Tuesday, May 26, 2009

London at Night

Check these out, especially if you've been to London:

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/08/london_from_above_at_night.html

Can you hear that? That's my reminiscent sigh.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Musings on a Year as an Alum

One year ago I graduated from Syracuse University, a year ahead of schedule. As the vast majority of my friends are graduating this year, I thought I'd offer you guys this: another list to add to the unsolicited advice you have no doubt been receiving over the past few months.

One week from TODAY you will be an alum. Some of you are freaking out too much. Some of you are not freaking out enough. If you are going to grad school, I really don't have a lot for you, as I have never been in that situation. If you already have a job, I'm sure everyone hates you. If you don't have a job, you're in the same boat I was a year ago

Either way, I can tell you when it is really going to hit you. After the ceremony, after your family leaves, when you are by yourself, maybe in your bedroom. Maybe you'll be starting to pack, or collapse on your bed because of the craziness of the weekend. That's when you'll realize, "I will never be a undergrad again." Some of you may realize, "I will never be a student again." There's no way to prepare for it. Just let the emotions hit you and try to remember that life will go on. You're not as lost as you think.

So is a small list of things to think about:

  • Maybe you're moving back home. Everyone's situation and relationship with their parents is obviously very different. But if you're dreading going from (almost) complete independence and crazy roommates to Mom & Pop, think of your positives. You can't beat the financial situation. With looming student loans, think of the hundreds (maybe thousands) your saving by staying home for a while. As far as your interactions with your parents, hopefully they'll treat you like a adult, but still remember to pick your battles. A little bit of compromise on your part will go a long way in ensuring you're not miserable for however long you're home.
  • Let's face it. The economy sucks. Or at least people think it does, so that's how the job market is reacting. I know the Career Services folks are screaming for you to network, and that's go to be a smart move. But don't forget to supplement that with the good old classified ads - that's where I found my job. DO RESEARCH on the companies you're applying to so you can customize your cover letters and resumes. I know my boss hates when people apply for jobs and the only thing they know about us is what was listed in the ad.
  • Budget Budget Budget. December will come quicker than you think, and that first student loan bill may come as a bit of a shock. The best thing I did was setting up another checking account. The only thing I use that account for is to pay my student loan and my car loan. Other than that I don't touch it. When you get a job, direct deposit a chunk of every paycheck there. Depending on your expenses, the amount you can put away will vary. But remember as your expenses and income change to adjust the amount you're putting toward your loan. Also, don't forget about the interest that is going to accrue on your loan. Any payments you make get applied to late fees and interest first, so don't be surprised when your principal is not going down as fast as you'd like.
I guess those are the main points. Cherish your last week of college - party it up, sit on the quad, take mental pictures of those places on campus you never want to forget.

This is kind of an end for me too. All my personal connections to SU will be gone. I'm going to miss you guys - although I know we'll Facebook and Twitter until we're 90. There's probably some of you I will never see again. Although, maybe we'll meet again in 10 0r 15 years - you know I'm much more likely to go to your reunion than to mine.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

UFC: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Hold on to your hats, folks. This is a long one.

A few weekends ago I attended a jiu-jitsu seminar run by Shihan Gene Dunn of World Jiu-Jitsu United. Grappling is a part of my karate training I have always enjoyed, but it has always been an ancillary part. We are now going to be given the chance to actually enroll in a jiu-jitsu program, and I will literally be starting over at white belt in that system.

Jiu-jitsu has been popularized recently by the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). This, like anything, has had its pros and cons for the system.

In case you don't know, the UFC is a professional league for mixed martial arts (MMA) which, as apparent in the name, blends many different forms of martial arts into a competition. Athletes use skills from kickboxing, muay thai, jiu-jitsu, judo and many other forms to win their fight. Jiu-jitsu, a martial art that is made up of throws (taking your partner to the ground), ground work (what you may think of as wrestling) and submissions (getting your opponent to tap out before you break a limb/choke them), is associated a lot with the UFC, as many of the fights end up on the ground.

The Good
The UFC has evolved over time from a no-holds-barred brawl to a highly-organized, well-managed organization. There are of course rules for safety - no eye gouging or biting, for example - and the referees stay tight on the match to ensure everything is going properly. Some people say MMA is even safer than boxing because of the controls and pace of the sport.

