24

Twenty-Four. No, not the show, but the age. That is where I am right now in life. I am 24 years old. I can remember being 18 and thinking to myself, I think the perfect age is 24. Why did I think that? I thought that because it was the age that you were right out of college, you had your first real job, there weren't that many responsibilities resting on your shoulders and the best part, you weren't 25 yet. Being 25 years old seemed like such a responsible age. I've always pictured 25 to be an age that your life was going in a direction that you will be in for the rest of your life. I pictured a long term relationship at 25 years old, probably ending in marriage by either 26 or 27.

But now that I am 24 I am more confused then ever and everything I thought when I was 18 is so out the door. Twenty-four is an age that comes to you with a big slap in the face. Like a slap so big it makes your head spin in a direction that you never thought you were going to head in. I am still not fully graduated from college, I just barely got my first real job, and by June of 2009 my responsibilities will consist of paying off huge student loans that everyone once said, were going to be the "best investment ever." Wow, were they wrong, I could be in the same place in life and about 80 grand less in debt, but I listened to all those people. Many times a day, I wish I hadn't.

Now this blog is not gonna consist of me just complaining about life, but I think it is going to consist of many real thoughts, that people my age have and many real comments that people my age say all the time. So, lets get back to the age thing. Now that I am 24 years old I see how life in no way can be planned. Over the past 3 years my life has taken turns and taken me to places that I never thought I would end up. But, for the most part, I am happy where life has taken me and on January 9, 2008 I saw the true meaning of "everything happens for a reason" saying.

Totally confused and finally out of a very tumultuous relationship, I deiced to escape to LA on Christmas day to be with my family in California. I had lived out there for two years while going to college at the University of Southern California and I really missed it. For two weeks I caught up with family members and sat and drank a ton of tea and ate sushi like there weren't going to be fish in the Atlantic anymore. The best part of the trip was sitting with my non-speaking English uncle and watching every game show possible. I had a blast! It was definitely what I needed. I had my share of alcoholic beverages and went to a glamurous New Years Eve party in the Hollywood Hills, but the part I loved best was watching game shows! I talked to my cousins about where I was going in life and how I had a few set backs with the last of my classes I needed to graduated and I got nothing but encouragement from them to do in life what ever I dreamed and everything was going to be OK.

While In LA, my sister called me and told me about a open position with a company that she worked with. Since I had been furiously looking for jobs I said, "I don't care who it is for or what position it is, send in my name and I'll send in my resume." Since I went to school for Music and I wanted to work in the music industry I also applied to a few jobs with Sony Music and also with Warner Brothers Music Group. I was the girl that said, "I will never be the girl that doesn't work in the field of my major, I will always be working in the music industry!" But, I learned that that is not as easy as it sounds. Applying to the music companies, that entailed me moving back to LA, a step that I was not sure I was ready to take again. Within a day I was in touch with the hiring manager of the company in NY and I had an interview set up for the Friday I came back to New York. Not knowing if I'd get the job or not I still looked for position in LA, but I was looking forward to staying in NY if I did get this job.

I came back home more confused then ever, torn between do I want to move back to LA or do I want to stay in NY? I told myself I would let life take its path and I would see what happens with this job interview. Finally the day came and I got up extra early, but still happen to leave my house late. I hit traffic on 390 and then got lost off of the Broad/Brown exit and ended up being late to the interview. Since I have always been told being late to an interview was a dead giveaway you most likely wouldn't get the job, I thought for sure this would be my last interview with the company. After 15 minutes of talking with the hiring manager and another woman I would be working with, I felt the interview went really well. I called my sister to tell her how well the interview went, but adding that it only lasted 15 minutes it, didn't seem to impress her.
I went back for two more interviews and finally I was offered the position.

Finally, I felt I was getting a head in life. For months I had been freaking out about not having a job and not knowing where I was going in life. When I mean "freaking out" I mean full on quarter life crisis style. I was a mess! I often though that I made a huge mistake about moving back home. I was missing out on so many oppertunities and I was loosing so many chnaces to get in the "right" direction. But what was that "right" direction and why did I need to be in it at 24 years old. Of course I had a ton of expiernce in the music industry at this point in my life but since I wasn't going to be working in it right out of college, will that lessen my chances of ever getting a job in it again? All of those questions that were so unasnswered were making me crazy. But, then everything worked out and I finally got a job. The position had nothing to do with what I went to school for but I gladly took it and 2 weeks into it, I love it.

Now I look at the age 24 with a whole new take on it. The biggest acomplishiment I see in myslef at this age is seeing that life will take its own path and "everything does happen for a reason." Everything ends up working out and I will always have plenty of oppertunities to do what I love. I love being around people and talking to people and the job I have now is perfect for me. Being happy in a work enviorment will allow me to get more out of my job now, which will then allow me to bring it to another job and hopefully will show I am a better canidate for the new job then someone else will be. Finally I don't cry at the drop of a dime when someone asks about what I am doing with my life. I may not have a set plan, but that is the beauty of it. I am free to make any decison I want to make and it will be a great one as long as I take something positive from it to bring to my future.

Twenty-four is a good age, just as I thought it would be when I was 18 years old. But, it's is so much better then I thought it would be. As of right now, I still consider 24 to be the perfect age.