The Holiday Spirit....aka- school vacation

Alot of my friends, and myself, have been feeling a bit disconnected to the holidays this year. I don't have the typical jingle in my step, the obsession with all things christmas. Hell, I haven't even really been listening to christmas music all that much (albeit for the continuous playing of that damn mariah carey song which I can't seem to escape).

So this morning, as I took the train into work, I wondered why I didn't feel as connected to the jollyness of the season. Yes, I have had a stressful past few months transitioning home and dealing with unexpected life issues, but I don't think thats what it is....

I don't get christmas vacation anymore.

Now that I am a real person with a job, I don't get the typical 2 weeks off that I have grown so used to in my life. Since elementary school, we have grown up knowing that this time of year provided at least a week and a half of carefree time to spend with your family and friends. This is when we usually all gather in one spot and drink copious amounts of rum-infused eggnog. This is the time that we enjoy every moment of the day...because we usually sleep until 3 in the afternoon each day and need to make up for lost time.

But no, this year, I am a real person, and christmas falls on a saturday. I have to work all week, and celebrate this year as a weekend holiday.

Granted, I shouldn't complain. I mean Santa works 364 days a year just for this one moment of glory...

Happy Holidays all!

-G

The Liberal Clause

http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2010/11/03/read-the-tea-party-childrens-book-about-how-obama-stole-christmas-no-really



literally....I am speechless

Sorry Deer!

So this weekend...major traumatic events ensued.

I went to go meet up with some of my lovely Armenian chicks (note the fact that one girl is actually Indian) at Karoun, a lovely middle-eastern restaurant in Newton. We laughed, we reminisced, we danced....it was a wonderful night, one of those nights that you didn't think anything would go wrong...

So then I left Karoun, on my way to go meet up with one of my dearest friends, Steph, who was back for the weekend from New York City. Excited to hear all about her adventures, the hometown crew decided we would all meet at Bar Louie to catch up...and by catch up we really mean binge drink.

I was driving back from Newton down 95 south, thinking of which cocktail I would have first...when I saw it.

A big Man-Deer....which I later found out is called a Buck....was climbing over the guardrail. Now, I was driving down 95 south, probably going at least 70 miles an hour, and I knew things were not going to end well for one of us.

I saw Bambi climb the rail, and then boom...he charged. He was running right towards me! Now I have had close calls with deer before, mostly on back roads, but I have always been able to stop in time, but not this time.

I was in the fast lane, and there were other cars behind me so I couldn't swerve. And I couldn't tell whether it would be better to brake harder or gun-it faster to avoid the thing and BOOM.......I killed Bambi.

I pulled over to the side of the highway, where a man in a Tow-truck stopped to make sure I was OK. I saw the deer back on the highway, kicking it's final kick, and that was when I broke down.

I have always been an animal lover, and while animals have not always loved me back, I always get sad when one dies....especially because of my doing. This, all on the heels of my darling hamster Muffin untimely passing last week, has obviously thrown me into a severe depression.

While my brothers were concerned with whether or not I brought the deer back home in my truck, I was concerned whether or not the deers family would be waiting for him to come back home (My dad later told me that it's mating season and the Dad deer don't take care of the Baby Deer, thank god).

It was after all this, and a barrage of questions from my concerned relatives, that I realized I was also happy that I wasn't killed. Mostly because, I plan on ending my life in a blaze of glory, fighting the good fight, standing up for the injustices in the world! ...not to be squished by a horny deer.

That's all folks!

Annie G.

How “Hoarders” Has Changed My Life

I will admit it, I have always been known to be a messy person. Let me rephrase, I am a cluttery bargain hunter. I used to only buy things on sale, and did not have the space to house all of my bargains. It was never like I couldn’t manuever in my room, but I just always had clothes on my floor or a project half finished on my bed. I was often traveling, so I would blame my clutter on constant shift.

And then, something changed.

I began to watch a lot of A&E tv. It all started with “Intervention” an emotionally draining mini-documentary on the lives of addicts. It was easy to see these people and their struggle, and think “God, I will never huff 17 bottles of computer duster a day.” Quick decision, life fixed.

Then, there was a new program on, called “hoarders.” For those of you not in the know, hoarding is a form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder that is categorized by the need to compulsively collect and save items, with the inability to throw things away. The people classified as hoarders are these twisted self-proclaimed “collectors.” Often times their houses are filled to the brim with stuff such as household appliances, books, boxes, trash, food and often, cats. Many people recognize the problem, but are unsure how to go about fixing it. Others are in complete denial.

There is a general outline for a hoarder. A person, male or female, living in a rural area, probably on the lower end of the socioeconomic scale, who suffered some traumatic event that triggered the onset of major hoarding, and usually owns at least 10 cats. The show brings in pschologists and professional organizers to help the hoarder to well….de-hoard, often finding some of the most disgusting, flattened cats under the debris.

So how did this change my life? Well, now that I have been watching hoarders I have been insanely afraid that at any moment I could suffer from a traumatic depression, or loss, and BOOM- I am a hoarder. What if, in 10 years, I had 20 snakes that crawled around and pooped in the house (I am not much of a cat person) and couldn’t even sleep in my own bed? I have no desire to not be able to walk to my bathroom or cook in my kitchen.

