So here I am, four days before I move into my new place in the West End. I really am going to miss it here. I hope the new place is as quiet as this one. I have had plenty of time to sit and reflect and meditate here and I hope it will be something I can continue to do in the new home. I also am about 6 days away from bringing kitteh home :) I can't wait to have a little poof ball of energy! She apparently loves to pounce and jump from place to place. CAN'T wait to have her home!
And with all that, I'm broke. About as broke as a girl could be, I don't even think I'm going to be able to go out again til after the 15th. It's all because of the 1700$ or so I have to pay in rent starting today. At some point this weekend, I'm going to drop off my rent check to the old place for the last time and on Tuesday morning I'm dropping the check off at the new place. I can't believe I have this much money in my bank account. I mean, I normally have like 800 bucks but it doesn't usually stay much higher than that. So looking forward to not having to shell out 800 a month in rent/utilities anymore. All I'll be paying is like 435 for rent and then about 150 more in utilites so I'll be able to keep about 300-400 a month to myself. It'll be nice to be able to save money again.
I'll be going back to school in the winter, I tried again this fall, got registered and everything. The only problem was they wanted about 200 bucks when the rent was 1700. I only make about 1550 a month take home, so that was pretty much out of the question. But at least I know I can go right on into Calc 1 without having to take the placement test again. So there's that.
Since the last entry, I've seen a few really kick ass shows. If only Aesthetic Perfection would come back to Richmond, my life would be complete. I <3 Daniel Graves. If he would just marry me life would be awesome. *sigh*
Anyways, I've lost another 10 pounds so woohoo! I can finally fit into that wee little dress my cousin gave me back in 2008. I couldn't fit into it properly then but I can now. I did have to cheat a little, I needed Chris to finish zipping me up in the back but it was barely an inch below the stopper so I take it as a victory :-) Even more so with my chest being larger now than it was then.
I've been out dancing pretty much whenever I can, which is typically four nights out of the six that Fallout is open. It's a great place and two of those nights, almost no one dances so I don't have to worry about running into anyone. That was not the case on Doomsday eve or Doomsday. People everywhere! I don't recall any nights when it was that packed. Not even at Doomsday last year...Definitely good for business, not good for those of us who came to dance.
But I've seen Bella Morte, Bright Flames, Covenant, Slick Idiot, Low on Sanity and of course Uisce Beatha. All were amazing shows, nice to see old friends again. I will say, the sound for Covenant was kinda shitty, but I can't really blame them. I still had a great time, it was totally worth all 20$. I would have been happier if the middle band didn't play at all but hey, what can you do? I don't have control of the lineup, just meant I got to update FB and play a few rounds on words with friends. And drink a beer. But. I'm super stoked for the show on Halloween and the Angelspit show in November. Last time Angelspit was here, I got to dance with the girls after the show :) Hopefully we'll be able to do that again, they were so nice!
I'm looking for an office job, something more 9-5 ish or 8-4, whatever will give me a more set schedule so I can either get a second job or do more with school. I just hate that ABC can't offer me a more set schedule to work around. They are demoting me and taking my old pay away for trying to take a class this year. I haven't told them I didn't actually take it, I just am glad for some days/evenings off.
Well that seems to be all the updates for now, more to come I'm sure. I haven't set up a time for Verizon to come out and set up at the new place, I'll have to go out to Starbucks soon and mooch off their internet again :-P
01 September 2012
19 July 2012
Happy Thoughts
- Only 20 more days til I'm in Seattle with Michael for the long weekend.
- Only 64 more days til I'm in my new apartment
- I've sold my loft bed on Craigslist finally
- I don't have a gas bill this month, somehow I have a $5 credit on my account that will be taken off next months' bill.
- I am a student at J Sargent Reynolds Community College to start the fall semester
- I have a play date with one of my girlfriends next Wednesday on my day off
- I got my hair done again (first time I've been able to afford it since Christmas)
- My phone bill is current for the first time since like ever
- I have enough food in the pantry to not have to worry about where dinner is coming from for at least a few more weeks
- My laundry is almost completely done
- My dishes are all clean
- I have no trash in the apartment
- I have two more bags of things for GoodWill
- I only have three more episodes of season 2 of The Walking Dead to be finally caught up for the new season
So far, everything seems to be going my way. And it will continue this way because I got this. Being a grown up gets easier, but it takes time and effort and sometimes it's really, really frustrating. I wish someone had warned me how hard it was when I was younger so I'd have been prepared for it to be this bumpy. I never saw it being hard for my parents so I kinda assumed it wouldn't be hard for me too. Boy was I ever wrong! But now that I'm at a good place, I can see a bit more clearly where I want to go with my life so here's to making my vision a reality. Soon I'll be done with school and I'll have a degree which will enable me to get a better job with benefits and paid time off and sick leave and everything I took for granted when I worked at Circuit City and Panera. I will be able to enjoy life a little more living with my amazing boyfriend. I love how things are just coming together.
Edit: I ended up getting 20$ more for the bed than what I asked since the girl was so stoked that I held it for her for an extra day. Sometimes it pays to put your prices lower and to be a nice person :)
Edit: I ended up getting 20$ more for the bed than what I asked since the girl was so stoked that I held it for her for an extra day. Sometimes it pays to put your prices lower and to be a nice person :)
17 July 2012
Looking up
I think I found someone to buy my loft bed. I hope he can pick it up around noon on Wednesday, that way I won't have to worry about changing my hair appointment. But I really could use the extra $50. I need new work pants and possibly a new work shirt if I can swing it. I think a trip to Regency mall will be in order afterwards. I think I'm also going to put my other mattress on Craigslist when I can move the other one in the apartment. I've never used U-Haul or anything like that but I guess there's no time like the present to find out how that works. My step-dad took care of that the last time I moved and I wasn't there with him to see all of what is involved, what kind of price we are talking about having to pay for the use of it. I guess I'll go to the one by Level Up Customs, it's pretty much the closest one I know of in the west end.
