Christmas, Fondue, and Royal Families

Christmas is not Christmas, to me, without having to rush to at least four places. First his mom’s, then his dad’s, then my mom’s, then my dad’s, then my dad’s large family party. Of course, this is the way I get to see all of these wonderful people, but where is the relaxation time in there? I am glad that my Christmas holiday was spread out over 3 days, or else I would have dropped the ball somewhere.

I received some excellent gifts this year. Friends, season 6 was the only season I needed to complete my collection, and I got it. (I feel like such a geek.) I also received a fondue pot. Today was spent looking up recipes and gathering ingredients to make a batch or two of cheese fondues. I plan on making both a chocolate fondue and a cheese fondue for a friend’s New Year’s party. I looked up a couple chocolate recipes and I think I found one that will go over well. There is the chocolate, of course, and heavy whipping cream, but there is also a small splash of vanilla and a sprinkle of coffee in it, which tones down the sweetness. I found another easy recipe that is basically chocolate, cream, and marshmallows, but I think that would be overdoing it on the sugar. I can’t wait to find out how this one tastes!

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows was an excellent movie. I wish I had enough money to go see it again and again, but theater ticket prices are way too high. I read all of the Sherlock Holmes stories and I was very pleased that the movies stay very true to the literature by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. If anything, the movies add even more historical references to the plot, which is like giving candy to me, as I am a history nut.

Another one of my presents was a book. My boyfriend knows me so well, he got me the Historical Atlas of Dynasties and Royal Families. I just about smothered him with hugs when I opened the package (which he wrapped in old newspaper, by the way, a nice eco-friendly touch). This book covers important rulers and their families all the way back to the first recorded kings of Mesopotamia to Queen Elizabeth II of today. The last picture in the book, in fact, is one of Prince William and his bride, Kate, on their wedding day. Needless to say, it is a large book. It has to be, if it covers the Middle East, Asia, and Europe’s dynasties. I will be poring over that for years to come.

I hope those who are reading this had as great of a holiday as I have. I wish everyone a happy and safe New Year.

Art Show Receptions

Otherwise known as a dignified place to meet some pretty kooky (and cool) people.

I love artists. So many of them have such interesting lives. They draw on their experiences and interpret the world around them in a way no one else can.

The flavor of an art show reception is an interesting one. At first, you look around and see almost everyone is dressed in semi-formal attire, but then you begin to talk to the people.

For instance, I sat down with a woman named Ola at the art reception I went to last night. I had met her before, but we hadn't talked much. I sat down next to her and her husband, Jack, and suddenly the conversation began to flow. I love hearing about people's lives directly from the source. I am transported to the time and place they are talking about effortlessly. Ola is an artist who has been married to Jack for 59 years! I found this out after she asked me how long my boyfriend and I have been together. I replied "Four," quite proudly. I laughed at myself when she responded with her impressive number. She told me all about her life from the time she first got married to Jack, who was a marine and a police officer. They had to move all over the country, due to his occupations. Ola told me about riding on the back of a motorcycle with Jack driving and their three year old daughter sandwiched between them. Her story held my attention captive the whole time she spoke.

As the assistant to the Arts Leader for the gallery I work at, I stood behind her as she delivered a few announcements to the crowd of artists and friends. I love coming to the receptions because it provides a chance for me to dress up a little. I bring my boyfrined with me for stability (like when I wore my 5 inch high heels) and support (when I am supposed to make an announcement and I have to look out at the crowd). I like interacting with the artists and I enjoy all the lovely dishes they bring to share with the crowd. This time I ate one of my favorites, a devilled egg! I walk around the rooms, showing the artwork and commenting on it with whomever walks up to me.

Before working for the gallery, I worked at the front desk of my town's city hall. I answered phones, took down complaints, accepted utility bill payments (glamorous, right?), and called up groups of people with important messages. I was as shy as could be when I first started that job. I am grateful for the opportunity I was given to work there, because I am much better at "letting my smile show throught my voice" and just talking to people in general.

In every established society, art exists. When the need for survival is met, people can focus on more intellectual and beautiful things. I love being in the middle of all of this. I meet so many interesting people and see so many beautiful pieces of art. I am very rarely unhappy when I leave for work because I know that there is always something different to do every day I go in. My only regret is leaving the beautiful outdoors. I usually end up having it recreated indoors, though, so I can't miss it too much.

I could be...

When I was a child and I was asked what I wanted to be, I never replied "an astronaut" or "a rockstar" or "a star soccer player." I replied "a teacher" or "a librarian" or, even for a brief time "a veterenarian."

I have a little more experience under my belt, now, and I am at a point in my life where I have to make tough life-altering decisions. I could be...

A LAWYER. Yes, it is a lot of schooling, but if you got into the right field, you could make a difference in the world, or your wallet.

