24 Before 24 Re-Cap

You will recall back in January I was inspired to create a 24 thing to do before I'm 24 list and I didn't complete near as many as I would have liked. To be fair, I only gave myself 6 months, and I know that some of it is out of my control (can't go on a trip with Viking Boyfriend without him, hard to save up for a dog when you're working minimum wage, etc.)

I'm disappointed that I didn't get some of the easier things done because I just forgot about it! Donating money or time to charity is one, or buying a format for my blog. Some of it also made me realize that I'm not sure if it's what I want to do: grad school? Maybe later, much later. 

Accomplishments:

2. Buy one investment piece I’ll have forever

5. Dye my hair

6. Buy a new camera

17. Buy my brother a drink on his 21st Birthday

24. Buy a couch

Honorable Mentions:

1. Write a pitch for a travel book - Lots of research!
3. Travel to one place I’ve never been before - Dreams of going to Atlanta this summer: dashed.
4. Fill five notebooks with writing - 2 notebooks should count for something...7. Be happy and self-sufficient with my employment - Self sufficient, sorta. Happy? Eh.
8. Find a work-out regiment that makes me happy - Just picked up running again.
12. Finish reading the books on my shelves - Started a few, no finishers.
16. Start shopping vintage more often - Little bit o' thifting
20. Promote myself without being embarrassed - I can promote myself better; still embarrassed.
21. Use all the old lip glosses in my make-up drawer - Tried sooooo hard! Just too many.
22. Shop my closet and wear all of my clothes. If I don’t, I have to donate it at the end of the season - The biggest problem is having strict uniform rules at both my jobs...not a lot of time to wear what I want.

Epic Fail:

9. Complete a full length play and submit it
10. Save up enough money for a puppy
11. Take an improv class at Second City
13. Go on a trip with Viking Boyfriend
14. Finish making the dress and skirt I started
15. Complete one application to Grad School
18. Buy a great format for my blog
19. Get a credit card
23. Donate money or time to charity

It's inspiring me to roll some of them over on to my 25 before 25 list and come up with a few new ones, plus which I'll have a whole year to complete them next time. I'm very optimistic about my 24th year!

Treat Yo Self 2012

It's my birth week! I don't think I'm being entirely narcissistic (lies) but I'm really excited about this one! My 23rd "Golden Year" is coming to an end and it's the first time I'll celebrate my birthday in a new city. Plus, Mom has a theory about me: the odd years always wind up being really tough and the even years are fantastic. After this weird year I'm ready for things to take a turn for the better, and I obviously need to start storing up energy for my quarter-life crisis, can't wait! (lies again)

So what will I be treating myself to this week? Baking cupcakes for work! Picking up a magazine and a lip gloss at CVS! Another month of working electricity (oh yeah bills)! A day off to spend with Mom! Finishing as much of my 24 Before 24 list as possible! Finding a great birthday outfit! Finally, planning what I'm actually going to do! I don't normally make plans per-say, but this year having a general idea would be swell.

Young lady in a big city for her 24th, what would you do?

Futon-Palooza

I know it's been quite some time, but I'm finally able to cross something off my 24 Before 24 list!

24. Buy a couch

 

 

Well, it's not technically a couch, but it is a darn comfy futon. My dress is from the Target Webster Collection and it too is one of the comfiest things I own.

 

And I didn't technically buy it, these folks did. When they came to visit they slept in my bed, and Viking and I re-located to the futon. I love walking in the door and seeing it there! I squeal at it like it's been waiting for me to come home and lay on it. His name is Ernie. Also, note my Dad...texting! He and Reid were text connected pretty much the entire time due to the lack of television in my apartment. Sorry Dad, maybe in the next apartment!

After the futon buying, breakfast eating, and general exploration, they had to leave. Mom will be back in a month, and when I hit Columbus in July I'll see Dad.

 

Thank you very much for visiting Mom & Dad! It helps take my mind off things and reminds me how strong I am.

 

 

Shopping My Closet

One of the perils of renting in Chicago (or in general) is the severe lack of storage space. My closet is more impressive than I expected, but with the addition of my Spring and Summer wardrobes space had become limited.

While I appreciate my closet for its high shelving and depth, it has a tiny door making parts of it very difficult to reach or see what I have back there.

But no more! For I have bought...a garment rack!

I got the idea while watching No Strings Attached...alone...the day before Valentine's thankyouverymuch (you can see it off to the right in this picture). It fits nicely in the nook between my closet and the door where I hang all my purses. Those bins are full of my winter clothes. Currently I have no place for them, so they will remain an end table/catchall.

