Justin Paxton

Well this post is long overdue and I had great intentions of writing this right away, but it slipped my mind. Before it seems like I’ve waited too long to write this, I’d thought I’d hash it out.

Work had been extremely busy right before Memorial Day weekend with Fossil Swiss taking up a majority of time. A few 10-12 hour days later, I was packed and ready to head to Seattle and Portland. Why those cities? Well, in Seattle, I was meeting up with my two friends I studied abroad with and Portland was to spend some time with a close TCU friend who was in Neely Fellows with me. I left 90+ degree Dallas for a beautiful, 65-degree Seattle on Friday, May 24th. My friend who lives in Seattle, Calvin, picked me up from the airport in his Ford Escape. I didn’t know he had a car and it turns out that he doesn’t, but was nice enough to rent one for the weekend. We chatted on our way into the city and I was reminded of the green, lush trees and ferns as we glided into Seattle. The city itself sits right on the coast and moves upward on a hill. My friend lives in Capitol Hill, I trendy area for yuppies and those who want to be close to the city, but don’t want to feel like they are right downtown.

We dropped off my stuff and then went to check out the University of Washington. Besides just hanging out with friends, I also picked Seattle and Portland to check out two schools I’m interested in for grad school. The University of Washington was enormous, with a mix of modern buildings and old world charm. I was impressed by the campus and LOVED the business building. A modern, glass enclosed structure, it protruded out across the top of the hill and provided excellent views of the water. The rooftop garden and other features also made me want to place my application right away. Our friend Katie came in to Seattle around 5:00 p.m., but thankfully everyone left early, so we hit no traffic trudging back to the airport. We bought her red velvet cake since she has a sweet tooth only to find out she can’t eat gluten anymore. It was a rough revelation. There is literally no possible way I would survive. That night we went to dinner at Quinn’s in Capitol Hill where I ate a dish with giant octopus. I decided to be adventurous, but was honestly terrified I was going to hate my dish. While a bit gummy, it was actually delicious on top of the quinoa salad. Later we drank with Calvin’s friends and played Cards Against Humanity.

After a short nights sleep, we headed down to Pikes Place and the market for breakfast. Right smack in downtown, the market might have some of the most beautiful and inexpensive flowers I’ve ever seen. We had these breakfast pastries at Piroshky Piroshky that were so soft and buttery I could have eaten ten! Though we didn’t see anyone throwing fish since no one was buying fish at the time, I enjoyed the atmosphere and feel of the market. We headed down the gum wall, which looks exactly as it sounds. Literally an entire wall covered in thousands and thousands of pieces of gum. Some find it disgusting, but I found it intriguing. My friend from TCU, Kelsey, met us at the market as she had just made it in to town from Portland. That afternoon we decided to go wine tasting and tried some Washington wines. The vineyards were further away, but many of the big wineries have built tasting buildings about twenty miles north of Seattle. That evening we made Asian food for dinner, as Calvin is probably one of the best cooks I know. All I had to do was make rice in the rice cooker, which was somehow more challenging than it looked. We drank some more and played card games again. We had intentions of making it out, but it just didn’t happen.

Sunday started with brunch near the Amazon headquarters. Calvin told us about a place that had a breakfast bar with fresh fruit and homemade whipped cream. He said the line could be long, but we all needed serious food that morning, so we were fine with the line. The hostess was probably the worst estimator of wait time ever. Our “30 minute wait” took over an hour, but the food was worth it. We all ordered the rancher’s breakfast, which came with bacon, rosemary country potatoes, eggs, and a side of pancakes or french toast. The breakfast bar did not disappoint and made us all feel better. Calvin and Katie took a nap, while Kelsey and I wandered the neighborhood and got coffee. We were going to go to this bigger coffee shop when we stumbled upon a Airstream coffee shop. We decided, “why not?” The coffee was excellent, and the people were definitely weird. They invited us inside, which made us a bit claustrophobic and the conversation veered on obscure the whole time. We went to the sculpture museum in the afternoon and walked along the water. Seattle is definitely scenic, basically surrounded by forest and immense bodies of water. We somehow made it to the folk life festival which must have had the most hippies and liberals in a square radius ever known to mankind. We saw snake charmers, a jam tent, a couple with a pig, and some crazy artwork. People watching was prime to say the least. On a positive note, there was some great food and music. In the evening we went to a tapas place which had excellent food and actually made it out that night to the Unicorn, a famous bar in Capitol Hill. 

Lack of sleep seemed to catch up to Kelsey and I as we said our goodbyes and started our road trip to Portland. We had great weather in Seattle, but it rained the whole drive back. We ended up taking naps when we got back and then went to check out some antique stores in Sellwood. Pizza and some strange artwork browsing later we were feeling much better and ready to conquer Portland. We drove over to the “trendy third” as Kelsey calls it. I would define it as yuppie hipster Portland, where the rest of Portland might be considered grunge/outdoor hipster. They had some great boutiques and restaurants, but we came for ice cream at Salt & Straw. With flavors such as “pear and gorgonzola” and “strawberry honey balsamic,” I knew I was going to be in for a new sensory experience. Luckily, the place encouraged samples so I could try the weird ones, but ended up with the albeit conservative “salted caramel.” 

Tuesday morning Kelsey headed off to work and I met my aunt for lunch in the city. Kelsey’s cousin was nice enough to offer a ride on her way to school. Lunch with my aunt was great. I hadn’t seen her in over two years, so we chatted about my job, their new property, and of course what the other family members were up to. I then met up with two friends from TCU, Tyler and Trent, and we wandered around the city. Tyler had just come back from studying abroad and Trent was a Frog Aides executive team member, so I had lots of questions for them. A little giant chess later, I was back on my way to “Happy Valley,” where Kelsey lives. I did check out Portland State and was not super impressed. While a true commuter school, the campus is older and dated. It would be nice to live and go to school right in the heart of the city, but job prospects in Portland beyond Nike and Adidas are slim. I met my cousin and his two kids for dinner, which was a blast. They are growing up so fast and I was glad to get to hang out with them for a while. Before I knew it, I headed back and started packing for my flight the next day. I took the train to the airport in the morning and came back to a humid, but clear Dallas.

Overall the trip was fantastic. It was great to catch up with old friends and family as well as meet some new people along the way. Seattle was a much bigger, but spread out city compared to Portland. I loved the food and the scenery that surrounds Seattle, However, the layout and people leave much to be desired. For a city that touts sustainability and cutting-edge companies, you would think they would have public transportation beyond buses. Portland, on the other hand, is much more cozy and the people are friendlier. Both cities had parts I enjoyed and parts I wish could be different. I have yet to find my “perfect” city, at least here in the U.S. 

