Goodbye 2010

I’m slowly getting ready to head out and welcome in the New Year, but before I do, I must say farewell to 2010. What an amazing year for me. I turned 21, graduated college, got my first big girl job in New York and rented my first NYC apartment. I am so grateful for everything that has been bestowed on me these last 365 days, and I’m looking forward to everything 2011 is going to bring. I officially move into my new apartment tomorrow, and I feel like there is no better way to begin a new year – a completely new beginning…a grown-up beginning, with grown up problems and grown up joys. God has blessed me in so many beautiful ways. I have family and friends all over the country, and I love and will miss them so much when I move. They support me in wonderful ways, and I couldn’t have gotten to where I am today without them. I have such a great life, and I can’t wait to see where my path leads.

With that said, here are my 2011 New Year Resolutions…

-Stay healthy! (Run a half marathon perhaps?)
-Stay happy!
-Take risks!
-Live in the moment!
-Walk around and smell the flowers…literally. This world is so beautiful, and we miss so much because we’re so busy. In 2011, I’m going to take deep breaths, and take lots of chances. No one ever got to where they needed to go by waiting for life to come to them – it’s my turn to go out and get what I want. I’m going to Love, Laugh and Live everyday – and most of all, I will live my life with purpose.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS! May love and happiness find you all year long. <3

Blizzard 2010

The blizzard kept me homebound. I tried. I really tried. This morning I woke up at 5:30, straightened my hair, put on my work clothes and went upstairs to eat breakfast. As I was heading up the stairs, I glanced out the front door and noticed that the entire street had not been plowed in several hours. A good three-four feet of snow was sitting on the road and was blocking both of our cars – the cars I needed to get me to the train station. My dad told me to go back to bed, but before I did, I e-mailed my boss to apologize for not making it in this morning. I decided to check the train updates one last time and saw that all trains had been suspended for the time being. So I gave it my all. I still feel like I maybe should have tried a little harder – perhaps getting stuck on the train with no heat or bathrooms for several hours would have really shown my dedication to the company, but that was a hassle I didn’t feel like dealing with (and couldn’t have dealt with unless I trekked through the snow and walked to the station). It’s 1:25 pm here in NJ and the plows have yet to get to our street. I’m nervous that I’m going to need to shovel my way out tomorrow morning to make sure I get to work.

On the bright side of making zero dollars today, I do have the entire day to pack and I’m making great progress. I’m just about ready to go. I’ve been humming the “NYC” song from the musical Annie for the last two days in preparations for my big move on Wednesday (assuming the plows show up.) I have thrown out a lot of “crap,” and I have all of my bins organized. It’s such a weird feeling to know that I am moving out of my parent’s home – I feel so old. The biggest positive about this move (besides the fact that it’s fulfilling a life-long dream) is that I get to take my wonderful, comfortable, marvelous bed – the bed everyone loves to sleep in. This bed (I’m sitting on it right now) is equivalent to the family saying, “Anywhere we are, as long as we’re together, is home.” Well, anywhere I go with this bed, will be home. I missed it terribly while I was at college. The other great snowy surprise was that my best friend, who was supposed to fly out to New Mexico tonight, has been grounded until Thursday afternoon, so she can now help me move into my new apartment. Everything is working out the way it’s supposed to. Here’s hoping I don’t get fired for failing to get into work today – that would not bode well with my upcoming plans.

Once again stay safe and warm! Don’t go outside unless you absolutely have to (because you’ll make me look bad!)

I'm Dreaming Of A White Post-Christmas

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday. I feel so blessed (and full of food!), and I’m sad the holiday season is just about over. I’m also sad about the fact that I have to trek to work tomorrow (anyone else see the blizzard outside?) but I digress. On Christmas Eve, my family and I visited the houses of a few friends in town. I was able to see the young children excited for Santa’s pending arrival and laughed with friends I hadn’t seen since last Christmas. My brother, friends and I then went to midnight mass. I enjoy the midnight service because the church bells ringing before the Priest walks down the aisle inform us that it is officially Christmas morning, and everyone whispers “Merry Christmas to each other before officially singing “O Come All Ye Faithful.”

I had a lovely Christmas morning with my family. You can tell we’re getting older when my brother is still sleeping at 10:30 and Dad, mom and I are watching A Christmas Story while I eat cereal – all while the presents are still wrapped under the tree. We had a great time opening our gifts. Mom cried over the collage frame Scott and I put together for her, so a successful Christmas was had. I started cooking the dinner at around 2 and had everything ready for 4pm when our guests started to arrive. I made a green bean and sweet potato casserole, stuffing, mashed potatoes, a pineapple/cranberry dessert and a cheesecake – I was so proud of myself…and no one was poisoned.

Today the leftovers are being eaten and a blizzard has taken over the East Coast. I’m pretty sure there is a state of emergency in NJ and NY, and I’ll be training it up to work tomorrow unless a snow angel grants me a day off. This will be much easier once I’m actually living in NYC. Speaking of…it’s t-3 days and my room looks like a bomb went off. Packing up all of your life long belongings and hoping it will fit in a small bedroom is rough. Looks like mom and dad will be storing lots of “Kate” bins in the attic for the next few years.

Happy Blizzard East Coasters…stay safe and warm.

Embarrassing Story of the Day

The other night, my family and I were having dinner at our local Carrabba’s. My parents had never eaten there before so I thought the place would be perfect for my mom’s birthday dinner. We had a wonderful meal – when have I not had a wonderful meal at Carrabba’s – and when we were finished, the waiter came to grab our plates. He asked how our meal was and my dad said…and I quote “I have two things to say. One, my daughter is available and two the food was great.” I’m sorry, what?! I was mortified. The waiter laughed and then, instead of telling my dad he was happily married, which is what I was secretly hoping for since he was nice, but not my type, he goes along with it (I thought for perhaps a larger tip). The waiter then asks me how old I am and I tell him. He states, “Well, I’m 28…a little older than you (hmm, we’re dealing with a genius here) but maybe we could work something out.” At about this time, my brother is about to pee his pants laughing. I’m just sitting there stunned, not sure what I should do or say. The waiter comes back with our checks and turns to me and say, “I left my number on the check. Give me a call sometime.” I could have killed my father.

Once we got home, I had a decision to make. I could write the entire thing off as a bad dinner (something I’ve never had at Carrabba’s☹), or I could be nice. So I foolishly decided to text him to apologize for my dad’s behavior. We chatted back and forth through texting that night, but he started getting weird…Some texts I received that night: “Who is Kate? Tell me who you think you are”, “Did you see how I switched between first and third person in my text?”, “Do you get offended when I don’t text in proper English?” These are not taken out of context. I fell asleep after about 30 odd questions and the next morning received another text asking what I was doing. Now, I thought to myself, okay, maybe he wants to have lunch or something – it’s a Sunday. Nope, instead I get, “Why don’t you venture down to Atlantic City for the day and hang out in the room with me. I’m watching football.” For those of you who don’t know me or where I’m from, AC is a good hour and half away from me (and it was pouring down rain this day as well), and I don’t usually (ever!) go to strange hotel rooms where people I don’t know reside (he’s from my area…why was he in a hotel room for the day?) and “watch football.” Suffice to say, Carrabba’s waiter and I never ended up hanging out. I promptly told him to have a good holiday and he didn’t contact me after that. Doesn’t anyone have coffee dates anymore…or social skills? I miss the good old days of 13 when you went to the mall together and held hands. Dad’s days of playing matchmaker are officially over.

Hope your love life prospers this holiday season <3

Name Change

Yes, Jersey Girl has left the building. She’s flying away from the nest and settling into a new home with a new comforter and a desk looking out into an ally. I decided to change my blog name for two reasons. One, I really enjoy change. And two, I felt it was time for a title that highlighted all of the happenings in my life. After all, I have been writing about my triumphs, travels and tribulations for many months now, so why not reflect that? This Jersey girl will still be taking on the world, but a new life is beginning, and if the journey so far has been this wonderful, I can only imagine what is to come.

Cue the Jeopardy Theme Song:

So much to do, so little time! I was a college student for the last three Christmases, so when it came time to buy the presents, I was usually done by the third week of December. This year, because I’m working, I am still a couple of gifts short. And I have 2 days to fix this problem! After work today, I went straight uptown to buy my dad his cigars (no worries, he never reads my blog), and then I went to take a peak at the Christmas décor one final time before the 25th. I glanced at the tree, saw the shiny balls on 6th avenue (a favorite), and ran back to the Path train to make sure I was home to wrap before my run. Speaking of wrapping, I still need to purchase the bags, tissue paper, and bows for the gifts as well. I’m beginning to understand a little more why my parents are always out doing “last minute” shopping (I’m convinced it’s ALL of the shopping) on Christmas eve and are up until 4am every year wrapping – it was a little hard to believe in Santa when you weren’t allowed to go in the garage for the night of the 24th and all of the presents (ones from mom and dad, and ones from Santa) had the same paper – oh well, they tried.

