Day 1: Shore-bound

Time: 5:43am

Wearing: H&M white scoop neck tee, Citizens of Humanity "Faye" jeans, Chloe wooden slingback platform wedges

Just finished having a tomazzo bagel w/ butter & jelly with some coffee sitting at the gate waiting for our flight. I'm not as bleary-eyed as I thought I'd be at this hour, but maybe it's the anticipation of relaxation that's keeping me going.

Hope to get some blogging in on this trip, especially about the books I'll be reading: The Devil in the Junior League, The Debutante Divorcee, and The Starter Wife.

Checking In

My apologies for lack of new posts in the last month or so. I'd been planning on working on the blog atleast every other day, but the new job has taken much of of attention away from my regular hobbies.

Needless to say, now that I've been at on the job for about a month, I'm slowly working my old habits back into my new schedule.

Stay tuned!

Catching Up

So much has happend in the last couple of weeks that I haven't been able to get a new blog post in. I started my new job a little over 3 weeks ago, and I feel like an entirely different person. My job is not the same as the last; there are more responsibilities and more balls in the air now. I'm still trying to familiarize myself with the properties themselves, and at the same time, take in more technical knowledge. CD says it's a little intense for the first couple of weeks, but I feel like I am far behind because I've been out of the business for the last 9 months.

So asides from having scores of appointments and business meetings, conference calls, and building my new workspace w/ the right tools and supplies, I've also been going out more, reconnecting with many people I used to be in contact with, and I've also taken to drinking my breakfast instead of chewing it. I recently discovered Jamba Juice, as there is a location across the street from my office. It's a good way for me to cut down on the caffeine in the morning and eat healthier than my usual staple of bagel & cream cheese.

When I do have a little spare time, I've been spending it tweaking my wardrobe. I got started prior to my first day at work by adding a few pieces of clothing here and there, along w/ some accessories (ie. shoes), and now as I go through what I have, I think about what else would help wrap things together. Fortunately for me, there are some incredible sales right now, and I have found some great deals. I have also found a few pairs of designer shoes on discount calling my name!

What's my name?

I am please to announce that in about a week, I will be starting a new job at a local real estate company leasing commercial office buildings. It is what I was doing before, and I waited a long time for the right opportunity to get back into real estate. I am happy with the choice of the firm, as well as my future co-workers.

This week, I am doing all the things you have to do for a new job: filling out oodles of paperwork pertaining to background checks/drug testing/benefits & payroll, etc., get all my work clothes & accessories in order, crossing off errands/tasks that need to be done before the job starts and won't have time (or the inclination) to do them. The biggest chore of all: going to the Social Security Administration office to get a new social security card and formally making a name change.

Yes, I've been married for over 6 months now, and have just now gotten around to this 'to do' item on my list. That's not to say I haven't been mulling over the name change since before the wedding, because I have spent probably more time than necessary thinking about it. My maiden name sounds so simple, but is a nightmare to spell and to pronounce if you aren't familiar with Chinese last names. Needless to say, it made growing up a little difficult at times, and I can't count the number of times I wished I was married already and had some mundane last name like Smith. There wasn't a doubt in my mind back in the day that I was going to change it the first chance I could. The reality of this opportunity didn't hit me until the engagement when people started asking what I was going to do about my name. And when my husband (aka CD) then expressed his very strong opinion that I take his last name, period end of discussion. Sound the alarms!

Ok, defensive shields went up right quick when this info came out. It snuck up on me over the last couple years, but apparently my maiden name isn't so bad after all. The thought of not having it freaked me out because it's part of my identity--who I am as a person. I was worried that I'd lose me when I got married. Then there's the other unfortunate thing, which is that hubby and I have practically the same first name, so as if that isn't cutesy-in-a-vomiting-sort-of-way already, it'd be somewhat problematic since we are in the same industry and do the same type of work (not to mention the number of friends we have whose names are/or start with 'Chris') -- I could just see the hordes of wrongly addressed emails. Eh.