After not seeing my parents since Christmas, we decided to meet up in Nashville to try out a new state and a new city. My Mom had been wanting to go to Nashville for a while, and I’m always interested in checking out a new city. I”m not exactly sure how, but Dad agreed to come, even though he hates flying. We left on a Wednesday afternoon and stayed through Sunday.

Wednesday night we got in and it was nice weather. We had no problem getting to our hotel and noticed that there was lots of natural limestone and trees everywhere. Nashville was definitely beating DFW in the nature department. We weren’t sure how safe it was to walk around in downtown Nashville, so we went to the restaurant next to our hotel and ate mediocre Italian food.

Thursday morning we were up bright and early. We walked to Broadway and saw Tootsies, a famous bar where many country singers have drank before/after their shows at the Ryman Auditorium. The Ryman Auditorium started out as a church and large preaching hall. Nashville at one point had over 100 saloons and the first owner of the Ryman wanted to bring some morals back into the city. The church was eventually sold and singers, comedians, and random acts would come to the Ryman. The building was beautiful, even though it is older. The church’s influence on the place is seen in the pew like seating and stained glass windows at the back of the auditorium. We then headed 1.5 hours away to Lynchburg, TN (yes the name of the town is not a joke), where the Jack Daniel’s distillery is located. The town was beyond cute, and even though its a dry county, Jack Daniel’s is allowed to produce, just not sell in the county. Our tour guide reminded us of our cousin Chris and we could have totally seen him giving the tour. Two major things I learned about Jack Daniel’s/whiskey - 1) The difference between bourbon and whiskey is that bourbon goes straight from 120 proof clear alcohol to the barrel, while whiskey is usually passed through charcoal before being put in a barrel. 2) Jack Daniel’s does not reuse their barrels. These barrels actually are given to the Tabasco company, where they place their Tabasco in the JD barrels for flavoring. We were able to sample (1/3 of a shot) Gentleman’s Jack, Old No. 7, and Single Barrel. I’m not the biggest whiskey person, but the Gentleman’s Jack is really smooth. That night we went to CityHouse in Germantown, an up-and-coming area in Nashville. The area is still pretty industrial, but condos and apartments are starting to pop up. The restaurant had a very homey, natural feeling to it. We all enjoyed our meal and catching up! We headed over to Patterson House, an old speak easy bar, that my friends Kate and Marcus told me about. The menu of drinks was never ending and the vibe was very swanky/cool.

Friday was much different weather than the day before, with a high of 55 degrees. Dad thought he was going to be fine in shorts and a t-shirt, but by mid-day he was too cold to handle it. We went to the Hermitage in the morning, which is where President Andrew Jackson lived. The property was a working cotton plantation, with roughly 100 slaves working in some capacity/area of the Hermitage. We were able to tour the house, which was large for the time and was ornately decorated in French decor. Dad was happy this portion was indoors, since the majority of the walking and site-seeing was outside. Even in jeans and a sweater, the biting wind made being outside for too long uncomfortable. The upside of my Dad being cold was that he didn’t take FOREVER to read every little detail. What would have normally taken us 4 hours, only took 2.5 hours! We went over by Belmont University (which was a beautiful campus) and had some great BBQ. We even passed by a boutique that created and sewed all their own clothes. Later in the day we saw the Parthenon, the only life-sized replica in the world. This was created as a temporary exhibition piece for Tennessee’s 100 year celebration as a state, but was never torn down. We passed through Vanderbilt and then saw a hotel that was converted from a train station. The lobby was stunning and the rooms were all very unique.

Friday night we were going to the Grand Ole Opry. We headed over early to see the hotel, which was AMAZING. It was a Gaylord hotel, so I knew it would be lavish and over-the-top. However, I was not prepared for the sheer size and mass of the hotel, nor the ridiculous number of gardens and greenery. It was a truly stunning hotel. I didn’t really know what to expect of the Grand Ole Opry, but I was pleasantly surprised. First off, the Grand Ole Opry performance is a radio show. This meant there was a new host every half hour, who would bring on special guests to sing. There were commercials at least twice every half an hour, but it was more amusing than annoying. The bands were all country, and ranged from Darius Rucker to an old-school banjo-type ballad group. We lucked out and they were filming a performance for Nashville (the TV show) during one of the half-hour sessions. Maybe you’ll see me on TV on May 15th!

Saturday morning the weather had turned for the better and looked like it would be a gorgeous day. We went to the Country Music Hall of Fame in the morning and learned all about Patsy Cline, the birth of country, and about the “Bakersfield sound.” I would have never guessed that Bakersfield would have been the place to be for country on the west coast, but it was huge back in the 50s/60s. We then went to the Yahzoo Brewery out in the Gulch, another up-and-coming area that is a LEED certified community! The beer was very good, with more of a European style. Fun fact:  the husband is the brew master and the wife creates the designs for the beer bottles. I wish they would sell in Texas, but they haven’t really moved beyond Mississippi. That afternoon we walked around downtown and saw some government buildings and Printer’s Alley. We even walked over the walking bridge and took some great pictures of downtown. That night we ate at Merchants, a restaurant that has been in Nashville since 1892. The food was delicious; I would recommend it to anyone who goes to Nashville!

Sunday we took our time getting ready and ended up walking around one of the lakes nearby Nashville before heading back to the airport. I think this was one of the only trips where EVERYONE loved the city. Nashville literally blew my mind. It was clean, had lots of culture and spunk, and was very homey. It was Southern, but kind of hipster. It had lots of museums and little neighborhoods with its own charm. Most importantly, it had lots of beautiful scenery, with its constant limestone and trees. Nashville is truly a special city, one I won’t forget.

About a month into the new position I was able to take my first vacation since going home for the Holidays. I ended up going from Boston from Friday, March 15 to Monday, March 18^th. I had never been to Boston before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. All I knew was that it was going to be REALLY cold. The warmest it ever reached while I was there was a balmy 45 degrees.

Other than wanting to check out the city and see what St. Patrick’s Day in Boston was like, the main reason for going to Boston was catching up with some friends I studied abroad with in Australia. It had been over two years since I had seen two of them! I took the subway to my friend’s apartment, who lives in Brookline, a suburb of Boston. Thought it was only 15 miles from the airport, the public transportation was borderline archaic and very inefficient. After what felt like 30 stops later, I arrived in Brookline. The suburb is very close to Boston College, where Erin (my friend) went to school. Everything was very quaint and cute, and she lives in an old brick apartment complex.

