Makeover?

I'm getting braces and it's time for a make-over. Nothing extreme. My mom says I need to get my teeth fixed, and her insurance will cover part of it now. I guess I want to reinvent myself physically. Contacts again, too.

I'm going to continue what I started years ago. I will get in shape, do more tfp shoots, and find my way into a minor modeling career. Ha, we'll see if I follow through this time.

Went to Anthro again today. Exchanged yesterday's Ipanema dress (though I had my eyes on it for more than a month!) for another dress on sale (today, a huge sale so I'm glad I returned a second day in a row), a sweater and a beaded belt. And, they credited $0.10 to my debit card, so though miniscule, I still paid less for those three things than the one dress. If I have money when we're in Austin, I hope to check out their location. Speaking of which, I met a manager at Anthro today who filled me in on the status of the Canal location. He'll be helping open our new one and he told me when to come in for open recruiting! So, fingers crossed!

I am self-employed. I am a freelance writer.

For help as I begin this transition. http://freelanceswitch.com/working/time-wasters-fight-time-wasting/

I have a couple of fashion piece gigs. I'm going to take a sample assignment from a sports magazine. And, my rant about my dad's facebook obsession will be gracing invadenola's next issue.

Jesse and Mia made fun of me for my desperate cover letter answering a craigslist post for sports writer, but I got a reply and they want me to work on something their putting together to test me. It's a test piece so they can see my comfort with sports coverage so I'm going to try to learn about football, baseball, soccer, volleyball, et al so I can nail this assignment!

I'm actively looking for a job, but for now, babysitting and freelancing isn't too bad. I'd rather only be freelancing, but I can't afford that life.

Went to Anthropologie today. Spent too much, but got out before I did some serious damage. At least I got 15% off for my birthday.

Finding a neighborhood garden in NOLA

http://invadenola.com/2010/06/28/eat-local-and-learn-to-cook/

Networking sites: regarding parents, facebook and the like

"I respect that your facebook acquaintances are people that you are able to converse with, to have dialogue with about important, global matters. I'm just saying that this type of communication isn't and shouldn't be a substitute for in-person interactions and real discussions."

That's why we say "I'm friends with him/her on facebook." Specifying this denotes a difference from traditional and psychological friendship. Friendship is often physical as well; you meet and meet with your acquaintances who then transition into friends. It doesn't have to be physical though: a pen pal can be a friend. But, online networking has changed this because of the field on which it is played. Friendship on sites like facebook, myspace and twitter are less established.

Internet studies indicate that online relationships between two parties are likely to involve one or both individuals' characters, inhibitions, and actions warped from what otherwise might be the case in the physical world. Online, you are able to take on a role, an alter-ego, a fantasy. This desire is not only fated to online-gamers playing Multi-Player Role-Playing Games (MPRPGs), like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy. It affects a large majority of internet community members. This is part of the same reason that people who wear masks (e.g., masquerade balls or robberies) do things with less, if not no, regard for moral implications and negative consequences.

Regarding facebook, when my father defended his hermetic and addict-like behavior, I attempted to reason that his social skills were less than mainstream or orthodox, but that ensued in a heated argument. Unable to talk about it on Skype (another internet application of communication) without becoming frustrated, I texted him the quoted above. I think that our parents, of a generation who did not grow up with these technological applications, are encountering them in different, amusing, and sometimes detrimental ways.

At 24, I realize, there are just some mediums I am unable or unwilling to use. While our parents are capable of utilizing the same en vogue sites, they should be able to balance their post-facebook lives and the rate of wall notifications.

Grad school, new apartment, vacay with family

I just finished FAFSA! Kind of sad that I'm so excited about that. I'm really embracing this adult thing. Well, it took a lot less time than I remember doing since I'm no longer a dependent of my parents. And, I can't wait to hear back to see if it's possible for me to get a grant to attend UNO. I received an email today telling me that the Graduate Assistantships (3 in Spanish) are filled at this time, but it encouraged me to apply anyway. I don't understand how I can though when the application requires one UNO professor's recommendation. I guess I may wait until after my first semester if I can do that. So if I don't get some FAFSA money, I'll have to pay my tuition myself because I refuse to take out more loans, and my mom paid a lot for the 4.5/5 years I was at Loyola. It's not so bad though; it's about $2000 a semester with a full load, if I'm not mistaken. I do hope I can work at Anthropologie.

Jesse and I decided take an apartment that opens on August 22. It's a while a way, but it is going to end up being much more feasible and financially beneficial for us. It's on the 18th floor of the Carondelet highrise we've been looking at the last week. I'll go in Monday to drop off the necessary documents, but I will write more about that later.

My mom, Mia, Jesse, and I are going to Biloxi tomorrow until Sunday. A short, albeit anticipated weekend trip. I do have to do some research for the articles I'm writing, but other than that, it'll be relaxing and fun-filled...unless BP has anything to do with it! Maybe I'll get an update here or two in. I also need to do some letter-writing soon. I've been babysitting so much, which is great for my income, but I haven't got to write thank yous and update letters to my friends, especially after reading books that I've been wanting to/got for my birthday. This upcoming week my schedule's more open though; only two days of babysitting and lunch with one or two people.

Okay, good night for real.

Ashamed, but happy. Not a good combo, but...

We're moving! New apartment in the CBD. http://www.200carondelet.com/index.html

A nice, tiny 1BR. More to follow.

Unfortunate news is that I'm hitting a roadblock with job searching. I may just need to find something in the food industry since even my retail seeds have not reaped anything yet. Should I hold out for Anthropologie when I will have bills to pay very soon? I'd like to, but I don't think I should.

UNO: still unofficially in. The head of the department replied to an email inquiry of mine with "I am confident that you will be able to start in Fall 2010." But, no word on graduate assistantship either.

With this new apartment, I need to have something lined up. I am doing these two fashion freelance jobs, but that won't pay anything but my electricity bill.

My favorite things

I've been up because I'm taking a trip down memory lane. This seems sparked by my self-reflection and introspection due to my job situation. I'm trying to figure out what exactly I want to do with myself until I start my Master's (and hopefully during) and how I should go about doing it. Consequently, some of the goals of my idealistic and reckless youth are resurfacing and of course, I can't not be reminded of the music which used to be soundtrack to my life.

As I go back and forth between Muse, Corinne Bailey Rae, Blonde Redhead, Yael Naim, among others, I can't help but feel that I miss my former self. I mentioned this to Jesse, questioning if he felt the same from time to time. I miss how overly-emotional and passionate I was about things. I couldn't make myself get that way if I tried my hardest today. Jesse said that he thinks we're more alive at that age. And, in response to my statement that I've been jaded [by life], he said that in high school, maybe we think adulthood will just be a continuation of what school was. Boy, were we ever so wrong!

I just miss the spectrum of emotions I once had--for better or worse--and I know it was more normal at that age to have them than it is now (and my spectrum ran the gamut!).

And, it's not that I'm not desirably content with my life. I have a really good life. I'm happy with Jesse. We're more or less comfortable financially, save a few medical or car maintenance issues that pop up sporadically. I'm not at all insinuating that lack of tempermentality equals mediocrity. I do find my life exciting at times; I just don't have the same reactions I once did.

Well, I should go to sleep. Got adult stuff to do tomorrow, like work on my fashion sample for Invade NOLA! Yay adulthood?! Yea.