Patience Is A (Time-Consuming) Virtue

Think I can reach 100 by the end of the year?: Requiem for a Dream, Body of Lies, Run Fatboy Run

There have been a couple of updates since last Monday's post on the job hunt. Just to keep you abreast of the stats - since the end of April, I have submitted a total of 19 job applications, 12 of them being for full-time positions, with the other 7 being internships or other forms of temporary contract work (e.g. camp counselor, airport customer service rep, etc.)

Out of those 19 submissions, 4 of the companies had the decency to let me know that the positions had been filled by a better qualified candidate. Out of the remaining 15, I netted 3 interviews. If you've done your math right, you'll see that the majority of the companies who received résumés from me failed to send any kind of update. Tsk tsk, but c'est la vie.

I was turned down for a position after one of the interviews, the third interview was held just yesterday, so the results are pending, but the second - an advertising sales internship with an Atlanta newspaper - was successful! Eureka. I'll be working full-time for 12 weeks at the paper, which will not only keep me busy while I look for a permanent position, but it will provide me with a decent income for the summer.

I am thoroughly excited to start the internship, and yet I can't help but feel a pang of disappointment that this isn't quite the real thing. Because it's an internship (my fourth, but who's counting?), the pay is hourly, and as I am no longer a student I am not covered under my parents' health insurance. Bummer. And because the internship is in Atlanta, I'll be packing things up in Athens and moving back home, at least for the time being. Not too sure how I feel about that, especially as I won't be able to throw my sweaty gym clothes wherever I want, followed by my ritual of blasting "The Best of Sade" as I shower with the bathroom door open. But I will be living rent free, so I can't forget the principle of quid pro quo.

But as I always say, no worries. I've been getting some tips from fellow alumni on where to purchase a monthly health insurance subscription, and as the internship starts next Monday, I'll need to make a decision fast. On top of that, I finally got myself off my father's cell phone plan in an effort to transfer more responsibility for my upkeep to me. Somewhat reluctantly, I opted for a nice Samsung instead of the pricier iPhone or BlackBerry. With my new handset, I have access to a GPS service (so long Mapquest!), as well as unlimited text messaging and data transfer, to the tune of about $70/month. Getting one of the more popular AT&T phones such as the iPhone would've raised that cost by at least $30, and I have to remember to distinguish needs from wants.

Speaking of monthly expenses, I also intend to begin paying for my own automobile insurance. Depending on whether I find a full-time job after the completion of the internship, I'd also like to pay one of the household utilities, as well as half the groceries. I plan to brown-bag for lunch during the internship in an effort to save money, which will be tough, as Atlanta is a great place for eating out.

If you haven't fallen asleep on this post by now, you'll recall that I mentioned a third interview, for a full-time job position. Though I had already accepted the internship offer, I decided to go in for an interview because I figured it couldn't hurt. My soon-to-be supervisor is well aware of the fact that I will maintain the job hunt throughout the summer, and because yesterday's interview will lead to several more (if I didn't blow it), I've got time on my side. Ideally, I'd start a full-time position as soon as the internship finishes, in order to avoid having to dip into my savings. But this'll all work itself out.

Thanks for reading! And please, make good use of the comment feature. I'd love to know what you think. Is there something I could be doing better?

Late Night Ramblings - I Think I Should Make This A Series

Since my last post: Star Trek, Angels & Demons, Deception, The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008),Wall Street

Music of the Moment: TLC, "Red Light Special"

As the days pass and I wait for the results from different job interviews, I continue to grow restless. Not to say that this is a bad thing, as it gives me plenty of time to do my favorite thing - think. While thinking is a nonstop chore for the brain, I believe I do spend an uncanny amount of time thinking consciously. I guess when it comes to food for thought, I'm a glutton.

Speaking of food for thought - I had a thought-provoking conversation with a good friend of mine yesterday morning. She's the same age as me, but graduated from college a year before I did. One of those rare few who actually graduates college in four years. Go figure. Anyways, she majored and minored in Anthropology and Biology, respectively, and after graduation, sought to get some experience in the life sciences industry before going to graduate school. Unfortunately, that turned out to not be the case. Though an internship at a zoo or aquarium would have done wonders for her professionally and personally, the call of real world responsibilities was too great to be ignored.

In order to pay the bills, she took a job as a cashier at Wal-Mart, and a year later, has had to deal with some rough situations. Her mother (who I love, by the way) is an adorable, feisty woman, with some glaring bad habits, financial mismanagement ranking top among them. A couple of years ago, my friend, who I'll call G, agreed to authorize her mother as a user of a few credit cards under G's name.