My initial solution was to just add his last name to mine, without changing every single legal document I had. It would be helpful in preserving my established career, and give hubby what he wants. So for all practical purposes, I am Christy MaidenName MarriedName. Which works great and is actually easier (from the people I spoke with at banks and the airlines) because so long as my maiden name is on my ID somewhere, they can identify me, AND it is easier for them to leave it as such in their computer systems. For common use (i.e. email, junk mail, etc.), I am Christy MarriedName.

The reason the name thing is even an issue again is because of this new job. The stack of legal documents had me spinning on what name to fill out. Legally (as it is recorded on my naturalization papers, passport, and with the IRS), I am Christy Emily MaidenName. So I filled out all the employment forms as such. But I told the IT people that everything should be set up as Christy MarriedName, and I plan on having my business cards read: Christy MaidenName MarriedName. It occurred to me as I was deliberating what the correct and legal way to fill the forms out, that it'd be easier if my legal name reflected what I was going to use professionally. And that's when I got the little pained feeling about dropping my middle name.

Ok, this does sound a little convoluted, but the name Emily has some sentimental value. While I was in the womb, my father was very close to one of his American business associates, who I believe contributed to a good part the success of his business early on in his career. So when I arrived, my father asked his friend to help give me my American name (and the only name I have now as a US citizen). His friend named me Christy Emily after his two daughters. I don't know what happened to this person, but I thank him for giving me 2 names I like. Otherwise, my father told me I was probably going to be an Elizabeth or a Minnie, neither one of which fits me at all!

Ultimately, I want to be Christy Emily MaidenName LastName. But is it a problem if I use the 2nd middle name more than the first? In this age of identity theft and fraud, how does one appropriately handle the matter legally? That is the question, as I get ready to hit the SSA office tomorrow. I'm going to have to tell them something.

New York, New York (Part 1)

I recently embarked on a great 3 day jaunt in New York City with the ladies. Originally conceived months ago because Jen was feeling the urge to empty her bank account for handbags, we had a total of 6 (Jen, Jessica, Pam, Marina, Jodi, and Myself) departing for the Big Apple Friday morning.

Memorial Day weekend is the start of the Summer season for New Yorkers. If you are somebody or know the right somebody, you are spending your weekends in the Hamptons on the weekends as soon as weather permits. It's nice because the city becomes a tad less crowded than usual. We arrived at LaGuardia on-time and 20 minutes later were on our way in a spacious cab headed for the island. The Affinia Dumont, our accommodations for the trip, was located in Murray Hill, a quaint and unique residential neighborhood with a long and rich history of preservation efforts by its residents. We checked in, dropped our bags, and headed to find some lunch.

My original choice for lunch was Markt, a bar/restaurant with good belgian fare. Armed with my Zagats guide from 2006, I led us to it's Meatpacking District location only to find that the building is being rehabbed for a new office/retail complex. A native New Yorker would have known that the restaurant had recently moved to 6th & 21st. Sigh. Fortunately, it's hard to starve in NYC and we walked across the street to Vento, a casual/cool Italian trattoria with a great outdoor seating area. After filling our bellies with good food, we headed down 14th street to check out the bevy of high-end retail here. Among the stores we visited were: Scoop NYC (an expanded location sectioned off by "street", "kids", "men", and "women"), Diane Von Furstenberg, Tracy Reese, Charles Nolan, Theory, and the illustrious Jeffrey New York.

While we found some great pieces Friday afternoon, the highlight of our stop in the Meatpacking District was me spotting Todd Oldham while perusing the shoe department at Jeffrey. I love watching Todd on Bravo's Top Design. He started out doing fashion and has branched into furniture, photography/art, and interiors (check out The Hotel in South Beach). The guy was dressed like anyone else who was walking around the city: t-shirt, cargo shorts, backpack. You'd think it was just anyone, but nope...Todd Oldham! Spotting fashion designers is even more amazing to me than spotting regular old celebrities. I would love to see Isaac Mizrahi or Michael Kors in the flesh!

