I got paid to take pictures for the first time yesterday!... Well, sorta.
API's two interns, another member of the office, and I went down 'ole I-65 a ways to take pictures and video to use for the various publications that come out of our office.
I complained a lot about Montgomery when I lived there, and with good reason, but a day trip back knowing I don't have to stay for more than a few hours is was really nice.
The highlight of the trip for me, however, wasn't in the Gump at all, but a little side-trip we made on the way down.
Anyone who has ventured vertically through Alabama has probably seen the Giant Peach water tower in Chilton County. It's really hard to miss, and is one of those things about my state that is often pictured in touristy promotional materials. In my many trips to a myriad of towns between Mobile and Huntsville I had never stopped to take a picture, or see what it was all about.
I knew that Chilton County is famous for its peaches. I knew that there a peach stands of all sizes throughout the state where men in overalls and straw hats sell the fuzzy fruit. And I knew that Chilton County produces a damn good peach. But the ladies and gentleman at Headley's Big Peach reminded me of what a kind, generous, and amazing state I have the privilege to inhabit.
Sheila showing us their bean sheller
Mother and daughter owners Linda and Sheila were so excited to see the four of us walking around with our DSLRs, capturing the gorgeous Alabamacana (gonna trademark that one), that they not only gave us good conversation and a history lesson, but a basket of peaches that had literally just come in from one of their four supplying orchards; we even got to meet the straw-hatted-overall-bedecked farmer, himself.
In addition to peaches, Headley's also sells local honey, vegetables, and a few antiques. Out back they have a large watermelon patch and a field of smallish sunflowers.
Which is where I snapped my favorite picture of the whole day:
This Thursday I am thankful for peaches and for growing up in the sweetest state there is.
So, it has been a minute... I moved from Montgomery to Birmingham, got busy, and disappeared!
I no longer have Boyfran...
He's my Fiancé now, and I couldn't possibly be happier!
Here's the story:
After surprising me at Camp Sumatanga during Chrysalis the previous weekend, we spent all of Independence day week (minus the time I was at work Monday and Tuesday) hanging out with his family- the wonderful Beesh clan. He's been in Cincinnati all summer doing an internship for Proctor and Gamble, so I was so happy just to be with him that I wasn't even thinking about a proposal.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday just could not have been more perfect days. We fellowshiped with his family, spent time outside,
Yes, those are cutoffs...
watched fireworks,
Yay, Fancy camera!
ate delicious smoked and grilled meats,
We were practically dripping in goat meat
spent many hours watching The Office on the
couch, and basically did exactly what we wanted for three whole days.
It was glorious.
Thursday night James asked if I'd like to go up to Palisades Park to take pictures with the new lens I was getting in the mail the next day.
He's the sweetest
Palisades is absolutely gorgeous. The park overlooks the valley that contains Oneonta (James's hometown), and has a little chapel, some trails, and an extremely rickety old New Deal-era firetower which is supposed to be locked up and inaccessible to miscreants such as ourselves.
James and I had been up there together one time, in the days before we were dating; I've always given him a hard time about how much I wanted him to kiss me in the firetower that chilly December afternoon. The memories we were about to make there are now far more precious than any kiss from my as-of-yet-unrequited love.
After huffing and puffing our way up to the top, I took out my camera, put on my 55-300mm lens, and began taking pictures of the valley; the homes of people I've come to love, the softly rolling mountains in the distance, and the beginnings of the summer sunset.
James was fiddling with something behind my back, and it suddenly struck me what was about to happen. My dear man turned his iPod on to our song: Starlight by Muse
He pulled the ring box out of his pocket, and in the sweetest words I can imagine, asked me to marry him. He opened the ring box, and inside was a yellow wrapper. He had placed my ring inside a Banana Laffy Taffy wrapper.
That brought the tears.
You see, he and I met in an economics class fall of 2010. One that happened to be right after lunch. Everyday James and his friends would go to the beloved City Cafe for a southern Meat-and-three lunch with the kind of smiling service we've been unable to find anywhere else. At the front counter of this hole-in-the-wall restaurant is an assortment of candy to impulsively purchase while you are paying your check.
After learning that banana was (also) my favorite flavor, he would bring me a Laffy Taffy, and we would chew away at them during the first few minutes of class. It was the first present he ever gave me, and it's the most special thing in the world.