I am going to inquire at JSarge on Wednesday morning if I have time about classes, prices and what not for state employees and how do I get signed up for a class in the fall. At least one, I need to get back into it and if I just take the intro to back to school class I should be okay. My only fear is that I'll be bored and my brain will shut off and I won't get anything out of the class and I'll end up thinking the same way I did at VCU, that it wasn't worth my time. If only I can figure out how to remain positive about the whole thing, I might actually do well this time around. I figure I can't do any worse than drop out right? I don't think Michael will let me do that, I've already had to once and I don't think I'd even let me do it again. I really hate not having finished school and now that I know what I want to do, I have a clearer goal in mind other than just going to go cause I don't know anything other than school.
I just wish I didn't have to work a 10 hour shift today. I'm not in the mood for a lot of interaction with people and I don't want to see any of our customers, even the ones who are really nice. Maybe this anti-social feeling will go away once I have some coffee but I dunno. Sometimes it sticks with me all day. I'm supposed to go to Horrorshow after work to see the SFX make-up guys and see Pete. I'd really like to be good to go and not feel like I need a beer to get through the night, but I can already sense it's not going to be that easy. I'm not buying myself a beer, but maybe I can talk Rick into getting me a Magic Hat. We shall see how the night plays out, I may be too sleepy to want to go out after work. Anyways, I'm off to fix some coffee and eggs for breakfast.
I am going to inquire at JSarge on Wednesday morning if I have time about classes, prices and what not for state employees and how do I get signed up for a class in the fall. At least one, I need to get back into it and if I just take the intro to back to school class I should be okay. My only fear is that I'll be bored and my brain will shut off and I won't get anything out of the class and I'll end up thinking the same way I did at VCU, that it wasn't worth my time. If only I can figure out how to remain positive about the whole thing, I might actually do well this time around. I figure I can't do any worse than drop out right? I don't think Michael will let me do that, I've already had to once and I don't think I'd even let me do it again. I really hate not having finished school and now that I know what I want to do, I have a clearer goal in mind other than just going to go cause I don't know anything other than school.
I just wish I didn't have to work a 10 hour shift today. I'm not in the mood for a lot of interaction with people and I don't want to see any of our customers, even the ones who are really nice. Maybe this anti-social feeling will go away once I have some coffee but I dunno. Sometimes it sticks with me all day. I'm supposed to go to Horrorshow after work to see the SFX make-up guys and see Pete. I'd really like to be good to go and not feel like I need a beer to get through the night, but I can already sense it's not going to be that easy. I'm not buying myself a beer, but maybe I can talk Rick into getting me a Magic Hat. We shall see how the night plays out, I may be too sleepy to want to go out after work. Anyways, I'm off to fix some coffee and eggs for breakfast.
16 July 2012
Mondays
Normally, Mondays are not my favorite day of the week. Firstly, I end up having to either open the store or pull a 12 hour shift there, depending on which Monday of the week it is. I normally don't mind, it's pretty dead and I get a lot of work-related things done.
However, when I'm off, I generally don't do much of anything really. Today was different; I really did get a lot of things accomplished. I paid off my Verizon phone and internet bill, most of my dentist and car repair bills, my credit card bill, my car insurance and renter's insurance, and listed my unused loft bed on Craigslist. I have even inquired with the electric company about the best way to go about getting my account switched to the new place and the same with my internet. I feel much more on top of things this time around with the move. Michael has agreed to pay the first month's rent and the deposit so that I don't starve during the month of September. I guess I should also put the mattress and box spring on Craigslist as well, Michael's parents have decided we can have the old bed in his old room. That will mean I will need money for king sized linens to fit it. It's a good thing I love to shop and that Bed, Bath and Beyond is one of my favorite stores.
I have yet to do any actual packing but I've decided on a few things to get rid of. First I have a bag of clothes and linens to donate, I no longer need any twin sized anythings. At least not until our non-existent children are about 3 years of age and that's pretty far off in the future, so no need hanging on to them. Then I have a box full of books that need to be dropped off at Stories Comics in hopes of getting enough credit to buy the next Deadpool comic book. I am sure about 40 books will be worth about $5 credit or so. Just enough to be useful. I may get more than that, some of the books are hard cover and are in excellent shape. Who knows. The other thing is to trash my VHS tape collection, well, only the ones with the X-Files recorded onto them from the TV. I don't really need to keep those around, as long as Netflix is up and running anyways. That should get rid of at least one huge box from my living room. It's just one less thing to tote around unnecessarily.
Last night, Michael and I ended up picking The Wolf Man for our movie of the night to watch, even though we didn't discuss it. 3000 miles away and we're still pretty much in tune. It's a beautiful thing. Since he found out about it, he's decided we should watch at least one movie "together" a night so we can have a discussion about it the next day. It sounds like a good plan and tonight's viewing is of Dracula, the one with Bela Lugosi. I haven't seen it since I was little so I'm pretty stoked to see it again. I love the old Universal films. Hopefully we'll do some Hitchcock films as well; I really want to watch Rear View again. I may make him watch it as my next pick will be on Wednesday. I wonder what he's going to pick for tomorrow...
Anyways, I have to run to work to pick up my chicken and veggies. I forgot to take my chicken home with me yesterday and I figure I should get it out of the fridge before Bill goes nuts. The veggies should have been brought in today by one of our regulars who planted way more than she could use. She said she was dropping off squash, zucchini, string beans and tomatoes today, so I will hopefully be pleasantly surprised by whatever she's left for us (I'm going to split what ever's there with Pauline) . I also have to make it to Cap Ale for the semi-regular Monday Burger Night with Tom and Fritt. I haven't been going nearly as often, mostly due to Fallout having 25 cent wing nights with $1 pints of PBR with a movie viewing. For anyone who says there's nothing to do in Richmond, they obviously haven't been looking hard enough. Ciaos!
