New addition- Giovanni "Gio" the Morkie

The puppy situation has been an emotional roller coaster! First, we were hoping to get a dog in September/October but we found out by both breeders that the dog was available now and they might not be breeding again this year. So we decided to get a dog early within a week. Our first attempt to get the dog was unsuccessful because our schedule conflicted with the breeder. No big deal we waited another week. The following week the breeder told us that the puppy lost weight and wasn't really eating and went through sugar shock. He said that we could take her but we would have to hand feed her with a syringe. We decided to leave it to him since he was experienced in these type of situations. So we waited another week. He said we could get the puppy last week but since we were going out of town for the wedding in Santa Barbara so we asked him to hold onto the puppy a little longer. He agreed and I was excited about getting the puppy the following week. Elliot called the breeder on Monday only to learn that the puppy was losing its hair. He [the breeder] didn't know what to attribute this to so he said he was taking her to a vet and wouldn't release her to us. Turns out that the puppy had a staff infection and was on antibiotics for the next 10 days. Talk about a high maintenance dog lol! We ended up forgetting this dog and looking at dogs from a different litter that’s when we saw pictures of Piper (later changed to Giovanni).
This dog has been AMAZING!!! He has such a calm personality to him. Everyone who has seen him and hung out with Gio say he is the nicest dog they have ever seen. We’ve been able to sleep through the night without a problem of him whining or crying when we put him in his crate. I have to set my alarm to wake up and take him out because he is either sleeping or playing in his crate by himself content. We just started to hear him bark but its only when playing and having fun. We’ve had several people over to meet him and he hasn’t barked at any of them.
My favorite part of having Gio is when he is tired or if I am taking him somewhere new he just sits in my arms and doesn’t fuss at all! We’ve been all over the place in the short period we’ve been together. We have gone on doggy play dates, the store, to the vet, and he is just a doll! He is a little nibbler which is understandable since he is a puppy!
The only issue we’ve had is that he developed a little cold where he has been sneezing. We went to the vet and got antibiotics for him to take the next 10 days. She said it is just a precaution since he is so young that it doesn’t turn into pneumonia. She said it is very common in small dogs since their immune systems are not fully developed and he probably contracted it the same way you or I would. We took the dog in again because he was hacking a lot and learned that he has a collapsible trachea which sounds worst than what it is. This problem is very common in about 40% of all Terriers. What happens is that his trachea is pinched at the upper part which makes it difficult for him to breathe if he runs or plays too much. We have to pick him up and calm him down to catch his breath again so he can play. Its almost like having asthma which I assumed he had. We got his condition checked out by two different vets and both reassured use of the same thing- he will live a healthy long life and he is a healthy dog.
It has been a huge learning experience for me taking care of a dog on my own. There is so much to think about that it is almost like having a baby. I worry about what kind of flea medicine to give him, if he is eating something that will make him sick, if he is too lethargic, etc. I have been relying heavily on raisingspot.com as a guide for tips on raising a dog. I have also become friends with a lot of doggie owners in my building because we all end up at the doggie pooping area at one time or another. Giovanni tends to go more frequently because he is a small puppy so I tend to meet more people. Lol
We have been a little extra tired which is why Grandma Sue took the dog from us for an entire weekend. Elliot and I were able to catch up on our much needed sleep without having to wake up every three hours. It has been a little tiring so we are teaching Gio paper training in addition to going potty outside. We live on the 5th floor so when you have to go up five flights of stairs ten times a day it can be exhausting especially since ours are a little steep.
Regardless, like Elliot said this week "we're attached to that little thing [Giovanni]". We love him to pieces and everyone who has met him or seen him thinks he is absolutely adorable and can't believe how calm and easy going his it.
In November we have plans to take our first flight out to California together for all of our west coast friends and family to meet the little guy. So be excited because he is coming soon!
I am so excited for what the future holds for Elliot, Gio, and I. I feel like a new person!

