Change is in the air

First things first, winter finally seems like it has bid us farewell for another season... spring is upon us and the sun is showing up more often... I love this time of year. More opportunities to be outside and enjoy the blue skies and soft breezes and agitating allergies.. haha just kidding... but really, when spring and summer finally roll around I breathe a huge sigh of relief after getting through yet another frigid winter.


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In mid March I went on my first road trip with a few lovely ladies. We packed up my mom's Ford Taurus, filled it up with gas and picked up some caffeinated beverages from Starbucks for the first leg of our journey down to the Big Easy.We stayed one night in Nashville and it was a riot. We ate BBQ pulled pork, drank some local brews and bar hopped rockin' out to live music. The vibe in Nashville is awesome and the crowds were energetic and full of zest for St. Patrick's day. The next morning we made the rest of our way to New Orleans. In the car we played some games, had tons of sing alongs and gossiped like school girls. Surprisingly  on the way down or back there were no cat fights. That can be attributed to the fact that we are all super laid back chicks. In New Orleans our time was action packed. Overall we went on a really interesting plantation tour, a brewery tour, a walking tour of the Garden District/Cemetery, a swamp tour (I got to hold a baby alligator... so cool), and probably other things I'm now forgetting. We ate tons of local dishes and had a great time altogether. We did encounter a really disgusting hostel, where we discovered a bed bug infestation. That situation certainly spiced up our trip as well... at the time it was a mess but now looking back it is kind of hilarious. I took tons of photos and made some great memories... I would definitely go on another road trip in the future and have gained a new found appreciation for the States themselves.

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The FIS call center in Milwaukee is shutting down. This means that I am without a job possibly as soon as July. Most likely the closure will not be until November... so hopefully I will have a secure position until that time. Most people are looking at this closure as a negative situation but I am sooo excited by the prospects. All employees are able to post out for jobs in any of the 100 countries where FIS is located. If you know me, this is right up my alley. At this time, though... I'm doing some soul searching... I really don't know where I want to end up. Options include anywhere from Florida to Vietnam. Lots of thinking to do in that respect, but I am optimistic that something will work out. If not, there's a nice severance package included and the company is not going to fight unemployment.. so I could end up enjoying a nice little vacation until I decide what my next move is. Either way, I am very interested in getting out of Dodge. I'm going stir crazy here... I need change and I need it SOON!

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I'm newly single. I'm doing alright with this... it was not my choice at first... but I have decided that it is most definitely for the best. I am very ambitious and I have desires to get outta here so a relationship with a person who doesn't quite yet know what they want to do with themselves would complicate things. I'm the type of person that can make a decision and move with it, I'm not saying I have all the answers by any means but I am definitely not afraid to take a chance and do something different. He is still doing some soul searching and so, my inquiries were seeming to be nit picking to him. That isn't how I want to come across in a relationship so being single is a better option. Overall, I learned a lot and I know what sorts of behaviors I will not tolerate and which ones are acceptable to me. I learned that there needs to be a happy medium with partying  and drinking and that I would like someone who will be on the same page as me. I also learned that I have a huge heart and that I am so open to discussion and communication and making positive changes toward a better union so I know that my future relationships will benefit from these discoveries also. I was sad for a few days, but I'm already feeling better. The feeling of love doesn't just go away, but looking at the relationship from an objective outside perspective I have realized that there were instances I was definitely blinded by the emotions of love. I know what I deserve and reflecting on these things is important. I also know what I offer and that is a great thing to be aware of, as well. My friends and family have been wonderful and supportive while I have been processing this break up and I am very thankful for that. It's just very odd to have checked into the Heartbreak Hotel for the first time at the age of 25. It hurts like hell, but the best thing is that it can only get better with time. :)

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With all of that being said, I'm going to go put on a hot pair of skinny jeans, throw some luscious curls in my hair, gloss on some sassy lipstick and slip on a pair of high heels. I have a hot date tonight with Ms. Sarah and we are going to get our dance on. ;)

January 3rd, 2013

I've got a coffee in hand, a little Fitz & the Tantrums humming in the background, and I'm about to delve into an entry trying to wrap up the last 5 months of my life. They have really flown. It's totally true what "they" say... as you age, your time blurs more and more... the last time I wrote it was August and there was a little excitement buzzing surrounding the start of a new Fall semester and a new job and a blossoming relationship.

This Fall semester was a time of revelation for me... as I was sitting in one of my Education classes going over the syllabus with the professor I had a minor panic attack realizing that I could not see myself following through on a degree in Education.. I realized that I just wasn't as passionate about it as my fellow classmates were. On the way home from school that night I decided to drop out of the School of Education and focus my energies on French instead. 

I made a meeting with Anita, my French academic counselor, to discuss my degree requirements. As fate would have it, I was waiting in the hallway for my aforementioned rendez-vous when Larry (Anita's husband and also French director) walked by. He said hey and asked what I was up to.. I explained and he invited me into his office. He asked if I was in the market for a new job and I pondered the thought for a moment and said sure, what have you got in mind... he gave me details on a position at FIS Global. The position would consist of providing customer service in English and French. I liked the idea but didn't really think it would go anywhere... a few days later he emailed me and asked if he could forward my information to the recruiter of the company. That same day I received a call from the recruiter asking me to come in for an interview the very next day. I was hired the next day and scheduled to start training 2 weeks later. Since then, I have been promoted twice. I started as a CSR 1 and was quickly asked to take a position as a CSR III.. taking Escalation and Support calls. A few weeks ago I was asked to take a position as a Team Lead. I accepted and am very excited for the responsibilities of this new role. I'll be doing coachings and quality assurance in place of being on the phones so much... :) and I'm still using French on a daily basis which is fantastic, too!

In May I'll be graduating with a Bachelor's degree in French and a minor in Global Studies. I'm really happy with this decision and I'm excited to be finishing up with my undergrad. I don't know where I'll end up or what I will end up doing in the long run but I am happy with the opportunities that have been presented in the past several months and I look forward to continuing with FIS Global!!

My relationship with Jesse is still going awesomely. I am head over heels in love with this man and have had a fantastic six months getting to know him. We are still so great together and we have lots of goals and ideas for the future. We have so much fun together and that is what matters most. This holiday season we were both super crazy busy with work but we still managed to fit in some time for a jaunt through Enchantment in the Park, a lovely time at the "A Christmas Carol" production at the Pabst Theatre and also an amazing concert at the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Jesse got me a PURPLE GUITAR for Christmas... I'm so so so excited to start lessons with him... from what I hear, he's a very patient teacher (which is totally going to be a necessity with me as a pupil.. ;)) 

It was wonderful spending time with family over the holidays and meeting more of Jesse's extended family, as well. We rang in the new year by making some dinner and playing Clue.. I was soundly asleep by 12:05 but am happy to say that I participated in the ritualistic countdown for the dawning of the new year! Quite a change from last year's fiasco... !!!

In 2013 I look forward to taking more photos, capturing more special moments, and expanding on my creativity behind the lens. I look forward to MAKING more memories with the people I love. I look forward to discovering more about myself and becoming an even more self assured woman. I look forward to spending time in the kitchen developing more delicious concoctions. I look forward to basking in good health as I dive back into a work out routine. I look forward to creating new synapses in my brain as I take on the challenge of learning guitar. I look forward to hearing more giggles and seeing exciting shows and traveling to new places and eating and drinking and dancing and singing with reckless abandon. I have high hopes for this year and am excited as allllllll get out!