We wrapped up the first night in the Big Apple by dining at the swanky Lower East Side gem, Stanton Social. We started with cocktails that were divine (loved the Social Tea) and feasted on a variety of plates on the menu -- everything had a twist to it, and was, of course, delish! Marina & Jodi decided to hit Times Square post-dinner, and the rest of us took in one last drink at a restaurant/lounge called Thor, part of the Hotel on Rivington. This place had my favorite drink of the day, made with: Vodka, Red Bull, berry puree, and Pop rocks. I think there was another ingredient, but that is the gist. It was excellent!

Finally, in the not too wee hours, four tired but happy girls dragged themselves back to the hotel for much needed sleep...

Stay tuned for the next recap!

Random Acts

Things have been a little hectic with my life the last couple weeks, so I apologize for not blogging sooner. In anticipation of multiple posts of my recent trip to New York, here's a quickie to tide you over...

I've been at home chilling out after my last temp (3 month) assignment ended, trying to enjoy a little me time amidst all the interviews and mulling over job opportunities. Anyway, I went out to run a few errands the other day, and as I walked down the street, a girl passed me walking the opposite direction. She was sobbing intensely. Made me wonder what/who happened to her for her to be so sad. I felt fortunate to only have what I think are "troubles" right then.

Ten minutes later, I stopped at Chipotle for a soda -- it was almost 90 degrees here! As I reached to pay, the guy at the register (aka "the Manager") told me that my drink was on the house. I thanked him, and left thinking, there are still good people out there!

A typical Saturday afternoon...

This last Saturday, while my hubby was entertaining at the Cubs game, I embarked on my favorite pastime: shopping. I don't always buy, but I enjoy seeing what's out in the stores.

I shopped alone. I actually prefer to shop on my own for the most part. I can spend more time paying attention to something that I've read about in a magazine, or go to an obscure boutique. I can demonstrate great control by myself, but it is also then I can do the most damage. On the damage scale, Saturday was about a 4 in terms of items purchased and what purposes they serve, and a 6 for amount of money spent.

I do follow a few guidelines when I go shopping; mostly because shopping can be a tiring and frustrating activity, but I like to enjoy it for the fun aspects as often as possible while getting something accomplished at the same time.

Here are my tips:

1) Nothing says you have purchasing power than showing up looking decent.

My outfit -- H&M white striped 3/4 sleeve sweater, dark Seven For All Mankind jeans, Tory Burch "Reva" black flats, J. Crew black peacoat.

2) Always have some sort of game plan as far as where you are going, or what you are looking for.

I was looking for: blush, some new tops, and a leather jacket. Stores to hit: Bloomingdales, H&M, Banana Republic, Neiman Marcus, and Saks!

3) You never know what you will find, so keep your eyes open for deals/bargains/good finds.

I snagged a cream colored silk flutter sleeved blouse with painted dots on it from Banana Republic. They have finally gotten their heads out of their *sses and stopped doing vanity-sizing. I thought that was the worst idea ever, and clearly someone in management finally figured it out. It's a good work top, but can double as a going out top too.

I also found a great pair of Diesel jeans. I love jeans, and I own many, many pairs of designer jeans, but none by Diesel. The cut caught my eye when I passed by, so I tried them on. They are fantastic! The denim quality is excellent and made in Italy, the wash/cut quite flattering. I would have never thought of Diesel if I were looking for new denim, so it was a great find.

Lastly, a great deal was had at Coach, where I picked up a pair of brown python detail leather roman-style sandals for $69.00. It's going to look great with dresses, skirts, and jeans.

I didn't find my leather jacket; not too many people are showing the style I'm looking for, but I did find some blush and a bronzing shimmer oil from Stila, so all was well!

Can't wait to do it all again...next week? ;)

Hooked again, and not ashamed!

I have found a new late night activity on the weekends that is slowly becoming a habit: watching back to back episodes of General Hospital for the past week on SoapNet.

