Friday, September 30, 2011

365, The Bug

Perhaps one perk to unemployment is that I got to accompany Carter and Liesl to an appointment with the EENT at Children's. Normally I pester Carter with 800 questions, so it was great to get to see everything myself.

They sent a camera up Liesy's nose and down her throat, and she was NOT happy about it! The doctor let Carter and I look at the camera and see her larynx, which I thought was pretty cool. The best news about it all was that her airway is clear!


Obviously, this was taken before the mayhem.


Entertaining

Last night I was checking out some feature on my blog and I realized that there were some comments that I never knew existed! My friend Jenny commented on one and told me I should post the picture on http://starbucksspelling.tumblr.com/. The site is highly entertaining, and when I checked this morning, I was on it!

Thanks Jenny!



Wednesday, September 28, 2011

365, A Welcome Distraction

Rosina and Liesl stopped by the office today and it was the perfect excuse to take a break from job hunting.

Little Liesy has a killer cough leftover from a cold she and Ingrid had. It is such a big and loud cough- it should not be coming out of a little baby! She also is very hoarse and her voice is so quiet (and barely there) to the point that you can barely hear her crying. It's so pitiful! Despite not having a voice and some serious teething, she is still happy as can be!



Tuesday, September 27, 2011

365, Comm Team Reunion

The 4 of us met up at California Tortilla today during Megan's lunch and had a great time. Sure, we have been separated for less than a week, but we still had a lot to catch up on!



Monday, September 26, 2011

365, Carter's Office

I spent some of the afternoon in Carter's office and I am happy to report that I got a solid two hours of work done! Way more productive than I have been the last few days, at least in terms of searching for employment. There is an empty cubicle at the office, (with a super comfy chair, I might add), and I have taken up residence there. Its perfect!



I woke up this morning at my regular time but didn't have anywhere to be until my haircut at 10 am. I told myself that I had to wait until at least 9:30 to leave (it's all of 10 minutes away) and I would still be there obsessively early. I found myself making many more trips than necessary up and down the stairs JUST TO PASS THE TIME. And this is only day 2 of unemployment!

I'm going to keep going to Carter's office because it made a big difference, and I'm going to divide my day into 2 general chunks: before lunch will be devoted to job applications, and after lunch will be for freelance work. Yesterday I was so overwhelmed by everything that I didn't even know where to start, so this structure will be good for me.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

365, Flu Shot

Early morning soccer game, shower and flu shot all complete by 11 am!

I feel like I have just had a relatively productive 3-day weekend and now I'm ready to go back to work. BUT WAIT. There's that whole unemployment thing. I wasn't even home all day and I have gone completely stir crazy! I think knowing that I don't have a job to go to tomorrow morning made me even more antsy.

Over the last few days it has become VERY clear that  I cannot do work or hunt for jobs while sitting in my room because I get way too distracted. Carter has graciously agreed to let me come and work in her office so I will at least have a change of scenery while doing freelance and applying for jobs. Hoping to squeeze in a couple hours there tomorrow and test it out.



Saturday, September 24, 2011

365, Don't Mind If I Do

I usually spend the entire workout willing the machine to make time pass faster and to hurry up and show me this message. Of course, the machine is unaffected by my will power, but I enjoy seeing this message just the same.



Good Timing

Just finished this book this afternoon, and my what good timing! Its a book about controlling our own happiness, and I think it has helped my outlook with the whole being unemployed thing!


Friday, September 23, 2011

365, Food Stash

When I packed up my belongings at work yesterday, I left with a stuffed backpack and a box. Tonight I tackled unpacking my backpack and found this random smorgasbord of food that I had in my filing cabinet. For the record, I knew all of this was in there, I just didn't realize how ridiculous it looked until I piled it together on my floor. It would appear as though I have a fear of going hungry and not being prepared for lunch or something equally illogical. What a random assortment!



