Moving...

So I've moved....my blog. I stopped writing here because it reminded me too much of last year, and when I look at a lot of the posts, I sound whiny and don't like what I wrote. However, I enjoy blogging so I've moved over to http://narwhalnook.tumblr.com/. It's a slightly different focus from this one, but I hope you will enjoy.

If you are wondering about the name, I explain it in the very first post. Also, it works best in Safari and Firefox, my design does not link Internet Explorer.

2009

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before? Been unemployed and bored.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I know I made resolutions, but I can't remember them. Therefore, it can be concluded that I did not keep them.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No.

4. Did anyone close to you die? No. Thank goodness.

5. What countries did you visit? None.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? More career development and weekend getaways with Dale.

7. What date(s) from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? November 7th. I had really good Chik-fil-a that day :)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? I survived over 10 months of unemployment/ underemployment. Somehow went from jobless, to working at a grocery store, to interning (for free) at an orchestra, to temping for a law firm, to having a full time gig in the marketing department of a law firm. I am very lucky.

9. What was your biggest failure? I'm not proud of how I handled being jobless. I think back, and I'm ashamed. But I can only move forward so I don't think about it.

10. Did you suffer any illness or injury? Nope I was a healthy lady.

11. What was the best thing you bought? My wedding dress.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Many, many folks. Me and Dale for getting married (and making me an honest woman). My family for all of their support during the rough and also joyous year.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? I just really wish people would remember to love one another if we do that then everything else will go away.

14. Where did most of your money go? Rent and food. Why do we have to eat? or at least pay to eat?

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Getting marrrweeedd!

16. What song will always remind you of 2009? "All I want is You" by Barry Louis Polisar

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:i. happier or sadder? Much, much happier. ii. thinner or fatter? Unfortunately, fatter - damn happy married weight iii. richer or poorer? Richer, thanks to me having a full-time permanent job

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Working out. Getting to know MN.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Watching TV. Crying.

20. How will you be spending Christmas? Abra and Neil spent the holidays with us. There was a winter storm, lots of Wii and good eating - it was awesome.

22. Did you fall in love in 2009? Every day.

23. How many one-night stands? Luckily none.

24. What was your favorite TV program? 90210...I know, I'm ashamed.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Hate- such a negative emotion.
26. What was the best book you read? Hands down, Hunger Games. Well, I take that back...I read a lot of really good books this year. But if you haven't read Hunger Games, go now and buy it. Awesome.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? She & Him.

28. What did you want and get? Lotsa love. (and a job)

29. What did you want and not get? A slimmer waist. Ha.

30. What was your favorite film of this year? Fantastic Mr. Fox

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 24 and all my bridesmaids came and up for the weekend. It was amazing.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Less down time.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? Definitely got better. I made a better effort to not dress slouchy and tried out different styles. Professionally urban inspired by JCrew. Lots of jeans, flats, and cardies.

34. What kept you sane? Dale.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Zooey Deschanel, I'm obsessed.

36. What political issue stirred you the most? I didn’t have much room in my brain/heart for political issues.

37. Who did you miss? Absolutely everyone. I would really love it if all my friends and family could move down the block from me.

38. Who was the best new person you met? Amy Batiste. She was sent from heaven. Thanks God for hearing my prayers.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009: I learned to make things happen for myself. For so much of the job search, I played the waiting game instead of taking the bull by the horns. I learned that lesson and now am not afraid to speak my mind and ask things of life, instead of waiting.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
As my friend Hilary reminded me during one of my many sullen jobless days, I moved for love. And love is what kept me sane. (love you Dale)

If I was a flower growing wild and free
All I'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee.
And if I was a tree growing tall and green
All I'd want is you to shade me and be my leavesIf I was a flower growing wild and free
All I'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee.
And if I was a tree growing tall and green
All I'd want is you to shade me and be my leaves
All I want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side
All I want is you, will you stay with me?
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.
If you were a river in the mountains tall,
The rumble of your water would be my call.
If you were the winter, I know I'd be the snow
Just as long as you were with me, when the cold winds blow.
All I want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side
All I want is you, will you stay with me?
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.
If you were a wink, I'd be a nod
If you were a seed, well I'd be a pod.
If you were the floor, I'd wanna be the rug
And if you were a kiss, I know I'd be a hug
All I want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side
All I want is you, will you stay with me?
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.
If you were the wood, I'd be the fire.
If you were the love, I'd be the desire.
If you were a castle, I'd be your moat,
And if you were an ocean, I'd learn to float.
All I want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side
All I want is you, will you stay with me?
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea

Give me a pocket protector and call me a nerd!

