Days 8, 9, 10, 11:

Wow, I am SO SO far behind on my "day-to-day" posting... guess that's what happens when you get busy. But I am determined to keep up with this blog, so if you're still reading, I ask that you bear with me :) This week has been crazy! It's kind of taking me back to middle school.. you know the time when you have just finished up the summer, and you have one week to do/get/learn everything before you start the 7th grade. Better catch up on that Math packet you only did two pages of, spend way too many hours shopping for new mechanical pencils at Staples, and all the while try to enjoy the last week of freedom you have. Yeah, this week has been that crazy.

Monday: The first day of this week was great! I finished up a round of email briefs, which was pretty satisfying! Then I sat in on my first meeting with Radius, a group we work with at USA Football that monitors, tracks and analyzes our engagement online and through social. After the meeting, I got a chance to sit down with my boss and our social media coordinator to find out more about the city. We chatted about my interests and what kind of things I could find in downtown that I would really enjoy: rooftop restaurants, jazz bars, and Symphony on the Prairie were some of the highlights.

Then, I went to lunch with some other department heads and two new interns, Eric and Hope. We went to the City Market, which is this big building with all kinds of food booths - I went Greek, which was a great plan. The place was delicious, so I'll definitely be headed back there soon. The people I work with are all just super friendly and supportive, which is a great thing when you're in a new city. On Monday night, I joined Mrs. L and the girls for Grandpa L's birthday celebration, and had a chance to meet the extended family, which was awesome. Cannot stress enough how much they've made me feel at home. I am so blessed and thankful for them.

Tuesday: Let's just say that after Tuesday, my brain was fried. I spent the reading a 10 chapters of a beginner's guide to SEO. For non-techies (and I put myself in that category, thought I have a feeling this job is going to change that), that's Search Engine Optimization - fancy stuff. After a quick lunch, I had my first introduction to Google Analytics, which is an awesome tool that I'd recommend for almost anyone with a website. I was pretty impressed, and honestly a little overwhelmed at the mere capability of the Internet... I spent the afternoon inputting data from the Analytics feed to Excel documents (thank goodness for Tom George and Research Methods, which I would've been lost without). Needless to say, it was quite a day of learning, and I was exhausted. So, the perfect thing to go home and do was watch four episodes of Parks and Rec with Mrs. L. I got her hooked on Sunday night, and
it's been a great way to wind down after work. She's hoping to get through the series this summer, which will inevitably mean that I will watch the entire series twice in the course of 4 months. I have no shame.

Wednesday: The morning was another rough one. I watched a 2 hour and 15 minute lecture on SalesForce which my boss called, and I quote, "like pulling teeth." He was right. And that's all I really have to say about that.

Wednesday afternoon was pretty slow, and every hour or so all the interns in our shared office would look around and ask if the day had ended yet. Hump day is truly a real thing. But I did start getting acquainted with ExactTarget, the email marketing system our company uses, which was good preparation for Thursday. I spent Wednesday night working on a non-USAF related top-secret project. Once again, that's really all I have to say about that.

 

Thursday: I spent yesterday getting some real use out of my new HTML "skills," though I use that word loosely because I very apparently still have a lot to learn. I got a chance to create some of my first email templates, and it was more than frustrating. I tip my hat to anybody who is HTML-fluent, because it's not an easy thing to learn. I will say this though - after spending 4 hours to try and finish one template, the feeling of accomplishment when it was complete was pretty damn good. I spent some more time chatting some interns like Rachel, who is the super nice new video intern in our office. She's worked for ESPN - so cool. I finished two email templates by the day's end and felt pretty accomplished. I was exhausted by the time I got home, but had a nice and long overdue chat with Joe before bed. It's been a great week of learning at work, but I am thrilled for a relaxing weekend. Thanks for reading!

#IndyAdventures
-SBL

Weekend 1 (Days 5, 6, & 7):
An overview of my first weekend in Indy

Friday: I was surprised at how ready I was to finish my work on Friday. Apparently, the prospect of having a work-free weekend was more exciting than I had expected. I spent the day at the office formulating email briefs for our Digital team - it was another task I'd never really had to complete before, but once I got the hang of it, I was able to get creative and I had a lot of fun! My boss is a really nice guy, and he's been so focused on making sure I feel comfortable with my responsibilities, while also making sure I feel challenged.  I feel really lucky to be with an organization that already values my work and input, and I am so looking forward to Monday! 

After work, I came home ready to work out! Mr. L had been planning to get me out on my bike and show me all the cool paths in Indy, including the Monan Trail. It used to be a rail path that ran from Chicago to Indy, but it was abandoned back in the 1980s. In the early 2000s, the city converted it to a pedestrian pathway between Indianapolis and Westfield, IN. It's beautiful and serves at a great way to get around! Well, Mr. L tuckered me out! We biked for 9 miles, through Butler University and up to Broad Ripple, a very popular hangout a few miles outside of downtown. I thought I was exhausted after Friday, but I had no idea what I was in for... 

Saturday: 2 hours. 20 miles. For a person who hadn't sat on a bike seat in over 3 weeks, and had never done it for more than 6 or 7 miles, 20 was a lot. We had decided to do a ride to downtown, which if 5 miles down the Monon and 5 miles back. I thought I could handle that. But once we got to downtown, we decided to explore. We went down Mass Ave, through Monument Circle, down to the Canal, through IUPUI campus, back up along the river, through Butler again, and back home. My legs had no idea where they were by the time we got home. Mr. L was even exhausted, which made me feel better about my beat-red face and sore calfs. Besides the soreness, it was awesome, and it feels great to be getting back into a solid workout routine. Next step: Join a gym! 

