Thank-you TIME Magazine

Love this article...getting super excited for my flirty thirties!

Survey: People Aren’t Happiest Until They Reach Age 33

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/03/29/survey-people-arent-happiest-until-they-reach-age-33/#ixzz1tBvsoftK 

"It’s true: 30 really is the new 20. A study by Friends Reunited, a British social-networking site, found that 70% of respondents over the age of 40 claimed they were not truly happy until they reached 33.

“The age of 33 is enough time to have shaken off childhood naiveté and the wild scheming of teenaged years without losing the energy and enthusiasm of youth,” psychologist Donna Dawson said in the survey’s findings. “By this age innocence has been lost, but our sense of reality is mixed with a strong sense of hope, a ‘can do’ spirit, and a healthy belief in our own talents and abilities.”

Conversely, only 16% of the survey’s respondents pined for their childhood, while 6% said they were happiest while in college.

Many respondents claimed that their happiness at 33 came from fulfillment in their professional lives, as well as having a support system of family and friends. Not surprisingly, 36% said they were happiest when they had children.

Additionally, more than half of survey takers who chose 33 as the magic number said they did so because life at that age was more fun — probably because they had more money to enjoy it."

Masters. Epic. (#9)

I’m not sure if it was the perfectly manicured grass, the feel of exclusivity, the sheer natural beauty, the history or the sum of those parts – but the experience was on different level to anything I’ve previously experienced. The course was hillier, the greens a lot smaller and the 18th much more daunting than we had expected. Dad also noted uncluttered the course was with only golfers and caddies versus the UK where there is an entourage of officiators and press.

The day started out cold, overcast and windy. We settled down with a fantastic view of the green on the 2nd and watched the first ten pairings come through including Sandy Lyle (Scotland), Ian Woosnam (Wales), Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland), Ian Poulter (England), Paul Casey (England), Jason Dufner, Vijay Singh (Fiji), Jim Furyk and Lee Westwood (England). After we saw Westwood’s group come through we decided it was a respectable time (10am) to go and find a beer so we made our way up the hill towards the clubhouse.

We walked up the 18th and lingered on the bend to take in the view of the famous and formidable hole. Then we parked at the tee on the 1st in time to see, among others, Angel Cabrerra (Argentina), Rory McIilory (Northern Ireland), Bubba Watson, three time Masters winner Phil Mickelson , Peter Hansen (Sweden)and Paul Lawrie (Scotland) drive. I was really cold at this point so we went via the main scoreboard to the shop to get me an extra layer and some souvenirs. The shopping expedition was promptly followed by a bbq pork sandwich and a cold beer. As we were eating, the clouds started to break; it got considerably warmer and by the time we walked back over to the 1st layers were coming off.

We walked the full length of the 1st and 2nd and decided to sit in the stands at the 4th. The 4th is a par 3 - from the stands at the 4thh we could see them drive down, putt and then tee off on the 5th. It was relaxing and warm sitting in the stand as we watched the back ten pairings come through including Ricky Fowler, Trevor Immelman (South Africa), Justin Rose (England), two time Masters winner Tom Watson, Jeff Ogilvy (Australia), Matt Kuchar, Henrik Stenson (Sweden), Alvaro Quiros (Spain), reigning Champion Charl Schwartzel (South Africa), Luke Donald (England), Miguel Angel Jiminez (Spain) and “the” Tiger Woods. The circus that follows Woods around the course is quite a sight. We followed Luke Donald’s or the length of the 5th and then stopped to get another beverage en route to Amen Corner.

We drank our beer basking in perfect sunshine on the stands overlooking the green of the 13th and tee of the 14th and then proceeded to settle in a great spot on a hill behind the tee of the12th with views to the green of the 11th and tee of the 13th. We watched the back ten pairings drive over Raes Creek on the par 3 12th. With the sun setting and shadows appearing we walked back up the 11th and 10th to a nice spot behind the bunker to the left of green on the 18th to watch everyone finish.

We were moved back twice as Ricky Fowler and Sang-Moon Bae sent their second shots to the left of the green and into the crowd so close to us I could have picked up the ball. We saw a few birdie finishes and Tom Watson got a standing ovation as he walked in for the day. Tired but happy, we walked back towards the car and saw the course being lovingly primped by hundreds of groundsmen and teams of synchronized mowers – it is quite the production to keep it looking so pristine.

Overall the experience was unreal. I had to pinch myself throughout the day and now watching on TV I’m finding it hard to believe we were actually there. As Oosthuizen pulls ahead after an albatross on the 2nd and Westwood continues to see the chance of victory slipping away I can’t help but feel that watching the final round on TV is such a better experience when you have been several feet away from the players and walked all of the holes. Going to the Maters was on my bucket list but now it’s over, rather than checking it off and moving onto the next adventure, ALL I can think about is finding a way to get back next year.  Judging by the look on Dad's face, I think it is safe to say he had quite a good day too! 

Obama’s House (#19)

U.S. Rep. Robert Hurt (VA-05) was kind enough to overlook the fact that the British burnt the White House to the ground in 1814 and grant me a tour this past weekend.  It was just phenomenal to be in a place so steeped in history.  I stood in the East Room where the bodies of Lincoln and Kennedy lay after their assassination, peeked into the Rose Garden where Thatcher and Regan conversed, strolled through the entrance hall where John Travolta danced with Princess Diana at a gala dinner in 1985 and was looked down on by life size portraits of the 43 former Presidents of the United States.  Oh, and Obama lives there.

