sister_europe

For your amusement. The piece I did for my practicum last semester. Enjoy.

I really don't know which is worse, job hunting, or car shopping.

I'm sitting here in my PJs, drinking coffee, and trying to fix the train wreck that seems to have become my life. I know it's not really that bad, it just seems it. I am job-less, I am car-less, and my boyfriend lives 260 miles away. This wasn't really what I had planned for my post-college life.

The car. My mother owned it, didn't have payments on it, and had planned to sign it over to me when I was able to start paying for the insurance. It was 97 with 146,000 miles on it, so I'm not sure how much more life I would've gotten out of it, but enough so that I could not have any car payments for a while.

My dad's going to help me with a new car, but even if he takes over the payments for a few months, I am eventually going to have to take over car payments. So now the question becomes how should I be spending. I suppose it would make sense to buy a pretty good car that I'm going to be able to use for a while.

The car of my dreams, at the moment, is a Honda Fit (MacKenzie, you own/ed one of those, yes?). Cheaper, of course, would be a Civic, and even cheaper would be a Cobalt. But this is the car I'm going to have for a while. Should I blow the bucks to get something I really love??

Well Internets, I'm in a bit of a pickle. Here I am, all graduated like a cylinder, and trying to figure out what my next move will be. Initially, I was looking forward to spending some time at home, but the concept of living 5 hours away from my (pretty serious) boyfriend is starting to hit home.

At present, I have no current full-time employment possibilities. I have spoken to a news director in Harrisburg who said he might have something for me in "two or three months." The only other option I have is working for captioning at the Pittsburgh NBC affiliate. And by "captioning" I mean "repeating words into a microphone from the newscasts." Part-time. My dad has offered to help me foot the bill if I get a part time job, but right now I'm trying to weigh out my options.

1. Live at home for a while, try to find a full-time job, make a pretty decent amount of money working for my grandfather, all while living five hours away from my boyfriend, seeing home every second or third weekend, but being close to family and friends at home.

2. Move back to Pittsburgh, work a part time crappy job that's at least in my field, make shitty money, all while living an hour away from my boyfriend and probably see him every weekend, but back to being five hours away from my family and friends.



I have absolutely no clue what to do.

I realize that lately my blogs have been a little Nate-heavy, but I had an interesting moment last night.

In the past, I've usually been a little happy when I go to bed after he leaves, because I get the bed to myself. It's not that I dislike having him there, but I enjoy getting to sleep by myself, too. I have a queen size, but I don't do well at sleeping next to other people. I kind of like to cocoon myself and end up stealing blankets. I "spin like a top" in my sleep and I frequently talk, too. And I'm a light sleeper, so when Nate's around I usually wake up at least once during the night just because I'm not used to having someone else there.

Nate left yesterday morning to go back to his family's home in Somerset County to go hunting today. Last night I went to bed and something didn't feel right. At first it felt too quiet, like it does when I go home to Pottstown after spending time in the city. I finally realized that it was because Nate wasn't there. I've gotten to the point where it feels weird to not have him here, rather than having him here. Which may make things difficult in the near future, but for now, I'm enjoying that feeling. It's sad that he's not here all the time, but I really like that I've gotten to this place.

Thanksgiving was not as bad as I thought it would be. It wasn't awesome or anything, but I didn't hate it. Their family is just not a substitution for my family. I just need to make it my own somehow.

Nate and I had a nice extended weekend together. We came back to the city Thursday night, and I went to my internship on Friday, where I got let go early because there was nothing to do. Saturday I managed to drag Nate to do some shopping in the afternoon... which he would only do on the condition that I go to a jewelry store with him.

Can we just talk about how weird it was to go into jewelry stores at first? At first. Here's the thing. I'm not the kind of girl who goes into jewelry stores. I'm not the flashy type, first of all. My standard issue jewelry is a claddagh on my middle finger. Occasionally I wear the small diamond my grandparents gave me. I wouldn't buy something like that by myself, at least not until I become somewhat successful (knock on wood). So going with Nate was extremely awkward at first. I mean, we've talked engagements, but I told him definitely not before we have a year together, and not before I get on my feet. I wasn't sure exactly what occasion I should be shopping for, so I started looking at rings I might like for Christmas. By the end of the day I ended up trying on, and really liking, something similar to this:

http://fred-meyer-jewelers.amazonwebstore.com/10kt.-White-Gold-Aquamarine-Ring-with/M/B000N9KN8C.htm?traffic_src=froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=froogle

Annndddd.... I think I might be getting it for Christmas. But we'll see.


(squee!)


Two weeks of classes! One week of finals! I'm ready to rock this shit.

I hate myself for saying this, but....



I really like the Katy Perry song "Hot and Cold."



*shudder*



Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving.

I'm extraordinarily sad about this Thanksgiving. For one, it's my last break from school without the pressures of finding a real job. The next time I come home, I'll be a college graduate. And as much as I don't want to be in college anymore, I really don't want to be an adult.

