And so it begins...

I am currently embarking on my second week of 60+ hours of work. Last week I was dead tired and barely did anything (minus the couple of nights when my body was totally wrecked from caffeine and sugar...which so far, I've only had one iced caramel machiatto decaf). To rewind, I've picked up a second job at Starbucks working about 20 hours a week. I'm on my lunch and I've just made about 1 billion frappucinos. No joke. And I walked around and smiled with coffee flavoring spots on my face until I went to the BR and realized that I had some new freckles.

In Castle news, I finally gave my first program on Saturday to about 40 people, and I got complimented on it at the end!! It was exciting! I'm still waiting for that fellow/old couple to take me out for drinks/dinner for a job well done. Maybe I should wear high heels when I give the next program.

Tomorrow I get to go inside the Castle! Inside a National Monument! They stopped letting folks into the structure 59 years ago. But the Park folk get to go up about twice a year with the archaeologists.

In other news, I have a vacation already planned out for anyone who'd like to join me: Given that I'm dragging myself out on 60 hours weeks, I AM GOING to take a 4-day vacay in November/December that includes camping in the Grand Canyon, 5-star hotelling it near Zion, and maybe camping in Zion. And maybe a dinner at a steakhouse. And maybe I'll finally go hang gliding. JK. That'd be a budget-buster. So, if you want to join me, you are welcome to!

Ha, and even though I have a second job on 60 hours, I'm only making maybe $175 a week. I try not to think about that part. After all, what else would I be doing with my life? Hiking? Writing? Stuff of dreams... That was not supposed to be cynical. Really. I do enjoy meeting people and man, have I met some.

Miss you and talk soon!

Some possibilities...and a little cynicism

Due to my never-ending and ever depressing search for employment, I've started reconsidering some alternatives. I apparently possess no marketable skills and its not like I have any technical education so I think I will pursue the rewarding route of teaching!

Unfortunately I did not possess the foresight to take Ed Studies classes while at Carleton--damn it!--So I'm looking into cheap local schools that provide courses to prepare you for a teaching license! My dad has really been encouraging this because 1. He was a teacher for 30 years so he knows everything there is to know about navigating the teaching world. 2. He says the economic depression we are in is probably going to last another decade. Fantastic.

But hey, lets look at the bright side.
1. I have one of those complicated and difficult to explain degrees. I could teach English or literature or writing or American history or social studies etc etc. So much variety and I like those subjects!
2. I went to a great Alma Mater that is well known to those in the educational world! The Carleton degree will look good to schools. Maybe after some experience I could get snapped up by the Blake School or St. Paul Academy that will offer a decent wage. haha. Plus what if I got a reference from Deborah Appleman? :]
3. The majority of teachers at places like Hopkins High School (where I went to school) are approaching retirement age. Hello job openings! Also community colleges are having record enrollments, and this means more teaching opportunities.
4. I already have some teaching experience. I mean if I can get a class of screaming, whining, crying and misbehaving 3-year-olds to do one the thing they are afraid of...I can accomplish anything!
5. My dad always said to not get stuck just teaching, work your way up the ladder and get some degrees to get to those educational administrative jobs. There are plenty of great masters and doctorate programs in MN for that kind of cushy desk job. Hello room for advancement!

And who knows, maybe at some point I can be a professor of American Studies and be the next Nancy Cho or Mike Kowalewski. lol. They are awesome and the current state of our country will provide me with years of interesting topics to discuss.

In all honesty though, this might be a good temporary fix and provide a little fall back plan for the future. That house in Lake of the Isles is looking farther away, but at least I'll be working towards some progress here.

Unless I can trick an elderly billionaire into marrying me and then making me the sole heir to his fortune when he dies....hmmm. JK.

I miss and love you all! My brother's constant updates about his super fun times at college (he is such a FRESHMAN, haha!) are causing me to reminisce! :]

Almost forgot

Today, while perusing Facebook a "photo memories" sidebar popped up with a picture titled "Katie's Signature Face" from an album made by Leah. lol. Reminded me of our "signature faces" pic we took this summer.

Also, this is going to sound really weird and DONT read into this cause it was really random....but I had a dream last night that Caro and I were hanging out and talking and she says:
"So, I decided I want to have a baby by 2014."
and I said something like "OMG, really? I want to get married then! Wow, you pregnant and me married? We're going to coordinate with Carleton reunion! That's going to be a big year." OMG. WTF. Right???

Also, I went to the Lady Gaga show the other week. It was the best arena concert I have ever seen....and due to my Pop Princess persona waaaay back in the day, I've been to A LOT of arena pop shows. The seats we had were better than I thought they'd be. Here are a few pics...

My Gaga outfit:

Not as good as some of the others I saw. A lot of guys dressed up in Gaga outfits like one dude who wore her red chantilly lace body suit. I also saw A LOT of Telephone outfits--studded bra, cigarette sunglasses, coke can hair. etc.

The beginning of the show:


I want that keytar:


During my fave song "Monster":

She pretty much fufilled my life aspiration to front a musical act and perform lying in a fountain of a bleeding angel while covered in blood and wearing vinyl lingerie. Hahahaha.

There are a billion more pics, Ashley will probably post them on Facebook at some point. :]

ARIZONA

HI! I never have internet so the quickest update ever: photos--see fbook. I can no longer depend on others to take pictures so this is what happens...picturevomit.

