so…what’s new?

People that haven’t seen you in a while love to ask that question. And when nothing is up, you hate getting that question. But when you have stuff going on, you’re chomping at the bit, mentally reciting what you’ll say when it comes up. And when it does, you confidently rattle off everything from your amazing new job, to the gorgeous girl you’re seeing. And that’s kind of what’s going on now. Over the summer, I let the blog wither because I wasn’t quite ready to answer that question. But now I am. So here’s what new.

I won’t make excuses as to why I haven’t written anything in the past four or five months, but just after my last post in March I went on a relentless job search. And with 8% unemployment, 13% black unemployment and over 14% underemployment, searching for a job became my job. After countless résumés sent and four of my worst performances in job interviews I still had nothing. There wasn’t much out there. And frankly, at this point, I would have welcomed a little underemployment. That’s when I made the decision that I’d rather do yet another unpaid internship, than work some job I know wouldn’t lead to a career. Money isn’t everything, after all. At least this way, I could continue weighing what little options I had as the thought of graduation breathed steadily and annoyingly down the back of my neck.

So one day while I was coming home from my midday classes, I passed an ad agency. Of course, I didn’t know it was an ad agency at the time, I just thought it looked really cool from the outside. There was greenery lining the outside, and metal gears hanging on the brick walls and the floor-to-ceiling windows just screamed “transparency.”

When I got home I Googled it, found out what it was, what they do and started plotting a way to get my foot in the door. I had writing/journalism experience and thought I could ask to do some free work as maybe a copywriter or researcher, just for the experience. So I emailed them: “Will Work For Free.” Because who doesn’t need a little free help? I waited a couple weeks. Nothing. But I thought advertising could be something I could do and on top of that, I loved watching Mad Men. So with the help of Google Places, I found every ad agency in the city to let them know I was available to do anything they needed — for free. And out of about ten agencies large and small, I got a call back from one. The woman on the other end said she’d love for me to come in the following week. Ecstatic, I said to myself, “This is it!”

And indeed, it was.

On Monday, I showed up early and waited until 8:30 to walk in, going to the wrong door. The woman on the phone, who’s name was also on the building, took me on a tour and let me settle in the library. Expecting grunt work, she gave me the assignment of coming up with a headline for an ad they were doing for one of their larger clients. It was a completely new process, and I was hooked.

But there was a small problem.

I still wasn’t making any money. But a possible solution to this problem came a few days later in the form of another phone call. A large company stationed about five minutes away (who has since moved) called me up about the résumé I’d given them a few months back. This was a great opportunity to gain some experience in finance (one of my majors) and get paid at the same time! But the issue with this gig was the fact that it was full time, which didn’t leave any time for the ad agency and this brand new writing process I had fallen in love with.

Without much hesitation, I gracefully declined, citing my new (unpaid) internship as the reason. And as luck would have it, the end of that week marked the beginning of my employment.

Three months later, I’m working for a great agency doing search marketing, brand strategy and of course, copywriting.

the cobbler

I feel as though we were all built for the life we were given. It’s a process, and we are always being worked on. Always being broken down only to be put back together, even stronger than we were before. God is the cobbler for our souls, making sure the holes we can’t patch up with a kind word (or therapy) are mended without any cost to us. It’s already been paid for. Experience is the best teacher, and those lessons will enable you to handle the small shards of glass and debris that will likely damage your soles on the journey.

hopeful romantic

UPDATE - I wish all women would read this article

I speak for the population of singles who don’t devalue the notion of marriage or question the validity of its existence in our increasingly progressive society. There’s a minority out there that still believes everyone has a soul mate, and your job on this earth isn’t over until you’ve found them. So spending valuable time and money on someone that doesn’t add significant value to your life is a waste of your hard-earned resources. Though I imagine that once someone gets their hooks into you, I don’t suppose you have a choice.

We’re told that being single for a season is necessary to the process toward becoming a more complete person, but we never really know if that’s true or not. The future stays behind its veil as it should, and we are left to just deal with what we’ve been given, however much, or little that may be. Though, there are sometimes insurmountable obstacles we face when we decide to be bound to another person. It’s like a trust exercise, never knowing how far you’ll fall, or even if anyone will be there to catch you.

