Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! We hope you all have a wonderful day surrounded by family and good friends!

Chritsmastime in Maryland!

This year was our first holiday season in Maryland! We love the holidays because we get to celebrate Christmas and our anniversary!!

We celebrated our anniversary last weekend because we knew I'd be a bit out of it this weekend after having my braces put on Wednesday and teeth pulled on Thursday. We were lucky we went out last weekend too because we both have felt pretty sick all week!

We started our anniversary weekend celebration on Saturday with an evening at the National Zoo and some toasty beverages for the chilly night!





Ryan's toasty beverage of choice was not my choice! I had hot cocoa from Starbucks!



Neon Panda!



Sunday was the best day! We started our afternoon at the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert! I love them!! It was Ryan's first time seeing the show and he loved the second half!








After the show, we through downtown DC and over to the White House to see the Christmas tree there! We finished up our celebration with a delicious Italian dinner in Cleveland Park.





Finally, for your enjoyment, our holiday decor!











Plus, this morning, we woke up to an ice skating rink on our patio which was covered in frogs! At first I thought they were real because they came down when it was raining but then I realized they were plastic frogs from one of our upstairs neighbors! The top of the table was covered with a sheet of ice!





We'll be home Tuesday night! Yes!

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Today is our Six Year Anniversary!! I can't believe it has been six years already!! I still remember sitting on the couch in my on-campus apartment at CSUSB on December 19, 2002, turning to Ryan and saying something like "I'm tired of this seeing each other/going out nonsense! I really like you and you really like me, let's make it official and declare today our anniversary!" And then, a few days later, Ryan realized what happened and talked it over with his friends and went along with my grand idea!

We've been though a lot in our six years! Ryan graduated in 03 and got his first post-grad job as a part-time seasonal temp at Cingular; two years later, I graduated in 05 and moved to Philly and Jersey for grad until our 4th anniversary in 06 and then moved back home to Cali; we had the scare of a lifetime when Mom had two aneurysms in 07; I started temping at CSUSB; during all this time Ryan was busting his behind at AT&T moving up at an incredibly rapid pace. The combination of all these things led us to our craziest year yet!

It was Superbowl weekend in February 08, one we will never forget for two reasons: the GIANTS kicked the Patriots behinds and Ryan got a call from AT&T in DC! They received a copy of his resume from Ryan's boss and wanted to fly him out to interview for a Regional Manager position that week! We knew, as soon as he hung up the phone, our lives were going to change forever! Of course they loved him and offered him the job! March 13th, we moved into our fabulous apartment in Maryland, living together, just the two of us, for the first time. We've loved exploring our new home and being tour guides for our wonderful friends and family! We try to do new things all the time! Moving brought us some downs as well: we've had to learn to rely heavily upon each other with our nearest family 3 hours away and gradually making friends. Things were tough for both of us as I fell victim to this crazy economy and struggled to find a job, even though I had the experience of an awesome internship on the hill, it wasn't the same as a career with benefits! Who would have thought, this time last year, we'd be making a move across the country and landing both of our dream careers??!! It has definitely been a growing year for us and it's been so exciting! We can't wait to see what lucky year number seven brings our way!!

Happy Holidays everyone! Happy 6th Anniversary to Us!!

Dental Update!

Yesterday and today were the big days! Yesterday morning, I finally got something I've been hoping for since I realized, as a preteen, that my teeth were ugly: braces! Well, I just got them on the top teeth so far. I have already learned the tremendous value of wax! We had a big reception at work yesterday and of course I couldn't eat any food because my ortho said I had to be really careful for the first 24 hours and I had to talk a lot, so I rubbed my cheek raw! Particularly in one spot on the back right side! I know that wax will be my friend! I did manage, by Happy Hour time in our building last night, to nibble on some broken up pieces of cheese and a soft piece of canteloupe.

This morning, Ryan and I were up bright and early to go to my oral surgery appointment! I love being knocked out! I'm so happy they did the extraction even though I'm a little sick. They made me clear my throat for the 30 seconds between putting the IV in my arm and me falling off into a gentle slumber. I woke up with a mouth full of gauze and two missing bicuspids! I can't wait til January 7th when I get the braces on the bottom and my other teeth start filling those holes!

Now, I can't wait for my chocolate milkshake for dinner from Chili's! Thanks for walking over Ryan! You take such good care of me!!

Why I need braces:
















I'm ready! I'm ready!
















Here I am with braces!























I'll have a beautiful smile in two years tops!

Fall Photo Catch-Up!