However, when I'm off, I generally don't do much of anything really. Today was different; I really did get a lot of things accomplished. I paid off my Verizon phone and internet bill, most of my dentist and car repair bills, my credit card bill, my car insurance and renter's insurance, and listed my unused loft bed on Craigslist. I have even inquired with the electric company about the best way to go about getting my account switched to the new place and the same with my internet. I feel much more on top of things this time around with the move. Michael has agreed to pay the first month's rent and the deposit so that I don't starve during the month of September. I guess I should also put the mattress and box spring on Craigslist as well, Michael's parents have decided we can have the old bed in his old room. That will mean I will need money for king sized linens to fit it. It's a good thing I love to shop and that Bed, Bath and Beyond is one of my favorite stores.
I have yet to do any actual packing but I've decided on a few things to get rid of. First I have a bag of clothes and linens to donate, I no longer need any twin sized anythings. At least not until our non-existent children are about 3 years of age and that's pretty far off in the future, so no need hanging on to them. Then I have a box full of books that need to be dropped off at Stories Comics in hopes of getting enough credit to buy the next Deadpool comic book. I am sure about 40 books will be worth about $5 credit or so. Just enough to be useful. I may get more than that, some of the books are hard cover and are in excellent shape. Who knows. The other thing is to trash my VHS tape collection, well, only the ones with the X-Files recorded onto them from the TV. I don't really need to keep those around, as long as Netflix is up and running anyways. That should get rid of at least one huge box from my living room. It's just one less thing to tote around unnecessarily.
Last night, Michael and I ended up picking The Wolf Man for our movie of the night to watch, even though we didn't discuss it. 3000 miles away and we're still pretty much in tune. It's a beautiful thing. Since he found out about it, he's decided we should watch at least one movie "together" a night so we can have a discussion about it the next day. It sounds like a good plan and tonight's viewing is of Dracula, the one with Bela Lugosi. I haven't seen it since I was little so I'm pretty stoked to see it again. I love the old Universal films. Hopefully we'll do some Hitchcock films as well; I really want to watch Rear View again. I may make him watch it as my next pick will be on Wednesday. I wonder what he's going to pick for tomorrow...
Anyways, I have to run to work to pick up my chicken and veggies. I forgot to take my chicken home with me yesterday and I figure I should get it out of the fridge before Bill goes nuts. The veggies should have been brought in today by one of our regulars who planted way more than she could use. She said she was dropping off squash, zucchini, string beans and tomatoes today, so I will hopefully be pleasantly surprised by whatever she's left for us (I'm going to split what ever's there with Pauline) . I also have to make it to Cap Ale for the semi-regular Monday Burger Night with Tom and Fritt. I haven't been going nearly as often, mostly due to Fallout having 25 cent wing nights with $1 pints of PBR with a movie viewing. For anyone who says there's nothing to do in Richmond, they obviously haven't been looking hard enough. Ciaos!
15 July 2012
New Beginnings
A lot has happened since the last time I posted here. I was pretty broken up over a short two and a half fling with a good friend of mine. I can't believe it bothered me so much, I really don't know why I felt as I did knowing we really didn't want anything from it. Anyways, I ended up leaving that mess for what should have been a one night stand but turned into a two month annoyance with his ex. Oh it was fun but I really shouldn't have wasted the time and effort. It's okay though; during the crazy two months, Michael and I started to talk again and he and I have been seeing each other since April of this year. So far, so good. He's back from Afghanistan, all in one piece. We have an apartment together and I am currently packing and getting ready to move to it on September 3rd. I know it seems like so far away, but it's only about 60 days or so away. I just don't want to have to do everything at the last minute. I have about 3 weeks to get things out of this place when the lease starts at the new place. I'm just going to turn the utilities off here and turn em on at the new place on the 3rd. I figure we won't need the light's here and I'll have most of the larger furniture moved into the new place by then. I will at least have my microwave and my computer at the new place so that's all I really need the electricity for. Well, that and the fridge. I don't need to keep food here, that's going to be moved in on the 3rd as well. The new place is a little bit smaller, by about 20 sq ft but that's not much. I feel like my place by myself is a bit too big for just one person. It was perfect when Michael was here on leave. We didn't kill each other and when either of us needed some thinking space, we could just go to a different room and just veg. That's one good thing, we both like to be close but we need to be alone with our own minds at times. I am just glad we are back together and finally where we should be. We both feel the same way about how things are and how they've been going for the past six years and I am very happy we are on the same page. For once, I feel like everything is right with my life. I'm going to look into taking at least one class at JSarge for the fall. One of my coworkers let me know we get a discount on tuition because we work for the state so I just might be able to swing it, at least for one class to start back at it. I know what I want to do when I go back so at least I have some direction and I won't be wandering aimlessly anymore when back in school. I think I've done a whole lot of growing lately and it's been showing a lot lately in almost every way possible. (not in the waistline though thankfully!)
Our new place is not in a bad part of town and it's really close to work. It's also really close to downtown and the colleges so at least I won't feel so isolated from everything; I plan on being a bit more social and my goal is to make a new friend every three months or so. I figure a small goal is easier to achieve, even if it's just for networking purposes. I don't need a new bestie every three months, just to take the time and get to know a new person to hopefully keep my mind open to new things and new perspectives. And, hey who doesn't like making new friends?
