OMG!

Okay, so I don't have much to say tonight, but I would like to open the discussion on SYTYCD.  If anybody has been watching this season...It is amazing!  I'm curious to find out who you think will win this season.  I haven't quite narrowed it down yet, but I think that Melinda will be going home this week.  We shall see tomorrow...Until then, here is my favorite dance from this week!

First Day, and I'm Still Excited!

Well, today was officially my first day of work...And it went GREAT!!!  The type of work it is can get kind of monotonous, so I was worried I might get bored or feel like I wouldn't like it.  Ultimately it wouldn't have mattered, because no matter what, I need the job!  I'm just glad that I really did enjoy it.  Now that I have an 8-5 job, I'm still looking for other part-time work to supplement my income.  So if anyone knows of a dance studio that needs help, or any other part-time jobs that I might enjoy feel free to add a comment!  I've got to tackle these debts head on and as quickly as possible, and I believe the best way to do that is to work as much as I can and make as much money as I can for now until I can feel more comfortable living day to day.  I hope to get to the point where I can afford my own place, not have credit cards and collection agencies calling me 24/7, and go out with friends and on dates in about 3 months.  I think that is a reasonable and achieveable goal, don't you???  I have also successfully gotten my body clock back on schedule, so I can wake up early no matter what time go to sleep and not be drowsy all morning.  Speaking of successes, I upped my daily run from 1 mile to 2 miles yesterday...And today I shaved almost 2 minutes off my time!  I feel energized and ready to take on whatever life throws at me!  To everyone else out there who is struggling like me, or even worse...There is hope, you just have to know where to look and be willing to ask for help from those who love you.

The Arrival of a New Life...

Well, I have officially made it to Kansas City.  I can't say that I'm all moved in, because since I'm living at my sister's it is only temporary.  I will be able to afford my own place soon though.  I should be getting my official job offer tomorrow when I go in for my follow-up, and I will start working on Tuesday.  I hope everything goes well, I really need to have some sort of income to start working my way out of this hole.  I think that everyone goes through rough times in life, but I think everyone has a different experience and can either grow from it or retreat to old habits.  I hope that I am able to grow from this experience and once I get back on my feet again, I will be a better person.  I was watching a movie this weekend with my nieces, and yes it was on Disney Channel.  It's a movie they just premiered called "16 Wishes."  The thing that really got me about this movie was the moral of the story.  Essentially it is about spending your childhood wishing so much that you were grown up and missing out on everything that goes with being young.  Everyone does it, we all wished at some point when we were younger that we would just wake up and be adults; that our parents and everyone would quit treating us like children; that we could buy our own clothes; that we could have any car we wanted; that we lived ON OUR OWN!  All these things are great to dream about, but I think everybody gets to a point as an adult where they just wish they were a child again.  It was a time in our lives where we were innocent and care free.  The movie just made me think about how much I wish I could enjoy some of those childhood moments again.  Unfortunately, I am not magical and cannot travel back in time, so I have to settle for the memories that I still have of the "good times."  Well, it's back to work for me, but here is a question for the rest of ya'll:  What is you favorite childhood memory?

Unemployment Discussion...

I have been unemployed for almost 4 months and have been relentlessly searching for a job since before I left my previous employment. I have put in at over 100 different jobs, using many techniques: email, telephone, mail, in person, etc. Having no luck, I have scoured the internet looking for ways to improve my search. I have updated and improved my resume trying to make it more appealing to possible employers. I have adjusted my cover letter, tried multiple ways of following up trying to not be over-anxious, and even lowered my standards as to what type/level of job I am seeking. I would be happy with anything at this point. Yet, I have still had little luck. In researching the internet I have come across articles on the current unemployment crisis. Some mention that many people have stumbled upon the same problems and have literally given up. This takes them out of the count for unemployed, therefore causing the appearance of a lowering unemployment rate. So while many may say that the job market is improving, I think that it is actually the opposite. Many of these people are not only giving up the job search, but in an effort to survive, going back to school. I myself have even started considering this alternative. This raises some questions however:

Are people going back to school mainly to take advantage of financial aid?

