Job Update

As many of you know, I recently got a new job which just started on Monday. Thank you so much to all my friends who have been bombarding me with text messages, chats, and emails - sorry I haven't had an opportunity to get back to you yet! Also, thank you to my former employers who gave me glowing references. I would not be where I am today without you! And, thank you to all of you who prayed for me every day that the perfect job opportunity would come up. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Since I just started my job, I don't want to be on my personal email too much yet, so I figure I'll email EVERYONE at once, so you all know what's going on with me, and that way I won't get totally bombarded with gmail chats and emails while I'm trying to work. :)

For those of you who hadn't heard yet, I accepted a job with a small graphic design company that is just getting started in Cardiff, CA. The office is right on the beach, and is only 10 minutes from my house. Everything about the location is ideal. We have a huge picture window view of the ocean, and there are all sorts of cute little beachy restaurants within walking distance. I only work 5 minutes away from Mike! The company is a branch off of a larger retail display company, and since they are one of our major clients, I spent my first three days of work up in their office in San Dimas to get a feel for how they run their office, and to get some advice on how to run my office. I felt like such a grown up, going on my first business trip! It was a little bit lonely staying in a hotel by myself, but luckily one night I was able to meet my good friends Clara and Rachel for dinner, and they kept me company. The office up there was great. Everyone was SO nice, and so much fun to work with. I wasn't sure what I'd be doing there at first, since I was really just there to observe and get ideas for how I am going to set up our new office down in Cardiff. I was a little bored the first day, but I did get some good info. By Wednesday afternoon, I was having a blast, making friends, and I could not believe how long my "To Do" list had gotten! I couldn't wait to get back home though, see Mike, and start working in my own office.

This morning I started my first day in my office. I LOVED it! I had already met the girl I share an office with, and we get along great. My boss is super cool, very laid back and designerly, and the other designer is young and fun as well. There is another boss that works in the office too, but he is out of town a lot, so usually it will just be the four of us. I love it. Everyone is very fun, and I feel like we all have a lot in common. I get to be involved in all the design conversations, when everyone is brainstorming and talking about creative things. Right now my main tasks are to order computers for everyone, since we are switching the office over to Macs instead of PCs, and also researching software for project management and accounting. I get to set up all the files and organize the way we are going to organize all of our design projects. This is going to be SO cool. I get to set up the entire process for the office. I cannot wait! I finally feel like I'm starting something and have a real role in a company, in the industry that I have been going to school for over the past MANY years. This is the job I have been looking for since I started college. It only took 7 years! I have gained so much experience over the years in my past job, and I feel like I finally earned the job of my dreams.

So, again, thanks to everyone who has been wishing me well. Things are great...I couldn't be happier. I think this is the start of an awesome new career, and great things in my life! :)

Much love to you all!

P.S.
I am going to lay low on my personal email and chats at work for a little while, so for those of you who like to send me massive amounts of forwards (you know who you are!) try to leave me off your list for a couple weeks...but I'll try to keep up with my regular emails as much as possible. Once I get settled in at work, I'll have a little more time to get back on my email and g-chat again. :)

Last job update

I got the job!!!!!!!!!!

Thank God I don't have to stress about it all weekend. Thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers!!!!!

I start in two weeks, and the pay is just right. I can't wait!!!

Yet another job update

As I said, my interview yesterday went really well. I made sure to send them a thank you note right away, since I was their first interview, and I didn't want them to forget about me!

This morning, I got a phone call asking if I could come back in today to talk more with the other owner. Of course I said yes! I went up there on my lunch break. My second interview went well. He told me all about the company, all about the job, etc. We went over my resume in a bit more detail (more than anyone has ever let me talk about my resume before), and basically went over everything there was to know.

He said that out of everyone they interviewed yesterday, I'm the only one they called back. They are going to do a couple more interviews today, and if no one else really stands out, they will call me back this afternoon. Otherwise, they'll talk this weekend, and will call me on Monday. He's going to call my references right now. :)

Job Update

So...I'm back from my interview!

It went pretty well, I think. It was super casual, so it's always hard to tell, since it's more a personality thing than getting the answers right, ya know?
But, the office and people and the job are EXACTLY what I'm looking for. The entire office has a huge view of the ocean, it's by a whole bunch of little beach cafes, it's 5 minutes from Mike's work, and everyone is in the 30's age range. It sounds SO perfect. They said my resume really stood out because of my art background, and were thrilled to find that I was so smart to be good at math AND art. I was their first interview though, so hopefully they won't forget about me if someone else good comes along.