Santa Barbara June 26-28th, 2009

The last weekend in June Elliot and I traveled to Santa Barbara for a wedding. My cousin Alejandro Castano who is on a full ride scholarship to attend UC Santa Barbara to get his masters in Art is marrying Bianca Brigidi who is earning her PHD in Latin America History and is from Brazil.
It was a wonderful family weekend as my cousins from Colombia flew in for the wedding, my parents drove up from San Diego, and family from San Diego came. As always, it was a Griswald Family vacation. I booked a hotel room at the Summer Inn through the UCSB Alumni group which we never found. I will start off by telling you that we arrived in Los Angeles at 9:40pm because our flight was delayed and then drove two hours to Santa Barbara with my parents and grandma. When we arrived in Santa Barbara we began looking for the Summer Inn. We drove and drove and drove around that university for about 30 minutes before we decided to call the Summer Inn. When I called no one picked up and they directed me to call the emergency phone number. It took me 10 calls before getting the number right because either the message recording was too fast or someone in the car was talking so loud I couldn’t hear the number. About an hour later we still didn’t find the hotel and it was midnight so we called Alejandro, the groom, and asked him for help. He directed us for a while until he got frustrated and asked us to come to his condo.
Well, in Santa Barbara the University had done a lot of remodeling and building so I was completely lost driving at night. We ended up at a dead end so my dad decided he knew how to get to an apartment he had never been to again no where. While in the process my mom is cracking jokes and my grandma is asking me “What kind of hotel are you taking me to?” It was chaos to say the least! Lol Finally we find Alejandro and my dad gets out of the car so frustrated but half laughing and invites Elliot to drink a beer with him. Poor Elliot was so tired because it was past 2:30am for us.
Again, we start looking for the hotel with Alejandro’s map and found nothing even after talking to a security guard and students walking through campus. It was getting to be 1:30 in the morning and we decided to give up and drive to a hotel. I started calling hotels and they are all booked expect for Extended America where we could book two rooms. As we were driving on the freeway my dad sees hotels on the left hand side and instead of driving to Extended America he pulls off the road. So then we began driving from hotel to hotel looking for rooms. We finally end up in a Holiday Inn where my dad gets us one room with two double beds and a rolling bed for my grandma to sleep. Yeah, we all ended up in one room! I don’t know if its because that was all they had left or my dad was trying to save money. He also ended up with a coupon for a free breakfast because he said he was with some group staying at the hotel. Lol
The next day we decided to tour around Santa Barbara and visit the Mission. My grandma's first comment on the idea was, "Find the Mission? Last night was a mission impossible. You really think we'll find the mission?" So that was the beginning of four hours driving around Santa Barbara with no real plans. We stopped for Starbucks of course, a Saturday morning Cottrell ritual, and enjoyed all the little shops on State Street.
In the afternoon we drove around looking for the wedding ceremony which was going to take place at Goleta Beach. Because the wedding was very non traditional they didn't use any chairs or big set up. Again, we drove up and down the beach for about 30 minutes looking for the site. Finally, my cousin David called me back and mentioned that it might take place closer to the bluffs which turned out to be right. The wedding ceremony was as intimate and non traditional as could be but one of the neatest weddings I had been to! We stood in a big circle on the sand as two Latino guys played a drum and a cow bell encouraging everyone to join in on the ceremony along the ocean. It was absolutely beautiful and the couple couldn't have looked more beautiful! Bianca threw her bouquet into the ocean as an offering to the love God for peace love and a happy future.
The reception took place at the UCSB Alumni center. Lucky for us we drove around and found it before the wedding started to make sure that we'd be able to find it! It was a very nice reception with Gerber daisy flowers on the tables, paper table covers, and a wonderful display of simple appetizers my cousins had prepared. They had a cheese and meat tray, mango seviche, shrimp seviche, and all kinds of fruit. It was absolutely delicious! Their wedding cake was a couple different fruit tarts from a local bakery. Simple yet elegant the reception was beautiful! In addition, they had an ipod with music playing in the background instead of a DJ. My cousin Laura sung of course in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. Later in the evening, I ended up catching the bouquet which turned Elliot beat red as he was embarrassed to have to kiss me in front of everyone.
The wedding reception ended at 8:00pm so we made plans to go out in Santa Barbara later that night. We (Elliot, my parents, and I) ended up at a bar/club called “Wild Cat” in Santa Barbara with all the young wedding goers. Let me paint a pictured of what this place looked like dark, vinyl 1950”s apparel on the chairs and walls, and decorated with red and black everywhere. We had a blast dancing until a go go dancer came out to dance on stage and I was embarrassed for my parents to be seeing this. My dad and mom laughed about it and enjoyed dancing the night until midnight with the family before departing The weekend was fabulous! We got lost a couple more times and never did find the Summer Inn. It was sad to say good bye to my parents but I was happy and ready to go back home to Minneapolis.

New Job- Account Specialist at GradStaff, Inc

I started my new job at a company called GradStaff. It is a staffing company that specializes in filling entry-level positions with recent college graduates. My official title is an Account Specialist. My duties include interviewing candidates, screening resumes, coaching, and business development. It has been a great learning opportunity for me since I am seeing business from a different angle called sales. I am not totally in love with my job but I enjoy the paycheck, learning experience, and my co-workers. Did I mention that I walk to work? Yes, you heard me right. I literally walk about 300 yards to work. I leave home for work and it takes me no more than 5 minutes to arrive at work. I have been taking advantage of this and eating lunch at home to save on costs and because I can nap afterwards.
Recently, I scheduled my first meeting with a possible new client. I am very excited about the opportunity to fill the position. It calls for a bilingual customer service specialist, which my candidate just happens to be from Colombia. What a small world right?
In addition, the CEO has set up teams to work on various tasks of a Marketing Campaign. I have been assigned to the Social Media which includes Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and the website. My first goal is to set up an alumni group for previous candidates who have been placed on assignments. Next, I think our website could use a lot of work to make it user friendly for 2009.

