Today, I was passed out in a comatose haze after an Olive Garden meal celebrating my parents' 25th anniversary. I was stirred out of my rest-state by my father, who informed me I had a phone call. NO ONE calls me on my house phone, so I should have known something was up.
Now, I KNOW the University of Illinois is broke. But I wasn't expecting a call from the U of I College of Media asking for hundreds of dollars worth of donations. As someone who now works in the non-profit sector and has been taught about soliciting gifts, I have learned that you're supposed to start high and then go low. But damn. I think the school should know not to ask (sort-of) recent college graduates for a crazy sum of $400. Needless to say, they're not getting any money from me.
I'm not a grouch. I'm willing to give to my alma mater. I credit much of my personal development to the U of I and a lot of my skill development to the College of Communications (now Media). But I'm sorry ... the school didn't help me find a job. So, I don't have the money for that kind of thing. After I publish my first book, I'll donate some big bucks to the U.
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
A Girl Can Dream
Gah, it's been a whole half month since I last posted. I must apologize. Whenever I'm on blogger, I seem to get caught up with stuff for Bitch, please. Which, once again, thanks for reading! We've been getting a lot of positive response.
This past month, my semi-depressive state has shifted to recklessness. I just need out! And this has built to a renewed interest in graduate school. I know, I know guys, I said I wouldn't do it. And if I did, it would be some time from now, when I had failed at real life.
I wouldn't exactly say I failed yet. But I'm just not stimulated by my job. Or this path. I'm not cut out for small-to-mid-sized cities. I need academics around me, even just as my friends. I miss learning. And learning random ass shit, theories that make your brain hurt that you can't explain to your friends and family back home but, blow your mind.
For the longest time, I've been dreaming of the city. The Big City, to be exact. For undergrad, my dream school was NYU but, once I saw that price tag I didn't dare apply. Well, I realized this month that I have to make that dream a reality. If I'm going to school anywhere, that's where I need to go. It's the cultural center of the US. In a lot of ways, it is the center of the US, where all the action goes down at least.
My only problem is, what to study?????????? NYU has some brilliant sounding majors. Check out their graduate studies page. In journ alone, there are 8 different majors, including one for social commentary and criticism, which let's face it, is probably the kind of writing I'm best at. I like reporting and all. Love interviewing people. But when it comes down to it, I want to be opinionated about things. There are so many majors just around communication and media. PR is a major. Publishing - magazine and book - is a major. And their anthro/entho department sounds cool too. What's a girl to do? Major in social commentary/social analysis/publishing/writing/etc etc? I don't have any specific topic I want to study at this point. And I'm not married to journalism either. What I'd really love to do is take a bunch of awesome pop culture, ethno, sociology, and writing classes. But that's random and would not qualify me for any sort of job.
The other worry of course is money, money, money. As I said, cost deterred me from even just applying last time. Even without school in the equation, housing in NYC is incredibly expensive. An apartment would just be impossible to manage. And the dorms, all I can say is I hope someone will give me some cash to attend. I don't want my loans to take over my life. Most of the campus housing appeared to cost more than a year of tuition at U of I. There's even a room that costs $30,000. Isn't that crazy? I think it is. Sure, these are semi-deluxe private rooms with a kitchenette and bathroom. But really? That place should be magical for how much it costs. And apparently, you still have to pay for Internet and cable. In order to pass for this lifestyle sans loans or aid, I'd have to work at least decade at National City and never spend a dime.
And hell no, I will not be doing that. So, in the wise words of Tim Gunn, I'm going to make it work. I don't know how but I will.
This past month, my semi-depressive state has shifted to recklessness. I just need out! And this has built to a renewed interest in graduate school. I know, I know guys, I said I wouldn't do it. And if I did, it would be some time from now, when I had failed at real life.