From relative obscurity, the UFC has taken the sporting world by storm. It has surpassed boxing and the WWE in pay-per-view stats(either revenue or viewers or both - I can't remember). Each event may draw more than 1 million viewers from over 30 countries, not to mention the hundreds (or thousands) that watch it live. (Sidenote - MMA events are still banned in some states, including New York. Let's get with the times people - do you know the revenue you could bring in?).

Karate has always been that kind of weird "sport" that unless you are involved in it, you don't know what it's all about. This popularity has brought martial arts to the attention of many people who would otherwise associate it only with The Karate Kid. I don't have any stats on this, but I'm sure schools have seen a jump in enrollment, as people can see the physical and mental benefits - fitness, discipline, etc.

Most of the fighters in the UFC are at the peak of their physical and technical game. Having been in karate for over 12 years, I love to watch UFC events to watch the technical skills of the fighters - especially the jiu-jitsu aspect. I can relate. Not that I've ever been stuck in an octogon cage with a top-level athlete. But I can watch a fight and think, "Ooh! If he can just slip that arm out he'll have a perfect triangle choke!"

The Bad
When I was at the seminar, Shihan Dunn brought up several points that made me revisit some thoughts I had about the UFC in the past.

As with all sports, some of the athletes are ridiculously cocky. Before the fights they always have interviews with the fighters, during which at least one of them inevitably says something like, "My goal is to hurt him/kill him/make him bleed/break his arm." And while I understand that trash-talking is all part of the game, that's not what the martial arts are about. To me, the UFC should be about showcasing your martial arts skills - not about hurting your opponent.

While more people may now think they know about jiu-jitsu, they may be getting the wrong impression. The popular "Ground & Pound" technique - in which you get your opponent to the ground and pound on them until they either get away or you win - is not part of jiu-jitsu at all. In fact, jiu-jitsu doesn't really involve much striking. It's about positioning and submissions. Just like in boxing, some of these guys in the UFC really get rocked, and it can be scary to watch.

The Ugly
Two words. Cauliflower ear. This condition, common among wrestlers, mixed martial artists, and rugby players, is explained by Wikipedia as this: "If the external portion of the ear suffers a blow, a blood clot or other fluid may collect under the perichondrium. This separates the cartilage from the overlying perichondrium that is its source of nutrients, causing the cartilage to die. This leads to a formation of fibrous tissue in the overlying skin. When this happens, the outer ear becomes permanently swollen and deformed, resembling a cauliflower."

Remember those fun head straps the wrestlers in high school had to wear? It was for good reason. Once your ears start deforming, there isn't much you can do about it, and it can lead to serious problems. Plus it looks gross. Don't believe this shirt. It's just not true.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

This One's For The Girls...

Okay. So since I spend way too much time in front of the television watching sports-related programming, I've picked up a few noteworthy celeb crushes along the way. I feel it is now my womanly duty to pass along information about these athletic hunks that less sports-inclined girls may not know about.

Disclaimer: The pictures are not the best. All of these guys look MUCH better in live action.

Disclaimer #2: Yes, my boyfriend knows about these crushes and puts up with/condones them. Most of them anyway.


The Sportscaster
Tony "Stat Boy" Reali is the host of ESPN's Around the Horn. The show features four sportswriters debating current topics, with Tony arbitrarily giving them points. With his boyish good looks and witty charm, Tony calls me to the t.v. if I'm home at 5:00. Plus, he tweets!



The Ref
Being a sports fan, I generally don't like refs. Here is my exception. Ed Hochuli is the only NFL referee that looks like he could actually play the game. He is also almost three times my age. So what? Look at those arms! Ed got into a little bit of hot water this past season over a blown call that, due to NFL rules, could not be reversed. I blame the organization, not poor Ed. In real life, he's a lawyer, so he's gotta be smart too.




The Import
David Beckham may be some girls' British hunk o'choice, but I chose someone a little more...manly. Michael "The Count" Bisping (the one kicking, not the one with the flapping flab) is a UFC fighter with a record of 18 wins and only 1 loss. If watching two guys rolling around in a cage isn't your thing, just tune in for the pre- and post-fight interviews. That accent makes me swoon every time.

The Superstar
This category was a toughy. While I adore LeBron James, most people know who he is, even if they aren't sports fan. So I'm going to go with Dwight Howard, aka Superman. At 6'11", 265 lbs, this hunk o'man thrills the dunk contests and regular games with his sky-high athleticism.






