Welcome to 2012!

Clearly I've been busy with school. I'm back to my normal self after a few very-tired months of catching up and learning the ropes at Aveda. I'm doing hair 4 days a week - color, highlighting, cutting, blow-drying, and hopefully making people feel awesome. I love it, and each day I keep changing my mind about what I want to do in this industry. 


These last few weeks, aka the beginning of 2012, I've thought a lot about goals. For this year, for next year, for years to come - it's been a very thoughtful couple of weeks in terms of what's coming up for my life. And our life - 2 new graduates come June means big stuff for the summer. Whether it's a goal I share with him, or a goal for myself only, I wanted to hold myself accountable for some goals on here. Apparently I think that by posting it publicly, I'll be more likely to achieve said goals. Some will be achieved, some will probably change over time - and that's ok. 


1. Read. I used to read all the time when I lived alone. Thankfully, public transportation allows time at the beginning and end of my day to get some reading in if I can't get to it at home. 
2. Learn. As much as I can about hair. And try new things outside of school. (up next, ballroom dancing!)
3. Play tennis. This would have been 'exercise', but that sounds too 'resolution-y'. Tennis is fun, we enjoy it together, and even invested in lessons. Tennis it is! 
4. Yoga. At least a few times per month, especially when my back feels out of whack. 
5. Phone calls. Make them, take them, return them. I've been a less-than-stellar friend to keep in touch with, so it's time to no longer fear the phone. (This includes text messages) 
6. Girlfriends. Make sure I see people more than a few times a year. Especially when we live in the same city. 

I would have listed 12 goals for the sassy title, but they would have consisted of the typical "eat better" and "manage money better", etc. I think 6 goals of things I enjoy and need to make sure I stick with is a pretty sweet list. Poor me, having to read, play, and talk to my friends on a regular basis in 2012. :) 


Happy 2012, everyone. Maybe this year will be a good blog year, too!

What Relaxation feels like...I think.

I'm helping my parents out this week while they are out of town on business/vacation. Normally when I'm at my parents house, I'm tensely waiting to go back home for whatever work is waiting for me. But this time, I think I'm doing what most would call "relaxing." Here's how I know: 

*I'm not annoyed whatsoever by the dog waking me up by 7:30am. When he wants to hang out in the yard for awhile, I'm happy to hang out with him. And any time he comes to me, I immediately tend to his needs. All of this sounds normal, but before now I was always in a hurry with him and always made him wait for me to finish whatever I was doing. 

*My girlfriends came over yesterday. We sat outside all afternoon with the dog. I had no concept of what time it was, and I was perfectly happy to just go with the flow. When we were hungry, we ate. I had crab legs for the first time (YUM). We went for a drink last night to one of my favorite college bars and were happy to call it a night by midnight. Again, I didn't even bother worrying what time it was, or what time the dog woke me up this morning.

*I'm taking care of things around my parents house that I typically would roll my eyes at or do only because they wanted me to. Perhaps it's because as an adult, you lose the 'tude with the parents. But I think it also has to do with the fact that I currently don't feel like people are asking the world of me during the week, so doing things around my parents house doesn't phase me. And it gives me breaks between readings and Gilmore Girls episodes. 

*I think I just now realized how much work my parents have done with their yard. By walking the yard with the dog, I see they've done a ton of landscaping, put in a beautiful patio, and have potted plants everywhere that make it feel like an outdoor sanctuary. Mind you, I've been to parents house in the last couple of months when all of this was completed. Obviously my brain was distracted. 

*Lastly, I don't feel bad taking my time to get things done. Cleaning, cooking, visiting, walking the dog, reading outside: no time constraints. I don't feel bad for not checking the time every so often because right now it doesn't matter. It's kind of like vacation, except for me I currently don't have a job to go back home to, which makes me relax for real. Honestly, I'm not so heartbroken about it. 

I was a little afraid that being alone for so many days with the dog would drive me a little crazy. Not that I don't check in with the BF each day, or text with people, but just the idea of being alone in my parents house with no cable was kind of nerve-wracking. Now that I'm here (and have activities planned each day anyway) I'm using my quiet time to listen to what I really want in my next venture. And I think getting away from my Now Home to my Then Home is a great way to check-in with myself and get away from the craziness of the city we live in. I never thought I'd appreciate the quietness, the woods, and the fresh air at Mom & Dad's the way I do right now. Funny how that works...