I wouldn't exactly say I failed yet. But I'm just not stimulated by my job. Or this path. I'm not cut out for small-to-mid-sized cities. I need academics around me, even just as my friends. I miss learning. And learning random ass shit, theories that make your brain hurt that you can't explain to your friends and family back home but, blow your mind.
For the longest time, I've been dreaming of the city. The Big City, to be exact. For undergrad, my dream school was NYU but, once I saw that price tag I didn't dare apply. Well, I realized this month that I have to make that dream a reality. If I'm going to school anywhere, that's where I need to go. It's the cultural center of the US. In a lot of ways, it is the center of the US, where all the action goes down at least.
My only problem is, what to study?????????? NYU has some brilliant sounding majors. Check out their graduate studies page. In journ alone, there are 8 different majors, including one for social commentary and criticism, which let's face it, is probably the kind of writing I'm best at. I like reporting and all. Love interviewing people. But when it comes down to it, I want to be opinionated about things. There are so many majors just around communication and media. PR is a major. Publishing - magazine and book - is a major. And their anthro/entho department sounds cool too. What's a girl to do? Major in social commentary/social analysis/publishing/writing/etc etc? I don't have any specific topic I want to study at this point. And I'm not married to journalism either. What I'd really love to do is take a bunch of awesome pop culture, ethno, sociology, and writing classes. But that's random and would not qualify me for any sort of job.
The other worry of course is money, money, money. As I said, cost deterred me from even just applying last time. Even without school in the equation, housing in NYC is incredibly expensive. An apartment would just be impossible to manage. And the dorms, all I can say is I hope someone will give me some cash to attend. I don't want my loans to take over my life. Most of the campus housing appeared to cost more than a year of tuition at U of I. There's even a room that costs $30,000. Isn't that crazy? I think it is. Sure, these are semi-deluxe private rooms with a kitchenette and bathroom. But really? That place should be magical for how much it costs. And apparently, you still have to pay for Internet and cable. In order to pass for this lifestyle sans loans or aid, I'd have to work at least decade at National City and never spend a dime.
And hell no, I will not be doing that. So, in the wise words of Tim Gunn, I'm going to make it work. I don't know how but I will.
Monday, September 29, 2008
WTF
I had the day off today due to the ridiculous out-of-town corporate training I will be undergoing starting tomorrow. But my paycheck came in, so I had to go to work. And everybody knows how annoying it is to go into your place of work when you're not on the clock. It's worse for me considering that I bank at National City too.
Anywhoo, I wound up with 800+ dollars for 32 hours of work. There was no hourly breakdown anywhere on my check, so I don't actually know what I'm getting paid for. Like the pay period ends tomorrow. So am I get paid for tomorrow too? Did I wind up with more than $10/hour? I guess I'll never know. Sadly, the biggest what the fuck came when I saw that $200 had been taken out my check. You know I support social programs. But $200 is a quarter of my money and I don't have enough in the bank to be generous right now.
As I drove home, the old Alanis "Hand in My Pocket" angry girl song came on, and seriously, I think it's the anthem of this time of my life. "I'm sad but I'm laughing/I'm tired but I'm working." So so so true, lady. This about sums up the 20-something breakdown/post-college age of discontent that I one day hope to write about.
Anywhoo, I wound up with 800+ dollars for 32 hours of work. There was no hourly breakdown anywhere on my check, so I don't actually know what I'm getting paid for. Like the pay period ends tomorrow. So am I get paid for tomorrow too? Did I wind up with more than $10/hour? I guess I'll never know. Sadly, the biggest what the fuck came when I saw that $200 had been taken out my check. You know I support social programs. But $200 is a quarter of my money and I don't have enough in the bank to be generous right now.
As I drove home, the old Alanis "Hand in My Pocket" angry girl song came on, and seriously, I think it's the anthem of this time of my life. "I'm sad but I'm laughing/I'm tired but I'm working." So so so true, lady. This about sums up the 20-something breakdown/post-college age of discontent that I one day hope to write about.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Ode to the Dolla Theatre
As I've noted previously, unemployment in Rockford is at a staggeringly high 10 percent. Holy shiz. So, I've been doin' the dollar theatre thing a lot lately. And I'm proud of it.
