Jambalaya, Jobs, and June in General

Summer is here friends. I have been out of college for a solid year, and damn it feels like it went by way too fast. But I'm ready to accept that it's here, and boldly can't wait to step into the summer.

My first task in re-associating myself with life was an attempt at cooking again. I can't say I ever cooked frequently, but I used to like to try a new recipe or something from time to time. Lately, however, I have been either working or sleeping so "cooking" now consists of "heating" or "add water and stir". But I had a day off so I turned to my trusty Paula Deen cookbook and looked at a recipe for Jambalaya.

JAMBALAYA!!! Yum. Noticed the brownies in the background. Not mine.

I had never made/eaten Jambalaya before. For such a hard word to say, it was quite a simple thing to make. A little chicken, sausage, rice, tomatoes and a bunch of spices all cooked together for a delicious little meal. I knew I hadn't cooked in ages when I went to our spices in the cabinet and saw ALL this stuff I didn't know we had ("surely I'll need to buy some bay leaves...oh, I guess we have them...cool").

Secondly, I have restarted my job search. While I do enjoy the jobs I have now, I simply need more money so I've returned to submitting application after application to the Internet. So, fellow job-seekers, I feel your pain. I can only do so much applying before telling myself I'm not qualified to do anything and digging a spoon into the ice cream carton.

Thirdly, I'm looking to actually have some fun this summer (how unique, I know). Next Sunday my cousins, sister and I are doing the Pittsburgh Challenge 2012, essentially an "Amazing Race" type challenge just through the city of Pittsburgh. I'll try to snap photos and blog about it after the fact, should be a fun time had by all.

Speaking of running, my friend Kait has started doing some run training with me, in one of my fantasies of running a half marathon next year to check something off my bucket list. It's a tall order but I think I'm up to the task.


What else is there? I want to see more movies and plays to keep up with my (recently neglected) other blog. My friend Chelsea is having a birthday celebration at a Pirates game over the summer, so that will be another fun thing I'm looking forward to. I'm also going to try to get back into writing, now that I finally got my lazy ass to add Microsoft Word on this computer. Perhaps I'll post some things onto this blog if I feel like sharing.

I came to a realization yesterday that most people I know are entering a big transitioning phase in their lives. Some people are moving, others a preparing for their wedding, others are starting new jobs, etc. While I initially saw it as a scary, changing time I have now come to accept these changes and look forward to them. Here's to Summer 2012! May as well live it up, because we could all be dead come December!