GET A JOB, Check!

It feels soooooo good to be among the employed once again! My mom asked me the last time I was this happy (because I am ELATED!), and I pondered and responded that I haven’t felt this good since finding out that I got to permanently leave Mexico to move home to the glorious U-S-of-A. It’s funny, how happy having a job has made me (definitely something which I’ve always taken for granted in the past). When I moved to Mexico, I was ecstatic that I didn’t have to work ever again, that I was onto the next chapter of my life, titled Whitney the Housewife. Once in Mexico, though, I was bored out of my mind not having something to do every day to keep myself busy. I thought living in a million-dollar, beach front condo poolside, with a maid of all things, would be a dream come true, but the beach and the pool aren’t fun when you’re all by yourself with no friends or family with whom to enjoy the surf and sun. Sure, it’s relaxing for a week or two, but after the thrill of sleeping in and laying out by the pool with a good book to read wears off, one is left with a yearning to once again be daily challenged. (While I don’t miss the condo, beach, or pool, I do miss having a maid, teehee, but not enough to suffer and live in Mexico where I can afford to have one. Maybe someday I can have a cleaning lady come to my house once a week here in the comfort of America.) It just goes to show that money—or in my case, the things which money can buy—doesn’t make you happy. It’s all worthless without family and friends to share it.

I mean, yeah, I tried to keep busy in Mexico; I volunteered and taught some English classes, read to the blind widow from my ward, Cuca , three days a week (definitely the most fulfilling and rewarding aspect of my time in Mazatlan, goodness, I miss her, and it’s a pity I have no way of maintaining contact with her—but I suppose it’s best she not know my outcome, as I’d rather have her believe I’m blissfully married. She’s the sweetest, most remarkable, strong woman, and I wouldn’t want to cause her any worry or pain, especially since she so adored he who shall remain nameless), cooked and baked up a storm, took dance and Spanish classes, but still felt unfulfilled. I missed not having constant responsibility, things to do, people to see, tasks to be accomplished. So I, quite shockingly, have concluded the following: being a stay-at-home wife for me is only rewarding and fulfilling if there are children to look after . . . otherwise, I’m, dare I say it? Bored.

I can’t believe I just admitted that, because all I’ve ever wanted to be my entire life is a homemaker. I can think of no greater calling in life than that of a mother (definitely a full-time, 24-hour-per-day job; I would know, my sister has four kids ages 9 and under, and lives 15 minutes from my house). Anyhow, growing up my friends and I would always play MASH (a matchmaking game, where you pick four guys, four careers for him, four careers for you, number of kids you want to have, four places to live, etc.). For my career I always chose the following: homemaker, housewife, stay-at-home-mom, and queen of the castle. I knew that when I grew up, I’d get married at 21 (just like my mom and my sister; my mother with two degrees, my sister magna cum laude with hers) and then, after waiting one year, I’d start my family. I was going to have four kids, so I’d of course be very busy rearing and looking after them and my husband. Well, I still believe that being a stay-at-home mom is far and away the most rewarding, greatest calling I could ever hope to fulfill, but being a stay-at-home wife, sans children? For me? Perhaps had I been married to somebody different, perhaps had I lived in the United States, perhaps had I been surrounded by friends and family, perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. But from where I stand now, without children to rear, I’m one who has grown so accustomed to working, that I find joy in it. I love having a reason to get up and leave my house every day. I love having responsibilities and people depending on me to get things done. I find it rewarding.

That’s my perspective now, as a 29-year-old woman who, save six months of her life when she lived in Mexico, has financially supported herself since age 21. Back when I was younger, though? Always knowing I’d be a stay-at-home mom when I grew up (ah, the naivety of youth), I never worried about what to major in in college. I figured I’d study what I loved, ergo my BA in Latin-American Studies with a minor in Communications. I know, I know, what kind of a nothing degree is that? I loved Spanish, I loved to travel, I loved archeology, thus my major. I loved researching and writing, I loved public speaking, thus my minor. I thoroughly enjoyed every class I ever took toward my major and minor at BYU. Did I ever in a million years think I’d actually have to work to support myself? Goodness, no. I’m a woman. That’s the man’s job. It’s the woman’s luxury to study whatever she pleases, however impractical it may be. Had I known then what I know now, I would not have studied Latin American language, culture, religion and art. Bless my heart. Hindsight. It gets me every time.

