So many updates, so little time.....

Well, I have abonded my blog again...sorry folks! Life is crazy...but crazy GOOD. Let's recap the past month and a half:

• I got a NEW JOB!! I am super happy to announce that I am now in my dream career field....Advertising!!  After three weeks of interviewing, I accepted a position to be an Account Executive (also known as an AE) at an advertising agency. My client is one of the top fortune 50 companies in the U.S. and I will be working in the following three account areas: Aerospace, Construction Home Improvement Marketing (CHIM), and Optical. I will have so much to learn but I am so excited and grateful for this new opportunity. Basically, as an AE, I am the liason between the agency and the client so I will be meeting with clients, making sure their needs are being met from everything from estimating costs for projects, re-launch or new product launches, package designs and everything else that goes with execution of an advertising campaign. I will also get to travel, attend conferences and eventually do some public speaking when I feel comfortable. It's a real big girl job but I couldn't be happier. I start on July 11th and will be sure to update after my first week on the job.

• I went on a West Coast Road Trip!! I have always wanted to go on a West Coast Road trip and the opportunity presented itself to me last minute so off I went! I actually just got back this past Tuesday night. I will update a detailed blog post about my adventures out west SOON!


• I met somone! And he is really great but that's all I will say for now. :)

How did I get so lucky with all of these things going on? Well, I strongly believe in karma and if you put good into the world, the world will be good back to you.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe fourth of July weekend! Until next time....

Four Years from Thirty

Homemade "Happy Birthday" sign by yours truely.

Oh. My. Gosh.

On Sunday I officially turned 26. Last Saturday night I had about 10ish of my favorite girl friends over and we dined on White and Pink Sangria….I made Caprese salad bites and chocolate covered strawberries and had some Pita bread and hummus for everyone. My roommates got me gorgeous fresh flowers, balloons, annnnndddd Skinny Red Velvet Cupcakes!! And then I received two bottles of white wine (my favorite) from two friends. Everyone was so thoughtful and it was a lovely evening. We then met up with a few other friends and danced the night away at the local bars.

So, turning 26 has made me realize several things:

{1}  For one, I have the most amazing friends a girl could ask for. I feel SO incredibly lucky to have so many great people in my life.

{2} I’m happy and proud to be the independent woman that I am. I think I turned out alright and I can give full credit to my parents for making me realize that I have to actually work for what I have. I can also thank them for their support during all of the (good and bad) decisions I have made in my life that have made me become the person that I am today.

{3} I am thankful for where I am at in life. I have a job, the friends, the fam….I pretty much have it all overall. And I am less weight now then what I was in high school. SCORE!

{4} Thank god that social standard for getting married and having kids has changed to those things happening later in life with most people. At my age my mom was married for two years and pregnant with me. No way in hell could I imagine that being the same for me at my age. There’s still way too much I want to accomplish and places I want to see before I’m all settled. When I was younger I thought by the age of 25, I would have already of found that one person..I remember telling myself that. But now I think forever is a really long time to spend with someone so I’ve upped that standard to age 30 now. Which I mean I shouldn’t really have a standard like that in the first place because there’s no way I would ever settle but I’m hoping someone will come around by then.  ;)

So there it is. Reflections on getting older.

April is a crazy month for me and these next two weeks are going to be absolutely insane. I’m moving a couch/loveseat tomorrow morning with a friend and then we are having one last party at our old place before we move next weekend.

Just breathe……

Welcome to my blog!

I have been inspired to start this blog due to a few friends starting their own blogs. I also hope it helps me out with my writing skillz (yes, with a z) since I am by no means a writer. Now to the obligatory about me section…..

My name is Olivia. I am almost 26 years old (April 3) and I live in the lovely city of Minneapolis with 2 girls from college, Melissa & Maria. I have your typical Monday thru Friday job working in merchandising at a fortune 100 company that is the leader in grocery and pharmacy serving a wide range of grocery stores in neighborhoods nationwide.  Basically, in a broad sense, I work under a merchandiser and help him with deciding what stores should carry what products, solving vendor disputes, purchase order issues, approving promotions and occasionally going to meetings and sampling (and bringing home) lots of yummy food. Yeah that was wordy, sorry.

Anyways, like anyone else (maybe), there a lot of things I want to change. I have a great and a much appreciated life. I feel very fortunate to have a good job in the tough economy and to have great family and friends but I am striving for more fulfillment in my life.

2011 is the year of BIG changes for me. I will make them happen.

I’m sure you’re dying to know what those changes may be. Well, you’ll have to wait until my next blog post.  I’ll also tell you why I chose to name my blog “Aspiring to Inspire” …kind of fu-fu and cheesey, I know, but there’s a reason for it.

Stay tuned….