I don't know what to do. Right now I have about 14,000 plus my student loans hanging over my head. I really want to get them paid off before I head back to grad school again in the Fall of 2008. However, I really want to travel with Erin. But that would put me even further in debt, and not allow me to dig myself out at all. I don't even know if I could keep my head above the water while I was doing it. I really just don't know...I don't know if I can stay in the UP for another year, but it would allow me to pay off everything but my student loans, and I would be able to start grad school with a clean slate. Which would be a totally different experience, since in DC I always had money hanging over my head. I should do the boring thing and stay at home and pay it all off, but the call of the unknown is really calling me, and I need a change to my routine. Grrr...I don't know what to do! I wish I could win the lottery ;)

Hi There.
So life has been going pretty good. We have a wellness program at work where you make 2 goals and then you can get gift certificates by hitting certain levels. My goals are NO: candy, pop, chips or fried food. I think i'm doing pretty good with this one, I've only missed one day so far, and that was the 1st day because I had forgotten it started. And my 2nd goal is to exercise 30 min/day 5 days/wk. For this one I've been getting up at 6:30 and walking 2 miles before work. I'm pretty tired, but hopefully it will all pay off. I've also been more conscious about what is in the food I eat.

Work is the same old same old....boring, but brings in money. My bills are slowly going down...though now I have to start paying on my student loans. Come January I hope to be somewhere new, whether it is some foreign country w. Erin, or the Peace Corps or Americorps is yet to be seen.

I am heading to Madison Aug 8?-11? I think...and I'll probably be heading down to Fayetteville to tour the U. Ark in late Oct. so that I can see the grad school there and talk to some people.

I'm doing the Sound of Music right now, shows are in the beginning of September. I am the Baroness, Erin is Maria, my mom is Frau Schmidt, and Rachel is Brigitta, it's a K* SHOW!

Well I should run, or I'll be late to work, AGAIN ;)

later!

Updates..

Sound of Music auditions were last week for the Calumet Players. The K's are taking over!

I am the Baroness, Erin is Maria, Mom is Frau Schmidt the housekeeper and Rachel is Brigitta one of the children. I am looking forward to the production.

We had a family reunion this weekend with all my mom's siblings here except Wayne. Both of my dead grandpa's siblings were here too, and Robert and Roxanne came from Seattle. Good times were had, but now I am thoroughly exhausted.

We did a 3.5 mile hike in Estivant Pines today, the weather was perfect and there were no bugs. I'm glad this week is broken up. I work the later shift Mon. and Tues, then Erin's bday so dinner, karaoke, fireworks...and the 4th off :) Maybe to the camp, we'll see. And then I'm down in Lake Linden on Thurs/Fri, so that will be nice. Perhaps we will go paddling w. Glenn and Lisa this weekend.

well, i'm off to catch up on missed sleep. goodnight!