In my twenties (yes, I realize I’m still in my twenties, six months shy of my thirtieth birthday), I focused more than anything on fulfilling my goal of getting married so that I could make babies while my uterus was still fertile and young and gorgeous. I tried too hard, I obviously forced it, I failed miserably. I toyed at times with the idea of returning to school to obtain a JD or MBA, but never followed through with either option because I didn’t want to incur student loan debt with which I would then saddle a husband, since I didn’t (and still don’t) ever want to be a working mother. Instead of living my life to its fullest, I was too myopic and focused on getting a husband. Well, no longer! I've had it. To quote David Farragut’s civil war cry, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” (It’s one of Grandpa Dye’s favorite quotes, and I’ve adopted it as one of mine too. Thanks, Grandpa!)

So that leads us now to the topic of this post: how did I choose my current career path? As one who's never cared what I do for a living, this was a challenge for me. My first job post-college was as a legal secretary; I didn’t even apply for it. I was asked by the office manager if I wanted to give it a go. It literally fell into my lap. It paid super well, had full benefits, and allowed me to put my then-husband through school, so why not? I became a legal secretary. We incurred no debt (I’m terrified of debt in every form, always have been, that’s why I’m still driving my old 1996 Ford Explorer—is it sexy and glamorous? No. But I love it even more than I love sexy glamour because it’s paid for, and I sleep well every night knowing I have no car payment), so my job got the job done. It put food on the table and paid our bills. Was it fulfilling? No. Did I feel intellectually challenged? Not at all. But I didn’t care. It wasn’t my career, it was a job. A means to an end, the end being motherhood for me once my then-husband made it through his studies. Well, that obviously never happened. Divorce came instead.

You know the rest. Quick recap: I kept plugging away at the legal secretary thing, had a minor quarter-life crisis post-first-divorce and 25th birthday when I quit my job, took French classes, rewarded myself with a trip to France (by myself, that’s the orange in me, see Matrix test results below), got a job selling shoes at Nordstrom because I so loved their shoes and loved the discount, and fancied I’d work my way up through the ranks (never happened because I don’t work on Sundays, so I had to turn down every opportunity to be made manager because of my refusal to work two Sundays a month—I mean, some jobs require Sunday work, like Doctors, for example, because people still get sick and babies are still born even if it’s a Sunday—but working on a Sunday so that people can indulge in shopping? No. Not for me.). I then was the director of Xanadu Gallery (www.xanadugallery.com, honestly, the most gorgeous gallery in all of Old Town Scottsdale). LOVED it. Dream job. The economy crashed. Enter Snell & Wilmer and doing the Intellectual Property thing, enter marriage, enter move to Mexico, enter return to the most blessed land above all others (I’m not kidding, when I say God Bless America, I mean it, and I really do pray for Him to bless my Country), enter divorce, and voila, here we are at present.

I feel really good about my new life's focus. I’m exceptional at everything I’ve ever done, save the most important: marriage. Goodbye childish view that I can only be successful in life if I’m married with children. Goodbye to my fixation on timelines and goals according to my schedule I made up when I was like eight years old and I decided I was going to be just like my mom, because she had the ideal life with the ideal husband, the ideal house, the ideal friends, the ideal children. (I know, nobody’s life is perfect, and goodness knows I’ve put my poor sweet mother through the ringer with my divorces, both of which pale in comparison to the pain of losing her only son, my brother, when he was only 34 years old, but it’s true that my mom is very blessed with an amazing husband, children who adore her, an incredible family and the most wonderful girlfriends in the world.) So while I deeply admire the path my mother's life has taken, I need to get over it. Whitney, quit planning out your future family, quit comparing yourself to your cousins, mom, and sister Carrie. Look, for example, at my sister Heidi and my nephew Tate. They didn’t get to plan out their future with my brother, because we can’t control the universe. But they are getting along just fine. They are happy, and healthy, and positive about life. You just can’t plan things out. Duh. I get it. Hello to living a rewarding, happy, full life on my own, not worrying about getting married, having babies, blah, blah, blah.

