Persistence is a Virtue too

I don't know how many times I have to learn this lesson over and over, hopefully not many more, but seriously, there is a plan out there for all of us and we just have to be led by the plan sometimes. I know that seemed a little on the religious side and you can certainly take it anyway you want, for me, I'm reading it as God had a plan for me and of course I didn't understand it at the time, but now I do. I'm not an uber religious person nor do I push any kind of beliefs on anyone else, actually, if you knew me, that might actually seem weird for me to say anything God-related. I think of myself as more of a spiritual person, in a non hippy fashion. :)

Needless to say, I received good news on the job front today. The position that I was actually offered last month and then had it rescinded due to lack of university funds to pay for the position, may still have a chance to come back to me.

And now I realize the reason for the wait (or at least the one that I choose to believe anyways). My current employer gives out profit sharing bonuses on Nov 16 (my birthday, of all great days in history). Being able to get this bonus was the ONLY redeeming factor and silver lining to not getting that position. With the bonus, I can pay off my credit card and start at zero each month to pay the balance in full. If I had gotten that position when it was initially offered to me, I would have left my current job without getting the bonus... now I MIGHT be able to have both! There is still a "might" dangling over my head, because the student editors are going to the Student Gov to request the additional funds needed to pay the position. SGA can still say no or not have enough to offer, as they control the budget for all organizations on campus.

It was just a horrible "Catch 22," the position is to be funded by the revenue of the ad sales, BUT they need someone in the position to INCREASE the ad sales revenue in order to pay the position.... I will have my fingers (toes, arms, legs) crossed hoping that all goes well.

Even if I don't get the position, I will know that I'm worthy of great things and, again, to learn that EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON!!!

Happy Day-After-Stuffing-Your-Face-With-Obscene-Amounts-Of-Candy Day!

An Interesting Turn of Events

Its kind of crazy how fast things can change and how quickly we are shaken back to reality. The job news wasn't so great. Still holding out hope for some good news soon, though. Keeping my fingers (and toes, and arms, and legs, and whatever else I can cross) crossed. In the meantime, I'm getting back on the horse and starting my search again. I'm GOING TO keep a positive attitude about it and KNOW that I will be starting my wonderful new job soon and it won't matter anymore.

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON!

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON!

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON!

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON!

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON!

And I'm going to keep saying this over and over and over again, and learn as much as I possibly can from the past and move forward. That's the only place to go, right? Here is to working on resumes, updating my social media blitz and hoping that wonderful potential employer finds me in the stack of the resumes....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Patience is a Virtue

While I wait patiently for some news on the job front, I went back through the last few blogs and realized that I was on a good path with the inspirational quotes of the week! I follow a few different "inspiriational" twitters and really enjoying reading their snipits of wisdom each day.

And then other days, you already feel awesome and just have to show it! Tuesday has been a good day - a slow day without any escalations (thus far, knock on wood) and I'm loving it! Ready to hit the gym to burn off the chili I had for lunch and the possible 'make your own' frozen yogurt that I am currently craving!! And then to read my book club book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I just found this site http://henriettalacksfoundation.org/ too that I'll be passing along to the Lit Girls. Super interesting!

And now back to work, lunch break is over.

Lost, in a good way!

Hello!
Sorry for the long gap in posts... its been an exciting month to say the least! I didn't get one of the positions I was so positively sure I would get (until the 2nd interview). I didn't "bring my game," as the kids would say. Actually, I would wager to say that interview was an exhibition of WHAT NOT TO SAY OR DO on an interview. I really have no idea what my problem was that day, but I bombed it. Anyhoo!

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON and I have proof! My dream job asked me to come in for an interview a week later. And after a scheduled 3.5 hr interview turned into 4 hours last week, today they asked me for references. So this means that I at least made it to the final round. FINGERS AND TOES CROSSED, PEOPLE!

I think the best move I could have EVER made in my job search was contacting Harrison College's Career Services (as they offer this for LIFE to all alumni) and got a Career Coach! She is amazing! (I have actually had 2 so far, as the first one took another job at a different college, but they have both been amazing and henceforth will both be referred to just as "she/her.") She helped me, first of all, with my confidence in the interview stage. I think this is where I was losing it mostly - not being assure of myself enough to really project that outwardly. Next, was helping to keep my professionalism during the interview. Because I am such a people person and love talking to folks, I tend to let go of the uber-straight-laced persona and relax and let my hands do the talking. Not what I want to let "Interview Carly" do. And plus when the folks who are interviewing you are super nice and make you feel so comfortable, its difficult not to let your professionalism go. But I am much better at holding on to it in a setting that calls for it! Thanks to my Career Coach from Harrison College! She gave me some other helpful hints that I think made me stand out from the other candidates!

Even if things don't work out with this position, I have learned a LOT about myself, what to do to stand out, what not to do to stand out, and how to move on to the next interview. All are invaluable pieces of information that I will hold with me until this journey is over.

