I’ll be honest with you, I was a little nervous to go. Being non-mormon, non-married, and kid-less, I knew I would be in the minority. But I told myself that a girls retreat would be fun, plus it would do me some good to go outside of my comfort zone. So I bucked up and went.

The event was held at Daybreak. We stayed in the model homes. They had classes during the day and fun events in the evening. I must say, I was completely blown away by how well organized the event was. The organizers were super crafty women who paid a great deal of attention to the small details. I have no idea how they were able to cram so many smiles, sunshine, flowers, and happy feelings into a coffee and alcohol free event – but they did. It was nearly flawless.

My anxiety did rear it’s ugly head the night of the Stepford Wives themed dinner. During the networking hour I became convinced that everyone was giving me dirty looks. I went outside and called Cute. “Hi babe. I don’t think I can do this. These women hate me. Plus they have a soda bar, not a bar bar. I tried to talk to someone and she shut me down. I’m pretty sure that no one wants to talk to me.”

Now, it’s not often that Cute really says much. He is normally a go-with-the-flow type of guy. But for some reason, he said exactly what I needed to hear. “Get your but back in there. You paid money to go out there, network, and have a good time. Go get your money’s worth. Those women do not hate you.”

So, begrudgingly, I put on a smile and did just that.

And guess what? They didn’t all hate me. In fact, I met some really amazing women. We laughed, told stories, and became friends.

In the end I was very glad I went. Daybreak is a beautiful place. If I was living a different life, one that involved a husband, kids, and religion, I think I could be very happy out there. It is such a fun community and there is so much for children to do. There are play-sets, paved trails, community centers, a pond, family shopping and even live music played outdoors on the weekend.

As it stands, my life is that of a single (non-married) career-woman and there is nothing wrong with that. I feel at home in the safety of the city. But I’m glad I got to see how the other half lives. It looks perfectly lovely.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

PS – you can see more pictures from the event on their Flickr stream.

I’m still digesting this sentence.

No more night classes. No more Salt Lake Community College. No more staying home to do homework while all of my friends are at the pool, or skiing, or doing absolutely nothing. No more eating dinner out of a vending machine. No more sleepless nights worrying about how I am going to juggle work and school. No more tuition. No more expensive college books.

I’m done.

But, for some reason I am reluctant to celebrate. It’s strange, but now that I’m done, having an associates degree just seems like not that big of a deal. Or at least I’m worried that is what other people will think.

Woo. Hoo. You now have the same degree that every other 21 year old has, only ten years later than them. Congratu-friggin-lation.

But, on the other hand, I do feel proud. It has been a long, long process and I have stayed diligent through it all. In fact, I have been writing about my college journey for almost FOUR YEARS!

Yes, taking night classes part-time results in four years to get an associates degree. It’s embarrassing. Do I really have the right to gloat about my silly little degree that took me so long?

Yes. I think I do.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

PS – continuing education? Yes, I intend to get a BA degree. I’ve come this far after all. However, I’m taking the next seven months off to focus on my career. If everything goes well, in 2013 I’ll start another four year process to get an undergraduate degree.

I was completely flattered, then I was terrified, then I thought about the great opportunity it would afford me to plug my career change, so I agreed.

Nothing like a little free PR, right?

They told me I should bring outfits that showed my personality.

Oh, and they love props.

The photo shoot was a lot of fun. I did my own hair and makeup, but they did give me a well lit dressing room. They turned on funky music just like they do in the movies and I did my best to strike a few fun poses and not bust out laughing (which I did, but those pictures surprisingly didn’t make it to print).

Here are two of the pictures from the article. The online version of the article can be seen  HERE.

A sexy backpacker….

And a sexy business woman.

Isn’t it great what the magic of  lighting and a backdrop can do? Truth of the matter is, I’m no model. I’m a complete nerd at heart. But I will say, it was fun to get all dolled up. Sometimes a little bit of attention can just make your day. Plus, the looks I got walking through the building’s underground parking lot while wearing heels and a 20lbs back pack was absolutely priceless!

