Back in Business

newness

2007-10-19T15:23:00.001-07:00

i really haven't written anything on here since school started. i've been way too busy.

what's new: i quit both of my jobs on campus to take an internship at a design firm downtown. it's nice to be downtown.

picture of my desk. i have a desk: (my apologies, i took this picture with my cell phone)

mental preparedness

2007-08-18T21:11:00.000-07:00

mid-august has cleverly disguised itself as october this weekend.

temperatures barely above 60 and day-long rain lent themselves perfectly to sweater shopping. two sweaters (one of which is argyle(!)) and josé gonzález have mentally prepared me for school, fall, and a really busy upcoming semester.

i found out a friend of mine is accepting a job in new york and is moving away in a week. i forget that we're adults now.

changes

2007-06-17T21:46:00.000-07:00

i'm living a life i never envisioned for myself.

summer in the city

2007-06-10T21:01:00.000-07:00

listening to the beautiful guitar of josé gonzalez on a sunday night with the cool breeze blowing through the sun room window is almost like drinking a cold glass of lemonade. this has been a ridiculously good and bad weekend.

i've come to grips with the fact that i am an independent person. years ago i would rely on people if i ever wanted to do anything. now that i'm older i'm not so apprehensive. it feels good to just wake up and go somewhere without feeling lonely. i guess that can be said about my life in general. i don't feel lonely anymore.

since people have been graduating in the last couple of weeks, i've really started thinking about life after college. granted, it may be a year and a half away, but it's something that is now constantly in the back of my mind. i went home a couple weeks ago and my parents asked me what i am planning to do after school. honestly, i have no idea. on tuesday i have an informational interview at a design firm in edina. it will be my first, and hopefully one of several. ideally i would love to stay in minneapolis and work at a firm in town. denver, chicago, san francisco and boston are all possibilities as well. i'm interested to see where i'll end and what i'll be doing.

i can honestly say that i have never been more excited for the future.

welcome back

2007-05-17T20:55:00.000-07:00

with the end of the academic year nearly a week behind me, an old job done and over, and the beginnings of a new job sitting right in front of me, i feel like now is sufficiently exciting enough to write. about something. anything.

never before have i ever worked so hard, academically, in my life. my creativity and my patience were pushed to the breaking point by the end of the semester. finally, after months of solitude i came out of my shell and befriended a bunch of new people i had passed off all last semester. it's great to be able to go to class again and look forward to seeing familiar faces; people you enjoy spending time with. lots of revision, several hundred dollars later, a much-improved knowledge of power tools, and several great portfolio pieces later...i feel like i'm well on my way to going where i want and doing what i want to do.

all that dedication has made me a stronger person. there were many weekends where i didn't do anything but homework. ever since germany i have prided myself on being a self-sufficient person. to see people, couples, who depend so greatly on each other is almost a turn off. it's hard to know people like that and continue to be friends with them. when you have no common interests with each other, is there a point to continuing that friendship? why keep a dysfunctional friendship, now based on a bedrock of misunderstanding and disrespect, going? there comes a time when you have to let people go.

i quit my job this week. although it was a decent job with ok pay, i feel like i made the right choice by accepting this new position. i was sincerely hoping that i could land a design internship for the summer, but i know this experience will be beneficial to my career. i'm excited to observe and learn and contribute.

i talked to my mom the other week and i just told her that i got my new job. she mentioned how she was really proud of me and said that it was finally that time in my life that i have experience and skills that make me a really desirable candidate. i owe a lot to my parents and my friends. thank you.

and so on...

2007-02-07T07:13:00.000-08:00

while sitting at work today, i perused my usual websites (almost all of which are related to Apple Inc.) and noticed that they have a new ad. i thoroughly enjoy it. for your pleasure:

http://movies.apple.com/movies/us/apple/getamac/apple-getamac-security_480x376.mov

i've also come to realize that i just don't have the time to blog anymore. so i'm taking a break. i would shut down this site, but i like it too much to do so. so in the meantime, it will stay dormant. perhaps someday something will respark my desire to blog.

until then,
-michael

something to put on the fridge

2007-01-24T20:48:00.000-08:00

so i'm taking a package design class this semester. it's interesting to finally think of graphic design in three dimensions. i'm not going to lie, it's harder, but really rewarding. for our first assignment we had to package the Elements (earth, fire, air and water). most of the people in my classes suck these days, and i'm anxious to totally blow past everyone when we present our projects tomorrow.

enjoy.

a new era

2007-01-17T13:50:00.000-08:00

it's been nearly a month and a half since Persephone was taken from me, but today is a new day and here comes her replacement. ladies and gentlemen, say hello to my new love, Isabelle (alternate spelling: ISObelle).

semester

2007-01-15T20:18:00.000-08:00

and so the wheels start to creak back into motion and another semester is underway. didn't we just finish finals?! oh well. another semester-- new people, a new (and significantly better) job, and the little slice of satisfaction i get out of knowing that the weather will soon be getting warmer. what does that mean? biking! sitting in parks! eating outside! perfection, basically.

this semester will be my latest to date: i get to sleep in on tuesdays and thursdays until 8a. you have no idea how thrilled i am. kiss my ass 6:30a, you are so fall semester.

re: "not again!"

2007-01-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

i'm hired!

celebratory weekend? i think so...

not again!

2007-01-04T21:13:00.000-08:00

right before winter break started i made the really bold (and perhaps dumb) move of quitting my bookstore job. i don't think a whole lot of people know that i'm leaving in two weeks. personally, i think i may have told about four people. i'm really not too worried about finding a new job. i feel like i'm a really good worker, and people are graduating and going abroad at semester, so there should be lots of openings coming my way. last week i found a posting for a design job for an office on campus. some of my friends work there, so i thought it would be a decent place to work. i read the job description and i thought i fit exactly what they were looking for. i headed to my interview this morning with a fancy green and metallic silver bag (made from scratch, and trust me it was cool) feeling very confident and ready to impress. i flew through the questions they asked me and i could really envision myself working there. i showed them six samples of my work and they were very impressed. "your work speaks for itself, michael" was a comment that i took to heart. as i waited for the elevator post-interview one of interviewers came up to me and told me again how nice my work was.

it wasn't until later on that a friend called me. i had forgot that she worked in this office. she was at work today and they ended up talking to her about me. she's basically my fly on the wall. she said they couldn't stop saying good things about my work...but they were concerned that i was overly qualified for the job. WHY?! this has happened to me already; please don't let it be a repeat. i don't get it, if you find someone with skills, no matter the task, wouldn't you take the candidate most qualified?

a decision will be made in the next two weeks. cross your fingers. i'll be sure to update.

huh?

2006-12-24T21:34:00.001-08:00

wait, it's christmas? could have fooled me. seriously.

you've gotta be kidding me!

2006-12-04T15:24:00.000-08:00

so i walked over to the library to work on my paper tonight. while going to the bathroom some jerk went through my stuff and stole my ipod and Persephone! apparently some guy ran after him and got my ipod back, but he made off with my beloved digital camera.

Persephone, you were the love of my life! I wish he would have taken my ipod instead. i wanted a new one anyway, and it would have been cheaper to replace.

i hate everyone right now.

Happy fucking Holidays. :-\

it all comes pouring down.

2006-11-29T21:25:00.001-08:00

while in my room working on finalizing up Northrop's logo (i'm designing their logo, btw) i heard water flowing. since the eastern wall of my room is on the other side of the shower, i sometimes hear when aaron and alex turn it on. so i thought alex was just turning on the shower. i thought nothing of it. until it got really loud. and then we ran into the hallway and there was a large amount of water coming out of our ceiling and the kitchen door frame. it lasted for about 10 minutes. now all that remains is a ceiling full of flaking paint chips and a smattering of pots and pans still on the floor to catch any leftovers.

and this pouring water got me thinking...i need to vent (thanks for already listening, bailey and alex). brace yourself for a rush of grief:

i take my education seriously. the projects that we're doing now are equally important as projects we'll have once we enter the workforce. graphic design is about communication-- and doing it in a creative, fresh way. i don't think a majority the people in my studio class realize that. i'm getting really sick of having my ideas copied and executed half-assedly. come up with your own damn ideas, jerks. if you're going to rely on other people for your work, you aren't going to have much of a career in design.

if these are the people i'm up against for jobs once i graduate, then i am not the least bit hesitant.

for your viewing pleasure, i documented the fiasco. sorry it's sideways-- i just ran to get my camera and didn't think about the orientation.

2006-11-29T21:25:00.000-08:00

can i have your ID?

