don’t want to forget today. Today is Tuesday, not quite Hump Day, yet passed the dreaded is-it-really Monday. It has no special alias, just nestled within the week.


But today is very exciting for me, and the below illustration will provide the supporting reasons.

Due to some schedule mix-ups from our friends, we finally had a quiet weekend during this past Halloween weekend. Daylight saving just made it even sweeter. So I took full advantage of it and worked on one of my many projects. As a gift, I offered to make a guestbook for my boss' upcoming wedding in November. This will not only lessen the traditional gift for the Cambodian wedding (also applies to Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai weddings). But it will also serve 2 other purposes:

1. I am super anal when I work on these types of projects, but that's because they are my creative outlets. I actually take joy in being anal and bringing on this pain.
2. This will be a test run for the Christmas gifts that I intend to give to both of our families as well as to the bridal party. I know, crazy. But, once again, this will involve more time and effort but much less money to shell out for gifts. And our families are fanatical about pictures and videos, so these albums would be very suitable gifts.
   

Take a look at the guestbook below and let me know what you think! This is the first time that I've dabbled in digital scrapbooking and I am addicted. I purchased the "Dreams Are Made Of (PINK) QP" album by Paislee Press and Taylormadealbum template from Oscraps. I really like the simple, modern, and vibrant aesthetics of these two designers, and the wedding theme colors are pink and brown. I tweaked the size and some pages here and there, but basically love the template as is.

I incorporated the pictures that she sent me of their relationship through the years, she's another 10yearstogether or 11.....She also provided pictures from her engagement session with Tracy Kumoto, which she utilized as a formal/bridal portrait session of sorts. She didn't want to spend more money on the "studio" sessions that are so popular among Asian brides. See mine below.

I am beyond excited to see this guestbook in print! To see my analness pay off and to be able to semi-mass produce Christmas gifts are just priceless. Without further ado, I present you, The Guestbook.

Click here to view this photo book.

I am no longer a desperate housewife! After leaving my underpaid and overworked managerial position at the company where I toiled away for 7 years of my life, I was looking forward to starting out fresh in a new environment. My now hubby forwarded me a very promising opportunity. With much less workload and responsibilities but still within my HR field, locating just 5 miles from the apartment where we will be moving in together, cultivating my 3 years of retail experience from Macy's, and a SoCal casual dress code....what a sweet resume for an employer, right? Not so much.

When the Human Resources department thrives on gossip and alliances, behaving just like their teenage consumer demographic, it didn't take me long to realize that even with the 20% employee discount, this company was not a good fit. Shortly after 4 months and much deliberation with the hubby, I let my new employer go. Only after I told my self-admitted “white trash” co-worker what to do to herself, in front of the department, in my diplomatic HR ways, that was sweet. I am nice, really. Just don’t test me.

So I was fortunate enough to have a hubby who allowed me to obsess over the wedding planning for a month and a half, actually married me, then supported my lazy ass for 6 more months while I sulked about what to do with my life. He sure married a keeper. For half a year after my wedding I slept, watched reruns of Project Runway, slept, moped, surfed the internet, and often all of these things at once. I was really on my way to become such a model wife, while hubby worked, cooked, and provided endless motivation and support. I couldn’t decide between pursuing my passion and maintaining financial security. I now have the resources to venture into entrepreneurship, but timing is an issue. [cue Fergie] It’s personal, myself and I. We’ve got some straightening out to do.

I told my passionate self to lay low, and we’ll continue to hang out during our spare time. I shifted my paradigm to providing stability for my family, and will do so passionately. Once again, my hubby forwarded me an employer with a sweet resume. I accepted cautiously. Being one month in, this employer is passing the probationary period with flying colors. Not only does it live up to its qualifications, it also provides continuous trivials that make me snort joyously. Case in point, my department handles their Idol Mania very seriously. There’s a high stake pool that starts every Tuesday night, when we would watch the Idols perform, then carefully critique (or not) their routines come Wednesday morning, put in $2 and register our vote for the one that will be voted off. As demonstrated below:
$1 would go toward every week’s pool, the other dollar would go toward the ultimate Idol winner’s pool, when we vote from the final 3 or 4 contestants. We even provide visual aids. It’s quite intense.

Oh, and in exchange for that 20% employee discount at my previous employer, this current one brings me this coffee any time I want. [snort giddily]