We've been doing a lot but haven't been uploading pictures! Work has just been crazy (which is awesome!) and I feel like I'm lucky when I have a few minutes to blog. So, here are a couple of slife shows so you can see what we've been up to!

The first one is our day trip to (Teddy) Roosevelt Island just across from Arlington, VA. Coolest part: a deer crossed right in front of us!

This slide show is Autumn in general: Amb's visit, Pumpkin Patch, Ray's Visit, and our Halloween decorations.

This was our awesome day at Chunkin' Punkin in Delaware!

Dentist Appointment

Today was a long and stressful day. I got through the deep cleaning and fillings without a problem this morning, then went to lunch (eating macaroni and cheese with a numb mouth is quite a challenge by the way!), then went back to the dentist for the extractions. They decided to do two instead of four and my dentist decided not to use the laughing gas because I was pretty numb.

Well, I'm a chicken! I started to freak out when they clamped down on the tooth and just started twisting and wiggling. I panic when I feel like I can't swallow or when my jaw does weird things. My jaw pops and I'm always afraid it's going to get stuck and I didn't like it that my tongue was numb! As soon as I felt all of that pulling and pressure on my jaw I just started to cry! There's no way I could do it! So, now I'm sore from the deep cleaning and the one tooth is sore from those few twists. So, Monday, I'm calling the oral surgeon because I'm a weenie and I need to be knocked out!

Next up: deep cleaning on the left side on Thursday and hopefully a trip to the oral surgeon between now and the 17th, when I'm supposed to get the braces on.

Goodbye Bicuspids!!

You all know I love to smile, but sadly, have always hated my teeth!! They are just crooked and discolored and unattractive. All through middle school, high school, and college I have desired straight teeth but couldn't afford it. I always promised myself I would get braces as soon as I had an actual career! Well, I have a career and I'm getting braces on the 17th! I figure now is the best time since I am still entry-level and the longer I wait, the more expensive and difficult it will be. So, the major reconstruction starts tomorrow morning with a deep cleaning on the top teeth followed by 4 fillings and 4 pulls in the afternoon. That's right! I'm kissing my bicuspids goodbye! Those are the teeth right behind your vampire teeth. There's eight of them, so it'll be cool if I only have 4. There just isn't enough room in my mouth for all my teeth even though I had my wisdom teeth pulled years ago. If I kept them all, I would have an underbite! So not cute to look like a bulldog! On Wednesday, I'll have a deep cleaning on my bottom teeth and then, a week later, I'll look EVEN YOUNGER! People are going to give Ryan weird looks when they see him with me!

I'm excited though... I can't wait to have the beautiful smile I've always dreamed of!!

First Turkey!

This Thanksgiving was super special because it was my first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner, my first time hosting a guest on a holiday, and only our second big feasting holiday without the deliciousness of our parent's cooking skills! It was so nice to have Carol with us for the whole weekend!! This time last year, I don't think we'd have ever guessed we'd all be on the opposite side of the country from our families! Instead of all three of us braving the crowded airports, she drove down from Ohio to celebrate with us!

According to my two critics, my first Thanksgiving dinner was a hit! This was only my third time cooking a whole bird and the first time I made a turkey! The recipes I found were delicious, and since I always follow recipes to the letter (I know you hate that babe, but it means it turns out good!), it was great! My 9-pound turkey was stuffed with a delicious semi-homemade nut stuffing, and was complimented by skillet cornbread, mashed potatoes from scratch, gravy (I cheated the gravy and made it from a packet), and sauteed squash and zucchini! We also had deviled eggs and a holiday salad for an appetizer and pumpkin fritters with vanilla ice cream for dessert! Yum! It was so relaxing to play dominoes with Carol between turkey bastings, watch football, and then watch Carol and Ryan play Rock Band when the football games started to suck. We were all ready to explode by the end of the evening and it was quite a challenge to pull Ryan away from the turkey! I knew I should have pulled him away sooner because he fell into a triptophane coma just as we started to clear the table, so Carol and I ended up doing all the dishes, even though I cooked all day! He totally owes me!!

