On and On

Short Version:

Not much new to report, just been working on the house, looking for a new job and enjoying the heck outta the sunshine while we have it.

Long version:

House
Thanks to some much need help from the girls, the kitchen has been primed and I've started the actual painting. I've been eyeballing new pre-fab countertops from home depot and spending a lot of time on home improvement sites looking for things I can do myself for cheap. My kitchen is going to totally kick-ass by the end of the year. Of course, the minute I finish the kitchen there will be another major project to take on. It never ends people- don't but a house by yourself! Before you know it, you'll be spending all your time dreaming about crown moulding and asking the dog if she thinks Robin's Egg or Ocean Sparkle would be a better accent color.

Diet
Just over two weeks ago I signed up with a weight-loss clinic and made some major changes to my diet and lifestyle. I'm down about 6lbs and a pant size so far. This morning I realized I already have a better view of my toes! On Friday I took a yoga class and I didn't even feel like an Orca trying to dance- it was totally awesome! I'm spending more money than I would like on protein supplements and yummy fresh foods, but it'll be totally worth it when the weight is gone.

Job
Nothing particular has changed over the last few weeks, I'm just so burnt out that I can't seem to motivate myself to do the simplest of tasks. Even pissing off my coworkers doesn't bring me joy like it used to. Usually, I'm pretty quick on the draw but lately I find myself putting things off until I absolutely have to do it. And no matter how fun and exciting my weekend is, I'm always drained the minute I walk back in the door. I hate Mondays.

I'm not exactly Mother Theresa, but listening to the Head Honchos gab about how many million more dollars we need to make this year kinda makes me ill. Apparently $3 billion is not enough. We must make $3.5 billion! And we will do it with 6 people in each department! And then we'll slash benefits and see if they notice! And we'll secretly switch to Folgers Crystals... **edited for content**

I've also been seriously considering putting in my notice and doing temp work while I look for a real job. I get my bonus check on Friday and have some savings and freelance gigs that will be bringing in some money. It would be a HUGE leap of faith and could be completely disastrous, but sometimes that is the best thing... afterall, that's how I ended up in Portland in the first place. I'll keep you posted- I'll probably chicken out anyway.

Life
Two of my close friends recently announced that they are pregnant and I'm so happy for both of them!! But now it's even more important that I go visit and those dang airline tickets are expensive! You want me to pay $450 to squish between two fat guys for 3 hours? I'd rather go to the State Fair, thank you very much. When are those little Jetson's hovercars going to come out? Wouldn't that be fun??

It's been six weeks?

It's funny how time flies. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post and I hope the new name is clever enough for you. I know you are a very choosy audience. Here is a (not very) brief rundown of what's been going on since I got back from Korea.

• I returned to a 2 month backlog of work, even though I told everyone that I would still be working my regular job and to please keep me in the loop. Apparently that translates into "let's save things up for Kate, she'll be so excited to come back to extra work when she returns from 2 months of lying on the beach in beautiful, tropical Seoul, Korea." And, no, I'm not bitter at all. Thanks for asking.
  
  
• A lot of restructuring has been happening around here and I'm not happy about most of it. I can't go into detail because, you know, people have gotten fired for blogging about work before. And I don't want to get fired - it would take away the fun of quitting.
  
  
• I bought a new computer, wacom tablet and digital camera. It's been a long time coming and although handing over that money to Apple nearly made my heart explode it was a great investment and I can write it off as a business expense. I don't know how I survived without my little laptop. It's badass.
  
  
• I took Friday's off for the summer. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Now, if only summer would arrive in Portland...
  
  
• I got real motivated and took on a bunch of new projects. I did some logo designs, did another stretch assignment at work, updated my resume & portfolio and started meeting with local design recruiters. I'm determined to be a graphic designer, and hopefully for a company that actually values it's employees. Again, not bitter.
  
  
• I had very little social interaction while overseas, what with that little-tiny language barrier. So, upon my return I was a social butterfly. Nearly every night I was out to dinner or happy hour and had something going on every weekend. It was awesome getting to see all my friends, but I wore myself out a bit.
  
  
• I got hella sick. It started with a cold, which upset the delicate balance of my intestines, leading to a nasty IBS flareup and I ended up having a pretty intense couple of weeks. But, I was able to catch up on all my favorite TV and apply for some jobs.
  
  
• I had a fairly traumatic experience at the Aveda Institute with X. However, once I washed my hair and put some product I looked less like a poodle and learned to love my new hair.
  

So, that's it in a nutshell. I have some exciting plans for the weekend, including some phone calls, wine tasting, a BBQ and a family brunch. I'll try to post more often and keep ya'll updated.