Gosh, I didn’t realize it had been quite that long since I blogged. How did that happen again??

Long story short: I went on vacation, I got a new job, I moved, I went on vacation again, I presented at a conference, I got a promotion, and then I looked at my blog. That’s a lot of stuff happening.

My vacation was with my Mom to Brown County, Indiana and a stop in Indianapolis too. Since Dad was finally returning to work in August, after several months of medical leave, Mom and I went on our own vacation. It was one of those reading, hiking, eating, and shopping kind of vacations.

Imagine this view on a warm sunny day in the State Park!

Upon returning from vacation, I started my new job as Sales Assistant at the Art Institute of Chicago, which essentially means I work in the museum gift shop. It’s a nice place to work, and was made even more exciting when it was announced they’d been voted Tripadvisor’s #1 museum in the world for 2014.  They hosted a fancy breakfast for staff to celebrate, and took a group picture on the Grand Staircase:

It’s hard to get so many people in one photo….

My next vacation had been planned for a while: Germany! I traveled with my brother and sister in law, and we visited loads of places including Berlin, Erfurt, Nuremberg and Rothenburg. There was still more to see, so Brian and Jessica continued their trip, while I had to return home for work. Poor me!

Sharing a meal on an outdoor patio in Nuremberg.

Brian and Jessica at the Brandenburg Gate in the center of Berlin.

The amazing German food at the Augustiner Brau in Erfurt.

The week after my vacation, I was set to present at the Illinois Association of Museums Conference in Rockford, IL. I presented to a small group on the topic of Leadership, mentoring, and the next generation of museum professionals. It went as smoothly as can be expected, and the rest of the conference was informative and even entertaining. There are a few museums I want to go back and visit in Rockford, like Midway Village…

Lastly, I’ve moved out of my parent’s house and into an apartment in Chicago, mainly to lessen my commute to work. It’s all going pretty well, so I can’t complain. We shall see what adventures come next.