Managing stress.

One day at a time.

I'm beginning to appreciate my friends more and more every day.
They are there for me more than I realize it, and I haven't been paying enough attention.
I am ever-grateful for having people like Kirk, Chris A., Chris M., Em, and Scotty who are seemingly always there and willing to provide support or just someone to talk to when I need it.
Thank you guys.

I e-mailed Doc. R-J and Prof. Reish today about looking for a job in France. I'm hoping to get some ideas about potentially getting employed there after graduation in April (woah! Time flies...)
I hope I wasn't too vague about telling them what I was looking for. I mentioned just needing to incorporate my passion for the arts in my career, and the fact that I have an undying passion for the French language. I also mentioned that I don't want to teach. There have to be a bunch of jobs available for english graduates studying French that want to live abroad, right??

The reason for the meeting with Dr. Andreadis today was to discuss my Honors Thesis. He said the thesis was more like a capstone project, and it didn't necessarily have to be strictly-rule driven in MLA format with 8 point font and sources (thank GOD.) I get enough of those papers as is. I am thrilled to graduate but I want this thesis to help me in my path of finding that ideal career. I don't want to be unhappy with my job, and I get to thinking about Dad, who isn't making much money and he doesn't even seem really passionate about his field (finance.) Then I think about Mom, who jumps from part-time job to part-time job at just-above minimum wage companies in her area that she can't stick with for usually more than a month or two before she finds something she doesn't like about the work. I will not become like either of them, because I'm going to be doing something that I LOVE for the rest of my life, not something that i've accepted because it was convenient or because i'd make serious money. I refuse to be the unhappy worker. I've held enough shitty part-time jobs and I am done being treated like I am just an insignificant part of a huge company that doesn't really need me anyway.

don't stay up late....

because if you're me, you'll sleep in and almost miss your business exam.
Yeesh!
At least my professor was pretty cool about it. She actually mentioned when I stepped into class that she was worried about me!
After I finished the test and we received our group projects, I was about to leave the classroom when my professor said that her daughter was named Madeleine, and I was the first student she'd had with the same name.
We talked about the different spellings for a little bit, and why she named her daughter Madolyn (I think that's how she said she spells it), and it was her grandmother that had the same name.
I am trying to push out of the rushing, always moving phase and take more pleasure in small talk with people and strangers.
That's something I think my dad passed on to me...the mentality that we should always be hurrying.
I'm glad I have the patience of my mother and her warmth and humanity.
I'm going to try and ensure that my children understand that they need to take their time through life, and enjoy it.
After all, what's a life if you're always stressed and running about?

I can't remember the last time I completely slept through all three of the alarms i'd set on my phone.
Looks like now i'll have to set my actual alarm clock rather than just my phone. :-\
Usually my body is pretty good at detecting what time I should be awake.
Sometimes, i'd experiment and not set an alarm (not during the week of course) but I'd tell myself before I fall asleep what time I'd want to wake up, and often I do wake up right around the time wanted.
I wonder how that stuff works. And if it's just coincidence, or if we really can control our bodies simply with thoughts.

I'm getting my new phone in the mail today! I'm expecting the FedEx truck to arrive anywhere from now until 3:00ish. Hopefully it'll come before my aerobics class. I don't want to have to miss it, and put the delivery off a day! (I have to be here to sign for the package.) Part of me just wants to skip class to get my phone. Hah.
Probably not the best of ideas.

After aerobics I will shower and give Kirk a call- maybe he'll want to help me move some stuff over to the new house.
My room is almost completely stripped. All I have is stuff in boxes waiting to be shipped away.
Cleaning my room makes me realize how much stuff I have and just makes me want to get rid of it.
I think i'm going to seriously start investing my time in selling my art and creations.
Not only do I need to finish Scotty's hat, but I need to be making money. And fast.

Long time, no rant.

So I notice it's been quite some time since i've last written in my blog.
I'm back from France, it is July 19th 2008, and I am a little more than a week away from my 21st birthday.
My, how things have progressed....well.
My inspiration to write stemmed this morning not only from my several mugs-full of coffee, but the idea of building a business with my brother and sister.
It's something i've dreamed of long before I ever signed up for this summer business class in which I am currently enrolled.
It'd be one of the best ideas i've had yet. Why, you ask?
Well, it only makes sense.
I am about a year away from graduation. I have no current plans as far as what I'm going to do come graduation, with my French degree in hand and a few years' theatre classes out of the way.
Michelle is currently working for TeaHaus, an independently-run Tea company in Ann Arbor, where she sells her art on the side, in forms of greeting cards with watercolor paintings of teapots or other wall hangings she's had completed for a while.
Brian is currently working for CompuServe, using his programming talents and figuring out what it is he might ultimately want to do in his career path.
My father is currently struggling with his financial job as a stock broker, and my mother is working at an arts and crafts chain in Walled Lake. If I know my mom, she won't be there for much longer.
It seems like a successful family-run business is exactly what the Bien family needs.
We have enough intelligence, drive, and talent to get something going and make it last for decades.
All we need is a solid idea and a plan to work off of.
I got off the phone recently with Brian, who is on his way to a wedding on his birthday.
He sounded genuinely interested in the idea.
I know for a fact Michelle thinks highly of the idea as well. She's been bugging me to move to Ann Arbor for years, and right now that's looking like a highly possible option for the summer of 2009.
I'm trying to stay as grounded and realistic as possible.
I know it takes a lot of money to start up a business. And if it doesn't work out after the initial startup, you're left with a lot of debt or loss.
I know that I have more motivation and drive that could knock anyone off their feet.
I know my abilities and talents, and I know where I could improve.
I know my siblings are as driven as I am, and have very high potential for being very successful in their careers.
I know family businesses could be tough to start and especially maintain, but if the spirit and effort and resources are there, it can be done.
I have faith it can be done.