I made out a holiday schedule (because I’m awesome like that) to make sure I get through the next few days painlessly and stress free. And I even added in 5 mile runs to all the days in order to be able to eat the carrot cake I’m going to bake tomorrow night guilt free. I’m such an organized person…too organized sometimes (OCD anyone?), and literally the only way I can function is with lots and lots of “to-do” lists. Remember when I was back in college and made a “Three-week end of the quarter” to-do list…yea, that was fun. Anyway, I have a plan. And I know God is laughing at me, but I’m hoping to stick to it. Dinner needs to be cooked on Christmas day (PS my extended family still has not told me if they are coming to dinner or not…nightmare scenario for a planner), presents need to be opened Christmas morning, and a pre-Christmas lunch needs to be had tomorrow afternoon. I will get it all done and pat myself on the back at 10pm December 25th, but it is funny how the days of childhood are officially over. No more happy-go-lucky attitude; no more depending on others to get the work done; no more having mom buy the gift you give to dad; Childhood is finished and Christmas is becoming an entirely new experience, and I will start creating my own traditions for my adult life (perhaps my sweet potato casserole will become a favorite; perhaps I’ll give everyone food poisoning). The only thing that matters is that I attempt to roll with the punches, take deep breaths, and above all remember what this time is truly about: Family, friends and a little baby in a manger.

Different Strokes

I wrote on my twitter account (follow me!) the other day that I found it so interesting how people of the same age can be so different and on such different wave lengths. It’s like we all hit the age of, let’s say 20, and boom – we start spiraling in different directions. Lucky for me, my strong relationships with my friends are withstanding our differences, but it still takes work when you’re moving in one direction and your friends are moving in the opposite. This revelation came about when I was facebook stalking (yes, I do that from time to time) a girl who was in many of my English classes. She was super cool, and I saw she had posted pictures from a wedding she attended. The wedding was for two people who were my age: Two 21 year-olds tying the knot. In the next picture someone snapped of this charming girl, she was holding up her own engagement ring-wrapped finger. The guy (who is also 21) she had been dating for 2 years asked her to marry him.

Now here’s where my different people, same age, story comes in. I have not yet attended a friend’s wedding. I have no close friends who have babies (a number of people I graduated with have children now, but no one close to me.) I do have many friends who are in long term relationships, but they keep saying 25, 26…30 will be when they say “I do.” (Many of my friends have also left long term relationships realizing they wanted different things as they grew older.) Now I grant you, maybe if I was in such a relationship, I would be singing a different tune, but the idea of marriage right now literally makes me laugh out loud. I’m 21, soon to be 22. What do I know about life, myself, or the world to be able to make such an important commitment? I need to see Paris first; I need to move to New York City and live in my tiny apartment; I need to be promoted to a full-time job. Perhaps I’m selfish, but I have so many more “me” things to accomplish before I sign up for a “we.” But this is me, and I am not every other woman in the world. People are different. Regions are different. Women of the South marry much younger on average than women of the Northeast (I watched a show once that said if a southern belle was single at 23, her family started to grow concerned.). The national average for women to marry is age 25, so maybe I’m not totally off base with my thinking, but marrying while still in college seems ludicrous to me. I know many people marry after college but even that (23?) seems so young. My parents got married at 28 (and are happily married today) so that could have something to do with my thought process.

I don’t have an end comment to this post, because I will not sit here and judge others for their life choices – There is no right or wrong answer. I have a feeling a few of my friends will be marrying in the next couple of years, but I’m almost certain no one will be attending a Jersey Girl soon to be City Girl wedding for quite sometime. But what do I know? I could pull a Khloe; meet a guy tomorrow and marry him two months later.

New Adventures

Signed my contract? Check. Hold in my possession four keys of different shapes and sizes? Check. Wrote out a very large check? Um, check. Sounds to me like someone officially lives in Manhattan…or will officially live in Manhattan in 9 short days. Despite the fact that the NY Giants ripped my heart out of my chest yesterday, it definitely was one of the greatest days of my young life simply because I became a NYC renter. I may have to change my blog title: City girl takes on the world? Hmm, might need to think about that some more. But hooray for me! I’m moving. I’m moving. I’m moving. I will have to say that at least 17 more times before I believe it. I purchased a new comforter online today (had no idea until after I fell in love with the dark purple hues that it happens to be the same bedding Bella has in the Twilight movies…and yes, this made me love it even more), my ultimate target run will come early next week and then it’s sayonara Jersey Shore. So Merry, Merry Christmas to me.

I’m excited to write about my adventures discovering my new neighborhood. This is the first time in my life that I will be completely on my own. When I first went to college, the majority of my floor-mates did not know the Columbus area well and so we were all fumbling around together (remember the dark ally anyone? “I’m not scared of anything”). The same thing occurred when my roommates and I moved into our off campus apartment. We ventured out together to see where the good coffee shops, local bars, and easy routes to walk home were located. Now that I’m a grown up (scary, right?), I’m searching for grocery stores within walking distance (Whole Foods is 5 blocks away), new doctors, dentists, dry cleaners, coffee shops (DD is on the corner), banks, and bars (I’m 5 blocks from Columbia, so I’m sure the majority of bars in the area will be “college bars.” Definitely positives and negatives to that – future Ivy League boyfriend, future frat boy puking on the street.) I know I’ll be getting tons of pointers from my awesome future roommate, but it’s good to understand your surroundings and discover all that is around you. I always tell people that I am an expert at “touristy” New York. I can tell you every fun thing to do in Midtown, every museum that must be visited and all the subways that get you to and from Times Square, but the Upper (way upper) West Side is a foreign land to me, so it will take many days of walking in circles and sitting in front of my laptop with Google maps opened to conquer it all. As for now, I know how to run from my front door to Central Park and back; I know where to get my Sunday morning bagel, and I know what train I need to take to get to work…I’m way ahead of the curve.

This Is What Dreams Are Made Of

Hello friends…It has finally happened. Yesterday I went to view the apartment I told you about in my last post, and I fell in love. It is so perfect for me, and my future roommate is exactly what I was looking for! I think we’ll get along perfectly. The bedroom is huge, the kitchen is roomy and the price is perfect. I thought I was going to have to compromise in many key areas, but my new bedroom is larger than the bedroom I reside in now. Friends will be able to fit nicely on the air mattress I will be purchasing in the next couple of weeks! I couldn’t be more pleased with how everything turned out. I move in around the 29th of December. That is only 2 ½ short weeks away! So now the packing begins. It’s so funny how life can work sometimes. I didn’t want to get my hopes too high while I was waiting to view the apartment. How many people have to view tons of apartments before finding the one? And I just had to look at one….how lucky am I? I’m thrilled beyond belief and I can’t wait to buy my new comforter for my new bedroom ☺

Pictures to come soon!

I'm Moving...Soon!

I have great news. I finally have decided to search for a living space in New York City. I’m so excited! A relative sent me an email she received from a neighbor saying her cousin’s daughter (does that make sense?) is looking for a roommate. I jumped at the offer, and I’m viewing the place on Saturday. I’m thrilled, ecstatic, jumping for joy, over the moon, dancing in the street. This woman did say she has others viewing the place so I’m trying not to get too excited about possibility living on the Upper West Side (eek!). I’m keeping my fingers crossed and sending up a silent prayer to God that this will all work out. If not, on to the next available place. Ps, this also means I’m officially going to become a New York City blogger – how cliché is that?

I had a small panic attack on the Path ride home yesterday as I started thinking about the possibility of moving out of my childhood home in less than a month. Will I be able to afford it? Will I be happy living with someone I don’t really know? Will I be able to afford it? That question popped up a few times. The one thing I will try my hardest not to do is move back home, so for me, this will be goodbye to my house and Pt. Pleasant unless some unforeseeable event occurs where I have no other option. I’ve been ready to leave the nest for months but now that it’s a reality, I’m a tad scared. My parents completely changed their tune on the whole situation practically overnight – they are all for this move. My thought is that the fight we had this past weekend pushed them over the edge and they are silently kicking me out, but this theory has not been proven. They told me in the car yesterday that people are capable of doing anything they set their minds to (cute, right?), and if I choose to move to NYC, I’ll make it work. I don’t care if I have to work at Macy’s, be a weekend nanny or waitress at nights, I’ll figure out a way to make sure I stay put. I went to sleep last night with all of these thoughts racing around in my head and when I woke up this morning, I felt ready. (It really is true what they say. You should take a night’s sleep before making any major decision in your life. The right answer will be there when you wake up.)

So anyway, there it is. I’m moving to New York in the next couple of months. Depending on how I like this apartment and how the girl living there likes me, it could be January 1st, or I may have to look around a bit more and it could be March 1st, but my apartment search has officially begun and I couldn’t be happier.

To any relatives reading this post who plan to send me a Christmas present: Lots of cash, please. I’ll need it ☺

Oh, Hi out there!

Hello friends! I’m baaaaccckkkkk ☺ My life as a blogger had been put on hold for the last three months simply because there were not enough hours in the day (and I was secretly frightened I’d get fired for being a blogger. This irrational fear has now left my mind). I have been working as an intern in New York City since September, and the new job is working out wonderfully. I have a cute little cubical on 34th street where I help plan my company’s events. I really enjoy event planning. It’s a field I never really thought about entering before, but it oozes perks. I’m able to travel, work with all levels of executives, and I’m never bored. There is always another event to focus on and so much work to do every day in preparation. I could totally see myself working at this job full time or moving on to another organization with a focus in events. I have so many friends close to tying the knot that I could just become a wedding planner and call it a day.

While working in New York has been a dream of mine since I was a wee little thing, the commute is a challenge all in itself. I do not know how my parents have done this for so many years! I’m searching frantically for a pint size apartment so I can cut my roundtrip commute from four hours down to preferably less than 1 in the next few months. If anyone has questions on commuting into the city, I’m the new queen of the trade. I’ve taken the fifty-five minute train from Metropark (131 off the Garden State Parkway). My dad calls it the “cattle car” because we are rounded up like animals from one location to the next. I then drove into the city for a while (that’s my favorite although traffic on the NJ Turnpike is a big pain.) And today I started my first day as a PATH train commuter from Jersey City. It’s not the worst form of travel, but it was quite crowded until we hit 14th street. Since this will be my mode of transportation for quite some time, I’m going to look at the positives. It’s the cheapest way to travel and it gets me from point A to point B.

