The Story of My Life

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Without knowing anyone besides co-workers at my random jobs, I took it upon myself to get involved and make some like-minded friends ... so, I joined a sports and social softball league. We played once a week and met at the sponsor bar for cheap drinks after the games. I met some great people on this team ... after awkward first impressions and asking myself why I ever decided to sign up to play a sport with a group of strangers. Our team name was Sloppy Seconds ... I still wonder who chose that?

Renaissance woman

Before I just got in my car and moved to Austin, I did some research on various magazine publications based in the city. Texas Monthly and Austin Monthly are the two biggest, and I sent my resume hoping to miraculously land some type of job at one of those publications. But, reality set in, and neither could use my services. I was determined to have some link to journalism ready for me when I arrived, and so, I sent my resume and clips to every mom-and-pop magazine I could find on the Internet.

The editor of a local sports magazine was kind enough to give me a call and offer me some freelancing opportunities. It turned out to be an awesome gig for me when I first moved to town. Not only was my editor a great sounding board for me to complain to about missing home, but he gave me the opportunity to write about topics that interested me, and I was able to use my former-athlete status and experiences to write creatively for the magazine's audience.

Through the publication, I scored tickets to my very first Longhorns football game and got to write about my experience for print. I need to figure out how to attach the PDFs of my stories in this post.

Along with my writing gig, I crossed off something that was on my Bucket List since I was 12: working as a Starbucks barista. I don't know if it was my love of coffee or the fact that I spent nearly every night studying at the Starbucks across the street from my college apartment, but I knew I wanted to wear that green apron at one point in my life. Moving to a new city and not knowing a soul presented the perfect opportunity to memorize numerous blends of coffee and mixtures of beverages.

In addition to these forms of employment, I got hired on at a nonprofit to work with high school and middle school girls. This proved to be one of the biggest challenges I ever faced because of my lack of real world experience with tween and teen girls. I realized Pullman and my sheltered upbringing didn't really prepare me for inner city experiences. I learned an extraordinary amount about myself and life in general at this job.

I met a girl at the nonprofit who suggested I offer my tutoring and mentoring services at the University of Texas Athletic Department. So, I did, and I loved it. I worked with a group of girls on the swim team and various other athletes. I got to share my knowledge of writing, journalism and the various experiences and demands of life as a student-athlete. It was perfect.

Inevitably, I met a UT employee who suggested I peruse the UT online job board, and that's how I found my first "big girl" job at the news. I'm sure that's what you'll be hearing about for many posts to come.

All work and no play is not something I condone, so I make it a priority to catch as many concerts and free shows as possible.

(Like this one: Jason Boland at Hill's Cafe in South Austin. Pure magic!)

Goldie, Gus, Claude and the open road

Welcome to the open road! My companions on my 42+ hour trip from Portland to Austin included the following: my 1997 Chevy Malibu, affectionately named Goldie Hawn; my iPod, Claude; and my on-loan gnome, Gus.

I recommend everyone take a solitary road trip across the country at some point in life. I learned a lot about myself and reality while trekking to Texas. Lessons such as:
- How quickly a savings account is drained.
- AAA is a lifesaver and comes to the rescue in the middle of nowhere when you blow out a tire on I-5.
- I'd rather pay a little more to overnight at an inn or hotel than a drive-up motel (seriously).
- Just when you think you can't drive any further and you begin to think nothing seems familiar, a Starbucks pops up in a random town and makes you feel at home.
- A car phone charger is a smart investment.
- The shuffle function on iPods is programmed to play specific songs that trigger memories at precisely perfect moments.

My friends can attest I'm not the best photo-snapper around, but I did try to take some key shots along the way...here are a few of my favorites...

Dan, Gus and Nick at UO in Eugene...just getting started.

Gus taking a snooze approaching Lake Shasta...

Happiness and sanity after finding this Starbucks in the Middle of Nowhere, California.

First solo night at LaQuinta in Stockton? Or was it Sacramento? I don't remember...

I had to unload my life's possessions and place them into shopping carts in the middle of a grocery store parking lot after my tire blew out on the interstate. Not surprisingly, Gus was still smiling.

We made it to Stef and Jordan's place...proceeded to the fanciest Holiday Inn in Small Town USA, Arizona...bypassed New Mexico...trudged into Texas, only to sleep among an infestation of disgusting bugs (at a motel - I know!)...and then finally saw the sights of Congress Avenue and the Capitol, signaling our arrival to my new home!

