Buffin'

Before I delve too far into this topic, allow me to first describe what "buffin" is. Growing up, I always enjoyed spending time with my Grandpop. Grandpop was a self-described trolley-buff, and spent much of his free time collecting any type of transit memorabilia he could get his hands on. Included in this hobby was riding the mass transit systems of cities he visited while photographing and documenting the vehicles he saw and rode. This affinity for trains, trolleys, and buses came from experiences as a child riding the 47 trolley from his school in North Philadelphia to visit his grandmother in South Philadelphia. Over time, Grandpop began to refer to these photo excursions as buffin, a term I was not aware he made up until my twenties. As I grew up I was one of the few who never tired of going on these day trips with Grandpop, and I have come to enjoy a few such trips on my own in the past couple of years.

My focus today is to document an ideal buffin' trip throughout the main part of Philadelphia. The trip I have planned was originally intended to start from my old apartment in South Philadelphia. This trip will be low in cost, and cover as many modes of transportation as possible. The only major modes left out are the 101 and 102 Suburban trolley lines, the Norristown line, and the PATCO line to New Jersey, all of which take the rider outside of Philly's limits. This trip will remain within the city.

Before embarking on a buffin' trip, a local transit map such as this SEPTA one is key to have handy. This is especially key for cities that are rail-heavy, such as New York City or Washington, DC. In the case of this particular trip, this map only covers a portion of the routes that will be used. Nevertheless, the map is always a helpful tool, and if you happen to be as into this type of thing as I am, check out the book Transit Maps of the World. In it you will find every metro map the world has to offer. It's a handy guide to not only getting around the cities, but how to read the maps and other interesting facts.

As previously stated, this is a relatively cheap trip. A one way fare for SEPTA is $2, with transfers costing an additional $.60. An ideal way to pay for this trip is to have a pocketful of quarters, dimes, and SEPTA tokens. A ten-pack of tokens will cost you $14.50, which gives you more than enough to get around and lowers your price per fare by $.55.

The trip begins with the Broad Street Subway. The Tasker-Morris station was a short walk from my apartment, making it a good starting point. At the station, go to the window with one token and sixty cents to get your transfer. Then catch the next train heading North.

At the City Hall station, which is the fourth stop following Tasker-Morris, you will transfer to the Market-Frankford line, or the El. Follow the blue signs to get to the El's Eastbound platform (towards Frankford Transportation Center). This is a free transfer, so you won't need to use your transfer or another token so long as you remain in the station.

Your journey on the El will keep you underground for awhile, before coming up between the 2nd Street and Spring Garden Street stops. From then on, you're on the elevated tracks going through the trendy neighborhoods of Fishtown and Northern Liberties before turning and heading through the Lower Northeast. In the interest of keeping things simple, I'm going to trim a bit from this portion of your excursion and have you disembark at the Girard Avenue stop, which will be the second above-ground stop.

From this station, head downstairs and look for the trolley stop in the middle of Girard (See photo). Give the trolley operator your transfer and you are good to go. In 2005, SEPTA brought trolleys back to this route, which had previously been serviced by buses. As a nod to their history, they restored some old PCC cars like the one seen on the left to service this route. For trolley buffs, this is a fun route to ride for a trip down memory lane. For everyone else, a stop across the street from the Philadelphia Zoo doesn't hurt.

Unfortunately, this trip doesn't include a zoo visit. Instead, in the interest in using as many vehicles as possible, you'll get off of the trolley at 19th Street where you will wait for the route 33 bus, with another token and sixty cents in hand. The main reasoning behind taking the 33 over other buses in the area is its design. The 33 is a heavily used route, and therefore has a special extended bus that many refer to as a "slinky bus" in reference the the accordion-like connection between the front and rear of the vehicle.

The 33 will take you past the Free Library, Franklin Institute, and Moore College of Art before bringing you back into Center City along Market Street. As you cross the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, take a look to your right to get a look at the Art Museum. Shortly after passing the Franklin Institute, you'll get off of the bus at Market Street. From here you will see City Hall to your left and Amtrak's 30th Street Station to your right. Begin walking towards 30th Street until you reach 22nd Street. Here you will see a stop for the Subway-Surface trolley line. Head downstairs and turn in your transfer for a quick ride to City Hall. Once at City Hall, follow the orange signs for the Broad Street Subway Southbound for a free transfer back to the subway that will take you back to our starting point at Tasker-Morris.

