To bus or not to bus?

My brain is working in overdrive. That's what it always does after a weekend.

I'm thinking about taking the bus to work. The reasons:

1. My workplace will reimburse me for the cost of a bus pass
2. I won't have to drive through morning traffic
3. One bus will take me from my apartment to my workplace. No transfers, no waiting around.
4. Less gas money, less wear-and-tear on my car
5. More chances to walk

The only bad thing about it is that the bus comes once a half hour. Better than once an hour when I lived in a different neighborhood 2 years ago, but still kind of crummy. Especially if you're me and you're always running late.

Debating..

I'm debating over whether or not I should get cable. My practical side says "no way, Jose! It's too expensive!" But my fun side is all, "dude, think of all the great TV you could kill time by watching."

I was spoiled living at Dante's house. I spent all day sunday watching reruns of America's Next Top Model on MTV. I caught an episode of Rock of Love and now I'm intrigued. And last night I even enjoyed watching Larry King with my dad. Two years ago I didn't even HAVE a TV and now I'm considering paying $50/month just so I can watch more crap.

[wailing] What's come over meee????

My laborious Labor Day

My dad came from Michigan sunday to help me move to my new apartment.

Yes, my new apartment. I found a 1-bedroom place that would offer me a 3-month lease.. finally. I didn't mind living with my roommate, Dante, but sometimes it's just nice to live alone.

I crashed with my dad at his hotel sunday night. Monday morning we were up bright and early (too early, in my opinion, but my dad's an early riser). And we started moving... furniture, box after box, food... it took 4 hours to get it done. But we managed. We were exhausted and hungry afterwards and had a huge lunch at The Great Dane Brewpub (bison burger with gorgonzola, fries, homemade coleslaw, and a glass of oatmeal stout). After taking a little rest, we did more stuff - went to Borders, saw a movie (No End in Sight, about the war in Iraq), and visited Whole Foods and ate dinner there. I ate more these last two days than I did all week. I stayed with my dad again last night. Even though we went to bed at like 9:30 both nights and I didn't get up until 7:00, I am still exhausted and wish I could take a long nap.

Now I just have to get my stuff situated in my new apartment. It's pretty nice - it has a balcony and a pool and a fitness room. I'm just bummed that I have to find furniture and certain appliances that I didn't think I'd need again, like a toaster and a microwave. But those things are cheap and easy to find on craigslist, and I don't want to have to move them to my parents' house this November so it's good to get something disposable.

Today's Lunch:
Going to Subway with Petra. Maybe continue my excessive calorie consumption and will get a BMT or something.

Buddy - before and after

My former neighbor-dog, Buddy, got a haircut. He looks like a puppy again, and seems more energetic than ever. His parents said he really seems to like it. Plus they didn't know he was so fit. As my former landlord Tom said, "we always thought he was kind of fat."

Before:


After:


We made the chicken foot soup last night. It had about a dozen feet in it, plus a couple of wings and drumsticks. The soup was delicious - chickeny and spicy and full of veggies. I tried gnawing on the chicken feet like in the true non-American fashion, but they just didn't work for me - it was just some slimy skin covering bones, no meat involved whatsoever. K told me that not everybody eats the feet, so I felt less wussy about it.

Today's Lunch:
Leftover chicken foot soup
Grasshopper cookie

Catching up

Lots of stuff to write about.

Some yard signs I gave to my dad for his birthday:



I realize the graphic quality of the last one is poor. It was the only picture I could find. But you get the idea. My parents' town is very small and conservative, so I'm interested to see what reaction they'll get with their new yard signs.

I also gave him a button with this photo on it and the caption reading: "Partners in crime - Osama Bush-Laden"


And I gave my mom some ingredients to make him the Beijing birthday noodles, too. She's going to make it this weekend.

Some pictures I took at a beautiful park on the shores of Lake Michigan near Escanaba:






I did some heavy-duty shoe shopping yesterday. I think I visited about 9 stores looking for the perfect pair of black heels, and finally settled on some Nine West peep-toe pumps. Still not exactly what I wanted, but close enough. I like them because the heel is only 2-1/2 inches. Most heels are at least 3", and it's nice to have a change. I noticed patent leather has made a comeback. That's a little scary.

I was looking for something more like these Ushas by Fitzwell, but didn't find anything. If anyone wants to buy these for me, my feet are a size 9!