Dont want to jinx it

So I have been MIA the last week, as I have been focusing on the job hunt and preparing for interviews. Its been paying off, as I have had 2 first round face to face interviews and going back for second round interview this week! I cant wait! I want this job! Its perfect for me and I think I'm perfect for it as well! The company is amazing - from what I can tell from the website and the interview with the supervisor for the position. Its a company that you can be proud to work for - as they do direct marketing for fundraising for nonprofits. I mean, how could you not be supportive of that! And the ATL location just went to casual dress code - hello jeans year round! They also have half day summer Fridays - but are championing to go to half day Fridays year round - Heck yeah! I worked this schedule when I first started at CAIC, and it was awesome! But that was back in day of 8 hr working with hour lunches and 2 15 min breaks each day and no stress, no take home work. Ah, those were the days. I say that, but I'm actually excited at the potential to be in a fast paced work environment, and a little stress to keep my motivated and ambitious to show all that I have to offer!

This week is going to be about preparing for the second round interview - with 2 team members of the position and meeting with the VP of the team as well during a 2 hr interview. (I know that probably sounds very vague but I dont really want to go into more detail than that about the position and the company, no jinxing!). Also this week I'm going to do my best to stick to the healthy lifestyle all week long. See, I think if I can do good (ie eating fruits and veggies and no fried or processed foods and exercising at least 30 mins daily) Sunday through Thursday, then I give myself Friday and Saturday to let loose. I always think I'll still stay semi good, but no, I go totally crazy Friday and Saturday with burgers, fries, pizza, beer, and soda. Gotta work on that. And I will!

Here is to making this short week an awesome one!

Music is One of the Best Blessings

I love music!

It really does make me feel better, stronger, calmer, and just plan ole awesome! I have a pretty wide range of musical tastes - from 50's Motown to 70's Southern Rock, from 80's pop and hairbands to 90's grunge, not to mention the different genres of music like rock-n-roll, mellow, alternative rock, country, heavy metal, rap, hip hop, punk, poppy-punk, and blues.

But you can keep the country music classified as such after 2000 and also the Emo craze that swept through college campuses in early 2000's as well. The point being, I love so much music, that I am never left with the thought of "oh, what do I listen to next, now??" Because there is ALWAYS something to listen to!

Most recently, I have been loving the ladies of "ROCKINROLL" which is my term for it. They are rockin' it out, and I'm feelin' it! I have found that I need to have loud, rockin' music blaring in my car on the drive to and from work each day and blaring in my headphones at the gym. In the morning, this helps me to wake up and on the way home, it helps to keep me calm in the midst of all the stupid traffic in Atlanta. At the gym, this music MAKES me run, and run farther and harder. I just love the way it feels! I do also wish I could sing at the top of my lungs, but I'm not sure the fellow gym members would appreciate that... :)

The ladies of RockinRoll who I love the most right now, are The Donnas and their most recent CD Bitchin'. Its awesome! I don't know why this CD didn't get more recognition??

The boyfriend pointed out that they are definitely channeling RATT from the 80's on this one. I think I first fell in love with them when I was 21. They are pretty much my age and have been making music and recording and putting out "CDs" since they were 13 and 14. I have all of them! And you can definitely tell when the major studios came into play and they learned their instruments better and enhanced their singing voices. Overall, they were still kicking ass in 1994 with their first albums though. However, now its a more polished sound, and I love it just as much as I loved what sounded like what was recorded in their garage on the first few albums.

I do need to point out that my love of the Ladies of RockinRoll blossomed during my days as co-host of the GirlsGirlsGirls radio show on the USC college station WUSC-FM 90.5 with my BFF Jessie back in 2004-2005. As you can tell it was female focused - we only played songs from female vocalist fronted groups. And there are actually a TON out there, most of them are pretty obscure, so you have to hunt to find them. I found a LOT of (new to me) music through doing this radio show, which I am eternally grateful for! (ps: Thanks Jessie for talking me into doing it!)

Music can enhance so many areas of our lives, its unbelievable until you start thinking about it more. Its basically finding something that makes you happy and that influences EVERY part of your mind, body, personal life, professional life. I love it and know I need to embrace it more in my life, I'm working on it... You should too...find your love within the sound waves and focus on it, explore it, and grow with it!

Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.
Music is the electrical soil in which the spirit lives, thinks and invents.-Ludwig van Beethoven

Without music, life would be a mistake. -Friedrich Nietzsche

Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind,
flight to the imagination, and life to everything.-Plato

Expectation vs. Disappointment

I think I need this Inspirational Quote more than anything today! I have a really hard time with "getting ideas in my head" (aka expectations) and then not dealing well with the disappointment that comes from the fail of the expectation. My uncle used to say "what leads to disappointment? Expectations." Simple enough, and that was his mantra repeated to his daughter throughout her life. I think we can all agree that this seems like an easy enough way of thinking to take us through life.