I'm sure some of the unemployed have prepared for such an event and have a stash of emergency funds available to use in just such a scenario. I would venture to guess that, like me, several of these people have run their emergency fund dry, as well as running up balances on credit cards. So one solution might be to go back to school and utilize the leftover funds from financial aid. If you have high balances on credit cards and no job, it's very likely that you are unable to secure a loan by any other means. And, contrary to what some may think, there is almost always a few thousand leftover after your financial aid pays your tuition. I know, I received that extra for 5 years, and it came in very handy in college. So, I'm not going to lie, I have definitely thought about going back to school with this as one of my top reasons. I also like the fact that after getting another degree, such as an MBA, I have instantly increased my chances of getting hired quickly and getting offered a better paying position at the same time. Which leads me to my second question...

What degrees are most likely to get a person hired quickly into a well paying position?

For that, I have relied mostly on my research and present these articles as my answers:

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-top_paying_entry_level_jobs_for_college_grads-1303

http://www.financialnewsusa.com/finance/archives/15668-10-big-companies-that-are-adding-jobs

I have also posted these links in the margin for easier access.

If a person goes back to school now, will the job market improve enough by the time they finish their degree to make it worth it?

This is open for discussion. I'm not for sure what my answer to this question would be. I do think that no matter what the job market and unemployment rates look like, getting another degree will improve a person's chances of attaining a job. It comes with a catch though...It will only help if it is the right degree. Ultimately, I have to agree with the long time saying: It's not what you know, but who you know that counts.

Packing Like a Rat...

I finally have my boxes, probably not as big as I had planned for as few as I got, but they were free.  I will just have to strategically pack everything!  I admit though, I keep getting distracted by interesting shows on TV,  but I know that tomorrow I have more important shows to watch so I've got to get on it!  I also received a call from my parents this morning and the move date has been moved to Thursday...Time to get on it!  Is it too soon to be feeling somewhat relieved about the whole situation?  I know everything isn't for certain about the job yet, but even if that doesn't work out I know I have so many more connections in that area than I do down here.  In times like these, with the economy like it is, it really is about who you know and not necessarily what you know.  Well, I'm sorry for the short post today, but as I said before...It's time to get on it!  I included a special video for your viewing pleasure...

Gettin' My Clock Back On Schedule...

I've gotten into this really bad habit of staying up way too late, which has also lead to sleeping in way too late.  Since I'm going to be getting a job soon, I really need to get my body clock back on a normal person's schedule.  I started this week trying to make myself wake up earlier so that I am tired earlier.  I woke up at 9:30 this morning and I'm going to try to wake up at 8:30 tomorrow.  I figure that I can eventually work my way to 7:00 and if I get the job that I'm aiming for I will have to adjust that to 6:00 or 6:30.  I just don't want to make myself lose too much sleep trying to adjust my schedule.  That being said, I've got to make sure that I get to bed pretty soon tonight.  On another note, I told my parents about my situation last night.  They seemed to take it pretty well, but I could hear the disappointment in my dad's voice.  I hate knowing that I've disappointed my dad.  It's worse than him being angry with me for something.  However, now that they know, they are planning to come down and help me move.  I hope this works out like I want it to.  I agreed that I would make sure to be gone before my boyfriend goes to pick up his son for the weekend, just so that all of this isn't going on with him here.  I understand why he wants it that way, and have been planning on getting out of here Friday since he goes to pick up his son on Friday night.  My parents don't realize the importance of getting out on that particular day, but I think I convinced them that I really need to be done Friday.  Everything seems to be falling into place, so I just am going to have to trust that it will keep going as planned.  I'm getting boxes tomorrow and should be packed up by Wednesday.  Then I will get the last of everything packed on Thursday so it is ready to go.  My plan is to be well prepared and organized so the process will go smoothly and, most importantly, quickly.  Well, it's off to bed for me!

Huge Weight Off My Shoulders...

