Showing posts with label Lansing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lansing. Show all posts

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Wow...it's been awhile

Hello friends. Wow... it has been a LONG time since I updated the blog. This is probably for many reasons, some of which include just being super busy living, the fact that my blog was semi-hacked for a bit, & the fact that we have had issues with keeping our internet over the past few months. But I am here now, so I will give you an idea of what life has been like.

Well, back at the beginning of the summer I made an interesting choice to quit my job (with no back-up plan, really) because I was unhappy with the amount of work as compared to compensation, the wear & tear on my car, & the dishonesty that I had to endure (& be a part of) while I was there.  Maybe it wasn't the smartest choice just to pick up & quit, but it is what it is.

So to make ends meet, I donated plasma often, sold a lot of my stuff, taught music lessons, & began modeling for art classes at Michigan State University & for local photographers.  I also took my 403B money from when I was teaching & used it to pay lots of bills. But... I was (& still am) pretty broke anyway.

But even though I had no money & no prospects, I lived a happy existence.  I was in "Annie" at Riverwalk Theatre (as Bonnie Boylan, Cecille the French Maid, a homeless person in Hooverville, & an NYC resident), I made a lot of new friends, & I even entangled myself in a bit of a backstage chemistry with a charming & handsome 37 year old. I also went on an amazing getaway with my mom to The Homestead Resort in northern Michigan. We climbed Sleeping Bear Dunes, got massages at Spa Amira, had an elegant dinner at the fancy dancy restaurant at the resort (where I was charmed by a handsome waiter who looked kinda like Robert Downing Jr.) & visited the Amber Elk Ranch, where we got to feed Elk as we road on a wagon through their habitats. It was awesome.



In addition to all that fun & intrigue, I also became an official member of the band The Sunset Club. So I started gigging with them more & being more involved in the song writing process. (I even got to be on the radio with them for an interview & two live songs. AWESOME!) I also started working on my songs with Will (which we will be recording soon. I'll keep ya posted.)

(The Sunset Club after our radio interview/live set)

So the summer went by nicely, with "Annie" & the trip & The Sunset Club & just getting to hang out with all my new friends at parties, concerts, & incredibly fun (& occasionally wicked) bar nights. But when "Annie" came to a close, the weather began to change, & the 403B money ran out, I started to get a little depressed. It didn't help that Will & I were having problems either...

So what did I do? I broke things off with Will (with the condition that we could still date to try to work things out in the future), I did more modeling, taught more music lessons, & I got a new job as a nanny to two amazing kids!

That kind of gets us up to speed.  I am still working as a nanny, still teaching lessons, & still modeling. I am also taking more responsibility in The Sunset Club & gearing up to audition for another show at Riverwalk. So I am pretty happy, & grateful that I have what I do.  But I am a bohemian... so I simply crave more.


What more could I want you ask? Well... a job that pays better would be nice. Benefits would be nice (especially dental insurance as I need to get pretty much all my teeth capped.) I could really use a different place to live with fewer people coming in & out all the time. (Don't get me wrong... I love having people over. But sometimes it ends up feeling more like a hostel, a cheap motel, or some kind of "magnet house" for all the other poor hippies & it's just too much to handle.) I would also like to do more acting, singing, & modeling & of course finish my book!! I also want a garden someday soon... & a dog, & hopefully in the next few years, a baby. That's right, I said it. A baby. My sister & my best friend are both pregnant right now, so I know I have a bit of baby fever, but honestly I never imagined having my first kid past 30 anyway, & I'm getting close & it's making me worry that I won't ever be stable enough financially & romantically to have kids. So I'm thinking about it a lot.

I'm sure there's more.  But this is getting pretty long winded as it is.

I hope you feel a little more up to date on my crazy Bohemian lifestyle. Come back soon; I promise not too wait as long to write again.

Peace & Love,
Meagan

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Oh Life... oh ever changing life...

This has been, and continues to be, a time of interesting highs and lows for the Modern Bohemian.

We'll start with the lows...

I've been sick, and it worries me. (See earlier post)
A friend's father just died
I don't have enough money to pay my rent
I can't seem to be able to get even a part time job out in the "real world" (only online)
and the State wants to cut back on and/or take away my unemployment benefits... which I've received for less than a month.
Etc. etc. etc.
Boo.

