Hooplah.Org

I had a bit of a hectic week, probably one of the best/worst I’ve had since getting My Job. Monday was a usual day aside from the fact that 1/2 of it was spent setting up for the vision launch on Tuesday at a local university, and that the heat index that day rose near to 105 or 110. Monday was also when I first met the new temp My Boss hired to help during these busy months and who would be filling the up-until-then curiously empty desk in our office, though I had no idea they had even interviewed someone for the position aside from asking family members of the other employees if they would be interested. However, I did get the impression that she knew some of the other employees at My Job, so maybe that was the case in the end. I didn’t talk to her much on Monday since it was spent mostly with us doing different tasks, like setting up the decorations at the tables and different tasks when we were back at the office.

Tuesday I had to be at the location for the vision launch at 6:45 AM – quite a bit earlier than I’ve had to wake up in quite some time, excluding waking early for flights. I was there a bit earlier than some of the others, though My Boss and another coworker were already there blowing up balloons. And, naturally, I had no problem proving just how awkward and clumsy I can be at all the wrong moments when My Boss handed me a balloon she had just filled up for me to tie to a mug (which had been my idea yesterday – I actually felt really great that I had the suggestion for using the extra mugs [that were left over after setting up the tables] as pen holders for registration and to tie the balloons on) and I wasn’t near quick enough to grab it, and watched helplessly as it floated off to the ceiling, only able to mutter a pathetic “oops” to let them know what I had just done. As the rest of the balloons were blown up, I pretty much willingly stayed away from them as the others made light jokes about me being off balloon duty (which I didn’t mind, I would of felt awful if I did it again and I didn’t even trust myself not to). When I did find myself handling the balloons again some 20 minutes later, I don’t think I could have clutched their strings any harder if I tried – though usually if anyone saw me with a balloon in my hand they would quickly find a place it needed to go and took it from me. Again, not that I minded – I probably would of responded the same way. By the time more people were arriving for the breakfast, I had looked up and noticed that there now was another balloon beside mine on the ceiling. I said “oh, well, that makes me feel a little bit better,” thinking that I was now not the only one who had accidently let one go. The new hire smiled at me and said, “that would make me feel better, too.” Though, thinking back on it now, it did look as though the other balloon was positioned proportionally beside mine, almost as if it might of been done on purpose to make my one balloon look better up on the ceiling…

During the vision launch I also had the job of taking pictures. I asked if I was to take “in action” photos or posed photos, and My Boss said she’d like in action better – which was both good and bad. The good part was that I wouldn’t need to awkwardly interrupt conversations by people and ask them to cluster together and smile, though the downside was that now I was basically playing the role of camera sniper, trying to find people who didn’t notice me approaching to take their picture. I had assumed that there would be some people who would not like their picture’s taken, but I had no idea just how far some people would go to *not* be in one. I almost felt like a criminal, and it almost seemed like word of mouth was going around that “the young redhead as a camera,” because if I approached someone and was sizing up the prospects of taking their picture, and they caught me, they would magically all turn away from each other and start roaming around the room, as if they meant to do it. There was one guy, who the new hire noticed with me, that he blatantly side stepped behind someone beside him when I tried to take his picture – and he did it twice. I couldn’t help but go over to the new hire and laugh a little bit with her over it.

Throughout the day I tried to tell others the story of the dodging photograph guy, but I either told it in the most awkward way (leaving people looking at me with a slight smile, nodding, but not really finding it funny like I thought they would) or I could never really get the story out before someone else had more important matters to discuss with the person I was trying to entertain with the story.

