Live Out Loud

What did 2008 mean for me? The year of a surprisingly awesome summer in Chicago interning at Leo Burnett , the entrance into the dreaded Junior year at the business school, with corporate presentations every week and constant visits to career counselors and communication consultants in effort to perfect every bit of the recruiting process, from my resume to cover letters to interviewing skills. Also the year that I realized different and good were not mutually exclusive things (ie: JCrew small group last year), and I really learned what it means to have a missional mindset on and off the court. To be frank, I don’t remember what the first half of 2008 was like, largely because I moved on to a new journal in the second half of the year. But what I do remember doing for months is asking God for a greater heart for His lost people, for my heart to break at the sight of those who do not know Christ—and mostly for my own family members. Something about not spending eternity in heaven with m

To dream that you are smoking, indicates that you are trying to shield yourself and others against your emotions. You have trouble letting others in.

As some of you know, I recently unofficially adopted "Jamie" as my American name, mainly because I felt that my Korean name was a hindrance to meeting new people (especially in my classes). So when I started working at Leo Burnett, I introduced myself as Jamie to all the fellow interns. But because all of my legal forms still said Nayoung, I ended up introducing myself as Nayoung to my co-workers in the Hallmark account, so somehow I ended up with two different names at LB. In all honesty, I have to admit that I hated blending in and getting lost in the sea of Christinas, Sarahs, and Kellys. It just didn't seem the same when I introduced myself as "Jamie like a Jingle" rather than "Nayoung like a Nail clipper" (in an icebreaker). I miss my old name, and I miss how I was the only Nayoung that anyone ever knew. I am slowly learning to embrace my uniqueness, and not being ashamed of it. It's a constant struggle, but I am finally accepting and loving m

It's a bit embarrassing to admit now as a college junior, but I am still a teeny-bopper at heart. Yesterday, I found out that Jesse McCartney aka the "Beautiful Soul" everyone was obsessed with 3 summers ago, the cute guy from Summerland, and the former member of DREAM STREET, was IN THE SAME BUILDING AS ME, GIVING A PRIVATE CONCERT. WHAT THE HECK. So my workplace has these things called Artist in Residence where they have random artists come in to perform for us. They told us that many of these performances are low-key and that we usually won't find out about them until the of--but clearly EVERYONE here knew about it except for me. My fellow interns casually brought it up in a meeting and I started FREAKING out at the thought that I could have met him/had him serenade me in person! GOSH. No one thought I would be interested, considering that most of the people who went to see him were 8-12 year old children whose parents work at Leo Burnett. AHHHHHHHHH!!! So after wo

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9 Another Truth from today's Bible Study: God is bigger than man. So who are you fearing more? More lengthy post to come.

First out of 10 weeks here has already come and gone. Weekend ended up being surprisingly good, as I explored the city. I love walking on Wacker and Michigan Ave, seeing the bridge go up, and being immersed in the crazy Chicago Gotham City-like architecture. Got to meet up with Jackie, a former Sigma to explore the Bean like tourists, went to the beach at night with my sg, and pigged out at Ribfest with some fellow dormmates. Also tried tapas for the first time in Lincoln Park with Pru (YESSSS), went to the Chicago Blues Festival to see BB King live, and had Berry Chill fro-yo with some chill kids. OH AND I FINALLY HAD GARRETT POPCORN.. ZZOMG SO GOOD Oh andddddddd my roommate finally came! She is very nice and I am excited to spend the next nine weeks with her :) Pictures to come as soon as I get internet on my computer (this one from my phone shall suffice for now) Lovin' the Windy City (now I finally get why it's called the Windy City.. I thought I was going to topple over th

So apparently Leo Burnett has this thing called Summer Hours every Friday. Knowing how busy things can get in this industry, our generous employer allows all employees to head home after 1PM every Friday during the summer. How glorious is that? So I came home early, went running, and did some shopping before small group! Hollaaa. Week 1 of 10 is already complete. I am really beginning to like Chicago (possible prospect after graduation? hmm?) and would love to work for a company like Burnett later on. Burnett + Art Institute dorms = Awesome Chicago Experience for NY :)

Today I went down to the food court with another intern and as I opened my box of sushi, I hesitated. Feeling as if there were too many eyes on me (I only ate with one other person -_-), I questioned whether I should pray before my meal, in fear of social rejection. After I prayed, she asked me if I was a Christian, and I awkwardly responded that I was. Then she said, "Finally! What a relief to know that there are other Christians!" WHAT THE.. I couldn't believe it. Here I was, sitting with a co-worker that I had simply exchanged cordial greetings with, now talking about God haha. Even though I was scared and honestly did NOT want to pray, God used a habitual thing like that to open up opportunities for me to invite her to small group and share my faith. Crazy how He works when you least expect it.

Last night I had the opportunity to join in on the Kickoff Dinner of HMCC's UIC summer small group. Having been in isolation for the past two days, I was so relieved to be welcomed into their small group with warm greetings. I met some cool people, ate some good pasta with CHICKEN (college students in AA can't afford to put chicken in their pasta), and played some nice rounds of Mafia and Killer. I think it's amazing how HMCC connects people everywhere, even when you end up in a city that you barely know. The people in KAIROS (I believe that's what they're called) were really friendly to me, but being placed in a small group that has already been together for a year reminded me of what it's like for a newcomer. Now I know how much of an effort I must make next year, when we have new people join us in JCrew :P. I have to admit though, after not being a freshman for a year, it was pretty weird being served haha..

Yesterday I woke up bright and early in my empty apartment, put on my favorite pair of slacks and new blazer to walk into 35 W Wacker. Walking into my first day at Leo Burnett, I was determined to take advantage of every interaction. Normally silent in foreign situations, I gathered the nerve to talk to the girl in the elevator that looked like a fellow intern. She turned out to be an account management intern on the Samsung account, and I had the opportunity to talk to her while we waited on the couches, rather than pretending to be preoccupied on my Blackberry. Orientation ran until 1PM, but I really enjoyed the corporate culture. The advertising industry is known to have long, pressure-filled hours, but LB tries to give their employees a good balance between work and personal life. From their casual dress code (I can basically wear whatever I would wear back home to work) to the colorful modern furniture, I am really digging it here. They even have free beverages in the fridge mostl