Throughout the trip, you will have several opportunities to snap photos on train and trolley platforms or while waiting for your bus to arrive. You also always have the option to get off whichever route you are on to do a little sightseeing, although it will add to the cost of your trip. An especially good place to do this is along Market Street. Should you get off of the El at 5th Street and walk down to get back on at 2nd Street, not only will you have a whole host of buses to photograph, but your walk will highlight some of the best parts of historic Philadelphia (Old City) including the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

As you may have guessed, this trip could take quite a bit of time, and I would advise starting around 10am, after the morning rush. This should leave you plenty of time to finish your trip before the evening rush. I hope to post more blogs of this nature both in Philly and other cities, and I hope you enjoy your trip!

Mad World

Again it would seem significant changes are on the horizon, and as par for the course thus far, they are unexpected. I had mentioned in the last post that I would have to move out before June, but I was expecting something along the lines of March or April, not three weeks from now. Earlier this week I gave my notice at the Aquarium, as I can no longer afford to stay. My paycheck for these past two weeks was $382. I received a loan bill of $536 today. Clearly this just will not work out financially. It has been an extremely bitter pill to swallow. (Jagged little pill, perhaps?)

I feel that the past handful of years has been somewhat tumultuous, and that in the past one or two I have been repeatedly in situations requiring me to swallow a hefty amount of pride. I often quipped that college was "ruining my life," never really believing it but just saying it in jest. Now, however, I am beginning to wonder if that truly is the case. Maybe it's the timing of graduation in relation to the economic crisis, maybe it was my choice of career, maybe it was the use of loans for food, rent, and travel instead of just tuition. Whichever it may be, here I am at 25 preparing to move back in with my parents for the first time in four years.

On one hand, I am quite happy to leave this job. It's too early to say whether or not it has been the worst I've had, but it has to be close. I started in February, taking and selling tourist photographs. At first I was excited, as this was a job that CJ and I had always talked about doing at Disney World. On our first day, our manager and the guy in charge of the aquarium talked up the tight-knit staff, and I was looking forward to building some friendships and meeting new people. To this day there are people I have worked with for ten months who still barely acknowledge me after a simple greeting. Shortly after starting, the downfalls of a sales job began nagging at me. The exceptional rudeness of guests was stunning. Although it is disconcerting, I can understand that some people will flat out ignore us, I'm used to it now. I still don't get how people can treat someone like crap, curse them out, etc. just for doing their jobs. Believe me, if you see people trying to sell you something, I'm sure 99% of them would rather be doing something more worthwhile with their lives.

Unfortunately, as we as a staff began to become accustomed to this type of treatment, the staff itself began to turn a little ugly. Several employees began jockeying for a nonexistent number two position within the department. A few employees at different times would claim that they were on the verge of being promoted and would use this to try and run things. So you could imagine their reaction when I actually was promoted. The things I would tell friends from home, family, or Abby about the behavior of my coworkers were unbelievable. It was like running a day care. On the plus side, I hoped to use my promotion to iron out all of the problems we were having, and things were promising.

One month had passed since being promoted and I still hadn't received any indication of what this promotion entailed, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. With the permission of my superiors, I wrote a detailed handbook of rules and guidelines for the department. I developed a three-day training program for new employees to adequately prepare them to become a successful member of our staff. I assisted with payroll and various administrative duties in addition to continuing to work on the floor with the rest of our staff. I began to sit in on interviews and became involved in decisions about who would be a successful hire. On the other hand, I also began to aid in weeding out some of the individuals who were a detriment to the success of our business. There were times in which an employees job was in danger and I would do what I could to save it. I was told and it was announced to our staff that I would basically serve as the "bad cop," or sort of disciplinarian, for our immediate supervisor. I would have the ability to handle write ups, terminations, and things of that nature. I believe that it is safe to say that in that time, our attendance problems disappeared, elongated breaks ended, and the staff as a whole performed better.