The rest of the weekend was pretty sweet! Carol and I hit up some awesome Black Friday sales while Ryan worked early. We found the best deals at AC Moore, my favorite craft store out here (sorry family! We don't have Joann and it's bigger than Micheal's!). I needed supplies to make my Christmas wreath and wanted to get a few more decorations, scrapbook supplies, and gifts, and my whole bill should have been over $200 but it was only $84! Woo hoo! I love that place!! We also found some great bargains at Linens'n'Things (which we all know is closing), Target (always a good deal there!), the GAP (one of my all-time favorites), H&M (2-for-1 sweaters!), and Borders Books (buy a beverage, get a free pastry!)! It was a good shopping morning! We were done early enough to go back home, finally shower, have some leftovers for lunch, and then head out to Mt. Vernon to see it decorated for Christmas and see the 3rd floor of the mansion which is usually closed to the public! It was gorgeously decorated! We even got to see the Christmas camel! I know you're thinking, camel??? But when you really think about it, this whole birth of Jesus thing happened in the desert right? What were the wise men riding? Camels! One year, George Washington had a camel shipped in for Christmas for the enjoyment of his guests! He was a cute camel, but he only had on hump. After enjoying the decorations, I took Carol to my favorite monument, FDR, which she also enjoyed, and then on a drive through the city. We topped of our night with an Irish pub dinner at Ri Ra in Bethesda.

Saturday, Ryan joined us for a day of sight-seeing! We started at the Postal Museum, which was exciting because non of us had been there before. Ryan didn't like it so much, but Carol and I actually looked at the exhibits and read the displays, so we liked it! Then we went in to Chinatown for lunch at Potbelly (yum!) and a brisk walk to the National Archives, which we decided not to see because the line was crazy long! Our fourth stop of the day was the newly renovated American history museum. I really wanted to see "The Star Spangled Banner" (yup, the actual flag!) but that line was also crazy long because the whole museum was freaking crowded! We were only able to enjoy one lengthy exhibit which was all about war: very informative and interesting! To cap-off our war experience, we visited the WWII Memorial which is probably one of the coolest things George W. Bush did. It's a beautiful memorial! The last time Carol was in the area, for a Gamma Phi Beta conference, the memorial wasn't complete yet and she really enjoyed the final product. We finished up our sight-seeing adventure at the White House which is starting to look like Christmas! I'm looking forward to seeing it all decorated!! We finished our night with some turkey melts (thanks leftovers!) followed by ditching Ryan to go see "Four Christmases"! Hilarious!! Seriously!

Sunday morning, Carol drove home and Ryan then ditched me for the highlight of his weekend: free tickets to see the Giants whip the Redskins!! Woo hoo!! Go Giants!! I took advantage of being alone all day to put up our decorations! It really feels like Christmas in our little apartment now!! I'll take pictures next time I'm home during daylight so you can see how cute it is!!

Our first Thanksgiving was pretty awesome! It was weird not to be at home, but I think we handled it pretty well!! We can't wait to be home for Christmas though!! We finally booked our flight! We'll be home from late December 23rd to early January 5th!! We love the holidays!!

Ali's Visit to DC!

This is what one of my BFF's, Ali, wrote about her visit here last weekend:

The past few days have been absolutely wonderful!!!! I was fortunate enough to spend some real quality time with one of my dearest friends in her new home!!! On Friday I caught my flight to Baltimore where, after a short delay, Renee and Ryan picked me up and we had a wonderful dinner! We to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore where we walked around and enjoyed a delicious seafood dinner at Phillip's. Renee and I both had the King Crab Macaroni and Cheese...It was soooo good!!! After dinner we went to Giant and got some ice cream, then went to their apartment, enjoyed our ice cream and relaxed in front of the TV.

On Saturday, Renee was my tour guide of the National Mall. We went to the White House, the Washington Monument, the Vietnam War Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the creepy Korean War Memorial. It was so amazing to see so many beautiful structures! I even got to stand in the same exact spot that Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous speech! After our tasty lunch at Cosi we went to the National Archives and saw the Magna Carta, and the real Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights. After seeing some of the beautiful handwritten documents from history, I have been inspired to take Calligraphy classes!! After the Archives we walked around the Capital Building (Where Renee and I will soon work as congresswomen!!) and then went to Adams Morgan for monterous pizza. We ate our pizza, had some Starbucks and then went to the movies to see Madagascar 2, which we both loved!

On Sunday, Renee had to work so I headed to the Zoo, which was so much fun. It was hard for me to go such a long time without talking, but I managed to do okay! I got see a lot of really unique and beautifyl animals. After they put the animals away at the zoo, I took the Metro (all by myself) to see Renee at work. We had dinner at Chef Jeoff's and then I went to a Rho Chi meeting with her. It was nice to see the American University Campus and see Renee hard at work at her new job. She has definately found her calling!

