The Project, part one

Ok, so when I was 18 I failed a class in my first semester of college. The class was calculus, which I had stupidly signed up to take at 8:00 am on the far end of the UT campus. In my second semester of college, I made a D in biology. Again, early class, hard subject to BS on tests. I think it is pretty standard for 18 year olds, suddenly set free in the big city and living in their own apartments, to have some adjusting to do. At the end of that first school year, my dad helped my adjustment by dropping his monetary support. He would not pay any more tuition, and he would no longer help pay my rent. I was stuck in Austin with a lease that lasted until August, and a very low paying job as a maid.

I weighed all my options and then embarked on the very first Get Stephanie's Shit Together Project. I was a fast typer, so I went to Office Temps and managed to get lucky with a decent paying temp job that later turned into the permanent job I would keep until I finished my bachelor's degree. I continued to clean houses at night for awhile. I made my first obsessively detailed Excel budget so that I could track all my expenses. I ate a lot of Lipton Noodle packs.

UT was not willing to help me out with financial aid, but I found a small private college that would. I harassed the administration at that college until they finally admitted me to their nights and weekends program, which was supposed to be limited to people over the age of 24. I decided that a liberal arts degree was wonderful for people with money, but since I would need to pay back my loans, I went with accounting. I worked as an admin from 8 to 5 every day and kept a full-time schedule at school until I graduated. I learned how to handle my money, how to manage my time, and basically how to be a responsible adult.

It was a hard couple of years, but it was very good for me. I regret that I wasn't able to have a real college experience or to just enjoy being young in such a cool city. But in the end, I did what I needed to do and found that I was able to hold my head up high and be proud of my accomplishments.

Now I feel like I am in an analogous situation. I am at a crossroads. I have spent the last few years focusing on having a baby. Now that he's here, I'm ready to sit down and take a hard look at where I'm going and what my goals are. In 2001, I made a five year plan, and then I executed it. And I think I did a good job. But I've been drifting for a little while now, so it's time for the next five year plan, and the Get Stephanie's Shit Together Project, Part Two.

More later. Maybe. It's easy to talk about the project after completion. Much harder when things are in flux.

I will definitely post a video of Saul later, however. And that's really what you're here for, right?