KC Makes the List!

So I was perusing the internet last night and stumbled upon this article...

10 Great Cities For Young Adults

Much to my enjoyment, Kansas City made the list!  However, I don't think they gave KC enough credit.  They talk about how the cost of living is fairly low, the job availability is pretty high, and how they are in the process of revamping Downtown, which is for the most part accurate.  I do think you have to search in the right areas to get a good deal on a place to live because some areas of the Metro are a little pricey!  The thing that I think was misrepresented was the nightlife.  For one thing, the Downtown project has already brought us Power and Light, which I have enjoyed myself several times.  I would describe the atmosphere as fun and sophisticated at the same time.  And while there is a lot more to come as they finish the project, I think that everyone forgets about the great nightlife that can be enjoyed in some of the more historic parts of Downtown KC.  Westport is a good area, sometimes it seems a little young for those of us that realize that we aren't in college anymore, but it's still a good place to go for music and a night out on the town.  Another great place to go is The Jazz District.  Not only will you get to hear some absolutely amazing music, but you can enjoy the atmosphere of one of the past-times that made Kansas City what it is today.  So head out to P&L, Westport, or Vine St. and have a great time!  That's all for me tonight, it's past my bedtime...going garage-sale hunting tomorrow morning, great deals HERE I COME!

The apartment search begins...

So I know I promised to continue my talk on "Going Green," and I will, however not right now.  You will just have to wait until later for that discussion. 

So...I'm finally working, getting paid, and starting to see a light in the distance.  You know, that light that signifies finally being out of this hole that I've dug myself into???  So this is where I begin my apartment search.  I know that I want to be out of my sister's and into my own place by the time this temporary job ends which will be around November/December.  I would like to be settled in by the time I start a new job so that I can focus on my job instead of moving.  Thus begins the search for the "right place" and of course...the "right price."  I don't want to be too far away from the area of town that my sister lives in, not necessarily to be close, but because I like this area of town in particular.  The thing I have to be careful about though is that rent will be very high the closer I am to where they live.  So I have to get far enough away that it doesn't cost me too much, but close enough that I'm not in too bad of an area.  I think I have stumbled on a couple decent places and I will check them out, but I want to make sure I have an abundant list before I look at anything.  By doing this I can have choices and compare options.  If anybody knows some good apartment complexes in Overland Park, KS shoot me a quick comment.  Also, I am on the prowl for that "more permanent job" so any inside knowledge on some job openings would be a great asset to me as well.

And since I'm on the subject, I hopefully will be having a permanent roommate!  The love of my life and my very best friend in the whole world might decide to move here to be with me!  I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much, because it is a big decision and I want him to be absolutely sure this is what he wants right now.  The thing is that we have waited so long for our paths to cross again, and I think that both of us are to the point in our lives where we are ready to settle down and want it to be with each other.  So, if this happens, that would make rent a lot cheaper because we would be a two income family!  He will be looking for Athletic Training/Personal Trainer jobs, which I know are abundant up here in the KC area, but if anybody knows of anything specific he is just out of college and has his certification too!

Well, that's my blurb for tonight.  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and if you are having to deal with that heat like I am...Stay Cool!!!!

The "Green" Thing...

So, I'm sure by now everybody has at least heard of, if not already participating in, the "Going Green" movement.  I myself have tried to do as much possible to lower my carbon footprint and I know family and friends that are doing the same.  It goes so much farther than that however, and my sister and I had a great discussion about this last week.  For her and her family, they try to do as much as they can, as long as it is also saving them money.  One thing I don't think they realize though, is how much more money they could actually save by doing a little bit of research.  For instance, she loves to use paper plates often because it saves her time, as well as not having to run the dishwasher.  My argument to this comes from things I have noticed since I've been living here with them.  1)  Ultimately, and especially because they have an energy efficient dishwasher, the cost of running the dishwasher is less than continuing to buy paper plates and throwing them away.  2)  When the family uses paper plates, they don't conserve them.  Instead of using the same plate for dessert, they will grab a new one.  3)  When the dishwasher is run, it is not full!  This just means that you are wasting the water and energy that it does take to run the dishwasher.  And you are running the dishwasher twice as much!  4)  HEATED DRY!  This is my biggest aggrivation.  I recommended that it would save energy to not use the heated dry and just open the door to let the dishes air dry.  Well, supposively my suggestion was going to be taken until my oldest niece wound up having MRSA (she is an athlete and probably got it from the gym).  Now they are going to use the heated dry because it will "kill more bacteria".  I have done research on this, and the idea that using more "heat" will kill more bacteria is nonsense.  In fact, this is also true for clothes washing machines.  Using hot water on whites will not kill any more bacteria or germs than cold water.  It is the detergent that does the killing of these germs.  Do you know how much money could be saved if everyone realized this concept and used cold water for washing clothes and turned off the heated dry on their dishwasher???  It's uncanny to think about!  Well, in an effort to extend this discussion over a period of time, I'm going to wait to introduce my next argument until my next post.  Feel free to comment, I would love to hear someone else's opinion on this topic.  Check out the links to some "Green" websites that I found. (There are also some other links in the "Check It Out" and "Did You Know" sections in the margin.)

The Daily Green

The Green Guide

Interesting Articles...

So I was going to start a discussion on the whole "going green" craze.  However, it has been awhile since I have been able to check out some of the current articles on the web, and I found several that intrigued me.  So this is going to be an open discussion on any or all of these article in this post:

What Folks With Great Credit Scores Do Right

American Dream Is Elusive for New Generation

Long Recession Ignites Debate on Jobless Benefits

Natural Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

Sleep Better For More Energy

And lastly...My favorite performance on SYTYCD this week!

Happy 4th of July!!!

I hope everyone gets to enjoy this weekend with family and friends.  The most important part about celebrating any holiday is getting to spend time with loved ones.  Today we celebrate our independence in which we declared that we were going to be a nation free of taxation without representation.  I do think it is ironic that state sales tax went up 1% this weekend, but there are certain allowances that people make to have all the "extras" we seem to "have to have" nowadays.  Of course, while taxation without representation was the primary reason for our separation from Great Britain, our fore fathers did create the foundation for a democratic nation with the intention that every single person has a voice concerning how our country is run.  I hope everyone enjoys celebrating our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness!

Happy Independence Day!!!