My Favorite Post of the Year!
OK, yes, I'm doing this early but I can because it is my journal after all. A 2008 history of me according to the first lines of my LJ:
January:
First LJ line: "I find this idea very interesting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uberman%27s_sleep_schedule". The post was all about the Uberman Sleep cycle. Which is kinda interesting. I doubt it is feasible for the long term.
Summary of month: I took an independent course all about the tale of Rapunzel. One of my wonderful advisors, Professor Sprenkle, was my professors. I also graduated from college.
Best Memory: My coursework and all the reading that went with it.
Worst Memory: How very lonely I was which was made worse by all the people surrounding me. They seemed so very happy while I was so very unhappy. Many of them were freshmen as well which made me feel quite old.
February:
First LJ line: "I am never becoming romantically involved with anyone". This is actually a fairly sound idea if you have the whole background to the story.
Summary of month: Upon graduating, I went and spent a week and a half in the Seattle/Tacoma area visiting old college friends. I then returned home whereupon I moved all my stuff in and contemplated what my next step would be.
Best Memory: Visiting the Tacoma zoo with Kim and Lisa.
Worst Memory: The fear that I wouldn't find a job.
March:
First LJ line: "So, about a month after graduating college several people have been asking, "So, how's life after college." I feel somewhat prepared to answer that now. It's terrible". Well that's a chipper first line, isn't it?
Summary of Month: Confident of getting a job which I didn't end up getting, I moved out of my parents' home and into an apartment with my sister. This was probably not a good choice ( as I don't really have the funds for it), however, it has been super fun.
Best Memory: Spending lots of time with my family.
Worst Memory: The stress and worry over money.
April:
First LJ line: N/A. There are no LJ entries for April.
Summary of the Month: Mid-month I land my first out-of-college job! Hooray! Not only do I have a part-time job, it is one of my dream jobs. I start work the day after the interview at a local children's bookstore and have been working there (and loving it) ever since. I join a new church.
Best Memory: Getting hired!
Worst Memory: Money worries with the increasing realization that post-college life is sort of lonely.
May:
First LJ line: "I know I have to update legitimately but until then I want to share (and remember) the movies that I want to see that may or may not be out right now".
Summary of the Month: I continue to work at the bookstore where, with the kindliness and patience of my co-workers, learn an increasing amount about early readers, picture books, and board books. I think this is the month where the winners of the E.B. White award winners are announced. Just a random fact. I also learn that I have a lot to learn about children's books and my knowledge doesn't even begin to compare to that of my co-workers. While being somewhat discouraged, I am determined to learn as much as I can and upon meeting all my co-workers, like every single one of them and deeply respect them for the extremely knowledgeable people they are. I also attend my brother's college graduation and my friend Corin visits from Washington.
Best Memory: Spending time with my family at my brother's graduation and driving along the Pacific coast at sunset with Corin.
Worst Memory: I'm not sure about this one.
June:
First LJ line: N/A. No posts for June.
Summary: See above summary regarding work.
Best Memory: Learning more about books.
Worst Memory: Not sure.
July:
First LJ line: "One of my rare LJ posts these days. I don't really update as I have nothing to say".
Summary of Month: This is rather true, I don't have much to say. I continue to work, I help on the night of the Breaking Dawn release without reading a Twilight book in its entirety. I start to realize that I really need to get a second job.
Best Memory: Becoming more involved at work.
Worst Memory: Loneliness and worry about finding a second job.
August:
First LJ line (roughly): "Anyway, I'm still working at the bookstore and loving it".
Summary: I like my job and like working the nights of the Farmer's Market. I also take a second job as a nanny to a ten year old girl. The girl is very well-behaved and well-accomplished. She is also quite kind. I develop a very minor crush on the boy that helps sell cookies at the cookie stand. I also help host a Scooby-Doo party with my sister.
Best Memory: My sense of belonging at the bookstore and time spent with family and friends.
Worst Memory: Probably more loneliness.
September:
First LJ line: "Just looking at the course requirements for a Library Science degree scare me".
Summary: Continuing a pattern that has been happening ever since I graduate, I vacillate on whether or not to apply to grad school. I worry about funds and whether I'm cut out to be a librarian. I still have both my jobs and I start volunteering as a storyteller every other Friday at a preschool. Farmer's Market season is over. Minor crush boy goes back to college. I also take an aptitude test which confirms many thoughts I had been having towards future career options. It also explained quite a bit about life in general.
Best Memory: Reading to the kids, spending time with family.
Worst Memory: Feeling a lack of direction in life.