2006-11-28T18:31:00.000-08:00

so my favorite new thing to do at work is to check students' facebook profiles.

it's like this: students come in to watch movies in our building. then we check out the movies to them and hold their student ID as collateral. while their ID is behind the desk, i look them up on facebook to see what they're all about. you get a whole different opinion of them when they walk out the door than when they first came in.

boo-yah.

swoosh! over my head.

2006-11-21T16:21:00.000-08:00

so i was reading about famous logos...apparently the woman who designed the logo for Nike back in the mid-70's only made $35. and that company is how profitable these days? i would have asked for more.

here i am!

2006-11-12T08:10:00.000-08:00

my interest and desire to blog is starting to wain, so i apologize to the 2 people who actually read this.

it's almost thanksgiving break and i find myself asking "where have the past 10 weeks gone?" wasn't it just yesterday that i was heading back to school in t-shirts and flip flops? how unfair is it that now i'm bundled up in layers of wool just to stay warm outside? ok, wool is great, so i guess i won't complain. the collection of new wool sweaters i have amassed in the couple of weeks is nothing short of amazing.

i'm in the midst of another studio project and i've grown so attached to it that i like to open it several times a day just to look at it. to tweak it, and admire the work i'm doing. although it may be a little vain, at least it's a good sign that you're making something good. this is the only semester i've had when i've only had one studio class. next semester i have three, and i foresee my quality of work going down. i'll make this count.

over the past week i've gotten several compliments about my glasses (two in one day even). and yesterday i was working on my dollar project and some guy tapped me on the shoulder and asked "not to be nosey, but do you design checks for a living?" i told him that i was a student and that it was just a studio project. he seemed kind of taken aback, but then replied "you do really great work." it's times like that that me feel like i'm going to school for the right thing.

and lastly, i'm in need of some pumpkin pie.

here is my project so far: (the strips that say "united states of america" will eventually be covered up by a strip of iridescent material, making it even cooler.

in the clear

2006-10-31T20:55:00.000-08:00

the past two weeks have been on par with the apocalypse in terms of homework load. i've had three midterms, a research paper, a short essay, a lab presentation and other miscellaneous crap to do. apocalyptic! i told you. add on 30 hours of work a week and a very crude attempt at maintaining a social life and i feel like i'm on the verge of mental insanity. wasn't it just this past weekend when i fell into that day-long spell of depression? yeah, that was saturday. after tomorrow everything will be over and done with and it'll be another two weeks before anything major is due again. and then it's time for a break. and then what, only three weeks left until the end of the semester? i don't really remember september anymore.

with all of the mounting stress and lack of free time my desktop managed to become bombarded with files and space was fillin' up fast. it was like i couldn't breathe and claustrophobia was setting in. so i spent half an hour and organized and deleted and shuffled around tons of files into their respective new folders. and now my desktop is perfect and i feel so much better.

oh crap.

2006-10-22T20:35:00.000-07:00

it's crunch time!

i shake my fist...

2006-10-17T18:51:00.000-07:00

so when i found out several weeks back that i wasn't chosen for a graphic design position due to my lack of office experience, i was a little frustrated. if they posted the job for a graphic designer, then you shouldn't require that they have office experience. (but really, what student doesn't have some sort of office experience these days?)

then tonight i grew enraged! i saw a posting on the U's employment website from the same department looking for an office assistant. which means: that now the graphic designer isn't responsible for office duties. the designer can just design. which is what i would have done. and i was the most creative candidate they interviewed. now that they'll have an office assistant, that job should have rightfully gone to me.

i'm almost tempted to apply for the office assistant job and see what they do. (they pay the same, which i think is odd.)

it's 2006, right?

2006-10-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

while at work i had the greatest idea to order a greek pizza from pizza lucé for our grey's gathering tonight. i'm too lazy to cook anything before people would come at 7. it was the perfect plan.

but i forgot to get money from the atm before we left school. no problem, i figured they would take checks. i called, the guy asked how i wanted to pay for it, and i asked "so i can't pay with a check?" i guess they've gotten a couple bounced checks. so i opted to pay with my check card. i wondered how they would charge me exactly, and when the man came to the door i payed close attention.

after signing for the pizza he took my card. i assumed this act was to verify my signature. but then he started rolling the receipt paper around my card. and i thought to myself "um, i need that back." but then he pulled out a CRAYON and carbon copied my card number.

hey, whatever gets the job done, right?

i'm a dreamer

2006-10-11T21:11:00.000-07:00

i called to shoot the breeze with my mom tonight since i had nothing to do. literally, i spent the entire night on the phone, in the tub, or in front of the tv playing nintendo. during the 40 minute conversation with my mom we talked about my future plans. "future" referring to thanksgiving, this coming summer, and even post-college.

i told her how i've been really interested in interning in new york for the summer. her initial reaction was "oh, ok. how are you going to afford that?" then i dropped the research bomb i've done and after finding out that housing is provided free of charge, i'd be able to sublet my place in minneapolis, and i would probably get a decent hourly wage, she approved. i'm glad. i'd like to try and get a feel for the east coast, since i have a feeling i'll be moving out there after school to get into the publishing business. either that or london.

after i convinced her she said to me, "you certainly do have big plans for yourself, michael. first berlin, now new york?"

my reply: "i know."

there is nothing wrong with setting your sights high. it hasn't failed me lately.

a sprinkling

2006-10-11T06:42:00.000-07:00

it's snowing! not much, but it's snowing.

finally. school becomes practical.

2006-10-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

i distinctly recall riding in anna's car late this past summer and talking (more like complaining) about the lack of real-world experience our graphic design education at the U provides us. for the past couple of years we've been putzing around making stupid posters about dumb topics; never really putting our skills to any sort of decent use.

all that seems to have changed this semester. at least for me anyway. my GD I instructor took the initiative to send an email out to University departments in need of graphic design help. our first project consisted of creating a logo and all sorts of materials for Northrop Auditorium. that project is behind us and i feel really confident with what i presented to the client. should they decide to use any of the six ideas presented to them, that students work will become the official logotype for the building and will be printed a million times over on posters, mailers, websites, etc. it's kind of exciting when you think about it. (every time i check my email i'm ever-so-slightly expecting an email from them saying they want to use my design, but i doubt that's going to happen.)

today we started our second project. we're creating an identity system using predetermined logos and styles of globalwarming101.com. it sounds like a great foundation-- will steger is a minnesotan who has set numerous records for traveling to both of the poles in an attempt to raise awareness about global warming. our project is due on november 1. they are pushing back their print date to accommodate a student's final design. this will be even more exposure, since the foundation is planning on printing 50,000 sets of materials for distribution to classrooms nationwide. that's a lot of exposure, and a great opportunity. i need to make something great.

wish me luck.

over/underqualified. at the same time.

2006-10-05T20:00:00.000-07:00

so you probably remember the design job that i applied for in mid-july. and the subsequent interview i had for it two months after. and then there was that week where i patiently waited to hear a response (i never heard a word from them). and then today, after i'd given up all hope, i got an email from them. finally, almost three whole months after this application process started, they made a decision. (yeah, that's a 1/4 of a year.)

i started off reading the email and my heart raced and i got excited. this could be it. and then it took a sharp turn for the worse. the following is the email i got from the woman.

"You were our most creative candidate and we enjoyed viewing your design samples. You have a great eye for design. However, we selected a candidate with substantial experience in design and office work. We felt this was highly important for us at this time, because it is a new position and because of our upcoming move."

i'm a freaking OFFICE ASSISTANT! that means i assist in an OFFICE. i do office-y stuff, like sitting behind a desk and helping people and filing shit. i don't know how much more office experience they require. but at the same type, it makes me feel good. i'm finally starting to feel really confident about my work. i take a lot of pride into what i've come up with lately. and if they were looking for strictly a designer, i'm assuming that i would have gotten the position. i'm going to stop looking for design jobs this semester. i've got my plate full, and i like what's on my plate, so why bother? some other time. and i'll kick ass.

things keep rollin' along.

2006-10-03T13:28:00.000-07:00

i don't even know how many weeks it's been since school has started. around five? somewhere around there sounds about right. life's monotony continues as always with work, class, work, work, class, class, sleep, etc. more class and work than anything else. nothing really new and noteworthy to mention. i got new glasses. they are awesome and designerly and they're practically the equivalent of wearing an entire month's rent on my face. i think most people approve. i pride myself on looking more like a designer than anyone else in my design studio & lecture.

my four-week long Northrop project will conclude tomorrow. i still feel really confident about it. my group of three (2 girls and myself) selected my logo (since it was obviously the best of the three) and have made a bunch of materials (in the form of flyers, websites, mailers, etc.) incorporating my design. it's nice to see things come to fruition. i think that's why i love graphic design and the tangible things you can hold on to afterwards.

i got an email this afternoon that i nearly just junked, thinking that it was more random junk from the U. but i opened it up a second time and took a look at the website. it's called Art Buddies and it's a group of 50 volunteers (both students and professionals in various creative fields) who help underprivileged kids help realize their various design/creative dreams. it's a couple of wednesday afternoons after i'm done with class. not only would it be a great opportunity to network with fellow graphic designers, but i think it would just be a crapload of fun. so i applied and i'll hear back from them in 2 weeks. i'm excited!

a cloud on an otherwise sunny afternoon.