I'm not going to let myself get all psyched out this time...but please...keep me in your thoughts, prayers, cross your fingers and toes and all that jazz. :)

Thanks! Hopefully I'll have another update next week. :)

Breakdown

You ever have one of those days when you just want to cry for no real apparent reason? Seriously. So annoying. I had such a great day yesterday...I was actually in a good mood, excited about my interview, feeling good about life in general. I was excited to get home and see my husband and hang out together, since his family had left that morning.

Well, I got home, and everything just fell apart. He said we'd been invited to have dinner at roommie's girlfriend's house. I assumed he wanted to go, so I said okay. Turns out neither of us wanted to go, but didn't convey it very well. A miscommunication. So, I was already a little sad over that, since I had just bought ingredients for dinner, and was hoping for a romantic night in.

Then...I got the mail. Oh no. My car payment, which should have been paid over 2 weeks ago never made it to my bank. WTF??!??!?! I ran to check my bank account, and sure enough, the payment had definitely come out of my account. My money was floating in outerspace somewhere. Meanwhile, while I'm freaking out about my car payment, Mike opens our gas & electric bill. Shocker....turns out they had misbilled us on our last invoice, so now we don't owe $100, but $450. In 2 weeks. Um, no!!!!! So, he was on the phone with them trying to figure out why we owed so much for something that was their fault, and trying to figure out how to get it fixed.

All the while, Mike's friends were over, waiting for Mike so they could go play hackey-sack. Hello, I need to talk to my husband first so we can figure out what we are doing tonight! I pretty much lost it at that point. Yes, tears, sobbing (not bad sobbing, but still) and all. We ended up figuring out that we did both want to stay home alone together. So that worked out. He tried to calm me down, and then went with the boys for an hour or so. I had to stop myself from crying and quivering, and got back on the phone to work out my car payment problem.

In the end, things got worked out...there are still money issues and bank issues, but it's solvable. Good grief, I hate days like that. But luckily, dinner was excellent...and we had a lovely night together. :)

Hooray!

Another interview!

As many of you know, I didn't get the job I was SO nervously excited about a couple of weeks ago. :( It was very depressing, but they always say that when God closes one door, He always opens a window (or another door, or whatever!)

Well, today I just got an email and a phone call about another job I had applied for the other day. It sounds like it could be perfect for me. Near my house, a view of the ocean, a small design company...perfect. The job responsibilities are exactly what I've been doing over the years, and exactly what I'm looking to do now. They were really excited to see in my resume that I have a creative background, so that is a good sign, since I'm looking for a creative company! I interview with them this week.

Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers that this will go well!

Good weekend.

Yes, it was! It's really been lasting for a long time. Since Wednesday, my father- and brother-in-law along with BIL's girlfriend have been in town, staying at our house with us. They are always tons of fun, and this time is no different! This is the first time I've really hung out with Brittany, so we've been having fun being girls while the boys are being boys.

On Wednesday, when they got in, we had our friends Chris & Holly come over, as well as Matt and Jamie and Keziah, our usual crew, and we all BBQ'd. It was lots of fun. :)

On Thursday and Friday, Mike and I still had to work, but we still had fun in the evenings. On Friday evening, the 5 of us went to Stone Brewery in Escondido for dinner and drinks. They have SUCH a nice restaurant there! It is a bit pricey, but since all their food is organic, it costs them more, so I don't mind paying a little more after knowing the reason why. My friend Natalie actually interviewed Greg Koch, the CEO of the company! I feel special having such a famous friend. :)

Having some fun while we waited for our table. :)

On Saturday, Mike took his brother out to have his hand at surfing. I finally made it down to our beach for the first time since we've lived there! Alas, 'tis as I expected...cold, windy, and boring. I did see Mike stand up on his board once, but other than that, I think I'm going to wait for summer to go to the beach! I just don't see the point of standing on the beach in the cold. No bueno.

Saturday night, we watched "30 Days of Night." I had been so excited to see it, but unfortunately it did not deliver. Sure, it had some cool graphics and was filmed nicely, but the story was just so predictable and common. Oh well.

Yesterday we went out to Viejas to play bingo and eat the buffet! We must have all eaten a LOT because it was the only meal we ended up eating all day!!! None of us won at bingo, but it was definitely fun. Our guests gambled for hours, while Mike and I hit up the outlet shops. I did get a new shirt (which I am wearing today!) but nothing else seemed that amazing. We were there for 6 hours total though...wow! We must have been having fun!

Last night we engaged in a friendly game of Cranium. We chose to play girls against boys....family against the newcomers....and played the "Family Get Together" edition. Brittany and I called our team the "Spicy Cupcakes" while the boys were the "Poots." Yes, seriously. I'm sure you can guess, but us girls totally destroyed the boys. Sounds like we know them better than they know us. But that's no surprise!

I'm looking forward to 2 1/2 more days of fun with them! :)