Higher Education

I am setting my sites on Arts Administration.

I've been doing research to decide what Masters program at SCAD would be the best fit for me. While my ideal scenario would be to pursue a second bachelor's in Interior Design, I don't think it's feasible at this point because it's not going to build on the degrees I already have.

With my Bachelors in Hospitality and Graduate Certificate in Public Management they build on each other. Hospitality is obviously hotels, restaurants, clubs (night & country), & events. Public Management is within Political Science but helped more in learning budgets, theory of political science. My intent in obtaining that certificate was to take a non-profit organization elective course, but it didn't make. I thought non-profit would play into the event planning by way of fundraising. But, nonetheless the certifcate helped in learning how to plan budgets, etc..

Now, with a Masters in Arts Administration it builds on it even more. Arts Administration is more a Non-Profit Administration degree. It focuses on museum & facility administration, but brings in raising money for non-profits, professional business writing, arts promotion, etc. Potential careers with this Masters are facility manager, fundraising and development coordinator, special events planner and the list goes on. So, as you can see it ties in perfectly to the degrees I already hold. And, hopefully it will put me closer to opening Tidings Event Studio.

I am REALLY excited about this!! I know I am not currently using my degrees by working a job in Financial Aid, but hopefully this degree will bring me closer to pursuing my career. (Note: Financial Aid is a "job" not the "career" I hope to pursue). At least for right now my "job" makes ends meet while Kenny is in school, but it's not what I want to do for the rest of my life! This Arts Administration Masters program is 45 quarter hours + a 5 quarter hour pre-requisite. It will take 2 1/2 years to complete, which is just in the time Kenny will be finished. This will give me time to finish my Masters in case we move from Savannah once Kenny graduates with his Pharm.D.

Stay tuned to see how the application process, which I hope to begin tomorrow, pans out.

P.S. In response to a previous post: the cleaning schedule has been established. Yesterday worked well; today, however, did not...

Tidings Event Studio

I may not have a my business off the ground yet, but I have a name, slogan, and description when it happens!

Name: Tidings Event Studio
Slogan: We will bring tidings of love, laughter, friendship, and family to any event!
Description (or something like this): We're here to help with consultation to execution and anywhere in between, from intimate gatherings to birthday parties, family reunions, or an extravagent wedding and more!

But, suggestions are welcome!

Before I completely get this going (which, may be a while down the road), I'll still need to get together idea for the logo/graphic design, "products" offered, and prices.

I've been entertaining the idea of opening my own wedding consulting group for quite some time now. I enjoyed planning my own wedding so much that I find myself wanting to continuously plan things! Case and point: My aunt, Sandy, and I are planning my Mom's surprise 60th birthday trip for the end of July. Mom does not know where we are going, but the rest of the group going does. Sandy & I are really getting into it and I'm loving getting it all together! Our next project is going to be planning a family reunion for, hopefully, next summer for all the Dabbs (my Mom's family) clan. I'm also trying to get a girls weekend trip together for my girlfriends late summer/fall. If it works out, I'm hoping to put together plans of what we'll do that weekend.

If I started getting this project/business venture going, maybe I'll become busier and help with my problem in the previous blog :)

Motivation...

ceases to exist in my life.

Well, I guess that's an overstatement. I wouldn't say it's nonexistent, but I definitely don't see it on daily basis.

I see my husband already, in only his second full week of pharmacy school, come home and work countless hours AFTER already being in class for at least 5 hours, sometimes more. He does NOT lack motivation.

I am not in school like I was for the previous year completing my graduate certificate and so I have less to do, which, for me, means the lazier I get. See, for me, I need more things going on in my life in order to prioritize better and gain that motivation to get everything done in time. Right now, I have work going on; that's it. At work I have about 2 -3 hours of actual work and am bored the rest of the time. Yes, that is a true statement. So, when I get home I continue wanting to do nothing instead of something.

What, you may ask, do you need to do when you get home from work? Well, even though I'm not in school and basically do not have any other deadlines to meet or things to do, I do have a house to take care of and clean and meals to cook. And that, is where I lack motivation.

I've recently, for the past day (maybe), been contemplating making myself out a cleaning schedule so that our house stays clean, but I don't have to do all of it in one day. If I ever gain the motivation to construct said schedule and experiment with the project I will let you know if it was successful. My prediction: I'll make the schedule and never use it, because that's usually what happens. I have all these grand plans, but no follow through.

Stay tuned...

Fatherly Angel

Remembering my Dad today and all the wonderful memories and wanted to share some pictures:

The Finished Product, Our Home

The house is basically finished! It is SO much better than our house we moved from in Carrollton. I LOVE it!! I don't think I'll ever have a completed list when it comes to decorating because I'm always coming up with ideas of how I could make things better. But, I'm content in knowing that Kenny & I have a home to come to at the end of our very busy days and relax in on the weekends.

Guest Room

Living Room

Guest Bath

Master Bedroom

Entryway

Partial wall in Breakfast Nook

Dining Room

It's Only the Beginning

This past Friday South University held their White Coat Ceremony for the entering Pharmacy Class of 2013. Kenny received his white coat symbolizing him entering the healthcare industry. He is embarking on an incredible career and we are so thankful that he has been given this opportunity! It's only the beginning of this long journey but Kenny is a very hardworking and dedicated individual and has lots of friends and family behind him!

Kenny's parents came down for two nights to celebrate with us. It was great having them here - it was like we were on vacation too while they were here because we got to see the tourist side of Savannah.