The Houston/Real Life

When planning to move to Houston, everyone in my hometown was astonished. I heard everything...people are rude, too diverse, crime is horrible, the traffic, terrible drivers, the weather, etc. From my experience so far, rude people and nice people are found everywhere; the diversity is fascinating to me; I haven't been personally affected by crime yet even when hanging out in the hood for work; because of odd working hours (6:30-4), i don't experience too much of rush hour traffic; yes...drivers are crazy and the longer you are here, the more you become one; and I'll get back to you about the weather and it's affects on my hair once summer hits. But despite my promise to never move to Houston, I really love it here. There is always something to do. The main problem is finding someone to do it with. I've done the rodeo with my family, Astros game with some college roommates, some restaurant experiences with a friend, and am looking forward to some concerts in the next couple of weeks with my siblings and best friend. Other than that, I work and get to drive all over the city seeing parts of the city I would never otherwise see. My job is a story in its own. I sell Pepsi products which includes Pepsi of course, Mountain Dew, Starbucks Frappucinos, Sobe drinks, Amp energy, Lipton tea, Crush, Muscle Milk, Rockstar (which is our newest partnership), and many many others. What can I say...a pretty badass brand portfolio. My company is great and I really think I made a great decision right out of college. Basically what I do in the meantime as a sales management trainee is run sales routes when the reps are on vacation. So I'm driving around this foreign city navigating mainly with handmade maps (made my men if you can imagine that), getting lost, and dealing with store managers who aren't used to seeing a young lady coming in doing manual labor. It certainly isn't the glamorous job that people sometimes expect right out of college but this is more my style. I like that I don't have to dress professional when going to work. Khakis and an overlarged men-sized Pepsi button-up shirt is fine by me. Yes I must include that I work with a bunch of older married men. Women are definitely a minority in sales. I am known as the Pepsi lady when I'm out in the trade. While dealing with store managers and the interactions of in-store consumers, I get a wide array of reactions. Sometimes I am the only white person around, often the only female around, and men aren't afraid to take notice. One day I got three date offers...one grudgy customer asked for a lunch date to Subway, another for a steak dinner, and a store manager asked for my number and wanted to take me out to dinner..."as friends". I must add that all are above 40 years old. I have plenty more stories of sadness and disappointment that I have seen in people but I will keep those to myself. I am trying to dwell on the happy ones because I have been letting my negativity take place in my life more than I used to. Although their have been some rough spots in the road and it is hard to make friends in the demographics of my workplace, I do have a live here and a sort of family away from home...a Pepsi family. Now my next journey here is to start getting involved in new activities and to making a set of friends here outside of work. I must say that I've been so independent-minded the last few years in thinking that I am fine by myself wherever I go. I was so excited about going off on my own, but I didn't realize how much I would miss living with my best friends and my family. I'm five hours away from the hometown now and my college friends are beginning to spread out. But the important thing is that I do have the memories and a set of loved ones that are irreplaceable. I love you guys and and all of the wonderful experiences you gave me!

Preface

So...I finally made it back to start my blogging streak. I honestly don't even know where to begin. My life journey thus far has taken me several places in life not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. Those people that knew me five years ago don't know me anymore. I look back on my life in the small town of 800 people and I don't even know that person anymore. How can you honestly know who you are when you are constantly being watched, judged, and surrounded by the same people your whole life? I had my titles--cheerleader, basketball pointguard, State Prose champion, student council representative, National Honor Society president, Honor Roll student, girlfriend of the hot jock--and who really gives a shit? I had plans to go away to college, to be successful, and to eventually marry my high school sweetheart but I never had any real ambitions in life. I didn't know what I wanted, who I really was, or anything about the world outside of what was in front of me my first 17 years of my life. I was content but unknowing of the world that surrounded me and all of its possibilities. I had no idea who I was without the person I "loved" by my side for four years. I have now become an independent person full of dreams, ambitions, and am starting to grasp who I am and how I respond in situations. My life is far from planned but I have at least accomplished many things on my own and have aspirations to keep me busy throughout the rest of my life. I feel the need to share my story to help me understand how I came to where I am today and to help me form my next step. Life is made in chapters much like that of a novel and we are the authors of our own lives. I'm no writer but I am a thinker so here goes...Whitney's thoughts in physical form...enjoy!