It’s the Little Things

Oh dear, has it really been a month since I’ve last posted? I haven’t been able to focus too much time here, you know with the full time job and all. It’s weird that sitting at a desk for 8-9 hours a day can be exhausting but lots of days, I finish work, make a quick dinner and then crawl into bed and indulge in the latest episode of How I Met Your Mother before turning on my audiobook and drifting off to sleep. But in the 7 months (holy cow, has it really been that long??) I’ve moved down here, I really think I’m beginning to get in the groove of things.

I guess this post is a self-reflection one as much as it is one to update my blog on what I’ve been up to. In the last half a year, I’ve learned more about everything than I ever thought I would. Being in college is fantastic: it’s awesome to have your best friend just a room away. There’s always something to do any given night of the week. And loneliness wasn’t really a word I ever came by. After moving down here, I’ve had a lot of alone time, whether it be to think or run errands and tidy up my single living space or just be alone for a while. While I’d hardly call it solitary, there is a component of living with/by yourself that brings things into perspective.

Firstly, I realized that moving away from my comfort zone and from most, if not all, of my friends really makes you realize which of those relationships are in it to last. I always knew that my best friend and I would never fall apart and through these months, time has only been a reminder that we’re just as close as when we lived 50 feet away from each other. We text constantly, we drunk dial each other and tell each other about the ridiculous things we’re up to, despite the fact that we’re three hours apart and often she’s already sleeping by the time I’m heading out. My sister is another prime example. With sisters, there’s no need for me to check in and see how she’s doing, but if she ever has any trouble with anything – boys, school, life – it’s just as simple as a quick text or phone call to let her know that she always has someone by her side.

The concept of making friends comes back to haunt you. In school, you’re thrown in situations where you’re forced to have some sort of interaction even if you’re not looking for it. Whether it’s through dorm living or clubs you join or even sitting through classes you hate, you somehow always manage to find a new friend, or companion, to get you through. After starting a full time job, most of the people you see are your coworkers and meeting new people is difficult. I’m lucky that my coworker who started in October was so accommodating and friendly and offered to show me around my area, one that she happened to grow up in. She’s taken me out to meet her friends, extending her circle to accommodate me and for that I’ll always be grateful. It’s so wonderful to have found a friend in the midst of all this new grad confusion.

Yea, I didn't even bother trying to hide the fact that I screenshotted my own Snapchat. #shameless

Another thing I’m attempting to make more of an effort to do is reconnect with old friends. When I graduated high school, I was so done. I was ready to leave behind high school and all its drama and never speak to anyone again. It wasn’t that I had such a terrible time in high school but I was ready to start anew and I valued that idea of a blank slate so much. Now that time has passed, it’s a bit ridiculous to see how much time and value I placed on the smallest of things. High school me was a bit of a drama queen and definitely not as mature as I thought I was. Now that most of us are graduated and in the working world, there’s not reason that petty high school drama should be a part of that. I recently chatted with a high school classmate that I had never really been particularly close to but the amicability of our conversation gives me hope that perhaps it’s never too late to start a friendship.

Lastly, I’ve really given a lot of thought and effort to valuing more small things. I’ll treat myself to lunch or dinner on the weekends bringing along a book for a companion. I don’t mind eating alone – I do it most nights anyway, but bringing along a book reminds me of days when I used to eat lunch at home and just read away the hours. Reading has always been my comfort and books make for fantastic covers for people watching! I’ve also learned to frame everything more positively. In a business where rejection looms around many corners, it’s up to me to realize that not every candidate is a placement but that doesn’t mean each candidate isn’t fraught with opportunity. Placement or not, it’s more important to value each candidate as a person and a learning experience. That mantra alone has gotten me through more days and weeks than I thought it would.

I guess I had tried to come up with a meaningful post since my friend reminded me that I haven’t updated my blog in a while but what ended up happening was a massive word dump instead. I guess I’ve just had a lot to be grateful for lately and until I began to write it all down, I didn’t realize how much of it there was. As I read back on some of my previous posts, I realize that I only wrote when something of importance happened or something that I had already documented with Instagram or Twitter or something. Some days don’t need an Instagram filter, but they’re just as good and just as important to remember.

Studying for the SAT?!

To pick up a little extra cash on the side, I’ve decided to apply for a tutoring job as a SAT prep tutor. While I’m not exactly living paycheck to paycheck, I’m not an executive recruiter yet so I’m not rolling in the dough. I didn’t score terribly on my SAT tests so I figured maybe I could help to inspire some high schoolers to do well on their tests as well. Little did I know that I’d actually have to take a quiz to make sure I’m a competent test taker! Terrifying. I haven’t even looked at an SAT test for about 5 years! So tonight will be spent on collegeboard.com going over SAT prep questions and lots of vocabulary I probably don’t remember.

I can’t believe my first week of work is almost over! The week has gone by so quickly and I’ve been learning so much. It’s true what they say about work not being work when you love what you’re doing. The people in my office are just great people to be around and I’m so lucky I get to sit in and listen in on their recruiting calls so I can learn what to do when I start getting on the phone. We laugh and chat and it just feels right to be there.

