A year later

My mom chose to go to see "Ghosts of Girlfriends" past for Mother's Day. During the previews I saw this cheesy trailer: PostGrad. I felt uncomfortable. The movie follows a graduate who has no job, no place to live, no money, and a slim social support network. I could have wrote the screenplay based on my life post graduation. 

I completely failed to continously update this blog over the last year. There was a sincere point in the last year where I couldn't bare to remind myself of where I was and what I was doing. I fell into a depression and it took me a few months to start my recovery.

So to make up for it here are highlights from the last year:

-Graduated from Univ of Arizona May 17th, 2008

-Went back and forth between moving to Minneapolis and Milwaukee

-Moved in with my parents due to a lack of money, plan, and full time job

-Helped my best friend move and start a new life in Minneapolis

-Returned to Arizona (Realization hit that I lived with them and enter DEPRESSION)

-Broke up with Paul

-Said goodbye to Dan. A best friend since I was 15. I don't think I could have taken him or our friendship for granted more until he left to Toronto. 

-Started an internship at a staffing company only to be fired and find out one of the owners never wanted me in the first place

-Applied and got in to my current job.

-Moved into a new house with my parents 

-Finally figured out what I wanted to do with my life! Social work!

-Continued to go back and forth between moving to Minneapolis and Milwaukee

-Built my own computer (It was a major accomplishment that I will always be proud of)

-Started working about 50 hours a week

-Experienced my first crisis situations with suicidal, delusional, and/or psychotic pregnant women

-Applied for MSW programs

-Saw Megan, Dan and Paul in December/January ..Let me tell you, I had a ton of fun in Minneapolis, Chicago and Milwaukee.

I saw Dan in Chicago, I couldn't have had a better tour guide. I saw all the sites of the city and spent some time in the southside. It was a blast. I hadn't seem him since he left Phoenix earlier that summer.

-Continued to work, continued to spiral into depression, and contemplate moving to Milwaukee

-Started to become closer to co-workers and friends in Phoenix and began to realize that your place in life is what you make of it

-Planted a garden filled with zucchini, tomatoes, chili, jalapenos, corn, herbs, and flowers

-Got into UWM, decided to move to Milwaukee for school and realized it was too expensive. 

-Went to Milwaukee where Paul and I broke up for the last and final time

-Started joining social meetup groups through meetup.com in an attempt to network and meet other people looking to have a good time

-Took advantage of the beautiful spring time weather and started to hike and bird watch

-Paid down about $2000 in student loans

And here I am today. I was accepted into the MSW program at the rival school of my Alma Mater. I feel pretty terrible about it, however I can't help it. ASU offers the only MSW program in the state. The classes are held at the downtown campus centrally located to all of the non-profits and major hospitals in the Phoenix area. School starts in August. 

Of course I'm not about to commit to a 2 hour round trip commute downtown everyday. This program was the perfect excuse to make the official move out of my parents house. I put out an ad for a roommate, found a great roommate, and signed a lease in the heart of downtown for a great price. I move out in 2 months. Waiting provides the opportunity to save for the next two months.

Once again, no one actually knows where I'll be next year. I know two things for sure though. I will be on my way to furthering my career and locked in a 12 year lease. Other than that though, thats it. Once again, I'll try to be optimistic. I've never wanted to stay longterm in Phoenix. But its okay. Nothing is forever. 

I feel as though I got depressed for not moving as quickly as other graduates. I was rushing my future in thinking that I could just force the perfect job, living situation and social life to happen. Obviously, it was a bad idea. Now, I plan on continuing the meetup groups, I've met some friendly people so far who welcome new people. I'll continue to go to the gym and join community based classes downtown. I won't be physically moving, but I'll be furthering my career. I'll start and finish my masters program in the next two years. By the time im 26, I'll be a MSW. 

Grand Canyon

I need to go to the grand canyon on a whim more often. What an incredible, beautiful place. 

South Rim -Yavapai Point

Ignore my goofy face (I was excited to be there)

Do not ignore the beautiful colors of the rocks!

South Rim- Mather Point

Still hate Phoenix, but in what other state can you be 5 hours from one of the seven wonders of the world, 3.5 hours from the border of another country, 4 hours from the painted desert and petrified forest, 7 hours from the beach, 3 hours from Saguaro National Forest, 2.5 hours from skiing, and 5 hours from Las Vegas -- all while sitting in a major city (in the desert)?  When you think about it that way, Arizona isn't such a bad place.

Thanksgiving Weekend

 My family has quiet Thanksgivings. My aunt and uncle come over normally, and maybe a cousin or two. We stuff ourselves, and of course, we get a Thanksgiving nap in. At night, my aunt comes back to pick us up and we hit the sales. Not because we love fighting with nasty shoppers -mostly because its just something to do together. 

Yeah, we could spend time by just going to the movies or having dinner, but recalling stories about nasty shoppers or how long we had to wait in line just to get my uncle's Christmas present is just funnier. 

What are you thankful for?

The price droppedto under 2 dollars  in my area of Phoenix about a week ago. I'm still thankful for >$2.00 gas. 

MSW Fall 09

I need to have more confidence in myself.

I thought that I would only be competitive for a program until I had a documented year of working as a case manager. 

I was wrong.

After I talked to people who had been through the MSW,I realized I actually didn't need the documented year of working because I have previous experience in research, volunteerism, and five months of working (by the time the apps are due).

So heres the my point. I'm applying for the fall 2009 programs. 

Its going to be a lot of work. I'm applying for three schools -two of the applications are due at the begining of the new year. Two of the programs require biology -which I didn't have to take in undergrad. I'm going to have to take a intoductory biology course next spring.  I'm making headway though. All of my writers instantly said yes to my requests for letters of recommendation. They have been given the information to make the recommendations.  

If had waited a year to apply, I would have felt like I was putting my life on hold. The only way I can work in the hospitals and make a difference in policy is by going for a masters degree. 

We'll see where I get in and the financial aid that I'm offered. Depending on that,I'll make a decision on where to go, or to wait another year. Regardless of what happens, I would have regretted never knowing if I could have gotten accepted this year. I'm excited, anxous, and nervous.. but really excited.

These make my mornings

The crossants you're looking at are the best I've had since I went to France two summers ago. I am also not ashamed to tell you where I got them from -Quik Trip. 

Sometimes I get to enjoy my drive home

A gap in traffic during rush hour on the 202: