Left Turns

Today I spent most of my Sunday at a friends house, eating food, watching a movie, playing guitar, and just talking.

I really love her family. Very genuine people.

Among our list of discussion topics was...me. We talked about my music, we talked about my aspirations, and we talked about my past. For me, the entire process was very eye opening; I learned a lot about myself by scrolling through my life map with no intent to make any real observations.

Among the things that I learned is I (and all of us) make poor decisions (sort of).

At age 16, at the beginning of my Junior year of high school, I decided it was time to graduate. I worked my butt off, and did what I needed to do to graduate a year early.

My list of reasons was relatively short, but well substantiated. 1) I wanted to be able to hang out with friends I knew wouldn't be drinking on the weekends. 2) I wanted to be in school with my older brother and sister. 3) I wanted change.

I am a very antsy person. I think I have Life A.D.D. My family has always moved, so I've just gotten used to a slightly sporadic lifestyle.

While discussing this with my friend and her family (mom mainly), I realized sometimes I make decisions for all the wrong reasons.

Sometimes though, those decisions end up being what's best for me.

Here at school, I've matured in so many ways I never could have dreamed about in high school; and that's the REAL reason why I needed to be here. Not to get away from friend drama or to be closer to others or just for a change.

My point? Sometimes the best way to get where you need to go isn't exactly the way you thought you might go.

Sometimes, you need to make some 'overlooked' lefts to go 'unassumingly' right.

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.

Walking

Today was my first day without my bank card.

Today was the first day I did not spend a single cent outside of my alloted college funds (meal plan-$12/day).

Today was the first day I did not ask my friends for money.

Today was a good day :)

I think that sometimes when we free ourselves from what holds us back, we can more easily see what pushes us forward. I mean it like this: everyday I walk to class, probably ten minutes up onto campus then into the right (sometimes wrong) classroom. Every time I make this walk I have between 10-15 interactions (I've been counting!). Today I appreciated my 26 (13/walk) interactions much more than usual.

Without worries of money money money riding heavy on the brim of my brain, pulling down my brow, I was able to sooooaaaaakkkk it all in. I have so much to be happy for. Thank you numbers 1-26; you make my walk worth every step.

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.