THEMACGIRL*

In a little while I will be turning 24, and while it feels insignificant, like many birthdays do after the age of 20, I have many things to be happy about this year. I have a great group of friends, friends that I’ve grown up with, as well as friends that I’ve met in the last year. On top of that I’ve finally figured out what I want to do with my life and what needs to be done to achieve it. I really don’t think any gift can top that feeling of independence.

I’m not sure what kind of celebrating I’m getting into this weekend. I have the entire weekend off and my brother Roy is coming in Saturday from Seattle. I have a feeling we’re going to end up in Louisville Saturday night to celebrate. I’m sure there will be a couple drinks on my part. The following weekend I have plans with friends that I’ve grown up with.

The photo above is from my first birthday on August 7th, 1985. I wanted to find a photo of my siblings and I together and this was the only one in which I had clothes on. According to my Mom I didn’t like clothes when I was a kid. Ha ha. Check out my sister’s glasses!

I wanted to wish Courtney a very Happy Birthday too! :)

For months I’ve been going back and forth between where I’m going to transfer to after I finish my general education courses. For those of you who don’t know me very well I currently attend a community college in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and through that college I can finish my four-year degree via WKU without leaving that campus. This is appealing because I would only have to travel 30 minutes to school, could still live at home, and could keep my current job. Basically this is the comfortable route.

On the other hand, I could transfer to UofL and live in Louisville. Outside of the five months that I spent living in a suburb of Michigan I’ve never lived outside of my parents home in the country. I don’t think I’d have any problems adjusting, it’s more of a fear of being able to support myself. I suppose it’s good to have that kind of fear. Fortunately, I don’t have any debts and I don’t own a credit card. I need to figure out a way to start building up my credit without a credit card. I’ve only taken out one loan and I repaid it in a timely manner. I’m not really sure if just one loan can give you a credit score or not. Can it?

I know where I’d like to live and I think it’s doable. I’d like to live in Old Louisville; not too far away from campus. I’ve been looking at Craigslist and found many places for at or less than $400/month for one bedrooms. Outside of rent the only other things I will need are broadband internet (finally!!!!), groceries, gas**, and a little spending money. I know it would be more economical to have a roommate but all of my friends in Louisville either have families or already have a place with roommates. Maybe something will open up between now and then.

I know a lady through flickr who sells houses in Louisville who knows a guy that owns a few buildings in that area of town. Hopefully, I can use that contact and find something cheap and safe. It won’t be until this spring that I really start to look for something seriously, but it’s something nice to look forward to.

**With gas the way it is now I might even consider a bike since I’d be close to school and downtown. From what I hear parking is hellish on campus so it would be less of a headache for me.

So that’s the big news going on in my life. What’s going on with you?

Yesterday I spent the afternoon with a couple of friends (Tim, Courtney, and Christina) snapping pictures around downtown Louisville. It was refreshing to be around other inspiring people and an inspiring city because I haven’t been picking up my camera very frequently. I should go out more often and try to find things to take pictures of, but honestly that requires too much effort on my part. ;-P

We ended up on top of the building where Christina works and got a nice view of downtown; at least one you don’t get to see very often. I don’t get into downtown very much simply because I’m not as familiar but what a beautiful downtown area we have…at least the good areas of downtown. None of us girls got very close to the edge but Tim was practically on the edge snapping pictures at people walking by. He is much braver than I am.

I’d really like to go on a road trip soon and spend the day taking pictures at a nearby city. In a few weeks my brother is coming home to visit and we might end up in Nashville for a day so that might remedy the road trip itch that I have. I’d really love to go back to Chicago. I keep telling myself that it’s only 5 hours away and it would only be for two days. I might do it this fall if I can get someone to do it with me. Any volunteers?