Hello, Uncle Sam! It's been a while!

Well, now I've done it.

I have actually gone and gotten myself a job. Next week I will, after 6.5 months of leisure (i.e. unpacking, painting, arranging, and general house-redecorating and remodeling), start a part-time graphic design job. I have mixed feelings, because I have enjoyed being able to be at home and get the house settled, having the freedom to pick up and go when I want. But the fact of the matter is that our finances are a mess right now and I have been worrying about finding a job for a while now. I am fortunate to have even found a job in the design field less than 40 miles from my house at all, let alone 15 miles down the road. So I should be grateful. And I am. Getting my Graphic Design degree is one of the best things I've done for myself, like, ever.

I remember when I had jobs in accounting or business management I absolutely hated getting up and going to work every day. It was a necessary evil that I had to suffer through in order to get the bills paid and support my lifestyle. At the time I thought that every job was that way. I didn't know there was another way to go through life, I didn't know it was really an option to love what you do. I changed jobs frequently, thinking maybe it was the company or my co-workers or if I only made more money, anything to explain that it wasn't me.

However, 2 months after getting my graphic design internship I knew. I knew all the hard work was worth it. I knew that this was something I could do for the rest of my life. I knew that this is what I should have always been doing. Going to work every day was getting to do something that I actually enjoyed doing for 8 hours a day. And, I have to say, I had a pretty sweet internship with a very good boss, and wonderful co-workers. She allowed me to do things on my own, but gave opinions and guidance when I needed it. She was infinitely patient. She was understanding (for the most part) when I screwed up. She gave me a lot of rope. And let me learn. She was a wonderful teacher. And the company I worked for was wonderful. I met my "soul sister" someone who is EXACTLY like me in almost every way. The Pennsylvania version of me. Having to leave that job was torture. Like the most ironic plot twist in the novel of my life. It did greatly dampen the news that we were moving home to Kentucky when I had to think about leaving. I finally found a career and a job that I loved so much, and though I get to move home, I have to leave this great position behind.

I have suffered through a lot of good, bad and just wrong jobs in my life. I've had some seriously cracked co-workers, too. I have worked at large companies and in offices where it was just me and the owner. And his girlfriend. But that is a story for another day. So next week, I will start the next chapter of my life, 3 days at a time. I hope I love my second design job as much as I loved my first. I will still have time to do freelance design. I will still have time to write. I will still have time for jewelry parties. And yes, I am still planning on finding time to blog. In fact, for the next few days I will share some of my co-worker stories in honor of my re-entry to the work force.

On a side note, my former supervisor let me know that one of the campaigns we worked on together won an honorable mention at the national convention this week. No award, but honorable mention isn't too shabby out of 30 states that submitted. Yay! (Yes, I am a Fokker, all I need is the ribbon)