During the actual breakfast I had to sit close up front to take pictures. It was a bit tricky finding a way to juggle both taking pictures, listening to the speakers, and trying to eat the sweet croissant and orange juice I had gotten from the breakfast bar. Overall, I really enjoyed the speakers at both the breakfast and the program after that my boss lead. I got alot of great information about the company itself, and it was great to see some of the leaders of the organizations I had been doing data entry about stand up to speak and sound excited and motivated about their companies and their causes. It wasn’t a *huge* clarification, because I had learned a great deal already up until that point though My Boss and the documentation I had been given, but it was alot of the smaller, finer points that were cleared up for me. I really like knowing the what and the why’s for everything I’m doing, as much as I can anyway, because it helps me do a better job if I understand what it’s real purpose is. Overall it felt like the vision launch ceremony itself did that just fine.

After the first part of the program my boss was running (which was for about 1/3 of the people who had attended the breakfast before) I had to leave and go pick up some food for lunch. It was a nice new cafe that I had to go to in Central Park, which I noticed right away had chocolate covered strawberries on display, and the people there were even nice enough to put all *5* large food trays in the front seat of my truck for me. I had no problem finding and getting to the location where the lunch would take place, and after carrying in the (surprisingly) heavy wrap trays and dip though the miserable heat and down what felt like a mile of hallway to the meeting room, myself, another coworker, and the new hire were able to sit down to rest and talk a bit while eating some of the cookies before the others got there.

After the others arrived to the lunch location from their tour, my boss did more presenting/discussion with the 1/3 of people from breakfast, as did some of the people who worked at the facility we were having lunch at. My role during all of this, as well as the fellow coworker and the new hire, was to essentially stand/sit along the side wall and wait for whether or not my boss needed anything (our primary job was to get food and set up the room for the lunch), but I did not mind that at all – by that time it was running near 1 o’clock, much longer than I’ve ever been in “work mode” for more than 2 years, and it was probably good that I wasn’t working my ass off at the time. Everything was probably wrapped up around 1:45ish, and I followed the busses back to the original location for the vision launch so I could help my boss clean the place up and load stuff into her car.

Before leaving for the day (which was around 2:30), my boss thanked me for helping out that day, but I couldn’t help but thank her in return – even though by that point I was quite exhausted, I still had a really good time at the event and really appreciated being invited to come, even if I was working during it. My boss also told me a few more details about the new hire, too, which answered a few questions that had popped into my mind. I had already accidently overheard some conversations that I thought related to the empty desk in the office (though I tried my best not to when I heard them talking about something that might be relating to it, trying extra hard to focus on every single letter I was reading while going through files and spreadsheets) so some of it I could just nod to without her having to go into much detail.

That night both the cable internet and TV went out for hours without any warning, or even any real purpose – it wasn’t storming at all and the power seemed fine. I started to get bored around 8 o’clock and decided I would waste gas by going back into town to buy some of those chocolate covered strawberries and finally purchase some of the Harry Potter books, so when the urge struck me they would be right there. I ended up eating the strawberries while driving around, at one time going to the movie theater, thinking I might see a movie instead – but by that time (9 o’clock) there wasn’t going to be any movies showing, even the ones I didn’t like, until around 10ish. I ended up going to Borders and purchasing the first 2 Harry Potter books (with the clerk telling me “good choice” as she wrung up the books, and told me that if I didn’t like the first two books I should definitely give the third a shot; though the only thing I could think of to say in response was a smile and an “oh, really,” when I probably should of thanked her – I got the impression as I walked away that she felt she had said “too much,” which was a feeling I used to have alot as a cashier when someone didn’t seem very interested before walking away from whatever light conversation I had been trying to make with them) and attempted to eat the chocolate covered strawberries on the way home in the dark (which I got all over myself and my purse, naturally.)

