enJOY it by Elise Blaha Cripe

ha.

So I just took a personality analysis at my new favorite website ---> thetrueyou.com

Below are my highly sophisticated results: (and a few personal additions)

You have a high degree of talent, but are frustrated by a lack of opportunities to fully express yourself which causes you to post random facts in the bathrooms of Alpha Phi. Subconsciously, you are angry about this, but have learned to suppress your urges to alternately pull all the hair out of one side of your head and binge on lemon pound cake or apples and peanut butter. You are principled, but feel that high standards in design are more important than high standards in personal hygiene (except not). You look younger than your age, but sometimes lie about it anyway...and pretend to be 21. You are a brilliant multi-tasker, but you frequently over-commit to the point of temporary insanity. You try to blame others for this, but no one believes you (HAHAHA). The aspect of your personality you love the most is your optimism. You have a passionate but unresolved relationship with paper, which requires further investigation. Dead On.

I sent the website my photo.  I am anxiously awaiting the results of my photo analysis...

{DISCLAIMER: If you want to take this test you have to register on the site.  Then click on "quiz" in the upper right corner.}

trial period.

My "free trial period" on the blog expires today.  Now I start paying $4.95/month.  Which I consider to be quite worth it, considering all the journals that I had to buy because they were so pretty...but then only wrote in them for one day.  And what I wrote was lame anyway.  This I have actually kept at.  This I actually enjoy to write on.

End of the trial made me think about other things that I have been trying this year.

• PRACTICE yoga.  After only 3 classes, I can get my palms flat on the floor.  Flexibility and Strength are returning.  Peace of mind developing.
• DEDICATE self to classes.  I have not missed a class yet this semester.  Big Deal.  More than that I am an active participant.  I feel like my courses are relevant.  I am determined to get better grades than last semester.
• SPEAK no evil.  Gossip is not good.  Working on it...
• FIND a purpose.  I'm on day 24 of The Purpose Driven Life.  I'm learning.  It is encouraging me to think.  About myself.  About my religion.  It's helping me to recognize my place.  Gain a little perspective.

So far this year has been about improvement:  Body. Mind. Heart. Spirit. A trial worth continuing.

career.

Today.  First of Many Minor Panic Attacks RE: JOB SEARCH.

Sitting in class listening to rep from the USC CAREER CENTER talk about alllll of our options.  Thought about my mock interview. Thought about how two of my classes this semester are asking me to interview people in the "field that I would like to get into."  Realized that I do not know that field.  Realized that while my resume is slowly getting loaded with experiences I am no where closer to determining what line of work I want to be in.  There are 700 jobs that appeal to me.  But what is right?  What is THE job?  Yada, yada yada...everyone has been there.

So I did what I always do when Life presents me with a problem.  Called the Dad.  And because he rocks my life...I am going to go home in two weeks to try to figure out what I want to do.  To talk with the fam.  To think.  I realized Today that I actually have some choices.  I just have to make some decisions.  And also not pick something that is going to get me a lot of money...pick something that is going to bring me a lot of satisfaction.  It is going to involve creativity.  So far that is all I've got. 

And yes it is early.  But I am graduating in eleven months.

Found a fabulous quote from Joanne Goodfellow on this website [disclaimer - it is a website for aspiring designers, which I guess I sort of am?  Go there and see some quality ice cream]: "When I get blocked I turn the block into a ball so that I can bounce ideas back and forth."  Sounds like fun.

how are you?

It's a daily question.  Hourly actually.  Most the time you just say something positive.  No one really wants to hear a rant about your life.

I was just asked. 

I answered honestly: "Good"  Much more important than the fact that that is entirely incorrect grammar (FINE!) is the fact that I meant it.

Finally.  I am good.  Last semester those who were close watched me spiral downwards and those who were far didn't hear from me.  It was a tough couple of months.  A lot to handle.  A lot to work through.  But I feel like I have finally bounced back.  Happy Elise again.  Relief for all those involved.

IN OTHER NEWS: This morning I interned!  I was very excited to see how organized this company was.  I have a desk!  And I am already on payroll!  (That is a BIG DEAL, I promise...)  Today I just generated some mailing labels, but over the next few months my boss really wants to get us involved in everything.  I am going to create fabulous glossy media kits, which to be honest is scary - but it is a great opportunity.  I go back on Wednesday.

one month.

Today is January 22nd:

1. Officially ONE MONTH until my 21st Birthday.