October:
First line: N/A
Summary: I end my job as a nanny as I am determined to start work at a temp agency while working at the bookstore. I go for a week and a half to Washington to visit friends. My sister becomes engaged.
Best Memory: Spending time in Washington with friends, going to the little endangered animal zoo with Kim and Lisa, traversing Seattle with Corin.
Worst Memory: My uncertainty about what my next step in life is.
November:
First line: "Hopefully, this is where you can find out what I'm reading and doing with my life in regards to booky things".
Summary: I start a blog about the books I'm reading. I help host a Scarlet Pimpernel party complete with wigs. I apply for a job at the local library.
Best Memory: The Scarlet Pimpernel party, the warmth and kindness shown by the Storytelling coordinator.
Worst Memory: My loneliness and unhappiness over who I'm becoming.
December:
First line: "I feel pretty pathetic right now".
Summary: Although the month is far from over I can pretty much guess what will happen. Perhaps this is unfair but there it is. I still am hoping for the library job as I think I can be of real assistance in such a position. I still very much enjoy my bookstore job. I am starting to study for GREs and, most likely, will be taking a GRE class in the Spring. The GRE will hopefully be in March. My birthday is approaching, as is my mother's, so we hope to celebrate over a family dinner.
Conclusions: I fully admit, particularly as I am filling this meme-like thing out, that while I spend at least a quarter of my time happy, I seem to spend 3/4s of it in an unhappy manner. This is not right. As my mother says, "Attitude is everything" and I imagine it is. I am deeply unsatisfied at how I have spent much of my time this year. While I have made some effort to be a part of the community through volunteering at church and reading at a preschool, I don't feel as if I have done enough for others this year. Some people are good at waiting. I am not. I think that I need to become more active not only in my community, but in my life. I need to conquer my fears, particularly as they regard social interactions, force myself into more social situations, and stop waiting around for something to happen. This year seems to be characterized most by waiting, by worrying, and by not recognizing how blessed I am. 2008 is marked by new and wonderful jobs, a new church community, and two trips to the Pacific Northwest. I do not understand why I have spent so much of it so deeply unsatisfied.
Goals: For 2009, I want to become more grateful, more aggressive in reaching out to others, gain admission to a grad school, and stay in touch more often. I must find more social outlets, whether this be through volunteering somewhere and/or through the church. It would also be nice to update my LJ a little more often.
January:
First LJ line: "I find this idea very interesting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uberman%27s_sleep_schedule". The post was all about the Uberman Sleep cycle. Which is kinda interesting. I doubt it is feasible for the long term.
Summary of month: I took an independent course all about the tale of Rapunzel. One of my wonderful advisors, Professor Sprenkle, was my professors. I also graduated from college.
Best Memory: My coursework and all the reading that went with it.
Worst Memory: How very lonely I was which was made worse by all the people surrounding me. They seemed so very happy while I was so very unhappy. Many of them were freshmen as well which made me feel quite old.
February:
First LJ line: "I am never becoming romantically involved with anyone". This is actually a fairly sound idea if you have the whole background to the story.
Summary of month: Upon graduating, I went and spent a week and a half in the Seattle/Tacoma area visiting old college friends. I then returned home whereupon I moved all my stuff in and contemplated what my next step would be.
Best Memory: Visiting the Tacoma zoo with Kim and Lisa.
Worst Memory: The fear that I wouldn't find a job.
March:
First LJ line: "So, about a month after graduating college several people have been asking, "So, how's life after college." I feel somewhat prepared to answer that now. It's terrible". Well that's a chipper first line, isn't it?
Summary of Month: Confident of getting a job which I didn't end up getting, I moved out of my parents' home and into an apartment with my sister. This was probably not a good choice ( as I don't really have the funds for it), however, it has been super fun.
Best Memory: Spending lots of time with my family.
Worst Memory: The stress and worry over money.
April:
First LJ line: N/A. There are no LJ entries for April.
Summary of the Month: Mid-month I land my first out-of-college job! Hooray! Not only do I have a part-time job, it is one of my dream jobs. I start work the day after the interview at a local children's bookstore and have been working there (and loving it) ever since. I join a new church.
Best Memory: Getting hired!
Worst Memory: Money worries with the increasing realization that post-college life is sort of lonely.
May:
First LJ line: "I know I have to update legitimately but until then I want to share (and remember) the movies that I want to see that may or may not be out right now".
