetracked and WENT TO BED EARLY!!!

I wish that meant that I was feeling very rested, but with the rain, it's just making me want to go home and curl up with the book I started last night - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

But, I digress - this post is about me finally finishing Why GM Matters! Here's my review that I posted on Facebook and GoodReads...

In usual cases, a book like this would probably bore me. However, having grown up in Michigan, with a father that worked for auto suppliers his whole life, I found this book to be interesting, from the history about GM, to the evolution of the new Camaro and the Chevy Volt, to where does GM go from here?

My feeling is if the media reported the things that GM was doing right, instead of focusing on everything that was wrong, then maybe people would have a little more sympathy for the company. And maybe it's not even a matter of sympathy for the company, but at least realizing how many businesses would start to have trouble if GM went bankrupt. GM is the #1 private company to purchase IT items...what happens to the IT industry if GM goes under? What happens to the cafes, barber shops, stores, and other businesses around GM plants if they disappear?

GM did things their way for a long time, because the market didn't force them to change. At this point, they are being forced to change by outside companies, consumers, and a global marketplace. However, with a culture like theirs, it's not easy to change opinions within the company, and it has taken some time. But, it's happening.

Anyone who wants more of an understanding about the company, and what they are doing to move into the future, should read this book.

Melancholy

I'm not sure if it's been that I've been pretty low key this week, and taking some time for myself, or just decompressing from work, but it's been one of those blah weeks. I haven't been feeling 100% and have been feeling like I'm just not doing enough in life.

Usually, I don't let things going on in the nation/world get me down too much, but I've been fairly down about what's going on with the economy and the lives of others. I wish I could do more to help people. I wish I could buy a new car to help the automobile companies. I wish I could give people jobs. Things haven't necessarily been easy for me, but I have a job.

I think part of it is the book I've been reading also. Why GM Matters by William J. Holstein. It's been kind of an eye opening book, and just reminds me that despite the best laid plans, not everything will always work out the way you want it to. And while you can really want to move forward quickly, it isn't always in the best interest of your organization or company. When changing attitudes, you have to do it at a pace where the organization or company won't fall apart.

With those words of wisdom, I am off to read more about the transformation of GM, and hope that it can work for the sake of the families that rely on these companies for income and their livelihood.

Home?

This is the third night in a row that I've gotten to come home after work and just hang out here. It's been really nice to have the chance to do it.

On Monday night, I was just feeling super hyper, and started to pack up things in my apartment for the move at the end of May. It's felt kind of weird, packing already, but then I looked at my calendar, and I have something going EVERY weekend until I can move into my new place! So, I decided that I need to start packing all the stuff I'm taking, and throwing out the stuff I don't want! And boy, there's a lot of it.

Last night, I ended up really not doing anything. I putzed around online, and just plain didn't do anything. I had wanted to read, but time just got away from me. I kept looking at the piles of books on my floor that need to find a box, but that's about as far as I got.

When I've been home, I've actually changed my 7-8pm TV viewing habits. I only have a few stations - NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, PBS. I used to keep Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! on from that time period, but I switched over to Family Guy. I forgot how much I love the show! It cracks me up and makes me feel better at the end of the day. It's been a nice change of pace.

Luckily, there's only two more days left in the work week, then it's the weekend!

Sunday

As I sit in my living room on a rainy Sunday, I'm trying to let go of this past week, while also preparing for next week. Things are going to start getting very crazy at work this week, but I'm still feeling the effects of a short week last week and all the things I had to fit into it.

So far today, I slept in (really late!), got up, went to the library and Target, and now I'm home for the day. I think the rest of the day will include reading and watching a movie, with a little cleaning! Granted, I'm really feeling like taking a nap.

I definitely no problem being a slug today. How do you spend lazy days?

Mmm mm, chicken and waffles!

That's right - that's a waffle, with chicken on it, with cabbage in between. I love Mia & Grace.

Not convinced yet? Well then, check out the white chocolate blueberry cheesecake...

Wow.

I forgot how much I missed this place! So I went back the next day and got a piece of carrot cake. I'm trying to only eat small pieces of it, but it's almost gone...and it was fabulous!

