Life Updates

I'm not going to lie. It was kind of nice taking the day off from the blog yesterday.

I guess that makes me a bad blogger. Oh well.

As much as I love blogging and I want to keep this site updated regularly, I'm also a believer in that you need quality over quantity. I can write blog posts 7 days a week, but if they aren't filled with good content that people actually want to read, then who cares? I didn't have anything I wanted to blog about yesterday, so I didn't write. Sue me.

Speaking of content. I have been loving reading the information you all have been giving me via the survey I posted on Monday. With my life changing and my new blog design coming up soon, I felt like it was a good time to re-evaluate what content gets put up on my blog. While I want to write about what I enjoy - I also want to write about what you enjoy. You're the ones who have to read it!

If you haven't filled out the survey yet, please do! You can find it by clicking here. It's 100% anonymous and only takes a few minutes. It's been so much fun reading what you all have to say! I'm planning to share the results next week.

But for today, here is a bit of what's been going on in my life lately:

NaNoWriMo: I am so excited for my novel this year. It's going to be epic! Monday night I had a long brainstorming session with my friend Michael and he helped me think of some amazing ideas to pull plot points together in my story. Then yesterday I wrote over 5k words and I'm now at a total of 22,607 words. This is also part of why I didn't write on the blog. Too much noveling! I even wrote this crazy intense and important scene last night. My heart was still pounding by the time I got to bed last night.

The Job Search: Ugh. This is the low point in my life right now. I'm not going to lie- it's been rough. I feel as though I apply for jobs like it's my job- and I hardly hear back from anyone. Even when I do hear back from someone, it's a polite rejection. I have eyes and ears all over the place helping me look too, but but so far no doors have opened. So if any of you are Chicago/NYC/Bloomington, IN people and know of someone who is hiring - let me know and give them my name.

My Current Job: Things are going well on that end. I have my last two confirmation classes this week and next week, our Christmas service project and party are underway, people are signing up for serving meals during Advent, and the youth board is putting together plans for when I leave. I'm so grateful for everyone at this church. They have been so supportive and while I'll miss them, I know the youth will be left in good hands come Christmas when I move.

The Move: I have mixed emotions about this. At the moment it's looking like I'll be back up in Chicago. (Unless I get a job offer somewhere else in the next five weeks) Which is awesome. I love my city and I miss it so much. However, I also need to prepare myself for going back. I haven't lived there for five years, and it's been even longer since I've lived in my parents house for a long period of time. I know it'll be fine, and honestly, being there for a bit will probably be good for me. I can help my sister plan her wedding and I can connect with people again. I've also been trying to decide how I want to say goodbye to the people here in Missouri. I'm thinking of doing an open house the first weekend of December at my apartment so I can see everyone. But I'm starting to realize that saying goodbye to some of my friends is going to be crazy hard and sad.

Being Inspired and Meeting Big-Shots: Okay... I haven't actually met any big shots. However, I have been able to see three of them speak in the last few weeks. Remember when I went to a Q&A with a casting director for a movie being filmed here and I learned I'm an awful stalker? Well, not long after that, I was given a ticket for a night with the director of the movie. DAVID FINCHER. You know - the guy who directed Fight Club, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, and a million other things? Yeah. THAT David Fincher. I didn't get to meet him, but oh my goodness. That was outrageously awesome to hear him speak and answer questions. Then last night my friend Kelli and I found out that Blake Mycowski, the founder of TOMS shoes, was speaking at the university. Naturally, we had to go. This time I was even able to sit in the front row. I'm probably going to dedicate a whole blog post to his talk later this week. It was fantastic. I had heard him talk a few years ago at a simulcast, but he was on a screen. This time he was right there in front of me. Just... it was awesome. But between the three people I've been able to hear speak, it's just really inspired me. It encourages me to keep dreaming, keep creating, and to help people. So through all of the discouragement of not knowing where my life is heading, it's been good inspiration.

Learning My Expectations About Life:  For those of you who don't know, Blake Mycowski is one of my man crushes who can be seen at the end of this ancient blog post. (In case you couldn't tell by my fangirl moment above.) When I heard last night he was married - I'm not going to lie- I was a little sad for myself. Then when I was talking with a friend this morning, I realized my train of thought. I think part of why I think he's awesome. (Outside of the whole giving shoes to children around the world and helping make the world a better place and living on a boat thing.) He kind of looks like Darren Criss because at one point he had crazy hair.

His hair is pretty tame here.

And in case you are unfamiliar with Darren Criss pre-Glee... he had pretty crazy hair in A Very Potter Musical.

And let's be honest... I think part of my love of Darren Criss is because I associate him with Harry Potter. So therefore... my conclusion is...

I just need to marry Harry Potter.

So yeah. I have super realistic expectations for my life. Clearly.

And no, this does not apply to Daniel Radcliffe because part of me still sees him like this:

That rule does not apply to Tom Felton. Don't ask me why it doesn't... it just doesn't. Please do not attempt to understand my logic. I don't understand it half of the time.

So... where I was going with this, I have no idea.

Now its your turn. How's life? What's been going on with you lately?

Note for confused people ::cough:: Nate St. Pierre :: cough:: Tom Felton was Draco in Harry Potter. The Daniel Radcliffe rule does not apply to him for some reason.