Unemployment, Day 1

I had lunch with a friend from work and a friend of hers from who is a graphic designer for BAH. It was a yummy meal, great conversation, and (courtesy of Amy) I made an excellent contact! I am dying to work there and have been applying on and off since I graduated, so this will only help, I'm sure. He also has a t-shirt business and may be looking for freelance designers next summer. I am aware that things may not pay off immediately, but somewhere down the line, this will be useful!

I googled unemployment jokes today and was utterly disappointed. Sure, its not an ideal situation, but lets at least get some laughs out of it!

Unemployment lesson learned today: the gym is empty at 4:30 on a Friday afternoon.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

365, Laid Off


What a day… i wont bore everyone with the details, but the entire communications team got laid off today. They changed Megan's job title yesterday so she was spared, but myself and 2 others got the boot.

So, if anyone knows of ANY design jobs, PLEASE let me know! cecilykidd[at]me.com!

My portfolio and resume are posted online- cecilykidd.com.



Wednesday, September 21, 2011

365, Dining Out

Charles and I had another work / catch-up dinner tonight at Ping Pong Dim Sum. I would say that dim sum is sort of like an Asian version of tapas with tiny plates and lots of different dishes. And no, sadly there was no ping pong to be played.

It was a productive meal from a business perspective but it wasn't all business, which was nice. Thanks, Charles!



Tuesday, September 20, 2011

365, Of Course I Got The One With Sprinkles

Sprinkles are good any time of day, but they tasted especially good this morning.



Monday, September 19, 2011

365, Snow Clouds

When I was walking to work this morning, all I could think about was that the sky looked like it was about to snow. Obviously it wasn't because it was 60 degrees, but these were definitely snow clouds. The whole day ended up being all sorts of strange, and the sky didn't help. Here's hoping for a semi-normal day tomorrow!



Sunday, September 18, 2011

365, Naptime on Pies

Liesl was baptized today and she was a perfect angel in church, and then managed to keep her halo glowing throughout the brunch / party at the house after. Once everyone left, she got all snuggled in with Pies and found his belly to be the perfect pillow. So sweet!




Ensign Eudy

My cousin Claire just graduated from Officer Candidate School, and the family couldn't be more proud! Alexandra and Poppa went up for her big day and shared these pictures with us.

Go Claire!





Saturday, September 17, 2011

365, Tongues Are Hilarious

Liesl was in an amazing mood tonight and couldn't stop smiling, laughing, and babbling. So much fun! She thinks that life is pretty hilarious when tongues are involved, as you can see.

Speaking of the bug, forgot to update her fans on her ultrasound. Good news: none of the cysts were big enough to justify another procedure right now! Potentially less good news: this means waiting about 3 months in between procedures, which makes everyone a little anxious. But, no ICU visit for the bug this week, which is EXCELLENT news!



Thursday, September 15, 2011

365, Lovely View

I worked both jobs today, but somehow it was a relatively boring day... at least in the world of photos.

I desperately wanted to post of picture of my bruise today because it is even more epic, but I think I grossed everyone out enough for one week. You're welcome.



Wednesday, September 14, 2011

365, Gummy Bear

As I was walking down the street to my office, I noticed this gummy bear somehow attached to a building. I don't know how it is attached, nor do I care to touch it, but I found it entertaining.



Tuesday, September 13, 2011

365, Ouch

That is my thigh and that is a massive bruise on my thigh.

Towards the end of my hockey game last night I got nailed with the ball from a person who clearly has a very hard shot. I was probably 5 or 6 feet away and I tried to turn, but obviously wasn't fast enough. That being said, I am very glad it was on the meaty part of my leg and not my knee cap, or even worse, in my face. I have managed to bruise in colors I didn't know existed in the bruise spectrum, including the bright pink in the center. And it hasn't even been 24 hours yet, so I have a feeling that there are more exciting colors to come.


I can't decide if it looks more like a galaxy or an 8-ball in pool.



