To Work (or lack thereof)

Ever have a task to complete that feels like it's going to take you FOREVER (be it at the office, or at home).  Call me crazy, but chances are the task will feel like FOREVER because it's something we really don't like doing.  On the flip side, ever find yourself lost in something, all the while a smile is hidden somewhere on your face because, really, it's not THAT bad...

Surprise, people!  Losing yourself in something is simultaneously accomplishing something, otherwise known as WORK.

In the past five (+) years, I've been a person who has been able to say "I love my job."  At times, even though I didn't love my physical "work" tasks, I always had something uber positive about my office environment.  I took a leap of faith, and jumped to a new "company" (read: the University of Minnesota).  Sure, there have been times I've desperately missed my old office environment; the years spent with my coworkers, and the insane amount of professional and personal trust I had built with my former co-workers is irreplaceable.  I've chosen to keep looking forward to the next task, and to more "work."  I will still tell anyone and everyone, when asked of course, I love my job.

So a shout out to you, Work, for giving me something to do on a regularly and consistently.  You've had my back, and I'll do my best to have yours.

To Coffee

Same story, different day:

• Wake up groggy
• Stumble around to find something to wear
• Race out the door because you're about ten minutes behind schedule
• Walk into work, put coat/purse away, and attempt to conquer all emails from the night before
• Feel a little bleh
• Fix a hot cup of coffee, and sit back at my desk and smile
• Stay up that night about an hour past when I wanted to go to sleep because I want to resist the temptation to act like a tried and true, responsible adult.
• Rinse, wash, repeat.

 Today, I give a shout-out to coffee.  When you're around, all I can seem to do is smile.

The Vote

I, unlike some people, grew up in an environment where politics wasn't spoken about.  Period.  The end.  Even to this day, I'll try to strike up a political conversation with either of my parents, and it's stopped almost dead in it's tracks because that's how they roll.  To their defense (read: to my mom's defense) she was raised in an environment where political discussions because so ugly that fists were literally throw; hence, she decided to never. ever. speak. politics.
I love and respect my mom, although I'll be the first to tell you (and her) that her no talk-stance irritates me because what better person/people to gain insight into the crazy wild world of politics than your parents, I digress.
Today is a huge day for me, as an American and as a Minnesotan.  Today, in Minnesota, not only are we afforded the opportunity to cast our ballots for the next president of the US, but we're also allowed to vote on two hot topics: The Marriage Amendment, and the Voter-ID Amendment.
I have extremely strong beliefs on rejecting the proposed Marriage Amendment (mostly because people I love will and should eventually be able to have same-sex unions recognized by our state, and also because I have yet to find an individual present me with a VALID, SOUND reason for voting yes, I digress).
Honestly, I'm not here to harp about political this that or the other.  What I'm here to say is THANK GOD we have the right to speak our opinions without limitation (arguably to a certain extent).  The freedom of speech rocks, and so does our democratic society which gives us the power to choose (again, to a certain extent).  Shout-out to you, the voters who make an effort to have their voices heard through each and every ballot cast! 

The Focus

I have driven a ford focus for the last eight years.  From 2004 - 2011, and from 2011 - the present.  So here's a little shout-out to you, ford focus.  For getting me where I need to go.  For having heated seats on those cold Minnesota mornings.

You rock.  I'm glad to have you in my life.

My Money Maker

I recently switched jobs.  After spending close to five years in commercial real estate, I saw my future career looking uneventful had I stayed, so I chose to start looking around for other opportunities and see what was out there.

I had always wanted to work for the U of M...I wish I could tell you why.  Perhaps it was because college atmosphere's are absolutely electric.  Maybe it was because the environment of the U was so diverse.  I'd even go out on a limb and say the campus had a way of making me feel as if I were in a different world, even though it's boundaries fall within the Twin Cities.

After countless applications, one was finally passed forward to a department hiring manager.  After an interview, I was offered the position.  Many tears were shed at my new opportunity.  Tears of excitement for what was to come.  Tears of sadness for leaving my former office-mates.  Tears of sheer joy that I was actually going to be a U of M employee.

It has been four months since beginning my tenure with the U of M...four months I will never forget.  Four months of sheer continuous excitement.  I'm so lucky my money maker is a job that makes me smile...not many people can say that.

A shout out to the U for being U. 

To the Katies

Growing up, my parents nailed the thought expectation into my small brain that I would Graduate. From. College.

Must to my surprise, when it came time for me to select my post secondary institution I was faced with a tumultuous family situation (spell: divorce), and really really REALLY wanted to take some time to not go to school and figure my life out.  My mom saw things differently, and through many screaming matches I heard her words and enrolled in a school far enough away, but still within the border of Minnesota (read: UMD, the school the majority of city kids attend, if only for one year).

