"Open to Suggestions"

Sunday, July 26, 2009
7:19 pm Alright, already!

Oooh, you can get your panties out of a bunch now. I'm back.

My mother informed me today that in order to be more successful as a blogger, I should update my blog more frequently and discuss topics that are more universally appealing.

I thought long and hard about this for a minute, and then I realized the most universally appealing topic I know is... ME. So, I'm just going to keep blogging about that, and in the mean time I'll occupy my time with one of the other 16 billion projects that have been suggested to me by everyone I know since I've graduated, from distant cousins I didn't know I had to the random strangers I meet in the street. It's like I graduated and some sort of blast email went out to THE WORLD that read: Oh hey, Tara is graduating without a job so feel free to tell her what she should be doing in the mean time. No idea is too crazy! I mean, seriously, what's she doing, anyway?

YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING???

...

Okay, well, last week isn't a good example.

I was on vacation.

So, I was doing...

Nothing. But you get my point.

And "vacation" is a universally appealing topic, so I guess I'm allowed to talk about it.

We arose at the crack of 7 am last Saturday, to pile into our two hybrid cars for the trip down to Stone Harbor, NJ. The van's engine light had come on the day before our annual trek, even though I had pampered it all week by changing the oil and recharging the air conditioner (okay, not personally), so we had to take two cars. I kept Dad awake while he drove the Prius by sharing stories about my life, while Stephanie and Kaitlyn kept Mom entertained in the Escape. I had a grand time calling the Escape every so often to check in until Mom told me I wasn't allowed to call anymore.

Once we were settled into our new house (which was right on the bay) we spent our vacation week going to the beach, shopping, floating in the bay, playing Clue, watching 30 Rock, enjoying each others' company, arguing, separating, and then enjoying each others' company again. It was magical.

On Friday, I had to take a test for a certain job I'm applying for at a network that starts with an N and ends with a C (whose middle initial is B), in a city that starts with a New and ends with a York. I was going to be able to take it online and had been told it would be like a personality test with some "What would you do if...?" questions thrown in.

It was not.

It was hard! In fact, during the test I had flashbacks to just about every math test I ever took in high school when I would look down at the paper and realize, with horror, that I didn't know how to answer any of the problems. I had one hour to complete the eight questions, but it felt like a minute. I was literally shaking when I finally submitted my answers with about thirty seconds to spare.

So, now I'm just trying not to think too much about what I "should" have said. In the end, I think I held my own, so I'll have to just wait and see. As for the rest of this week, it's pretty chock full. I've got 18 hours of babysitting, 13 hours at the store, four hours in Westport (plus the three hour commute), job applications, doing make-up at Kaitlyn's play, bingo, and an entire to-do list to attend to.

But, of course, I'm always open to suggestions.

You know where to find me...

Love,
Tara