Today's Lunch:
Grilled stuffed burrito and nachos from Taco Bell (only ate 3/4 of burrito)

Family photos

Photos from my trip to my parents' house in lower Michigan

A U.P. rest area with a view of Lake Michigan


Joseph and Mary crack me up!




Me and my sister Becky. Yeah, we know we're hot.


El Chico!! (aka my youngest brother Tom)


My beautiful sister with her handsome husband Alfonso (aka Fonsi)


My dad. Today's his birthday. Happy 26th birthday, dad!


We went to Hartwick Pines State Park (my old stomping grounds) and toured the logging museum. This is my new boyfriend, Frank.


And last but not least... Christopher!

I'm planning on being the weird, eccentric aunt, lol.


Getting a bath...




He's just too cute!

Today's Lunch:
Turkey sandwich with avocado on Trader Joe's artisan sesame seed bread with mustard
Grape tomatoes

Lately...

I haven't done anything lately. I just work, go home, organize my room, and sleep. Although I did go shopping yesterday for food and things for the apartment, but I wasn't in the shopping mood so maybe it didn't really count as something fun.

I'd like to sleep for hours and hours.

Today's Lunch:
Oscar Meyer beef hot dog with mustard, sweet relish, and onions
Boca Burger with ketchup, mustard, and sweet relish
Pickle spear
Mini Oreos

UGh

I have to work 12 hours every day all week in order to make up for missing 3-1/2 days last week. Ugh.

I got up at 5 saturday morning to drive to Escanaba to give some things to my mom (she was headed up to Marquette for Mary's bridal shower and bachelorette party). We met at Jo-Ann Fabrics and ate a pasty for lunch. Then, on my way back, I stopped at a park on the shores of Lake Michigan. There was a wet, marshy area filled with beautiful flowers, butterflies, and bumble bees. I will post some pictures when I remember to upload them from my camera.

Saturday night Kevin and I went camping at a place not too far from Madison. We sat in my tent listening to music and drinking beer; it was a great time.

Today I shopped for shelves and bins to organize my new bedroom. Things are working out well with my new roomie; we're not usually home at the same time and generally keep to ourselves.

Kevin told me all about this Jamaican soup that involves a chicken foot, special broth and noodles that they sell at the Asian market, and lots of veggies. Now I can't stop thinking about it and want to try it, so this week we're going to make some.

Never did hear anything back from the crazy ex-landlord. And he never did call my workplace again, either. Perhaps, as mom and dad said, he was just full of hot air.

Today's Lunch:
Peanut butter sandwich on Trader Joe's cracked wheat organic bread. I really need to go shopping.

It's me again

Three postings in one day. Maybe we can make it five by the time I leave work.

Some randomness:

• I missed 3-1/2 days of work due to my landlord situation. I don't have any vacation left, so now I have to make up for it during the next week. Looks like I'll be working some long hours. Feel free to send me emails or something.
  
• My Chacos came back. I missed them so much! They look beautiful with their new soles, and they're so nice and comfy.
• I counted the bruises my quads endured from moving, and there were 22 of them. There are more on my calves and hamstrings. My legs look awful. I wore shorts yesterday and I'm sure I looked like a freak. I wish I had shorts on today so I could take a picture.
  
• The Trader Joe's peanut satay was much better than the pad thai. They also offer teriyaki noodles, but ever since I ate that nasty UW Cafeteria teriyaki I can't stand the thought of it.
• Kitty seems a little restless in her new apartment, but hopefully she'll get used to it.
  
• I have too much stuff, especially kitchen stuff - I'm meeting my mom in Escanaba this weekend and I'm going to give some of it to her to bring back to the house.
  
• I just received an email from the practically non-existent Forest Service HR department in Albuquerque. As I'd originally thought, the g'vt won't guarantee me my job while I'm in the Peace Corps. So we'll have to see what happens.
  

This made me laugh

Check out this post about Teri Hatcher on Go Fug Yourself.

Landlord shadiness

There are some things about this former landlord that are shady. First of all, he repeatedly called my workplace and spoke to Shantelle, my unit's secretary. He told her that my apartment was flooded and my cat was sick and that he needed to get my cell phone number so he could call me and tell me about it. I'm so glad Shantelle is so awesome, because she said that's private information that she's not allowed to give out. So instead she tracked me down and told me what happened. And of course, when I called the landlord back he didn't mention my cat or the apartment but instead began yelling at me and accusing me of stealing his painting.