It's almost May in Minnesota

I can't believe its been five weeks since I was last in San Diego. I can't lie and say I don't miss it on an over cast and rainy day like today. It's almost May and there is still rain here but on the brighter side so many great things have been happening for me.
I have been attending networking events like crazy! Some have been very motivating which have pushed me to polish my resume, make more phone calls, and get my name out there. I have a South Metro group in which I have been asking for a lot of advice from the Veterans. I am the youngest and most enthusiastic one of the bunch (go figure right?). I have been pushing myself to attend at least three networking events a week. I have also been reaching out to everyone I have met so far since my move to network and ask if they know of anything.
In addition, I was contacted through LinkedIn for a job at Proforma. Proforma is actually a franchise for resources in print, promotional products, and marketing services. I was offered an opportunity to work as a Marketing Consultant under 1099. I didn't commit initially because I really wanted to do my background research on the group. I also learned more about 1099 than I ever thought I would before. I have been on 1099 in the past but I didn't do my taxes so I didn't know how involved it is. With 1099 you have to pay:
Self Employment Tax
Medicare Tax
Social Security Tax
Unemployment Tax
Medical
Dental
All of these various elements come out of your paycheck. The benefit is that I am able to choose my own medical insurance for a individual plan that works for me and I get a lot of tax write offs. It seems daunting initially to think about working 1099 because there is so much you have to pay out of your pocket and you don't see the money, if you get rebate, for a year later. I have also been hesitant about this opportunity because they don't cover any of my business expenses and expect me to work from home. It's a lot to think about especially when you are starting from scratch. What is hard is when you need a job your willing to accept just about anything that is presented to you. Should I hold out? Should I commit? This could either go really good or very poorly. Then, you have to think of the implications of this on your future career. When you want to get into a big agency like Fallon, Olson, or Carlson are they going to look at the name Proforma and think who? This has been my biggest dilemma in my one week back to searching for a job.
On a lighter note, I am going back to San Diego for Debbie Stewart and Travis Shain's wedding and I couldn't be more excited. I am honored to be ask to be in the wedding too.
So ta ta for now. Until next time...Ciao!

Welcome to Minnesota

Yes, as many of you probably already know I moved to Minneapolis earlier last month. It was a big step in my life but I am happy to have done it. What many people don't know is that Minneapolis is a big city with many affluent people. The Twin Cities is home to many corporate head quarters such as Target, Best Buy, 3M, General Mills, and many more... This is a huge job market which is part of the reason I have decided to move here.The other part was I moved for my boyfriend I met in Italy a year ago named Elliot Botten.
So much has happened since my move! Elliot and I were house sitting for two different family members so we were going from house to house. While house sitting Elliot's Mom and I were cleaning the condo so we could get it ready for all the repairs. Many of the upgrades and repairs we have decided to do ourselves with the carpenter skills of Elliot's dad Bruces help. I have learned many new handy skills such as laying click wood flooring, installing tile, putting together furniture, painting, and many more. You never thought I would be so handy didn't you? lol I suprised myself! I think growing up watching my parents build a house really helped!
We will be living down town near the new Twins stadium in a refurbished warehouse converted to condos. It is really neat and the location is very metropolitan with lots of restaurants and bars nearby. I am very excited to see what happens to this area after the stadium is complete. I think it will be like Petco Park in San Diego. We are hoping to be able to get settled sometime in the next two weeks.
I am constantly being asked about the weather and I must say it hasn't been too bad. Initially, it was a little colder in the mid 30's (Fahrenheit) and I even was able to experience some wet snow (which was beautiful and melted by noon) but its warmed up significantly since then. What has been amazing is that regardless of the temperature you always see people walking, jogging, or cycling along the roads. This area is very active, probably a result of the cabin fever they have been experiencing.
My parents drove my car out from California and visited me which was a wonderful treat! We had a blast visiting the surrounding areas and being tourist. We ate at the famous 5-8 Club a Juicy Lucy which is a hamburger with molten hot cheese in the middle. If you haven't had one before you need to because it is delicious! We celebrated my dad's birthday at ChinaLatino which is an amazing restaurant with an infusion of Chinese and Latin food. My dad got to wear a bandanna with the yin yang symbol and learned to drink a sake bomb. Also during my parent's visit, Elliot's mom Sue made a delicious Pallela which I wanted to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner the leftovers! Elliot's parents and mine got along great. They truly developed a nice friendship at the end and were sad to see one another leave. During my parent's stay they even looked into condos in the down town area. Who knows maybe my parents will end up moving here too!
I haven't had a lot of time to commit to the job search since I have been exhausted working on condo or entertaining my parents during their visit. After we move into the condo, hopefully in the next week or so, I will be back to the job search. In the meantime I have joined a couple networking groups which I plan to attend soon. Everything seems to be falling into place. The more people I meet the more I get my name out there. I had an informational interview last week with the Marketing director at Allina Hospital and Clinics who is going to pass my resume and information along for me.
So that is my update from Min-ne-sota, yah!