Soon after, I also began making the weekly schedules for the department. By this time, the major problem within the department became apparent. Gossip had become a significant issue to a degree that I have never before seen whether in a work, school, or social environment. Nearly every employee would have a complaint or disparaging remark for another, often me. Nearly every comment would make its way back to me, as those doing the complaining would frequently rat each other out. It was embarrassing and unprofessional, and I couldn't do a thing about it. All of the talk of me being a part of management and laying down the law was little more than just talk. I had no support from any other supervisor, and it showed. With no one showing any interest in enacting any sort of concrete policies or procedures, the structure that had built up fizzled out within three months. Since then, my so-called promotion has meant nothing more than wearing a different shirt than the staff and making one extra dollar an hour. It got to the point where in the past month someone who's job I helped keep said straight to my face that there was no point in my being a manager since I didn't do anything. It was frustrating to know that all of my work had gone unnoticed.

That was a bit more long-winded than anticipated, but I think it illustrates my frustrations that carried over from my last year at college. Along with that add on the constant battles with banks, loan companies, and collection agencies, and I'm at the end of my rope. I still can not understand how I can make roughly $10,000 a year and Sallie Mae can tell me I'm not eligible to defer or postpone payments that add up to about half of that amount. For example, today's situation. I have $300 in my bank account, and they are charging me $536. What do they expect me to do?

So now, I am moving back in with my parents. I absolutely hate the fact that I have to leave Abby here. I know she doesn't like Myrtle Beach, and I feel like crap that I'm going to cut and run. It's been tearing at me for the past couple of months, but I feel like I am out of options. I hate that I have to return home with my tail between my legs after failing one year out of college. Although I knew I'd have it rough financially after graduation, I never expected this. I can only hope that things start to turn around for me once I'm back in the North, and I can start building up a significant savings, and eventually Abby and I can find a nice place together somewhere we both like.

In more pleasant news, I decorated the apartment for Christmas today. The company Christmas party is this Thursday at the House of Blues, and that should be fun. I would really, really love to enjoy my last three weeks here as much as possible, and have a good time with the handful of friends I've made. On that note, sorry for the Debbie Downer post (meow, meow, meow) and I should have a more upbeat update come Christmas. Peace.

The Kids Don't Stand A Chance

So, it's been awhile. Sorry about that, my loyal reader. Or readers. Either way, my apologies. Onto business.

Quite a bit has changed, and many ways stayed the same, since I last wrote. The most notable sameness being that Abby and I are still in South Carolina. Despite applying for many jobs across the globe, that's just the way this cookie crumbled. Given the extra, unexpected year to be spent in Myrtle Beach, I have slightly re-focused future plans and goals. I originally came down here to spend more time with Abby and then, once the school year ended, move on to bigger and better things. Having now been here for ten months, I realize more than ever I need to get out.

Unfortunately, Abby is stuck until June. I can not remain here with the work I'm doing and the pay I'm getting for that long. I need to start upping the income and taking care of these loans. I also feel the need to be challenged. I can only take so much of the mindless droning that is my current job. Therefore, when Abby mentioned in passing I could become an air traffic controller, reasoning that if her cousin could do it, anyone could, I went for it.

I applied in August and was selected to take the AT-SAT, a pre-training screening and evaluation, in October. On the eighth, Abby and I drove to Atlanta, where I was to take the test. The following morning, I finished the test about three hours early, and left wondering if I rushed it too much and ending up blowing my chance at this job.

Those thoughts soon faded as we made our way into town. Our first stop was Chipotle for some delectable, baby-sized burritos. We did some shopping in the Atlantic Station district, and then made our way to that evening's grand finale: IKEA. Our venture into the product of European genius was beneficial, as we purchased two new sets of dishes. How delightfully grown-up of us!

The next morning, we set out for the tourist destinations ATL has to offer. We began by seeing the Dr. King center and house. It was moving to see King's impact on a tumultuous time, as well as his final resting place in the center of a reflecting pool. I feel the need to call attention to the fact that our tour guide specifically mentioned that the King family drank Kool-Aid growing up, bringing to an end the storied argument between Kristin and myself over the ghetto-ness of Kool-Aid. I win, Kristin, it's not ghetto because Dr. King said so. Score one for the good guys.

Following that piece of history, we bobbed and weaved through the streets of Atlanta to the CNN center. Despite one obnoxious Southerner, we enjoyed the behind the scenes tour of their studios. A quick walk by the Centennial Olympic park led us to the World of Coca-Cola, where we sampled sodas from around the world and walked out with some free Coke. Not too shabby. We dined at the Fox Sports Cafe and enjoyed the marvel that is the skillet cookie, capping our weekend in Atlanta.

