Happy hour

365, Happy Hour

When I got to happy hour tonight I was starving and needed food, stat! After skimming the menu I found this delicacy, known to most people at grilled cheese and fries, and it hit the SPOT!

The happy hour was with a handful of friends from KG, and it was really great to catch up and see everyone. I, along with the other 3 members of the comm team, used to have a group Skype chat going all day sharing the vast majority of thoughts passing through our heads, so life has been pretty quiet and far less entertaining since being laid off. Despite not seeing each other and talking far less than we once did, we picked up right where we left off, which was totally and completely awesome!

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!

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!

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.

Oh, Salisbury

I have been to Salisbury twice for work now, and both times it has given me some new sights. Here are some of the pictures from my phone (in no particular order)-- the "real" pictures are on my work computer and will have to wait.

Breakfast #1 this morning (Hampton Inn free breakfast).

Breakfast #2 today- mini chicken biscuits with honey and tiny hash browns.

Weather posted in the elevator at the Hampton Inn. Unfortunately, it is the weather for Orlando.

All-star baseball game sign- and its on an old school reader board! (The company was once centered on such reader boards in hotels.)

The "view" from Kelly and Nathalie's room. Pretty, but not much going on in the Bury.

Not fun lugging all this stuff on the bus and metro- I blame the 4 cameras I brought.

"If you are not handicap, please open the door manually."

"Coffee is for sales people on pace."

We Have Lights?!

My friend Edward was out and about in Chinatown tonight and sent me this picture... I had no idea we had lights and I love how they look! Thanks Edward!

Lewes, Day 5

Final day in this little town. I did more designing and was able to tie up a lot of loose ends so that I can officially mark the projects as complete (in my unofficial task book). Super gloomy and rainy day. I checked out of the hotel in the morning and was not overly surprised to find their check out process as archaic as their check in process-- I handed them my key and that was all.

The check-in process went something like this- I walk up to the desk and say I am here to check in. There is no computer on the desk, so I assumed it was below/inside the desk with a glass panel over top... Not quite. I gave them my name and they went to a FILE CABINET to pull out a piece of paper with my name on, and handed me the key that was taped to the paper. I don't think I have been to a hotel that used actual keys since... at least the late 90's!

Despite thinking the hotel was stuck in the stone ages, the location was absolutely amazing. The office was directly across the street from the hotel. I think it took 10, maybe 15 steps to walk to the office everyday, so I can't complain too much.

Hotel entrance and office door-- REALLY close!

2 blocks from the hotel

Lewes, Day 4

THURSDAY

I did design work all day, which was great, but was reminded how designing for a team works... A couple of projects are awaiting a few details or instructions from various people before I can mark them as completed and clear it off my plate.

As I was packing my stuff up, I realized that I was on a legit business trip. Sure, I knew I was traveling for work, but it clearly took me a few days to realized that it was a "business trip"... I feel so grown-up!

My desk for the week

Shirley Temple, I think so!

Lewes, Day 3

WEDNESDAY

Got to do some actual design work, which was pretty cool. I sat down  in my chair at 9 am and didn't get up until 2 pm... Hello hyper-focus! It is a good sign that I was enjoying my work so much that I lost track of time for 5 hours.

I had dinner at this tiny place called Half Full, where they only serve pizza, wine, and beer. I went up to the register and asked if they had water, half expecting the answer to be no. Turns out they did have water... and the pizza was pretty good too.

This was the first day that I wasn't completely exhausted after work, so I walked around the town a bit. NOTHING opens before 10 am and closes by 5 pm at the latest, so I guess if you work you don't get to shop. I saw a sign for a blacksmith and was once again reminded that Lewes is a historical town. Also saw this crazy house / establishment, which totally reminded me of Abby.

Lewes, Day 2

TUESDAY, DAY 2

Got up and went to work with my laptop in hand and had a far more successful day. Spent most of the day brainstorming and doing some research, so I didn't do too much design work. Nothing else noteworthy that I can remember from the office.

I went to a mexican place for dinner and it was PACKED- quite the opposite from the night before! The highlight of this meal was probably watching the rowdy group of senior citizens enjoying food, friends, and beer. By the end of the meal I found myself debating if they were actually rowdy or just hearing impaired...

Margaritas only available in large or bigger.

Lewes, Day 1

I better post about this trip before I leave for trip number 2 tomorrow and start to get everything confused. This trip was to Lewes, DE, where KG has 1 of its 3 offices (and the other two designers are at the Lewes office).

MONDAY, DAY 1

Got up and left early in the morning to make it to Lewes around 10 am. The drive was super easy and I made it in about 2.5 hours. Since it was still early in the day I couldn't check into the hotel yet, so I headed to the office. As this was only my second day with the company, I didn't have a mountain of work awaiting me, which turned out to be a VERY good thing. As I had expected, there was a PC laptop waiting for me to use, and I tried to place nice. I thought I was pretty good at switching between the two platforms from my days of data transfers, but I was very wrong. The keyboard was smaller and had all sorts of extra buttons, and I kept mistakenly hitting 1 button that would delete the entire paragraph I had just written. It was a long day and I felt like I was just learning how to use a computer for the first time. Note to self- bring Mac laptop tomorrow.

After work I checked in at the hotel, dropped my stuff off, and ventured out to find some food. I quickly learned that only certain restaurants are open on certain days, and no store is open after 4 or 5 pm. I ended up going to the restaurant that is connected to the hotel (but only open on certain days) and ordered some crab cakes with a side of fries. I was the ONLY person in the restaurant, so I got great service.

Crabcakes with a side of fries, or fries with a side of crabcakes?!