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Temporary Email Quiz Obsession

March 30, 2006 By

A bunch of Digsters have various email quizzes posted on their blogs, and for a brief moment I became obsessed with them. So, I took all the different quizzes I found and decided to answer them all. Now, you’ll notice a few redundancies, but I tried to take them out. Also, you’ll see a few inconsistencies, but that’s because it took so darn long to do them all, so questions pertaining to what I ate or what I’m wearing will have different answers depending on when I answered them.

1) Grab the book nearest to you. Turn to page 18, find line 4. Write down here what it says: …ridge of mud. Nobody was working on such a foul day. Sowerby and I…
2) Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What do you touch first? The wall
3) What is the last thing you watched on TV? Food Network
4) WITHOUT LOOKING, guess what the time is: 6:30am
5) Now look at the clock, what is the actual time? 6:38am
6) With the exception of the computer, what can you hear? Traffic and that damn squeaky gate to my apartment complex
7) When did you last step outside? What were you doing? Last night to come home from the gym after work
8) Before you came to this website, what did you look at? Calvin and Hobbes
9) What are you wearing? Pajamas and slipper socks
10) Did you dream last night? What about? Probably did dream but I can’t remember what about<
11) When did you last laugh? Why? Last night at a commercial on TV
12) What is on the walls of the room you are in? lots of photos, among other things
13) Seen anything weird lately? Nothing that I would consider weird
14) What do you think of this quiz? Fun for the moment
15) What is the last film you saw? Garden State
16) If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first? Pay off car and credit card, then consider buying a house
17) Tell me something about you that I don’t know: No, if there was something I wanted you to know I’d tell you already
18) If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do? People would respect each other
19) Do you like to dance? Not really
20) Would you ever consider living abroad? Oh yeah

Four Jobs You’ve Had In Your Life
1. supermarket checker
2. waitress at ice cream shop
3. administrative assistant
4. temporary worker

Four Places You Have Lived
1. Salem, NH
2. Las Vegas, NV
3. Amesbury, MA
4. Hooksett, NH

Four Favorite Books
1. The Emigrants series
2. East of Eden
3. any decorating book
4. The Bible

Four Movies You Could Watch Over and Over
1. Ruby in Paradise
2. Muriel’s Wedding
3. Elf
4. A Christmas Story

Four TV Shows You Love to Watch
1. Absolutely Fabulous
2. Dr G: Medical Examiner
3. Gilmore Girls
4. Mary Tyler Moore

Four Places You Have Been On Vacation
1. London and a few other UK cities
2. Paris
3. Toronto
4. New Jersey

Four Websites You Visit Daily
1. yahoo.com
2. reviewjournal.com
3. msn.com
4. calvinandhobbes.com

Four Of Your Favorite Foods
1. pasta
2. chocolate
3. ice cream
4. 7 layer cookie bars

Four Places You Would Rather be Right Now
1. with my niece and nephew
2. Exploring more of Europe
3. On a road trip
4. Australia/New Zealand

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF – The Survey
Name: Kirsten
Birthday: Sometime in May
Birthplace: New Hampshire
Current Location: Las Vegas
Eye Color: green
Hair Color: red
Height: 5’8″
Right Handed or Left Handed: right
Your Heritage: Mostly Swedish and German
The Shoes You Wore Today: Slipper socks (its still early!)
Your Weakness: Chocolate and pasta
Your Fears: Legless reptiles
Your Perfect Pizza: Wood fired, super fresh ingredients, and not soggy
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year: Pay off the darn credit card
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger: beep (to tell Dr. Grandma that her tea water is ready)
Thoughts First Waking Up: No not yet
Your Best Physical Feature: Most people pick my hair
Your Bedtime: Between 11 and 12
Your Most Missed Memory: I have all my memories, I don’t miss them.
Pepsi or Coke: Coke – diet
McDonalds or Burger King: McDonalds
Single or Group Dates: single
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: I don’t like iced tea
Chocolate or Vanilla: Definitely chocolate
Cappuccino or Coffee: I don’t like coffee or anything related to it
Do you Smoke: No way
Do you Swear: Yes, but I try really fucking hard not to
Do you Sing: All the time in the car
Do you Shower Daily: Usually, unless I’m having a pajama day
Have you Been in Love: yes
Do you want to go to College: Already went
Do you want to get Married: If I meet the right person
Do you belive in yourself: usually
Do you get Motion Sickness: On boats
Do you think you are Attractive: sometimes
Are you a Health Freak: I don’t practice what I preach
Do you get along with your Parents: usually
Do you like Thunderstorms: As long as I’m not alone
Do you play an Instrument: No