Monday, September 12, 2011

365, Back to My Roots

I spent some time at Kinkos today trimming the edges of our sales collateral, and it completely took me back to the days of art school (in a good way)!



Sunday, September 11, 2011

365, 10 Years Already?

I don't remember the sky on 9-11-01, but all of the news clips say it was a gorgeous morning, so this seemed to be a fitting photo for today.

Thank you to all of the heroes- past, present, and future.

United We Stand. Together We Heal.


Pentagon Memorial

Some favorites from my first visit to the Pentagon Memorial on Friday.












Saturday, September 10, 2011

365, Still Cute

Rob's shirt and my purse. We didn't coordinate this time, but our stuff still looked cute together!



Friday, September 9, 2011

365, Sun! Finally!

Despite the fact that it was still raining this morning, there were blue skies this afternoon. Sure, there were also some pretty dark clouds, but it is more sun than we have had it what feels like forever!

I stopped by the Pentagon Memorial for the first time on my way home, and I think it may be my favorite memorial, but more on that on the 11th.



My 9-11 Piece in the Washington Post

I was reading an article online today, clicked on a link, scrolled down, and BAM, there was my picture! I wasn't even going to look for it until the 11th, so I was quite surprised.

Check it out!  (*click the link, then enter the age 24, then scroll down.)



Thursday, September 8, 2011

365, My Old Happy Light

I realized today that I may have outgrown my Seasonal Affective Disorder! I'm not sure if you can outgrow it or if it just goes into hibernation mode, but the important thing is that I haven't had to use my happy light! Rainy days used to be miserable and impossible, but despite all the rain we have been having, I AM STILL FUNCTIONING! Trust me, this is huge.


This is the happy visor and yes, it would shine those crazy bright green lights in my eyes.



In other news, I went to the gym tonight and the treadmill I used didn't have the small fan in the center console. Note to self: check for that next time.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Always Exciting

7 firetrucks, 2 hook and ladders, 1 ambulance, and the street closed off to traffic. Never a dull moment at the office! (The restaurant next to our building had a fire of some variety, but luckily everyone seemed to be ok.)


365, Dinner on the Boat

Megan's sister, brother in law, and 10 month old niece live on a boat (yes, they live on a boat) and are currently anchored at a marina in DC, so we joined them for dinner. I can barely keep my eyes open, so my explanation isn't doing it justice, but I had so much fun! Thanks for including me guys!


Another Book Down

Finished this one on Saturday but obviously forgot to post.

Another good, entertaining read!


Sunday, September 4, 2011

365, I Joined a Gym

Yes, you read that correctly. I actually joined a gym today. I signed up for a free trial last week and went to check it out today. Then the guy working there told me about a promotion where if I signed up today, I got pretty incredible savings. There are a few requirements that I have to meet (like going 10 times) but if I'm not satisfied, I have a 30-day money back guarantee. So I did it. I have such a hard time passing up a deal, even if it is for the gym.

Its a pretty high tech gym, which of course I liked. They have an internet cafe (never heard of a gym that has that!), a nice pool, a spa, and 3 floors of equipment. All of their classes are included in the monthly fee, and they seem to offer a lot more than the other gyms I looked at.

My biggest incentive in joining the gym is that if I go 10 times per month, my company will reimburse me. My health insurance is pretty crappy, but this seems like a good deal and I figure I should take advantage of it.




It's been a LONG time since I ran on a treadmill, and I loved the fancy technology. For most people, this is probably not a big deal, but let me tell you, the gym at Marymount didn't have treadmills like this! There is a tv on each machine which is cool, but my favorite feature is the little tiny fan built into the console that gives you a pleasant breeze while running.

One of the other stipulations of the 30-day guarantee is that I have to meet with a trainer for an assessment, so I scheduled that for tomorrow. Might as well get it out of the way, and it means only 8 more trips this month!

Saturday, September 3, 2011

My Name! On Chocolate!

