September 23, 2006

Finally

Yesterday was my first day at Iomedia. It was a lazy day, I just familiarized myself with the work, had a quick orientation and reviewed the digital resources. But it was a great day. It is a very laid back company, and everyone I met seems very cool and outgoing. At the end of the day one of the VPs pulled a box of gear out of a closet with hats, t-shirts and winter vests. But they weren't lame, they were really nice. None of the vests fit, but I do have a cute shirt and hat for skiing! It's pretty rare to work for a company where the employees are so proud to work there that they are clamoring over branded gear. I actually work for the cool company everyone wants to work for, and I'm not sure how that happened... but its going to be great. I'm really looking forward to getting to know everyone.

And the location can't be beat. Its in Union Square, which has everything. All the shopping chains and designer stores you would want, including Whole Foods and the only Trader Joe's in the city. Since the neighborhood I live in has a lot of little boutiques but is short on the go-to necessities, working here means I have the best of both worlds. Once I learn where everything is I won't feel so stuck with limited resources in Brooklyn. Don't get me wrong, I love living in Brooklyn, but it's just a little harder to get what you need when you live in a very residential area in New York. In Chicago when you need to run an errand for something you just pop in your car and go. Done. Here, you have to figure out where it might be sold, and it may not be able to be found within walking distance. So then you would have to find a store and take the subway to it, which can kill a lot of time if you aren't already out. Now I'll be able to get whatever I need on lunch or after work. Sweet.

I'm looking forward to jumping in to the job next week. Whoo-hoo!

September 19, 2006

Put away the porn, we've got company


It's our first guests to the new apartment... Jerry and Jenna! You all remember those aren't their actual names, right? Gotta pay attention on this blog.


They came over on Sunday to check out my new digs, and also to accompany me to the Atlantic Antic, a yearly street festival, that as you can see in the picture, takes place on my street. It was a fun way to see all the restaurants and shops in my new neighborhood, and get outside after a long week with my ankle on ice. In addition to all the restaurants with tables and the usual fair fare, I was introduced to a new kind of food I've never seen before. The best way to describe it is a fried mozzarella sandwich with round corn bread instead of regular bread. I would have never thought to put these two things together. But hey, if Emeril makes them, they must be ligit (too legit?). It tasted like fried corn cakes with some gooey texture since street-fair quality mozzarella really doesn't have any flavor. I didn't even finish the entire thing and it filled me up, so sadly I wasn't able to taste any other foods there, except for sangria... because let's face it, there's always room for sangria.

There were a ton of stands for animal accessories. One had such cute stuff I just wanted to get a little dog to put in the shirts. If your dog is cooler than you are, visit www.spoiledrottendogz.com. My only non-food purchase all day was a new black and orange jar candle to add to my ever growing stash of Halloween goodies. It's right around the corner girls and boys... do you know your costume yet?

I took just a few pictures from the weekend and added them to my New York album. If you want to check them out you can click the link to the right under Photo Albums.

Yesterday was my last day in the Accenture New York office. I'm still working through Thursday from home but had to turn in my badge. I'm so excited about my new job this Friday, but it's still hard to leave Accenture... the people, the hours, the working in pajamas. I had to stop at H&M on my way home to secure another outfit for IO Media, as I have very few these days. I'll be working with a very cutting-edge client, so I have to look the part when I meet with them. I bet I have to behave like a responsible adult too. Huh.

September 14, 2006

Cha-cha-cha-cha-changes!

If you check out the sidebar you'll notice there are a few changes to the blog. First thing is that I've added a section which links to my online photo albums. As I create more albums I'll link to them here for your viewing pleasure. A little further down and you'll see that I now have a place where people can subscribe to my blog directly. If you sign up you will receive an e-mail each time I post something new to the site. So if you want to keep up with the very latest, go for it. If you'd rather just check in randomly, that's cool too.

Over time you'll notice more changes as I find fun new sites to link to, become more familiar with this whole blogging world, and learn more about modifying my blog template in HTML. Who knows, maybe one day you'll all be able to waste hours of your valuable working time just tooling around my site. Okay, that may be a bit ambitious.

Job update: My last day at Accenture will be the 21st, and I start full time at IO Media on the 22nd. Very excited.

I'm mostly back on my feet after the big embarrasing spill in the park last Friday, so the site will be back to its usual hijinx this weekend when I'm able to get out again!

A Call to Furry Arms

Recently I have learned that the shelter I used to walk dogs for in Chicago, Furry Friends Foundation, is going to be closing it's doors. It's not worth getting into the reasons because its more than a little confusing, but they hope to adopt out all the animals before closing, rather then re-place them in other shelters. The volunteers have done an amazing job placing so many of the remaining animals, but there are still a few dogs and a ton of wonderful cats who need happy homes.

