LIFE UPDATE: Operation #GetKelsToDC a Success!

In the past two weeks, I have:

• Received and accepted a job offer a university in the Disctrict of Columbia for an academic advising position.

• Started said job the day after I found out I had gotten it.

• Lived with Mike while he moved from one location to the city in the other. So I moved with him.

• Searched LIKE CRAZY for a place to live on my own and went to visit like 5 different places after my days at work.

• Found a place to live near Fort Totten and signed a 9-month lease! I made this decision completely by myself (okay I may have impulsively emailed a Fort Totten blogger and asked him if I would die if I lived in the area). 

Due to the fact that I am notoriously bad at transitions and change, I'm going to go ahead and give myself an A- for the past two weeks. The minus is for minor mood swings (my reaction towards uncertainty about the future and instability in a routine) which Mike dealt with and handled with class. But I need to mention that I overcame all of this without working out once! Hopefully I will find a gym soon and be able to cope through the change a little bit better.

This is the video Mike sent me when he learned I had my own office. It is sort of relevant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYcqToQzzGY

Too much other stuff has happened and I will definitely add details later, but for now I'll link to one of my favorite blog posts on surviving change:

How To Survive A Major Life Change by one of my favorite bloggers, Ashley!

http://fitnessista.com/2011/03/how-to-survive-a-major-life-change/

Here she is guestblogging, but she posts on her own blog here: http://www.edibleperspective.com/

Until later! 

How To: Not Look Like A Hot Mess For Summer Interviews

Because I have spent a lot of my time interviewing in D.C. this summer, I've wondered how people pull off dressing professionally for work each day and commuting to the office during rush hour on the metro when it is sweltering out. (Today was the first day I was on a metro so packed that I almost lost my bag to the doors.) The humidity of D.C. summers is miserable and I just can't imagine having to wear a suit most days or button downs and pants for guys. Thankfully, women have a little bit more flexibility when it comes to professional dress. I think it's a bit more complicated to find the balance of conservative and comfortable, but we definitely have some options to work with. Each time I've had to wear a suit for an interview this summer, I've learned something new that makes my next interview a little bit easier.

Some things I've learned to keep in mind:

• Sleeveless Shirts Are Your Best Friend
• You can't tell it a button-down is sleeveless or a tank when you are wearing a cardigan or blazer. This is where layering comes into play.  Carry your blazer or cardigan for the commute and put it on when you get to the air-conditioned office.

Sleeveless white blouse layer piece.

• Stick with Skirts/Sheath Dresses
• I'm normally a skirt person when it comes to professional dress anyway, but it makes much more sense in the summer to stick with skirts and dresses depending on your personal preference: always to right above the knee. Depending on the workplace you may still have to wear pantyhose, but, for me that is always preferable to pants.

Because I am loving coral right now.

• Invest in Lightweight Fabrics/Pops of Color
• Cotton or lightweight silk tops can be your best layering pieces. Steer away from polyester. Definitely no wool. Keep things light and airy. A little color can transition any outfit into something summery. Think a touch of coral or pastels shades. Cap sleeves or short sleeves are preferable to sleeveless for more conservative office environments, but remember a cardigan or blazer can transition any sleeveless top into office appropriate.

Lightweight tie-neck blouse.

Coral lightweight cardigan.

Pastel pink summer blazer.

• Consider Walking Flats or Flip Flops
• I found that when walking long distances, it can be really helpful to utilize some lightweight shoes before you get to the office and change into your heels or less comfortable footwear when you get there. I love crocs because they actually have some really cute flat styles out that would not look weird with soem outfits on the commute in and I could walk in them forever. Seriously, sometimes I feel like I could run faster in them than sneakers.

Huge proponent of Crocs flats for commutes or everyday, just not for most workplaces. Also, I may get these for Fall.