You'd get a kick out of my roommates. I would have never seen these folks coming (take that as you will). In the worst character sentences ever:

One loves John C. Calhoun.

One loves guns.

They are both pro-anti-immigration.

I'm putting them in boxes. You'd have to meet them. I'm mostly entertained and mostly left missing you. More news soon.

SMALL WORLD

So I went to the Carleton picnic in central park today. PS, what a bad meeting place, central park...took me over an hour to find people (and pretty sure Caro and Andrew never found people), but anyway. I was expecting like 10 people to show up and for 5 of them to be 40 plus, but as it turns out there was like 25 people there and like 10 of them were from '09!!! I saw Abhi, Kat Jensen, Aparna, Laura Corbin, Frank Dolce, Sam Birnbaum, and some others I didn't know that well (Bassiru Sarr and Moses something).

What I really thought was crazy was that within 5 minutes of me being there, I learned that Sam Birnbaum and Pat Whitehead are my NEIGHBORS...they live 3 blocks from me. I was seriously at a party last weekend that was on the same block as their apartment (could have been the same building). Glad I found out this way, how crazy would it have been to run into them on the street drunk one night and be like "I used to sit by you in econ classes". Laura and Kat also figured out that they are neighbors at this picnic and that they are going to the same grad school...so funny. And I found out that Michael Martin and Hannah Hosotani are moving to Harlem in a month. So apparently, the Carls are multiplying here in the big apple.

We talked of having a Carleton progressive (I mean social safari) and move from one apartment to the next for everyone in manhattan. I am 100% game for this (I had actually suggested this very thing at work for our sports department happy hour and they looked at me like "what the hell's a progressive" haha...I miss Carleton).

Too bad about that slavery....

Hello Everyone! It has been a while since I have posted (although I pride myself in the fact that I still do it more frequently than mr. widmer) so I thought it was time for a new update. I realized that this is ridiculously long, so I split it into sections so you can read the part that is most interesting to you.

The Job: I LOVE it! the staff is so interesting, fun, supportive, professional, hilarious, and really freaking smart. I am getting really involved in my work (like reading books and blogs about human trafficking in my free time) and feel excited to find something that allows me to pursue a lot of interests (international relations, social work, policy and public outreach, speaking spanish, etc). It is strange, but I have definitely been interested in the policy/outreach side of things, which is odd because up until soph. year of college, I considered myself pretty apolitical. But, the great thing about my job is that we are a small team of diverse fields (lawyers, social workers, lobbyists, etc.) so I get a chance to learn about each section of the pie. Also- I am getting a ton of experience working with grants and learning how a non-profit is run, which, although boring, is super helpful for the future. Basically, this job is approximately 203854928548928 times better than my previous position.

I think the best highlight so far is going to a bar with my coworkers and them not believing in my 1 drink max. They kept buying these insanely strong/cheap/delicious margaritas on me, until I was slurring outrageous and stumbling all over myself. It was the epitome of professionalism.

The Future: I have been looking into taking some classes (I seriously miss school. Like seriously) and considered italian, french, art history, and graduate classes in food studies. Unfortunately, my schedule is still a bit in the air (I keep waiting to hear back from the gov't art position that I have been volunteering with because they are considering hiring me part time... so until then, I am kind of working odd jobs/hours to get by) so I decided to post pone it until next semester. Also- classes are pricey! I found this program which looks awesome. Unfortunately, I do not have enough experience and this type of program is not in any of the schools/cities where Andrew is applying. But, it is a growing field, so it might come around in the next few years. Basically, my plan is a master's in food studies, work for fruit pickers' rights/anti-slavery among migrant workers and eventually open the diner of my dreams. **keep in mind, Life Plan changes weekly**

The Weekend: I am SUPER ready for fall... it has basically been hotter than hell in NYC, and I just want to be snuggly, bake delicious meals, wear socks, change up the wardrobe etc. Not really pleased that Winter comes right after, but I could definitely use a change in the weather. but this weekend looks pleasant enough, and I think Andrew and I are taking a day trip to Philadelphia and then attending a Carleton Club picnic in central park. Obviously I will send any worthwhile updates on alums.

The Family: well, we are t-minus one month to my sister's wedding... I think in general nerves are running high, budgets low, and anticipation somewhere in between. I tried wearing the mandated 3-inch bridesmaids heels to work today and tripped in the street and fell on my face (and ruined the shoe) oops. I keep putting off the plane tickets/hotel expense because it is crazy pricey (I realized I have never stayed in a hotel as an adult (like that wasn't a cheap hostel in another country). That shit is seriously expensive! But, I am excited to celebrate and see family/ see Andrew interact with my extended family (which is like my normal family on crack... except they aren't really on crack.)

Highlight of the Week: we have staff meetings once a week, so I like to bake vegan-friendly desserts (we have a vegan on staff). I made this on Wednesday, after Leah told us about the avocado frosting: yummy!
It was seriously incredible!

Also... Andrew's Birthday is next week. I am excited (although I am pretty sure he could care less) BUT this means we all have officially known each other for 5 YEARS! Happy Anniversary everyone!

GAMETIME!

Tomorrow is the start of Gamecock football season. I will be tailgating and just might look like this fantastic representation of a Gamecock fan. GO COCKS! God I love this school sometimes...