A MODEL. I am 5'8" and fairly thin, so I figure I could probably hold my own in the beginning round of America's Next Top Model. I am no Amazonian beauty, though. I am tall for a girl, but average for a model. I figure that being a model would be a temporary side job, not really a career, as beauty usually fades with age.

A MUSEUM CURATOR. My passion is for European history, stretching from the early Renaissance to present day. I love the personalities involved in Europe's and France's and Spain's and Germany's histories, along with many other notable countries. My main love is art, but I find the stories just as interesting.

A PHYSICIST. Though I am not very passionate about physics, I understand it and I can handle the formulas with some level of proficiency. This option, too, leaves much learning to be done.

A COPY EDITOR. One subject I excel at is English. I read through things and tic off mistakes as I read. I can make it through a book of nearly any size in under a day at about 100 pages an hour. I devour books and I love to read. Maybe this has something to do with my love of history.

A COMPUTER EXPERT. Though I am no expert now, by any means, I understand how a computer basically works and I can navigate my way through most any program. At the moment I am trying to teach myself Microsoft Office 2010 Access. I can quickly work my way through the different options and commands of a program. I have no experience in actually writing programs, though, so I would definately need to focus on that before claiming to be an expert in any sense of the word.

I have so many options ahead of me, it is mind-boggling. Other opportunities bombard me all the time. I could be a writer, a chemist, a curator of a modern art gallery, a business owner, an artist, a fashion designer. I wish I could pick just one and know I made the choice I will love for life. How can I choose?

Keeping Up With Grandma

Every week I try to visit my Grandma, my dad's mom. She lives alone now, though her kids check up on her regularly. With six children, she gets called multiple times every day and each of her offspring has "their day" to call her.

Last year, in August, I began going over to my grandma's house regularly. I came up with a project. She has hundreds of recipes from friends, her family, and from old magazines. I offered to type them all up in one cookbook. She would have written all of them down in one large cookbook herself, but she began to lose her sight about 15 years ago. I take this time to visit with her, help her out around the house, and type up her many delicious recepies.

My grandma was born in her parents' farm house in 1930. Her older brother went to war when she was a teenager and she had to take over helping her father with the farm. She tells me all kinds of stories of her youth, from living on the farm, to moving to the city into an apartment with a couple friends. She tells me about the guys she dated before she met grandpa, and then stories from when she was with grandpa. One thing I remember is that the town she lived in was so small, the surrounding communities were all interwoven into a large family web. She would have to go home after meeting a guy and ask her mom if she was related to this new guy. If her mother said she was, then that was pretty much the last she saw of him.

I love history as a subject in school, so I lap up any stories she gives me about going out dancing with grandpa on Friday and Saturday nights, about visiting her lovely relatives, and about her life on the farm. I enjoy hearing stories about my dad and his siblings when they were children, and stories of my cousins and myself as children. Most of our generation has grown to adulthood, now, so I find these stories humorous and precious.

Last Christmas, I presented most of the family with a copy of the "work in progress" cookbook. Everyone was extremely surprised and very grateful. I supplied the work and grandma supplied the money to publish my work into 1" binders. Most of the time, these days, I end up doing more visiting than typing. I lament my lack of work, but grandma tells me that its ok, because it is our project, and nobody else has to know if I typed or not this week.

I love visiting her because things slow down as soon as I pull into her driveway. I can enjoy a few hours just relaxing with her, talking as she crochets her dish scrubbies. We bake cookies sometimes, or I help her make dinner. Even as a little girl, I loved helping my grandma in the kitchen. She would tell me how much to measure, and I would feel important as the finished product came off of the stove or out of the oven.

I am hoping to really get into gear with this cookbook so I can publish another "edition" this Christmas. Everyone was so happy to recieve copies of grandma's favorite recepies, they started requesting others that they remember and love.

I have my work cut out for me, that's for sure. It is just so hard to focus when I am enjoying the company of such an amazing woman.

The Essence of Gus

I think I'll share a little bit about my dog.

His name is Gustopher, Gus for short. He is a labradoodle and is the almost perfect dog.

I say "almost perfect" because his one downfall is running. He loves to run. Gus will slip out the front door and just leave from 20 minutes to 3 hours. We don't even try to keep up. We once looked out the back window and saw him chasing deer across a golf course. Yes, I said deer. Not rabbits or squirrels. That dog can RUN.

When he is on the leash or inside the house, though, he is the sweetest, most obedient and attentive animal I have ever owned. He will play with you when you are feeling like roughousing, nap with you when you feel tired, and will even hold a conversation with you if you are lonely.

He is a regular chatterbox. Instead of roughly barking all the time, he slurs his barks together with growls and can even anunciate "Want one." My dad taught him that 3 years ago and it is his favorite trick to perform. Gus is particularly talkative in the mornings, when he wants food and to go outstide. If you ask him "What?" he'll ramble on for a few dog-sentences before waiting for a response. I feel like my dad taught him to lecture me.