So there you have it. A good round look at the world of sports and its hidden gems. Of course, there are many more pieces of eye candy - there has to be with that much muscle and spandex.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Am I a Sports Sell-Out?

I've followed sports for as long as I can remember. Pro football and college basketball are my favorite, and I've remained loyal to the Buffalo Bills and Syracuse Orange since I was a little kid. I'm also pretty passionate about my teams, and have been known to scream and the tv, either in joy or in pain (usually pain during football season...and seriously Buffalo - T.O.? Not happy, but that's another story).

These days, being a sports fan may also mean you participate in some kind of fantasy league. I have at least one fantasy football team per season and fill out at least two NCAA brackets each March. When choosing your players or teams, it's important to think with your head and not your heart. Thus, I don't have too many Buffalo players or Cinderella stories.

At this time of year I find myself questioning my fanhood integrity. For example. Today Siena, a nine-seed and only about two hours from my house, played Louisville, the number one overall seed and a Big East rival. It was a close game that Louisville eventually won. Normally, I would have cheered relentlessly for Siena, seeking an upset and a little retribution for SU's two losses to Louisville this season. But since I have Louisville going to the championship game in both of my brackets, I waited anxiously for the Cardinals to get it together and win.

Does this make me a bad person? Does it make me less of a fan of the sport, and more selfishly concerned about my own competitive edge and financial gain? If it does, I'm certainly not the only one - not that it makes it okay.

There are exceptions to this rule. In my brackets, I have Syracuse losing to North Carolina in the Elite Eight. Of course, I will not actually be rooting for UNC. Syracuse's victories trump any kind of competition I could personally be in.

Does anyone else go through this internal dilemma? I've considered not doing the brackets or fantasy leagues, but they're so much fun! I always think that this year could be the year I'll win it all. Think you can do better? Wanna put $5 on it?

Thursday, March 19, 2009

...The Non-Uma Thurman Type

That's right. I have poison ivy. In March.

You may be wondering how on earth that happened. So am I. It's me - I've barely been outside in the last 6 months.

Last Sunday I had one itchy dot on my elbow that I thought was a bug bite. It slowly turned into bigger and itchier patches on both arms. At that point I thought I was having an allergic reaction to something, perhaps the new brand of drier sheets we had started using. When the spots spread further still and were definitely clustering and looking really gross, I went to the doctor thinking I had some tropical disease. She simply gave me a funny look and said it was poison ivy and there was nothing I could do about it. She also suggested that the dog may have gotten into it somewhere and that's how I got it (Note: no one else in my family has it and my mom gets poison ivy at least once a year).

I've had it for over a week and it shows no signs of stopping. New spots are still appearing - I now have them on my arms, legs, stomach and back. To add to the oddity, I even have it on that one part of my back that I can't reach no matter how much I contort my arms and shoulders. It seriously looks like I found a patch of poison ivy and rolled around in it. The doctor did assure me that I'm not contagious, so don't worry.

I had poison ivy once before. I was in 4th or 5th grade and actually had a legitimate excuse - I had been in the woods at a friend's house. I am SOOOOO itchy now and there's no way it was this bad then. If there is one thing I remember in life and love to complain about, it is my personal ailments.

I've used so much calamine lotion in the past few days that I am never going to be able to look at the color pink again. Speaking of which, calamine lotion befuddles me. How is it ALWAYS cold? Wikipedia doesn't tell me, although it does tell me that in 1992 the FDA basically said, "Nothing will ever make you stop itching. SUCKS TO BE YOU!"

So now I wait. In an itchy hell. But then again, it could be worse. I could actually be allergic to a chemical, or worse, a food. That would be terrible.

Monday, March 2, 2009

I See Dead People

Okay actually I don't. But I read about them. A lot. One of the things I am in charge of at work is our huge database of donors and participants and family members and other random connections and such. Having over 10,000 people to keep track of is a lot. When I do mailings, obviously I want to save on postage as much as I can.

Therefore, every morning I scour the obituaries on syracuse.com and see if any of my constituents or their family members have died. It's actually one of the favorite parts of my day. Usually I go through the obits first thing in the morning, so I make myself a cup of tea and settle in at my desk. Scouring through the names, I usually find at least one person per day connected to us in some way.

