What's happening, April?

One day, when I am not spending every free moment applying for new jobs, I will write more. But I've always said that. I've always said "I want to write more". I want to develop a style. I want to be inspired to write a story.
On occasion, I have great moments of inspiration to write. It hasn't happened in awhile, but I would sometimes start writing just a thought right before bed. And sometimes the (somewhat poetic) thoughts wouldn't stop for an hour. I would just write and write. I don't have quite as much free time anymore, so my free thinking, creative thoughts aren't as active.

But today, I'm sitting at Henry's with Phil on a gorgeous spring afternoon in Lawrence. I had to work at my real job today (yes, on a Saturday). And I stopped by the Lawrence library to get the next book in the YA series I somehow can't stop reading. (We can blame my highschool BFF for that.)
So, I'm sitting here with Phil, doing a little work for his company, making some headway in my Google Reader and looking for jobs. As of right now I, shockingly, have no jobs to apply for. I've been pretty seriously job hunting for about six months and have constantly had jobs to apply for. I feel very lucky that there is so much opportunity in the Kansas City area in the field I want to be in.
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I had a job interview in February for a small events and meeting planning boutique. It seemed like a great job and a good fit but I was not comfortable at the interview. Maybe because my interview skills were rusty but I kind of think the person I interviewed with wasn't very personable/friendly. At least, she didn't come across like that in the interview. So that was definitely not my best. I did receive a call they were moving on in their search with other candidates. I wasn't that sad about it.
I interviewed for a position with a super-new start-up tech company. It has a lot of buzz right now. A LOT. OF. BUZZ. But it was a two-month contract. And I had to start, like, yesterday. And as much as I'm not at all content and completely annoyed with my current job, I made it clear that I could not start for another two weeks. At least. Because leaving before June would give my current coworkers a lot more work in an already full spring semester. So, I won't screw them over. I'm loyal like that.
I applied for a job for a company in KC in January (yes, THREE months ago). I thought the position was open. I received a response that they weren't looking for anyone. (Me= totally confused). But the company contacted me about a month ago. They had some positions open again. After 3 weeks of phone-tag, I finally had an interview scheduled for this past week. It went great! It's a very employee-focused company. Casual dress (ie jeans) and the HR recruiter was personable and friendly and there were really only two "interview" questions. It was a conversation, not a question and answer session. Between the really great interview (including)  the promise of an additional interview with some management in the area of the position) and the pingpong + video game room, I'm really excited for this position. The ONLY downside is the commute. Forty minutes each way. Not bad, but definitely a time suck.
But I do have a second interview next week, so it's promising.

But there are two positions IN the city I live that I REALLY want because the commute would, obviously, be shorter. And I could do more work for my boyfriend's company. BUT WHO KNOWS. I need a job offer before I make any decisions. But here I sit, with no jobs to apply for. And that seems weird. But I'm sure something will pop up in a few days. Or, even better, I have an actual job offer.
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But I have to time to write. And Henry's reminds me I want to sit in a coffee shop all day writing. Or doing something creative.
Or, thinking how me and my friend Becca should start an event planning business. Or, how I should be looking into more freelance writing opportunities. Or how there's so much stuff I could do and I just can't decide.

And how this blog entry has completely lost any focus.

What were we talking about again?

Do we really need another fitness/health/work out blog?

I don't know.  But I'm thinking about making another one anyway.

I'm going to cancel/suspend my gym membership this week. Sometimes, I'm really good about going. Sometimes, I'm not. I know I need to work out. It makes me feel better. But in an effort to save money ( I think we all know that's a whole other story) I'm thinking about making the commitment to work out using free resources. Sidewalks. My local tennis court. The exercise ball I just got from my grandma (I don't even think she ever used it and definitely not sure why she had it...). If nothing else, if I blog about it, tell people about it, maybe I'll even actually keep up and make physical activity a better habit of mine. The thing is, it's October (and just eight days until November). It's about to get cold. The outdoors won't be the best option for awhile. But, if forced to choose, I'd rather be outside when it's freezing than when it's 100 plus degrees out. So, I'll just have to be creative. And to Caroline and Jeff: NO, I WON'T start running!