I was the earliest to arrive, so Erin and I went to Boston College because I was interested in seeing the campus. It is very pretty, especially the academic buildings, but the dorms looked a bit rough. We grabbed some pizza for dinner (pizza was a common theme of the weekend) and then headed to the airport to pick up the other one flying in. Kristen, who lives in Connecticut, drove down. We went downtown for the night at a dueling piano bar, which was a lot of fun. I got the lovely experience of doing a shot of tequila with no chaser. (And no Dad, it was house tequila, so I would need a chaser.)

Erin and I were always the early risers of the group, and nothing had changed there. We were the first ones up and we picked up her boyfriend and did the freedom trail in the morning. We started at the old state building, walked down through the cemetery where Benjamin Franklin is buried, saw the Boston Massacre, and went to Faneuil Hall. It was freezing that morning, so we grabbed some hot chocolate and then went to a party store for some St. Patrick’s Day gear.

After that, it was “darty time” or day party time. We went to a few house parties and got to meet Erin’s friends. One house had chandeliers in every room; I’m not quite sure why they would rent it out to college age students…We went to a sandwich place for dinner and then headed to a local bar that night.

St. Patrick’s Day morning came early, and I made chocolate chip pancakes. We didn’t have eggs, so I was able to make do with unhealthy quantities of vegetable oil. We cabbed down to South Boston, which wasn’t that far, but Boston was built far before the idea of a grid. Streets are never straight, lead to weird places, and it seemed like all the lights are timed horribly. I sometimes thought it might be faster to walk, or dare I was it, take the public transportation. Once in South Boston, I immediately liked the area. It is older, but has unique shops and stores, with a bit more of a beachy vibe. We went to a house party that was right on the parade out with a killer view. If it wasn’t so cold outside, I could have stared out at the skyline for hours.

The parade itself was semi-interesting, but nowhere near as exciting as I was expecting. Thankfully the people at the house were entertaining. I also ran into someone who went to TCU freshman year and transferred to BC sophomore year. What a small world that I’m in Boston for a weekend and we happen to run into each other! We cabbed back to Brookline and then ate some pizza for dinner with some delicious cheesy bread. Vegetables and fruit were sorely lacking over the weekend, but Boston does have good pizza!

Monday morning, everyone headed home and Erin went to work. My flight didn’t leave until 1:50, so I walked around in the morning and tried to stay warm along the way.  I took the subway back to the airport and came back to a nice and warm 70 degree DFW. It was great to catch up with everyone as we don’t always talk very frequently. I liked Boston for its historic sites and old-world charm. However, the cold weather and spread out nature of the city was a bit of drag. Would I go back – definitely! Anytime soon? Not so sure about that.

I have almost been in the office for a month now, and there has definitely been some adjustments I’ve had to make. I am happy to move forward and progress in my career, but man those brand rep days will be gratefully remembered.

Office Adjustment #1 - Sitting ALL DAY. To go from a job where I stood for hours at a time, to sitting in a chair for 90% of the day has been hard. The first week, my legs were so uncomfortable. Now, it’s much more natural. I try to get up and talk to people instead of using the phone to get my circulation going.

Office Adjustment #2 - No more afternoon snack attacks. In the brand rep program I would get home mid-to-late afternoon and would go on a rampage in the fridge. Now, I don’t get home until dinner, so that afternoon snack attack can’t exactly happen anymore. The first two weeks, I would get intense growling noises around 3:30 p.m. Now, I make sure to eat some almonds and an apple or other piece of fruit in the afternoon and I make it until dinner.

Office Adjustment #3 - The ever-growing to-do list. This is still a big adjustment that I’m starting to come to grips with. In the brand rep program, I would complete a store a day. My to-do list would consist of whatever needed to get done at that store and then I would create one for the next day. In the office, my projects are much longer and there are multiple projects going on at the same time. At first, I would feel very stressed when my to-do kept growing, but now I just prioritize and make sure due dates for each one are clear. It’s definitely a work in progress.

Office Adjustment #4 - The computer screen. In the brand rep program, I was merchandising product all day or working with sales associates. The only time I was ever in front of a computer was to send emails or to surf the web when I got home. Now, I’m in front of a computer almost all day. A meeting can be a welcome relief, unless I have to bring the computer. My eyes and body are adjusting, but I hope I won’t need glasses anytime soon!

Overall, I am enjoying life in the office. I’m meeting people on so many teams that I already well connected within the building. In just a month, I feel like I’m bringing a lot to the table and helping to streamline processes by making them more clear and concrete. The adjustments will get easier, but man, I had it good.

Off to Boston this weekend for St. Patrick’s Day. I guess you will already know what the next blog post will be about!

Well, it’s official, I have started in the office today. No more field time, later mornings or early afternoons depending on the day and how much work there was at my stores. Now it’s sitting in a desk, staring at a computer, and living the office life. I know that makes it sound terrible, because I am actually very, very excited for my new role as Global Wholesale Operations Coordinator. While I enjoyed being out in the field and working with the product, I was missing the strategic and analytical challenges that were relinquished when I graduated. The nerd in me (which let’s be real, is pretty prominent) can’t wait to be looking at reports, making suggestions, and keeping track of everything.

So what exactly am I doing? Well good question, it’s not even that clear to my department as of now. My job description is assisting the operations teams in regards to non-product inventory (marketing collateral, fixturing, and anything that isn’t the actual product itself) for Fossil watch, leathers, and jewelry. This department itself is relatively new and while we have goals, the processes and procedures aren’t all in the place. Though somewhat daunting, I’m excited to play a role in developing the processes and best practices to use across product categories. I will also get to meet LOTS of people in the office, which will help me determine what path I want to take at Fossil.

In other news, my grandparents are in town and it was nice to spend time with them and my aunt and uncle this past weekend. On Saturday, we went up to the Fossil store and while I was just getting my birthday present, the whole family found something for themselves too! Glad that Fossil can cater to everyone! :)

On Sunday, we went to Pecan Lodge BBQ in the farmer’s market and waited an hour for the most amazing BBQ in Dallas. My Uncle wasn’t quite sure it was going to be that good, but after he got the biggest beef rib he’d ever seen, I think he changed his mind. We were supposed to go to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, but I didn’t know we were supposed to buy tickets in advance! Whoops! So instead, we walked over to Klyde Warren Park and then around Highland Park. I’ll see them for my birthday on Wednesday and then before they leave on Saturday. It’s always nice to see some family and break up my GMAT studying.

Day 2 in the office should be less videos and more meetings. I’ll be glad to stay away from SAP for a day and delve into people’s jobs and how I will be working with them. Here’s to not just another day in the office.

