Here I am finally, World. Working woman. 401k, salary, health benefits, the works! Phew, my parents are certainly relieved. I, however, had a whirlwind of emotions about the idea of being an 'adult'. It frightened me primarily because once you start down that path of consistent paychecks and free visits to the dentist I can imagine you get pretty used to it. There aren't anymore weeknight sleepovers in East Lansing after a Thirsty Thursday Lugnuts game, no hour-long coffee dates mid-morning in your PJ's, no 5 hour 'shifts' that you can switch out with your fellow employees. There aren't anymore 24 day road trips across the country in this girls future. (Not that I'm complaining, one of those is plenty). But seriously it was just a hard realization for me to say "Ok, this is it, I'm committing to Grand Rapids. I'm committing to going to bed before midnight on a regular basis and getting up between 6 and 7am." That is a lot to commit to, for me, even if technically jobs are temporary. Anyway, I'm here. Today was my first official day and so far, so good. I'm alive. My Miele machine has never gotten so much use as it has the past two weeks. I spent $50 buying espresso online last week and so far it's doing the trick. Day by day I'm learning what it's like to have a 9-5 (although technically it's an 8:30-5) and what it's like to be a Marketing professional. That's what I've been learning lately: balance and consistency. Things I haven't felt like I have had a good grasp of in a while.
Last night I did allow myself off the new leash I put myself on though and I hung out in East Lansing until close to 10:30pm. I had gone to Lansing to Dave Eggers speak. Dave is the author of East Lansing's "One Book, One Community" book Zeitoun. He also wrote A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and What is the What (he has written plenty more but those are probably the most famous). He is an incredible writer and an insanely sweet man I came to find out. I waited in line for over an hour to get him to sign my four books that I had brought along with me. When I finally got up to the table to talk to him I felt the closest I have ever felt to being star-struck. I was standing with an incredibly handsome, young, Pulitzer Prize winner and I was blown away. I nervously made jokes as I often do when I'm not sure what to say and he joked back, which is when I got the confidence to ask him to get a beer with me after the last people got their signatures (there were probably only 10 after me). He gently let me down by telling me he would have loved to but he had to complete his speech for the morning (which was going to be in front of 7000) so I understood. I didn't see it then but while he was signing my book he wrote "Lizzie - with thanks profuse and apologies galore. Dave Eggers". What a heart throb. So even though he turned me down, I think I might be in love with him. I'll let you know if anything progresses, and as for now, I will add him to the list of celebrity's who have turned me down, even when they were in totally viable situations to go out with me.
That List:
- Dave Eggers (excuse: had to write speech for 7,000 MSU freshman) (Side note: he does have a beautiful wife and kids... so that might also have something to do with it.)
- Aziz Ansari (invited him to Yesterdog when he tweeted he was looking for a place to eat...no excuse, just ignored my thoughtful gesture)
- Nick Thune (up and coming comedian who was performing in Detroit. I e-mailed him after I saw him on Leno...never heard back)
- Pete Cashmore (ok, I'll admit, Pete and I were never in the same place at the same time, but I have tweeted to him and have yet to hear back. I do understand the fact that he has over 2 million followers)
- As a matter in fact I also invited Shay Williams to go skiing in Montana with me and he never tweeted back to me either. He's not a 'celebrity', but he is the Photo Editor for Freeskier magazine so that's pretty badass.
My faith in Twitter was boldly reclaimed today even though the social media site has yet to facilitated even one unique dating (or otherwise) situation for me. My faith was restored when I won a Michigan trivia question and in the mail today I recieved 5 tiny light blue pins with the shape of the Upper Peninsula on it. :) Add that to the list of free stuff I have gotten from Twitter:
- 5 tiny light blue pins with the UP on them
- A winter headband
- Chapstick
- 2 tickets to a Washington DC museum
- A scarf
Not too shabby!!
- Lizzie