Summary of the Month: I continue to work at the bookstore where, with the kindliness and patience of my co-workers, learn an increasing amount about early readers, picture books, and board books. I think this is the month where the winners of the E.B. White award winners are announced. Just a random fact. I also learn that I have a lot to learn about children's books and my knowledge doesn't even begin to compare to that of my co-workers. While being somewhat discouraged, I am determined to learn as much as I can and upon meeting all my co-workers, like every single one of them and deeply respect them for the extremely knowledgeable people they are. I also attend my brother's college graduation and my friend Corin visits from Washington.
Best Memory: Spending time with my family at my brother's graduation and driving along the Pacific coast at sunset with Corin.
Worst Memory: I'm not sure about this one.
June:
First LJ line: N/A. No posts for June.
Summary: See above summary regarding work.
Best Memory: Learning more about books.
Worst Memory: Not sure.
July:
First LJ line: "One of my rare LJ posts these days. I don't really update as I have nothing to say".
Summary of Month: This is rather true, I don't have much to say. I continue to work, I help on the night of the Breaking Dawn release without reading a Twilight book in its entirety. I start to realize that I really need to get a second job.
Best Memory: Becoming more involved at work.
Worst Memory: Loneliness and worry about finding a second job.
August:
First LJ line (roughly): "Anyway, I'm still working at the bookstore and loving it".
Summary: I like my job and like working the nights of the Farmer's Market. I also take a second job as a nanny to a ten year old girl. The girl is very well-behaved and well-accomplished. She is also quite kind. I develop a very minor crush on the boy that helps sell cookies at the cookie stand. I also help host a Scooby-Doo party with my sister.
Best Memory: My sense of belonging at the bookstore and time spent with family and friends.
Worst Memory: Probably more loneliness.
September:
First LJ line: "Just looking at the course requirements for a Library Science degree scare me".
Summary: Continuing a pattern that has been happening ever since I graduate, I vacillate on whether or not to apply to grad school. I worry about funds and whether I'm cut out to be a librarian. I still have both my jobs and I start volunteering as a storyteller every other Friday at a preschool. Farmer's Market season is over. Minor crush boy goes back to college. I also take an aptitude test which confirms many thoughts I had been having towards future career options. It also explained quite a bit about life in general.
Best Memory: Reading to the kids, spending time with family.
Worst Memory: Feeling a lack of direction in life.
October:
First line: N/A
Summary: I end my job as a nanny as I am determined to start work at a temp agency while working at the bookstore. I go for a week and a half to Washington to visit friends. My sister becomes engaged.
Best Memory: Spending time in Washington with friends, going to the little endangered animal zoo with Kim and Lisa, traversing Seattle with Corin.
Worst Memory: My uncertainty about what my next step in life is.
November:
First line: "Hopefully, this is where you can find out what I'm reading and doing with my life in regards to booky things".
Summary: I start a blog about the books I'm reading. I help host a Scarlet Pimpernel party complete with wigs. I apply for a job at the local library.
Best Memory: The Scarlet Pimpernel party, the warmth and kindness shown by the Storytelling coordinator.
Worst Memory: My loneliness and unhappiness over who I'm becoming.
December:
First line: "I feel pretty pathetic right now".
Summary: Although the month is far from over I can pretty much guess what will happen. Perhaps this is unfair but there it is. I still am hoping for the library job as I think I can be of real assistance in such a position. I still very much enjoy my bookstore job. I am starting to study for GREs and, most likely, will be taking a GRE class in the Spring. The GRE will hopefully be in March. My birthday is approaching, as is my mother's, so we hope to celebrate over a family dinner.
Conclusions: I fully admit, particularly as I am filling this meme-like thing out, that while I spend at least a quarter of my time happy, I seem to spend 3/4s of it in an unhappy manner. This is not right. As my mother says, "Attitude is everything" and I imagine it is. I am deeply unsatisfied at how I have spent much of my time this year. While I have made some effort to be a part of the community through volunteering at church and reading at a preschool, I don't feel as if I have done enough for others this year. Some people are good at waiting. I am not. I think that I need to become more active not only in my community, but in my life. I need to conquer my fears, particularly as they regard social interactions, force myself into more social situations, and stop waiting around for something to happen. This year seems to be characterized most by waiting, by worrying, and by not recognizing how blessed I am. 2008 is marked by new and wonderful jobs, a new church community, and two trips to the Pacific Northwest. I do not understand why I have spent so much of it so deeply unsatisfied.
Goals: For 2009, I want to become more grateful, more aggressive in reaching out to others, gain admission to a grad school, and stay in touch more often. I must find more social outlets, whether this be through volunteering somewhere and/or through the church. It would also be nice to update my LJ a little more often.