One would think that having all the free time in the world would create a flexible schedule to accomplish some traveling. That would be fabulous if traveling didn't require money. Such a Catch-22...I can't travel without money from a job, and if I have a job, I don't have the time to travel. Sheesh!
Well a quick fix to this problem is to make your friends visit you.
I've discussed before how I don't have any friends where I am living right now. This makes nights and weekends quite dull. I often dream about escaping to visit friends, have some real bonding time with those closest to me, etc. But have you seen how much plane tickets cost these days? And if also, most my friends live at least five hours away by car. Therefore, friends coming to you is a win-win situation.
About a week and a half ago, my friend Matt came to visit me from Ann Arbor. Matt is one of my closest friends from grad school so needless to say, I had really missed him since I left Michigan. When your friends visit you, you can offer them free lodging, chauffeur service, and food.
Not even ten minutes after Matt arrived on Friday night, I immediately drove him to a local Irish pub. This place had been hoppin' all summer long, always packed with people inside and out. Everyone looked so happy... and while you can drink at home alone, drinking at a bar alone can raise questions. So as soon I had a friend, I took him out to join the other social people in the area. What a great way to catch up! Matt and I also have that friendship where I can literally sit with just him for hours and never run out of things to talk about. We can talk about serious health care issues, or we can laugh at life's absurdities. He also knows me very well, so as a gift, he brought me a bottle of Smirnoff Cosmopolitan mix (vodka and juice already mixed together). We went back to my house and stayed up til 2 AM! 2 AM!! I haven't stayed up that late in months.
Because Matt had only been to Niagara Falls once when he was a young child, I knew I had to take him out there. We spent a hot, sunny afternoon at the Falls, and I even took him on the Maid of the Mist boat ride (his first time on that). With great views of the American and Canadian Falls, Matt had now seen one of the greatest natural wonders of the world. Not a shabby vacay folks.
After that, we were a little tired from walking in the heat, so I took him on a driving tour through downtown Buffalo. I don't know where everything is and I can't point out fun facts, but I think my friend Grace would be proud. (She's from Buffalo and I usually hire her to show my guests around. Now that's she's in DC, I miss her!!!) And we concluded the tour at the Anchor Bar, home of the Original Buffalo Chicken Wing.
Sadly Matt couldn't stay longer, but the joy of having spent time with a dear friend still remains. Hopefully I can persuade many more people to come out here.
Helpful websites =>
Southwest Airlines: http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/routemap_dyn.html?int=GSUBNAV-AIR-ROUTEMAP
You can conveniently fly Southwest Airlines (my all-time favorite airline) straight to the Buffalo Airport, which is conveniently located about 10-15 minutes from my house.
Buffalo Tourism: http://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/
Niagara Falls: http://www.niagara-usa.com/
Song of the Day: "Fake Your Way to the Top" from the Dreamgirls soundtrack (my last movie choice)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Idea #17: Watch movies
Just like rediscovering music, unemployment is a time to watch your movie collection. TV is boring sometimes, and you can't afford to rent the new movies or maintain a Netflix account. That's why this is a good time to dig into your own collection.
If you are a child of the 80s and 90s, then you probably have a solid collection of VHS tapes. I have a ton of Disney movies and Muppet movies all on VHS. I also have put together my own collection of DVDs since I started college. When you need something short and reliable, TV shows on DVD are always useful. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've watched my Friends and Sex and the City DVDs. Ever since I was listening to the soundtrack, I've had a strong desire to watch my Sister Act 2 DVD, so that's on the agenda for tonight.
This idea is especially recommended for those unemployed who live in areas without friends. Movies are a great distraction from the social isolation you're living in.
Plus if you agree with my recent ranting about how the movie theater experience is disappointing, you just can't beat the convenience and luxury of watching movies from the comfort of your own couch.
Other hits in my collection:
Love Actually
The Holiday
The Wedding Singer
Legally Blonde (that movie never gets old)
I seem to have quite the girly movie collection.....
Put on your sweats, grab some popcorn that did NOT cost $6 and enjoy!
Song of the Day: "Memories" by David Guetta feat. Kid Cudi
PS. David Guetta seems to be all over the radio right now in a variety of collaborations...and I'm loving all of them.
