This Week Sucked (and FAQ’s)
September 25, 2008 · Filed under: Personal.
I figured it was time for a little update. I got a few questions/doubts(?) on my last entry (and with good reason since I suck at telling stories) so I figured I’d answer them here and that way update you all at once. Before I begin, I just want to say thanks to those of you who wished me well. I am feeling better, albeit a tiny bit sore, but it could have been a lot worse and I’m just glad my friend and I are okay and that this is almost over.
On to the questions!
Who the fuck drives with their leg propped up on the fucking dashboard?
Assholes.
Accidents are never fun, hope her car isn’t too damaged. And I hope the dickhead pays for all of it.
The car in front of us was totaled since it was a new model. Since my friend’s car is a 2007 it would have been hard to top its value so it’s not totaled but the damages could be in the $6000’s. And yes, his insurance will pay for it.
And I hope the insurance issue is okay, because I think that sometimes if you’re driving a car insured by someone else, there can be issues...?
Well my friend gave me full permission so it’s okay.
What a wank, why was he driving like that?! Please tell us that he got in a lot of trouble for this!
Get this: He had been in another accident. That’s why his leg was in a brace. Oh the irony.
Woww is your friend devastated because of her car?
Not so much anymore because it’s expected that her car is going to get brand new parts and completely fixed. But the day of the crash, while we both were looking at the damages, we were really worried that it would be declared totaled and she’d have to get a new one. But all is okay now.
I talked to insurance reps all fucking day on Tuesday and it was a complete nightmare. Wednesday they still wouldn’t leave me alone and my friend and I met with the insurance rep for the guy that his us. Since I didn’t go to the doctor (I was mostly sore, and I didn’t feel like paying $160 to go to the clinic and get medicine which is what my friend paid) my insurance claim can be quickly settled, which is what I want. The insurance rep told me I’d receive my lost wages (I had to miss a day of work) plus extra money for “inconvenience” which comes to about $250. I wasn’t expecting to receive any money so this was a nice surprise.
I can’t wait until the weekend.
Funny Story…
September 22, 2008 · Filed under: Personal.
I have a story to share with you all today. It might be kind of long, so you might want to sit down close some tabs, put an away message, put your coffee cup down (I’m looking at you, Brent), or move on to another blog.
I like to call this one: How I Totaled My Friend’s Car. Ahem.
So my friend and I (for the purpose of this story we’ll call her Merlot) go to the same college. There are two campuses that make up my college—A (the main campus) and B (the campus where we take one of our health-related classes). Merlot lives very close to A campus; I live about half an hour away. To conserve gas, we ride in her car from the A campus to the B campus.
Today she asked me to drive because she has a huge headache and is super tired. Fair enough, I don’t mind driving her car (it’s practically a brand new Toyota Corolla), I’ve done it before, no biggie. We leave B campus to head back to A campus so that I can go home. We usually take the highway, but today there was a lot of traffic so we decided to take the back roads. Now that I think about it, I wish we hadn’t.
But anyway. On the way we spot an ambulance and a couple of firefighters who ask us to stop, so we do. As soon as I brake, I turn to Merlot because she’s telling me something that happened in the class. Just as I open my mouth I hear a huge noise and we lurch forward. Horrified, I look at the vintage Mercedes in front of me. I’m horrified because the entire back of that car was up in the air. The car has moved forward so I slam on the breaks. Shaking, I turn to Merlot and ask if she’s okay. The firefighters hurry on over to check on us.
“Are you okay?”
“Y-yeah we just, I mean, what happened I was wearing my seatbelt I just took it off--”
“You’re fine. You’re going to be fine. Are you in any pain?”
“No, no. How is the person in front of me? Are they hurt?! I saw their car lift off the ground--”
“She’s okay, just a bit shaken up. Stay here.”
Merlot has a little neck pain and I’m alright except for the shaking. Internet, I was shaking so bad I couldn’t turn off the damn car. Merlot helps me out and then calls her parents. I call my sister just in case. The police officer shows up and we give him our information.
