Old men are the nicest people on Earth...

Today started with Mo and Joe delivering my couch...two very nice men who delivered my slightly damaged but being replaced couch. Considering the couch debacle last week I should just be happy I have a place to sit now, and I do! :)

I learned 3 very important things at Target today:

1. I make decisions best when there are 100 people looking at me or only 2.5 seconds to make it than if I am by myself will an endless time limit. This seems counter-intuitive however I assure you that in the heat of the moment I will make a quick decision on the spot and work with that decision. Today however, I stood in the same aisle in Target for about 15 minutes debating what should have been a quick decision, it was after all what I went there for. A storage shelf that was on sale (see above). It's sad really.

2. Old men are the NICEST people on Earth! Today, while I was having cognitive issues in Target there was also a monsoon going on outside. When I was leaving a woman (who looked like a workout barbie doll so I'm not convinced she was the mother and if she is...I hate her) was walking out with twin infant boys in baby seats. Obviously she wasn't eager to run out in the rain so a few of us waited under the overhang for a few minutes to see if the monsoon would let up. Then an old man came up to her, he had to be at least 80 and said "wait here". He walked to his car parked at least 10 spots back, got an umbrella and walked her to her car with the umbrella over the babies. I am curious if this instinctual generosity comes with the old age (knowing very well that no 19 year old or even 30 year old guy would have thought to do that) or if its a generational thing that will eventually be gone. Let's hope it's the first, you hear that Petey?

3. Last and not least I have learned that the Urgent vs. Important mentality applies not only to tasks at work but also to Target (and well all) purchases during this sweet time of no paychecks I live in. All of us know the way Target works. You go in and leave spending at LEAST $40 (on a good day) even if all you needed was toothpaste. We all get caught in this Target trap but today I was so proud of myself as I slowly put back random items that were not "urgent" to my life right now. I did however splurge on a pretzel/soda combo for $2.50, lucky me :)

A special congrats shout out to my friend and former roommate Jen for getting a sweet job in Tampa, FL today!

Live the Dream,

Stef

Doing Big Things...

Hello Friends and Family!

After being urged by many friends I have decided in my post-grad life to start a blog. I can not promise it to be very entertaining (see Ashley Jones' blog for that: http://ashleyjonesy.blogspot.com/2010/05/ode-to-stuff-by-ashley-jones.html). However, it is my hope that blogging will allow me to keep up with friends and family and will also assist in my professional/personal goal (insert me pushing up my glasses and using a nerdy voice) of becoming better with written communication. I have also joined the Skype world so feel free to add me :) I will be offering virtual apartment tours soon :)

As you all know I graduated from JMU on May 7, 2010 with my Masters in College Student Personnel Administration. It was a great weekend of course made possible by the one and only Joann A. Mancuso aka JoJo. I spent a great week in Virginia Beach hanging out with friends and family and starting to pack for my big move to Wilmington, NC. I also got the privilege of working the prom sponsored by Tallwood High School and the Mary Buckley Foundation for all of JoJo's hommies: http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/tallwood-students-host-unique-prom

On Saturday I moved to Wilmington, NC. I had a great team to help me including Matt and Tommy Buckley, Petey and JoJo Mancuso and Karen and Kelly Shanley. I am a lucky girl and I made it through this move because of them. The guys stayed until Sunday morning then it was girl time. As you can imagine the mom's had a great vision of what they wanted for the apartment so like a good minion I just did what I was told and let them put together and unpack whatever they wanted and for the most part I have left all of it the way they set it up. I have my 2.5 rooms done right now: the kitchen, utility room and bathroom is almost there. I am slowly doing one room at a time.

I have made the following observations of my new city:

-There is not a major gas station/food service chain (aka no wawa, 7-11 or Sheetz)
-If you are a male under 25 you probably have at least 5 tattoos
-People here must wash there cars a lot because there are more car washes then Starbucks

I'm sure there are more observations to come...stay tuned!

I leave on Sunday for Italy with my Aunt Rosemary and I am getting SO excited for that. I will be there until June 1 and will return to Wilmington to start my job on June 3rd. I will be the UNCW Presents Coordinator/ACE advisor working with the program board and other programming on campus. :)

That's all for now, enjoy some pictures!

Love Yourself,

Stefanie