But then there are the high notes!  The happy points!  The exciting moments!  Including:
Getting hired to be the Lansing Electronic Music Examiner on Examiner.com.  (Check out my first article with them here: "Macs Bar supports electronic music in Lansing")
Getting my article, The Top Five Zoos in Michigan, featured on the front page of List My 5.
Getting more followers on Twitter
Getting approved as an affiliate for Discovery Channel Holiday Gift Guide - Shop Now! and  and Man vs Wild
and seeing Wilhuff succeed in the online, social networking world.

But where's the in between?  I can't go through life like I'm on a rollercoaster; up and down, up and down!  Sometimes I need some in between.
The ideal ratio would be 70% good things (the highs), 10% bad things (the lows... you know, so that I can still appreciate the highs), and 20% in between (in between.  Neither bad, nor good, just a normal, smooth sailing kind of boring regularity that sometimes help to keep a person sane.)

For now, I probably just have to deal with the rollercoaster ride.  Maybe eventually the good things (like, my writing) can help with the bad things (like... my lack of money), but until then,  I just have to keep trying my best and plugging away and working hard to survive and keep hope alive...

Peace and Love,
Meagan

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Wilhuff

Wilhuff (aka: Will, my boyfriend) is starting to do some great things, and I am so excited.  Just this past Friday he played an amazing house party called "Rave to the Grave," and his mixes were a huge hit with everyone there.  The best part was that most people were dancing when the Wilhuff originals came on.  THAT was awesome! In addition to that, yesterday, a record label contacted him!  Crazy!  I'm trying to help him out by helping him with his blog (Wilhuff's Blog) and helping him make connections with people on Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter... and we're really making progress.
To make things even better, my writing world and my "being a good girlfriend" world are colliding in a really great way.  I got hired by Examiner.com to be the Lansing Electronic Music Examiner.  So now, I can write great stuff based on what I actually see around me in the clubs, bars, and online, I can promote Will and his music, I can help promote the Lansing music scene, and along the way, hopefully make some money so I can dig myself out of the financial pit I'm in. (And what a deep pit it is...)
But it is all so exciting.  Electronic music is amazing, and Wilhuff is amazing.  I am so proud of where he is and I think he can go far.  What an adventure that would be for this Modern Bohemian... to have a famous DJ boyfriend. haha  Hey, I can dream.  And if I keep dreaming and keep working and if Will keeps gaining momentum... that dream could very well come true.
Do you have any crazy dreams that aren't really so crazy?  Feel free to share.  (Especially if one of those dreams is to have an amazing house party with an up and coming DJ... because I can arrange that! haha)
Peace and Love,
Meagan

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

The March for Babies

This past weekend, I did the March for Babies in downtown Lansing with my team: Baby Steps for Change.  The team consists of me, my sister and my cousin Nicole., but we were joined for the walk on Saturday by Nicole's darling baby boy L., and my sister's groom-to-be, B.  Among us, we raised over $300.00 for The March of Dimes.  I am so proud of that.  I didn't quite reach my $200.00 individual goal, but I did make $135.00 and there's always next year!


If you don't know a lot about the March for Babies or the March of Dimes, visit:
The March of Dimes
The March for Babies
Baby Steps for Change

Awww!!! Look at little L.!  He is learning to take his first steps ever, as we take the first steps to help save other babies.

I love babies.  I can't believe that there are people who DON'T love babies.  But if you are like me and DO love babies, check out The March of Dimes and the March for Babies.  This was my fourth year, but I'm not stopping anytime soon, so next year... join me!

Alright, I'll get off my high horse now.  Really though, the walk really was just a nice time too.  I got to exercise, hang out with L. and play with him, catch up with my sissy, cousin, and future bro-in-law, and enjoy the outdoors.  All while saving babies!  I had a blast!

Afterwards I came home and did some amazing grilling outside. Yummy!  So, next year, if you want to come to the walk, we'll have a big cookout afterward then too! (If I am homeless by then, we'll still do it... we'll do it in the woods, campfire style!! haha)

Anyway... more to come.  Stay tuned.
Peace and Love,
Meagan


Tuesday, February 2, 2010

PonchoMeg: The Modern Bohemian Says Think Locally in 2010 (Michigan, I'm Going to Save You!!)


I wanted to make changes this year.  I wanted this year to be different.  Some of this will come by chance, but I think some of it has to be the direct result of efforts I put forth as well.
So in 2010, I am thinking locally!  I am going to make sure I shop locally even more than I already do, I will support local business people, bands, artists, visionaries and service providers, I will donate to local charities (as well as my other regulars, like the ASPCA), and I will get involved in more local activities.
Now, I happen to live in Michigan, so the following links mostly affect Michiganders.  BUT, there's nothing wrong with supporting another place's local economy, so non-Michiganders, feel free to browse as well.  There are some great large companies and small businesses in Michigan and tons of talent.


