Two for One

Craft it Forward was so good to me!  From Ally Built I got some beautiful handmade magnets, which I was telling my self that day that I needed to get more. Also, the necklace I got from her for my birthday is kickass.  Jordan, you should look into her new home-brew selections for your hubby and friends.

Cupcakes - so cute!

These are no wimpy magnets either, they're awesome, just like those kiddos

I also got some holiday-inspired knitted (or crocheted, I can never tell) pot holders from the talented Helen at Creative Normaltown.  I opened these and I laughed, in a good way, because great minds think alike.

I have 5 gifts ready-to-go for those of you who want to Craft it Forward!  I am so excited about them and cannot wait to continue to make more.  Just comment on this post or Facebook (I don't know that many people so I think I need to branch out, social-media-wise) then message me our address and I'll send you my handmade goodie.  Then you post what I sent to you and make a homemade gift for 5 people that comment on your post.  It doesn't have to be professional grade or sell-able, let's just continue to brighten and inspire.

Real Life with Paychecks Lane

I am employed!!!  Thanks to everyone for the good vibes they were sending my way!

After my first interview, I went in the following week for my second interview. I needed to bring in my portfolio (which wasn't nearly ready) so I worked for about 2 days to get it done then I sent it to FedEx Office to get printed. They have a great online printing service where you can customize and get it just the way you want it. So I sent it and waited for my confirmation email. I've had tons of portfolios just like this printed so I know how long it should take to make. At 8am the morning of my interview, when I still hadn't gotten my confirmation email, I just decided to drive to pick it up, because they must have just forgotten to send it, right? When I got to FedEx, all the lights are off (its open 24 hours!!) and there is a sign on the door: "We have lost power and will reopen soon. Sorry for the inconvenience." All nonchalantly like that. Like they had no idea what I was supposed to be doing in two and a half hours... "Sorry, my bad" says the FedEx.

I went home, got my phone ('cause I forget it, of course), and called the location that was farther away. The lady was nice and said she would reprint my portfolio. So I got ready, drove to pick it up, and I made it to my interview with 10 minutes to spare. Ugh. Never again.

Anyways, I met with the head of the design department and we talked for about an hour and a half.  He gave me a tour of the office and I met a lot of the people I would be working with.  At the end of our interview, I asked what the next step would be, and low and behold, a third interview. Bleh.  I think I'm getting really good at these.

At that one (which was basically 3 mini interviews), I met with 3 sets of people from the design team.  The first time I met with two Senior Interior Designers, then I met with two architects, then I met with the Design Manager and the Selections Designer.  It took about 2 hours and was a little bit exhausting, but fun. About a day and a half later I got my offer letter, which made it seem so much more real.  I start on November 7th and I am excited and nervous.  More nervous than I was in the interviews. Is that weird?

Nick and I feel like we are at a crazy point in our lives.  Like we've been traveling on this one road for so long, I call it Poor College Student Drive, and now were about to make a sharp left turn onto Real Life With Paychecks Lane.  It's exciting. :)

Keep your fingers crossed!

Speaking of not having a job, I had an interview yesterday.  There is a company I have been keeping my eyes on for a while now.  I actually applied for a job opening they had listed on their website the night before Nick and I left Georgia.  I called about once a week (and emailed) until I got a hold of Bob, the guy I needed to talk to, last week.  He told me they had filled that position but he thinks there will be an open position that I would be more suited for.  He told me to call him back early this week.  So I called about twice a day until I got him on the phone and he asked me in for an interview the next day!

It went really well.  Bob was very nice, funny, and super chatty.  I got some really great vibes while I was there and was really impressed with everything he told me about their business model and how they all work together.

We talked for about an hour and towards the end he said, "well, I already know I want you to come back for a second interview". That sounds promising, right?!  I'll know Monday or Tuesday when my second interview will be and hopefully it will go just as well.  I'll meet with the design team and show my portfolio (which now I have to get together........).