• Wear Hair Pulled Back
• For women with longer or thicker hair (like me), I just think this is a must. There are so many tutorials and options for cute buns and ponytails out there, but really you just need to get it out of your face and off your neck. It makes a huge difference in hotter weather. Headbands are a good option to make buns look a little more stylish or you can always let your hair down after you get to work. I think hair pulled back is also a more professional look and helps me to look a little more experienced (older) for interviews. An anti-humidity hairspray doesn't hurt either.

For work purposes, I think the simpler the better, but here is the basic idea.




• Wear Light/Waterproof Makeup
• Simple makeup is always key for the office, but you can get away with wearing a little more in the winter months. Bronzer instead of blush and gloss instead of lipstick are some suggested substitutions, but waterproof eyeliner and mascara can be your best friends in humidity.

Neutral is best.


• Lighten Your Fragrance
• You don't want to be that person who announces your presence on the metro by your perfume. Lighten your fragrance in the summertime by opting for body splashes or Eau de Toilettes which offer a less concentrated fragrance. Choosing lighter, fruitier scents for the new season helps as well.

• Give Yourself Plenty of Commute Time
• I normally plan to arrive to any interviews or meetings at least 20 minutes early. That way I have 10-15 min to run to the bathroom and add on my blazer or switch my shoes and make sure my makeup is still in place. I also know if something in my commute doesn't go as planned, I most likely won't have to be that person who ran to their interview in 90 degree weather and showed up huffing and puffing. 15 minutes to transition to office wear and you still have 5 minutes to announce yourself early and park yourself near an air conditioner to cool off.

Any other suggestions/tips? Add them as comments! 

(Don't worry, this won't turn into a fashion blog. I don't think.)

My Weekends (and Posts) Seem to Be Getting Longer

Due to some interviewing in DC this past week, I ended up staying in the city from Thursday afternoon to Monday afternoon.....bookends to a fantastic and long weekend.

Thursday, Emily Goo invited Mike and I for a dinner out to Bertucci's which happens to be a legit version of Olive Garden. Little did I know what Bertucci's had in store besides the excellent food. I was introduced to a red wine that I actually liked, I'm pretty sure we met Bertucci himself, and Goo had me cracking up the entire time. I have decided she is someone who can do absolutely anything she wants and no one will ever question it, they will start to question themselves.

It's a dark picture, but Goo and I had a moment and it needed to be recorded.

She disappeared for a second and was found taking a headstand break.

Right after we discovered every member of the kitchen staff was watching her do this.

Goo was enticed to spend the night in a DoubleTree hotel room in Foggy Bottom which was conveniently discovered to be a suite. On the walk there, Goo blasted her song of the moment "Everybody's Got Their Somethin" from her laptop while we walk-bopped and got everyone around us to walk to the beat too. There is power in that song. Things I discovered about DoubleTree Hotels: if you ask them, they have warm cookies baking. We each got a free warm cookie even though Mike and I were not staying there. Unfortunately, we were too full from the 4 different desserts we split at Bertucci's to eat them, nonetheless, I am now loyal to DoubleTree for this perk. Discovering that there were two beds, naturally we had to jump and have pillow fights on them.

Goo and Mike with (I'm sure) "Everybody's Got Their Somethin" playing in the background. There is also a video of Goo and I performing an 8-count routine to the only song we played that night.

Friday I went to a Bodypump class at Rosslyn's Gold's Gym. I ended up lifting more weight because the instructor was a beast and I got excited to take the class at another location. I was also working off stress from my interviews and ended up having a really good class! It makes me excited to teach! After that, I went to see Mike and Jeff and Noah's new house near Eastern Market for the first time. The patio is one of my favorite parts and the inside looks really awesome even though there is still stuff under construction. I hung out at Goo's with Davia and Sara and was grateful for Davia to fix me pasta salad (with extra vinagerette) since I get cranky when not fed at regular intervals. Then I left to voyage across the city for my sorority Little's birthday party in Arlington.

While trying to find her apartment, I found a leashed cat! And had to take a picture.