We have reason to believe my former landlord is a racist. My awesome coworker Mike (whose basement is really nice and has its own bathroom, FYI) googled the guy and came up with a bunch of anti-Jew and white pride forums. Unfortunately, everything the guy wrote was in Serbian, so I don't know what it said, but I'm doubting he was saying something like, "you racists are all bastards and this site should be shut down." Today I'm going to look for a way to translate it (maybe online).

So maybe he saw Kevin, a black guy, in his house and didn't like that idea so he came up with a way to get me out of there. Just a thought.

He's also accusing Kevin of stealing his painting, but isn't accusing any of the other tenants or their friends. What a jerk.

Today's Lunch:
Trader Joe's peanut satay noodles (the pad thai was nasty, BTW)
Apple

It's a better day

I found a place to live! My coworker Dante needed a roommate so I went to look at his apartment last night. The place is really, really nice, in a great location, the rent is cheap, and - best of all - I know him and know he's not going to accuse me of stealing something, ha ha. I'm going to start moving in this morning. Also, I rounded up the troops and have some people from work helping me with the bulkier items this evening. I am so grateful to have friends to help me out. I try to be independent and not have to rely on people, but sometimes it's a good idea to ask for help. I'm trying to get more comfortable with that.

Today's Lunch:
Perhaps some Trader Joe's instant pad thai noodles. Or a peanut butter sandwich.

Latest bit o' drama

God, my life sucks.

My landlord accused me of stealing a painting out of the house I was living in. He gave me until noon the next day to clean all my stuff out of the house if I wanted to get my rent money back. So I hauled ass yesterday morning getting my stuff out, he gave the money back, and now..

...and now I'm homeless.

This really sucks. My colleague Mike is gracious enough to let me keep my crap in his garage and sleep in his basement for a couple of days (no more than that). Yesterday was day 1, today is day 2, and I'm planning on being out of there tomorrow. Now I just need a place to live.

I looked at an apartment this morning but had to fill out an application that they said would take "a couple of days" to process. Nope, not going to work. Tonight I'm looking at a couple of sublets that seem promising, but we'll just have to see what happens. It's REALLY hard finding a place with a short-term (3 month) lease, and hardly anybody does month-to-month leases anymore... not if you don't want to live in the slums, anyway. And those still require an application that takes more than a day, so even if I wanted to live in the ghetto I couldn't move in as early as tomorrow.

I hate being homeless. Right now my food collection is in my office, since I have no place to put it. I forgot my toothbrush at the old place (along with some very important kitchen tools that I'd like to get back but am afraid to do so at this time), so I had to go without brushing my teeth last night. My coworker Mike seems ready to have me out of his house/garage, considering he was giving me a hard time today about apartment-hunting. If I get to move tomorrow, it will be the third time in a week that I've had to move all my belongings. Three frickin' times. It really sucks. This time, however, I've asked some coworkers/friends for help, so maybe it won't be as bad as it is doing it all alone.

The nasty landlord called my parents last night and told them what a thief I am and how he's pressing charges and I'm going to go to court, etc. I didn't even do anything! He told them he's going to call my boss and tell her the same thing. My parents are worried I'll lose my job and not be able to join the Peace Corps.

But seriously, this guy has no proof I did anything, so how can he convict me? Three other people live in the house and one of them told me the basement door doesn't lock. I've contacted a free lawyer service here in Madison, but won't be hearing anything from them until next week. In the meantime, I guess this guy is using slander to try to make my life a living hell.

Like I said, my life sucks right now. Please, I hope it gets better, and fast.

Thoughts

Thoughts on moving:
God, I have a lot of stuff. Especially kitchen stuff. And a lot of food. Do I really need 6 types of vinegar?

Thoughts on yesterday's post:
Can words express how grateful I am to have such wonderful friends and family? The thing is, I know I could march into the living room of the AGD house and say what I wrote, and people would be just as supportive. I could sit at the dinner table with my family and say what I wrote, and I know my family would comfort me. I am so lucky.

More thoughts on moving:
I'm exhausted from moving out of my third-floor apartment. I've been sacrificing sleep to get the job done, so I'm just plain tired. And my body aches from all that lifting and stair climbing. I'm also kind of emotional - a lump forms in my throat due to the littlest things. I'm stressed and tired and hungry. I can't wait to get to Grayling, because I know it'll finally be over.

Today's Lunch:
Went to Michael's Frozen Custard. Got a kickass cheeseburger and fries, but no custard.