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 ;)

Pioneer

Sunday morning I rose with the sun and prepared to chase it to Denver. As I left Illinois, I saw the Mississippi for the first time - not as wide as I had imagined. I rolled through the flat hills of Iowa and rode through Nebraska on the Pony Express (I-80), stopping periodically to fill my car with gas and my body with caffeine. I pioneered my way through hundreds of miles of flat, cow-dotted fields that nearly lulled me to sleep as the sun burned my left arm that sat out of the open window - the same window that was supposed to offer reprieve from the heat.

Finally I slipped through the corner of Colorado hoping to see -again for the first time - the snow-peaked Rockies, but, alas, more fields. Finally, out of nowhere, Denver and the Rockies. Where was the steep, laborious climb up the Rockies? I didn't care, and I'm sure my car appreciated it. 1,000 miles later I had finally reached my destination.

Everything has been great so far. Colorado is pretty cool, although flatter than I had expected - except for the Rockies of course. Josh and I didn't have any luck finding housing together; everything was pretty lousy. But I am now neighbors with Josh (Apartment #25 to his #24). This place is a million times better than any place we saw.

Looks like the lease for our office will be signed in the next few days. Until then, we are working in Colorado Springs. Now that I am a bit more settled, I should be able to update more! Look for one coming at my Pacific Blog.

My Manifest Destiny...

Actually, this really isn't my "Manifest Destiny"...just my move to Colorado.


Sorry I haven't updated in forever - I've been training in Ann Arbor. About my work in AA: I worked on a project that is working to mobilize public support for the Clean Water Restoration Act. Polluters have been dumping sewage and other crap into the wetlands that feed into the Great Lakes and have been getting away with it because of a recent Supreme Court ruling the term "navigable" water to broad of a term. So the Clean Water Restoration Act is simply seeking to get rid of that word. I canvassed door to door asking for money and public support.





I really enjoyed my time in Ann Arbor. The people at Environment Michigan were great! Very laid back, fun, and goofy.





I'm in Chicago for the night at my Aunt Kimiya's for some respite before my loooong drive to Denver. Here's what my trip looks like:

Two words: yikes, bro. I should be able to blog regularly once I'm out there. In the meantime:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Suddenly...a job

All of a sudden I have a job. A real job. And I do mean "all of a sudden": I interviewed over the phone Sunday, whimsically drove to Ann Arbor Monday for a personal interview, and I am leaving Friday morning to start training. That hardly gives me time to pack and say my goodbyes! But I want to get my training in Ann Arbor over as fast as possible so I can get out to Colorado!

About the job...I will be working on a minority-voter registration project. The goal for each office is to register x amount of voters (not sure yet what the goal is) by October. I will be the Assistant Director of the office and my brother Josh is the Director. 60% of what I will do is managing, training, hiring, etc and the other 40% is hitting the streets to register voters.

I think this job is a perfect fit for me right now. It gives me a chance to do meaningful work - I was just going to work at 50's restaurant I've been at for years now. I will get a chance to see another part of the country, and I'm only committed through October. From there I can do what I want (Peace Corps). It is a lot of work for a little money, but, like I said, it is meaningful work and work that could possible make history (given a certain candidate - although this project has no ties with any political party).

I'm excited to live in Pueblo with my brother, but I am also sad that I have to leave so quickly!