Half-Full Glass

It always seems impossible until it's done.

Well, it's not totally done. Last week final papers and exams were finished and turned in. As of this morning the final grades have all been submitted.

I'm officially half-way through my MBA program.

You're probably wondering what this all means. Me too. For starters it means three weeks without classes. Three weeks without homework. Three weeks to enjoy spending time with the Big Guy in the evenings instead of running away to hide in something to study after dinner. It means reading things that have nothing to do with activity based costing, lag time, or management structures. It's more likely than I'm really comfortable admitting that what I'm reading now involves teenage paranormal romances. You can't get much further away from activity based costing than that. It might even mean more blogging. (I missed you guys!)

More importantly, it means that I'm 50% closer to achieving this major goal I set for myself. It means that my family and friends have already supported me through the toughest part of this journey. I can't promise that there will be that many more Friday nights that I show up to things than there were in this past year, but I'm optimistic. I'm halfway there.

So the glass is half-full. As in half full of knowledge. Knowledge and awesome. Assuming of course that awesome can be defined as a unique combination of wine, chocolate and Skype chats with some pretty amazing people.

Yeah, I didn't make it this far on my own. I couldn't have. The program has a strong emphasis on team work and having the right people is extremely important. I might be biased, but  I think I had the best teammates. This past year would not have been the same with any other group, and I will forever be grateful that I had them to rely on, laugh with, keep me in check and on track.

So now it's time to prep for the next half of the program. I'm not sure what exactly it will bring. A new team, new professors, new classes, new challenges, and this time next year- a new degree.

It's a lot. I'm not going to kid myself that it's going to be a walk in the park. I know that's not true. But I've done it before. I know how to manage my time, and more importantly my expectations. I can only do so much, and those things will be what's really important. So maybe the dishes sit in the sink overnight and the laundry gets pushed to next week. I'd rather be spending quality time with the Big Guy and Loki anyway. The dishes won't go anywhere and we can always buy more socks.

Because I Have Too Much Free Time

Somewhere between the statistics homework, the corporate governance scandal research, and general obsession that is studying for me these days, I had a chance to visit my parents. The purpose of this visit you ask? Well, aside from a much needed reminder that there is life outside of textbooks, and that they're the most supportive people ever, my mom wanted some help picking out paint colors.

You see, my parents have lived in their house for over 5 years now and have yet to paint a single room. I could barely go 5 minutes before putting up paint chips to see what I liked best to change my space. I'm teasing because I care, Mom.

I loved it. I loved everything about it. From pushing my mom outside of her beige comfort zone (into greige if you were wondering), to seeing how the promise of new colors can make everything look new again, to being able to capture the right personality for the space so that it reflects the people who live there and welcomes their guests.

None of this really ties in with the title of this post yet, but I'm thinking that a few of you have guessed where this is going. Probably because I've told you. I'm the type of person that has to say something out loud, preferably several times to several people, before it can become real. So here's me saying it again:

I'm starting my own design firm.

I get goosebumps looking at that logo. I really do. Right now it's just some squares and a little text (Edwardian Script and Book Antiqua in case you were wondering. Which I doubt you actually were. See why I should be doing this?), but soon it's going to be bigger than that. Yup, a desk in the guest room. Whoa. I know crazy fast, right?

Honestly though, I'm nervous and excited. Currently I exist in Indiana as a sole proprietorship, but will be filing the official paperwork to become a corporation soon. This could be the best $40 I've ever spent!

In the meantime, I will be making some plans. No, none of them involve leaving my job. I like my job, and I like the people I work with. It's hard to give that up for some text in boxes, or even for a desk in the guest room. But I will be looking to get some more things to put in my portfolio. So if you're looking for some design help, let me know! Maybe you're like my mom and need help picking out paint colors. Maybe you've painted, but you're not sure how to style the room, or need help with a space plan for art or furniture. Maybe you really like my logo and want one of your own. Maybe you need some help with some graphics for a presentation.

I'd love to help!