My New Job!!!

For those of you who don't know, I started a new job this week. I'm not exactly sure what my title is. I'm basically a paid intern in the Marketing Department of St. Anthony's Medical Center. I'll be doing a variety of tasks, but they really want me for my photography. I just hope I don't disappoint them. 

I've "worked" there for two days now. I say "worked" because I was physically in the building, but haven't really done anything yet. So far, I've gotten a tour of the hospital (I liked the lady who gave me the tour, but honestly, I'm not going to remember how to get around that hospital...it's a maze, thank goodness for maps and people sympathizing with my confused/lost look, I'm guessing that will come in handy a lot in the next couple months). I've also read through my department's spotlight newsletters from the past 2 years and spent hours familiarizing myself with the website...yea...I've also spent some time with various people on my team to learn what they do. Everyone seems really nice. I think once I actually start working, I'll enjoy it here.

This is my very own cubicle! It's very spacious. It was pretty organized when I started, but I tidied it a bit more. When I get bored at work, I clean and organize.

This is me pretending to work. *cough, cough,* I mean, reviewing the website...

Oh hey there, yea, this is me in my cubicle. I know, I know, I'm awesome. (So yea, apparently if I'm bored enough I take pictures of myself in my office.)

And in my car waiting for it to get dark...

Why was I waiting for darkness? Well, my first assignment is take a picture for the cover of Spotlight Magazine. This magazine is for employees and volunteers for St. Anthony's. Right now it comes out about once every other month and contains a lot of profile stories.

Kevin, the graphic designer, is going to go with me for the shoot. We were supposed to do it today, but he decided tomorrow would be better. I decided I may as well stay and take a few test shots to see when it gets dark and yea whatever, I wanted to feel like I was actually doing something. The thing is...it's freakin cold outside! I was outside for maybe 10 minutes taking 4 images of the same shot and that was all I could take. By the time I got back to my car, my fingers were numb. I had a hard time getting my keys out of my bag. Then I just sat in my car feeling the heat prickle and eventually thaw my fingers. 

Hey, I know what you're thinking, I'm not a wimp! I generally like the cold better than the heat, but geez.  I plan to dress warmer tomorrow...thank you cuddle-duds, double socks, and warmer gloves? well, maybe the 10 hour hand warmer I got in my stocking will help. Maybe I shouldn't thank these things yet, I'll get back to you.

Anyway, here is the one shot I took today. I like it, but not for the magazine cover. I guess the cold froze my brain because I completely forgot the magazine cover needs to be vertical. Ah well, better luck tomorrow!

It's That Time Of Year..

Well, it's January 2011, so I should probably update you all on my holidays.

First came Christmas: I could take this time to talk about seeing family and friends and going to Christmas Eve mass instead of midnight mass (because I'm getting old and frankly didn't feel like staying up that late), but I'm not going to.

Instead, I'm going to tell you about the prank we pulled on my sister. You know the movie, A Christmas Story? Well, this year, the most awesome product came out in stores: the leg lamp. Now, it's not quite as great as the lamp in the movie, because it's only 20 inches tall, but it's still pretty dang cool.

I saw it in the ads a few weeks before Christmas and immediately thought it'd be the perfect prank for my sister. On Christmas day, my dad, brother, and I snuck over to my sister's house. It was quite easy because she was feeling sick and stayed at our house with Mom when we went over to Grandma's for lunch. We turned off her tree (which was located in front of the window) and put the lamp on the window ledge. In the picture below, you can see her lovely new house with the lamp in the window.

Now the prank didn't go exactly as planned. We were supposed to go over to Kate's house for dinner that night, and would have seen her reaction. Unfortunately, time got away from everyone and we ended up eating at my house. So she went home that night (without us) and then texted me: "thanks, but it's not my style." The next day, she told me that she almost drove by the house, not recognizing it as hers. 

So the prank didn't go as planned, but hey, I got a holiday leg lamp out of it :)

(Forgive me, but all of the photos in this blog were taken with my point and shoot. The point and shoot fits better in my purse and I didn't want to bring my good camera to Chicago for New Year's.)

 Isn't it great? It's in my room right now and I plan to put it up every year for the holidays.

Ok, time for New Year's Eve. Quitting my job allowed me to go to Chicago for New Year's :) (Don't worry, I start my new job on Monday). On Wednesday, December 29, Emily, Matt and I took the Megabus to Chicago. Emily and Matt stayed the first two nights with a friend of Emily's and I stayed with Carlie. On New Year's Eve, we all met up and got dolled up and went out to dinner. Then we went back to Carlie's apartment and partied like only we know how...a little wine, cartwheels in the hallway, a little dance party, roof-top party poppers, oh and don't forget the drunken pre-maid of honor wedding speech Carlie gave to Emily and Matt. I caught it on video, but unfortunately it was on Carlie's video camera so I doubt any of us will ever see it.

Anyway, here is a picture of the four of us before we went out.

The past two years now, we've gone to this coffee shop in Lincoln Park on New Year's Day. I believe it's called the Noble Tree. Both years it was incredibly cold outside and the walk to the coffee place which in good weather would seem like nothing, felt incredibly long. It was worth it though. The cozy three-level coffee shop has amazing coffee and comfy couches and sitting areas.

Here is my caramel laté. It was delicious.

Then we went to the Lincoln Park Zoo to see their lights. It was nice, but very very cold. We kept ducking into the buildings to get warm. Here we are greeting some penguins:

I don't know what I'm doing with my face in this picture...I think I'm trying to look smug? Or maybe I'm about to laugh...

And here is a picture of Matt and Emily kissing in what looks like a Cinderella carriage of sorts. I did a style thing in Photoshop, poster edges. I think it looks neat.

Matt, Emily, and I came back to St. Louis on the Megabus on the 2nd. Another good start to the new year.  I am definitely looking forward to 2011.