I will be putting applications out and about for new jobs outside of ABC to just see if I can't get an office gig where I can get benefits and the like. I love working for the liquor store, it's fun and not at all stressful but they pay is only so-so and there are no benefits and I have to work almost every holiday. Also, they've decided to open all the stores on Sundays so I don't even have a set day off any longer. So that's kinda also my motivation to find a new place to work. I hope I can find something, I don't really have any experience outside of food service and customer service in a retail setting. I can type properly and I am very organized and I know my way around Excel, Word, Outlook, and Access so hopefully I can find something somewhere soon. I just hope my search is more fruitful than my mom's last job search. It took her two years to get the job she has now and she's not really happy where she is, but she won't start looking elsewhere now, not with my step-dad retiring at the end of this year.
To think I only have 100 days til Michael is back on this coast and back at our home. Finally, it's been a long five years but it's gotten us to a better place and hopefully we will last together for fifty years or so if we're lucky enough to live that long. I can't wait til we can get our own place and yell at the kids to stay off our lawn :) And for anyone wondering, this is the man I plan to spend the rest of my life with :)
Our new place is not in a bad part of town and it's really close to work. It's also really close to downtown and the colleges so at least I won't feel so isolated from everything; I plan on being a bit more social and my goal is to make a new friend every three months or so. I figure a small goal is easier to achieve, even if it's just for networking purposes. I don't need a new bestie every three months, just to take the time and get to know a new person to hopefully keep my mind open to new things and new perspectives. And, hey who doesn't like making new friends?
I will be putting applications out and about for new jobs outside of ABC to just see if I can't get an office gig where I can get benefits and the like. I love working for the liquor store, it's fun and not at all stressful but they pay is only so-so and there are no benefits and I have to work almost every holiday. Also, they've decided to open all the stores on Sundays so I don't even have a set day off any longer. So that's kinda also my motivation to find a new place to work. I hope I can find something, I don't really have any experience outside of food service and customer service in a retail setting. I can type properly and I am very organized and I know my way around Excel, Word, Outlook, and Access so hopefully I can find something somewhere soon. I just hope my search is more fruitful than my mom's last job search. It took her two years to get the job she has now and she's not really happy where she is, but she won't start looking elsewhere now, not with my step-dad retiring at the end of this year.
To think I only have 100 days til Michael is back on this coast and back at our home. Finally, it's been a long five years but it's gotten us to a better place and hopefully we will last together for fifty years or so if we're lucky enough to live that long. I can't wait til we can get our own place and yell at the kids to stay off our lawn :) And for anyone wondering, this is the man I plan to spend the rest of my life with :)
I think we make a great couple, don't you agree?
27 January 2012
Goals for the New Year
I don't care that it's almost a month into it already, I was trying to catch up on sleep and get over being sick! Now that I'm well rested and almost back to being in good health, I'm finally able to figure out what my real goals for the new year should be. Whether or not I achieve them, that's a different story, but I'm going to try my best to stick by them.
Goal the First: Make healthier choices. Whether it's choosing to pass up fast food or water over soda or walking vs. driving or smoking vs. not. This is something I can stick to pretty closely. My aim here is to just end up feeling better all over. I am not planning on buying any more cigarettes, I'm not planning on taking a random trip to McDonald's when I'm being too lazy to cook. The idea is that I don't get to be lazy about things that will make me feel better on the inside and also feel better because I'm able to save a bit of money in the process. Saving money will end up helping me keep my health by not keeping me continuously stressed out over not having money. I'm also going to try and be more active outside the house. The weather has been wonderful for it for the past three days and it's supposed to be nice through next week. Like 60s and sunny. So I need to take advantage of the non-wintry days while we still have them. I'm also trying to limit my drinking to just one pint on Thursdays again, living like I was when I was really poor a few years ago. I really don't need to be getting drunk to the point where I can't drive home after the pub, especially now when I have a 20 minute drive home. Another thing is I'm trying to refuse when anyone asks if I want to smoke at the pub. It's hard, cause it's ingrained in my head that drinking time= smoking time. I'm not going to buy any cigs for myself and no more cloves. It should be easy, yet another thing I'm going to be saving money on not buying.
Goal the Second: Get a better paying job, one with benefits. I have yet to even start on writing a resume. I have no idea really where to begin as I've never had a job that required one, but I'm willing to learn. I'm sure there is some sort of template to follow floating around on the tubez.
Goal the Third: Enroll at JSarge. Even if it's just for one class, I've got to start back to school this year. It's a must. No excuses, no longer will "I didn't have the money" cut it. I want to go back, I need to go back, I will be going back.
Goal the Fourth: Move back to the West End. I really like my neighborhood, but I really don't like the commute. I just need something closer to the pub, preferably within stumbling distance from the pub. Which may mean I need a roommate, it may just mean getting a better paying job. I'm going to shoot for the job, but I'm sure I can find a roommate.
I think those are pretty much all the goals I have so far. I'm sure there will be more, but those are the major four. If I can stick with them all, I will be very happy and very proud of myself for not giving in or giving up. Fritt says I can do all of those things and I am inclined to agree, so I don't want to let him down either. It's nice having friends that can push you to further greatness. I'm excited to see how this year plays out. It was a bit rocky to start out with but that is in the past and the future is looking up. Here's to a better rest of the year and a better start to the rest of my life. I'm leaving past grudges behind, leaving past doubts behind, I'm leaving some bad habits behind as well. I have already started getting my act together, the first step was moving out on my own. Now I can move on to even better things, I haven't failed at keeping myself alive and off the street so I say full steam ahead! This growing up isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be; it's actually kind of a fun adventure as long as you don't take it too seriously.
