June 29, 2006

Yay for:

Killing time at a technology conference and getting to play around on a Mac.
In about 6 hours from now, I’ll be headed to Missouri.
Not having to get up ungodly early this morning (6:15 instead of 5:20)
Not having to be back in the office until July 5th

Boo for:
A situation I will talk about in a little bit
Starting a day earlier than I expected
Not really having a whole lot of money so that I could feed myself on this upcoming trip

My ex-bf is one shady bastard. Seriously. The apt we lived in together a couple years ago has an automatically renewing lease, and when it was due for re-up last June, I figured that he would just move out, since my name was still on the lease and it was way too much space for one person. He didn’t. He let the lease renew and then moved out and let some people I know move in A) Without telling me and B) Without going through the proper channels (i.e., properly subleasing it through the front office). I only found this out because I was going to visit this friend of mine and she gave me her address and I was like, “Hey, that’s my old place.” Come to find out they were living there under my name. I got a call back in April from the front office saying they would need 30 days’ notice if I was going to end my lease at the end of June this year. I put in the paperwork and gave my notice of intent to vacate and all that good stuff. Doing the right thing, y’know. Fast fwd to a few days ago and I get a voicemail from the front office lady (who was so freaking annoying, nosy and obnoxious) saying that they had not received keys yet and said that there would be a key charge and that they would continue to charge rent, yadda yadda. So I call Sara (the girl) in a panic and she assured me that her husband had given him the keys to turn in, but that he hadn’t done it yet. Ugh. So then I get another call yesterday while I’m in sessions and it’s the front office (AGAIN) saying that he went in to turn the keys in and claimed that HE should get the deposit, not me because he said he paid it. Uh, right.  I am going to make sure that the front office charges him an extra days’ rent so that he gets back as little as possible. I seriously had NOT missed putting up w/ his bullshit. I told the office to let him have it, but did make sure to add “I don’t want for you guys to get involved in one of his little temper tantrums. It’s sooo not worth it,” and I think the girl understood exactly what I meant. I’m sure he made an ass of himself up there, and once again, I come out clean. Heh, heh. What a tool.

I want to throw things June 26, 2006

I spent over three hours last night working on my stats assignment that’s due tonight by 8:05. I’ve yet to really finish it and up until about an hour ago I had no idea what the HELL I was doing. I predict another marathon sprint  from 4:46 to 8:04 tonight to get this f-ing thing finished. Luckily this class has only 3 assignments. Any more, on top of all 6 assignments from my other stats class would drive me insane. I keep telling myself that by doing this, I am completing 20% of my M.A., and by the end of the calendar year I will have completed half of it (hopefully by next summer I will be totally through w/ it and can refocus on my Ph.D. work!) I’m going to do my best to get all my stuff done by my birthday so that I can coast the rest of the summer and just work and go to the pool and relax (and paint), rather than slave over assignments and online lectures.

I am really excited about our trip up to Columbia. I really want to get the hell out of here for a few days and we will have a lot of fun hanging out w/ Mike (who’s flying in from SF) and generally doing nothing. Hopefully I can refrain from spending a lot of money so that I don’t come back totally broke!

June 23, 2006

So I decided to go to Pilates yesterday during my lunch hour. It felt really good but today I’m just a bit sore/stiff. I really feel it in my obliques and abs, so something tells me I oughta go back since obviously they need a little work!

I got an e-mail yesterday from a friend I haven’t seen in almost 2 years. It was nice to catch up and I think we will hang out this weekend since she will be here in town. Despite my insane schedule, I’d like to be at least somewhat sociable. I have a stats assignment due tomorrow that I (theoretically) could have turned in last week but kept putting off. Now that means I have to go home tonight and do it. Boooo!

I got paid today, so now I need to divvy up all my $$ so that I can 1) Pay back my aunt and uncle 2) Start whittling down my credit card 3)Pay my bills and eat. At first I thought getting paid biweekly would be cool but I’m beginning to see that it’s not! Hopefully once I get a raise (next few months) things will be a little less tight for me.

