Utemp! Keepin' the dreams alive!

I am officially a "Utemp." Kinda catchy right? Er...yes. Catchy. Cough. Oh I see - you're not sure what a Utemp is. Oh well then your hesitant "oh....greeeeat" makes sense. Let me explain:

A Utemp is a "temp" essentially - but for the University of Utah. If I must go to a temp agency dahling it's going to be for the very BEST! I shan't temp anywhere but at institutions of higher education. Pish posh! I went to an "interview" today with the UofU HR department and he hired me on the spot. Well, I became a "temp" on the spot - and now it's a matter of what little jobs I get to do on campus. Many of the Utemp positions are administrative assistant, clerical responsibilities, etc. These things I feel I can do and it's these things, if I must temp, that I would most prefer to temp. Plus, they're all on the main campus and/or Research Park. So, location is perfect - as for parking - hmmm. Time to sign up for an Institute class again! Oh the nostalgia! I don't know how I feel about it! Groggy maybe.

But why temp?

Well, I know I mentioned we weren't going back to the Europe Adventure. Honestly, I feel like it's still possible. I'm deciding to make sure it's still an option as long as I feel it is. Logic. Priceless. I can't give it up. The opportunity is so profound, is such an answer to so many dreams/prayers I've ever had in my life, I can't just give it up because I was impatient or fearful or slightly abandoned or completely homeless or broke. It will take more than THAT to stop me from hanging on to hope! Truly though - ever since I can remember I've wanted to travel - to see the world - to experience culture and diversity like never before. In my Jr High, "tween" journals I have sketches of maps, far off destinations, dreams and fantasies about where I would go and what I would do. I've always had that dream; always. I went to England for a 6 week study abroad my second year at the UofU. It was a small step towards my world traveling dreams - and I thought it would help satiate some of the yearning I had to see the world - oh no no my friends - if anything it increased it. Exploded it. Fed it and made me want more. As Hugh Grant so adequately put it in Notting Hill, "It's like I've taken love heroine and I can't ever have it again" except this is "travel heroine" and has nothing to do with illicit substances. Don't do drugs. Stay in school.

My second dream that only just plagued my thoughts the last two years of living (okay - the moment I took out my first student loan more like; Snow College, 2003) - is to be completely 100% debt free. THINK OF IT! Those years of student loans you so arduously worked to accumulate so you could grab that invaluable education to make your way in the world - completely gone. Ooooohhhhh - think of it. Taste it. Grasp for it! The amazing opportunity that would open to me if those loans, those monthly payments that leave me destitute and rubbing my aching head and vomitus stomach every moment of my life, that are responsible for late night budget calculating and planning and scrimping and no savings, gone. GONE! (and lets be honest - no guy wants to date/marry a girl with a bunch of student loans...so lets just consider THAT opportunity more plausible. THAT opens up everything I want in my life - family. Family. Family. Family. A house. A kitty. A puppy. 3-5 kids running around (gasp! I know!) A kitchen. A herb garden!!!).

Lastly, I feel I could do some good for someone. Another great desire of my life is to serve people in some capacity that it would make even a smallish difference in their lives. I would've served an LDS mission had I felt it was for me. But, I did become a teacher! And it WASN'T for the salary (ha - shocker) - but for the opportunity to even give one student some direction, guidance, a safe place to be and learn and interact. I've somehow missed the teaching boat these last year of my graduating from college, but I feel this opportunity is a way I can do that - I can make a real difference in some people's lives - even in a small way. Before Steven and I left, Bob said we brought great feeling to his house. It felt different cause we were there. He felt there was "family" again. I can't shake that. I can't forget it. If that's something I can do for someone - just by trying my best, by merely being around - I want to do it - no matter how long it takes and how much I have to believe. I just want to help someone, somehow.

I know it seems almost unreasonable to imagine that such big dreams could really come to fruition with one fab - all be it hard to grasp right now- opportunity. But it can. And if it's supposed to - it will. I can't see how, but I feel I should wait anyway. I'd hate for my impatience and fear to keep me from it. So I won't. I'll stick to it as much as I feel I should - even if I'm going it "alone" - it's worth it. And hey, now I'm a UTemp!!! So there's time to wait a little longer. Talk about standing on the edge of a knife...but I am standing.