In the past month have you Drank Alcohol: no
In the past month have you Smoked: no
In the past month have you gone on a Date: no
In the past month have you gone to a Mall: yes
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos: no
In the past month have you eaten Sushi: yuck
In the past month have you been on Stage: no
In the past month have you been Dumped: no
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping: no
In the past month have you Stolen Anything: no
Ever been Drunk: yes
Ever been called a Tease: no
Ever been Beaten up: no
Ever Shoplifted: I plead the 5th
How do you want to Die: In my sleep, peacefully
What do you want to be when you Grow Up: I don’t plan on growing up
What country would you most like to Visit: I have to pick just one?
Number of CDs I own: Over 300
Number of Piercings: 2 holes each in my ears (the rest closed up)
Number of Tattoos: 1
Number of things in my Past I Regret: I try not to regret anything

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:15 a.m.
2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Walk the Line
4. What was the last TV program you watched? Food Network
5. What did you have for breakfast this morning? So far, a glass of orange juice. It’s still early
6. What’s your favorite cuisine? Italian
7. What foods do you dislike? Mushrooms, raw fish
8. What is your favorite chip flavor? plain
9. What’s your favorite CD at the moment? I don’t have a particular favorite
10. What kind of car do you drive? 2003 Kia Spectra
11. Favorite sandwich? Grilled Cheese
12. What characteristics do you despise? Rude, extremely opinionated
13. Favorite item of clothing? jammies
14. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be? Pretty much anywhere
15. What color is your bathroom? Apartment off-white
16. Favorite brand of clothing? Whatever fits
17. Where would you like to retire to? Let me tell you in 40 years
18. Favorite time of the day? Relaxing time
19. What was your most memorable birthday? It wasn’t good
20. Where were you born? New Hampshire
21. Favorite sport to watch? Figure skating
22. Who do you least expect to send this back to you? Um, it’s on my blog. Please don’t write a comment replying to these quizzes
23. Who do you expect to send it back? see above
24. What fabric detergent do you use? Currently ALL concentrated
25. Named after anyone? No, my mom picked a nice Swedish name
26. Do you wish on stars? When I can see them
27. When did you last cry? Monday
28. Do you like your handwriting? Most of the time
29. If you were another person, would YOU be friends with you? I hope so
30. Are you a daredevil? No way
31. Do looks matter? A little bit
32. How do you release anger? Bitch and complain, and maybe throw things
33. Where is your second home? My office
34. What were your favorite toys as a kid? Barbie dolls, books, and way too many stuffed animals
35. What class in High School was totally useless? Algebra and geometry
36. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Me? Never!
37. Favorite movies? Ruby in Paradise, Muriel’s Wedding
38. What are your nicknames? I don’t like nicknames
39. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? No
40. Do you think that you are strong? Usually
41. What’s your favorite ice cream flavor? Chocolate or Edy’s cherry chocolate chip
42. What are your favorite colors? Aqua
43. Who or what do you miss the most? My niece and nephew
44. Do you want everyone you sent this to send back? No! See way above
45. What color pants are you wearing? Jammies with blue with black flowers
46. What are you listening to right now? Traffic and the squeaky gate
47. Last thing you ate? Dinner last night – macaroni & cheese
48. If you were a CRAYON what color would you be? aqua
49. Last person you talked to on the phone? Mr. Morley
50. What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex? Is he wearing a wedding ring?
51. Favorite drink: water
52. Do you wear contacts? Eewww no
53. Favorite Day(s) of the Year? Any day I can do whatever I want
54. Scary Movies or Happy Happy endings? Definitely happy
55. Summer or winter? Neither, I like the fall
56. Hugs OR Kisses? hugs
57. What Is Your Favorite Dessert: chocolate
58. What Book(s) Are You Reading? Portrait of a Lady
59. What’s On Your Mouse Pad? Dell
60. Favorite Smells? Anything clean
61. Rolling Stones or Beatles? Beatles
62. What’s the furthest you’ve been from home? Europe

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:
1. Kirsten
2. KL
3. Kirsty

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. my pretty green eyes
2. my hair color
3. I don’t have cankles

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU DON’T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. the flab
2. my smile
3. my super narrow feet (AAA) because shoe shopping is hell

THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:
1. Swedish
2. German
3. A little bit of Irish and Scottish

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:
1. legless reptiles
2. making a mistake
3. see #1

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
1. checking email
2. eating
3. waking up

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
1. underwear
2. slipper socks
3. jammies

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS:
1. anything by Chantal Kreviazuk
2. Crowded House, “Four Seasons in One Day”
3. Sarah McLachlan, “Hold On”

THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP:
1. trust
2. attraction
3. longevity

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE:
1. My desks at work and home are a mess
2. I like to drive really, really fast
3. I don’t like to lie

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE PREFERRED SEX THAT APPEAL TO YOU:
1. blue eyes
2. a nice bum
3. strong arms

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
1. sleep
2. eat dinner
3. go on vacation

THREE CAREERS YOU’RE CONSIDERING/YOU’VE CONSIDERED:
1. decorator/designer
2. accountant
3. EMT (what was I thinking?)

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:
1. Australia/New Zealand
2. Europe
3. on a road trip

THREE KIDS’ NAMES YOU LIKE:
1. Michael
2. Jessica
3. Pickle

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
1. fill up a passport with no duplicate stamps
2. have a family
3. buy the house I will live in for the rest of my life

THREE WAYS THAT YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A GIRL:
1. all my jammies have flowers on them
2. I love being domestic for a man
3. I love to shop!

THREE CELEB CRUSHES:
1. Lloyd Dobbler (not a real person, but he should be)
2. Zach Braff
3. ?? Don’t know who else

A – Available: yes
A – Age: 31
A – Annoyance: people who don’t shut up

B – Best Friends: Melissa, Beetle, Lynn
B – Bar: I don’t go to bars
B – Birthday: sometime in May

C – Crush: don’t have one
C – Car: kia spectra
C – Cat: no, too much fur

D – Dead Pets Name: Bambi
D – Dads Name: Richard
D – Dog: don’t have any of these either

E – Easiest person to talk to: any of my friends
E – Eggs: salad, made with miracle whip and a touch of dijon mustard
E – Email: yahoo

F – Favorite color? aqua
F – Food: chocolate, pasta
F – Foreign Slang: I wish I knew some

G – Gummy Bears or Worms: bears
G – God: He da man!
G – Good Time: dinner and candid conversation with friends

H – Hair Color: red
H – Height: 5’8″
H – Happy: usually

I – Ice Cream: cherry chocolate chip
I – Instrument: none
I – Idol: none

J – Jewelry: usually diamond studs or pearl earrings, sometimes a ring<
J - Job: I have 2
J – Joke: my dad’s good with those

K – Kids: hopefully some day
K – Karate: earned 2 belts but quit because I hated sparring
K – Kite: I still have a small one that fits into a wrist pocket in my closet

L – Longest Car Ride: Mom’s house to Las Vegas
L – Longest Relationship: none of them have been very long
L – Last Person you spoke to on the Phone: whoever called into the office last

M – Milk Flavor: chocolate
M – Mothers Name: Lydia or Lena, according to telemarketers who can’t read
M – Movie Last Watched: Garden State

N – Number of Siblings: 1
N – Northern or Southern: northern
N – Name: Kirsten

O – ONE Wish: just one?
O – One Phobia: legless reptiles
O – One Goal: pay off credit card

P – Parents, are they married or divorced: divorced
P – Part of your appearance you like best: hair
P – Part of your personality you like best: practical

Q – Quote: I didn’t even put one in my yearbook
Q – What is your quest? I have to have a quest?
Q – Quick or Slow?: too slow sometimes, but I walk really fast

R – Reason to smile: TWM calls
R – Reality TV Show: hate reality shows
R – Right or Left: right

S – Song Last Heard: The Cardigans, “And Then You Kissed Me”
S – Season: Fall. We don’t have that here in Vegas
S – Sex: female

T – Time you woke up: 6:15am
T – Time Now: 6:45pm
T – Time for bed: about 11:15

U – Unknown Facts about me: They’re unknown for a reason
U – Unicorns?: my sister used to like them when she was little
U – U are a……?: I am ME!