After waiting a bit we find out that my friend’s car is, in fact, totaled. Turns out the guy that hit me was in crutches with a leg on a dashboard. Let me repeat that for you: The guy was on crutches, with his leg up on the dashboard. He hit us so hard that the bumper of the Mercedes was left on the side of the street and her entire trunk was shoved in. I don’t even want to talk about the conditions of my friend’s car. His Ford Escape was completely fine, of course.
Merlot’s Dad arrives and a few minutes later so do the tow trucks. I get dropped off at the A campus, and I drive (very slowly, might I add) home. I’m safe, everyone is okay, and I’m glad it’s all over now.
The end.
This week I love…
September 16, 2008 · Filed under: Personal.
Rhianna Disturbia Acoustic Cover by Boyce Avenue.
This white tattoo.
Dictionary.com’s Word of the Day.
MySpace Outage Leaves Millions Friendless thanks to The Onion.
Hand Painting Art by Mario Mariotti
All of these adorable baby bunnies. I could swallow them whole.
The Top 15 Bad Romance Novel Opening Lines via Stumble Upon.
This dress by Delia’s.
My work schedule for this week is perfect, pretty much, so I’m just relaxing and trying to adjust to this new routine of mine. Still. I’m updating my livejournal again because I can never make up my mind. Feel free to add me.
Is it possible to grow out of the internet?
September 13, 2008 · Filed under: Online. Thoughts. Personal.
I don’t think so. I literally can’t see myself without the internet in the future. I rely on it so much. I check my bank account, browse job listings (and I’ve gotten interviews in the past from said job listing sites), buy things, sell things, meet new people, read the news, watch videos/movies, etc. I don’t see myself being on it as much in the future, but it’ll still be a tool I use a lot.
I think it’s possible to grow out of message boards, cliques, listings, review sites, etc., because it’s happened to me. Especially when it comes to message boards. I see myself losing interest in the ones I’ve joined or been a member of for a long time. When a new board pops up I don’t rush over to create a new account like I used to, no matter how nice or mature the forum looks.
Is it possible to grow out of maintaining a personal website? I guess. I’ve seen websites that used to have lots of content available and they slowly developed into just a simple blog. I’ve seen websites just closed down because the owners “don’t find it fun anymore” or “don’t have any time.” And there could be many reasons for this. They could have rigorous schoolwork and exams, extracurriculars, a full-time job… but I also think there’s a percentage of owners that are just over the entire blog community.
I think I’ll still blog years from now. Whether it will be on this website I’m not sure. I’m not sure if I’ll be in the same “blogging circle” either, but I do know that I need to have a space to vent and share my thoughts. I need to write. As long as people read and there is still that sense of community I’ll always blog. I’ve been doing it for so long, and I haven’t gotten tired of it. Every time I close down my website (for whatever reason) I always get that itch to come back and write.
What about you? Do you see yourself blogging five, ten, fifteen, years from now?
This Entry Is All Over The Place
September 09, 2008 · Filed under: Personal.
It’s safe to say that college is kicking my ass right now. I’m taking a few health-related classes (Anatomy and Physiology being one of them) and preparing for these classes while going to work part-time is becoming a challenge. I need to start getting into a routine so that I won’t feel so overwhelmed, because at this rate I will end up cutting someone out of pure frustration.
I went to return a medical dictionary at this local bookstore affiliated with my school yesterday and the store clerk could only buy it back for $13 dollars. Considering I paid almost $40 dollars for it, I was not pleased. eBay will end up saving my ass once again. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous how these publishers are raping poor college students with expensive textbooks just because it’s a “new edition” which is code for “We added a few pictures and because of that the page numbers are all off.” It boggles my mind how they can get away with that.
I started reading The Handmaid’s Tale and I’m almost done with Emma by Jane Austen. If I’m ever to finish the 28 Books in 2008 challenge I seriously need to up my game. I need suggestions for books, so if you know of any good ones, please let me know. Just don’t recommend Twilight.