Check it out:

First of all, I have some resources to help you find more local stuffs:
Michigan's Official Website
Pure Michigan: Michigan's Official Travel and Tourism Site
Michigan Department of Agriculture: Give the Gift of a Michigan Made Product
Michigan Women's Marketplace
The Michigan Business Directory
Absolute Michigan: All Michigan, All The Time

Candles, Handmade Goodies, and Specialty Items (In person and Online!):
Great Lakes Candle Company, Lansing, MI
With Eyes Lifted: My friend Jessica's Etsy Shop, handmade in Michigan
Bohemia Too: Clothing, Accessories, Beads and Jewelry Crafting Supplies, Imports, Handmade, Gifts,   Novelty, Books, Etc. Located in Grand Rapids, MI.
Finders Keepers Variety Store: Located in Three Rivers, MI
Rustic Ridge Creations, Flint, MI
Island City Candle Company, Eaton Rapids, MI

The BIG Stores:
Meijer, Based in Grand Rapids, MI
Jiffy, Chelsea Milling Company, Chelsea, MI
Faygo: The Original Party Pop!, Detroit, MI
Gordon Food Service, Grand Rapids, MI
Kellogg's, Battle Creek, MI
Spartan Stores, Based in Grand Rapids, MI


Fine Arts, Entertainment, Tourism, and Local Talent:
Brena: An Alternative, Rock, Pop Band from Grand Rapids, MI
The Purple Rose Theatre (Jeff Daniels), Located in Chelsea, MI
Kelsey Kohlenberger's Voice Studio, Grand Rapids, MI
Goodrich Quality Theaters
Celebration Cinema
Heritage Guitar, Inc., Kalamazoo, MI
MichiganArtists.Com
Michigan Artist's Gallery, Sutton's Bay, MI
Elderly Instruments, Lansing, MI
Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Paradise, MI
Michigan Historical Museum, Lansing, MI
The Marshall Historical Society, Marshall, MI
Arts and Entertainment on Absolute Michigan
Frankenmuth: Michigan's Little Bavaria
Mackinac Island
Eminem, Amazingly Talented Rapper from Detroit, MI
The English Inn: Restaurant and Pub, Eaton Rapids, MI
Poetry Society of Michigan
Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, MI
Children's Ballet Theater of Michigan
City of East Lansing: Parks, Recreation, and Arts
Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, MI
Mackinaw City, MI
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
MISC. Michigan Goodness:
Quality Dairy
Yahoo Local Information on Darb's, Mason, MI
MichiganWeed.Org: Informative Website on Marijuana in Michigan, Run by Local East Lansing Residents
Mark's Hot Diggity Dog Stand, Based in Eaton Rapids, MI
PonchoMeg: The Modern Bohemian: A Michigan Based Blog of a Modern Hippie, Bohemian, Free-Spirit Living in East Lansing, MI
Weird Michigan

Local Charities:
Greater Lansing Food Bank
Woldumar Nature Center, Lansing, MI
Mother Teresa House, Lansing, MI
Michigan Audubon, Lansing, MI
Ele's Place: A Healing Center for Grieving Children, Lansing, MI
Capital Area Humane Society
John Ball Zoo Society, Grand Rapids, MI
The Humane Society of Kent County
Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Grand Rapids, MI
Crash's Landing: Cat Rescue and Placement Center, Grand Rapids, MI


Michigan Schools, Colleges and Universities:
Grand Valley State University (My Alma Mater)
Central Michigan University 
Calvin College
Michigan State University (Where most of my house mates attend school)
University of Michigan
Western Michigan University
Lansing Community College
Grand Rapids Community College
Jackson Community College
Douglas J. Aveda Institute
Ferris State University
Eastern Michigan University

Michigan State Parks, Campgrounds, Natural Wonders:
Michigan DNRE: Natural Resources and Environment
Sleeping Bear Dunes
Mackinac Island
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
Tahquamenon Falls State Park

                                                           

Don't see the Michigan related item you were looking for?  Add links to great, local, Michigan resources in the comments section below, please!
I will probably continue to update this list...  I think it will be a great resource for me, and maybe others, to help us do more locally.
Enjoy!
Peace and Love,
Meagan