Let me preface by saying that SoapNet is a great invention. It is a satellite channel dedicated to the daytime and primetime soaps that you love, from the present and more importantly, the past. I can catch reruns of 90210 and Melrose Place if I felt like it, and for those who didn't watch that stuff, they are also now featuring The O.C. , which was just cancelled. I think they also have Dallas and Dynasty too. Basically, it's a channel of guilty pleasures. The women are witchy and conniving at times, and many of the men are easy on the eyes. Now with the full cooperation of the networks, the actors and actresses participate in documentaries, biographies, etc. for their show. It's a big bonus if you like to know more about the people, background for storylines, and general tidbits. It's a dream come true for the on-again, off-again soap watcher like myself.

I usually find myself catching an episode or two of GH every now and again, just because of SoapNet's program scheduling, but most of the time, I'm not interested enough to watch. I don't usually like jumping into the middle of a story because I like to know what happened before that led to this point. But this time, I quickly became attached to the relationship between 2 characters I knew from when I first started watching the show, Jason and Elizabeth. Jason Morgan is a Quartermaine by blood, but became a new person after being involved in a terrible car accident. He shunned his overbearing family for a different life as the right-hand enforcer for Sonny. Elizabeth Webber is the niece of one of the nurses at General Hospital. She started out as a teenager jealous of her perfect sister Sarah and always getting in trouble. Since I last really watched the show, she has become an RN, had a child from a brief affair, married Lucky Spencer, and is dealing with Lucky's addiction to drugs. Both Elizabeth and Jason were part of of a few storylines before that were good, but I never took any interest in their characters. Why now?

It's been a couple years since the introduction of Jason as this good guy turned brooding bad boy, and the character has evolved into a seriously sensitive and stoic dude with an instinctive hero complex for damsels in distress (particularly Elizabeth). The way the actor plays emotions and reactions are subtle, but effective. (I should also mention that he's pretty fine -- dark blond hair, blue eyes, and muscles!) Now these two have had a long history of being into each other but never able to get together because of Jason's dangerous lifestyle. So it's been long-suffering and there's a lot of history that led up to an intense and emotional evening together when they found out their respective partners were cheating on them at that very moment. So they finally got "together" out of needing to comfort each other, but it couldn't go beyond the one evening.

Right now, you might be like, "This is lame", but with their backstory and the very good chemistry between the two actors, it made total sense. Now, Jason found a way to forgive Sam for being a hussie (I don't like her), and Lucky hit rehab, so Jason and Elizabeth are left w/ their memories of a very sweet night...that is, until Elizabeth got pregnant! (Yes, that was a soap opera moment.) She figured out the paternity of the baby (Jason's, of course), but doesn't want Lucky to turn back to drugs, so she's asking Jason to keep it a secret, and let Lucky be the father. Needless to say, this is causing some serious inner turmoil for Jason because he's always wanted to have a kid (you'll need his backstory to know this), and he has loved Elizabeth from a distance (I've been catching up on them via YouTube) for the last 7 years, so this guy is ready to implode from all that brooding and old, unresolved feelings.

Everything about this storyline and especially with the character of Jason just makes me melt. It's cause I have a major thing for misunderstood men. Always have, always will. Mind you, I didn't marry a misunderstood guy. I married a guy who is charming, fun, very loving, and is open about things (much like the previous object of my soap opera affections, Jax). However, my real-life crushes and failed attempts at relationships were always with slightly misunderstood men who I thought were good on the inside. None of them were as fine looking as Steve Burton, but I didn't get to hold a casting call either. ;)

This week, a storm brews in Port Charles and Elizabeth goes into labor with complications this week (or the next). Supposedly Jason finds her and rushes her to the hospital for surgery. Will Jason admit to Elizabeth he still loves her? What will happen with the baby? When will Lucky and Sam find out? Yeah, I'm into it up to my eyeballs and I don't care. This is a great and brief escape from the daily grind of life, and I am all for it. There's a reason I don't read non-fiction on vacation, and why I don't want to watch documentaries and the news when I go home after work.

Stay tuned!

I'm feeling wild...

Why am I such a sucker for prints? I just placed a bid on a "vintage" Kate Spade animal print satchel on eBay. Even though I am supposed to be on the quality-over-quantity program (especially with bags because I am a handbag whore), every now and then I see something I just need to have. And it usually involves some sort of print -- either logo or animal.