Completely random but I just deleted about a hundred updates from my Twitter because I felt 90% of the updates were either pointless, stupid, or things no one should have to read, ever. Does anyone else delete updates sporadically like this from their social profiles? Maybe it’s just me.
This week I love…
September 06, 2008 · Filed under: Personal.
I thought I’d try something new. I’m constantly finding things out on the internet that I absolutely love/want around the internets and I thought: why not make a weekly entry sharing that? It would also help me keep track for when Christmas comes, so it’s a win-win.
This week I love:
A mini lop bunny. They’re incredibly soft, loyal, and completely adorable. This video sealed it for me.
Collages set by dailypoetics. I love everything she makes.
Unnecessary Knowledge - I’ve been hitting F5 for the past twenty minutes.
Silence & Noise Hooded Bomber Jacket. Because I have a feeling I’d feel like a total badass wearing it.
Pats0n’s Photostream on Flickr. I especially love this picture.
This owl pillow will be mine.
Retro Royal Blue Bow Toe Platform Wedge Pumps - I find these so classy. I could never walk in them though.
Drama in the Workplace
August 30, 2008 · Filed under: Thoughts. Personal.
I started a new job at the mall this past week. It’s a very small store with a few employees, something I am not used to. In the stores I’ve worked at the head manager is rarely seen. The assistant managers, or the manager designated for the “area” I worked in would check on my progress, but most of the time I was left alone to complete whatever assignment they gave me. In this store, however, the manager comes in almost every day and is involved in all aspects of the store. So far, it’s been going well. My co-workers (I’ve yet to meet one of them) are friendly and nice to work with, and although the store gets plenty of sales, there’s not a lot of customers rushing in and out (another thing I’m used to).
I was talking to two of my co-workers yesterday afternoon (there’s four of us “sales associates” in all) and the topic of gossip at the workplace came up. Apparently, a few others who work there are addicted to gossip and talking about others behind their backs, don’t like being told what to do (even though said work is expected from all of us), and just like drama. No names were dropped and no examples were given, it was just said in passing, but I can imagine some of the things that have been said, and could be said in the future, because it’s the same in every job. People like to talk shit. I’m really careful about this, because gossip can get out of hand, and I let my co-workers know then and there that I don’t play that game.
As soon as I hear “Hey, have you heard about...” or “Something happened to so-and-so!” or even “We have a lot of whores in this place, especially...” I change the subject. I deal with enough bullshit gossip outside of the workplace, and don’t we all? Why have it at work? It’s distracting, immature, and just plain stupid, especially in a store where the manager is always around. It reflects badly on you as an employee, marks you as a snitch, and takes the fun out of a laid back atmosphere. And once you get reeled in, it’s really hard to get out. If you listen to Gossip Freak once and take it all in without saying something, he/she will come right back to you knowing they have a listening ear. Good luck getting out of that one.
So while I do like my job so far, I’m going to be very careful in the future not to get sucked into the pathetic ramblings of someone who apparently doesn’t have enough to do. I’ll know more this weekend, since all of us will be working together pretty much, and I’m just hoping this doesn’t put a damper on things for the months to come or I will have to cut a bitch.
Balls.
August 26, 2008 · Filed under: Personal.
First Day Of School is always the same for me. I wake up groggy and tired, jump into the shower, get ready, walk out the door, go back inside to get something I forgot, walk out the door, turn around to lock it, walk to my car, turn it on, find out there is no gas, go to the gas station, fill up my tank, sob at the cost, get stuck in traffic before hitting the highway, get on the highway, get stuck in traffic, get off on my exit, go through 13 lights, turn into my school, roam around the parking lot for about 10 minutes, finally find a parking space, rush to class, make it there 10 minutes late, realize I forgot to buy books before the first day of class again, try not to cry at the syllabus and the schedule for the rest of the semester, look at the date set for finals, smile at said date, calculate how much longer until that date, and watch the clock until it’s time to finally go home.
It was a little different than last year’s, but not by much. I can’t wait until December 13th.
