You're gonna make it after all.

This is a picture of me standing with the bronze statue of Mary Tyler Moore in Minneapolis.

Let me start by saying that I didn't take a picture with her because I am an avid fan of her show. Honestly, I think I have only seen one full episode. I took a picture with her because of what she represents for me.

The show gained attention because she was the first woman portrayed on television as a never married, independent career woman, not looking for a man to support her. A woman who made her fresh start in Minneapolis.

Sounds familiar, eh? No? Well, that is the same situation I am in too. My family made this connection first. First by emailing me ...this... episode to watch. Then telling me to find the statue. After 7 months of living here I finally had the patience to find her while driving through the traffic and one way streets in the city traffic. Luckily my ...bff... spotted her and also assisted in the picture taking.

I look to this bronze statue for inspiration, a reminder that I can do this.

Ikea won't keep me warm.

When searching for my first apartment all I could think about was "How much closet space is there?" "is the pool indoor or outdoor?" "What Ikea furniture would look best here?". Seriously.

And the wiser people ask questions like "what is the parking situation?" "How close is it to work?" "Is heating included in your rent?".

Now that I have actually lived in my apartment for 7 months I see the importance of all of the above (still including mine haha). Especially now, that it is in the dead of winter here in the cities. Thank goodness for my heated parking garage! No snow to scrape off in the morning. No worries if my car is going to start. And I can leave it there when I leave town for 2 weeks. Amazing!

The drive to work is 12 min long. So quick and easy. I am so grateful for my easy commute after a night of snow fall and working before the snowplows come out.

Lastly and most importantly, my heat is included in my rent. I lived in Wisconsin my whole life. That is one the "the states" people think about when they think cold. I never would have guessed there would be much difference from WI to MN. Well, boy was I wrong! It got colder faster than WI and sounds like MN is going to stay colder longer. Everyday I look at my hometowns temp and my current cities temp and it is easily always 20 degrees colder here. And I feel that difference! Brrrrrr.

I returned from my visit home on Sunday. My apartment was cold, but I expected that because I had turned it down before I left. As soon as I returned home I turned it all the way expecting my apartment to get warm well I was at work the next day. After a long stressful day at work I walked into a freezing apartment! It seems they are doing some water maintenance in my apartment building today. I am hoping that if there is a problem with my heat it will be fixed today. In addition to my slacking heat the patio doors I thought were so wonderful when I moved in are now my biggest problem. They have a terrible draft! I am stopping at the hardware store after work in hopes of finding double sided tape and plastic for my windows. Have to solve one problem at a time.

I just hope I don't have to keep layering my clothes before I go to bed. My laundry is building up. Good thing I have the closet space to keep it all in.

What? Que?

Something I love about America, we are a melting pot full of diversity and culture. I even went to a University that was "known" for their diversity! With that being said I don't think I ever really experienced the kind of culture that is really out there. I now live in Minnesota, the state with the largest Somalian population. My workplace has 12 different languages represented and 10 different countries. Luckily for me, everyone knows English along with their home language. I have actually even been taught some phrases in other languages! I can now say "hi, how are you" in English, Spanish, French, Somali, Swahili, and Asanti. Neat right?

Anyways, I have become friends with a girl who was born in Puerto Rico and I occasionally get together with her to go shopping and what not. Well, Saturday we went shopping and she brought her cousin with. He had just moved here from Puerto Rico and has not totally learned English yet. Back home, on my dead end road everyone spoke English, I guess I always just assumed I wouldn't have a problem communicating with people, you know, having a degree in Communication and all. Well, boy was I wrong! I even took two years of Spanish in high school, but I don't remember enough to hold on a conversation. Now I do believe that if you choose to live in a different country other than your own you should learn the home language, but it wouldn't hurt Americans to learn more than one language too. Most countries everyone speaks at least two languages anyways!

This was just another experience to live and learn by. Do you think if I watch TV with Spanish subtitles it would help? Haha. I think it is time I go and refresh my Spanish. Adios!

you could call this an introduction.

Hello.

My name is Madelyn. I live in Bloomington, MN. I am 22 years old. The rest will come with time.

An explanation...

I have made this blog because I have decided the things I am experiencing in life right now are interesting, to say the least. I am at an in between point in my life with little direction and I have a feeling I am not the only one in this predicament.

And elaboration...

I graduated from college 5 months ago. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a minor in English and a certificate in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. What I have come to realize is, what does all of that add up to? My answer, I have no idea. Luckily, I do have a job. I work in a medical device company doing nothing that involves my degree.

I moved to MN from WI for this job, and I have had a back and forth internal conflict about whether to stay here or go back home, the war of the head and heart. Head has won for now and I am staying.

I never saw the movie Post Grad but I wonder if it was anything like this.