It's the End of the World...

...Well, maybe not the world, just undergrad...
It has been almost two week, two week tomorrow to be exact, that I have been done with school. The time has gone by so quickly, I barely have realized that I am done. Of course all those extra hours I was so anxiously awaiting, have quickly been sucked up into nothing. I have no idea how I am wasting my newfound time, but I am, as I always do.

It still feels a bit like a vacation, or the few weeks off in between semesters. Given more time, I am sure it will really sink in that I am not going back. Working at a University helps me get over the longing for school days. The new books, the anticipation of new classes. All I have to do is walk down the hall outside my office and look at the faces of the anxious students...yeah I don't miss it all.

I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up...
There are days though, where I worry about wasting too much time. Where it feels like my life is on fast forward. Where I sit in my office and watch everything rush quickly by, and I am stuck sitting here in the same part of time and space.

I am jealous of the students I see all day, they have goals and a direction. They seem to know exactly where they are going, and they are so young. They have so much time a head of them.

Hopefully all of those people who were telling me that 30 is the new 20 a year and a half ago were right... ;-)

Time Stamp Fixed...

The time stamp on my last post says 5:51AM...by no means was I up posting at 5 in the morning! It was more like 8:51AM...so I don't know if I warped to the west coast this morning or something...or my blog did, but just for the record I was not up at that time nor was I posting at that time. Just had to clarify that for everyone out there!
My alarm was still being snoozed at 7:20AM this morning...

UPDATE:
The issue ended up being...some how my profile was changed to say I was living in Pacific Time. While there are times it would be nice to live in the Pacific, you know those times in the winter months when it is cold, grey and snowing for days here in upstate NY, the Pacific seems nice. I do however, enjoy four seasons, and I really love the snow. So anyway, the time stamp issue is updated, for now there will be no more posting at 5:51AM!! ;-)

One week left...

Next Friday at this time I will be finishing up my last paper, for my last day of college. I seriously can't believe it. I am stunned, shocked and of course really anxious.

Honestly, there were so many points in time where it seemed like this day (or week) would never come. I never thought I would be this close to finishing college. And to think I will be the first person on my Dad's side of the family with a college degree, pretty neat! ;-)

So now I am busy thinking of what I am going to do with all of my free time, besides the obvious, sleep! I am still really in shock that after next Friday I am done with college, it just doesn't seem real to me yet...

6 Consecutive Years in the Making...

In 39 days (not that I am counting, or anything...) I will be finishing my Bachelor's Degree...can you believe it, only 39 days of school left of my undergraduate college career!

After high school, I took a year off to "find myself". Really I took a year off to do nothing. I bummed around my home town, hung out in diners to all hours of the night (literally, not coming home until my mom was getting up for work!), partying with my friends and working part time.

The next year I enrolled at Shippensburg University in the tiny PA town of Shippensburg. It was terrible, I hated every second I was there. The University itself was fine, however, I commuted there from where I was living at the time with my parents. For anyone who has ever commuted to a college, you know it sucks for making friends, unless it is a community college where everyone commutes. After a semester I dropped out with terrible grades and a hatred of college in general. After that I took another half a year off, only to then the next year enroll at the local community college, HACC, Harrisburg Area Community College. This is the place where I spent the next several years of my life, sporadically.

The first semester I attended full time, receiving marginally high grades, but after not really finding my place I eventually dropped out and started working full time. I continued working full time and not really thinking much about going back to school for a couple more years. Until one day it occurred to me, that I would never really be anything more than I was...

I looked back over my life for the past 10 years of work, and it was sad...sad, sad, sad...I was going absolutely nowhere. So, this time I was determined to put my mind to it and to stick with school. I was 25 at the time I re-enrolled at HACC. At first I only could go part-time to school...due to financial constraints, I couldn't afford to not work full time.

Of course, my time at HACC was limited, it is after all, only a community college. Thanks to some help, I found ESC, Empire State College (through the State University of New York) where I could take courses online. Doing school work this way, where I wasn't required to physically be anywhere to take classes, I was able to go full time!

So, here I am 39 days away from completing my degree...right, also I am the first person on my father's side of my family to get a college degree, so needless to say, they are all very proud!
Weird, to even think about how long it has been, and how weird it will be to finally be done...