Reading all of the obituaries is like going through all the genres of movies or literature. There are the notices of young kids that die in car crashes or stillborn babies that make me want to cry. Then there are the 97-year-old great-grandmas who died peacefully in their sleep after a long fulfilling life.

There are several important aspects to every obituary: the life story, the surviving relatives, services, and contributions. The life story is the most varied portion. Some people have one line that says when they died and where they were from and that's it. Others have novels about their childhood through adulthood and lists every club or organization they were involved with and every pet they ever had and every every job they ever held. My goal in life (or death, I suppose) is to have a nice middle-of-the-road obituary. Sorry Pongo - you probably won't make the cut.

The "In lieu of flowers" section is the other section I notice the most. It's kind of morbid, but I always hope I'll find our name listed. Memorial donations can raise a lot of money without having to do the solicitation. Now please don't get me wrong - I obviously don't want anyone connected to us to die.

Reading the obituaries every day makes you think a lot about...well, death. It's funny those few paragraphs are the way your loved ones choose to represent you to the world. But I guess it's not really important what I think when I read the obituaries about people I don't know. What matters is how the people they knew and influenced remember them.

Remember that whole getting ahead of myself thing? Here I am, thinking about my death and how I want to be remembered and all that nonsense. Probably not what I should be focused on right now - I got a long time before that comes (hopefully).

"There's two dates in time
That they'll carve on your stone
And everyone knows what they mean
What's more important
Is the time that is known
In that little dash there in between"
-Garth Brooks, "Pushing Up Daisies

Sunday, February 22, 2009

401khaos

My most recent paycheck included my first deduction into my 401k account. Great time to start investing , right? I picked the plan our strapping young advisor, Dario, suggested, hoping to avoid as much as the market volatility as I can (yea right). It's crazy seeing how much people with a lot of money in their 401k's have lost so much recently, even those not involved in some form of Ponzi scheme. It's a little unnerving that my retirement money is in the hands of something I don't know much about.

When I noticed the deduction from my paycheck, it got me thinking about all the things I want to do in life. Places to go, people to see, all that good stuff. Several months ago Rick and I made "things to do before we die" lists. A lot of those things I'd prefer to do before I reach retirement, especially considering I'm probably going to be working until I'm 85 at this rate.

Unfortunately, a lot of those things involve money in some way shape or form. Money is scary to me. Even right now, while I live at home and have very few expenses, money is scary. I very often drift into thinking about whether I will have enough money to move out, to get married, to have kids, to retire. Talk about getting ahead of myself.

There are some things I don't hesitate to spend money on. Food seems to be one of them (surprised?). Gas to go see Rick. Paying back my loans by more than I need to so I'm done sooner. But there are many other things I can't justify spending money on. For example, CNY Blooms (I really like flowers) is coming up in March on a weekend when Rick might be here. I looked it up online to find more info - tickets are $8 each. Forget it. To me, that seems like a lot - even though I know I could afford it.

I think I'm a good saver. I've had a savings account since I was seven and rarely touch it. Direct deposit helps. And now with this 401k I'm putting money toward retirement (aka when my body catches up with my mind).

I wish, to some extent, I could think like those people who say, "You're never going to have enough money to (insert activity here), so you might as well do it now." On the other hand, to some extent I wish I could be more self-disciplined and frugal. I guess I need that happy medium. I need to be not so worried about it that it stresses me, but smart enough so I can be semi-comfortable.

After all, I am looking forward to the day when I can stay home and do crossword puzzles all day long. But I'd prefer to do it with the help of electricity and gas and all that good stuff.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Latest Adult Event: The Baby Shower

Today my mom and I went to the baby shower of a very dear friend. It's not like going to a baby shower is anything new. I've been to my fair share, but not in quite a while. For the men out there who have not been to these mystic events, baby or wedding or otherwise, don't worry. You're not missing much.

I figure there are three tiers of baby shower guests:

1) Girls under the age of 12: They spend most of the time running around and having their cheeks pinched by the resident grandmas and aunts. Their mothers usually force them into the girliest outfit they own, involving lots of pink and ruffles. Usually, they have no idea what's going on as far as the arrival of the baby is concerned.

2) Tweens & Teens: Here the constituency splits - some of these girls legitimately are really interested in the coming of the baby and the conversation of the adults - if only because they want to seem older. Some, however, were dragged by their mom to the shower, and outwardly show that they don't want to be there. Cell phones and loud sighs are crucial accessories.