2006-09-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

i woke up this morning after an enjoyable 9:30. when you have class and work six days a week, sundays really are a breath of fresh air. although it's probably most beneficial to try and get as much as you can do in the one day you have free, sometimes it's just better to mosey on through the day. that's what i did.

liz and i got together this afternoon to study for our upcoming exam on tuesday. and then my heart broke.

when i stayed with hannes and his parents in january i really grew to love them and they hold a very dear place in my heart. they will forever be my friends and i appreciate all that they did for me when i was at my lowest. it was never openly discussed with me, but i knew that hannes' mom had been sick in the past. with what, i never knew. today liz told me that she had lung cancer a couple of years ago. everything had been fine leading up to just recently. she passed away on thursday. and i feel so bad. they are the greatest people and they didn't deserve this.

i last talked to helmut and angelika in august. i never would have guessed that it would have been my last. i actually haven't had to deal with death that much in my lifetime yet, but oh my god, it's awful. life is full of unexpected surprises and complications. this is a setback. and right now a good cry feels so good.

grey's

2006-09-21T21:02:00.000-07:00

i got home from work early, and after a short break to collect myself after a day of classes and work, went to work with alex and bailey on preparing food for tonight's grey's anatomy season premier party. alex made pasta with homemade sauce, i roasted garlic, and apple crisp ensued right before season three started.

in all, i think there were around 12 of us. i think only two people were no shows. but i guess that's ok, seeing as how hilary's late arrival resulted in her getting a floor seat.

i think we were all kind of underwhelmed with the premier, but i'm sure it'll pick up as the season progresses.

i'm kind of proud of myself. months back i told people that i would have a grey's anatomy party-- not really ever contemplating throwing one. and it happened. i just keep rackin' up the points.

this rain sucks. and i'm so tired now that i'm at the point where i can see better when i have only one eye open. that's a good sign, right?

contentment

2006-09-19T18:20:00.000-07:00

if there was ever a moment in my life where i could stand back and really be proud of my accomplishments, today would be the day. nothing of extraordinary significance happened today, or anytime recently for that matter, but looking at my overall life and where i've gone and what i've done over the past year or so...it's pretty great.

sure, there's the Germany thing. it's still cool-- it always will be. how many people can list an internship (in their field of study) in a foreign country on a resume? yeah, not many, but i'm one of them.

but i feel like there's a whole lot more. i'm still waiting for a decision about last week's design job interview. if i get it i'll be thrilled. not only would it be normal, decent hours, but it would give me a chance to actually get some real world experience before graduating. just thinking about all of the stuff i could put in my portfolio would be compensation enough. (but alas, my parents are not made of money and i need an income to finance this education and the roof under which i currently reside.) it's been two months, nearly two and a half now(!), since i applied for that job. i have no idea how many applicants they had, but it feels good to know that i made the cut for an interview. even if i don't get the job, i'll have the satisfaction that at least i was good enough to be considered. i'm sure there were applicants who didn't get interviewed. so at least i'm somewhat decent, right?

i feel like part of my design self died while i was abroad. even at my internship i feel like i wasn't ever doing anything really creative-- more or less just grunt work. i really haven't designed much for the past year. so of course part of me was a little hesitant to get back into the swing of things. but i feel more confident than ever in my work now. confidence is key. i'm slowly learning that.

so even though i am back at school, painfully single, and harboring a festering pile of bacteria in my body in the form of a cold...i'm content. (2 points for me.)

another week.

2006-09-18T20:42:00.000-07:00

this is the third week of classes, right? i've lost count. life's too hectic.

aside from waking up this morning and being able to breath through my nostrils(!), i went to studio in st. paul with my logo roughs on my ipod ready to show kris. before he came around i looked around the lab to see what other people were doing. shit. that's basically what they were making. even though mine isn't complete, i feel so confident about my design. and confidence is awesome. that, and people dress like slobs in the class; i feel so well dressed. bonus point.

sometimes do you ever have moments where you think to yourself "how bizarre?" like i was sitting around before thinking about how weird it is that most of the clothing we wear is made from plants. and the shoes we wear on our feet...the soles are basically made out of oil. seriously, how do people come up with stuff like that? and why can't i invent something and become rich? i need to work on that.

and in a couple hours...

2006-09-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

after a trip out to Punch (this time to the lake calhoun location) i sat down and got serious. i came up with this. and thanks a lot to alex for introducing me to neutraface...the perfect typeface i can't afford. there's still work to be done, but it's getting there.

do i really suck?

2006-09-17T07:59:00.000-07:00

can anyone guess what this is supposed to be?

2006-09-16T04:46:00.000-07:00

last night bailey and i went to go see The Last Kiss-- zach braff's newest creation. we've been planning on seeing it since we first saw the trailer back in june sometime. so it was finally good to go, and just to spend a little time alone with her. i feel like even though we're finally together in the same city we don't actually have much opportunity to see each other.

as much as i want to be with someone right now, after seeing that movie, i'd rather be single. it seemed like every couple in the movie was going through a crisis. and everyone just ended up being hurt-- save for zach braff's character (michael) at the end of the movie, who is only taken back after spending days on end sitting on the front porch. i guess being in a relationship is a win/lose situation. i'm sure when it's good it's grand, but when it's bad it can be horrible. and getting so close to someone only to have them hurt you, or even, if you hurt them is not something to look forward to. but it's a part of life.

i've been awake for nearly 45 minutes already. i woke up gasping for air. i'm ready to not be sick anymore. since i've been up i've been looking through old photos and listening to the same song on repeat. i can't believe it's been over a year since i first left for germany. a huge part of me wishes that i was still there. but i am definitely glad to be back here. i love berlin so much. sometimes in my dreams i can vividly picture the city, the subway, and the streets in my mind as if i never left. the city will forever be a part of me. and for that, i am most grateful.

oh, snap(shot)!

2006-09-14T17:25:00.000-07:00

go figure that in week two of the semester i manage to wake up to inflamed sinuses. i feel like my brain has slowly been expanding inside my skull all day long. i hate my life.

i took some pictures of the Weisman this afternoon. i think we're going to put this one up in the living room.

deep chill

2006-09-13T20:24:00.000-07:00

tomorrow is supposed to be around 80. monday is supposed to be a high of 45. is that considered fall? i just instantly think of a very mild winter. tonight was one of the few days in the past week and a half that i've come home from school before 10pm. i'm so tired. and it's 10:30 and i'm going to bed. that hardly ever happens. simple pleasures tonight.

rants and raves

2006-09-12T21:41:00.000-07:00

today was a big day for crap coming to the market. i've been obsessing about the season 2 grey's anatomy coming out since i got back from germany in february. finally! i can catch up on first half of the season that i missed while being abroad. that, and apple came out with a handful of new toys. none of which i can currently afford, go figure. john mayer came out with his new cd, which stefanie gave me tonight.

i'm a little concerned with the graphical direction apple is headed in. everything is angular and shiny. damn it, so shiny. everything and their damn reflections. and i see it being repeated in other shit in completely different markets. hell, i even saw an example of it on a university webpage today. i guess good taste doesn't fall far from the tree. (ha! that was my zing for the evening.)

and justin timberlake came out with his sophomore album featuring "Sexy Back." obviously he had to bring it back because someone stole it after i originally brought it in the first place.

damn, i'm awesome.

suggestion

2006-09-11T18:42:00.000-07:00

if you have david gray's "life in slow motion" i highly suggest you listen to it. like right now. stop everything and do it. it's wonderful. especially in cold, cloudy weather.

another notch in the post.

2006-09-10T10:48:00.000-07:00

my craftiness never ceases to amaze. total cost of this project: about $5. 1.40 for the frame which i purchased at a thrift shop and $3.50 for the mounting board. already had the paint. it's my own drawing. i'm that awesome.

in an absolutely perfect world...

