Story #2: Fork in the Road

A fork in the road is a metaphor, based on a literal expression, for a deciding moment or a turning point in life or history when a major choice of options is required.
~ Thanks to Farlex

Before we start Story 2 of when life meets reality, I would like to take a moment to give my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Tyler Clementi as well as anyone else who has been a victim to such harsh verbal, physical and emotional abuse. To the other two students...well, best of luck with your future. Maybe you can put this experience to good use.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/nyregion/30suicide.html

Story 2: Fork in the Road

Growing up, everyone (or maybe it's just me) is heavily influenced by the opinions of their parents. Whether it is something small like eating a sandwich from the outside in or something big like a career choice, parents have a direct influence on your personality. Maybe you can't study unless you're room is clean, maybe you're a laid back person where you just like to go with the flow and avoid conflict, maybe your views on certain issues are very narrow-minded while on others...you could care less. Well, I grew up as the baby of the family, the good child -- I had two older brothers to learn from, I [supposedly] would go far with tennis, continue with music throughout my life, do whatever I could to make my parents proud, and at all costs avoiding disappointment...you get the point. And the opinions they had about things anyone did -- my brothers, a friend's child, or a friend's friend...however I interpreted what they said, I took it all to heart.

Under all these biased impressions and thoughts, moving on with my life after college has been hard -- as you all know from Story 1. To spare you the time of reading a painstakingly long post, I will skip to the happy part. --- fast forward ---> About a week ago, my small conversation with my mom became one of our epic mother-to-daughter moments. A lot of my insecurities, impressions of what my parents wanted, and what-not's were sorted out. Yay! happy happy joy joy (in song form)

So, why am I talking about all of this??

Well, as you all know, I have been trying to make sense of what I really want to do. Do I continue on the conventional paths of entering a job field and climbing up the ladder; or do I further my education with more classes, certifications and degrees in order to start higher up in the ladder, OR do I want to precariously venture into the unknown and go against the norm of my past views and do something completely new?!?! After my mother-to daughter chat and much self-thought, I decided to do a spin off the third path, as mysterious and intriguing, as it seems. Whether if this is a phase or not, I figure, I'm young, I've got time, and I should just give it a shot. This way in the future, I will have no regrets or those lingering "what if" thoughts.

Here's my game plan...okay, so don't laugh...while I find a flexible part time job of some sort, I will dive head first into the world of acting and modeling!! Now it is pretty obvious that I have little to no chance in becoming a runway model due to my ever-so special Asian genes -- I am about a half a foot too short and lack the perseverance and...really, I just love my ice cream and chocolate too much to give it up. So, this is why I am thinking of going into commercial modeling and maybe even acting. Although I have no experience in either of these fields, I believe with a little bit of help, some encouragements from my 1004's, a little bit of "oomf" to go with my motivation and eagerness, I will at least come out of this experience on top.

Until I find someone to help me learn how to pose, do my hair and make-up, and figure out what my style is, I will do a little bit of experimenting myself....dundundun. Stay tuned for the adventures I will be taking in figuring out how to pose, doing make up, and trying to figure my way into this occupation. 

Story #1: The new kid on the block

1. Lit. a child who has just moved to a certain neighborhood.
2. Fig. the newest person in a group.

~ Thanks to Farlex

As the new kid on the block I feel as though some sort of introduction may be in order. (I forewarn all readers, I have never been a great writer, so please bear with me, thanks!) 

I grew up in the lovely state of New Jersey...yes, I said lovely. I know there are a few Jersey haters out there, and the reality shows on TV - The Real Housewives of New Jersey, the all-popular Jersey Shore, the infamous  Jerseylicious (??) - are not exactly helping, but I will say, I couldn't have asked for a better are to grow up in. Safe neighborhoods, great school systems, lots of green grass, I'd continue, but...moving on, I spent my earlier childhood exploring all life could offer to a slightly tomboyish girl. I played all sports ranging from soccer, to tennis, to water skiing. As expected from the stereotype of Asians, I played the piano and violin. I collected rocks and pins, went to school, and celebrated birthdays. The happy days of the young and innocent.

Around 4th grade I decided to make tennis as my official sport-to-be. Basically, from middle school up until college, my life consisted of two things and two things only -- tennis and school. So, life up until and through college was pretty standard considering the general guidelines of the norms of society. My minimal expected education consisted of a Bachelors Degree. My extracurriculars in college consisted of tennis, intramural volleyball, the "enchanted" sorority life with Sigma Psi Zeta, my own sort of leadership building, and making sure my college life was full of fun, love and laughter. I mean, at the end of the day, no matter what path you take, you're going to journey through life. So you ought to make the most of it; both the good and the bad.

And now...

As much as I enjoy winding down from the sixteen straight years of education, I find myself sitting in my room in awe realization that I am still unemployed and jobless. Not by choice necessarily, nor due the ever-so useful excuse of "the lack of jobs during this unstable economy", but by chance...perhaps? 

I am here today not knowing what I want to do. For more reasons than one, I am stumbling in my own self-doubt. Will my life amount to nothing? Did I just go through 16 years of education to end up working at McDonalds? Will I forever be living under the roof of my parents? ..... okay, so things are not that dramatic, BUT I am struggling to find what it is I really want to do. I have finally reached a point in my life where things were not laid out; where I now have to write and narrate the stories to my own life. 

So here I am...when my life meets reality...