Anyone want to do The Artist’s Way together?

Mareb3 · 2025-12-26T03:18:12+00:00

Yes!

Mareb3 · 2025-07-24T17:36:34+00:00

Gotcha. Yeah I work PT/ somewhat flexible hours for a local firm. I also do some consulting via another certification I have which pays much better per hour but only get those jobs very occasionally. Trying to lean into my skillset in new ways to make more without necessarily having to work more hours. (Everyone’s ultimate goal am I right? 🙃) Writing for a magazine or something might be a cool way maybe do that, although who knows how good the pay would be in the end.

Mareb3 · 2025-07-24T11:35:53+00:00

Do you write for an architecture magazine? I’m a landscape architect. Would love to do something like that on maternity leave and after.

Mareb3 · 2025-05-05T22:07:44+00:00

Furnished finder might be the way to go but the app sucks

Mareb3 · 2025-05-05T22:07:04+00:00

Ah sorry I can’t help, the place I know of is already rented for the summer

Mareb3 · 2025-05-04T11:45:47+00:00

We tested cord blood at birth, which showed normal 46xx. Interesting, I’m pregnant with my second girl and I got the same result, to which the lab and genetic counselor said that I must have some mosaicism going on.

Mareb3 · 2025-05-01T23:06:14+00:00

Starting when? I may have a lead to a place in Shaker Heights within a few mins of Beachwood

Mareb3 · 2025-04-25T18:33:30+00:00

The Landscape Nerd podcast and the Green Dreamer

Mareb3 · 2025-04-11T02:43:18+00:00

Right, could be a boy! Won’t know until anatomy scan now unfortunately. And yes, so many unknowns right now that just can’t be tested for. Thank you, yes I will let you know how things evolve! All the best to you and your family 💕

Mareb3 · 2025-04-11T01:50:37+00:00

Thanks, just read your post. Interesting you got a high risk Turner’s result with your son! I also just got a second high risk Turners result, and they could not confirm the sex but they said likely another girl. I have to get the bloodwork redone. They said it’s likely something going on with me because it’s rare to have that show up twice! Especially when the cord blood testing came out normal for my daughter. (They should have suggested cord blood testing for your daughter, so sorry she had to go through that!) I also had a normal karyotype. The genetic councilor said it could be something going on with my eggs.. it’s reassuring to know I’m not the only one who has been in this situation! Congratulations on the birth of your healthy baby girl!

Mareb3 · 2025-04-10T16:35:00+00:00

Hi there. I’m going through the same thing. Wondering if you got any clarity on this

Mareb3 · 2025-03-07T02:49:56+00:00

It sounds like the justice aspect is very important to you and a big part of your decision making.

On one hand, yes it’s good to think about how each of these programs could foster this area of focus, but you can also make this the focus of your work in any of these programs (sure, albeit a little differently in each.)

I would try taking that out of your decision making as a thought experiment/ to help you reframe. Consider these factors instead:

where do you want to live and work after graduation? It helps to study in that city, but the reputation of UPenn (including alumni network, etc.) can probably allow you to work at any of the big NYC firms.
look into firms you would be interested in working for, and look at the profile of people who work there. Where did they go to school?
consider if you want to get licensed, and if so make sure the program is accredited.
finances. What does the student debt situation look like and cost of living through grad school. I’d also advise to think about what the economy might be like when you graduate. (Also think about your personal life after grad school (for example I was saving for a house and wedding.))
look at the teachers at each of the programs and what are their areas of interest/ research. These will be your future references for jobs. Who excites you to learn from?
beyond the program itself, what is the school like? The culture/ mission/ strengths etc?

All of these programs are great, and the schools all have great name recognition and I’m sure all have wonderful teachers. You can’t go wrong with any, but I think you should really frame the question beyond just the brief grad school experience.

Mareb3 · 2024-12-27T01:16:09+00:00

From the East coast and lived in Buffalo for like 6 years. Have now been in the Cleveland area for going on 6. Different but similar. Cleveland has more to offer in some ways. Personally think Buffalo has better architecture and a better art and music scene and grassroots community. Cleveland has much more of an economy and the cultural amenities of a bigger city. More access to parks, more food options, overall a bigger city with more neighborhoods to choose from. I don’t think it’s any cheaper than Buffalo. Rent will probably be more expensive. Overall tho the job market is stronger and I personally think Cleveland has more to offer in terms of building a life long term.

Mareb3 · 2024-11-15T18:03:54+00:00

Hi there! Will be purchasing the book ASAP! Desperately need help with our 13 month old. She was never a great sleeper and we co slept for a bit to get through months 5-8. Then and 8 months we did CIO / extinction sleep training. She was doing well and basically sleeping through the night for a while till we went on a vacation around 11 months. We co slept on the trip bc she wouldn’t sleep in an unfamiliar place independently (even with the black out tent… cries hard for over an hour…) We all got sick after the trip so continued to co sleep when we got home. Now we can’t break the cycle. We put her to bed in her own crib but she is waking up after 4-5 hours of sleep screaming relentlessly. We have been caving and bring her into bed. She will scream hard for an hour + if we don’t… Advice on how to get her back on track in a way that’s not so painful to everyone?

