Hello. Is there anybody in there?

LIVE [lahyv] adverb 1. at the moment of its happening

So maybe I should rename the blog "Justin...When he gets around to it", or just stop blogging altogether. Is there anyone out there that reads this for an actual update on what is going on with me that does not already know? Is there anyone that reads this for leisure? Let me know.

So just in case there are one or two of you - I'd settle for half a person - out there, the following is an update on my life since my last post:

I moved back to Traverse City. I love Seattle. It was a magnificent city with a ton to offer both as a major metropolitan city and as a city that embraces and utilizes its natural surroundings. The people are enlightened, like-minded and generally hip. They even had a soccer team, but I could just not make it. I was on what seemed to be a never ending quest for work while living way outside of my means. I was depressed and accruing debt. Needless to say I needed a change. So I packed my car up with all of my things (my riches are not in possessions) and made the 3-day trek back to Michigan.

My summer was great- although as Josh has pointed out it was more like a warm autumn. I had a chance to give back to society through work. I became healthier. I got a new haircut. I was laughing again. Needless to say, I got my swag back.

Since moving home I even managed to pay a credit card off. I can't tell you what a relief that was. I made the final payment earlier this week, and just tonight I checked my statement for the first time. I was delighted to see "$0.00". It will be nice when the card listed below it reads the same. I will feel so much better about moving (again) for a job with a balance that is more manageable. Although I will say that I am thankful that this is happening now instead of 10 years from now when I have a family and mortgage and even more white hair.

I also even managed to find rediscover a girlfriend. Her name is Alex and I say rediscover because I dated her when I was a senior in high school. We broke up when I moved away to college - she was still in high school - but we always managed to stay in touch. We both ended up at Michigan, and we both started to talk and hang out towards the end of my senior year. (Theme alert) But once again I was off to Micronesia and all across the country while she finished school. Well finally we are both in the same place and a relationship was inevitable. To say we are compatible is an understatement - we are pretty much the same person.

I am still on my never-ending job search, but I am also living within my means. It was hard for me as a 24 year old college grad to move back in with his parents, but I had to put my pride aside. Sometimes a seemingly backwards step is actually a step in the right direction. It is all about attitude.

Let me know if you are out there.

George Costanza

CAUTION: Extreme use of the parentheses.

Every night at 10 the CW (one of five channels I am able to watch with basic cable) plays an hour of Seinfeld. Along with Jeopardy at 7:30, it is a show I can look forward to watching on a daily basis. Remember how big that show was? I remember during my 9th grade graduation ceremony Mrs. Strable said, "I will try to make this quick. We all want to catch the final episode of Seinfeld." It was huge. It trumped the momentous, hallmark event that was my ninth grade graduation (sarcasm). I appreciated her hastiness. Not because I wanted to get home and watch the final episode (I didn't), but because, well, how awkward was middle school?

You know all these silly facebook quizzes? (Bare with me. I'm getting somewhere.) You know the ones: "What animal represents your spirit?", "What Greek Goddess are you?", or "How will you die?" (These were literally the last three quizzes that my friends took according to my facebook homepage.) Well I am sure there is a "Which Seinfeld character are you?" quiz out there somewhere, but I wouldn't have to take it. You know which one I am? George Costanza. Think about it: I don't have a job, but am on a never-ending quest to find the right one; I have to move back in with my parents; despite sometimes neurotic behavior, I am indeed intelligent; and I have affinity for nice restrooms. Okay, so only a few are true, and I doubt I would ever be cast as George Costanza, but what I am trying to get across is a) I don't have job, and b) I am moving back in with my parents.

That is actually a difficult thing for me to say. I am moving back in with my parents. I have to swallow my pride and do it - thanks Mom. No really, thank you. We had a few of "those" conversations. The ones that last a few hours. The ones where your mother/father are in her/his element as a parent even though you are a mature, mid-20 something college grad. So a big shout out to you Lisa. Or as Barrack would say to Steele, "whassup?" (Sorry, I just had to find a way to get this hilarious video posted.) The result of these conversations was me realizing that I am living outside of my means - hey I had to do my part to contribute to the economic woes. I have been so far off track as far as my life goals are concerned because I have been putting all of my focus on staying afloat. What a slippery slope that was. So now I move home, pay off my debt by year's end, and follow through with my Peace Corps commitment. In the meantime I can enjoy time with friends & family, the beautiful Northern Michigan summer (I refuse embed a Kid Rock video), and stuff my mouth full of Don('s).

This really isn't a move of weakness as I had previously thought. I was thinking people will see this as a move to live at home for free and be babied. That isn't the case. I am going to work hard to get out of debt and out of that house ASAP. And also, I really don't care what you think ;)