A · 2 · cent · contribution

In other news...  Well, nothing's really changed recently.  I'm still on the job-prowl.  Got hooked up with another recruiting agency, which looks a bit more promising than the other one I'm hooked up with.  May even do some work for the company itself, which would be cool (not to mention give me some credibility with the people who would be representing me).

I've officially started researching moving to London for a couple years to work.  Mom and I have been emailing back and forth, brainstorming, etc.  I need to start trying to set up some informational interviews at agencies in Chicago that have offices in London.  Even if I don't get a job in advertising, per se, I've always wanted to at least try to move to another country for a couple years.  And I don't want to be 10 years down the road, wondering "what if" knowing I had the opportunity to do this -- nothing keeping me here.

I'm not looking to move permanently.  Just a couple years, at most.  Probably end up back in Chicago after that.  We'll see ... see if I even make it out there.  Mom being there helps.  If nothing else, I'd have a place to stay for free while job/apartment (flat) hunting.  So yeah.  The research has officially begun.

It's fun to have a fantasy to live in... Imagining living in the UK, essentially by myself (once I'm not at my mom's place).  Starting a new life there, if only for a little while.  Not that I'm looking to get rid of anything here, but I like the adventure of new places-- I love exploring, going off to new things.  Meet new people, find a killer job, etc. etc. etc.  Oh to dream.  :)

Back to reality.

I'm going crazy not having a planner right now.  My last one was an academic planner, August-August.  It expired.  My next planner is a regular planner, Jan-Jan.  So, from Sept. 1-Dec. 31, I'm planner-less, and not having my iGoogle page available regularly is making me crazy.  I keep forgetting things, over booking things... not really, but close.  Almost doing both of those regularly.

I'm officially speaking at a Loyola IABC event in a week.  As an alum, giving advice.  Ha.  That amuses me.

I get to see Dominic this weekend!!  Very exciting.  Shakespeare Improv on Friday, cooking at some point, and other shananigans shall ensue.

For now, I'm off.  Fingers crossed next time I post it won't have to be from a Starbucks...

Current Mood:

chill

The Menu: Chicken breast sauteed with black olives and tomatoes; portabello mushroom caps cooked down in red wine and olive oil served over greens with avocado, feta goats cheese and pine nuts; rice pudding.

• A Blackberry
• Getting my photo collage printed and framed ... FINALLY
  
• The DVD of I Love You Man
  
• A massage
• A pedicure, because with all this running my feet are disgusting

Current Mood:

productive

Also, tomorrow I'm heading to New Orleans for a week YAY!  I'm SO excited, it's a little absurd.  I haven't been home since Christmas.  And won't be back again until next Christmas ... oy.  I'll be home for a full week, and expect lots of hanging out with all my favorite people who I never see anymore.  :)

Yesterday was awesome.  I had one of those amazing realizations about how absolutely fantastic all my friends are, and how lucky I am to have so many people worth travelling to see, and who are willing to come visit me.  It started when Yasmin emailed me to say she may be in Chicago in a few weeks.  And then I realized how excited I am to see EVERYONE in NOLA, and then to go to DC over Labor Day to see people there ... too awesome.  It put me in the best mood for the rest of the day.  So to all my friends - just thought I'd let you know, I think you rock.

Also also, keep your fingers crossed that whatever projects LPM is working on to get us more money go through ... because if they do, I have a job.  A job doing what I want to do, and getting paid for it - a novel concept, really.  Otherwise, it's probably sales for me.  Yeesh.

ALSO also also - I totally ran almost 12 miles on Sunday.  That did amazing things for my confidence in being able to complete my half marathon in a few weeks.  Still nervous, but less so.  Now I just want my knee to stop hurting.

Current Mood:

happy but sleepy

Let me know!!

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
- Bought a gym membership (with my own money)
- Drank legally
- Been truly heartbroken
- Un-Popped a Dude-Bro's Collar
- Drank an Irish Car Bomb
- Dressed as a beverage
- Coded a website
- Designed a professional logo

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
My new years resolution last year is going to be the same this year: gossip less.  I didn't do so well this year, so it seems like a good one to keep with.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no.

5. What countries did you visit?
Nowhere this year, but I'm visiting my mom in England again in March.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Money is always helpful.  Otherwise, general confidence and the ability to let mistakes go would be nice.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 4.  I bet you can figure out why...