Today, I'm just going to ponder my animal print fetish; I'm quite fond of animal print, particularly leopard.


My *fabulous* Kenneth Cole "Soft Serve" pony-hair pumps -- I wore it with a retro looking Diane von Furstenberg dress to my friend Jessica's Spring wedding in Orlando. Being that it was such a contrast to my all black dress, it was quite noticeable. I didn't even have to wear an inkling of jewelry!




Here's me and the ladies at Pastis in NYC for my bachelorette party. Note my Sweet Pea doe-colored print top. I was feeling a little Carrie Bradshaw that evening, wearing a black bra w/ that top. Hey, I'm in New York, I figured why not. Actually, I think it was because I forgot to pack something more appropriate to go under the tank.

A few weeks after that, at my bridal shower, I wore a leopard-print blouse with a necktie from H&M (tres retro chic), and dark AG Merlot jeans. I spent more time searching for the perfect black shell to match that blouse than I did on anything else for that event. (I have to dig up the photo...it was so cute, seriously).

Other items of animal nature:
- JC flats in leopard print
- Steven flats in black snakeskin print
- Kenneth Cole "Banana Split" leopard print pony-hair loafers
- Kate Spade giraffe print tote (a score off eBay)
- J. Crew giraffe print cardigan
- Forth & Towne python belt (By the way, I'm really sad about this store closing. They have some great stuff!)

Do I have a problem? Maybe, but these things dress up a plain outfit. Plus there's just something about it that speaks to me.

Let's hope I win that bid!

Note: The Kate Spade Madison satchel in Lizard Faille is no longer in production.

We like the pass/fail...

I've been meaning to blog, but the last couple of days was spent studying feverishly for my real estate continuing education exams. I have to take 12 credits of continuing ed every 2 years to keep my salesperson license up to date. This year is the first year that I took the full 12 credits due to some licensing rule (I thank whoever that was for the break 2 years ago). The Licensing Act of 2000 mandates that each salesperson/broker has to take these credits and pass the exams for each course with 70%. You don't have to go to class, you can do it via self-study.

The problem is, the people who write the material can be vague with concepts, be misinformed, or even flat out wrong on some of the things in the books. Unfortunately, this knowledge does not help me pass the exams, which were written to only test you on the really crappy parts of the study guides.

In all cases, I read and re-read every study book and took simplified notes that made the jumble of stuff that was written make more sense. The only course I knew was going to be a problem was the course on my profession--commercial real estate leases. You'd think being a commercial real estate salesperson was going to come in handy. However, as i took the test, i could already tell which ones I was going to get wrong. It was a feeling, something like when the hair on your arms kind of stands up a bit sort of thing.

I took the test, didn't look back, and gave it to the person at the desk to score. The very next thing I hear is, "Christy, you can send your renewal paperwork in." I went to the counter to get the credit sheets for my files, and started to ask about the ones i got wrong. The guy was very matter of fact, "you got 5 wrong -- you passed." I don't think he was going to show me my scores, cause in his mind, what is the point? If you pass, you pass. Who cares which ones you got wrong? So i thought better of it, took my papers, and got out of there but quick!

Thank god for the pass/fail, cause my license renewal is due in 5 days!

90 Seconds of Undeniable Truth

Earlier this evening, I embarked on what can truly be considered intense self-evaluation encapsulated in two 45-second intervals of hell. I voluntarily made an appointment to find out my body composition (% of lean muscle versus fat). Since my go-to hang out jeans were snug, let's just say I was not expecting the numbers to be in my favor.

The program used at my gym to measure body composition is called BodPod. It is similar to hydrostatic weighing but uses air displacement instead of water. The accuracy of the system is +/- 1-2%, whereas traditional methods like Skin-fold calipers ( the “pinch test”) can vary by 6-8%. You sit still inside a pod (thus the name) for 45-seconds as the computer takes in all the information from the pod. The test is done twice to account for small variables like sudden movements, etc. It's a serious thing to do; you cannot eat, drink, or work out 2 hours before the test. I also had to wear minimal clothing and as form-fitting as possible to ensure the best and most accurate test. I had a swim cap on because airpockets in the hair can change the results. After about 2 minutes of eternity, my test scores came shooting out of the printer in the room.

