Cleaning house

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Arrgh.

Moving sucks. Having morons for landlords makes it ever so much better.

This weekend can be described only as a massive cluster-fuck. And I haven't even actually moved yet! I move in 3 hours, which is great-*finally*. But I can't sleep.

Aarrgh.

That is all, for now. Details later this week as I avoid unpacking boxes.


Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

{screeeeech}

...is this thing on?

Several things.

Thing the first, Happy New Year!

Thing the second; this is the funniest thing I've read in a long, long, time. Anybody who actually SAW this speech, knows exactly how accurate it is. "-Jesus, watching Drew Barrymore give a speech is like watching a meth addict on a unicycle." (from HERE)

Thing the third; I'm moving in 2 weeks, and I've never been happier about a move in my life. Even when I was delusionally cheerful in anticipation of the move that would eventually send me into a spiral of depression, sadness, and career suicide. This time, it's because I'm moving from a teeny-tiny apartment (read: closet) into a 3-bedroom apartment which has FOUR separate closets as well as more than 18" of available counter space! And did I mention the upper cabinets in the kitchen? And that my plates no longer need to live on the top of my dresser? Yee-haw. That's all I have to say about THAT.

Thing the fourth; I got screwed over today by the girl who was going to be my room-mate at the new place. I had agreed to a roomie in order to bail her sorry butt out of a sticky situation. Then I got used to the idea of having a roomie (can we say Cheaper Rent? I knew you could!) and was actually looking forward to it. I KNOW. So today, she calls me to say "hey, going to stay here with my folks for a few more months before I move back in with the boyfriend I called you to save me from". {mutter}

Thing the fifth; I have, quite literally, thought about blogging every single day for at least the last 4 weeks. And yet, somehow, managed to not even attempt it. Twice, when opening my Bloglines, the computer managed to open my blogger homepage instead. And I managed to mutter under my breath, look guiltily away, and re-enter 'blo' in my navigator bar in order to find an escape hatch before anybody noticed I was avoiding them. I don't know why.

I read at least 50 blog posts a day, sometimes more. And yet I can't find the time or energy to create one myself. Even when I have things to say and I know I'll feel better if I spew them into the ether. (Also, my typing skills appear to have suffered as a result of the prolonged hiatus. Who'da thunk it?)

My job is the same...mundane. Ho-hum. Unchallenging. I have resolved to myself to apply for a minimum of 6 new jobs this calendar year, and to interview and receive at least one of them. That doesn't mean I have to GET a new job, but rather be offered one. Which involves interviewing. Ideally, it would be a job that I would like, enjoy, and grow to love. However, I'm equally fine with it being Chief Door Scowler at Walmart(I believe the official title is 'Greeter'.) I just have not interviewed for a RealJob^TM in 12 years, and that was for a part-time cashier position while I was at University, and I know that I need the practice so that I can achieve my ultimate goal of World Domination. I mean gainful, challenging employment.*

*If anybody can teach me the easy way to do an overstrike without having to memorize tricky HTML code, I'd be eternally grateful. Well, maybe not eternally grateful, but at least 3 weeks worth of grateful.

My dog is amazing. I can't wait to move so that he can have some space to himself, instead of his always having to be exactly where ever the heck I am. I.e. 3" behind my left ankle. Or in front of me when I'm trying to go somewhere. Or laying in front of the stove while I try to cook supper. Oh yes, he'll have HIS OWN ROOM. Not that I expect him to hang out in it, but MAN is it going to be good to have some extra space again.

The dog is the only thing that has gotten me out of bed some mornings. And even then, I still feel guilty that I make him wait for me so he can have a walk. He should be getting more exercise, as should I. But I'm not. And last Saturday (2 ago, I worked this one) I slept for 12 hours straight. When I had laid down for a 15 minute nap. So yeah. Things ain't completely right in Whoville.

I am actually concerned enough to make a doctor's appointment for this week, as I've also felt muscle twitches in my chest. Not spasms or anything like that, but more of a skin-twitch. But it's WEIRD. And while not unpleasant, per se, rather unusual. So yeah. I'll be doing something about these things this week.

I had one hell of a cold last week, misery and snot abounded. Preceded by an inordinate number (odd thought, that. How does one get an inordinate ordinal? Probably from a non-gambling cardinal.) of headaches. I don't generally get headaches, so I really noticed them. All in the week after New Year's. Like I said, odd. But meh. No biggie.

