// Girlie vs. Gangsta//

I look like I am 12 year old girlie ….
But my 3-year old niece looks gangsta!!
I love my MacBook!!

// Dining with Shelves …//

My mom totally wants to make this happen in our dining room (instead of fireplace, insert a window and window seat).

I think this would be pretty bad ass!

// Goodnight Moon!!//

So I’m excited to repot that I got the upgrade of my dreams – well that’s exaggerating! I got my sister’s old room and I now have this AMAZING space at home. I have to say that at first moving back home after being on my own is a little shaky when it comes to having your own space, but I got used to it.

I love the splash of color on the walls! I mean I love it! I cannot even handle it! I saw this in a blog entry by Underfunded Heiress about color … I don’t know if I did it right, but I think it’s cool! I mean if the color works for Serena, then it works for me! :)

The great thing about my room is that we got everything, including paint, for under $200! I know, I know, I didn’t believe it at first either, but I would have to say that TJ Maxx and Marshall’s were DEFINITELY a key component to keeping the price down!

I love the comforter set (which was $60). I think it’s really cute; I love the accents of brown on the comforter and the sheets. I want those to be my colors and I couldn’t find a better piece! I also like the pillows because they bring out great colors and I could bring some of my previous pink pieces!

If you love the nightstand …. it’s really simple with a splash of “fun time.”

The big box and matching jewelry box I got at two different places! My mom and I were totally stoked since she wanted to do the accent of orange. I’m also a big sucker for pictures – just check Facebook.

My focal point of my life! With my big dumb, dumb laptop!

For my buddies! I love this!

I love this corkboard … and the shadow box that my RAs made for me! :) Good times!

My two important things!!! I watch family guy as I search the world for information on my friends, family and celebrities! LOL

Here’s the Post-Grad movie trailer that kind of explains several folks POV right now.

// You Can Do It!//

The other day I was Blog Surfing and I read an entry from the Student Affairs blog. There was reference to someone that is suing their alma mater because they have yet to find a job. I think it is kind of ludicrous! I understand that many college graduates are suffering right now. Even with that pessimistic outlook of the economy right now, I believe there is still hope. I believe that the glass is half full, not empty, because I survived it! Here is my story:

I graduated from college in 2008 with a dream in mind: going to Syracuse University for their counseling program. I had dreams about it every night! I wanted it so bad, I could taste it! However, after I walked the stage, real life was waiting for me with a brick. It truly knocked my dream out of my grasp. With that in mind, I knew that I had to come up with another idea. Another way to get to my overall lifetime goal of receiving my doctorate – my short term goal (less than 5 years) is to obtain my master’s degree in Counseling. There were other ways to get it and being the resourceful person that I am, I realized I just had to figure out another way to get to that goal.

Instead of surfing the net or Facebook, I got a job as a camp counselor (I surfed on my phone LOL). I had the job before at a different place, I enjoyed it. I had money in my pocket and it was the first summer in a long time where I could relax and get my bearings together. While I was at home that summer, I also realized that family and my overall support network was extremely important to me. Being in my family, like most families can be crazy, but it works. My nephew even came with me a couple of times and enjoyed it! Not to mention, my best friends are in the area and I need them to succeed in my overall long time goal! I realized I have been away from them for too long. So that counselor job truly gave me some clarity!

I decided that I was going back to school in the Winter Semester, giving me another couple of months to ensure that my plans were going to work. However, I have never been the type of person to just sit around and wait for things to come to me. So I actually looked at working at Wayne State. The job was temporary and it was just enough time to give me some options while I applied to some grad programs in the area. (Working at a university is a great option because you can tap into their resources and connections; you can learn things without being in lecture hall – you just learn them in a cubicle.) I signed up to work for Residence Life at Wayne considering that I was a RA for almost my entire undergrad career. I applied to Wayne State Graduate School and got in!

Now almost a full year later after accepting my temporary job, I am (pretty) close to receiving a full time job. Even if that falls through, I still have back up plans B and C to take me into next couple of years.

I know that I am the exception, not the rule. I understand these are some tough times. But if my mini-bio has said anything, is that sometimes you have to make things work for you. College did not prepare the 2007 – 2009 class very well because they were going off of previous teachings when the economy needed fresh and young minds. Now, there are too many, so employers are going to want to see how you make use of your time. If you weren’t active in high school and college, well now you are going to have to be.

So for those who are in career slumps, here is some tips I have for you:

• Join a Professional Organization: I am a member of both state and national organization for my desired field. Join the e-board; this will show employers that you are truly passionate about this career path.
• Volunteer: sometimes, it is important to just put your face out there. You don’t want a lot of dead time on your resume. This is a great way to fill it up!
• Temporary Jobs: These jobs don’t have benefits, but this is how I got my foot in the door. It’s just enough to give you something to do during the day. If you kick ass, the company may hire you on full time; if you know your time is coming to an end, this will give you time to find another job – hopefully one that sticks.
• “Can I Take Your Order?”: You may think you are too good for this, but if you are thinking about going back to school, this is a great job to have as a benchmark to where you want to go. This is not going to be your career, it’s just going to be a job. Not to mention free food!
• Part-Time Student: I am always an advocate of going back to school. With a college town, like my alma mater, you can go to school and there are many odd jobs around. Go back for your post-bachelors, take up sign language … anything that is going to overall help you be marketable.

Not every job you have is meant to fit into your career path; sometimes the path is not as linear as we all would like. Good luck everyone!

PS: I also ranted on a video! I didn’t realize how passionate I was on the topic!

// Hair Today …//

So I was on Art of Accessories blog today and she mentioned this really great documentary on HBO by Chris Rock called Good Hair.


I know with me that I have had many different hair styles growing up and recently, I believe, I have generated a bigger obsession with this. My father’s mother was mixed with Native American (supposedly) and she had long gray hair. It almost looked like a relative to some Native American princess. Ever since I met her and her hair, I have been very subconscious about it. Here are some cute pictures of my hair “progression.”

I mean even with America’s Next Top Model, Tyra either blesses or curses women with long or short hair respectably. Every time some gets a hair cut or a “drastic” change, women cry. The most memorable would be Bianca, cycle 9. Bianca came in looking like most stereotypical black girls, trying to mirror extensions from other celebrities. However, due to some heavy breakage from weaves and perms, she had to cut off all of her hair.