My coworker Megan is on vacation in London right now, and when she uploaded this picture to facebook today, she became one of the most amazing people ever. On top of facebook, she posted it to her blog as HER photo of the day!



As explained on her blog: "My co-worker loves things with her name on it. Since hers is a bit less common than, say, Megan, it doesn’t happen as often. She never got to have one of those souvenir key chains or coffee mugs with her name on it. Although to be honest I always thought those were rubbish anyway. None were ever as cool as having a chocolate named after you:




I was a bit shocked when I saw this – at the world-famous Harrod’s no less – and immediately had to buy one and sample it for myself. I have to say it was amazing, in a plain and non-alcoholic way of course."


Yeah, Megan is pretty awesome. And for everyone who ISN'T named Cecily, I give you permission to be jealous!


365, Awesome Night

I went over to Alexandra and Matt's tonight and as always, had a great time. They fed me, they cooked extra food to send home with me, they gave me recipes, and Matt even checked the washer fluid and oil in my car! All of this on top of great company and plenty of pug time made for a pretty fabulous night. Thanks guys!



Friday, September 2, 2011

365, Purple Lady

I went to Starbucks this morning and got a bagel, and they asked for my name (I guess too many people had been picking up the wrong pastries). When ordering food I am normally prepared for this question and have another name chosen and at the ready- always something simple and easy to spell, but I wasn't expecting it at the Bucks. So anyway, the cashier asked for my name, and I said "Cecily". She asked me to repeat it (as expected), and I did. When she relayed the order to the man pulling pastries, it wasn't even a close attempt at my name. It was more of a mumble that started with an S. The pastry man looked at me for clarification and knowing this was going to be a problem, I told him to make up a name... "Amy or Sarah or something easy," I suggested. He paused and said, "Ok, Purple Lady!" Sure, why not, I thought. Its cool, its different, its colorful, and most importantly, much easier to spell than Cecily. I wondered where they had come up with that name but didn't think much about it. I got my bagel and left. As I was walking back into my office I looked down and realized I was wearing a purple sweater. Duh.

Needless to say, it was a long day and I am SO glad its a long weekend! And I can sleep in tomorrow!



Liesl Update

As promised, an update for Liesl's loyal followers... She is doing FABULOUS! Her personality comes out a little more every day and she is the sweetest thing. She LOVES playing peek-a-boo, eating solid foods, drinking water from a cup, and watching Ingrid's every move. She can play by herself but also doesn't mind being entertained. She's got an adorable belly and the rolls on her thighs are to die for, as are the creases on her wrists :-). Her sleeping habits leave room for improvement, but I've decided it must be genetic... just look at me and Ingrid!

She has an ultrasound on Thursday, and assuming all goes as expected, she will have another round of sclerotherapy the following week. Medically speaking, thats the only update there is, which is amazing!



Photo courtesy of Alexandra!

Publicity Round Up

A few weeks ago I was browsing the Washington Post website and found a page requesting user submissions on 9/11 for their 10-year tribute. I figured "sure, why not?" and went about submitting something and then promptly forgot about the whole thing. On Wednesday, I got an email from the Post saying that they had selected my comment and would be publishing it along with a picture of me! Yes, this is very exciting, but in typical Cecily fashion, I have no idea what I wrote. I'm just hoping that I sound moderately intelligent! It is supposed to be online on the 11th and could end up in print as well- that part was still unknown when I spoke to the editor.


I posted a couple screenshots of my photo of Ingrid during the hurricane, but I finally had a chance to go through my files and find them all. So, in no particular order, 1 or 2 of my photos was published in the following news outlets:

- ABC7 / WJLA (online and on tv)
- News Channel 8 (on tv)
- Huffington Post
- Washington Post
- Del Ray Patch
- Old Town Patch


Not bad considering I was using my crappy underwater camera!


Patch

Patch

Huffington Post

ABC

Washington Post