I heard once that this guy really wanted to work for this company so what he did was basically bother them until he got an interview.  That was definitely my strategy here.  I know a lot of people don't want to seem like a bother or feel like they might be getting on someone's nerves, but you know what, it shows persistence and determination.  Those are qualities employers are looking for, not someone who just waits around.  And in my case, the only person I may have been bothering was the receptionist.

Two posts in one day? Holy shit - I need a job.

I just met with Jazma.  She is an investigator with with Federal government. She is working on Nick's security clearance and is making sure that everything Nick has said about himself is true.  If you are one of the lucky ones Nick has put as a reference don't worry, it was easy and not scary (not like that Mad Men episode).  No men in suits, she wore flip flops.

Jazma is from Atlanta. We started talking about Georgia and she asked me how I liked it here. I've been asked that a few times and I never knew what to say, so I'd normally respond "Um, well, it's...different". So when she asked me what I thought about Virginia I started with my usual response, but she completed my sentence for me, "it's different" she said. It was nice knowing that I'm not the only one who doesn't know how to respond to that. We started talking about all things we both miss about Georgia and all the things that we also like about living here in Virginia.  It's weird.  I like it here, but I miss Georgia (and my people) so much.

So here is what I am going to do:  I am going to pretend that I am back in Georgia and what I would do if I was there.  Below are my sisters/sisters-in-law (and nieces, of course) whom I miss terribly and what we would do together if I were still in Georgia/Athens. Carol, you don't count in this because I get to see you in a week and a half!!!

Kelly: I think both of us would just be back in Disney World.
Colleen: sorting through all our baby pictures and laughing about all the memories (and the fights).
Allison: just chatting in your kitchen while drinking delicious coffee and doing something crafty.
Helen: boot-camp at the Y with the one-and-only Brad and then walking with David in the stroller, we're probably heading to Ike & Jane's.
Kate: eating take-out and watching Eastbound and Down, and since this is pretend, we ran together earlier and I kept up with you.
Stephanie: hanging out at your house after a party you and Peter just had, then going to Aqua Linda for Mexican food. yum.
Sarah + Josey: painting each others finger nails and playing a silly game Sarah has invented.

Don't get me wrong, I am not sad, I just miss home and can't wait to see everyone (hopefully) at Thanksgiving!

Long Weekend.

By long weekend, I mean that we had many days, not that it was terrible or anything.  Nick has what the feds call "alternative work schedule" which means he works longer days so that he gets every other Friday off.  Sometimes this it works out where the Friday he has off is the one before a long weekend.  So he had a four day weekend and guess what?! It didn't rain!!

Here's an Office quote because it's funny and relevant:
"Robert: You want a three and a half day weekend for Columbus Day?
Andy: Yes I do.
Robert: And you are aware Columbus and his legions committed genocide against an entire civilization of Native Americans?
Andy: I don't care."

Friday and Saturday we didn't really do much.  We did meet up with Nick's friend Chris at this restaurant up in Crystal City where the UGA Alumni meets to watch the UGA games.  Yay for a win!

The leaves are changing!

We decided at the last minute Saturday night to go camping/hiking on Sunday and Monday.  We found this cute little State Park about an hour or so away.  We had to hike about a mile to the site and we hiked a few miles around the park on Sunday. The area is beautiful and the trails lead right up to the Appalachian Trail. We thought it was crazy that that trail essentially could take us home to Georgia. I was tempted for a second to say "let's do it!" until Nick told me it would take about 2 or 3 months to walk home. No thanks, maybe later.