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I worked through a job that I did not like but I'm sure it made me stronger in some way.  I also obtained a new, fabulous internship that I will be starting in the new year, which I am very proud of.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I would rather not discuss it on the internet.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, thankfully.  I've still never broken or sprained anything in my body.  My eyesight has finally given up on my, but I knew that was coming.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Maybe my gym membership.  ☺ Also, St John's Wort and Fish Oil.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Everyone's!  Seriously, my friends and family are awesome and doing awesome things that should be celebrated all my friends who graduated, Libby for being Super Woman, my daddy is doing his own thing at work, Cyndi is making through some tough times, my sister is applying to grad school and doing fabulously ... I could go on.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Outside of wanting to complain about some people I worked on group projects with, I really can't think of anyone.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Drinks and going out.  And probably clothes, food, and other miscellaneous purchases. It's those little, regular purchases that really get you in the end.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The election.  For the first time, ever.  Also, finding out that I got an internship for next semester that I am super excited for! Coming home, going back, watching all of Veronica Mars.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
Probably anything that is on my running mix right now … bad, cheesy pop music.  «Love Song» by Sara Barailles was on a lot.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? … HAPPIER.
ii. thinner or fatter? … Thinner
iii. richer or poorer? … Null

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Sleeping, studying, seeing friends.  The same three every year.  I never take enough care of myself during stressful times, and end up slacking on all three.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Obsessing over the small stuff.  Maybe drinking.  I made poor choices when I drink.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
At home with my parents, away from my sister for the first Christmas ever.  There will be lots of friends and family around, though.  It will be nice.

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I think I realized what it means to be in love, and yes.

23. How many one-night stands?
0

24. What was your favorite TV program?
VERONICA MARS.  And Mad Men.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, I'm in fact finding myself more able to let go of things that used to make me angry, which is a nice feeling.

26. What was the best book you read?
Hmm … the two that I can think of are The Culture Code and The Unbearable Lightness of Being, though to be fair those are the only two I've come close to finishing this year.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Re-Discovering Pandora.

28. What did you want and get?
A job. Money. Community Coffee. A trip to Mardi Gras.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 21 and had a 1990s Dance Party – dressed as Baby Spice!

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More time to relax.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
I kinda want to look like I popped out of a Banana Republic catalog.

34. What kept you sane?
Hugs and friends.  And sleep.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hrm … Logan from Veronica Mars, or Don Draper from Mad Men … they are both viable options.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
See: Presidential Election of 2008. 

37. Who did you miss?
The dilemma of living in 2 cities is that you're always missing someone.  Sara, Leslie, Sarah, Andy, the boys, Libby, dad and Cyndi, I could go on.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Jess is Fabulous ... Andrew Miller was an amazing connection ... did I actually "meet" other people?

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006:  Being happy takes conscious effort ... it's a lot easier to feel sorry for yourself than to forgive and move on. 

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"I made up my mind when I was a young girl
I've been given this one world
I won't worry it away
But now and again I lose sight of the good life
I get stuck in a low light
But then Love comes in....
...
I do what I can wherever I end up
To keep giving my good love
And spreading it around
Cause I've had my fair share of take care and goodbyes
I've learned how to cry
And I'm better for that"
(Sara Bareilles, "Many the Miles")

That is all.

Current Mood:

stressed but excited

This semester is sucking more than I had hoped, and I'm worried I'm going to have to drop my second minor due to scheduling conflicts next semester, which is a bummer.  But, I suppose, in the grand scheme of things it's more important and beneficial to be able to hold down a good internship than to have a practical skill set that will be outdated in 5 years if I don't keep up with it.  See?  See my justifying to myself.

I'm getting more and more excited to come home this Christmas break, and to go to Savannah with Sarah after New Years.  Something has shifted in my universe over the past year or so and I have become exponentially closer to my parents.  All of them (well, except Dave who I haven't spoken with in several years, but he counts too I suppose), and that has become very calming to me.  I like feeling like I can call home when I have a problem, and that's a relatively new phenomenon in my life.  (Except of course for my sister.)

I'm super excited at the prospect of getting this badass internship at this badass branding agency that may lead into a full time gig after I graduate in May.  But, I won't talk too much about that yet, because I don't want to jinx anything.  I am also very excited that my stint at City Point will be over soon.  I am all for doing difficult and trying things to make you stronger, but this one has really boiled me down middle-management style.

....

Oh, right, about that not procrastonating thing ... I should probably get on that.  Damn.