See you in the sandbox the day after Thanksgiving

Just a couple of days after Thanksgiving and our minds shift to Black Friday, they shift to Christmas and presents, hot chocolate, and snow. Thanksgiving gets a small time frame to make a big difference and Christmas gets a long time frame to make us happy a few days, that is until we go 'after Christmas shopping' to pick up all the other things we wanted but weren't under the tree. 

Holiday's are a funny thing, they put people in better moods, make people more generous, we think of giving and family...well some of us that is. 

I am sure I will run into some of you at the mall stocking up on presents, I hope everyone has a wonderful month, and don't let the January depression sink in!

Hailey

See you in the sandbox with amazing designs

It is rare that I am blown away by things these days, with so much information & advertisements being thrown at me my mind gets tired. But this illustration above from Communication Arts Magazine blows my mind. A child lifting up and ocean wave to see what is under it...this deserves an applause. AMAZING! I want this across my entire living room wall. 

Hailey Schultz

See you in the sandbox when crab apples drop.

     Everyone seems busy in the Fall. Any person working in the fashion industry is scampering around in the Fall, school starts for most under 23, farmers are harvesting their crops, there are more births in the month of September than any other month, the entertainment industry is getting to release their biggest hits, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, & the New Year are right around the corner, and me, I'm working 10 hour days and trying to visit everyone I can before the snow storms roll in.

     I love the Fall, there is something romantic about it, maybe that is from watching too many movies, but either way I walk outside and smile. Not only do I get to go buy cute new jackets & boots, but walks with my dog are amazing, and Starbucks carries their "Pumpkin Spice Latte." This is the time of year I miss Chicago the most.

     Today I went for a relaxing stroll with my dog who sniffed the fresh chilly air with excitement. The whole walk we were dodging hundreds of crab apples that covered the sidewalks in my apartment complex. This is when I realized Winter was on its way. I have barely spent any time outside these past few weeks with all o f my time dedicated to working long hours. What happened to the 40 hour work week? I don't know anyone who works 9-5 with a lunch break. My days start at 7am and end hopefully at 5:30 with lunch at my desk. I refuse to miss out on my favorite season and I know my days are numbered when the crab apples have fallen

Hailey Schultz

See you in the sandbox...living alone

I have lived in dorms, lived with roommates, and lived by myself, there are pros and cons to each situation, but here are my top 7 negatives to living alone:

1. It is always your dish night
2. You can't blame anyone else for the mess when guests come over
3. Bread always goes stale
4. There is no one to borrow a pair of socks from
5. No one can help you carry in the groceries
6. There isn't any one to stop you from eating a quart of ice cream
7. You can't split the cable or internet bill with any one

Hailey Schultz

See you in the sandbox, or on my vacation in Florida. 

     You could say my vacation was not all that relaxing if you look at it in bullet points:

• my boyfriend didn't have a phone the whole vacation
• it was cloudy the whole time we were in Florida
• we were caught in hurricane Debra
• we were stuck in an airport for 2 days waiting for flights
• my luggage was sent to Chicago without me
• while waiting on stand-by my boyfriend and I were separated and I sat in an airport for an extra 2 hours while he made his way to Chicago

     Yes, actually there were many stressful situations for this short 3 days we had planned. But I learned something important, even though we were stuck in the airport for 2 days waiting to catch a flight and I had to wear the same clothing for 24 hours, anything in life can be viewed as stressful, and honestly I have been more stressed running to Starbucks before. 

     I admit it, when I tell stories I word them in such a way that the stress level is enhanced, and when I do that I stress myself out even more. So I don't want my vacation tale to stress me out more, so using positive bullet points, here is how my trip really went:

• I bought 2 round trip tickets for only $160 to Florida!
• we took a stroll on a cool overcast day alone the white sandy beaches of Florida
• I learned that palm branches are ridiculously big & there are more deaths every year from coconuts hitting people on the heads than from shark attacks
• we saw a manatee in the harbor from our balcony 
• I experienced a hurricane for the first time

I feel refreshed, satisfied, and I can't wait for my next vacation to bring some crazy tales to share. 

Hailey

See you in the sandbox

“See you in the sandbox”

     I am secretly very competitive, like most of us. I have read some interesting books lately including, “How to work with difficult people,” “Reinventing your self,” & “Saying no to negativity...” And in this reading marathon I just went through, I came to the conclusion that competitive motivation can be harmful. 

