"Ummm excuse me Space Washer.... can I have my cash card back?"

Well, I finished my first week in the real world and all I can say is that I am exhausted but very eager to see what's to come.  My first day of work was Monday morning.  I arrived at the Kellwood offices on the 9100 block of Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills.  Wilshire Blvd is a main street in LA and connects 5 of the main business districts throughout LA.  Most of the skyscrapers of LA are located on Wilshire and lets just put this lightly.... traffic... is ridiculous.  I literally live 6 miles from work and my commute has been around 30 minutes, both there and back. Being from a small town where I lived a mile from my high school, meaning I could get there in literally one minute, traffic in LA has been a huge adjustment.  Sporting Kansas tags are no help either.  If I so much as turn my head for a second to look at the buildings and am not riding the back bumper of the car in front of me... I get honked at.  There are many different ways for me to get to work but most ways include driving down one street or another that are right off of the major freeways... so the traffic is unavoidable.

On my way home... stuck in traffic

I have finally gotten my apartment just right... all I have left are a few pics of friends and family to be hung on the wall and a chair that I am attempting to be saving up for to be purchased for additional seating in the living room.  It's very small, but it has become my cozy little nest. FYI... not having a dishwasher is cruel and unusual punishment. I hate it.

My living rooom

My TINY kitchen

Bar and all...

"Bedroom"

The work environment in the Beverly Hills office for Kellwood is laid back to say the least.  You can wear whatever your little heart desires and one girl brings her dog with her to work everyday.  His name in Benjamin and I think out of everyone in the office, we've become the closest.  Audrey, the owner of Benji, works right across from me and our desks are nudged together so Benji spends his day doing laps around the desks and taking naps on our paper work.  Benji is loved by all and is obviously somewhat spoiled.  My bosses are great.  The CMO, Eric, took me out for lunch my first day and is absolutely hilarious.  He has a great attitude about everything, and his confidence in Lamb & Flag's success is refreshing to say the least.  Matt, who is the production manager of marketing, has taken care of me since the day I was offered my interview.  He showed me around the office and helped me get my computer and everything else I needed set up from the very first day.  Matt has literally been a lifesaver and after sitting across from him my first couple days... I realize his job title understates all the things Matt does for Kellwood and the Lamb & Flag team.  I have gotten to sit in on a few model fittings and I had no idea how much it took to get a pair of jeans just right.  Especially since Lamb & Flag is offering a large variety of fits!  I have set in on meetings where team members have discussed various materials for garments to be made out of and all the care it takes when washing each fabric.  Being a girl who just chooses to wash everything in cold( I know my mom will gasp when she reads that) ... I will now pay better attention to what my clothes are made out of... and how to wash and take care of them.

Benji resting his head on my Tech Packs

My Lamb & Flag team members are awesome! I have been given several projects to help me learn the production process when coming out with a line of clothing and when launching a brand and mostly I learned that I need to save all my money because I want to BUY EVERYTHING!  Our designers and those who help with production have done an amazing job and I am so excited for Lamb & Flag to launch in November!  Gary, the VP of Lamb & Flag, has given everyone the opportunity to help in creating this new brand.  He is a great boss and I am so lucky to be blessed with such an amazing opportunity with such amazing talent.

My first week alone in LA did not go with out error.  Yesterday I experienced my hardest day yet.  Kellwood has summer hours which means that we have every other Friday off.  Having my Friday to myself I thought I would get a few things done that I had been putting off including checking my mail, picking up some packages, and doing my laundry.  All three tasks were a major bust. My mailbox was full of mail from past residents who had lived in my apartment including one lady who's last name was Gustafson (my mom's maiden name).  That freaked me out because 1.) What are the chances of  that happening? 2.) I hardly know any other Gustafson's who aren't related to me 3.) I thought I royally screwed up and had written my name down wrong.  The next part was the worst.  After going to the office I realized that though we have the choice to wear what ever we want to work... people are still dressed up and look amazing, because they all work in the fashion industry.  So I saw this as an excuse to buy something.... or 3... from Forever 21. Welllllll.... my apartment complex LOST my package.  I was furious.... in a quiet and calm way... because I'm too scared to raise my voice at anyone in a big city.  (I have yet to honk my horn in LA traffic for fear of someone beating me up... or possibly pulling a gun out on me like I've seen in various rap music videos).  They told me to make a claim with UPS to try and figure out what happened to it. (aka: we lost your stuff and we need time to cover our butts).  After my lost package experience I thought it was time to do some laundry. I go get my basket and lug it down the hall to the elevator and I walk into a room full of washer and dryers... and a man, a woman, and an old lady in a wheel chair with her dog. None of them speak English.  I look for the quarter inserts... but all I see is a place to insert a cash card. Well crap. I don't have a cash card or even know where to to get one. I lug my basket back out toward the elevator where I see a machine where you have to BUY a cash card ($5) and then put money ON the cash card.  I finally figure out how to do this and lug my basket BACK into the laundry room. I insert my card and still couldn't get it to work. I look around for anyone willing to show me how to use these.... "SPACE" washing machines... but no help from the little family who chose to not speak English. The only look of sympathy I got... was from the dog in the old ladies lap. Thanks for your help Sparky.  In frustration and slight embarrassment I looked for any kind of POWER button, and while doing so... I dropped my card behind the 1,000 lbs (no exaggeration) washer....  Could the day get any worse?  I looked around... still no help from the family. I could swear the dog was laughing at me. I grabbed my basket in defeat and went back up the slowest moving elevator known to mankind and called my mommy.... in tears.

When calling my mother to explain to her that my life was over because I couldn't get my clothes I wasn't supposed to order and I couldn't figure out how to use the "Space" washing machines.... she did not choose to stay on the phone and hear me complain and vent about how much my life sucked at that very given moment. Of course I should have known this... neither of my parents are fans of listening to me cry in defeat and refuse to join me in my pity parties very often.  Instead my mother decides to be a parent.... and offer solutions to my problems. Of course she didn't understand that I knew there were solutions... I just didn't want to have to be a grown up... and use them.

So needless to say... I am learning to handle things on my own... but at times... I still need my mom and dad... and their much needed and sometimes unwanted words of wisdom.  I have been eating healthier... and working out nearly every day.  I have given up my beloved Mountain Dew... and if you know me well at all... this does sometimes lead to mood swings, long days, and depression.  Mountain Dew is what I use to fix a bad day, celebrate a good day, or any other excuse I can use to drink my favorite cold beverage.  Not only have I given up my Dew, I have given up Pop and Caffeine in general.  I only drink water at work and stick to Crystal Light at home.  Yes friends and family, I am in fact a changed person. The old Katie you knew and loved... who would order the Jr. Whopper and French Fries.... and buy the cold can of Dew... well she's gone. At least for now.

I hope you all are having a great summer. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers as it's obvious... I need it! Especially in a life without caffeine. I love you all and miss you all so much!

Wishing you all my best,

Katie