Holiday Madness

I apologize for this crappy post, I haven't been sleeping or eating the sufficient amount that is needed this week...

Oh my gosh, so much to do before I go home for Christmas on Saturday!!!! So much to do TONIGHT! ACK! This whole week was busy. And I've been coming home at 10:30pm every night this week exhausted and ready to just go to bed. Not because of work mostly but because of holiday shopping, screen printing and such. I'm mostly glad that my holiday shopping is about over now, just one more thing to get...

Then it's off to do chores at home before sis and friend comes tomorrow night. Fun I know. Anyway, I'm glad to go home for a bit. Even though I will probably be busy then too. We're hosting my grandmother's birthday party at our house on Christmas night so there's tons to do at home. Oh gosh that reminds me...(ahhh! mental note, must stop at bank before going home.) Yeah, so that should be good times for sure. I haven't been home since last Christmas and even then it was only for a few days. So it'll be good to see everyone and catch up with them. Especially seeing all the little ones who probably aren't so little anymore. Which makes me feel old. ha.

But the best part of Christmas is giving out gifts and seeing the recipient's face light up! Oh the joy of Christmas! :D

Happy Holidays and Safe Travels to All!

Twenty-Freakin-Four

another year. another birthday. bah humbug.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

This marks the first Christmas tree I've ever put up! Yay!!! It may be small but it's perfect for me! Let the holiday cheer begin! :D

Ork Posters

Here's a great gift to give during the holiday season or maybe just something to have hanging on your bare walls. It does come very handy when you're not so familiar with all the different neighborhoods in Chicago. When moving here last year (I can't believe it's almost been a year since I have...) I was overwhelmed by the number of different neighborhoods here. People would tell me where they lived, Wicker Park, Bucktown, Oak Park, Linkin Park...etc. they all meshed together and I just stared blankly at them, pretending I knew exactly where that was as to not seem ignorant of my surroundings. All I knew was that I was in Chicago and what was the city and what was a suburb. But here to my rescue is this great friendly neighborhood poster that I can finally get a grasp of where everything lies.

This is typographic map project Jenny Beorkrem, my co-worker has been working on. Quite genius as she is getting quite the publicity now for it! Good work Jenny. These posters are a steal, only priced at $22 (w/o shipping or tax for IL residents). She also has a few more other cities (Brooklyn, Manhattan, San Francisco, Boston, and more to come) she's been working on that you can purchase too if interested.

Please check them out at: http://orkposters.com/

Chicken to Make Chicken

To celebrate Thanksgiving I decided to make a whole chicken. Chicken and not turkey because I'm not that big of a fan of turkey. It's usually too dry so why not make chicken instead? It tastes better. So thus, I made a chicken.

I could have sworn I've prepared whole chickens before and been grossed out but I eventually got over it. So this time when I decided to make a chicken I was weary about it but figured I would be able to think past it. When I took the chicken out of it's wrapping and held it while I washed it I kept thinking it weighed the same as a baby or a cat. Then cleaning the skin and touching it disgusted me even more. Then when it was time to cut it I couldn't help but think i was mutilating it. Now just wonder how I felt when it came time to eat...I was wincing and cringing while eating it. Luckily, I decided to cut it all off the bone at one time and store it so I wouldn't feel like I was dissecting a poor lab animal in biology class every time I wanted to eat.

So moral of the story is, I should never prepare whole birds or any animal for that matter...I get too grossed out. And this is also why I could never be a doctor. I probably should be a vegetarian but I think it might be too late for that.

Designer Talk

http://www.makemylogobiggercream.com

I think you'll enjoy this "mock-u-mercial", especially if you're a designer. I'm currently working on a project with an architecture firm and apparently they believe they are the top dogs of design and graphic designers are at the very bottom of the totem poll. So the architecture we are working with to create an email blast is very specific and if i do say so myself, his suggestions are...ahem, just watch the video. The florescent spray reminded me of the email he wanted me to initially create.

