careers & such

If you look at my "school" book (a book of lists that detail everything from my height to who the president was each year and everything in between), my "career choices" from kindergarten to third grade were to be a librarian or a teacher. To be honest with you, I would still be a librarian if I had the choice.

Mostly because I imagine I could sit around and read Harry Potter all day. Don't judge.

Fine you can judge if you want to, but only if you have actually read Harry Potter. If you haven't, I judge you.

Pretty much after 3rd grade, every entry in that book where it says "What I want to be when I grow up," says "A Doctor!", and every single day until I was about 21 years old and 245 days old (this is an estimate) I would have told you "I want to be a doctor." I feel like for my entire life, until I was 21 years and 245 days old, I was a decisive person.

"William Jewell College or University of Missouri?" Mizzou.
"Soccer or track?" Definitely soccer.
"Date this guy or don't?" Don't.
"Study be to a doctor or explore other options?" Study to be a doctor.

In some ways, my blind ambition has hurt me in life. I never explored any other options during college. While most students are taking random classes their freshman year, I was already pigeonholed into biology because I took so many dual credit classes going into college that I was credit-hour wise a sophomore when I got there. So I met everyone on my dorm floor who were all either pre-med or pre-dental and there was no way I was going to explore other options when everyone else only talked about how they were going to be some sort of doctor and I got swept up in that excitement. This continued on until I got the results from this bad boy:

Ugh. Nightmare. I still have PTSD. I sat on my bed and cried and cried and cried because I studied my ass off for six months for this stupid thing and I still did horrible. So then I half-ass studied for two more months and took it again, to gain a measly three more points on my next one. I cried some more and then the next day and called my mom on my 21 year and 246th day of life and told her,

"I don't want to be a doctor."

She told me I was being dramatic and that I could still apply, so I did, and then I didn't get in, and I said again,

"I don't want to be a doctor."


It was scary to say those words. It was scary to admit something I had wanted for so long wasn't something I wanted anymore. It was scary to have people telling me I was making a big mistake, that I was giving up.

source

After I'd been saying this for about nine months, I guess people started to believe me, and I had to decide what I wanted to do with my life. Trust me, this isn't easy after all you've wanted to do for 13 years of your life is be a doctor. After a lot of conversations with Sam, my parents, my friends, strangers on the street, etc, I decided to go back to nursing school. I know what you're thinking..."what a jump from doctoring to nursing" and I get the skepticism. Whatever. I like nursing. I love it, actually. Mostly I love my unit. I get along with my coworkers, I love the babies, etc. It's hard, it's challenging, and mentally and physically exhausting most days.

I suppose the point of this rambling post is that you don't have to know what you want every single day of your life. You're allowed to change your mind, and go for different things, even if it's something that you've wanted for a very long time. It doesn't have to be because you failed (which is only part of the reason I changed my mind), and it doesn't matter what other people think. If I had a dollar for every time I thought someone was disappointed or looked down on me because I changed career paths, I would have at least $200. I don't care. It's not their lives, ya know?

So now you all know why I'm a nurse, and why it was absolutely the right decision for me. Three day work weeks are just an added bonus.

dear friday letters

Dear Friday,

Thank you for arriving. The fact that I'm in overtime for the second week in a row at work should explain how grateful I am for your arrival.


Dear April Showers,

I love how green you are making everything outside. If it wasn't for my headaches I keep getting from you, I would welcome you to stay far longer.


Dear Smithville,

I hate that you are located so far away from St. Louis and that it makes seeing these two little munchkins so difficult.

Oh, and I suppose my parents as well.



Dear New Bedroom Artwork,

I think I did a pretty good job on you.

However, my back is now absolutely killing me for leaning over a coffee table for 4 hours. Yuck.


Dear Youngest Wallach Brother,

Happy Birthday. I'd say something wittier but I know you and your brother would beat me to it.

Dear Grandpa,

Thank you for making me an awesome trashcan that smells so good. Seriously, it does.

Dear Readers,

I clearly have blogger's block. What do you want me to write about?



Love,
Molly

this is happening!!

So a few weeks ago I mentioned I was thinking of starting a little side business...and it's happening!

That's right, I opened up an Etsy shop!