I am 29% fat.

The trainer administering the test was talking, but I don't think I heard much of it. I was having an out-of-apparently-flabby-body-experience seeing that number on the paper. (I feel it necessary to pause here and remind readers that the percentage of muscle to fat is not the same as the Body Mass Index (BMI) that so many people like to use, but does not account for a variety of factors, such as genetics, ethnicity, and body type.) The truth is, I should have known this was the case. I gained 6 pounds since right before my wedding, when I slowly but surely began to slack off on the exercise. There was too much to do. Then I spent about a month basking in the wedding celebration and subsequent honeymoon. Shortly after that, I took on a series of desk-bound assignments and spent less time at the gym. My life as a student/wedding planner worked well for the body. My life since wrapping up finals...not so much.

Here is the chart that was provided to me:
Body Fat Rating for Men & Women
Risky: >30% / >40%
Excess Fat: 21-30% / 31-40%
Moderately Lean: 13-20% / 23-30%
Lean: 9-12% / 19-22%
Ultra Lean: 5-8% / 15-18%
Risky (low body fat): <5% / <15%
*Applies to adults ages 18 and older. Based on information from the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Council on Exercise, Exercise Physiology [4th Ed] by McArdle, Katch, and Katch, and various scientific and epidemiological studies.

Sure, I'm in the "Moderately Lean" bracket, but on the higher end. I am certain that the 6 lbs. I put on was all fat, thus making my previous percentage 24-25%. In my post-wedding haze, I just set myself back a whole year of workouts.

Even before having a sophisticated piece of equipment telling me I needed to get off my duff, I already started my road back to recovery, if you will. One of my 2007 resolutions is to get on my workouts again, and what a great way to push myself back into the pain & the grind, eh? I've begun my 3-4 workouts per week again, and will start watching even more carefully what I eat.

This experience really demonstrates that to be healthy, the right diet and exercise is not something you can do intermittently, but a lifestyle.

Product Review: Moisture Boosting Body Balm by H20+

Yes, another body lotion review! I realized that I failed to mention one of my favorite accidental discoveries. Normally, I use Vaseline Intensive Care's Skin Renewal lotion or Intensive Rescue lotion, and a selection of pleasing Bath & Body Works products for my skin. But on a day when I am missing things in my gym bag (read: socks, sometimes underwear), I swing into the pro shop and leave with more than what I need. It was on one such occasion that I came into a large tube of H20+'s Raspberry Guava Moisture Boosting Body Balm. I didn't give it much thought until after the work out, post-shower when I was about to slather myself from head to toe with lotion.

This thing was like buttah.

I smoothed a good dollop onto my leg and it just melted into my skin. The scent was really nice and not too over=powering. I could have stood there all day, putting this lotion on! Hours later, my skin was still soft. H2O+ advertises the product as being:
"Natural fruit extracts combine with emollient shea butter and soothing aloe vera for an all-over healthy radiance. Provitamin B and vitamin E nourish for the softest, most supple skin."

Needless to say, my skin was feeling radiant, soft, and supple. It felt that way hours later, unlike some moisturizers I've tried. I squeezed every last drop I could out of that tube. I recently bought the Lemon Lust scented balm -- I'm loving the flavor already, and nothing beats smooth, silky skin in warm weather.

You can buy the entire collection of Body Balms in a variety of flavors for $7.00 per 8 oz. tube. Each flavor also has a matching shower gel.

Happy Birthday, CD!

Product Review: Guava Body Butter by Korres Natural Products

At my recent trip to Sephora, I was given a 1-ounce sample of the Korres Guava Body Butter. Being plagued with dry skin practically all four seasons of the year, I am always interested in a new moisturizing product.

Korres is an Athens-based company focused on making affordable organic skin, hair, and beauty products. The owners George & Lena Korres, started out as a pharmacy and then researched formulating their own products rooted in homeopathic traditions.