It’s hard to believe it, but I have been working for Fossil for 6 months now! My six month anniversary was last Wednesday, as one of the other brand reps pointed out. It doesn’t feel like I have been working for Fossil that long, which makes me think time will start to fly by even faster.

Work in general has slowed down. Sales at Macy’s and Dillard’s were huge throughout New Years, leaving me with little stock in watches. We aren’t getting big shipments in until right before Valentine’s Day, so I’m currently attempting to sell the leftovers from Holiday. This makes for shorter working days and I am back to Netflix and long work-outs in the late afternoon. I have picked up a new GMAT Math workbook, because the practice test I took didn’t go so well in the math department. In high school, math was one of my strongest subjects, but not using simple math and writing frequently in college has changed me into an English freak. The math book so far has been solid and I am getting a better and better grasp on simple concepts that I have long forgotten or blocked out of my mind.

I finally rode my bicycle for the first time last weekend. After spending many hours trying to piece it back together (all it needed done was putting on petals, the front wheel, and the front brake), I had been waiting for the weather to get better. I am also afraid of riding around Dallas because they aren’t the nicest nor the most patient drivers. Defense riding cannot be overstated in this town. I rode my bike to a coffee shop last week and practiced some GMAT. In the morning I checked the weather app and it wasn’t supposed to rain until 2:00 p.m. Of course, Texas being Texas, it starts raining at 12:00 p.m., right when I want to head back home. I tried to wait it out, but the rain was not letting up, so I rode home in the rain. It was exhilarating, but my shoes and most of my clothes were soaked by the time I got back. Note to self:  don’t trust weather apps, if it is going to rain in Texas, assume it could be anytime that day.

The real reason for this blog post though is an email I received two weeks ago from my boss titled “Exciting Opportunities.” All the brand reps received it and speculated what it might be. I thought it was going to talk about presentations we were supposed to work on, others thought it was about new job openings, and some thought it was going to be something infinitesimal. Last Wednesday, we arrived at the office dying to hear what these “exciting opportunities” where. They ended up being job opportunities that we could transition into now! The one I have applied for is Global Wholesale Operations Coordinator. I would be in charge of inventory and shipping of all non-product materials and I would work with operations, marketing, merchandising and other departments. I want to learn more about the position through the interview and see if it will be a good fit for me. Part of me is torn because I want to shadow other people in Fossil and I’m not quite ready for the office yet. However, the other part of me knows that I won’t want to wait until August to go into the office. I interview next week, so we shall see what happens.

Here’s to new opportunities and where ever they will take me.

It has been over six months since I have been home, and while it wasn’t exactly relaxing, it was a well needed break. The Holiday season being busy and stressful was an understatement. While some days were easier, many days were long and filled with aggravated customers who just wanted to be rung up for their purchases. News flash people: I work for FOSSIL, not Macy’s, so I CAN’T ring you up! Sorry, but don’t give me those dirty looks. Complain to Macy’s about not hiring enough people. 

My trip home started out with a two hour delay, as San Francisco had low visibility. I was just happy to get out, since my Aunt and Uncle’s flight was cancelled earlier that day. The weekend consisted mainly of family time. The guys saw Jack Reacher in theaters on Saturday and Sunday concluded with ample amounts of football. Christmas Eve was spent at my grandparent’s house on my Mom’s side. We had breakfast and it was absolutely delicious. I received many things on my Christmas list and it was great to see everyone back this year. Everyone got Fossil gifts from me of course!

Christmas Day we headed up to Reno at 4:30 a.m. (Yes, you read that correctly.) We went skiing at Alpine Meadows and the morning was a bit breezy and sunny with patches of leftover powder from Sunday. Thankfully, we got some fresh snow in the afternoon and the skiing was AMAZING. Each run I was able to find some fresh powder to ski in. The mild winter last year meant I didn’t get to ski, so this more than made up for it. In Reno, we stayed with my grandmother on my Dad’s side. Wednesday involved some errands with her and some thrift store shopping. Unfortunately, I didn’t find another great button down like last year that has gotten so many compliments for its ridiculousness. I did find a great vegetarian cookbook though! (Possibly going to my friend Amy for her birthday, but it is almost too good to give up!) We headed home on Thursday and this was finally the first day I was able to relax a bit.

For some reason, I was starting to miss Dallas at this point, but going in to the city took that nostalgia away instantly. We headed to a new area of the city we had never explored, called the Hayes Valley District. I wanted to check out a store that carried a big selection of Nudie jeans. We passed by this familiar looking complex that I had read about in my GreenSource magazine. In fact, we parked right next to it and I got to see and experience Proxy SF. It is an example of flexible urbanism, using shipping containers to house local businesses and is a trans-formative space. They are currently in phase 2 of 4, with an art gallery coming to meld with the coffee shop, ice cream shop, and biergarden already set up! Hayes Valley was more than I could have hoped for. Though the stores had pricey clothing, I found some good stuff and we ate lunch at Hayes Grove which was pure bliss. I had the Berkeley Bowl and I felt so healthy. Their hummus was also equally good. We drove over to Westfield Mall and hit up Fossil and JCrew and then picked up some chocolate from TCHO at Pier 17. Best. Day. Ever.

Saturday I saw my grandparents, aunt, and 1 1/2 year old cousin. We played with a bubble machine and a plastic bat and baseball. Oh to be that young again without a care in the world. I played badmitton that day with some high school friends, which must have worked some different muscles, because I was SORE the next day. (It is kind of embarrassing. Next thing you know I’ll be sore from ping pong.) Sunday came all to soon and I was at the airport waiting for my flight to take off when it got cancelled. Thanks American Airlines, you’re the sweetest. Thankfully there was room on the 2:25 flight, so I was able to have lunch with my Mom and Aunt before heading back to the airport. I thought they lost my bags, but it was just in another terminal.

If home is truly where the heart is, then my heart is torn into two pieces. Part of me is starting to love Dallas and Texas in general. I enjoy having some wide open spaces, friendly people, and a lower cost of living. It is great to see friends from college and experience everything that comes with living in a big city. There are events going on and new things popping up before your eyes in our neighborhood. Fossil has been a great experience so far and I love the company, its products, and ultimately its culture. Redwood City has become somewhat static to me. I love the weather and all the outdoor activity around. The farmer’s markets, local organic cafes, and countless trees and wait for it, ELEVATION, is refreshing. However, Dallas is starting to get these things too, slowly, but surely. I wish I was closer to my family so I could see them more. My close friends here have family nearby and it can be depressing to think I won’ be seeing mine for a minimum of 4 months. I would love, love, love to live in San Francisco, but the cost of living is way more than here. I would love to go back to West Coast, but home is starting to become relative. My true home will always be with my parents in Redwood City (they aren’t moving anytime soon), but a new home seems to be emerging. (Cheer all you want Uncle Jon.) There is a saying that if you live in Texas you may never leave. I hope this doesn’t happen to me, but the state is starting to drive its claws into my back and may keep me here for a while. Who knows, maybe forever.