Sold

My car sold almost two weeks ago...the whole process was an entire blur. The prospective buyer came to test drive the car, the next day he emailed me with an offer...after a bit of negotiations, the car was sold. It seriously took no time at all.

I didn't get as much as I was hoping to get for the car, but they were nice people and I get to see my car driving around town, happy with its new family...good karma.

I missed the car for about a minute as we walked away after the deal went down. I cried, and then had a margarita, all was good.

Selling my car...

I put my car up for sale on Sunday. It is something I have been wanting to do for some time, but just hadn't really gotten around to doing. I love my car, it is a great car, but we just don't need two cars right now. I keep reminding myself of all the money we will be saving with out my car...car payment, insurance, oil changes, gas...it all adds up to be quite a lot.

So far, since Sunday I have had two people who have expressed interest in the car. One of them even came by on Monday to test drive it. Another emailed today with interest. Hopefully it will sell quickly, so I don't have to think about it too much. Kind of like ripping off a band aid, do it quickly to lessen the pain (or at least it seems that way).

So, if you know anyone interested in a car...

Busy week

Last Friday I finished my final full semester in completing my Bachelors Degree. It has only taken my 11 years to get this far. I decided that since it did take me so long to get my degree, that I would continue on and get my Masters.

So, this week I registered to take the GRE. I scheduled it far enough out that I have plenty of time to study, September 26. Now of course comes the study part...which isn't not fun. I went out and bought some books to help me study. So far they are nothing but discouraging.

Who knew that I would be so horrible at antonyms, analogies and math (well, the math part I knew...). Four months and counting to beef up my knowledge of all things standardized! It should be fun.

Oh and I start my last semester in a little over a week. Should be a fun summer!

If anyone has any helpful suggestions on studying for a standardized test, I would love to hear your ideas! :-)

I just need to complain!

BAH! Stupid tours! I know they are necessary, but seriously...there are zillions of tours going on right now at work. Loads of people wandering around, clogging up the hallways, always when I am running to pee or rushing off to make copies of something last minute. They are loud, asking stupid questions, blocking the door to my office. Staring at me in my office, like I am an animal in a zoo! >:-|
Arugh...stupid tours!

Meh...

Seriously I am so bored...
I can't even begin to describe the level of boredom I am experiencing right now. It is terrible, grey and rainy outside, which is only adding to my extreme lack of having anything to do. There is no one at work, and by no one, I mean, everyone has left for the day...well not everyone, I am still here! :-) The same student has walked by my office about 7 times now...either he has a really small bladder, or he is also bored...
I went down to the mail room three times just to take a walk...most days, I don't go down there even once.
1 hour to go...I might not make it...I might also end up asleep under my desk...

I'mmmmmm baaaacccckkkk...muaahahahaha!

Okay no seriously, it has been a while. The past year was filled with excitement and unemployment...
But guess what, dear blog readers, I have a job! A real job. I am not crazy about it, but none the less, it is a job. And one that I am not burning the crap out of my delicate fingers at!

I don't really have any new direction for picking up the blog again. It just seemed like something fun to do during down time.

The only comment/observation I have for today is that Boston Creme Pie yogurt is not a flavor I would recommend.
I was expecting some chocolate swirl or something to be included in the yogurt, alas, there is no chocolate. Just an entire 6 oz container of Boston Creme Pie innards flavored yogurt. It really is kind of gross. I am eating it all, but complaining the entire time. Even worse is the taste it leaves in your mouth...kind of sour version of Boston Creme Pie innards.

Hope you all have been well this past year!
I am glad to be back blogging...but we will see how long this lasts! ;-)

Why the radio is dead to me...

Okay, so at work we have a radio station on all day, every day. I believe I complained before about how James Blunt, "Your Beautiful" is played everyday around 3:30 or so...
well in addition to this they play "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey everyday as well...seriously this is one of my favorite songs, especially to sing along to out loud, in the car when I am all alone! Well now that I hear it every day (usually around 4 in the afternoon), it just isn't the same! I don't get chills when the chorus starts up like I used to...the radio is ruining Journey for me!

I realize this is very minor, but I love music and this is just completely unacceptable for me! I hope to one day figure out what station it is so that I can call them at the same time everyday to complain about their set list!
Bastards. :-(

My new job...

3 weeks down...an eternity to go...

