Forgive me, for I have sinned. I have neglected this poor blog yet again. I have failed to post regularly.
I think it started because I was moping around my parents' house feeling like I had failed at being a successful human. Not only did I feel self-conscious about dumping even more of my quarter-life crisis onto the blogosphere, but I just didn't have anything that interesting to say.
Fortunately, the moping period didn't last very long. Somehow, I managed to get a grip on myself. We went out for coffee, actually. Myself and I. I sat myself down and we had the following conversation:
Me: Lauren, you're not actually a loser, but you're going to become one if you continue to sit in your parents' basement.
Myself: But I'm promoting my musical career!
Me: It looks like you're looking at pictures of your college friends on Facebook...
Myself: I was taking a break!
Me: Look. You are living in YOUR PARENTS' HOUSE. That's the one thing you said you wouldn't let happen and it's happening. What are you going to do about it?
Myself: Tweet Perez Hilton repeatedly in hopes that he will make me famous?
Me: NO! You have to actually LEAVE the house and DO THINGS.
Myself: I took a walk yesterday.
Me: When the Internet went down? That doesn't count. Dude, I know we both hate the idea of having a boss, but it's time to find some way to make some money.
Myself: I can work on marketing my greeting cards better...
Me: Lauren. Your little brother is going to come home from college this summer and if you're still living here when he moves back in, you're going to feel like you're 14.
Myself: I'm not 14?
Me: ...No. It's time to girl up get stuff done.
Myself: *sigh* You're probably right.
Me: Of course I'm right!
So I got out of my weird little funk and started throwing my name out there. I applied to jobs that sounded horrible and soul-sucking. I checked the gigs section on Craigslist three times a day, sending email inquiries to questionable sources and refreshing my inbox every five minutes to see if anything was going to work.
And slowly, things started happening. Which is the other reason I haven't been updating this blog - I've been running around acquiring funny stories faster than I can type them out.
Yes, I've been hoarding stories. It's horrible, but true. But the only thing I have going on tonight involves watching "The Bachelor" (don't judge). And now that I've broken the silence, the rest of the posts will be easier to write. I'm going to do my best to catch you guys up on the ongoing sitcom that is my life.
I promise that these stories will be everything but boring...
Yay...can't wait. I have these convos with myself daily...I wish I was more convincing.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I'm only convincing about half of the time. The other half of the time it just makes everything worse...
DeleteMe: Lauren, stop feeling sorry for yourself. It's unattractive.
Myself: OMG I'M UNATTRACTIVE! *cries*
Great to have you back in the blogosphere, and looking forward to reading your posts. I've definitely been there on the whole having to work horrible, soul-sucking jobs; I'm still there, actually, because the income from those jobs help support me while I pursue my dream of completing my Ph.D. and becoming a professor. Several people have told me those jobs don't have to last forever, and they're right. They're just a means to an end, which in your case is your dream of making a living as a musician. And you'll get there.
ReplyDeleteI've checked out the gigs section on Craigslist too; one thing you could try is signing up for focus groups, since they don't take as much time as other jobs. A lot of market research firms and businesses are always looking for people to participate in focus groups for everything from cell phones to tax preparation services to pet food. (Just be careful about which ones you sign up for, though; watch out for certain red flags on ads that might make you think there are risks/shady deals involved. I sound paranoid, I know, but I almost fell for a scam on Craiglist once.) I participated in a focus group once and I got paid $100 for two hours.
Ooh, good idea! I'll be on the lookout for focus groups. What category do they hide those things under on Craigslist? I've seen some pop up in "ETC" before (in between ads for egg donors) but can never tell when they're legit.
DeleteThey're usually in the "gigs" section on Craigslist, though sometimes they're in the part-time jobs section too; they don't always say focus groups though. Sometimes it'll say something like "market research" or something like that. The more information they have in the ad, the more likely they are to be legit.
DeleteLooking forward to reading your tales :) Kicking yourself out of a funk is hard, I've been there many times, but once you snap yourself out of it you can do anything. I'm trying to get more organized now, schedule some time to write and make music. It must be done!
ReplyDeleteYes, it must be done! Make that music, girl! :)
Deleteyou sound like me. constantly YELLING at myself. it works, though, eh?!
ReplyDeleteHehe. Sometimes it works. Other times, it just gives the funk more power.
Delete(Unfortunately, this is one of the few scenarios in which having the power of the funk is no good...)
Craigslist is probably the best place to go to get stories, although it can also be dangerous.
ReplyDeleteHaha. True and...true. I haven't fallen into any terrible scams yet but I know they're out there. I did however have a guy go semi-postal right next to me...it was totally scary at the time but soon it will be a funny blog story...
DeleteI know you're still stuck in line with nerds waiting for the Zelda poster, but here's an award for you: http://happeningsfromanundisclosedlocation.blogspot.com/2012/03/i-won.html
ReplyDeleteTell me about it!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI just returned from a YEAR. LONG. HIATUS. For real.
I'm not even sure I really have a good excuse for why I left. Except that I just needed to be done for awhile...
At least you had interesting conversations with yourself while you were gone:)
I'm not going to lie, your hiatus has kind of been beneficial to me, because it's given me the help I need to catch up on everyone's blogs! Haha.
ReplyDeleteGlad to have you back though and can't wait to read up on what's been going on in your life :)
And don't feel too bad about being thrust back into your parents' basement. It sadly seems to be much more common these days.