We Are Here!!

It’s been several months in the making but Brandon and I have moved to Texas (cue the Tim McGraw music). We are so flipping excited to be here. Brandon has already started working in the Dallas office and learning the ins and outs of drafting at headquarters. I’m on a job hunt and a search for artistic activities or individuals to touch base with. My first course of action for the business is to seek out and make an alliance with some photographers in the area. If I can get two of them to let me second shoot with them or at least give me some advice, that would mean a great deal! Eventually, I will be going full time as a business owner, especially since my twin sis and her husband are going to be joining us in August! They will be visiting for a few days, starting tomorrow, to take a look at the area. This is really exciting.

So far, my view of the area is a positive one. Most people here are friendly, much like Mississippi and there are a lot of spanish and chinese speakers in the area. We’ve got to get our spanish skills up, that alone would qualify us for more opportunities. Brandon loves the fact that there is a sports bar up the street that has a ping pong table in it. We plan to take up playing table tennis together soon. We both now have bicycles and gave them a test run the other night. It was a good workout and a gas saver. There is a discount grocery store, a dollar movie theater, and  several other places right across the street from our apartment. We plan on utilizing the public transit system soon, just to see where it can take us and how we can integrate that into our weekly routine. In the long run, it would save us up to 3 months worth of gas money if we get yearly passes. Oh yea, did I mention the World Asian Market? It’s full of asian merchant shops, a grocery and a crepe shop! I had never had a crepe prepared like the ones on all those anime I watch but this one is the real deal. Soooo good. (And yes, I watch anime, no shame in my game!!)

Okay, I could talk your ear off about more but I don’t want to give it all away in one go. Have a great day, I know we are!!

xoxo
The Artistic Chic

New Start, New State

We are almost three years in since my Life After Undergrad journey began. There’s been many challenges since then, including having to put my laborador/boxer mix, Laila Ali, up for adoption. But in one week, everything is about to change. That’s right, Brandon and I are hitting the road for a new start in a new state.

We’ve been saving money for a new start since October while living the ‘grid life’ but originally, that new start was simply a new local apartment. But after several conversations, prayers and research, we realized that we had the chance to do something bigger than we thought. We both agreed that we needed to be in a place where the both of us would prosper in our careers. Entertainment options are very important to us, I mean, come on. We’re a childless couple in our 20′s for goodness sake.

Of course we realize that every city has its own pros and cons that are more ideal for some people rather than others. After all, Dallas is known for its traffic jams and high theft areas in certain parts of town. Like any city, there are places that you shouldn’t go at night or during the day for that matter. The weather, terrain and wildlife are more factors to consider when you are moving to a new place. Neither Brandon or I have lived in Texas, let alone Dallas so this is going to be quite the adventure. We are going to have to start from scratch as far as making friends and networking. But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

When you move to a new place, you have the advantage of the unknown. Noone knows anything about your accomplishments, failures or embarrassing moments. With every encounter, you get to re-invent yourself into anything you want to be without preconceptions getting in your way. If you were overly involved in organizations or social groups before, moving allows you to push everything off of your obligation list and re-discover yourself. Take some time to remember what its like to be a face in the crowd instead of behind the curtain. The things you had to sacrifice before (time with your family, taking care of your health, re-modeling your personal style or simply being able to do nothing at all after work hours) become yours for the taking. And before you jump into a busy routine again, contemplate why you were a part of so many things; was it because you genuinely enjoyed it or something else?  Time is the most precious thing we have and it should be spent on things that take you in the direction you want to go. You are allowed to say no when it comes to your life.

Perhaps like me, you’ve developed the habit of putting out Grade A work but only getting Grade F compensation. Sure, you might have thought this strategy was a good way to get your name out but think again. Your name will be out there but all of your new and potential clients are going to expect to get the same thing; executive results for minimum wage. Yes, I said executive. You are the champion of your business and deserve to be compensated accordingly. In a new place you can re-evaluate your worth and rebrand your business. It’s ok if the bargain hunter crowd passes on hiring you, your product is NOT a bargain item. It’s valuable, you are valuable and can choose the type of person you want to work with, not for, WITH.  This is not a ‘I need you more than you need me’ setup. You have something they want and vice versa. Remember, diamonds aren’t cheap, yet, everybody wants one.

xoxo,

TheArtistic Chic