Single Gal in the City: SAT Here I Come

I've been wanting to embark on a new chapter in my life and I have seized the perfect opportunity! I am going to be a corporate trainer in San Antonio, Texas. Yeeehaaaw!  I am thrilled for the new career opportunity, warmer weather and change of venue.

I've decided to start anew. I'm taking myself, Beast (my cat) and only the belongings that will fit in my vehicle. Everything else must go!

The desire of moving away to a far away city for the past few years is finally happening! 6 weeks till the official move.

Less Talk & More Action

Life is too short to be miserable. Get off your behind and start living! Want to travel and see the world? Want to lose some weight? Want to be happy? Want to find the love of your life? Want to let go of all the crap that holds you back in life? Then do it! “Less talk and more action” should be everyone’s 2012 resolution.

Last year, I set a goal of 5 trips around the United States and at first I thought that goal would be near impossible, but then as I was traveling I realized it was attainable. I wasn’t financially strained or stressed because I made it a priority in my life.

In 2012, I plan to travel someplace new every two months. 2 of the 6 trips will be outside of the country. I have one life to live and I’m going to see the world! I’m sick of people saying they wish they could do something, be something or see something and then they never do it. That’s just useless energy.

We aren’t getting any younger so utilize your youth, talents and the gifts given and make things happen. The past is the past. Today there is an opportunity. The future is uncertain; however, when the future is here I plan to look back upon my life and know I accomplished having a life filled with adventure, joy and a few good scares to tell the stories.

Next stop Denver, Colorado for some snowboarding in the mountains. What do you want to do? Do it today!

Dreaming Big

If you would of asked me a year and a half ago if I would ever put my knack for art to use, I would of told you, ''Likely never.'' I have come far from that mentality and can now proudly say, "I am an established artist!"

Thank God I ran past a thrown out artist table. Thank God I went through a rough break-up and thank God I got sick from my Ulcerative Colitis. If these three events wouldn't of happened in 2010, I would of never fostered my talent for painting.

I set out this year to paint one picture each month, to showcase my work to the public and to start a fan site. The reaction from my friends, family and fans has exceeded my expectations! I am ecstatic to see what wonderful opportunities lie ahead for my work.

I think everyone has a talent or desire to do something big in their lives and I hope that my story will inspire others to take a chance on their potential. We only get one life to live and I sure as hell don't want to look back on it with regrets and wondering 'What if?'

Photo Courtesy of Dean's Photography

My life is not perfect and it's not always glamours, but it's vibrant, positive and all mine. The passion for creating art has been ignited. Thank you for reading this. I hope I can share a portion of my joy with you.

Happiness Check-Up

We are all searching for happiness in life; however, the moment we find it it changes and we have to constantly work at keeping it. If you have been having a hard time holding onto happiness, then maybe it's time for an honest happiness check-up.

On a scale of 0 to 10, how fulfilled and satisfied are you in these eight major life areas? (10 is completely fulfilled, with nothing left out).

Fun and Recreation
Health and Fitness
Career
Money
Friends and Family
Significant Other and Romance
Physical Environment
Spirituality or Personal Growth

Do you have an unobstructed path to attaining fulfillment in these areas? Is your head and heart aligned or does it feel that you want to achieve something in life; however, you're heading in the completely opposite direction?

After taking this assessment, I have to say my happiness meter is averaging at a 6. So where do I go from here? Well I asked myself two questions:

1. What do I want in life?
2. What can I do to attain it?

Well I want to have a family, be an established artist and experience different areas of the country/world. Now comes the hard part, making the right choices to achieve all three things. The feelings of excitement and fear fill me at the thought.

For the family: I’m not going to rush anything and pray that God will help guide my relationship into the direction he would like it to go.

For becoming an established artist: Launch my artist website August 1st and make steady progress with my work while continuing to hold it down at my full-time job. I’m going to be an official business owner!!

For traveling and seeing the world: I’m going to just start saving money. Whether it’s for a vacation or a move to some place new, a little pocket of money would do me good.

Stamp This, Canada!

Damn where has the time gone? I've been one busy lady over the past three months and blogging just hasn't fit into my schedule. Balancing my love for creating art, raising a cat (yup I have a furry roomie), recovering from a car accident, building a new relationship, jogging often, climbing the corporate ladder and planning trips have been my focus. No matter how busy my life seems to get, I take a good amount of time each day to be alone and do something for myself.

