What's your secret?

Everyday that I work at Buca or at my internship, interacting with our board of directors, I encounter the 1%. Okay maybe, they're not the 1% the rich of the rich, but they aren't among the 99%.  Any everyday that I see these people with their own personalized Louis Vuitton bags, or their Mercedes Benz I wonder "What's your secret?", "What are you doing that you make that much money?"
I think this, because money never seems to magically find its way to my pocket. In fact, it's pretty much the opposite. Money tends to constantly find its way out of my pocket and in to my over whelming amount of bills I have to pay. Don't those people with their big fancy cars and purses as large as my car have bills? Did they ever have to wonder how they were going to pay for gas, or their student loans or food?
I know that I'm not starving African child (no offense Africa), and I am grateful for the things that I have, but I am honestly terrified of being poor my whole life. I am terrified that I won't be able to buy  my future children clothes for school (and no, I'm not pregnant, this is very far in the future we're talking here).
Which leads me back to my title "What's your secret?" I feel as if the whole world of successful people are all doing (or have done) something that I'm totally missing! I've read a whole lot of linkedin articles that try and tell me what my problem is, but with every adjustment of my resume, and every cover letter that I send into that abyss that is an online application I lose a little bit of faith in my dream to own my own puppy. Cause let's face it, owning and taking care of my own puppy will doubtlessly mean that I'm successful and happy... and that's all that I want.

Octumber

It was about time they got some new, cute couple pics.

This just goes to prove how good I am with kids.

These past two months have flown by faster than geese making their way south. I know how fast they fly because I often see/hear them thundering over my house at odd hours of the morning causing my resolve to "clean up" my language to temporarily disappear. 

Most of my time is spent at Joe's Basement observing the oddballs that I work with and enjoying the fragile emotions of the customers that walk through the door. Mark my words, restaurants have to deal with the widest variety of people you will ever see in any industry. Oh the stories we could tell. You want to sit in that booth because it's less "drafty"? Oh I'm sorry ma'am, put on a coat. I'm a hostess for a reason here people! Overall, it makes for an interesting time... to say the least.

When I'm not at work, I'm wishing I was at work so that I could have more money to pay my student bills... and when I'm not doing that I'm at my internship wishing it was my real job. I love sitting at my desk in our 250 year old building, and knowing that right below me are artifacts from ancient Egypt and art from 500 years ago. best. feeling. ever.

Now when I'm not at work, wishing I was at work, or wishing my internship was my work I often find myself taking pictures. My sister recently "hired" me to take her family portraits for Christmas. It was so fun to hang out with the nephews and they even paid for lunch after the shoot. Win win! It was my first time really working with kids in photography and let me tell you it was a challenge. I brought chocolate chips to bribe them with and I have to say it worked pretty well. The hardest part is making sure that everyone is looking at the camera at the same time. As a whole I'm really pleased with how they turned out.

I love this picture. Washington Park is gorgeous in autumn.

We took pictures at noon, It was a little challenging working with such strong sunlight.

Action shots often turn out to be some of my favorites. It's easier to capture "real" moments

I brought a blanket on a whim and it turned out to be real handy. Such a precious little family!

The boys loved the pond and the ducks, I couldn't resist capturing this shot.

Wedding Photography: A hobby that pays & tips!

Once you buy a nice camera all sorts of things can happen to you. When I purchased mine on a very expensive whim I never thought it would already have paid for itself!
I love going to weddings, they always make me want to settle down, hitch someone to this ole' wagon (aka myself...) and become a real housewife of Oklahoma or something, but did I ever think I would be doing wedding photography and getting paid for it!? Well... no. Do I love doing it? While I will neither answer in the affirmative or the negative, I will admit that it is slightly addicting.
I just shot my friend, and now cousin-in-laws' wedding two weekends ago and it was a blast! The wedding party was so fun, the theme "the perfect pair," was executed flawlessly and it is obvious that they both are really in love. 
While I'm trying to maintain a certain level of humility in my photography since I'm a novice, I do some kick ass work... go ahead and see for yourself! I've added what I think are some mildly helpful hints too.

