This Side of the Mississippi.

So, As most of you know, I'm no longer a Georgia resident. So far, living here is pretty awesome.  Everyone knows everyone is this town. Seriously. I got my hair cut and everyone was asking me why I moved here and if I knew anyone here. Turns out, one of them knows my sister-in-law. Their kids are awesome to live with. They get into everything. But I love them.

Their pets make me laugh. Ocean, the Boarder Collie, never leaves my side. Ezra, the Papillon, is seriously the cutest dog I have probably ever seen. But she gets into everything. Dora, the cat, is creepy but really cool. I never see this cat move but she's never in the same spot when I see her. She's also very lazy.

Funny Story. On the way here I passed a town called Farmville. Yes, Farmville. It's in Alabama. I never knew that was an actual place. I thought it was just a game. However, that town wasn't far from the game. I almost got out of my car to go pick some guys corn to get some coins to feed the cows. It really entertained me that this was a real place.

Being unemployed is very weird to me. I'm not used to not waking up every day and going to work. I finally interviewed with JCPenny. It was the strangest interview I have ever had. Yesterday it was a group interview filled with teamwork puzzles and pitching fake ideas. My idea won. Just saying. It was really weird. But I kind of enjoyed it. I had to go back this morning for my one-on-one time. Again, it was weird but I really enjoyed today better than yesterday. I had to do some visual merchandising and customer interactions with the manager of the store. I had to "sell her some shoes" for her "new position". I really enjoy role play stuff. So, it was fun. I really felt that I proved myself today. I just hope that it was good enough for the position. What position did I apply for? At this point, I have no idea. I've never had to go through this much for a job. I just hope it works out and pays well. *fingers crossed.* I'm gonna wait and see if I get the job before applying for others. Pray that I get the job!

People like to talk.

People keep asking me why do I want to leave Columbus. My answer? I've been here 22 years. I've pretty much done and seen everything this town has to offer. I'm become bored with this place. I just want something different. But, lately, the question that I've gotten the most of is "What does your family think?" Honestly, I hate this question. They're not gonna say that I can't go just because they'll miss me. And if they did, I'd probably just straight up laugh in their faces. My family knows that I've never wanted to stay here my whole life. I've never been one to stay put, even as a child. So, naturally, they knew I would eventually leave. I know that I will be missed. I will also miss my family. Sure, they want me to successful. But they also want me to be happy with my life. I feel that I can't be both here. They are proud that I'm finally making a huge decision on my own without any influences. 

I keep seeing things everywhere that say something to the extent of "Be you." or "Don't let people influence your life." These things have been everywhere lately. I don't know why I keep noticing them. But they make me feel like I'm making the right decision for my life. I hope. I also feel like people think I'm gonna move and just go wild and crazy. But of course these are the people that don't exactly know me personally. If you know me, you know that I would never do that. I would never want ruin the reputation that I have.

"Well what are you gonna do in Mississippi?" I plan on working and eventually going back to school. Not much will change. Just a new place. I do plan on changing my major from Pharmacy Technician to Marketing with an emphasis on Social Media. Maybe take some Graphic Design classes too. "Why? That's so much different that what you're doing now." Another question. Great. I've never wanted a technical career. My Aunt wanted me to go to Columbus Tech. So, I did. I hated it. I dropped out after three semesters and here I am. This still might not be what I want to do with my life. But it sounds so exciting to me. I love Social Media and good designs. So, I thought, why not make it part of my future? Maybe it will work out. Who knows? We'll see.

I'm sure people will be talking about me moving for the next few months. But that's okay. I expected it. I just didn't know it would start before I even left. 

Almost Finished Here.

Hey! I'm posting a blog two week after the last one. Woop! Woop! Go me! It's my birthday! (Ok. It's not my birthday. But that's how the song goes. Don't hate.)

I still can't believe that I am moving. Across two states! Woah. Two whole states? Am I really ready for this? The answer? Yes! I am ready to get out of this town! I am ready to move on and go on new adventures in my life. I'm pretty stoked because I found out that I am about four and a half hours from New Orleans, LA (Hello, weekend trips!) and about four hours from Biloxi, MS. (A little fun never hurt anyone, right?)