Project Runway is on again and I’m in the middle of making dinner. Just wanted to drop in and give you a quick update on today and I’ll be back tomorrow with more!

A Few Work Updates

I find that with most of my day spent at work, catching up with Tumblr and all my blogs is a great way to wind down. Though it seems like a lot of information to be taking in at the end of the day, I actually find it really relaxing that I can just mindlessly go through some photos, read things interest me but I don’t need to memorize and pay too much attention to the details.

I’ve been having a lot of fun at work and learning so so much. It doesn’t feel like work, it feels more like high profile stalking. Today we had a potluck at lunch and all the different companies that work at the office building we’re in all brought food. It was a FEAST. It reminded me of the potlucks we used to have at our old dance studio. Our company brought Indian food and it was a hit. I loved it too and luckily, the Indian restaurant does delivery! I have a feeling I’ll be ordering that in the near future.

The other cool thing about working where I do is that we’re actually located in the midst of some studio lots which means there’s actual studio filming that goes on. Right now they’re filming Reven8e and the second Captain America. I JUST WANT TO SEE SOME FAMOUS PEOPLE. It doesn’t help that I sit right next to the window and there’s limos and cars that drive by on their way to the lots. I’m keeping my eyes peeled for some actors and actresses.

Working from Home

Because a lot of my work is done online and entering candidates into a system, I can actually do some work from home! This will be very helpful when I go in to do my laundry and need something to do, given that there’s wi-fi (speaking of which, my Laundromat friend never contacted me!). I also don’t mind doing some work while watching television since I find it hard to just concentrate on TV. Is that another sign of our millennial generation? At least I find it hard to pay attention to television and not work.

I think the only difficulty with working from home is probably just the small screen size. At work I have dual monitors and it’s really helpful when I’m copying and pasting information from different sites. I’m sure I’ll figure out an alternative with just my laptop but I’m kinda excited about sitting in coffee shops over the weekend and getting some work done!

First Day of Work!

I just finished dinner and am finally taking a break and sitting down after my first day of work. I can’t believe I’m at work and I’m starting to build my career and job path! I got in around 9:45 since that was when my boss had told me to arrive. I jumped straight into setting up my email and the various different recruiting sites that I needed to register with. (PS: I’m a tech recruiting associate for those of you that don’t know.) Then I got a crash course in the recruiting database we use. Even though I ate this morning, my stomach kept growling and I was still hungry.

My warm welcome!

Luckily, we got an early lunch at 11:30 at a place called Houston’s. We ordered a bunch of small plates and rolls and shared. My favorite was definitely the French Dip Roast Beef sandwich. I could definitely eat one of those by myself!

After lunch, my boss gave me a quick history lesson on software and operating systems and coding and developing. It was a lot of information but she put it in a way that was easily understandable. And I took a lot of notes so I can at least review it on my own if needed. I’ll probably do a little research on my own. I want to take advantage of Codecademy and learn a new language.

I spent the rest of the day inputting potential candidates into our database. My goal this week is to put in 200 candidates and I got to about 45+ or so today. After this week, I’m going to get up to 75 a day. I really want to push myself and do more. I’ve already thought of a side project that I want to do that I’m going to run by my boss tomorrow!

After work, I came home and wanted to make dinner and go for a run. Why not both! I wanted to try making these potatoes but they take a bit of time in the kitchen so I put the potatoes in the oven and then went out on my run. The hills around here are killer! I find myself panting for breath and getting stitches in my side when I’m running up those hills. But I’m slowly working toward my 100 mile goal and training for a future half marathon.

So good! I can't wait to make them again!

I have to say, I’m exhausted. It might be from the run, it might be from my first day of work but I haven’t felt this accomplished in a while. It’s a great feeling knowing that your time and work is being put to good use and I can’t wait to have more productive days. Here’s to a wonderful year: of work, of living in LA, of being 22!

The Night Before the First Day of Work

I’m anticipating my first day of work tomorrow with a lot of excitement and a tinge of nervousness. I always get anxious when I’m tossed into new environments, not for fear of failure but more so because I’m a naturally anxious person when it comes to unfamiliarity. To prep myself for the anxious morning I know I’m going to have, I came up with a to-do list to do the night before:

• Pick out my clothes the night before: I suck at picking out clothes in the morning. My head is still sleepy and I can’t pick out anything that looks good. So I’m doing it the night before.
• Have all my documents packed and ready to go: My employer needs documents for my I-9 form so I’m packing them TONIGHT. Not leaving that up to chance where I might forget tomorrow morning in the mad scramble.
• Fill my water bottle: Drinking water is important. People sometimes have a misguided notion that just because you’re sitting in an office and not doing physical work, you don’t need to hydrate. Not true. I’m trying to drink more water so I’m filling up my water bottle and putting it at my desk to motivate me.
• Restock & Pack my emergency bag: I try to keep my emergency bag with my whenever I go anywhere. It has Band-Aids and hairpins and eye drops and just other small travel size things that are good to have.
• Make a snack: I don’t know what exactly is going to happen for lunch or when it might happen so I’m going to pack a little snack so I have something to eat in case I get hungry before lunchtime.
• Get some sleep: Lastly, but most importantly, get enough sleep! Luckily I don’t have to be in till 9:45 tomorrow so if I get into bed by midnight, I’ll get plenty of rest for tomorrow. I’m already anticipating the nervous tossing and turning I’ll have and my two snoozes :P

Wish me luck on my first day! I’ll be back tomorrow with plenty of updates!

