Happy One Year Anniversary to Me!

Exactly one year ago today, my position at my last job was eliminated. The unchaperonedwhitegirl added funemployed to her title. It would be super easy to turn this into a post complaining about what happened, how hard it was to find a job, and how insurance can be the Dark Ages. But that's boring.

It has been a crazy fun year!

I traveled (which I will be doing again soon - booked a birthday trip to Chicago!). I got to my goal weight. I can do a headstand and crow pose. Caleb survived being married to me for a year. I made new friends. I work somewhere that doesn't involve me crying in my car. WE PAID OFF MY STUDENT LOANS!!!



I learned a lot about myself in the past year. I used to hate doing things alone. Like, I wouldn't go get a beer alone because I felt weird being sitting by myself at a bar. I don't suffer from that anymore. I'm pretty good at yoga. I recently discovered that I like metal. I am obsessed with crop tops and rompers.

It was scary and weird at the time, but my life has improved so much in the last year. Also, I think I handled the entire situation super cool. Not just the sabbatical itself, but the event. I didn't cry or anything. Which is probably the only thing it would have made sense to cry about in the about 5 years I was there.

My position being eliminated is one of the best things that ever happened to me.

College Reflection

By an odd sequence of events, I am drinking alone downtown. Sort of a lie - not that odd but kinda long to explain!

I got into town, found out plans had changed, and had to make the goddamn best of it. I didn't bus into town to go right home, did I?!

I decided to hit up some old haunts alone.

First I went to Backstage Bar. The live music was super fun, but the lack of audience was awkward. Good beer selection but not necessarily the best place to be alone. So many memories flooded back there. Light Up night where we did a bunch of shots and were totally out of our minds. Going there to wait out post show traffic when my in laws were in town. It being the place where we decided to go to a foam party at Cruze for caleb's birthday. Straight up best life material. I didn't wanna deal with post game crowd, so I left. 

Where else to go? 

Obviously the HBIC of old haunts - Milano's. 

Basically my adult life was formed here. I have memories of dancing, drinking, puking, crying, and celebrating here.  I have celebrated significant life events within these walls.

I was here before my first Gender and Film Studies class where I defined gender in the first few minutes. I had a vuvuzela during the Cup. I bought 12 packs of Keystone Ice for Steelers games. 

A boyfriend broke up with me, and we came here for survival. Three girls walked in - dressed way too fancy for here. They ordered a pitcher of Yuengling and a Bud Light. When they got to their table, the cop was there asking for ID . It was "in their car." They walked out and left the booze. 

I am obviously distraught at the end of my relationship and crying into a pint of Yuengling (like you do). The bartender walks over to throw the booze away. We cannot let that slide. 

Caitlin asks the guy is they are throwing it away and then asks if we can have it. We watched. Those ladies didn't drink a drop!

So we drink booze on underagers. No shame in our game!

Life is ridiculous and fun. I never want to lose sight of that. So my plans went awry tonight - I can make new plans! Everyone who knows me knows I am a planner. I like to know the who/what/where/when/why. Sometimes you have to make last minute changes. I have to adapt.

Being at Milanos makes me realize how lucky I am. I may not have loved Duquesne, but it gave me my best friends. Who may or may not read this. We spent so much time (and money) here. But I would change a second.

I reflect on college and realize how incredibly lucky I am.