Here's another great one for all you design gangstas out thur. Respek!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbF-SiCktCg

Cute Baby

My Aunt Beryl and Uncle Victor are visiting with their little baby Maren. She's so darn cute! Possibly the cutest babies ever! I was so tired from just watching her crawl all over the house yesterday. :)

Another Favorite

Another dance that has sent chills down my spine. I love it, it's emotional and deep. And beautifully danced. The only awkward thing about it is that the music cuts short in the end.

Gen Y

Here's a great article I got from a friend...

What Gen Y Wants from Work
(from Ryan Healy's web worker daily)

As Generation Y or the Millennials leave their dorms behind and enter the real world, we are encountering a corporate world that is, for the most part, still stuck in its outdated ways. By the time my generation is given the reins, work will barely resemble today’s office environment. It’s not because we are special or better than any other generation. It’s because we are entering the work force at the time that the web is revolutionizing work.

What does Gen Y want from work? The same things many web workers look for: the ability to work wherever they like, an identity that isn’t defined by a particular profession, and flexible ways of experimenting with entrepreneurship even while benefiting from traditional employment.

Increased trust between employer and employee. Most people I know, myself included, truly believe they are more productive and happier when working from somewhere other than the standard workplace environment. Whether it’s home, Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, or the beach, as most of you know, there is something refreshing and relaxing about not being stuck in an office. Cubicle farms are a thing of the past, nobody likes them and thanks to new technologies the majority of companies don’t even need them.


These remote working arrangements will completely depend on trust between employer and employee. If I cannot be trusted to get things done without supervision, I do not deserve to have a job, and I will not have a job. Isn’t this what college is for though? We prove our ability to succeed on our own and it is reflected in our GPAs and non school activities. With the increased use of virtual offices, there is no need to be micromanaged at work any longer. Trust me!

Jobs no longer define who we are. “What do you do?” is often the first question people pose to one another during an introduction. Lately, I have had a hard time coming up with a straight answer to this question. I have my “real” career, but I spend a heck of a lot of time writing, networking and creating new plans for the future of my blog, Employee Evolution.

I now tell people I am a consultant, writer and aspiring entrepreneur. I consider myself all of these things. If I am comfortable enough to tell people this, then it must be true. Right?

Anyone can be whatever they want thanks to the power of the web. Creating a business, website or blog is so simple that we can all play multiple roles. As Gen Y continues to enter the workforce, our day jobs will no longer define who we are.

Entrepreneurship in the workplace. I don’t need a business plan and I don’t need millions or even hundreds of thousands to ditch the boring paychecks. I can even continue collecting a paycheck and make some extra money on the side. My very unscientific estimate of young people I know who plan to start a business at some point is eight out of ten. It’s no longer a risky dream. Starting a business is a reasonably cheap and attainable reality. The days of keeping top employees around with a 5% raise or a promotion to the corner office are dead.

To keep young workers around companies will have to compete with young people’s motivation and impatience. In other words, companies must feed our urge to jump ship and start a business, by giving us the opportunity to come up with an idea and have free rein over development, implementation and follow through. Logic tells us that companies should not “train” young employees to be entrepreneurs for fear of losing them. However, I can guarantee that retention rates will increase as employees no longer feel the need to leave a company that provides them with intrapreneurial opportunities. This is quite ironic when you think about it.

These are just a handful of the hundreds of differences between today’s work environment and the old days of 9 to 5 in a cube. As Gen Y continues to learn, grow and mature into executives and VPs I hope that we embrace the evolution and revolution.

Farewell

Last night Hok got voted out of "So you think you can dance". booooo!

So You Think You Can Dance?

Alright, this is kinda ultra nerdy, but I'm a fan of the tv show "So you think you can dance". I find it way better than "Dancing with the stars" because these people can actually dance! Not only that but they are crazy amazing at it! I love watching them every week, I'm rooting for Hok. He's got some crazy talent. This dance still gives me the chills every time I watch it...

For Hok's audition...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkD7HdO7qn0&mode=related&search=

So When You Thought It Couldn't Get Any Better...

Ladies and gentlemen, they've done it again!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0mnrFqvKT0

Digi Cam

I'm finally going to retire my old school film camera and look into getting a new sleek digital camera in the very near future... Do you guys and gals have any suggestions as to what i should get or what I should be looking for as far as features and quality?

thanks much!