Wow!  It felt so good to tell my sister everything that has been going on.  I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.  I still have to tell my brother and my parents to fill them in on what's been going on and what my plans are, but I'm making progress.  My sister was the most important to tell because my plans include living with her, so that was why she got the big discussion first.  I'm excited to get the ball rolling on my new life.  I even had a phone interview today that went very well and the job would start immediately once I move.  I'm finally starting to make some progress on getting a plan in place to start working back out of debt, and that is the best feeling.  I know it will feel better once I actually start getting back on top of all my past due bills, but I have learned to take it one step at a time and to feel good about each accomplishment along the way.  While I'm still here, I'm trying to make the most of my time that I get to spend with my boyfriend and enjoy myself.  He is still having some trouble with the whole thing.  He finally understands that I have to do this for me and that I just don't want to hurt him worse by staying with him longer.  The fact of the matter is that I'm still leaving him, and I understand that he is going to be sad.  I just want to enjoy what I can with him because I know it's going to hurt so much when I actually leave...for both of us.  I would like to go to a movie this weekend, but I'm not for sure which one.  There are two I want to see...The A-Team and Toy Story 3.  I know I'm going to love both and I think I want to see both of them in theaters, but I don't know which one would be better to see with him while I'm here.  I would think watching A-Team with him would be best because I can watch Toy Story 3 with my family.  They might watch it before I get up there though, so I might end up having to go by myself, which I guess would be okay, but not as enjoyable.  I guess I will make a decision at some point!  One thing is for sure, I'm not going to let it stress me out...

Caught Off Guard...

So, I finally had that dreaded conversation with the guy I'm currently dating/living with...It didn't go exactly as planned to say the least, but how much can you really plan such a heavy conversation???  The first thing that threw it off is that I didn't get to start the conversation.  He had sensed that something was still wrong, as I had thought, and confronted me about it.  Instead of using that to open up the conversation that I had wanted to have in the first place, I turned into a typical emotional girl and lost sight of what I was trying to say.  As awkward and uncontrolled as I was, I managed to get my point across.  At least I thought I did.  He didn't really understand my reasoning as to why I didn't want to stay if I didn't feel the same way, and he became very angry with me, telling me I needed to get out.  Well, I started packing, but luckily the next day he calmed down and told me he did understand and he doesn't want to kick me out before I have a place to go for certain.  So now I just have to tell my sister a little bit about what has been going on with me lately and ask if I can stay with her until I can get my own place.  I do have friends that are willing to help me move, so that's a plus!  I was going to tell my sister this weekend while I was visiting, but I didn't get a chance to get it in where it wouldn't feel like I was just dropping this huge bomb on her.  I did have so much fun being with family and being back home (at least in my home state anyway).  I'm planning the move for next weekend, so hopefully I can get everything out to my sister by the end of this week so she has time to prepare for me coming to stay for a little while.  I'm excited to get back to a place where I can not only further my education but pursue my dancing again.  I miss it so much!  Anyway, I will be packing all week and hopefully I will find a job (in addition to 2 dance jobs my sister has connections for me with) before I move.  I'm finally getting back to me...It's time to find myself.  HERE I COME WORLD!!!

I'm so excited...

Tomorrow I leave for the weekend to go to my sister's and visit family.  We are all getting together for my niece's Sweet 16 on Saturday.  That girl is growing up way too fast!  She will get her driver's license next week, she will be a junior in high school next year, and she starting college visits this Spring!  She makes me feel so old sometimes.  I haven't seen my family since Thanksgiving, so it will be nice to just get away from all the stress in my life right now and spend it with people who will love me no matter what.  Plus it will give me a chance to talk to my sister about my plans to move there and pursue the job market as well as go back to school.  And for those of you who aren't keeping up with the movie scene, Karate Kid comes out this weekend, and we are all going to see it.  I'm very excited because I remember watching the original and from the previews this remake looks very good.  I also think Jaden Smith is so talented.  I will also get to see a couple of my friends who I haven't seen in years.  I think that I will be so much more relaxed after this trip, which is what I need so that I can figure out how I'm going to go about getting out of my current situation.  He actually asked me today if something was wrong, and I avoided the question because I would rather not get it before I go away this weekend.  I'm not scared that he will kick me out before I get a chance to make sure my sister is okay with me staying there, but I am scared that it would just ruin the weekend for both of us.  Ugh the drama!  I need this vacation!

The Job Search Continues...