Oooh, just got a really nice e-mail from boss #2 (whose program isn’t currently paying part of my salary). The more of those I get, the more hopeful I am that I will be paid beaucoup bucks in the near future. Let’s hope, anyways…

never be insecure about your level of intelligence June 15, 2006

Because there are ALWAYS complete freaking idiots out there to make you feel better about yourself. The follow was an e-mail exchange between myself (H), and two other persons S and L(S’s boss):

H: S, Thanks so much for taking care of this [getting nametags made]. Attached are the lists for both the general group and the reception attendees.

S (to L): L, we need nametags

L (to H): Are you making nametags or are we?

S (to L): We are.

Duh….This person L is a complete freaking idiot and it frightens me that she actually obtained a Ph.D.  She must have bought it at KMart.

If my boss stays on the phone awhile, I’m coasting out early!

ETA: Since then they’ve completely dropped the ball and made a bunch of lame-ass excuses, so now I’m the one who has to do it (and we’re the ones paying for them). So freaking typical…

What was I thinking? June 14, 2006

As helpful as it will be, I think taking two online stats classes this summer was a mistake. Whoa. I did well in basic stats and I have a decent knowledge of how to use SPSS, but I feel so incredibly lost. Luckily the online lectures and handouts are pretty helpful, but I think I messed up the assignment that I just submitted this morning. It’s not due until tomorrow night, so maybe she’ll be nice and let me turn in the correct assignment. If not, I’ll just use it as my drop grade. I have another assignment due later this week and then another one due next week. Luckily the higher level class that I’m taking isn’t too difficult and only has three assignments to turn in, not to mention that neither class requires discussion or a final exam. Definitely ideal for my situation since the last thing I want to do at 5:00 is go to class for 3 hours!

I spent an hour at WalMart last night trying to get two new tires put on my car. Needless to say, I still have the same four tires. I saw two people there who said they had dropped their car off over two hours before and still had not seen progress on their cars. I grabbed my keys and took my car back home. No way in hell was I going to wait 2+ hours for tires, especially when the only reason I went there is because they quoted me an awesome price on tires (that ended up being complete bullshit because they quoted the wrong size tires and the ones I needed ended up being $20 more each). I should know better than to go to WalMart for anything. That place is a disgrace to capitalism.

Boss 1 isn’t here yet (big surprise) and Boss 2 has gone home for a nap. Do you think I’m being productive? Ha!

June 12, 2006

This weekend was certainly entertaining if nothing else. A few highlights:

• I have become a shameless IKEA addict. I spent nearly $70 there. Sigh.
• I had a celebrity sighting outside my hotel’s bar. OMG squee! I smiled at him, he smiled at me, then he walked off w/ his bodyguard. Too bad I didn’t have my camera or something.
• Scott and I went salsa dancing for the first time. We had a great time. The club we went to was partially cordoned off for a private party. It didn’t take us too long to realize it was a bachelor party, given the half dozen scantily (and identically) clad women bumping and grinding. It was shockingly comical. Luckily they left after about 10:30 so then we could dance and have fun.
• I had the best Ethiopian food I’ve ever had at a place called Moya in Decatur. So. Damn. Gooooood.
• I made it from Tuscaloosa to Atlanta in less than 3 hours on Friday afternoon. I don’t know how, but I guarantee you it wasn’t because I was speeding.

Here are some of my finds at IKEA. That place is so amazing. Duvet cover Drawer organizers Knife set

I really wanted this nightstand, but they were out. I may order it online when I get paid again or whenever we make it back to Atlanta.

Overall, a very fun weekend, and despite my shopping trip, not a very expensive one.

June 8, 2006

Today was nuts at work. I got in around 7:20 and left at the usual time. I took a slightly longer lunch (about 10 minutes longer) because I had to go home to let Brubeck out. Even still, that’s a hell of a lot of working. I had a meeting at 11 in preparation for a conference call that I didn’t participate in because it was during my lunch hour and, hey, I’m not giving up my lunch hour when I’m paid so little. I deserve twice what I’m making, and I hope they realize this sooner rather than later. I like what I do and I feel like I do a good job, but it gets frustrating when I see how little it makes me. It would be so nice to pay off my credit card, stick some money back in savings and generally have some financial flexibility. Upon reflection, however, I know no matter how much I make, it’ll never be enough.