But its SO DIFFICULT not to expect that loving hand on your shoulder when you're having a bad day, or that job that you are SO PERFECTLY qualified for, or that recognition for bringing (what could have been a huge) issue to light, or that the dishwasher would be emptied and new dirty dishes replaced and the kitchen cleaned up because you cooked dinner the night before.

But no, you don't get it and then you're disappointed, because you had created in your mind all of the great and wonderful things that WERE going to come from those expectations.... And that's the harsh reality of it.

I think it is also fair to say that when we keep our expectations low, the disappointment is few and far between, but then we're faced with the question of - SO DO I SET HIGH GOALS FOR MYSELF? And then also, with keeping the bar low, are we settling for what is less than what we deserve? Its a tricky and hard road to travel.
I am kind of at a loss when it comes to those posed questions above. What is the best way to deal with it? To get over it? To not do it at all and still keep aspirations alive? If I figure it out, I'll let ya know!

Everything Happens for a Reason

If you know me, then you know this is my most infamous regurgitation of words: "EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON." And most times, its followed by "we may not realize it today or tomorrow or even 5 years from now, but in the long run, this is what was meant to be."

There are a few things I have actually learned in life - as life lessons. The most important is - see above - the second is everything in life is a trade-off, and the third is to take ownership - of your work, your self, and your actions/reactions.

Example of trade-offs in the workplace: your resume keeps piling up experiences that can push you over the edge into multiple categories of positions now than just a year ago. BUT you are doing the work of three people, your days went from an easy 8 hours with an hour lunch break to a strenuous 10-12 hours without a lunch break, and you're not getting paid any higher for it. The trade-off is you are adding to your resume. You are proving to yourself what you can handle and what is not worth handling in the future. This is not a terrible balance.

Example of trade-offs in relationships: Your friend may date that guy who seems awesome, they cuddle in the corners at restaurants, he brings home flowers to her when she has a bad day, and he brings her breakfast in bed on the weekends. BUT he also yells at her for being uncultured, cheats on her when he's out of town, and frequently visits the strip club. Yeah, everything in life is a trade-off and nothing is perfect, as much as it may seem on the surface. (Disclosure: that was not one friend's experience with a significant other, but rather a mixture of friends' experiences.) The point being, you take the good with the bad - however much of the bad you can handle - and weigh it against the good. Often times its not as dramatic as what was described above, but sometimes it is. Its all about listening to yourself and what is important and what is not - what could you live with if it meant living without that person?

Example of taking ownership in the workplace. This is the hardest lesson for someone who is an overachiever, perfectionist, and stubborn to learn. Believe me. When I finally realized the importance of this lesson, it was mind blowing and eye opening. I would rank this as one of my strengths and my best professional qualities. I will admit a mistake, find a way to fix it, resolve the issues and move on. And laugh about it. Gotta laugh about it and keep that mistake as a point of reference for what not to do in the future!

Example of taking ownership in relationships: Sometimes I put my foot in my mouth. Gotta own up to it. Sometimes I say things that I dont want thrown back in my face at a later date and time during a disagreement. The significant other has gotta take ownership for that.

And of course this all ties into those fantastic four words: EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON! There are no mistakes, just experiences to teach you not to do it that way again. There are no perfect relationships, just the perfect person for you.

Tuesday is upon us, so let's make it a great day! And one that is remembered for all of the great things we have to offer!

Inspirational Quote Week!!!

This week is going to be Inspirational Quote Week! To start it off, is this HIMYM Barney-esque quote:

This should hold true to everyday, not just the Mundane Monday's (as I like to call them). Although, I'm trying to get away from the pre-conceived notion that any day of the week, or anything in my life, for that matter, is mundane.

Let's spice it up a bit, shall we!? I'm pledging to make everyday this week worth it! To put my all in everyday! I know, right, this should be everyone's motto, everyday for everything in life... but its difficult to keep that positive state of mind. Its especially difficult to keep a positive state of mind when you think everything is crashing down around you and that you can't do anything right... I know this is what I fall into sometimes. But you just have to snap out of it. And its as easy as that!

Seriously! I just have a little talk with myself - reiterating that I'm worthy, smart, kind, and compassionate and I DESERVE a good life - in which to give back (in some capacity or another). And that usually does the trick.

I'm also going to go back to my deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation exercises. When I was doing it as regularly as I should have been, I was noticing the generalized effects that the exercises promote.

So, here is to a week of less mundane-ness, spicing it up a bit-ness, and positive attitudes! SO WAKE UP AND BE AWESOME!!!

I’m sorry I havent had the chance to post in the past few days – I’ve been focusing on the job hunt. I created and updated a bazillion job search profiles and applied to a bazillion more positions. And then extending to the social media realm, I “liked” all of the company pages on FB (surprised, most had a FB page). Its definitely been a productive week at my second job – applying to jobs!