But for real, I really feel so unprepared. But honestly, besides packing, I don't know what I need to do. Are there some special moving preparedness procedures that I'm not doing? I mean, I did get a call back from a job that I applied for. That's some good news since my last post. I have an interview two days after getting there. (Funny story, I did my first interview over the phone while driving through a storm. Safe idea, right? *sigh* Priorities.) I'm very thankful that I actually have something going for me when I get there. I just pray that I get the job. Hopefully everything goes well with all of this. Wish me luck! I'll keep you guys updated! Peace out!

From One Columbus to Another.

I'm an epic fail at updating this thing. 

But guys, I'm finally moving! I. Am. Stoked! I'm just ready to get out of this town and explore some new places. I'm really going to miss it here. This place is all I've ever known. But I've become bored with this town. So, I think it's time to finally move. I'm really excited to meet new people and do new things and explore a new place that I've never had the chance to before. Where am I moving, you ask? Columbus, Mississippi. I'm leaving one Columbus to go to another. Weird, I know. But I'm excited. I'm also really nervous. But I know that if I don't move now, I probably won't ever move. I just really need to be out of my comfort zone to truly be myself, I think. So, I'm gonna do it. I know if I don't like it there, I can always move back home. So, I'm not too worried. 

The only part that I am kinda worried about is finding a job fast enough. But I get jobs pretty easily. So, it shouldn't be a problem. But there's still the "what if" factor that is lurking in the back of my head. I hate that feeling. And I wish I could just transfer with my job. But the closest Men's Wearhouse is about an hour away. I can't drive that far to work everyday. I just can't. So, I have no choice but to find a new job. My sister-in-law said that she knows of two places that she could get me a job right away. So, I'm definitely gonna take her up on that offer.  (Oh, by the way, I'm moving in with my brother, his wife, and three kids. Help. Me.)

I'm super excited to actually get to spend time with my brother and his family.  I have missed out on so many of my niece's and nephews' birthdays, and a lot of brother bonding time. I rarely get to spend time with them. But I always have a lot of fun when they're here in town.

I feel like moving would help me be happy again. I'm not saying I'm not happy. But I'm not as happy as I once was. I feel like I lost myself along the way somewhere. Will I be happy somewhere else? I don't know. But I'm going to give it a shot. 

I feel like this is the first time in my life that I'm completely trusting God on everything. Will I fail at first? I don't know. Maybe. Who knows? I know that he's not going to let me fall. I may fail. But I won't fall. This will be the first time since I was 18 that I will not have a job. I am terrified and ecstatic at the same time to be making a change that is this drastic.  

I think that's all I have for now. I promise to keep you guys updated now. I finally got the app for my phone. So maybe that will give me a motive to blog more often. I love you guys! I'm out!

I am thankful for...

First off, I would like to apologize for not updating this as often as I thought I would. I was so excited to make my blog when I did. I still have yet to actually design my blog. I know. I’m slacking. Hard. I’m sorry. My bad. Please forgive me. I’ve just been super busy with work and other things. But I promise that I will try harder to keep everyone updated with all the things that are occurring in my life. Actually, I will make a blog to follow this one within the next few days. I promise.

I would also like to say that my brother is here in town for Thanksgiving. I don’t think I have ever spent Thanksgiving with him. (Weird, right? It’s a really long story that I will explain in another blog on another day.) I honestly could not be more excited to spend a holiday with him and his awesome family. Yay!

I was going to do the daily status thing on Facebook. But I don’t know if I could think of that many things. And I didn’t have time for that. Maybe next year? I don’t know. We’ll see how this goes.

So, without any further ado, here is my list…

1.  I am extremely thankful for God. Without Him, I don’t know where I would be. I have been through some dark times and some difficult trials in my short 22 years. I know that if my parents had not raised me in church, I would not have had a connection with Him. I would have probably never found Him. So, that is another reason that I am thankful for grandma. (She has her own post down below.) Anyway, back to God. He is my rock. My fortress. And my refuge. I know that He is the one person that will never leave me no matter what I do. I will forever praise Him.

2.  I am thankful for my family. Even though we fight sometimes and push each other’s buttons, some more often than others, I really do love them. Some of them keep me sane. Other’s drive me insane. (Everyone has family members like that, right?) But, I really do love my family.