For other dogs, socializing can be a problem. Some dogs get very protective when they encounter new people, some don't get along whatsoever with another canine. Gus is extremely friendly. He loves meeting new people and going to the local dog park to sniff a few butts. Company is what this dog craves. Many dogs will gorge themselves on food or will hoard all their toys, but my Gus just can't get enough attention.

I am not one for sappy emotions, usually, but when I walk in the front door and that dog is there to greet me by butting his head into my legs every time, my heart melts a little.

Money Issues

I have decided that, if I am to move out someday, I need to save money. I realized, as I was driving home from school today, there are so many easy ways to spend money nowadays, that I have to consciously restrain myself from picking up something cheap to eat when I am out and about. There is food in the pantry that is cheaper and is perfectly available to me. When I pick up a magazine and they have a featured article titles something sensational like "10 EASY WAYS YOU CAN SAVE $1,000!" I am always disappointed because I find myself already turning off the lights when I leave a room, shutting off the sink while I brush my teeth, and shopping at thrift stores and only buying sale items (with the exception of an already moderately-priced pair of really cute shoes). I don't go on a beach vacation every year and I turn my thermostat up 7 degrees from the normal comfort zone in the summer, and down 7 degrees in the winter. I want to read some miracle way to make me a millionare without giving up everything that constitutes a comfortable, civilized life. 20 thousand extra would be helpful in paying off future college debts.

I have a goal: to graduate college without accumulating any debt. I have the first 2 years knocked out. I am on the A+ plan. For those of you who do not have this wonderful program, I will explain it. If you do well in highschool, do not skip class, and do some 50 hours of volunteer tutoring by the time you graduate, the program will pay for 2 years of community college tuition. Some state universities have scholarships in place for A+ recipients that don't want to go to community college, but this is mainly a state-funded program to get good kids to go to school.

All I have to worry about right now is the next 2 years of college. I am planning on going to a state university, getting into their honors college, and working my way through so I don't end up paying off thousands of dollars in my own debt when I am sending my future kids to college. This seems pretty far-fetched when you see the numbers for a public state university, not to even mention private universities. For University of Missouri, St. Louis, 15 credit hours plus parking as a Missouri resident (not including books or other course-specific fees) is $4,585.68, or $10,380.18 for a nonresident. For the University of Georgia, tuition and fees for a resident is $9,472 and a non-resident is $27,682. University of California, Los Angeles, per year of school, resident, $12,686, non-resident, $35, 564. The price of an education is ridiculous. Of course, you can't expect to be much better than a fast food chain worker or possibly a floor salesperson at a department store unless you have gone to college. This is why I am trying to get involved in as many honors activities as possible. Universities notice this and take it into account with your grades when you apply for scholarships and honors programs with cash stipends. Hopefully I make it. Hopefully I go to the university and they give me loads of money because they see my good grades and test scores and programs I worked in. It is just about all I can do.

Sources:
UMSL: http://www.umsl.edu/services/cashiers/fee_sch.htm
UGA: https://www.admissions.uga.edu/article/tuition-and-costs-of-attending.html
UCLA: http://www.umsl.edu/services/cashiers/fee_sch.htm

In the beginning...

I am a girl living in the US, hoping to graduate from college with something notable, land a better than mediocre job, and live with a fair amount of happiness. This blog will describe my daily adventures in attaining these goals; the speedbumps, potholes, and major road construction involved in my journey. Thank you for joining me, and wish me luck!

As of right now, I go to community college, work part time at a city-run arts center, have a long-term boyfriend, and live at home with my dad and younger brother. I actually have an appointment today with the director of human resources at my work, hoping to learn about benefits. My plan right now is to graduate from community college with as many honors things as I can muster, go on to a nearby university, earn a useful degree and take over my boss's job when she retires. Here's the first speed bump: her retirement date is 8 years off. That is a lot of time for someone to stay part-time with no benefits.

Second speed bump: I listened to my dad. He said I should wax my very bushy eyebrows (that I got from him!) so I look more feminine. For once, I listened to this remark and headed out. The place I normally go was closed for remodeling. I drove around the city, hoping for another place to pop up, and I found one. I walked in, put my name down, and laid back in the chair, bracing for some pain.

I walked out with eyebrows that were 1/10 the size they were orignially. I stared in my rearview mirror for a couple minutes and decided that I hated the look and would never listen to my dad about doing my eyebrows again. I look like a human-alien mixed breed.

I called up my boyfriend, almost hysterical, and he said, "Now what did I tell you about listening to your dad? ...Don't." I half-laughed and sent him a picture. He told me that both hair and self-esteem grow back, and it'll be ok. He is wonderful.

So I am a girl wanting to go through college, get a better than mediocre job, and live my life with a fair amount of happiness. Will I be able to conduct a normal meeting with HR? Will I be able to will my eyebrows to grow back, as bushy as ever, and never have them done again? Will I get that wax out that the lady left in my eyebrows and is uncomfortably plastering them into shape?