I honestly just really love doing things like this because it's a great outlet for any stress that I get during my real job (which if you're aware of where I work & what I do, you totally get it...if not, assume it's stressful). I don't really care how much money I make doing it, hence the reason that items in my shop are priced far lower than other things I've seen on Etsy. I've also started a new tab up at the top of my blog so that you can see examples of other wreaths that I've customized for people.

For example:

I have visions of baby announcements and house numbers and all sorts of fun things to make these suitable for all occasions!

Anyway--pass along the message and check out what else I've been up to!


PS: If you have ANY suggestions for me, that would be fabulous!

dear friday letters

Dear Friday,
This week I'm glad you're here. Even though it means that today my mom already had to leave.


Dear Weather,
Thanks for cooperating so my mom got to come visit me. I appreciated it.


Dear St. Louis,
Thanks for having a pretty sweet used bookstore scene. I'm learning more & more about the things you have to offer, and I guess you're okay.


Dear Sam,
Stop stealing my covers. I wake up freezing every day.


Dear Etsy,
Help me figure out how to sell my wreaths on you.


Dear Hospital, 
It was a rough one this week. Let's get along better next week, capice?  


Dear Coach, 
You have cute sunglasses and a $50 gift card suckered me in. These better last my entire life.


Dear Readers,
You should read my best friend's blog. She's a genius & an amazing writer.   She's awfully pretty, too:

Then after that, you should follow my blog with bloglovin' over there on the right ---> because Google Friend Connect is going away.


Love,
Molly

PS: I promise I'll start writing about creative things again soon. Right now I'm too depressed because my mom left.

dear friday letters

Dear Friday,
I'm disappointed that the while you bring so much joy to others, to me you just bring a long 4 days in a row at work. It's never a good sign when you get a plethora of emails asking for people to pick up shifts.


Dear Blogger,
I guess I'll keep you around a little while longer. You were this close to getting replaced.


Dear iPhone,
I know it was my own fault, but it really hurt when you smacked me in the chin earlier.


Dear Chicago,
Give me my boyfriend back. He's only been gone for like 10 hours and I'm already bored and lonely. And convinced we're about to be robbed (which let's face it, is a lot more likely now that I've admitted to being home alone on the internet).


Dear Baby Names, 
My friends and I have taken to discussing you more than weddings.


Dear J.Crew,
Your 24.99% APR doesn't scare me (ok, maybe it does a little).


Dear Neighborhood,
Please be quiet tonight, I need a decent nights sleep.


Dear Mother Nature, 
 If you snow so much that my mom is unable to come to St. Louis next week, we. will. have. words.


Dear Hospital Gift Shop, 
Thank you for making cute t-shirts so I don't have to wear boring scrubs to work. In fact, Dear Workplace, thank you for allowing this.


Dear Lightroom, 
I still can't figure you out. 


XOXO,
Love,
Molly

a side business?

So I've mentioned my wreaths on the ol blog before, and now I have a serious question for you guys. I made the first one for myself, and then my mom asked me to make one for her classroom, so naturally I said yes, because it's my mom.

I then made another one for one of my friends who asked me to make her one, hence the 2nd Mizzou wreath.

Then I had a ton of ribbon left over, so I decided to make a Christmas wreath, because why not?

So then my mom called me the other day and said one of her coworkers expressed some interest in buying another wreath. So that got me thinking...is this something I should do and try to sell? I made two more, one for my parents to hang on their door at home (at least they can use it for my brothers graduation party or something), and then one for my aunt with the intention of her taking it to HER school and convincing some of her fellow teachers to invest in one.

 So here are my questions:

1) Do you think this seems like something people would buy? Is this a waste of my time (and money?)? I enjoy making them, so I don't really feel like I'm wasting that much time, but it is sort of expensive to buy a bunch of ribbon if you aren't getting anything back.

2) If you do think this would be a good idea, what would be an appropriate price to charge? I have sort of browsed on Etsy for similar things, btu haven't seen anything exactly like what I make.

I never ask people to leave comments on here, but if you could and tell me your opinion, I would really appreciate it!!

kiss me, i'm irish!!

If I had a dollar for every time someone said "Wow. Molly Doolan? That's an Irish name if I've ever heard one!" I would have at least 25 dollars.

I love my Irish ancestry.

So much that I barely know what my other ancestry is.


Anyway, Happy St. Patrick's Day! Make sure you wear your green. I'm going to rock this Minnie Mouse shirt I found at Target for like $8.

I know the babies will love it.