And finally, its paid off! Had a phone interview today – or rather the pre-screening. BUT, she asked me to come in next week to meet with the VP!!!! So that’s extremely good! Out of 3 pre-screen calls, another actual next step phone interview, this is FIRST IN-PERSON INTERVIEW I have been asked to in the last year of looking for a new job! Granted, not until a few months ago, did the search for a new job become increasingly aggressive, but still, I’m kind of amazed that I didn’t get called for more interviews. I have a fabulous summer season interview outfit that I HAVE BEEN DYING TO WEAR! And thank goodness, I finally get to wear it!

Needless to say, I’m a happy happy girl right now! And so I treated myself to lunch today! First time I have had "real" potato chips in quite some time! I think I have earned it! And what am a-mah-zing sandwich Ingles makes! Love their deli!!!

Here is to keeping the faith and pushing forward with a positive state of mind!!!

Making Plans

Have you ever heard that saying, "you make plans and God laughs"? Its becoming more and more true everyday for me. If you know me, then you know I like to have a plan in place for what we're doing, where we're going, what time are we going, what time are we leaving, what are we going to do while we're there, whats it going to be like, who's going to be there, what should I wear, etc.... ya know, the typical semi-OCD behavior.

But really there is no point in trying to pinpoint exactly whats going on, how its going, where its going on and why its going on. But sometimes, I cant help it! I have to know so I can feel more confident about what I'm doing, what I can bring to the table (so to speak). I guess this can really only apply to those occasions (not moments) in life of invitations - either received or given. We definitely can not make plans for anything else in life ie, finding the love of your life and marrying (when there is no boyfriend or ring in sight) and conceiving a baby. These are things that happen when they are meant to happen. We can certainly try our hardest and damnest to get them to happen, but really its not up to us. Call if fate, destiny, divine intervention - either way we cant make all the decisions that affect our life. And that kind of bums me out. And yet it kind of makes me happy - that there is a surprise in store for us, and that we don't know when it will appear.

It seems like all of my friends are on the baby track or have been and thinking about the second go-round. Some are not having any trouble, while others are having too much trouble. It breaks my heart because 1.) I cant fix it, and have to watch them suffer and 2.) I have no point of reference to know how they feel to commensurate or give advice. I will just continue to keep them in my thoughts and hope for the best for them - whatever the outcome may be, it will BE for a reason.

I can very easily make a plan to get a new job, get married, and buy a house. But will those things happen because I made a PLAN to accomplish them? Absolutely not. I can do my best to reach these goals (not sure if I want to think of getting married as a "goal" though!?) and hope for the best. And that's exactly what I'll be doing...

Lessons or reiterations?

I didn’t get to post yesterday, I was feeling a bit under the weather. But with all the rest I got, I’m all revitalized and ready to tackle the tasks of the day. Tasks of the day are: apply to jobs, apply to jobs and apply to jobs!

However, in keeping with the theme of the week – LESSONS LEARNED – I also have a lesson learned to share:

While this shouldn’t really be a NEW lesson learned, it is one that has to be reiterated on a daily basis and repeated as a mantra. All you can do is your best, yet remember that, at best, you are only human.

I strive to do my best 100% of the time. I’m a perfectionist. I am an overachiever. I will never be a mediocre person, especially when it comes to my job performance. I want to be sought after and known for getting the job done, doing the job well, completing before deadlines with no errors or complaints. And most importantly, I want to be known for being dependable, reliable, and loyal. I possess all these qualities; I just want to make sure that my employer sees me that way too.

With only being able to do our best, we are only human too, and mistakes happen. If there is one thing I have learned in the last 5 yrs of my time in the workforce, is to take ownership - including successes and failures. 

I will admit, I have made mistakes. But I will also admit that, I fix my mistakes. I always have a solution, resolution to offer and that’s what is remembered. Maybe not so much that you messed up in the first place, but that you were able to fix it in the end! And there is absolutely no point in throwing someone else under the bus, even if the mistake was initially their fault (but you are ultimately responsible for the project, task and thus the mistake falls on you). And there is no point in skirting the issue that it was your fault. Own up to it, fix it, and move on.

Back to the main lesson, in trying to please everyone – boss, family, friends – someone or something falls through the cracks and then it all will eventually fall apart. Keeping a balance of all of these factors has to be the most important aspect of being an adult, and the most difficult. We cant let the stress of the job come home and we cant let the personal issues of our life go to work either. And then all the while, we also need our time alone to keep at least a tiny bit of our independence alive.

I know I have fallen prey to all of this – bringing my stress from work home and taking my personal issues to work and losing my independence in a relationship. But I have taken ownership of it and work daily to be aware of this and do my best to keep it all separate. It’s always going to be a work in progress for sure. I think its also about time management. Being organized at work so that your time there is spent actually working and thus getting home on time to be with family and friends and then also carving out some alone time (mine are gym, reading, DIY/crafts/painting). But inevitably someone will feel left out and therefore, its impossible to please everyone all the time. And that’s just something we have to deal with and get past.

