Dangling with "Real" Life

I feel like I have gotten into a great rhythm in Baton Rouge. I am on my own during the week and then I get to make some awesome plans over the weekend.

This weekend, my mom and sister came back into town to visit. On Thursday night I decided to catch my mom and sister up on what has been going on in my life recently. I told them about some of my future plans and some of the people that I have gotten to know while in Baton Rouge. It was a big learning experience for me because I am stuck in the middle of deciding what is best for me and what is going to make me happy. I am hoping that I can find something that will satisfy both of those wants but I also will never know everything when I am making my final decision. I think one of my biggest lessons this summer is about being my own support system. It would be a lot easier for me to make decisions if I didn't want all of the people close to me to be on the same page. I am not at that stage yet but I think it is only a matter of time.

The next day, we went to the Myrtle's Plantation. It is one of the top 10 most haunted plantations in the United States and my sister just couldn't get enough of all the legends. I usually don't do scary but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be. On Saturday, we really became a part of the Bayou by going on a Swamp Tour. My mom is obsessed with the show "Swamp People" and the first thing that our tour guide told us was that you can't believe everything you see on TV. We only saw one little alligator but we learned a lot about different birds and a lot of flowers in the swamp. After that we were looking around the antique shops for a cameo necklace but we didn't have any luck. I am hoping that there will be an antique one in New Orleans this weekend. We were exhausted to say the least, so we spent the rest of the weekend just relaxing in my apartment.

It was another average week at work. It was the first time in a few weeks that I actually worked regular hours, not trying to make up hours to leave early on Friday. I have really started to make note of what I like at work. I like when I get to work with other people. I didn't think I would like collaboration but I think it reminds me how I am helping the other people in the accounting department. I also like having control over my work. The more work that I get to contribute to a project, the more I feel like I am making a difference. I also like projects where I am making a significant difference for the better. I know that realizing what I like about work will help me make a better decision in the coming year.

This past weekend, I got to spend some time by myself. It was nice to feel like I could do whatever I want and that is exactly waht I did. I stayed in bed for a long time on both Saturday and Sunday. I got out of bed to do some sightseeing on Saturday and to go to this great restaurant on Sunday night. It was just what I needed in order to get ready for New Orleans this coming weekend. Unfortunately, I am not feeling too good this week, so hopefully I can kick it in the next few days.

Movie of the Week: Forrest Gump. I know, it's a tradegy that I haven't seen it before now. It was a very interesting movie and I can definitely understand more of the jokes now. I am glad that I am using this movie of the week goal to get caught up on some pretty old movies. I feel like it helps me get caught up with my generation.

Book of the Week: How to Bake a Perfect Life. One of the many books I picked up when Borders was going out of business. It was your typical chick lit novel with a few bread recipes tied in. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it as a summer read in the future.

Dangling with Parrotheads and a few other pretty awesome people!

So after working extra hours a few days, I got to head out of work at 3:00 p.m. to catch my flight to Atlanta. I am getting really use to being in the airport and by the end of this trip I was kind of tired of seeing planes fly into the distance.

I headed to Atlanta to see the Jimmy Buffett concert (check that off the bucket list) and boy was it a sight to see. My friends, Audrey and Coey, had the pleasure of coming with me and we will probably talk about this night for awhile. We were first excused of being too young to buy beverages for the tailgate, so we pulled out our IDs and proved the cashier wrong. Once we got to the concert, we picked one of the more chill parking lots that was probably a good mile away from the entrance to the amphitheatre. We made it to the amphitheatre and tried to find a place on the lawn. Lucky us, we picked a great place to see two shows that night. One show was taking place on the stage, the other was taking place two feet in front of us. I won't go into all the details but I will say that the average "Parrothead" is a very interesting bird =) Also, I had my first experience having a beer thrown in my direction. To set the record straight, I did not do anything to deserve this beer being thrown in my direction, I just happen to be in the crossfire of a fight.

The biggest surprise of the evening was when Zac Brown decided to join Mr. Buffett on stage. They sang a few of their collaborative songs which I thought was a great added bonus. All in all, the concert was great. I feel like I got the experience that college students should have and I will definitely go back to one of his concerts one day.

The next day, I got the pleasure of having brunch with my sorority advisor. It was her goal to meet with all the vps individually over the summer and my meeting could not have come at a better time. I got a lot of my feelings out on the table and she really helped me come up with a game plan for the rest of the summer and into the fall semester. I am hoping that I can rebuild some bridges this summer in the land of Delta Gamma. I think it is great that I have gotten away from my responsibilities for awhile and I know I will be ready to come back with a renewed vigor in the fall. I wouldn't be able to feel so good about this experience without the help of my advisor.

