My hobbies

HI! It's me again your favorite emmy. My last entry I mentioned how hobbies have become my life. So I am dedicating this blogger to my hobbies.
I am a continual student. I love learning and I have a thirst for knowledge and experience. I loved school, BUT what is even better is taking a class you LOVE and the only grade that comes out of it is if you have fun or not! So my main new interest in life right now is art. (I know sounds corny and very artsy fartsy i'm too good for you 18th century, but hold on a second before you laugh)
One great part of growing up for me, is looking back on the 24 years that I have lived, and being more secure and sure of myself, I can take the chances and risks I was too afraid of taking while younger. One of those "risks" for me, have been taking art classes. I have always loved doing creative projects and I really envied the art majors in college. They had their grand studio projects of designing ceramics and painting bright sunsets while I was reading books on social inequality and racial oppression. I was always too afraid that my work wouldn't match up to theirs', so I figured I would go ahead and imagine myself taking formal art lessons ---someday---
ART-I am taking two classes at the craft center at U of O right now. Beginning Ceramics and Paper Making. I love them!!!!!! Below are some samples of the paper I have made. The class if over right now and it was fascinating. I learned how to recylce my own paper and then turn it into something super cool looking. The ceramics are still very secretive, no pictures yet-- because who knows ..one of you might receive a glued back together pot or coffee mug without a handle for Christmas. :)
SPORTS-My other sorta hobbies include running and ultimate frisbee and soon to be added to that list are biking and swimming. Once I become not afraid of biking and once I learn how to swim a lap without feeling like I am going to drown. Sports have played a huge role in my childhood.(no pun intended) I can honestly say I wouldn't be the same without that competative upbringing. I really miss sports. So I am throwing myself back out there. I am going to run a half marathon in April, and I am thinking about doing a triathalon. It feels good to be active and to give yourself that little competative push, without going crazy as I have in the past. It is just really fun to me to work towards a loose goal.
COOKING-another great hobby that I am growing to love. I love to create and I love to eat good food.
READING-I am in this funky book club with a random mix of women from Eugene that Katie Kohls introduced me to. How wonderful is reading when not for class-love it!!!!
RELATIONSHIPS- I love my friends and my boyfriend. I always want to have a well rounded support group in my life. I really hope that my daily routine never becomes to overwilhelming :) or important that it squeezes out the time needed to nurture my relationships.
Body, Mind, Spirit.
Ok well it is time for bed, my eye lids are slowly closing.

Thoughts from a middle class American Woman.

DISCALIMER: This was written from the perspective of a middle class American woman and reflects the thoughts and feelings towards the economic group to which I pertain. The last two paragraphs are written to people who have the same privileges as I, to choose ones own destiny free from fear and have economic mobility and stability.

Jobs. Careers. Choosing one that is right for you.