In other news, this past holiday weekend I travelled back to Ohio State for the first time since I graduated. I saw my roommates again and was able to watch OSU stomp all over that school up north. I loved being back inside the Shoe; I loved walking on campus and taking in all the familiar sights, and I loved being with my roommates again. I never thought I would miss school as much as I do, and I always knew I would miss my roommates like crazy, but saying goodbye again was so difficult. Parting just makes the next time we see each other that much better, but I wish I lived about five hours closer to them. This distance is no fun. The best part of our reunion was feeling like we had not been apart for three months. That’s what lasting friendships are made of – Coming together after a lengthy period of time and feeling like nothing has changed.

It feels good to be back in blogging mode. Hope you all missed me!

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn

The roommates have arrived, and the roommates have left…and I’ve been so busy I haven’t told you about any of it. Since we’ve last written, this Jersey girl has gotten a job in the big, bad city (thank God!), Summer has ended (thank God!), and my roommates finally came to visit (thank God!) Last Wednesday four special girls flew in from Columbus, Detroit and Chicago to spend their weekend at the Jersey Shore. Playing hostess is something I love doing. I love planning, and I love showing people a good time. I may go a tad overboard (I went to five different grocery stores last Tuesday), but I have a blast doing it. My OCD went to work, and by the time I arrived at the airport, I had an entire itinerary printed out and ready to be followed (Seriously…the girls have copies to prove it.)

Wednesday was our “go with the flow” day. I was a tad late to pick up the girls (I’m embarrassed to write how late), the day was gloomy and rainy, and Little E was up at 3:30 am to head to the airport, so we stuck to pizza and a driving tour. I was able to show my roommates all of my hometown hangouts; the schools I attended, the places I ate dinners watching the fireworks, and the small town shops that you can only find in a small beach town. They saw the beach I worked at, and we ended the night by walking the boardwalk. The girls kept calling it a carnival – I loved seeing their reaction to my childhood playground. Thursday was dedicated solely to New York City. No one can come visit me and not receive a quick tour (an 8-hour tour to be precise) of the place that inspires me everyday. New York has made me who I am just as much as the Jersey Shore has. I cannot show one part of me without its partner. We began our tour downtown, worked our way to the village, and made our way to Serendipity by four. They saw it all (Wall Street, Washington Square Park, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue, Central Park, and my new place of employment). I revisited spots I had not seen in some time as well. (Note to future hostesses: You will visit many places that you are too busy to spend time at normally. Take advantage of this opportunity. You never know what you’ll come across in your own hometown). Friday was our relaxing beach day. After two days of early wake-up calls and tons of walking, we were all happy to sleep in and go to breakfast at the local diner. After eggs, we spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach. Friday was the first day I actually enjoyed the beach since my beach job began on June. 20th. I had not been to the beach recreationally all summer! I was in Heaven.

Then Friday evening occurred. Please save all judgments for the end of the post. My roommates informed me before this trip occurred that they wanted to see where the Jersey Shore cast filmed. Let me set the record straight: I don’t travel to Seaside. I wasn’t allowed there as a child (for obvious reasons), and I choose not to travel there as an adult. But even I felt I was missing out on something by not going there once all summer. I decided that my roommates and I would have a fun time at Karma if we were together, and perhaps we would even catch a glimpse of a cast member. Well, Did we ever?! We sat in a half empty club until 12:45 am when all of a sudden a bright light caught my eye…then a camera, another camera, and there was Snooki – all 4’9 of her. JWow traveled in after her, followed by Ronnie and Sammi, more cameras, The Situation (I’m not going to lie, I reached out and touched him). Pauly D and Vinny entered the club last. Three sets of cameras, five roommates, and six guidos/guidettes – It was a hilarious encounter. We wanted one, and got the entire cast. Camera crews would not let us close unless we signed a waver. Only L agreed…she signed two actually. Until our ride came at 3 am, we ran around the club (I was in three inch heels) chasing cameras to see what these “celebs” would do next. I’m not sure if it was the lack of sleep or the bright lights, but I actually enjoyed following these people around with my cell phone camera (flash turned off because of filming!). I’m happy to say I have returned to planet sanity for the time being, and my craving to see the Jersey Shore Cast has been satisfied…for good. But what a night to remember.

Coming off our crazy Friday night, Saturday was low key. We sent N off to Philly to visit her man, the girls enjoyed another beach day, we made s’mores on my stove top (I’m so rustic), watched Coyote Ugly, and passed out. On Sunday, they were all back at LaGuardia airport heading off to their next destinations. As for me, I went home, climbed into sweatpants, crawled into bed at 4 pm to take a quick snooze before the Emmys, and woke up at 7 the next morning. Thanks for wiping me out roomies. I miss you girls already.

And so ended the first annual “BLENK Reunion” at the Jersey Shore.

My How Time Flies

My baby brother turned 17 today! I cannot believe it. I think I am in more shock right now than my parents are (although mom did cry last night and placed two pacifiers in a cake – yes, Tish really did that. Scott and I were a tad freaked out). In NJ, we receive our driver’s license at 17, and Scottie passed his test this morning. I felt like a middle-aged weeping mother as I ran outside in my running clothes to watch him leave with my car (this could be an issue) for work. I forced him to take the picture you see above. I then proceeded to tell him to drive safe, turn down his music, and watch for pedestrians. Oh boy, this is going to be fun.

Each year that I grow older never seems to phase me. I welcomed the last 21 birthdays with excitement for that next chapter in my life; I can officially drive (17), I can officially drive without a probationary license (18), I can buy cigarettes even though I don’t smoke (19), I am officially no longer a teenager (20), I can drink legally (21!). But when you watch those younger than you grow and hit ages that you remember quite well (they day I took my driving test seems like yesterday. I still remember the outfit I wore to school), it becomes scary. My brother is no longer little; he’s no longer the baby. He’s one year away from adulthood. He drove the car away, and I felt a part of my childhood drive away with him. Where’s that boy who I used to play school with? Where is that kid I taught to swim? I still remember (thanks to countless views of old home movies) the way he used to whine “Katie” when he wanted something. He now debates politics with me, talks about colleges, and comes to me when he has questions about friends and relationships.

I’m very blessed to have the bond I have with my brother – a bond that will hopefully grow even stronger with time. We’ve grown closer as we’ve grown older, and I now think of him as one of my friends. We still bicker like cats and dogs, and I think he secretly wants me to move out as quickly as possible so that he can once again commandeer the downstairs (he also wants a cool place to stay in the city). I picked him up from the airport last night, and we chatted about his trip and his birthday. He was nervous to take the test, and I was nervous for him. But when I woke up this morning, there was the text that shouted “I am now a licensed driver!” The text scared me half out of bed (he actually passed?!), and then a sense of pride washed over me. He did it. That little, slightly annoying, used to be chubby, trumpet player in the school band boy grew up over night….and I never saw it coming.

Happy Birthday Scottie! I love you! xoxo DON’T text and drive!

Healthy Time

I’m getting back on track. I’m saying goodbye to the processed foods/treats that I have been indulging in all summer, and I’m welcoming fruit, veggies, and grilled chicken back into my life. Yesterday, I went into the city for an interview, and I wore the cutest gray/black dress from Banana Republic. I had bought this dress about a month ago, and while it fit yesterday, it was definitely snug… more snug than when I had purchased it. I decided that summer is ending and so must my poor eating habits. I am very active. I run 3-4 days a week and my job requires me to walk the beach all day long, but unhealthy eating can reverse any good fitness activities you complete during the day. Enough is enough. It’s time to get healthy.

I am no stranger to weight problems. Today I am a healthy size/weight, but that wasn’t always the case. As a child, I was overweight from limited activity and junk food overload. I would switch between a Big Mac and a number 2 (two cheeseburger meal) every time I went to McDonalds, and once I was old enough to stay home by myself in the summer at age twelve, I would start my morning by waking up at noon and eating a large bowl of ice cream. By seventh grade, I was wearing size 13 jeans in the junior’s section when most of my peers were wearing 1’s and 3’s. I’m proud to say that today I am the smallest I have ever been. Okay, maybe I was a tad smaller in the May/June timeframe, but three pounds of excess weight hardly counts as a tragedy. My weight problems have caused years of confidence and self-esteem issues, and I try every day to stay healthy and yet not focus on my body image constantly. It’s a battle.

Instead of telling myself that I must look like Jennifer Aniston before Christmas comes, I instead try to focus on goals I have yet to accomplish and making myself healthy. I was so pleased when I became a runner after so many years of claiming I could never be one. Nothing pleases me more than when I finish my 3-4 mile run and think of how I probably could have kept going. I love that I don’t wheeze or hurt when I work out anymore. I love that I actually want to work out. I have days when my body is literally aching for a run, and I throw on my shoes and go. My love/hate relationship with food is similar. I can tell how my body feels based on what I eat. I have more energy, my skin looks better, and I feel more satisfied when I choose grapes over salty chips and apples over ice cream. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes a girl needs ice cream, but I now put two scoops in a coffee mug and call it a day. No more large bowls with fudge and sprinkles.

