Thursday, January 07, 2010
The University of Baltimore (where I've applied to grad school) is taking way too long to respond. I guess if I don't hear from them by tomorrow (since it's been the 2-3 weeks they said it would take) I'll call them again Monday. I'm getting a little antsy to find out where my life is going to take me next. Though hanging out with all my good friends and my new(er) crew lately has been alleviating my impatience. I've definitely learned the importance of having good people in my life lately, for sure.
I've also been plugging away at writing; I managed to write something poem-like every day in November (thus accomplishing my goal) and while I didn't manage to send any of it out in December like I'd hoped, there are still a variety of magazines and contests whose deadlines haven't come yet. I finished a short story the other day and have written a couple poems in the short time since January started; I've also been moderately successful at starting to write in my journal regularly (again, for the thousandth time). Just need to keep it up.
And I've been out and about a lot lately too; even if it's just down to the coffee shop, my day feels more productive if I get out of the house. My latest big adventure was New Year's Eve; the parts I remember were fantastic. My birthday's coming up in a couple weeks, which should result in some more adventures if I play my cards right. Also have a vacation the third week in January and I'm tentatively working out a road trip for that. With everything going on, I've nearly forgotten to dread winter, even though we're well into it. Here's hoping the good things keep on comin'.
Posted by Rachel at 6:22 PM |
Friday, January 01, 2010
My annual New Year's-ish survey seems like a good place to start blogging again. If I actually decide to make this a habit. We'll see.
1.What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before? Got an internship, tried a long-distance relationship, took a vacation (complete with airplane flight) by myself...
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more for next (this) year? I never remember my resolutions from the year before. It probably had something to do with money, or writing, or bettering myself somehow... I've thought vaguely about resolutions for this year, and it seems like I should make some, it being a whole new decade and all.
3. What countries did you visit? Didn't make it outside of US borders in 2009.
4. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? a plan of some sort. And a smaller camera. I love mine, but it's too cumbersome for parties and bar gatherings.
5. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Etched? Hm. Since I stopped keeping a journal regularly, or updating this regularly, or setting the date and time on my camera properly, I don't remember specific dates so well. But I remember going to NYC in May. Riding with Jon on his motorcycle over the summer. Vacation in OK to visit Sarah. Other moments that I've immortalized in writings, I suppose.
6. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Procuring my internship, going on previously-mentioned solo vacation, writing a poem-type thing every day in November for NaNoWriMo.
7. What was your biggest failure? Relationships.
8. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing of note, thankfully. Hopefully this trend continues.
9. Whose behavior merited celebration? A few people.
10. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? My own, a time or two. Otherwise, no comment.
11. Where did most of your money go? Bills, I'm sure. And vacations/trips.
12. What song will always remind you of 2009? A few. Shivaree, "Goodnight Moon." La Roux, "Colourless Colour." Cold War Kids, "Passing the Hat." Michael Franti/Spearhead, "Say Hey." Toploader, "Dancing in the Moonlight." And from earlier in the year, Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" and either version of "Lollipop." And that "Let it Rock" song.
13. Compared to last year, are you:i. happier or sadder? I think happier, for sure. But I definitely had to go through some crap along the way to get here.
ii. thinner or fatter? I don't know. Probably have leveled off.
iii. richer or poorer? Well, I've spent myself down the the last few dollars in my bank account too often lately, but my savings is a little better than last year, I think.
14. What do you wish you'd done more of? partying with the Christi/Peter/Cassie crew.
15. What do you wish you'd done less of? Procrastinating, changing my mind instead of going with my gut feeling.
16. How did you spend Christmas? Christmas eve at my dad's, that night and Christmas day at my mom's, then Christmas evening in the company of various friends.
17. Did you fall in love in 2009? ...yes.
18. What was your favorite TV program? Boston Legal. Weeds wasn't bad either. And The Office.
19. What was the best book you read? I read a few memorable ones. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. Cat's Cradle by Vonnegut. The Kreutzer Sonata by Tolstoy. Some good poetry too - Loose Woman by Sandra Cisneros among others.
20. What was your greatest musical discovery of 2009? Mika! I knew of him before that, but I really like his latest album. And perhaps Pandora, though it's a little too soon to be sure.
21. What did you want and get? An internship.
22. What did you want and not get? A better job and a fresh start somewhere else. I don't regret this as much as I would've thought though. Except maybe the better job part.
23. What was your favorite film of this year? Probably "Up." It's the only one I can really remember. Avatar in 3D was an experience too, though.
24. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 23. Spent most of the day at home by myself, watched The Little Mermaid and talked to various people on the phone. Went to Olive Garden that evening with some people, and then bowling and to the bar.
25. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? I was going to say, "getting out of Saginaw," and that's probably still pretty true, but the kids I've been spending time with as of late make the town much more appealing.
26. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? Expanding. And expensive, in that I bought too many new clothes.
27. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I didn't really bother with celebrity crushes for the majority of the year. Then I saw what Mika looked like. :P
28. Who was the best new person you met? I have this problem where I meet people, but it takes me awhile to actually get to know them and realize how cool they are. So, most of the people I've discovered as being pretty cool (Christi, Peter, and Cassie again, among others for sure... :P) I knew prior to 2009. But, some of the people I've met through them would probably be on this list, if I were actually going to make it.
29. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009: I'm going to be very generic here, because these both have multiple meanings, and I don't really feel like sharing details: 1. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. 2. The street works both ways.
30. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "Seems like everywhere I go, the more I see the less I know..."
