My new job working with Michaels has been pretty good so far. It's overwhelming, but I am gaining valuable learning experience. I'm also being able to utilize my education at this company, which is what I love the most.

What I do:
I work for an international global sourcing company, that acts as a consultant for Michaels arts and crafts stores. I work with the product development team, designers at Michaels, and overseas factories. My responsibility is to help execute the high volume production of home decor (including candles, glass candle holders, and seasonal decor). I do a lot of quality control to make sure that the factories are producing high quality standard items for our retail stores nationwide, along with handling and managing the processes of getting products made on time, at the right cost, and delivered to the Michaels stores.

My overall impression of my first 2 weeks of work:
It's so much thinking, managing, and strategizing in a very fast paced environment, that sometimes I forget what it's like to be creating. Yesterday, I went to work with one of the designers, and the studio she works in, is very inspiring - with bright green walls, glittery trend boards, feathers sewn together to form chandelier-like decorations from the ceiling, and bright lights illuminating their work space. The mood of the room is cheery, and it made me feel pretty happy, so I told the manager I work with, that we should go visit the designers whenever we're stressed out.

A description of what my work space looks like:
Right now, my office space smells very fragrant because I have a lot of candle samples at my desk - black cherry, fresh linen, vanilla wafers, cherry blossom, etc. Mmmm. I also have a lot of deep red and amber etched glass candle holders sitting delicately on the floor by my chair. Across from my space is a product manager, who has christmas ornaments, wreaths, and all sorts of holiday decorations spread out on her desk. And, just a few steps away is another product manager, who has what looks like giant wine glasses (vases) and stacks of wicker baskets sitting on her desk.

What I'm afraid of: Screwing up with millions of dollars on the line.

What I'm looking forward to:
Growing intellectually, and personally. Also, getting to travel to Asia.

What will eventually keep me sane at work:
aromatherapy candles

Chocolate pencils, with a special sharpener, that can grate your pencils over dessert

I'm coming to a point in my career, where I am beginning to think about how my career identifies who I am as an individual.
Recently, rather than focusing on fashion, I've been starting to shift my focus on how the economy of fashion affects people's well being.
But, not people here in the states, people over there - in China and South America and Central America, and Haiti and Vietnam and Bangladesh....

I've been working day to day in a profitable business operation, that crunches numbers and does their season ins and outs, and i realized that my original purpose in it is slowly fading and being replaced with something stronger.

Don't get me wrong - i still understand and appreciate the trends and fashions of America. Without it, our world would lack artistic and creative endeavors that can be made with fabric and pieces of metal, random synthetic and natural materials, and bursts of color. It's really a magical process.

But, when I scan the news - the supposedly fashion news - I read about how garment workers overseas suffer from lack of food, and how factories are not paying them enough to cover costs of food. As a result, half of laborers, who make our watches and clothing and accessories that we Americans MUST have from Neiman Marcus and Saks, suffer more than we can imagine.
As a defense for themselves, these overseas garment workers go on strike or leave, which affects us and our economy.
Labor laws have been changing in China, which cause our costs to go up and make our merchandise more expensive. I think it's good that labor laws are changing and we're complying more with good regulations. But, it drives me crazy because back in America, we can only gripe about why costs are rising and why those global factories are such a hassle to work with because they are charging us $1 more on a raw material, which ultimately makes our profits decrease.
Again, do not misunderstand me - I believe that the profitability of a company is very important for its survival. And, calculating costs are fundamental to any business.

However, I can't help but see how countries play this tug of war game, over money. And sometimes, I wonder if we really need more money in America. When we get caught up in America, and forget to broaden our minds to other cultures and other people, we can be quick to forget what a rich bubble we live in.

I know that there is only so much our nation can do to maintain relationships with other nations. The UN and free trade agreements and world trade organizations do their job of keeping the international businesses and economic and social developments balanced, and I like that.

I also know that with our economy hurting at this time, we all tend to fight for the money. But, we tend to forget about the people too, which makes my heart hurt...

And so with me and my own identity - I am beginning to think and envision things on a larger scale - a global scale - where economy, including fashion and art, can better benefit and enhance the lives of people.

And, though it is a huge dream, I think it would be a great dream to be a part of someday.