suits and resumes and thank you cards oh my!

Prom Juice


1 oz dark rum
1 oz honey brandy
2 oz guanabana nectar
1 oz cranberry juice
1 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice
3 frozen cranberries


Mix ice and all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake it like a screaming baby [seriously folks, don't ever shake babies. It's not cool.  Pinch them slightly under the arm...]
Strain into a chilled martini glass and float the frozen cranberries.


Enjoy!


So guess who feels like the popular girl at the prom?  No, I didn't get asked to chaperon a high school dance, but I did happen to get two job offers today.

Say what?

I haven't been updating not because I've been busy - hell I don't didn't have a job, but because in addition to interviewing, I've been working on some other projects that I'll be excited to reveal in the coming months [be patient my precious] AND ironically, I've also been shopping.  I'm completely addicted to Groupon and Sugar Mama has already had to text me out of unplanned and un-budgeted Target purchases, but thankfully that being responsible and spending wisely foolishness will soon come to an end because I have a new job!

Once I formally accept it, that is.

I was leaving one location today where they had just offered me the job and I explained that I wanted to sleep on it before I accepted when my phone rang and it was location #2 also offering me a position.  Both are awesome and the pay is somewhat comparable, so I'd like to think about it a little more before I make a final decision.  I'm pretty sure which one I'm going to go with, but it's great to know that not only 1, but 2 places think that I'm the bees knees.

And I'm inclined to agree :-)

Amber Alert

Amber Alert


2oz Canadian Whisky
1oz Honey Liqueur
1oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
2oz Water


Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake it like it stole something.  Pour over cracked ice into a Collins glass. Garnish with a slice of lemon, or if you want to get fancy use one of those honeycomb stick dealies.


Enjoy!


Alice where the hell have you been???


As you can imagine a LOT has happened since the offer came through and I went apartment hunting. I'm in the airport now, so I'll give a condensed version of events.  About a month before I was supposed to start my new job (2.5 weeks before I packed up a moving truck and gave Philly the heave-ho) I was informed that the department that I was to be overseeing was "restructured" and that the position that I was offered "no longer existed".


Who the fu -


What?


Livid does not even describe how I felt. Mind you, I had already placed a non-refundable deposit on my apartment, reserved and paid a deposit on a moving truck and had multiple going away parties.  All that was left was to hand in my resignation, pack up my house and hit the road. Again, I ask... WHAT??


When my anger and resentment subsided, prayer and good effin' friends set in.  I decided that with the emotional support of my friends, the financial support of my savings and the wherewith all to become a Chicagoan, I was going to go anyway.


So that's what I did.  I turned in my resignation, packed up my house and hit the road.  16 hours later (google maps lies terrible and vicious lies) I pulled in front of my building and smiled.


I was home.


Now newly unemployed and ineligible for unemployment benefits, what was I to do? uhh... get a job.  Now granted, I'm in a field that is somewhat particular, so while that doesn't necessarily mean that there are jobs a plenty, it's a small professional circle and I have a pretty good reputation.  So I started interviewing.  And while I interviewed I did some consulting that while not as much as I was used to making, helped me and the cat from surviving off of the same food.


Then nearly two months to the date of my arrival into the windy city I got an offer for an awesome job and I started this week.


So here I am in the airport (my new job requires tons of travel, which I love) on my way home.


To Chicago :-).


It was a little rough, but so worth it.  I finally shut up and put up and I couldn't be happier.

A Change Gonna Come

Optimism (when life hands you lemons, make lemonade vodka)

2 oz lemonade vodka (brand: Sweet Carolina)

1 oz triple sec

3 oz cranberry juice

Frozen cranberries (get 'em at Whole Foods)

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice.  Boom! Shake shake shake the room

Pour over ice into a Collins glass  

Float three frozen cranberries in the drink.  Helps to keep it cold, and when they thaw, they're fun to squeeze in the drink for an added burst of flavor and color

We interrupt the last post (that I started writing nearly a month ago) to bring you some exciting news:

I. Got. The. Job.

!!!!!

I've been stressing at work lately and have been feeling at my wits end.  One day in particular I was feeling out of sorts and my cell phone rang from a familiar area code.  When the caller said "Alice, I apologize for taking so long to get back to you, but we would like to formally extend you an offer..." I almost wet my pants.  It was the perfect call, at the perfect time, with the perfect opportunity.  Oh and did I mention that in addition to an $11,000 salary bump, I'm also getting a signing bonus to help with my move to Chicago?

Yeah.  Who has 2 thumbs and rocks? [pointing thumbs at self] THIS GIRL!!!!

So I just got back from spending 4 days there apartment shopping, and I've narrowed it down to two awesome places.  I'll be moving in mid March and have already started planning my "bon voyage extravaganza" complete with a "Rock Kicking Party".

You know, because I'm about to kick rocks. 

When life hands you lemons, make a vodka lemonade cooler, and wait for the fruits of your labor to fall upon you.