Posted by Rachel at 9:54 PM |
Monday, July 27, 2009
All attempts to keep this up to date on a more regular basis appear to have failed miserably. I am, however, writing elsewhere, working on a story among other things. My goal for the summer was to build an adequate portfolio to send out to grad schools; of course this would be the time that my muse gives me the idea for a big project that will certainly exceed the 15-20 page limit that most schools assign. So I'm kind of at a loss there, especially since most schools want me to submit only one genre (as opposed to a little poetry and a little fiction). I like both. Though I've recently decided that, slim a chance as I might have, fiction would probably be easier to get into than poetry career-wise. Either way I need to write some more stuff.
I've been working more than usual too; the last couple weeks two of the managers took vacations which meant more hours for us. I don't really care for 40-hour work weeks, but the paychecks are nice. And I get my own vacation in August (though I might try for a mini-break before then). Business has been particularly slow; they've been trying to rush the back-to-school boom but haven't been having much luck. I'm hoping it will be my last big season. I told my boss I'll be unemployed before I work another Christmas season. Hopefully I'll have a new job by then. That's the next big issue on my list. But one thing at a time.
Posted by Rachel at 11:54 PM |
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Three weeks into living at Jeff's and so far everything seems to be going all right. I haven't spent as much time being bored and lonely as I first anticipated; Jon's been driving up when I don't have to work and I've made the trek down to see him a few times as well (though I only had to drive once thus far). He starts class next week, so I imagine things will change, but I don't know how much yet.
I haven't unpacked much, just the essentials basically. My lack of space here (as compared to having a whole apartment to myself) prevents me from doing much more than that. I need to get rid of some more clothes for sure. I wish I knew some people who wore my size, lol, so I could give them to friends instead of always donating them or taking them to the consignment shop. It'd be much less work.
On the plus side, not having a lot of space to do much else has encouraged me to do more reading and writing. Strangely, work is a good place to write (on lunch break at least) because there are usually no other distractions. We'll see if anything worthwhile comes of it.
Posted by Rachel at 8:00 PM |
Friday, May 22, 2009
It's been decided (by me) that I'll be going to live with Jeff for a few months; Jon wanted me to come with him but I've decided that it's just too soon. So he's going to stay with his friend Chuck (he's going to one of the branch campuses now since the Lansing campus was already full) and we're going to try the long-distance thing.
In some ways I'm disappointed. I was very much ready to give ON my resignation notice and get out of here finally. Detroit isn't out of state but it's at least somewhere new. But I'd really just be running away, I think, because I really feel that Jon and I aren't ready for that step. Or maybe he is, but I'm not. So it looks like I'll be spending my summer lonely and bored in Carrollton... this is the first summer in a long time that I'm not actually looking forward to anything. The nice weather will be a definite plus. I'm already dreading winter; this last one was particularly long and difficult. But I don't want to think about that.
New York was fun. Didn't do much sight-seeing in favor of wandering around and shopping and such, but we did make it to Times Square, Chinatown, Little Italy, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Museum of Natural History, and at least the ferry that goes right by the Statue of Liberty. Spent some time in Central park as well - pictures are on facebook.
Guess I should probably go do something productive now.
Posted by Rachel at 11:56 AM |
Monday, April 27, 2009
Still just waiting for the time to pass, mostly. It's a crappy way to live life, wanting days and weeks of it to be over when (at least from what I keep hearing) the whole thing goes by so fast anyway.
I've cashed in some of my PTO at work to get a bigger check this week and decided to stay here at my place, alone, for one more month. I figure come June first I'll either be on my way to Lansing or else taking Jeff up on his offer to stay with him for a couple months.
Jon and I leave for New York on May 8th; it hasn't quite sunk in yet but I am getting excited for it. I haven't been on a real trip out of state since spring break last year, and I haven't been to NYC since summer of '04 (and that was only for a day). Flight and hostel are both booked and again, I'm just waiting for the time to pass.
I am delighted, however, to see that the buds on the trees are finally growing and opening up. It's actually starting to feel like spring instead of fall now. Everything seems much better when the weather is nice.
Posted by Rachel at 11:06 AM |
Monday, April 06, 2009
So it seems my roommate problems may be solved. One bit of information that I've kind of neglected to share with the class is that Jon is moving to Lansing, whether or not he gets into med school (though if he does get in it will likely be as soon as the beginning of June). And he's asked - well, more invited - me to come with him. Meanwhile the landlords are still giving me a $100/mo. break on rent, and Jeff and I have discussed the possibility of me coming to live at his place for the summer (which would help both of us out financially). The prospect of living in Carrollton is a little exciting, and the prospect of moving to Lansing even more so. I've been ready for a change of scenery for so long... So now I guess my future too depends at least in part on whether or not Jon makes it in. If he does (which seems most likely but isn't guaranteed - should find out any day now), I'll probably just deal with the rent one more month and stick it out here; if not it'll be off to Jeff's for a few months.
Part of me is ready to start packing now. I've already started to consider what I would do with my furniture and who I could ask to help me move; another part of me, despite being truly anxious to get away for easily a year now, is a little sad at the prospect of leaving. What "getting away" meant a year ago and what it means now are two entirely different things and even what's changed in the last 3-4 months is a little overwhelming sometimes. Considering the reality of truly closing this "chapter" of my life (if I were writing a book I'd call it "George Street") makes me... Well, I don't know what it makes me. Thoughtful? Ponderous? (Is ponderous even a word?) This place has become home, despite all of (or maybe because of, more accurately) the good and bad that's occurred while I've been here. Mostly good, but some of it is gone and some of that makes it a little hard to be here at times. Regardless, even though July first only makes two years, this is the longest I've been in one place since I moved out of my dad's after high school. But it feels like it's time to move on.
Posted by Rachel at 11:17 AM |