Friendly competitions can be fun and spark motivation, but as soon as your self-motivation becomes other person competitive, that is when you loose the meaning of your purpose. Especially working with others closely, competition can ruin relationships, and lead to foggy brains and mistakes. 

     In high school I ran in track, the 1600 mostly. I was competitive, but never placed in the top three, except this one time when there were only three runners and I got 2nd place...so I ran to beet my own records. Every race I would lower my goal mile time by a few seconds, and every race my time got better. My personal best kept improving, that is what is most important. 

-Hailey Schultz

59 days

"From the eyes of a newbie 59 days"

     All life’s experiences lead to something, and most times I don't know what that something is until years later. I have worked for the last 59 days without a day off. Today is not only my 25th birthday, but also a 21 hour work day, and tomorrow starts my 10 day vacation that I have been dreaming about for the last two months. Although I am exhausted and relieved, I still have a feeling of guilt for taking days off. I have an obsession with working and reaping the rewards. 
     This past year has been one of the most pivotal points in my life and was jam-packed with experiences. To end my 24th year of life I cannot wait for my first trip to Florida and first paid vacation. I have much to celebrate. This coming year I want my focus to be "quality of life," these 15 hour days, and juggling two jobs will have to be cut down. I learned just recently that your body can handle only so much, and I finally know my limit. 

     Now in my 25th year of life I feel like a grown up. This past year has been a journey and I am glad I have a blog to show for it. “From the eyes of a newbie” I am very blessed, but now 10 months into my job, and settled into my new city, my blog will morph with my place in life:

“See you in the sandbox”

-Hailey Schultz

Top 10 things people underutilize in Indesign

From the eyes of a newbie & the top 10 things people underutilized in Indesign . . . 

1. Scripting
2. Linking
3. Character Styles 
4. Alignment tools
5. Using excel to help you in Indesign
6. Em, En dashes
7. Master pages
8. Step and repeat
9. Find/ change
10. Keyboard shortcuts

Guilty.

Hailey

time savers

From the eyes of a newbie trying to save time

Ways I try to save time . . . 
1. When I need to take my dog out I grab the garbage, put on my running shoes, put a tank-top on to get a little sun, and I have already accomplished 4 things in 30 minutes: dog walk, tan, garbage out, 30 min work out.

2. Watching a movie: I watch it on my lap top so that the movie is mobile so I can eat dinner, paint my nails, do the dishes, fold and put away clothes, while having the movie play right next to me at all times. 

3. When I need groceries: I do all of my out and about errands, filling my gas tank, Target stop, drop off rent . . . yada yada but the biggest time saver if you live in a busy area, do your errands Monday or Tuesday nights, no one is out ever!

4. When I get a phone call: I clean, everything! Organize, put shoes away, dust . . . you will be amazed how much you get done!

I am a Queen at multitasking. I love working really hard for a short amount of time, and then when you really need a break, like me this weekend, you just lay in bed for hours watching movie after movie, eating brownies in bed in a clean apartment, and all of your errands have been finished, and your mind is clear. 

Hope everyone has a great week! 

Hailey

Look out your window

From the eyes of a newbie looking out the window.

    Looked out a window and this is what I saw.

Neutral like Switzerland

From the eyes of a newbie being neutral

     In my college years I always thought I knew best, I was learning so much in such a short amount of time I felt like I was the most knowledgeable person that I knew. Of course failing calculus, twice, was a small wake up call that this was in fact not the case. I have only been out of college for a year, but even so when I speak to those in college right now I see myself. I was on a plane earlier today and overheard a conversation going on between two college students and wondered what everyone around them thought. 

     Ironically these students were discussing design, mostly filming but they touched on graphic design, and after listening to their conversation they are in for a huge surprise when they get their first job. I think arrogance is something people struggle with their whole lives. And at this point in my life I need to stay neutral. I am still learning too much to have the answers. I am not always right, in fact, most of the people around me know better than I do. 

     Design is tricky, sometimes there are right and wrong answers, but most of the time what I do is debatable. But before you take chances you have to build a trust with people. I believe one of the best ways to build trust is to listen. 