3) Adults: You know you have reached this phase when you hear yourself say "Awww!" after the opening of EVERY gift - even the washcloths. Acceptable topics of conversation include pregnancy stories, children stories, where your husband is this morning stories, how good/tired/big/glowing the pregnant woman is...and that's about it. The occasional gossip about mutual friends is also shared.

While I do not feel I have completely crossed over into the "adult" category, I feel myself being initiated into their ranks. Now when the pregnancy stories are swapped, I'm pulled into them - "When you have kids you'll know..." The husband stories are substituted with boyfriend and prying minds find themselves asking all sorts of questions about our plans for the future.

Don't get me wrong. I like babies. I think baby things are adorable. However, I do not enjoy hovering bunches of women. That much estrogen in one building isn't healthy. Also, I think a girl should own more than pink (the baby who was the subject of today's shower better be a girly-girl).

Perhaps when it is friends my own age that are having children it will be different. But if you ever hear me oohing at washcloths, feel free to give me a sharp slap upside the head.

Monday, February 2, 2009

To Grow Up or Not To Grow Up

When people learned I would be graduating from SU a year early, I usually got one of two reactions. The first was the "Wow. That's kind of cool/impressive." The second was "Wow. What the hell are you thinking?"

Now that I've actually done it, the question is whether or not a regret it. What a loaded question.

Financially, I can't regret it. Saving upwards of $30,000 of tuition has obviously saved me a lot of debt. Living at home (for now) is continuing to save me money as I've started to pay of my student loans and had to buy a new car.

I also love my job - one that probably wouldn't have been open if I had waited another year. It's really a great combination of the things I liked about my policy studies and public relations majors. Plus the people I work with and the people who receive services from Enable are great.

But I have my moments. When I look at away messages on a Thursday night and they all say "At Chuck's!" When I am dragging myself out of bed on Monday morning and wistfully remembering wearing sweatpants to classes that don't start until 10. When the most riveting conversation I have of the day is about how porn interrupted the Super Bowl. Sometimes you just need to debate the policies of the U.N. or discuss the international political economy of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Perhaps what really got to me was when I started this whole blogging thing again. I went through and read my whole blog from when I was in London. To me, my experiences abroad are inextricably linked with many different things, one of those being school. To be able to say, "Hey, let's go to Paris or Stockholm or Dublin for the weekend," is something I'll probably never get to do again. I miss London tremendously, but maybe I miss what it meant to me even more.

So here I am. No longer a college student, but not quite ready to be an adult. Stuck somewhere in between. But what's done is done and there's nothing I can do about it. To be very sappy:

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

The preceding was one big self-pitying ramble. I apologize. My beginning started a long time ago, and I should probably just get on with it.

So long for now.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

An Historic Error...of Judgement if Nothing Else

Ok, I need to rant. While this whole past week has left me with a sense of great hope for our nation, I feel we are making a vital mistake. Everywhere I turn, the same phrase screams at me and sends me into panicky convulsions.

"...an historic election..."
"...an historic day..."
"...an historic inauguration..."

AN historic? Really America? Who decided that would be a good idea?

The word "an", as we all know, is used as the indefinite article before a word that begins with a vowel, replacing the word "a". I am very appreciative of "an". It allows for fluidity in conversation at times that could otherwise be very sticky. For example, "A elephant went for a interesting walk in a arboretum while carrying a old watch and a umbrella," does not exactly roll off the tongue.

Of course, "an" has another use. Some tricky words begin with consonants but, A-HA, make vowel sounds. You can't fool me, "hour" and "honor" - I'll use "an" for you as well.

Now herein lies the problem. "Historic", while beginning with an h like many of those really-a-consonant-but-sounds-like-a-vowel words, is not pronounced "istory", and therefore should not require an "an".

Dictionary.com gives me this reasoning (emphasis my own):
"the form of a before an initial vowel sound (an arch; an honor) and sometimes, esp. in British English, before an initial unstressed syllable beginning with a silent or weakly pronounced h: an historian."

I forgive the British. They do actually say "istory". Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have never heard any American say "an historian". Nor have I ever heard any American say "an history book". WHY IN GOD'S NAME IS IT CORRECT TO SAY "AN HISTORIC"?