1. Start cropping before you hit the computer, really be aware of how you are framing any subject

2. Use guiding lines in your picture. See how the bridesmaids hand leads the eye right to the bride?! That's not on accident people.

3. While this is not the angle for every bride, this shot is an interesting perspective and allows the viewer to catch great details of the dress.

4. Capture every dramatic moment! Here all the bridesmaids were offering the bride all sorts of advice on hair and make up. As a photographer always be snapping pics, even if you don't think it's relative- the unplanned pictures can be the best.

5. Do not be afraid to move around! When you're on location in the heat of things, make sure that you're taking pictures right on the front lines! All those annoying relatives might be mad that you're in their shot, but hey- it's your job to get the good pics... not theirs.

6. Don't hesitate to get up close and personal shots. I can say this easily, because this is a shot of my sister (who was a bridesmaid)... but for real, people let photographers do whatever we want, even if it's get in their face.

7. When taking posed portraits, phyiscally move your subjects. Sometimes it's hard to explain what hand you want to go where, so just go ahead and move their hand for them... trust me, they'll trust you and you'll look like you know what you're doing.

8. Be creative! I thought of this shot when I took couple pictures for some friends of mine and absolutely love it. Maybe it's not for everyone, but I like to think it's pretty cute and creative.

9. If the shoe fits, have the bridal party get crazy and fun! Here we see the classic "I want my bouquet back" shot... not sure if I saw this somewhere or thought of it myself... but I more than encourage this kind of behavior with every wedding party I work with. 

Living in the "real" world

Unlike my two college friends (Shar and Alicia) I didn't land a sweet career after graduation, that let me blog at work, a probable cause for why I don't blog quite as often.

However, akin to many recent graduates who have less than ideal jobs (for they are not careers), I am adjusting to the "real" world. I say "real" world because it kind of really sucks, so deep down nestled inside my inner most hopes and dreams, I hope beyond hope, that this isn't all there is. There is so much to worry about as an adult! Everyone told me that college would be the best four years of my life, what nobody told me is that I should stay in it forever, because the "real" world is about as much fun as a pet rock.

On the flip side I am grateful for all that I do have, being born in America I kinda won the "birth lottery" (as my sister likes to call it). Our standard of living is pretty high, even for lower middle class tyros like myself.
**** Side note**** In an effort to prepare for the GRE, aka the test to get into grad school, I have been studying my vocab. Don't know what tyro means?!?! it's a synonynm for novice or noobie/newb****

Despite my gratitude and appreciation for this impressively impulsive and consumer driven country, my lack luster job and garrulous {means excessively talkative} family, there are a few things I'd like to share about my ambiguous reality of living in the "real" world.

1. No one gives a hoot or a holler about you... for real.
2. You will inherently start caring more about taxes and the government once you see how much money they really take from you.
3. Everyone wants your money!!!
4. People want to cut you up, demean you and, eat you like kentucky fried chicken during Fat Tuesday... just because they can.
5. The grace period for students loan is not even close to being long enough
6. People expect you to wake up at a decent hour and be happy about it (this one is still challenging for me)
7. Societal norms... there are so many!
8. Having tact is like having a concelead weapon... not everyone has one, you know it's always there... and it protects you from wandering weirdos and casual acquaintance psychos.

Want to get the deets on what exactly I've been doing, check out my youtube video, you'll probably laugh.

Tsop Noitaudarg

My sweet Mother and I at graduation

The title of this blog doesn't look like English does it? Could be because its not... well not exactly. It's Post Graduation spelled backwards. Why would I and look like I all of the sudden know German or Norweigan? Because everything is currently all sorts of backwards after I received the blessing of Southern Utah University's diploma.

Backwards isn't necessarily bad... I've had a lot of fun so far this summer! I also have been completely unemployed up until last Thursday. Which, aside from my successful friends going off to work for cruise lines, fashion magazines, and I'm sure doing crazy things like solving world hunger, I'm completely fine with it.

I was apparently the most excited graduate this year

I'm also living at home... with my parents. Whom I obviously love, but whom I obviously am not adjusted to. After four years on my own its weird to be back. I've also realized parents have this habit of doing things there own way, even if it doesn't make the most sense. For example, my sweet mother refuses to use our dishwasher. This is not because our dishwasher is broken by any means, its because she prefers to use it as a really big drying rack... I can't even try and explain the logic of this to you. 