     Whenever I am listening it is really hard to not chime in. I want to give my opinion, make their idea better, but I need to learn to be neutral, let people have their opinion and keep it. They need to find ways to improve their idea, and not be offended by my intervening. My plan is to be like Switzerland, hold a lot of important information, listen to everyone, but stay neutral with all of those around me to build trust. 

Hailey

     

Can I have the answer sheet yet?

From the eyes of a newbie requesting life's answer sheet. 

     My whole life there has always been answers. Either on a slip of paper telling me what I got right or wrong, or through punishments such as groundings, or rewarding allowances. 
     Now days I can't seem to find the answer sheet and no one is punishing or rewarding me. I went online today in search of coffee intake information. I have around 5 measured cups of coffee a day and I wanted to know how unhealthy I was being. Well every site had something different to say and my conclusion is still pending.
     I google search a lot of my questions and although coffee isn't a huge deal what about relationships, your job, finances...should I be referencing google for all my important life questions?

Does google hold life's answer sheet?

Hailey

forced to take a 2nd Job

From the eyes of a newbie's 2nd job!

     Hooray for me I found a night job, and boy do I need it! I finish my training today at a restaurant I started working at. My time now will be extremely limited, the coffee bill might go up, but monthly bills will not be a worry anymore, hopefully...
     Many young people these days have a couple of jobs which is a shame to spread yourself so thin. I met a girl who is a mother, goes to college full time, and works at the restaurant during the night to scrape by. How can such a hard working individual be so overwhelmed. One reason is...fees! I am so sick of all of these "hidden fees" it makes me sick. 
     To get my Indiana driver's license I need $$ for a driving record, then I need $$ for a processing fee, and the $$ for the actual drivers license.
     To work at the restaurant I am required to get a liquor license, which I have to get a money order for $$$ but money orders cost $ then I have to take a class that costs $$. 
     If I want cash out of an ATM it is $ if I want any legal paper it is $$, if I want help filing taxes because it is so confusing it is $. 
     My apartment complex charges me for water $, trash pick up $, the regular electric, energy, gas...$$$$ a pet fee $$ a parking fee for winter coverage $$ a convenience fee $$ for their facilities, they even charge me $$$$ for using my debit card to pay them! 
     I have been tracking my fees for the last few months, and trying to find ways around them, legally of course...
     It doesn't help that my checks have 30% of them taken out right off the bat for all the other fees I am charged. 

Holy caboodles, fees are everywhere and I am sure they will only get worse. Ok I am done complaining about all the money I have to give to everyone else, I feel better now. 

Hailey

I want sandy feet

From the eyes of a newbie's sandy feet.

     My last true vacation was 3.5 years ago when I visited a good friend in New York where we proceeded to travel to Atlantic City for a birthday. We slept in, spent a lot of money, went out for dinner, laid around on the beach...all the things you should do on a vacation.

     I am long overdue for some traveling and this one will be my first paid vaca! I can't even plan it because I am so excited! A cruise, Mexico, Bahamas, TOKYO!!! WHERE TO GO WHAT TO DO! The options are endless and I fear I won't even go because I can't decide. 

     Wherever it is that I go I want to bury my feet in the hot sand and just stand in the sun sipping on an ice cold drink. If you know of a great destination for my first vacation in 3.5 years let me know! I need help deciding.

Hailey

Take the jump!

From the eyes of a newbie taking risks.

    JUMP!!!! A couple of years ago I went skydiving. It was one of the most memorable feelings I believe I will ever have. At this moment pictured above, the two minutes of free falling, I felt so peaceful, weightless, and all of my problems were gone. Most likely those will be the only two minutes of my life I will feel so free. But with every big choice in your life you get a hint of this exciting peace. Something about that feeling of risk is addicting. 

     I am a bit of a risk taker and I like pushing myself into new experiences to see how I handle them, such as skydiving, switching colleges, my impulsive move to Chicago, my quick move to Indianapolis...After six months on the work-front I am feeling more confident everyday. It is now time to incorporate a "conservative risk-taking angle" into my work. Until now all of my work has been on the safe side, trying to replicate what others were doing. It is time for my "tandem jump." I have a couple of crazy ideas....wish me luck!

Hailey

Tightening Up

From the eyes of a newbie tightening up.