Does that sound even remotely interesting? I'd like to think so. It would probably even detail my thoughts and struggles to eat all-natural/organic food.

Gawd, another one of THOSE blogs?

Yeah, I think so.

on the subject of registries...

Bed Bath and Beyond get points for free wedding gift wrapping.

Target gets points for having the aisle listed with every item on the registry.


Both need to get it together and incorporate what the other one does for pure wedding registry dominance.


Tales of a professional bridesmaid and wedding-goer. Can anyone offer me a book deal?

cable and books and words

Returned my cable box today. No more cable. The DVR was nice but the most important shows I watch (House, Glee, Dexter) I can watch online or via Netflix DVDs (thanks Phil!)

So, no more defaulting to turning on the tv when I want to DO something. I'll read a book (haven't done THAT in weeks!) or write. Or take a walk.

Good-bye sixty-some dollar cable bill-I won't miss you a bit!

December 9 Challenge. Something that really made you grow this year. That made you go to your edge and then some. What made it the best challenge of the year for you?

So, a few days late. But I'm really just being picky and choosy with this "best of 2009 blog thing". Sorry, I'm not yet a dedicated blogger!

What I learned? Sometimes you just judge people totally the wrong way and you make bad decisions. And even though you know (deep down) it's a bad decision you throw in some make-believe and it's the best thing ever. Then it changes. But you know what? The best thing about me, is that I learned from it. That I can appreciate new people for who they are and what they mean to me because you've seen your mistakes. And this is different. This is me, growing.

And then you laugh about it. And that feels REALLY good.


Also, on a completely unrelated note, is it wrong to "favorite your own tweets"? Because I've done that twice this week...

Coffee Shop Thoughts

Lawrence has no shortcomings when it comes to coffeeshops. And I've been to 3 today. I'm working on my paper for my ridiculous grad class. (But that's a whole other topic!)

I had to pick a current issue in higher education and write about the topic generally and how it applies to the school I profiled for my midterm (University of Iowa - Go Hawks!) The topic I picked was state funding of public higher education institutions. This, if you haven't been paying attention, has declined drastically in the past 10-15 years and is clearly an important issue surrounding state budgets currently (see: UC system, University of Kansas). I've had some good, current information to use, not that I've enjoyed writing any more, but the discovery of information part is nice.

The biggest problem with funding (and I'm generalizing here), even after a 12% cut for fiscal year 2010, is that revenues for the state are not at what were projected when the budget was created. So, more cuts necessary. But my thoughts about revenue, made me think about taxes (hopefully, increasing taxes, or cutting previously implemented tax breaks will be the next route, not cutting more spending) and how much more of the money I pay in taxes (from my pay check) goes towards the federal taxes and not state taxes. Which made me think: "if only we could distribute more money towards the state budget, rather than federal budget. Which, inevitably made me think "why can't we CHOOSE where our tax money goes?" (I guess that's what our elected officials do, but clearly THAT isn't working out great!) Not a completely brand new idea, I'm sure, but WHAT IF?! Unless there was a great threat that called for an act of war (imagine post-Septemeber 11), who would CHOOSE for their tax dollars to go towards a war? There are clearly MANY problems with this idea, but it's kind of nice to think about. Because if my state and federal governments are going to take the hundreds of dollars they do every month, I'd like it to go towards funding education at ALL levels- that should NEVER be cut. But that's just me.

Now, if only I could pump out words for my paper as quickly as I did for this blog entry.

BEDA

Maureen Johnson is young adult fiction writer. Don't ask me how I found her blog, but I did and it's hilarious. (And I am no longer a young adult. What does that say about my maturity level since she's writing FOR young adults? No se...) Well, she made an offhand crack (via Twitter, I believe!) to blog everyday in April because she had been neglecting her blog (or something). Well, her followers thought it was a real thing and thought she should do it. Well, now she's doing it and, I guess, it is a real thing.

So, even thought I missed the first few days (with family, you never have time for anything, let alone BLOGGING), I'm going to attempt this. Should be easy, no?! (ESPECIALLY since THIS counts as today's entry!!!)

You can even follow the project on Twitter: @BEDA09

6

Hemingway's best work? Six words. Inspiring.