I decided to try the Guava body butter before going to bed. The packaging is no fuss, which I like. Upon my initial inspection, the consistency of the body butter was nice and thick. You have to work the product into your skin, and there's an immediate difference. My skin was firm, moisturized, but not greasy. The guava smell was just the right intensity. Sometimes moisturizers can have too much fragrance and be very distracting.

If you are looking for a new moisturizer for your legs, the Guava Body Butter is definitely worth a look. You can find the Korres body butter in Guava, Fig, Quince, and Yogurt (5.7 oz for $19.50).

Decisions, Decisions

It's been awhile since I last posted; I feel like the days are flying by lately. As previously mentioned, I've been temping while looking for a job. For awhile there, I thought I was getting complacent in my search because I was working a long-term assignment with no specific end date, taking interviews here and there and not finding anything very exciting or interesting to do.

I wondered about my level of disdain and came to several conclusions:

1) Though I made a great living in my real estate career, I do not love real estate. I was very lucky to have worked with great people and blessed with great projects. But success does not come easy to everyone who gets into the industry. It is a roller coaster, and you have to decide when you want to get off the ride.

2) I have and will always have a deep interest in the law. My goal growing up was to be a lawyer; a great lawyer, in fact. It took the last couple years for me to learn that life is not something you can nor should you want to plan. If you really love something, you'll find your way back to it.

Which brings me to right now. I'm still interviewing, but mostly away from real estate. After much deliberation, I've decided to take the LSAT and apply for law school! CD is very supportive of my renewed aspiration. So I'm looking for job opportunities that will allow me to pursue my interest in law and enhance my personal life. The ideal job is low-stress, pays decent/well, and where work stays at work. This is something I have never fully experienced in my career so it will be somewhat foreign and take some adjustment. There is a lot of potential out there. I know that real estate will always be there for me if I want to go back to it, but now is not a bad time to see what else I can achieve. Life's too short to not take a leap.

Underpacked in Phoenix

My husband and I are visiting my father-in-law in Phoenix/Mesa, AZ and I deliberately and with great calculation determined what would NOT be going into my suitcase. The hot pink Juicy Couture long sleeve hoodie, the extra pair of Citizens jeans, some long sleeve tops for the somewhat cool evening dinners. Last year on this same trip, I was overpacked and sweated my way through 2 spring training games and had sunburnt scalp (not fun!). There was no way I'd be going through that this time.

We were delayed in Chicago for 6 hours due to some rain in the area, and I could not wait to get into the warm and persistent Arizona sunshine. En route to the airport after lugging my bags around a humid city, I realize I left my new Versace tortoiseshell sunglasses at home. 1 hour later, it was my glasses. Then I couldn't remember if I atleast put a cardigan in the bag for air-conditioned restaurants. Hubby reassured me that there was no need for the cardigan -- we are going to Phoenix, land of perpetual sunshine, and we could get shades at Target. My paranoia crept back into the corner. Nothing to worry about, right? We landed at 4:30am PST, caught a few hours of sleep and woke up to a cloudy sky. No sweat; clouds are a rarity here. As we headed to breakfast, I noticed a few drops of moisture coming down. No sweat. At best, Phoenix only gets sprinkles. As I worked on my coffee, the rain started coming down a little more. By the time I finished getting a stand-in pair of shades at Tar-jay, it was a massive downpour complete with lightning and thunder.

It proceeded to rain the entire first day of our so-called "escape from Chicago's bad weather" vacation. I have been subsisting on the 1 pair of jeans I packed, a new Proenza Schoeuler for Target sweatshirt I snagged when I saw the lighning crack through the sliding doors at the store, and my trusty cashmere scarf/wrap. Never have I felt so underpacked in my life! I'm never going to bitch about how I overpacked after this trip. I would rather be prepared for anything and everything. All I can say is, thank god for Target.

Work.

I found this draft blog from a couple months ago...the topic is utterly appropriate for today's discussions...

I am currently taking a class called Business Ethics, which is really a study of business practices and all things that relate to business practices. We look at it from the very bottom up, starting with what is right and wrong, what makes people happy, etc.

