I don't know where to start but the photos are too many!

I don't know what happened with those 3 of the same posts.

They kept not appearing so I kept emailing it to blogger....and then eventually I just pasted the content in a fresh post and that one worked.

And then later the rest must have appeared.

But I've put my settings back to going to drafts so it shouldn't happen again.

Right, moving on.

MandyE - I kind-of am in love with my own pic :)

close-up of her ring - gorgeous!

MandyH - I love these kinds of pics. Downtown Charlotte.

I'm now sporting a cool camera strap like the one Mandy's wearing... and a camera bag to match.

So... I downloaded 1619 pics from the trip.

Since the Mandys already posted their versions, I feel slight pressure to post some of mine too and so I started with my Charlotte folder.

Before... 569
After... 452

I think deleting 117 is amazing on my part because I was deleting as I saw terrible pics.

I'm also a little confused.

I don't know if I should just post my "topical" travel posts here and the diary-type ones on my travel blog?

Any other ideas?

I have some gorgeous pics but I'll have to limit myself to serious highlights or favourites because at about 10 pics per blog, this could go on for a LONG time and I may bore you to tears after about two posts.

And I still have to post party pics...

I will leave you with one thought about one aspect of travel -  bags!

Usually I agonise over which ones to take (remember I change my bags almost daily depending on what I'm wearing, doing, etc.) because I don't like to be out thinking, I really wish I had that one.

This trip I took 3 - a khaki backpack Cab 55 I've had forever, a reversible red/ cream tote I bought in Liverpool and a more structured blue one.

It worked out perfectly because I used all 3. I used the backpack a LOT when I wanted my hands free to take pics and then when Mandy gave me my camera coat, I put that in the tote and it worked out beautifully. The other one I mainly used for airport travel because it took all my electronics - iPad, Kindle, all chargers, plus all my normal handbag stuff.

And now I'm on the lookout for a yellow handbag. I saw so many girls over there with a yellow one - not mustard and not the buttercup yellow, somewhere in between. And I decided I must have one. Except all the stores I went to didn't have a suitable one.

This is kind-of what I'm looking for. If you see one somewhere that is not too expensive (my comfort level is around R300), let me know!

When you travel, how many handbags do you take along with you?

Spunk and your 10%

I met the most fantastic woman today.

A broker, gorgeous, dressed beautifully and with the most excellent taste in handbags. :)

In fact, she walked into the meeting room, I said, "hi, I'm Marcia ____, lovely to meet you".
Then as she walked to her seat, I couldn't help but say, "OH! what a gorgeous handbag" and so we had an instant affinity.

Really, that handbag was stunning. An odd shade of blue (I love odd shades of anything) and the perfect size.

Yes, she was very attractive, good hair and clothes but the thing I love most (besides that handbag) is her spunk.

She said her piece (not always what we wanted to hear but that's okay) and said it passionately and full of vigour.

Spunky.

I think the thing I most relate to in people is the 10%.

I think we're mostly the same in a lot of ways - everybody wants to do good work, be happy, blah blah blah, but that 10% is where we set ourselves apart.

And if that 10% in other people is slightly mad, edgy, spunky or just plain weird, well then, I love it.

I work with an agency on my new product and there are 3 people I deal with. The one is quite normal and so we work together just fine, but not great.

The other two are very edgy. But not in that ad agency "look at me, I'm so cool" way which I can't stand. They have such fantastic chemistry that I just love to watch and observe them in action :)

After our first meeting with them I told my boss, "I've just met this woman who is mad as a hatter and... I LOVE HER!" The 3rd person appears quite normal but he throws in these comments that just kill me.

My point is that the thing I relate to is the 10%.

If I meet a whole bunch of people, I'm more likely to remember the person who was a bit out there or someone who said something different to what is the norm.

What about you?

Now here's the thing.

Yes, I have twins and only 1 in 80 people have twins (or whatever the current stats are) but I was me (and awesome in my way) before they came along, and I want to be identified for more than just having twins.

It's interesting because I find when I'm introduced to other people by a woman, that's one of the first things they say, "this is Marcia and she has TWINS!". This is what happened this morning so it's fresh.

I do get it in a way because this particular person says to me often, "I don't know how you do everything you do With Twins!!!" (like that, with exclamation marks)



If a man introduces me, they talk about my other awesomeness :) like my boss will say something about how I am the one "who will get this thing off the ground and make it happen" (he is sweet, isn't he?) or about my operational expertise or my "superb customer relationship skills".

It is so interesting!

Does this happen to you too?

But what I most want to know is this - what is the thing people are most likely to remember about you? In other words, what is your 10%?

P.S. It's a gorgeous, rainy, cold (freezing) day here today and of course, I'm hugely energised so let me get at the work. Hope you're enjoying the weather where you are.



P.P.S. Part of my 10% is that I notice and take pics of things like this :)