Wednesday and Thursday at work seemed horrible random, various reasons. I was still exhausted from Tuesday on Wednesday, and I did my best to keep a bit of space between me and the new hire that day. Not because I disliked her, actually quite the opposite – overall I talked alot to the new temp hire on Tuesday, making plenty of jokes and just making casual conversation. It seemed that whenever we were left standing in a crowd we would end up moving toward each other to stand together. By the end of that day I had really gown to like her – she seemed really friendly and didn’t seem to find me annoying, but I know all too well that I can get that way after a while. I figured it would be best if I didn’t pester her all of Wednesday and Thursday just so I didn’t come on too strongly (because, thinking of it now, it was usually I who approached her to talk than she approached me). I guess part of me was really interested in meeting someone new my own age again, in person. It probably sprung hopes within me that maybe her and I could be friends outside of work, since admittedly, I no longer have any real life friends here in this area now that Stephen has apparently moved down to Richmond (though I have not spoken to him since he stood me up that one day in February, when I waited 4 hours, dressed and ready, for him to call me back so we could go have a usual meal at Pizza Hut and catch up… and even after I called him a couple of times that day, and even the weeks that followed, he never did call me back to explain or say he was sorry).

Wednesday night I had managed to pop out my knee as I have done only 3 other times in my life (so it was swollen and sore the following day), and I also felt a small headcold coming on (runny nose and sinus pressure), so that was what made Thursday especially hard to get through. I had more filing work on that day, too, while my boss was out of the office most of the day and the new hare and I spent our time mostly in silence, with me even being too timid to ask if she’d like the radio on because I figured if she herself never suggested turning it on so that maybe she didn’t enjoy music while working and might just say yes if I asked just to be nice… See, this is why I have a condition caused by worry – because I worry over every little thing.

Thursday night, when I got home, I finally caved in and ordered some African Clawed Frog from growafrog.com. There couldn’t be a more childish and unprofessional looking site, but I’d read many reviews about their service and the frogs always seemed to arrive healthy and happy and could live long lives; so I figured, why not. I purchased 2 froglets (brownish in color) and a little house with food and what not to keep them in, mostly so I could get a better look at their setup so that I can recreate a larger version for them when I put them in a bigger tank. I was *so* hoping the little guys would arrive today, as I was told “2-4 days via USPS priority mail,” so I guess I’ll have to wait till Monday to see them, and hopefully not Tuesday. I’m sure they were given some food for the journey, but I’ll be the poor things will be starving by the time they arrive.

Them not arriving today feels as though I’ve wasted a large chunk of my weekend, having spent most of yesterday and today trying to do activities to make the day go by fast – such as reading my Harry Potter books like a fiend. Even though they’re written for children, I’ve always been a slow reader, so it took me until yesterday to finish the first book. Though, I’m proud to say, I’m already 1/2 way through the second, and will probably be farther along by the time I go to sleep tonight. By the way it’s looking I’ll have to purchase the third and fourth books on Monday (I’ve already decided I’ll go ahead and push on with the books – they’re really lovely, and I figure it “works” for me to have seen the first 3 books as movies first that I would now experience the 4th, 5th, and 6th years at Hogwarts through the books). That is, if my funds can take me purchasing the books.

Wow.. that’s more than enough from me for today. I need to work on my father’s birthday present for tomorrow… whatever that’s going to be.

For the first time in 3 and 1/2 years I no longer own any sort of aquatic animal. Kasey and Cayenne now have a new home with a friend my mother works with. In my heart I’m having slight regrets for letting them go, because I do really like them and enjoyed having them around… but the fact of the matter is that I could not seem to make enough time to properly care for them. They’re not that much upkeep really, but it’s more than a regular fish would be… and I just felt awful that I would actually go long periods of time just “forgetting” about them and their needs. They are living things, they never did anything to deserve to be forgotten or only be paid attention to when their care giver is going through a short phase of actually giving a shit. I had thought about giving them away for a while, so maybe they could find a more attentive home, and have been especially considering it over the past couple of days since getting the new carpet. Since I had to completely unload the tank so the new carpet could be installed I just didn’t want to set it back up again after words. So, I didn’t… and so, my mother asked her friend if her and her children would be interested in taking them in. Yesterday I sent them an e-mail with a link to a very informative site along with any extra pointers and information I could give them, and today the deal was set and done for 2 axolotls + their old tank, filter, food, and rocks for $30 (though I was given $40 in the end). After the arrangements were made they arrived 2 and 1/2 hours later to take Kasey and Cayenne to their new home. I talked with some some before they left, with me answering any other misc questions they had. All three of them seemed interested in the animals and had already read a great deal about the axolotls from the site I had directed them to (which I thought was great.)

