DEAR LOYAL FOLLOWERS (all 2 of you) SORRY FOR THE DELAY

Its been a while. And for good reason – I can’t remember the last time I had nothing to do and could justify taking some time off to write an entry. My only true idle time for the past 2 months or so has been when I’m asleep, and even then I go to sleep dreaming about my work for the next day. Its been chaotic to say the least. Not bad though. I’ve been stuffing my weekends full of all the adventure I can handle – and its only about to get crazier. 

So, I moved out. That was hard and unbelievably sad, but like most things, you just gotta pull of the bandaid and do it. I miss the family, although so far I’ve seen them every Sunday and I can’t see that trend stopping. Most people I’ve talked to about it ask me how relieved I am to have moved out, to get away from the parents and have my own space. I do love the space part, and being closer to work, but my parents are like friends of mine now! I’ve never met people I like more. Dinners at my house are a guaranteed laugh fest, and now that my sisters are home for the summer I can only imagine the shenanigans going on every night. I’ll take the good with the bad though – I’m not sure how much more of my 1.5 hour commute each way I could’ve handled. And I do love having a queen bed again. That reminds me, I should probably finish cleaning out my old room. In due time!

Let’s see, I went to Blacksburg for a wildly fun giggly weekend. That’s what happens when you get 6 of your closest girl friends in an AirBnB apartment half a mile from campus  – you straight up giggle for 2 days straight. I don’t recall even drinking more than a beer or two, we were too busy waddling through our old stomping grounds and asking people if they wanted to build snowmen. I was also busy mediating domestic disputes at bars throughout dt…YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. 

I gave a presentation to the DC chapter of AIGA and ended up with a pretty nice portfolio piece. I also decided I need to join Toastmasters. Public speaking is just not my forte, but I want it to be! All I want to do is make people laugh, is that so much to ask?? I loved the experience of having a mentor and having a goal to work towards. And the opportunity to do some design that wasn’t part of my job.

Other events: camping in Virginia Beach for WebMD Weekend, 10 Nats games, Caroline’s graduation, staying at work pretty much late every day, joining a kickball team, went to WMZQ fest (which guys, was awesome. Dancing to What Was I Thinking by Dierks Bentley with Katelyn, Katy, and Wardah on the lawn at Merriwhether is far and away my favorite moment from the past few weeks) and attempting to learn Court House like the back of my hand…er...sort of.

OH! I won free tickets to a Nats game by suggesting that Spancakes should become a real thing. Believe it. And I met with their marketing people and they love the idea! SPANCAKES FOR EVERYONE!

So now for the main event. 

Four years ago, I spent the summer in Blacksburg, taking one class, working at the InnovationSpace and living with my friend Brooke. The adventures and activities and laughs were endless, I particularly recall one moment where Brooke fell over a couch yelling “DON’T JUDGE ME!!!” as all of Pi Lam egged her on. We also tried a diet for 1.5 hours. At the end of this time, Brooke doubled over. “I’m so weak…..” without a trace of irony. I doubled over from laughing so hard.

Well, we also spent a lot of time watching the World Cup. While working at the IS, I generally could do whatever task I was doing and have a game on at the same time, so I think I caught something like 40 games. Remember how New Zealand got kinda far? And when USA beat Algeria in that magical last minute goal? WELL SO DO I. I woke up one day at 6 to go watch the Netherlands play someone with Dow. We got so inspired from the events that we concocted our own Beer World Cup and let me tell you, it was LEGENDARY! I iced everyone! I was in heaven.

I swore to myself and to my old blog that I was going to go to the World Cup in 2014. How could I not? I knew I’d be 24, out of school, probably would have a lil bit of cash saved up and would be ready for an adventure of this magnitude. And whaddya know? I’m going. 

Granted, I’m probably not going to any of the games. Tickets are wildly expensive. BUT THAT DOESN’T MATTER! Just being there is going to be what I’ve been dreaming of for four whole years. 

As of two weeks ago, the thought of going never would’ve crossed my mind. I love saving vacation days and doling them out for random days here and there, and honestly I heard it was dangerous down there and that it just wasn’t in the cards for me. Needless to say, when my boss emailed me a design blog called CreativeBloq that was promoting a design co-op/free stay at an ad agency in Sao Paulo, Brazil during the World Cup, I applied. 

Within a few days, I had a Skype interview with two Brazilian guys, and a week later, I got some good news. And now, in just about one month, I’ll be setting sail for Sao Paulo, staying there for a week, then will travel around for another week, ending in Rio and flying home on Saturday, July 12. Two whole weeks, one of which is free of charge to me, all during the World Cup. THIS IS MY DESTINY! That first week I’ll be staying at this agency called Naked and will be attending workshops, lectures, and supplying my graphic design skills to them during mornings, and will be free to roam the biggest city in Brazil at night. What’s more, the agency is teaming up with a brewery down there so we’ll have a steady flow of real Brazilian beer. I’ll be collaborating with 20 other people, from all over the world and living with them in a giant house owned by the agency. 

I’m probably jumping the gun by putting this on here now. Who knows what could happen in a month - I NEED TO GET A VISA SHOOOT. But, I bought my ticket yesterday, and am to burst with excitement and need to let off some energy. SUE ME.

Gotta go brush up on my Portuguese. Oh and get back to work. 

Adios compadres.