Today I was doing some research for an article that I'm planning to write on saving money, and I learned that college students spend $200 billion per year on snack food and leisure entertainment activities. I contributed to that amount for the past five years. The most money spent on snack foods was $3,129 on soda. Soda! I can't even think of how many Diet Cokes I've bought in the past year. The thought makes me cringe.
Now I'm starting to think of what I've been spending money on. Lately I've been buying work clothes: light jackets, cardigans, dresses, dressy tops, nice jeans (yes, I wear jeans to work, but I'm not so sure that I'm allowed to), and shoes. I recently bought a top that I really like from Nordstrom Rack but I don't really need it because it's not work-appropriate. I'm debating whether I should return it tomorrow. It's so cute though! The transition from college to the workforce is definitely not a cheap one.
I also bought some more expensive items, like my brand new iPod video. It was a justified purchase because my old iPod crapped out after almost three years of togetherness. I also turned in my old one and got a slight discount on my new purchase. The poor iPod was worn out because I listened to it almost every day. At least I got some good mileage out of it, and it accompanied me on three vacations. Hopefully it will be recycled and be reborn into a new iPod.
Anyway, I'm really not looking forward to my next credit card bill.
Aaron and I are also contemplating a move to the mainland once I figure out whether I want to go to grad school or not. I better start preparing for the GRE. Also I have to write some stories to submit with my applications. So if we do move, we need to start saving NOW. I'm already doing pretty decent with my saving, but I wish I had started being more diligent about it when I was younger. Woulda, shoulda, coulda.
Some expenses are slowly being cut out of my expense list. I put insurance on my cell phone (dumb move) and I'm planning on removing it. I've been bringing home lunch almost every day except for the days when I meet Aaron for lunch. I don't buy coffee anymore because I bring tea from home. I'm also going to stop buying my beloved Bath and Body Works shower gel and hand soap--the days of spending $9 on a bottle of body wash are over. Goodbye, Country Apple Scent. Hello, Dove Soap!
Well, I guess it doesn't matter that I'm saving money if I spend it all on clothes. Sometimes you just can't win.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Help!
I'm having difficulty writing in journalism-style.
I really don't know why I'm having such a problem. Tell me to write a short story and bam, I can crank out a few pages in less than an hour. I've written pretty good poems in half an hour. Maybe it's because I'm uninspired. The style is a lot different than the writing that I'm used to, plus I'm used to writing papers for my English professors.
My articles are boring. And they have no depth. The stories are also choppy; nothing flows like how I would like it to. I also have difficulty determining which facts are more important than others, and what needs to be left out.
I knew going in that this wasn't going to be easy. Plus I know that practice makes perfect. There's just something about it that makes me wonder if I'm good enough of a writer to make it my living. I've been too tired to write anything creative. All my side projects are being shelved until I have the opportunity to add to them. This can't be burn out--I've only been full-time for less than two months!
Sometimes I wonder if I made the right career choice. I'm still new to it, and I can change if I want to. But do I want to?
The reason for my writing this is so that in a few months, when I've "mastered" this journalism style and can write articles with ease, I'll look back and wonder why the hell I was whining about it.
At least I hope that will happen.
I really don't know why I'm having such a problem. Tell me to write a short story and bam, I can crank out a few pages in less than an hour. I've written pretty good poems in half an hour. Maybe it's because I'm uninspired. The style is a lot different than the writing that I'm used to, plus I'm used to writing papers for my English professors.
My articles are boring. And they have no depth. The stories are also choppy; nothing flows like how I would like it to. I also have difficulty determining which facts are more important than others, and what needs to be left out.
I knew going in that this wasn't going to be easy. Plus I know that practice makes perfect. There's just something about it that makes me wonder if I'm good enough of a writer to make it my living. I've been too tired to write anything creative. All my side projects are being shelved until I have the opportunity to add to them. This can't be burn out--I've only been full-time for less than two months!
Sometimes I wonder if I made the right career choice. I'm still new to it, and I can change if I want to. But do I want to?
The reason for my writing this is so that in a few months, when I've "mastered" this journalism style and can write articles with ease, I'll look back and wonder why the hell I was whining about it.
At least I hope that will happen.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
It's been so long...
Since I've been able to write in here! I came back from my family trip a few weeks ago and ever since I've been back to the grind. There was a part of me that didn't want to leave San Francisco--well, all of me didn't want to leave.
Being in two different climates in one week is so strange. It was about 120 degrees in Las Vegas, and most of the time was spent shopping. I'm surprised to be admitting this but I wish that we had done more wandering around instead of shopping. The shopping was supposed to please Amanda and Katie, I believe. Aaron and I didn't win any money in Vegas, so our plans for becoming rich and famous are put on hold.
San Francisco was wonderful! The weather was perfect--a nice and breezy low 70's. I absolutely loved the city and Haight-Ashbury. Luckily we visited USF, which is where I'm contemplating attending grad school for a MFA in Creative Writing. I still wished that we had did more sight-seeing instead of shopping.
Right now I'm taking a break from writing three stories for the magazine. Sometimes when you're writing multiple articles simultaneously, the stories begin to sound like one another. I'm hoping that taking a five minute break will revive my creative juices.
So my sisters and I were thinking about starting a restaurant. Not a really fancy restaurant, but a cozy bistro that has really tasty homestyle food. A coffee shop in Haight-Ashbury has been my influence. I think it was called Coffee For the People or something. It was a decently sized coffee shop with older furniture and a large bookshelf taking up an entire wall. The bookshelf was full of books and old board games like Life and Clue. I definitely want to become the pastry chef. We're still discussing the possibilities.
Well, I have an article to proof. Hopefully I can update more often.
Being in two different climates in one week is so strange. It was about 120 degrees in Las Vegas, and most of the time was spent shopping. I'm surprised to be admitting this but I wish that we had done more wandering around instead of shopping. The shopping was supposed to please Amanda and Katie, I believe. Aaron and I didn't win any money in Vegas, so our plans for becoming rich and famous are put on hold.
San Francisco was wonderful! The weather was perfect--a nice and breezy low 70's. I absolutely loved the city and Haight-Ashbury. Luckily we visited USF, which is where I'm contemplating attending grad school for a MFA in Creative Writing. I still wished that we had did more sight-seeing instead of shopping.
Right now I'm taking a break from writing three stories for the magazine. Sometimes when you're writing multiple articles simultaneously, the stories begin to sound like one another. I'm hoping that taking a five minute break will revive my creative juices.
So my sisters and I were thinking about starting a restaurant. Not a really fancy restaurant, but a cozy bistro that has really tasty homestyle food. A coffee shop in Haight-Ashbury has been my influence. I think it was called Coffee For the People or something. It was a decently sized coffee shop with older furniture and a large bookshelf taking up an entire wall. The bookshelf was full of books and old board games like Life and Clue. I definitely want to become the pastry chef. We're still discussing the possibilities.
Well, I have an article to proof. Hopefully I can update more often.
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