Upon our return to Myrtle Beach, my thoughts moved back to the concern over my test score. A 70 is required to pass, and an 85 to be considered highly qualified. These thoughts were soon alleviated when I found out I scored a 93.9. Now, I wait. By all accounts, I could be waiting for two weeks or eight months before I hear back from the FAA. I'm really hoping for the former. Once I am contacted, I will go through some medical and psychological tests (insert joke here) before training for four months in Oklahoma City. Therefore, save for any surprises, my next destination is OKC.

In other news, I've become more of a fatty. All it took was one trip home. The weekend that followed the trip to Atlanta saw me take a solo journey up to PA and NJ. Foods consumed included a cheesesteak, a chicken BLT wrap from Little John's, chicken wings, a significant amount of mozzarella sticks, a hot, open-face turkey sandwich, chicken, corn, stuffing, potatoes, mounds of Tastykake's and Entenmann's chocolate donuts, and most importantly, Riv's pizza. That, my dear reader(s), is how one can gain 10 pounds in four days.

Aside from stuffing my face, I was able to enjoy quality time with the family, as well as Philly sporting events with local announcers calling the action. I also was lucky enough to take my Dad's new Nissan Cube for a spin. It's a pretty snazzy vehicle. I fit in a quick visit to the Franklin Institute with Buddy and Roberta before making an appearance in Lancaster County to hang with the Weiss clan, watch Hanna's field hockey game, and enjoy delicious pizza.

In slightly more recent news, my hours have been significantly cut, and again I'll try to find a second job. Abby is sick this weekend, hopefully that passes soon. We're in the midst of a mini-golf tournament in which I have yet to muster up one victory. Finally, if anyone besides Abby actually does read this, please come visit. We would really love to have you down.

I Wish I Had Been More Ambitious

Seeing as I have little else to do at the moment, I figure I'll toss a quick update on here. I am currently in South Jersey at the Wittwer house, spending quality time with the family and the North. I am hoping to get at least one interview while I am up here so that when I do leave South Carolina I have an income to look forward to. I can not imagine spending more than another month or so at the Aquarium working with some of the people I do. I feel bad for my boss and a couple of competent employees in my department, but other than that I can not wait to make my escape.
When Abby was here the other night, we were trying to explain the Wittwer side of the family to her, which was a silly idea on our part. There is no explaining the Wittwer side. However, this attempt led to my Mom breaking out the genealogical research she has been doing. It's fascinating. I've actually learned a lot of things I never knew about my family, specifically my Dad's side. I hope we can continue to trace the lineage beyond what we have now, which is the mid-1800's on both sides.
The reason I'm up here this week is for Michelle's graduation from high school. I can not believe how old my siblings are. It's surreal to see Chelle come home with a cap and gown or to have Ken drive me around. Chelle will be starting at Cedar Crest College in the fall, and I am very excited that she gets to live on campus and get the whole college experience that I missed out on. At the same time, I am urging Ken to consider applying to a variety of places. I feel like I was not ambitious enough in my college application process. I applied to Temple, West Chester, Elizabethtown, and Neumann and ended up going to Rowan and eventually Temple. I feel like I should have applied to schools in NYC or DC, gone somewhere regardless of how many people I knew there or its proximity to me. Knowing now how much debt I went into while trying to stay close to home and affordable, I think I could've spent a similar amount of money and actually gotten my money's worth. Therefore, I have been nudging Ken in that direction, because with his talent, grades, and work ethic, he can go places.
The reason Abby is up here is that she has an interview in Pittsburgh and the Crouch family is in PA. Unfortunately, I do not think I'll be able to see the Crouches as Abby is visiting them on the same day as Chelle's graduation. I will be able to join Abby in Pittsburgh for her interview next week. Hopefully we'll be able to get together at some point before Sunday (Chelle's party) so I can see the Weiss family and Abby can spend a little more time with my family.
I would really like to get together with some friends this week as well. I got to hang out with Deb this past weekend, which was cool. I have to get in touch with others and see what we can arrange. I am without a vehicle, which is putting a little hiccup in making plans. I was able to borrow Mom's car yesterday, and went to AP to visit some teachers. We were able to catch Mr. Rayer on his last ever day of teaching, Mr. Lauginiger, Mr. Morretta, and Mrs. Farr. Coincidentally, Mr. Farr was also at AP to drop something off for Mrs. Farr, and that had to have been the first time we saw him since our post-Europe BBQ at their place. I was quite pleased to see everyone we did. I still have a strong urge to get a degree in education, and if I were to do so, I would model my style after the aforementioned teachers and Mr. Poynton. Now, more than ever, I realize that I grew up in a low-income school district, but I also had some of the best, most dedicated teachers a student could ask for. Having heard a lot of horror stories from Abby and other friends in education over the past year or two, I don't feel like I made the right choice in changing majors. Instead, I feel a sense of obligation to take what I learned from my teachers at AP, and apply it to my own classroom. I feel that I should continue trying to get a higher-paying and more respectful job for now, but in the near future I should look into getting my Master's in Education.
I think that will do for this entry. I'd like to spend as much time with my family as I can while I am up here, because I don't know when my next opportunity will be. In the meantime, have a snazzy day and be good to each other.