We kept it real SUU!

Another thing that's backwards is that I spend oodles of hours at the gym. Since I've had nothing else to do, it is not uncommon for me to spend 2 to 3 hours keeping up on my sweet bod...but really. Unfortunately, since I got my job, which is not even half as cool as working for a cruise line and is in fact only seasonal, that will be 8am to 4pm that will soon change though and all will go back to normal. By normal I mean the average time I spend working on these nice lookin arms and thighs will be about half an hour... maybe on an hour... on a good day.

There is so much to say and I'm so tired and don't want to say any of it, but I know everyone is on the edge of their seats waiting to here what I do with my wandering days in upstate NY. I wish there was a certain code, where I could just say one word and you would know exactly what I did and how I liked it and if I'd recommend it my readers. Until that code exists I'm going to retire to bed and may the ever present geeks of the world, the ones who also solve world hunger in the mean time,  be ever hard at work on that. My apologies my ever attentive audience, I'm going to pass out. 

Just around the Corner

Getting ready to peace out of here!

 Well virtual world, I must say these past four (4.5 to be exact) years in college have been a whirl. Graduation is just around the corner and all I seem to able to do is skip class. However, when I do attend it I am very productive and do my homework for other classes. Senioritis has hit hard.
This semester alone has been a wild time. With trips to Provo to visit Ben, Vegas to have some good times and Salt Lake to see old friends, I find that I have spent very little time in Cedar. The time that I have spent at home has been so fun as well though! My roommates and I have more adventures together than ever. I'm going to miss Kim so much! Hopefully Michelle and I will end up living together in a few months, so for us its more of a "see you later!"
Right now the plan for after graduation is to move home to New York for the summer and Arizona or Cali after summer. I know I know, its a total cop-out to move home after graduation, but with student bills looming in the near future not paying rent is the best option right now! Plus I'm super excited to spend time with my nephews and see Randy and Amanda's new house.

Avoiding homework at Bonfire with the brother

Now may I speak to those who are going to graduate in the near future. Speaking from the perspective of someone who still has yet to find a job, I have some suggestions on how to maintain sanity.
1. It really is ALL about who you know, so get to know LOTS of people really fast and leave good impressions. Try to get to know people who already have jobs and not just college students since all they can do is guide you to the nearest twitter update.
2. Stay calm, have a back-up plan for you back-up plan and be okay with it if it happens.
3. Do internships!!! They are the best way to get you ahead in this highly competitive job market
4. Don't be afraid to ask from help, from friends, your school and linkedin
5. Join Linkedin
6. Do you assignments your senior semester early!! It leaves you oceans more stress free
7. Remember that you have your whole life ahead of you. Good grief you don't need that desk job right away... ya never know! maybe I'll go to Peru and pick bananas for a year... I'd be an excellent crop herder

Love my little sister K-new. So many good times together this semester. 

Surprises!

Surprises are pretty much my fave, and that's pretty much what this whole semester has been so far. One big surprise. Not all of them are totally welcome, but that's life. Gotta rolllll with the punches.
Since 2012 has began I have received the following surprises:
1. I have been able to see my brother Ben in provo at least once a week! It's so nice to have family close by and the drive isn't bad and always worth it. His roommates have become like family- and it is so much fun to have 3 new big brothers.
2. My little sister Kaily and I have become very close all over again. I really appreciate the effort she's put in, especially since it's my last semester.
3. My classes are hard. My last semester of school is harder than stale bread, but I'm learning a lot as well.
4. And lastly... just wait for it... I have a boyfriend! Out of the blue right?!?! I'll give you the quick 411. His name is Dane (he is pictured above), he's 23 and a business marketing major. His favorite color is green, his favorite animal is a zebra, he is from Michigan and he goes to byu-idaho. That last lil fact is the clincher. I've never really done a long-distance relationship in college, but so far its working out better than expected! He is all of the wonderful. To be honest, I'm a lil scared because things don't always work out and we're moving pretty fast (especially compared to my last relationship), but then I remember this is life- and life... well it has surprises! And Dane has certainly been my favorite one so far.