Saturday, February 27, 2010

Paying Rent

So before I can write in "real time," I feel we should start at the beginning of my journey into adult life. It is my thinking that you become a real life adult the minute you move out of your parent's house, and start paying your own rent. At this point you're pretty much on your own, or at least most of us are. It is now your responsibility to pay your bills, feed and clothe yourself, and to make sure you stay out of harms way. I was pretty good at the first one of these, mediocre at the second, and the third is a matter of opinion.

When I moved out of my parents house a year after college, after saving a good amount of money by commuting a total of 3 hours every day and crashing on random friend's couches, I was responsible for all of my own bills for literally the first time in my life. My parents had been very generous with my sisters and I, and throughout college my only real monetary concern was if I'd have enough money for spring break with my friends. Anything I made went into my own pocket for use on booze, diners out, and fun. When I moved out, I had no real concept of what paying my own bills was going to mean, or how much money I really had to throw around. In other words, I had yet to discover the concept of a budget.

As I had mentioned in my previous post, I work in the music industry, which right out of college meant I made next to nothing. So, most of my money when I became an independent person (hahaha) went to my rent, booze (are you seeing a trend here), and my gym membership. I remember what a great diet moving out was, because I was afraid to spend to much money on food. I think I lived off of a Costco sized box of Special K Bars and Soy Crisps that my parents had bought me for a few months. Needless to say, I do not recommend this diet to anyone. Nonetheless, I survived.

I would like to be able to tell you how I managed my money back then, maybe give a few pointers to those starting out on the same path, but the truth is I don't really know. I'm one of the lucky few of our generation that actually managed to come out unscathed by credit card debt, however I was balancing my income with credit cards. There were times when our land lord wouldn't cash our checks for a long time, and when she did it would leave me scrambling, but I always had money some how. However, some how may have been the depleting savings account I had built up from living with my parents. Overall, I'm very glad my husband is great at budgeting, but I'm also glad I had the real world, "grown up" experience of doing it on my own.

At this early freedom point in most of our lives, we relish in being a "grown up." I use quotations on those words, because I'm not really sure I know the meaning of them, or when you really become one. As my blog's title indicates, I STILL really feel like I'm playing make believe in my grown up world. Back then I felt like someone was going to point a finger at me and say "just kidding, time to go home now. Did you really think you could live all on your own?" But life is an adventure, and I was having a great time diving in head first for the first time on my own.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Allow Me to Introduce Myself

I'm new at this blogging thing, so I'm feeling like I should take the time to introduce myself to my, oh, zero readers. I'm not exactly positive what I plan to use this blog for just yet, which I do realize is not the perfect way to begin my blogging career. However, you need to start somewhere,right?

Where do I begin? I don't really plan on revealing every aspect of my life to all of you out there, so that I remain a bit elusive and anonymous. You know, to avoid stalking when my blog becomes the most popular thing on the Internet, and I earn a book deal and movie contract, etc, etc. Although I do feel that you should know something about me so I'll be more relatable. So here goes nothing...

I grew up in the suburbs of New York City, went to college in Miami where I majored in Music Business (minor in marketing), and since then have moved back North and worked in the "industry." I began working for a Rock n' Roll Merchandising company right after school, moved out of my parent's house a year later into a little town in NJ right outside of Manhattan, and struggled to live on a music industry salary while having the time of my life.

It was then that my neighbors threw a party, and I met one of their older brothers who would become my future husband. I don't want to say that this was the beginning of the end, but lets face it ladies, every young girl out there who used to go out every night before meeting "the one" knows what I'm talking about. It's not a bad thing, it just happens. You'd rather spend time at home with your man then go out with the girls to cruise guys. But I'm getting side tracked here.

Right after I met my hubby-to-be I got a new job, the job I thought was the greatest opportunity of my life (and in some ways it was). So I left my fun, everyone loves you here, comfortable job to be an assistant at one of the biggest agencies in the world. At first I was happy, thrilled even, I was learning new things and loving it! Two and a half years later, after many tears, pre-midlife crises, and disenchantments, I was lured back to my old company with a better position and much more money then I was making in hell (as I nick-named it). So there I am, back at the fun company where everyone loves me, so much so that 6 months later I've been promoted. And the truth is I'm very content.

So back to that side track, along with this crazy career path, I got married to my wonderful husband. A man I'm sure you'll hear a lot about as this blog continues on. He is after all, probably one of the main reasons I've been growing up. That and those birthdays that keep coming year after year (I guess they didn't get the memo I've had enough!). We've been married for about a year and a half, and live together right outside of Manhattan, in a great apartment that he bought 6 years ago before we met.

There is more I can bore you with, all of you zero readers I've already scared away with my blabber, but as this is just the beginning I'm sure we'll get to know each other a lot more along the way. So I'll leave you with the bones of it for now. Until later....

Test One Two?

So...everyone seems to be blogging. At first I didn't get it, but after finding a few blogs I really liked, I started to feel like maybe it would be cool to share my thoughts with cyber space. I mean, how many young almost 30 "adult" females out there are going through the same things I am right now? Someone's bound to be relate and benefit from my quirky antics, right? I guess we're about to find out.....