Start Spreading the News

It's official. I can not, in any way, stand the South. It is just not for me. Perhaps it is wrong to generalize, maybe there are parts of the South I'd enjoy living in. If there are, Myrtle beach certainly is not one of those parts. For one thing, this notion of "Southern Hospitality" is the biggest crock I've ever heard. I've gathered that there are those in the South who see us "Yankees" as a bunch of good-for-nothing liberals who use their welfare money to go to gay clubs and abortion clinics for kicks. Southerners have commented on how mean or rude Phildelphians are. I'm sick of it. Southern hospitality is a joke. All it is is that, as Kathryn noted, Southerners are good at making eye contact and initial greetings. After that, there's much to be desired. I have worked in tourism for the past seven years both in Philly and Orlando, and never have I encountered such unpleasant and rude people.

Aside from the general demeanor of the locals, I'm tired of working in tourism. I think I've swallowed a lot of pride recently with school, job hunting, etc. To have to go into work in a cheap uniform everyday and pander to the guests is getting old. This is the same type of job I had throughout high school and college. I want a career now.

So where to next? Ideally, New York. I wanted a break from city life, and I got it. After a month, I'm ready for a city again. As I've said before, I'm a fan of the Bay Ridge neighborhood in Brooklyn where Abby's friend Kara lives. It's a nice area and convenient to everything by the subway. However, getting a job that would pay NY rent and my loan bills is unlikely. I'm still going to look though.

If that doesn't work out, there is a good chance of Abby and I ending up in the Pittsburgh area. There's a school district there that has shown interest in her and would have to be a shit-shoveling factory to be anything but a step up from where she is now. I don't know what I'd do for a job there, but I have looked into opportunities to learn all of the things I wasn't taught at Temple in order to make me a more marketable candidate in the field.

Even with these ideas in place, there is also a good chance I won't be able to afford any of it. I'm expecting about $900 a month of loan payments once June rolls around. I can't think of any job I could get that would pay for that in addition to rent, utilities, and move-in costs. So maybe come summer I'll be swallowing even more pride and moving back in with my parents.

Regardless of where I am in a few months, the bottom line is this. People need to come visit while we still live less than a mile from the beach! We'd love to have a few familiar faces around and it would be fun to hang out here or in Charleston. So come on down.

Bittersweet Symphony

I was about to go to bed, but then I decided to post the past few days worth of self-portraits. Upon titling them, I ended up using titles of a few songs of the later 1990's, and decided to make a sweet playlist to match the photos and construct a blog post from there. So, as long as I can get my photos posted how I like, this should be a fairly decent blog.

Day 215. Can I Graduate?
This title is actually taken from the song "Graduate" by Third Eye Blind, who were one of my favorite bands in high school. I chose this title originally in reference to the fact that I have not yet received my diploma from Temple. Here's what I wrote to accompany the photo:

Despite the fact that I made a litany of ill-informed decisions in my post-secondary career, I am still extremely proud that I am a college graduate. I remember going to friends' houses and seeing their parents wearing clothes with their college logos on them, or seeing such things on TV and thinking how cool it was. Is Temple the greatest school? No. Did I have a great experience? No. Did I get my money's worth? No. Yet I remember on one of my last days of high school, a teacher whose opinion I highly value told me never to be ashamed of who I am or the choices I make. Between that advice and the hard work I put in over the past six years, I will always be proud to say that I graduated from Temple, regardless of how I may feel about the school itself.