Goal the First: Make healthier choices. Whether it's choosing to pass up fast food or water over soda or walking vs. driving or smoking vs. not. This is something I can stick to pretty closely. My aim here is to just end up feeling better all over. I am not planning on buying any more cigarettes, I'm not planning on taking a random trip to McDonald's when I'm being too lazy to cook. The idea is that I don't get to be lazy about things that will make me feel better on the inside and also feel better because I'm able to save a bit of money in the process. Saving money will end up helping me keep my health by not keeping me continuously stressed out over not having money. I'm also going to try and be more active outside the house. The weather has been wonderful for it for the past three days and it's supposed to be nice through next week. Like 60s and sunny. So I need to take advantage of the non-wintry days while we still have them. I'm also trying to limit my drinking to just one pint on Thursdays again, living like I was when I was really poor a few years ago. I really don't need to be getting drunk to the point where I can't drive home after the pub, especially now when I have a 20 minute drive home. Another thing is I'm trying to refuse when anyone asks if I want to smoke at the pub. It's hard, cause it's ingrained in my head that drinking time= smoking time. I'm not going to buy any cigs for myself and no more cloves. It should be easy, yet another thing I'm going to be saving money on not buying.
Goal the Second: Get a better paying job, one with benefits. I have yet to even start on writing a resume. I have no idea really where to begin as I've never had a job that required one, but I'm willing to learn. I'm sure there is some sort of template to follow floating around on the tubez.
Goal the Third: Enroll at JSarge. Even if it's just for one class, I've got to start back to school this year. It's a must. No excuses, no longer will "I didn't have the money" cut it. I want to go back, I need to go back, I will be going back.
Goal the Fourth: Move back to the West End. I really like my neighborhood, but I really don't like the commute. I just need something closer to the pub, preferably within stumbling distance from the pub. Which may mean I need a roommate, it may just mean getting a better paying job. I'm going to shoot for the job, but I'm sure I can find a roommate.
I think those are pretty much all the goals I have so far. I'm sure there will be more, but those are the major four. If I can stick with them all, I will be very happy and very proud of myself for not giving in or giving up. Fritt says I can do all of those things and I am inclined to agree, so I don't want to let him down either. It's nice having friends that can push you to further greatness. I'm excited to see how this year plays out. It was a bit rocky to start out with but that is in the past and the future is looking up. Here's to a better rest of the year and a better start to the rest of my life. I'm leaving past grudges behind, leaving past doubts behind, I'm leaving some bad habits behind as well. I have already started getting my act together, the first step was moving out on my own. Now I can move on to even better things, I haven't failed at keeping myself alive and off the street so I say full steam ahead! This growing up isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be; it's actually kind of a fun adventure as long as you don't take it too seriously.
25 January 2012
Yay!
A small victory, my first blog post from my new home :) Sadly, it's only taken me four months of living here before I caved and got the internet. I liked being forced to go out to Starbucks and blog, but I believe I will be saving much more money this way. I don't like the idea of paying $50 a month for internet, but it's easier to see than $50+ a month on lattes. I really need to curb that bad habit, I really can't afford it on my budget. Hopefully that will change in the near future. I've actually updated my resume and I'm going to finally start applying to everywhere I can think of that might possibly be hiring for full time people.
I need a much better paying job, especially one that offers some sort of health benefits. I figure if I start applying now, I will have a new job by the summer, no problem. As long as I get something before October so I can easily get a place in the west end once more and not live in the crack neighborhood (j/k, Richmonders don't do crack, they do heroin and drink---heavily).
Anyways, that is the plan for this year: move back to my side of town. It's more important I do it now than it was before, mostly because my friend who convinced me to move here is now being forced to move back in with her folks in Tennessee. Her job decided to cut her position and she's now all unemployed.
She made the comment that makes me cringe: "If unemployment paid better, I'd be on it for longer." Really? THAT'S WHY WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE ACTIVELY SEEKING JOBS! Not that there aren't any jobs available, it's just that the unemployment pays better than the jobs that we have tons of do! Who wants to work at McDonalds and earn about 1200$/month when they can earn about that if they had a better paying job, got laid off and now are earning 1400 or so a month in unemployment? Where's the drive to get a job? Seriously, either raise the amount of pay for food service jobs or lower the amount of unemployment money you give out. Raise the rate of pay or lower the amount of aid...either way, you'd see a dramatic boost in employment and one way will get us out of debt just as fast as the other one would, which is way faster than what we're doing now. Or do both and speed up the process, I don't care. A free handout just keeps people lazy and fat and unmotivated to change their situation. It may have been fine in the past, but it's not fine now. /rant
And now on to something completely different: I'm leaving facebook. I will be there til they make it mandatory to use the timeline. I've already made it impossible to find me, you can't tag me in anything, you can't search or add me if you aren't already friends with me, you can't check me in anywhere, I've disabled all the apps. So if you want to keep up with me, pm me and I'll add you on FB or something, but I don't feel up to keeping up with having to change the security features every time there is an update. It's a bit ridiculous really and frankly, I don't have the time to worry about it. If I don't have a FB, I won't have anything for future employers to use against me in the hiring process. I'm going to save all my pictures and then I'm out.
I need a much better paying job, especially one that offers some sort of health benefits. I figure if I start applying now, I will have a new job by the summer, no problem. As long as I get something before October so I can easily get a place in the west end once more and not live in the crack neighborhood (j/k, Richmonders don't do crack, they do heroin and drink---heavily).
Anyways, that is the plan for this year: move back to my side of town. It's more important I do it now than it was before, mostly because my friend who convinced me to move here is now being forced to move back in with her folks in Tennessee. Her job decided to cut her position and she's now all unemployed.
