Photographer Meeting 1

Two weekends ago, Liyang and I had our first meeting with a potential photographer , as well as our first dance lesson, and it was such an interesting experience, I thought I would share it with you all.

Let's start with dance lessons. It went really well considering the fact that we both have absolutely NO dance experience. It started off with our instructor telling us the story of how he picked up dancing 3 years ago because he watched "So you think you can dance" on FOX and fell in love with the sport. I think he's really amazing for a guy who started 3 years ago (then again, anyone who can dance gracefully is amazing to me). We picked our song, and began to learn the foxtrot, and I think we did pretty well under the watchful eye of our instructor!

It was so fun that when we got home, we tried to practice on our own. This is when things went horribly wrong... (WARNING: Don't read ahead if you don't like hearing about how people get hurt) because as Liyang stepped forward to spin me, I didn't step away and somehow his toe caught my toenail, and ripped it halfway off my big toe. This was followed by my screaming (and I think I may have started cussing), and his mom running upstairs to find out what had happened. So there I am, hopping on one foot with a bloody toe...and we had to go get me a bandaid. I have a very low tolerance for pain, so I spent most of the rest of that afternoon whimpering and wondering why Liyang couldn't have just stepped on my toe instead of taking my toenail half off.

Ok, so let's switch to our first meeting with our photographer (which was before the hurt toe incident). At first, she wasn't very "sales-like" and was very friendly and we liked her. But about halfway through our meeting, she pulls out a "Process Map" (this should mean something to all the consultants out there) and at that point, Liyang and I are thinking...wow, you are pitching this to the wrong people, because we use process maps ALL THE TIME to try to convince clients to go with us. So I blanked out and so did Liyang....and she ended up alienating us more and more because it sounded more and more like a sales pitch and less like a photographer who loved her art. We want someone who is passionate about photography, and not treat it as a sales pitch. So we left disappointed.

Hopefully, our meeting with the next photographer this weekend goes well! I'm excited! And in regards to my toe...the nail finally fell off and no longer hurts...just in time for our next dance lesson! :) Have a good weekend everyone!

Recruiting at MD

Went to my first recruiting experience yesterday at UMCP for my company, and we were swamped with people. We must've collected upwards of 300-400 resumes in a span of 4 hours.

I noticed that as I was telling all the college kids I met about my company, I began to believe in the magic of my company again. Not that I was ever disillusioned by it, I love where I work and what I do...but conveying that to the recruits yesterday made me realize just how lucky I am to be where I am right now.

I also got to see a few old friends, and it was so great to catch up with them! it's always a nice surprise when you see people you've havent seen in years at a random event like campus recruiting. :)

Wedding Update #1

Ok so from June to September after we got engaged, I didn't do a single thing. But then, these past few weekends, I decided to get my butt into gear, so I went into full blown wedding mode, and got the following things done:

• Booked a Venue - Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
  
  
• Determined the approximate number of guests - 450 to 500 people!!
  
  
• Picked my bridesmaids, flowergirls, groomsmen, ring boy
  
  
• Went to 4 different bridal gown stores to start looking at/trying on bridal gowns (and I think I *may* have found my wedding dress...but I'm gonna go back and look some more because I still have so much time before I really have to make a decision)
  
  
• Picked my wedding colors (Champagne with accents of dark red....very asian, I know)
  
  
• Booked a band (Gholston's Greatest Musicians - The Great Expectations Band)
  
  
• Signed Liyang and myself up for dance lessons with the Wedding Dance Specialists (our first lesson is this Sunday! I'm so excited!!!)
  
  
• Started looking at photographers/booked a couple of meetings for the next few weekends
  
  
• Booked a makeup trial
  
  
• Started going on (and off) a diet
  
  
• Started running at least 3 times a week, and go to the driving range on weekends with Liyang to practice our golf skills (we're hoping to get good enough to go and play a real game by next spring)
  
  
• Booked tickets to Taiwan in May for 2 weeks so we can get our wedding pictures taken

All of this, and we still have another year before the wedding! I think we'll get it all done in time...and so far, it's been stressless and kinda fun! :) Whew...looking at it in list form, I've done alot, and yet I still feel like I've only touched the tip of the iceburg! And I still feel like I have lots more to do (i.e. Save-the-dates, invitations, gift registry, guest list, favors, flowers, dinner menu, cake, gifts, ceremony music, wedding rings, honeymoon, bridesmaids dresses, groomsmen tuxes...and a million more other things I'm sure I haven't even begun to think about). :)

So that's what I've been up to. Oh right, and work, which is alot of fun! :) And I'm heading to good ole' UMCP on Wednesday to do recruiting for Deloitte! Anyone else gonna be there for their companies? :)