Remember me?

Hey guys, long time, no see. I haven't blogged in a while, but I was kind of shocked that I haven't blogged since November!

Since you asked, I'll tell you where I've been. The short is answer is work.

About halfway through December, my dear co-worker adopted a baby boy. Harris was born on Saturday, my co-worker received a phone call the following Tuesday to say that she and her husband had been chosen as a match, she flew across the country to California on Wednesday, and on Thursday she officially became Harris's mom! I was absolutely thrilled for my co-worker and her husband, and it took a day or two for me to realize that she wouldn't be coming back for three months. Since the adoption occurred so quickly, we didn't have the usual nine months to prepare for her to go on her maternity leave--instead, she was there one day and gone the next! 

Most of her day-to-day responsibilities fell to me, which meant that I was doing two jobs during our busiest time of the year--we were in the midst of major projects and preparing for our annual meeting. It was a bit of a whirlwind, but everything turned out for the best and life is back to semi-normal.

Now I'm going to take an 8-hour nap and go back to work. I leave you with some words of wisdom from one of my favorite authors, Anonymous.

A Wedding and Chicago

I'm really looking forward to this weekend and next week.  This Saturday, I'll be just outside of Baltimore celebrating the marriage of a friend before heading off to Chicago all next week for work.  I've never been to Chicago, so I'm adding a couple of days at the end of my work trip to explore the city.  I'm planning several touristy excursions, like a trip to the Art Institute and Millennium Park, a boat cruise, and if I'm feeling a brave, a step out onto the Willis Tower Skydeck. I hope to squeeze as much in as I can AND to remember to take some pictures along the way!

Cloud Gate in Millennium Park

Bon March

So, we're about halfway through March already; how did that happen?  I have been crazy busy lately, mainly because of my new job, and some philanthropic activities that have taken up some time.  I really love the new job so far, though starting with a new organization and in a new role (not just for me, but also for the organization) means that there's a learning curve that just takes some time to master.  I work with some great people who are very supportive, so I'm excited about it all.  I'm taking InDesign training all this week since I'll be working on some design-related projects moving forward, and it's actually pretty enjoyable, for an all-day training session.

via

I just finished reading Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and John Irving's Until I Find You.  You might know Mindy as Kelly Kapoor from The Office, and Is Everyone Hanging Out... ? is a book of essays about her life.  Mindy writes like she's your best friend who's writing you random e-mails at 3:00am when she can't sleep, and I mean that in a good way.  The essays are autobiographical and funny, and more than anything, reading them just makes you want to hang out with Mindy.  I blew through this book and would recommend it as a quick and entertaining read.

via

I'm glad that I read these two book at the same time, because as light-hearted as Mindy's essays are (see, I'm even calling her by her first name--friends already!), Irving's Until I Find You was just as heavy.  I think I've said this before, but John Irving can be an acquired taste.  I started out with his best-sellers, which are, of course, generally the better-written and more widely-appreciated selections (A Prayer for Owen Meany, The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules, and A Widow for One Year were all great, in my opinion).  My last Irving novel was A Son of the Circus, and the only thing these two novels have in common are extended periods of time spent in Amsterdam's red light district.  I just couldn't wait to finish this one; I really liked the ending, the beginning was okay, and I hated the middle. Jack Burns, the protagonist, just endures so many terrible situations that are a bit graphic at times, and it just made me sad for his character. Jack does find redemption in the end, but there was a large portion in the middle that just seemed unnecessary to the story.  I'm glad I read it, but I wouldn't recommend it as an intro to Irving.

Not sure what I'm reading next, as I've downloaded several new books on my Kindle and have yet to make a decision.  Hopefully I'll be back before the end of March!

Life Update

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." Robert Frost

I've put off posting because, quite frankly, I didn't want to put these words into writing yet again.  The short story is this: my position at work has been eliminated, and I'm out of a job.  The longer version doesn't really matter at this point, except that I was already looking for a new opportunity, and now I'm much more motivated to find one.  From here on out, January 25, 2012 will be the day that lives in infamy (as well as February 17, 2009).  Though on second thought, perhaps I shouldn't compare my loss of employment to the December 7, 1941, the day that the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, the day that truly lives in infamy.  [See, there I go again, making a World War II reference, and that relates directly to *my next post.]

*Initially, I inserted what is now the following post in this spot, since the segue from "the day that lives in infamy" miraculously fit the book I'd most recently finished.  BUT, I think I'm not quite being fair to myself if I don't at least mention a few things that have been floating about in my brain.

Losing your job sucks.  It fucking sucks.  Since this has now happened to me twice, I consider myself an expert and know all the things about losing jobs.  When you work somewhere for almost five years, that place becomes home.  Did I wake up with absolute joy every day because I was heading in to the office?  Did I adore every single one of my 400+ co-workers and colleagues?  Was I happy with my job responsibilities after holding the position for almost three years?  The answer to these questions is a resounding no.  In fact, I'd begun looking for a new opportunity, though I was in the very, very early stages of such.

However... did I find satisfaction in my job, helping people achieve a difficult task?  Yes.  Did I make a difference in people's lives?  Yes.  Am I proud of the quality of work that I leave behind?  Yes.  Did I consider my direct co-workers and many of my colleagues friends?  Yes.  Did I have three years worth of junk (but my junk) accumulated inside and underneath my desk?  Yes.  Please don't interpret this post as a complaint, because it's not.  I choose to see this situation as an opportunity; for three months I'll be paid to look for a new job while not actually have to work at the old one.  That's a win-win, right?

compliments of my former co-workers

More than anything, I am so very extremely lucky and fortunate to have wonderful friends and family who have sent me love, cupcakes, and funny someecards to brighten this time in my life.  I am also lucky to have been treated well upon my exit, and I harbor no ill-will toward my former place of employment.  I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and that God has a plan for each of us even if we're reluctant to follow.

That's all, folks.

It's Finally Friday

Hello friends and 4 followers and mom!  I haven't deserted you intentionally, but hot damn, the past several weeks have been a blur.  Work and life just never seem to slow down--I'm not complaining, these just be the facts.  And I have a semi-permanent houseguest these days; my awesome/amazing/beautiful/smart/talented/funny sister Anna is now a DC resident!  She graduated from college in mid-May and started her first job a mere three days later, bless her heart.  We are having a great time living together and getting lots of quality sister-sister time, and thankfully the girl bakes!  (Direct quote from her after a month living with me: "So, you're like, the opposite of domestic."  Thanks, sis.)

Remember my dear friend Amanda?  Well, Amanda and I work together... until next Wednesday; unfortunately for me and fortunately for her, she is leaving for greener pastures and the next chapter in her career.  Thankfully she'll still be in DC so it's not "goodbye," just "I'll see ya later."  My other fabulous co-worker (and fellow J. Crew, Kate Spade, and FRBV-loving buddy) Amy has already left for Capitol Hill.  The times they are a'changing, but all for the best!

gift from co-worker Amy on her last day of work

Anyway, my blog is a great way for me to zone out for a few minutes during the week so I'll get back to regularly-scheduled programming shortly.