She made the comment that makes me cringe: "If unemployment paid better, I'd be on it for longer." Really? THAT'S WHY WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE ACTIVELY SEEKING JOBS! Not that there aren't any jobs available, it's just that the unemployment pays better than the jobs that we have tons of do! Who wants to work at McDonalds and earn about 1200$/month when they can earn about that if they had a better paying job, got laid off and now are earning 1400 or so a month in unemployment? Where's the drive to get a job? Seriously, either raise the amount of pay for food service jobs or lower the amount of unemployment money you give out. Raise the rate of pay or lower the amount of aid...either way, you'd see a dramatic boost in employment and one way will get us out of debt just as fast as the other one would, which is way faster than what we're doing now. Or do both and speed up the process, I don't care. A free handout just keeps people lazy and fat and unmotivated to change their situation. It may have been fine in the past, but it's not fine now. /rant
And now on to something completely different: I'm leaving facebook. I will be there til they make it mandatory to use the timeline. I've already made it impossible to find me, you can't tag me in anything, you can't search or add me if you aren't already friends with me, you can't check me in anywhere, I've disabled all the apps. So if you want to keep up with me, pm me and I'll add you on FB or something, but I don't feel up to keeping up with having to change the security features every time there is an update. It's a bit ridiculous really and frankly, I don't have the time to worry about it. If I don't have a FB, I won't have anything for future employers to use against me in the hiring process. I'm going to save all my pictures and then I'm out.
18 January 2012
Unfortunate
So my phone is not working, but maybe now that I paid about half my balance with Verizon it will be back on. I dunno, I really don't care, I'm getting internet at my house on Tuesday. It's going to be sad, not having to go out to Starbucks to do my blogging. I may still take time on my days off to have coffee and reflect on my week in a new place, not completely by myself, but alone. I dunno if that makes sense, but it's easier for me to focus on my own tasks at hand if there are more people to tune out.
I went to Target with my friend the other day and she talked me into not putting off getting new sheets and a clock. I have been settled in my place since October and I've pretty much been living like a bachelor. I got a microwave and one set of sheets, one towel and I'm good. I've got one set of plates, coffee mugs galore and yet I don't have a knife set. I gotta get on that. Anyways, I finally got to washing my new sheets so I could have something warmer than the silk ones that I've been sleeping on.
I still say it looks like UofR threw up on my bed.
I went to Target with my friend the other day and she talked me into not putting off getting new sheets and a clock. I have been settled in my place since October and I've pretty much been living like a bachelor. I got a microwave and one set of sheets, one towel and I'm good. I've got one set of plates, coffee mugs galore and yet I don't have a knife set. I gotta get on that. Anyways, I finally got to washing my new sheets so I could have something warmer than the silk ones that I've been sleeping on.
I still say it looks like UofR threw up on my bed.
I really didn't mean for it to happen that way, and I think it would be a good way to decorate for your school without over doing it. I mean, it's got the colors and the spiders on the throw kinda give it a more subtle edge. It's too bad I went to VCU.
I guess that's about all for today, Amanda wants me to come for a visit and lord knows how more of them we have left for a while. Ciaos!
16 January 2012
Regretsy
I am in love with...Regretsy. I love how much joy reading about other people's butthurts and horribly made crafts. It makes me almost think that I am talented enough to make things to sell, but if I ever did open an Etsy store, my only goal wouldn't be making money, but making it on the Regretsy page. I am going to order a digital copy of Regretsy's Big Book of Fabricated Finnish Folktales. It's only $5 for the digital copy and the proceeds go to charity so I'm okay with that. (done!)
I'm also in love with Jenna Mourey, also known as Jenna Marbles on youtubes, twitter and Facebook. I love her views on life and how to have a more relaxed existence. She makes me laugh at things that used to be things that would piss me off, but now when those situations arise, I hear her voice in my head ranting about it and honestly I can't help but laugh. I have been a bit more laid back and I swear every day I'm growing more into my role as a productive member of this adult society that has scared me for so long. I never really wanted to grow up, but it's not as bad as I thought it would be.
I seem to be re-evaluating almost everything in my life and it's nice to have someone to look to. I wouldn't be able to do this as gracefully on my own, but seeing peers go through the same things and their reactions to similar situations help me to figure out the best possible way to go about dealing with people/ problems. The guy I was dating decided that we weren't meant to be dating and instead of throwing a tantrum like a little kid as I would have done a few years ago, I just went on with it and we're still hanging out like the good friends we are. I've learned there are no reasons to burn bridges unless they really and truly have wronged you and it's not someone's fault if they don't feel for you the same way you feel for them. You just have to accept that sometimes, you aren't on the same page and once you're able to grasp that concept, it's less awkward to be around them and to be friends. I was on my way to doing this with Rowe, and hopefully when he comes back to Richmond in October we will actually be roommates. I really would love to only be paying 300 or so for rent once more and to be living with someone else who loves to live in a clean home. Someone who pays bills on time so we can dick around with the rest of our time after that gets taken care of first. Rowe is a good friend and I'm glad I didn't do the kid thing and cut him out of my life completely. Living together might be weird at first or maybe it won't. I see it going one of three ways: 1)we live together, we work out great and we are roommates for a long time, 2) we live together, start dating/sleeping together it goes well, we live happily ever after or 3) we start dating/sleeping together, it goes badly and it's awkward after that. I really don't know how it's going to happen, but any of those three scenarios seem okay to me.
I woke up this morning sick, at least sick enough to not make it to work. My nose just wouldn't stop running, I have no idea how I could have had that much goop in my nose. I mean, I know it's kinda big, but seriously? I hope I never get cancer, my body is really advanced at regenerating shit it shouldn't, like ova and phlegm and saliva. Anyways, I found out that the CVS brand of affrin no drip extra strength nose spray works wonders. When I get to Greenaire, I will be taking a severe sinus pill, I'm still leery about them; usually I can't stand or drive for a while after I take one of them. We'll have to see how I feel. My nose has been pretty good for the hour that I've been sitting in Starbucks, so hopefully it will continue to not drip at the boys' home. I don't feel like using Kleenex during Hot Tub Time Machine, which apparently is the movie we're watching tonight.