The new job is going well. Most of the people are nice. There is one person there that reminds me of all of the crazy people at my old job rolled into one and hyped up on crack. She gets on my nerves, but she doesn't get sarcasm, so that helps me through the day! Today, she actually was showing me how to print a document...oh yes, how to fucking print! I think that she thinks that this is my first job...later on in the day she asked me if I knew what a mortgage was?! ARUGH! I told her that they explained that to me when I bought a house!

So not only are my new co-workers a little off, so are the customers...

Today a very, very, very old guy asked me why a pretty young thing like me wasn't married!? Nice! Grande said he was going to buy me a rape horn and some mace...

There are other hilarious stories about the people that come into my work, but then I would give away where I work, and that just seems like cheating...so those stories will have to wait until some other time...

my days as a "stay at home lady friend" are numbered...

I GOT A JOB! I know about time right...oh and this is a real job this time, not like the other job...
I start on Monday, so tomorrow is my last official day as a stay at home lady friend. It is a little sad, but I have been out of work for about four months now, so it is time. But still it has been fun...doing nothing all day. Well not nothing, school work isn't really nothing, but still...it was nice getting up leisurely, having coffee and breakfast whenever I want, sitting around the house doing school work in my pjs all day. Yeah I am going to miss it, but it will be good to get out around people, not just my cats. I am going to miss hanging out with the cats all day, they crack me up and do weird cat things during the day.

Oh well...it will be nice to have a paycheck and not worry about money, that will definitely be the best part. So, my stay at home days are numbered...sushi to celebrate tomorrow night. Oh and shopping this weekend, I have to dress up for my new job. I have two pairs of dress pants that fit me...and pretty much no shoes, or shirts to wear for more than a day. It would probably be kind of weird wearing the same thing every day (very euro trash of me!). Also the new job is a conservative type of job, so no open toe shoes or sleeveless shirts, which sucks...all of my shoes for the summer are open toed...so yeah, I definitely need to go shopping....

So, wish me luck with the new job. Hopefully it goes well. :-)

It really is the end of the world...

I just listened to a song on the radio...okay that really doesn't warrant my phrase, it is the end of the world...but just wait, there is more to this than just a song...

The song was by Blink 182 and featured Robert Smith?! Okay for those of you who weren't dark and moody as a teenager (or for those of you who weren't yet alive in the 80's), Robert Smith is the lead singer of The Cure. A great dark and moody band...a band that I have almost every single cassette and cd of, even most of the imports. They got me through my dark and moody teen years. The years when I was goth, wore fishnets, black nail polish and had multiple facial (and other body) piercings. Those good old times when I hung out in coffee shops, scaring the normal patrons with my dark moodiness. Yes those good old days. Days before pop punk bands like Blink 182 hit the radio waves with their whiny and repetitive, and very unoriginal songs.

So why in the hell is Robert Smith singing on their song?! WHY, WHY, WHY!? I don't get it...it doesn't make any sense. It would be like having Blondie sing a duet with Celine Dion! Seriously Debbie Harry would kick the crap out of that skinny Canadian!

I am off to find out more about this musical hypocrisy.

Small world...

So I just got off the phone with my brother...we will call him T. T recently started dating a new girl. At first it annoyed me...I am picky about who my little brother dates, he doesn't have the best dating track record, and I LOVED his last long term girlfriend, she was really a great girl. Also, this new girl is two years older than me...I didn't like that idea either. However, after talking with my brother about her, she seemed okay. When I got off the phone with him, I was thinking about her name...he couldn't remember her last name, just the first letter of it. He also said her first name was different so she went by an easier nickname. All of this sounded really familiar. She also had gone to my elementary school...

So I did some digging, literally. I went into the basement and started to dig through storage bins to find my elementary school yearbooks. I found them! And I found her...the new girl in my little bro's life. As it turns out...she and I were friends. We played on the same softball team, 20 years ago! How freaking funny is that?!

I had to call my brother back and give him this latest development. He thought it was hilarious. He is going to tell her about it tonight. It is just really a very small world...

Oh and I do now approve of him dating her. If she is anything like I remember her being 20 years ago, she is great. I hope that things work out between them.

SNOW!!

The side of my car.












Me, pretending to shovel snow! ;-)










Lamp post, buried in snow from the plows.