Today our topic was: What is work? What is the value of Work?

As I was doing the reading for this week, it seemed quite apropos that this topic come up. After all, I wanted to take this class to help me think about why I do what I do, whether I enjoy it, whether it is something I want to continue to pursuem, and whether there are other things out there that I should pursue. That is a lot of 'whethers', but that's life...lots of questions, not always easy to answer, or maybe not something one would think to require an answer. But these are all legitimate questions that we either have or will asked ourselves at one point or another.

Working in the real world is often described as "being in the rat race", meaning we are little laborious grunts doing what we have to do to get by. No real joy can be drawn from being part of that kind of working world. But the question is: Can we ever do what we want to do and love while making good money doing it? Or is it true that if you want to do what you love, then you will probably be poor doing so?

Talk amongst yourselves!

How much am I worth?

The US government says that the unemployment rate is about 4.6% (as of 2006), but everywhere I turn there are people who are and have been out of work. I met one of the perpetually unemployed just last night at my gym. He was in his mid 40s, in sales, and can't find a job in Chicago to save his life. He started a conversation with me while I was waiting for my carry out dinner order. It went from, "what'd you order?" to "So you aren't working." The funny thing is, this guy was not working either. I have come to find that unemployed professionals are constantly trying to get leads out of casual conversations; you almost feel like you're getting mugged. I'm glad I have not been guilty of such an activity. People can't help but measure themselves up to others in their same situation. Which is why another frequent activity of the jobless is asking the question: How much am I worth?

Employers like to play the money game with you early -- when they post that job description on monster.com or speak to their recruiters. As a job seeker, you can set your value at the outset and search by that criteria. But the longer your search goes, the more your "value" may fluctuate. This is dependent on your mood for that day. When you are having a great day with interviews, etc., your value is pretty high. And on days when nothing is going on, and you are waiting for feedback or to schedule another interview, your value is low.

I've heard some stories about my parents' friends who were laid off from jobs they've had for 10-15 years. I wonder how they look at their value these days, having been out of work for 1-3 years. How do you reconcile your value (as determined by your last salary) with the current job market? It's rough out there. Should you take a job for less pay, thus decreasing your market value? Or do you hold out and wait for that perfect position, not knowing when it will come about? These are hard questions to answer.

As for my worth, my husband tells me he would pay millions for me. :) That's a pretty good start!

Snow Day!

Even though yesterday's on-slaught of snow was the second time Chicago has been pummeled with snow in 2 weeks, not including a major snowstorm in December, today is my first snow day this winter.

I'm actually having a "snow week", because I did not book any assignments this week. As you may know, I started looking for a new job in January, and signed up to do some temping through my recruiting agency to keep busy while conducting my search. Well, I've been on assignment the last 6 weeks, and good temps do not stay at home cause it is snowing outside. It has been good to get up and go to work with the rest of the world.

Sadly, snow is pretty for all of twenty minutes in the city, the time it takes for it to fall from the sky and accumulate on the trees, benches, streets, etc. Then the majority of the snow on the sidewalks, alleys, and streets becomes this dirty salty slush that destroys everything it covers. My one & only pair of Uggs has been abused this winter because of the extra salt Streets & Sanitation has had to lay down to combat the extremely cold temperatures we've experienced. And after a certain temp, salt actually doesn't work, which has resulted in several accidents all over the city.

Though I can't appreciate the current aesthetic of the snow, I am happy to sit in my warm house, watch the flakes come down while having coffee, and finally get to work on this blog!

Personality over just looks.

I'm happy that the Indianapolis Colts beat the New England Patriots to go to the Superbowl. I'm just a little tired of the Tom Brady love. Sure, he's good looking and won a few Superbowls. But that is exactly why I want someone else to have a shot. And there's no one better than Peyton Manning. No, Peyton is not the typical good-looking guy, but he's got lots of charisma and charm, as exhibited by his hilariously entertaining MasterCard commercials. He's cute in a boyish way too, but he doesn't get by on his looks, which is nice. I'd hang w/ Peyton any day over Tom Brady.