After a little harmless vandalism,
and after I stopped shaking and laughing and crying, we got in the car, uploaded this picture to facebook,
Trademark "thumbs-up"
and began the short drive back to James's neighborhood. James suggested we drive around and listen to music for a while, before we had to go back and answer a bunch of questions. When we finally pulled into Azalea Hills, I noticed that the curbs were lined with the vehicles of my family, and some of our dearest friends.
About to toast to our engagement
After running to hug my parents, who had known about this for OVER a week, we all went inside to alert Fuchie that he was no longer going to be a bastard puppy-son, and eat some of the tastiest ribs ever smoked.
The whole night was truly beyond all of my wildest dreams. It was so special, better than I ever could have planned it, and so completely unique to us.
Last night I made dinner in a hurry to take with me to a Bible Study out east I've started going to with my lovely neighbors. It ended up absolutely delicious!
Ingredients:
~1/3lb Ground beef
~1 tsp Seasoning salt
Several shakes of ground pepper
Caramelized Onions (recipe HERE)
Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
Mix the ground beef with seasoning salt and pepper.
Form the beef into slider-sized patties, and begin cooking on medium heat. They actually took a while longer than I thought to cook all the way through. To make 'em hold together you need to make the height to width ratio a little bigger than a normal patty would be.
When they are cooked through (I like my steak pretty dang rare, but I need ground beef cooked well done) add some caramelized onions on top. Caramelized onions are going on the list of "Things That Are Bad For Me, But I'd Eat a Barrel of Anyway". They're absolutely divine.
Then I topped it off with some of this stuff.... Another little piece of heaven.
All ready to go! I ate it with some risotto, which isn't strictly Paleo, but I'm frighteningly poor this week, and I need to eat things in my cabinet.
Excuse my poor photo taking skills, fluorescent lighting ain't my friend.
Has anyone else noticed how crazy people are acting right now? I'm beginning to believe in the whole "Full Moon bringing out the crazies" thing. It's been absolutely uncanny today.
So last weekend was my birthday weekend. I spent it in Tuscaloosa with Boyfran and assorted friends. The dear man made it so very special for me :)
My official present from Boyfran
We relaxed, watched Blast from the Past, which is an amazingly clever movie and one of the best things to come out of the 90s, ate way too much cake (Paleo wasn't really in the picture this weekend...But, hey, It'sMahBirthday!), played with some of our best friends, ambled along the Riverwalk with Fuchs, and generally just had an amazing time growing together.
Last Thursday night I made this Paleo meal. The chicken is super simple, and very delicious.
I started by heating my skillet to med-high, then placed several chicken breast tenders in the middle.
Seasoned 'em with salt, pepper, and a little bit of garlic powder. These shakers were also a gift from Boyfran. I love a penguin....
Cooked the chicken all the way through...
Spread some pesto, and sprinkled 'em with a bagged Italian cheese mix.... Leave the chicken on the skillet until the cheese is melted.
I ate it with mashed cauliflower (recipe forthcoming, but I basically used this as a guide), and a big helping of canned turnip greens.
That night I also made my first attempt at Paleo baking. It wasn't pretty.....
I used this recipe for chocolate cookies, minus the chocolate chips, because I didn't have any. It took me a loooong time to make the almond butter in my dinky little food processor. I used Stevia instead of sugar.
I was so excited about them; but they turned out very meh.... I only ate one, and took the rest to Boyfran. It's one of those "substitutes" that really leaves you wanting the original even more, instead of satisfying you. Also, they look kinda like tiny hamburger patties.
I think the basic recipe would make for a good crust for a Paleo cheesecake, or something, though.
I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend, a tolerable Monday, and a terrific Tuesday!
So, yesterday marked a week since I began my journey into Cave Man Land. I have just a few observations so far:
1) I've lost almost two pounds, so that's good.
2) I really really miss pasta. Like, a lot.
3) It's not terribly difficult to make filling meals, but I still crave having a dessert afterward.
4) I've been eating a lot of fruit to satisfy my sweet tooth.
5) A lot of people talk about the increases in energy you get when you switch to this lifestyle. I haven't really seen anything like that so far, but I have seen a HUGE improvement in the way my stomach feels. I used to have nearly chronic stomach pain and digestive issues, and they're almost completely gone :)
I've only cheated a few times so far. Saturday night we had fried chicken and cake; but it was for my family birthday celebration, my mommy's birthday was Sunday! To make up for that I didn't have anything "bad" on Sunday, which is usually a "mini-Easter" or a day we can indulge in the things we've given up for Lent. Then yesterday I had two crackers and a few pieces of rice at a seafood event I attended. My stomach was super upset last night, but I don't know to what I should attribute it.
