When It Rains It Pours

When I first moved to New York back in August of 2010, I spent my first month here with no job.

Thank God for my unemployment checks from Mercent! And selling my car.

I went on countless interviews. I dropped by numerous bars dropping off resumes.

Nada.

Then I had two jobs in a day.

Started working at Coach in Soho and Affair on 8th in Greenwich Village.

Then there was a drought in January 2011. No hours at Coach. No more serving shifts at Affair.

Then I had 6 jobs. Raining again.

I stepped back from working at Coach and Soho Park. I decided to work full time at Soho Park (aka I became a So Ho - inside joke :)) with the lovely Leila, Albina, Zalina, Wendy and Joy (who I can't call lovely because he is a guy but is awesome nonetheless).

After interviewing over a month earlier, I got an offer letter to be an admin at Prudential Douglas Elliman. After numerous discussions with Rebecca and my mom and my first round of negotiations, I decided to take the job.

A day later, I received a phone call about an internship at Penguin (a dream job). Raining again. I turned down going to an interview because I had just accepted my job at PDE. Scared of not being financially independent, I backed out.

Not going to lie, I often think about what would have happened if I hadn't declined.

Especially since I decided at the beginning of Spring 2012 I would love to design book covers. Moving on . . .

After a miserable 8 months at PDE - I got a job that I thought would amazing. It was not.

I realized that I never want to be a f-cking admin assistant ever again.

Upon my epiphany, I applied for numerous internships and junior designer positions via LinkedIn. To my shock and utter happiness, I got one.

Up until today, I had been hanging by a thin financial thread. I mean like spending less than $6 a day.

Nada luck with finding a restaurant besides hitting the pavement HARD. I mean dropping off like 20 resumes and applying to multiple Craig's List postings. And pimping out any and all restaurant connections.

It's raining again.

I have a training shift at Arabesque tomorrow. An interview at Fab.com for a position I applied for almost two months ago.

And I still LOVE my internship. My boss is badass. My other teammate is funny, nice and takes the time to teach and talk to me. The photo shoots alone make me happy.

New York is a tough city. It is full of endless possibilities.

Why do you think I live here ;)?

Old School Tunes at the Maggy London Photo Shoot

I am in love with my internship.

Today, I was at a photo shoot. Which I LOVE. It wasn't a great day for a number of reasons.

I lot of things went wrong. The chemistry on set wasn't as good as it should have been. There was a lot of tension. But I still enjoyed every minute.

I would be happy if I worked on a photo shoot every day of my life.

Ever changing cast of characters. You get to create something tangible.

And . . .

I can't help but to rock out to this awesome old school-ish play list:

JT: What Goes Around, Comes Around
Sublime: Santeria
BEP: Where is the Love?
Destiny's Child: Bootylicious
Ashanti Featuring Fat Joe: What's Luv?

There was more but I got too caught up to remember all of the fabulous high school style tunes :).

I Feel Better

Thanks to Writer Man.

I finally bit the bullet about applying for an internship in my degree field - graphic design.

Lo and behold, I actually got the job!

Jumpy claps :). Actually, I had to read the email three times to believe it. Then I quietly ducked out of my office into the hallway to jump up and down as quietly as I could. There may have been some silent open mouthed screaming.

I've spent a lot of my life prioritizing making money over taking a job that may make me happy but knowing I would be financially unstable. I do value stability and a paycheck I can count on.

A part of it came from the insecurity that I wasn't good enough to get an internship. Another part of me was petrified that my unstable finances would make me CRAZY. It would always be an internship and a restaurant job. I do enjoy working at restaurants but some parts of working in the industry make me a little restless and it's not always the healthiest environment for me.

With some encouragement from my amazing mother and the realization that I need to do this for ME, I took the job of Graphic Design Intern at Maggy London.

At the age of pretty much 29, I am finally going to have a job that I will potentially love.

For the first time in my life.

THIS IS A BIG DEAL.

I'm tempted to beat myself up over the fact that it's taken me THIS LONG to do what I want. In fact, I have so many times already. There is an expectation, whether I put it on myself or it is a direct effect of societal ideals and pressures, that I should have it (life, work, love) much more figured out than I do. I've been so envious of my friends that are my age who have jobs that they love. Jobs that are careers. There is a difference.