On Monday Renee and I had lunch at a cute cafe in Bethesda, then headed out to do more touristy things! We went to the Library of Congress where I realized that if I am ever going to amount to anything, I need to start reading more books!!! We saw Thomas Jefferson's book collection and we were in absolute shock! We saw the Capital again and took some really nice pictures. They have the entire lawn surrounding the Capital builing blocked off in preparation for the inauguration. It was quite a sight! Renee even cried, it was sweet! Then we booked it through the National Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum. Both of which were really great! Once the museums closed we headed to Georgetown and had a wonderful BBQ dinner at Old Glory with Ryan and his friend from work.

On Tuesday I had to go home which was an adventure in itself!!! There was bad weather in Houston so we had to circle in the air for almost an hour before we could land. We were an hour late landing so I ran to my connecting flight, the plane had already boarded and I was the last one on the plane. Upon entering the plane I noticed that it was pretty empty. We all sat there for about 15 minuted when a flight attendant announced that we were missing 63 passengers from connecting flights along with the Pilot and Co-Pilot. So we were able to get off the plane....The Pilot was stuck in San Antonio because of the bad weather. Our flight was delayed several times, but when our Pilot finally arrived we re-boarded the plane...We back out of our gate and sat there, and sat there, and sat there. After about 30 minutes of sitting, the pilot announced that we were number 25 for take of....WHAT?!?!?!?! It took us almost as hour of just sitting before we were finally airborne. I finally got home and was greeted by my hubby who I missed very much! I can't wait to go back!!

Elections

Before I get into it: Ryan doesn't always agree with me, which is cool because we challenge each other; Sarah Palin scared the crap out of me and I am thankful she is nowhere near the red phone; yes, McCain is a veteran and I respect that but I don't think he was the best choice for America now, but he easily could have been 4 or 8 years ago; Joe Biden puts his foot in his mouth often but I think he's good otherwise; and Obama will have a lot of work to do, but I think he has what we need right now: the ability to pull together a great team of advisors, listen to all sides of an issue, and make the decisions that are best for our country.

Election time here was out of this world!! Especially because 93% of DC voters supported Obama!! It was a party everywhere that night and the next day, the city just seemed to feel like it was floating- everyone was on cloud nine! I can't wait for Inauguration!! Ali and I walked by the Capitol Monday and were excited to see the construction on the West side in preparation for the Inauguration and a sign that read the lawn area was closed in preparation for the Inauguration and I started to cry!!!

You know, just by knowing me, that I am pretty liberal. My mom has always been liberal (but can't vote because she's still a German citizen) and my dad was a Republican while in the Air Force (but has since moved to the better side ;-)). I grew up liberal and knew it's what I was meant to be when I realized that there were times we might not have eaten without public assistance; welfare and food stamps helped us get back on our feet when we had no choice but to live on the wrong side of the freeway. We used our assistance responsibly to get back on our feet (by the way, the highest percentage of people on welfare are in no way brown, unless they tan obsessively). I know how both halves live and I understand when people vote based on their religious beliefs or individual needs, but I like to think I vote globally. I'm also pretty sure I don't believe in God the way most others do- I think something or someone might exist, but I also believe in ghosts, guardian angels, and reincarnation, and I don't think other people's religious beliefs should be imposed on me just as I would not impose my beliefs on others. I believe this nation was founded on principles of freedom and a narrow view often takes those freedoms away. Either way, even our founding fathers called for a separation of church and state and our first president, George Washington, refused to hold on to control of the military while president. He believed the military should be run by the people, not the Executive Branch! It is abuse of the president's power. If anything, the military should be run by Congress. Every day the world gets smaller and smaller. America keeps falling farther and farther behind in global communication, science, and technology. I think we'd have less of a need for military if all the peoples of the world understood each others languages and customs, learning to coexist rather than persuade, hate, or eliminate. It's time to focus our priorities on leveling the playing field in education for all Americans: we all have to live here together, and even though my mom made sure I did my homework after school, others don't care if their kids succeed but schools need to provide programs so everyone at least has the opportunity. When schools in Southern CA don't have A/C of schools in Montana don't have heating or schools in Louisiana don't have history books from the last 4 decades, when people struggle to read the newspaper, we have a problem. I also think we need to be able to focus on health care. This is America! Everyone who works or is actively seeking work should be able to see a doctor without having to turn off a utility. I'm an educated woman who had a hard time finding a job after grad school so I didn't have medical coverage; when I was honest about my condition (PCOS), I am rejected, but I need regular care to stay healthy, without care I develop cysts which may require surgery or develop diabetes which is even more costly to treat and more detrimental to my health. Two pills and twice-yearly blood work keep me healthy, but without insurance, I'm screwed.