I’m proud of myself for what I have accomplished. I know I can always do better, and I still have my days where I get upset with myself for my choices – this is definitely something I need to work on. There is no point in hating yourself because you gave into temptation. Yesterday, I had lunch with my dad in the city and inhaled a plate of fries with my sandwich. I was angry that I ate them, and I felt gross walking around the city in the 90 degree heat with greasy food sitting in my stomach (and I was still wearing my tight dress), but I came home, went for a run, and had a salad with cucumbers and apples for dinner. I can’t go back and change what I did in the past, but I can change the future, and I’m going to really focus on me this fall by running a few races and purchasing blueberries and oatmeal after work for tomorrow’s breakfast.

The Job Search: Lessons Learned

Happy 8/9/10. If I hadn’t had to fill out tax form after tax form today, I would have never known it was such a cool day digit-wise. My summer employment is ending in less than two weeks, and new employment will hopefully be starting. The summer flew by! It feels like I barely experienced it, but such is the life of a now actual adult. Work has taken the place of childhood playtime. As I am journeying down this road of job applications, interviews, and e-mails, I am learning a lot of lessons. Some things I have done correctly, and a lot of things I have done wrong, but I am hoping to send wisdom to those who have not yet begun this challenging process.

The one thing I wish I had done more of while at school was networked/stayed in touch with former employers. I had no idea how important references were until I started this search. In my short twenty-one years, I have been employed at a number of different places. Some were big companies and others were small local businesses - and I did a fine job at all of them. When it recently became time to get a reference list together, I was sending out frantic e-mails that started with “I hope you remember me!” Thankfully they did, but that's not the way you want to approach references if you have the choice to do it differently. If you leave a job on good terms, no matter how big or small the job, always keep in touch.

At my first job, I worked as a Page in my local library. My supervisor was an awesome guy who I really connected with. He was young, fun, easy going and had the best middle name I had ever heard of – Igby. When I left my job, he stayed around for a little while and then traveled to another state (Wisconsin possibly?) to pursue a better job. I wish I would have kept his contact information on file and e-mailed him from time to time. I was unable to use him as a reference (because I had no idea where he was or how to contact him), and I feel he really could have said some positive things about me since we worked so well together.

I am beginning to network again through people I have met while working my summer job, work colleagues of my parents, and that friend who has a friend who has a friend at such and such a place. I am keeping a log of e-mail addresses, sending notes out often reminding professionals who I am and what I am looking for, and searching for jobs in companies where I know a current employee. I’ve been told time and time again that it is who I know that will get me that coveted job, so I plan on meeting a lot of people in the next few weeks.

Life is all about learning from past mistakes, and I never realized how much knowledge I would gain in such a short period of time. I’m learning how to write effective e-mails; I’m learning how to write cover letters (so many I can’t keep track anymore); I’m learning how to use my time wisely in an interview; I’m learning how to dress. So many great life lessons are coming out of this job search, and I’m actually enjoying the majority of it. All of the potential possibilities keep me excited for what my future holds: A corner office with a view someday would be nice.

Summertime And The Livin' Is Easy...Sort Of

Good morning readers. I love early summer mornings. I always find that it is easier to wake up for work and other engagements in the summer. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining brightly through my window, and a cool breeze (today at least!) is blowing around outside. Who wants to get out of their toasty warm bed when it’s pitch black outside and there is two feet of snow on the ground? Not me. But I never have a problem ditching the blankets in the summer. If I sleep too late on summer mornings, I feel as if I have wasted my day. There is too much to do in the summer, and sleep just gets in the way. Today is my last day of work before I have a much-anticipated three-day break. I usually only get two days off during the week, but a fellow co-worker needed another day, and I gladly offered up my Friday. I haven’t had three consecutive days off since my summer began. I have a feeling that when Saturday morning comes, I will either be ready and willing to get back to work or one unhappy camper.

Yesterday I went for a run along East Avenue in Bay Head/Mantaloking, NJ. If you run the street end to end and back again, the distance is 3.4 miles. When I finished my run, I had virtually zero knee pain. I woke up this morning with a little aching, but nothing compared to the “I can’t walk to class” – debilitating pain I felt in June. I’m not quite sure, but I think I ran a little differently last night, which may have helped. I was so relieved to learn that I could easily complete a 5K with little pain. Running races, as I’ve stated in previous posts, is my new goal this summer/fall, and I was a little worried that I would have to give up the dream of crossing a finish line and revert back to the elliptical for the rest of my days. After last night, however, I’m certain that I can slowly start training for longer races.

Running is how I deal with stress. I think I’m one of the few people in the world who actually enjoys working out, simply because I feel so much negative energy leave my body as I huff and puff down the road. Last night, I didn’t care about anything else but sweating out all of my worries and anticipations about the future. The job searching is turning out to be a much longer process than I thought it would be. Can you believe I almost didn’t return to my summer job because I was positive I would only be working there two or three weeks? Well, six weeks later and I’m still here. There is nothing wrong with working my summer job. After all, I get to go to the beach four-five days a week. But I’ve started buying the apparel for work. The pencil skirts are hanging in my closet, the dresses are wrinkle-free and ready to wear, and my heels are placed nicely in shoeboxes. They all want to be worn so badly. My degree wants to be put to use. My mind wants to do something that requires mental capabilities. I’m going to keep waiting patiently because I know it’s all going to work out; it has to, but I’m slowly becoming restless. I know I could be quite good at any job that comes my way (except maybe accounting…I would not be good at that.) I just want to begin proving myself, and that is hard to do when I’m sitting at home waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Until the happy day comes where I get the news that I have a starting date, which I hope is soon because I will be unemployed in four short weeks, I’m going to enjoy my days on the beach, send up a daily prayer to God, and run as much as possible.

Decisions, Decisions...

High of 97. Heat Index feels like 110. Awesome. Working at the beach during this hot summer has not been a breeze (ha), but today of all days, I was able to secure myself a day off. Thank God. Today may have been the day that I finally fainted at work (my second biggest work fear. My first is being saved from drowning by the lifeguards). During these heat waves (I feel like there have been ten already…or is it just one continuous wave with a few 80-degree days thrown in there?), plenty of vitamin waters have been provided, ice has been used to cool down body temperatures, and gallons of water have been added to the water cooler, and yet, I’m still grateful that I have a day off. The heat and I are not friends. I want nothing more than for fall to start showing its colors. Summer no longer consists of childhood make believe, water parks, and pool parties. Instead, Summer is hot, and we need to work – It can be over now.

I made a decision today on my day off to not leave the house. There is plenty I can be doing here. I still have yet to secure a “real” job. My summer employment ends in a little over a month, and I have nothing lined up. It’s a scary thought to think I could potentially be unemployed in the beginning of the fall (or longer!). I have plans that need to start occurring. I need (it’s no longer just a simple desire) to move to New York, and I need a job for that to happen. Or do I? I’ve been reading a lot lately about New York success stories. I just finished Kelly Cutrone’s book “If You Have to Cry, Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You.” It was eye opening in so many ways, but the number one thing Kelly taught me is that if you want something, go for it. Kelly moved to New York with two thousand bucks in her pocket and a car filled with clothes. She went on to become one of the biggest names in fashion P.R. Now, I’m well aware that life is not always fair, and stories such as Kelly’s are rare, but if I’m going to work in New York, and try to move my way up through the corporate chain, shouldn’t I be living in New York, not Pt. Pleasant, NJ?

Obviously, this still means I need to sign on the dotted line to begin work at that first job, but so many entry-level positions require that you be at work till the late, late hours. My parents have done the dreaded commute from my town to New York for years, but I think it takes a special person to travel all those hours throughout the week. I’m not searching for a 9-5 job. I know the positions I’m looking at will want me there at 8am, and I won’t be seeing the end of my day till 8, 9 or even 10 pm. That’s the life of an assistant, and I’m willing to put in my time for the reward of being promoted. How am I to do all that and live at the Jersey Shore? I also feel searching for jobs could potentially be easier living in NY. When employers know you are close enough to travel to work/interviews on a moment’s notice, is your chance of being hired greater? I guess I’m searching for advice from my readers once again. Do I start communicating with family friends and relatives who live in the city/ searching roommate websites to see what’s available to me, or do I wait it out and move to the city come winter after I’ve saved some money. I’m feeling risky because life is all about taking chances, but what do you all think?

PS To all my east coast readers…keep cool today!

My Hair Has Other Plans...

I have a wedding to get to, and my hair wants to crawl into bed. How do I fix this?! Countless magazines tell me that my hair is supposed to be bleached by the sun, wavy from the ocean water, and soft to the touch. I’m really not sure what I’m doing wrong. I have thick, colored from time-to-time, red hair that does not like to be straightened or curled. It is so fickle! My hair wants to be what I call “a lion’s mane.” It wants to air dry after a shower, grow four times normal size, and do nothing. I straighten my hair most of the time, and by the end of the night, there is so much “wave” occurring around my face that it goes into a pony tail two hours in. I'm beginning to believe my hair has a life of its own. A pony tail is equivalent to my bed...and that's where my hair wants to be at all times!

Tonight, I’m not having a straight problem, but a curl problem (See above photo!). My hair is not only thick, but long as well, and this presents the “cannot hold a curl” problem. I am attending a wedding on the beach (goodbye sexy hair!), and I thought curling my hair would be something different. Two hours before the wedding and my curls are disappearing before my eyes and turning into lumps of hair. There is no definition, zero style, and I now am pondering why I wasted my hour with two different barrel size curling irons and a straightener. I would love some of my beauty gurus out there – N, I’m talking to you! – to inform me of what I can do to get Taylor Swift curls. Loads of hairspray was used in the process, but there has to be something else. Any advice would be awesome.