After they left I found out the younger boy, who was age 11 and who the axolotls were “for” (though the whole family will be taking care of them), was going to rename them to Sludge and Pudge. And hey, whatever works best for them – if they’ll love Sludge and Pudge and give them an environment that they can flourish in then that’s more than I could ever hope for for Kasey and Cayenne.

Of course, naturally, now that the axolotls are gone I’ve been looking at websites and seeing how much it costs to purchase African Clawed Frogs (the first aquatic only animals [other than fish] that I had ever owned). I’ve always been really interested in frogs and the African Clawed Frogs are actually very low maintenance – probably on the same level as a fish. But, I dunno. I should wait a little bit of time before I even consider purchasing something else, because I may really like not having any obligations in my life right now as I work on getting used to my more hectic schedule. Also, there is a chance that I may get the axolotls back if the situation doesn’t work out for their new home. I’ll just have to wait it out and see.

I’ve also been having urges to start reading the Harry Potter books, though I’m not sure if it would be a wise decision. Usually I like to watch the movies first and THEN read the book, only because people always say that the movies are so much worse than the books they’re based on; I’d rather start out with the crappy version and work my way toward the better story. I just don’t know if I’ll be able to stop myself from reading the 4th book despite the 4th movie not coming out until sometime this November. In the end I probably will, though, despite any minor reservations I may have – I’m dieing to get in on all the secrets everyone bitches about other people telling them before they’ve had a chance to read the books. My biggest hurdle will be actually getting myself to go get the books, which is where the real conflict comes in: should I be cheap and rent the books or should I purchase them? Decisions decisions.

After having scrambled to pack up a large portion of my belongings both last night and this morning, after having 3 men in the house for 9 hours working diligently (who did not speak English for 95% of the time they were here, and who while speaking Spanish around me had very “interesting” tones in their voices), after having handled so many cardboard boxes and so much wooden furniture that random pinpoints on my palms and fingers are now stinging with what either could be paper cuts or splinters, and after 25-30 years of an orange/rust color carpet that not only clashed with everything in the universe but also was so flat and worn in in high traffic areas that even mashing and scrubbing a bristle brush to it would not make the yarn-like fibers pop back to life… after all of that, there is finally some new carpet in this house. Beige carpet too – you can’t get much more high class than that!

Yes, those are my ugly feet in the photographs. But the carpet makes them look good imo.

In general, this layout is falling apart. I just now accidently changed how it looked by using the copy of the style sheet that was saved on my comp (when I should of known better) and the calendar above has been fucked up because when I originally designed it I did not consider that *gasp* some months take up the span of 6 week blocks. After I realized this I decided I would probably have a new layout by the time that little oversight would become an issue. Oh silly, lazy me.

So. I’m at work and it’s 2PM. I’ve run out of things to do, and when looking around the room there doesn’t seem to be anything that needs to be done (that I know how to do, at least) that I could do instead of typing this. My Boss is currently at a meeting and isn’t scheduled to be back until around 3ish. I thought I had quite a bit of work to do while she was gone but it all seems to be the type of work I’m able to zoom through.

That’s something I’ve noticed while here – currently there is a very big divide between what I’m “good” at and what I’m “bad” at. When it comes to typing stuff up, or doing anything in Microsoft Excel or Word (with the only exception being when I need to “design” something in either of those two programs, which is when my anal-ness for detail kicks in and slows up my overall productivity) I can usually breeze through it extremely quick after I’ve gotten down my rhythm for the task. Then there are other things, such as filing or just in general searching over large documents that for some reason… I can’t do quite that well. I would guess it’s because I’ve never had to work so closely with folders and files before as I am now, but it’s still frustrating to me when I feel like I’m not doing as well as I imagined I would. I’m sure it’ll just take time to get the hang of it, and (hopefully) it’ll also just take time for me to relearn the ability to see things that are right in front of my face instead of interrupting My Boss with tons of pointless questions. She’s always so great and nice about answering them but I just want to kick myself every time the answers I need are 3 inches from my face.