Ladies and Gentlemen, in conclusion, my goal for my thirties is NOT to get married and make babies (as it has been since my Primary days, when I loved to sing "I love to see the temple"), rather my goal for my thirties is to get a career, and invest and save for my retirement at/around age 65. In short, it’s time to grow up and put my childhood dreams of the white picket fence to rest.

That was cathartic.

Okay. Career time. Legal secretary? Good money, $50K/year, no complaints. Upward mobility? Not so much. You can’t go anywhere. Once a legal secretary, always a legal secretary. Intellectually stimulating? No. Challenging? Never. Rote? Very. Time for a change? For sure.

My dad wanted me to be an Air Traffic Controller, because I’m cool, calm, collected and good at multi-tasking. Plus, I already know tons about flying and airspace, so that would translate well to a career as an ATC. I called my friend Matt, an ATC, and I shadowed him for a day in the control tower at Deer Valley Airport (one of the busiest airports in the world, the airport which houses my dad’s hangar and plane). I loved it. It was non-stop action, busy, busy, busy. I went to faa.gov and, go figure, ATC is on a hiring freeze nation-wide until mid-October. And one’s 31st birthday is the cut-off for eligibility. Scratch that idea. I had lots of fun hanging out with all the Controllers and listening to the action on my headset anyhow.

Lawyer? Every aptitude test I’ve ever taken says I should be an attorney. EVERY test ALWAYS results in attorney. ALWAYS. I’ve taken like three different University test thingees for what you should study/do for a living, and they always come up with attorney. I’ve spoken in Church, and strangers have asked me if I’m a lawyer. Having worked in law firms for six years, I don’t want to be a lawyer. My dad is a trial lawyer. He’s amazing at what he does. He adores his job. He’s a workaholic. I think all successful lawyers are workaholics like my dad. Do I want to be a workaholic? Do I want to pull 80+ hour work weeks doing grunt work for a partner while I prove myself as an associate, let him/her take all the credit for my research and writing? Nope. Can’t say that I do.

On Tuesday night I went to Enrichment with my ward. The theme was the Matrix Personality Test. My colors were as follows (stay with me, there’s a tie-in to follow):

Green: 45 (logical, curious, rational thinker)
Orange: 36 (spontaneous, fun, thrill-seeker)
Gold: 27 (dependable, organized, check-list person)
Blue: 13 (empathetic, loving, accepting, peacemaker)

Only two of us in the entire ward were Green dominant colors, and we were both Green/Orange combos. She’s an OBGYN by profession. Craig Campbell, the personality specialist (whom my dad has actually hired to assist him in the past with jury selection), said that my personality is the ideal combination for a trial attorney or an ER doctor. No joke. All signs point to the law for me. And, truth be told, my personality is a mirror of my father’s. And boy is he good at what he does. But is it for me?

[By the way, I made pigs in a blanket for my Enrichment contribution (the theme was potluck, bring an appetizer). I pulled them out of the oven perfectly timed 20 minutes before the activity started, so they were able to be served nice and hot, with spicy deli mustard. They were delicious! If you’d like to make them as well, they’re super super easy. Follow this recipe: http://www.pillsbury.com/Recipes/ShowRecipe.aspx?rid=9898 . I bought the Hillshire Farm Cheddar Lil Smokies. The smokies and the crescent rolls were both on sale at Safeway, so all the ingredients totaled just under $9. I already had the deli mustard.]

I do love school, but is the law for me? I’ve thought and pondered and thought some more about it, I’ve talked a lot to my dad and my mom, and no, I’m not passionate about it.