It’s a shame I’m having these hair malfunctions, because I love weddings. I’m not quite at the age yet where weddings make me depressed, cynical, and angry because I was seated at the singles table. Give me another five years and I may have another opinion, but for now, weddings are a blast. I love seeing two people commit to one another in front of all of their friends and family, and an open bar is a great, added perk. I have never attended a beach wedding before. I have seen a few of them at work before, but I have never sat there and watched vows be exchanged in front of the ocean. I’m sure it will be a lovely event. I believe if people are going to have summer weddings, the beach is the only setting tolerable. Why else would you risk 93-degree weather (check!), 100% humidity (check!), and sunburns? There should at least be a pretty ocean view available to those attending July weddings. I promise all my friends and family: If I ever get married, and it happens to be in the summer, it will be located on the sand in front of the ocean. As for tonight, I’m hoping tons of make-up, more hairspray, and a little magic will help me look presentable in the next hour. Wish me luck! And I hope all of you have a fun Saturday night.

One Step At A Time

The heat waves in the tri-state area have left me searching for pools and air conditioned houses for weeks now. I did, however, brave the heat today to make a very special and necessary purchase…new running shoes! That’s right, this Jersey girl is out to conquer the world by running some of the way. Thanks to some friends on twitter and a little online searching, I have found numerous running blogs and websites for running in the NJ area. My favorite blog is here – thank you Lucy for tweeting about it one random day! They have so many wonderful entries about running, gyms, and everything else. I’m obsessed! I also found this site on races in NJ. There are so many I want to sign up for, and I’m excited to start filling out my applications. Running an actual race will be an entirely new experience for me...Actually, I never have counted my distance while running before. My running usually consists of minutes. 30 minutes on slow days, 45 minutes when I’m feeling extra energetic, but I haven’t counted the miles on those runs. I assume from treadmill running that I run about 3-4 miles in those 30-45 minutes, but that’s a guess.

I’m excited to run a 5K. I feel that is a race that I can easily finish, and I love new challenges. 3.1 miles should not be too difficult for me, and I feel all of the other runners will push me to improve my time. Others have told me that nothing is better than finishing the race and knowing you accomplished your goal. I’m excited to experience that feeling in the near future. I’m discovering that races are a great way to stick with running. You are working toward something, and most of the time the races are done for charity organizations, so you are working hard for a wonderful cause as well. I’ll stick with my 5K’s for now, and maybe, if my legs stay attached to my body, some bigger races can be in my future...NYC Marathon anyone - A girl can dream right?

As for the shoes – I’m very proud of my purchase (See above photo). After following a friend’s advice, I drove myself out to the Tinton Falls Outlets in search of the Nike Store. I tried on a few pairs of shoes, and fell in love with the Air Citius II model in blue /dark grey. They are beautiful and a real pair of running shoes. The best part of the purchase is that the Outlets are cheaper so I bought them discounted! I ran in them tonight, and because I’m so lucky, it began to pour on my new shoes and I, so I was unable to experience a complete run. I’m excited to try again tomorrow morning (early tomorrow morning to beat the heat!). The shoes feel extremely light on my feet and give great support…I hope we will have a very lovely year together until I wear them into the ground like I did my last pair.

With all of this heat, it is difficult to stay cool. Running certainly doesn’t help, but it does make me feel energized, healthy, and it's great for my mental outlook on life, and that’s what I focus on when I'm wheezing, sweating, huffing and puffing. I have attempted to cheat the heat a little bit by running early in the am, late in the pm, and drinking lots and lots of fluids, but the most important thing for me is that I get out there as often as possible and hit the pavement. I want to be a legit runner, and running a little better each day will help me accomplish that goal. And my new shoes certainly keep me motivated - a big plus!

Oops, I Did It Again...

We’ve all done it – said something inappropriate to other people without thinking, sometimes hurting others inadvertently along the way. I’m the queen on sticking my foot in my mouth. I try hard to play in my head what my words will sound like once they come out through my lips, but too often they just flow out into the air in a steady stream of "She did not just say that." Sometimes, I realize right away what I have done, and other times it takes someone telling me my words hurt them to understand the extent of my perpetual need to state every single thing that flashes through my mind. Why are some of us so prone to word vomit? Are we just more opinionated or more stupid?

Yesterday, I ran into a former classmate who I hadn’t seen in years. He was with a young woman who looked very much like his former girlfriend who I also have not seen in years. I’m usually so good at not stating names if I’m not sure, but boy was I sure. There was no need to stop and say hi (I'm actually still holding onto a glimmer of hope that he did not recognize me), but the social girl inside of me could not help herself. The conversation went a little like this. Me speaking to former classmate’s friend: “Hi (name of ex-girlfriend). Former classmate: “That’s not (name of ex-girlfriend). Girl: “I’m not (name of ex-girlfriend). Me: “Oh I’m sorry, you look just like her (eep!). Both the girl and former classmate stare at me like I’m crazy. I state: “Well that was awkward. See you later.” And I walked away. No joke. This conversation really occurred. B (who hates awkward situations a million times more than I do (and I hate them) would have died if she had been present. By trying to fix the situation, I obviously made it worse. Who tells the new girlfriend she looks like the old girlfriend (even though she really did!)? I didn’t even realize what I was saying until the words came out. I spent the rest of my workday avoiding the two of them like the plague.

That has to be the worse case of speaking without thinking I have ever committed, and I’m curious to know if you have any good stories. I feel like my roommate L may have a few winners. I laughed off yesterday pretty well, because at the end of the day, I made a mistake – we all do that, but I would be upset to find out that I offended this young lady. Who wants to hear they look like the old girlfriend? Hurting her was, of course, never my intention, but it very well may have happened. I can’t tell you how many times I have blurted out words without thinking and offended others along the way. I also can’t tell you how many times others have blurted out words and offended me. I guess my open-ended question of the day is, “Should we censor ourselves?” I want to say no because I tend to believe that we should encourage everyone to speak what’s on his or her mind (I write a blog after all), but in reality, if we don’t censor what we say, people will get hurt (even if the statement is true). I have the friends who tell it like it is at all times, and I have the friends who never tell you the truth, because they fear hurting others. I’d say the former is more helpful. In a month, this former classmate will not recall what I said at work (hopefully!), and I’ll try harder to obey that age-old lesson of thinking before speaking. I’m also going to try to laugh things off more when people blurt out words to me…we are all human after all, and mistakes like these help us grow.

Beat The Heat!

The heat wave has finally (sort of) passed! I didn’t think we’d make it there for a little while. It’s tough working on the beach when the temperature hits 104 degrees with 100% humidity. You know it’s bad when people don’t come to the beach because it is just too hot. We all spent our time in the ocean, under umbrellas, and consuming tons and tons of liquids. I did not pass out, so a successful workweek was had.

I had off of work on Tuesday and went up to New York to spend the day with my favorite Akron-located roommate (see how I did that ☺). Of course, Tuesday ended up being the hottest day of the week (record breaking actually). B and I decided to play a game – how much fun can we have in NYC without stepping foot outside? It ended up being a blast. Too often when I’m in New York, I feel like I’m wasting time inside. There are so many sights to see just walking around, and going inside a store feels like a wasted trip. On Tuesday, B and I had so much fun taking our time walking around high air-conditioned locations. We began our day by meeting at 30 Rock. I can’t even begin to tell you how envious I am that B’s sister T gets to work in such a fun building. B and I drank coffee, watched all the fabulously dressed workers walk by, and discussed how much our lives had changed since we last saw each other (3 whole weeks ago!) We left the building and took our first cab (there would be two more cab rides that day) to the Museum of Natural History. We spent the first 30 minutes searching for a bathroom…no joke. We were laughing the entire time about how silly we were (who can’t find a bathroom?!). We then saw everything! The African exhibits, the Asian exhibits, the Native American exhibit (6 times!), the elephants, the big whale, the deer, we had lunch in the food court because traveling outside for food was not an option, we saw rocks (and we watched a man give a tour about volcano ash that became rocks – B could have given that tour). We saw gems, a big boat, and the evolution room, and then decided it was time to move on.

We stood outside the museum for two minutes before we realized we would bake if we didn’t find cool air. We hopped in a cab and drove down to Columbus Circle. I had been in The Shops at Columbus Circle, which is this mall-like building with fun stores inside, before, so I thought that would be fun to try. We went to J-Crew, Bebe, and Sephora, and agreed that the shops were a fun place to stay cool. B had the woman at Sephora do her make-up (she looked fab!), and I bought more nail polish (it’s becoming a problem). The large glass windows overlooking Columbus Circle allowed us to feel like we were still in New York, but we didn’t have to suffer through the horrible weather – win/win.

A favorite place of mine has always been Serendipity on the Upper East Side. You can get the best ice cream there, and on a hot day such as Tuesday, ice cream was a must! B and I sat at our cute little table and ordered two frozen hot chocolates. They were so yummy and were exactly what we needed after an afternoon of shopping. When I asked B later what her favorite part of the day was, she said Serendipity – I was so happy she liked it!

After Serendipity, we decided to do more shopping…why not right? I bought adorable flip-flops at Aldo, B and I found awesome sales at H&M, we walked through Steve Madden, Victoria’s Secret, and the Gap. It was such a great way to just catch up and spend time with one of my favorite people – she also has totally caught the NYC bug. If T and I work hard enough, I bet you we may have a little New Yorker coming out here next summer. After our fun, yet exhausting day, B and I made our way back to 30 Rock to wait for T. Unfortunately, I had to catch my ferry home and was unable to see her after her first day, but I’m sure we will have many more chances to catch up. I hugged my little roommate goodbye, and I won’t be seeing her again until late August when the whole gang comes out to visit, but it was so great knowing that she will be coming out often over the years. Thanks T for moving back to NY. I have a feeling I will be seeing lots of B over the year!

