OK, so my last semester of school was really light. It's a blur at this point, but from what I remember... It wasn't a full-schedule kinda semester, so by the end of it I was gettin' a little jumpy for something to do. So I got a job. I applied for some ones that looked interesting, on which I got no calls back (degree or not, my professional background is in admin... I think it'd take a lucky break to get a chance doing something else.) So anyway, I found this job that was an admin job (I vowed that my last job was the last one I would take where I was responsible for answering THE phone (as opposed to my phone), but I was bored and money sounded appealing and this job seemed at least very diverse in its duties, and they were laid-back there, so I took it. Also, I probably have made it clear that once I pop out some baby Chens, I will not be workin' 9 to 5. So this was a good interim-'til-baby-Chens type of gig. I thought.

1. (Am I doing this right?) Job duties.

Instead of doing all sorts of stuff, including marketing and things which require PhotoShop (it was on the job ad!), I instead basically did Accounts Receivable and a bunch of reports. That's about it. And answered the phone. Anyway, so yeah.. It's not their fault.. The company is seriously growing and when they hired me they probably didn't realize how time-consuming the A/R was becoming. But I was NOT interested in processing stacks and stacks of checks all day. Never-ending stacks of checks. Blah.

2. Environment.

And I had to put up with a batshit crazy officemate. Who is 72 and a slut. Seriously. I have some pics of her finally... I'll have to get some up. Also, IT SMELLED LIKE PEE IN THE OFFICE. Seriously. I never got a resolution to that mystery. But it was BAD, particularly when the A/C was on, so maybe someone was using the vent as a potty? It was insanely bad though, the smell. It would be on my hair when I left and in my clothes. Usually the smell would dissipate on the drive home and all that, but sometimes it stuck around. I'd give Chris a hi-welcome-home hug and he'd pull away and say, "The pee smell is really bad today." You know, as if the pee smell could ever be really good. And my clothes? Forget it. I took to re-wearing jeans for days because there was no point in getting a fresh pair out when they were going to smell like a urinal by the end of the day. Do you know how old that gets? When you're not happy with your job and ON TOP OF IT you smell like pee. You're at home and you get a whiff of your purse and IT SMELLS LIKE PEE and you cringe. Your car is starting to smell of pee. It was bad and by the end of it was I starting to get all panicky for an escape. They dragged out my leaving a bit and I just kept thinking, "One more day of piss smell!" And then it would get dragged out again. Torture. Mind you, this business was not one of urinal cakes or Depends manufacturing. It just made no sense.

But it's all done now! Yipee!!!

You knew that though. I got the marriage certificate today, so I can get a-workin' on changing my name now. Being married is mostly like shackin' up, as I may have stated on here already. But with better benefits. ;) Honestly, I filled my first prescription today under the hubby's plan and it was amazing. I had insurance until like two months ago, when my COBRA ran out, but it was pretty crappy insurance. Then I was bare, so Imitrex cost me like $10/pill. Yipee. I can get a whole pack of Imitrex for like $20 now. Woo-woo!

This is the first week, but I have to say... having a shit office job has really made me appreciate not having to go to it. Seriously.

I am glad to be home with the animals more... The dogs and I have made one trip to the doggy park and are going again tomorrow. We went to the Doggy Store and bought bones, which after they cleaned 'em off I filled with peanut butter and froze 'em for the next day and the dogs loooved them. I am home to put the bunnies outside in their new outdoor run in the afternoon. They LOVE it. I love not NOT getting home until after dark... And the cats love being able to shadow me all day instead of just from 6:30 on. :D

I have registered the name. I am having a logo designed. I have parked domains. Now I'm just waiting for the logo to get cracking on the website and blog. Ooh, and I am working on building my porfolio, which is a must. So far I have like 5 offers to take Boxer pics. Which is nice and all but um.... I have to have more breeds in my portfolio than just Boxers!!! Ah well.

I LOVE the idea of having my own business. I am actually really excited about it. I've been digging through books about logos and branding and marketing and stuff. It's all incredibly interesting to me.. I love graphic design. I don't think I'd never have a talent for it, but I appreciate the creativity and cleverness so many designs display. How something as simple as a font can project information to your client about your business. It's all awesome and I love trying to figure things out and being EXCITED about what I am going to do rather than doing it because I HAVE to or dreading it. You know? There are going to be lots of EH parts of it... e.g. accounting, dealing with shit customers... but it'll be worth it. It'll be mine!

Working on this the past couple of weeks, it keeps coming back to me how damn lucky I am. I do recognize that. I am so lucky that Chris takes care of things. I am lucky that he is the kind of guy to encourage me to do what I want. Not having a job... it's not as if I have Chris's credit cards and am told to go wild. No, no.. not having a job will mean really not splurging, because we keep a budget. But doing this is at least a possibility for me. A really awesome possibility to get to do what I want each day instead of dragging myself into a job and sitting out my eight hours just so I can get the paycheck. And I will have freedom!!! I am already planning a light schedule for the weeks when I have my period so I can get extra sleep. Ha!

Did I mention that I have never actually fully applied myself to a job? Never. I mean, I always get things done. I always excel, actually. But about half the time I'm goofing around or trying to. I did awesome at my first job.. awesome, really! Meanwhile I had figured out how to use telnet on the work computers so I could chat all day. I billed 120 hours a month at the law firm (where we were required to do, um, 50) while spending hours online each day. Seriously! The bitch big-ass billing girl even wrote a letter to the partners about my Internet usage... nevermind how I saw that... but the partners basically wrote back to her that I got my job done and my billing kicked ass, so stop meddling. I mean, I did work hard.. I would even stay late sometimes, and I was on salary so it didn't matter! But for the most part I spent a lot of time doing NON work stuff (see all the blog posts from that time period). I mean, a LOT. Because work has just never been that interesting. You know, I know I've got to get it done, but I for sure am not going to spend any more time on it than I HAVE to. (Training my replacement at the last job, he kept saying how incredibly efficient I was, and I'm like.. what you don't realize is that I made this really involved spreadsheet to avoid two hours of non-interesting work a week, preferably so I could use the time to research whatever animal or hobby I am interested in at the time). I wonder what I could do at a job where I loved what I do and want to do my best. The idea is exciting!

Yep yep yep, excited over here.

Um, OK, I gotta go get ready for bed. I actually have PLANS for tomorrow so I should wake up at a reasonable hour. :)