What made me feel immeasurably better?

Writer Man told me that he didn't start writing until he was 29. Someone who I respect, have had a bit of hero worship towards and I admired isn't too different than me.

Turns out, the old saying of "better late than never" is all too true.   

Yup, I Had a Mini-Meltdown

I was starting to feel the effects of a mini-meltdown on Monday and it really, officially this time happened on Tuesday.

The piece of rock that crumbled on the edge of the cliff I was standing on was the stress of one of my bosses traveling again for the second time in two weeks.

Oy.

He was stressed, so then I was stressed.



The combination of 8:30 am - 1 am days (waking up, straight to work then straight to school then to the computer lab and then more work/getting ready for the next day) Monday through Wednesday.

+

Having a little bit of free time on Thursdays and Fridays but usually ended up doing research/shopping for school. Squeezing in some time to see a friend or two.

+

Working 16+ hours on the weekend researching, designing and producing school work.

+

Not finding my groove aka my concept for my two big final projects.

+

Staying awake to let my cousin in my building since I can't make a copy of the outside door key.

+

Normal stress of a new job.

+

Kind of getting yelled at at work.

=

Crying in the stairwell for a few minutes.

It's Officially Melt Down Time

Am officially having a mini melt down today.

Staying up until 1 or 2 am at least 3 - 4 nights a week doing school work, ever since school started back up, has officially gotten to me.

Stress is radiating off of me and none of my usual de-stress tricks are working.

Including:
Chocolate
Reading a great book
Caffeine in the form of strong, comforting earl grey tea
Chocolate
Taking a 10 minute break from work just to get out of the office
Celebrity gossip
A glass of wine on my own
Walking
Chocolate

I went to bed by midnight on Friday and Saturday and I still feel like I am going to flip out.

When everyone asked me in January/February, "How is school going?"

I responded, "Great. But wait and ask me again in May."

It's not even May  . . .

Links!

Secret Lives of Writers: Inside 15 Famous Writers Bedrooms. Emily Dickinson's is exactly how I would have imagined it. Am kind of obsessed with Faulkner's. (Apartment Therapy)

How the hottest bachelors for NYC? Please! Well, I can at least drool a little over a couple of the guys on this LA list. (Refinery 29)

I would actually like some of these jobs. Actually, almost all of them. Surprising Six Figure Salaries. (Forbes)

NYC 2012 Pillow Fight! (Pillow Fight)

I can feel your pain, Ms. Winslet. Admittedly, I used to love that song but I get where she's coming from. (Celebitchy)


I'd love to see Kristen Wiig cast.(Lainey Gossip)

Today is a GREAT Day

It is my last day at Prudential Douglas Elliman.

I am excited to hang out with work friends tonight and to start my new job as the office manager for Bonetti Kozerski Studio.

Cheers to new beginnings!

I'm Excited!

Tomorrow night we have an awards ceremony at Ciprani.

I am so excited.

1. Because I'll never be able to afford Ciprani on my own.
2. I get out of work early to help set up.
3. Free dinner.
4. I get to wear a cocktail dress and heels. Time to play dress up!
5. I'll get to shake my booty because there is always dancing after dinner :).

Did I mention that I'm excited?

He's Single!

Thanks to the sly detective work of a co-worker, I found out my crush is single!

YES!

You Know What's Awkward?

When you awake up, remember a dream about kissing your co-worker who happens to be your current crush and then he seeing him at the office.

F-ck Me!

I came back from Orlando tan, relaxed and happy. I was in a good mood today coming into the office. I mean, who ever wants to go back to work?

Anyhow, I get to the office and my crush isn't there yet. He comes in a little later but still in the morning (ok, so I swivel my head around from my desk to periodically check if he's at his desk - yes, I'm a creeper) and when I walk by he says, "Good Morning, Lauren."

He's never said good morning to me before. PROGRESS!

Instead of cheerfully replying and striking up a conversation, what did I do? 

I acted like a completely abnormal person and just walked right by. It was like some sort of weird delayed response. I have no idea.

After that I sat at my desk wanting to band my head down against it. I tried, unsuccessfully, to find a way to start up a conversation again.

The most I did?

Managed to wink at him. I owed him one ;).