And that, my friends, is how you beat the heat in New York.

I Want To Be An American Idiot

Yesterday M and I ventured into Manhattan. I love going into New York as much as possible. Work sometimes makes it difficult, but if I can get there once a week, I’m usually a happy girl. There is always one Broadway show that I’m dying to see. This past winter it was Hair, and you all so my post on how that changed my life. When I heard that Green Day was producing a show based off of their American Idiot album and John Gallagher Jr, who won a Tony award for his portrayal of Moritz in Spring Awakening, was starring as the main rebel with a cause, I knew I had to see him rock out once again. American Idiot opened on my birthday, 4/20, which is not too surprising for a show about sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, but I took it as a sign.

Our train arrived in the city at 11 am, and I forced M to run the streets of New York so we could get in line at the TKTS stand in Times Square. I recommend using TKTS whenever you are flexible. The tickets are cheaper, and they usually give you decent seats (You need to have other shows in mind, however, in case your show sells out before you get to the booth.) After waiting an hour in line, I finally had two tickets in my hand (and they were 50% off!). Being able to breathe once again (I really wanted to see this show), we had a quick lunch and went on our way to 44th St.

The Theatre District is one of my all time favorite Manhattan locations. Sometimes I zig zag between the streets just to take a look at what is playing where. All the marquees for the different shows remind me of how much talent is hiding behind every stage door and how many wonderful shows I still need to see. My playbill wall is becoming covered, but not nearly covered enough. The best part about being home once again is that now I have the money and the time (until each show closes) to see as many shows as possible. How lucky am I?

When we arrived at the St. James Theatre, M and I stood in line with all the other “Idiots” waiting to enter. The great thing about a show such as American Idiot is that it literally brings every sort of person together. The “punk” crowd was strongly represented at this show…it is all Green Day music after all. The one thing I wish I had done differently was thought more carefully about my clothing choices. My Abercrombie and Fitch ensemble was not cutting it next to the girl with the pink, machine-gun covered dress or the girl with the red and black striped stockings. But hey, that’s the beauty of theater. Not many shows could merge preppy with punk and help us forge a “love for American Idiot” bond.

The actual show was everything I hoped it would be and more. The musical has about ten minutes of dialogue. Everything you need to know is in the music, and it was great to see the numbers performed as a storyline. I knew all the songs already, but seeing them acted out was an incredible experience. From the moment "Don't want to be an American Idiot" was sung to the end when they had their "Homecoming," each character gave their all, and my eyes never left the stage. I think I turned to M once and said, "that's Lea Michele's boyfriend!"...but that was all the chatting we did. I also love how there is no intermission. Just an hour and a half of pure magic on stage. Johnny (John Gallagher Jr) was such a dimensional character, and I connected with him on so many levels. Whatsername is the woman I want to be. She was fierce, fun, and caring – Every character was important, and I was never sure who I should be watching since they all were doing their own thing. It was truly a great show, and if you’re a Green Day fan, I highly recommend. I will be seeing it again soon, and next time I will be wearing black.

In My Own Little Corner

How to make a day off productive. That’s what I should have titled this blog post. Yesterday was my first day off in 7 days, and I had no car to run errands with. Instead of vegging on the couch watching True Blood (which I probably would have done had my netflix arrived), I decided to make my bedroom my own. As I mentioned yesterday, living at home has been an adjustment. Part of that adjustment was leaving a room in Columbus that was mine in every way. Every item I owned had a place, and my room was rarely as messy as it has been these last few days. I realized the problem was that my bedroom in Jersey was my mom’s creation (and she did a beautiful job!). But the room was just that…beautiful. It was not hip or current in any way. Pictures were hanging on the wall of country paintings, a beautiful chair from our dining room set sat in the corner, and boxes upon boxes of my “crap” were placed along the wall. There was nothing in the room (besides my clothes on the floor) that said a person of substance or creativity lived in it. I decided at 11 am yesterday morning that this portrayal of me had to change.

By 6pm, the room was complete. The paintings left the walls and were replaced by a Beatles poster, photos of New York, and a big bulletin board. The boxes along the wall were unpacked and replaced with my desk from school, and every item found its own home. Three bags of garbage later, countless pieces of tape, and enough hammering to send the cat running out the door, my room finally looks like me. It is now the place I want to spend time, and the mess is gone. Clothes are no longer stacked on the big chair…they are in drawers. My walls are now covered with pictures of my friends, family, and memories. My “playbill” wall is right above my desk, and I’m able to stare at Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff’s signatures as I write about my happenings.

My favorite addition to my room is definitely my desk – The desk my mother wanted to leave on the side of the curb in Columbus. It is placed directly under my windowsill, and my computer now has a perfect place to rest at night. Whenever I type, I feel professional. Not gonna lie, I also feel sort of like Carrie Bradshaw...yes the fictional character (technically she was based off of a real human being, so that has to give me some points for wanting to be her in every way). She would glance out her window as she wrote her column, and I only hope I will be lucky enough to someday get paid for sitting here, staring at this view, and typing. The sun is out, the birds are visiting, and cars are driving by. An entire world is happening right outside my window. I picked a great place to gain inspiration for my writing endeavors. Work at the beach begins soon, and I’m finally excited to come home to my sanctuary…the one place in this house that is mine and only mine. I found one important key to my happiness yesterday when I began unpacking those bin. This room reflects who I am, my hopes and my dreams. I would say that’s one productive day off.

Back Home Again

Hello blogging world. It has been two weeks and one day since I graduated college, and I’m sorry for being M.I.A. Life became extremely hectic from the moment I stepped my foot into our over packed (squished like sardines over packed) Sequoia in Columbus until about 8 hours ago when I went to bed. Since I’ve been home, I’ve gotten my hair done (it looks fabulous as it should for what I pay for it!), frequented the Jersey Shore bars (some I’ve loved, some I’ve hated), laid on the beach, been to New York City, celebrated my friends turning 21, started my beach job, been to the hospital for a severe allergic reaction (on my first day of work no less), hated my beach job (and thought of ways to quit), and had my first morning off – enjoying the latter as I type with tea and air conditioning.

So as you can see, I’ve been a little crazy. Living back at home has been a mixed bag of ups and downs. I love my town, summer is wonderful, and I love my family and seeing them more everyday. However, there are still lots of changes that I have to get used to. When I lived at school, I only had to worry about myself (and my roommates of course!) I bought food at the grocery store just for me, I went to bed when I wanted, I came home from a party when I wanted, and I got myself to class or other engagements when I needed. Last week I was attending my friend’s 21st birthday party and received a text from my dad at 11:30 pm that stated, “Get home soon. You have work in the morning.” I replied with, “I beg your pardon?!” I am well aware that the couch I am typing this post on is my parent’s couch located in my parent’s house. I have to follow their rules, and I accept those conditions. But I did just graduate college…right? 11:30 on a Friday night is too late? Things were a little different in Columbus. Living at home again – especially living at home into the fall season – is going to take some compromises. My brother and I got in a fight the other night because he was watching TV in the room that is right outside my bedroom till 3 am. I had work in the morning and was not in the mood to hear “Avatar.” Adjustments are happening for all of us. Mom’s eating my newly bought turkey, my brother is leaving lights and TV’s on at un-godly hours, and dad is worried about me riding my bike three blocks away from my house at midnight. And you wonder why I haven’t been blogging?

For as common as it is for adults to move back home after college to save money, I don’t read or hear about these problems often. Perhaps I’m searching in the wrong place or these issues are so common, no one thinks them interesting enough to write about, but I would love to hear how others are dealing with living at home after being independent for so long. At the end of the day I’m very lucky. I don’t pay rent or grocery bills unless I go food shopping on my own, and I get to use the car when my parents are not using it. I do help out often with my brother, gas payments, cleaning, and I’m working my butt off right now all day at the beach and all night babysitting. My family and I are trying to make this an equal partnership as much as we can. How do all of you handle living at home? Is it easy; does it take work; do you miss being more independent? The one thing I miss the most is the quiet. My apartment in Ohio was a very chill place to live, and this morning was the first morning I had to myself in fifteen days. I’m enjoying every moment of it.

See you tomorrow friends

Until We Meet Again Ohio State

Well, it’s just about over. I went on my senior bar crawl last night, and it was interesting to say the least. I never knew so many people existed! Today it is graduation practice, my best friend is flying in this afternoon, my family is driving out as we speak, and I still have to have one final night out with my roommates. This entire weekend is going to end up being the biggest whirlwind of my life, and I’m going to be loving every second of it. Last night before we crawled, my roommates gave me a surprise present. It was a picture frame of the five of us from a day last fall when we were all wearing our OSU jerseys and looking really skinning. It was engraved with BLENK on it, and I will cherish it forever. How did I get so lucky?

I said goodbye to my roommates the other day and realized that I should have one final goodbye post to everything I loved about college and what I’m going to miss. I’m going to start with the five most important guys in my life at OSU – The Browders. We met our neighbors on a not so special September morning, and they ended up being our best friends at OSU. These guys are seriously the best, and I pity anyone who does not have at least one of them in their lives. It’s not as easy to break down initials w/ the neighbors so their real identities will be revealed. These guys have taught me about Celina, party buses, Fifa, the NBA, drinking games, food places, John Deere Green, and Ugly Hour. Some of my best times have been with these neighbs. We held our Halloween party 08’ at their house, and that was an epic event. We’ve played intramural softball together, and they tried to be as kind as possible towards me for my inability to not suck. We’ve had big dance parties around their house - Some of my finest moments. You five have been the nicest neighbors, and more importantly friends, a girl could have, and I’m really going to miss you guys. Bergy – be safe in Europe, Turk – I’ll see you in NY, Gaber – I had fun crawling with you! I’m coming to visit Celina in the fall!, Zak – have fun turning 21!, Zane – Let’s hang out in Hilliard. I’m really going to miss you guys. Thanks for letting me sleep on your floor.