If you are a child of the 80s and 90s, then you probably have a solid collection of VHS tapes. I have a ton of Disney movies and Muppet movies all on VHS. I also have put together my own collection of DVDs since I started college. When you need something short and reliable, TV shows on DVD are always useful. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've watched my Friends and Sex and the City DVDs. Ever since I was listening to the soundtrack, I've had a strong desire to watch my Sister Act 2 DVD, so that's on the agenda for tonight.
This idea is especially recommended for those unemployed who live in areas without friends. Movies are a great distraction from the social isolation you're living in.
Plus if you agree with my recent ranting about how the movie theater experience is disappointing, you just can't beat the convenience and luxury of watching movies from the comfort of your own couch.
Other hits in my collection:
Love Actually
The Holiday
The Wedding Singer
Legally Blonde (that movie never gets old)
I seem to have quite the girly movie collection.....
Put on your sweats, grab some popcorn that did NOT cost $6 and enjoy!
Song of the Day: "Memories" by David Guetta feat. Kid Cudi
PS. David Guetta seems to be all over the radio right now in a variety of collaborations...and I'm loving all of them.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Update: Tax reminder
Those of you who have never been unemployed have always been accustomed to a paycheck and all the taxes that come out of it. I was in grad school for two years and have been unemployed for over three months. That's a long time without a paycheck (no matter how small) for a 40 hour work week.
I'm currently in the middle of my second week at the temp job and I got my first paycheck for last week. FINALLY, I earned some money all on my own. And while I didn't forget that taxes exist, I had not predicted that they would cost me 1/4 of my gross income.
You know what's gross? 10% of a paycheck going to federal taxes.
Ironically, I was watching an episode of Friends last night from Season 1. Rachel gets her first paycheck and says "Who is this FICA guy and why is he taking all my money?"
I'll be honest with you all...to this day, I still have trouble with my W-4 forms. I've filled out a lot of them in my life and I still get confused with the exemptions and what to write down. All I know is that I like to have the most taxes taken out because I don't want to owe anything before April 15. So I should have been more prepared to lose my earnings to the government. It still sucks though.
The benefit to all of this: At least the temp job is getting me re-acclimated to the working world again. I wake up at 6:30 instead of 8 in the morning. I pack my lunch. I sit in an office for 40 hours a week. And now, I lose money to that FICA guy.
Song of the Day: "Just Got Paid" by Johnny Kemp or NSYNC
I'm currently in the middle of my second week at the temp job and I got my first paycheck for last week. FINALLY, I earned some money all on my own. And while I didn't forget that taxes exist, I had not predicted that they would cost me 1/4 of my gross income.
You know what's gross? 10% of a paycheck going to federal taxes.
Ironically, I was watching an episode of Friends last night from Season 1. Rachel gets her first paycheck and says "Who is this FICA guy and why is he taking all my money?"
I'll be honest with you all...to this day, I still have trouble with my W-4 forms. I've filled out a lot of them in my life and I still get confused with the exemptions and what to write down. All I know is that I like to have the most taxes taken out because I don't want to owe anything before April 15. So I should have been more prepared to lose my earnings to the government. It still sucks though.
The benefit to all of this: At least the temp job is getting me re-acclimated to the working world again. I wake up at 6:30 instead of 8 in the morning. I pack my lunch. I sit in an office for 40 hours a week. And now, I lose money to that FICA guy.
Song of the Day: "Just Got Paid" by Johnny Kemp or NSYNC
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Idea #16: Books....a 20th century comeback
While I do appreciate you reading my blog, I'd like to discuss the old tradition of reading....from a BOOK!
No Kindle, no online newspapers, no sifting through emails. I'm talking about turning off the electronics and reading an actual book. Pleasure reading goes out the window when in school because textbooks and papers take away that privilege. Working full time certainly occupies a great deal of time, and then there are usually errands, exercise, dinner etc plans that fill the evenings. But if you have the time for it, nothing beats escaping the everyday doldrum like picking up a great book.
My goal for unemployment was to read some classics that I didn't get a chance to read in high school. I attempted to read "The Sun Also Rises" by Hemingway, but could only get through 2/3 of it. So the classics are on the shelf at the moment as I read the Steig Larsson series that have become huge hits this year. Thanks to my friend Jeff, I am now addicted to them. I finished the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the Girl who Played with Fire and have begun the third book in the series. I’m not used to reading a lot of suspense thrillers, but these are well-written and intriguing.
I couldn't leave Jeff hanging so I gave him the push toward the Dan Brown books that I am surprised he hadn't read before. After enjoying Angels and Demons, he's moved onto the Da Vinci Code.