Today I'm craving sugar like crazy, I'm all out of fruit, and have been trying to hold off going to the grocery store until Monday. I have plenty of meat, sweet potatoes, onions, and veggies to last me until then; but I'm completely out of fruit.
I'mma start posting some of the pseudo-recipes I'm coming up with on here. I'm no culinary genius, but I make pretty tasty stuff.
I hope everyone has been having a nice week so far. It's mah birthday week!
Isn't it amazing how one little innocuous move can change everything?
Leaving a minute sooner, or later can change the world.
A recent example of this in my life is what happened on Ash Wednesday.
After work I decided to go to the big, huge, enormous, intimidating Methodist church that is about a mile from my apartment. After making a few wrong turns (This city is full of one-way streets that make absolutely no sense), I parked on the perimeter of the church campus and hesitantly began walking toward one of the dramatic stone buildings in front of me.
Along the path to the church, I asked two older women for assistance. "I just moved into town, and I've never been here before, will you please point me to the sanctuary?" I told them. It's amazing how this one act, this one call for help has shaped the events of the last week.
Through my acquaintance with these ladies, I not only met the judge who knows my mother, which I mentioned in this post, I also was introduced to the church's young adult minister, Jay.
The next day Jay invited me to become a part of a young adult devotion group that was beginning a Lenten study. I attended on Friday, and both the people I met there, and the material we are studying have already been a huge blessing in my life. It has made me feel slightly more at home in this city.
Monday I came home to find this on my front porch
Mmmm... Jesus Pie
Too bad it has about seventeen of the things I gave up for Lent in it... I grudgingly took it to work the next day for my coworkers' enjoyment. It took a lot of prayer and self-control.
So much self-control
I almost died.
I love Apple Pie.
This whole experience reminded me of a lesson I think we're taught over and over again; what we do has an affect on people. Every smile we give a passing stranger, every subtle action we commit, every word we speak, is absorbed by those around us. Whether we intend to or not, we influence those with whom we come into contact.
This last week has reminded me to always act with love, grace, and patience; both with those I know, and those who I have yet to meet.
As I was getting ready this morning I became alerted by an out-of-place sound coming from somewhere in my apartment.
drip
dripdrip
dripdripdrip
dripdripdripdrip
Mascara wand still in my hand I opened the door into the kitchen, to see a rapidly growing pool of deep yellow water gathering on my tile floor. Looking up, I see it is coming in a steady stream from around the fluorescent light bulb in my ceiling... The upstairs neighbor flooded something, and now it's in my kitchen.
I quickly called my landlord, grabbed some old towels and bowls, and tried to stop any further damage. I ended up having to go into work about an hour late.
So the whole ceiling in my kitchen is going to be replaced in the next few days, that will be fun. Fuchie is going to love having strangers in the house while I'm at work.
Then Boyfran informed me that, in trying to warm up cookies in a toaster oven, he caused a small fire in his own kitchen.
I (half)jokingly told him we should watch out for locusts for the rest of the day.
My first day of Paleo went well. Because of the aforementioned disaster in my kitchen I wasn't able to make a real breakfast, so I was really hungry for the first part of the day; but I had some wonderful leftover veggie soup for lunch. Cravings for starch grainy things have hit me a couple times, already. Here's to hoping I get past that soon.
I went to the Big, Huge, Ginormous Methodist church here in Montgomery for Ash Wednesday service. Wouldn't you know, I somehow happened to sit by a judge who knows my mom... Famous Thamous, indeed.
Ashes, ashes
Afterward I went to the swankiest Walmart around. It's 10 miles up the interstate, but is well worth the drive. On the way back I ended up in standstill traffic, less than a mile from my exit for 30 minutes. But it's ok, puppy and I are safe home, and today is over. Thank.The.Lord.
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Lenten season, a time repentance and reflection as we prepare our hearts for the celebration of Jesus' Resurrection. It has become traditional to "give up" something during Lent as a sign of penitence and preparation.
In the past I've given up soda, sweets, chocolate, junky foods, etc.
This year I'm going to go Paleo.
What is Paleo? It's a diet/lifestyle that cuts out pretty much everything that wasn't available to the hunter-gatherer peoples of the past. So you don't eat grains, processed anything, refined sugars, etc. But you eat lots and lots of meat, veggies, fruits, nuts, and roots like potatoes. It's also known as "Primal", and it's been catching attention and devoted adherents in the last several years. There seem to be an above average number of Paleo and Primal eaters in the Libertarian community, in particular.