Knowing that we are doing our best, is the best we can do in these situations.  And that’s all I can do too. 

Friday Casual Friday!

Oh Friday, I missed you! My wardrobe missed you most of all. While it is "Casual Summer" here at Aflac, I actually dont have enough "casual" yet still work appropriate clothes, so thats why I am still wearing "business casual" to the office. But on Fridays, when the "casual" can mean a tee and jeans, I got that!

But do realize, that if you wear a tee, it has to be an Aflac tee... but I have plenty, so thats not a problem at all!
This was a good work week, get personal items accomplished week and good eating and exercising week. I think next week will be a DRESS week... I have a ton that just get pushed back in my closet and some that I might get to fit into better and thus actually wear... I also thought about incorporating a new lesson or something new learned next week. Or a new inspiring message each day. I need some of that too to remind me to keep the little things little and handle the big things better - with better perspective.
Hope you have a great weekend! I'll be resting and relaxing and drinking my wine!

Awesome Thursday!

Oh happy day, oh accomplished feeling day, oh Thursday! I love you almost as much as Friday! Thursdays are casual, fun-loving, easy going, and non discriminatory. Anything goes on Thursday. (And let's face it, Fridays too, but Thursday just beat it to the punch!).
Today's outfit is quite casual (but not "Friday Casual") and easy.

I love this skirt! I got it from a thrift store back in the early spring and its Banana Republic. Albeit, its a little faded, but its OKAY for a Thursday outfit for sure. And the sweater is another TJ or Marshall's find from a few months - another piece that was a little snug when I bought it but now fits pretty good. And the shoes were a find in San Fran of all places. And I will have to rescind my previous comment yesterday about the Payless shoes, because these sandals are also from the Payless. And pretty comfy and cute!
Today has been a great day so far! Website up and running, resumes and cover letters updated with the link and social media accounts. Job posting websites updated with my new info and I even got to apply to some jobs today! I'm a powerhouse today!!!
And now its time to make dinner and settle in for the rest of the night. Maybe I'll get around to starting my new book.... maybe....
Until tomorrow!

Yellow Ruffles, Oh My!

Happy Wednesday! It's been a good day! I got a lot accomplished at work today and a lot of my own personal items checked off the list (website, reading, and now blog)!!
So, I did put my hair up today, in a bun and slightly different from yesterday. Maybe? Enough. :)

And can I just say how much I love these heels! And can I just say that I can't believe they are from Payless ShoeSource of all places! These are the only ones that survived the purging of '09 of shoes from Payless. (I worked there for a second job to pay off some massive debt really quickly, but I think I bought more in shoes than I actually got paid??!!) They are super cute, no? The skirt is from TJ Maxx (or Marshalls?), on clearance for $10!!! I was so excited when I found it! At the time, it was a smidge too tight, but I fit into it now! (insert happy Carly face here.) I believe the top is also from TJ or Marshalls, been a while since I bought it. And the cardigan is ole Daisy Fuentes from Kohl's. I'm liking it all together.

I'm putting the finishing touches to my website and will soon be blasting it all over the place (facebook, twitter, pinterest), so get ready to be over-saturated with CARLY ROBERTS MARKETING PROFESSIONAL! Yay! (You may even notice the shot above is featured on the website.... I had a mini photo sesh with myself today.)

I found a lot of sites, organizations, events for marketing networking that I'm going to register myself. Next step, business cards to hand out at these schmancy events. Suggestions for printers? I have the design, just need to send it out for printing. I have tried to print them myself with the card stock you can buy, but they just look amateurish and that's not what I want. 

So, what will I wear tomorrow??

Fresh and Exciting - Clothes and Hair!

As Jessie requested, I'm posting pictures of the new outfit and hairstyle today (and hopefully every day this week). I did think about it yesterday, but the day got away from me before I knew it and I didnt get a chance to take a picture. Sorry!

 

Yes, this was taken on my break at work (i pack my jewelry the night before and put it on when i get to work, it saves like 2 mins and that makes a difference in the morning!). Nice cubicle atmosphere, huh?

Along with the new (to me) outfits and hairstyles every day, I'm also wearing a different combination of jewelry every day. Just like with the black sandals I wore all the time, I was also wearing the same two rings, bracelet, necklace and earrings every day - no matter the outfit. And if you saw the stock of jewelry I have acquired over the years, you would be astounded that I only wore the same pieces all time! 

I know this seems kind of silly, but its a change to break out of a routine and baby steps are still steps!

I'm really proud of myself for working on the website every day too. Its coming along as fast as it can, while maintaining my sanity. There is a lot of freezing up, not saving and formatting mishaps I have been experiencing with the site during the editing phase, but that's probably because I'm not an expert (yet) in web design and creation. Practice makes perfect, and I'm getting in a lot of practice! :)

And now its time to get into the bed and do some reading! Got another book for the Lit Girls book club, Growing Up Amish. Should be pretty interesting! 