2006-09-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

life would be easy and a rich relative of mine would have kicked the bucket years ago. but of course you can't sail through life and we all know that no one in my family has a cent to their name. if it's the experience in your lifetime that make you who you will be, then i have to say that i'm in pretty good shape.

school's in full swing and i'm managing just fine. amount of hours worked this week? 8+5+2+3+4=23! and i'm still sane! i looked long and hard for an apartment with a money tree in the backyard when we scoured craigslist back in july. alas, no success. i'm pretty sure money trees are most commonly found in zones 2 and 3 of the united states. fuckin' minnesota and your harsh winters.

part of me feels indifferent about graphic design at the moment. i know it's what i want to do when i grow up, but i feel like i could go to several other places and get a better degree. in the end, graphic design comes down to personal skill and creativity. either you've got it or you don't.

the prospect of interning at Random House next June is still in the forefront of my mind and i'm sure it'll stake its claim there until next June comes around and either i'm there (cuz i made the cut) or i'm not (cuz i suck). I really should check into flights to new york. and also flights to paris. anna and i have been throwing around the idea of traveling after spring semester. she's never been to europe and i'd like to visit hannes in france. i think a parisian excursion could be arranged. and in my perfect world i'd go to paris, come back to the country and intern in new york, and then fly back to minneapolis once the internship is over in mid-august. but that's far from possible. it doesn't hurt to dream. or win the lottery.

missed connections

2006-09-06T21:28:00.000-07:00

i was introduced to the missed connections section of craigslist a couple weeks back by a co-worker of mine. some of the posts are just plain crazy, some are sentimental, and yet others are obscene (mostly cyclists vs. drivers). i think the desperately single side of me is hoping to find a post looking for me at some point in time. but would i really be interested in anyone who thinks random postings online will find me? hopeless romantics, i guess.

i can settle for that.

really, if you haven't started reading them, i highly suggest that you start. and obviously we're all so desirable that we're all being searched for. find yourself.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/mis/

where does the day go?

2006-09-05T21:06:00.000-07:00

i left the house this morning at 7:30. that means i woke up at 6:30. i had three stupid classes. then a break. then i worked for five hours. then i tried to get home, missed my transfer and ended up walking 12 blocks. and i got home at 10 tonight. such a long first day of class.

and i have to go back tomorrow. :-\ studio and a lab and then a fun bike ride with Liz.

oh yeah, New facebook: you suck.

already?

2006-09-04T20:24:00.000-07:00

it is with a heavy sigh that i sit down to write the last blog entry of summer. i don't know what's more mind boggling: the end of summer or the beginning of school. both are actually kind of a downer. i spent my last day at work. at least i managed to avoid people for a majority of the day. and got paid time and a half to boot. yessss.

i feel like i'm returning to school much more of an adult than when i left a year and a half ago. it seems like ages since i was last a college student. i have to admit that i love the idea of being back to school; having class with friends, living for the weekends; late nights/early mornings, whatnot. but that fantasy never comes true and you end up being a disgruntled student solely dependent upon coffee to keep you alive. and that's not even october yet.

i give myself credit for returning to school. initially when i filled out my leave of absence form i left my expected return date blank. i had such high hopes for myself before i got to germany. i would have loved to gone to an art school in berlin, but i know i wouldn't have been happy there. and i'm thrilled to be back here on my old stomping grounds here in minneapolis.

i'm so glad that i got to spend my summer up here. even though i'm still living off of pennies (sometimes literally) i'm glad i took the initiative to leave the nest early and fend for myself. things may be financial rocky for a couple more weeks but i've been working like a madman lately. it'll pay off soon.

i should be thankful that i've been working at 8 am most days this summer. so maybe class at 8 four times a week won't be so painful. class starts tomorrow at 8:15. and it maybe be the longest day ever. i have a break from 11-12:20 and then another one from 2:30-4:30. and then i'll work until 9:10 and mosey home around 9:30. college: it's a mother fucker. (hmm...the Mac OS X built-in spell check thinks that "fucker" is misspelled. i find that oddly hilarious.)

i lost my hair. can you help me find it?

2006-09-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

to usher in the start of a new school year i decided, after weeks of all talk and no action, that it was time to buzz my hair off. so yes, it's buzzed. and i finally did it.

thanks, anna.

:::edit:::
i got into alex grill's car and the first thing he said was "you look a cancer patient." and in this particular picture i have to agree. look at them cheekbones!

the grindstone. it's back!

2006-09-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

after whoring myself out to the various departments at the University this week I am ready to go to bed at 8:30 on a friday night. school hasn't even started yet and i'm already exhausted. really, this entire summer has been exhausting.

i left home in june after a falling out with my mom and didn't really know whether or not i would ever really be welcome back home again. a month after i left i flew back home for my dad's wedding and stayed at my mom's house. at the end of my time back at home i had managed to get in another quarrel with my family. and then i just kind of gave up and focused more exclusively on my life here in minneapolis.

and then there was the whole grief of finding a job. if there was anything i've learned from this summer, it would be to never quit your job in the middle of summer without having a new one lined up. cuz you'll probably be pretty poor by the time you get a new one. i am glad that i got to spend a summer up here though. i'm grateful that we got to find this house-- i love being here and i love coming home at the end of the day.

i've biked more than i ever thought i could. how much? definitely over a thousand miles. it feels good to keep one more car off the road and be independent of gasoline.

i discovered that i have a knack for being handy around the house. and that's really cool. if only my bank account was larger. magic could be done, i'm sure.

i'm working both sunday and monday and then attending an end of the summer get-together before classes start for me at 8am on tuesday morning. winning the lottery would make life so much easier right now.

tip top day.

2006-08-29T19:08:00.000-07:00

i woke up and discovered that the U is writing me a random check for $85 for a reason that is beyond me.

i went to work and got paid time and a half.

while at work i discovered i got the job i interviewed for this past friday.

i met up with brian and inhaled chipotle (and i'm still hungry?).

took random pictures.

i'm convinced everything looks better in black & white.

the last of....

2006-08-27T20:53:00.000-07:00

sunday mornings really are my favorite times. after being out on saturday nights you wake up whenever you feel like it and know that the entire day is yours for the taking. really, sunday is a breath of fresh air.

i woke up this morning and ate some cereal. however, feeling unsatisfied i went right to making lunch. i did some laundry and hung some clothes up to dry. thusly, the scent of freshly laundered clothes filled my room and the sun spilled through the windows and danced around on my floor. and then i realized that it was too nice to be inside.

i biked around lake calhoun where eventually it was my plan to enjoy the sun and read a book. i only read two chapters and spent a majority of the time talking on the phone. i took some pictures, none too exciting (sadly).

and then it occurred to me: this is the last free weekend i'll have for months. literally, months. i work next sunday which means that my weekend is more or less foiled. and then there's school. until december. and there is nothing worth doing outside in december in minnesota.

today was basically my last day of summer. as much as i'm looking forward to autumn, summer really could stand to be twice as long.

resolution

2006-08-24T18:53:00.000-07:00

lots has been resolved since my last post of frustration. i've been awarded reciprocity already- overnight rather than the 4-6 weeks the website told me to expect. tomorrow i have to contact the admissions lady and then my tuition will be knocked down several thousand dollars. heavy sigh of relief.

it turns out the design job with the architecture department fell through. i actually was looking forward to the experience. the job sounded nice, the pay was excellent, and the hours were flexible. i got the email on my lunch hour and i moped back to work in dismay. i was convinced that the day would end with me in a drunken state. mission accomplished. thanks angie and heidi.

before meeting up with the girls last night i applied for yet another campus job. the guy emailed me back this morning and thanked me for applying and told me that he would get back to me later on if he wanted to set up an interview. later this afternoon i got another email. i have an interview tomorrow at 12:15.

so i laughed the other week when Dell recalled 4.1 million laptop batteries. fools. but then i read today that almost 2 million powerbook/ibook batteries are also being recalled. Sony made both of the batteries. way to go, guys. oh well, this little mistake is only costing you an estimated $225 million. ha!

i framed a poster today. another project done, up on my wall for me to enjoy. and it was free. thanks, alex.

University of Stupidity

2006-08-22T21:20:00.000-07:00

i love the U, don't get me wrong. as of late i've been thinking that it probably would have been a whole lot easier if i hadn't taken this past year off. i mean, i've been paying student loans since december and i'm finally able to defer them this month. (aka: i've been paying out hundreds of dollars that i should ideally be saving for school.) i guess no one ever told me that i'd lose my MN-WI reciprocity so i took a look at my tuition bill tonight and noticed that i was charged the out-of-state tuition. and then i nearly collapsed on the floor at my total bill for the semester. i've gotta go in and talk to the peeps tomorrow morning before work.

if you haven't checked it out already, i started a new facebook album of all the stuff i've made around the house so far. let me know what you think.

more dead than the slaughtered livestock...