I'm also in love with Jenna Mourey, also known as Jenna Marbles on youtubes, twitter and Facebook. I love her views on life and how to have a more relaxed existence. She makes me laugh at things that used to be things that would piss me off, but now when those situations arise, I hear her voice in my head ranting about it and honestly I can't help but laugh. I have been a bit more laid back and I swear every day I'm growing more into my role as a productive member of this adult society that has scared me for so long. I never really wanted to grow up, but it's not as bad as I thought it would be.
I seem to be re-evaluating almost everything in my life and it's nice to have someone to look to. I wouldn't be able to do this as gracefully on my own, but seeing peers go through the same things and their reactions to similar situations help me to figure out the best possible way to go about dealing with people/ problems. The guy I was dating decided that we weren't meant to be dating and instead of throwing a tantrum like a little kid as I would have done a few years ago, I just went on with it and we're still hanging out like the good friends we are. I've learned there are no reasons to burn bridges unless they really and truly have wronged you and it's not someone's fault if they don't feel for you the same way you feel for them. You just have to accept that sometimes, you aren't on the same page and once you're able to grasp that concept, it's less awkward to be around them and to be friends. I was on my way to doing this with Rowe, and hopefully when he comes back to Richmond in October we will actually be roommates. I really would love to only be paying 300 or so for rent once more and to be living with someone else who loves to live in a clean home. Someone who pays bills on time so we can dick around with the rest of our time after that gets taken care of first. Rowe is a good friend and I'm glad I didn't do the kid thing and cut him out of my life completely. Living together might be weird at first or maybe it won't. I see it going one of three ways: 1)we live together, we work out great and we are roommates for a long time, 2) we live together, start dating/sleeping together it goes well, we live happily ever after or 3) we start dating/sleeping together, it goes badly and it's awkward after that. I really don't know how it's going to happen, but any of those three scenarios seem okay to me.
I woke up this morning sick, at least sick enough to not make it to work. My nose just wouldn't stop running, I have no idea how I could have had that much goop in my nose. I mean, I know it's kinda big, but seriously? I hope I never get cancer, my body is really advanced at regenerating shit it shouldn't, like ova and phlegm and saliva. Anyways, I found out that the CVS brand of affrin no drip extra strength nose spray works wonders. When I get to Greenaire, I will be taking a severe sinus pill, I'm still leery about them; usually I can't stand or drive for a while after I take one of them. We'll have to see how I feel. My nose has been pretty good for the hour that I've been sitting in Starbucks, so hopefully it will continue to not drip at the boys' home. I don't feel like using Kleenex during Hot Tub Time Machine, which apparently is the movie we're watching tonight.
13 January 2012
Yesterday/Today
So far, I thought 2012 was going well. I thought the relationship with Michael was going well. I was very, very wrong. We had a Talk last night/this morning and it ended up with me finding out that I'm not his 'one'. Oh well, better to find out now rather than a year or so down the road. So far, we're still on for hanging out like normal, just not quite like it has been, even though we both agree it's nice. So in the relationship category, I'm thinking it's still a question mark or possibly friends with benefits. I'm hoping it will just go back to being cuddle buddies and leave it at that, just because it's less complicated that way. My 'c' key is broken now, so I may have to revert to typing out all future 'c's as 'k's just for the ease of it. Sorry to all that it might offend.
I did talk to Rowe the other night and he said he would be up for being my roommate when he gets back stateside. It's good to know even though we didn't make it as a couple, we are still bffs. He supposedly only talks to a select group of people anymore and somehow I still make it to that group. Some of the people he used to talk to who don't like me are not on that list anymore and that cheers me up a little, even if it shouldn't.
I'm meeting up with Pam and possibly Sofiat for dinner. I'm still not sure what I want to do, I really don't have the money to spend as I spent way too much on booze at the pub. I'm not buying anything there but tea for a few weeks. I dunno, it just seemed like a good idea at the time to buy a Jameson and ginger ale along with all that food and the two pints of Guinness. Eh, you only live once right? I have plenty of noodles at home, all I need is to buy more sauce and possibly frozen veggies.
I've been working on re-arranging my apartment because I'm ADD and can't stand it being the same for more than two months at a time. I was going to use some money to buy new sheets so I won't have to sleep on silk ones (the only ones that aren't too small for my bed---they're too big!). However, there isn't enough left in the funds for a new set so I'm going to have to live with the silky slippery sheets for the moment. Maybe in February. Probably in February. Okay, new goal for next month: Buy new sheets!
Panera has gone up on the cost of their bagels again. It's up to $1.37 for a bagel now and I think I'm not going to splurge here much more often. When I left working for P-bread it was $0.91 for a bagel. I'm not amused at the price hike and decline in quality of product. They still have yet to bring back my Chicken Tomesto sandwich.
Update: the little nub that presses the sensor on my 'c' key has come off also, I may have to break down and get a whole new keyboard :( In March, when I have money. Maybe.
I did talk to Rowe the other night and he said he would be up for being my roommate when he gets back stateside. It's good to know even though we didn't make it as a couple, we are still bffs. He supposedly only talks to a select group of people anymore and somehow I still make it to that group. Some of the people he used to talk to who don't like me are not on that list anymore and that cheers me up a little, even if it shouldn't.
I'm meeting up with Pam and possibly Sofiat for dinner. I'm still not sure what I want to do, I really don't have the money to spend as I spent way too much on booze at the pub. I'm not buying anything there but tea for a few weeks. I dunno, it just seemed like a good idea at the time to buy a Jameson and ginger ale along with all that food and the two pints of Guinness. Eh, you only live once right? I have plenty of noodles at home, all I need is to buy more sauce and possibly frozen veggies.