While I am on the subject of PR, I suppose it’s only appropriate that I take this opportunity to post a few links.

Agent Summer Fred facebook.

Agent Summer Fred Twitter.

Please follow me for glimpses into the day to day life of an insurance agent, links to helpful articles, and pictures of what-not-to-do while driving an automobile.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

PS – still in the works is a website/company blog. More info to come on that!!!

I mean, it’s like a ghost town up in here.

It’s not that my life has suddenly become so stale and borring that I can’t find anything to write about, quite the opposite actually. I have SO much going on that I can’t even wrap my head around it all, yet alone share it in a way that is anything less than word vomit all over my pretty little pink blog.

But, here I go anyway.

(You may want to keep a rag handy to wipe off any macaroni chunks I leave on your face.)

Life ~ Love ~ And the Pursuit of Higher Education, right?

Let’s start with the last one, m’kay?

In May I will graduate with my associates degree (AS) in communications. I have three classes left this semester and then I am DONE!

Of course by done I mean with community college education. Then I will have to go to the big scary university, which, let’s be honest, intimidates the hell out of me. But I’ve come this far, why stop with just an associates?

College is not the only pursuit of higher education I’ve been after lately. Not by a long shot!

(Insert semi-forced segue into LIFE.)

After getting laid-off from what I originally thought was my dream job last October, I found myself NOT wanting to go back to another advertising position. I started questioning everything, including my worth. I hated the feeling of being let go and I decided to never, ever, let a company make me feel worthless again.

But how do you guarantee to never be let go?

You become your own boss.

As chance would have it, a Farmer’s Insurance Group district manager came across my resume and called me in for an interview. I went, I listened, I researched, I interviewed other agents, and eventually I decided this was the opportunity I had been waiting for.

This was obviously a HUGE decision to make! There is not a whole lot that advertising and insurance have in common if you know what I mean.

There were three things that stood out to me and helped seal the deal:

1. I have had Farmer’s Insurance for years and have had nothing but positive experiences. They have a great reputation that I am proud to have my name associated with.

2. They are the leaders in industry training. If I am to make a career move, I needed to know that the training and support would be in place to back me up. You know the commercials with the University of Farmers? Yeah, that’s a real place and I get to go there!

3. You get to be your own boss. It’s like buying a franchise without the out of pocket expense. Eventually, after I’ve built up my client base, I will have my own storefront location and employees.

But just like any worthwhile profession, there is a learning curve. In order to become an insurance agent you need to get licensed.

Ugh!

I passed my first exam (with flying colors, I might add) and have one more to go (this Friday!). After that I will officially be able to sell the full range of insurance products offered by Farmer’s to the fine citizens of Utah.

For the past month my days have been spent doing nothing but studying: Homework. Utah State license work. Farmer’s agent training. Rinse and repeat.

Busy, busy, busy!

If everything goes as planned, which by damn it will, I’ll be up and running by the first week of March! Words cannot explain just how excited I am!

So, yeah.

Life is good.

I guess that just leaves LOVE to talk about.

Cute is about the most supportive and wonderful boyfriend I could ever ask for. He has been patient and encouraging through all of this. Taking a life-changing leap like I am doing would be so much harder without him by my side.

We have now been living together for four months and have settled into a happy routine. Some times it’s hard to believe we have only been dating for 10 months — things just feel so comfortable. Other times it feels like our relationship is brand new and we are still figuring each other out. I can’t say for certain, but I like to believe that’s a really good thing.

Since this post is getting to be ridiculously long, I will sign off with a picture of Cute and I on New Years Eve in San Diego.

Isn’t he just about as handsome as they come?

Blogfully yours,

Summer

It was hard times, y’all!

Then, as quickly as the snow globe storm rolled in, it was over. Well, not over over, but better. My mother’s mastectomy was hugely successful. She is now cancer free. Cute and I settled into a rhythm of cohabitation that works well for us. I am still technically without a job, but the things 2012 has in store for me are nothing short of life changing.

