KMA Anniversary

Today I celebrate my one-year anniversary working for Kevin at KMA Architects.

The year has gone fast and I'm still in denial that it is getting cold outside. Why is summer so short? Pretty soon I will be struggling to find the lines in our tiny parking lot -- opting instead to park on the street just so I can guarantee that I don't hit anybody. Our parking lot is super small and super squishy. It typically requires a 15 point turn to get out.

Work is still going well. I take it as a good sign that Kevin is constantly reminding me to find my potential husbands ONLY among Utah boys. I think he's afraid that if I end up with someone from out of state, I'll leave prematurely.

The things that I like best about KMA versus other jobs - especially office jobs - I've held are the following:

• I work for the most part, with all men. They are easy going, low-maintenance, hilariously funny and sometimes chivalrous. They are efficient. They still have just the right amount of gossipy-ness.
• The firm is really casual. It's not a big corporate office with corporate policies and fancy lawyers and such. It isn't a small company that is trying to seem like a big company by doing things that are way beyond its abilities. We're just KMA, and we do what we want.
• That means that my letters and proposals and anything I write can be as informal or formal as I deem necessary. I have way more leverage over the collateral that goes out, and I like that.
• We're busy. There is no talk of buy-outs or unhappy investors or needing work. 
• I'm not always busy...and for the most part, I don't have to pretend that I am.
• There's no office drama. Or, there is, but it's usually hilarious instead of annoying. For the most part, the guys are all friends and you can see it in the way they interact with each other. It makes for a much nicer working environment.

In order to commemorate the year mark, I baked an apple cheesecake. There are only a few who have been able to taste this most delicious thing, however, I made it this morning instead of last night and I was too worried about burning it, that I undercooked it. And it only had six hours to set up - which, everyone knows 24 hours is better - leaving it soupy. I was pretty disappointed that it didn't turn out, but really...it's still delicious tasting, if not properly set up. The guys are picky eaters, but they still seem to eat some of the disasters that I've brought in. So I guess that's a good thing.

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You can click the link on the right hand of this blog to take you to Lulu.com, where Unrealized Dreams can be purchased. I think the code will work on the ebook version as well, which is a cheaper alternative.

Tagged

1. Milk Chocolate or Dark Chocolate? It depends for what it is... and what is paired with it. But, dark usually triumphs over milk.

2. What's your favorite color? I have no idea. I love color combinations. My favorite: the fall colors. Cranberry, true green with golds and browns. Or pink and black. Or that robin egg blue with green and creams. Those ugly mustardy yellows and greens. I see a pattern, I think I like green the best.

3. Do you have any creative hobbies? I like to write. I like to craft - for about 5 minutes at a time. I want to learn how to sew and decorate cakes and I really wish I could design things... I wish I were more creative than I am. But I suppose I am more creative than those who are not creative at all...

4. What was your favorite subject in school? I loved English. And History. And Geography. And Art.

5. What is your favorite season and why? Fall. Fall has the best holidays, the best foods, the best smells, the best temperature, the best wardrobe, the best color palette (see above). It makes me ridiculously happy.

6. Who inspires you to sing like crazy when no one is around? Like Carla, I love Celine and Mariah. I will belt out their songs like nobody's business. And that's always best when no one is around, because I sound terrible. Of course, sometimes it is a necessity to sing "There were nights when the wind was so cold..." to the poor unsuspecting visitors and un-knowledgeable roommates.

7. What's your favorite dessert? Can you make it? How do you pick a favorite dessert? And yes. I can make it.

8. How did you learn to cook? My mother. And trial and error. And the internet. But mostly my mom.

Design Whiplash

Yes.... I needed my blog to pay tribute to one of the greatest holidays.

I've been in denial that summer is over. If it weren't for the fact that it is now dark when I look out the window, I think I would still disbelieve. The only thing that isn't depressing me at this very moment, is the fact that my room is probably going to get very chilly because I left the windows open... and I LOVE that.

Also... I think it is time to buy the stuff to make chili. Mom! I wish you were here to make me chili. That's like, my favorite thing ever. Chili + fall = bliss.

Yup, William... I know what we are having for dinner on Thursday. (It's not chili, but I just thought of it...!)

Raindrops and Lemondrops....

I don't know why I chose that title.

Yesterday the weather could not make up its mind. It was kind of perfect fall weather, blustery and rainy one minute, warm and sunny the next. It was dark for most of the morning and looked like it would rain. And then it did rain for a few minutes; after which, the sun came out and I thought we were good for the day.

I don't have A/C in my car, so I often get caught with my windows down when the sun is out. And since it had already rained, I figured that it was done for the day when I got back for lunch.

But then the afternoon turned really windy. The clouds rolled in, dark and looming. And I had forgotten all about my windows. By the time there was a torrential downpour outside, I decided to go check it out and make sure my windows were up.

I looked out the back window, and all I saw was Todd trying to get out of his car and into the office as soon as possible. I opened the door so that at least he didn't have to deal with that 2-second endeavor, and asked, "Did you happen to notice..."

"Your windows are down," he was saying as I handed my keys to him. He took them without question, confirmed that he had the right key, handed me his i-pod to hold and ran back into the deluge. 

He came back in a few minutes looking as though he had jumped in a pool with all his clothes on.

Sometimes the guys are rude, crude and unrefined. They talk about things that are straight up inappropriate (albeit, hilarious more often than not). And most the time, chivalry wins out and they don't make you run out into the monsoon.