Here are some other good book recommendations:
The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns - not light reading but beautifully written. Both were really moving reads and also a great glipse into life in Afghanistan.
The Catcher in the Rye - I never read this in high school surprisingly, but I did finally read it 5 years ago and it really is amazing.
The Shopaholic series - great girly books and quick reads
Here's something I don't recommend:
I recently read the original “Sex and the City” book by Candace Bushnell. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve seen all the TV episodes or if the book just sucks on its own, but I basically wish I hadn’t bothered to read it.
Random info for the day:
As of today, the number one best-seller in hardcover fiction is "The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Steig Larsson (what I'm reading now).
As of today, the bestselling children's book is "Lego Star Wars" by Simon Beecroft.
The world's largest volcano is Mauna Loa in Hawaii.
There is such thing as the International Coffee Agreement and the US is a part of it.
Wahoo. Tuco-tuco. Reebok. All real animals.
Song of the Day: "Til the Dawn" by Drew Sidora
No Kindle, no online newspapers, no sifting through emails. I'm talking about turning off the electronics and reading an actual book. Pleasure reading goes out the window when in school because textbooks and papers take away that privilege. Working full time certainly occupies a great deal of time, and then there are usually errands, exercise, dinner etc plans that fill the evenings. But if you have the time for it, nothing beats escaping the everyday doldrum like picking up a great book.
My goal for unemployment was to read some classics that I didn't get a chance to read in high school. I attempted to read "The Sun Also Rises" by Hemingway, but could only get through 2/3 of it. So the classics are on the shelf at the moment as I read the Steig Larsson series that have become huge hits this year. Thanks to my friend Jeff, I am now addicted to them. I finished the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the Girl who Played with Fire and have begun the third book in the series. I’m not used to reading a lot of suspense thrillers, but these are well-written and intriguing.
I couldn't leave Jeff hanging so I gave him the push toward the Dan Brown books that I am surprised he hadn't read before. After enjoying Angels and Demons, he's moved onto the Da Vinci Code.
Here are some other good book recommendations:
The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns - not light reading but beautifully written. Both were really moving reads and also a great glipse into life in Afghanistan.
The Catcher in the Rye - I never read this in high school surprisingly, but I did finally read it 5 years ago and it really is amazing.
The Shopaholic series - great girly books and quick reads
Here's something I don't recommend:
I recently read the original “Sex and the City” book by Candace Bushnell. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve seen all the TV episodes or if the book just sucks on its own, but I basically wish I hadn’t bothered to read it.
Random info for the day:
As of today, the number one best-seller in hardcover fiction is "The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Steig Larsson (what I'm reading now).
As of today, the bestselling children's book is "Lego Star Wars" by Simon Beecroft.
The world's largest volcano is Mauna Loa in Hawaii.
There is such thing as the International Coffee Agreement and the US is a part of it.
Wahoo. Tuco-tuco. Reebok. All real animals.
Song of the Day: "Til the Dawn" by Drew Sidora
An add on to Idea #15
My blog, my pondering...I had a few more things to add...
1. Back to the movies...what's the deal with the previews? I thought the concept of a preview was to show you a snippet of an upcoming feature. Make you guess about what will happen, peak your interest, tickle your tastebuds. NOT GIVE THE WHOLE MOVIE AWAY!
Case in point: I was never going to see Jennifer Aniston's new movie "The Switch", but now I really can't go see it. I had only seen commercials before and from that I was able to deduce that Jennifer and the male lead were best buds and would fall in love by the end. But with the preview, you see that the sperm she was going to use to get inseminated and have a baby with, gets replaced by her best friend. But she thinks it's the other guy, and then fast forward a few years, and the kid is now old enough to clear be a spawn of the best friend not original sperm donor man. But the sperm donor and the best friend both want to date Jennifer...blah blah blah. You know the whole plot of the movie. And last time I checked, romantic comedies all ended on a positive note. Clearly, the best friend and Jennifer figure out that it's actually his sperm that made this kid, and obviously they should date and fall in love and be together forever.
2. Second point about movies, WHY DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO BE IN 3D?!!!
3. This isn't a rant, but I did find awesome youtube videos of a guy named Matt Steffanina who is an incredible dancer. This is his youtube page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/MattSteffanina#p/u/28/49cP1HzbnTM
If you like dancing it's worth watching his videos, plus he has tutorials for you to learn the steps.