This will also be my first Thanksgiving away from my family. I refused to be away from them at Christmas, so Nate is coming to my place for Christmas, and I figured it's only fair to visit his family for Thanksgiving. And I really, really don't want to. I love Thanksgiving, both at my grandmother's with my mom's family, and then at my dad's house with his family. I don't like Nate's family. I'm trying. I really am. But I don't enjoy being there. I don't fit it in, and I'm not sure I want to, either. They're all going hunting the Monday after Thanksgiving; I'm going to school to direct a live newscast.

I'm only here for a few days, and it's making me very busy, too. I'm working for my grandfather. I'm seeing a bunch of my friends, and family. And I have to get my room here ready for habitation again in a few weeks.

And I think I might have to beat Nate's ass if he keeps getting me down about leaving Pittsburgh.

But the good news: I'm going out tonight to PJ Ryan's in Phoenixville. Tomorrow night, I'm making dinner with my mom and going out with Hill people. Woohoo!

This semester is not ending the way I thought it would, and it's basically because someone I thought was a huge friend of mine is actually a huge bitch.

It's a long, immature story. If you're interested, here it is:

( Why my friend sucks at life. )

I'll admit. After weeks of uncertainty, I woke up this morning with a damn good feeling. With a spring in my step. With a smile on my face.

I knew it. I knew he, and we, could do it.

Today was truly an amazing day for me on so many levels. First, I was told that my senior seminar piece, which I have put an amazing amount of work into, was the best one my adviser had seen all day. Except for adding music, I don't have to make any changes. I was told it looked professionally done. What a feeling. I guess all that college book-learnin' really did pay off.

After that it was down to the TV studio. My school did three live hours of election coverage tonight. I produced one hour, and then directed another. It was my last major production on campus, and the last college show I'll ever produce.

The show came down at 11:00. I was already feeling good. Then the election was called for Obama during our after-show meeting. I was literally floored. Then I went to a bar and partied with some amazing people.

It's going on 3:00 in the morning and I feel like I don't need sleep. I don't know how I can sleep. This is my second election, but the first candidate I've voted for who has won. It was my last college production, and the best one I've participated in. I was personally cheered and congratulated for my work today, many times, for two different projects.

While working on the show tonight I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I was amazed. I am a part of something bigger than myself, and today I have helped to write history. As his lead became bigger and bigger, my mouth dropped lower and lower. I knew it would happen, yet it was still such a pleasant shock when it did.

I had to go out to move my car between the show and going to the bar, and there were people in the streets, yelling and honking car horns. People rallied in Oakland near the other colleges. You could shout "Obama!" in the streets and not look like a jackass. And that is precisely what I did.

I graduate in less than six weeks. What an amazing way to end my college experience. Bookended, really. It began with Bush re-elected in November 2004... and ended with Obama elected in November 2008.

I feel like Michelle Obama. I am truly proud of my country tonight.

Okay. Now I've lived in a city for about two years, and I've collected some odd and strange tales of odd and strange people. Up until this semester, my roommates have been (relatively) normal and (less relatively) clean.

Yesterday, I hit my weird limit, when I realized that the unidentified object on top of my fridge was a bag of prawns.



I called several people to inform them that there was a bag of fucking prawns on top of my fridge, because when there's a bag of fucking prawns on top of your fridge, you can't say much else.

I'm talking whole prawns. Like uncooked, unprepared, full prawns. That were sitting out for at least a day.


Someday I'm going to write a book about the weird shit that has happened to me in the past two years.


EDIT:

I forgot to mention that Mike had surgery today to replace his torn ACL, and everything went just fine. His surgeon, whom my mother affectionately referred to as "Doogie," actually took his patellar tendon to replace the ACL. I thought that was something we needed, but apparently not. Or, as my aunt put it, "Isn't it amazing that God put spare parts in there?"

He begins physical therapy tomorrow, and will be staying at my grandparents' house, which is closer to his hospital and college, through the weekend. He's getting very spoiled, and I'm only slightly jealous. My grandma made homemade chicken soup. Not fair. He's in some pain but they gave him Percoset, and his doctor expects him to be back on his feet, without crutches, in about two weeks, though he'll be wearing a brace for a while.

Cheers.

Hell week is over, for the most part. Tonight I wrote a lot of my script, and filled out my absentee ballot. I also switched phones from my newer one, which was already shutting off when I didn't want it to do that, to a new one sent by AT&T.

In preparing both my absentee ballot and my dead cell phone to go in the mail tomorrow, I discovered this:

AT&T will not charge you postage to return a cell phone that didn't work.
The government will charge you postage to mail your absentee ballot.








I'm just sayin'.

I received my absentee ballot in the mail today!

It must be received by the Chester County Voter Services Office by Friday, October 31, which means I have a few days to mull over a decision I made a long time ago.

I plan on voting for Obama. Anyone care to sway me to the right?

(My boyfriend has given up on that one.)

Huzzah! I'm a patriot! Here's to my second presidential election.

I write this fully knowing that I am a pretty spoiled brat and I shouldn't be complaining. However.