Billy quit smoking--and I'm so proud of him. I know it's damned near impossible for him, as he's been doing it so long. And the boredom and depression make it an extra difficult challenge. I'm SO proud of him.

DD is good--still living too far away. The Child is apparently doing well at school, but is still reluctant to leave the house. He turned 16 at the beginning of December and took the morning off to get his beginner's permit. He then proceeded to not ask to drive for over a month. His father kept trying to goad him into driving, and The Child kept coming up with reasons that he shouldn't. I suggested DD should leave the kid the fuck alone, and he'd come around on his own.

I was correct.

(See how that warranted its own paragraph? Yeah. I'm THAT kind of non-parent.)

However, the kid is still not driving much, and is opting to not leave the house very often. Even when the guys from school ask him to go out and do stuff. And right now, he's not even fascinated by his video games. So I suggested that this behaviour is not 100% the norm, and perhaps it was time for a friendly visit to the family doctor. Depression is a scary thing, and is a known side-effect of The Child's asthma meds. And it's not normal for 16 year old boys to avoid the opportunity to avoid their parents by hanging out at the mall and flirting with 16 year old girls. Or at least act like morons and wonder why the girls like the older boys. ;)

I wish that I'd gotten off my arse at 10:00 and started this post instead of waiting until almost 1 am. Because now it's damned near 2 am, and I'm pooped. Not to mention that I have to get up in 6 hours. Fwah.

Oh yes....the poor life decisions portion of this post. So after I got screwed over by the almost-but-not-quite-yet roommate, I was a bit put out. I had been contemplating my options: a) go roomie-less and enjoy the solitude and spaciousness of my new abode; b) move into the place, then advertise on Kijiji or FB for a stranger that I could lay out steel-clad rules for; or c) search for an acquaintance that I could stand for a short period of time. I hadn't come up with a solution by the time my shift was over.

I was locking up, talking to DD on the phone, and saying goodbye to everyone as they left (I'm a multi-tasker, what can I say?) when 2 of the newer associates were heading out. "G'night Sadie, G'night Sadie's Beau!" (She too, is a Sadie. What are the odds?! I refer to her as "Other-Sadie". So do her co-workers. I find it amusing.) Anyway, I'm not sure how it started out, but basically she said they may be moving back to Newfoundland. I said "HUH?!?" as they just moved here a few months ago so they could attend school.* As it turns out, their student loans are not coming through as promised. I knew OS (Other-Sadie) had been waiting a long time for hers, but as I too had waited a long, long time for mine, I figured it would eventually come through.

It didn't.

Or rather, it did, but in a much smaller number than she had first been told. They re-assessed her parents incomes, and she was given a much smaller amount based on that reassessment. Her Beau (OSB - heh) received his whole amount, but as his program is available back in NF, and hers is not, he doesn't need to be here for school. So if she doesn't come up with the cash for tuition, she's going to have to move home. And he'll go with her and go to school back on the island. (Her parents aren't in any position to help her out financially, not even by co-signing a loan or a line of credit for her.)

I know how stressed OS is about this, as I nearly starved once upon a time when I was trying to go to school here in NS. It SUCKS. I asked them, quite impetuously I might add, what their rent was, and if cheaper rent would help pay tuition. She said $800/month, which she'd told me before, but I forgot. So I said, "I'm moving in 2 weeks into a 3 bedroom, and it'll be too big for me. So if it'll help, you're welcome to move in with me there, and it would only be $500 instead. So you could stay in school."

What in sweet Jesus' name was I thinking?! I don't want one room-mate, let alone TWO.

But I also really like these 2 kids. They're sweet, and polite, and hard-working, and responsible. And I hate to see ANYBODY drop out of school when it's something they're passionate about. And OS really loves massage therapy. (I know, I know. What the hell?! But she really does love it. Not my cup of tea, but hell--it's a career, and it's a portable skill-set.)

So yeah. Tomorrow I'm going to call her to make sure she knows I mean/t it--and that I'd really rather she take me up on it than she give up on school. School's only 6 months, and I can do anything short-term. I think.

We shall see, anyway. So yeah, my big mouth was writing cheques again. Here's hoping I live to cash this one in.

On the tail end of that lovely story, I'm finally heading to bed. It's 2:11 am, and long since time I was asleep.

I've missed you, poppets. Hopefully it won't be so long again, this time around. Happy Tuesday! :)


*ridiculously overpriced private college

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