disservice.

I knew I was never really destined to be a "lifer" as we call it in the restaurant industry. Such a title describes someone who, for whatever reason, never leaves food service. It is not a judgement against those who do, as long as it is what makes them happy. For many people, the freedom and income that comes along with a serving job affords them a lifestyle that they could otherwise not attain. Kudos to them.

That was NEVER me. I hated it. I hated every second of it. From the minute I had to get ready and don my "mansuit" as it as called by my loved ones, to the minute before I clocked out and left the building, I LOATHED it. I dreaded 3pm as it meant I had to start getting ready. I especially hated the customers who thought you were their servant and failed to recognize it was a living, breathing human being that they were speaking to as if she were a mangy dog lunging for the family jewels. And I'll not even get into the unwelcomed sexual advances by bloated, intoxicated male customers who assumed a blonde head of hair and manners meant that you wanted to give out blow jobs because they managed to eek out a 20% tip. To top it off, the presumption was that, if you were waiting tables, CLEARLY you were too stupid or lazy to do anything else. There was NO way you could have a neuron firing in your brain if taking orders was your profession of choosing.

Waiting tables financially sustained me throughout my 20's...I would never have been able to pursue my painting if I had worked an 8-5 job...that was the good part about it for me. But today, as I was looking around my studio space, I glanced up at my "effigy" to my former life and I realized that I will NEVER wait tables again. I've kept my little incarnation of a former self up just to remind me that I am here for a reason. As I sat in my apartment until 3am working on thumbnails for Sylvia, cursing myself for being so poor at time management, I could look up and appreciate that, at the very least, I was not getting off a shift at the restaurant. When I got up for Hank's class at 4:30am, bleary eyed and semi-psychotic from sleep-deprivation and struggling to try to figure out what in the F@#ck he was talking about for hours on end, I was relieved to know I wouldn't have to ask anyone how they would like their petit filet cooked later in the day. It's been my little reminder that I have a purpose, that I have a mind, that I have a talent and that I am here for all of those reasons.

Today, it comes down. Forever. The name tag goes in the trash. The tie. The grease saturated apron. The stupid button for "Bowl Baton Rouge"....all of it in the trash.
I am nearly done with my book and I just got offered a fantastic job at Brighthouse. From the moment I heard of this company, I have known that I would work there...I could not imagine a company more perfect for me and I couldn't have planned my life out any better if I had tried, but that is the thing. When I finally *got it,* and I really put my energy, passion and consciousness into creating the life that I wanted, I got it...and that is a fine thing.

Big Gay Fun.

Well, it's that time in Atlanta when 1000's of homosexuals descend upon midtown and celebrate their support of same-sex lovin'. It's gay pride weekend and check out that fine design work that is the identity of this celebratory weekend. I'm not sure how gumby represents homsexuality, tolerance or any other conceptual idea that defines what gay pride is all about, but no one really asked me. My lady and I are not really doing much to celebrate other than venturing out today to do some primo people watching while we sip on mimosas. That's about all I can deal with. I used to get excited about gay pride when I was younger, in college and fresh out of the closet....now I suppose I am just a jaded woman, more interested in shopping for bikes and hanging out with the dogs.

In other news...I had my photoshoot for my portfolio on Thursday...it went really well and I am glad to have that behind me. One of my projects started out as a conceptual assignment for coke to come up with a new beverage for their global market. It turned into more of a retail branding project for me and I developed a line of products to go along with the *flagship* product we came up with for the class. I learned that I have a deep love for pattern making, learned how to actually use the sewing machine my mom bought me for christmas a few years ago and, viola, we have some sweet dog beds and collars with my signature patterns. Here's a pic.


Cheers!

PLEASE HELP!

So, my lady and I went up to Lake Wedowee with a group of her dear friends this weekend. It was beautiful and we had a great time, but unfortunately, found out that some people in the great state of Alabama DO NOT believe in spaying or neutering their pets. That does not come as a major shock to me as I did live in Alabama for three years and I can testify that it is not the brightest of all the 50 states. No offense to any of my native "Alabamian" friends out there (I know several of you visit my blog from time to time and I love you all dearly)...but here is the thing, these dogs pictured were COVERED in ticks. I mean, infested. The poor mother was so severely malnourished that her ribs were jutting out from her sides and she was literally fighting for any scraps of food we gave her and her two flea and tick infested, malnourished puppies. Montana and I could not take these dogs home but our friends are going to return to the area to pick them up, bring them back to ATL and have them spayed or neutered. They are doing this at their own cost and if any of you out there know anyone who would like to adopt one of these sweet babies, please let me know...or if you can help out in any way (suggest a pro-bono vet, or whatever)...I would deeply appreciate it. I would absolutely adopt any and all of these babies if I could, but with 3 dogs and 4 cats combined, Montana and I cannot afford to have any others. These were the kindest of animals and you cannot imagine how angry it makes me to see such innocent lives disregarded and abused this way. PLEASE, if you do nothing else, SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR PETS! There is no reason that unwanted animals should be roaming around collecting ticks and dying from malnourishment.

procrastination.

This is how we roll at PC.
or at least Audrey and I....

this just in.

In my inbox today, the above message....never the way a girl wants to start off a lovely Friday.

I *heart* Georgia.

Folks, I am busy. You are going to have to give me a pass until I finish the massive amount of work that I have to complete. All things considered, I have recovered from my weeping buddha breakdown of 2 days ago. I know that when I feel overwhelmed and unproductive, the inverse of that is around the corner....as the saying goes, "it is always darkest before dawn." I just want my work to be the best it can be and I also have to learn to let it go.

In other news, the following things have happened in the past week:
1. Audrey, my neighbor, got her car stolen.
2. I had a dream that Purina launched a dog water called Fetch5 (and I almost woke up and googled it).
3. My eye is twitching NON-STOP. My GF says it is nothing while a google search revealed it could be a neurological disorder or tourettes. Super.
4. I was asked to commit a felony two days ago by marrying a foreigner so that he could gain citizenship. As if.
5. I have discovered a secret love for pattern making.

***the above image was an advertisement on CNN's website for a mortgage company....I had no idea that Uncle Fester could be such a powerful marketing tool. ***

Quarter 8, 6 weeks left.

It is about that time when I am feeling overwhelmed, unproductive and stuck. I have so much to do, so little motivation and I am starting to look at my work and feel like it is all shit. 6 weeks until it is all over and we sign off and are *graduated*...and then the next chapter of my life begins. Will I EVER get there and will I be satisfied with the work I have done?