Maybe it's not correct. Maybe EVERY media outlet has gotten it wrong. I hope so. But if not, I call upon YOU, America. To quote Gandhi, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." My wish is for the phrase "an historic" to be eradicated from the American English vocabulary (the Brits can keep it). Join me in my quest and we can create a more perfect union.

YES WE CAN!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Musings on the Inauguration

The following is a commentary on things that I really have no authority on which to comment. Take from it what you will.

The president's (God I love that - President Barack Obama) speech today was in some ways exactly what I expected, and in some ways not at all what I expected. It was decidely, and I'm sure deliberately, more somber than all of his past speeches.

"Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
"

As one of the commentators on NPR put it today, Obama didn't come out and "sing" like in his other speeches. It was his time to grow up, to move from the campaigner to the president. He made it known that there is work to be done - and work to be undone, in his not-so subtle jabs at Bush's policies. He also hinted that things are going to take longer than perhaps projected during the campaign. Unless you are very, VERY naive, this is to be expected.

It didn't matter. I, and millions around the country, hung on his every word. The speech covered all points, from the economy to health care to foreign policy to energy. Hooray for restoring "science to its rightful place"!

I'm still not quite sure what it is about Obama that intrigues me - his ideas for change, his youth, his ability to instill a sense of hope in everyone. The seriousness of his speech today made me believe he could actually DO something, that it wasn't just all talk - something I have so desperately hoped for over the past few months.

I watched the inauguration on www.cnn.com/live at work (don't tell!). And while I was able to hold back the tears (I may have shed one or two on Election Day), I was overwhelmed by the atmosphere projecting from my computer screen. This man, who 50 years ago wouldn't have been able to have a cup of coffee with his vice-president, drew almost 1.5 million people out in JANUARY. Young, old, black, white, families, college kids. The absolute joy and hope of the massive crowd was I think what got to me the most.

Some random notes:
  • My motherly instincts took over when all of the former presidents were walking out - all I could think was, "Why are all those old people not wearing hats?!" I'm glad that most later donned some form of ear covering. George H.W. Bush and Aretha Franklin certainly had the right idea.
  • I was not very happy with the people who booed Bush. I don't like him either but I would never boo him. You trying doing that job. And to the people who sang "Na na na na hey hey hey goodbye" - slightly funnier, but still inappropriate.
  • And while I am a strong supporter of the separation of church and state, sometimes I feel it is appropriate. I'm certainly not talking about Rick Warren - him I could have done without. It's one thing to talk about God in an invocation, but Jesus? Anyway, I absolutely loved the benediction given by the Rev. Joseph Lowery. American needs to ensure that "our faith does not shrink though pressed by the flood of mortal ills." Amen to that!
So now it begins - a new era for America. And hopefully it will be a new era.

"So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people: "Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet ."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Ok, So I Skipped a Year....

Right. Blogging. It's been a while. Now that I'm back from London, I'm not really sure I have anything exciting to blog about any more. But I figured I give it a go. Please notify me if I become tremendously boring.

So let me catch you up on the past year of my life, in case you missed it:
  • Came back from London and spent my last semester at Syracuse living with three great girls on Euclid. Again, I marvel at how my housing situations have worked themselves out. I've never been one to have a lot of girlfriends, but all of my roommates (and adopted roommates) have been great.
  • The semester itself was relatively uneventful. I took the standard 5 classes and did okay. Rick was gone all semester doing an internship at the State Assembly in Albany, so I only saw him every other weekend.
  • On May 11, 2008, I graduated from Syracuse University. I still haven't quite convinced myself of that fact. I had spent the last few months of the semester frantically searching for a job, to no avail.
  • On May 13, 2008 (yes, I took ONE DAY OFF after graduation - believe me, not my choice), I began working full-time as a secretary in my mom's office. Had to have that health insurance.
  • After about 3 months of checking patients out and memorizing diagnosis codes (Knee pain? 71946. Depression? 300) I stumbled across a position in the classified section at Enable and applied.
So I got the job. I am now the Donor Relations Coordinator at Enable, a non-profit that provides services for people with disabilities. My main functions are fund raising and public relations, and all that those things entail. I really like my job, and Enable is really a great organization. Plus, I have my own office!

Enable is on Court Street on the north side of Syracuse. So for now, I'm still living at home in Baldwinsville. Figured I'd should probably save some money.

So that's about it. Stay tuned for updates on the real world.