If you have been thinking about getting a pet or adding to your current furry family, please take a moment to look at the boys and girls still up for adption at www.furryfriendsfoundation.com. I never met any of the cats due to allergies but know there is a kitty for every personality. I also know many of the dogs from walking them every week, and I can tell you a few of them are very special and absolute dolls. I believe the shelter is going to be doing open houses on Saturdays and participating in as many adoption events around the city as possible.

Please pass this information on to anyone you know who may be thinking about adding a furry friend to their lives. Adoption fees are being waved in certain situations, assuming that potential owners pass the strict adoption application to make sure the animals are still going to wonderful homes that can care for them. If you or anyone you know has any questions about the shelter, upcoming open houses or about the temperment of the sweet pooches who are left, feel free to ask me. If I don't have the answer I'll get it.

September 12, 2006

Stupid nature

That's right, I'm mad at nature. Last Friday night I decided to go for a run in Prospect Park to start dedicating myself to running again, since it's pretty much the only thing that keeps my weight in check and I just feel better when I'm in shape. I managed to run a few times on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade when we were in the sublet, but have mostly not been working out since the move. I figured, no more excuses. I'm now in the new apartment and mostly unpacked, I landed the new job so job-searching isn't sucking up any time, and I'm just sick of sitting around. Normally I would run on the treadmill, but Greg had told me the park is amazing, and I wanted to check it out.

I warm up by walking there quickly on the noisy city streets, and am amazed by the quiet once I step into the park. I actually turned off my iPod to listen to the quiet. It's wonderful to have that outlet in a very noisy city. There are also lots of surfaces to run on and it is very challenging with all the hills. But the leaves are still quite green and the grass was cut that day so I was having a little trouble breathing deeply (I have asthma and allergies so it can be difficult to excersice oustide at certain times). I was getting tired pretty quickly because of it so I decided to start heading back. Close to the exit I encountered a hill and my foot went right under me. Owwwwwwwww!!!! It was bad, I actually went down and was worried I may have broken my ankle. As I was picking myself up and dusting myself off, I notice that none of the runners or bikers passing me by stopped to help, or even ask if I was okay. There were two guys sitting on stairs not five feet away who were speaking Spanish. They are not even trying to hide the fact that they are watching and clearly talking about me. Jerks.

Luckily I was able to get up. Also lucky that I was close to the exit of the park and was able to slowly hobble out (it's a huge park, being further in would have been a problem). Even more lucky is that my freinds Jerry and Jenna live very close to the park, and certainly much, much closer than my apartment. I knew Jenna was out of town for the weekend and was just hoping that Jerry would be home enjoying his solitude. The thought of hobbling the mile home was more than I could bear, as I had no subway card and no money for a cab. Jerry was home and as soon as I told him what happened he picked me up and carried me to the couch. In no time we had my foot up with ice on it and he was happy to share a little of his Friday night with me. PHEW! When it was time for me to get home he called a car for me, walked me downstairs and gave me money for the ride. "I feel like you are my wife," he joked. To which I replied, "But I'll pay you back!"

Greg was able to work from home for the weekend, so I let him take care of me. Of course that meant I had to endure much mocking peppered with worry for the health of my ankle. For the next two weeks I am still able to work from home for Accenture, so I won't be going into the office this week in order to really rest and let it heal. I refuse to be active too early and risk the ankle not healing properly, no matter how badly I am dying to get out of the house. And I'm REALLY dying to get out of the house. I got flowers from my Aunt Susan and Uncle Fred today as congratuations on the new job, and I was delighted just to make my way down the stairs and get a glimpse of the outside world to sign for the flowers.

So I ban nature. When I am able to run again in a month-ish, I'm going back to my old friend, the treadmill. Sure, there's no color, no wind and no scenery... but there is a TV and no terrain to trip on, so I'm happy there. Nature just isn't my style.

September 08, 2006

Snakes on a Blog

Just when you thought you were safe from tropical creatures in Brooklyn...

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_251063302.html

September 07, 2006

Good juju

And I mean really good juju.

Not only are Greg and I now in our new apartment with our stuff and getting more settled everyday, but... I GOT THE JOB! That's right, you aren't reading things. After a long time of hearing "No way crazy girl with no experience," I finally found a place that said "We love you! You're the best! We can't wait for you to start!" Not only do they love me, but I love them right back.