How did your first day go?
Sigh
August 19, 2008 · Filed under: Personal.
My mom has this really cute habit of repeatedly asking me to do things not once, not twice, but forever. I have a pretty good memory when I’m paying attention, so there’s really no need for her to remind me 6237 times since I got it the first time. Sometimes I think she just rides the Nag horse because it makes her feel extra giddy. I know I’m not the only one who has to live with this, so I’m thinking of starting a club. Maybe something like My Mom Makes Me Want To Staple Things To My Forehead Anonymous?
The next couple of days will be spent cowering in my bathtub, praying to Aeolus, and hating life for the most part, all thanks to Fay. Most likely we’ll lose power, water, the ability to use our cellphones, and some other fun stuff, so I’ll talk to you all next week. Hopefully.
Homesick
August 14, 2008 · Filed under: Personal.
The past few days I’ve been staying at my brother’s house with my grandmother and my nieces. Things didn’t turn out quite like I expected, I’m actually living in hell, a lot of plans were changed around, etc. but that’s not what’s bothering me the most. What bothers me is that I miss being home. And I honestly didn’t think I’d miss it so much.
Home. With my new microwave (finally!), DVR, wireless internet, selective junk food, books, warm bed with covered up windows so I sleep/live in the dark, my bird to keep me amused… I miss all of it. The past few days I’ve been spending time with my nieces who so far have made me watch High School Musical, Drake and Josh, iCarly, and a whole bunch of other stuff I really could care less about.
My sister and her friend (who, by the way, are 30 years old) made plans to take me to a club wearing a tube top and getting plastered because apparently, that’s fun! And exciting! And shouldn’t I do something rather than lounge around the house all day? Why yes, yes I can do something: grow up. Why can’t you?
Tomorrow I leave in the morning for Home Sweet Home. I just hope I can make it through tonight. Supposedly we’re going to watch a scary movie and shriek like little girls. I am so excited for that, I cannot even begin to tell you. Hooray.
Olympics 2008
August 10, 2008 · Filed under: Personal.
Yes, this is another post about the Olympics. I can’t help it. I watched the Opening Ceremony Friday night and I was just in awe of all of the performances. Here are some pictures of the event because I couldn’t describe it well enough to give you an idea of how beautiful it was (for those that didn’t watch). I’ve seen a few events so far: archery, basketball, swimming, rowing, some cycling, and weightlifting. I’m looking forward to more swimming, diving, and gymnastics.
And it’s funny because a year ago I would never have been interested in watching events like these at all. But this year it’s different. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve actually been following some of the athletes and their profiles/medals, or if it was the amazing opening ceremony, or if maybe I just don’t have anything interesting to do other than watch games on tv. But I find it so exciting. These people are regular human beings just like you and me. They have talent, drive, and discipline. And some events don’t even need talent—hello, rowing? Weightlifting? Anyone can do this, and that’s what I like about it. It’s not the same as a superhero in a comic or in a movie because reality tells us different (e.g. I don’t know any human spiders) and our imagination plays a part. I watch these people break 20-year records and win gold medals and I enjoy the fact that it’s all possible.
I guess that’s why I’m into it this year. I’m rooting for the people who took the time to stick to a sport, work really hard for four years, and compete doing what they love. And if you watch the Olympics, that’s pretty much everybody. If you’re watching this year, what events do you enjoy watching?
Crazy Plans
August 02, 2008 · Filed under: Personal.