-Stradley 9 will always be in my heart.
-Denney Hall – you’ve been good to me.
-The Oval
-Ugly Tuna
-Applebees
-UDF
-The Gateway
-High Street
-OSU Football games in the Shoe
-JO
-Downtown
-The Short North
-Runs through Victorian Village
-Bob Evans Breakfasts
-E’s Car
-Kroger (the nice one)
-The Best Dame Band in the Land
-The Best people a girl could know.

My next post will probably be after all of this madness, and I will be snug in my bed in NJ, so I just want to say goodbye Ohio State. You’ve given me the best three years of my life. I have wonderful friends to cherish forever, wonderful memories that will last a lifetime, and oh yea…a pretty good education. To leave on a good note, here is the chorus of the OAR song Road Outside Columbus – a song about OSU.

“Surprise, surprise. I traveled here.
Four hundred miles from where I'm known.
My friends are here. A couple years I've spent.
I found I have a second home.”

Goodbye Ohio. <3

Thank You For Being A Friend: N

And then there was one. I have cried so many tears and it is only Wednesday. Tomorrow I have my last final. I’m a college student for less than 24 more hours, and this is turning out to be so much harder than I thought it would be. I started off excited because I kept thinking of how cool it would be to have my diploma and to be near the ocean again. Then I realized that nothing compares to true friendship and a life here in Columbus where I call home. This is gonna be rough.

My last roommate I have to say “till we meet again” to is N. There were two things that caused me to know who N was before I even met her - her middle name and her facebook profile picture from freshman year. I had done my own little facebook stalking (a la LH), and saw that her middle name was “Dare.” I didn’t believe it was her real middle name until we met, because no one has that cool of a name. Turns out it was, and I have been obsessed with it ever since. She is in my phone as “N Dare” and when I chat about her to my family, I tell them it really is her middle name. Her middle name ended up telling me a lot about who N is as a person. I consider N to be both unique and fearless. N is our trendy roommate. She’s our artist, and the one I go to for all artistic, make-up, hair, and nail polish advice. If N wasn’t smaller and more in shape than I am, I would probably steal her clothes on a daily basis in hopes that I could pull them off. N is one of the people in my life I admire most. I watch all she does everyday, and I sit in awe. This girl had been involved in so many Ohio State organizations (the ones that are really hard to get into!), and has been a strong leader in all of them, held a job in admissions, worked her way into the Art Ed program, and will continue to get her Masters after she graduates next year. When people ask me the one thing I wish I did more of in college, my answer is always “I wish I did what my roommate N did.” When I toured OSU, my mom asked me to get involved with the Student Alumni Council. She thought they looked like such a great organization. My freshman year, I was able to tell her that I had a SAC experience – N had been accepted into their organization, and the leaders had come to her dorm room, while I was there, to congratulate her. Mom was so proud!

The thing I love most about N is that she never tries to be anyone other than herself. You may see this as a trend with my roommates, but it’s true for all of them. I’m probably the only one in the house that attempts to be more like each of them everyday. I respect N so much because of everything she does for this university. She never followed the crowd, and yet has never acted like she was above everybody else for doing meaningful work. Recently, she discussed dropping one of her extracurricular activities because she wasn’t finding it enjoyable anymore, and I told her to stick it out until she graduated. Her response was, “I don’t think I should stick with something I’m not emotionally involved in just to put it on my resume.” My respect level for her grew even higher. Everything she participates in, she does because she believes in it. She may wake up at 6 am to sit outside and greet incoming freshman, and she may clean up trash for volunteer work, but she does it because the organization and work makes her happy. I find that so admirable. More people should try to be like N.

Now I mentioned that the other thing about N that struck me was her profile picture and here’s why. The picture was of her standing with the assistant drum major of Ohio State at the time. When we moved into the dorm, I found out that this drum major was no stranger, but her boyfriend. That’s right, my roommate is dating a celebrity. So if you know me and you’re not from the Columbus area, you’ve probably heard me say, “I wish I would have been more like my roommate N, you know the one with the awesome middle name…oh did I mention she’s dating the drum major?!” So thank you N for giving me such awesome conversational topics for when I’m home during football season.

I’m really going to miss my artsy roommate. She created the most beautiful painting of the New York skyline on my graduation cap, and I will treasure it forever. She has introduced me to The Real Housewives series, the Twilight series, and Papa Boos (on Buckeye Lake). She has taught me how to use eyelash curlers and how to pose for professional photos (she’s an awesome photographer, and if I ever get married, I know who will be taking my pictures). N was in a serious car crash in September, and thank God she was okay, but I’ll never forget how scared I was when I received B’s phone call. Stuff like that doesn’t happen to those you love, and I saw the extent of my love for N when I realized I was holding her hand and didn’t want to let go…ever. That was one of the scariest moments of my life, and I realized how BLENK had become my other family. N is and will always be my sister – the sister I try to emulate – and the sister I learn so much from everyday. Thank you for teaching me so many life lessons (even though you may not have known you've done so), and for always putting me in my place. Your honesty and genuine kindness has made me a better person. Keep shining as brightly as you do N, and know that “Big Red” will be missing you from NJ. I love you N Dare!

Thank You For Being A Friend: E

I have one final to go until I'm finished with college, and it is now time to say “See ya” to another roommate. This has been a very fun and sad experience. I love remembering all of the wonderful things about my roommates, but I hate knowing that these college times are just about over. It is now time for E to get her post – she’s been waiting all week!

I am happy and proud to say that I knew E before everyone else got the chance to know her. I actually didn’t know she existed until about mid-October of freshman year. E was the quiet one (I say “was” because that all changed last year). I remember sitting on the hallway floor after the Wisconsin/Ohio State game (I would later learn that E was obsessed with Wisconsin), and I thought she was visiting someone on our floor. It wasn’t until we were talking with everyone else that I discovered that she was actually a floormate. I soon discovered that E loved movies and the show Friends as much as I did. We went to several movies throughout the year – that was our thing. One time I made her wait on Neil Ave. for a bus to take us to the theatre for a good hour. The bus never came, and we ended up walking, but I learned a lot about her during that hour. We had quite a lot in common, and I saw that she was really a very fun person to be around. L, B, N and I discovered we needed a fifth roommate to make our house complete in January, and they asked me if I knew of anyone. They didn’t know E that well, but I thought we should ask her to live with us. They all agreed, and I’m pretty certain the reason my roommates like me is because I brought E into our lives. She’s bubbly, kind, real in every way, and she never turns me down when I want to go get ice cream – a true friend.

When we moved into our apartment two years ago, E and I shared a floor. We will be "third floor roommates" for life. We became even closer when we became the “dream team” of beer pong (we’re really not that good, but I pretend). I love that I can knock on her bedroom wall and she will respond, I love that when I want to go out, she’ll gladly lead the way (and she’s probably my favorite “had a little too much Sailor Jerrys” person ever). I love that when I want to stay in and watch Sex and the City, she will join, I love that when I want to see Night at the Museum 2 in theatres, she’ll be there, I love that we both love Lord of the Rings, all things vampires, and pro football (even if she is a Packers fan). I remember sitting on the couch watching the musical “Newsies” with Christian Bale, and I put on the sing-a-long version. E and I sang along, and I have never laughed harder, in perhaps my whole life, than when E sang the soprano part.

If that wasn’t enough awesomeness in one roommate, E is also a great runner, and I’m a not-so-great runner. She pushed me this past September to run with her on her special trail in Columbus. I workout best when I have a partner, and E is the best running partner a girl could have. We run at a similar pace (unless she’s slowing down for me and doesn’t want to make me feel bad), and she pushes me to be better – in running and in life. I love that E has a family Christmas picture of the Clintons from their years in the White House taped to our fridge, I love that E was Quailman for Halloween – she’s always been the original one. I love that we get enjoyment out of our grocery store runs or red mango trips. I'm so happy E brought J into our lives - I have named us the three musketeers of the third floor. I will miss the downtime spent together, I will miss Jessica Anne Gelber, I will miss yelling "Southview" at parties (I have a feeling my friends won't get it). I really have no idea what I'm going to do without saying goodnight to her almost every night. I get depressed enough when she goes home for a weekend and I'm the only one roaming our little hallway. You're telling me I have to live without her as my roommate for the rest of my life? I don't think this will be possible. I'm gonna miss the talks, I'm gonna miss digging her car out of the ice at midnight with my little cousins, I'm gonna miss baking with her, I'm gonna miss sharing a shelf with her in the fridge and stealing her chips from time to time (surprise!). I'm gonna miss sitting on her bed (sometimes when J is sitting on it as well...snuggle time!), I'm gonna miss waking her up from naps, I'm gonna miss watching football games with her (I'm really gonna miss seeing her throw things when the Packers lose), I'm gonna miss seeing Rigby on her computer background, I'm gonna miss chatting about Sylvania, I'm gonna miss you E...so so much. You have touched my heart in numerous ways, and I will always remember our times together. Let's make more memories this summer when you are Jersey Shorified! Love you Big Pimpin!

