Priorities

Related to my last post, I just wanted to mention that I bought a bookcase before I bought an entertainment center.

Priorities.

Now, to be fair, I sort of had to get a bookcase first because I can't put my clothes anywhere until these boxes of books go away. So, fine. But still. The TV is sitting on two chairs and will continue to do so until I feel like I have spare money. That, or until I know I will be having someone visit the apartment. It is embarrassing after all.

Every pay period gets this apartment one step closer to being lived in. I wish I could blow all kinds of money making it nice in one fell swoop, but I'm okay with it. Progress feels good.

The only downside is that there are far, far too many books for one tiny bookcase. I also rather enjoy that fact of my life. :)

So Over TV

I think I might actually be over TV. Not enough to get rid of it, but no more HBO or other movie channels. I will have the Blockbuster subscription where you can rent all you want, but that's it. I don't even watch new shoes. I like reruns of shows and old school cartoons. I swear. I watch more cartoons and Discovery channel. So TV has yet to impress me. I think I am also trying not to get addicted to any shows; it helps that I am so behind on all the shows I do like.

Now, you can tell I'm still addicted because I won't just get rid of it, but what an unexpected carryover from New Zealand! I just assumed that I would jump into old ways, but I have no time for TV. It feels good. Statistics on are on my side with this one.

But... how unexpected!!

No Rip Van Winkle

I can't nap anymore. I'll let that soak in.

I, the lover of naps and relaxing midday, can no longer nap. Oh, sure, I try. But to no avail. I will inevitably have the running commentary of my consciousness listing off the many better things I could be doing with my time. As if there could be anything better than well deserved sleep. As if, I say.

If I do manage to get some sleep in, then I am wired for the rest of the night. I will be up at two a.m. because, "It's okay, I slept for twenty minutes today." Awesome. :) But I guess we can look at the positive side -- I get more things done. I guess.

Ew.

I think I should rename this blog "Ways I Can Tell I'm a Grownup Now." My car is broken. Well, it runs, but not well. And not in a way that guarantees my wellbeing. So I'm figuring out car payments, insurance, etc. Ew. But I feel good knowing those decisions can be made! And even by me -- partly!

Another Era!

Though I don't usually get personal in these posts -- they're mostly about funny anecdotes -- I occasionally break that to say something actually important. Today is one of those days!

The boy and I are gonna get hitched! That's right, we've gone all official. :) I still feel like a little girl wearing big girl jewelry, but I suppose I'll have to get used to that. Diamonds go with flipflops and old college tshirts, right?

End of an Era -- Fingers Crossed

I've taken some random turns in my short little life. A couple of times, these turns have left me bedless. There was the terrible stint living with a dear friend (and by with, I mean on her loveseat -- not couch); we knew it was a bad idea to start with, but I lived on a loveseat for months. And that's okay. It was that or go back home, and I wanted to be out on my own. Such is the cost for these things.

When I got to NZ, I was smart enough to get a semi-furnished flat, which handily came with a bed. Well, when I first got there, the leg was broken. I had just gotten off of a 2 day journey to get there and beggars can't be choosers. I slept lopsided until I had the energy to find a hardware store, some nails, and a hammer.

Tucson was another unexpected twist in the road. I had basically no money for the trip down, let alone to set up shop. Hence me living on my own couch... until tonight. A bed is on its way.

Define adulthood however you want, but for me -- today I am an adult. I hope that last night was the last night that I will ever have to sleep on a couch because it's where I live. I hope that from here on out, I at least have that bed. I didn't even have to put it on my newly acquired credit card. Tonight, will be bliss.

Just ask my back.

Spring Break

I'm finally on Spring Break! Now, me even saying that is wrong because I've only been working for my job for a bit over a month. And I just found out about the Spring Break a few weeks ago. But still. It's nice. I'm still working at my other job too, so it's not totally off, but it's only working for a few hours an afternoon. Sweet relief.

Also, I can see again. I got new contacts this weekend and I am back among the glassesless - a place I love to be.

I actually managed to convince myself to sleep in, but I woke up every twenty minutes, thinking of all that I could get done today. So I slept in until 8 -- which I think is quite late. But I am stuck in the apartment carless, and I have to walk to my job this afternoon. I am lost because I have no idea of the walking distances to places anymore. This is only funny considering I walked everywhere for two years and now I'm just not sure. Oh well, today's a day to find out.

So here's to my day of laundry, dishes, eyebrow plucking, toenail painting and leisurely lunch with reading mixed in. Say it all together now - whew.

Blind Bonnie

I blinked my way through a contact lens. That's right, folks. I have the eyelids of steel that can shred a contact in two in a mere blink.

So I guess we're not waiting for optometry coverage before I get new contacts. Awesome. :)

Tired Tammy

Hello, folks. I am tired. Dead tired. I think I may have needed more time to adjust to working full time again. While I am happy for the job opportunities that have come my way, especially seeing as my arrival happened in the middle of the school year, I am exhausted. I am not making as much money as I should (could?) be making right now. So... I work too much. Always a solution, right?

Now, spoiled me, I will not be in this particular position for long. I am also not left wanting for anything. Well, I am not wanting for anything but sleep. My workday starts at 7.45 and goes until about 7.15. That is too long. :) There are breaks, but still.

I know I used to do this. My summers between years of college were exhausting feats of endless working. I used to work at least 14 hours a day at least 6 days a week. I know I can do this just fine. But it takes a while to acclimate your body to not sleeping. I also drink too much coffee again. Perhaps the lazy New Zealand time was good. Write for three hours, study for another hour, sleep, work for three hours, sleep. Nice.

The good ol' days.

Of course, I had barely enough money for food. I had no heat and was always cold. Sigh. Compromises, compromises everywhere... :)

Consuming Connie

You know what the best part about a job is? Getting paid. I know, I know. This is earth shattering stuff here. But I can not get out of the scavenging spirit, first of all. The kids at my high school have been taking their state tests, here called the AIMS. Because it's a small school (and we're awesome), they have been provided bottles of water, bagels and cream cheese, granola bars, muffins, and fruit. I've had my eye on this crap for days.

I mean, while some of these kids from lower socioeconomic groups, I'm pretty sure everyone can afford food. (I'm saying that in all seriousness; sarcasm there would be unfunny.) Which, I thought indignantly, meant I deserved it more as I cannot. Oops. Could not. See? I'm okay now, what with my packed fridge and overloaded cupboards. Maybe there was a little bit of hoarding there. There are two bottles of dishwasher detergent, shampoo, face soap, and laundry detergent because they were all twofer sales (two for $5, etc.). So I'm still stockpiling even though another paycheck is just around the corner. So pardon me if, after testing was done and the students were gone, I took four granola bars, two apples, a muffin, and two bottles of water. So what if I don't like apples (too crunchy), I need nutrition! I had a moment after the fact where I realized that I am not actually any longer suffering from drawn out malnutrition. There are more fruits and vegetables in this apartment than I have ever seen in any place I've lived. That might be a slight exaggeration, but only slight.

On the converse, I am still amazed at how fast two people can rip through a gallon of milk, a bottle of shampoo, and laundry detergent. Good Lord. I must wear five outfits a day and run through the mud in every one of them. I think the trash is endlessly filled up, no matter how often it is emptied. I mean, I guess this is living. Living consumes things. And I think I'm pretty good about not wasting things. Like, it's sort of one of my annoying habits. Even if I buy a lotion that, it turns out, I hate the smell of? Well, I'ma gonna stank for the next month and a half.

Life is good, I think. Free muffins are great, don't get me wrong. There's a certain pride, however, in affording your own for the first time in years. That's right. Affording muffins. Baby steps.