V – Vegetable you hate: mushrooms, avacados, brussel sprouts, butternut squash (especially when it comes in frozen bricks)
V – Vegetable you love: corn
V – View on politics: neutral

W- Worst Habits: Stress eating
W- What do you wanna be when you grow up: I hope I never grow up
W- Where are you traveling to next?: Dunno, nothing planned

X – X-Rays: yeah, I’ve had some
X – X-Rated Porn: no thanks
X – X-Marks your spot: at my desk in my bedroom

Y – Year you were born: 1974
Y – Year it is now: 2006
Y – Yellow: really not one of my favorite colors

Z – Zoo Animal: chimps
Z – Zodiac: Gemini
Z – Zest: I have a zzzzzzzzzester! It’s required kitchen equipment for any Digster.

Do you have an air freshener in your car? Yes, one of the dolphin ones
Do you have plants in your room? A dying aloe in the kitchen. Not enough light in my apartment due to a northern exposure, but I’d rather be a plant killer than pay the electric bill in the summer.
Do you own a picture phone? no
Does anything hurt on your body right now? My knee.
How much cash do you have on you right now? $1.01
I can’t wait till…? payday tomorrow
Look to your left. What’s there? A wall
Name one thing that you do every day: wake up, I hope!
Recent time you were really upset? Some jerk cut me off and had the nerve to give me the finger
What city was your last taxicab ride in? I don’t take taxis
What color shirt are you wearing? grey
What did you have for dinner last night? Macaroni & Cheese
What website(s) do you visit the most during the day? Yahoo
What’s the color of your bedroom walls? Apartment off-white
What’s the last text message on your mobile say? I don’t text at all
What’s your favorite sport? Ice skating
What’s your favorite Starbucks drink? Hot chocolate, but not with vanilla syrup or whipped cream
Whats the last piece of clothing you borrowed from someone? I don’t borrow clothes
When was the last time you saw your mom? Last August
Who got you to join LiveJournal? I’m not on LJ
Whose bed did you sleep in last night? Mine

Last:
1. Person you saw: Time-flying Dudette
2. Talked on the phone with: whoever called the office last
3. Hugged: Mad Scientist
4. IM: someone at work, we IM all day long
5. Song you listened to: Cardigans – “And Then You Kissed Me”

Today:
1. What are you doing now: all these silly quiz things
2. What are you doing tonight: watching NBC Thursday night shows
3. What did you eat for lunch: Chinese

Tomorrow:
1. Is: Payday!!!
2. Got any plans: deposit check, pay bills (after work of course)
3. Goal: pay bills
4. Dislikes about tomorrow: I have to wake up early
5. Work: yes, but it’s Friday

Currently:
1. In love with someone: no
2. Missing someone: yes
3. Mood: lazy

DRAMA DORK–
[ ] Ever been in a play?
[ ] More than 10 Broadway shows?
[x] Have you ever been/are you in school shows?
[ ] Does your current job involve theater in some way?
[ ] Want to end up working in/for theater
[ ] Can you recite all of the lyrics to your favorite play/musical?
[ ] Do you break out into random songs whenever/wherever!!
Total [1]

REDNECK–
[ ] Do you have a couch in your front yard or porch?
[ ] Do you drive a four-wheeler?
[ ] Do you ride four-wheelers?
[ ] Do you like to get dirty in mud?
[ ] Do you like country music?
[ ] Do you have a broken car in your backyard?
[ ] Do you own a cowboy hat?
[ ] Do you live on more then 1 acre?
[ ] Do you have more then 4 different animals at your home?
Total [0]

GOTH–
[ ] Do you wear black eyeliner?
[ ] Is most of your clothing dark?
[ ] Do you think about death?
[ ]Do you want to die?
[ ] Are you a social outcast?
[x] Are you pale?
[ ] Do you like Hot Topic?
[ ] Do you enjoy Tim Burton movies?
[ ] Are you mean sometimes?
Total [1]

SKATER/PUNK–
[ ] Can you skateboard?
[ ] Do you wear Vans/Etnies?
[ ] Do you do stupid stuff with your friends?
[ ] Do you watch the x-games?
[x] Do you have any piercings?
[ ] Do you wear a mohawk?
[ ] Do you wear Band T-shirts
[ ] Have you called someone a poser recently?
Total [1]

PREP–
[x]Do you say the word “like”?
[ ] Do you shop at Hollister/Abercrombie & Fitch
[ ] Do you pop the collar?
[x] Do the people in Hot topic scare you?
[ ] Is the only nerd you like Seth Cohen?
[ ] Do you watch LAGUNA BEACH?
[x] Do you like pop music?
[ ] Do you have a dog?
Total [3]