Thank You For Being A Friend: L

I’ve hit the five-hour mark at Panera Bread studying my life away, and I thought a break was needed. What better thing to do during a break than to tell you all about my little roommate L. Yesterday, I said my sad “See you later” to B, and following in BLENK order – L is next. Brace yourselves.

L is one of the few people I remember meeting on day one of moving into the dorms. She was sitting on her dorm room floor with her “banging brunette” shirt on and stood up to say hi. The first words out of her mouth were “You’re Kate Ferguson right? I remember from facebook.” Now, I hadn’t been a part of the facebook world for too long then, and this comment immediately placed L under creeper status for the next several days. Fortunately for me, I learned that L was so much more than just an online stalker. L has always been the “life of the party” roommate. She is one of the most social people I know and loves to have a good time. This has been helpful the last three years, because I always know that if I want to enjoy myself on a Saturday night, L is the one to go out with. L was always moving freshman year, and she was up for anything. We we’re the only girls on our floor to get basketball tickets, and we only went to one game – the UNC game. We waited outside in the cold for hours to get prime seats. That game was a blast. We had a class together in the fall of freshman year and ate at Kennedy Commons’ breakfast buffet every Tuesday morning, and then moved to Baker – both places had awesome tots. I remember the day L and I went to eat at Kennedy for lunch, and she asked me if I wanted to rent an apartment with her, B, and N the following year – I remember being so happy because I really loved spending time with them. What a good decision that ended up being. L is a genuine friend in every way. She takes care of those close to her, and I have benefited from that kindness. At the end of freshman year, someone who shall be nameless tore a name sign I had made off my bedroom door. I felt the event was unsettling and an unnecessary violent action. The next day, L sat in her room and took the time to create a new sign (colored with markers and all the trimmings). That sign is still hanging in my room two years later. This act of friendship solidified my belief that I was going to be future roommates with a pretty awesome girl.

One thing I love about my friendship with L is that a lot of our memorable times have occurred outside of Columbus. I went to Chicago – L’s hometown – for my cousin’s wedding, and my dad got L a ticket to the Cubs game. I met her on Navy pier, and we purchased my first Cubs shirt together (she gets mad because I always seem to wear it on the days after the Cubs lose big). That evening we saw about five innings of a great game – I learned that Fukudome is not a swear word and if you talk about building a new Wrigley field you will get the stink eye. All of sudden, the sky became dark and the clouds sailed in. The rain poured down in buckets, and the tornado siren went off. L informed me that tornadoes were not common in Chicago, so she was just as freaked out as I was. The voice over the loudspeaker informed us that we needed to get down to shelter, and L and I were ready to sprint down the stairs. My dad was adamant on finishing his beer, but my tears told him it was time to go. L and I hugged each other as my uncle discussed “how bad this could get,” and then ran to shelter and my cousin’s friend’s house across the street. You will never understand the bond you have with a roommate until you almost die together.

L also visited the Jersey Shore last September. She was my first roommate houseguest, and I was able to take her all over NYC and take her to a Mets/Cubs game. Thank God we both like baseball or I don’t think we would have nearly as many fun experiences together. No tornado came through NY. She also was present when the police arrived on my street to handle an altercation. Turns out, you also will never understand the bond you have with a roommate until you have to talk to the police while she watches from your bedroom window. L is and will always be our quirky roommate. She makes her own rules and is fearless in all she does. I love watching her, because you just never know what she’s going to do next. My life is most definitely going to be a little more boring next year when I’m unable to see her every day. This I know for sure: whenever I eat any form of chicken or potato products, whenever I drink Captain, whenever I listen to rap music, whenever I see the Cubs play, whenever I hear the Harry Potter twinkling music, whenever I nap on the couch, and whenever I look at my name sign, I will be thinking of you Miss L…You better come visit me in Jersey this summer!

Thank You For Being A Friend: B

Today is Sunday which means I have exactly one week until graduation, and this is officially my last week in Columbus. Boy does time fly when you’re drowning in assignments. I will not breath until Thursday, but since my mind is about to explode from study overload, I thought I would write down some of my favorite OSU moments while also pairing them with what I love most about my awesome roommates. Since I have four roommates and four days until I’m done with college, I thought this would be a perfect way to say goodbye (also, I’m poor and cannot afford to buy them “thank you for putting up with me for three years” gifts).

I said before that we titled our group and our home BLENK – the first initial in our names, so I will go in that order to say my goodbyes. First up: B

Wow, this may be harder than I thought. The tears are already forming. B for me has always been that person that I watch in action and say, “wow, I wish I could do that.” She is completely true to herself in every way. She has a love in her heart for those she cares about, and will fiercely defend them till the end (I enjoy being part of that group from time to time ☺). B lived on my floor freshman year, and my first impression of her was that she looked like my friend Liz from home. As the year went on, I learned who B was and saw that she was her own person through and through – she resembles no one (okay maybe her sister, but if you know them well enough you can tell them apart). We skipped plenty of astronomy classes together, she taught me about Perez Hilton and Days of Our Lives, we had a mutual love for musical theatre – I watched her DVD’s of her high school musical productions when she wasn’t in her dorm room (she found that weird…I didn’t). She was the first person to wish me a happy birthday on my 19th birthday (I remember because we saw our RA’s high school musical the night before, and I was in her dorm room when the clock struck 12). We are both afraid of strangers and dark alleys and lock the car doors when shady people walk by. We are both obsessive planners who cannot leave the house without a to-do list. She enjoys being the boss, and I enjoy being the boss – she usually wins. She also got me into country music – people from home never thought that day would come.

When we moved to our current location our bond became stronger (at least I think it did. She may secretly loathe me ☺). We had late night study sessions, cooked gluten-free brownies, went to parties, and travelled. So many great memories come to mind. Halloween 2009 was a night to remember. Then there was the impression she left on our then "new" neighbors when the the song "Hot n Cold" played on my car radio and the line, "Got a case of love bi-polar" was sung. B exclaimed, "Kate, this is about you!" There was the day she walked into our friend’s party with a whistle and began blowing loudly for all to hear. Everyone stared…I cracked up. We have played countless games of "never have I ever." I once went to chase her up the stairs, and she sat on the top stair, screamed and hit me on my arm – a big red mark appeared. I was with her when she bought her first romper, when she dropped her phone in the toilet…the first and second time, when the cab ride busted up her leg, when she had her first legal drink, when we sang karaoke, when we saw the Jonas Brothers, when I had my first chipotle experience (There was a hair in her food. She got a new burrito bowl and then admitted the hair was probably hers.), when she got the phone call that she had celiac, when she smacked her head on the ceiling running down the stairs, and so many other times. Her sister recently graduated from NYU, and I loved that arrangement and hope she will stay in NYC permanently because then I know B will always come and visit my homeland. I know she will be a part of my life from now on, and I’m going to miss her so much. You better visit me B, and I’ll be sharing your queen size bed when I visit BLEN in the fall.

I'm A Little Bit Country...Who Knew?

Here’s my promise to the blogging world. You will not be able to get enough of my posts this summer. That is how I will make up for my serious slacking these last few weeks. Thursday was my last day of classes as an undergrad. I did not throw my notebooks up in the air, but only because I still have finals to get through and need my notes to study. However, there may be some serious paper tossing on the 10th. Instead on Thursday I allowed my inner country girl to come out and play…turns out there is a little bit of country in this East Coast girl.

I have been trying to do everything possible to get the most out of Columbus before I leave next Monday. The other night, against all my better judgment, I went to the bar Nyohs for the last time. Nyohs is a country bar in Columbus where a dance floor is reserved for line dancers and line dancers only. These people are insane! I’m fascinated by the amount of skill that goes into holding a bottle of beer and swinging your legs in the air. Complete strangers all know the moves to the same dances. Depending on what song came on, a different dance was done. I was completely sober during my entire Nyohs experience, and B, who was with me, said at one point she turned around and I was in between people I didn’t know attempting to learn the dances. That is what I did for the majority of my night. When will I ever get to do that again? I called my cousin to tell him about my night (he was in Atlantic City during the same time frame…we had very different experiences). He hoped I enjoyed myself because “you won’t find places like that around here.”

Overall my night was what I like to call a “series of events…not unfortunate, but events.” B was a silly girl (that’s my phrase for non-sober ☺), and she was set on the fact that we would not pay for anything the entire night. And she was half right. She did not pay for anything the entire night. When an idea comes to B’s head, she sticks with it. First we took a cab with friends. When we arrived at the bar everyone ran out except our neighbor and I, and I felt bad allowing him to pay for the whole ride – there went $2. Next, we took our place in line for the club. I overheard there was a three dollar cover, and I was not really in the mood for covers. B gripped my hand and said, “We won’t pay. I promise. Watch, I’ll go first.” B attempted to schmooze the bouncer unsuccessfully when a lovely female patron in line behind us gave the bouncer a five-dollar bill – B being “silly” went running into the club. I had two choices: pay the three bucks because there is no way that girl was going to pay for me as well, or go sit by myself at the shady McDonalds across the street. I paid. While inside, I decided to go drink-free because I was quickly becoming poor…B received three drinks from male patrons. Flash forward to the end of the line dancing excitement. I realized that while I was resting my eyes on a bar stool, everyone had left except my neighbor and I. We grabbed a cab, and I lost five more dollars. Lesson of the night: Only carry around my debit card from now on.

My other lesson is that I have to learn to embrace my sexuality. I’m always told by my roommates and M that “we’re girls, we don’t pay!” It must be my inner feminist, but I always pay when I can. The only exception is if a guy asks me out on a date – I still have some sense of romance, but I like purchasing things on my own…most of the time.