The End of Funemployment

Dearest readers, friends & adoring fans: 

I know it's been a while since you've heard from me. Truthfully, March has been somewhat of a tough month. When it started off, I found myself feeling many of the same emotions that plagued me at the beginning of February when I first got to New York: homesick for my friends and family in Ohio; fear of not being able to succeed in this big, intimidating town; and generally lost, still without a job, and sense of direction and purpose. And I didn't want you to know that I've been struggling, because this has been a bit of a tough journey so far. 

But, a few days ago, I finally got some news I had been waiting to hear for months... a sign that this crazy idea of mine just might work out, and that the efforts I've put into building this new life for myself really would start paying off: I received a job offer. 

You guys, you kept telling me this whole time that things would work out. You believed in me... you knew I could do this, and you had my back. My close friends, my sister, and my mom would constantly remind me that I just had to be patient; that every time I heard a "no," that just meant there was a better "yes" waiting for me somewhere down the road. And I'm writing now to tell you that I finally got that "yes."

I'm the new Manager of Digital Content for a small multimedia marketing and video production company in midtown Manhattan, and I honestly couldn't be more excited for this amazing new opportunity. I'll be getting to do the kinds of things that I love most about my career, the kinds of things I've spent the last 8 years of my professional life working toward. This is a giant leap forward for me... I'll be learning new things every single day, and will be in a great position to help advance this company along with a great team of people that have been so warm and welcoming. Everything about it just feels right... like this is truly the one thing I've been waiting for. After the nearly hundred job applications I completed, the seemingly endless days of waiting, and the countless hours I spent hoping the right people would find me some day, they finally did. 

These past few months have taught me many lessons so far, but perhaps the most valuable has been to just have patience. I've felt so unsettled ever since I got out here, and anxious for things to start falling into place. But I've managed to keep reminding myself that in no way will everything happen all at once, that it's going to just take time. And I've also had to be very patient with myself as I slowly adapt to my new surroundings and new life... reminding myself that I've been going through a big change, and that I'm going to have bad days, and days where I'll feel like I want to give up. 

But guess what? I haven't given up yet, and the hardest part is now finally over. Not that long ago, I'd fall asleep dreading the next day, expecting to face more rejection and frustration over this life of mine that I had turned upside-down. But I'm proud to say that those feelings have changed, and I'm now looking forward more than ever to what lies ahead with each new day. 

I've never been the biggest advocate of change. I used to prefer to just keep things the way they always were -- comfortable and predictable. But now through this experience, I've taught myself in the most real way possible that I'd have never been able to learn and grow if I had stayed where I was. And while change can be one of the most stressful and uncomfortable processes we can put ourselves through, without it, we'd never be able to turn into the person we're truly meant to be.

31 years

Ah, March 4th.

Forget Christmas, the Fourth of July, and all those other famous birthdays we're forced to celebrate throughout any given year, for THIS is the one day that truly calls for major rejoicing.

Thirty-one years ago on this exact date was when I had decided to grace this world with my presence. March 3rd and March 5th simply were not good enough... only the 4th would do. I didn't pick it because I knew the weather would be spectacular every year -- in fact, I usually end up with quite the opposite. It's typically still cold with everyone pissed off that winter hasn't ended yet; the sky is usually a lovely dull gray, still threatening the northeast population with chances of snow, sleet, rain or some other nasty and undesirable form of precipitation. But here I am, a ray of sunshine to brighten up the last few days of winter... a preview, if you will, of the glorious things to come when spring finally arrives.

We only get one day a year that can be 100% about us. So on my birthday, I usually like to do a little something special for myself in appreciation of me, just as a reminder that Hey, you've come a long way and you're doing great, so keeping being you.

I do this a lot on days that aren't my birthday, but I also like to think back on who I've been, look ahead to who I'm becoming, and recall the steps I've taken to get me to where I am today. I was really blessed with a wonderful and loving family, who helped ensure I had a great childhood and grew up to be a kind, respectful, successful, and incredibly charming young woman. (Wink!)

Reminiscing for me commonly involves digging through old pictures from way back when, you know, cameras had film and you had to wait excruciating amounts of time to get your roll developed. There's something to be said for holding actual pictures in your hand rather than just flipping through images on your phone or computer. Look at me, I'm just barely into my thirties and already talking about the "good old days" when my friends and I watched movies on VHS tapes and recorded our favorite songs from the radio onto cassettes and listened to them on our now-antiquated Walkman devices.

Anyway, I digress. Perhaps I'll save my experiences with growing up in the 80s and 90s for a different post. Please do enjoy some of the treasures I found today as we all take a moment to pause and celebrate 31 years of JMP.

Oh hey, world!

With my beautiful grandparents and sister

She said she waited a long time for me to get here!

Favorite picture of me & mom

Sisters!

Cheesin' it up

Cute without even trying

Hold please... Ah mom, I'm a little busy!

A little light reading - National Geographic

Not sure about this whole "corn" situation

Tearin' into that cake!

Always class with a little bit of sass

Sweet & innocent, but only on the outside

With my grandparents at First Communion

First grade, minus a few teeth

Always incredibly amused

Third grade, still missing a few in the front!

I got addicted to coffee at a young age...

With grandpa

Not getting any less awkward by fifth grade...

Freshman in high school, braces just came off!

High school senior photo

College graduation... Let's do this!

My 30th year ended with lots of big changes, and I couldn't be more excited to see what this next year is going to bring for me. We've all come a long way from where we once started, answering plastic telephones and collecting our lost teeth to give to the elusive Tooth Fairy, to eventually getting degrees and jobs as "adults in the real world." Sometimes maybe we really do grow up too fast, but that doesn't necessarily mean we always have to act our age. 

I'm always going to be that kid with the goofy grin and long blonde hair; she just changed and evolved a little over the years into the goofy adult with the short, fabulous and almost-gray coiffure. So here's to another year of not getting older, just wiser; of new experiences to make new memories; of growing and changing, but in some ways, staying the same.