Laundromat Friends

Who would’ve thought you could make friends at the Laundromat! Today started out so great with a drive into LA for lunch with Chrystal at Joan’s on Third. I might make it my first Yelp! Review on my bucket list. It was definitely a learning experience driving on the 405 to the restaurant/deli and back. I’m a slow (I like to think cautious) driver so driving around LA is definitely new to me: the fast lane switching, the high speeds. It’ll take some getting used to.

After lunch, I decided to try and figure out how I’m going to do my laundry for the rest of the time I’m here. Since I’m renting out a guesthouse, there isn’t any laundry in my unit so it’s off to the Laundromat. Before today, I’ve never used a Laundromat. I wasn’t sure how long the wash cycle would take or the dryer. I spent all morning being anxious about how to do my laundry there: do I stay there and watch my laundry? Can I leave it there and come back for it later? Will someone try and steal my clothes? Who will see my clothes? MY UNDERWEAR!? Luckily, there was a nice man there would frequented both the Laundromat and Berkeley! He let me know that the 25 cents I put into the dryer was ten minutes and I figured 30 minutes was good enough. He was really nice and told me about his time in Berkeley, which is not so different from what it is today.

I also made my first Redondo Beach friend at the Laundromat! It was his first time at the Laundromat as well because his washing machine broke at home but how lucky that someone else decided to do laundry in the middle of the day! My social life won’t be as stunted as I feared!

Going to the Laundromat is definitely not an anxiety attack scenario but being in a new area and doing something that I normally do in the comfort of my own home can be frightening. But I had nothing to fear. I went in with a fistful of dollars and they had a quarter dispensing machine. The machines are not unlike the ones I used in college - well the dryer was industrial sized and I think I could have definitely fit my whole self in there. But Laundromats aren't so bad. I'll have to find a good time every week to get my laundry done, but if I don't wait too long between loads, I don't think I'll ever have a problem.

I’m packing for Baltimore and Boston but I am procrastinating till the end as always. If there is a skill a learned from college, it’s procrastination.

And So Starts the Single Living

My family left this morning and left me to fend for myself. I’m only going to be alone for two days and then I’m off to Baltimore to visit my sister for a few days. I went to Trader Joe’s to pick up a few groceries and make myself some lunch. My kitchen is much smaller than the one I had while living in my college apartment and there are a few miscellaneous workarounds I have to do deal with but I think it made it work.

I made a chicken breast with mushrooms and Brussels sprouts on the side. Because my sink is smaller than I’m used to and I only have a hot water tap, I had to be a little more efficient and clean up without leaving anything in the sink and the scalding hot water. No matter though, it worked out in the end and I had a lovely lunch and enough for dinner too!

I also booked my shuttle to the airport so I feel pretty accomplished for today. I want to go for a quick run too but I’m feeling a bit lethargic after lunch. But I do need to work towards that 100 mile goal. Tomorrow, I’ll going on the endeavors of coin Laundromats and maybe a little packing for the East Coast. Stay tuned for the adventures of single living!

Mint.com

So I’m starting my new job in two weeks and one thing I’m pretty terrible at is budgeting my money. Now that I’m out of college, I can’t exactly rely on the United Bank of Parents to fund my every need and wish and whim. So what does an individual of the “Me Generation” do when they have a problem? Download an app!

I remember reading about Mint.com a while ago on Tumblr. A friend had mentioned it as a way of keeping track of money and I filed it away for later. Now that I know I’m going to have a pretty fixed income, I figured it’s probably smart to set aside certain amounts of money for different things and put some away in my savings as well.

The cool thing about Mint.com is that you can actually budget individual categories. For example, I can choose to budget about $150 on groceries a month and $50 on gas and Mint.com will keep track of my spending. It will tell you when you’re getting close to your limit or go over. Another added benefit is that you can put a password on the app so friends scrolling through your phone can’t access your Mint account and see how much money you’re spending. The only thing I wish it did was separate my checking and savings accounts so they’re not just added together at the top. I tend to only spend money from my checking account anyway so I’d rather only see that total.

My budgeting is all messed up for the month of June but since July starts tomorrow, I’ll see how well I can stick to my proposed budget. It’ll take a little bit of time to figure out how what my exact budgeting is and fall into a good rhythm but I think this will be a good start.

How do you keep track of your spending?