I'm pretty sure everyone who was also hiking had never seen a dog with her own backpack before. Juno was a big hit and got lots of attention.  We decided to get her a patch from the park that I'm going to sew on her pack so that she can show off all of the hikes she does. That might be silly, but I don't care. :)

Our site & teeny-tiny tent

Our tent is waaay too small for the three of us and I got NO sleep. For one, I probably shouldn't have taken a Zyrtec because they always knock me out and it didn't help that Juno has to sleep right on my legs. Also, I hit myself in the face with a twig I was trying to break in half for the fire and got a bruise. Ouch! (...why do I always share those embarrassing stories?! I hope you guys are enjoying them...)  So, I woke up super tired and we decided to just pack up and head home. The weather was perfect and we had a great time. It was nice to get out of town for a little bit.

She loves to hike!

And to camp.

playing cards by the camp fire

This road was built in 1858!

So pretty.

Oh, and by the way, it's raining here again.

Where am I?!

On Sunday, Nick and I (despite the constant rain) decided to make a recycling run since it doesn't get picked up at our townhouse. We loaded up the truck and headed out in the general direction. I had been there once before and he hadn't. A few minutes into our trip Nick asked me where his next turn was going to be. Huh?!?! I don't know...

I've been so scared of getting lost that I've basically been using the GPS as a crutch since we've been here. Nick thought it might be time that I stopped using it so that I can actually learn where things are around here. fine.

I had a ton of errands to run today and I decided I would give it a shot. I went to the DMV this morning without even getting the GPS out of the glove box! So what that I had been there once already and it was basically one right turn. I did it okay. I was feeling pretty confident so I gave it another shot. The doctors office. I've been there twice before. No biggie, right? I got lost. I guess two right turns are a little too much for me to handle just yet.

Not sure what I was thinking a little while later when I was trying to navigate my way out of a part of town I hadn't driven through yet. They really mean it when the sign(s) say no right on red. First official ticket in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I don't even have my driver's license yet.

On a lighter note, the DMV thought I may have stolen someone's identity today. Not sure if you knew this, but when I was born my name was Kristine. Two weeks later my mom decided that I wasn't a Kristine, so she changed it. When my birth certificate came in the mail - instead of printing a new one - they crossed out Kristine and typed in Kimberly in slightly smaller font just above it. Totally threw 'em for a loop. They had to call the state of Illinois to make sure I was who I said I was.  :)

Penalty: Delay of Game

I've been a big-time slacker on the posting front.  I apologize to the many of you that have been refreshing this page daily.

Well, I had a great birthday last weekend.  So much better than I could have imagined.  It helped that Philip and Malory were here to bring a little bit of Athens soul with them.  We jam-packed the two days they were here with lots of touristy things and I had a great time.  It was so exciting to see the White House for the first time - even though we've been living in metro DC for over a month.  We saw most of the monuments and went to the Smithsonian American Art Museum.  It was great, but I was hoping for a little more modern art.  I really wanted to see a Jackson Pollack or a Rothko, but not one.  I think I'll try the National Gallery of Art next time.  We did however see sculpture from my favorite furniture designer/sculptor, Harry Bertoia.  It was one of those perfect moments where we were getting to the end and I was feeling a little sad, not seeing any of my favorites and I turned a corner and BAM.  There she was.

Sculpture Group Symbolizing the World's Communication

We also went to the Nationals/Braves game on Sunday.  It wasn't the same as Turner Field and it made me miss it a little bit.  It didn't help that we got slaughtered (not even one run!) and that everyone around you is cheering for the other team, but I have to say the hotdog was probably one of the best hotdogs ever.  You win there too Nats.

I loved getting so many cards and gifts in the mail in the past week!  It was fun coming home to surprises and feeling all the love from so far away.  I got to go shopping, we're going to the movies (!!!), and I feel so inspired from all my creative peeps.  So, thank you EVERYONE for all of the birthday love.

Below are pictures I stole from Malory's facebook, apologies if it's redundant to some of you. :)

Also, keep an eye out for all of my many projects I've been working on lately.  I've been a crafting, painting machine. :)

No Obama or Michelle :-/

WWII Memorial -- that's me to the left!

Honest Abe

Capital

Malory really wanted to see the reflecting pool, but it's just a smelly mud pit now...