I set out this year to experience the United States and this Wednesday I'll be taking a roadtip out East. The bonus to this trip: CANADA! I sure hope they stamp my  passport when I cross the border. I've never been out of the country and I think the experience is long past over due. I'm imagining Canada to be filled with wilderness, French accents and historic culture. I don't know if Canadians love Americans, but if not, I'll be the first one they will learn to love!

After this trip, I will need to take 2 more before 2012 comes a knocking on my door. I set out on a mission this year and I can't wait to look back upon this year with a better understanding of who I am and the people and places that make our country so wonderful!

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."-Henry David Thoreau

Exploration Begins Today

2011 is going to be my year to get out of the Midwest and explore the U.S!

I've vowed to take 5 vacations this year and I don't care if I end up taking them solo. Like I've previously mentioned in other posts, I'm not waiting around anymore for someone to do things with. I'm living my life for today and doing exactly what I want within my own means.

In four hours I'll be boarding a plane and heading to Austin, TX. Yeee haa!! Bring on the southern accents, cowboys, rodeos, warm weather and change of scenery.

This will be the first time I've ever flown alone. I'm facinated with the thought of being completely on my own and away from the comforts of my familiar life in Southeastern Wisconsin.

So if you've been itching to getaway, why wait? Stop pushing off exploration and do it today!

2011 Word

HUMILITY is the word I plan to incorporate into the 2011 year. Forget creating a resolution; we all know that resolutions only last so long and are bound for failure. This year I plan to attempt being selfless with my thoughts and actions. This means I plan to focus on volunteering, sensoring my mouth from derogatory conversations and being a better person in general. Not that I'm a bad person, but everyone has room for improvement.

Humilty: "the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc (Dictionary.com)."

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all are working at something to better yourselves as well.

Suburban Girl With An Itch For the City

I have no sense of style, like comfy clothes, have been dependent upon a car for majority of my life, do all my shopping at Kohl's Department Store; however, I have a desire for the city life!

I was born and raised a conservative girl in the suburbs with a love for the country and a fear for the city. I moved to Madison, Wisconsin for three years during college and loved it! Since graduation, I have moved back into my hometown area of safety and seculsion in the suburbs. No matter how comfotable I feel here, I can't seem to stop pondering what my potential could be in a major U.S. city. I can't escape the fascination I have for the diversity and excitement of the city life.

Big cities are foreign and scary to me, but this also makes them very appealing to me. It's as if my soul wants to take a chance, start a new and be a career minded lady in Chicago, New York, Austin, or San Fransico. I'm young, social and the thought of working along business professionals in high-rise buildings is pretty enticing in comparison to my laid-back lifestyle in the suburbs of PTO mothers, hickbars full of burnouts and the daily half an hour commute to work.

So nothing is set in-stone about me moving, but it's something I'm going to look into. I don't want to look back on my life when I'm 30 and wonder why I never took the chance of failure or success in a city. I think if I take this chance, I'd learn so much about myself and the world around me. Allow for me to pop this bubble I live in.

60 Days Until ?

I hand wrote my 60 day notice and sent it off into the mail yesterday.
So I am trading my delightful apartment in Waukesha for opportunity! I may not know where I'm exactly moving, but I know I'm going some place great. I've had a lot of things on my mind lately. Many of these thoughts have led me to believe that I want to explore my adventurous side and move to a big city like Chicago or New York. Just get away and make a new beginning for myself. However, I have a wonderful boyfriend so I'm likely to not move far. When you have someone good in your life it's hard to walk away and pursue your own interests. I know this blog is devoted to finding myself, but I can't help but think about a future with my honey.
With the 60 days slowly disappearing, I have many options and I've aggressively jump started my second round of job hunting. My drive to pursue a successful career in public relations has returned and nothing can stop me. With the job security of Kohl's Corporate I now have a platform to spring into the world. Lord keep my fired up!

Oh Blog How I've Missed You

Dear Blog:

I can not explain how many nights you have crossed my mind. Words and thoughts for you cross through my imaginative mind just about every night, however I have not been motivated to creep from my warm bed to prop my exhausted body into a cold leather chair to share my aspirations, fears and accomplishments. Please know that you have not been forgotten. I realize that working 40-50 hours each week responding to hundreds of e-mails has changed our relationship. I promise to return and in due time fill your web pages with my life!

