Take a step out of your comfort zone, eh

“Oh, Canada, my home and native land.” Aaaand that’s all I know. Thank you That 70’s Show.

Like I’ve said before, unemployment has taught me a lot. There’s been the lessons you’d expect like a deeper understanding of determination, professionalism, and perseverance.

But being unemployed for about 3.5 months now has taught me a few lessons about myself . One being I will do almost anything for a couple bucks (minds out of the gutter, please). Take last night: a friend said he’d pay me $300 to run through a fountain we walked past. It was dark, no one was around, and let’s be honest, I’ve run through plenty of fountains for free, so I was down. Then on another occasion, the same guy dared me to eat a whole bag of these weird Indian snacks for $20, and you know me, I’ll eat anything as long as there’s no meat in it. Unfortunately both times this guy couldn’t put his money where is mouth is, so I am not $320 richer.

I’ve also learned that I kinda hate hugging people. Yeah, this is stupid, I know, but it’s true. I’m fine with boyfriends and close family members, but when anyone else comes in for a hug, all I can think is, “Oh, shit.” Maybe it’s not so much that I hate hugs, but more that I don’t know how to hug people and so I just end up giving really awkward hugs.

Surprisingly this has come up multiple times in the past few days with coworkers and one of my bosses. I’m much more of a high five kind of person, but if hugs are going to be a normal thing, maybe I need to step out of my comfort zone and learn to hug like a normal person, which actually leads perfectly into my next lesson.

No one wants to step out of their comfort zone. It’s warm and cozy and free of any awkward moments or uncomfortableness. But one of the most important lessons I’ve learned while being unemployed is that you have to open your mind and step out of your comfort zone if you’re going to make it.

A few weeks ago I stepped out of my comfort zone and went to a networking event that my internship was sponsoring. I hate networking events because all you do is stand around and try to make conversation with people you don’t know, which I’m REAL bad at. But because I stepped our of my comfort zone and went to the event, I ended up meeting a bunch of people who work at the company where I was about to start interning. So the following week, I started the new internship and felt so much more comfortable because I already knew some people.

But I may literally take the biggest step out of my comfort zone in a few months. Both of my internships end this coming December, and if neither one has the resources to hire me full time, I’m going to have to go somewhere else to find employment, and right now that somewhere is looking like Canada.

You may be asking, “Why Canada?” Throughout my job hunt, I’ve met a few sources who are experts in the PR world, and one of them tipped me off that Canada is currently in desperate need of PR professionals. At first this devastated me, and I wanted to cry. But after mulling it over in my head for a few days, I realized Canada could be perfect for me.

Think about. I’ve lived in Austin my entire life, so I know nothing about world culture or even the culture of living in another state. I didn’t even study abroad in college because I was dating some boy or had a job or some other dumb excuse.

Now I have nothing to tie me down here. No boyfriend, no job, no school, no obligations. Yeah, I have a lease, but seriously guys, my place is a STEAL, so I know I wouldn’t have a hard time finding someone to take it. And yes, I would miss my friends and family terribly, but I could just use Facebook to stay connected with them like it’s intended for, instead of using it to read about every stupid detail about people I don’t care about. And I know my parents are going to live in their house until they die so I could always come back to Austin.

Plus, I could be the new Robin Scherbatsky! We’re both brunette white chicks with a love for beer and cigars who left our home country for our dream job. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be Robin?

So while Canada is still several months away and not something I’m really looking forward to if it comes to it, I’m prepared to say fuck you to my comfort zone and move to Canada if it means making my dream of working in PR become a reality.

Happy Hug A Vegetarian Day!

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Today is a special day for me. It’s a day that comes once a year and really honors something that I’m passionate about. Today is Hug A Vegetarian Day!

For the past eight years I’ve been a very dedicated vegetarian. I had a few relapses during the first month, but ever since then I’ve been clean and meat-free. The change was very easy for me, though, for two reasons.  1.) I was raised a flexitarian (a person who eats a predominately vegetarian diet, usually just partaking in white meat.) My dad has been a vegetarian for 30 some-odd years, and my mom was vegetarian until she started having kids, and you know how those pregnant lady cravings can go. However, she cooked mainly vegetarian food as I was growing up, so it was rather simple for me to make the decision to give up meat all together. And 2.)  Because I lived in Austin (technically between Austin and Dripping Springs, but I won’t go into technicalities).

Austin is one of the best cities for vegetarians to find tasty and healthy vegetarian options. In other cities, vegetarians usually just have the option of salad or a plate of plain vegetables. Not in Austin. Restaurants in Austin go to great lengths to provide their vegetarian patrons with as many options as their meat-eating diners. For every meat-based entree, there is a vegetarian substitute for it somewhere in the city.

Austin also has a great variety of strictly vegetarian restaurants and restaurants that can make all of their menu items veggie-friendly. Veggie Heaven is probably the most popular all-vegetarian eateries. Located on the Drag, Veggie Heaven offers some of the most delectable vegetarian-friendly food. The menu is comprised primarily of Asian cuisine but also has several quesadillas that are just as good. Veggie Heaven also offers bubble teas, which are, in my opinion, the coolest drink ever. Bubble teas are regular teas, smoothies, or any kind of drink that have tasteless tapioca balls at the bottom of the cup that you suck up with your drink. Sounds weird, but they are awesome.

In honor of Hug A Vegetarian day, my friend Caroline and I went to Torchy’s Tacos for dinner. While Torchy’s is not primarily vegetarian, they have delicious vegetarian options that can make any vegetarian rub their belly in delight. So I have to be honest here: this was my first time at Torchy’s. I know what you’re thinking: Holly! You have lived in Austin your whole life, and never been to Torchy’s!? What’s wrong with you?! I know I know, and I have no excuse. It’s shameless. But tonight we popped my Torchy’s cherry, and we popped it right with a fried avocado taco and Torchy’s hatch chile queso. And I must say, I have been missing out all these years, and I’m going to start making up for lost time right away.

So as Hug A Vegetarian Day winds down, make it matter. Go find a vegetarian to hug. Go make some tofu. Go throw some red paint on JLo. Just go do something vegetarian.