MBA. What would I do with one? I studied for the GMAT back in 2005; I even went to BYU for a month and took their free GMAT review course. Then I didn’t bother taking the test after completing the free course. I didn’t know what I’d do with an MBA, so I didn’t feel good about pulling out student loans to get one when I was directionless and still thinking in terms of marriage, as in, “If I’m at BYU, i.e., happy hunting grounds, I’ll for sure be blessed with a husband. The real degree will by my MRS. The MBA will be like a bonus!” Embarrassing to admit? Certainly. But after reading this post, you're of course not at all surprised. Are you seeing now why I am where I am? I am. For the first time in my life, I’m seeing why I am where I am. This WHOLE time I should have been focusing on myself, not worrying so much about my age in LDS culture, my marital status and snagging a husband. Yes, it’s good to go through counseling post-divorce to have an educated, objective view to direct one’s goals when one is obviously in such great need. Better late than never, right Mom?

About what am I passionate? Traveling. I love to travel. Cultures. I love foreign cultures, foreign films, etc. Languages. I adore studying languages. Theatre. Nothing thrills me more than live theatre productions, starring in them and viewing them. Ballet. I would love to have season’s tickets to the ballet; not many things bring me to tears. Ballet? Every single time. It’s the most magical, beautiful entertainment the world has to offer. My happiest childhood memories are of me going to watch my sister dance in her ballet productions. Music. I will take piano lessons again now that I’m employed, and I’m super excited! Art and Museums, history in general. No matter where I go on vacation, I always have to see the museums, and the museums are always the highlight to my trips. Remodeling old homes. I’m an HGTV addict, well, if I had cable TV I would be anyhow (it’s a good thing I don’t, because I really can’t get enough of HGTV, all the home makeovers, LOVE them!).

So everything about which I’m passionate can’t be translated into a job that pays any decent money. But everything about which I’m passionate can be purchased if one has a job which pays decent money. So I need a job, scratch that, I need a CAREER with benefits, vacation time, and good money. That way I can buy my dream 1950s home in Central Phoenix or Arcadia, gut it, make it spectacular, and have my season’s tickets to the ballet and Gammage, and go on one super fun and amazing trip every year. I’m single with no kids, so I should be able to afford those things once I'm settled into a career and have budgeted everything correctly.

I’m obsessed with the Wall Street Journal, I check wsj.com every day. I’ve always wished I was obsessed with the Financial Times, but I’m not. I want to know more about economics, I very much adored my micro and macro economics courses in college, but I’ve always been intimidated by investments, and I know nothing about the New York Stock Exchange. Talk of the DJIA, S&P 500 and Nasdaq is all Greek to me. I’m a grown woman, so there’s honestly no excuse for me being so ignorant. Enter a job in the financial industry. I love learning, I love growing, I love being financially secure, I hate debt, I hate nothing more than feeling ignorant and inadequate. I don’t want to work my entire life, I look forward to retirement in my golden years so I can constantly travel. Retirement sans investments is impossible. So, Bingo! I think I may have found my career match. Hold tight, we're almost there . . .

When I first moved back from Mexico, I wasn’t yet thinking in career terms. It was October, I was still married, I was thinking in terms of “my husband’s going back to school full-time, I need a job to pay his tuition and our living expenses,” so I only applied for legal secretary positions: easy money, zero stress, no problem. I figured I'd be getting pregnant anyhow, so who cares what job I landed. I had three interviews with no job offers, because I’m pretty sure I had made too much money in my previous position, and even though the economy is how it is, I still asked for around $50K salary. Thank goodness, though, because had I set my salary requirements lower, I'd perhaps be stuck in a job as a legal secretary (there’s NOTHING wrong with being a legal secretary, it’s a wonderful career choice, with amazing benefits, incredible pay, a professional work environment with fantastic hours, etc., I just don’t see myself as a legal secretary with no upward mobility for the next 20 years. I get too restless and bored. It’s simply not a good fit for me.).