It makes shopping my closet so much easier and adds some visually appealing "creative clutter" to my space. It's also going to make #22 on my 24 Before I'm 24 list a lot easier:

22. Shop my closet and wear all of my clothes. If I don’t, I have to donate it at the end of the season

I bought my garment rack at Target and it serves its purpose well enough for what it costs. Hopefully once my career becomes a little more lucrative I'll go for aesthetic and throw down the cash for the commercial grade version at the Container Store.

What do you think? Would you ever have a garment rack in your apartment?

Color Coiffure

Last week I lured Running Buddy to my apartment with the promise of spaghetti and Pinterest and asked her if she wouldn't mind helping me cross off #5 off my 24 before 24 list:

5.) Dye My Hair

My hair hasn't been dyed since last May and my highlights had grown out in to what is now known as the "ombre" trend. I needed a shake up and thought a little blonde would be the way to go.

A recent picture for your "before" reference. My light brown roots and faded highlights at the ends.

And this is what it looks like now! I realize it's a subtle change, but it did even out my hair color and give me a slightly red tint that I have naturally.



As you can see I didn't get as much dye on my bangs and underneath. I think I'll try the foam variety of hair color for more even coverage next time. 

The next step: get my hair cut. I feel squirmy just thinking about it since I still don't know what I want to do with it. I will most likely play it in my usual fashion: make an appointment, decide once I get there, be upset about it for a little while, then grow it out again. The circle of hair life.

What are you thinking? Should I dye it lighter in a few weeks? Go back to brunette? Let it grow out in to ombre again? Shave it all off and save myself the greif?

Cry Baby

I came back to the apartment whining again.

I had broken a wine glass in the sink this morning which got me off to a bad start. While at work I did well the first half of the day but got unjustifiably frustrated with a new trainee for screwing up orders and then spilled I spilled hot chili all down my side from shoulder to shoe. Yup.

But I was talking to the trainee about how "this is my day job and I do theatre in the evenings..." and it dawned on me that it was the same speach I used to give when I lived in Ohio: "I work here part time during the day, but I do theatre at night and I'm going to move to Chicago in the fall."

It sounded much better than: "I'm a 23 year old woman with a college degree and I'm not really sure what I'm doing with my life right now. I'm positive that I'm smart and talented enough to figure it out, but right now I'm working for minimun wage."

Roommate poked fun that when I was in the depths of jobless-ness depression I used to complain that I'd work any job as long as they'd pay me! I needed the money to live, and while that's still true, I see now that I need a career that I love to be satesfied.

7.) Be happy and self sufficient in my employment. 

Being a free-lancer in theatre means that the job hunt is never really over, so here we go again.

You Sly Boots

So soon after crossing one thing off my 24 before 24 list I think I've managed to cross off another.

2.) Buy one investment piece I'll have forever.

Mom sent me an awesome care package for Valentine's Day and when I called her up to thank her for it she said "there should be one more thing coming." I had my ideas about what it might be, but I didn't want to presume too much since she'd already given me so many lovely things. I walked home in the drizzle and found this big box on my front door. I grabbed it, ran upstairs and barely made it inside the door to open it on the living room floor. I didn't even need scissors, I was so excited that I ripped the box open and this is what was inside:

I screeched! Immediately I pulled them over my work jeans and sat on the floor, just marveling at their happy red color. I have been bemoaning my lack of waterproof boots, specifically these wellies since I moved to Chicago and now I finally have a pair! I don't care if it rains or not tomorrow, I'm still wearing them.

And come hell or (hopefully) high water, I will save these boots until my kids can wear them!

P.S. I love you Mom, thank you so much for my red boots!

Flashes

Today in a sudden flash of inspiration after looking at this amazing website I decided to accomplish half of #14 on my 24 before 24 list: Finish making the dress and skirt I started. The skirt pattern I started in September before all the moving craziness happened, and the dress I intended to wear it to my college graduation...almost two years ago. Knowing that I probably wouldn't get it done in time Mom and I rushed out and bought a green dress from the Limited sale rack that ended up being a size too small.

There aren't really pictures of me wearing the green dress because the minute I got home I changed in to a different dress. On my 25 before 25 list I'll make a note to let it out so I can wear it!