3.  I am thankful for my job. My job really is a lot of fun. I really am thankful that I have the opportunity to work for a company that does so much for their employees. I have some pretty awesome coworkers too. My coworkers treat me and each other as a family. Not just a team or people that you have to semi-tolerate, but a family. It really is great.

4.  I am thankful for having a car. I always say that I’m not very fond of my car, but I’m very thankful for it. It’s roomy. It’s reliable. It’s relatively new. And it’s affordable. For real though, my payment is crazy cheap. I don’t think I could have gotten anything for the same price that I was willing to drive. So I really am thankful for my car.

5.  I am thankful for my grandmother. I seriously have no clue what I would do without her. She put a roof over my head when I was an infant. She has pretty much been my mother. I could not repay her back for all that she has done for me. She helps me in every way and any way that she can. I do not thank her enough.

6.  I am thankful for my Aunt. She had a lot to do with my upbringing. She has taught me more about life than anyone else in my family. Seriously, this woman would probably die for me if it meant I was safe and sound. She is someone that I know that I can always count on. I always have a good time with her no matter what we do. I don’t thank her enough for all that she does.

7.  I am also very thankful for my mother and my other grandmother. One thing is for sure, there is never a dull moment with my mother. She’s definitely a character. My grandmother is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. I pray that I age as well as she has.

8.  I am gratefully, eternally, very thankful for my brother and his wife. Between the two of them and their kids, I am constantly laughing and having a great time. There is never a dull moment when I am around them. But seriously, I really do love them. They have helped me through more things that I can ever repay them for. I know that I can always come to them about anything without being judged or ridiculed for it. I am also very glad that he married her, even if I did meet her on their wedding day. (Thanks, Bro.) But seriously, I really love both of them.

9.  Speaking of their kids, I am extremely thankful for my niece and nephews. Seriously, they may sometimes be a handful. But they really are the most intelligent kids I have ever met. They are five, four, and two. (My brother and his wife were very busy.) But for real, they are awesome. The oldest is hysterical. It is never a dull moment being around him. The middle one, oh, where do I start with her? She is definitely a princess. She even got a pillow yesterday to prove it. But don’t let the cuteness fool you. She’s devious too. The youngest really impresses me the most when I watch him grow. How many two year olds do you know that can unlock a smartphone and find the exact game that he wanted to play? Yeah, I can’t think of any others either. Ok. So, I may brag on my niece and nephews. What of it? I love them. Seriously.

10.  I am thankful for my best friend. I would not know what to do without him sometimes. He’s hysterical. He keeps me laughing all the time. He is the person that I rant to about things. He keeps me sane. It’s really a good feeling when you know that you have a friend who you know will always be there for you no matter what you tell them. It’s also nice having someone to talk to, other than family, and know that you’re not being judged. For that, I am eternally grateful.

11.  I am very thankful at how forgiving God is. I tend to screw up. A lot. I try. I really do. But I still fail Him quite often. So, His abundant second chances and never ending grace is much obliged. He really is amazing.

12.  I am really thankful for music. Music has the power to ruin or brighten your day. It can change you mood for the better or worse. Music can bring back memories that go along with whom you were with and where you were when you heard the song. It can also make you think of people depending on the meaning of the lyrics. Not many things can actually do that.

13.  Speaking of music, I’m really thankful that God gave me a semi-awesome voice. Some people tell me that I am really talented. I have my doubts sometimes, but it’s something that I am really passionate about. I really do enjoy singing. I someday hope to make a career out of it. But I don’t know. We’ll see.

14.  I am thankful for my pastor and his family. They treat me like I am one of their own kids. I really feel at home when I am at their house. Seriously, they always ask me if I want tea when I walk in. Who wouldn't like that?! Even though their kids are off at college, we always pick up right where we left off. They’re some of my best friends. They’re also some of my longest kept friends. I really love them.

15.  I am very thankful for technology. You would not be reading this without it. (See? You’re also thankful.) But for real, what did we do before smartphones, tablets, computers, TVs, cameras, those vibrating head massaging spider-looking thingys, etc.? That list can go on for days. So for that, I am very thankful for the inventors of these things for making my daily life easy and bring me hours of entertainment. You are awesome, inventor peoples!