Anyhow, November and December saw no job interviews, what with the holidays I don’t think people were conducting them. That’s fine, my life was falling apart anyway, so I needed some time to pull myself up by my bootstraps. Again, a blessing from Heavenly Father that I had that time to regroup, refocus my goals and my life’s direction. I had shut down my Facebook account when my marriage started heading super south (as in my husband was leaving me literally every other week, good times), because I was too embarrassed to have anybody know that I was facing a divorce after only six months of marriage. That and I hated reading all the “MY HUBBIE IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST!!!” status updates (gag me), from a number of my other newly-married friends. (I really am so happy for them, honestly, but at the time I couldn’t deal with reading about their wedded bliss on a daily basis. Not that I wanted them to be miserable in any way shape or form. I just couldn’t handle the comparison of my union to theirs.) Desperate for some job connections, though, I reactivated my FB account to post a status update asking all my friends for job connections. Phoenix is the hardest-hit city in the nation concerning jobs and unemployment. I needed all the help I could get in networking. And with my track record less than sterling with my five jobs post-BYU (as in five jobs between 2002 and 2009), I wasn’t exactly the ideal candidate for a company . . . who wants to hire somebody who only sticks with a job for a year? (Well, good grief, if you were me and working as a legal secretary you’d get bored and need a lot of constant change too! I’ve never been fired or laid off, and remain friends with all my previous employers. Again, it’s the orange in me that needs excitement and change, it’s the green in me that needs constant challenge and intellectual stimulation).

One of my best friend’s (hi Liz!!!) brother-in-law is a branch manager at Chase. He’s also one of my FB friends, because we happened to grow up together (it’s a small world when you’re LDS). He saw my status update and suggested I interview with Chase to be a personal banker. I was super excited, and hadn’t before considered anything in banking or finances, because I hadn’t yet gone through the exercise of figuring out that I need a career, not a job. Michael pulled every string in his book and hooked me up with an interview, and I loved it. Chase licenses all their bankers, puts them through three months of intensive training before they even hit the branch floor. I respected the company. I thought I’d be a personal banker. After all, the successful bankers make $100K/year. Not too shabby. My interview went really well, but the branch manager wasn’t ready to hire because he hadn’t yet let go of the banker he wanted to replace. I had to wait.

While waiting, I interviewed with Wells Fargo. Two interviews, and had a third interview scheduled. I didn’t want to work at Wells because they don’t bother licensing their bankers (really, I’m not kidding, they only license 10% of their bankers, how lame is that?!), but it was a job in the industry which most interests me, so I figured why not work at 44th Street & Thomas, super close to my house? Finally, not wanting to cut off any options, I still had my resume with three legal placement agencies, because let’s face it: career or not, one needs a job and a paycheck.

Between interviews one and two with Wells, one of the agencies called me to interview with Meyer Hendricks. I called my dad, because I value his opinion more than anybody’s, and he said he really respected Meyer Hendricks (they’re trial attorneys too, so my dad’s very familiar with their practice), and so I got kind of jazzed about interviewing with them. I walked into their offices, and was super excited when I saw that every desk had dual monitors. I’m a huge fan of dual monitors; once you go dual, you never go back. Anyhow, I sat down to interview with Trevor Chait and Brendan Murphy and the interview was over before it began. Much to my chagrin, the agency sent me to a contract job interview. As in no benefits, part-time work from home, bill the firm for my hours. I was super irritated, because I had been up since four am, having taken Carrie and Jason to the light rail so they could catch their early flight to North Carolina (Jason treated Carrie to a trip for her 33rd birthday, he’s wonderful! There are TONS of amazing guys out there. Too bad they’re all already married.), then getting their kids ready for school, then readying myself for my 9 a.m. job interview. I was ticked off. I could have been home sleeping, not wasting my time at a part-time, no benefits offered job interview.

Thankfully I didn’t show how ticked and overtired I was in front of Trevor and Brendan, because they still offered me the part-time work should I want it, so I apparently made a great impression on them, and I told them I’d think about it. Upon consideration, I decided not to accept the part-time job, and so I called Trevor to thank him for his time, but informed him that I needed full-time work with benefits to support myself. Trevor called me back the next day with John Wentworth’s name and direct phone number. He told me how John was a good friend of his, and the manager of Moors & Cabot Investments, and that John was always looking for new talent, paid well, offered full benefits, etc. I thanked Trevor, told him how serendipitous this connection was since I was looking to get into the financial world, and immediately called John. He answered on the first ring, said he’d love to meet me, and we set up an interview for the following day.