Loser, once again...

I quit my job today, yep after only 2 days. It just wasn't for me...and I realize how irresponsible it is quitting a job with out another one lined up, but I was too unhappy to wait for something else. So, I am an unemployed loser, a stay at home lady friend once again...

I don't really feel anything about quitting...not sure what that means. After only 2 days, though, I don't think I really had any kind of attachment to the place. It really wasn't any one thing that drove me to quit. The people were nice enough, the work was meh...it was more the politics behind working in that type of industry...either that or working for a billion dollar company, sitting behind a desk maybe made me soft. That or the freedom to get up from my desk and move around at my own will maybe is just too appealing to me.

It was an experience and I do have to say I learned a lot from it. I really think the biggest problem was that this job reminded me of a job I had in high school, my first real job actually. It was working in a sub shop in Palmyra, PA. I worked after school and on weekends. It was slave labor as far as I was concerned. I came home smelling like meatballs and onions. It was so gross I couldn't eat subs for years afterwards. I only lasted there a few months. September until December. During my time there I went to Europe for three weeks and for whatever reason going back to that place after traveling around Europe just seemed dirty...I went back for one day and quit that day, never to return.

This place smelled similar to that place...the work was very much the same and the people were the same. It freaked me out...it made me feel like I was 16 again...a time I really don't wish to relive.

Maybe I am a chicken and I run away from things that frighten me. When I sold greeting cards I would intentionally leave the register if someone came in for the lottery. The lottery machine was confusing and people buy lottery tickets are very particular...it was just too much pressure. If I could see someone walking through the parking lot that was a lottery regular, I would hid in the store so I didn't have to use the machine. Pathetic.

Oh well...wish me luck in the continuing job hunt. Tomorrow I may hit up the mall, there were some help wanted signs posted when Grande and I were there last night. Maybe I will have some luck with something there. Fingers crossed!!

the world works in some stupid ass ways...

So, as I said in my earlier post for today (hell yes, that is two posts in ONE day!!), working sucks. In desperate need for money I took a crap job working at a place that sells bagels and coffee...this job is paying me a little less than half the money I made at my old really shitty job...so I took one hell of a pay cut and instead of sitting behind a nice computer in a comfy chair where I have the ability to pee on my own schedule, I am standing all day, burning the heck out of my fingertips, coming home smelling like bagels...here is where the world works in strange ways part...
Today, the first day of my crappy new job, I got a phone call from a company that wants to interview me for a job similar to my last job (hopefully minus the insane people), paying more than I made before...why today?! Why after months of searching for a job do I start a job, only to have the hope that a better job is only a few days away...the world works in some stupid ass ways...
Wish me luck, keep your fingers crossed...I may have an interview for this job by the end of the week!!!

Honestly, I have felt so worthless the past few weeks...then to have to take a job slicing bagels really made me feel like one hell of a big loser. Not that selling bagels makes a person a loser, but I worked for a huge multi-million dollar company, as a senior level associate, I made enough money to pay my bills, buy all my beauty products from Sephora and shop at any store I wanted too...it just kind of sucked to have to take a job that wouldn't allow for that same kind of life. That and I, aside from the insane treatment at my last job, really did like what I did...

It would just be nice not to feel so worthless... :-)
So fingers crossed that this works!!

working sucks!

I smell like toasted bagels...my finger tips are raw from spreading (poorly I might add!) cream cheese on the bagels and my middle back hurts cause I am old and not used to standing...
But I needed money, so what else could I do?! I thought of selling plasm, but that sounded painful, if I had only known how hot bagels are when they come out of a toaster I maybe would have settled on plasm! ;-)
Oh well...I will know better for next time!

Cats are funny...

Yesterday I lost Pookie...
The house isn't that big, so I was a little bit worried when she was missing for about 2 hours during the day. I looked everywhere, closets, under the bed, in the basement, under furniture, even out in the garage...no Pookie.
Finally I for some reason thought to look in the spare bathroom...and sure enough there was Pookie...she pulled down the hand towel to sleep on in front of the heat vent...











So it would seem that Pookie isn't liking the cold weather of upstate NY...here are other shots of her in front of various heat vents in the house...

This one y0u have seen before, but it seemed appropriate to use it again in this Pookie and the heat vent display...