Song of the Day: "Safety Dance" by the Glee cast
1. Back to the movies...what's the deal with the previews? I thought the concept of a preview was to show you a snippet of an upcoming feature. Make you guess about what will happen, peak your interest, tickle your tastebuds. NOT GIVE THE WHOLE MOVIE AWAY!
Case in point: I was never going to see Jennifer Aniston's new movie "The Switch", but now I really can't go see it. I had only seen commercials before and from that I was able to deduce that Jennifer and the male lead were best buds and would fall in love by the end. But with the preview, you see that the sperm she was going to use to get inseminated and have a baby with, gets replaced by her best friend. But she thinks it's the other guy, and then fast forward a few years, and the kid is now old enough to clear be a spawn of the best friend not original sperm donor man. But the sperm donor and the best friend both want to date Jennifer...blah blah blah. You know the whole plot of the movie. And last time I checked, romantic comedies all ended on a positive note. Clearly, the best friend and Jennifer figure out that it's actually his sperm that made this kid, and obviously they should date and fall in love and be together forever.
2. Second point about movies, WHY DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO BE IN 3D?!!!
3. This isn't a rant, but I did find awesome youtube videos of a guy named Matt Steffanina who is an incredible dancer. This is his youtube page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/MattSteffanina#p/u/28/49cP1HzbnTM
If you like dancing it's worth watching his videos, plus he has tutorials for you to learn the steps.
Song of the Day: "Safety Dance" by the Glee cast
Monday, August 9, 2010
Idea #15: Ponder about random things
Unemployment = a lot of free time. Without a full time job that actually applies to my graduate degree and the need to apply my brain to something (besides job applications), one tends to let her mind wonder. Here are some of my recent thoughts:
1. In recent times of online dating sites, the Rules, and games that men and women play, I couldn't help but wonder...how did cave people find someone? Think about it. There were no long distance relationships. People didn't worry about birth control. And I bet you the cavemen appreciated the cavewoman's body just the way it was. How did we become so obsessed with the details? I have spent many hours discussing the innerworkings of the male mind with many of my girlfriends. I'm continually surprised by the dumb and amazing things that guys do, and I recognize the craziness that is the female mind. But what if we referred to a simpler time and just stopped worrying? Would it be easier? Or would we settle with the first partner we find and never be able to explore our options?
2. Why is Justin Bieber writing a memoir when he is only 16?
3. I want to go to Las Vegas. How do you decide what hotel is the best to stay at? I keep seeing commercials to visit Vegas and it all looks so exciting. But it's also a sensory overload. So many hotels, attractions, places to eat...how do you decide? And why are people getting married in the pool in the commercial?
4. MTV - First off, I don't care for Angelina on the Jersey Shore. Teen Mom is an addicting show (as mentioned in an earlier post). I'm sick of Heidi and Spencer. We all knew that marriage wouldn't last and it's her fault she's friendless. I really wish the media would stop mentioning anything about them.
5. Is it weird that I will stare at any wedding photos I find on facebook? Even if I don't know the people who are getting married.....?
6. Recent music re-discovery: The Bodyguard soundtrack. (And yes, I did blast "I will always love you" and sing along in my car)
7. Going to the movies. This weekend, my mom and I went to see "The Other Guys". I thought it was going to be hilarious. It ended up having more of a political undertone to it, and I didn't laugh out loud nearly as much as I was hoping to. But the more outrageous thing to ponder is the PRICE of movie tickets. When I was in middle school, my mom and I paid $3 each to see a matinee. On Saturday, we spent $8 each on the matinee. No it's not the end of the world price-wise, but come on! The movie wasn't even that good. And frankly, with the exception of Toy Story 3 (which you must go out and see) and Inception (which I enjoyed but was too much of a thinker for my parents), I haven't seen a good movie in the theater in a LONG time. Even Sex and the City 2 was a complete fail. In today's era of Netflix, renting/buying movies on Itunes, and dvds, you would think that the movie industry would want to hold onto its consumers, and create incentives for going to the movies. I know the big blockbusters will always get people to the theater, but what about the other movies? Plus, even when there is a big movie out, people still say that they'd rather wait till it comes out on DVD or that they just don't want to spend the movie to go out. For my entire family to have an outing to the movies, it would be $8 x 4 = $32! Just for the movie tickets, and if the movie sucks, that money is down the drain. Also, let's talk about the cost of snacks. My parents and I thought we'd split a SMALL bag of popcorn, but the small bag was $6, and on principle I refused to buy it. Thankfully when my mom and I went this past Saturday, I remembered to pop my own popcorn at home and smuggle it in.