We met on Thursday, January 14, two hours after I finished my second interview with Wells Fargo. We hit it off. He, like me, had also studied abroad in Guadalajara. We chatted, he told me all about his business, and he introduced me to everybody. He told me to come back when Ross was in town so Ross could sit and meet with me, since I’d be hired to be Ross’s assistant. I met with Ross on Tuesday, January 19, and he and I hit it off! The stars were all aligned and on Wednesday, January 20, I was offered a position with Moors & Cabot Investments (http://moorscabot.com/). I had scheduled a third interview with Wells Fargo for that same day, the 20th, so I called and cancelled it. Then, within 30 minutes, I got a call from the branch manager at the Chase bank where I had interviewed to be a licensed personal banker. He was following up with me, and told me I was a front runner. I had to let him know that I had accepted a position with Moors & Cabot. When it rains, it pours! In all this action, by the way, I had also turned down a job offer with Snell & Wilmer from Friday, January 15th. The HR Manager (whom I adore!) called me and offered me a start immediately with benefits from day one job as a file clerk. It was so nice of her, because even though they’re on a hiring freeze, they desperately needed a file clerk, so I could work full-time, get benefits, then move back up to being a legal secretary once the hiring freeze was lifted. I turned her offer down, because of my want to have a career, not just a job. And even though I desperately needed a job (for the paycheck and benefits), I was hopeful about something coming through from either Chase or Moors & Cabot, or even Wells Fargo. I’m so grateful I waited!

Guess what else? I’ll have dual monitors with Moors & Cabot (hallelujah)! Some of the brokers have four and even FIVE monitors. It’s perfect. It feels like home to me.

I had a total of five job interviews the week of January 11th! (Like I said before, I don’t think anybody was conducting interviews before the New Year due to Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.) And of the five, my very favorite was with Moors & Cabot. I’m so blessed that I got the job. Their offices are right down the street from my house. I live off 38th Street & Camelback, and their offices are off 24th Street & Camelback, at the Biltmore, right next to the Ritz Carlton (where my dad has, from time to time, treated me to lunch). GORGEOUS OFFICES, by the way. And give me a break! It’s less than two miles from my condo. And my hours?! I’ll be living the hours of a public-high-school senior: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Friday. AMAZING!!!!! It’ll be like a three-day weekend every week, what with getting off work every Friday at 1 in the afternoon. Ridiculous.

So I’ll be assisting two of the investment bankers (thankfully I won’t have to work their hours: Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.). If I work my way up to become somebody important, I do suppose I’ll have to likewise work longer hours to remain competitive and on task for my clients. All in good time. I’ll also be studying for my series 7 and 63 licensing (which, of course, Moors & Cabot is paying for). Once I’m licensed, I’ll get a bump in pay and commissions, and go from there. I really couldn’t be happier. I’m on cloud nine. I’m so excited to learn everything about Mergers & Acquisitions, the Stock Market, any and everything under the sun. It’s all so new and shiny and foreign to me, I can’t wait to tackle all of it! And from such a reputable, amazing company which has weathered these awful, horrible, tragic financial times in our country’s history too! Founded in 1890 in Boston, one of the original members of the New York Stock Exchange (speaking of Massachusetts, could I be any happier about Scott Brown’s victory?!).

It’s amazing to me how everything in life can seem so dark, dreary and bleak, and then all of a sudden, everything is sunny and happy and hopeful once again: for our Nation (Massachusetts went Red, who in a million years would have thought that you-know-where could actually freeze over, and the bluest of blue states would vote red?!) and for myself too. What I thought was a waste of my time interview with Meyer Hendricks turned out to be my path to opportunity. To say thanks to Trevor for recommending me to John, I baked him two dozen peanut butter and two dozen chocolate chip cookies and delivered them to his office with a thank you note. I also baked the same cookies for all my friends at Jewels by G. Darrell Olson (located at 22nd Street & Camelback, right down the street from my new job!), to say thank you bunches and bunches for employing me the two weeks before Christmas, supporting me, and being my dear friends when I so needed love and friendship. Darrell is my very best friend from high school’s grandpa (hi Amber!), and when he heard what I was going through, he immediately made up a job for me at his store. I vacuumed, dusted, organized, did all their bank runs and deliveries, answered phones and wrapped and wrapped and wrapped (Christmas-time, lots of jewelry sales to be gift wrapped). Darrell was going to hire me to work the first two weeks of February in the same position for Valentine’s Day sales, but I had to turn it down, what with my new job! I’m indebted to Trevor for connecting me to Moors, and to Darrell for being there for me when I most needed distraction from my personal trials, specifically an excuse to get out of my house every day.

