A tragedy among my staff

I got to the office at 9am on Saturday, and while Aaron and I were updating staff members on a new start time, I answered the telephone as ususal: "Prodigy Staffing, this is Jessica" to a woman who was clearly upset. It was one of our staff members who was scheduled for the day who told us that she and her friend Shateese would not be at work today because Shateese passed away the night prior.

At 30, Shateese died from a terrible car accident caused by a head-on collision with a man running from the police after stealing a car and attempting an armed robbery. Shateese has gone through a culinary school and was seeking full time employment as a chef, looking to become a successful professional.

Although Shateese and I had only a professional relationship, I will miss her being a part of our staff, especially since she has worked with us for more than a year on a regular basis. In fact, when she came to pick up her paycheck last week, I had a last minute order from a client to work at the State Fair, and she took it. Aaron showed up to the event because it was a car race, and Shateese personally prepared his concession food!

How strange it felt to see her name on the schedule and to know that her last paycheck was in route. And how strange it will be to schedule her friends without her. How tragic it was for her life to end so quickly. And how sad that she did not get the opportunity to celebrate her 31st birthday this week with her family.

http://www.indy.com/posts/victim-of-crash-involving-robbery-suspect-was-from-greenwood

What a weekend! After a packed week of interviews, training, and general staffing, we headed out to the track to work the ridiculously expensive suites for the 500. It's always a good time, but working the race always means several long days that begin at 5am : ( And I wouldn't exactly call myself a morning person, either!

Even though working for myself is a lot of work, frustation, and fear, I wouldn't rather do anything else. I especially enjoy the office gang we have now with me, Aaron, and our salesperson, Stacy, who's totally cool! And I can't complain about the building atmosphere either! I seriously need to post some pictures of this place--it's super neat.

I got the opportunity recently to spend some time with a couple of friends who are already married, and I'm starting to collect advice. Thanks girls! We've been a bit busy with work recently to do a lot of planning, but we've done some venue shopping.

Here's what we've come up with so far (in no particular order):

1. Creation Cafe--(see earlier post) we were thinking of arriving (or leaving) the wedding on a gondola because it's right on the canal!
2. The L.S. Ayers Tea Room at the state museum. We can use the gondola idea here too
3. Oak Hill Mansion out in their wooded grounds. This is one of the companies we work with and have a really good relationship with the owners.
4. Glenns Valley Nature Park-we were thinking about having a picnicky type of wedding, sans the gingham print, plus real tables.
5. The Flower Barn in Lebanon--it's a flower farm with a small barn for hosting events. We're thinking country chic with this one
6. Avon Perrenial Gardens-this place is gorgeous, and the pavilion in which we'd host the reception is the perfect size. We're thinking the picnic thing again with this venue.

I'm excited to do more planning, and I'm sure we'll be setting a date soon. We're thinking September. And we're also planning to get engagement pictures, which will be fun!

So any opinions about the venues?

Crazy changes!

Two things that have dramatically changed in my life over the past few weeks:

1. Graduation from college and working full time for my company
2. Getting engaged!

Since starting work last week, I have been up to my eyeballs in work. This past week, we worked 12 hours most days, and I had trouble finding time to even go to the bathroom from 9-5. And then came Friday! Aaron and I worked in the office until 5am on Thursday/Friday, and then we had to back at work at 8am. I thought the day would end at 5:30pm after checking in my employees at the last event, but I ended up working an event because of bad attendance and didn't get home until 1am. I slept until 3 on Sunday...and then took a nap.....

I'm glad that business is going so well, but it was killing me last week! But I guess I do have a wedding that I need to pay for!

So the engagement! Aaron surprised me the day after graduation, and now we're trying to find time to enjoy our engagement! Aaron's engagement consisted of taking me to the place where we first kissed and where he asked me to prom and then knowing how important having my family and friends are, he had an engagement party waiting for me after he proposed. By the time I realized what was happening, I felt breathless, and I was afraid that I couldn't speak. I know that I want the wedding to be really small and intimate, because after working dozens of weddings through my company, I just prefer a more personal feel.

I am really looking forward to begin wedding plans, but I really want to keep in mind that this is just the first and probably largest party that we will plan as a couple to celebrate the fact that we are commiting our lives to one another. So if you see me and I'm entirely too wrapped up in probably meanial wedding details, tell me to snap out of it ; )