I thought America's unhealthy foods were supposed to be cheaper... guess not while you are at the movies. Since those damn commercials for Eat, Pray, Love haven't stopped, I'm recommending a group boycott of the movie theater business in general. If I know one thing about economics, it's that supply gets cheaper if demand goes down. Which leads me to another idea for unemployment....protesting!!
8. One more comment on movies....why are the sequels often much worse than the original? The only true exceptions where the second movies were better (and they are not part of a triology) were Short Circuit 2 and Sister Act 2.
Songs of the Day: The theme songs from Beverly Hills Cop, Rocky, Ghostbusters, James Bond, Jurassic Park and Back to the Future.
Information for the day:
Tulsa, OK is the 47th largest city in the US.
Popcorn was discovered by Native Americans.
Website:
http://www.wheresgeorge.com/
You can track your dollar bill!
1. In recent times of online dating sites, the Rules, and games that men and women play, I couldn't help but wonder...how did cave people find someone? Think about it. There were no long distance relationships. People didn't worry about birth control. And I bet you the cavemen appreciated the cavewoman's body just the way it was. How did we become so obsessed with the details? I have spent many hours discussing the innerworkings of the male mind with many of my girlfriends. I'm continually surprised by the dumb and amazing things that guys do, and I recognize the craziness that is the female mind. But what if we referred to a simpler time and just stopped worrying? Would it be easier? Or would we settle with the first partner we find and never be able to explore our options?
2. Why is Justin Bieber writing a memoir when he is only 16?
3. I want to go to Las Vegas. How do you decide what hotel is the best to stay at? I keep seeing commercials to visit Vegas and it all looks so exciting. But it's also a sensory overload. So many hotels, attractions, places to eat...how do you decide? And why are people getting married in the pool in the commercial?
4. MTV - First off, I don't care for Angelina on the Jersey Shore. Teen Mom is an addicting show (as mentioned in an earlier post). I'm sick of Heidi and Spencer. We all knew that marriage wouldn't last and it's her fault she's friendless. I really wish the media would stop mentioning anything about them.
5. Is it weird that I will stare at any wedding photos I find on facebook? Even if I don't know the people who are getting married.....?
6. Recent music re-discovery: The Bodyguard soundtrack. (And yes, I did blast "I will always love you" and sing along in my car)
7. Going to the movies. This weekend, my mom and I went to see "The Other Guys". I thought it was going to be hilarious. It ended up having more of a political undertone to it, and I didn't laugh out loud nearly as much as I was hoping to. But the more outrageous thing to ponder is the PRICE of movie tickets. When I was in middle school, my mom and I paid $3 each to see a matinee. On Saturday, we spent $8 each on the matinee. No it's not the end of the world price-wise, but come on! The movie wasn't even that good. And frankly, with the exception of Toy Story 3 (which you must go out and see) and Inception (which I enjoyed but was too much of a thinker for my parents), I haven't seen a good movie in the theater in a LONG time. Even Sex and the City 2 was a complete fail. In today's era of Netflix, renting/buying movies on Itunes, and dvds, you would think that the movie industry would want to hold onto its consumers, and create incentives for going to the movies. I know the big blockbusters will always get people to the theater, but what about the other movies? Plus, even when there is a big movie out, people still say that they'd rather wait till it comes out on DVD or that they just don't want to spend the movie to go out. For my entire family to have an outing to the movies, it would be $8 x 4 = $32! Just for the movie tickets, and if the movie sucks, that money is down the drain. Also, let's talk about the cost of snacks. My parents and I thought we'd split a SMALL bag of popcorn, but the small bag was $6, and on principle I refused to buy it. Thankfully when my mom and I went this past Saturday, I remembered to pop my own popcorn at home and smuggle it in.
I thought America's unhealthy foods were supposed to be cheaper... guess not while you are at the movies. Since those damn commercials for Eat, Pray, Love haven't stopped, I'm recommending a group boycott of the movie theater business in general. If I know one thing about economics, it's that supply gets cheaper if demand goes down. Which leads me to another idea for unemployment....protesting!!
8. One more comment on movies....why are the sequels often much worse than the original? The only true exceptions where the second movies were better (and they are not part of a triology) were Short Circuit 2 and Sister Act 2.