My parents came into town for Thanksgiving weekend and it was an amazing time. There were some ups and downs in the weekend (mainly between Mom and Dad bickering about directions), but it was so nice to have them here with me in Dallas. Two of my co-workers have parents who live close by and while I don’t need to see my parents every week, going four months without seeing their faces is a very long time.

My parents came in on Wednesday night and made it to their hotel without getting lost. If only that trend would have continued throughout the weekend. We met up and went to dinner at a local pizza place in Deep Ellum (the up-and-coming area of Dalas). It was voted best pizza by D-Magazine, and Canne Rosso never disappoints. Some beer, fried artichokes, salad, and a pizza later, we headed over for a some custard at Wild About Harry’s. We talked about Fossil, grad school, what I want to do with my life, and random things that we never seem to get to on our Sunday night talks. They left my apartment at 9:15, and the drive to their hotel should take 10-15 minutes. At 10:10, I get a call letting me know they made it home. I thought they drove to Oklahoma and back, but no, they just got lost in downtown Dallas and who knows where on their way to the hotel.

On Thursday we were having dinner at the ranch with my Aunt and Uncle, but we stopped by TCU to see the new stadium. Mom and Dad were impressed with the pedestrian-friendliness of the stadium, but were disappointed that my brick wasn’t in the actual stadium foundation, but on the pathway outside of the student gate. We attempted a family picture and headed out to the ranch. Mom and Sheri (my aunt) slaved away in the kitchen while the men watched football. We offered to help, but beyond taking the turkey in and out of the oven, I got to sit back and relax. Dinner was delicious, and I brought back enough left overs to last me at least a week. We drove back and my parents dropped me off at my apartment. Travel time from my apartment to their hotel on night 2 = 35 minutes. I got a call with Dad angrily yelling in the background. Divorce seemed evident, I guess I should have picked a closer, easier to find hotel.

I worked on Black Friday at Macy’s in Plano, a suburb of Dallas. It was pure pandemonium on the sales floor. I walk in to my wallets in complete disarray, the shoe area looked like World War 3, but thankfully watches was still intact. My parents met me at the mall to look at my car since my headlight went out. They got lost again on the way, and my Dad repeatedly told me he wasn’t coming back to Dallas ever again. I was going to take them over to the Fossil store, but sensing serious aggravation, I let them go to Bone Daddy’s, the Hooter’s of BBQ. Needless to say, that put Dad in a better mood. I met up with them in the afternoon where Dad fixed some things around my apartment. (I wish I could be 10% as handy as him.) We left to dinner at a German restaurant with Monique and Kelsey and their parents. It was an absolute blast and the food was delicious. I went over the directions again and made them even more clear than before. They finally made it without getting lost and realized how easy it was! (Thank the lord.)

Saturday we headed to the Farmer’s Market and got some Pecan Lodge BBQ. It is the best BBQ in Dallas and the brisket and mac n’ cheese was delectable. We headed over to the Deep Ellum Brewing Company, where we got 3 beers and a glass for $10. It was a beautiful day to sit outside and I think Dad was finally starting to relax and settle in to Dallas. Mom, who doesn’t drink beer, probably could have cared less about the brewery, but making Dad happy is always a win in her book. We went walking in Highland Park in the afternoon (the ritzy area of Dallas) and made salmon, red potatoes, and asparagus at the apartment for dinner. It was nice to sit back and relax for the evening.

Sunday we were supposed to got to church at 8:45 a.m., until I realized the service was at 8. Thankfully I checked beforehand, so we went and took a Christmas card picture on a lagoon and then went to Zion Lutheran Church. The service was super, super conservative. The people were very friendly, and the pastor was nice, but all I wanted was a little guitar and drums in my morning worship. Since church didn’t get over to 11:45 and my parents needed to leave by 1:15, brunch was out. We headed back to my apartment and ate at Velvet Taco, our favorite gourmet taco shop in Dallas. My parents headed out to the airport on time.

It was so nice getting to see them for a long period of time. I could tell Mom wasn’t quite ready to leave, but I think Dad was ready to get back. I’m excited to come home for 10 days over Christmas. I want to spend time with family and friends and soak up all of the Bay Area. When you don’t get back as often, it just becomes more special when you arrive in the 650.

This past weekend, I traveled with my friend, Monique, to visit another friend and previous classmate, Maggie. The three of us, plus Maggie’s brother, Ted, went to Europe together for a month and decided we should have a reunion. Since Maggie is saving up for graduate school, Monique and I decided to head up to Minneapolis. Plus, that gave us an excuse to travel somewhere. It may not be Berlin, Prague, or another European city, but Minneapolis was still lots of fun.

We arrived in Minneapolis Friday night and headed back to Maggie’s apartment. First thing I noticed, Minneapolis is pretty darn flat. I would guess it is on the same level as Texas. Second, I thought it was going to feel really cold, but 46 degrees felt downright refreshing. I guess all those trips to Reno and skiing growing up has toughened up my skin! We went out in Uptown, which is a stark contrast to the Uptown in Dallas. Uptown in Minneapolis was relaxed and casual, with most people in jeans and long-sleeve shirts. In Dallas, women go out in dresses and heels and guys almost indefinitely wear a button down. The intense make-up and ridiculous Snookie-poof hair was missing, and let me tell you, I was not missing it! We went to a local bar, which had peanuts and popcorn and I ordered a large beer. I was thinking it would be something like 24 oz, but it ended up being a liter. I felt like I was back at the Hofbräuhaus in Munich! Needless to say, that beer put me from hanging out to I’m ready to get crazy, so we went to another bar and went dancing.

Saturday morning came too early and I woke up early to a minor headache. I pounded some water and went back to sleep until 9 a.m. and got up. I decided to make some pancakes for Maggie and Monique, since they aren’t really morning people. Maggie didn’t have a ladle, so I ended up using an ice cream scooper. You can’t say I’m not resourceful. We reminisced about Europe and TCU over breakfast and headed to go explore the city. Minneapolis was much different than I was expecting. The Uptown area and other parts of the city where old. Whereas Dallas is all shiny and new for the most part, Minneapolis looked rugged, historic, and spread out. We went to the Walker Outdoor Sculpture Museum and took a picture with the “big spoon.” It is a giant spoon with a cherry balancing on the edge of the spoon. There was other cool pieces of art, including a slide that looked like a tongue.