So, I have purged my room, thrown away half of my belongings, and now I only focus on purchasing wise “investments” for the future (ok ok, I bought a flat screen tv….hey its like a graduation gift… to myself).

So, while I have a ways to go before I am a neat freak….for those of you like me, who have had clutter issues in the past…watch “Hoarders,” put your cats up for adoption, and start tossing stuff away!

Love peace and elbow grease

Annie G

Jackass 3D…and the side effects of depression

So last weekend I went to see Jackass 3D (it was Gil’s birthday and I let him pick the movie).

We paid our tickets, received our stylish 3D ray bans, and proceeded down the stairs of the Showcase cinemas in Randolph to catch the 3rd installment of the notoriously hilarious shenanigans of the Jackass crew.

And then, about an hour and a half later, I was nauseous.

Not only was I sick because of the excess amounts of vomit, fecal matter and male genitalia that was on display in this cinematic adventure, but also, I was disturbed on a deeper level.

Now, jackass hit its prime when I was just entering high school. In those days, my friends and I would watch that show, and laugh for hours, then ignore any disclaimer and attempt some wacky stunts ourselves. I remember having a giant crush on johnny Knoxville, thinking Bam Margera could be my best guy friend, and desperately wanting to have lighthearted friends just like the Jackass crew.

And now, I am 22, on a quest to become a real person, and looking at Jackass with a whole new perspective.

Now, don’t get me wrong, the movie was quite hilarious, I found myself laughing between dry heaves, but then I thought that these men must be approaching their forties, and they are still reveling in their slapstick ways.

I know I know, they get paid millions of dollars for this crap, I understand. But unfortunately, these guys represent a portion of the population who never quite grow up. And to be honest, it’s a sad thing to face.

When it comes down to it, I still do want to be like these guys (minus the sweat chugging, public defecation and porta-potty obsessions). I want to still have carefree times, where I get together with my friends and do stupid stuff. I don’t want to have to worry about loans, dreams an goals. I want to be able to go to a job where all I do is make people laugh.

I guess watching Jackass didn’t have the kick that it used to….maybe I should buy a video camera.

I’m Annie G. , and this is my blog post!

Open mouth, insert foot

So, after that huge post the other day...

I got a job.

Thus my life as a real person has taken another step....very exciting indeed...

but what is more exciting is that my dear friend Steph moved away from me to the Big Apple, and she has some snappy stories to tell!

check out her blog at http://gripelist2009.blogspot.com/

outtie 3000

Annie G.

Finding a job....the battle for entry level

For those of you who are young, perhaps in high school, and considering enrolling in a prestigious university, I offer you this advice...

Don't.

As a recent cum laude college grad from the 69th best university in the nation, with experience working on capitol hill, a university in another country, security at a top venue, one of the top-earning tourist attractions in the city of Boston, and a whole list of other random jobs I have held over the year, one would think I would be a shoe-in for a juicy-salaried career...

But you would be wrong.

Now I know this all sounds very egotistical, and while my stunning resume and well-written cover letters are something to brag about, it is nothing without a response. Since I have returned home (about 2 months ago) I have sent out AT LEAST a resume a day, most times more. With all of this emailing, calling and confirming, I have maybe heard back from 4 people.

In fact, because I was so desperate for some cash, I even applied to Best Buy, Petco, Borders, and all the restaurants at Patriot Place...

...none of which have called me back.

For a while I thought it was me, perhaps I wasn't as smart as I thought I was. Perhaps my intellectual capacity holds no more than what is necessary of a basic clerical worker. Perhaps all of my hopes, dreams and goals are really nothing more than a bunch of crap.

But then I turned to my peers and saw I wasn't alone. In the state of this economy, it is insanely difficult to not only get a job, but one that pays well.

If I had graduated 5 years ago, with the amount of experience I have, I would have easily been able to play my cards right and walk into a 50,000 dollar a year job, perhaps even more. I would not have needed to move home, would not have needed to apply for weekend retail, would not have needed to wake up each day and look at my 97 rusting and heatless grand marquis, and definitely would not have needed to live paycheck to paycheck.

Luckily, I did play my cards somewhat right. I have been freelance writing and working for a textile company (it helps when you are dating the boss and they need a temp) but then I think to myself....I have a degree...and couldn't even get a job at Petco.

The problem is not only that jobs are scarce, but so is experience. Whenever I look at a posting I immediately scroll down to qualifications. Even entry level positions require 2-5 years experience! And not only are we up against all the millions of recent college grads, but also all the other people who were laid off during the economic recession...and usually those people....have experience.

So while it was all well and good back in the day, going to college and graduating with a nice salary that is, I am now stuck battling for 25-30,000 a year positions, while watching thousands of dollars of student loans pile up behind me.

So again, if you are living in 2010, and thinking about college...

Learn how to be a mechanic instead...













...I still need my car's heater fixed.....




Peace,

Annie G