For those, who don't know. North Towne is the unofficial dollar theatre in Rockford. It's a second-run place, where movies that are almost on DVD come for their last big-screen showings. Used to be that it was 'so ghetto' and whatever else you can think of to go there. I never much cared and just thought it was cool that four quarters could buy me a decent show.
I was slightly outraged when I heard that Dolla charged $1.50 for night showings once I started college.
This summer, I've seen Ironman, Kung Fu Panda, and Prince Caspian at the venue. I really wanted to take my mother to Sex and the City, but alas, I was too slow.
North Towne is on the West Side. And kind of a shady theatre. No one much cares about the upkeep and the cops that hang out there are both comforting and discomforting. Plus, it's next to a bar where apparently people have gotten shot. So, in the days of Showplace 14 and 16's youth, most people avoided the joint. But now, months after these movies were released, people have been filling Dolla's seats. As I said the other night, it's the new hang-out. The one place in this shiz economy people can still afford.
I think it's a good economic indicator that on the first night of Traitor (granted a Thursday), my friends and I were about half the audience. But I could count at least 20 people at Caspian several months after its release.
For those, who don't know. North Towne is the unofficial dollar theatre in Rockford. It's a second-run place, where movies that are almost on DVD come for their last big-screen showings. Used to be that it was 'so ghetto' and whatever else you can think of to go there. I never much cared and just thought it was cool that four quarters could buy me a decent show.
I was slightly outraged when I heard that Dolla charged $1.50 for night showings once I started college.
This summer, I've seen Ironman, Kung Fu Panda, and Prince Caspian at the venue. I really wanted to take my mother to Sex and the City, but alas, I was too slow.
North Towne is on the West Side. And kind of a shady theatre. No one much cares about the upkeep and the cops that hang out there are both comforting and discomforting. Plus, it's next to a bar where apparently people have gotten shot. So, in the days of Showplace 14 and 16's youth, most people avoided the joint. But now, months after these movies were released, people have been filling Dolla's seats. As I said the other night, it's the new hang-out. The one place in this shiz economy people can still afford.
I think it's a good economic indicator that on the first night of Traitor (granted a Thursday), my friends and I were about half the audience. But I could count at least 20 people at Caspian several months after its release.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Bittersweet Symphony
Hello readers,
I skipped a day of posting! Whoops. With finals creeping up on me later this week, I'll either be posting less because I'll be utilizing my time well, or I'll be posting more because I'm freaking out/anxious about various things.
Tonight was the last meeting of my magazine group, the Green Observer, for the year. My ladies and I met up for an end-of-the-year dinner. We went to Za's because it was damn cold (according to weather.com, it felt like the 20s outside!!!) and demanded bread bowls. But they were out so I consoled myself with a bowl of soup and half of a chicken pesto panini. The panini was made on their garlic bread, and it was ridiculously hard to eat. I had to cut it up and fork it. As we walked out into the rain, it really hit me that college is effectively over. I feel like I'm having an out-of-body experience whenever someone asks me what I plan to do with the rest of my life. Anyway, I've given so much to this magazine in the last three years (but mainly, a good deal in the last two) that I'm going to miss being in charge of my own publication. I like not being a part of the corporate machine, being an independent source. Yes, less people read us. But, at the same time, we get a lot of unexpected respect. I hope, hope, hope the girls can up with the magazine. As I've said before, G!O was my child this year. I want her to grow and mature into a publication that is known across campus, not just in environmental circles. I don't know for certain if this will happen, but I just don't want her to die early. And like a mother, I feel bad about letting her go, abandoning her.