My love for myself, my family, and my relationships has grown more than I knew was possible. I see life with a strange new set of eyes now. I don’t want to take anything or anyone for granted. Almost losing a loved one, coupled with no longer being able to afford the lifestyle you’ve grown accustom to, will do that to ya.

I suppose looking back now, that 2011 was actually a great year for personal growth. Now that it’s over, I can say I’m thrilled to be moving on to a year with a little less growing pains.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

To see more pictures of our hike check out my Flickr account.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

The first thing that made it amazing was that it did NOT involve a broken ankle, or any other bone for that matter (unlike last year). What it did involve was spending a weekend backpacking in the most beautiful mountain terrain with spectacular friends, my lover, and ten-bazillion mosquitoes.

The high Uinta Mountains in Utah are not place for sissies. In fact, the same weekend we were up there an experienced hiker went missing and a boyscout also almost chopped his leg off. The last one is due more to giving a pre-pubescent kid a hatchet than the intensity of the mountains, but I digress.

Over a three day weekend, our group of ten backpacked over 20 miles. This may not sound like the perfect birthday to you, but to me, it was heaven! We had beautiful, sunny weather for the entire weekend.

On Friday, the first day, we backpacked in four miles on the Highline Trail. We found a beautiful place to camp at Wilder Lake. Cute and I set up his ginormous tent a small way away from the fire and our group.

After returning back to camp, stiff, bitten, and only slightly worse for the ware, Cute and I decided to take a much deserved nap. To my delight, when we finally came up to camp I discovered a birthday surprise orchestrated by our amazing group leader, Roger.

Am I getting older? Yes. But through the lens cap of mother nature I am just a little sapling. Perhaps that’s part of what made my birthday so amazing; despite her challenges, nature just has a way of making you feel good about yourself.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

PS – to see more pictures, go to my Flickr page.

It is exhausting.

After my mother’s mastectomy two weeks ago, they biopsied her tumor in 19 places. Four of the biopsies turned out to contain micro-invasive cancer while the other 15 were the expected non-invasive DCIS (Ductal carcinoma in situ) cancer her original biopsy had shown.

I wake up every morning not knowing what my purpose for the day is. I have a million things to do, but no idea where to start. Such small simple tasks, eating breakfast, unpacking boxes, washing my face, now seem like monumental achievements.

Three days ago I was another victim of the economy. I was laid off.

Can you believe that I have never been without a job? I started working when I was 15 and have always bounced directly from one job to another. This is the first time in 16 year that I have not had a job to report to. I am not sure if that is sad or impressive.

So here I am, sitting in completely uncharted waters. I decided to take this opportunity–and I do look at it as an opportunity–to evaluate what I really want. I’m even going so far as to make a pros and cons list for each of my options. I am incredibly lucky to be able to tout 8 years of marketing experience on a resume and my wonderful connections and friends have been sending me leads left and right. However, I am doing my best to put them all aside. Not that I am not greatly appreciative, I am, truly I am, and please keep them coming. It’s just that I want ONE WEEK, or maybe two, to just be. To not think about work. To only focus on my family and myself.

Next week my mother goes in for surgery. I have the great fortune of being able to be there and help her with the recovery process. This means the world to me. My mother has been there for me through so much and to have the opportunity to give back to her, despite the horrible situation surrounding it, means a great deal to me.

So, unemployment…blessing or a curse? Right now it feels a little like both. But I’m going to focus on it being a blessing.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

There are boxes in the office.

Our dirty clothes are in the same hamper.

He’s finally getting a DVR.

There is healthy food in the fridge; not just condiments and beer.

My decorations are blending with his decorations (plants count as decoration, right?).

He now has a kitchen table. His friends are about to be blown away.

I have a key. He no longer has to buzz me through the front door.

The non-rule breaker helped me sneak in my cat to his “no pets allowed” residence.

He cooks for me.

He lets me study.

He kisses me good morning and good night.

He is possibly the greatest roommate ever.

Even though I am going through massive amounts of stress and challenges in my life right now, it feels amazing to know I have one piece of stability in my life.

My boyfriend, my Cute.

Blogfully yours,

Summer