I didn't vote for Obama because he looks like me, I voted because of Democrat policies. I would have supported any Clinton just as persistently. I have to tell you though, it sure is nice to have a president who looks like me who was elected by the people, who represents a form of the melting pot that is America. The world is going to view us in a whole new way and I think it's exciting.

Guns: I think everyone has the right to own them as long as they know how to operate and store them safely, especially for game hunters. I personally do not intend to own one myself because I just don't want that much power at my fingertips!

Taxes: I think everyone should be taxed pretty equally to fund the things we need (transportation, health care, education, public safety, military). I wouldn't mind paying more if it ensured my safety and the elevation of education across the country.

Economy: Businesses should not be rescued for doing bad business and people should not be rescued for trying to buy things they clearly can't afford. Running a business includes planning and buying a home is a privilege, not a right: that's probably the most conservative thing I will ever say!

One last thing, we need people to do the jobs no probably really wants (pick berries, clean toilets, operate cash registers, change tires, dig sewers, teach preschool...), but someone has to do it and they should be able to feel proud to do it, and those people deserve the same quality of life as "the middle class", which is the ultimate objective of the democratic party!

New Job!

Well, it's not so new anymore! I'm already in my fourth week as the "Interim Coordinator of Greek Life" at American University! Why interim? They originally tried to find someone for the position in spring when the former coordinator left, but didn't find the perfect candidate among the few they brought on campus for interviews, so they didn't officially reopen the search because I was recommended for the position by the two other departments I interviewed with at American in the weeks before I was hired! So, hopefully, in about 7 months, I will get the position permanently. I still get all of the benefits as any ordinary employee would, but I don't really have a performance review. I have to kick butt though to prove I'm the one for the job!

I feel like I'm doing great so far though! I really just love my job! I have had a plethora of jobs in my 11 years of working (since I was tutoring at 15, man I feel old!) and I have never been so excited to go to work and get things done! My schedule is crazy, my students challenge me but I feel like they also respect me, my colleagues praise me, and I already feel at home on campus (probably because I met so many people while interviewing!!)!! It took awhile but I think I finally found the right career path! Student Affairs makes me happy!!

To learn more about my campus and office, go here: Greek Life at AU.

My favorite perks: the interaction with the students, free hot cocoa in my office whenever I want it, health insurance, getting to sleep in on the occasional weekday because I work random hours, having an office with four walls and a door, my grad student assistant is awesome, my undergrad assistant is adorable, my boss is one of the sweetest women I have ever met, having a grown-up paycheck, Einstein Brothers Bagels in the University Center (best affordable meal of the day!), not having to drive to work, dental insurance, the camaraderie among the departments in our division, and everyone telling me they feel confident I am doing my job well so far.

Life is good.

I Suck!

I suck at blogging lately! So many awesome things have been going on and I have just been so busy because of it all! I promise a blog (or five or six) soon about everything! Here's a preview:

New Job!

Amber's Visit!

Ray's Visit!

Elections!

Ali's Visit!

And maybe more, depending on when I have time to actually write them! Please stay tuned!!

Ryan's a Baltimore Oriole!

Ryan had the coolest experience a couple of weeks ago: he got to be a Baltimore Oriole for the day with some of his outstanding colleagues and play baseball on the actual field at Camden Yards! What an experience!! The slide show shows what happened:

My Great Weekend!

What a great few days!

I got a great job (I mean career!) offer!

Got a nice new haircut!

Drove to Philly and only had 20 minutes of rain!

Hung out on South Street!

Actually participated in the discussion at the event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the African American Studies PhD program at Temple U!

Surprised my friends, Weckea and Ibrahm, at the reception!

Hung out with my sister Stacy!

Saw and loved "The Secret Life of Bees"!

Had a blast volunteering at the 20th Annual Chiekh Anta Diop Conference! Was happy to see old friends and colleagues and make new friends!

Decided to definitely return to the conference next year!

Had lunch in Old City where I rarely ate as a Grad Student because I couldn't afford it!

Enjoyed some night life in Rittenhouse Square!

Admired the amazing autumn scenery on my drive home from Philly!

And now I can't wait to start my new career tomorrow and for Amber, my other half, to be here on Thursday!!

Finally!

Most of you know I have been searching rigorously for the perfect job since April to no avail. I had an amazing internship along the way that helped me realize what I really want to do is Student Affairs! It makes my heart happy! I've been on interview after interview and was even offered a receptionist position I turned down because it wasn't quite right.