The next time I come up with a crazy plan for “improvement"… convince me not to? These past few days have been interesting, to say the least. I’m pretty proud of myself, I mostly stuck to my 2-hours-a-day time schedule, and the rest of the time I tried to busy myself with a couple of activities, none of which were as awesome as I imagined. This having a life business? Completely overrated in my opinion. Especially where I live, which is Nowhere. Here’s a little diary I kept inside My Brain while this entire challenge went on:
Day 1
This isn’t so bad. I can do this. Two hours a day is enough, I think. I should bake cookies today. Maybe start on a book. Nah, maybe tomorrow. (A few hours pass by). Lunch was good, I’m glad grandma liked it. Not as good as what she cooks though. I watch TV and soon get tired of it. A friend invited me to a party but I quickly decline. Nothing interesting ever goes on there, they all just get drunk and do stupid shit. I can do that shit on my couch. Gas is expensive! (Later) My friend stopped by. I gave him some cookies. He liked them a lot but then he wouldn’t go home. He stayed through dinner and then watched a spanish soap opera. What the hell. What guy watches spanish soaps with his friend’s parents for fun? I thought I had it bad. Hmm, I’m hungry.
Day 2
Started a book, A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini. So good. Ate a good lunch, watched more TV, went out to eat. Read some more. Played with my bird, told him a story about Devil Cockatiels which I think he liked. Painted a little. I really like the stamps I got. I quickly get bored, painting is not the same when you’re by yourself, and I re-arrange the letters to spell funny things like HUDLUM, JESUZ, and COKRING. That gets old quick. Watch The Abyss with my parents. Laugh at the big pink alien spaceship at the end. Watch more soap operas, since my family feels the need to rape TV time from 6pm-10pm. Survive some family drama without wanting to hurl myself off a cliff (that is a lie). Get invited bowling, decide not to go. Why pay $12 dollars to play two games that I’ll end up losing? I pat myself on the back for being a Positive Penny and continue watching the lameness on TV. I read some more before bed, cheat a little on my timetable, contemplate selling my soul to the devil in exchange for perseverance, and drift off to sleep.
Day 3
Finished the book. Watched Giada, get a girlboner as well as some inspiration and made more cookies. They sucked. I should just stick to painting and gluing my hands together. My grandmother left for the weekend so I’ll live off of cereal for the next two days. You are pathetic. Oh hai Penny. Six hours later (or at least it felt like it), my sister leaves for work. Leo and I watch her go with miserable faces. What now? Grandma’s gone for the weekend, sister won’t be back until late night… the book is done, I’m sick of baking. Sigh. I know! I should write a letter! So I start one, but it’s mostly gibberish, things like “Why do I think of these things?”, “I would sell my soul tbh”, “WHY GRANDMA WHY” and other lame shit like that. I throw the letter away, it’s just depressing. I sit down and wait for noon to come; freedom. I leaf through a National Geographic and my imagination wanders. I picture myself trading lives with a baboon family and disgusted with myself I snap the magazine shut. That was close. When it’s finally noon, I expect to jump up, run to my computer, check my e-mail, do a happy dance. But I don’t. I don’t feel the urge to do anything but daydream about huts in Kenya and doodle on the newspapers left by my parents on the table. I’m content.
Overall I think the fast did me some good. I slept a lot, didn’t do a lot of shopping or eating out (although I did get new shoes from my parents), and I didn’t get to take my dog to the dog park because it was so so so hot outside. And when it wasn’t hot, it was raining. So that was a no go. Still, I don’t regret that I did the fast. I did a lot of thinking, I spent more time with my family, I tried new things and I did a lot of reading (which I missed). Success.
My Self-Diagnosis
July 22, 2008 · Filed under: Personal.
I know self-diagnosing on the internet is frowned upon, but for the sake of this entry I’m just going to gently push Reason aside and continue with my self-diagnosis, because I can. I suffer from Lazy Ass Syndrome (you might have heard of it), and the evidence I will present will hopefully be so strong that my self-diagnosis will be accepted even by Those Who Frown.
Evidence:
- Instead of getting up to close my door so that Leo doesn’t fly from the kitchen, around the corner, and onto my shoulder to annoy me, I’ll pick up a binder sitting next to me, lean over, and attempt to close the door with it. This saves me the added stress and time of getting up and walking two feet.
- Instead of grabbing a dinner plate from the kitchen, I grab a paper plate sitting on the counter so that later on after I finish eating I won’t have to turn on the faucet and rinse the plate. It’s better to just bend a few degrees and chuck the paper plate in the trash.