Sincerely,

Mary Jean

First Day in the 'Real World'

So today was my first day of full-time work. Well I don't really know if considering orientation real 'work', but it was my first day in the 'real world'! I work in a building with a thousand employees and the larger corporate office has over 4,000! Majority of the people in my team are older women...so a perk to the job is I don't have to spend an hour each morning getting cute.

In addition to starting my new job, I've been car hunting like a mad woman. I'm so committed to finding the right car that I took an early evening run and stopped at the car dealership downtown tonight. I'm sure that car salesman was caught off guard by a sweaty, fit, redhead excited to purchase her first car from a dealership. I'll be returning tomorrow to test drive some of those potential automobiles.

So life is good for me and the good Lord is shining down on me. Sweet dreams world.

A Step in the Right Direction

We all have to get our feet wet somewhere and I've finally found a puddle to jump in. Today I was offered a job with Kohl's Corporate Headquarters and I took it. The position isn't my ideal position, but a step in the right direction. I'll be able to continue enhancing my writing skills and hopefully in due time move up that Kohl's ladder. If not, I'll keep my eyes open to other job opportunities.

Not too long ago I was playing 'The Game of Life' with my brother and his girlfriend, when it occurred to me that I'm only 11 spaces into the game out of the 150. It seems that the next 50 spaces in life have the most stops and changes. Then the 89 after that fly by so quick that before you know it your plastic car is loaded with kids, the 'Life'chips have run out, and retiring at Millionaire Estates becomes less realistic. I'm looking forward to the bumps along the road and I'm okay with retiring at Countryside Acres.

Summer Cram

A slight chill in the air has returned and with it thoughts of autumn. It's the time of year when you don't have to fear the electric bill, where you can sleep with the windows open and try to cram everything you wanted to do over the summer months into the last few warm days.

Oh how this summer was a good one, but not the most memorable. So I'm going to make a list of things I wanted to do, but was either busy, lazy, lonely, or too poor to do and finish off this summer right.

-Milwaukee Zoo

-Road Trip

-A rock or country concert

-Do a triathlon

-Bonfire parties

-Old World Wisconsin

-Camping

-Visit the cabin up north and get freaked out by all the bugs

-More fishing

-Lay out underneath the stars

-More outdoor festivals

-Visit my dad and grandpa up north

-Go hiking

-Horseback riding

-6 Flags Great America

Spring Break

Oh it's that time of the year again....a week off from my studies, mornings to sleep in, time to relax and catch up with family and friends. So nice yet this is my last spring break. Soon enough I'll be in the working world and fabulous periods off from work each season will be nonexsistent. I'll be looking forward to Fridays each week, and those lousy two weeks of vacation and 3 sick days...yikes! I'm going to just take in each of the last days I have as a college student and appreciate where I am at right now in life.

Some things I'm going to get accomplished this break:
-set up two more job interviews for the month of March
-have my graduation photos taken by my amazing cousin
-spend time with my Mom, Dad, sister and brother
-return to the gym, now that my health has returned
-prepare myself for my job interview with Kerry Ingredients and Flavours...so excited

Economic Uncertainty for Some, Optimism for Me

Applying for jobs is a full-time job! I’ve been a busy woman lately, managing to balance my job, course work, personal life and keeping my eye out for prospective careers. The job hunt has been actually quite fun. I find myself scrolling through hundreds of job opportunities and daydreaming about what life could be like with certain companies. Some nights I get so excited that I can’t shut my brain down…forcing me to put the idiot box on to distract my thoughts.

So far I’ve underwent two job interviews and I’m feeling confident in my candidacy.

Short-term Accomplishments

Oh how life is good again. I sit here before my outdated computer screen with a smile this evening. The past couple days have been great! I have a couple things to brag about tonight.

First, I've reached my first weight goal of 130lbs. That's 15lbs over the past month. My secret to losing this weight is not eating after 7pm, drinking lots of water, working out 6 days a week, eating healthier and reducing the amount of alcohol intake. I'm down to my freshmen high school size...I love it!

Second, I've been applying for jobs in my free time and I've got an interview! I just might be a future Hotdogger for Oscar Mayer Wiener. It might sound corny but I'm actually really excited about this job. I just might have the opportunity to travel around the United States in a wiener...screw finding a man, I'll have all the sausage I want.

Third, my courses this semester are challenging but great. I'm starting to get my confidence back and I've established a busy routine. Focusing on myself and future feels good. It's nice to have my life in control again.