So I think I mentioned before that I have been searching relentlessly for a job.  I had actually already started the search for something better before I lost the job I had.  I have been on this quest for 3 months, I have applied and sent resumes for over 100 different openings, and I've managed only a few interviews for which I was notified afterward that they were considering others for the position.  It's a very frustrating process and even though I know that I'm not the only one that is having a hard time finding work, sometimes I feel alone just the same.  I beginning to think that those positions for which I'm qualified for, I'm actually over-qualified for.  Personally, I would be happy with any job as long as it paid me, but it's as if they think I'm going to demand to get an unreasonable pay rate and then come in and try to take over the place!  I'm not saying that some people wouldn't, but in a time where everybody is having difficulty finding a job (and keeping it) you would think that most businesses would understand how desperate people are right now.  Well, enough complaining...I've decided that I'm going to increase my marketing potential.  I'm going to go back to school and get my MBA.  I've been exploring several different options, and of course in today's world several of those options are online.  It's amazing the number of degrees and certificates you can get strictly online without any visits to a physical campus.  I'm unsure that I want to get my MBA strictly online.  In fact, I think I would prefer the extra attention of attending campus classes.  Everyone is different, but I always focus better when I don't have any other distractions.  At home I can easily be distracted by television, other people, or the most likely distraction...the internet.  There is actually a really great MBA program at a university where my sister lives, so I could actually combine moving to a new place with going to grad school.  However I end up getting my degree, the result will be an extremely higher chance of landing a job more quickly.  I've been reading up on the job market possibilities and the probability of getting a higher paying career.  It seems there are several big companies that are projecting hiring hundreds, even thousands of new employees in the very near future.  I have also read about the majors and degrees that not only have a better chance of getting hired shortly after graduation, but also average higher starting salaries for new grads in the workforce.  I like the idea of being better prepared and stabilizing my future.  I still have a lot of decisions to make, but things seem to be getting clearer as I figure out what direction I want to go with my life and how I'm going to make it happen.

Top-Paying Entry-Level Jobs For College Grads

10 Big Companies That Are Adding Jobs

Figuring Out The Basics...

So here's the deal.  My friends introduced me to this guy who they thought was just perfect for me.  As much as I was hurting from my ex, this new guy was attractive and he seemed very nice, so I figured I would at least give it a chance.  We ended up really hitting it off and even though he lived about an hour away, we spoke or texted for several hours every day for the first couple weeks.  Due to my situation, he graciously offered to let me move in.  I know what your thinking...WHAT?!?!?!?...and yes I do realize how inappropriately fast it was, but I had no other place to go so I moved in.  I have been here for a month now and things have been going well.  He's a really great guy and I like him a lot, but the thing is, I don't see it going anywhere.  So I have started to think of other options.  I feel like I'm just using him if I'm not really going to want a relationship with him, you know?  He has been a great help in starting to get me back on my feet.  I've managed to sell enough stuff to pay over half of my past due phone bill and my entire past due car insurance, and he has been instrumental in helping me to do that.  But other than being very grateful to him, I just am not feeling it.  So I've been thinking about moving in with my sister who lives 4 hours away from here. I think that it would be a better place for me to make a new start and she has already been talking about jobs that would be available for me if I lived there, which is something I'm in desperate need of as well.  I'm going up this weekend to visit for my niece's Sweet 16, so I'm going to talk with her about putting me up until I can afford my own place.  My real problem is figuring out how to tell him...although I think he senses that something is not right between us, he has been acting very odd lately.  I just want my life to be simple again...I hate all this drama!

Hello to all...

So I thought it would be nice to start you out with a summary of the recent events in my life.  I recently was in a relationship in which I lost myself.  I gave up everything to make this man happy.  I purchased a brand new vehicle for him with insurance in my name.  He moved in with me, yet he never contributed a single penny to any rent or bills.  I gave him money several times so that he could pay child support, only to find out all that money was used gambling.  I added him to my cell phone plan, and he racked up $1000 on my bill.  When I lost my job he seemed sincere on helping me out, which later I found out meant that he started sleeping around with other girls to get money (which I never saw a penny of either).  So when I finally had enough and came to my senses, I voluntarily surrendered the car (which he never made a payment on in 3 months), packed his stuff, and suspended service to his phone.  After all of it was over I was left single, unemployed, homeless, and about $3000 past broke.  Since then my friends introduced me to a guy who graciously gave me a place to live while I get back on my feet.  I've sold several things to pay past due bills, and am still trying to get out of that hole.  I have been relentlessly searching for a job, and despite having sent in over 100 resumes I have still not found one.  My current situation is confusing and still stressful, but I'm taking it one day at a time.  I can only hope that I never lose sight of myself or my own aspirations to forward those of someone else.  It's time to look out for number one.