Until tomorrow with a new outfit (which at the moment, I'm not sure which shoes and cardigan to wear!?!? Ah!)

Fresh and Exciting Week

Well, I did it! I made it a whole week with eating a new variation of dinner meals, styling my hair differently each day, and not only did I not wear my black sandals everyday, I didn't wear them at all last week! I also got in some painting or reading or working on website each day!! Here is to another week of New and Different! I'm adding in a new outfit I haven't worn in the last month also to my list. While I frequently look at my closet and think, "uh, I have no clothes!" I know this is not true! I just keep forgetting about mixing and matching! Viola, new outfit!! Last week I felt so good about my life, my place, and my overall well being. I want to keep up this momentum and keep my life fresh and exciting. I have learned that with everything in life, there is a trade-off you must be willing to accept and knowing this keeps me going. For every bad thing, there is also a good thing, you just have to watch out for it. And I'm keeping my eyes peeled these days! Now, let's have a great Fresh and Exciting week!!

A Week of New and Different

Why a week of new and different? Because I want, need to change up some things! I have found myself in a rut and no one benefits from that. And its never a bad idea to add a little spice to life, right?

Here is my list of New and Different for the week:

• New and or different dinner (albeit maybe just a slightly different version of past meals) each night
• Styling my hair differently every day (normally, its just swirled around in a bun and done)
• Wearing a different pair of shoes each day (usually I'm found in my black sandals)
• New exercises or treadmill routine
• Painting, reading, working on website for 2-3 hrs each night

While those changes may not seem like a big deal to anyone else, its big for me. I love a good schedule and a plan, but I havent had one for a while. I got stuck in the "get home, eat dinner, lay on the couch and watch TV, go to bed" syndrome. Now, I actually feel energized and ready for the day! With these few changes, I'm looking forward to what else comes with the new and different that I added to my day!

Yesterday I went to the gym for the first time in 2 weeks. At first, I thought to myself, "ok, since its the first time in two weeks, just take it easy, so you may only get 200 calories burned, no big deal." Then I decided, "NO! You ARE going to burn 400 calories in an hour!" And I actually burned 412 calories!!

I like feeling accomplished at the end of my day, and I definitely felt accomplished last night by the time I got into bed. Here is to a fantastic week of New and Different for us all! Change is good and we need to embrace it more!

Good Afternoon! I have fantastic news! Well sort of - yes, in the fact that it makes me happy and no, in the fact that this is the same decision I came to as a 21 year old and have now looped back around to it 11 years later....  I HAVE TO BE A PART OF MY COMMUNITY'S ARTS PROGRAMMING!!! As a volunteer, as an employee, as an employer, as an intern, or as an artist. I just know that this is something I have been passionate about since I was a pre-teen and it hasnt ever left me. It faded for a few years, when I thought I couldnt make a good enough living this way, but I have to find a way to be a part of this again.

With all of the craziness going on with the veto of funding for the Arts Commission and how deeply I have felt about it, even though I'm in GA and its "not my cause anymore and not my business" I just can not help but feel so impacted by this.

Earlier today I sent out these emails. First to all my friends who live in Columbia.

Hey everyone!

As I'm sure you have heard, seen on the news and throughout Facebook and Twitter, Gov Haley vetoed the funding for the Arts Commission (along with other very important SC organizations that need money too!) and there is a rally tonight at the State House grounds for the Arts Commission.

See article below from cnbc.com http://www.cnbc.com/id/48197820 and also see youtube.com search "The Arts - South Carolina" for an amazing video by ShoutFire Brands.

I'm in GA now and couldnt get the afternoon off work to be there for the rally. I want to go, I need to go, but I can't! I'm writing all my Columbia folks to ask to please attend this rally! The representatives needs to see how important the arts programming is to the state. As a former employee of the Arts Commission and a former adolescent who participated in the arts programming of my tiny hometown, I know first hand how dedicated the employees are, what it takes to pull together an arts program and how much they sacrifice to stay on top of the hardships they face everyday to find more money that already isnt there to keep these programs afloat. Please please please, support this cause.

And also if you arent sure what exactly the Arts Commission does, or funds or supports, check out http://www.southcarolinaarts.com/ for more information.

Remember when those Artists in Residence would come to your 2nd grade art class? Yup, thats the Arts Commission.

Remember when your hometown had festivals? Yup, thats the Arts Commission.

Remember when your town hall had art shows because there were no galleries in your small town? Yup, thats the Arts Commission.

Remember when your aunt or uncle or family friend who was an artist needed a grant to fund their next show, or find a place to have an exhibit, or announce an upcoming show, or to get in touch with programs to help them become a part of the Arts Community? Yup, thats the Arts Commission!!!!!