     I never lived in the depression, but I saw my great grandmother rinse and refold aluminum foil, I also watched her eat everything from her fridge even when it had little specks of mold on it. Stale crackers would get crumbled into her soup, nothing was wasted. I always thought that was silly. 
     Now that I am living on my own with a full time job/ benefits I always assumed all my bills would be covered because that is how the world works. Well, I have come to find out unlike the 1930's when only the men worked to support a whole family, the women have to work as well, with multiple jobs. How is this possible? How can one job not support your life? 
     Now I catch myself shutting lights off as I leave the room, rationing my food, thinking about items I can buy that will compliment the few other items I have in the fridge. I don't just drive around but make one trip to as many places as I can to save gas. Life takes a lot more planning and my mom was right, the older you get the more stressed you are. 
    So today is another day where I am still in the job hunt, the average weekly hours I will have to work to support myself: 78. A part time weekend job, if you know of any in the Indianapolis area let me know, I will again be a "newbie" on the weekends, hopefully very very soon. 

Hailey

My eyes are opened

From the eyes of a newbie growing up.

     My dog loves soccer balls, so for Christmas I bought him a soccer ball that I thought might last...

     I am learning that many things in life that you think might last simply do not. But in this learning experience the makings of such things are revealed, the layers pealed away and core exposed. Slowly but steadily the inner makings of all that I thought would last and didn't are uncovered. I think this is called "growing up." My eyes are being opened, and sometimes I wish that they had been closed. 

     Sorry for all of these metaphors, I simply meant to say, I am finding that things are not what I thought. 

Hailey

Transforming

From the eyes of a newbie transforming.

     A couple of years ago I was given a project by my Illustration professor to take a 2-D cartoon and turn it into a human with real biological features. This was quite a challenge and took about a month to complete. I think his mouth and chin area was the hardest for me to interpret from the line drawing. 

     When I look at these drawings I laugh, they are very comical and I learned a lot from doing this project. When I look at them again, it makes me think of how I am transforming from a "line drawing" into a more "well rounded, 3 dimensional" career driven woman. The transformation has been a bit grueling at times, and certain parts are a lot harder than others. 

     College gave me the basic "line drawing"  to use when I started my first job, and it was up to me to render this drawing into whatever I could imagine. My drawing is still in the works, but it is looking more and more realistic everyday. 

Hailey

To a Chicago Friend

From the eyes of a newbie to a good friend.

     I am dedicating this blog to a special someone whom I have known for just under 4 years. She has flawless taste in fashion, is an amazing cook, extremely knowledgeable in basically all current events, a talented bargain shopper, well organized and OCD about her cleanliness, she is beautiful and doesn't wear any make-up...I miss her very much, and I hope that she knows how much I learned from her in my years in Chicago. 

     Many times I don't realized how much someone means to me until they are taken from my everyday life. When I look back onto the days we spent together I realize we spent thousands of hours by each others side. She has shared her talents with me and a select other few, and I hope she continues to share her talents with everyone else. She has much to offer, and if you ever run into her...I would suggest opening your ears.

Hailey

Stressed Much?

From the eyes of a newbie stressed out.

     Stress is dangerous, every time I am stressed I get sick, like now I have bronchitis, and work is really busy! It physically hurts me and I deal with it everyday so....what is the solution?

      All that stuff people tell you to do, meditate, take a warm bath, listen to soft music, works for about 30 minutes and then the stress returns. It is hard to learn the fine balance of work, home, and what to be stressed about. I love my job but when it is stressful I cannot allow it to interfere with my personal life. But when doing a good job is so important I think about what I can do at work all night, in the shower, cooking dinner, it keeps me up at night...I stay late at night trying to tie loose ends, I come in early. I am still very new, at 6 months old maybe when I mature I will be able to work faster and get things done before 5pm rolls around. Regardless, I need a quick fix, maybe a glass of wine will do the trick.

Hailey

Glamorous

From the eyes of a newbie 
"Glamorous while in your first year of work."

As Valentine's Day approaches I think about strawberries and champagne, diamond rings and the Drake Hotel. It is the time of chocolate truffles and engagements, short dresses and kisses. Pink and red are on my mind but celebrations are modest in the first year of employment. There will be no fancy dinner downtown, but I will still be glamorous. I will do up my hair and make-up, put on my high heels and walk down the street to celebrate Valentine's Day...even if it is a dinner at a Chinese restaurant with plastic forks and 80's decor. 