2010 Reflections

As I was driving home from the city tonight, I was reflecting on my life this year. I know the year isn't quite over. There are probably plenty of things that could happen to me in the next 5 days before the new year starts. But, I still have things that I'd like to acknowledge. Some are things that you may already know about, some are things you may not. Either way, I think it's healthy to take a step back and look at what one has accomplished and learned. So here it goes: 


Living: I moved once this year (yahoo!). I like my neighborhood, me and the roommate are just as good if not better friends than when I moved in. I'd say that since I moved here, I eat a lot more Portillo's and yummy pizza than I should. 


Work: I'm on my 3rd job. I started at the salon, moved here to work retail, now am doing business development. I'm so happy I worked retail for the last year. Being a manager and working my way up in the fashion world was fun - but my personal life felt very lacking. Luckily, my great networking and sales skills landed me an interview for my current position. I started in September and am very much looking forward to what 2011 will bring. 


Financial: With a new job came a nice pay increase. Since I started in September, I now have 1/3 less debt than when I started. I'd like to pat myself on the back for that one. :) 


Health: My cholesterol was tested recently: 182 - yes! I told the nurse she was my favorite person. I also lost about 15 pounds over the course of the last year. I did it unintentionally - the joys of running around in 3-inch heels for 8 hours a day combined with having time to eat half a salad and a handful of pita chips for lunch. But I'll take it! 


Friends: One of my best friends had her first child in June, and I'm a happy Auntie Mer. It's so exciting seeing him growing up. One of my other bff's is expecting her first child in March. It's been great catching up with old friends, Purdue friends, and my roomie and I try to have fun whenever we can. I get to see so many of my favorite people on a regular basis - how lucky am I? 


Family: Seeing my family more regularly has been awesome. They live about 2 hours away, so I've been able to see them at least once a month. We had some loss this year - a cousin in Florida who was nothing but wonderful to me when I lived there. And one of our family dogs - any of you animal lovers will understand that it's like losing a family member. I saw my family a few days after, which was good to see them after the tough week they had at home. After living in Florida for a year, I'm grateful that I'm able to be driving distance instead of flying distance. 


Love: Yep, this will make the list for 2010. We'll call him Mr. L. We met at the end of May and we've enjoyed every moment since then. He's my partner and I can go to him with anything. I feel loved and laugh every day - both at him and with him. He supports me in ways I didn't think I needed anyone to, and I'm so happy he's become such an important part of my life.


Miscellaneous: As the year wraps up, I've been able to take part in a yoga class and I started volunteering with Junior Achievement again. My schedule now allows me to take a little bit of time for myself to help kids and do what I need to do to re-center. In fact, traveling to Boston and Naples would fall into that category. I visited friends in Boston. Mr. L and I went to FL for 5 days to soak up some sunshine before the holiday madness. So this is what it's like to feel like a normal human being, eh? 


I think that's basically my year in a nutshell. I have some things to be proud of, some things I may have done differently, but overall - I'd say 2010 was successful. Lots of learning, lots of love, and lots of fun - I wouldn't have it any other way.

Life Reminders

A recent article assignment led me to meet some Lafayette-enthusiasts. On this particular day, it was a dreary morning and my lovely cup of coffee just wasn't doing the trick. All I could think was, 'if I was in Florida right now, I would be waking up to sunshine and way happier about it.' Lucky for me, I was on my way out the door to chat with a few women who promote Lafayette to the masses.

It was a Monday morning, which is typical to find people less-than-chipper. But when I walked into this particular establishment, I felt nothing but excitement for the week ahead. Every one of the ladies I talked to (5 in total) was happy to talk to me and gush about our little corner of the world. They reminded me of the quaint, yet busy, downtown that's booming with activities every weekend. They reminded me of the outdoor recreation we have thanks to parks, trails, and festivals. They reminded me that the university provides decent sporting events at the right price. All in all, it was a great reminder of why I moved home.

I've wanted to live in downtown Chicago since I can remember, and that dream hasn't gone away. But that doesn't mean that I shouldn't buck-up and appreciate where I live and the fact that I have great friends and family nearby. And the beauty of living closer to family and friends means I can spend my future vacations visiting those warmer places instead of coming home.

Would it have been fun to go to Indy or Chicago to go out with friends? Sure. But instead, I spent this weekend taking my dogs to one of the parks and strolling around the outdoor Pre-Thanksgiving Market. And after 5 days of rain, it was the perfect way to enjoy a gorgeous November weekend.

Isn't funny how life sends you friendly reminders about why you're where you are?

Day 12

Things are settling down a bit after the 1,000-mile-drive. I have a new bed, my things are unpacked, and my bedroom is looking more organized. I'll be setting up my computer and other office-y items this week in a space that will hopefully inspire many more writings, both paid and unpaid. In the meantime, I'm currently set up at the kitchen table with a vanilla chai.

So I moved home. Now what?