Mmmm. Peanut butter cookies. With my AMAZING bosch mixer, and my new cookie paddles I purchased with Carrie.

Peanut butter cookies fresh out of the oven.

Time for chocolate chip cookies. My favorite recipe? Nestle Toll House, of course.

Trevor and Darrell's plates of cookies.

I kind of over-did it on the cookies. I made way too many, as you can see.

So, it took three months for me to land a job. But I still have money to spare in my bank account (thank goodness I always kept my separate for-fun account from my joint account with you-know-who) a zero balance on my Amex, and something new that I haven’t seen in quite a while: a HUGE smile on my face. The three months were worth it, because I landed a job that can turn into a full-on career, a job that’s paying for me to become licensed, a job which will challenge me and educate me, and make me a better person. The money I earned working at Jewels helped get me through the holidays, the money I earned from selling my digital piano on Craigslist got me through January (I didn’t need two pianos, since I have my upright here in my condo). And I also sold all my too-big-for-me jeans (six pairs, I was sooo sad to part with them), a few of my Romeo & Juliet brand T-shirts (they reminded me of Mexico since I wore them down there so much, blech, out of sight, out of mind) and four handbags to Buffalo (really great purses, but I’m ready for some new ones, so it was time), and I made close to $400! To celebrate my new job, I’m treating myself to a new YELLOW purse. Yellow’s my favorite color, and my old yellow purse got ruined in Mexico somehow in the move. Like the leather is all scratched and gross so I can’t even sell it or give it away to be used. I’ll post a picture of my new yellow handbag once I get it.

I see Heavenly Father’s hand so clearly in my life, protecting me, watching over me, guiding me to this job. I mean, really? From a going-nowhere job interview for a contract position that I wouldn’t have even bothered going to had I known, I got this amazing referral for a job that wasn’t even posted anywhere. It’s not luck. It’s God’s hand. And, once again, it’s who you know, not what you know that gets you ahead in life. Connections and networking, the American Dream.

Check it off my to-do list: Get a job. DONE.
Next up? Sign up for piano lessons!

Okay, I promised I’d post some pictures, so I finally took some. My girlfriends Brooktynn (pregnant), Whitney (no longer pregnant as of January 20th with the birth of her little boy), and Liz (mother of the most adorable little boy ever, see picture below with my Angel), came over to my house with Chile’s chips and salsa (yum!), red vines, sour patch kids, karaoke revolution and cards and board games to cheer me up with a girl’s night in. We had so much fun! We played Phase Ten, ate edamame, chips & salsa, drank tons of diet caffeine free DP (I know I keep saying it, but it’s true: it’s the best soda out there), candy, and sang our hearts out with Brooktynn’s karaoke revolution (so fun, by the way!). Here we all are at my house. I had such a wonderful time. Friends and family truly are, in the words of Beck, “where it’s at.”

Liz and Benny came over to play with me and Angel when they were in town over Christmas. Isn't he the most gorgeous little boy? And well-behaved to boot! He and Angel got along super well.

The two Whitneys. Congratulations to Whitney, by the way, on the birth of Cashen Tyler Whiting, January 20, 2010, at 12:14 a.m., 7 lbs 8 oz, 20 inches long.

Angel with her Aunt Liz.

Me laughing because I had no idea how the song went. It was soooo good to have Liz in town from California.

Adorable pregnant Whitney and Liz.

Adorable pregnant Brooktynn and Me.

Very fun times.

Rockstars Liz and Brooktynn.

A perfect evening all around. I'm blessed with amazing friends, whose wonderful husbands shared them with me for a very fun, much-needed, girls' night in.