1) i work for "the smiths" and 2) lets keep things in mind

hello daaaaarrrrlings!!!!

ok i need to calm down. but it is so hard to summarize right now. feel free to take 4 (four) 30-minute blog-reading sessions for this one.

ok so 1) reena visited, 2) couchsurfing material published and theeeeeen:

* * * * * * * *

i have been over-the-top ridiculously happy for the majority of the previous 24 hours. why. "Why, Jennie/Jen?," you ask. well, as the title says, i now work for The Smiths.

i.e. I GOT A REAL LIFE 401K WELL PAID SALARY WITH BENEFITS JOB.

guys, i can'teventbelieveit. i had my first interview in the city for a real-live job last night, AND. I. GOT IT.

i work for bill and ned smith (no relation to 'bill and ted,' the band or each other). they run a super sweet landscape architecture and urban design company called smith & smith, a short walk from the golden gate bridge. the company is amazing: bill and ned are harvard grads, and the firm is one of the top-rated environmental design firms in the world. WORLD, kids.

and hand it to stacey, she helped me to land the peer court job and now this one. she's one of the outSTANDing architects at the firm, and recommended me. which led to a resume perusal and interview request within 24 hours. I AM SO THANKFUL FOR ALL THAT SHE HAS DONE. oh my goodness.

here is their website: www.smith2.com - (its awesome. watch out).

the interview began with bill and i going nearly each line item of my resume. and oh my goodness, this is the first job i've got that's integrated every single one of the crazy things i've done in the previous three years. birdwatching. examining outdoor spaces at assisted living facilities in the bcs metroplex. urban expansion issues in peru. couchsurfing (they read my stuff that was thankfully published a mere 5 days ago). we chatted for over an hour. we discussed business philosophies, the non-profit sector and how quitting something huge (like grad school) can be one of the most difficult, yet BEST things one can do for oneself.

and well i'll be, it actually worked out. it IS working out.

icantevenbelieveit.

no longer do i have to scrounge for money. no more walking through danger zone. no more floating. no more contract labor. no more hoping that the change under my couch would lead to the 3 more quarters i NEED for laundry. i can buy shoes without holes. i can SAVE. i have a retirement plan. i am not below low-income anymore.

i'll be doing all the admin stuff, helping them form their strategic planning for the next 10 years and working with their marketing person on everything that is marketing (of which i know nothing). apparently, they thought they were just going to hire a secretary (which would have been fiiiinne by me), but apparently i was "overqualified" - so they tweaked it a bit to include the aforementioned responsibilities (with added employment benefits - say wwhhhhaaaaa)

i have been interested in environmental design/landscape architecture since freshman year in college, but knew it was a big, long-term decision (like medicine) so held off; i wasnt sure if it was for me. but now im surrounded (literally and figuratively) by 13 of the top kids in the field. i will what the job of a landscape architect entails. will learn how the business works. will learn a ridiculous number of facets within the discipline. i will learn if this is something i want to go back to school for.

i start august 2, meaning they also allowed me time to tie all loose ends at the non-profits and go to montreal... *shakes head with disbelief*

HOW IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME.

* * * * * * * *

but this post includes two sections: the other part is a much crappier part, to which many thoughts have passed today. i'm sure everyone has heard about the 7 bombings in the train system of mumbai. well, who knows if you kids pay attention to these long-ass blog entries, but thats where reena has been living the previous 6 months (the woman who visited last week). i spoke with her on the phone today - and THANK GOD SHE IS IN HAWAII. the trains that were bombed were on the same line that she takes every day, and she usually travels between 5:30-6:30pm everyday on them. (the bombings happened at around 7pm).

*stares at computer screen*

so many people died. its scary and incredibly sad and its killing me and I AM SO GLAD REENA WASNT AROUND. and thankfully, shes pretty sure that none of her friends there were injured.

below are photos of my time with reena when she was here. they will further illustrate how much i love her and how happy i am she was not there:

*****

reena is frequently praised for being a "light-packer," but this is the little twirp's trick: SHE WEARS THE CLOTHES OF THE PEOPLE SHES VISITING AND PACKS VERY LITTLE ELSE. she rummaged through my closet and picked "jen-clothes," traipsing around the city with my proclaiming, "Look! I look like Jen!!!" - and honestly, she looked horrendous the entire time - ha - and it has actually taken a toll on how i dress now. strangely enough, i now actually think about my attire. so this is truly a life-altering photo.


MEAT. PIE.


freedom and independence ROCK! (taken on the fourth of july). this is one of my favorite photos of all time. photo is complete with upstairs-flatmate-jara's cigarette and hand sign.


******

ok im really tired and so are you. so much to say though. and so very excited. and so glad i saw reena. AND SO HAPPY.

HAPPY.

I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH. thank you wholeheartedly for supporting me and freaking just being there for me for so long. how am i so lucky.

jen