My day starts at 6:30am when I crawl out of bed and go to the neighbor's house to make sure their daughter makes the bus to go to school. It's an hour in the morning making sure the child is fed and it gives me time to read. Not a bad deal.

Last week, I started my new job. I'm working as a Guest Coordinator at Evan Todd Aveda Salon near campus. The first week was super busy and all over the place, but by Friday, I felt like I was really grasping my job duties and the workings of one of the best salons in the Midwest (no joke). The people are super nice and everyone has been patient with me as I learn the ropes. I'm also learning patience with this job in that I need to pace myself. There's no way I'll learn everything all at once; it's a process that takes time. At least I'm having fun at work learning about Aveda products (which are amazing, when you buy Aveda, you're helping the world. Seriously.). It's also inspiring me to make some drastic hair changes, so we'll see how that goes!

As far as living at home, it's not too bad. Not much has changed. It's weird not having my sister living here anymore. I kind of understand how it was for her when I went away to college. But, she lives close enough that it's nice to be able to go hang out with her for a bit after I get done with work.

It's also great to be close to some good friends. This weekend was a fellow Purdue alumna's bachelorette party. Had I still been in Florida, there's no way I could have made it. It was a fun girls' night out, complete with little black dresses and rounds of shots for all. I'll admit it: I feel like I need another day to recover, which makes me feel old. I guess it was going to happen eventually.

So this blog was started as a way to keep my family and friends updated on my life in Florida. I'm thinking this will be going in a new direction (with my recent relocation, that was probably a given). There will still be the day-to-day life updates, but look forward to reading about work events and my journey through the beauty industry. This will be an interesting year; probably pretty comparable to the last year I've had.

Not-So-Personal Belongings

When I moved to Florida last July, I packed up two suitcases and jumped on a plane. The rest of my things slowly made their way down via my wonderful grandparents who make the drive from Indiana fairly regularly. Now I'm getting ready to pack up my car to drive home in a few days. And I've come to the conclusion that moving as a grown-up sucks.

I don't even have that much stuff. I don't need a moving truck (at least at this point, I don't think I do). My furniture is going to a good home here. I'm donating some things. I've packed my books, DVDs, some kitchen things, and my bathroom things. So that should leave clothes and shoes, right?

Apparently I have more things than I thought. And less boxes than I thought.

Moving makes you realize the beauty of living as simply as possible. I was all ready to just throw out the things that don't really matter, that I can just buy new when I get my own place again. Moving in with Mom and Dad means I don't need much. There are things I'm hanging on to because I have some sort of attachment to them. And I'm trying to tell myself that so much of this stuff is just that: stuff.

But what if it's stuff my Mom bought me because my parents are wonderful and helped me get on my feet here? What if it's stuff that my family gave me because at some point I actually liked it? What if it's stuff that I just don't know how to deal with?

*Deep Breath*

Some day there will be another apartment that will need new things. The things I have for this apartment were for this apartment. Who knows if I'd even want it later? It's too expensive to move it and I don't want to store it; I'd rather it be used. Even though it's just stuff, why is it so difficult to decide what to do with it?

I guess the question is this: will I miss my stuff as much as I miss my friends and family right now?

Answer: I highly doubt it.

Once Upon a December

I'm alive and well!

It's been a crazy few weeks, hence the lack of updates. Work is going well. I'm getting more and more comfortable in my position and with JA. I'm preparing and running trainings by myself. Recruiting volunteers is finding a sort-of routine. The recruitment process will change with every year, but for now, I'm finding my niche with it and coming up with some out-of-the-box ideas to get people involved. This week I'm attending a training workshop in Atlanta. I had to purchase a coat because it's about 20-degrees colder there than FL, and I didn't have a nicer work coat. Oh, and when I say it's going to be colder, I mean it will be in the 40s and 50s. Sorry, Midwesterners, but it was 70-degrees all week last week. Considering how much I'm not in my office for my job, it's nice that I don't have to worry about icy temperatures and snow while I'm running around Osceola County.

I spent Thanksgiving here with my cousin and her family and friends. The friend who hosted Turkey Day is a Disney performer, same with just about everyone else who was there. It was a RIOT! It has been awhile since I've hung out with theatre folks, so it was a refreshing, entertaining evening. Complete with wine and frozen mojitos, of course! They made me feel so welcome. This was my first Thanksgiving away from my immediate family, but my new friends made me feel right at home.