The theory is that our bodies aren't biologically designed to eat the loads and loads of processed grains and sugars that now make up a huge part of our diets. I've read about, and talked to several people who stand by Paleo as an amazing way to get healthy. I've read accounts of people feeling more healthy over-all: they sleep better, have more energy during the day, and have had chronic health problems disappear after transitioning to the Paleo lifestyle.
In particular, I talked to the fabulous fellow KSFP alumna Gina, who lost 50 pounds last year going paleo. She recommended about a billion websites for me, rife with recipes, tips, and advice for transitioning into a more primal lifestyle.
After drastically cutting back the amount of sweets and sodas I consume over the past 7 months or so, I'm not terribly worried about that part of it. I don't crave sweets like I used to, and I don't snack nearly as much as I did before, either. My main concern right now is the cost. Pasta, rice, and processed foods are very cheap (Hey, thanks government subsidies that are distorting our economy and waistlines), and as I've mentioned at least a dozen times, I'm on a pretty tight budget for the next few years. Gina assures me that it's not as bad as it seems... I really hope she's right.
How is this a valid Lenten devotion?
Well, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says this: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
I believe one of the ways we can show God honor is to be good stewards of our bodies, including eating healthfully. I think jumping into Paleo in this season of reflection, repentance, and devotion will help provide me with an extra dose of will power and purpose.
So tomorrow starts a new chapter. I'm committed to this lifestyle change for at least the next 40 days, hopefully I'll receive such a blessing of improved health that I'll want to commit to it longer-term; but until then, please be praying for me!
So, one of my resolutions for this year was to read the entire Bible, cover to cover. Between my leather-bound-beauty of a Bible I keep on my bedside table, and the App I downloaded on my iPhone, I've been pretty faithful so far in keeping up with it.
The App I'm using to help me keep on plan is absolutely wonderful. It's the YouVersion Bible App, and it's available for both the iPhone and Droid. It's absolutely free, with minimal advertising, you can pick from a large selection of reading plans and devotionals. It even has a social media component, allowing you to share with friends your progress and thoughts. It contains more than 100 different translations of the Bible, including several different languages. If you get behind on the plan you select, it sends you an email as a gentle reminder to help you keep up.
I'm such a novice when it comes to the Bible, and I've really had it impressed on my heart lately to learn more about my God, so I may be a better witness and have a deeper relationship with Christ. The plan I'm using this year to help me read the entire thing is the "Come Drink Live 365" plan, which usually has 3 OT chapters and 1 NT chapter a day.
One thing I'd like to start doing is documenting my thoughts on each book as I read through, so I can keep track of important verses, how certain passages strike me when I read them, and express my questions, concerns, and frustrations with different parts.
I'm already almost through Exodus, but I wanted to go back and express some of my thoughts on Genesis. I have so many questions, and I hope some of you will be able to give me thoughtful advice and insight.
Also, pardon me if I ever sound blasphemous or irreverent, it's my nature to pick apart everything, and I don't see the point of pretending I don't have questions or problems with certain parts of the bible.
Thoughts on Genesis
1) Is it just me, or does the creation story sound a lot like a Native American tale? I know there are two huge factions within the Judeo-Christian tradition, those who believe we should take the bible at face-value, believing every word literally, and those who believe it's allegorical. I am still unable to decide with which party I agree, but I think I'm leaning toward the latter. However, I don't think how you view the OT in particular should define your Christianity. Whether or not God literally created the Universe in seven days has little to nothing to do with my whole-hearted belief that he did, in his infinite Grace, send Jesus to die for our sins.
2) Less than a book into the OT, I already start to feel a lot of frustration with God. Nothing seems consistent to me, and as an omnipotent and omniscient God, isn't he supposed to be consistent? I can't help but wonder if the Hebrews got the nature and intentions of God all wrong when they were writing their history, and one of the reasons Jesus was sent was to set 'em straight.
3) The Hebrews wrote in a very repetitive way, and I find myself thinking I've reread something. Well, I have, just a page later. I understand translators wanting to keep the integrity of the content, but it seems to me (and I'm not even a little bit of an expert) that some abridgment wouldn't be wholly uncalled for.
Please, Please, Please, if you have any insights, let me know your thoughts. This is quite a journey for me, and I need all the help and fellowship I can get.
I'm a very blessed girly, Boyfran knows me oh-so-well...
The first present he gave me as a friend was an immersion mixer.
