Homesick

It's been two months and I don't know how much longer I'm going to make it here. I'm really missing the mountains, my friends, and Virginians in general. Maybe I'm being bias, but 90% of people I meet here have no sense of human decency, most are self-centered douche bags. I knew that Autumn would be the hardest month for me to be away from the valley because it was my favorite season there, but I had no idea it would be THIS hard. I'm not making enough money here to be able to take advantage of city life, and I'm actually missing Rosetta Stone a lot. I've become addicted to HGTV, and my heart breaks a little every time a RS commercial comes on. Also, watching home improvement shows just remind me of how just one year ago I was looking into getting a house in Harrisonburg, and now I can barely pay my rent. If this keeps up I may go home for the holidays and decide not to come back.

Life isn't going too well right now for this nomad.

Website

I've been m.i.a for a few weeks buried in CSS code and teaching myself how to use Joomla! content management system in effort to put my audio and graphic design portfolio online. The final product being www.whitneytolley.com

Check it out and hire me for any of your design and sound needs.

creating graphic art and stuff

Poster for the JMU Fall 2008 Opera. You should go to it if you get the chance.


Advertisements I've made for clients:

A lesson on Sportsmanship

Some people believe the word "sorry" should never be said/heard during game time. These are also the ones that believe in the phrase "no pain, no gain". Which, I'm not trying to change that, yes, say sorry AFTER the game. What I'm here to talk about is that in a competitive environment where "sorry" isn't allowed... NO words should be said to the other team on the court... NONE. Trash talking should only be allowed when you're able to follow it up with "just kidding".

If you run your mouth because you're losing and you can't win unless you think your words might get into the person's head, then you have no skills on the court, only skills for the debate team.

I'm ranting about this because, I played hockey tonight for the first time in Philly, and when the other team started to lose they started taking cheap shots and just saying things that made them come across as complete jackasses. For example, tripping me, and falling that up with "stay down, b*tch".

I was startled... not by the trip, it's hockey, trips happen... but the smack talk, too? really?! I thought, maybe I mistook the tone and perhaps it was going to be followed with a "just kidding"... but no, my laugh was followed with a "yeah, keep laughing while you still have your teeth"....

Yes, this man's words got into my head. This 40-something year old man's words. FORTY!
I don't know why he plays hockey, but I play for the really great plays, the hard earned goals, the running workout, and to learn from better players. This guy plays to win. At least my way, no matter who wins, I come out feeling fulfilled. This guy, only enjoys himself if he's winning, and what will that get him? maybe a small plaque that says Philly Sport and Social Club Hockey champs Fall 2008? Something to brag about at the office... where no one cares anyways?

Here's a man that may be a completely different person off the court. Maybe he donates blood in his spare time, sends a nickel everyday to starving pygmy babies in Africa, greets everyone in the office with a genuine smile and even knows all of their names when he says "good morning, [insert name here]." He could be a real swell kinda guy off the court.

But here's the difference between him and I, I believe in sportsmanship. I believe in telling the opponent when they had an awesome move. When I shake their hand I know at least one thing to complement each player on individually, maybe it was their speed, their stick handling, their shooting, their defense, etc... and I tell them that instead of "good game, good game, good game."
And because I not only believe in sportsmanship, but also believe in SHOWING it, when I leave the court and go about real life, I might run into one of them in the city somewhere and they will say "I know her, she plays hockey, she's really nice AND she can play"

Whereas if this guy were walking down the street (could be on his way to go volunteer at the orphanage), anyone that knows him from sports will probably just say to whoever their with, "I know that guy.... he's a complete a**hole."

The moral of the story is, it doesn't matter who you are in life, who you are on the court can define who you are in life in some people's eyes... and you never know when that could come back to you.


And, oh yeah, we won. ;o)

The Star Gazer

>>Finally inspired to do something creative. Well, I guess it wasn't Philadelphia that inspired me to write the following. It was more of a product of my missing Harrisonburg.... oh yeah, and I've been reading a lot of Shakespeare.<<



The Star Gazer

If ever there be a time to believe in parallel lives it would be thus;
two souls traversing on separate compasses.
Would e'er our courses meet again?
Or are we meant for nothing more than perpetual distancing?
With only the moon above as our common legend.