1. Practicum is kicking my ass. So far this week I've put in over twelve hours on this fucking one credit course, and I have more this weekend. And I have to drive my friend Sarah an hour and a half out to her shoot this weekend, because I'm trying to rack up karma points to try to get off of god's shit list. This would be easier if I just stopped making friends. I have footage to shoot, I have hours of tapes to log, and I have a script to write.

2. Next week, I have the following: three tests, three papers, and a group presentation. And my footage needs to be shot and logged by Tuesday.

3. All of the above is making it very unlikely that I'll be able to visit my brother in the next few weeks, which I really wanted to do, because, you know, he tore his ACL. Next Friday he has a show with his improv group, and the week after that he has surgery, so I was hoping to make the visit either next weekend or the one after, and it's not looking likely. When schoolwork has to come before visiting my injured, that fucking pisses me off.

4. All of the above is also making it impossible for me to finish my resume and writing samples and start sending them out to potential employers, which is what I really should be focusing on.

5. I am broke as shit and I'll no longer be getting the decent paychecks that working more hours over the summer allowed me.

6. I have cockroaches in my apartment.

First, Mike has an MRI on Wednesday and an appointment with an orthopedic doctor (surgeon? I'm not sure) on Friday, so we'll know by then. I'll keep you all updated.

Second, my friend Colin and I decided that for Halloween, we're going to be Mrs. and Mr. Sarah Palin!

I'm going to be wearing some type of suit, my hair pulled back in a clip, and of course, my glasses. And I'm going to carry around a stuffed moose. If I didn't have to spend the day on a college campus, I would carry a fake gun. I'm going to study her speeches so I can get the accent.

I'm not sure what Colin is going to do yet, other than grow his facial hair like Todd Palin's. I might make him a name tag that says "Alaska's First Dude" or something like that.

( For your reference, and because I'm amused.... )

Those of you who know my brother, or know anything about my brother, will be distressed to hear that he injured his knee playing soccer on Thursday. He described it to me as "the ball went one way, and I went the other, and I heard some popping." Ew. He definitely has some torn ligaments, and is awaiting an MRI to see if his ACL and/or MCL is torn.

For those of you who don't know anything about Mike: He's 20, he's a junior at Elizabethtown College. Oh, and he's a captain of the track team and plays soccer and club hockey. So you understand that an injury like this is hard for him. He's definitely off his feet for at least three to six weeks, and obviously more if it's his ACL or MCL. The good news is he wasn't in much pain when the injury happened, so we're hoping that the injury isn't bad enough that he would need surgery. It was his right knee, so he can't drive. He's in an immobilizer, and has to use crutches to get around. And of course he chose this year to move off campus, so he'll be depending on his roommates or girlfriend to drive him the mile or so to and from school.

He sounded so bummed on the phone. I just feel terrible. I'm not even an athlete and an injury like that would bum me out.

Dearest readers, in going through my pictures from the summer, I realized I forgot to share with you this amazing image, taken back in June, during Pittsburgh's gay pride weekend. Coincidentally, it took place during the Three Rivers Arts Festival, which was why Nate and I were downtown in the first place. This was just an added bonus.

Enjoy.

From Summertime

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7558091.stm



What. The. Fuck.

Nate is just too freaking cute. He spent the night at my place Friday night before I came home on Saturday. I made dinner on Friday, we called it an early night. I was feeling particularly lazy Saturday morning, so he went to get bagels and made coffee while I was in the shower.

He's also possibly taking me on a mini-vacation the weekend of our six month anniversary. He won't tell me where, only that it's about four hours away. I have a few places in mind it could be.

Too cute, I can't take it.

Dear dickhead who stole my bike,

Fuck you.

No love,
Sarah




Yes, indeed. Someone stole my crappy no-brand 16-year-old girl bright purple bicycle. I bought it used from Craigslist two weeks ago for $45, and someone stole it from my back porch this past weekend. Yes, it was locked. Yes, I reported it to the police. No, I don't think I'll ever see it again. And no, I'm not pleased. No, I don't think I'll buy a new one anytime soon, because I don't want it to get stolen again. And no, they didn't take my roommate's bike, which was locked up right next to it.

I went to see Pittsburgh's finest at the Zone 4 police station to report it, where I made friends with the lady officer.

Lady officer: What color was the bike?
Me: Bright purple.
Lady officer: Was it a men's or women's bike?
Me: Women's. Or a very confident man's.

In other news, my boyfriend brought me roses Friday night. Mostly because he took some to my mom when we were there over the 4th of July, and I jokingly remarked that I had never been given roses. So now I have been. He's very good to me.

I finally saw The Dark Knight last night... very, very good. I'm glad I didn't read the comic books or anything beforehand, because some of the stuff was much better when I didn't know what was coming. Heath Ledger... I'm not entirely sure it's Oscar-worthy as people have been saying, but he was pretty damn good. It's a shame, because it would have been a breakthrough role for him, because he had to do more than just look pretty. Oh and can we just talk about Aaron Eckhart (Eckert?) too? He rocked my world.

Just three more days at the internship, woohoo!!