16.  I am thankful for my father. Even though he was killed thirteen years ago, I am still learning so much from him and about him. It’s really funny when people tell me that I am exactly like him. (I’m not sure if that’s good or not. But’s I’ll take it. Haha.) I loved my father more than anyone will ever know. The man, despite all that he was involved with, would have done anything for me if he was able. Though I will never fully understand why my father was killed, God knew what he was doing. He knew that it would have lasting effects for generations to come.

17.  I am thankful for seasons. I love the different temperatures and changes in the climate. Fall and Spring are definitely my favorite. I really love watching the colors change on the leaves until they eventually end up on the ground. Then the best thing to do is jump into piles of leaves. I also love that everything is pumpkin flavored. I love that it’s cold but not freezing. So getting all you need to go outside is a coat or jacket. I really do love fall clothing. It might be my favorite type of clothing. Spring is my second favorite because the temperature is perfect. And we can officially start swimming again. And I can wear shorts. I really love shorts. It’s funny that these two are my favorite because I have terrible allergies. Why am I thankful for seasons you ask? Can you imagine having one season all year-round? Yeah, I’ll pass on that too.

18.  I am thankful for animals. Seriously, I love them. I really wish that I had a pet. But sadly, I do not. You know that guy that stops in the middle of the road to move a turtle? I’m that guy. I’ve always wanted to travel around the world to see all of the different animals. Except maybe not Australia. They have some terrifying creatures in the Outback.

19.  And last bit not least, I am thankful for food. Yep, food. I really love food. It’s one of my favorite things in the world. I really love eating. Speaking of, it’s thanksgiving. Guess what my favorite part is. The food! I am so stoked to start grubbing on this feast that consist of turkey, ham, dressing/stuffing (whatever you may call it), green bean casserole, pies, etc. My mouth is watering just thinking about.

That’s actually a much longer list than I thought I would have. I’m sure there are more things that I am thankful for. I just can’t think of them at the moment. I may add more to it later. So just check back. Once again, I love you guys! You are awesome! I’m out!

Recently...

Since this is my first blog on here, I thought I would give you an insight into what's been going on in my life lately. So, here we go...

        I went on a vacation in July that could not have had more prefect timing. I needed this vacation to happen. I was at a point in my life when I was confused and needed guidance and that's exactly what I received. God really opened my eyes to a lot on this vacation. I was going through a rough time. My girlfriend of a year and a half and I had just broke up for reasons that were out of either of our control. It's a horrible feeling when you don't have control of something, especially when it weighs so heavily on your heart. Even worse, we don't even speak. It sucks. But it's better this way, I think. My brother and my sister-in-law helped me through a lot that week we were at the beach. (By the way, I REALLY love the beach. I could live there. Seriously.) It turns out that they went through similar situations. The only difference? They're still together and extremely happy. I'm not saying that I'm not happy, I just ready to be as happy as I once was. I'm ready to be whole again. That may take time, but I'm getting closer each day.

        On a happier note, I filed my FAFSA a few days ago. (HA! Take that, government! You are, once again, paying for me to go to college!) It feels awesome to finally get something productive done to move forward in life. But considering that I have to get three semesters off of this money, it may not be enough. I might have to add some of my own money to it, but none-the-less, I'm extremely excited to start back school in January. I just need to be motivated to actually do well this next semester. But before I start school, I need to save some money and buy a few things. So, I'm about to start finding a second job. I need a new phone. My blackberry broke so I currently have a crappy flip phone that barely does anything. (How did I function before I got a smartphone?) I also need a new laptop. This one has it's good moments, but it pretty much sucks. (Macbook, maybe?) 

          I also recently bought a new car. (Yay! For new cars!) For once, I have something that is reliable and will not leave me stranded two hours from home. (That happened with my last car.) I now have a 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser. It's not what I wanted, at all. But I needed a car and it was affordable. So, it will do for now! Hopefully I can trade it next year. Fingers crossed.

          All in all, my life is going pretty well right now. It could be better. But it could always be A LOT worse. Let's hope it doesn't get worse. Fingers crossed for that too. 

          I think I'm done with this post. I'll keep you posted on my thoughts, epiphanies, both funny and heartfelt stories, and more recent events as they happen in my life.