Lauren
Campus: Orland ParkProgram: Graphic Arts
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Graphic Design program here at Robert Morris. I
realized at a young age that art was my calling. I've
been painting, doodling, drawing, decorating, and
creating things for as long as I can remember. My love
of scrapbooking led me in the direction of Graphic
Design. It's just like doing scrapbook layouts, only
with a computer. For a few years now I have been
putting my art talent to work by doing murals for
people in their homes. I especially love doing animal
murals and clouds for nurseries and playrooms, and
faux window murals in kitchens and bathrooms. When I
am not painting, I'm usually at school, working at my
part-time job, or spending time with my boyfriend of
five years, John. I love fall weather and taking walks
when the air is crisp, especially downtown near the
Planetarium or in the forest preserves. When it's too
chilly to be outside, I like to go bowling. I think of
myself as a good listener, and I love giving advice to
people about school, relationships and even things
like nutrition. I have many goals about living a
healthy lifestyle, and I love it when people ask me
how they can do the same. I am very anxious to
graduate and get my Bachelor's Degree, and I know my
time spent here at Robert Morris will help me to
achieve my goals of making a name for myself in the
art and design world!
Previously on Real Life...
Let's start off by saying I hope everyone had a really nice Thanksgiving. Mine was good, quiet. Stayed home with the fam and just relaxed that night. John ended up going over by his family later on but I didn't go with him because I was tired and had to get up early for work on Friday...which is a whole other story. I'll get to that in a minute. Thursday night is my TV night...all of my favorite shows are on at the same time. I know they do that on purpose because they are all competing for ratings! I used to like looking forward to one show a couple times a week. Now after watching TV for 2-3 hours straight on one night I feel like a major couch potato. Then we have to tape one show on another TV and watch it later. CSI and Grey's Anatomy are at the same time so we always have to decide which one we want to watch. We all watch Ugly Betty, and my parent's like 'Til Death so we have to tape that too because they are on at the same time as well. But I am getting way off subject here. All I was going to say in the first place was that I am surprised they played all new episodes of those shows on Thanksgiving. Most people are out of town or with their families or eating dinner! But we always eat early, around 2, so our evenings are quiet.
So we just had a small group on Turkey day...my parents, sister and brother in law, my lovely fiancée John and my Aunt and her boyfriend. The boys and myself ended up falling asleep on the couch for a little bit after we ate. Johnny was tired because he played football all morning. He asked me if I wanted to play too but that was a big NO!!! First of all I hate football, and second I didn't want to do any physical work on my day off!! hahaha. Wednesday was so exhausting for me. I had presentations and tests in the morning and had to rush over to work so we can fill a million orders (OK I am exaggerating). Any holiday for us at work is a killer. We made over 120 arrangements for Thanksgiving. It was such a long day. I've known for awhile that I would have all this work due this week for finals but I've been so exhausted and stressed out that I haven't brought myself to do it until today. Nothing like waiting until the last minute. Sometimes I work better under pressure..if I know I don't HAVE to do it right away, I won't. I will wait until I don't have a choice.
It would have been nice to have off all day on Friday, but my boss and one of the other ladies who works there had the day off so they could do their Christmas shopping. Thanks but no thanks. I guess it was better to work and make money than to go out and spend it. Although, Friday was a nightmare at work, and maybe shopping would have been better! We started late, the phones were ringing, we ran out of stuff, we had problems with deliveries, it took us long to finish, I was in a bad mood, and I didn't eat lunch until 2:30 (and I get very cranky when I don't eat.) But then again, maybe it WAS better to be at work because I hate Christmas shopping. And NO I am not a grinch! I can't handle the crowds. Normally I have all of my shopping done before Thanksgiving, and of course I miss all of the good sales, but I don't care. I'd rather shop when the mall is empty than go when 50 million other people go just to get a "doorbuster"!! When I am in big crowds I get kinda lightheaded, and an anxiety thing going on. I can't stand people running all around me, or cramming myself in an aisle or line, elbows to elbows. I unfortunately was not able to find the time to go shopping before turkey day, so now I am stuck having to shop with the rest of the world. However, my fam and I are talking about maybe not exchanging and giving to charity or just doing some kind of grab bag or something different. I think people forget about the true meaning of Christmas and get wrapped up (no pun intended) in the gift giving.
John and I haven't exchanged Christmas gifts in about 3 years. Since we just had our birthdays together, it was like Christmas for us. We give to charities in each others names, like the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Project Share through the Daily Southtown Newspaper.
I posted some pics of the "Twinkies" Josh and Joey, my sister's friend Jen's twin boys. They are 11 weeks old and the cutest things ever! We all went to see them on Tuesday night. I didn't get a chance to hold them though because I was honestly exhausted that day. Work was insane all week because the phone were ringing like crazy for the holiday orders. It was nice to just sit there and watch the babies though...they put a smile on my face. Also, seeing John with the babies was nice too. He loves kids and can't wait to have some of his own...he's going to be a great Dad one day, although he is going to have to wait awhile! We have to get past school and a wedding first. We still haven't set a wedding date yet but I think we are leaning more toward the June 28, 2009 option. I know it sounds really far away but that's only about 2.5 years or so. We were originally thinking October 4, 2008. However, I don't graduate until Feb '08, and John's done in June '08....I'm hoping that with our degrees we can get good jobs right away but we'd really have to save up to be ready that following October. If we wait until the following June we might be more financially stable so we can afford a house at that point. I don't know, we'll see! I am keeping in mind that June is warmer, and the 28th happens to be our dating anniversary, so it would be nice to get married on our 8 year anniversary!