2006-08-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

i read fast food nation a couple of summers ago. the facts were interesting and it was a decent enough read. i guess i never really eat enough fast food to actually care about the material the author discussed. and then i was on the apple trailer website and i noticed that they made a Fast Food Nation movie. and i think it's supposed to be a fictional plot that somehow covers all of the same material the book covered which was more of like a personal memoir/non-fiction work. that, and avril lavigne is in this movie too. this thing already has the meat cleaver at the ready. box office bust, i can tell.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/fastfoodnation/trailer/

(i'm too lazy to hyperlink it.)

the inner slump / impending implosion

2006-08-17T18:44:00.000-07:00

i've come to a conclusion that interviews are the god damned devil. not only is it stressful enough to meet with a total strange and discuss ridiculous questions, but afterwards i get the little mini-throw up feeling once i realize that i might not be as good as the competition. anna and i discussed this yesterday: "why did we go to a state school for graphic design?" we both agreed that any private art school would better prepare us for our careers in graphic design. i think i might digitally alter my diploma after i graduate and replace "University of Minnesota" with some prestigious art school.

honestly, when i look at some peoples' work online i at first am amazed (at their skills), jealous (of the fact that they're a million times better than me), and then lastly vindictive (because one day i might give them a run for their design money). in an industry that's so subjective, you've really just gotta find your niche. or have good connections. no matter what field you're in, connections are key. hell, they're so important, the word should probably be capitalized.

Connections.

yeah, that's better.

i must say that the past couple interviews have been rather helpful at least. if anything, i'm getting lots of experience and i have a whole bank of mental answers ready for the repetitive questions they all ask me. and i'm hardly nervous anymore! it's a great feeling.

and just to reinforce the importance of the concept...Connections.

interviews

2006-08-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

i had my second interview for a job this afternoon. when i spoke to the guy on monday he told me that i should plan on being there from 3-4. i got there a little before 3, waiting while the manager solved a minor catastrophe and then he grilled me for all of ten minutes. ten minutes. a sixth of the expected duration. i have class in the morning, leaving me mostly available to work afternoons and nights and weekends. they want someone for the morning. he told me i was contending for one of two spots with 25 applicants gunning for the spots. part of me was thankful to know my chances, but when those chances are miniscule i tend to lose all hope. oh well, even if i don't get it, i'll probably shop at that location cuz the people there are awesome.

my graphic design job's interview is tomorrow. if it weren't for the fact that appearance does actually count, i would probably buzz my hair off tonight. if i can get my hands on one i think i might just do it. why is it still august? where the fuck is october? october=the greatest month of the year. hands down. well, in close contention with late september and may...and most other months...except november thru february.

Haus

2006-08-13T20:01:00.000-07:00

we're still not moved in. will we ever be completely settled? probably not. but pictures from last week anyway...

possible career choices

2006-08-09T17:22:00.000-07:00

while coming back from my lunch break at work today, i ran into some design friends and we ended up talking for a while. while i was gone one of the two ended up getting engaged (isn't everyone these days?). both are getting ready to graduate in may and i'm just thankful that i have two whole years left before i graduate. honestly, i'm scared to graduate. getting a real job scares me. and even though i didn't really enjoy my internship in berlin, it was a good experience. it really helped me figure out what i do and do not want to do for a future career. gah, career. that word alone is daunting to me.

with the uptown art fair this past weekend, i've been thinking about just setting up my own business and becoming an artist...of some kind. if i ever had money to get off the group, i wouldn't mind trying to sell prints of my photography. i just don't have the money for frames right now. and after making my desk, the idea of furniture design sounds kind of tempting. i know making stupid desks out of old doors wouldn't make me enough money to live off of. but it would be cool to own my own shop selling my own things and making a profit off of it.

which brings me back to meeting up with aforementioned design friends. we talked about internships and life after college and i mentioned how i wanted to try my luck out east and get a job with a publishing house. i've been keeping new york in the back of my head for months now and i think when the time comes, i'm going to apply for it. ten weeks in new york would be great. i could get my feet wet in the publishing business and summer in nyc would be amazing.

...and i continue to look for a second job in mpls. never-ending, uphill battle.

the Killers second album comes out on October 3. mark your calendar, molly!

the crafty king has his desk!

2006-08-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

i think in the end this "free" door is going to cost me about $80. and it took about 10 hours. but it was worth it. i'm pretty sure you don't know anyone else who has a desk made out of an old door.

(this is also my 100th entry. hooray. :-\)

hil-ar-ious!

2006-08-05T22:33:00.000-07:00

thank you, alex.

time

2006-08-03T21:09:00.000-07:00

i met up with liz (liz from berlin, liz) tonight with some mutual graphic design friends/acquaintences for dinner and a slideshow. it was nice catching up with people and hearing news about other people. i guess you could just call it gossip. a couple people are now engaged. a couple people are now single. i feel like i'm disconnected from the rest of the graphic design kids. i guess i've been hit with a double whammy. after looking at liz's pictures, i realized that there was so much she had done after i left that i missed out on. and at the same time, i missed out on so much back in minnesota while i took the year off.

now i kind of feel like a lone soul floating around in a vast pool of social disparity. this past year has been a trip; literally and figuratively. i am grateful that i was able to go to so many different places, yet i really can't relate to anyone cuz a majority of the people haven't been to places in eastern europe. what's with everyone hitting up england and france? and i've grown up. i know i have. i think i have a lot more on my plate, at least financially, than most people my age do. and i'm proud of the fact that i'm pulling this all off.

i talked to beth tonight, who, like liz, just got back from germany recently. we talked on the phone for a good half hour and caught up and laughed. i haven't spoken to her on the phone/in person since january when we spent my birthday weekend in prague. isn't it funny how unforgettable some peoples' voices are? i remember beth's vividly for some reason. all summer i've been catching up with old friends, and even though we haven't seen each other for close to a year, i love how easy it is to catch up and get back into the groove.

i've been to the hardware store three times in the past 24 hours. i recognize the sales people; i'm pretty sure the recognize me as well. the last time i went there i went in my little crafting clothes and i felt so cool. like a little weekend warrior of sorts. the door/desk is coming along slowly, but swimmingly. i'm hoping to wake up early on sunday and get the thing painted and inside on its legs.

work tomorrow. work saturday. basically work sunday. work monday, tuesday, wednesday, friday. and then it's basically time for school again. man...

hot temperatures. hot head.

2006-07-31T05:47:00.000-07:00

i left home on bad terms with my mother yesterday morning. my continued dislike for the man she is seeing apparently gets her panties in a bundle. it's not even dislike! if anything, i would describe it as just disinterest. i mind my own business when he's around and apparently that's rude? i don't know.

continue my streak of bad luck i arrived in minneapolis after a turbulent hour-long flight only to wait at the luggage carousel for over an hour until i lost all patience and went to the Northwest desk and claimed my luggage as lost. i left the airport with only a stupid $25 coupon for my next flight, my laptop bag, and a stomach churning acid at full speed. only crap like this can happen to me. (united also lost my luggage when i moved to germany in september [twice in one year! can you believe it?].) i spent the evening constantly calling the baggage information system to check the status of my suitcase. even though every time i called the status of my bag was unknown, i loved calling the number. it was all voice activated. aka: mega super awesome!

i woke up this morning in a mini-pool of sweat (why the hell must it be 85 degrees at 6 in the morning!?) and could not fall back to sleep. partially, i think, because of the heat; but also, my stomach was on empty and my nerves were still on edge. i left for work after taking a shower...and that's basically all i was able to do. i managed to use an old stick of deodorant so old that the little plastic base on the bottom was ripping off skin. and i ended up putting a roommate's toothpaste on my finger and rubbing it on with my teeth. i feel disgusting.

the courier service called me half an hour ago and set up a time to schedule a delivery. i'm taking half a day off of work and going home to wait for my suitcase to arrive. and then i'm packing up my stuff and moving on out into our new place.

wha'?

2006-07-26T23:22:00.002-07:00

i've been thinking about a lot of things since getting back home this afternoon. so much so that it's now 1:18am and my mind is going crazy.

1. i think i've outgrown my family. it's fine talking to them on the phone, but in real life i question how i ever grew up in this family. from the way they talk to the way they eat, and especially the music they listen to, it all drove me crazy today. no one is like me. i bear no striking resemblance to anyone in my nuclear family. i have much better taste in music than anyone. (the ride home from the airport consisted of heavy rock and country.) i whipped out my ipod as soon as the wheels started rolling.