Happy Mother's Day

Dear Mommy,

Thank-you for all that you do for Rosie and I.  We love you and appreciate you.  Thinking about you today.

Hugs,

Nicki xxx

Paaaaaaaaaaarty (#29)

Aside from presents, I don’t really enjoy the things you would associate with a milestone birthday – a big party, lots of people and being center of attention.   I’ve also lived half my adult life in the UK and half in the US – so pulling everyone together is challenging.  Taking all of this into consideration I’m declaring July “Birthday Month” and throwing three small parties rather than one big one.

I’m planning Tapas and then a night out in London with my English friends.  I’m going to spend my actual birthday at home with my family – we are having a party in the garden - fingers crossed it’s a beautiful summer evening.  Then I’ll finish it all off with a weekend of fun in Charlotte with my America friends.  I’ve rented a house on Lake Norman so we can swim, grill and play.  I’m really excited for birthday month!

Little Miss Ranty Pants

I’ve taken a little break from the blog, and communication in general.  Christmas holidays are very important family time for me.  My time back home in England was wonderful as ever – lots of eating, drinking, reading, tv, sleeping, football and time with those who matter most. 

I expected to come back to work all rested and recharged but instead I’ve felt behind and disengaged.   A particularly troublesome direct report and an overbearing manager seem to have crushed my desire to get out of bed and drive to work with equal blows.   I will have resolution on the direct report on Monday at 8:30am but the micromanager is a tougher one to work through.  I don’t want to be seen as weak, unable to manage up, or someone who runs from a challenge.  On the flip side I don’t want to become so disengaged that I ruin my own reputation or get so frustrated that I quit. 

Aside from the micromanaging I am most frustrated by the lack of respect he shows me as person.  It is a job, not a vacation, so it should be tough at times.  I will have delicious food and copious amounts of wine tonight, catch up on work at the weekend (while watching play-offs), and begin 2012 over again on Monday with a clean slate.

When I get my work situation under control I can get back to knocking fun items off my list.  Up next Disney/Nascar and a party planning post – it’s looking like a month of birthday events in July.  Also, item #25 is on hold - I’m not sure what it is or where it’s going but I know I like it - that's all you are getting for now...

“I am who I am because of what we all are.” Ubuntu (#12)

After a hard day of selling dental widgets I have no issue walking away and totally disengaging.  When I work on things I’m passionate about, like education, there is no putting it down at the end of the day.  I walked away from KIPP Charlotte on Tuesday night so frustrated I was physically shaking.  I find working on things that impact the community I live in wholly consuming.  My foray into the land of dental widgets and work being just work has afforded me the time and emotional energy to pursue other interest and build a life in Charlotte.  Dental widget MBA programs also pay pretty well and I’m enjoying not worrying about money for the first time in my life.  The decision to work in corporate America is my big post business school experiment and the verdict is still out as to whether it has been a successful one.  The world of non-profit moves slowly and I was always left wanting more responsibility and to be more challenged.  I also wanted to be around smart, experienced professionals who I could learn from.  I am getting all of that in spades in my current role.  The looming question is whether my desire to serve and make a positive contribution to society can be fulfilled through extra-curricular activities alone or do I need to dedicate my professional career to it.  The answer, which I probably knew going into this, is that I ultimately am not going to be fulfilled working for a company who makes stuff and whose sole purpose is to make money, but until I find a sugar Daddy who will keep me in the lifestyle to which I’m accustomed and so long as I’m still learning, growing and progressing in my current role I can’t see myself making the change.

The reason I was at KIPP on Tuesday night is that I’ve been asked to sit on their development committee.  Per pupil funding is $6,000 per year versus $10,000 a year that NC public school pupils receive.  The goal of our committee is to raise enough funds to close that gap and the aim of the school is to operate at the same cost as a regular public school.  The reason I was so frustrated is there is such a lack of business savvy in the non-profit world – it was like pulling teeth to get a straight answer on what our financial gap actually is and they looked at me like an alien when I asked what the plan or series of actions are to bridge that gap.  In the non-profit world there is a real aversion to change – the committee described how they would be doing the same two events that they have done for the past three year (despite the fact that these events haven’t met the necessary financial goals) because those are the two events that they do every year.  I also find non-profits frustrating because so many people are doing things in their own time out of the goodness of their hearts that it makes it really hard to have frank conversations and say things like “your idea sucks”.  I firmly believe that we should run non-profits like businesses and that we should Executive Directors as accountable for results as we do CEO’s.  It was my first meeting so I sat back and listened and played nice, but if you know me at all you know I won’t be playing that role for very long.

KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) is network of charter schools that serves communities that are traditionally underserved and marginalized education.  They achieve above national average results and get above average percentages of children to and through college.  While in business school I had the privilege of working for the KIPP foundation marketing team in NYC and I’m so excited that I’ve found a way to reengage with my KIPP family.  I urge you to crank up the volume and watch the video below to learn more about the organization that I am so proud to be a part of:

KSS 2011 Gala Video from KIPP Foundation on Vimeo.