The first present he gave me as a couple was a Lodge Logic cast iron skillet
Our first Christmas as a couple he gave me a crimson Soda Stream water carbonator
And the first Valentine's present he's ever given me is a crimson microwave for my new apartment :D
It matches my crimson Kitchen Aid mixer, the aforementioned crimson water carbonator, the crimson tea kettle his lovely mom gave me, and many of the other things I have in my squatchy kitchen. (You'd never guess I'm an alumna of the University of Alabama and an ardent Crimson Tide fan, would you?)
I love it. He gets me.
Roll Tide, Kitchen stuff!
Happy Valentine's Day, errbody. I love each and every one of you so very much.
It's something I've struggled with as long as I can remember.
It has caused me ridicule; people have called me a freak, an abomination.
It's caused me to miss out on many opportunities. I used to make up stories to cover the truth about my problem. I'd concoct elaborate lies about it, weaving a deceptive web to get around the truth:
I HATE Peanut Butter.
The taste. The texture. The way it sticks to every surface in my mouth. Invades my nostrils and wont let go.
I used to tell people I was allergic to peanuts, just so they wouldn't make what they thought was just a picky little brat eat a revolting PB&J.
In reality I'm decidedly not a picky eater. I love most foods, and will try just about anything. I just do not like peanut butter even a little bit.
It's a pity, really. PB is cheap, pretty nutritious, and very filling. Being able to tolerate it every once in a while would make my life significantly easier. No more avoiding boyfran after he's eaten a PB&J, no more telling people I'm allergic to peanuts so they wont bring me PB flavored anything.....
The summer after my senior year of high school, one of my best friends forced me to try a small spoonful of the stuff. He was convinced that my aversion stemmed from a childhood experience. He was wrong, I barely choked down that stinking, sickening, spoonful of scum.
But this year I've vowed to try again; but I'm going to start out slowly. When I go to the grocery store later this week I'm going to buy some almond butter to eat with my apples. I think that will be a good step on the road to easing my way into tolerating the stuff. From there I'm going to work my way to things that taste like peanut butter, but don't have the consistency; like cookies. With God as my witness, by the end of this venture I'm going to eat one entire Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
I don't know if I'll ever truly enjoy peanut butter, but I'm going to give it my best effort. Please give me all the support you can in my battle to overcome this debilitating condition.
So I started my very first big-girl job today. The job itself is cake, everyone is really nice, and I get to help people on occasion.
It's going to be the waiting for three weeks to get paid that's the difficult part.
But three weeks is better than five weeks, which is how long I thought I was going to go before my first paycheck between approximately 8:30 this morning and 1:00 this afternoon. I was in full blown panic mode. But I'm getting used to being broke, after almost 7 years of being a full time student away from home.
This panic was even worse than the meltdown I had last night when I couldn't find my Social Security card, and threw everything in my apartment into piles trying to find it... I called my mommy last night, close to tears because it was about to be my first day of work and I couldn't find a stupid piece of paper that would allow me to be put on payroll.
She found it in a wallet I accidentally left behind, my dad scanned it and emailed it to me this morning. Crisis averted.
I pseudo-made up a recipe tonight. It was a lentil soup, so I don't know if that counts; but it was pretty tasty.
Here's what I did... And there are no pictures because hey, it's lentil soup, it ain't pretty. Also, I haven't really figured out the settings on my new camera.
Ingredients
-1/3 package Conecuh sausage (It's an Alabama thang, a smoky, delicious, juicy Alabama thang...but I think any smoked sausage would also work)
- 1 cup dried lentils
- 3 cups water
- 1 Tablespoon Lawry's seasoned salt
- Pepper to taste
Bring water and lentils to a simmer, add in a three inch piece of Conecuh and the seasoned salt. While beans are simmering, warm remaining sausage in a skillet until it is completely heated through and the casing is browned. Cut into bite sized pieces
When you think the lentils are just about tender enough, add the rest of the sausage, and simmer for another 5 minutes or so. Make sure to check your spices, add more salt and pepper if you so desire.
If I'd had my immersion blender here I would have pulsed it a few times before serving to make it a little creamy... But it's in Tuscaloosa with several of my other cooking gadgets.
I have two favorite things about this meal:
1) It provided me with 20g of protein, and 90% of my daily fiber... and that's just from the beans
2) It costs a grand total of about $1.75 between the beans and sausage.
Even better than that, I only ate half of it, and have an entire bowl's worth in the fridge, ready for lunch tomorrow! So in all actuality, dinner cost less than a dollar. It was delicious, too!
