Update..

Hello journal,

As usual, I've gone a significant amount of time between entries. I've actually had several entires planned in the last few days but can never seem to get around to it. My afternoons always seem so condensed after work, gym, making dinner, and finally sitting down to relax. We're skipping the gym tonight (and eating take-out just to make sure we've properly sabotaged ourselves) so I have a little more time tonight.

Things are going pretty well with me lately. I've been at my job for over a month now and am really starting to come into my own. I've learned to just trust my instincts and 99.5% of the time, I've gotten really positive feedback from my boss and the client. I just designed some packaging labels for an organic tea-shoppe and the client was SUPER impressed and excited so that felt great. I really enjoyed the job because I finally had an excuse to create some really intricate damask patterns in Illustrator. I've started to collect different patterns I've used in past projects so that I have a go-to pattern/texture library on my computer and it's geeky as hell but this excites me greatly. :)

Other jobs I'm working on are a series of illustrations for Well Maintenance, the identity for the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, a book for Northern Affairs and a brochure I really like. The job was for the agriculture industry so it allowed me to incorporated a lot of textures and weathering - which I love.

So that's that. Oh, I finally got my business cards for work. I'm all grown up now. :) Now I just have to find excuses to start handing them out.

We've been in the new apartment for a few weeks now and I'm surprised at just how much difference its made in my overall happiness. My entire quality of life has changed. I live five blocks away from work, six blocks from my new gym, and a block from a grocery store, several restaurants, a Starbucks, etc etc. I'm in walking distance from everything I need which is such a welcome change from the hell we were going through with transit when living at the last place. The weather here has been absolutely ridiculous lately, getting as low as -45C and of course, one day the bus was a full forty minutes late. I literally thought I was going to die.

The new place has actually inspired us to FINALLY decorate. Mike and I have already bought a few new things and are planning a trip to IKEA this weekend to finish it off. Once I find some affordable frames, I'm going to order some prints and hang art for the first time in my life. I've never truly felt settled in a place I've lived so have been reluctant to do much. I'm determined to make this place as comfortable as possible. I'm already in love with the color scheme we're working with. I'm way too excited over our new toothbrush holder. ;)

Okay, I'm rambling so I'll wrap this up. I just found out that my aunt has a brain tumor. :S I don't want to think much about it but figure I should mention it. I think everything is going to fine though. Hope so.

And I'm also learning how to knit. Expect many wonky scarfs for gifts for years to come.