And I'm going to pull on some heart strings now... as I know most of you have children... don't you want to give your children the most diversified, completely rounded, creatively gifted world possible?

See how important arts programming is to our state!? Please please please support this cause!

Thank you!!!

carly

Then after thinking about it, I sent this one to the rest of my address book of friends who live in the state of SC:

Hey there!

I sent this email out earlier today to my friends in Columbia, SC to raise awareness and support for the rally tonight at the State House for the Arts Commission. While the SCAC is located in Columbia, it affects and serves the entire state. And it occured to me that I havent heard of anything else going on in retaliation against this veto outside of Columbia. What is going on in Greenville, Charleston, Gray Court, Laurens?? If there isnt anything being done - be the one to start it! Please!

I know I'm in GA now, but there is nothing right now that I could feel stronger about. And I wish I could be there tonight to support my former employer, but I cant. And it breaks my heart! Please do whatever you can to help this cause!

Wow, two posts in one day!?!?! In light of Gov Haley's veto of the South Carolina Arts Commission (among other vetoes that directly immediately affect not only the residents of SC but the livelihood of the of the state overall) I had to share my opinion on this social media outlet too.

I am actually sad to say that I'm more proud to be a Georgian in the last 10 months than a proud resident of SC for 30 years... thanks Nikki Haley for ruining that for me. I am not the most political person, but I have retweeted dozens of "Protest against Gov Haley's veto of the South Carolina Arts Commission" tweets AND even tweeted her directly. As a former employee of the Arts Commission and former youngster who participated in MANY arts programming events in my small town growing up, I feel very strong about this and wish I could be at the protest this week in SC.

Today starts the second week of the fruit and veggie diet. I was able to keep of 5 of the 6 lbs that I lost during the diet the weekend before last (as last week was the "maintain" week) and I feel okay about that. My goal for weight loss that week was 5 lbs, so technically I made it. :)

I did talk myself into and out of ordering online from Jimmy John's. These grapes didn't fail me. (But I did eat a serving of Triscuits for 120 cals in the place of 400 cal JJ's.) Dinner was pretty good too, roasted zucchini and squash and steamed string beans.

Food talk aside, I think today and this week is going to be a better week all around! While boyfriend goes to a bachelor party on Friday, I'm having dinner and drinks with one of my oldest and dearest friends! (Fingers crossed her hubby can watch their adorable 2 yr old while mommy has some grown up time!) Although that makes me really miss my other friends who live in other states. That's probably the one thing that isn't 100% great about living in Decatur, GA - not being able to pick up the phone, call friends, and meet up somewhere within 30 minutes. The handful of friends we have here are still 30 minutes away and that's not factoring in from which direction they are travelling at what time of the day - as distance is measured by minutes in relation to the area of ATL rather than miles. I only live 15 miles from my office, but yet it can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 90 minutes to get to and from work...But this is what I signed up and I still love it here! There is so much to do in Decatur! Everytime we leave the house, we find somewhere new that we didnt know about before. And I love that!

I didn't post yesterday as it was not my best day. But in retrospect I was just being a spoiled brat. Sometimes we all act like this, it's just that some of us don't realize it and continue with that attitude. And that's the problem. One of the most amazing things I have learned from my boyfriend is to be kind and receptive to others' feelings - no matter what. I was all tied up in my "bad" day, not knowing the turmoil he was going through. And as soon as he started to divulge his truely emotional day, then I realized that I wanted to not only comfort him but needed for him to feel better and worthy of himself as I now him to be, and that meant more to me than stewing in my own bad mood. And thank goodness! There were a few blessings in disguise as the full day unfolded and thats what life is all about. I'm learning better each day to roll with the punches and that is all due to the world that my boyfriend has opened up to me and I'm truly grateful for that. And now I'm finished gushing about him. Back to me. ;)

Yesterday was what I a call a “free day,”  meaning I could do absolutely nothing and not feel guilty about it! Usually, I feel bad if I “waste” my weekend by not getting anything accomplished (ie: laundry, dusting, vacuuming, scrubbing the kitchen, painting, applying to jobs, mani/pedi, catching up on correspondence with out of state friends). And yesterday I didn’t do any of that! Well, I did work on my website (which is sort of like applying to jobs?), but all in all, we did nothing productive and it was awesome! As I mentioned yesterday, we started our day with IHop, then came home and watched Batman – the REAL ORIGINAL Batman! Then both of us, separately, surfed the internet on our iPads, then I started working on the website again. Then before we knew it, it was 5:30pm. So then what? Time to order carry-out online from Chili’s! In the midst of the change to a healthier lifestyle, this is my “maintain” week, so I wanted to indulge myself – as it was Independence Day and that’s the epitome of being a (free) American anyways. I wanted a flippin’ bacon cheeseburger! And that’s what I got! I did only eat half of it and half of the fries, so I didn’t feel terrible about myself. And that was enough to fill me up! Unfortunately, getting on the scale this morning – I had gained back the 2 lbs I lost Tuesday. But hey, it all evens out as this was a maintain week and it was just a bonus that I lost 2 lbs the day before. I’m okay with it. Today’s menu consists of apples and cinnamon oatmeal breakfast, veggie soup lunch and fruit snack. Dinner will be quesadillas made with shredded chicken (the boyfriend is starting that in the crock pot this afternoon), spinach, reduced fat feta cheese, onions, peppers, and cilantro in a wheat tortilla. I don’t think this will be so bad for us? After going to the gym and burning a good 400 calories, I think I’ll be fine. And then next week we are back to the diet or rather the better way of eating – no bread, no cheese, no flour, no sugar.
This is the diet we use.