NBA draft day and other coincidences

One sweet summer

I don't think I've mentioned this in prior posts, but I was set to get my graduate degree at WSU...in education. I thought my journalism experience with a master's in teaching would be the perfect combination to catapult me toward my goal of someday writing for children or teens.

When I realized I would be graduating in May and beginning graduate school in June, I knew I had to defer. I jumped into college just two weeks after my high school graduation...I never had more than a three-week break for summer, and I...was...spent. I needed a mental break in a big way.

Toward the end of my senior year, I formulated a plan that I would move to Austin, Texas. The stereotypical friendly Texan, sunshine and something completely different from the gloom of the Pacific Northwest just seemed so appealing to me...so I was set to do it. I was going to move across the country and just relax for a few months.

Then, competitive ol' me began realizing my friends and acquaintances were getting big kid jobs and beginning their careers, all the while I had a no-plan idea of figuring out my life in the middle of the USA. So naturally, I freaked out and began applying for jobs across the country.

The Ivy League had an opening writing recaps for its sports department. Perfect, right? Of course...except for the fact that I wanted to take a break from sports since I'd been entrenched in the life of a college athlete for four solid years. Yet, the thought of a job title and business cards seemed appealing, or so I thought. The league flew me out to Princeton, NJ, where I donned my first professional skirt suit and carried a portfolio of my work.

After the interview, I flew to California to say goodbye to my sisters, as I thought for sure I'd be living on the East Coast for the next two year. But, as I sat on my sister's front stoop, I received word that they offered the job to someone else, and I immediately began sobbing. In retrospect, I know I was more upset that they didn't want me than not getting the job. It's just my nature to want to be the best at everything, and to receive that rejection did not feel good.

On the other hand, I knew I'd be moving to Texas, as previously decided. I would work at a coffee shop and live at my aunt and uncle's empty house for six months. That was the plan...until my relatives told me they were selling their house. I could live there "for however long I wanted to...until it sold." I mean, I was all about adventure and figuring things out, but I wasn't about to "move" to Texas only to turn around a few months later and drive back.

So, I was going to be bold and really move. For good. But, not before I had one of the best summers of my life--to date.

Toasting to Stefanie and Jordan's engagement...I got to be there for one of these "events" for once...not traveling or training for basketball!

Traveling to Honduras and Nicaragua with Shane, Wendy Jo and Shelby for two weeks of sunbathing and exploring Central America...

As seen in commercials...except...that's really me!

Also, I got to be there for the first baby shower in the Benz family...although I did miss Campbell's birth.

Pullman in the rearview

It's tough to recap four of the best years of my life into one blog post. Wazzu was everything I could have hoped for and more -- cliche, yes, but 100 percent true.

I met my best friends, soul mates and myself. I learned about the person I was -- a perfectionist who didn't let loose -- and morphed into the girl I am now, with the help of the people and situations I encountered along the way.

I lived on a high for three years, being the star of sports and academia...and then I felt what must have been a glimpse of the terror that is depression, when my body wouldn't do what my mind and spirit wanted it to.

Had it not been for my final year of college, however, I would have missed out on a lot of life's lessons. After starting and scoring in every single game of my college career and fighting through every ache and pain with the "I can do it" attitude, I realized that sometimes you physically cannot do it, no matter how much you want to. Had I not experienced the emotional rollercoaster of dealing with a coach and friend who I never wanted to disappoint, I wouldn't be able to value the importance of communication and honesty the way I do now.

I felt as though I shut myself off from the people closest to me for a few months that senior year. I couldn't say what I was thinking and feeling, and I didn't want to. I wanted the days and weeks to pass as quickly as they could. This in itself was disatrous for someone who loved her college experience as much as I did. Even now, way more than a year later (as I am finally writing this post, July 13, 2008) it is tough for me to put into words what I went through that senior year.

I know God puts these challenges in front of me to learn from. As I gain more and more life experience, I am able to see why certain situations have happened in my life. Instead of getting upset or living in the past, I try to remember the good times and, rather than blocking out the bad times, I keep them in a special place in my heart to turn to when I face similar roadblocks.

After every losing basketball season, one reporter would ask me something along the lines of..."Kate, I know you were recruited by Stanford, and after a season like this, do you wish you would have chosen a Cardinal jersey instead of a Cougar jersey?" And, after every losing season, my answer was always, "No, I wouldn't have traded any of this for that. My heart chose this school, and there's more to me than just basketball. I'd still choose the Cougar jersey." And, after more than a year of reflection time, without a doubt, my answer would be exactly the same.