2. my family really isn't a family anymore. my sister lives an hour away; i'm five and half hours away. my brother will continue to leech of my mother for who knows how long. i can count the number of times we are all together in a year (most likely) on my two hands. is that weird? i think that's weird. i feel like i'm going to be the only child with a real career. and as a result, i feel like i'll become even more of an outsider.

3. my sister is moving in with her boyfriend this weekend. he's smitten with her; her equally so with him. my family approves. he's a nice guy. i'm 90% sure that they'll get married at some point down the road. and here i am: still single. i'm fine with that i guess. but it'll be weird when the day comes that i'm attending my sister's wedding. i don't see myself marrying for at least another decade, if not longer.

4. my dad is getting remarried this weekend...to a woman i don't really know all that well. i guess i have excuses-- i've been out of state and abroad the entirety of their relationship. she's a nice enough lady and i approve. but it's kind of weird, isn't it? i hardly know my stepmom.

5. stefanie and i saw on old yearbook staff member tonight. she greeted stefanie with a warm smile and a salutation. i got nothin'. it was always a personal goal of mine to say hi to people after high school. for the most part i've been pretty good about it. but most times people don't say hi to me. people think it's because i've changed a lot. that might be the case, but part of me is afraid that i'm not approachable. i was nice in high school! we'll go with the dramatic weight loss.

6. friends are great. i saw stefanie tonight for the first time in eleven months...and it was like we just saw each other a couple weeks ago. so much to catch up on. she's leaving for illinois tomorrow morning and i won't see her again until a group visit sometime this fall. but that is what true friendship is all about.

7. my brother apparently takes it upon himself to house his friends in my room. i will admit, it makes sense since i have two beds. but i also have my belongings in here. and private stuff that i don't want people touching. i wouldn't go through his room if he moved out of the house; i don't smoke pot.

8. i know i'll be a good designer. i just know it.

9. i can't live anywhere smaller than the Twin Cities. i never had the mindset of staying there after college, but now that i've been here for the summer i adore mpls and could easily see myself staying there for a while...assuming that i find a good job. otherwise i'll probably move out to the east coast.

10. on my flight home this afternoon i ended up sitting next to some guys from an investment firm in phoenix. and they were the most annoying "men" i have ever seen; basically 35-year old frat boys. what is their appeal? they're annoying and irresponsible, yet women desire them? i don't get it. what about tall, slim graphic designer men? we're sexy too, damn it.

11. i saw the most emo chick ever on my flight today. dyed red hair with black tips. gallons of mascara on. a ripped shirt with skulls and cross bones. the standard lip ring and a tube of brown lip balm. (brown? is that emo?) what struck me as odd was the fact that she had checked on a bag of golf clubs as part of her luggage. do the emo's golf?

12. i'm a catch; people just don't realize that yet.

13. we move in less than a week. and i'm excited for pancake baking in my underwear.

now!?

2006-07-25T13:41:00.000-07:00

i'm leaving tomorrow to go home for the rest of the week. why is it that i get another call from a second banana republic for an interview?! oh well, i shouldn't complain. i guess the fact that both of the ones i applied to are interested means i'm probably qualified for the job and have a decent chance at getting hired.

another week and i might have another job. and a new house. and a new lease on life. no more opium den.

hooray.

impressive.

2006-07-23T10:16:00.000-07:00

Dearest Target corporation,

sincerest thanks for the best fireworks show i've ever seen last night.

Best,
-Michael

on a side note, i'm flying back home this week! most of my friends will be at work, but that should afford me ample time to go down to the lake and read a book. or sit in cafes. or just chill with my family-- momma took off the majority of the week. and i'm getting my hair cut; i'm thinking about getting it buzzed off.

and we're moving in 9 days.

and when i get back to minneapolis i have an interview for the banana republic: hello, 50% off.

gulp.

2006-07-21T06:29:00.000-07:00

i just realized last night that i am completely an adult now. rent, bills, the whole sha-bang. never living at home again. gross.

i wish living your parents until the age of 40 was socially acceptable. that would make life a million times easier.

aaron grosses me out. literally.

2006-07-17T19:35:00.000-07:00

i talked to aaron and decided to bike to his work (in roseville) in order to get a free frappacino. holy shit, i've never been more sweaty in my entire life. and i hate the fact that the railroad tracks make it nearly impossible to go north. i ended up back tracking like 2 miles.

huge sweat marks all over.

but the frappacino was deliciously free. and afterwards i went to the grocery store and splurged on fancy cheese.

and i have off tomorrow.

and alex, i figured out that the place next to me is some sort of retail/rental business who specializes in all sorts of lighting equipment. go figure.

drip. drip. drop.

2006-07-16T17:57:00.000-07:00

why must it be so hot? why can't the heat just let up for one day?

even though i yearn for summer heat for 3/4 of the year, once it's here i have no interest in being outside or sweating profusely. why is that? it seems like it's a pattern in my life to want what i can't have...and once i have it i no longer want it. i think i just like looking forward/counting down/expecting something. if anything, these hot summers have convinced me that i could never live in the South. (wait, why did i just capitalize "the south?")

paging silver platter. silver platter, where are you?

2006-07-14T07:33:00.000-07:00

it seems like most people i know, as well as an overwhelming majority of the people who attend this school, are lucky enough to have their parents pay for some of their schooling/living expenses. and then i think to myself, "damn it, these college loans are going to be with me for years to come."

i just wish for once that i'd get a break from having to try so hard. while alex and i were together last night i came across a graphic design position open in the College of Liberal Arts and i am hoping (more so than i have in the past weeks of job searching) that i get this job. it's basically perfect and i know that i'm qualified.

please, give me this job. and on a silver platter to boot, thanks.

jealous?

2006-07-11T17:25:00.000-07:00

...of the fact that on any given evening i can walk down to the banks of the mississippi river and enjoy a good book?

i need a glass of lemonade.

CAUTION: Week currently being made.

2006-07-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

after tossing and turning in bed last night i finally dosed off around 1. maybe 2? i don't remember. hot temperatures and extreme humidity mixed with fears of forever being unemployed and all flowed into my room through the opened windows and kept me alert for what seemed like hours.

i woke up this morning at way too:early am (5 sounds familiar) and knew that it was too early to get up. but then it was 7:30 and the jack hammer was hard at work down the block building ugly condos right next to 280 (alex, you know the ones i'm talking about. [not only are they ugly, but they're are ruining my REM cycle.]). and there were clouds-- the kind that look like they're ready to release torrents of rain...but not until you walk out the door (without an umbrella).

i went to the union and found a great job online that just opened at the Walker yesterday. so i took extra care to make my resume, cover letter, etc. extra design-tastic in hopes of impressing the folks at the contemporary art museum. i am crossing fingers for this one. (i've crossed fingers that are already crossed about a million times over in the past couples weeks. when everything is over and the dust settles i presume that my knuckles will be in knots.)

i stopped by the bookstore and talked to some old co-workers and picked up an application. an hour later after getting caught in the rain (with a book and my laptop in my only semi-waterproof backpack) i got a call while driving on the interstate. then another. i checked my messages and i'm going back to the bookstore tomorrow at 10. making money! that 30 second voicemail made my life so much easier.

and then the sun came out. and the water evaporated. minneapolis turned into a sauna. and then i cussed that i was dumb enough to wear jeans. and i baked all the way back to campus.

good bye, ulcer!

this is the week

2006-07-10T09:05:00.001-07:00

let it be known that this will be my week. i've decided. i am going to get a job. i am going to see bailey this weekend. and i'm going to start ignoring the growing ulcer that is currently causing havoc on my digestive system. i'm all about healthy doses of stress, but it's been three weeks of constant uncertainty that i am ready to rid myself of.

job. friends. no stress.

that is how it's going down, damn it.

on a side note: i went to talk to my advisor this morning. he was like "oh, i see you're taking Dutch this semester. are you sure you want to pursue your graphic design degree? maybe you should look into doing something with languages or linguistics." i gave him a blank stare. i could not imagine doing anything other than graphic designer. then it hit me: i am a graphic designer. i love moments like those.

never too late to learn

2006-07-07T09:33:00.000-07:00

ever since living abroad and dealing with multilingual people on a daily basis, it's come to my attention that only knowing two languages is sooo lame. although spanish would be pretty useful since like everyone and their brother in the world speaks it, i have absolutely no desire to learn it. i think it's just too different from german. last night my friend alex went online and enrolled me for Dutch. I figured, "what the heck, it's basically like english+german." and i'm pretty decent at both of those, so why not?! plus alex will be in the class, which would be a nice little comfort. he said it would be beneficial so when we are assigned speaking activities we can both be the wives of a progressive, dutch couple.

woot.

poke

2006-07-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

i'm tempted to just poke a bunch of pretty girls on facebook and see which ones poke back.

too big for its britches?