One thing led to another, and those credit cards were maxed out, with G having no way to pay for them. Throw in a broken down car, medical bills, and general monthly expenses, and it's safe to say that G has had a rough time. One of the things we talked about during our conversation was the fact that you can't stay mad at things that have happened in the past. We talked about the age-old saying "Don't cry over spilled milk," and how it's really antiquated, seeing as how people have a tendency to spill milk over and over again. I joked that the saying should be updated to say this: "Don't cry over spilled milk, but learn to not spill it again, because milk is expensive." Not catchy? It sounded good at the time, I swear.

G has been through more than her fair share of financial woes, and I give her a lot of credit for pulling through. She talked about how she had to guide herself through the car-buying process, as her mother was in too much debt to cosign on a car loan, and didn't offer much help at all in terms of information or advice on where to look or how to shop for the best deal. I've definitely been fortunate to have been raised by parents who saw after all of my needs, and although they may not have had the best financial practices themselves, they did take the time to talk to me about the mistakes they made, and the things I should do in order to avoid them.

Learning about how to take care of oneself is so important, and it's something that I preach about (a little too) fervently. Independence is a quality that I find attractive and empowering, and because that isn't easily achieved, I work constantly at it. I'm always reading blogs and news articles on how to budget money and save for the future. Sometimes it's hard to do that when you're young and old age seems far off, but I know what I want for myself.

Do you?

Goodbye to Television?

So graduation was almost a week ago, and the job hunt continues. Being an alumnus does feel really good. Knowing that I completed two degree programs in a *ahem* respectable amount of time gives me a solid sense of my own worth and what I'm capable of accomplishing. I get a really powerful kick out of doing things that take a great deal of focus. Which leads me to my next point...

Anyone who knows me knows that I do not have television at my house in Athens. Yes, I have a television, but I do not have access to televised content via cable or satellite. This has been the case since February 25. That's right, since February 25, I have not had television. Somehow, I've survived. How? TV networks have wised up to the fact that viewing habits are changing, and have responded by putting their primetime content on the internet. I can watch my favorite shows - Desperate Housewives, Dexter, Family Guy, True Blood, 30 Rock, and Dollhouse without having to pay for a cable subscription. And of course, the news is available online, 24/7. So when you think about it, I haven't really missed out on anything.

However, I've grown increasingly dissatisfied by my leisure habits, and this is attributable to my growing passion for interacting with people. Living alone (which I love, by the way), has led me to appreciate the time I do spend with people because for me it's a sort of project. I studied interpersonal communication for years, and I'm definitely living my major because I'm always making a conscious effort to communicate effectively. Speaking with precision and emphasis and avoiding space fillers like um and er. Keeping hand gestures to a minimum. Choosing my words carefully so that people never get the wrong idea. And working on my worst habit - not waiting until people finish talking before I chime in.

This is all very fun for me, and I'd like to make myself even smarter by lighting a fire under my imagination's butt by reading. Lord, I haven't read in months, and for me there's really no excuse for that. I always loved reading when I was younger, and there's no doubt in my mind that people who read for pleasure are the most interesting people on the planet. People who read have a genuine understanding that there is always more underneath the surface. As such, they are never satisfied, because there is always another page to be turned. In college I was surrounded by smart people, but the ones who read for pleasure are those who never cease to keep me guessing.

While searching for insight by those who had also given up the boob tube, I stumbled upon this article. Check it out. It made for a great read (pun intended).

However, this is not to blame television as the only time waster. A comment to that article made a great point: "TV watching, like many other activities that consume our time, such as using the computer, reading, socializing, eating, music listening, sleeping, should be done with some degree of moderation and life balance. Being consciously selective about how we use our time is the ultimate spiritual enlightenment."

Maybe I won't say goodbye to my favorite programs just yet, but I definitely need to pick up a book and go out more often.

This is Where I Get Off

Before I forget: Role Models, Taken, 30 Days of Night, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Paris, Je T'Aime

Last Saturday marked the end of my undergraduate journey. It really was a bittersweet moment. Why? Because as much as I disliked:

- Professors who thought they knew everything (There is more than one way to submit a case study!)
- Morning classes (The thought of seeing 7AM really does make me ill)
- Low internship pay rates (especially in the summer of '06 when gas ran me $55-$60 every five to six days)
- Tests! (I can't rant enough about this. Why grade me on my ability to memorize information when I'm going to forget it a month from now?)
- Course evaluations (does the administration even take those seriously?)
- The masses at the Ramsey gym (back off Fabio, I'm not done with this machine yet)

I'm going to miss it. All of it. Being a college student was great because it was predictable and unpredictable all at the same time. I could organize my semester however I wanted (to some extent), take naps at 3PM (which is when my energy level just goes to crap), and buy shots for $1 a pop (though I only did that a handful of times - I'm a lightweight). College was, in one word, cool.