HIPPIE–
[ ] Is your hair long?
[ ] Do you own a tye-dye shirt?
[ ] Do you want to save the animals?
[x] Do you think war is unnecessary?
[ ] Do you like classic rock and trippy music?
[ ] Have you ever participated in a protest?
[ ] Have you ever been overcome with a desire to hug a tree?
Total [1]

GANGSTA–
[ ] Do you act ghetto?
[ ] Do you wear do-rags?
[ ] Do you like hip-hop?
[ ] Was Tupac truly the greatest rapper in the world?
[ ] Do you believe he’s alive?
[ ] Do you like afro’s?
[ ] Have you ever said “Fo Shizzle”?
[ ] Do you like to dance?
[ ] Do you own any Baby Phat, G-Unit, or Southpole?
Total [0]

EMO–
[x] Do you cry often?
[ ] Do you wear hoodies?
[x] Do you like soft music?
[x] Do people not understand you?
[ ] Do you write your own poems?
[ ] Ever dyed your hair red, black or dark?
[ ] Do you cut your own hair?
[ ] Are you lonely?
[ ] Is ‘Ohio is for Lovers’ by Hawthorne Heights a good song?
Total [3]

SURFER–
[ ] Do you surf?
[ ] Do you wear flip flops year-round?
[ ] Is your hair shaggy?
[ ] Do you wake up before 6 every morning?
[ ] Do you own many pairs of shorts?
[x] Do you yearn for the smell of salt water?
[x] Do you want to be at the beach right now?
[x] Do you hate tourists?
Total [3]

GEEK–
[x] Do you wear glasses?
[ ] Do you use an inhaler?
[ ] Do you stick pens and calculators into your shirt pockets?
[ ] Does your mom pick out your clothes?
[x] Are you on the computer often?
[ ] Do you look forward to going to school?
[ ] Are you shy around the opposite sex?
[ ] Do you play video games?
Total [2]

JOCK–
[ ] Do you own a lot of Nike, Adidas, or Underarmor?
[x] Do you love the smell of fresh cut grass?
[ ] Are you constantly worrying about being in shape?
[ ] Do you let people know its game day by yelling it through the halls?
[ ] Do you play 2 or more sports?
[ ] Do you know a lot of people just from playing a team sport?
[ ] Do you love grass stains, mud, and hurting people?
[ ] Does a whistle blowing pump your adrenalin?
[ ] Are you very school spirited?
Total [1]

WHAT ARE YOU? 3-way between Prep/Surfer/Emo

Elaborate on your default icon. I don’t have a default icon
What’s your current relationship status? Single
What exactly are you wearing right now? white sport socks, grey underwear, black track pants with a white strip down the side, grey t-shirt, grey fleece pullover
What is your current problem? money, it’s always money$
What makes you most happy? having my independence
Are you musically inclined? I like music and have been told I can sing
If you could go back in time and change something what would it be? I’d go to a different college
Ever have a near death experience? no
Name an obvious quality you have? I’m extremely organized
Any celeb you would marry? none, because that would mean I have to deal with publicity, which I hate
Have you ever vandalized someone’s private property? No
Have you ever been in a fight? yes
Have you ever sung in front of a large audience? middle school chorus
What do you usually order from Starbucks? Hot chocolate with no vanilla syrup or whipped cream
Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose? no
Say something totally random about yourself: I’m hungry
Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity? Molly Ringwald
Do you wear a watch? What kind? Not unless I’m traveling, then it’s a Timex
Do you like pain? no
Do you like to shop? Yes, too much actually
What was the last thing you paid for with cash? 2 gallons of water at the WaterMill
What was the last thing you paid for with a credit card? my Palm z22
What is on your desktop background? Salisbury Beach
What is the background on your cell phone? a calendar
Do you like redheads? I am one; my niece, cousin, uncle are also redheads
Do you know any twins? Stepdad, plus my mom and dad each have a set of twins for cousins. Plus my stepdad’s twin brother has fraternal twins for kids.
Do you have any weird relatives? My uncle, who makes super-organized me look like a big slob
What was the last book you read? The Last Letter Home by Vilhelm Moberg
Did you or are you planning to go to college? Got my associate’s in 1994
>What is your favorite pair of pants that you own? anything that is goes to a set of pajamas
Do you like to party? not really
Where do you see yourself in five years? I stopped trying to see that because it never works out the way I plan
What is your middle name? same as my mom’s first name, grandma’s middle name and great-grandma’s first name
What size is your bed? Queen
What was the last thing you ate? Chinese food for lunch
Last person you hugged? Mad Scientist
How is the weather right now? 60, partly cloudy but getting cool because the sun went down
Do you have girlfriend or boyfriend? No
Do you want children? Yes
Ever get so drunk you don’t remember the entire night? No
Favorite holiday? Thanksgiving – lots of good food and I don’t go broke
Ever cried for no reason? oh yeah
Favorite college football team? I don’t care for football, college or otherwise
What were you doing before filling this out? working
Favorite flower? Gerbera daisy or tulips
Have you ever been caught doing something you weren’t supposed to? yeah, lots of times when I was a kid
Have you ever loved someone? yes
Are you still friends with your exes? yes, too many
Have you ever fired a gun? yes
Do you like to travel by plane? it’s a hassle, but it means I’m going somewhere
How many pillows do you sleep with? Lots
Do you have a tattoo? Yes
Do you still watch cartoons on Saturday morning? No, there’s nothing good on anymore

