When I opened it, I found a card from my boss.  She thanked me for all the work I have been doing on reports lately (a key area that I have been tasked with improving) and emphasizing their “greatful”-ness that I joined the team.

Oh, and $100 worth of American Express Gift Cheques.  Score.

I wasn’t really looking forward to it initially because this week was crazy busy and I just wanted one night to actually be home before 8 or 9pm and just relax.  But it turned out to be a really good night.  The food was INCREDIBLY good!  Everything from the appetizers to the desserts and every bite in between was excellent.  If I were independently wealthy, I might eat there again.  But this was, luckily, paid for by our boss.  And he was very clear in telling us to order WHATEVER we wanted.  And told the waiter to keep the wine coming, which he did.  I have no idea how many glasses I actually had because they just kept topping it off.  Good wine, too.

The big surprise of the night came when our boss presented each member of our team with a “thank you” gift.  FREAKING IPODS!!!  The 30GB ones that do video and everything.  Definitely wasn’t expecting that!

I never really thought I’d want an ipod, so of course, I joked about selling it on eBay.  Until I realized they had our names and the project and date engraved on them.    I think they are pretty cool, I’m just not a headphones person.  I know I can use it in the car, over my home stereo, and a number of other ways that would be cool, but those all involve buying extra accessories.  Everyone who has one tells me I will be addicted to it in no time, so we’ll see.

So tonight I’ve installed the software and am converting all the music I already had on my computer to iTunes.  Then I guess I’ll start importing some of my other cds.  I’m confused though because supposedly this thing will hold like 7500 songs.  But on iTunes, where it is still importing what’s on my computer, it shows like 680 MB already.  That’s 68 GB, right?  Or 6.8 GB?  Or .068?  Oh.  Nevermind.  Duh.

Currently listening to, watching, reading, planning to get, etc.

Pure Blues By Various Artists Release Date: Apr 17, 2001

It was a good day because my boss gave me 2 lower level tickets to a Stars game in March.  And thanked me for doing such a great job this year.  Said I really took on the challenge of my new role and ran with it.

It was a bad day because my boss told us he has accepted another position in the department, effective January 1.  And one of my coworkers will be taking over as manager of our team.
It was a good day because, when I got home tonight, I had a FedEx package from Red.  Early birthday present?  What is this?  When I opened it and saw what it was, I laughed so hard I cried.  I guess my tantrum-like stomping of my light up heels and insistence on what I was NOT supposed to be at the Halloween party made a lasting impression.

It was a (very cool) plaque from Target.  With the following design on it.