My Current Obsessions

As this blog is still a sort of journal for me, I thought it would be fun to post a little list of things I'm currently pretty obsessed with.  PLUS, since I'm not able to see all of you as much, this can count as small talk!

Air Plants - I went to a Meetup with Crafty Girl Austin probably about a month ago.  I attended the Mason Jar Terrarium class and quickly fell in love with the air plants that are very diffucult to kill.  {Thanks, Anna!}  I SUCK at plants.  I pretty much kill anything...  I've successfully killed cacti, as well as succelents.  My mom was appalled.  Sorry, Mom.  BUT, thus far, I've kept my little gem alive, and I'm increasing my crop.  I've harvested two wild air plants, and this week purchased two new Tillandsia and given them some pretty fantastic homes!  Not only are they GREEN, but you can make it crafty by interior decorating for your new friends. 

Nude & Mint - If you've seen my blog or seen me lately, you know I've been obsessed with the color mint for over a year.  I have tons of mint clothing, jewelry, furniture, and so on.  Recently, I've been getting in to the nude color trend.  I bought a pair of earrings in Vegas, have my eyes out for nail polish, and comment on everything that is nude.  Loving IT!

Earrings - Speaking of earrings, I have SO many pairs!  Whenever I travel, I try to purchase earrings as my souvenir.  That way, when I wear them and someone compliments or asks about them, it brings back good memories!  Also, when shopping the local artist booths and markets, earrings are usually a cheaper and easier buy than a necklace or bracelet. 

Wafflers - Have you heard of these?  If not, avoidavoidavoid or you will be eating them every damn day.  They are Eggo Waffles, with syrup/flavor baked right in, and they break in half for easy consumption and travel.  For breakfast, they are great with peanut butter, and for a treat - IFYOUDARE- eat them with Nutella and slowly experience heaven.  We got them at Sam's Club, and they run about $10 for 96 of them!  I'm doomed to have a waffle tummy.

Sweets - My sweet tooth has been out of control since we moved to Austin.  I'm really surprised I haven't gained weight, as I'm indulging often!  At work, we have tons of birthdays and leftovers from catered lunches that are hard to resist.  Also, the food scene here is fantastic and it's really hard to avoid the delicious, hand crafted desserts and treats.  I'm going to enjoy while I can :)

Game of Thrones - We got caught up on GoT just before this season started, and now HATE the fact that we have to wait a week to watch again.  Not having read the books, the show is exciting and unpredictable for us.  If you haven't seen the series, it's worth the investment.  This is TOTALLY not my type of show, and I was hooked on the first episode.  Peter Dinklage, I can't wait to see what you're up to next. 

Traveling - I want to go EVERYWHERE!  Like, now...  One of the reasons we moved down south is because it's much cheaper to travel to certain areas.  The Bahamas, for example, has been on my list for a year or two.  South and Central America are more accessible and tempting as well.  Hopefully, we have some island visiting in our future!  I also want to visit Louisiana, West Texas (specifically, Marfa and El Cosmico), and the Grand Canyon. 

Goats, Hound Dogs, and Kittens - Let it be known that I am a five-year-old-child when it comes to animals.  Of any sort.  Don't take me to the zoo unless you want to be embarassed.  Luckily, my husband doesn't mind and indulges my craziness.  We've decided that when we buy a house, one of our necessities will be "room for a goat".  I WANT A DAMN GOAT.  They are so freaking cute, and although they can easily create a disaster of anything, I want one.  I also am missing my hound dog, Rex, as we can hear a hound in our neighborhood howling when he's home alone.  It makes me sad and I want to play with him!  We also have been considering a kitty.  We decided it would be okay to get one and Mike offered me one for my birthday.  I decided against it, after a lot of extra consideration, because we will likely be moving again soon, and I don't want my Lola to feel any less loved!  For now, kitty-sitting for the neighbor cat, Patti, will keep me happy.

 

What Are You IN To?

Something about me...

I'm not particularly "in to" anything specific.  I don't feel like I have a passion right now.  There's nothing I MUST have.  Nothing I MUST do. 

What is your passion?  Does something keep you going every day?

For me, sometimes I feel a little down about it.  I'm not pursuing a dream job, I don't have something I'm dying to get home to (besides my husband, obviously).  I don't feel a fire in me, pulling me in a certain direction.  Especially since leaving college, now I don't have my sorority or student government, etc to keep me busy.