Whew, that’s it. I’m done.

Filed Under: On the Internet

Hmmmm…

March 29, 2006 By

It’s occurred to me that I am severely limiting myself by only having it about figuring out where to go next. So, I’ve changed the title. I’ll write more a little later.

Filed Under: My Blog

Some Clarification About Me

March 27, 2006 By

Someone suggested to me that changing scenery isn’t the answer to finding myself. I disagree. First of all, I know exactly who I am, so finding myself was never the issue. What I am looking for is a place to live that fits. When one is in a relationship with another person, if it doesn’t fit then the relationship is over. Often when entering a relationship is is not easy to know how things will transpire, and consequently people have many relationships and friendships that come and go over the course of their life. It’s the same way with where one lives. Very rarely will someone live in the same house for their entire lifetime. So when moving to a new home, who wrote the rule that it has to be in the same town, or an adjacent town? No one, to my knowledge. Part of life’s experiences are to see what’s out there, and I’m learning more about what I want and what kind of place will fit by being here in Las Vegas. I don’t totally hate it here. I appreciate all that this town has done for me. But I’ve known since the minute I set foot in this town that I wouldn’t be staying. Right now I have my overly pragmatic side at odds with my overly emotional side trying to figure out what my next move is.

I work as an administrative assistant. I like being an admin, but no one ever got rich doing it. I’m not looking to get rich or live the high life. My wages are decent for the job that I do, but not enough to afford my own apartment or even think about buying a home in this town. There are other parts of the country where having my own place is very realistic on the money I make, but Las Vegas isn’t one of those places.

Let’s do a little math:
Average household income in Las Vegas: ~$45,000
Average home price: ~$310,000

Now, if we take the old fashioned way – that is, before ARMs and creative financing – of figuring out how much house one can afford, it would be approximately 3x the annual income. So, $45K x 3 = $135,000. Something seems a bit off, doesn’t it? Even if I did find something in my price range, for rent or sale, I’m really not about to put myself on a fast track to bankruptcy just to have the kind of lifestyle I want. And if you’ve been reading my posts at all, then you’ll know that I’m really sure that the Vegas lifestyle is not what I want.

Here’s a little bit more about me – I am also an introvert. There is an excellent article that I came across online called “Caring for Your Introvert”. I’ve linked to it on the right. I think it’s important to understand that if you are reading all this about me. But don’t get me wrong, I do have a social life – I don’t want to be totally alone. I attend a great church with some really amazing people. I consider my job to be a lot of my social life, because I have so much fun with the people I work with. And I do have friends here. I enjoy a night out with my friends just as much as I enjoy a night in by myself. The key for me is to keep my social calendar light, because if I don’t get my alone time, trust me, no one will like me very much. If I don’t get my decompression time, the stress monster rears its ugly head. I try to make sure I have that balance. Those who know me know all this, those who don’t tend to criticize.