Tomorrow I work a half day before booking out to Atlanta for the weekend. I’m really excited. Apparently the hotel we’re staying at is for young hipster couples, which sounds really awesome. The reviews I read of it were in one of two camps: 1) Persons such as myself and Scott who loved it or 2) Families that absolutely hated it. There’s a restaurant inside called Bed where people eat in, well, beds. I don’t think we can afford to eat there, but I at least want to walk in and see the place. It sounds too funny to be true! If it’s really that cool I may post some pics.

Scott and I are on the front page of the CW, for those of you in the Tuscaloosa area. We’re mid-spin during our salsa lesson this past Tuesday. We look like ever the happy couple. Unfortunately it’s not on the website.

June 7, 2006

I have been on the phone practically non stop since 8:15 this morning. Somebody stop me!

It’s been nice having Scott home for the past couple days, even if he is leaving again tonight. It’s not so bad because this time I’ll be joining him in a few days. We’ll hang out in ATL this weekend and I know it’ll be a hell of a lot of fun. We may try to go salsa dancing since we’ve been taking lessons. The hotel we’re staying at is supposed to be really cool (and the University’s paying for it, so yay!).

My boss is talking about scoring some grant money so that they could pay me $30-40K a year to be a project director and write for the Policy Center. Can I get a hell yeah? That would be so freaking sweet.

I just had a bottle of raspberry seltzer blow all over the kitchen here at work. I was wiping everything down. It now smells like berries. How embarrassing!

Holy shit, I forgot my coffee this morning. I neeeeeeeeeeeeeed some caffeine.

For your entertainment only June 5, 2006

Pictures of my weekend endeavours.

Someone needs to get a grip. June 2, 2006

That someone is me. Last night was totally, utterly, completely miserable. I talked to Scott a couple times on the phone, which as helpful as it may seem, actually only served to make me feel worse because it was a tangible reminder that he’s not around. I was helping a friend paint, so I was quasi-distracted, as was he and our conversation wasn’t really substantial at all. I also told him that I 1) Had left his lights on and needed a jump at my lunch hour so that I could get home to attend to Brubeck and 2) I’m currently $33.00 in the hole. Freaking A&S took waaaay too long to deposit the check I wrote as an alumni contribution and I had around $15 in my account before that, which would have been ok since I’d only have to survive for a couple days on that. Now I have nothing. Right after I told him that he starts blathering on about “OMG, I’ve just burned through about $50 today going out to eat and buying stuff and going to get a beer.” I wanted to throw up from his total insensitivity. I mean, what the f*ck? I have no freaking money and here he is griping about spending a little bit of money irresponsibly. He’s not completely out of money. I won’t even see money again until Monday, and we really don’t have much of anything in the house, foodwise. I am broke, and I am scared. After I got off the phone with him I decided it was time to head home so that I could get a decent night’s sleep because I had to be at work this morning. Utz offered to lend me some money and it was all I could do not to cry. I told him that I would be fine, which was completely a lie, but what do you do? I cried the entire way home. I got home, popped in Season Six of King of the Hill and tried to go to sleep. I was a little freaked out sleeping in the house all by myself and with the thunder and lightening, I didn’t really get any sleep. Around 3:30 I let Brubeck up in the bed with me and I slept pretty well until around 6:45, when my alarm went off.

I am still really pissed off. I’m also kind of cranky since I didn’t get but about 5 hours of sleep last night, which will make anyone a little off. One solution I came up with is to drop by the consignment shop and pick up my check from some clothes that I consigned there, live off the change in our change cup and transfer one of my prescriptions to Publix pharmacy so that I can take advantage of a “free $25 gift card” offer that I got in the mail. 25 bucks will buy me more than enough food to get through until Monday. Unfortunately I may have to thaw out my credit card (currently in a block of ice in a Ziploc bag) to do so, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

I wish I could say why I deserve this, but I can’t think of a reason.