Hey Y'all

Well, so many friends from more than one state have been wondering what happened to me that I decided to begin a journal blog. I do have a facebook account, but I'm not exactly sure how that's supposed to work. Here's the 411 on my life:

I received my Bachelor's degree in June, 2007 at Oregon State University. My mother and I, with the help of my visiting 14-year-old niece, had a huge moving sale to sell almost everything that we've collected while living in OR for 5 years. Shortly thereafter, my mother and I moved back to the mid-west area. It was a long, hot journey with miserable, lumpy beds at not-so-cheap hotels, and 130 degree temps in parts of CA and AZ. We took the southern route because I didn't want to hurt my little V-6 engine pulling a loaded u-haul trailer over the CO mountains. We arrived almost a week later, July 7th, and stayed with my brother in Tulsa, OK.

For those who knew I was going to Missouri, well, I visited Springfield, took my gre, even applied to a few positions: one at MSU for the Asst. Director of Student Activities, the other for Events Programmer for the City of Springfield. I really wanted the Asst. Dir. position. I bombed the gre, really bad (stress of moving halfway across the US, trying to find a home, trying to find employment, etc--couldn't concentrate), and didn't have $130 to take it again, so I didn't get accepted into the graduate program at MSU. I couldn't find a decent house for rent that accepted dogs, and wasn't about to give up my dogs. I also couldn't find employment. After much heartache and disappointment, and my brother and sister-in-law wanting us to stay in Tulsa, my mom and I decided to stay. I applied to various positions and checked into the requirements for receiving a teaching certificate in OK. We finally found a house, an adorable 3-bedroom with large dining room and huge fenced yard with pecan trees for only $625 a month. The current renter will be out by Sept. 1st and we will begin our move, which should be easy enough. My grandma gave us a couch, my brother and sister gave us beds, we kept our vintage 50's dining room set, so we have a good start.

I've had two interviews, one with Tulsa Community College for an Instructional Specialist in English, and the other with Rightstaff for a Manuscript Tracking Coordinator with Geophysics. Last Fri, I received the call from TCC for a second interview. This position is similar to what I was doing at the Writing Center at OSU, but much more. It is full-time, tutoring students in a large, round building called the FACET center, conducting orientations for all new English Comp students as well as some minor duties with PowerPoint and Excel. It sounds like the perfect job for me. Starting pay is $13.45 an hour, not a bad start.

I haven't utilized my free time with writing, shame on me. I could have finished the novel about my mother if I had just sat down and typed. The stress of living in limbo really takes its toll on people. Now that things are starting to come together, I should probably get to work. Mom has been babysitting my 1 1/2 year old niece, which keeps her going and cheers her up. When we move, this will become a daily event and, on occasion, she will also watch my 2 1/2 year old niece who lives in Inola.

I think that about wraps up the most important details of the last few months. Now I can concentrate on regular thoughts and ideas for the blog. Miss everyone in Oregon. I especially miss the wonderful summer weather of OR.