My flash of inspiration was immediately halted when I realized that I had packed my sewing machine, but not the pedal foot OR the power cord *slaps forehead*. I was going to tear through my apartment like the Tasmanian Devil looking for it but then decided that my time would be better spent looking at job listings and trying to match a replacement for a discontinued lipstick color. R.I.P. Mauve Crystal. My priorities are obviously solid.

P.S. Following these three simple rules are harder than I thought. The writing and running are going okay, but getting dressed when you know you're just going to change in to leggings and go running later? Bummer. No wonder I wore jeans and a t-shirt every day in high school.

New Leaf

Do you know how hard it is to get out of the house, much less your pajamas, when you have no where to go? Yesterday I spent the majority of the day watching movies under a blanket and slowly but surely leaving an ah-mazing butt print in the green arm chair. I answered e-mails, checked blogs, and did manage to make myself a tasty dinner. Roommate has been working this past week so it's just me and good old Captain Dusseldorf scaring each other in the hallway at night (oh wait...that's just Dusseldorf). Such is the life of a freelancer.

Last night in an attempt to unblock myself I realized that this couch potato behavior was no longer relaxing me, it was making me edgy and unhappy. It's been too hard to write, exercise, and sleep despite the fact that these are all things that make me happy. In the spirit of my 24 Before 24 list I'm making a couple changes to my routine that I hope will get me back in to the swing of things and complete my list faster.

First, I'm going to start morning pages again. In college I had a wonderful professor who taught playwriting, and she gave us two books to help expand our creativity. One of them was Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg which I have read multiple times (whenever I'm blocked). The other was The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. When I first read it I got too hung up on the semantics and dismissed it, but after re-reading the first couple chapters last night I'm going to give it another shot. The book recommends writing three pages every morning when you first wake up to drain your negative thoughts and give your day a fresh start. Although I nearly forgot this morning (coffee haze) I'm going to start making a regular habit of it. I have to fill five notebooks with writing some how.

Second, I'm going to start running again. Back in high school and middle school I ran cross country competitively and it's something that made me feel extremely fulfilled and relaxed. I am one of those people who needs something to be accountable to other than myself, so my friend and I are joining a "fun run" group that does 3-6 miles three times a week. We haven't even gone yet and already my running buddy wants to go again tomorrow. I told her if I'm not dead I'll think about it.

Last, I'm actually going to start getting ready in the morning. Not just rolling out of bed and putting slippers on. I'm going to make the bed (so I can't get back in to it) put on some big girl clothes and do my hair and make-up. Even if I don't plan on going anywhere I want to look presentable just in case I do decide to venture out. I think that getting ready in the morning has a lot to do with self confidence, and I want to feel my best as well as look it.

Anyone else feeling the winter funk? The jobless-ness funk?

P.S. Here's a picture of Captain Dusseldorf for reference. He lives in our hallway and scares off evil spirits (as well as people that want to use the bathroom in the middle of the night).

Pictures that are not mine: via 1, 2, 3

24 Before I'm 24

Has anyone kept their New Year's Resolution this far? I normally make small resolutions that will help me improve, but that aren't too hard to keep. One year it was to take better care of my teeth, another it was to not box dye my hair (I went through a different color every other month phase) and last year it was not to buy any new make-up or products until I'd finished the ones I already had. Want to guess how well that worked out? "Oh, but I don't have hot pink lipstick yet!" I'm still working on that.

This year I decided to go a different direction. Inspired by a post at Delightfully Tacky I decided to make a 24 things to do before I'm 24 list. It's perfect because they're all accomplish-able goals and since I turn 24 in six months it gives me a shorter deadline than say, a bucket list.

Here's the list:

1. Write a pitch for a travel book

2. Buy one investment piece I’ll have forever

3. Travel to one place I’ve never been before

4. Fill five notebooks with writing

5. Dye my hair

6. Buy a new camera

7. Be happy and self-sufficient with my employment

8. Find a work-out regiment that makes me happy

9. Complete a full length play and submit it

10. Save up enough money for a puppy

11. Take an improv class at Second City

12. Finish reading the books on my shelves

13. Go on a trip with Viking Boyfriend

14. Finish making the dress and skirt I started

15. Complete one application to Grad School

16. Start shopping vintage more often

17. Buy my brother a drink on his 21^st birthday

18. Buy a great format for my blog

19. Get a credit card

20. Promote myself without being embarrassed

21. Use all the old lip glosses in my make-up drawer

22. Shop my closet and wear all of my clothes. If I don’t, I have to donate it at the end of the season

23. Donate money or time to charity

24. Buy a couch

I'll keep you updated on my progress, but are there any you'd like to join me on?