Day 216. Wishin' and Hopin'
I realize that the song referenced in the title wasn't originally recorded in the 90's, but the version I like, by Ani DiFranco, was. So this one sneaks in. Looking at this photo made me think about all of the thoughts that have my mind racing these days, and I focused my writing on that. The photo's caption is as follows:

Being home alone for this week has given me a significant amount of time to be alone with my thoughts, perhaps even too much time. Lately I have been doing a hefty amount of thinking about the future and what it holds for me, and how what I am doing now will or will not affect it. I'm happy to be living with Abby, but it is becoming increasingly likely that in order for me to begin achieving financial success I will have to move back in with my parents and/or be apart from Abby again (depending on where she works next year).

Day 217. Everything to Everyone.
Although I have never admitted publicly before now, I've always felt that this song applied to me. It's one of my faults, always trying to be the crowd-pleaser. Originally I planned to write about my desire to change that and focus on my needs a bit more, but as seems to be the trend, I went in another direction:

My job search upon moving to South Carolina was humbling, to say the very least. I came from graduating college and leaving a management position at a respected landmark to answering mindless questions on pre-employment assessments and being denied by Target. Now, as a photographer at Ripley's Aquarium, I have a fun job and am making decent money, but it doesn't feel like enough. Is this how I'm starting off in the so-called "real world?" I wonder if this is just a result of circumstance or a serious lack of work ethic and drive on my part. Regardless, I need to significantly up my efforts in the career search, and go where ever that takes me.

Day 218. I Miss You.
I think Blink 182's "I Miss You" actually came out in the 2000's, but to me they're a 90's band, so I'm including it. This is the one photo where I wrote about what I originally intended to write about. The subject, of course, is Abby and how much I've missed her over the past few days:

It's amazing how things change. Over the course of the second half of 2008, Abby and I were apart much more than we were together. We dealt with it. Now we live together, and have for about a month now. For whatever reason, this week seems almost as hard if not harder than the months we spent apart before. She has only been gone for four days and I miss her terribly. I've always felt, sometimes with good reason, that as a friend or companion, people love me when I'm around, but when I'm not, I'm easily put into the category of out of sight, out of mind. I've realized this week that with my financial status and the looming loan bills, that I have no idea when I'll see the majority of my friends and family again.

Clearly, there's a lot on my mind right now. Most of it comes back to uncertainty, which has been a theme over the past few years. I'm on my eighth address in seven years, I've experienced a multitude of ups and downs, made some major decisions, both beneficial and detrimental, and generally just had an unpredictable life since graduating high school. On one hand, I always looked forward to bit of unpredictability. Now, however, I would like just a little bit more stability in my life. Hopefully, over the course of what should be another unpredictable year, I will find the right balance I need to feel a sense of comfort.

In The Light

It's been a few weeks since my last update, and I'm determined to stay on top of this, so here it goes. I've been working as a photographer at Ripley's Aquarium here in Myrtle Beach. Hopefully, once the paychecks start coming, it'll pay the bills and allow me to save a bit. It's a fun job, and would've been a great job to have at any point before now. The problem is that now I have a degree and I'm working a part-time job. What am I really contributing? I really want to find something in my field and grow and develop within that field. Chances are, this job will last me through summer and I'll seek out more permanent employment elsewhere.

On the subject of elsewhere, Abby is currently in Philadelphia interviewing with several international schools in hopes of finding employment in another country. The most promising prospect at the moment is a school in Maturín, Venezuela. I've been reading conflicting reports on the level of safety for US citizens living or visiting Venezuela this morning, and would love a more definitive answer. I am all for living and working in another country, but I wonder how it would end up. In a country where we don't speak the language, our social circle could end up being limited to the other teachers at the school. This is all well and good, but it's nice to be able to socialize with people outside of work who you do not actually work with. It may seem silly to be considering a social life while there are so many important factors to consider, but it is important. I want to be able to meet new people and make new friends where ever we may end up. As far as international escapades are concerned, I'd love to use an opportunity in Venezuela as a stepping stone to living and working in Europe, where we could comfortably spend a few years.

Very little else is going on in my world at the moment. I miss a few little things about Philadelphia, but not too much. Mainly, its the proximity to friends and ability to walk to a variety of places that I miss. Other than that, I'm ok with where I am now. Occasionally I do encounter the stereotypical Southern attitude, but not often enough that it is a problem. I'm sure it will become a more pleasant experience once tourist season picks up and there is more to do. Those aforementioned paychecks should help too, with trips to Charleston spicing things up a bit.