Today I learned practice makes perfect! I was offered a position at American University that's better than all of the jobs I have interviewed for! I am their new Coordinator for Greek Life!! I was offered the position on the spot thanks to the recommendations I received from the departments that rejected me and my ability to stand up to their recommendations! The Dean and AVP who interviewed me were so excited I accepted they jumped up and gave each other a high five! I can tell I'm going to love it there! I start on Monday!

Jenn and Tiffany's Visit

Last weekend was wonderful! It gave me a chance to forget about stress for a few days and just enjoy good friends and new friends. Jenn, one of my two BFF since 6th grade, arrived first! We spent our first night out on the town in Georgetown with her sweet cousin Erin, walking the strip, and enjoying some delicious pizza with Ryan and his friend, Skinner. Ryan was thrilled to find a place that puts egg on a pizza! The next day Erin joined us for some sightseeing at the Arlington Cemetary, the Library of Congress, and the National Archives and some delicious lunch in my favorite restaurant in my favorite neighborhood, Mon Ami Gabi in Bethesda. We followed that with a much deserved nap, some yummy ziti, and then a quick drive to pick up Tiffany, one of my favorite ADPi's, at the airport! It was the perfect time to pick her up and go straight to the National Mall to enjoy the FDR and Jefferson Memorials at night (the best time, they're so much more majestic!). Sunday morning, Jenn, Tiffany, and I started our day at the National Mall again to see the White House and all of the monuments by day. The girls loved the monuments and took tons of pictures! That afternoon, we joined Erin in Old Town Alexandria and she drove us all to Mount Vernon, George Washington's Estate. We really wanted to do the National Treasure Tour, but the tickets were sold out 2 1/2 hours before we arrived! We still were able to tour the mansion and browse the grounds though, and the girls agree with Ryan and me, George Washington was a bad ass! After we left Mount Vernon, we returned to Old Town for a yummy dinner on King Street and then headed back to my place so I could take Jenn to her hotel for work and Ryan and Tiffany could go out for drinks and to watch Sunday night football. Monday was another early morning for Tiffany and me! We met her friend Albert at the Washington Monument and ascended to the top for an amazing panoramic view of the DC area! I impressed myself by being able to point out many of the buildings and Monuments! We then headed to the Smithsonian Gallery of Art to spend some time admiring all of the amazing artwork (ancient, modern, and sculpture). After our feet had had enough, we met Ryan in Georgetown for Happy Hour then headed back to the apartment so I could meet Jenn in Columbia for her birthday dinner. Dinner was quite delicious at the little Chinese restaurant we found and our conversation was one of those great ones that you never forget. The weekend was great! I was so thankful to be able to spend time with Jenn and Tiffany and to make a new friend in Erin. It was a great temporary relief from the stress I've been going through and it made me even more excited about the visitors we have coming thoughout the next two months. It was devastating to see them go!

Once Again, I Nailed the Interview...

But wasn't offered the job of Resident Education Coordinator. Once again, the candidate who was offered the position had just a little bit more experience in housing, but this time it was a little bit more of a challenge for me because I was up against an internal candidate. Once again, I was recommended for an alternative position at American University, but it is only a 7 month, temporary position. Interesting that their Greek Life Program Coordinator is only a temporary position.

Now I am absolutely regretting rejecting the position I was offered at Marymount. Even though it would have been a commute, it was still a job. I was offered a job in this crazy economy and I didn't take it! I feel so stupid right now! How could I have misunderstood GW so much as to assume I was offered a job? I am still waiting to hear from them as well. I should have heard by yesterday. I shouldn't have finished my internship either! It wasn't good pay and I didn't have benefits, but at least I was able to pay my current bills. I will be beyond broke very soon! My student loans are out of deferment in a month! How am I going to pull another $550 a month out of thin air!? ARGH! I should not have left my job at CSUSB. I would have had at least one of my two credit cards paid off by now. I feel so stupid.

Tagged By Traci!

Traci tagged me, so I have to do it!

Answer the following with only one word.
Where is your cell phone?.........................................desk
Your significant other?...........................................goofy
Your hair?........................................................long
Your mother?.........................................................hero
Your father?..........................................................hero
Your favorite thing?..................................................books
Your dream last night..........................................weird
Your favorite drink........................................chai
Your dream/goal..................................family
The room you're in..........................................living
Your children?...................................................future
Your Fear?.............................................age
Where do you want to be in 6 years?......................mommy
Where were you last night?................................home
What you're not?............................................married
Muffins?............................................yum
One of your wish list items?....................job
Where'd you grow up?..........................SoCal
What'd you read last?.......................Glamour
What are you wearing?............................interview
Your TV?..........................................LCD
Your pet?........................................allergies
Your computer?........................................great
Your life?...........................................adventure
Your mood?..................................so-so
Missing someone?..................................everyone
Your car?...........................................explorer
Something you're not wearing?.................shoes
Favorite store?...................................anthropologie
Your summer?.....................................sticky
Like someone?..........................Ryan
Your favorite color?.........................blue
Last time you laughed................................yesterday
Last time you cried?...........................................yesterday

I tag whoever is bored for a few minutes!