Well another weekend, another blog. This has been quite a week...I am so tired! I've had so many projects, presentations and papers due this week for finals, plus I am wrapping up everything with my internship, then work, then the snowstorm and a painting job. Phew! I was given the day off work on Monday which was nice, but instead of doing work all afternoon I took some time to do a little Christmas and Birthday shopping and to run some errands, then I came home and worked on my portfolio all night so I could present it on Tuesday. I was given the afternoon off because work has just been so slow...I guess everyone is out spending money on Christmas gifts, but not at my work. I think it's just the calm before the storm...I'm sure we'll have a hundred something orders for Christmas. I'm kind of upset that I have to work a full day on Christmas Eve. Heck I'd rather work Christmas Day because that's a quiet day for us...we usually spend time with the family on Christmas Eve. Oh well, I have to put it in perspective and be thankful I have a job so I can pay my bills and save up for that wedding I'm having in a couple of years!
I've been working on a new painting job this week. I actually started it 2 weeks ago but the Thanksgiving holiday put everything on hold...and with school and work I found it hard to make it over there. Since work was so slow again and I was done with school by Tuesday because of finals, I was able to work all day on wednesday, from 8:30-5:30....that was a long time to be on my feet all day. It's so much work doing painting jobs. It's not as easy and cushy as it seems. My back aches from turning at angles to get in the right position to paint, and my feet ache from being on the ladder. I've screwed up my neck and right shoulder from holding up my arm for long periods of time without resting it or stretching it first, and just the repetitive motion of painting for so many years killed it. By no means am I complaining...I actually realized the other day how much I miss it. No matter how achy and sore I get from doing it, I will always love it and I know it's my calling in life. The last painting job I had was in March, so I went awhile without painting. It got hard when I was doing it every week. The only reason I am not is because I went so long without any calls for murals and had to go out and get my job at Edible Arrangements so I could rely on a steady income. I loved making my own hours and working when I wanted, but the calls just weren't coming in. I actually was booked with jobs that kept me busy for nearly two years. At one point I had a 6 month waiting list! Oh well, things change....the jobs seem to come in waves too. I'm hoping it will pick up again, and maybe I can just go back to doing what I love.
The murals I am working on this week are in a wine room, so I did a tuscan window mural by the wine shelves, along with trompe L'Oeil (french for trick the eye) paintings of exposed brick. That is done as of right now, but I still need to do a shelf with some wine glasses and a wine bottle with some grape vines and more exposed brick. The tuscan look is REALLY popular now, and I find myself doing a lot of those paintings. I've even done some in my house for my mom and dad. I am glad they were brave enough to let me paint on their walls! I started painting on the walls when I was 16, and it's funny because people did not believe that my parents would let me do that to practice new techniques....and now people pay me to do it!
I was going to finish up the job on Friday but that monster snow storm came in....okay, so we've had way worse these previous winters, but since there was so much freezing rain and ice, I decided to stay home instead of painting...then for the third time this week I did not have to go into work...woohoo! I had the whole day off on friday...a rare occasion!! A day to myself!! Once the weather cleared up my mom and I decided to spend the afternoon together and go shopping at the new Costco that just opened up in Orland....I think I found my new favorite store! Hahaha....they had tons of free samples, and I felt like I ate half the store. I even tried lamb for the first time! I'm really into scrapbooking, so I was excited when I got 81 Gel pens for 15 bucks!!! Then in the evening I saw my best friend and her boyfriend and gave her an early birthday present since I knew I would not see her today. They were on the internet when John and I were there, and they were looking at engagement rings....they were even going to go looking at some stores on Saturday! I was excited!! It will be fun to do wedding planning with my best friend!! I can't wait until he pops her the question!!
Today John and I headed out to Justice to attend his second cousin Dominic's Christening. It was a nice ceremony, and we headed over to Fox's in Oak Lawn afterward for dinner. I got a few nice pics, however, I did not turn on the flash for all of them and they came out a tad grainy. This has been such a long week and I am thankful it's over. I get to start over fresh tomorrow after a looooong quarter with a new set of classes, and hopefully I will finish my painting job this week so I have one less thing to worry about. Speaking of starting off fresh, I think I'm going to top it off by cutting off all my hair. I'm talking really short...short enough where I can't pull it back. This is the longest I've had it in years, and I am super tired of the tug of war every morning with this frizzy mess!
So I guess this upcoming week will set off a time of new beginnings...I'm ready for a change. John and I are at a new point in our relationship after just getting engaged, I'm starting a new quarter, reflecting on the previous one as a job well done, and working my way into the new year which is right around the corner. I think new hairstyle will be just the thing I need to top it all off.
Change is good...and if I totally hate it.......
HAIR GROWS BACK! :)