I got back to work on Monday and had a pretty relaxing day just catching up on stuff. On Tuesday, I finally got to have dinner with someone my own age because the controller at the plant introduced me to his daughter. We went to a restaurant/bar that someone had suggested to me and I got to try my first po'boy. I am not sure why this sandwich is such a rave down here. It is really just like a seafood sandwich with all the regular fixins. I think it at least needs an unique sauce or something. On Wednesday, I got to participate in a Cycle Count Audit for one of the warehouses and teach someone how to work with Maintenance Labor Reporting. It is great to see the work that I have put into a project being used to improve processes. When I can see that I am helping people is when I really enjoy my job. That night I got to catch up with the president of Delta Gamma and it was absolutely one of the best discussions I have ever had. She reminded me that Delta Gamma is really about the relationship that I make and in order to be a good leader you have to be able to hold yourself and others accountable. I am hoping by the end of this fall semester, we will have made a lasting impact on the chapter and be able to walk away from our experience as great friends. On Thursday, I got to spend a lot of time in the retention shed at work putting together some documentation. It is one of the tasks that has to be done but it's hard to find the right time to do it. I am hoping that the work that I put in this summer will help them to move forward with this project.

Another pretty average week work wise but I am trying to use my time away from work to create meaningful experiences. I am hoping that I can come back to Athens with a new outlook on life and be more aware of how to make my senior year in Athens one for the record books.

Dangling with the Family

So, as soon as I got back from my trip to Atlanta the worldwind adventure kicked up a notch. My mom and sister came into town on Saturday and we decided to go to one of the tourist restaurants in town. My tongue is slowly getting use to the cajun flavor that is used on everything in Baton Rouge. Also, we got to hear some Cajun music and see all the old couples dance which I thoroughly enjoyed...really makes me want to take dance lessons! On Sunday, we decided to make our way to St. Francisville. I got to show my mom and sister where I am working on a daily basis and we took a trip to the back side of the plant to see the new building ang the National Cemetary that is located near the mill.

After a trip around the plant, we made our way to Rosedown Plantation. It is an absolutely beautiful plantation home and has acres of gardens that can be walked through after the tour. We learned about the history of the house and got to take a ton of pictures. I wish my internet was fast enough to post these pictures haha! My biggest discovery about this weekend was that it is great to have people visit you when you are living in a different city. I enjoy the time that I get to spend by myself during the week but living this far away from home has made me realize how important it is to spend time with your family. We got to experience Baton Rouge together and I could not have asked for two better people to keep me company.

This week at work was the first that I got to experience working later hours. I had plans to fly home for the Jimmy Buffett concert, so I had to make up the hours that I was going to be missing on Friday. Fortunately, my supervisor gave me a project that can fill up hours of a day or weeks at a time, so I was not lacking in tasks to complete. I am keeping the company in business these days because I am printing a million invoices, putting them in numerical order, and keying in the appropriate information. That week I also got back to keeping myself accountable by making list in my planner. I knew it was going to come around eventually and it really does make me feel better to be organized.

The best part about the week was probably getting to catch up with one of the other interns. I was really interested in watching the CMT Music Awards but I got caught up in a great conversation instead. I think the best part of the internship is getting to know other people who I might not have met otherwise and I can't wait to see what the rest of the summer brings.

It was a pretty average week for me but I am still trying to absorb every experience. Everything about this situation makes you think and you have to learn how to control what you think about on a regular basis. I know there are some people who would go crazy with this much alone time but I believe it is making me a better person.

Dangling with a Business Trip

So, I am kind of behind on posting but I am really trying to remember everything that has been happening the last few weeks and will try to give a complete overview!

I spent my day off watching Cake Boss. It felt great to relax for what feels like the first time this summer! I also got ready to go on my first business trip. On Tuesday, I worked all day and then flew to Atlanta. The Baton Rouge airport is so small! If you get to the airport 30 minutes before your plane leaves then you will probably still make it. It is so different from a big city airport. I got to see my parents because they picked me up at the airport. On Wednesday, we started our internship training in Atlanta. We learned all about the different positions available in the company and learned about the culture. That night we went to the Braves game and they started their winning streak! We had more training on Thursday and then I headed to the airport. I met another intern right before we got on Marta. We had a mishap with the traveling on Marta but we got to laugh about it and we had four hours to waste at Hartsfield-Jackson. I walked through Concourses A-D and got to eat at Sweetwater! It was really tiring taking a business trip during the week. You do so much with such a small amount of time. I feel into bed when I got home from the airport. On Friday, it was the first day of closing which means that I was learning more about general accounting. My sister and mom came into town on Saturday and I was so excited! It is a completely different experience living away from them. They were coming to see me and the town that I live in, so we got to be tourist and I got to enjoy having them around. On Sunday, we went out to St. Francisville to see the Rosedown Plantation. I didn't enjoy all this tourist stuff when I was younger but now that I have a limited time in a city I really want to get the most out of the experience. We ate at a great cafe in St. Francisville and drove around downtown Baton Rouge to see where I should visit on my own.