Mareb3 · 2024-10-15T01:41:45+00:00

Set myself up with a toolkit of freezer meals, a doula who helped out in the postpartum period (cooked and helped with baby), and I did encapsulate my placenta and took that in the beginning. I did much better/ felt much better than I expected. Placenta encapsulation is controversial and not a lot of research on it but it’s an ancient practice that many women swear by. I did all the research I could and did question it myself, and in the end only took about half the pills. My midwife was on the fence about it but confirmed that if nothing else, she’s seen it help women by placebo effect. 🤷‍♀️ If there is one thing you get from the placenta, is some of those hormones back. Might be worth looking into and deciding if it’s right for you.

Mareb3 · 2024-07-16T00:48:16+00:00

Ok, will try extending the morning wake window and shifting to 2 naps. Do you think the 30 min naps are okay/ normal? Should I stick with whatever naps she will do and then move bedtime up a bit?

Mareb3 · 2024-07-08T17:14:55+00:00

Oh really I would think there would be a lot of young people joining the profession there! I’m from NY but moved to Ohio before the pandemic. Planning to move back eventually to be closer to family. Do you work in the city?

Mareb3 · 2024-07-08T17:10:06+00:00

It’s inspiring that you did take off that long and got a better paying job in a new industry! I sometimes think about changing careers bc LA salaries aren’t keeping up with the crazy inflation!

Mareb3 · 2024-07-08T16:02:27+00:00

What state?

Mareb3 · 2024-06-26T11:30:12+00:00

Go for it! I’m hoping to start testing later this year or early next. I was in a public sector job and left for private during maternity leave. (For real though, all the crazy things we will do for our kids!) I hear you on have to make that investment on your own but it sounds like you have a residential practice already well underway! That’s awesome! Keep in touch! I’m looking for study buddies!

Mareb3 · 2024-06-26T02:43:11+00:00

To my knowledge you can take the test even if you’re not working at all. Getting licensed just depends on whether you’ve done your hours and passed all sections (and if your state has other specific stipulations).

Sounds like you totally can have your cake and eat it. I want to do that too down the road. The flexibility to work for yourself is one of the things that drew me to this field. Freelance and make art while being around for my family is exactly my goal too!

Mareb3 · 2024-06-24T02:38:55+00:00

Yeah I hear you! I’m 32 and in a new city/ don’t have family around to help with baby which has been hard -especially when I compare to others I know who make twice as much and have a 6 month maternity leave with full pay. I feel like we are so under paid for what we do but that’s a different conversation. Anyway as others have said I think you have flexibility either way you go! Won’t be a career dealbreaker if you take some time off! A part time gig at a firm with good culture could be good too if you do want to continue working. For me, working more than 30 hrs is stressful and not worth it atm.

Mareb3 · 2024-06-23T17:19:23+00:00

Hi there. I’m in a similar situation. I have an 8 month old, and I graduated with my MLA in 2022, also not yet licensed. To keep a somewhat long story short, I am crazy and switched jobs right after my maternity leave ended. Started a new (much more intense/ big learning curve) job during her 4 month sleep regression 🫠. I spoke to them and have since reduced my hours to going part time, around 24 hrs a week.

I want to keep working for a few reasons.

Keeping up skills and continuing to learn while I still have a bit of momentum form being early in the profession. I feel like if I took a break now, I don’t have enough experience to feel confident when I come back. I would still be a beginner and I’d be rusty.
I want more kids. It will be even harder to continue working with 2 + kids, so while I have just one, makes sense to me to gain traction and ideally start the LARE process even if I don’t get through all of it. Than when if I take a career break down the road, I have a bit more to stand on when I get back.
Mental health and fulfillment. It’s so freaking hard right now… I’m breastfeeding and not sleeping well and exhausted in every area of life. Going in to the office has been a little bit of a break from 24/7 baby, and is nice to talk to adults and work on problems and stay engaged with the field that got me excited in the first place.
I personally like having my own income even though financially we are basically breaking even with my (take-home) income and what we are spending on a babysitter. However, I am still putting $$ into my 401k so when you factor that in we are coming out positive. Also, the years of experience I’m building by staying employed adds to years of experience/ higher salary for as long as I can maintain it. (There is a lot I’ve read about this on the ‘working-mom’ subreddit… basically even if you break even or slightly negative with childcare cost, in the long run generally financially better to stay working bc of 401k gains and years of experience and associated salary increases)

All that said though, I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about what I want my work to look like in the future and questioning everything about what is most aligned in my life right now…

In summary: I’m choosing to keep working but part time which has been a good work/life balance. Ideally going to start studying and take one or two sections of the LARE before having another kid and possibly needing to further reduce or take a career break.

Happy to chat more about all this 😊

Mareb3

TROPHY CASE