We moved over the warehouse district to check out Fulton Brewery. The big brewery was already booked, so we decided to try the “up and coming” one. Their red ale was good, but Maggie and Monique’s blonde ale was borderline disgusting. It tasted too watery and did not have much flavor. We were going to take a tour, but after peaking in the current tour that was lasting over an hour, we decided we didn’t want to have the same zombie like trance the current tour goers had. We moved on and walked through the warehouse district, which are old warehouse buildings that have been converted into flats and new restaurants. The warehouse district was awesome, especially the Guthrie Theater and the Mill Museum. The Mill Museum had a striking contrast of old and new, with part of the building crumbling and the other portion in sleek glass. We then moved on to Uptown to do some thrift shopping. The first thrift store felt more like a garage sale. The man clearly was just trying to sell his old possessions. We then went to two vintage shops. Vintage shops = more expensive used merchandise. Some of the clothes and items were very cool, but really, I’m not paying $60 for a used shirt. Come on.

We headed back to Maggie’s and made dinner and went out to a bar called Stella’s. This place was bit classier than the night before, and we all ordered a drink. When the bartender handed me two beers, I thought he made a mistake, but it was 2 for 1! Where the heck were we!!! I’ve never found a place in Dallas where there are 2 for 1 drinks! We headed over to Bar Louie later and met up with our friend from TCU, Solomon. After a pit stop to Williams to snack on peanuts, we headed back to Maggie’s where we had mac and cheese. There was definitely too much late night eating.

Sunday morning was lovely because we got an extra hour. We made breakfast at Maggie’s and walked around the Lake of the Isles. The area is definitely upper class, with beautiful houses lining the water front. They aren’t ostentatious, but much bigger than any other houses I’ve seen so far. Later in the day we headed to the famed Mall of America. It was enormous! I couldn’t believe how many stores the mall held. When you find three Caribou Coffees in one mall, you know it’s huge. In the middle was a theme park, which had a surprising number of rides. We walked around, checked out the Fossil store, and meandered through the theme park. Solomon, who lives in St. Paul, said he used to come to Mall of America a lot when he was younger and many of the rides are still the same. We headed back to Maggie’s apartment to get ready for dinner and met up with Maggie’s cousins who live in Minneapolis. They were all very nice, just like everyone else we met in Minneapolis. They might even rival the hospitality of Texas.

We headed to the airport at 5:40 a.m. in the morning and were back to Texas before work. It was so great to see Maggie and hang out with Solomon. I liked the cooler weather in Minneapolis and the outdoorsy style of the people, but I couldn’t live there. For some reason, I like Dallas more, and I have yet to figure out why. I can’t wait for my next trip outside of Texas, because I’ll be going home! California, here I come in less than two months!

A report came out a few months ago that Dallas is one of the worst cities to drive in (most dangerous), and for a while, I didn’t believe it. Going down to L.A. every summer for many years, you see your share of aggressive, “I’m not letting you in” drivers. Dallas isn’t quite as ruthless about lane changes and letting people in, but they are worse in so many other ways. First, Dallas drivers love to cut over as many lanes as possible to make their exit. It is as if they can’t handle moving over one, two, or even three lanes for a mile and go just a bit slower. No, they have to be going 80 miles an hour (if there isn’t traffic, which is rare), cut off multiple drivers which causes a huge braking jam and then barely miss the barrier. Second, Dallas drivers don’t understand the idea of coasting. They have two modes: gas and brake. The ability to take your foot off the gas to slow down is incomprehensible, flat out inconceivable. If I attempt coasting, I get angry horns and tailgating. I’m sorry Dallas, I want to save my brakes for as long as possible. Third, Dallas has so much construction to expand highways, which is great. However, many of these highways filter into one major one, highway75. This highway has the worst traffic I have ever seen. Last Friday, at 4:15 p.m., it took me 45 minutes to go 10 miles, and once I got through Dallas, it took me 45 minutes to go 30 miles to Fort Worth. The only safe time to drive without traffic is between 10-3 p.m. and then after 8 p.m. I feel terrible for all those people who work downtown and have to sit through the zombie like pace back to their suburbs.

Though there is public transportation in Dallas, it seems to be targeted towards people who can’t afford to drive a car. They have buses and trains, which go out to many different suburbs. However, connections are not optimized for people to move bus to train, train to bus, train to train, etc. As I drive up to Plano up the Dallas North Tollway and see the miles and miles of stop and go traffic, I wonder when expanding lanes will stop being the solution. Why not have corporations provide shuttle routes from trains during peak travel times? Why not have zipcars available at high-traffic train stops? Why is there not carpool throughout most of the Dallas area? Dallas is a city of sprawl, making it harder to make public transportation work, but there has to be something better than the 3 hour commute some people face. If I wasn’t at Fossil, I’d think about taking up this challenge.

Here is an article about it:  http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/In-Dallas-Drive-At-Your-Own-Risk-142690735.html

It’s crazy to say this, but I have been living in Dallas for three months now! It just feels like yesterday that I was moving into a new apartment and starting Fossil Boot Camp. Yet, here I am three months later and I am starting to get into a groove. The days are starting to become more regular with activities, and I think I have just about adjusted to not being in college. (Getting over the homework part was easy, not having tons of friends around and a crazy schedule has been harder.)

Work has become a major part of my life, which I guess it was before, but I have become acclimated to the store visits, merchandising, and blackberry emailing. I enjoy all of my stores, but Dillard’s associates over in watches and handbags are by far my favorite. They keep up with markdowns, don’t destroy my cases, and the management team is very accessible. I wish I could say the same for Macys. The only thing I can say is, “every day is a new challenge.”

I have started going to church over the past couple of weeks. It has been a long time since I have regularly gone to church, but I think this time, it might happen. I said I would never attend a super church, but I like the Watermark church in Dallas. They have a service on Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. targeted at people my age. The sermon is relevant, provocative, and while I may not always agree or accept what is spoken, it gets me thinking. I think this will be a great opportunity to meet new people and get involved in service opportunities.

I have also picked up playing tennis again, which I’m super excited about. My friend, Monique, wanted to learn how to play, so I have been teaching her. I finally understand (to some degree) the frustration my Dad must have felt when he was teaching me. Monique is improving rapidly and I am already impressed with her serve, but there is still a lot of work to go. She is eager to play and learn, so I’m sure she will be good in no time. However, I would like to find someone at my level or better, so I can improve my game as well.