Songs of the Day: The theme songs from Beverly Hills Cop, Rocky, Ghostbusters, James Bond, Jurassic Park and Back to the Future.
Information for the day:
Tulsa, OK is the 47th largest city in the US.
Popcorn was discovered by Native Americans.
Website:
http://www.wheresgeorge.com/
You can track your dollar bill!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Idea #14: Find Your Second Home
I can't work at home. I couldn't do it during school and I can't do it for job applications either. For some reason, working outside of the home keeps me more on track and on task. I still have the internet as a distraction, but it's just easier in the outside world than the privacy of my own home.
Hello, my name is Benita and I'm a Starbucks-aholic. I don't drink regular coffee, but I love my caramel macchiatos. Yeah, I'm a fancy coffee drinker. I LOVE Starbucks. It's my second home. I'm not ashamed. I don't think it's a problem.
Starbucks just started offering free wireless internet for everyone, and in that respect, they are actually behind the times. However, I always had access to Starbucks internet through some attwifi account, and I never got timed out after two hours. Starbucks loves me too I guess. Anyways, so I never had an internet barrier at Starbucks. Therefore it was my natural home for all school related studying/paper-writing/whatever. I've been going to Starbucks since high school (not daily) but growing up in the Pacific Northwest naturally makes it a part of you. It's my comfort place. I can go to a Starbucks anywhere in the world (and I have had the privilege of going to some international locations) and I always know what I will get.
For me, Starbucks is my regular go-to place through unemployment. I have a couple of locations that I hit up regularly. I should also mention that I do not player-hate on other coffee establishments. As I type I'm sitting in Spot Coffee, a local coffee shop chain in the greater Buffalo region. I appreciate the neighborhood coffee shops and offerings of local treats.
Maybe coffee won't be your thing. Perhaps there's an eating establishment that's in your daily routine. Bars, libraries, supermarkets, they all work. The important thing is to create a regular presence. Think of it as going to work....at someone else's place of employment.
Song of the Day: "Coffee and TV" by Blur
Hello, my name is Benita and I'm a Starbucks-aholic. I don't drink regular coffee, but I love my caramel macchiatos. Yeah, I'm a fancy coffee drinker. I LOVE Starbucks. It's my second home. I'm not ashamed. I don't think it's a problem.
Starbucks just started offering free wireless internet for everyone, and in that respect, they are actually behind the times. However, I always had access to Starbucks internet through some attwifi account, and I never got timed out after two hours. Starbucks loves me too I guess. Anyways, so I never had an internet barrier at Starbucks. Therefore it was my natural home for all school related studying/paper-writing/whatever. I've been going to Starbucks since high school (not daily) but growing up in the Pacific Northwest naturally makes it a part of you. It's my comfort place. I can go to a Starbucks anywhere in the world (and I have had the privilege of going to some international locations) and I always know what I will get.
For me, Starbucks is my regular go-to place through unemployment. I have a couple of locations that I hit up regularly. I should also mention that I do not player-hate on other coffee establishments. As I type I'm sitting in Spot Coffee, a local coffee shop chain in the greater Buffalo region. I appreciate the neighborhood coffee shops and offerings of local treats.
Maybe coffee won't be your thing. Perhaps there's an eating establishment that's in your daily routine. Bars, libraries, supermarkets, they all work. The important thing is to create a regular presence. Think of it as going to work....at someone else's place of employment.
Song of the Day: "Coffee and TV" by Blur
Monday, August 2, 2010
Idea #13: Exercise
I write this as I sit in my gym clothes, mentally preparing to go to the gym.
Working or going to school full time can certainly interfere with an exercise plan. As a student of public health, I more than understand the benefits of physical activity. I joined the gym here that my parents go to. They have good rates, multiple locations, and will let me cancel at any point when I move away for a job. I started the summer off great by going frequently. Not only going, but having the desire TO go.
The past few weeks, some of my enthusiasm seems to have diminished. I don't know all the most effective things to do at the gym, but I try to at least get out there to do some cardio and weight machines. I haven't seen a lot of results and maybe that's why I don't feel the desire to keep going. I'd hope internally, I'd be achieving results as far as low cholesterol and all that jazz. But on the outside, nothing looks different. I keep watching other people at the gym (in a non-creepy way) to pick up new ideas for exercises, but it's hard to know what will work the best.
I'd rather be taking dance classes, but no one seems to offer adult hip hop classes in this town. If anyone can prove me wrong, I will happily buy you a cupcake in gratitude.