Remember, love, that evening when we saw it rise and light the course for both to see?
But quickly hid when men with scopes and books said it's time it could not be?

Time, time... what is time when here lie two who never believed the cock to crow the truth.
Mine, Mine... singing much earlier than yours, if yours doth even signs of show.

Still each star doth whisper implications that someday
ours will again put himself and our path on display.
It's this revision I do hope
and this my burden to forever bear
Until my final bell doth toll
Or your belated foul doth crow.

Driving lessons

First, let me say this, I hate my car. No, I like the car, but I hate driving. I would like to live in a world where I never had to drive a car except on back country roads with all the windows down and the music blaring. Other than that, I want to be able to walk to where I need to go or to whatever mode of public transportation will get me there. I remember when I turned 15 and unlike my peers, I dreaded the idea of getting my learner's permit. What was wrong with my current rideshare system? Why did I need to learn to drive when I was getting to places just fine? What if I got in an accident? But then I forgot about the fear after a couple times of go-carting and became a driving enthusiast. So, I got my learners permit and started driving with my parents, which was probably a bad idea, because my mom is the most squeamish passenger and just created in me this inherent fear of merging lanes, tractor trailers, and the interstate in general. I avoided I-81 at all costs until time came to take a car to college. Then the inevitable road trips with friends were planned and I'd be the first to volunteer NOT to drive, especially if it looked as though the route might involve any 3+ travel lanes. There was a time when I wanted to move to Nashville, but every time I visited there, I was either a) almost in an accident or b) almost witnessed an accident. So, out of fear of driving there, I never up and moved there. I probably would have if they had reliable public transportation.
However, recently, I've been on a big move-my-life-forward power trip, moving, and looking for a new job, and all, that I must've forgotten all about this big fear. Because, here I am, navigating my way around the city like a seasoned (okay, sometimes nearly soiled) pro. And although I still hate driving my car when I could use public transportation and walk/bike, I went from avoiding interstates in the Shenandoah Valley to commuting around the 6th largest city in the U.S.!
I will, however, be getting a Railpass once I figure out where I'll be working...

My first night

Yesterday was my first official day as a Philadelphian. I found a nice rowhome with affordable rent, a cool roommate (one more to come soon), and I have 2 windows in my bedroom! My closet space is a little unfortunate, but I've had worse. I'm not quite used to the fact that the view from every window is looking into another house. I wonder if when it comes time in life to move into a house in the suburbs, if I'll have to get used to NOT seeing other windows outside of mine. Anyways, last night I went to the Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant (I highly recommend their Peach Wheat and Schuylkill Punch Brew; I like beers with a low IBU) and then walked the Main St. of Manayunk, and it was exactly what I needed to feel home. Not that Main St. is anything like my experiences in Lexington or Harrisonburg, but it looked exactly like the kind of place I've always imagined myself living at--cobblestone sidewalks, quaint shops and cafes, people sitting inside and outside, an artsy vibe in the air, right next to a long boardwalk by the river. sigh, my soul was at ease. Needless to say, I slept pretty well. I'm surprised that I haven't cried yet about moving, but then again, it also has yet to sink in that this isn't just a vacation from my life in Harrisonburg, this IS my life now. My roommate just moved from VA as well, so we're both adjusting from living in the valley (she's from Radford) to living in the city. From my experiences so far though, I already know that I will have a hard time leaving this place when/if that time comes. I went running this morning, in my attempt to keep up the good habits while leaving my bad habits in VA. While I was out exploring, I saw signs for recreational/social sports league sign ups, so I went online this afternoon and joined two floor hockey leagues. One starts next Thursday, and the other begins in October. I can't wait!
As for the job search... I've put in applications to some places, one of which is a Studio Coordinator job and sounds very similar to what I was doing for Rosetta, I'm hoping to get that job, but I'm also enjoying unemployment for a change. I figure if all else fails, I'll go to a Temp Agency in a couple weeks and try out a bunch of different jobs in order to find what I like most.

I have only one complaint that I must throw in: our front door deadbolt is infuriating sometimes! It takes too much elbow juice and takes way too long to get inside. The landord said it's only because the heat causes the door to swell and get stuck, and that it should be fine once the weather cools down, but this is not cool! On 100 degree days, the last thing I want is to be working up more of a sweat trying to get into my nice cool apartment!!! Other than that, Philly is great so far!