WHAT DIRECTION AM I HEADED IN?

Today at a job interview I was asked the age-old question: "where do you see yourself in the next two to five years?", not only was I faced with the dilemma of whether or not to omit the fact that I am actually in the middle of applying to graduate schools and thus am only looking for an 'in the meantime' type of job as opposed to making a career out of that particular position, but I also found myself pondering over the exact question that I have more or less subconsciously been asking myself recently. I have varying passions/interests/dreams to the extent that, on any given day, my idea of my future can differ greatly when compared to the day before. Some days I aspire to have a corporate-like job (this one is rare), to experience the rush that comes with that type of professionalism, to force myself to grow up. Other times I strive for inner-city involvement, bringing hope to a bleak world and exposing myself to that atmosphere as well, enjoying the thrill of the big city while also being attuned to the reality it presents. More often than not, my thoughts lead to a more simplistic form of life; living in some smaller city/town where kicking-back is the way of life, being involved in the community and the lives of individuals, and working beyond the confines of a cubicle, or desk even. And in all honesty, a huge part of me yearns for nothing more than the chance to have my own family, as in a husband and children, to not have to work (but to choose to do so if I wanted), to just settle down and share that type of love that I have bottled up inside of me, while also sharing the rest of my love by way of volunteering or something of that sort. So with all of these mixed thoughts (and the others in my head that are escaping me at the moment), where do I see myself in the next two to five years? I see myself being invested in people, bringing hope to the hopeless, being a friend to the friendless, being a shoulder to cry on, being a companion to be joyous with, simply doing whatever I am capable of doing in order to bring meaning to the lives of others, and to give them the love that I have to share. . .in whatever shape or form that may take. THAT is my general direction, THAT is where I hope to be in the next few years.

CAUSES OF PNEUMONIA: ATTENDING FOOTBALL GAMES IN SEATTLE

Little known fact: among my number of reasons for transferring schools was that I wanted to go to a school that had a football team so that I could enjoy firsthand all the excitement that college football has to offer. But alas, my first year at UW didn't start until after football season and last year, well, I didn't quite make it to any games then. However, TODAY was the day (post-graduation, but oh well) that I made my first appearance in the Husky stadium, and it certainly was a momentous occasion, for a number of reasons.

If it looks as though I'm a little wet here, that's because I am, or more so, I'm A LOT wet. For some reason, for the bulk of my life I have been a constant coat-avoider. I'd much rather just put on layers and call it good, but you would think that my brain might register that that philosophy doesn't quite cut it when the weather calls for rain. Needless to say, I was indeed warm for the better part of the game, but once the rain actually stopped and it was just me and my wet clothes standing in the cold weather, that's when I realized that I wasn't quite as warm as I had thought that I was.

On the other hand, we have my friend Ashlea who was smart enough to wear the proper attire. (and who is also excited at the reality of being at the game, clearly)

As it turned out though, apparently the coat was only good for the upper portion of the body, her jeans were nearly drenched all the way through. The game was fabulous to watch and the Dawgs were putting up a good fight that seemed as though it was finally going to pay off this time around, but our limbs weren't handling the wetness-induced cold very well. Ash headed back home at the end of half-time, and I stuck it out through the kick-off and some great plays that got them down the field and culminated in a field goal before I finally caved in to the constant shivers I was experiencing.

After a nice cup of hot chocolate and a change into warm, dry clothes, we finished watching the game from the comfort (and warmth) of home (my old one, that is), and reveled in a long-eluded victory for the good 'ol Huskies.

We were very excited about the win and decided to showcase one of the tricks that we picked up today:

That would be a "W" for UW, it seems oddly similar to something else I've seen before though. .

You may be asking if risking my health was worth it. . .it was, because of this:
All in all, it was a marvelous day. You've got to love football. . .and Seattle weather. . .and friends. . .and William Hung, of course.

I'M NOT A GIRL. . .NOT YET A WOMAN. . .

Seeing as my life is more often sporadic than stationary, I decided that it might be useful to have a solid place to relay bits of my life, thoughts, etc., for those who're interested/curious and just for me to keep tabs on myself as well. We'll see what comes of this. Welcome to my life!


On a side note, while I was writing the subtitle of this blogspot I found myself stuck on whether to refer to myself as a girl or as a woman. Inevitably, as I sat there pondering my title, Britney Spears' "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" popped into my head. Now, I'm not exactly what you would call an avid Britney Spears listener, but I do have to say that that song in itself isn't all that bad, and in all reality, it poses some valid points on a quandary in life. I can relate to it in that I feel as though I, myself, am somewhere in the in-between right now. I would like to believe that I am rather grown-up and mature, after all, I am a college graduate and I have had a "grown-up" job (even if it was only for a minute amount of time), however, I still feel too young to be referred to as a woman, too naive to be viewed as a full-blown adult. On the other hand, in referring to myself as a girl, I feel as though I am all of 12 years old, which I clearly am not. So, if I'm not either of these, what am I then? A 'tweener' (not to be confused with the 'tweens' of about ages 9-11)? A '20-something female'? A 'girman' (yes, that is my cleverly crafted mixture of 'girl' and 'woman')? And when exactly does one transition from being a girl to being a woman, and having that title actually feel as though it fits accurately? I'm sure that I'm not the only one who has felt this way, and even if no one else admits to it, at least I know that I'll always have Britney in my camp. I suppose that it's just one of life's little mysteries that will only be solved in time. In the mean time, I'll just reap the benefits of having one foot in each world, all the while thinking along the lines of:
"I'm not a girl,
Not yet a woman.
All I need is time,
A moment that is mine,
While I'm in between."