All-in-all, it was a great week living on my own. I felt grown up by traveling on my own and hosting my mom and sister. I know that life is gong to work out in my favor because I am willing to take chances. I was so shy up until my sophomore year of college and I still have those introvert tendencies but I also realize that I can make myself happy on my own.

Movie of the Week: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close- a great movie that really let me just get all my emotions out. There wasn't necessarily one ending. It was one of those movies that let you come to your own conclusions. It was about healing and the bond between families. It was completely different from Top Gun but I needed it.

Dangling with a Cork

I made it through my first week in Baton Rouge! It was full of learning about Georgia Pacific and figuring out what to do at night but overall it was a great week!

I cooked my first meal on Tuesday night. It was a Dangler standard with pasta and fruit but it has been great getting to decide what I want to eat each day. It cost a lot to provide for yourself but I know it is going to be fun to try different recipes over the summer. Later in the week, I made chicken which was even more of an experience. I didn’t have all the ingredients that I needed to get the pan ready, so I might have burned the butter I used to coat the pan once. After I cleared out the little bit of smoke, I cooked the chicken which I thought was pretty successful. In the end, I put it in the microwave for two minutes just to make sure that it was cooked. I am looking forward to becoming more comfortable over the summer with my chicken cooking skills.

Throughout the week, I was learning all about the processes of the plant and how those processes affect the accounting process. On Tuesday, I got to take a tour of a few of the buildings but I am really looking forward to getting the full tour in a few weeks. There is a huge project going on at the plant right now, so they are being extra cautious with safety. One of the big projects I am going to be working on over the summer is Maintenance Labor Reporting which involves a lot of input from the maintenance workers at the plant and then the accounting department uses their input to analyze cost. I have the opportunity to help with this process and make an impact on how the process works in the future. It will be great to see how all the projects I am working on will progress over the summer.

The most interesting part of the week is having all the time after work. I have realized that I should probably be going out after work to experience Baton Rouge because my weekends are limited but this past week I just wanted to relax at my apartment. I started to study for the GMAT. I don’t think it is going to be as bad as I was expecting it to be but it definitely takes brain power. I also started reviewing my Leonard PDLP because I realized over the course of the semester that there are some crucial elements that I left out when I originally wrote it. It is also great because I can incorporate my feelings about my internship into how I want to move forward in school and in my career.  It’s a great mix of working at the plant, hanging out, and slowly progressing on personal projects.

Now, the explanation for the title of this post. When I got here last weekend I went grocery shopping and decided that I deserved a little treat, so I bought a bottle of wine. I checked out and never even considered how I was going to enjoy my treat. I figured that an apartment complex that caters to business people would have something as simple as a wine opener. Next thing I know I am looking up makeshift corkscrews on my phone (internet was still out at this point). When that didn’t work, I decided to add a corkscrew to the grocery list. With everything going on at work, I didn’t get to the store again until this Saturday. I made sure to get a corkscrew and that night I decided to enjoy a glass of my treat. Well, once again I could not get the cork to budge. I was about to break the bottle when the cork finally gave in. It’s funny how one experience can really make you think about living on your own. I have spent a lot of time by myself this weekend and even though I like having the time by myself, I don’t want to miss out on the experience of meeting people from Baton Rouge. It’s only the first week, so I still have a lot of the adventure left!

 
Movie of the Week: It’s my goal to watch more movies this summer because I tend to miss out on a lot of movies and I have the time to do it. So this week, it was Top Gun. I had to see what the Danger Zone is all about since my nickname incorporates it. It was a good movie…a great mix of action and a love story.

Dangling through the First Day

So, this entry has a similar title as a previous post but a very different experience.

Today was my actual first day at my internship. I got up at 6:00 a.m. and got all ready to go. I wore my new favorite business casual outfit and straightened my hair for the occasion. I got in the car and was worried because it was a little bit farther than I was expecting it to be but fortunately there is hardly any traffic in Louisiana, so I made it right on time. I walked around the whole administrative building meeting all the people in a few different departments. It is going to be hard to remember everyone’s names but I am sure I will get the hang of it eventually. My supervisor showed me my cubicle and we got all signed into all the systems I am going to be using throughout the summer.

Then, we were off to lunch at a great restaurant that is down the road from the office. It was a little café that had a variety of menu options including seafood and sandwiches. I had a grilled chicken sandwich with bacon and cheese which is probably one of the best lunches I will have all summer. After lunch, my supervisor continued to show me around Zachary and then we went to get me some safety shoes that I will need to wear when I am working in the manufacturing part of the plant. I never dreamed that I would have to wear safety shoes during an internship but its all part of the experience. Also, I pretty much decided today that I will be wearing pretty casual clothes all summer. It’s upsetting that I won’t get to wear all of my new skirts but it gives me a reason to go buy some more tops!