Recently Andryce sent me one of those email surveys that were so popular back in high school when email was new and exciting. In the survey, a question was asked, “What is your dream career?” Andryce answered it by saying “Who knows, I’ve never been much of a career girl”. For some reason that stuck to me. I was (like normally) in awe of Andryce’s world perspective and her ability to root out what society expects of her from what she simply wants for herself because that is how she finds happiness.
Upon returning from Peru, one of my techniques for preventing reentrance culture shock, was to throw myself back into my culture with a vengeance, and not think too much or have time alone. I searched and searched for a job, because that’s what you have to do to survive out there. After having a dumb temp. job, I realized that I did not want to settle for some job that did not excite me or challenge me. I wanted to start doing something that would make me feel important. I wanted an office, and my own extension; I wanted a salary with full benefits, and a sense of purpose and belonging. I wanted a career. I wanted to succeed. I wanted my time to be consumed by something that would make me feel happy and like I was contributing to the world. Since we spend a majority of our lives at work with people we would not like to associate with outside the walls of our office, why not choose a career that made me feel good, since my life would be work.
In late July I was denied what I thought was my key to happiness, my dream job that would jump-start my career. After I received the phone call of denial, I cried for like 30 minutes. I felt like someone had just shot my puppy. What was a girl to do now? My self worth was flushed down the drain. So I took a part-time job at Options Counseling as social worker and a part-time job at St. Vincent de Paul’s housing program. These jobs keep my busy. I enjoy going to work each day and am very excited to leave work and I love my free weekends and evenings. Up until 2 weeks ago, before Andryce’s email gave me an epiphany; it disappointed me that I did not LOVE what I do, or that I I didn’t feel as though I wanted to pursue social work for my “career”. Work was just work. But I wanted my work to fulfill me not give me ADHD.
I like many young 20 something middle class Americans in my generation, have become victim of what I am coining to be the generation of “Grow-up quick, or else…generation”. I have this internal voice that was placed in me at a young age; maybe it was in fifth grade when we took a quiz on a new computer program that would supposedly map out the career best suited for us. As much as I hate to admit it, I tend to judge myself by what my society expects. At 20 young years of age you should choose your life path and follow if forever, never stray, if you do, you’re a failure; choose your major, spouse, career, place to live, stay there, forever………
I am starting to realize the absolute beauty of not loving my work and not feeling like a disappointment at 24 without a clear idea if my future without a place I’d like to live forever or a spouse or any real authentic feeling of wanting to “settle down”. I am starting to realize that we define ourselves as middle class Americans by what we do. I am running away from that. Not being 100% satisfied in my job as led me to explore more what my community has to offer. It has lead me discover new talents that I hold that I want to develop to make me feel challenged, satisfied and happy. Work shouldn’t define our lives or us. I have found a couple of new hobbies recently, and my hobbies are now becoming my “career”, my “purpose” if you will. I love hobbies! Not loving my work also gives me the liberty to not feel attached to one place forever. It has given me wings. I know that I can pick up and leave, without feeling guilty, or as if I am missing out on an opportunity. Not loving my job to me, means that there is something else, something different out there on my horizon that my curvy road will lead my to. Life is not a straight line nor should we parallel our lives on a forever line. It gives me joy to explore, to try new things, and thanks to Andryce not be a career woman. Rather than a career woman I am a wondering soul who wants life to be spontaneous bumpy ride. Where will I go, and what will I do? Learn to love the divinity of the question mark.
So for anyone who has ever complained about not “loving” your work, be thankful, because there is always something more interesting and new on the other side of the door; if you are willing to try new things and not to settle. Don’t be afraid to walk the curvy line, explore the amazing depth of yourself, discover new talents, and have the courage to be imperfect!

MySpace

Cheers to Independence

I have found the cutest mouse hole to live in. Searching for places to live in Eugene, Oregon is a pain up the ass hole. It is even a bigger pain when a-you have a price range b-you want to live alone therefore will not settle for sketched out meth labs to live in c-you want to live no more than 2.5 miles from your boyfriend's house d-and close to one of the 4 organic grocery stores in South Eugene. So with that list---ummmm yeah there is a very limited field. But luck be a lady tonight--I have found a place that suites me perfect. Two words to describe it-small and funky. When I said I lived in a mouse hole, I meant that, literally, I live in a small space. It was frustrating at first to get use to the limited space, and the vaulted ceilings where my head would hit every day at least twice. Because of it, I accquired the biggest potty mouth-seriously. It would piss me off to the bone. If I had a tape recorder of my first two weeks, it would filled with "god damnit, fucking wall, shit, ouch fuck you wall, fuckin A, my head shit cock balls, i hate you fucking ceiling. ect." Here is my mouse hole, thanks to andryce for coining that term for me.

The kitchen
My bedroom come on over
Closet
view from toilet, food in food out
Bathroom
Im Home
The Loft

Saddle Mountain-wilderness women

One great thing about being young is the ability to start new traditions. Labor day from now on will take on a whole new meaning....womans weekend in the woods. Its the triple W of fun. So much fun that is why it is now a "tradition". Me and my former room mates Tina and Andryce spent the weekend at Saddle Mountain. (--crossing the coastal range from Portland going towards cannon beach-you will spot a bald rocky mountain that dips up and down, like a saddle-hence saddle mountain.) We LUCKED out and snagged a campsite at the base camp of the mountain, famous for the intense hike to the top of the saddle. We of course had the time of our lives enjoying the last strong rays of summer. It was beautiful i say--beautiful!!! Not to mention we hiked that sucker in record time- a new hiking tecnique was discovered, walk up and race/run down. Seriously how much fun is running down a hill all out of control, dodging other hikers.??


Why I love Tina.....let me count the ways. Who else drives up in snazy new car at 6000 feet elevation half way up a mountain in heels, pearls, and the worldest cutest/sexy/classiest dress, cracks open a beer and is ready to steal an axe from neighboring camp sight and romp through the woods chopping wood? No one else but Tina Marie Kiely. This ones for you Kristina.