2006-07-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

so i had a job interview this afternoon, and though the interview went well, i'm undecided as to whether or not (if offered a job) i would want to work there. although i would be working for a great cause i'm just afraid that their goals are nearly impossible to fulfill. even though it's a start-up non-profit, it pays decently. but i'm really afraid that if i take it and it goes under that i'll just have to look for another job in a couple months.

so now i sit and wait.

on a good note, i think we found our house for the year. and instead of moving in in september we might get to move in august. good bye, shitty sublet!

ho hum

2006-07-03T09:03:00.000-07:00

monday morning. i've been here before. cloudy, but now the sun's coming through and i'm sure it'll be warming up to sweltering hot temperatures in a couple of hours. my eyes are bloodshot. my stomach is in knots. i couldn't fall asleep last night and someone woke me up at 6:30 this morning. and then someone else started mowing their lawn at 8! too early; and on a monday morning to boot.

we might be signing a lease this week. oh, f'ing responsibility. more money for a security deposit. god, i'm becoming so poor so fast.

i just want to be done with my job interview. and then win the lottery.

saving grace?!

2006-06-30T15:08:00.000-07:00

job interview on monday! could this be an opportunity for me to 1. not spend every single day at Coffman?! 2. actually have an income again?! 3. have some purpose in my life!?

quite possibly.

WEEKEND.

day in/day out

2006-06-29T15:19:00.000-07:00

most days it's always the same. wake up, get ready, go to coffman, look for jobs, eventually hang out with friends. i have no problem seeing friends, but i'm starting to feel like i never leave the union. i guess the main reason why i come to coffman is because the wifi is free. i think part of me likes being on campus just to be around students again. after a year off i'm kind of afraid of resuming where i left off. being around students makes me feel like a student again, yet at the same time, i kind of feel like an outsider. oh well, coffman rocks for people watching.

another reason to love Minneapolis...

2006-06-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

...our new Guthrie.

i had my reservations, considering it looks like a shinier, more fancy IKEA from the outside, but once you step inside it's like you're in a cool lounge; but with theaters. some of the windows are tinted red, others green, and yet others are blue. tons of people from the entire community showed up last night to take a tour, watch the fireworks show, and many stuck around for the dance party. angie, heidi, and myself had a great night.

pictures:

mpls

2006-06-23T08:55:00.000-07:00

have i really been in minneapolis for a week already?

the past seven days have really been a blur of activity, friends, responsibility, and job hunting. job hunting has been the worst. it always is, isn't it? in a place as big as the Twin Cities you'd think there would be tons of potential to find an employer itching to hire you. but so far i have not had much luck finding an employer like that. perseverance will pay off in the end.

i hope.

edit: job interview on Monday for a print shop. yay! possible income!

closing shop

2006-06-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

yeah, i'm definitely ready to leave. any other job+minneapolis+summertime=amazingness.

auf wiedersehen, Heimat.

did i miss something?

2006-06-11T21:49:00.000-07:00

so i moved to berlin with, originally, no place to live and no job. it was a foreign country. and i dropped out of school to live there. and my parents didn't even bat an eyelash about the whole thing. then why, oh why, are they making such a big deal about me moving back up to school two months early? i don't understand. do you?

i've come to the conclusion that my financial life will be much harder because of this decision, but i'm willing to accept it. as i was attempting to clean my room (it's probably the cleanest now than it has been in a year) i came across a letter and i was re-inspired. don't settle for second best; you're capable of anything; go get 'em. i know i could accomplish so much more by not being here. so that's what i'm going to do. i packed a suitcase full of summer clothes. half done. a box or two of other stuff and i'll be good to go.

"I have to go away. I've got no reason to stay here"

minneapolitan summer

2006-06-09T21:26:00.000-07:00

given the ultimatum given to me by my mom earlier this week and the past several crappy weeks at work, i've decided that it would be best to close up shop here in wisconsin and try to start life back in minneapolis before school starts again this fall. i'm really looking forward to having my first summer in minneapolis. going from out-of-state college to living abroad and then back to living with your family, it's just a huge blow to my pysche. and because i'm such an independent person, the fact that i have family members to deal with i just felt frustrated and annoyed. i know some people think that this may be a seriously irrational move, but i'm determined. i know i'll make it work.

i found a room to sublet for the summer and i'm going to start packing this week. my last day at work is thursday. i'll be leaving with bailey on friday morning. originally next weekend was going to be a weekend trip. amazing how fast things can change, huh?

i'd rather have the death penalty.

2006-06-07T22:07:00.000-07:00

not by choice, i've been working ten hour days this week. this morning bailey was all "so are you sure you don't want to go up to minneapolis next weekend?" huh? never really remember hearing about such a trip, but i jumped at the opportunity to 1. get a day off of work 2. to get the hell out of this town.

and being the college student that i am, i volunteered to work 12 hour days next week to try to compensate for my day off. am i dumb? i think i might be.

while riding my bike home tonight i was on the trail listening to a little brandi carlile (courtesy of bailey) and noticed an overwhelmingly large amount of fireflies. i think they're my favorite insect. particularly because they are never around during the day. so they're kind of secretive. i don't think i recall what one looks like. and basically, just because they add so much ambiance to any outdoor setting. i think it was that scene in the little mermaid when they were in the lagoon and fireflies were flying all around. fucking disney.

come to think of it-- didn't they invent black light paint or neon light bulbs because of fireflies? too cool.

lemonade day

2006-06-03T16:22:00.000-07:00

after working a crazy amount of hours last night, i woke up at 5:15 this morning and biked back to work- starting merely ten hours from when i last left. life isn't fair sometimes. since none of my family was up at that time, i decided to just bike to work. after getting on the trail i passed a man with a dog and he asks "have you seen a dog around?" i hadn't and continued to bike to work at the ungodly early hour of 6am. a quarter of a mile down the trail i came across a lone doberman and instantly thought "oh, this must be the dog that guy was asking about." and "oh fuck, a doberman." after whistling and shouting "come on!" while backtracking my quarter-mile i reunited Vicious Attack Dog with Now Relieved Owner of Vicious Attack Dog. it basically made my day; and it was only 6:15am.

people at work came up to me today and were all "i could think of lots of other stuff i'd rather be doing on my saturday than volunteering to work." i shrugged it off. i'm convinced that people at my work are bitter. i would be too if that was my full-time job and my seven-days-a-week employer left me with little opportunity to have a life. but it's only through the summer. i look at it like this: i work the overtime because i don't mind it. and i would rather have money for school for next year and not take out a loan. i think sometimes people there forget that i'm going back to school. good Lord, i can't stay there.

for all those of you who are wondering, my biking shorts are nothing short of amazing. since you aren't supposed to wear underwear with them i feel kind of apprehensive about wearing them in public. i feel like i'm biking around town in my underwear. my black, spandex underwear. i wore them for my ride back home from work this afternoon. and i cut through the air like a hot knife through butter. smooooooth.

getting sunburnt last weekend has been so-so. having been in pain for the first several days post-massive UV exposure my arms were in a constant state of "damn, this stings. you're dumb for doing this" and now said arms have decided to shed like no other. my arms literally look like a snake shedding its skin. is that too graphic?

time?

2006-06-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

i felt rushed the entire nine, yes nine, hours i was at work today. tomorrow's morning will be almost non-existent before i head into work two hours early. and i will be working on saturday. and going to my brother's graduation (maybe?) on sunday. and then finally having time to bike!

is it weird that i'm really looking forward to buying spandex biking shorts tomorrow?

any takers?

2006-06-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

i'm thinking about biking to port washington or mequon on saturday after work. i'd be leaving here around 3:30. not sure how long the ride would take. in all it would be about 75 miles. anyone want to go with me?

pansies need not apply.

pain and gain

2006-05-30T20:47:00.000-07:00

it was so hard going back to work today after an amazing three day weekend. depressingly, i realized that the next time that i'll have a decently long weekend will be the fourth of july. that's more than a month a way. oh man, help me! while doing my last minute things at work tonight i was out on the dock and noticed a pile of money on the floor. i picked it up and then went around asking the rest of my co-workers if they had lost any money. no one had, so i kept the $19 and told the three of them that i'd bring in cookies tomorrow. free money- it's the best kind.

i love summer. i love summer nights even more. i love the ability to walk around at dusk at 8:30, the lack of jacket necessity, and the ability to sleep in nothing but underwear AND without any sheets. admit it, you all do it on those hot summer nights.

to end a great weekend

2006-05-29T20:04:00.000-07:00

bailey, alex, and i made an end-of-weekend mexican fiesta out at bailey's beach house. i basically stood around and watched while alex made everything. but it was still good. and i felt like i did something when i sponged down all of the countertops after the meal. later molly came over and a good time was had by all. i think we all enjoyed watching alex plunge into lake michigan and then run out even faster. (the water is still quite cold.)

this picture basically sums up the awesomeness of this past weekend. good friends and great weather.