Last Week on the Hill

The last day of my internship with Congressman Payne was Wednesday! It was such an amazing experience! I never imagined myself on the Hill or involved in politics in any way whatsoever. I learned more about our country than I ever learned in the classroom and gained a new respect for politics. The feelings I always had were transformed into solid beliefs. Sitting behind the Congressman in those crazy hearings, listening to what both sides had to say regarding various issues made me realize why I am a Democrat. I now know why politics is important to me and the future of America.

Because it was my last week, it was Ryan's last chance to get a Capitol tour escorted by me! He was very impressed by what he saw and what he learned! We finally had lunch at the new restaurant I've been itching to try in Eastern Market, just a short walk from the Capitol, and it was delicious!! Best burgers and turkey burgers in the city are at Good Stuff Eatery! It was also my last chance to snap some pics of my office as an employee!

Earlier this week, Ryan and I finally made it to the zoo as well! The National Zoo is the coolest zoo in the country!!

My interview yesterday for Resident Education Coordinator at American went well! I should hear by Wednesday!

Jenn will be here in 7 hours and Tiffany will be here tomorrow! This weekend is going to be awesome and we can't wait!!

Craziness and Other News...

There have been a lot of interesting things going on in my crazy little world!

I might be on the news today! NBC did an interview with my boss today, Congressman Payne, and taped Charles and me answering phone calls from constituents regarding the bailout bill. So watch NBC and their affiliates all over the globe today from 4-7pm.

Anyway, I've come to the realization that higher education administration is where I really want to be. Although I love to read and talka bout what I read, I don't know if being a professor is the right fit. I always imagined moving up to department chair as fast as I could anyway, ergo administration.

Two weeks ago, I spent the better part of a week flooding the human resource departments of the local universities with my resume for any job I was remotely qualified for, knowing that I would at least get an admin (receptionist/office manager) position I could use as a starting point, but hoping for something in Student Affairs. I got a response right away with interviews for three admin positions, one in student union, and one in housing.

The student union position at American was my first choice. I felt really good after my second interview and knew there would only be one reason why I wouldn't get the position: if someone was simply more qualified in terms of experience.

Well, that's what happened.

They offered the position to someone else but were so apologetic because they really liked me and said I was so polished in my interview. They wished they had the funding to create a position for me! They asked if I was applying to other positions at American or GW where they all either worked or went to school and I said I was. I have a second interview for a Residential Education Coordinator position at American on Thursday. They asked who I was interviewing with and told me they'd speak to them and recommend me for the position. They also recommended other positions I would be suited for at American and GW.

During this time, I was offered an admin position at Marymount University, which I denied because it would have been an inconvenient commute, but good if I absolutely needed something. I also was interviewed for an admin position at GW, which I thought I was offered but apparently, I misunderstood because when I called today to accept, they were still doing interviews and I'll know in a week.

So now, I don't have a backup job, but I do still have two potential jobs (admin at GW and housing at American), and I made a good connection at American.

Today was my last day on the hill, so I'm kind of in limbo and apparently still waiting for an actual offer.

Wish me luck as I continue my search!

Job News

First of all, I just want to let you all know it's less than 60 degrees and I am wearing fuzzy socks and a sweater!

Anyway, I have applied to 242 jobs since we moved here in March. I started applying in April after a company, "Vandover", built my resume. Turns out that resume sucked. After landing this awesome internship through connections in Ryan's family, my colleague and hill mentor, Stephanie, pointed out that my resume was crappy and way too long and helped me create the beautiful resume I have been using since July. I've applied to dozens of jobs on the hill with one unsuccessful interview and a handful of rejections. I learned that the job I was interviewed for received 200 applications and realized that to get a job in DC, you really have to put yourself out there. So, while continuing to apply to hill jobs (because it's fun, interesting, educational, and good research/writing experience) I flooded the nearby universities with applications, literally applying to over 100 jobs in the last week. While I do feel I am overqualified for some of the positions, I realize that in this current economy, it's a blessing to have anything at all and a huge added bonus if it has benefits. With my student loans going out of deferment in November and December, I need a job that will allow me to pay the $550 a month bill without destroying Ryan's savings account (we do plan on marrying and purchasing a home one day, so we kind of need that!).

