A Whole New World - That I Never Imagined Possible.

Oh so much! So much has changed.


After losing my last job and finding another, it is quite astounding how much happier I am. It's a world that I never would have imagined existed. I knew I was miserable, but I wasn't exactly sure how miserable that was. I didn't want to get up in the morning to go to work, I didn't want to be around the people I worked with (with the exception of a few people), and I didn't want to interact with anyone. Do not get me wrong, I made some pretty good friendships. I also found out a lot about myself, how I will never run a company, and about what types of people I do not enjoy spending time with.  But sadly my mood was very synonymous with the depression of which I used to suffer.

I wasn't aware that companies could run in any different manner.  I thought all companies were going to be the same.  At one point, I was told that if I was in the business of getting recognition for my accomplishments, I was in the wrong job.  And clearly I was. I'm not sure how that mentality could have been presented to an entire department in a company. Yes, if you're in sales you are the ones "bringing in the money," but without a back office to complete their work, you're company is worthless. With value spread so thinly in certain departments, it's not surprising to me when people leave.

It took months and months of searching, multiple interviews, several times being turned down, a lot of headache, and then a call from a wonderful recruiter, to find the life changing moment that added to the happiness I found outside of work.

5 Reason Why I'm Glad I Got "Fired" 

So let's get this straight, first. I told my boss I was interviewing for a new job and was let go.  I did not put in a notice. So technically I was fired.  Of course it was on good terms and I'm still eligible for re-hire, but I would not go back. Like I said, I'm beyond happy with my life now and it's only been a month since the last day of my employment. I had dinner with my Grandma the night before last and she stated she could tell there was a weight lifted from my shoulders. That's how stressed I was.

1. I'm Treated Like an Actual Employee Now

Crazy, right? To be valued as an employee, even if you're in the "operations department?" Treating someone like an actual employee rather than a pee-on? With my last job, even though I had been an employee for nearly 3 years, I was a perpetual intern with no possible room for growth (or at least, that's what it seemed like.)  Multiple promises and nothing with a follow through. I watched a position that was promised to me, given to someone else -- that hurt.

I'm sure that if I had been or showed interest in being a sales person, I would have been bumped up into a "recruiting" role. But some people don't show interest in that, and it's unfathomable to think that just because a person doesn't want that track that they treat them lesser.

2.  I'm No Longer Bored 

Even though it was rough to sit at home alone, with my cat, for a few weeks while on unemployment between jobs, I was able to actually do productive activities.  I was able to do school work, rather than sitting at work doing almost nothing during the day. I did ask for more work, yet randomly there was nothing that I could do.  In my new job, I have not had a boring day, yet.

3. I Don't Have to Cater to Children 

Adult children, at that.  People who feel like you are literally in their lives to do nothing but cater to their needs. Yes, I dealt with that, and I know that once I open my own business, that shit will be nixed out very quickly.  Everyone has a job to do and everyone needs to do their jobs.

4. I'm Actually Doing Something Productive Toward the Future

If you know me, you know how badly I want to be in the marketing and design fields.  With my new job, I'm doing just that. Gaining so much exposure to different aspects of a field about which I am passionate.  It's.... wonderful.

5. The Stress Reduction is Fantastic. 

I cannot tell you why or how I became so stressed with my last job, but it played over into my personal life. I could not leave work at work because work made me hate people.  I could see values slowly slipping away that I had before I started my job. It was... terribly.


Now, I won't say everything was bad. I learned a lot, I gained experience while I was still in school which helped me into my graduate program, and I met my best friend. I will never run my future company in the manner that this company was run, and I know that for a fact.

I've Got Make Up Questions! 

Ladies, or gentlemen, I've got some questions. I know that I follow quite a few different make up and beauty bloggers (and I hope they follow me, as well.) I am pretty much a noobie at make up. I've got just about no experience with make up other than Bare Minerals, and they made me have terrible acne. BUT! I've got some questions. 

With my new job, I feel like I want to be a bit more professional, and that includes make up! 

1. How do I cover pimples? And what products/brands would you recommend? 
2. I want a foundation that isn't heavy and that won't make me look scaley! What would you recommend? 

We Need Travel Tunes!

With the 9 hour travel to Wizarding World of Harry Potter only A WEEK AWAY, we're in the market for some good traveling tunes.  We're open to pretty much any kind of music, but we're not sure what the best music for road tripping is! What are some of the tunes you listen to while on the drive?  :) 

It's Almost Halloween

And like normal people, we carved pumpkins. I'm not going to picture my boyfriend's because well... it was a disaster. But here is mine. It was my first attempt at scraping the skin of a pumpkin rather than actually carving all the way through. I think Simba turned out pretty well. :) 

A New Job, Some DIY, and HARRY POTTER WORLD!

I've been a crazy past few weeks, to say the least.  I'd like to apologize for being gone for so long!  I've went through a career transition and some hard times recently, and I just haven't set aside the time I need in order to make some worthy postings on this site (I've started many, but never finished.)