My plan is to keep going and stick with it. The general idea is to stay active. It's REALLY easy to get in the routine of watching bad TV (btw DC cupcakes is a new addition), eat junk and lie around the house. But we all feel so much better once we're done exercise. So it's that feeling that I'm going to use as inspiration to get movin!
Song of the Day: "Move Ya Body" by Nina Sky
Working or going to school full time can certainly interfere with an exercise plan. As a student of public health, I more than understand the benefits of physical activity. I joined the gym here that my parents go to. They have good rates, multiple locations, and will let me cancel at any point when I move away for a job. I started the summer off great by going frequently. Not only going, but having the desire TO go.
The past few weeks, some of my enthusiasm seems to have diminished. I don't know all the most effective things to do at the gym, but I try to at least get out there to do some cardio and weight machines. I haven't seen a lot of results and maybe that's why I don't feel the desire to keep going. I'd hope internally, I'd be achieving results as far as low cholesterol and all that jazz. But on the outside, nothing looks different. I keep watching other people at the gym (in a non-creepy way) to pick up new ideas for exercises, but it's hard to know what will work the best.
I'd rather be taking dance classes, but no one seems to offer adult hip hop classes in this town. If anyone can prove me wrong, I will happily buy you a cupcake in gratitude.
My plan is to keep going and stick with it. The general idea is to stay active. It's REALLY easy to get in the routine of watching bad TV (btw DC cupcakes is a new addition), eat junk and lie around the house. But we all feel so much better once we're done exercise. So it's that feeling that I'm going to use as inspiration to get movin!
Song of the Day: "Move Ya Body" by Nina Sky
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Idea #12: Keep the Faith
Warning: Serious post ahead
1. God's time is not our time.
2. With prayer and persistence, you can do anything.
The first statement, I've had two individuals in unrelated situations say to me in the past month. The second statement I heard during a homily last week at church. The reason I'm optimistic and hopeful about my future isn't because of my belief in the American economy. It's my faith in God that allows me to believe I won't be in this position forever.
I'm not used to speaking openly about my faith, but I think since this is a blog about unemployment, it has to come up. I'm Catholic but certainly all faiths apply here. Whatever you believe in, especially now that we have the abundance of time in unemployment, this is an opportunity to rediscover your religion and what you believe in. Throughout my entire life, whenever I was uncertain about where I was going, I always knew that I was following God's plan and that it wouldn't lead me astray. This applied to jobs, schools, relationships and family matters.
Today marks three full months of unemployment for me. I know a lot of people have been unemployed for a lot longer so I really can't complain. But if you're like me, and I suspect you are, there have been moments of truly being so frustrated that you aren't working and feeling like your life is at a total standstill. I'm 26! I want to be spending time with friends, working and then going to happy hour, and paying bills with the money I made on my own. I don't want to spend my Saturday night writing cover letters. So if you believe in a higher power (and if you don't, you're always welcome to use mine), take the time to believe that there is a plan for you. It's what gets me through every day.
Song of the Day: "Faith" by George Michael.
1. God's time is not our time.
2. With prayer and persistence, you can do anything.
The first statement, I've had two individuals in unrelated situations say to me in the past month. The second statement I heard during a homily last week at church. The reason I'm optimistic and hopeful about my future isn't because of my belief in the American economy. It's my faith in God that allows me to believe I won't be in this position forever.
I'm not used to speaking openly about my faith, but I think since this is a blog about unemployment, it has to come up. I'm Catholic but certainly all faiths apply here. Whatever you believe in, especially now that we have the abundance of time in unemployment, this is an opportunity to rediscover your religion and what you believe in. Throughout my entire life, whenever I was uncertain about where I was going, I always knew that I was following God's plan and that it wouldn't lead me astray. This applied to jobs, schools, relationships and family matters.
Today marks three full months of unemployment for me. I know a lot of people have been unemployed for a lot longer so I really can't complain. But if you're like me, and I suspect you are, there have been moments of truly being so frustrated that you aren't working and feeling like your life is at a total standstill. I'm 26! I want to be spending time with friends, working and then going to happy hour, and paying bills with the money I made on my own. I don't want to spend my Saturday night writing cover letters. So if you believe in a higher power (and if you don't, you're always welcome to use mine), take the time to believe that there is a plan for you. It's what gets me through every day.
Song of the Day: "Faith" by George Michael.
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