It's been a while...

Sorry for the irregular posting, life has been absolutely nuts the past few weeks! I barely even remember the end of June, but it must have been crazy, since my job was preparing for the 4-week camp that we host (for both normally-developing children and developmentally-delayed children). And, now, more than halfway through July, I am panicking and wondering where my summer has gone! The two major tasks on hand are completing my work tasks and completing my thesis. Much to my dismay (and severe disappointment in myself), I have decided to postpone my thesis completion until September 16th. Or, the defense date is that date, and the binding will be later. December 2008 completion, which makes me a bit unhappy, but eh, it's better to have a good final product that I am proud of and can use as a writing sample for future endeavors. Whatever those endeavors may be.

So, as someone who over-thinks and over-analyzes everything, I have found that the best solution for this "too many options" problem is to just go with one decision and run with it. For grad school, I applied to just one school and got in, and then decided that it was a "sign" to actually attend. So, I seem to place a great deal of importance in "signs," especially in regard to what my next move should be. So, applying to the academic conference and being accepted to present my (yet to be written!) paper was a "sign" to stay in Boston. It was good in terms of deciding that I would ONLY be looking for jobs within a 20-mile radius of Boston (or far less, if possible). A very specific area to look for jobs is good in terms of focusing, but it can also be limiting. All I really want out of life (right now, at 26.35 or so) is to pay off my debts, be an advocate for those who don't have a "voice," and be a lifetime learner. In terms of my own individual goals, not related to interpersonal relationships. Those seem to confuse me too much to be a high priority anyway. For now. In six months, when things are hopefully more settled, I will probably re-prioritize again.

So, just a week ago (last Monday, I cant even believe it), Irene and I signed a lease for a 2-bedroom apartment in Somerville. The location is very interesting-- it seems to be within 4 corners: Inman Square, Union Square, relatively close walk to Porter Sq, but also close to the Broadway Street area with Portuguese and Spanish-speaking people. So, as someone who's been itching to get out of the greenery and quietness of suburbia, I am STOKED to have everything within walking distance. And there's even a park across the street, so if the area's too sketchy to run in the early morning/evenings (since I assume I'd have to be working to be able to pay for the place, hah), I can always run there. Running has sadly become something I've abandoned over the past 5 or 6 weeks, and that's probably due to being burned out. But, it's really only 30 or 40 minutes of my life that I should be spending, rather than surfing the internet for something really mindless. Oh, priorities...

So, my current job ends on August 28th. The original plan was to go for a 2-week roadtrip with Rebecca, Liena, and possibly Olga, but right now, the only 2 who could do it are Liena and I. And neither of us even like driving enough for that to be fun :P. So, it's been taken off of the 30 before 30 list *sigh.* It seems that anything that's a large time commitment can't really be on that list! Fortunately, I have a good amount of money saved from living at home the past 2 years and trying to keep my expenses low. Although I have had the occasional splurge...yet many of the ones in the recent past haven't even been on me! :P But, I am suddenly freaking out about the fact that I may be living entirely off of savings, since I now have the commitment of rent. But, not having a car will really make life easier. In terms of expenses, anyway. I'm hoping for a start date of October 1st, since I will be in PA 2 consecutive weekends: the 18th for my cousin's first birthday, and the 24th for Aaron's sister's wedding. Conveniently, the locations are less than an hour apart, so if I am unemployed, I can bum around with my aunt and uncle in PA (a change of scenery is always appreciated), and just pay for one round-trip airline ticket. If I am employed, I'll just have to make 2 trips. And hopefully fly in Friday morning for the wedding, since coming in Thursday night might be too complicated with this hypothetical job. Too many hypotheticals anyway.

Someday, I will learn how to attach pictures to this blog, really, I will. I'm just thinking about the events of the next few months: numerous birthdays, the wedding, and 2 presentations, and how it might be good to attach them. And, as the 30-list gets done (this excessive listening of country music is changing my language...oops), I will include pictures as evidence of them actually happening. For my sake and yours.