Life Update

Life Update

Monday, October 23, 2017

Location: Dallas, TX, USA

Okay, yes, I know it’s been awhile.

I won’t write all the excuses as to why I haven’t posted lately, but I’ve been really happy to hear people telling me they want to hear more from me. So, I’m baaaaack.

I have some topics in mind that I’ll post about in the upcoming weeks, but for now I just wanted to give you guys a little life update on what I’ve been up to lately.

I turned twenty-three, and that was pretty cool. I got lots of birthday love from my family, friends, and boyfriend. I felt super special this year, it was really wonderful. The problem is that I always forget how old I am. When people ask me my age, I literally have to think about it. Please tell me that I’m not the only one this happens to.

I got promoted, and that was really cool. I came into my job as an Account Service Apprentice, which was kind of like a fancy internship with a hopeful job at the end of it. I’ve been working hard and learning a lot. Sooner than I expected, I got promoted to Project Manager! This next paragraph is pretty much going to sound like something you read on LinkedIn but if you want to know what I’m doing...

I’m kind of like an air traffic controller -- but instead of directing planes at an airport, I’m directing jobs at an agency. I plan, manage, and execute client projects from beginning to end. So -- a client hires us for a job. I look at the client’s goals and the big picture of what they’re trying to accomplish, then transition that into a detailed plan that can be tasked out to our production artists (designers, copywriters, developers, etc). The most important part of my job is to know the status of all the different projects we have going on, keep them organized and moving along, and make sure nothing gets lost or forgotten about. Making clients happy makes me happy.

Almost everything we do at our agency involves a lot of collaboration. So, 1) not everything listed above is on my plate for every job, and sometimes different people do different things 2) major props to all of my coworkers because they’re awesome people that I enjoy working with. I came in as a fresh college grad with just a little bit of agency experience, and they have taught me so much!

Side note: I’m going to write more about why I love working in advertising, specifically at a small agency, later -- but if you are considering taking this path and have any questions for me please don’t hesitate to reach out!

I found a yoga studio I love, and that was much needed. Having a yoga home is so important to me, and it was exhausting to try out a different studio week after week, usually not happy with the experience. WeYogis Uptown is my new zen spot. I totally suggest it. Namaste.

I went to ACL and had an amazing time. The Red Hot Chili Peppers brought tears to my eyes. I also discovered I am not fit for raves.

TCU football is undefeated, and y’all knew I had to mention that.

Other than that, it’s just been normal day-to-day stuff. I’m starting to feel more and more at home in Dallas. I’ve established kind of a sense of normalcy, which I enjoy. The past few months have been really fun and happy. :)

That’s all for now. Please comment with your thoughts and let me know what you want me to write about next!

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Four Fabulous Books - What You Should Be Reading Right Now

Four Fabulous Books - What You Should Be Reading Right Now

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Location: Dallas, TX, USA

The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty

Ohhh my God drama. I absolutely loved this one. The story is beautifully told from the perspective of several different characters, and at the beginning of the book you’ll find yourself wondering what all of these random people have to do with each other. Don’t worry, you’ll find out. Here’s the teaser excerpt:

“At the heart of The Husband’s Secret is a letter that’s not meant to be read.

My darling Cecilia, if you’re reading this, then I’ve died...

Imagine your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not only the life you have built together, but the lives of others as well. And then imagine that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive...

Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything—and not just for her. There are other women who barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they, too, are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret.”

The Girls by Emma Cline

This was a very interesting read. Unlike the books I usually read, this one is more of a glimpse of someone’s life, or a snapshot of a time period, than it is a beginning-middle-end story. It’s unique and different. It makes you feel things. I definitely recommend it. Here’s the teaser excerpt:

“Northern California, during the violent end of the 1960s. At the start of summer, a lonely and thoughtful teenager, Evie Boyd, sees a group of girls in the park, and is immediately caught by their freedom, their careless dress, their dangerous aura of abandon. Soon, Evie is in thrall to Suzanne, a mesmerizing older girl, and is drawn into the circle of a soon-to-be infamous cult and the man who is its charismatic leader. Hidden in the hills, their sprawling ranch is eerie and run down, but to Evie, it is exotic, thrilling, charged—a place where she feels desperate to be accepted. As she spends more time away from her mother and the rhythms of her daily life, and as her obsession with Suzanne intensifies, Evie does not realize she is coming closer and closer to unthinkable violence, and to that moment in a girl’s life when everything can go horribly wrong.”

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

This book will expand your horizons. It will open your eyes to some sensitive issues that you’ve probably avoided talking about -- like racism and white supremacy. With everything going on in our world today, I don’t think there’s a better time for you to dive into this one. Here’s the teaser excerpt:

“Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine check up on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?

Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy's counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family—especially her teenage son—as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other's trust, and come to see that what they've been taught their whole lives about others—and themselves—might be wrong.

With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassion—and doesn't offer easy answers. Small Great Things is a remarkable achievement from a writer at the top of her game.”

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime

This book is one of my all time faves, as well as a super easy read. It’s about a boy named Christopher, who has autism, and the adventure he goes on to find out who killed a neighborhood dog. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will open your heart. Everyone needs to read this one. Here’s the teaser excerpt:

“Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow.

Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, for fifteen-year-old Christopher everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning. He lives on patterns, rules, and a diagram kept in his pocket. Then one day, a neighbor's dog, Wellington, is killed and his carefully constructive universe is threatened. Christopher sets out to solve the murder in the style of his favourite (logical) detective, Sherlock Holmes. What follows makes for a novel that is funny, poignant and fascinating in its portrayal of a person whose curse and blessing are a mind that perceives the world entirely literally.”

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Welcome to the Real World

Welcome to the Real World

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Location: Dallas, TX, USA

TCU gave me the best four years of my life.

It gave me a college community that made me realize my worth and reach my potential, a group of best friends that will no doubt be my bridesmaids, a hell of a lot of good times, and oh yeah -- a truly valuable education.

Throughout my time in college, it seemed like it would never end. Until it did.

Graduation happened, and then the real world hit me real quick. No more morning walks across campus. No more attending class for a few hours, then spending the rest of my day doing yoga and watching Netflix. No more seeing my best friends every day, or even every weekend, or even once a month.

Now it’s work, Monday through Friday, 9 AM-6 PM. It’s a new city with new people. It’s long-distance friendships. It’s different.

It’s all different.

Now don’t get me wrong -- I am loving life right now. Dallas is an amazing place to be, I’m truly enjoying what I do at work, I’m making new friends, and having a blast on the weekends. But I am definitely in a transition period, and it’s not easy.

Change is hard.

But that doesn’t mean we have to give it the power to make us unhappy. Yes, it’s tough, and that’s a pretty unanimous fact. Resistance to change is a universal condition that has been occurring since the beginning of forever. Humans don’t like uncertainty, difficult times, or not knowing what’s coming next. We like to feel safe and comforted, but the problem is: this inhibits our growth.

If we stayed in the same place, doing the same thing, with the same people, we would never learn new things, make new friends, or discover new passions. The reality is that all of us live in a constant state of uncertainty. We don’t actually know what’s going to happen next; we just occasionally talk ourselves into believing we do because it allows us to feel safe -- even just for a little while.

It’s important for us to understand that nothing in this life is going to stay the same forever. In the liberating process of embracing uncertainty, we blossom. Change expands our horizons and makes us stronger and wiser.

I’m so thankful for my college experience. I can honestly say that I soaked it all up, took it all in, and enjoyed almost every moment of it. But now it’s over, and that’s okay. I have a new chapter of life to explore, and I’m looking forward to all of the wonderful experiences that it has to bring me as well.

So to all the post-grads out there -- whether you’re struggling to get used to the 40-hour week, you’re still finding your place in the new city you call home, or you’re just now coming to terms with the word ‘alumni,’ keep in mind you aren’t the only one feeling that way. Embrace the uncertainty you’re experiencing and allow yourself to grow and blossom in this period of transition.

College is over -- but life is just getting started. Remember that the best is still yet to come.

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