The company is called IO Media (www.io-media.com - website is under construction right now) and there are about 30 people, mostly men. They do three kinds of digital illustration: architectural (what I do), construction, and healthcare. I will be working specifically for one of thier design/architectural clients. What's great about these guys is that they took off their blinders and looked beyond the original position they were hiring for (mostly production). They recognized my marketing, communication and design skills and have wrapped it all up in a nice little package. They envision that I will actully be helping the client with design ideas as well as doing some of the rendering. I will be the dedicated point person on the project to liase with the client (along with the VP, who works with all clients), so they will be working with me to flush out thier ideas, and I will tell the production people what they want. In that regard I will also be a project manager since I will be making sure everyone is on the same page and the project is moving forward. Along the way I'll be learning 3D Max from the production guys and helping out with making changes in the program.

When Jeremy, the man in charge of hiring, asked me what I thought of that I said, "It sounds so perfect I almost don't believe you." We had a good laugh, and then he offered me $5,000 more a year than I requested during the interview. These guys are good. They aren't trying to jip me. They recognized the talents I have to offer beyond rendering and are paying me right for it. They also realize the value of having someone who can do rendering production and but can also get up from the computer and talk efficiently with the client.

I almost can't belive it. Greg being in New York is what started me looking for work here, and that is what made me realize there is more opportunity here than in Chicago for this kind of work. But taking the short-term marketing job with Accenture just so I could get here was a big risk. This is the payoff. This is the reason I'm here. This makes the move worth it. It's a place I can contribute with all of my skills and have the ability to learn so many new ones. The company is big enough that there is actual upward movement for high-performers. And they aren't even starting me at the bottom. They started me off mid-level, which is so sweet.

I'm still working out what to do with my Accenture gig. IO Media is happy to work something out so I can possibly do both until my assignment is up in November, but I would only be able to do that if I can lower my hours and work nights and weekends. So I'm waiting to hear if Accenture wants to keep me for fewer hours or just let me go. It would be a tough three months of working two jobs, but I would be happy to have the extra cash. We'll see what happens next.

I'm so happy my juju finally got back on my side. It must have felt really badly about being a jerk for so long that it paid me back big time. I think with this grand gesture my juju and I can finally start the healing process. I've missed you juju. My good juju.

September 02, 2006

F*@&#*ING CABS!

Cab drivers are jerks.

Last night Greg and I stopped at the Target near our house to pick up a few DVDs. It was raining and windy as Ernesto was starting to roll into New York. We are waiting on a busy street trying to catch a cab when one coming from the wrong direction sees us. The guy is in the right lane going the other way on a 4 lane street. He stops traffic, hangs out until he can make the u-turn in the middle of the street and finally make his way to us. We waited for the guy instead of moving on since he was going through all the effort. He pulls up with his doors locked and rolls down the window to ask where we are going. We say where (it was close) and he just pulls away saying that he's headed to Manhattan. We are pissed. We walk a little further and another one pulls up in the middle of the street in a puddle. I'm balancing on one little bit of dry-ish street to find this one too has his doors locked, rolls down his window and asks where we're going. Greg is seriously frustrated and yells, "Open the damn door!" Surprisingly, he did. We get in and this guy pretends he doesn't know how to get where we are going (which he certainly does). We aren't exactly sure either because we don't know all the names of the streets yet. As we are stopped at the first light I tell him he can turn on this street to get back to the main street we are familiar with. He snottily remarks, "You can't turn here, can't you see the huge sign on the street? No left turn." To which Greg replies, "Hey man, we are in the back seat, so no, we can't see the signs at the top of the lightposts. Don't talk to us like we are morons." So now the cabbie is pissed, Greg is pissed, and I'm worried we are going to get dumped somewhere else where we can't get a cab in the rain. Finally we get home and get out, and as we are exiting the cab Greg turns around and says, "You know, you can't pick and choose your fare, you have to take everyone." Then the cabbie starts yelling and arguing with him. Greg closes the door and this guy rolls down his window and continues to yell at us as we are walking down the street. As another guy walks up to get in the cab he locks the doors and asks where he's going.

Now, cabbies are obligated to take you anywhere you want to go in the five boroughs. You also have a right to a cabbie that speaks fluent english, drives safely, dosn't honk unless for safety reasons and doesn't talk on a cell phone. Well, we all know the first is unlikely and the last few are downright impossible. But we let these slide. But making someone stand in a puddle, in the rain, in the middle of a busy street is insane. For this to happen twice in a row is worse.

We should have written down his number and reported him, but we were just too pissed.

Tomorrow, moving day. With luck they will show up in the morning as promised and and we will spend the afternoon with Jerry, Jenna and some of their friends at the Bronx Zoo. I'm not holding my breath.