I hung out at a bar while waiting for Jenny and the bartender handed me a shot so I would smile. Sometimes there are perks to what is known as "Resting Bitchface Syndrome". It was great to reunite with my Little and some WM people for her birthday, but I was too tired and scared to travel across the city by myself that late so I took a 20 dollar cab ride instead:/ I had to make it all the way back to Eastern Market for Jake and Marilyn's Going Away party. Boom was played, new friends were made, and it was great to reunite with old friends as well.

Saturday, Mike and I went to a movie at Courthouse Square and decided to walk our way back to the city from there. We stopped for Pinkberry sustenance in the middle of our journey of course:-) When we finally made it back to Foggy Bottom, we realized we had been walking for about two hours and that it was time to leave for dinner at Davia and Sara's already. I was so exhausted that I ended up curling up with Davia's Snuggie soon after dinner, but I was haunted by intrusive thoughts of Poker Mike aka Settlers of Catan Mike taking advantage of teams without any brick. Thank goodness Josh gave us a ride back and Mike was forced to withdraw.

Sunday, Mike, David, and I walked to our crepe place at McPherson and each had a savory crepe and a dessert crepe. For the dessert crepe, we got the most expensive crepe on the menu with ALL the berries, banana, and nutella. It was awesome. Then, because it was such a beautiful and cool day outside, we decided to see some museums and go to the botanical gardens. We went to the Freer Museum where the highlight was the Peacock room which has been transferred from London. The other highlight was the delicious water from their water fountains. The boys thought I only liked the water because it was from a shiny golden water fountain. No. It tasted better than any other water.

I am sure you can read more about this room online.

This is the only thing in the museum that I think is worth taking pictures of. There's also a nice courtyard though.

Mike took me and David to the Hirshorne too which is full of super modern-but-sometime-scary art. The best part was the blue stringy thing you could walk through. The worst part was a video of a man getting covered up with bees. There was also a scary dark room with some tiger/lion glowy eyes. I refused to go in, but apparently I made a scene, and a guard decided he would escort me in to show me it wasn't scary. Fine. (I closed my eyes pretty much the entire time).

This is the exhibit of zodiac signs outside of the Hirshorne. To me, this demonstrates one of my favorite parts of modern art viewing: watching David view modern art.

Afterwards, we headed to the botanical gardens and Mike and I took a picture in front of a cactus because there was some joke about Mike being a cactus and being a survivor and not needing water (but David was a bonsai tree?) I forget.

Mike tried to pick the biggest cactus.

The Botanical Gardens.

After the Botanical Gardens, Mike and I went to view The Last Starfighter with Dan, Josh, Steph, and crew. Steph made awesome food as always and I loved the movie. My favorite quote was "If that's what you think, then that's all you'll ever be." We also watched Community and I figured out why I was fantasy-casted as Annie.

Monday (today), I had another interview in DC and am thoroughly exhausted from the weekend. I tried to make it to Bodypump this evening since I took two days off from working out, but ended up staying home since the walking muscles in my legs are aching. I ended up passing out for about half an hour before rallying for long enough to write this post. 

This is what you get when I write a post immediately after things happen. Too many details, too many pictures. But a great weekend overall:)

From DOG Street to Main Street

I am quickly re-learning what life in a small town is like. I am obviously only hoping to be here for a short short transitioning season of my life, but there are some really nice things about where I am right now.

I definitely missed the scenery.

Pretty storm blowing in.

I missed Main Street. My first weekend back in town Lauren and I decided to hang out at First Friday on Main Street together. First Friday is an event in many small towns where they close down Main Street and bring out local vendors/bands and keep restaurants open late to support local businesses. My mom also has her business on Main Street so she was staying late to volunteer. Everyone who knows my mom also apparently already knows me and, to avoid the awkward small talk that results from this, Lauren and I hit up free wine tastings, listened to a rock orchestra, and gossiped about high school. Oh, we also plotted how to get Megan to visit us. Lauren and I go way back to elementary school and were high school cheerleaders together. 

Bagpipers on Main Street! I think I have a thing for bagpipers.