Graduation was even better. I got some really amazing gifts from my family members, which did everything to convince me that I don't deserve them. God has really put some incredible people in my life, and I thank Him for that, along with getting me through some tough moments. Ahh well. What doesn't kill you will only make you stronger.

I would post some pictures, but chances are if you're reading this, you've already seen them on Facebook. On the other hand, it has been a while since I decorated this blog with some pictures.....






Au revoir, Georgia. You shall be missed.

Add 'Em to the List

When making a list of the movies I've seen this year, I forgot to mention:

- The Abandoned
- Volver
- Burn After Reading
- Eagle Eye
- Descent
- 1408
- The Family That Preys

I'm likely to add The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to that list pretty soon as well.

GRADUATION IS TOMORROW!!!!! But for today, two convocation ceremonies. I'm going to be exhaused by the end of this weekend.

Gimme A Beat

I usually rag on Ciara for not being much of a singer, but like any other recording artist of minimal vocal talent, she turns it on with the uptempo. This song has always been in any running playlist of mine, and I've played it about five times now while writing my last ever undergraduate paper! Enjoy.

Ciara - "I Proceed"


EDIT: And check out this one from the "Death Proof" soundtrack.
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch - "Hold Tight"

Early Mornin' Ramblings...

Album of the Moment: Mariah Carey - Daydream (Butterfly and Emancipation are much better though)

I'm up at 4 in the morning after a weird nightmare in which I was a survivor in a sealed-off dormitory style building, fending off zombie attacks with about a dozen others. And these were the fast, rampaging zombies of 28 Days Later, not the slow dim-witted fools from Night of the Living Dead. Sometimes when I'm pounding it on a run outside and I get to a really hard hill, I tell myself there are zombies behind me, as a means of motivation. I really have to stop eating if I'm feeling sleepy. I don't know if there's anything scientifically proven about food-induced nightmares, but I'm gonna go with my gut (no pun intended) and stick to a glass of water before crashing. Sheesh.

I'm indulging myself in some random list making. If you don't care to read on, I won't blame you.

Movies I've Seen in '09

- Slumdog Millionaire
- Doubt
- The Wrestler
- Cadillac Records
- Marley & Me
- Eat Drink Man Woman
- Kung Fu Panda
- The Usual Suspects
- Meet the Browns
- Haute Tension
- Skinwalkers
- Obsessed
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine
- Zack and Miri Make a Porno

I also started Elizabeth, You Don't Mess with the Zohan, and Rachel Getting Married, but turned them all off at the halfway mark. I definitely won't waste valuable Facebook time watching a movie I don't like, no sir I won't! I do think it's fun to try different genres and actors, because it teaches you more about what you will and won't stand for. I think the common denominator behind all three of those movies is that they were either too slow to take off or made no sense altogether. Because movies only have 90-120 minutes to explain their thesis, I feel as though they should generally be fast paced. Develop your concept into a TV show if you care too much about character development. Anyways...

Concrete Loop has a new thread on singer Solange Knowles' expeditions in Europe. Seems as though some of her dates over there coincide with her sister's. Viewing the pictures of her in Barcelona and Amsterdam definitely aroused the tourist in me. It's just so much fun to be in different places and be surrounded by newness. I told myself that I was going to cool it on the traveling until I got a better hold on my job situation, but that carefree voice inside my mind tells me to throw caution to the wind and hop a plane somewhere. All in good time, I suppose.

In other news, I picked up my cap and gown from the university bookstore last week. Turns out that I get two tassels, one for each degree. Will I be placing both of them on my cap? You bet!

More lists...

Things I Want by the Age of 25
- Financial freedom (meaning all student loan debt eliminated)
- A new(er) car
- At least $10,000 in savings
- A job position that makes me not want to hop a plane to Barcelona or Amsterdam
- A strong, well-toned body
- A healthy, committed relationship

Places I've Thought About Visiting More than Once
- Brazil
- Thailand
- South Africa
- Japan
- Australia

The gym opens in approximately 90 minutes from now. I think I'll busy myself with a few more resume submissions before it opens. Gotta work some of that spaghetti off.