My HR flood project garnered immediate results. I was called Monday morning from an application I submitted on Sunday. I interviewed today at Marymount University and was offered an Admin Assistant position immediately. I didn't accept it yet because I left the interview, walked to the car, and did a phone interview with American University for a Facilities Coordinator Position in their Student Activities Center. (For those of you at CSUSB, I'd be like Misty in our Student Union.) It would be a better job, my qualifications would matter more, and it will pay better. At the end of the phone interview, I was asked to come back for an interview with the search committee next week. Plus, American is only 15 minutes from our apartment.

On my way home from the interview, I got a call for an admin position at George Washington U for their business school. Next week I will also interview for an admin position at Georgetown for their evening MBA program and a Student Housing position at American. I'm grateful for the offer from Marymount, it's a decent fallback and I could earn a free second Master's in literature there. The other universities also offer the same medical/dental/metro but also offer literature MA's (American, Georgetown, George Washington), Higher Education Administration MA's (George Washington (which Ryan pictures me getting)) or literature PhD's (George Washington) for me, or MBA's (Georgetown, George Washington, American ) for Ryan, plus they're all closer to where we currently live and have wider known names, which looks good on our applications for future employment and education. So, I guess I'll have to see how next week goes. If I get any other offers, I will probably take them over the Marymount job, but I am so grateful to finally have something after all of resumes I've submitted all over the DC metro area!

I think the positions at American would be the most fun for now and the most like what I was doing at CSUSB, but the George Washington jobs could benefit us the most educationally. I guess I'll wait and see what they offer!

White House Event!

This morning I was able to attend a Welcoming Ceremony on the White House lawn for the President of Ghana and his wife! Although I personally am not a fan of our President it was still pretty amazing to be at the White House for something other than a tour, which I actually have not done, so this was my first time there. I attended with one of my colleagues, Antonina. We arrived with basic tickets and we weren't early so our view was going to suck. We weren't going to be able to see the Presidents until the made a lap around the lawn. We were taking pictures when one of the White House staffers pulled us into the gold ticket section! Suddenly, we were only five standing rows from the red carpet and the podium where they were going to deliver their speeches! We were directly across from Cheney and Condi and were able to see the red carpet proceedings very easily! Most of my pictures were taken with my arm raised so they are not centered and I had to delete about 40 of balding heads, but I think they're good for the most part! It was a great experience!

Six Months

Six months ago today, we moved to Maryland! We can't believe it's been a half a year already. We look back on that time as one of the craziest in our life. Only 5 weeks passed from the time Ryan got a call to interview for a job he didn't even apply for all of the way in DC and the week we moved to Maryland and he began his job. It has been tough at times; we've both experienced homesickness and frustration over a variety of things, but ultimately, we still can't believe we're here and we look forward to every adventure we have experienced since the big adventure of relocating! Although there are many things we miss, in many ways this is beginning to feel like home. We love this first apartment we found and will be sad to say goodbye to it when we move to something bigger in six months; we love our neighborhood, it's interesting to have the urban experience (for example, the fire alarm going off in the building at 5am this Saturday morning, forcing us to evacuate for no reason) in a suburban setting, and everything we need is right on the pike; we love being so close to downtown because there's always something fun to do in the city; we love knowing that we live in a place our friends and family want to visit and we are looking forward to all of the visits coming up in the next few months; and, we love having a never-ending list of things to do here and nearby (like going to the zoo tomorrow and a festival in Adams Morgan). Today we looked into buying bikes because there are tons of bike trails around our area and biking makes many things more convenient, including giving us more options for places to live and we talked about taking a weekend trip to Ocean City next weekend so we can experience the Atlantic Ocean before the summer comes to an end. We're looking forward to the crisp autumn weather and all of the festivals and yummy fall food that will accompany it.

Our vacation to California earlier this month was amazing. It was exactly what we needed to hold off our homesickness til December, when we know we'll be looking forward to an escape from the cold! We spent the first week hanging out with our amazing friends at the beach house in Newport, taking in tons of sun, surf, and lobster burritos at Sharkeez. The second week, we spent time with our families at home and did some of our favorite local things, like eat Wabi Sabi, In N Out, Yard House, and Buffalo Wild Wings, spend the day at Glen Ivy, go to a softball game, go to the LA County Fair, and hang out with old friends.

Here's a slide show of pics from our fabulous vacation!