Dreaming of You

Have you had a strange dream about someone and then after you wake you're disturbed by it? You run around all day wondering, "what did it mean?", and all you can think about is the way you felt in your dream. Even though it never really happened and only occurred in your subconscious you can't help but feel awkward about it all. You'll never look at that person the same again. You may see this person and in the back of your mind be thinking of the dream you had of them.

Sometimes this feeling will go away, but sometimes it will stick with you.

Mysterious Bumper Sticker

I was wondering if anyone knows what a MW bumper sticker means or what it's from. I've been seeing it on a bunch of cars and it's always placed on the left side of the license plate. Not on the bumper but next to the license plate on the trunk. I wonder why it's always placed there, is there a reason or a mere coincidence? It seems too odd to a coincidence. I feel like it's some sort of cult or a secret that everyone knows about but me! It's driving me nuts, I'm almost tempted to roll down my window and ask the person who has it. This bumper stick is black and white/silver. It's a white/silver MW in black circle with a white/silver inner circle stroke. If anyone knows, please help!

Right & Left

I do not know my left from my right.

On another note, I am getting fat according to my family. perfect.

In the Dark

One of the most annoying things and possibly my biggest pet peeve is not knowing where I stand in a situation. It's the worst when you are told by someone that they will get back to you, call you or let you know, but they never do or they just keep stringing you along like a dumb fool who doesn't know what's really coming to them. I feel like I'm stumbling around in the dark when all I really need to do is just flip the switch and turn the light on. But the pressures and intimidation of the situation keeps me from asking the questions I need to be asking. Instead I give them the benefit of the doubt and trust their word that they will get back to me. I am left forever waiting in the dark until finally I realize that they will never get back to me and the whole situation is just hopeless. I realize that all that time I've been sitting in the dark, waiting, hoping for them to come and back and turn the light on was a joke on my part; I need to stop waiting and turn the light on myself.

Each time something like this happens I am reminded that sitting and waiting is not an option. I have to pick myself up and either confront the situation or drop it altogether. I can't rely on someone else to come through on their word, therefore I can only rely on myself. It's quite sad to think that someone's word no longer means anything to me anymore. I trust people more with their actions than I do with their words. If you give me your word, I'll take it, but I'll remain skeptical till you follow through.

Is Love Blind?

-moments before they saw each for the first time-

Just recently The Mix FM 101.9 here in Chicago decided to find out if Love is Blind. To test this out they performed a social experiment with a woman (Laura) and a man (Ted). The woman was chosen from 4 other women, each were questioned and listeners texted in their votes with who they liked the best. After the woman was chosen it was then time to find the man of her dreams. Men who were looking for true love called in, 5 were chosen. From the 5 men she questioned each about their morals, lifestyles, etc. Then she chose one man, Ted. They then had scheduled phone calls through the radio station to talk to each other on air, this went on for 2 weeks, they talked only 10 times over the phone to be exact. What happens after 2 weeks you ask? Well, they're supposed to get married of course! Well, it didn't really happen like it was hyped up to be. Like me you're probably thinking how could two people fall in love and get married by just talking to each other for 2 weeks? Remember neither of them have actually met each other face to face. The first day that they do see each other is on their wedding day! yikes! Well as that day came, dressed up in their tuxedos and wedding gear, Ted and Laura finally see each other face to face at the alter. They reveal to everyone that they are not yet "in love" but "in like" and would like to keep dating and know each other more before they get married. This comes to no surprise to me, and I'm sure to a lot of the other listeners. 2 weeks is just too little time to get to know someone.

The radio station claimed that they could have stayed with the couple and let them continue conversing for longer but at some point it needed to have a conclusion. So two weeks was their end point. They provided the means for a wedding to take place only if the couple wanted to get married. In other words, it was there for them if they were ready. But nothing was forced upon them and they were free to make their decision on that day.

But if you ask me,I'm just glad they didn't get married. Call me a pessimist or whatever, but I believe love is something that takes time. Blind love...it's a nice thought but I think physical attractiveness to the other sex is necessary. Yes, you can find someone more attractive through their personality. But if you're not physically attracted to someone and but they have a great personality...come on, let's be real, they're never gonna be more than just a friend. Call me shallow if you wish, but it's true. Being in love is the whole package, you gotta love the person inside and out, completely and totally, with everything you have.

