Lucie’s Life Lessons

I had the good fortune to travel to Petritoli, Marche, in Italy last month to join with my colleagues on our annual ‘HM Retreat.’ We had a phenomenal time of connecting, meeting, and learning about each other. As an internationally distributed team where all the staff are remote workers, getting to know each other ‘in real life’ is important and we had a ball hanging out, talking over wine, coffee, and the dinner table.

Further to the 1:1 conversations, one of the ways we get to know each other is for each of us to get up on stage and deliver a ‘Lightning Talks’ in which we share something about ourselves… and our lives. Needless to say, my current passion project is a good first introduction… So Lucie also had her chance to shine… here are the slides and the transcript for my own reference… and in case you’re curious.

1. Life is Too short for Regrets

This is Olive Green and me circa 1987 I sold her to go traveling and always thought I’d buy her back… but she was sold before I could. So I spent more than 25 years wishing I’d never let her go

2. Talk to Strangers

I saw his car, went over to him and started a conversation, the spark was lit and we kept in touch. Two years later I have one of my own… a car. Not a geriatric boyfriend.

3. If an Idea won’t Let Go… Follow It.

That spark kept me coming back to Trademe NZ’s answer to Ebay… just in case…

4. If It’s Meant to be… it Will

And after a month of watching the price come down… it was still in the garage when I went to NZ on a visit.

SOLD

5. Ignore the Haters

Every time I talked to my dad about buying another Elf he rubbished the idea… but when the time came to bring it to Oz, he was the one volunteering to drive 2 hours to help get it on the boat… However, he wasn’t terribly impressed…Pffft Whatevs…

6. Good Things Take Time

She went on a Pacific cruise to get to me… this car has seen more of the Pacific than I have.

7. Patience will be Rewarded

8 weeks later… and Happy Dee is HAPPY

8. Naming Things is hard

My paternal Great, and Grand mothers, Lucie, and Mabel – old cars need an old name so I picked two of my favourites. I never met Lucie, but Mabel and I were great friends; she died 7 years ago at the age of 101.

9. Don’t be too Proud to let your Friends Push You…

Girl Power – actually this isn’t 3 nuns pushing a car… it’s 3 friends in their wedding finery on a cold day in Melbourne… black is kind of a uniform down here…

10. It’s your Differences that Set You Apart from the Crowd

For all her fancy curves, Lucie is a Mini at her core… I love Minis too; but her points of difference make her pretty unique in Australia and it’s really fun that other people find her interesting (and cute) too.

11. So Just Get out there and be YOU

What can I say, I’m a crazy car lady… I’m gonna roll with it.