He Winked at Me

I'm eating my lunch at the one tiny ledge we have in one of the tiny kitchen areas when my crush walks in to fill up his water bottle.

In an attempt at nonchalance, I kept reading my kindle and eating my lunch.

He got my attention by saying, "Hey Lauren, I didn't wish you a Happy New Year yet. Happy New Year."

I swiveled around when he said my name and caught a wink at the end.

I can't believe he winked at me. Who does that?

If I knew him better, I would totally call him out. Instead I replied with a smile, "Happy New Year to you, too."

Replaying this interaction makes me grin :) and giggle a little bit. I'm glad he winked.

$20 Million

I never gamble or play the lottery. But the New York Lottery is up to $20 million dollars and I happened to get asked if I wanted to join in on the pool of $1 to buy tickets.

I said no at first and then I thought, "What IF?"

I would want to shoot myself (not literally but those who know me know what I mean) if everyone else in my office was celebrating because THEY WON.

With that thought, I hunted down the agent collecting the $$ and put in my contribution. It's a long shot but how amazing would that be?

Keep or Return?

Like I've said before, I need more work clothes. I bought the below black skirt a couple of weeks ago and I can't decide whether or not to return it. I'm a babe on a budget so the price is right and it does fit high on my waist like the first photo. I love the the back detailing. The bow, the piping. It fits well. But it is really high up on my waist. Like maybe too much attention up top.

Do you think it's worth it? Should I keep it?

Cause right now I am stuck wear the same black skirt every week have only one black skirt that is perfect for work.

UPDATE: I kept it and I'm so, so happy with it. I wear it all the time and get tons of compliments on it.

Updating My Work Wardrobe

I need more work clothes. As many of you have seen my closet or not - it comes down to one simple fact - I own A LOT of clothes. But ever since I worked post-collegiate I have worked at really casual offices. Not mention my last year here I had to wear skinny jeans or all black practically every day of my life.

Bottom line: I need more business casual clothes.
Big problem: I hate what I see at most places
Best solution: H&M

I would actually love to buy a few pieces that are a little more expensive because then they would last longer but everywhere I look the clothes are boring. So while browsing the internet I found some pieces that are inexpensive (yay!) and fit my style:

I love this skirt because it's bright, purple and pencil!

I am trying to stay away from dresses, I own A LOT
but this one I could wear to the office and a
friend's house warming party like say the one
that's happening this afternoon. Just sayin'.

Same skirt as the purple one but I wear my gray skirt
every week a lot so I think it's a safe bet I would
get my fair share of use out of it.

I own a lot of dresses so I'm trying to buy more separates so I can stop wearing the same two skirts every week mix it up.

Any thoughts? Suggestions? Hate what I want to buy?

I Love My Boss

Because when a broker asked where his secretary was he responded, "We don't have secretaries here."

I Didn't Think It Was Possible

But I work with people who don't know a) how to copy and paste an email and b) what it means to copy and paste an email.

I kid you not.

What Did You Do Today?

I got the lucky, lucky job of stuffing and putting labels on 180 envelopes. Betcha can't beat that, can you?

Priceless

Me: "Thank you for calling __________. "
Priceless: "I'm looking for ________ in the whatdoyoucallit department . . . the one that has someting to do with computers?"
M: "The IT department?"
P: "Oh, yes that's the one."

Pure gold.

Yay for Work Friends!

I've been at my new job for just over a month and I never thought I'd say this but I miss my old job. Not all parts of it but I have been really missing my peeps at Mercent.

I didn't realize just how lucky I was to befriend Courtney, Casey, Jenni, Chris F., Sam and Summer because they are great people and we became friends quickly. Miss you guys!

I knew how lucky I was to have them but I took for granted how quickly we were friends. As it stands right now I haven't made any friends at my new job :( but I actively took a chance today and it paid off.

I reached out to PB and he said yes and then invited KB (his co-admin) - so yay!!! I am excited to finally get to hang out with co-workers. Thursday should be fun - happy hour with co-workers and a free concert with Rebec.

Side note - PB has the same name of as one of my ex-boyfriends, they kind of look alike and they both used in work at newspapers. Not terribly important but you know how I am about coincidences - I can get a little obsessed.