I'm not sure if this week felt a lot busier because it's been a short one for me at work, but I've been very busy since Tuesday. I had a nice few days off, and I was sad to get back to the real world. However, this weekend, Sunday is my free day - my plan is to stay home all day...

I have lots to do at home - starting to pack for the move, books to read, movies to watch, naps to take... Here's to wishing it was Sunday!

Catch up...

First - this:

From girls night out at sushi - all of our orders came out on one plate, and it was awesome.

This past Monday, I went to IKEA for the first time in Canton. My friends Jen, Steph and Amy from Muskegon picked me up on their way there. I thought it was really cool to get to go. So, I took a picture of a room I really liked.

This was in the "Live in 592 sq. ft." room. I love bookshelves.

We had lunch at the cafe there. I had the Swedish meatballs. I couldn't resist - and they were so good. They came with lignonberry preserves and mashed potatoes. Mmmm.

We stopped at the outlets near Howell on the way back, then decided to eat dinner in Lansing at Asia's Finest. Everyone seemed to like it.

However, Eric and I just went to Asia's Finest tonight, and I have to show you his experience with food porn.

Actually, this was Steph's from Monday, but Eric just tried it and loved it. Yum, pho!!!

And, here's my meal (both days!) Mmm, bun dac biet....

I love food.

Budgets and decisions

In my attempt to spend less, which is a goal that Eric and I both have, I have had to make some hard decisions. I like to go out to eat, out with people, go shopping, etc. However, I have had to start picking and choosing where I go and what I do. I've been frequenting the library a lot, watching movies from Netflix, and generally trying to eat at home more.

I've been bringing my lunch to work - Chef Boyardee and I have become quite familiar with each other (can't go wrong for $1 lunches!). I've been trying to resist being super lazy at night and actually making something when I get home instead of picking something up.

It's not easy trying to break habits that I've developed over the last year or so. It's easier to develop the habits. However, I can't complain a whole lot about spending more time at home and taking time for myself. The hardest part recently has been trying to fulfill my obligations as well as I can, but with restrictions. That means I do have to make hard decisions and pick and choose where I go.

One day, maybe I won't have to make the hard decisions, but I'm not betting on it. I can only hope that I don't let it stress me out as much as it has been lately.

Do you have any budget saving tips? If so, what are they?

Ugh.

This week was just a bad week - I can't pinpoint when I decided that. It might have been when I fell on my way into work (stupid sidewalk potholes), but I have a feeling it was really earlier than that. Things at work didn't quite go how I would have liked them to - I wasn't as productive as I needed to be since I was quite busy (funny how that works...)

I am finally getting some time off from work this week and next, and really looking forward to it. Monday brings a trip to IKEA with my friends from Muskegon - I haven't been there yet, so it should be fun! I'm also hoping to catch up with some things around the house when I'm off at the end of the week. There were so many things I was trying to juggle this past week and it didn't all pan out - and I wasn't expecting so many things to be going on.

Here's to hoping the coming week is better.

More reading...

So, as I posted earlier this week, I finished The Believers. The other night, mostly due to the resignation of Rick Wagoner from GM, I started Why GM Matters. I know that not everything the media says is true, so I decided to try and learn a little more about why one of the largest companies in the U.S. is getting such an unfair shake, especially after the whole bank bailout.

I'm only about 50 pages into the book, but I'm starting to see a little bit of what Mr. Wagoner inherited - a broken business model. I'm not a business person by any means, but a company that has operated the way GM did for years is not easy to turn around. I'm curious to see what the rest of the book has to say, but I think the book is telling a little more of the story than the media has been.

Reading more about what has happened to this company also makes me angrier about the financial bailout to banks and financial institutions - where was the accountability for them? How come the administration hasn't told their CEO's to step down? How has that money been spent?

A lot of this is just off the top of my head questions, and it may or may not be coherent. But, had to get it out.

Oh, did I mention I might be biased because my dad has worked many years for auto suppliers? So yeah, I feel a sort of loyalty to American car companies.