A little bit more on Las Vegas. I’m not bored here. There is a ton of stuff to do, even on an extremely tight budget like mine. But I’m not interested in doing most of that. Those who live here know that locals never go to the Strip unless they have visitors in town. I’m the same way. I didn’t move here to live the glitz and glamour of the casinos every night. I moved here for a change. I needed a change of pace. I needed to live somewhere different from where I was from, to have my own turf, to be anonymous. I found that. But Vegas is a fun-for-now kind of town. It’s not the kind of town where I want to put down roots, and like I said, I’ve known that since the minute I got here. It’s getting time for me to figure out my next move, so I decided to start this blog. I have a diary, and I’ve been keeping one for a long time, using it mostly to articulate my thoughts and figure things out. But this is fun too – fun for me. That’s what’s important, right? I really don’t care that this blog isn’t as entertaining as all the offerings of the Las Vegas Strip. If it was, then I could surely use my talents to make a heck of a lot more money than I am now. But I’m not interested in that. I’m just putting my thoughts down, and it doesn’t matter to me if it’s in a book that I hide in my room or in out there in cyberspace for all to see. This is just my way of getting through the decision making process, and I’m going to do it in whatever way works for me.

Filed Under: Las Vegas, Talking About Myself

What Am I Looking For?

March 23, 2006 By

Well, now that I know what I don’t like about Vegas and what I’m missing a bit, what exactly is it that I am looking for?

1. I’m pretty sure I want a much smaller town. Not a little podunk town, but not a huge city either. I would like if there were some shopping options beyond the Podunk General Store, so I don’t have to drive for hours to buy socks and underwear. I want the small town values of community.

2. I’d like to find a place with less crime. That part won’t be hard, because as I stated above I’m not looking to move to a large city.

3. I’m looking for a lower cost of living. That was one of my goals moving out here in the first place, and I missed the boat on that. True cost of living stats are hard to come by. I know there are calculators online, but they’re often a bit outdated, so this will take a bit more research.

4. I’d like to be somewhat close to a larger city, a few hours drive at most. This will make travel options more attractive and give me more options for culture, shopping and other resources. But I don’t want to live within the suburban sprawl of this larger city.

5. I’d like a place with some character, not just endless rows of tract homes punctuated by strip malls. Homes that have some history to them, and attics and basements would be nice.

Now let’s address the cost of living issue a bit more. As I stated before, I can’t afford to live on my own. I’m not married or in a relationship, so that leaves roommates. I have a good roommate, but I’ve had my own place in the past, and I like my own space. And as for my income, I work 2 jobs to be able to afford this place with a roommate, along with all my other bills. I’m not spendthrift and I don’t gamble, so pretty much all my money goes to basic living expenses. Why don’t I get a better paying job? I really like where I work, and I think I get paid pretty well for what I do, in this town anyway. A different career is out of the question because that requires school and school costs money. So if I were to move to a place with a lower cost of living, I could get back a certain sense of independence that I don’t have here, and probably will never have without a major financial windfall. That’s the main motivator behind this. And I know what you’re all saying – wages and salaries are lower in places with a lower cost of living. Well, wages and salaries are pretty low here in Vegas too, especially considering what the cost of living is. I’m pretty sure I could make a comparable salary to what I make here, and I don’t mind having to work 2 jobs to do that. I’ll just be happy to go home to my house without sirens blaring down the street all night and be able to watch TV alone without my roommate constantly interrupting me.

Now, considering all this, many of you are wondering why I don’t just go home, back to where I came from. I don’t consider this an option. Besides the cost of living, I just don’t feel like I can live that close to my family again. I like not being near them. Plus there’s the landscape. I really like the wide open spaces here, being able to see for miles. When I go back east with all the trees around, I feel claustrophobic. I like trees, but I like to see more than a few feet in front of me.

I think I’m aiming towards the middle somewhere, to the Mid-western, corn-fed friendliness. I’ve never been there before, so once I get a few financial things taken care of, I’d like to take a road trip to meet the people of a few communities out there in the middle of the country. Get a feel for the places and find the one that feels right.

If anyone has any ideas on where to go, leave me a comment. I’d love to hear your ideas.

Filed Under: Deep Thoughts

So What’s Wrong with Vegas?

March 22, 2006 By

Yes, now comes the time to tell you why I don’t like it here. It’s not that I hate it here. There are some very good things about this city. The first is the weather. It’s sunny about 360 days out of the year. Definitely can’t beat that, and I know I won’t find it at the place I end up. Also, we really have world class dining here. Anything you want, any cuisine at all made by nearly any celebrity chef can be found here. And the shopping. Don’t even get me started on that. I can’t afford to shop.

I have a great job. It’s a small company, but I’ve done a lot in the time I’ve been here. The most important thing is that I have stuff to do all day long and I work with some really great people. These people really are my family out here. We laugh, share jokes, support each other thru the tough times, play horrible jokes on each other, etc. I’ve been here nearly 2 years and I can honestly say I have never had a day when I get up and don’t want to go to work. Sure, I have days when I get up wishing I could sleep a little longer (or a lot longer!) but I never want to play hooky. I have too much fun here.

