tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89225201563122870792011-04-21T18:52:13.788-07:00Katie, Thehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00769241431997650111noreply@blogger.comBlogger21100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8922520156312287079.post-13384873425470167342008-12-22T16:44:00.001-08:002008-12-22T16:55:42.137-08:00Last night I helped wrap up some presents for kids that are waiting to be put into foster care. I recently read <a href="http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=4987539">these statistics</a> on KSL: "The Utah Department of Human Services found 37 percent of kids who aged out of foster care over their five-year study were arrested within three years. None of them finished college. Half of them received food stamps."<br /><br />This morning, Flying J Inc - the parent company of the bank I work for- <a href="http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5145149">filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy</a>.<br /><br />Shortly after we had a bank-wide meeting about this, I read an <a href=""http://a-list.msn.com/default.aspx?cp-searchtext=Dubai>article about Dubai</a>.<br /><br />So all this has me wondering - what in the world is going on in this world? All these children without parents, company after company falling apart... And the building of an under-water "ten star" hotel? Such a strange imbalance. <br /><br />I guess that's how it's always been. It's just never been so in-your-face to me before.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8922520156312287079-1338487342547016734?l=onthestepsofthepalace.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Katie, Thehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00769241431997650111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8922520156312287079.post-67628961012130315692008-12-17T14:22:00.001-08:002008-12-17T14:23:45.903-08:00Never again will I sit in a classroom.<br /> <br />Holy crap. How depressing.<br /> <br />I love being a student. Going to school has been my profession for the past 18 years. Now, all that is left of my career is a capstone project. Then I'm a graduate.<br /> <br />Graduate. That's such a big kid word. And I'm just little, aren't I?<br /> <br />What on earth am I to do with myself?<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Well, I know the first thing I'm going to do. London. Followed by Paris. Then Amsterdam, Heidelberg, Lucerne, Venice, Rome, Florence, Barcelona, Madrid, Provence, the French Riviera and Monaco.<br /> <br />Paid the downpayment on Sunday. And I was so excited about it being official that I screamed. Yes, out loud.<br /> <br /> <br />Here's the problem:<br /> <br /><u>Life Plans</u><br />1. See Phantom of the opera on broadway in Manhattan: Check.<br />2. Get a bacholor's degree: Four months from now that'll be - Check.<br />3. Go to Europe: Five months from now and it's - Check.<br /> <br />. . .<br /> <br />Well shoot dang, there were only three.<br /> <br />The probable number four is to get married, but good heavens, I'm much too young- and, to be honest, too selfish- for that.<br />The only logical next step then is a career, but I have no idea what I want to do. Yes, even with a degree, I still have no idea.<br /> <br />Yet I don't want to return from Europe only to be an aimless floater.<br /> <br />I hope something will present itself.<br /> <br />And whether something presents itself or not, I'm going to have some big kid decisions to make.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8922520156312287079-6762896101213031569?l=onthestepsofthepalace.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Katie, Thehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00769241431997650111noreply@blogger.com2