Rolling Thoughts.

The key to finding inspiration for anything is opening up your head, clearing your thoughts.

Everyday before I sleep I have a brain storming (more like brain draining) session to get all my thought onto my computer. As an ad major, the ideas are often for a new campaign. As a poor college kid, they're sometimes about how to make money. As a thinker, they're sometimes about thoughts that I think.

A recent thought I've thunk is a business proposition. I would write the thought i thunked down HERE, but then that thought would be thought or thunked by multitudes of other thinkers.

If you have thoughts, write them down. One day those mind sketches might be given an opportunity to move from paper space to reality.

Today I spent $16.00, outside of my daily food budget. I bought a tuxedo shirt, tuxedo shoes, and two ties from a thrift store. I now have a full tuxedo (minus jacket, including vest). Total cost: around $30. It took me a year, but it's all put together now.

I learned today that not all spending is bad. Stupid spending is bad. Smart spending is not all good, but it does curb desires. Remember, you always have the liberty to choose.

Oh. And. Today my mom called.

"Guess what." "what?" "I found the spare change jar you used to fill." "And?" "I've started rolling the coins. So far you've got $60.00."

Sometimes we work for the things we need. Sometimes they just turn themselves in.

Poor Man In College

What do you do?

I'm in College. I've flown the coop. And now, I've blown my savings and checking account on who knows what. Well, that's where I am.

For the first four months of college I was sailing high. I'm a lucky guy. My parents have paid my way-knowledge, food, and shelter-all included. Some people might say that I'm spoiled. Maybe they're right?

I started the school year with around $2,000 dollars in my savings and checking accounts, plenty to get me through (AT LEAST) the entire year.

Half way through Fall semester I saw both my accounts hit $500. I needed a job. A quick search through the University Job Search site and I had found just the thing: $8.75 an hour. Doing the math.....20 hours a week....multiplied by 8.75 per hour....that's what..?..$175 a week.

So for the last half of Fall 2009 I spent my mornings from 4 - 8 am scrubbing toilets, vacuuming hallways, and dusting door frames in the student athletic building.

I had once told my father that nothing in the world would ever make me clean toilets for a living. Now, though I wasn't exactly in survival mode, I learned an important lesson about making money: do anything to make it happen.

My dad also told me that no job is more important than any other. He always shows respect for everyone, no matter the situation.

"Always show them respect Sean. Every job is important; it all has to be done."

After my 4 - 8 shift I'd slump over in bed and sleep through my first class, then quickly hurry to the shower and rush to Sociology. Usually by 1 pm I could accumulate enough non-consecutive sleep hours to get me through the day.

By the end of the semester I was completely burnt out. My GPA dropped from a potential 4.0 to a 3.6 and I didn't even care. All I wanted to do was sleep.

What was the worst part of all? I was still somehow LOSING money. My bank account was waning.

Christmas break was sweet relief.

Then school started again.

Then $400 dollars later, I was broke.

And that's when I realized: "hey, I have a mild spending problem."

I spent myself into a giant hole. I now have $20 to my name.

I'm starting from the ground up here at college, and it's rough. I'm glad that I'm doing it now though, still under my parents wing.

It's time to turn this thing around. I'm walking out of the dark. Walk with me.