Part Time Jobs

I have not had a job since August. Volunteering helped me feel complete and it was a very cheap place to live in our previous city of South Bend, IN. However, New York state is expensive and I want to contribute to our income. My partner has a decent income, but we have complete sticker shock at the cost of rent, utilities, groceries and dining out. Everything is about double the cost.

Additionally, I have just felt weird not having income. I am not sure how to describe it, but having income from something you do empowers you. I feel motivated to do more with my day and it provides something special to me mentally. I wonder if this is an issue for spouses that stay home with the children. Do they feel like something is missing? We do not have children though and are just beginning to talk about how we should get married. I feel like it is important to not waste time. We should earn and save as much as possible now and then I could have the option to maybe stay home if it feels right.

Currently, I want a job. So I got a part time job that is not a dream job, but rather something to get me out of the apartment and feel valued until I find something that could be a career. I care about making a good impression regardless of whether I may keep this job for only a month or years. Therefore, I am taking this seriously and it is a chance to learn or improve my customer service skills.

Although, I had an interview this week somewhere I would LOVE to work! It is also part time so I could work both jobs until I find something full time or just feel like it is time to move on from the non-dream job. While I had a few people tell me that is horrible to take a job I do not feel serious about or that I am wasting this place’s time if I only work there for a month, I know this is what I need right now.

Mid-Hudson Valley, New York

We live here now! My partner and I arrived at our new apartment on May 31st. Initially, we were focused on setting the apartment up to at least be comfortable, looking for jobs for myself and going to a different grocery store each shopping trip, but we have been doing some exploration each weekend.

Culinary Institute of America (CIA) – Hyde Park, NY

We did not make reservations, but there are 3 options if you do not. We ate at the Apple Pie Bakery Cafe, I had the Salmon Poke Bowl. It was good and the environment was casual and lovely. Next time though we really want to go to the Italian restaurant casual eating area. We were schooled by one of the students as to the best places to go on campus. The menu for that looked quite good. There is also a tavern for the American Bounty Restaurant. We will likely make our way through dining at all the casual and reservation required eateries at CIA eventually.

Beside the food, the campus and Hyde Park are beautiful. Before or after your meal at the CIA, you can check out the FDR Presidential Library and Museum. We only stopped at the visitors center and drove through the park, but I cannot wait to see more of it! I would LOVE if a job opened up there.

Walkway Over The Hudson

Yesterday we made our way to Poughkeepsie, NY where we ate lunch at Tavern 23 a totally hidden place that makes you think you might be trespassing on someone’s private property, but it really a cool neighbor bar and eatery. After lunch we made our way over to the Walkway Over the Hudson to enjoy the incredibly beautiful day. The walkway is an old train bridge that they converted into a space for pedestrians, kind of like the 606 in Chicago or the Highline in New York City.

There is a parking lot that is quite rocky on the Poughkeepsie side of the bridge and they are under construction to add cafes and seating areas on both sides. You can also follow a few trail options on the Highland, NY side. We will definitely be taking family and friends here.

What is Next?

While we need to work on making our spare bedroom less of a storage space, we want to try out new places every weekend. Some places we have on our list at the moment include:

• West Point
• Boscobel House and Gardens
• Hiking Mt Beacon, Bear Mountain and maybe everything on this list
• Sleepy Hollow, NY
• Historic sites like Washington’s Headquarters

We are adding to the list as people tell us things and we drive around going “WHAT IS THAT??!?!?” Exploring is my favorite thing to do. If you have recommendations please add them in the comments below!

Hope you have an amazing Father’s Day!

Times Should Never Be This Tough

The recent celebrity suicides may not be people I know or even follow, but still shock me. Thinking of the pain they must have been going through reminds me that I was once at a point where I attempted suicide. I was quite young (I was in 3rd and 4th grade). I know how one could get to that point, but I am so glad I came back from it. Life is so worth living.

It was thanks to making a new friend who became my best friend. Talking to her and having her in my life relieved me from so much private suffering. If you are hiding your agony, I beg you to talk to someone about it. There are people who want to listen to you and care about you. If you are unsure who to turn to, please go to https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Thank you for being my friend, Andi.

Represent Yourself

People seem to have conflicts with how they are represented by others or representing themselves versus who they feel they really are. I am no different. I remember in graduate school I felt so offended by my friends telling me I was fair skinned. I tan well, however since having a skin cancer scare, I wear sunscreen everyday and so yes my skin is fair and has been since I moved further north. We also so not get a lot of sun up here nor do I spend a lot of time outside. This is just a small, physical example.

What I am really referencing is when you are nasty to others or complain a lot (do you vent all the time?). It is negative energy output. The question is, how do you really want to represent yourself in the world? A few weeks ago I made a post about treating others how you want to be treated and I want to expand on this.

It is not just about how you treat people and how you want to be treated, but rather putting the energy and person out there you want to be known for being. We are not perfect, so we slip up. It is quite important to me to do my best and try not to throw my emotions and troubles at everyone I interact with. I also think you can stand up for yourself without being rude.

I do not just want to have good stories to tell and be remembered well. I feel great when I connect with someone who puts out positive energy through smiling, complimenting, helping and enjoying every moment even when things seem challenging and stressful. Everything works itself out, you just need to find a solution and persevere.

I need to work on how I handle interactions during times of high stress. Last month, I had multiple break downs because I shouldered all of the burdens instead of asking my partner to help me. After the break down though, I felt foolish and did not even apologize. That is not how I want to represent myself. I know I can change the decisions I make in the future, such as asking for help and taking time to breathe. I can also apologize to those I have drained my negative energy onto.

This is just some food for thought. How could you spread the positivity?