So when the time does finally arrive, I’ll be sure to cherish every up, each down, and anything else that comes with a relationship. I’m a hopeful romantic, but unlike many others my age, I’ve never been one half of a real relationship, only flings that sparked and fizzled over a brief week or two. Sometimes I sit around and try to imagine what its like. Not the good times, but the day-to-day grind that causes two people to stay together for so long. I’m behind the curve, but I know that perfect timing has always been a friend to me. I want to be like everyone else, but then I remind myself that that’s never worked out before. Being myself has always worked out and has played a major role in shaping me into who I am today. I’ve always done my best to make the most of this grooming process that, once complete, will disallow me to take for granted the solitude I now have that gives me time to write things like this.

I do, however, appreciate the day of the year devoted to relational happiness, and hope all of the couples’ relationships are stronger because of it.

monthly review — january

This month (January) took a little more out of me than in the past, from getting sick multiple times, to making my school work a priority, it all got to be too much. I tried to kick it off the right way with the Daniel fast, but after a few days the coughing, congestion, and sneezing came back. The third week of the month marked the beginning of a brand new semester and a brand new approach to my thinking. I attacked my school work with a voracity that seems like it came from thin air. There’s an urgency present I’ve never seen the like of before. The bags under my eyes are more prominent now than they’ve ever been, and I only attribute that to the amount of time and energy I’ve been putting into this last year of college. My senses are heightened, and everything is reaching a new level. But not from let’s say 3 to 4. It’s more like 3 to 3.5, but still moving in the right direction. For the past few days, I’ve felt this strange feeling that something is about to happen. Something good.

 

Good:

I’m beginning to embrace the long(ish) hair, haven’t had a cut in about 3 months

On-the-job performance has been great, turning in results, despite not beign paid for my services

Laser-like focus has come from nowhere

Started a spiritual journal to keep intimate thoughts

Using my first real credit card for the first step in getting my credit in order

Gave up video games, don’t miss them much at all, and productivity is on the rise

First time I was summoned for jury duty, didn’t have to go

Small reconnection with a female from the past, after she became single

Finished The Hunger Games, wasn’t impressed, and started The Paris Wife

There’s only the good, the bad holds no ground.

 

monthly review — december

December was a pretty hectic month, which is evident seeing as how it’s nearing the middle of January when I’m getting the chance to write this. Truth be told, I haven’t been in the right mindset for doing any writing of any kind lately. There seems to be some blockage preventing me from producing quality material. I am however, working on my next piece for the Huffington Post, albeit a slow process. I haven’t been taking sufficient notes this month, continuing my lazy streak starting back in December.

The Good:

• Went on the best vacation of my life with some family to New York
• Started Reverb11, in the process of moving all of those posts to a separate tab so the website doesn’t get cluttered
• Got my Yamaha keyboard so I’m now able to practice at home
• Started the Millenium Trilogy, just recently finished the last book and going through withdrawal symptoms
• Finished the semester off strong with two A’s

The Not So Good:

• Chose not to go on the senior cruise
• Had to have my Macbook serviced for the first time in its two year life
• Came back home from vacation

What I’m Improving on:

• Writing more consistently, and getting better all the while
• Always having something to read, and as I do this I can feel my mind getting sharper everyday

“Each day. Consistent, honest application of words.” – Gwen Bell, entrepre-writer

monthly review (november)

I was a little surprised to see that the last piece I’d written for the site was the monthly review for last month, though, for good reason of course. Once again, my review is going to go beyond the digital aspects of my life, and dip into the life I lead everyday.

The Good:

• I like to view this first one as a positive with a negative “silver lining”, rather than the other way around. I won’t be graduating on time (next May) like I had originally thought. I’ll be staying an extra semester to do a double major instead. The response from the people I’ve told, has been mostly positive. They understand that two majors is advantageous, especially in this economy. Something else that I didn’t think of, was the fact that coming out of school in December will put me up against considerably less competition in the job market.
• Started piano lessons at the top of the month, and I could not love it more
• Ran in my 2nd 5k race
• In honor of National Novel Writing Month, I started writing a novel; or short story depending how long it turns out to be
• Visited one of my good friends for the first time in a while
• Held our first blog contest

The Not So Good:

• Found out my FICO score is dismal, due to a home loan in my name (I smell foul play). I got approved for my first credit card but I’ve yet to actually use it

What I Hope to Improve on:

I will strive to continue writing in a compelling way, always from experience.