So it's interesting. I have always considered myself a writer, communication, Englishy type person. Those are the things I am good at. In grade school, I was always good at math, but it wasn't something that really excited me. Although I am not talking about traditional math equations (2+2 and all that), I'm becoming the math/ excel expert at work. The marketing team is currently working on budgets for next year and analyzing past data, and I am beginning to realize that I LOVE doing that type of work. I'm really good at looking at the data and making it easier to understand (plus excel has a crapload tools that do that for you). Also, because I like to explain things and communicate, I enjoy explaining these tools to my less-savvy excel users - it's really fun. I just spent 3 hours on excel trying to match up some missing data and wasn't bored one bit. Once I figured it out, I was so proud of myself.

Anyways, it was just a little personal discovery today, and I want to give a little shoutout. "Dan Courtright, thank you so much for making me use excel and understand the power of the pivot table. You may have helped me become an asset to my new team. THANK YOU!"

So excuse me while I go run some macros, listen to some Broadway, and put scotch tape on my glasses.

Birthday Present

My parents were completely fabulous and got me a sewing machine for my 24th birthday! I was ecstatic, and now I'm biding my time until I have enough money/ time to sew. So I warn you now - you will most likely be receiving hand sewn Christmas gifts this year. I'll post a picture of my little work space that Dale set up for me, but for now - World meet Magnolia my sewing machine. Magnolia, wave to the nice people.

I've been terrible

I know I haven't posted in FOREVER but I have my reasons/ excuses :)

First and foremost because I have not posted about it yet - I have a new job. I am the new marketing assistant at Faegre & Benson, the largest law firm in MN. I started the day after my birthday and so far I'm loving it. I'm working downtown in a lovely skyscraper just a few blocks from Dale (we've already had lunch together and plan to do it weekly). Of course there has to be a catch of some sort when something this wonderful happens. I am only a temporary marketing assistant in that I'm only guaranteed work until January. I am coming onto the team to cover for a young woman who is going on maternity leave until January. I've already made it clear to my boss Adam Severson, director of marketing and business development that I'm going to do everything I can to make the department fall in love with me so they won't want me to leave in January.

So I have my moments of panic when I think I might be looking for a job again in January, but right now I've got bigger things to worry about - like the WEDDING. It is less than 2 months away (my heart just sped up thinking about it). There is SO much to do. I'm starting to stress a little bit.

I'm going to Texas next weekend for bridal portraits, bridal shower, and final decisions. I'm meeting my wedding planner for the first time and hopefully confirm all the final details. Poor Dale has been putting up with my crazy moods about the wedding - one moment I'm excited and carefree and the next I'm anxious and a nag, but he's great and that's why I'm marrying him.

Also in other news, my lovely bridesmaids came to visit me

on Labor Day weekend (my birthday) except for Bethany who couldn't make it. But we did not forget her and brought her in spirit (look at the pictures carefully). We talked, ate, and drank a lot. It was wonderful and made me miss Texas very much. It was really nice having everyone one in the same room, and I could not have asked for a better way to celebrate marriage and birthday in weekend.

These are some pictures from that lovely weekend (really just from Saturday night in which we experienced corn dog sushi).

So bear with me when I don't post for a while. I'm dealing with a new job and a wedding. It's exciting stuff.

Job

So there is a reason that I haven't posted or mentioned my new job (pending). I am waiting until I have the offer in my hand, signed and ready, before I start spouting joy and sunshine.

Details to come soon....very soon...hopefully sometime before the Sept. 8th (my tenative start date).

Deja Vu

I just had the strongest feeling of deja vu during a meeting at SPCO. It was a marketing meeting, and they were discussing an issue with their telemarketing company. I almost had a complete freak out because I had done that before.

So in a past life I worked for a nonprofit orchestra whose telemarketing firm decides to quit on them...weird.

Completely weirded me out, and now I don't feel like working :)