I certainly hope my nervousness and shyness while at work passes soon. It’s still in full force, and while it’s slowly getting better and better, part of me still panics a little bit every time someone speaks to me. Normally it does take me a while to get comfortable with new people and places, but most of those around me aren’t going to wait a month for me to calm down to form an opinion of who I am and whether they’d like to be friendly with me. While I was at work today, I had the heart wrenching thought that my relationship with My Boss could maybe eventually mirror the way Jenn and I ended up splitting apart like oil and water in 2001. With Jenn and I, I never meant for that to happen, and I certainly never wanted it… but I can probably pinpoint a large portion of the blame on my inability to just get over my anxiety and act myself. By the time I had she had already long sense decided who I was and what I was about by how I had acted for the previous 2 months (as any normal person would, really).

All the times I find myself literally *STARING* at My Boss when she speaks to me, in my effort to overcome my “handicap” when nervous (I tend to have a much harder time understanding and comprehending what someone is saying to me when I’m nervous. Why, I don’t know – nearly everything is in one ear and out the other – but somewhere along the way I realized if I focus intently on whoever is speaking I can overcome it [for the most part]. Sadly “focusing intently” comes with the side effect of coming off as a crazy creepy staring person as I bore a hole into their forehead with my eyes while they talk) I’m always left feeling like such a freak – like I just want to crawl under my desk and hide after words. So, yes, I certainly hope all of that passes soon – I may not have much longer to waste with it before I dig myself into a social hole.

Speaking of My Job, I do have to say that I absolutely love it so far. I’ve learned most of the people’s names (which is a huge accomplishment for me), I got my e-mail set up the other day and my first e-mail was a funny joke e-mail from a coworker downstairs (which for some reason was a relief for me… I have no idea why, but it was), I had my first office meeting last Wednesday (where everyone ordered food the previous day for it from a local restaurant [I had a BLT, it wasn't that great but I ate as much as I could]. The meeting itself wasn’t anything too technical or complex – overall it was great for me to go to because I got to hear and learn a lot more about the company and hear more about what everyone there does), and I just flat out enjoy just about every task I’ve had to do here (with the slight exception to filing, but I started to get into it near the end of it yesterday). There’s only been one day so far where I left the office feeling as though I could of done better – and that was last Thursday, my second time handling the misc folders My Job keeps for the other companies they’re associated with. I was going about as fast as I could go (all while still trying to get used to minor things, like how to balance the files in my lap or what’s the best order and sequence I should do most tasks so that they take the least amount of redundant movement, etc) but at the end of the day I got the impression that My Boss felt I should of gotten farther along than I did. Looking back at it now I probably would have responded the same way as she did – on both Monday and Tuesday I was able to finish up the work nearly 2x as fast as I did it on Thursday. I guess I must of spent a lot more time “learning” and “getting a hang of it” on the 14th than I realized.