Since that path led me down some moments of failure, I took some time to reevaluate where I was heading.  My reevaluation wasn't the most scholarly at times, and I would often wind up bellied up to a watering hole drinking my weight in a local brew, then making a fool of myself before the night was over, I digress. 

One thing led to another, and I soon found myself a single mother, without a college education. 

I knew I needed to give my life reevaluation a second shot.  I churned my neurons to figure out a way for me to successfully raise baby boy, and afford him the many luxuries I was afforded growing up.  Since providing a father for him didn't pan out, I needed to get my education back on track. 

St. Kate's was and always will be a place of sanctity, peace, serenity (the list goes on...really).  It's an environment founded on an awesome liberal foundation.  It welcomed my single motherhood with judgement free arms, provided me with an awesome mentor who has been nothing but my own personal and professional cheerleader. 

The professors are passionate about their teachings.  The classmates are wonderful, respectful women who promote a safe, academic, challenging, and fulfilling learning environment. 

I know I'm still a good two years away from earning enough credits to have my bachelor's degree, but I've already decided I'll be a "Katie" for life. 

So today, a shout-out to all of the Katies out there!  Keep on rockin in the free world!!

2nd Time is a Charm

Two days in a row...see?  I've got this thing NAILED DOWN YO.

To expand on my first NaBloPoMo post, I want to send a special shout out to the person who persevered to make my home owning a reality. 

I've been working towards achieving home ownership since the day I found out I was pregnant.  I didn't necessarily go about the fastest way possible, especially considering the years I spent avoiding my HORRIBLE credit history prior to becoming pregnant...but I always had the goal of home ownership floating around in my head. 

My parents raised me in a single family home.  I can count on less than five fingers the number of friends growing up who lived in an apartment (pre-college, of course).  My first experience living in an apartment came when I was in college (with AND without roommates).  It's not that I had ill feelings towards raising my son in an apartment setting, but I knew the luxuries I was afforded as a kid wouldn't be available to him (read: immediate outdoor access, consistent outdoor toys that were his, a washer and dryer my parents could use without having to scrounge around for quarters, actual peace and quiet at all times (specifically at night when I was in bed)...you know, the "good stuff").

I'd begun looking with a realtor, but never officially signed an agreement.  Then came Shannon.  She was a former classmate of mine, and a very driven and dedicated Real Estate agent.  She was EXACTLY what I needed.  She took me on over a dozen different showings, set me up with a personalized online notification site, and was always on the lookout for the property that would fit me and my little man. 

In a way, she had no way of knowing how perfect the house we were finally able to close on really was for myself and my son....but I'll be dammed if I don't owe her an immense amount of gratitude for the way goal was finally accomplished.  I still find myself sporadically feeling overcome with excitement that my son is afforded the luxuries of growing up in a single family house (as funny as that may sound).

So a SHOUT OUT to you, Shannon.  You rock harder than granite.

NaBloWHAT?!

Why not reinvigorate this small corner of the internet?  I've always wanted to participate in NaBloPoMo, but never had the wherewithal to REMEMBER that I wanted to participate until November was half over.  Perhaps I tried a couple of years ago, but I'll tell you with great certainty that I failed with flying colors, I digress.

I suppose the trick for keeping this task interesting for the both of us is to come up with some wildly interesting topic and expand it over the next four weeks.  Eff.  Sure, it sounds easy, but my never-lies-to-me-mom-gut is telling me otherwise. 

To start off the month, I think I'll try to dedicate the post to a person I want to send a shout out to.  Today, that person is me (narcissistic much?).  Ok, ok, ok...I won't send a shout out to me, but instead to my wicked awesome neighborhood. 

I moved into my house in February of this year, and almost immediately it was as if I had moved into my niche.  My neighbors had children of a similar age to baby boy, and we lived on the same side of our street within four houses of each other.  There I sit amongst two awesome married couples, and me (the single-mom spinster). 

They're honestly some of the nicest people I've met.  They love to sit around bonfires drinking beer (which is exactly what we did last night, although it consisted of me downing a bottle of Hallowine, a neighbor drinking beer, and the other two neighbors sipping on soda). 

The kids went out trick-or-treating, chaperoned by the 17-year old neighbor, and life was good.  We even spotted a large buck (twice) two doors down.  (In case you're curious, when one of the neighbors shouted "look at the rack on that thing," I immediately responded with "stop talking about me, I'm right here!"...thank god my neighbors share in my same humor!!).

So, a huge SHOUT OUT to the Lois Drive Crew (LDC, as this post has now inspired me to form Shoreview's first neighborhood posse).