GMAT still takes up about 6-10 hours of my time each week. I pushed through the verbal section with no real problems, but math was rough. I forgot EVERYTHING. Thankfully, I bought a supplementary math book, and I have been brushing up on my arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. I plan on taking the actual test in mid November, so I still have lots of studying ahead. 

My TV watching has increased dramatically since college…it’s not just Modern Family anymore. Now I have started watching New Girl, Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother, Parks and Rec, and Mad Men. Thankfully, most of the shows are only 30 minutes. People keep telling me to watch Breaking Bad, but I think I’m going to have to cap myself at 5 shows.

Reading is the last real thing that takes up a majority of my time. I try to read part of the Bloomberg Businessweek magazine I get. I’m currently reading “The Sustainable MBA,” and have two more green books to read after that. I plan on working on a potential ride share proposal for Fossil, which could cut down on cars driven to work, while boosting relationships across departments in the organization.

As a Type A person and a planner, it’s nice to have a bit of routine again. However, Holiday is coming up and it’s supposed to get a bit crazy at work. That’s good though, I miss a little crazy in my life.

This past weekend, I was able to spend Thursday through Sunday in Fort Worth, and ended up being on campus three of the four days. Driving back through campus brought back feelings of excitement, anticipation, and some nostalgia (it’s only been three months since graduating), but more importantly brought me face-to-face with reality. I am not and will never be a student at TCU ever again. I decided to kill sometime between Rebecca’s class by heading to SGA and practicing the GMAT. I packed my things in a backpack to try to disguise my alumni status. As I walked into SGA, it felt strange seeing it look exactly how I left it. There was the Crew working on activities, and Brett and Kim meeting about some new project. I got to talk with Brad Thompson, which was fun. The Crew, which I was apart of in its year of inception, had over 300 applications this year. It seems that the Crew is growing just as fast as TCU’s status in the education space and its applications from high school students. But more importantly, I came to the realization that no organization stands still when you leave. While you may have made great contributions, it must move on without you. As I worked on the GMAT math section (which was frustrating to say the least), I ran into current SGA cabinet members. We talked briefly and then I left, thinking it will be the last time I study in SGA. I’m an alumni now, that space is no longer for me.

The Blake Shelton concert was excellent, even in his semi-coherent state. Minus the fact everyone was melting like popsicles outside, everyone seemed to be having a great time. I was worried about the location between the alumni center and the stadium, but there was plenty of room and I had no problem seeing Blake from halfway back. Amy, Rebecca, and Jarrett wanted to pretend we were sophomores, but I still knew too many people to make that joke a reality. I ran into old residents, RAs, Frog Aides, and other casual acquaintances. After a friendly hello, the question I was asked the most was, “What are you doing here? Didn’t you graduate?” I’m sorry, is it a crime to go to a free concert? But really, I know plenty of alumni that go to the concert every year, and I still plan on making the trip until I can’t get tickets anymore. A free concert is a free concert people!

Tailgating on Saturday was also interesting. I don’t know how I used to be able to drink all day, go to the game, and then make it out. We started tailgating around 3 p.m. and walked to the game around 5:15. Walking into the new stadium was absolutely breathtaking. It was utterly unrecognizable. The pedestrian area around the stadium has made it the focal point of campus. The student section has been expanded across the bottom of the entire east side of the stadium, with general admission above. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Not only did the student section fill up, but it stayed full for most of the game. It looks like the new students will be a bit more loyal to the game than the tailgate. Hopefully, it stays that way. TCU dominated the game (as expected), winning 56-0 of Grambling State. If Grambling State did anything well, it would be the halftime show. Their band was awesome, with swag that out-shined TCU’s band. After not eating lunch and not drinking enough water, I felt like death after the game. We headed to Perotti’s for pizza and I was pressured to go out. We ended up at Capital, where I was the biggest party pooper of all time. Sorry I’m getting old and can’t rally, but sleep just sounded so much better.

Sunday morning, I headed to meet Katie McGee and some other friends at Woodshed. The menu has simplified over time, with more mainstream items. It was a gorgeous day, and a great way to start the Sunday. I arrived back in Dallas in the afternoon, where I took the biggest nap of my life. I was absolutely exhausted. I thought weekends were supposed to be relaxing, right? Well this weekend was an obvious reminder that college is a state of constant exhaustion, and I’m happy to have the extra time on the weekends just for me. TCU still holds more than a special place in my heart. I miss it dearly, but I must continue to move on and make new strides in Dallas. It’s time to get involved in Net Impact, do some community service, and yes, meet new people.

Here’s to expanding my to-do list!

Here I am, on my third week of being on my own, and I feel relatively comfortable with my job and the tasks I need to accomplish every day. The first week was not too bad, as Fall watches and handbags had not hit all my stores yet. I got to work with my favorite sales associate, Flo, who destroys my cases at Town East Macy. I literally walk in thinking we sold a bunch of watches, but soon find out that they are just laying around the case in the back. Seriously, it’s not that hard to put it back on the clips. Today, I walked in to find all the back stock in the cases. It literally looked like someone had vomited watches, as they were in disarray. After scrounging around for some egg crates, I was able to put some Michael Kors and Fossil back where they belong, in back stock!

My Dillards at Town East has been equally challenging, but the employees are more helpful. Each week I have gone, there has been another watch move. The first week, EVERYTHING was moved. Thankfully, the sales associates put watches by style together, so all I had to do was move watches to meet the schematic. I have also had handbag issues there, but I was able to move the back wall to where my other Fossil handbags are. Before, they were in two separate areas, which was not ideal. As sale bags dwindle down, I’m hoping to grab even more space, because there are still bags in back stock. Stonebriar Macys has also had its problems, starting with handbags. During the first week, I was working with Candace, the merchandising veteran, who realized we had about 30 bags in back stock that were on markdown. We had to spend a considerable amount of time getting them marked and then placed in the sale area. The second biggest problem was losing my Men’s leathers table, which I later found out is a corporate directive agreed upon between the two companies. I can’t wait to head there tomorrow and fight to get the table and suitcase back up.

Besides work, life is going well in Dallas. I haven’t been going out very much, but I have made working out a priority. It not only saves me money, but makes me feel much better than a night of drinking! I have started studying for the GMAT and hope to take the test in mid-to-late October. Jarrett and I are still getting along (at this moment in time), and I’m sure it will continue. There is always a learning curve living with someone new, and I’m compromising as much as possible. (Aka trying not to be an absolute control freak.) Last weekend, we went to a comedy club for free in Mockingbird Station. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the two comedians (one was Dante from Last Comic Standing) were absolutely hilarious. I was thoroughly impressed. This weekend I have Jarrett’s birthday, and I plan on hitting up another coffee shop and grinding out some GMAT work.

