New pair of glasses - or how life has really changed

Like always, it has been FAR to long since I have written in this blog/journal . . . blournal . . . journog. Well anyways. Life has really changed. Time keeps ticking on and on and things keep getting differenter. Yeah, incase you are thinking to yourself that differenter isn't a word - just keep reading.

Well I am now a full fledged designer. I work part-time for two companies and still run my own free-lance creative studio. I work for Giraffon, an app agency in Orem, and BYU Football doing graphic design. It is a total blast. I love both of my jobs. SIDENOTE: For some reason, I have this lurking fear of being fired from jobs. I have only really been fired once in my life and I have had many jobs:

1. Hotel Pool Manager and Room Service (Best Inn & Suites)

2. Vintage Jean Store and Boutique (Denimville)

3. Baker's Shoe Store for Girls

4. Graphic Designer at BYU print and Mail

5. Dish Washer at the Provo Temple

6. TA at Wasatch Elementary school

6.5. Art Director for online TV show (show 2.0)

7. Pirate waiter at Pirate Island

8. Graphic Designer for BYU Chinese Flagship

9. Freelance Design work (Vada Creative Studio)

And I was only really fired once. All of the other ones I quit or they ended. So I don't really know why but I have this sneaky little fear that my boss is going to get tired of me or something and I am going to be let go. It has been getting better, and I am starting to let go of the fear - the thing is . . . even if that did happen, than so what? I guess the idea of being a person who just "can't hold down a job" or is out of work makes me afraid. But clearly I not that kind of person, so I am not sure why I fear being that way. Anyways - weird.

I love both of (or all three of) my current jobs. At BYU Football, I have been hired on to help them design some stuff for and create some iPhone and iPad apps. It is really cool - they called me and sought me out. Man it feels nice to be sought out. The last two jobs that I have gotten sought me out and that was a real confidence booster.

At Giraffon, I am creating artwork and design and promotion for apps that we are creating. Apps are the big thing these days. Back in the day, websites were the big thing - but now everybody wants an app! You can see all of that work here: http://www.vadastudio.com

Freelance designing has been going awesome. I have too much work to do, which is always the best problem you can have. I remember back just a little while ago when I was pounding Craig's list to find ANYONE who would let me do some design work for them. Those days are definitely over - now somehow I have a seemingly unending stream of referrals coming my way. That is something that has really changed.

School is awesome. I am just in design classes now and they are so fun and I love them. Going to class now is like something I really really look forward to (THAT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE). I love my assignments and my readings rock and school is finally something I love now, because I am studying what I love.

Ashley and I are in love - ok that isn't that different. Our relationship has definitely changed, though. I feel that we have worked out any kinks that we needed to, in the beginning of our relationship and now we run like a pretty well oiled machine. I love her - she is my best friend and we love being together and talking and playing and doing stuff together. Ashley is trying her darndest to get a french teaching job for the upcoming year - she is finding it a bit frustrating and a little harder than she had expected. I am doing my best to support her.

I got a new pair of glasses. My new pair of glasses sort of symbolizes how I have come into my own. My sister was telling me the other day that when you are 25 - you are supposed to have life basically figured out. Not there won't be lots of crazy new things to learn, or that I am currently perfect, but I feel that that is true. I have arrived at a good place of stability and basically all of the questions I have had about life (disregarding children) have been answered. The glasses are made out of wood and fit me perfectly.

Captain EO 3D HD (part 2/2)

Michael Jackson - Captain Eo part 1 of 2 ( FULL VERSION )

First blog post in a century

Life is exciting. Ashley has graduated school and I got accepted to my major - we are moving along and things are changing. Like all humans, I am sure, we are now faced with the challenge of how to make more money.

My company Vada Creative Studio has really been taking off these last few months. I now have more work to do than I actually have time to do, which is a blessing and a little bit stressful. I have several clients right now, and I have a new website coming out this month. It will be up soon at http://www.vadastudio.com .

Ashley is enjoying pulling in extra income by being a substitute teacher. She is signed up with kelly educational staffing services and they cart her around utah county to teach different grades and different subjects. She is awesome and I am proud of her. I know she feels happy and productive to be putting her degree to use.

School is going great for me. Now I have classes that I like. I am in a figure drawing class - a computer application design class - a 3D design class - an Art history class - and probably some other classes that I have forgotten.

What else is new? Ashley and I started P90X like two weeks ago and it is really kicking our butts! We are loving getting fit together and plan to be one of the only couples we know who did more than just start the program. Wish us luck.

That is all for now.

Life is neat.

This week we saw an incredible movie called BARAKA about the cultures of the world. This week at Kinkos I met a lady who has a non profit organization called "Learn Share Grow" that educates kids in Africa about sexual health and stuff. It was pretty awesome. It is possible that I will be designing her website, logo, pamphlets, business cards and all manor of ect. . . In return she might send Ashley and I to Africa to volunteer!

Um . . . Tonight we are going to see "Inception" and I am very excited. I have heard so much about it from very reputable sources (Josh Brown).

Our life consists of

1. Work/School

2. Movies

3. Dinner together

4. Going to the Gymn together

5. Cuddling

6. Talking

That is about all we do. Are we more boring now . . . um a little.

But we are accomplishing cool things in our lives and we are preparing to accomplish REALLY cool things!

I love LIFE!

So everything is going so well. Ashley and I have had the most blissful month or two. I am hoping this is not just a serendipitous thing, but that we are truly understand how to love and support each other in a way that makes us both fully happy. I love her so much. She makes me feel like I can do anything and that my ideas and fears and passions are all valid and important. I love her.

Her student teaching has been going very well - she usually comes home very excited to tell me what has happened at school that day . . . except for every once in a while when she is annoyed that the students didn't want to pay attention that day. I visited school with her the other day and it was SO fun to watch her interact with the kids and be so cute and professional.

VADA has been going amazingly. We have business coming out our ears. We just printed a new sweet transparent business card! I love it!

Anyway life is awesome and I am happy that heavenly father has seen fit to give us sunshine and happiness at least for a while!

Today

Went to the temple! Loved it!
Um . . . . tried to watch dr. strangelove last night and ashley fell asleep
Started working for my brother
Got hired as the Graphic Designer for BYU's Chinese Flag Ship program . . .
ETC.

currently I am working for:
1. Sandy's Kitchen - Catering
2. Chance Carter - Country Singer
3. (running website ) Jeff Beck
4. (LendingWebsites.com) Craig
(Just got an email yesterday from a girl who wants me to write some music for an instructional video for her).

It is great I have figured out how to make paying clients. It was a process to be sure. I think most of the difference is in the way I am viewing my SELF and my business. I view us as valuable professionals now instead of silly kids with photoshop.

Life has been fun.