Ahhhh!!!

AHHHHH!!!! Today is just one of those days...you know, the day that NOTHING feels right. Everything is going wrong, and you just feel like you have no confidence whatsoever! You feel like everyone is just laughing at you and you wonder why they even bother. God! All I want to do is just scream my eyes out today. I have for a bit but stopped in fear that my neighbors might think I'm insane or being murdered. ARGH!!! I hate this day!

If I could get drunk, I would today...not even a couple of sodas will cheer me up.

Losing Touch

Kindergarten buddies.

I find it sad when your best friend in 2nd grade now no longer wants to be your friend after so many years. Let me give an example, I was best friends with this girl from 5th grade to 6th grade. We were inseparable, we did everything together, and we went over to each other's houses to play. We told each other all of our secrets and we understood each other. We had our inside jokes and we knew each other's crushes in class. But when I approached her recently to make an effort to catch up she sort of blew me off. But surprisingly another best friend I had when I was in kindergarden approached me and we caught up! I'm not saying that some alcoholic beverage didn't help her talk to me but it was nice to know that she remembered me and the times we used to hang out. I guess realistically thinking about it. Too much time has passed, you've both done a lot of growing and you are no longer the same person as you were before. You're both practically...strangers to one another. But perhaps it's the innocence in me that believes that there is some part of them that does remember what they were once like and the childhood memories we shared. And if we really wanted to we could be best friends again, just pick up where we left off in 2nd grade. But what most likely happens is that the other person is not interested and will not want to make an effort to get to know you again.

If they did not wrong you or you did not wrong them in any way, I don't see why there shouldn't be a reunion. However, if something did go down between you two than that would be totally understandable. I mean you guys used to be BFFs(BEST FRIENDS FOREVER), and now we are strangers. Maybe I'm naive to think you could see someone you haven't seen in 10 years and expect to sit down and catch up on the 10 years you missed out.

I'm the year of the pig and pig people like to keep lifelong friends. So it saddens me to see a friend I used to know so well pretend we no longer know each other anymore. As long as there are no wrong doings toward each other I don't understand why we couldn't be friends again. But if they don't want to be your friend again then maybe you shouldn't want to be their friend either. It's a sad realization but at some point you have to just accept it and move on.

Far Away

I would like to move far far away from here.

Oink! Oink!

Happy Chinese New Year! This is the year of the pig and as some of you may know it's my year! I think it's a good thing but I have read that it can also be a bad year too if it's your year. But I hope it's mostly good, cause I think I could use it. Lately, I've been getting a lot of signs that tell me I'm gonna be lucky.

I was talking to my mom on the phone the other day, telling her about how I have this annoying twitch on my left eye that usually only happens very rarely. However, this twitching has been going on all week and still is! I know this happens to my mom and sister sometimes so I was hoping maybe they would be able to give me a remedy or some solution. But all I got was,

"You said it's in your left eye?"

"Yes mom, my left eye."

"Oh well, that's a lucky sign! If it's in your right eye it's bad but the left eye twitch is lucky!"

haha Well, let's hope she's right! Maybe this will mean I'll find a job soon???!!

The Hunt Begins...

So, college is officially over and I'm in the market for a job. Which really means that I've been a giant bum lately. With no job, no cell phone, all my friends in madison...I'm pretty much stuck at home all day on the couch in pjs, surfin the web for jobs, and waiting for phone calls. Not being in school and having things to do can really get you in the habit to be really lazy. Which of course is not a good thing. Every day that passes by I feel like I'm wasting the day and not getting anything accomplished. But I suppose that's just what job hunting is all about, being and enjoying the bum lifestyle while it lasts. Hopefully for me this won't last too much longer, or I could be in trouble.

Here is where I shamelessly plug myself: If anyone has any connections for me in the graphic design world I would greatly appreciate some help!

~Laura was my first visitor! yippeee! :D I'm still waiting for you other madison peeps...