Miss Valley Center 2009

I was very fortunate to be able to be part of the Miss Valley Center pageant again this year. The whole experience was wonderful since we had 10 amazing women competing. This year we changed things a bit by including a Jr. Miss portion to the pageant. Working with girls 14-17 since they are more immature and their understanding of the world around them is low. I think the pageant did a nice job of forcing these girls to develop their own opinions while developing their self-confidence and poise. I was very pleased in the progress I saw in each of the girls from beginning to end.
I was honored to be asked to be Mistress of Ceremonies. It was a task I took up with great pride. The after the pageant I received many compliments from audience members about my public speaking ability. I even had a teacher named Mrs. Gonzalez from the Middle School ask me to come in and talk to her students after hearing my biography.
The winners for the Jr. were Allyson Crouthamel (First Princess) and Morgan Boberg (Jr. Miss). The Miss winners were Rachel King (Miss First Princess) and Christina Joor (Miss Valley Center).
Overall, it was a great experience where I was able to develop my leadership, organizational, and communication skills. I was very proud to be part of this event since it is 100% non for profit and helps women further their education. I didn't mind donating my time or talents because I hope one of these girls will do it themself.

Unemployment continued...

The best part of this process is knowing that one day I won't be able to do nothing like I do now. Actually, I take that back because I don't just do nothing. Everyday I have been contacting people I know and don't know to network. I have found that "who you know" has played a key role in my job hunting. Most people I talk to only result in an informational interview because most companies are not hiring. The nice part of the informational interview is that you can learn about a person and an organization without the pressure. In addition, after they meet you they are more inclined to remember you or want to help you out.
Two weeks ago I want to Minneapolis for interviews, networking, and organizing my big move. It was an awesome experience in which by the end of the week I was exhausted. I met Elliot's family, recruiters, and people from different organizations. I was fortunate enough to have two meetings and three interviews in my 10 days span. I had an interview with Target, INNOVA Markeing, and Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau. I really enjoyed my last interview because it was just an informational interview with the Director of Marketing, Adam Johnson. Adam gave me so much amazing insight into the complexity of marketing within in tourism. Especially in this day and age with the economy in a recession the ability to persuade someone to spend the money traveling is not easy. He let me in on a couple ideas and concepts that he is currently working on and I was delighted to give feedback/ideas. He helped me get a interview for a receptionist position at the convention bureau which is a great start considering during this economy "beggars can't be choosers". In between all the fun job stuff Elliot and I scrambled all over the cities to local furniture and design stores to get ideas on how to decorate our condo downtown. In addition, Elliot gave me a wonderful cabin experience in northern Wisconsin where we went snow snowmobiling, made snow angels, and relaxed in a HUGE log cabin but the fire.
My positive visit to Minneapolis even with its low digit temperature has strengthen my decision of moving to the Midwest. With the large number of corporations based in the Twin Cities I am hopeful that an opportunity will present itself. Just talking to a couple people at gatherings, especially Elliot's immediate family, I was able to meet many people who are part of these big corporations management. The news says the economy is bad and yes its a lemon, but you have to learn how to make lemonade. I have been able to develop opportunities where others may see a closed door. I have had a great job search coach, Elliot, who has really taught me the knit and grit of finding a job. While we both initially began struggling we have both come out on top. We both have had repeat interviews with various companies. In addition, we both have the support of our families have also given us a piece of mind (shelter and food) while we look for employment.
I have toyed with the idea of just going back to school I have decided that I need to develop some real world experience. I am however interested in taking a class here and there to develop some more of my artistic skills for graphic design and web design.
So while the unemployment continues I am getting somewhere. In my spare time I have been volunteering in the Miss Valley Center Pageant. This year I am very excited about the event since I was asked to be Mistress of Ceremonies. I am happy to be a positive female role model in my community. I have been taking every opportunity to spend time with family and friends. This is one aspect I will miss about the move but with so many modern forms of communication I don't feel like I will be too far away.