But that's no excuse. School is in (pretty sure I just failed an Accounting test, sigh), I have been searching for a new job, and I'm trying to not go crazy.  I received a verbal offer of employment/contingent offer of employment from a company last Friday, so things are looking up in that aspect. I only have to: get a scanner in order to send back paperwork (possibly a complete new printer), purchase a new journal and planner to keep myself organized, and research some new marketing techniques in order to come in swinging when I start!  This position is completely in line with my marketing aspirations and I'm super excited! I had an interview last Friday, with North Carolina State University, that I'm waiting to hear from, but I'm glad I've found a new job that I can call home. I'm super excited to learn new things and expand my knowledge in a field that I love! (Plus, I'm making quite a bit more monies.)

Although it was bittersweet to leave my last job (well.. I got told to leave, essentially), I am very excited to move on. There was nothing at my last job to keep me, nothing else to learn, and I no longer agreed with the values that were present. The company's values were no longer in line with what I valued in a company, a job, and in my personal life. I did not want to wake up each morning to go to work, I was bored each day, and all I wanted to do was go home and sleep when I was at work. In order to become happy and challenge myself with a new career path, I started to interview with other companies.  Once I informed management, I was "let go." This is an extremely big time for me, because this is the first time I've ever "changed jobs" and became unemployed. It's a big move and I'm very scared, but here are five things I've done to keep my head from exploding while looking for jobs:

• 1) Apply for unemployment -- if you're applicable. This will be a big help getting through the weeks from now until my actual start date with my new company. 
• 2) Take a day to sleep in -- If you don't have a job any longer, take a day or two on your first week out to enjoy it. I have an issue with slowing and settling down to do nothing, but sometimes, and this is a case of it, you have to take a moment and enjoy a day or two. Who knows when the next time is you'll have a week off? I'm calling it a week off because even if unemployment is a low amount, it's helping you get by (if you're applicable.) 
• 3) Don't hesitate to talk to recruiters/head-hunters -- I worked at a recruiting firm in my last employment, and it really is not a bad thing. There are head-hunters and their are recruiting firms that you apply to.  Don't get caught up in the "head-hunter-esque" mentality that these people are here to only make a commission. Recruiters mostly do get paid off of commissions, but the only way they get those commissions is if they find you a job. You're their customer, and you can say no if you do not like a job. Just like police officers, they are here to serve you (and their end client.) 
• 4) It might not be a bad time to look into more education -- If you've wanted to pursue that.  Education can not only be expensive, but very time consuming. If you have dreamed or desired to continue learning, and no longer have a job (for one reason or another), it could be a plausible time to look into further/updated education. There are many different ways to fund school; I'm doing it through Loans through the federal government and scholarships through school. 
• 5) Get Productive -- I know there are things on my to do list that have been sitting around not getting done because after school and work, I don't want to do anything. Well now that I'm between jobs, I'm doing them, and I'm getting them done.  Even so little as to organize my closet. 
• 6) Oh and a bonus 6th: Practice interview questions. -- It isn't because I'm still "new" to interviewing that I recommend this. I wanted to sound prepared but not rehearsed, and practicing was honestly a good way to go about understand the ins and outs of answers and questions that may come your way. If you have not been on the job hunt for quite some time, you may not be accustomed to the new interview questions or talking about yourself in manner conducive to employment. Study up and practice hard. Being prepared is NEVER a bad thing.

On another note: 

I have been doing a LOT of DIY projects recently. I've actually marked just about everyone off of my Christmas list through DIY, so that I didn't want until the last second like normal, scrambling to find funds for the perfect gifts for everyone.  So sadly, as of right now I cannot show what these DIY projects are, but after the X-Mas holiday, I'm going to have so many posts it's not even going to be funny!  I've worked on a few things that are personal, and I'll have to get pictures of them.  But stay tuned for what I plan on doing with these wonders beauties below, later this week. :) I'm super excited about them. My boyfriend is bringing 2 small window frames home from work for me, and I think I already know what I want them to be and how I want them to look! (Really glad I have two weeks off before my next job starts. :)) Stay tuned for a DIY Window Frame posting coming soon!  I really hope that some of the supplies I bought are going to do what I am aiming for. :x

Okay, Now I Have a Question For You

My Boyfriend and I are going to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida in just over a month. If you don't know, I'm a super fan of Harry Potter, books and movies, and I'm SUPER EXCITED to be going to the amusement park.  But I need some help figuring out what nightlife to hit, what rides to ride, and what restaurants we should head to (either in the park or outside.)  It's our 1 year anniversary of dating, so I might want to go out for a nice dinner one night, but don't know any good restaurants down there. :) Any ideas would help! 

An Updated Workout Picture

Many of you know I'm on a mission to get to around 18 - 20% body fat. I need to start running and doing more cardio in order to achieve that goal, but this picture from about 4 weeks back makes me very proud.  I couldn't commit to the Natalie Jill Fitness plan for Vegan/Vegetarians because well.. I lost commitment to the mission.  I'm back on it (other than not eating cheese... which is one of the main rules.)  Once the large batch of Mac'N'Cheese my boyfriend made for us is gone, I'll be back on it. I cannot sit and watch myself turn into a "stuffed sausage," as I refer to it. The picture above is were I'd like to progress past.