So, I went to work at the buzz feeling nostalgic about that. Walked home and had an argument with my mother, as usual. Sometimes I convince myself that money is not important; happiness and passion are the only things that matter. Hell, I've never had enough money for the things I've wanted (though usually for the things I've needed) so I figure I can live with it. But, there are times, like right now, where I wish that I could have a little bit of extra money (or at least that my parents had some savings) so I wouldn't have to spend all my time worrying about not being able to afford things. I try not to let my friends see it but I basically freak out every time I spend more than $10. Even if it's on something useful, I feel so guilty spending money when I know I'm going to be screwed later. I truly think I've been so independent because I know what it is to scrimp, scrounge and struggle at times. I'd rather be like this than be one of the many who have things handed to them. Yet, I still get jealous when people who don't have to work as hard as I do have their expectations of not having to do anything but having everything come to them fulfilled. Basically, my mom is pressuring me to figure out a room renting situation, because I (we - though I pay my own rent) can't afford to lose a lot of money from my apartment this summer. What if I get a job and need to rent an apartment in Chicago? Unless I get paid a lottt up front (doubt that with media positions), I will have squat with others. BAHHHHHHHHH!
Anyway, I'm probably going on and on now because I'd rather not work on my papers. I wrote one huge intro paragraph so far (though half of it was already written because of my abstract), but I'm hoping to spend the entire day tomorrow focusing on the paper.
I skipped a day of posting! Whoops. With finals creeping up on me later this week, I'll either be posting less because I'll be utilizing my time well, or I'll be posting more because I'm freaking out/anxious about various things.
Tonight was the last meeting of my magazine group, the Green Observer, for the year. My ladies and I met up for an end-of-the-year dinner. We went to Za's because it was damn cold (according to weather.com, it felt like the 20s outside!!!) and demanded bread bowls. But they were out so I consoled myself with a bowl of soup and half of a chicken pesto panini. The panini was made on their garlic bread, and it was ridiculously hard to eat. I had to cut it up and fork it. As we walked out into the rain, it really hit me that college is effectively over. I feel like I'm having an out-of-body experience whenever someone asks me what I plan to do with the rest of my life. Anyway, I've given so much to this magazine in the last three years (but mainly, a good deal in the last two) that I'm going to miss being in charge of my own publication. I like not being a part of the corporate machine, being an independent source. Yes, less people read us. But, at the same time, we get a lot of unexpected respect. I hope, hope, hope the girls can up with the magazine. As I've said before, G!O was my child this year. I want her to grow and mature into a publication that is known across campus, not just in environmental circles. I don't know for certain if this will happen, but I just don't want her to die early. And like a mother, I feel bad about letting her go, abandoning her.
So, I went to work at the buzz feeling nostalgic about that. Walked home and had an argument with my mother, as usual. Sometimes I convince myself that money is not important; happiness and passion are the only things that matter. Hell, I've never had enough money for the things I've wanted (though usually for the things I've needed) so I figure I can live with it. But, there are times, like right now, where I wish that I could have a little bit of extra money (or at least that my parents had some savings) so I wouldn't have to spend all my time worrying about not being able to afford things. I try not to let my friends see it but I basically freak out every time I spend more than $10. Even if it's on something useful, I feel so guilty spending money when I know I'm going to be screwed later. I truly think I've been so independent because I know what it is to scrimp, scrounge and struggle at times. I'd rather be like this than be one of the many who have things handed to them. Yet, I still get jealous when people who don't have to work as hard as I do have their expectations of not having to do anything but having everything come to them fulfilled. Basically, my mom is pressuring me to figure out a room renting situation, because I (we - though I pay my own rent) can't afford to lose a lot of money from my apartment this summer. What if I get a job and need to rent an apartment in Chicago? Unless I get paid a lottt up front (doubt that with media positions), I will have squat with others. BAHHHHHHHHH!
Anyway, I'm probably going on and on now because I'd rather not work on my papers. I wrote one huge intro paragraph so far (though half of it was already written because of my abstract), but I'm hoping to spend the entire day tomorrow focusing on the paper.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)