Warrenton reminds me a little of Williamsburg even though Main Street is nothing like DOG Street. They do have a farmer's market there twice a week, though! The only thing I need to sustain me that Warrenton was really missing the last time I was there was a frozen yogurt place.......Well no more! One of my favorites (Sweet Frog) is now in Warrenton and it was packed when I went there. I got my usual (plain tart, strawberries, almonds, coconut) and then finally felt a little at home:) I also have a Frequent Frogger card!

The Usual

Saturday of last weekend I went to my dad's and saw my grandparents. It was a really nice visit. I went with my dad to get his hair cut. I feel like men don't often get hair cuts without a nudge from someone else in that direction. Then we went to Gold's Gym together and I gave him a little gym orientation and worked out with him some. My dad really wants to get back into shape and it was fun to get to show him some good exercises. This outing with my dad reminded me of a dream I want to see realized: one day I want to become a personal trainer and have my own counseling/personal training practice treating clients holistically. I think exercise and mental/social/vocational health are so connected that I'd love to start a service like that someday.

Sunday was my grandmother's birthday (mom's side). She turned 77! Ever since moving back to Warrenton, I have gotten to spend more time with my grandmother which has been wonderful. She has so many stories that I want to be able to remember and write them all down. The latest was that on her first date with my grandfather he brought her half a dozen roses and ended up taking her to meet his parents. Also he proposed to her in Rock Creek Park in DC.

Tuesday my mom had a doubles tennis match that I cheered her on at. It is really cute to see my mom get so competitive and she is so great at tennis! Wimbledon and the Olympics have me really wanting to play some tennis soon! (Shout-out to Murray for his awesome gold medal in straight sets against Fed. He still wants that Wimbledon title badly though.)

Clay courts.

This past week I also registered for my BODYPUMP Initial Training. If you don't know what Body Pump is you can check this out, but don't let it scare you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_ihmtL9MIU I went back and forth on this decision for a number of reasons (it's costly and I don't want to be distracted from job searching for one second), but, in the end, it is a class I love to take, would love to teach, and it is probably the thing most responsible for keeping me motivated at this point. Hopefully between this and a yoga certification, I'll be ready to teach at a gym part-time no matter where I am living and to get a free gym membership as well:)

This weekend I am with Mike in DC and visiting friends. It promises to be a very busy weekend, but I will recap next week.

Happy Friday!

On Missing....

So one of my favorite guitarists in one of my favorite bands got married. He wrote a book. I bought it. We're facebook friends. He's into philosophy too. And I think he's the most brilliant writer ever. I'll leave him nameless.

SO.

He just got married recently and someone posted this letter he wrote to his wife to read before she walked down the aisle. It's too sweet for me not to share, but I will just post an excerpt (the very end of the letter) relevant to what I'm going to write about.

"It couldn't have been anyone else. I knew things would change. Missing you from the road was different, more difficult than anything you could imagine. Before you, when I 'missed' something or someone, it always reaffirmed that I was doing exactly what I should be doing, it reaffirmed my decision to be on tour. Although missing you from the road was a reminder that I was away from what I needed. Being away from you is a foreign, strange feeling that doesn't feel right at all. I hope that makes sense."

Okay, I know that is cute. But what stuck with me in the letter is that sometimes missing can reaffirm that we are right where we need to be. I don't think 'missing' always has to be a bad feeling.

Right now, I miss a lot of things: Williamsburg. The friends I made in graduate school. My old running routes. My old jobs! A schedule. A plan. I miss the sense of stability from the way things used to be. But you know what? Discomfort means growth and change is good. It means our lives are not stagnant. Which.....if there is anything I hate worse than change, it is probably the idea that things will NEVER change.

So there are a lot of things I feel like I'm missing now, but it re-affirms to me that I am right where I need to be....I may not be on the road, but I am feel like I've stepped into this kind of transient life. For right now, that's okay. Because it means I'm moving, I'm not stuck, and I'm headed for something exciting!

I hope that makes sense.