In the meantime, I hope to find a lead on a job that involves my Film and Media Arts degree in some capacity. I want to have a job in which I feel useful, not just a body performing mindless tasks in repetitive fashion. Also, I am in desperate need of ideas for good self portraits. I am 200+ days into the project and find my creative well running dry.

Sham-Wow!

Updating a blog is not the easiest thing to do when there is really nothing going on in one's life. The job hunt continues, as I have applied to around 25 different places with no luck thus far. I should call the one television station today, but have no idea what to say. "Hi, my name is Pat, have you decided whether or not you're going to hire me yet? I don't want to sound desperate, but I am." I don't know.
Despite the uncertainty of things now, this isn't even what I'm worried about most. My biggest concern right now is what's going to happen after this? If I don't get a TV job, I'll end up with something that pays the bills, which is all fine and dandy, but once Abby leaves there's no way that I will be able to pack up and go somewhere that has jobs for me, such as New York, DC, or LA. I imagine that I'd be stuck inconviencing my parents for a ridiculous amount of time as I struggle to pay off my debt. So, I really hope I get this news job so I can get a decent amount of experience in my field and not waste away in retail or restaurants.
Recently, quite a few of my photos have been garnering interest on Flickr, which is cool. I've mentioned recently how I'd like to spend more time this year on photography, as I feel I have slacked off over the past year or so. The self portrait project has been fun, but I haven't shot on film since May or June and that needs to change. At any rate, here are my top five most interesting photos according to Flickr. You can see a common theme among all but one, which is more than likely popular amongst the perverts in the world.

I think my job search will be relegated to internet searching for awhile. My car is getting low on gas and I'm not too keen on spending too much right now. I'd like to keep my expenses as low as humanly possible as the bank account now only has two digits before the decimal. However, I do need to open a bank account down here, so maybe I'll take care of that and then remain parked here for awhile. I was really counting on a museum pay today, but apparently that is next Friday. Perhaps I'll need it more then anyway.
For a more upbeat update, LOST has been absolutely fantastic so far this season. Learning more about the island's history, Widmore, and connections between characters has been awesome. It took me over an hour to get to sleep after the most recent episode. LOST and Harry Potter are a testament to how much I enjoy a story that is well-told with a keen attention to detail.

Aw, Here It Goes...

What better time to start blogging than now? I have been heavily documenting this past year in a variety of ways, and now with a little extra time on my hands, I've come to the decision that I might as well write about it too.

Just two days ago I drove from my parents' house in Southern New Jersey to my new apartment here in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I imagine that the next few weeks will provide me with several culture shocks. I am fully in "red state" territory. Thus far, the majority of my time has been spent filling out job applications anywhere that I can. I sent a reel and resume into the local NBC affiliate, which for some reason has not yet been received. Clearly, that would be the job of choice. I'd love to get a job in the industry my degree is in and gain some valuable experience.

Though the job hunt has been somewhat tedious, I have the luxury of coming home to the apartment I share with the lovely and talented Abby. It is a decent place (see the photo), just about the right size for a young couple starting their lives after school is out. If I do get the NBC job, I think we'll relocate to a newer apartment in the Market Commons District, a nice little area being built up not too far from here. That is assuming that Abby decides to remain with her current position, which is not the likeliest of scenarios.

In addition to getting a job and being a contributing member of this household, my main goal in this year is to get into better shape and generally live a healthier lifestyle. Once the money starts coming in, I'll be joining a gym. Prior to that, I hope to get a lot of walking and/or jogs in as the weather down here is considerably warmer than back up North. I also wouldn't mind taking up tennis with Abby. She has repeatedly made it clear that she is horrible at the sport, which should make us about even. On top of all the activity, I need to focus on eating better and having an overall healthy lifestyle.

As most who would read this already know, I have been doing a project in which I take a self portrait every day for a year. Today is day 191, just past the halfway mark. Although the quality anf creativity of photographs has declined recently, I am proud of how well I am sticking to this, having missed only one day (121). I am open to ideas for different photos or shoots to try, as I now only have two days out of the remaining six months planned.

I suppose that today's post will end here. My computer is currently located on the floor and it is not the most comfortable position to be typing in. Hopefully my updates will be frequent and will soon include tales of job offers and success.