I spent the day hanging out with the family, sitting in the backyard and enjoying the weather. It's been great here so far, not too hot and humid just yet! Then, I got ready to head out to dinner with my good friend Lizzie, who was in town for the night. We ventured into downtown to try Bru Burger Bar, this cute little place on the corner of Mass Ave with outdoor seating and killer appetizers. If you ever make it there, order the goat cheese and red peppers. Unbelievably good - and trust me, I was eating with a culinary master. We had about an hour wait before dinner, so I brought her to see my building and the center of downtown, and then after dinner we did a little more walking by the government buildings and Lucas Oil Stadium. It was a great night, and so nice to catch up for an extended period of time :) I got home and went right to sleep. It was a wonderful day, but I was so tired! 

Sunday: Well, here we are. I'm enjoying a relaxing day, catching up on some SafeSittings work, doing a little reading, and getting ready for the coming week. I'll be heading to St. Joan of Arc for church tonight, and I'm looking forward to getting involved in a church in Indy. Thanks for keeping up with my adventures! 

#IndyAdventuresWeekend1
-SBL

Day 4:
Tonight's blog is a little shorter for two reasons: 1) I'm pooped and 2) I pretty much did one thing today. So I had my "orientation" meeting at work today, which was great, and got a chance to talk to my boss about what I would really like to get involved with this summer! It was so nice to share ideas and I feel like I'm really starting to integrate myself in the office. I even sat in the break room during my lunch break, which was a good call. I have a lot of friendly coworkers who are in different departments, and its a young office, so I think I am going to have a lot of fun this summer! 

During my meeting with my boss, I talked about my interest in learning HTML/CSS (coding). Professors are always raving about what a great skill it is to have, so I figured I'm here, why not learn? Well, we decided to tackle that project right away. I did a 7-hour beginner's course all day at work, and I feel like I could make my own (albeit basic) website right now! I still have a lot to learn, and it was pretty exhausting, but it felt good to get all of it done and really feel like I have already taken a big step to gaining a new skill. Jobs are kind of cool, I guess :) 

Ended the night cooking some delicious burgers for dinner, talking to some old friends, and listening to one of my favorite albums, Ella & Louis for Lovers. If you have an appreciating for some real throwback music, give it a listen. You won't be disappointed. Oh, and if you're looking to learn HTML, I highly recommend www.codecademy.com. Free, simple and fun! 

I'm looking forward to the next few days! I'm planning to go on my first big bike ride here on Saturday, exploring the city, and hopefully joining a gym. Time to get back in a routine!

Thanks for reading!
#Day4IndyAdventures
- SBL

Days 2 & 3:
I'm already behind on the blogging... there's a shocker! Welp, it's day 2 on the job and day 3 in Indy, so it works. I'm currently enjoying my lunch break from the seventh floor of our building, AND freezing my butt off. Note to self: always bring a jacket to work. 

Yesterday was my first day at the USA Football office, and it was interesting! When I start a job, I always have this expectation that the first day is going to be really exciting, and I'm going to be thrown into a bunch of different projects right off the bat. Surprisingly, my first day here was quite relaxing. Everyone was busy catching up after the holiday weekend, and I didn't really get any assignments. So, I got to explore, do some research on the organization, and just get acclimated to my new office! The people here are super nice and laid back, and I'm just looking forward to getting to know everyone a little more in the coming weeks.

Last night was good too! I think I am going to have a hard time understanding the concept of having a work computer, that I leave at work. Homework has become so second nature, but I have to say, it will probably be a nice break, and give me more time to explore this city! 

I'm having a great time with my host family! Mrs. L and I are so similar and goofy together, the kids are super energetic and fun, and I already feel like I fit right in. My family has been blessed with some wonderful friends, and I am so happy to have the chance to really get to know them. 

Work today has been great! I chatted with a few of the interns this morning, got assigned my first research project, and had the chance to sit in on my first content meeting. A bunch of USA Football gear came into the office right before lunch, so I also stocked up on lots of gear (I've never been one to say no to free t-shirts). The research I'm doing today is focused around popular Mom bloggers, especially if they write about kids and sports a lot. If you follow any, let me know! I had no idea how many blogging moms there are out there!! Kudos to anybody who can run a blog and a household... this part is hard enough! I'll share my favorite I've found below :) 

Thanks for reading today! 


#Day2&3IndyAdventures
http://www.rageagainsttheminivan.com/

Day 1: 
Today was my first official day as a "resident" of Indianapolis, and was it busy! I spent the morning with Mom and Molly, exploring Butler University after  a nice breakfast at Panera. We wanted to cram in a little more sight-seeing before they had to head back to Michigan, and we had heard that the grounds of Butler were beautiful (the rumors were true). 

We had a great time exploring the beautiful gardens and fountains, and it reminded me of the Arb back in Michigan, though I can't say I miss Ann Arbor all that much just yet... this city is so historic and beautiful, and I can't wait to really immerse myself in all it has to offer.  

After a few hours of hiking and nature selfies (my family can't control the urge to take them), we headed to my new home for the summer. It was awesome to have the time to explore with Molly and Mom before they had to leave and I was sad to see them go, but excited about getting settled and ready for my first day of work. 

After saying our goodbyes, I got settled in my new room. It has more space than my last three bedrooms at Michigan combined, and I am feeling spoiled as ever! I finished the last bits of paperwork I needed for USA, and then headed out to dinner with my host family. We went to Yats, a cajun restaurant that's pretty famous in Indy. The food was amazing (if you ever go, I recommend the Chili Cheese Etouffee and the Maque Choux Etouffee - incredible stuff), as was my company. I am so grateful to have such a fun and outgoing family to spend my summer with, and I couldn't be more excited to start my new job tomorrow! If you read all of this, you're pretty cool. I'm looking forward to sharing all my experiences with you! 

#Day1IndyAdventures
http://www.yatscajuncreole.com/