It's A Good Week- and it's only Tuesday

So Gabriel is potty-trained.  I think he is anyway.  He's only had one accident in the last 2 weeks.  Not bad.  So I think that classifies him as potty-trained. I wish I could say what finally did the trick- but I honestly have no idea.  We didn't change anything.  He just started going on the potty.  All those tricks we tried and books we read.  I think the only two things that really helped or made a difference were encouragement and then not getting angry when he had an accident.  When he had an accident, Dave would sometimes get angry with him.  We switched to- "I'm not angry Gabriel, just disappointed."  Or Dave would say, "I'm not angry, just upset."  Gabe would say- "Daddy's not angry with me- he's just upset."  That seemed to help.  Especially since he had gotten to a point where he would go in his pants and then lie to us about it because he didn't want us to be mad.

A conference has started this week.  I was supposed to give a presentation yesterday.  I had typed out my discussion points, practiced and everything.  I ended up only having about 3 minutes to talk 6 points that I had planned on having at least 7 minutes to talk.  I get really anxious and nervous when I speak in front of people I don't know.  I'm not sure why- but I do.  I think it might have something to do with all those eyes and ears critiquing what I'm saying at once.  I hate being critiqued.  I spend enough time critiquing myself.  I know external input is necessary for self-improvement- but it doesn't mean I actually have to like it. 

But anyway- back to this conference.  I call it a meeting of the "oils."  They're the ones that make things run smoothly.  I wonder if these people know how much influence they have on the way things tick around them.  This is where I make my money- so to speak.  If I talk to these people and get them to understand what my team sees- the possibilities for the command are limitless.  I see so much potential in all the people we evaluate.  Some do things well.  Some could do things better.  But the key thing, there is potential.  Just need them to SEE what we SEE.  Potential, discipline, motivation and little "oil" is all it really takes to make a unit great. 

It's a good week already.  And it's only Tuesday...