41.67

2006-05-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

the number of miles i biked this morning. today was by far the best day of the year so far. not a cloud in the sky and temperatures around 80. i have always been meaning to go out to Greenbush on my bike but never got around to it last year. so i set out this morning and made it out there in a decent time. and i then i was like "oh, my legs. and i have to bike all the way back? shit." but the trip back was more downhill and i made it back to town in 30 minutes less. the ride was amazing and surprisingly there weren't a whole lot of people on the trail. it was basically perfect.

depending on the amount of pain in my legs tomorrow i might bike down to the south side of the city and hang out at the Lake.

I got my first dose of sunburn! i love being red as a lobster.

m-town.

2006-05-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

i went with some kids to milwaukee for the afternoon. not having been there since last august (pre-Germany), a lot of new stuff has sprung up. weather was semi-cooperative minus the gloom and haze down by the lake. oh well, the calatrava was amazing as always. the mitchell domes are always nice, and the trip to Banana Republic was successful like usual.

bailey went with alex. hannah went with jason. i went with persephone. we had a great time and i have a couple decent pictures. for your enjoyment.

General Motors. Generally Dumb.

2006-05-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

so i read about this in the paper today and it just really made me mad. Why? Why oh why would a car company so desperate for car sales be willing to give out money just to make money? an overwhelming majority of the cars that qualify for this deal are either SUV's or large sedans (basically all the vehicles with the worst gas mileage they make).

rather than spending money on reimbursing Californians and Floridians as gas prices increase, why not invest that money in future cars? Hybrid technology, hydrogen fuel cells, alternative energy, etc.? Not only would those new cars be better for the environment and peoples' checkbooks, but those models would be available to people nationwide, not just in two states. that is how you should attract customers.

let it be known that i never plan on purchasing a general motors vehicle in my life. nor any American car for that matter.

this'n'that

2006-05-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

bailey and i biked down by the Lake to enjoy the weather. i tried out persephone a little more. both of us have lived in Sheboygan for years, yet neither of us ever go to the south pier. so we did that today. and the Lake is by far the greatest (and maybe the only good) feature of this city.

on a completely unrelated note, has anyone else noticed the Nike+iPod banner on the apple page? yes, buy specially designed nike shoes and a special kit and you can track your running progress on your ipod nano. crazy ridiculous, i know, but i'm sure people will by them up whenever they finally do come out.

photo courtesy of persephone, the world's greatest new camera.

persephone

2006-05-22T21:40:00.000-07:00

after biking home from a good day at work i saw my package from amazon on the table. PERSEPHONE HAS ARRIVED! and i love her.

on the back is the first picture i took.

and yes, that is a three inch LCD.

top 5

2006-05-22T09:52:00.000-07:00

my current top five personal likes:

1. lilac
2. lake michigan
3. large paychecks
4. upcoming memorial day weekend
5. argyle socks.

life works in mysterious ways. and sometimes it sucks.

2006-05-19T22:03:00.000-07:00

so there is this show on VH1 on friday nights called "can't get a date." it's on semi-late and most friday nights i'm home. so of course, i watch it. this week there was a guy for whom i felt such great pity. and jealousy. and confusion. this overweight, fumbling fool acted like a twelve-year old stuck in a 35-year old's body. he didn't know how to ride a bike. nor did he know how to swim. he stuttered so much he was nearly incomprehensible. and yet he got a date.

i'm at a loss.

here i am. a good head on my shoulders, a healthy dose of wit, decent looking, decently dressed, pretty decent taste in music, bicycles, electronics, etc. (yeah, i know electronics turn women on [you can admit it, girls]). i don't consider myself a "man's man," but i'd say i'm halfway to being a gentleman. why can't i get a date? anyone? any ideas?

rambling

2006-05-19T09:46:00.000-07:00

i've done this before, but it was years ago. always remember to wash your hands thoroughly before putting in contacts after cutting onions. stings like a mother. why didn't i remember? i'm a fool.

i ordered a new camera on amazon the other day. it hasn't even shipped yet. i'm getting anxious. i love the fact that you can track packages. i think that's what i like most about ordering stuff online- you can see where it is and guestimate when it'll get to you. admit it, you like it too.

in response to matt's comment: i started reading the book with the mindset that there wasn't an ounce of credibility to it. reading it like a plain old novel does the trick. i'm only 50 pages into it and i don't think it's possible for anybody to go through some of his withdrawl "symptoms."

another day at work. another lovely ride there and back.

amendment

2006-05-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

so maybe i can't make it the entire summer without seeing anybody. but still, i'd like to have a lot of alone time. for the first time this week i met up with molly and her dad after work at a bar. i wish i knew of more mixed drinks. i don't drink soda, so that rules out a lot of them, but if anyone has suggestions...

in an attempt to make myself feel better i ordered my new camera yesterday. it should be here sometime next week. great, cuz that means it'll be here before memorial day weekend. kind of pricey, but i like photography and really, my paycheck this week was quite large. many more to come.

i started reading "a million little pieces" today. i'm torn. it's kind of interesting, but it just seems really fragmented and a wee bit hard to follow (no quotation marks). but really, i just started reading it on my lunch break tonight. it'll probably grow on me.

i'm convinced that Cingular is the devil. for the third month in a row i must call them about my stupid bill.

ugh^3829038420384

2006-05-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

i'm considering going into hiding for the entirety of the summer. and possibly next school year. i don't like dealing with people anymore. i partially blame my job. i deal with crabby people for eight hours a day running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get things done. yeah, that's definitely a big part of it.

i liked the simplicity of having only my schedule. i don't like making phone calls and working around other people. i foresee more bike rides than previously expected. and several good books.

i have to work on saturday. and i signed up for sunday. it's going to suck. but i'm determined to go to ny in august for a couple days. i need to get out of here. i'm going crazy.

early night. tennis tomorrow morning. first time this season.

poop. spell it forwards or backwards- it's still the same.

2006-05-14T21:57:00.000-07:00

i feel like i'm running around in circles. if i were to be figuratively running to Point B for a purpose, i would be getting nowhere fast. the past couple weeks at home have been trying. i mean, today was mother's day and i didn't even see my mom. i partially felt bad, but she's had it coming.

a handful (and by handful i mean two) of my friends have returned home for the summer this weekend. it has been months since i have been busy all weekend. it was nice to get out of the house. it was nice just laughing! i love making people laugh; i don't really get a chance to be funny at home.

my vice has always been expensive electronics. i'm afraid i might have to give in and buy my new camera. girls buy clothes. i buy ipods and digital cameras. bad habit. expensive habit.

tonight bailey and i were talking and i haven't taken a picture since i don't even know when. maybe february?! but really, there's nothing around here to merit a photograph. the weather has been horrible.

and for those of who are still wondering- yes, it's still raining.

chinese years

2006-05-13T07:14:00.000-07:00

when you think about it, none of the animals for chinese years are all too flattering. i mean, i was born in '85- the year of the Rat. which, come to think of it, is better than the year of the Ox or the Cock. why don't think pick cool animals?

mess

2006-05-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

if you saw the state of my room right now, you'd probably think that a bomb went off. because...maybe one did?

i've been meaning to clean for the last couple weeks. never any time though. must. make. time. i fear i might trip over something. which wouldn't be so bad- i could land in a pile of clothes.

rain. on my parade.

2006-05-09T19:37:00.000-07:00

you know when people are crabby and people then respond with a "So-and-So needs to get laid." I think that could be said of Mother Nature right now. I would suggest that she call up Father Time and get it on. APRIL showers bring May flowers. wrong month, biatch. enough with the rain. please? thanks.

people hate me. i hate people.

2006-05-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

did you ever have those days (or weeks, months, or even years?) where you feel like the world is against you and you just want to run away? this is one of those days. all day long i felt as though i was dragging people down, not understanding what people were asking of me, and basically finding every single thing my family did aggravating beyond belief. if it weren't for the fact that i need to save up as much money for school as possible i'd just rather move out and live by myself. sometimes i think living alone next year would be best. my last roommate experience went so horribly that i think part of me is afraid to try it again. but then i realize that i won't be living with crazy german bitches. just bitches.

kidding.