After we got back to the office, my supervisor was helping with some utility issues, so I got my email organized and starting looking at my roles, responsibilities and expectations for the summer. I am going to be learning so much and working on so many different projects. I am really excited about everything that I will be learning and I think that it will give me a great understanding of business and where I see myself fitting into the business world. I started working on a project today to help reconcile some tax issues that the facility has been dealing with. I didn’t completely understand what I was doing in the beginning but I took everyone’s advice and starting asking a lot of questions. It’s so cool because now when I go into work tomorrow I already have a project waiting for me.

I wanted to reward myself with Mexican food after work today because I had a craving for cheese dip. To my surprise, Baton Rouge does not have any of the standard Mexican places I am use to dining at in Athens. I tried a new place but their queso is definitely not as good. Now, I am just trying to stay awake until a little bit later. It was kind of an exhausting day but I am so grateful that I am getting this experience. I am ready to go back to work tomorrow and then possibly get started on all the other stuff I have planned for the summer. I am using the excuse that I don’t have internet to take a few more days off from my outside responsibilities. Well, I hope today is an indication of how the rest of the summer is going to go because if so then I know it will be a worthwhile experience.

Dangling through Day Two

So today was a day to get settled into Baton Rouge. I basically unpacked everything yesterday except for the few bags of stuff I want to work on this summer. It didn’t take too long tonight to get that stuff organized and I have started to make the “To Do” List of things to get accomplished. I can’t forget that I am on an adventure though, so I have to experience the local culture. I guess talking to the people at the office tomorrow will help me to figure out exactly what I need to do.

I went to lunch with my supervisor, my mentor and the controller of the accounting department today. We went to the PF Chang’s right around the corner from my apartment. I wasn’t in the mood to try the local flair just yet. I learned a little bit about what I am going to be doing at the plant but mostly we talked about food. It just reinforced the fact that I will most likely be spending a lot of my money on eating out this summer. After our lunch, I decided to give myself a tour rather than follow the GPS. I looked through the Towne Center shopping center and went into a few of the boutique shops. After that I decided to go to the other side of my apartment complex in hopes of finding LSU.

I saw a lot of the places that had been suggested for me to try and after pulling out the GPS for a little bit of guidance I found the campus. It is really flat in Louisiana, so I am sure walking around the campus is not as strenuous as in Athens. I don’t know what most of the buildings house but their architecture is unlike anything I have seen. All of the buildings are made of brick or stone and there are trees everywhere. It looks a lot like the neighborhoods in San Antonio which made the campus feel very homey. One of the first points on campus that I saw was the stadium. I recognized it because there was a huge sign acknowledging the championship seasons for the Tigers. I didn’t drive all the way around it but I can imagine the kind of tailgating that goes on during game days and I can’t wait to come back and experience it one time.

The other point that I was interested in was finding the Greek houses. They have a Greek Park about the size of the one in Athens and then there is Lakeshore Drive. I haven’t been to a lot of university campuses, so I don’t know how Milledge compares but Lakeshore Drive is absolutely beautiful. Like the name suggest, all of the Greek Houses have a view of the lake meaning they all have wonderful porches. Most of the houses are decently sized and they all share a huge parking lot behind all the houses. I got to meet the DG house mother because as I was walking around taking pictures she stopped me because she saw the letters on my car. Also all the houses are located around the corner from the student recreation center, I couldn’t get my bearings completely so I don’t know how far they are from the center of campus but wouldn’t it be nice to be able to walk out the backdoor and have a fully equipped gym. Running down Milledge is nice, but sometimes you need a change.  All in all, it was a great experience getting to see how another university is set up. I am sure I will be touring the campus again this summer, maybe I will even sign up for one of their tours, so that I can learn a little bit of history.

The rest of the evening was filled with settling in, working out in the apartment gym and eating some dinner. I will say there is not really a good place to eat in my apartment because the bar is too tall for the barstools that have been provided. My biggest realization today is that my mother has been right for the past 21 years. It is really nice to drive around a city to get a feel for the culture. Baton Rouge isn’t as centered on the university campus as Athens. I also feel like Baton Rouge has grown steadily but there are definitely still parts of town that maintain the roots. The biggest thing I need to learn is to ask questions. I think I was a little too worried today to speak up but in the end I need to know the information. I just have to get to a point where I feel comfortable which I am hoping happens sooner rather than later. I guess I will test out trying to ask more questions tomorrow at work but for now it is off to get ready for the next step of the adventure.