Hailey

I had a plan...

From the eyes of a newbie & my plan.

Hailey

Women's best friend

From the eyes of a newbie & women's best friend.

I have a friend who gives me unconditional love and jumps for joy every time I open the door. He kisses me when I am down, he snuggles me at night, he never wants to leave my side. He is my alarm clock. He never fights with me over the remote, he never is embarrassed by my silliness. He always loves my outfits and can't wait to get me out the door with him. He makes me feel loved and needed. He is my shadow and would give his life for me.

Women's best friend is her dog, the perfect acquaintance in any girls life. 

Hailey

Fairy Tales

From the eyes of a newbie living a Fairy Tale

I watched a movie and compared my life to it. I have been an amazing art director like Mel Gibson in "What Women Want," I have gone o California and sang like Christina Aguilera in "Burlesque," I have been married in New York as Kate Hudson in "Bride Wars," I have had a broken heart like Sandra Bullock in "Miss Congeniality II."

But these were fairy tales and I was dreaming so in real life what have I done? Where have I gone? Movies are so eventful, so much happens in two hours, when compared to real life I feel as if I have done nothing and am moving  in   slow    mo t  i     o          n                   .

Hailey

Revealed

From the eyes of a newbie revealed.

I can't remember the last time I went in public without coating my face with make-up to hide my pasty freckled covered skin stripped with blue veins. 
Why do we hold so many secrets from the world? I hide my skin, my anger, my bank account, my vulnerabilities... but today I have decided to share some of these things, the first step to reveal my true face behind the mask.. .. .. .. ..
1. I cover my body with jergans self tanning lotion religiously every night to cover my white skin.
2. I HATE making my bed, I never make it unless people are coming over.
3. I dance to movies, like Miss Congeniality (the end when all the girls are dancing)
4. I find museum's boring.
5. I won't take showers in thunderstorms because I am scared I will get electrocuted. 
6. I talk to my dog in a high pitched voice and call my little puppy (even though he is gray and almost 8 years old)
7. I am perhaps the worst speller you will ever meet, spell check saves me from huemilyation, wink wink. 
8. I hate expressing my feelings and revealing my faults, as small as they might be.

Hailey

The "F" Word

From the eyes of a newbie using the "F" word.

When I was two my parents divorced and my "Father" was never a part of my life. I have no memories of him, I don't know where he lives, and I will not curl up and pity myself because of it. I believe the supposed weaknesses that life throughs at you help strengthen other areas of your life. 


Because I never had a father there is nothing to be missed. Certain events, however, do hurt such as seeing a father walk his daughter down the isle, or a teenager how to drive, or a little girl in a fluffy dress perched on her father's shoulders. My grandfather took this role until he died a few years ago.


They say environment doesn't actually change people like most think, but the events in your life sure do. I am an extremely controlling, organized planner who likes to "take the driver's seat" you could say. I need to know what is going on in every aspect of my life and if my plan gets altered it feels like anarchy! I am trying to fill two rolls like my mom did, she was the girly house-wife and the punisher, the driver, and the hairdresser, the dish-washer and the money-maker.


So I am suppose to compare my future husband to my father, looks like that might not be in the cards for me...just a call out to those who grew up with one parent, we have an extra little something, let's use it to our advantage. 


Hailey

Standing Out

From the eyes of a newbie standing out

Although I have only been in the workforce for a couple of months it is easy to see who stands out and why. The people whom I recognize, in a good way, are the ones that seem friendly, tall, energetic, the ones who take on more work than others but never seem busy, getting in early & staying late....


>  Well, I try to be friendly, but when completely ridiculously in  over my head...what to do?


>  Tall, well, I am 5'6" (generously), maybe if I wore heels.


>  Energetic, not at 7:30am but at around 10am I suppose.


>  Take on more work than others, maybe, but our whole group is crazy busy!


>  Seem calm, cool, and collected even though your plate is full, no dice. 


>  Get in early & stay late, yep I can do that!


When you look around and analyze others, make sure you always compare yourself so you hold yourself to the same standards as you do to those around you. Apparently I have some work to do!


Hailey