We actually stray from this some bit – I can’t really eat fruit for dinner or eat veggies for breakfast. And if I ate 8 bananas in one day, I would die! (No, seriously I would, I take Yaz and there is a warning of taking in too much potassium, so I have to be careful of bananas and potatoes.) But the day of fruits and veggies is awesome! And we have even made the Fowl and Tomatoes day work – wrap-less fajitas with fresh salsa (tomato diced, onion, cilantro). Granted we are adding in a little more veggies, but whatever, it’s still better than the alternative! And for weekend breakfasts, we make our own hashbrowns (just shred up a potato, cook it in some olive oil or safflower oil like we have) and then dump in diced veggies like peppers, onions, zucchini. (Can you tell we like peppers in this house!?) All in all its not a bad diet. And if I can think “hold off on the cheese and bread, you can have it next week” then I’m okay to stay on track. Although I have found that I don’t WANT the cheese and bread all that much anymore. And that makes me really happy!! Unfortunately it is pretty costly to do this. To keep a lot of variety during the week, you have to buy a LOT and some of it doesn’t last more than a week so it gets spoiled. But we’ll figure it out and make it work. Now on to work on the website so I can add it to the rest of the social media blitz and get it on my resume and cover letter. And then it will be fingers crossed for actually landing a new job!  

So, today is the day that we, as Americans, celebrate our independence. And fireworks. And overindulgence. And massive sales on EVERYTHING.

In light of this day and all that it entails, my boyfriend and I started our day with a trip to IHop. I was good and had the Simply Fit version of eggs, bacon and pancakes (turkey bacon, egg substitute and pancakes with sugar free syrup), but I did in fact have my first glass of SWEET SOUTHERN tea in two weeks! (God, how I missed you!!!) However, the boyfriend did not take the low cal road - he indulged in the chicken and waffles, "with a side of sausage, please."

As we have included indulgence in our day, now its time for the massive sales on EVERYTHING. And by everything, I mean the projector that my boyfriend has been begging, begging, begging, and BEGGING for, for the last 6 months. Unfortunately, this was my fault. I sent him a picture text of an iPhone with an attachment that turned the lens into a projector and from there, the idea that we NEED a projector was planted. And it has only grown to a weekly plead since then.

Seriously, I would love to have one. As I would love to have a laundry room, an art studio, a walk in closet disguised as a bedroom, a bathroom big enough to turn around in, and a pool. But with having these things as with getting a projector, we need to also not have debt. And that we do. Our goal is to get the credit cards paid off - at least just down to less than $1,000 - and then we can have some security in our expenses and purchases in case there is an emergency. However, its really hard for me to get him to understand this. All he sees are the fancy gadgets that he doesn't have and therefore, must have. We have iPhones, iPads and an AppleTV (yet, no Mac computers, ha). So, really, we have enough gadgets. But no, he's over there sitting on the couch watching tutorials on youtube about projectors.

With this, do I give in to the 500th plea to get a projector and just let it go, or stand strong with our long term financial security and say no and be the bad guy once again? (Please also keep in mind that our living room is only about 20 ft x 20 ft... could we even enjoy a projector?)

Thanks Projector People, thanks. 

In my quest to find a new job, I decided to delve right into the social media abyss with a belief that I will come out the other end with an exciting new job!

In the midst of finding a new job, I'm also finding a new Carly too. One who gets excited by the idea of eating veggies and fruits rather than pizza and cheeseburgers. Crazy as it may seem, zuchini and watermelon are quickly taking over my heart where bread and cheese used to live. And I'm going to run with it as long as I can! And actually do some running on the treadmill too!

While I am already on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest, I decided that I needed a website too! The website is to illustrate my educational background in marketing - that I have yet to utilize in my past marketing positions as well as highlight my work experience. I do understand that just submitting a cover letter and resume - no matter how fantastically awesome they may be - is not enough to get a job in this economy. So, in lieu of cold calling and stalking potential employers, this blog and my website (and other social media outlets) are the best way to network and put myself out there and get noticed (aka, get my resume pushed to the TOP of the stack!)

So, onward I move!