I was able to get time off approved to visit Matt in Phoenix at the end of August. I was totally floored and thrilled that My Boss approved the time off, and I had every intention of thanking her in person (as I had asked her over e-mail about the time off, since I didn’t want to put her on the spot in person and I figured her having the dates “written down” would be a lot more handy if she needed to take a while to get back to me about it) but every time I went to say it I couldn’t figure out a way to so that I wouldn’t apologize right after spitting out the words “thank you.” I have no idea why I had the urge to apologize… I already had told her “sorry for any inconvenience this may cause” in the e-mail, but I did genuinely feel bad that I was asking for so many days off work (a full week’s worth, 4 days) during a time that I had known since my interview would be busy around the office. The whole reason why I did not want to apologize was because I had already been doing it so much already for misc things (like for asking too many questions, losing/forgetting something right in front of my face [or even if it was something I never would of known where to find it], needing more help than I thought I should be asking for, etc) and I didn’t want to do it to the point where it got annoying or it took away from the fact that I really am sorry and am not just saying the words. I usually apologize a lot, almost too much, simply because I’d rather be seen as an “I’m sorry” person than an “I did something wrong or annoying but I’m totally not going to acknowledge it and take responsibility for it” person. Well… for most situations I’d prefer to be seen like that – if I get to a point where I’ve become stubborn, I’d take the asshole route any day. Until I’ve calmed down and apologized 2x as much, that is. Then being an asshole would be the asshole thing to do.

But, anyway, I’m getting off topic.

So, for the reasons explained above, I have yet to actually thank her for allowing the time off. It’s been almost 2 weeks since I asked and she approved it; it’s almost to the point where I’ll have no choice but to apologize for simply waiting so freaking long to follow up like I should of the next day to begin with… which is just frustraiton on top of frustration =/ There’s a breakfast thing coming up on the 26th, at 7:30ish AM, where My Job will be launching a few new things, and maybe on Monday when My Boss and I go over to setup for it I’ll spring the “Thank you” on her. And I guess I’ll have to go over everything I just wrote here to her, because I do want her to know just how much I appreciate it and that I didn’t mean to wait so long to thank her… I just couldn’t get the delivery I wanted. Luckily this will be the only time of the year where I’ll feel (or be) this much of an inconvenience when it comes to taking time off. Matt and I are already prepared for the concept that I’ll need to work a few days while he’s here in November, March, and June.

I’m looking forward to visiting Matt in Phoenix, as always. This year we’ll actually be able to sleep in the same room – though not because his parents suddenly became ok with the concept of us possibly having sex in their house, but because Matt’s old bedroom was turned into an exercise room (which I’m still absolutely shocked over. Matt swears he told me about the room being changed but I simply have no recollection of that. I guess to me it just represents the one place we spent the most time in during my first trip there in August 2002 as just suddenly poofing into thin air. I would of taken more pictures of his room, better, clearer pictures, had I known it was going to happen). So, all that’s left for him and I to sleep in is the guest bedroom (where Matt is currently staying now, and what had been dubed as “Chrisy’s Room” for the past 3 years whenever I stayed there) and I’d guess we’ll be sleeping in the same bed (gasp). That is, unless his parents go out of their way to purchase an air mattress, though I’m not sure where it would fit with all the other furniture a + my luggage + his computer stuffs in the room.

While in Phoenix we’re going to try to meet up with 2 of the people we play WoW with. We’ve known them both for roughly 4-6 months now, though I’ve only seen a picture of one of them (but I’ve spoken to the other quite a bit on TS during raids in WoW). Matt didn’t seem that keen on the idea – he hasn’t really seemed to be up to meeting new people for a while now – but I’m looking forward to it a lot. Lets just hope I’ll actually be calm enough to talk and have fun and not just sit there staring at them bugeyed and making incoherent squeaking noises in response to any questions they ask me.

Only 2 more days until we get a new carpet as well. I’m looking forward to it, can’t wait to see the finished product, but I still need to back up a lot of crap in my room =/ Hopefully I’ll still have time to finish that and open a new bank account on Friday while they’re putting in the carpet.

I can’t believe it’s already July.

That’s the best opening line I could think of after having not updated this for nearly 2 months.

I can’t believe it’s been 2 months since I updated

If it were not for certain recent good events I probably would not bothered to make an update now, either. For the past 3 years, it’s been an off and on struggle for me to *want* to write about anything. I’d like to think that all that time I spent waiting, dealing with my own issues to stabilize myself, and putting my life on hold in general have finally paid off in some way.