As far as riding solo, I enjoy making my own decisions and “running my own business.” It can get lonely at times, but it just forces me to build relationships with sales associates! I thought I wouldn’t like being out in the field, but I can’t complain about being on my feet all day. I have my whole life to sit at a desk!

These past two weeks I have been shadowing my coach, Christine, who has been a brand rep in the field for the past year. I was able to go to all of my stores that I must go to weekly. Town East is out in Mesquite, Texas, which is an interesting mall. The Macy’s has been a disaster both times we went, but that was mainly do to the fact that the company was doing inventory. None of the watches were placed back correctly, and all of the tags were left out. I think I spent an hour just doing one watch bay, so I was very happy to have the help of my coach, who is about 5 times faster than me. The Dillards on the first day was also a disaster, but the sales associates are friendlier, and the handbags associate is new and very nice. I will have to become her new best friend, so she can help me out when I am not there. The Stonebriar Macy’s is huge, as it is one of the biggest malls up in Plano, but the product itself stays pretty neat. Thankfully, Candace, another merchandiser who has been doing this for years, has the Dillards at Stonebriar, so we can work together.

Merchandising the watches and other product itself is not rocket science. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t challenging. Trying to make the product we have look like the schematic can be downright difficult. There is a lot of creativity and problem solving involved, and I enjoy that aspect of the job. Something I’m looking forward to is building relationships with the employees and managers at the store. I know with my business background, friendly personality, and RA experience, I will be able to build strong relationships with the important people in each store. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we will be spending much time in the corporate office, but that can be a plus and a minus. I was looking forward to the projects in the office, but I have plenty of time to sit at a desk. I need to enjoy the ability to travel around and be on my feet while it lasts.

I thought I would be more intimated for my first day on my own tomorrow, but I am pretty confident. My coaches have taught me well, and I have strong support group to call or email if I have questions. The training wheels are off. It’s time to work all on my own.

This past week was my first real taste of the working world and what I get to do for the rest of my life. (Slightly depressing, right?) However, I don’t know if I can consider the past week a real working week, since we were in training. On Monday, we met at Macys at Northpark and walked around the displays and then worked on merchandising one of the cases. Talk about being thrown right into the gauntlet. I will say it was pretty intimidating doing the cases, since I didn’t know much about the watches. Understanding the platforms and how things will be grouped will easily take me a few weeks. I’m less nervous though, as working at Nordstrom was the same way. The first couple weeks, you don’t know where the shoes are or what they are called, but in no time, you have everything down. I’m praying this will be the same way.

Tuesday, we went into the corporate office and since we were unsure of traffic, we ended up arriving 40 minutes early. (Oops!) We sat through many powerpoint presentations, which was rough after two months of no powerpoints. We talked about expectations, communications, “the day in the life of a brand rep,” and endless other things. Information overload would be an understatement. Jarrett and I arrived back home around 6:30 p.m. and I felt like a zombie the rest of the night. This working world stuff is hard, and I hadn’t even started my actual job yet.

Wednesday and Thursday were much more exciting, as all the of the brands came in to present their current collection, and the themes for Fall. We got to see all the new watches and hear from previous brand reps, which was great. I really enjoyed learning more about all the brands, their “DNA,” and what the latest trends are. I can’t wait to meet with some people from branding and product development, to gain a better understanding of what they do, and if it is something I want to pursue. One thing that always popped up were customer profiles, something TCU tended to ignore. I will have to talk with Dr. Grau and let her know how important they are in retail. These two days were much shorter time wise, allowing me time to work out and relax at night.

Friday was even more relaxed than the other days. We had a few presentations in the morning, and then we received some free merchandise!! We headed to lunch right after and this is where we got to meet our senior and junior mentors. My senior mentor is Tim Burkhart, who is the VP of Retail Operations, and my junior mentor is Justin Buck, who manages specialty accounts. Justin (not sure if this was a coincidence or not that we got paired together) was not at the lunch, but I had met him during my first round interview with Fossil. Tim was very nice, and I can’t wait to meet and discuss my future at Fossil with him. The lunch was fun, as we got to see where previous brand reps have gone within the company, and it made me realize that this program is the mini Fellows program at Fossil. Accelerated learning and faster climbing of the ladder. I can’t complain about either of those. We headed to the retrodome after lunch, which is Fossil’s distribution center for North America. The thing was absolutely massive at 750,000 square feet. Later, we headed to dinner at a brewery.

The first week of “the real world” was ALOT of information. I hope I can retain as much as possible, but I know I will need to review the information a few more times before it actually sinks in. In regards to Fossil itself, I couldn’t be more excited to start my career at this company. The people, the company culture, and the products they deliver to the customer are all fantastic. I’m ecstatic to be a “Fossilite” for the first stage of my work career.

I have had to move in to a new place every year for the past four years. When I was a freshman starting TCU, it was easy, because I had nothing. I had to get hangers, sheets, a bed spread, desk items, etc. But now, after graduating college and moving into a real apartment, I have more stuff than ever. My Aunt Sheri and I moved in to AMLI Knox/Henderson (pictures to come when it is finished) in Uptown Dallas. It was a cool 88 degrees with lots of humidity and we had two dolleys to get the job done. Move-in only took 2 hours, with the help of Jarrett moving in the big items. I had almost sweat through my shirt and Sheri was as red a beet.

Unpacking took much, much longer. I had a really nice closet last year, and while I can’t complain about this year’s closet, it isn’t quite as big. I tried to only put up clothes I would wear, which ended in me leaving two large boxes of clothes behind to put up in our storage on the balcony. I guess it will be time to go through those soon. Putting together my bed frame took FOREVER. If you know me, then you know that I am terrible at building/constructing anything. First, I put together the frame and it was too small. Then I couldn’t get the middle piece to fit. After two hours of attempting to put together a frame that should take 20 minutes, I figured out I had two pieces on the wrong sides. I felt like a champion once I finished the bed frame. Thankfully, putting together the vacuum Grandma got me only took me 10 minutes. I’m still waiting on my IKEA bookcase, because I’m scared to see how long it will take me to complete.

Other than the building of things, move in has been pretty smooth. Just not on my bank account. Getting pots and pans, getting groceries and staples that I didn’t have last time, and a dining room table starts to add up. I can’t wait for my first paycheck, and I know my bank account can’t wait either. We are calling the apartment the bachelor pad since we have speakers for end tables and if something isn’t quite right, I just say, “It’s a bachelor pad, who cares!”

Move in wasn’t terrible, but I don’t want another move after a year. Hopefully Jarrett and I as roomies can be a two year minimum.