I think this is the source of my recent "baby-fever".  Maybe my passion is being a mom?  Maybe that's what I'm meant to do?!  Don't worry, we're not trying to get pregnant.  I'm smart enough to know that it is not the case, but it definitely did cross my mind.  What am I here for? 

When we first moved to Austin and started meeting new people, they would ask, "what are your hobbies"?  To which I NEVER knew what to say!  Drinking beer on a patio..??  Does that count as a hobby?  I like to watch movies and drink wine on a Friday night...  How LAME AM I?

I am not an athlete, I don't crochet, I don't do yoga, I am not involved in a church... You get the gist.  There's nothing that I must have or do to get me through the day.  I felt kind of stupid for not having a definitive answer.  And it made me look at myself a little harder.  But I guess not everyone has that one thing.  Maybe I just haven't figured it out yet...

So, what are my hobbies?

I love to go junking.  For me, it' s a hunt.  I love thinking of  new ways to use items, or how I can fix them up.  I've really been getting in to rehabbing projects and upcycling finds.  We now have a back yard, and of course a garage, that I can use to go wild with ideas.  And I always have my trusty husband on hand to hold/lift/help with things.  He's a gem. 

I also like supporting local talents.  Whether that be jewelry, candles, music, or food.  {Okay, those might all be things I'm "in to", but not a passion or a hobby.}  I love visiting local shops, flea markets, coffee shops, restaurants with live music, etc. 

For now, I guess my "thing" is just trying NEW things.  New food (we recently had Cuban and Poly-Fusion), yoga is on my list, as is bollywood dance.  I want to do more hiking, more crafting, and more picture taking.  I guess right now, I have nothing holding me back, and no one telling me what to do.  All the more reason to keep trying. 

Does anyone else feel like this? 

Utilizing Temp and Staffing Agencies

I know a lot of people that get really turned off by the thought of a staffing or temporary placement agency.  I'm here to tell you why it's worth it.

My first summer after college, I quit my job in sales after three months and worked in Colorado for two weeks filling in for someone.  My now-sister-in-law told me about using temp agencies between jobs to keep the cash flow going.  I had never even heard of them, but looked into it upon my return to Minnesota.  After a callback from an agency, and a quick interview with paperwork, I got a call to start a job at Wells Fargo. 

I temped at Wells Fargo for 18 months.  That was a long time.  Exceptionally long from what I know about the temporary staffing world.  This is one of the negatives...but likely will not be your experience.  You are also not getting a 401K matched, benefits, etc.  BUT if you choose, you can carry benefits through your staffing agency and put money away into an IRA or whatever you prefer.  And I was lucky enough to have a husband with excellent benefits to cover me. 

Another negative is that you are very at-will.  Should there be staff cuts or layoffs, temps are going to be released first.  But your temporary status also makes it a bit easier to leave if your dream job comes along. 

And now for the positives! 

-- It is generally easy to get hired for a job QUICKLY.  Provided you are an acceptable candidate.

--Pay is generally higher than normal because the company is in a pinch and will pay for someone to start fast.

-- There are long term temporary positions, so that you are not having to go to a new office every week or two.  You can really settle in to your work environment. 

-- But, if you have a funky schedule, you can let them know exactly when you are available and you can be placed for short term positions that work for you. 

-- Vacation is easier to obtain (although it is unpaid).  For instance, I was able to take almost two weeks off for my wedding, without problems or worrying about running out of PTO. 

-- Some staffing agencies offer DIRECT HIRE positions.  This basically means that someone finds you a job matching your wants and needs for free.  Hellooooo, stress relief!

-- If you are hired after completing a temporary assignment, my experiences have come with a large raise.  At each of my jobs, when being asked to come on with the company, I was offered a three dollar raise.  Add that to the already higher starting wage, and you're sitting pretty good!

-- You can also usually avoid interviews, as you are generally placed at an assignment without going to the site prior to your first day, AND if they decide to hire you, they already know you and won't have to put you through the ringer ;)

Some Extra Advice:

• Make sure your agency knows exactly what you're looking for, and don't be afraid to turn down positions that are not the right fit.  You want to stay on your agency's good side, and not completing assignments might lead to trouble. 

• Keep your staffing coordinator in the loop while you are on assignment.  They like to know how things are going and can advocate on your behalf in the event of problems or questions that need to be addressed. 

• Treat your assignment as YOUR JOB.  Just because you are a temporary worker, does not make you less of an employee.  You must still sell yourself and your skills.  You never know when an opportunity might open up for you!

• As with any job:  be prompt, be gracious, and kick ass!