- Instead of walking into the kitchen and getting some ice for the lukewarm water sitting on my desk I, well, don’t.
- When running out really quick to do some errands, I put my hair in a bun rather than taking the time to brush it out. All five strands that are left, that is.
- Instead of getting up to turn on the lightswitch for the fan, I sit on my couch and melt into a nice fleshy puddle from the heat.
- When someone calls, I let the machine pick up rather than answer the phone, and when my Mom yells at me through the answering machine to “ANSWER THE PHONE, SARY!”, I pretend not to hear.
- Instead of blogging every two days like I used to, I let my blog sit for four of five days and update my About page for the upteenth time for no reason but to stall.
Those are but a few symptoms of LAS I’ve experienced in the past day. I’ve heard there’s a cure somewhere, but I’m too lazy to find out.
College Hell
July 14, 2008 · Filed under: Personal.
So I switched my major earlier today. The college counselor that met with me was very helpful but strangely nutty. You know when people laugh at something you say but you don’t really believe them because their laugh is either dry or awkward and trails off into a cough or an abrupt silence? Well that’s what she did, and nothing I said was even intended to be funny. I guess after dealing with dipshit after dipshit you start going a little batty.
There are about 45,000 students at the college I go to, and that’s 40,000 too many in my opinion. Everywhere I turn there’s a new crowd, people (usually freshmen) asking me for directions, or a group of six or seven people squeezed together on a bench made for two, all ignoring each other.
When it comes to classes, I particularly enjoy my academic courses. It’s the electives that kill me. Some of my electives are filled with straight-out-of-highschool freshmen who are constantly interrupting the class to say things like:
“EY! MISS! YO WHEN CAN I GO TO DA BATHROOM?”
“Wait, isn’t this HSC4532? OMG I’m in the wrong class!” *loudly shuffles out of the room*
“Miss can you like, explain that one more time cause the first like three times I totally wasn’t getting what you were sayin’?”
“We can just leave the class? Forreal?! You won’t write us up!?”
Geniuses, all of them. Thankfully I only have one more elective to go, the rest of my classes are major-driven and are usually filled with people who, you know, take the college thing seriously. Which reminds me! The best thing about college is the withdrawal program. Usually after a few weeks a good portion of the class has withdrawn after realizing that hey, college is no joke and if I fail this class I lose $80 dollars. Especially if it’s a math class or a science class. That’s all I look forward to in college. The withdrawals and christmas/spring breaks.
Just two more years and I can haul ass and work a little more on Being A Grown Up.
I like dead flowers
July 10, 2008 · Filed under: Personal. Photos.
I think there’s something so sad and poetic about flowers that have withered and died. Especially if there’s still some color left to remind you of what once was: a healthy, vibrant flower. I’d add in something about comparing dead withering plants to life but that would be pushing the emo factor, and it’s too early in the day for me. And also because this entry is about LIFE (sort of).
I’ve always wanted to grow a garden. Even just a little one, with a few flowers and maybe some vegetables I actually would eat, like tomatoes. The only problem with that is that I live in the Sunshine State which is the most misleading bullshit I’ve ever heard. It really should be called The Closest To Hell You’ll Ever Get state or maybe Satan’s Favorite Hang Out. Something to that extent because it’s impossible to step outside without diving for the nearest shaded spot so that your skin doesn’t melt off into a puddle of singed flesh.
So I imagine that plants wouldn’t do quite well over here, unless you had a sprinkler hitting them at full speed 24/7. My mom had some azaleas and they bloomed for maybe four days before giving up. Anyway I promised myself that when I move back to a cooler area I’ll go to the nearest Wally World and plant a few things, see how it goes. In the meantime, I’ll just take pictures of the flowers that have surprisingly made it down here, like this one I spotted a few days ago:
Just look at that courageous survivor. I’m almost jealous that it loves to get nutrients from the sun and happily basks in the heat rather than saying “Fuck it” and burying itself deep deep in the ground while whining about living in Hell like I wouldn’t do.