Changing the World

Right now I wish I were in my Purdue bubble. You know, the place you're in when you're at college for 4 years. You think you're immersed in the real world, but you're not. Now I am and I gotta tell ya: it's not all it's cracked up to be.

I really do love my life. My job is great, I love my family and friends, and every day I feel blessed for what I have. But given everything on the news about the economy and how stressed out everyone is, it drains you. I'm seeing friends losing jobs or moving jobs. I'm hearing about more and more company cutbacks. Remember: I work for a non-profit. Cutbacks aren't good to hear. I'm not particularly worried, but there really isn't anything that can totally reassure me that things will be fine. I'm trying to be financially smart, which is hard when you're just starting out. I'm reading everything I can about saving, investing (at some point), and what it means to really live within your means. I think I'm trying to avoid the hardships so many people are experiencing right now. And every day that I hear more bad news about money, banks, and the economy, I remind myself that THIS is why I do my job.

For those who are not totally familiar, the point of Junior Achievement is to give kids the tools to NOT screw up like so many of us have over the last few years. Granted, that's not exactly the mission statement, but it pretty much sums it up. We're teaching kids the importance of being financially literate, why business ethics are vital, and we're inspiring them to be entrepreneurs later in life. Hopefully I'm helping to mold the next generation into intelligent, ethical, and responsible citizens who will desperately try to do the right thing, even when it seems like everyone else is doing the exact opposite. Hopefully I'm helping to diminish confusion and uncertainty in the minds of kids who don't understand why their parents are stressing about foreclosure. This is why I do my job: so kids today will be responsible in their own jobs and lives later.

Pictures!

Today's blog: Pictures! Car and apartment, ENJOY. (Don't be alarmed if pictures are weirdly spaced or don't match exactly with the text. According to my recent personality profile, I don't do well with the small details.)







This is my new baby: Snow White. She's a 2008 Hyundai Tucson and it's safe to say we're in love.



Now, apartment:












This is when you look from the front door.
























This is the dining set from my cousin's family. There's a fourth chair, it lives in my bedroom.



















These are both sides of my kitchen.
































Both views of the living room.

View of the bedroom from the living room:

Bedroom with view of bathroom:

This is the view of the bathroom from the foyer.

I love my new place. Thank you to Mom because I'd still be living with unpacked boxes. :)

Memo to all: I have no internet or cable at home right now. 1) I typically don't miss it when I don't have it. 2) I have weddings to travel for/be in over the next few months, so money that would be spent on home entertainment will be going toward plane tickets. I read a lot. Anyway, if I don't respond via email very quickly, or have no idea what's going on on television, it is because my most convenient source of internet is at work when I'm helping volunteers inspire kids to become good citizens.

Long time no blog.

So, nearly two months since my last post. Sorry.

My last post mentioned a training conference that went very well. I had a blast and was so happy I went. It reenergized me for my job and gave me new confidence.

Fast forward to Christmas 2008. I spent a lovely 4 days with my family. My sister got a Wii for Christmas, so we made like our 10-year-old selves and stayed in pjs all day to play video games. My 22-year-old self loved it. My sister and I needed some bonding time, so being home with her was great. We watched movies with Mom and Dad. And of course provided more noise than that house has seen in months.

New Year's Eve/New Year's Day 2008/9: Great food, great wine, great friends. In fact, a little too much great wine. We played Circle of Death/King's/whatever you called it in college. This resulted in a silly hostess (me). But we had a lot of fun!

January 2, 2009: I signed for my first grown-up apartment! Yep, I'll be staying put until at least March 2010. I found the place via a friend of mine. It's a young community with pools, a nice clubhouse, etc. Perfect for a young single lady.

January 17-20, 2009: Mom comes for the move. Thank. God. I don't know what I would've done without her. We had a lot of fun and I'm so grateful she came. There would still be unpacked boxes had she not been there while I was at work. And picture this: Meredith and Darlene manuevering a giant U-Haul. Yep, it's ok to smile and laugh to yourself. We sure did!

And I just got a call from Daddy, who is in town for a conference. I'll update more about work and stuff this week!

Hope everyone is well! :)