Ahhhhhh what a week it’s been! I feel like I have zero time so I am going to  line up several posts so there’s at least semi fresh content on here while I am still acclimating to my new job.

I’m having a lot of fun and trying not to look like a complete idiot as I dive into the world of video game dev. It’s only been my fourth day and the new job jitters haven’t worn off completely, and, just as I was worrying day and night whilst in Japan about pissing off an entire country, I am worrying constantly (and needlessly of course) about saying/doing/breathing the slightest thing wrong.

Overall it’s been really nice though. Everyone there is very nice and laid back. It’s also very funny to talk about video games with your coworkers, and have it be a “work” conversation. In fact, playing cell phone/Facebook/computer games is considered research and actually encouraged.

And now for photos! I am playing major catch up, but I will spread it out over the rest of the week and hopefully be much more rested and established by this weekend.

Strawberries from Mother’s Day brunch ♥

This cat is so handsome and such a shit head at the same time.

Scenes from suburbia

Grilling ultimate burgers at home

Super old one! Orange Datsun.

Leo has been keeping me up at night, literally digging around his box of cat stuff and bringing toys to me in the middle of the night. Part of me wants to enjoy him while he’s still a young cat and the other part just wants to sleep. Anyone know a good way to entertain your cat and satill get some sleep in the dead of night?

Current Obsessions: bubblegum ice cream, Game of Thrones, popcorn, Luke Lalonde, Candy Crush Saga, coral colored lipstick

Ahhhh just had a lovely and relaxing weekend in San Diego with my mom :) I hope everyone had a happy Mother’s Day. Here is me with my mommy and family:

I used to draw constantly as a child and I would get really upset when my drawings wouldn’t look the way I wanted them to. It didn’t help that I had no concept of sketching and wanted to draw perfectly on the first try too. This is one of the best and worst aspects of my personality— I’m frequently never satisfied and will keep pushing until I reach “perfection.” But sometimes it’s just not attainable and I upset myself over nothing.

One day I was having a tantrum and my mom held me tight and told me, “Nothing is perfect!” I was pretty upset and disagreed, but it was one of the best things she’s ever told me. Truth be told, the more I thought about it, the better I felt, and it was like a huge weight off my mind thereafter. I’m still pretty crazy-bitch when it comes to getting things right, but I remembered this fond memory this weekend and am going to take things more in stride. There is perfection in imperfection, after all.

More pretty pics of the Kowalski garden! I am growing a bit of a garden myself on my balcony, courtesy of various cheapy Target and dollar store plant growing kits. Most of them are doing quite well and there’s something fun and therapeutic in seeing seeds you’ve sown grow fresh and green. I can’t wait for the flowers to bloom!

I took a walk with my mom around my neighborhood. The weather’s so damned hot but the evenings are really nice in SoCal. Can’t wait for summer!

… and here are some random pictures from around the apartment/etc. that I needed to post somewhere :}

I also have been holding on to some semi big news lately but been somewhat apprehensive about posting it here. But what the hell. I have gotten a new job! I am no longer a graphic designer at an advertising agency, but a UI artist for a video game company! Quite frankly I do not have any experience in this field at all, so this is a bit of a break through for me. I know I have a lot to learn and I’m sure I will struggle and have to work hard, but I am excited and scared and happy for the future ♥

Random side note: I’m always self conscious whenever I start sentences with “I.” See? It just makes me feel like a douchebag that’s talking too much about myself. Anyways.

I (see?!) was pulling some pictures off my phone and it’s just now come to me I have a ridiculous amount that I just haven’t edited or even thought about in a thousand years, let alone posted. So perhaps I will have a weird post of scragglers that have been waiting around. Yep.

And now, here is me in a super cas(ual) outfit. The title of today’s post is the “cas” of “casual” written in IPA so you know that I’m saying /’kaZH/, not just “cass” or “cazz” or some BS. Thank you college linguistics course that I took instead of real people math!

Did you notice my California necklace is backwards? I lack the necessary skills to put on my jewelry correctly. Also, I am holding a lantern that fell off the rafters.

Current Obsessions: lemon poppyseed scone, gardening, playing 3DS, PixelJunk Monsters, painting vinyl toys

I was going to try to update a bit more often and here I am, a week out with nothing new. And it’s not for lack of having done stuff. Indeed I feel like I am always busy, or at least, always tired.

I have been on something of a mini vacation (just 2 days) though, and I am feeling quite good now… I finished several little projects yesterday and just generally feel more rested. I don’t get vacation time at my job, so taking a couple days off like this is a miracle worker. Oh! Also planning on exercising (?!) more so I have more energy. 

My dad is in the process of moving stuff to Utah, but I got a chance to see him this weekend. To celebrate his return to the states, we went hiking in the mountains near our house in Santee, something we used to do when I was very young ♥

Alright, I’ve been on a pretty bad hiatus, I admit it. Just as you may have presumed me dead, I have felt dead, or at least in a weird state of living i n the background of my own life. Nice. Relegated to side character in my own existence.

I’m actually blowing that way out of proportion. In reality I’ve been extremely busy and productive! No really. And I have something to show for myself too! So I guess what I’m actually saying is, I’ve just been a zombie. Zombie Tiffany for the past month. I will try to get back on non zombie track now.

I am pleased to announce the new redesign and massive overhaul of tiffanysmart.com, my professional and semi-personal portfolio! I did like my old design, but it was time for a fresh new modern look. Also all of the work was ridiculously outdated. Yay! In case you are wondering, I think I played way too much Assassin’s Creed or something because the design is vaguely reminiscent of the Animus GUI. Well fuck. 

So yeah, how’s about that for… excuses as to why I’ve never updated my blog? Answer: good enough.

I feel stupid not posting pictures, so here are some (I have a ton more to sort and edit)

Nothing like a sweet morning of phở to chase away the hangover…

I haven’t had a lot of continuous streaks of photos so instead here’s a grand collection comprising two weekends.

Annual Fall Festival at Eli’s church’s parking lot :) Beer, karaoke, and Filipino food

Both Eli and Natalie are so photogenic… not like me and Nathan :P

Driving up to Orange County

Relaxing at home..

Best Coast show @ the Observatory

Amazing night in Newport with coworkers and friends :D

Neon SD

I can’t wait to post pics of my lovely new apartment, but it’s still getting setup. In the meantime, enjoy these pretty pictures from my friends Chris and Jessica’s wedding on Saturday <3

I bought this turquoise dress the day of the wedding XD As luck would have it, Nathan got a tie in the same color that day too~

Cat eye make up + headphones

Apartment campout