I also have some exciting news! I bought a car! It's a 2008 Hyundai Tucsan. Her name is Snow White because it's a white car. I love it. I feel safe driving it and it has plenty of room to haul any and all JA materials when I'm out on the road. It's a comfortable ride and the gas mileage is good, especially since it's in the SUV family. We're getting along great and I think this will be a lasting relationship. :)

I'm excited to go home for Christmas. As many of you know, I was traveling abroad last Christmas, so it will be nice to be with my family this year. I'm doing Christmas shopping primarily online because my new favorite thing is carrying on my luggage at the airport. Hauling gifts would make that a bit difficult. I'm getting in on Christmas Eve morning (it is SO much cheaper to fly on Christmas Eve, I highly recommend it), so I'll spend some time wrapping presents before the family festivities begin. I'm hoping there's some snow when I'm home. I don't miss the snow now, but it would nice to have a white Christmas.

And even though my schedule has been a bit busy, I have watched Elf this season. Twice.

PURdone.

Homecoming at Purdue was a blast. I got to see all my favorite people. I drank Corona with my parents at my favorite bar, only to return a few hours later with my friends. I visited my college job where I recognized about 4 people. I ate, I drank, I was merry.

One of my favorite traditions last year was Breakfast Club. Anyone unfamiliar with Purdue who reads this (which I would imagine is not many): Breakfast Club means the students and sometimes alumni dress up in a costume and line up at 6am waiting for the bars to open at 7am on all home-game-Saturdays. Cheap screwdrivers are the way to drink and it's always super busy. My friends and I were dedicated Breakfast Club members last year and thought we could pull it off this year. After many a round bought and drank the night before though, 6am came too soon. I'm pretty sure we were still feeling some spirited beverages when I was awakened by a phone call asking where we were. I went around the house I was staying at, asking who wanted to get up and go. It turned out we all thought someone else had set an alarm, so we all figured someone would wake us up. Once this was realized, I said, ok, back to bed it is! I woke up again around 10:30, just in time to not feel sick for sitting through the game with my parents.

As far as the game goes: I froze in the stands to watch Purdue basically do nothing the whole time. It was a little depressing, but the marching band is always fun. I know, it sounds lame, but seriously. Sometimes between the band and watching Purdue Pete, they are more entertaining than the actual game.

After going out Friday night and Saturday night, I'm proud to say I didn't feel any consequences from beer. I think it's safe to say I've learned a thing or two since college. :)

It was wonderful seeing the loves of my life, including both family and friends. My sister and I got to spend some quality couch-time, which we loved to do in our old apartment. The only good-weather day was Sunday, and it was the most perfect fall day. Sweatshirt needed, but plenty of warm sunshine. However, I was happy to be able to return to my now-real-life to get cracking at work in the Sunshine State where it was 80-degrees when I got off the plane.

Well, I was happy for about 5 minutes until I found out I absolutely have to get my Florida driver's license first thing tomorrow and I won't be getting paid until mid-November. Then I got home to find my first Sprint bill (of course, due before I actually get paid). I guess real life doesn't take a break when you do, huh?

A case of the Mondays.

It's official! Monday is my start date at Junior Achievement and I. Can't. Wait.

I'm so excited to meet everyone and learn all I need to learn to do my job. I'm also looking forward to wearing my business attire again. This girl gets excited about a wardrobe change. :)

This weekend was good. One of my favorite Chicagoans was here. We went to Lake Ridge Winery on Saturday. The tour and tasting are complimentary, so we took full advantage. They have a lot of sweeter wines, which I tend to shy away from. They had a nice Cuvee Noir, a dryer red, which I purchased. Their wine is fairly inexpensive, so it was worth it for us to walk out of there with 5 bottles. No worries, we did not drink them all this weekend. We also went to the pumpkin patch set up in Celebration. It was a cute set up. I learned that pumpkin carving in Florida is a little different from pumpkin carving in the Midwest. Between the heat and humidity, I think our masterpieces may need to be thrown away already. Oh well, we still had fun!

I also went to the Food & Wine Festival with some Purdue girls. Purdue's October break was this weekend, so it was great to see them! We tried wine, had margaritas and beer. Then I took my Purdue drinking buddy to The Pub. That made for a good time, especially because the Elvis impersonater was there. We had so much fun and it was great to see everyone!

I'm going to Tampa this weekend, so I'm looking forward to my real last weekend before I'm officially working full-time. As much as I've wanted a job, it's kind of sad to feel like your youthful freedom will be slipping away within days. I'm obviously excited about the job, but let's be honest: college and these last 5 months after college haven't been anything difficult. I've been able to do pretty much whatever I wanted because of the lack-of-schedule I've kept. I'll be glad to have a routine again, but I'll always appreciate the free-time I've had.

Also: I'm counting down to my Purdue visit! 9 days...And I can't contain my excitement to see my family, friends, Harold's, and my beloved Noodles&Co.