I finally got a job. A permanent job, doing Data Entry, locally, working Monday through Thursday for 5 hours a day at $10 an hour (which is more than I’ve ever been paid before). It being part time doesn’t bother me in the slightest bit, and with the location and job description being something I could not find in the thousands of other job listings I bogged through makes it is absolutely amazing that I not only saw it in the paper (after nearly giving up) but that I also was hired for the position. The only real obstacle in front of me now is learning the program the company uses for the data entry, but there’s ample resources online that I can look at to help myself become progressively familiar with the software. I was told it will be My Job to know and “own” the software and it’s database, and I plan to do exactly that.

In some ways, I’m surprised I got the job. Not because I’m bad for it, or because I don’t think I can handle it – in fact I feel the exact opposite. In some ways getting hired has given me a huge confidence boost because even though I was my usual quirky, nervous, stuttering, unclear, and ungraceful self (aka, every single flaw that I analyzed and tortured myself over after all my other failed interviews), there was still something about me that impressed them enough to still feel I was the best for the position. Even after showing them this site in all of it’s flaw filled and self bashing glory, even after explaining this site’s purpose and what a blog is (I even elaborated about how this site played a part in everything blew up with Jenn in October of 01), after being very frank about my IBS and how it has effect my life since I was 15, and even after I told them that my nervousness can get so bad that I do one day want to pursue mediation for it… even after being as absolutely honest as I possibly could, I still got a call on the 28th of June offering me the position. And that is, again, absolutely amazing.

Sometimes I just sit quietly, staring to space, just thinking to myself… “wow.” It’s amazing how much this has meant to me… but I guess anything someone waits a great deal of time to have would have the same effect when they finally accomplished it. I never realized how ready I was to have money and responsibilities, and to finally be able to live my “real” adult life, until the past week. It’s just so hard to put into words exactly – and my usual inability to write anything positive isn’t helping.

Also, for future reference: Because I showed them this site, and because I was so honest of it’s purpose, they made one simple request on my first day of work (07/05/05) – that I not mention the company by name or any specific details about the company itself or what it does. Considering how utterly grateful I am to be given the opportunity to work there, I have no problem fulfilling that request. From now on, I’ll only reference where I work as My Job. If I’m speaking of the wonderful and kind woman I work for, I’ll simply call her My Boss. I’ll come up with other obvious codenames as needed, though I doubt I’ll be doing alot of writing about it to need them – at least, not in any place public like this. It may sometimes frustrate myself not to, but my new job is worth more to me than writing here.

Before I run off to do some laundry, here are some other good perks from the past month:

– My parents have finally gotten out of debt (refinancing homes ftw) and now have the option to do some much needed fixes to the house. I have been painting the inside of the house (living room, hallway, and master bedroom done so far) and a new carpet will be installed on the 22nd (it will be a light tan color – goodbye 20 year old reddish rust color).
– While I was painting, I was able to muster up the courage to ask my father to switch monitors with me – and he agreed. I know have a 17″ monitor which has made my gaming experiences so much better.
– I also recently purchased a ram upgrade for my computer (using the money I’ve received from painting the house [$6 an hour]). I’ll be upgrading from 1 gig of PC113 to 2 gigs of PC2700. I also plan to eventually purchase a video card upgrade, probably a Radeon 9600XT.
– Because My Boss is utterly amazing, she OK’ed Matt and I’s usual August trip. I’ll be in the beautiful city of Phoenix from the 19th until the 28th – and this time I’ll actually be able to pay for stuff! Woo!
– In geeky news, my guild in WoW has been making amazing progress in MC – we’ve taken down all of the bosses except for Majordomo and Ragnaros, both of which are much harder than any of the other bosses. We took our first real shot at Majordomo last night and by the 5th try or so had *really* made progress with the encounter – all that was left was 2 adds and the boss itself before the raid started to wipe. We’re trying again on Monday and I can’t wait to see if we’ll be able to learn from last night and beat him.