I have also found a really fun church. It’s a fairly new church, but within the same denomination that I was somewhat brought up in (I say somewhat because I wasn’t brought to church with any consistency as a kid). There are some really great people there, and I don’t like to miss church at all, even though again, there are plenty of times when I’d really like to sleep in.

Now, on to the not-so-fun.

Where do I start with that? Ok, the obvious – cost of living. Now, coming from New England, I’m used to a high cost of living. But I had it good. I lived in a fairly dumpy condo that I got a really good deal on, and even with the extremely high condo fee, the mortgage, taxes and condo fee together were still half of the going rent for a place of similar size, so I had it covered. Car insurance, though considered expensive, was reasonable. Groceries were cheap, and since I spent so much time working in a supermarket I knew the tricks. And other shopping, well I lived so close to tax-free New Hampshire that I’d get confused when paying the 5% or 6% sales tax in the other nearby states.

Cost of living in Las Vegas – if I were to take an apartment in my price range, I’d better make sure my life insurance policy is paid up. So I live with a roommate. We get along, but it’s not ideal. I like having my own space, and I miss it. Plus, unlike New England, ALL apartments are in complexes. You won’t find a homeowner with an apartment over the garage or basement apartment for rent out here. More on that later. Um, car insurance. Yeah. Pet peeve of nearly everyone living here. I thought I had driven with crazy drivers before, but now I make it a habit of driving with one hand on the horn, ready to honk. You gotta here. People are absolutely nuts. My car insurance is double what it was back east, and I’ve still got an excellent driving record, same car, good credit and all those things that keep rates down. It’s insane, and traffic seems to get exponentially worse every day. Groceries are expensive here, plus the selection sucks. I can’t find half of what I’m looking for, but by now I’ve given up on most of it and enjoy those delicacies when I go back for a visit with the family. All my other shopping is taxed at 7.75%, up from 7.25% when I moved here in 2003, and I’m sure it will go up again.

Now let’s talk about character. Vegas has none. Nothing is old except the tourists playing bingo and eating at the buffets. Plus, if you’ve ever seen the movie Fools Rush In, where the characters have to count the houses from the corner to know they have the right one, that’s really what it’s like here. I get so lost in these subdivisions because everything looks the same. Where I come from, you could actually use building descriptions when giving out directions. My dad lives on the street with the big yellow farmhouse on the corner. Easy, can’t miss it. Here, forget it. I’ve never gotten lost in my life until I moved out here and tried to find something in a residential neighborhood.

Now some might argue that the Strip has lots of character. I disagree. The correct word for that would be caricature. I mean, come on – you’ve got a shiny glass pyramid, a castle, and a cartoonish rendition of NYC all right next to each other. That’s not character, it’s a mockery. And all the neon is there to make the masses squeal with delight. The first Christmas I was here, I thought I’d trek out to see all the houses done up like I used to do back home. It was very disappointing. The few houses I saw paled in comparison to the Strip.

How about character when shopping? Nope, not here. Sure, the window shopping on the Strip is real fine, just like on Rodeo Drive or 5th Ave. Off-strip, it’s all big box stores. Sure, there are a few stores that are independent, but they’re all in strip malls. Hard to find when you’re driving by at 50mph trying not to get hit by all the other idiots driving around.

And then there’s the people. This being such a fast growing city of people so eager to move here, you’d think people here would be friendlier. NOT! One person I know who was born and bred here didn’t think it all that unusual that she’s never known any of her neighbors, no matter where in town she lived. People just aren’t that neighborly here. Not only do we all avoid each other like the plague here, I’ve never seen so many people trying to keep up with the Joneses than I have here. This is still a working class town, but boy do I see a lot of people driving new BMWs and Lexus cars and SUVs. It’s rare to see a beater, but pretty easy to spot a Hummer. And they’re all so clean. It’s like you’re a leper or something if you don’t get your car detailed on a weekly basis. With water restrictions, that means shelling out the dough, no backyard car washes here.

What am I getting out of living in Vegas? A learning experience. I know the place I’m heading to next is going to be the same sort of place I left, where everybody knows your name, but people are friendlier. I don’t think I can appreciate that unless I spend some time away from it, and Vegas is about as far from that as you can get.

Filed Under: Las Vegas