This is my puppy, Fuchie, also known as: Fuch-a-Luke, The Fuchmeister, Fuch I am your father, Fluffer Nut, Fuchs, or some days, just Puppy.
Fuchie, about a week after I got him
I adopted Fuchie (pronounced Foo-key) a year and a half ago from another girl in Tuscaloosa who could no longer take care of him. He was a 6 month old mess of a puppy at the time. I named him Fuchie because the German word for Fox is fuchs (fooks). And when we was a pup, before he got his glorious coat, he looked just like a small fox.
He just loves his momma
He's, hands down, the most loving dog I've ever come across. He isn't a huge fan of strangers, but as soon as he's sniffed you enough to trust you, and made the judgement that you aren't going to try to hurt me, he's a six pound fluffy ball of love. He's a snuggler, always looking for someone to pet and cuddle him.
This is the Fuchs with Bacon, my best friend/college roommate's pup... He's much much bigger now
He thinks the two big dogs at my parents' house are the best. He tries to be a Lab and swim in the pond on the property with them during our summer visits. It kinda scares me because he'd be just a snack for one of the catfish or snapping turtles out there.
Us with the big pups, Dixie and Belle, last Christmas
I really think he and I communicate better than most married couples do with one another. He and I read each other very very well, I talk to him a lot, full conversations. We understand each other's facial expressions perfectly. He tells me he loves me "I Ruhhh Rooooo", he's always happy to see me, he knows the words "outside, "treat", "home", "James", "momma", and many other commands.
Surveying his kingdom at my parents' house
He's the original Ginger Gentleman in my life (sorry boyfran, it's just true). He lies on the ground and watches me cook every day. Somehow when I was packing up my car to move down to Montgomery the other day, he knew he was coming with me this time. It's gonna be me, the Fuchmeister, and my shotgun in our little apartment in The Gump. I couldn't have a sweeter pup to come home to every night :)
My first step in reaching my goal of living more frugally (read: paying off student loans more quickly) is to drastically change the way I eat. Not only by eating more healthfully, but also by severely limiting my food budget. I think this will not only force me to spend even more time in the kitchen, it will also make me more creative in the way I cook.
Ready for the goal?
Are you sure?
Here it is.......
$50 a week for groceries.
That's just over $7 a day
That means: no eating out, no over-processed food, learning to make nutritious and filling meals with inexpensive ingredients, and yes.... coupons
The challenge is actually really exciting to me. I think it will really prove something to myself, and that extra $100 or so each month toward my debt will make a huge difference.
I begin the process of moving in this weekend, and start work Tuesday, so it may be a minute but once I get settled I'm going to be posting everything I cook here. I can't wait to get started!
STUFF that crowds me, and has been making me feel more and more claustrophobic the last few months. STUFF that's accumulated during my NINE moves over the past six and a half years. STUFF that's bringing me only anxiety and clutter. Not to mention all this STUFF is going to be a pain to move.
In November I gave away four huge bags of clothes I no longer wear, and it felt great! Some things were hard to part with, but it was also really rewarding to clear out so much space and also know I might be helping someone.
I don't move into my apartment until this weekend, so until then I'm going to be going through all my STUFF, paring down, throwing away, and donating. I'm going to keep things I use and things to which I'm emotionally attached; but everything else is getting the boot.
In a few days I'll post a picture of the mounds of STUFF I'm getting out of my life!
I graduated from UA last month, which was actually a semester early. The three and a half years I spent living and studying in Tuscaloosa were fun, beautiful, exciting, and all too quick.
I start a new job next week in Montgomery, which is equal parts exciting and horrifying... I owe more in student loans than I'm going to make in the next year, and my first payment is due in three weeks.
It's going to be quite an adjustment going from relying on my Dad to pay my rent and bills, to being completely responsible for all of my own expenses. My hope is to pay off my student loans in less than half the proscribed 10 years, while still having enough time and money to enjoy being a young working woman.
So here are the goals:
1) To keep myself motivated and accountable I'm going to keep track of my expenses both on here and via a beautiful spreadsheet my ever-so-sweet boyfran made for me.
2) To frugally furnish, organize, and keep organized my adorable little apartment.
3) To work diligently to improve both my spiritual and physical health through daily devotions and exercise.
4) To become actively involved in some volunteer organization, hopefully helping underprivileged girls.
Now, I'm counting on YOU, my as-of-yet-nonexistant readers, to help me by giving me tips, encouraging me, and praying for me as I start this new part of my Dizzy Life in Dixie
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