I've been working on re-arranging my apartment because I'm ADD and can't stand it being the same for more than two months at a time. I was going to use some money to buy new sheets so I won't have to sleep on silk ones (the only ones that aren't too small for my bed---they're too big!). However, there isn't enough left in the funds for a new set so I'm going to have to live with the silky slippery sheets for the moment. Maybe in February. Probably in February. Okay, new goal for next month: Buy new sheets!
Panera has gone up on the cost of their bagels again. It's up to $1.37 for a bagel now and I think I'm not going to splurge here much more often. When I left working for P-bread it was $0.91 for a bagel. I'm not amused at the price hike and decline in quality of product. They still have yet to bring back my Chicken Tomesto sandwich.
Update: the little nub that presses the sensor on my 'c' key has come off also, I may have to break down and get a whole new keyboard :( In March, when I have money. Maybe.
11 January 2012
First!
The emotionally immature person has low levels of self-esteem and self confidence and consequently feels insecure; to counter these feelings of insecurity, they will spend a large proportion of their lives creating situations in which they become the center of attention. It may be that the need for attention is inversely proportional to emotional maturity, therefore anyone indulging in attention seeking behaviors is telling you how emotionally immature they are.
The above idea struck me as I was lying in bed one night last week. I dunno if it's been said before, I just had to put it on paper. Going over the things that have changed for me in the past few years from when I decided to live a better life it just came to me. I had been living a life full of lies. I love myself and I don't really think the only thing that I'm good at is mediocrity. I deserve better opportunities and better relationships with my friends. I deserve better friends. I deserve these things because I don't have to settle and would no longer settle with good enough. All my life I was told to be choosy in my friends and in whose company I keep. Never did I listen to that advice; I always thought it would be better to give everyone an equal chance at being a friend. I have learned through experience that it is not always wise to do so. Sometimes, you have to let people go, keep them at a good distance. You ARE judged by the company you keep and getting ahead in life is not going to happen if you're hanging around bottom feeders. I've noticed this from my experiences after high school and in watching my dad struggle with his life in Florida. His friends needed to check in with judges and parole officers and take weekly drug tests. He filed for bankruptcy protection in the fall of 2010 and has since moved away. He had people crashing on his couch and he used to drive his friends around who had lost their licenses due to drunk driving or something stupid like that. He went through three cars while down there, he struggled to pay his bills and yet he kept helping those around him. He called them friends, but really they were just using him for what he had or what he could do for them. That is not what I call a friendship.
I stopped hanging out with certain groups of people either because of their actions, inaction or apathy towards any sort of change, be it positive or negative. I used to be homeless, living on anyone's couch for as long as they'd have me no matter what went on in the house. I've lived with drug dealers (pot and coke), I've lived with people that didn't feel the need to actively find a job and who were perfectly content accepting money from their parents to pay their rent due to a lack of job. I lived with people who felt they were entitled to things because their parents had it well off and they never had to do any work in their lives. Like two of my last roommates. Their parents worked, they cleaned the house and took care of basically everything for them until they moved out so they were horrible at basic living. They never cleaned, didn't work, sat around and complained all day and felt that others needed to be within earshot of their complaining.
There is a club I belong to, I will not name it. I don't go nearly as often anymore, mostly because I can't stand the people that go there any longer. I mean, there are a handful of people who go there I would still have fun hanging out with and spending time with, but the majority of the people who go there I wouldn't mind never seeing again. I'm not sure if it's a product of getting older, but the more I see them, the more I see the drama they bring with being associated with them.
Since I decided it was a time for a change for me, I have done so much and been pretty much drama free. I got a promotion at work, even though it means almost nothing, save for the fifty cent raise associated with it. I live on my own now, and I'm not going hungry. I may not be able to go out and drink every night I like I could when I lived with six people in a one bedroom house, but I have my privacy, my sanity. I don't have internet currently, but that's only due to me having to get some other things in order, things that matter more, like making sure the utilities are paid up and old debts are paid off. I am also trying to save at lease two hundred bucks a month so I can open a CD or an IRA at the end of the year. It's my goal, to be able to be out on my own and not have to survive paycheck to paycheck, and it's not an easy feat considering how little money I make. Also, I'm looking for a new job while we're on the topic of not making enough money. My other goal is to get either a full time 9-5 kind of job and stay at ABC for part time money. I need some sort of job that has some sort of set schedule, this having to be on call from 9-9 Monday through Saturday is kinda annoying. Also, I'm only making 10.50/hour so it's not really worth it, as I don't get any overtime, the state doesn't really like that. Sad, cause I be willing to work about 50 hours a week if they'd let me. I just want something with a more set schedule, a higher wage, and health benefits. The next time I move, I want to go back to the west end so I would be closer to everything that matters in my new life: work, my new group of friends and the pub. It sounds like I drink a lot, putting the pub in my list of things that matter but it's about the only place I ever go anymore. I met most of my new friends there and they've been quite a positive influence in my life. I want to be able to be seen as doing well for myself, like I see them doing. I want to shine by comparison and if I'm comparing myself to the people in my new group, I need to really step up my game, not at all like being the shining start of the old group. I didn't have to put forth any real effort for me to look like the one success story among the rejects, mostly because I have a job and a car and am not on drugs. Woo, not hard to do there. With the new group, everyone's finished college, some own their own business, some make six figures a year and they're not much older than I am. I have to get back to college, start over at the community college and work my way back to university. I wonder if I end up getting a 4.0 at JSarge if they'd accept me at UofR if I can swing the tuition. It might be easier to do now that I'm on my own and I'm not obligated to put down my parents' incomes on my FAFSA form. There is nothing holding me back now, at least, not anything that is out of my immediate control.
This is the start of another new chapter in my life, and hopefully I will like how it shapes up. I'm quite pleased how the first two years have gone and I'd like to keep on that positive track.
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