I'm Voting No

I was looking for a safe way for me to express my views regarding the upcoming "marriage amendment" vote in Minnesota (and let's be honest, I have far too many words to share my thoughts in a Facebook status message), so this was the first platform that came to mind.  I'll be the first to admit those who aspire against my beliefs and opinions will be able to dissect my words, however, they are my opinions and I will not feel bad for feeling the way I feel.

How I will vote in November, and why:

I will stand proud, and vote against the marriage amendment by checking the "no" box.

Raised in the catholic church, being taught to feel guilty for EVERYTHING, I currently label myself as a "recovering catholic."  Religious/spiritual views aside, how is this proposed amendment any different from the Civil Rights movement?  To those of you voting yes, why are you repeating the same mistakes made fifty years ago?  I just don't get it.

Sure, you could argue it violates your beliefs; but only because you feel the word "marriage" is religiously tied to your beliefs....

so let's take a look at the webster's definition of marriage:

1a (1) : the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law (2) : the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage marriage

>

b : the mutual relation of married persons : wedlock

c : the institution whereby individuals are joined in a marriage

2: an act of marrying or the rite by which the married status is effected; especially : the wedding ceremony and attendant festivities or formalities

3: an intimate or close union marriage

of painting and poetry — J. T. Shawcross>

Nowhere in that definition do I see the word "religion".  I see the word ceremony, sure, so let's take a look at the word "ceremony":

1: a formal act or series of acts prescribed by ritual, protocol, or convention ceremony

>

2a : a conventional act of politeness or etiquette ceremony

of introduction>

b : an action performed only formally with no deep significance  

Voting "yes" on the basis of religion is invalid.  I don't care if your church or religious organization uses the word to define your religion's ceremony...the fact of life remains, a ceremony is something (anything, really) that YOU want it to be....NOT something that is ONLY DEFINED BY A CHURCH. 

Try to tell me you want to vote Yes because you think homosexuals abuse children (blah blah blah), and I'll find empirical studies that PROVE YOU WRONG. 

To be gay is not something you can "diagnose" or "treat with therapy."  To be gay is to be gay.  Period, the end.  Stopping this ridiculous amendment would allow homosexual relationships to be legally recognized, and rightfully so.

How would you feel if you were denied the opportunity to be legally recognized in a relationship, and your other half fell ill, or was tragically injured in a car accident?  Do you realize if you did not have legal recognition as being this person's partner, you would not be privy to medical information?  Do you realize you would not have the authority to keep your spouse on life support, or taken them off life support if that was the wish of your spouse?  The doctors wouldn't be able to speak with you.  You would have zero rights, and if you've ever been unfortunate enough to be in that position, having zero rights is a terrifying situation to find yourself in. 

Seriously, if someone, ANYONE could produce a valid, sound reason to vote yes, I dare you to try because I firmly believe a valid, sound reason to vote yes does not exist.  Why be discriminatory?  Why oppress the rights of humans?  Are you God?  And if you refuse to abandon your cowardly "religious beliefs", whatever happened to treating your neighbor as you would want to be treated? Do you honestly think it would be fair if a homosexually ruled government refused to pass a law recognizing a heterosexual relationship as legal?

To the people out there who want to pass the marriage amendment, I challenge you to open your hearts, and your minds.  Stop trying to act like god.  Stop trying to oppress a population of amazing people that completely deserve the right to have their relationships legally recognized.

Regardless of the outcome of the election in November, I know for certain I will shed tears.  Tears of joy that many people whom I love with all of my heart will have the legal recognition they deserve if the amendment is knocked down.  Tears of disgust if this ridiculous amendment passes.

I do exist!

Yes people...I do exist....

Honestly, just haven't felt compelled to write much about anything on here. There's no specific reason, really...I've had MANY things happen in my life recently. Perhaps it's a bit of a coming of age for me...I haven't relied on this corner of the net to vent my feelings, or to gain perspective on my life; instead, internalizing, reaching out to a select few whom are close to me, and gaining perspective through that route....a more personable, less public route.

Leh sigh.

I'm still a single, fully time working, single mother in her late twenties who struggles to find the right balance of friends, family, work, school and love (although, the love thing has been non existent for a loooooooooooooong time, I digress).

On the topic of love: How does a late 20-something get across her message that she's ready to have fun?? This so-called late 20-something is stuck at home, doesn't have the opportunity to go out and network in public, (nor does she really have time with her nutty work/family/school life to spend nights out), but in the same breath, this late 20-something has a void she's looking to fill. The void yearns for fun, laughing, and a splash of romance from time to time.

A little help please....?