I'm engaged, ya'll!

There is definitely another post coming about this, but I just thought to update the world (or my 5 readers who already knew...) that Derek and I got engaged on December 14th!  It was amazing.  Here are some pics...

We are SO HAPPY and can't wait to start our life together as husband and wife!  The tentative date for our wedding is 9/29/12, so be prepared!!!!!

Mental Upchuck.

I have the insane urge to blog, because some epiphanies have recently come to light and I was thinking about them earlier. Maybe it will help if I put pen to paper, so to speak.

I recently had a huge argument with my brother, John. Basically, I was tired of taking care of Mom by myself, and I called him on the fact that he wasn't helping. 2 Fridays in a row, my oldest friend Jamie came over to help me clean out Mom's bedroom and the spare room upstairs. Jamie is married, has 2 young kids and both of her parents are on dialysis. She has a very busy life, yet took time out of her day off to come help me. She even came the next Friday, and cleaned out the garage while I was at the hospital with Sarah (a story for another blog!). Anyway, after the first 2 Fridays of cleaning, Jamie and I made the decision to tackle the garage the next week. I texted John and asked if he would be willing to help, and he reminded me that he was going to Chicago. I suddenly remembered that he was going on vacation, and that I was responsible for picking up his dog that Friday on top of cleaning out the garage...and I lost it. I reminded him how busy Jamie is and that she is helping me. Jus' sayin'. (The exact text was almost exactly the last 2 sentences.) Within minutes, my phone rang. For the next 4-5 minutes, John screamed at me. His tone never wavered from pure anger. He called me worthless, said that I was the reason Mom's health has gone downhill, accused me of spending Mom's money, cursed me up and down about the cleanliness of the house, called me a "carbon copy" of our father...it was absolutely horrible. However, I stayed calm from the moment I got on the phone with him until the moment he hung up on me. I tried talking rationally to him, and even asked him at one point why he was screaming at me when I'm the one who is frustrated at him. When we got off the phone, within 5 seconds I burst into tears. Giant, sobbing, hyperventilating tears. I called my brother Michael to tell him what happened and cool down a little bit. I remember hyperventilating into the phone, telling Mike I hated John, and basically running down what had just happened. I calmed down enough to get off the phone and tell John he could drop his dog off the next Friday...I wasn't going up there to help him. He then laid into me with a series of texts, again telling me how useless and worthless I am, how I play the martyr and do the bare minimum, and compared me to a kid with Down's Syndrome because I'm proud of the fact that I'm in school. I responded by telling him to remember our father's verbal abuse before calling me a carbon copy of him, told him to fuck off, and said, "You have been physically and verbally abusive to me since I can remember" and told him that I wouldn't have anything to do with him anymore.

That was a little over a month ago.

Now that I have had time to think about what happened, a lot of things have come to light. I have a history of abusive men in my past, mostly verbal abuse. We're not talking about calling me fat or ugly (which, to me, was the norm in my elementary years), but full-on verbal abuse. I remember John calling me worthless and useless when I was a kid. He also hit me more than a few times, and scared the shit out of me. 6'5" is really tall to a little girl, and he intimidated the shit out of me with his size. One time in particular, I remember standing in my room (8-9 years old) and him standing in the doorway. I don't remember what caused the argument, but I was crying and he was red-faced and inches from my face. It was at that moment that I noticed how electric blue his eyes were, and I've never forgotten it. I remember him screaming at me, then hitting me on the head. John and I never got along for some reason, and it almost seems like he resents me.

John and Dad have their own, separate, non-relationship. I don't remember them ever being close or being on speaking terms, other than around the time of John's wedding in 2001. A specific memory I have of John and Dad comes from when I was VERY little, probably no older than 5. We had recently moved into the house on Manderlay, and I remember walking into Mom and Dad's room and seeing John sitting on their toilet fully clothed with blood running down his shirt and Dad yelling at him. John had some terrible nosebleeds as a kid and teenager, so I always thought that he had a nosebleed and that Dad was yelling at him for bleeding on the carpet or something asinine like that. Earlier this year, I kinda put 2+2 together and asked Michael and he said that Dad socked John in the face that day and that's why he was bleeding. I was very surprised, though not surprised at all. I also remember someone's back going through the downstairs hallway wall...whether it was John or Mike I don't know, and whether it was play or someone getting pushed out of anger also escapes me. Since I've blocked it out, I'm going to assume it was someone getting pushed out of anger. Anyway...John did not speak to Dad for a very long time, and hasn't spoken to Dad since after his wedding. The fact is, our father was physically abusive toward John and probably verbally abusive as well (judging by the screaming). Our father has also been verbally abusive and physically intimidating toward me. He has backed me into corners while screaming at me, frightening me in my adult years.

I have put up with verbal abuse my whole life. At one point, I even considered it normal. I wondered why the other chubby girls in my class had friends...I was used to having no friends at school and being called fat every single day. I remember kids in elementary and middle school telling me I should kill myself. (Wow, this is really getting deep...) Besides being called fat, ugly and useless, I knew the only thing I had going for myself was my brain. I was smarter than all of the kids in my class, and in a way I used school to escape from my problems. Sad when the place that is your refuge is the place you get picked on the most...even my best friend at the time would have nothing to do with me when we were at school. I often thought of running away and also had thoughts of "if I died they'd be sorry...". I was a very, very sad and lonely little girl. My Mom was always there for me, showing me fun wherever it was available and going out of her way to build me up. But she had her own issues with self-esteem and weight, and she couldn't help me as much as I needed it.

As I got older, I used sex to gain attention from guys because I didn't realize how worthy of love I am. I could tell a million stories of men who intimidated me into bed, men who used me, men who verbally assaulted me and 2 in particular who sexually assaulted me. I have run the gamut of dating and sex, and it wasn't until I met Derek that I realized how awful I was allowing myself to be treated.

AA was a whole 'nother story. How much ego-crushing can this damaged little girl take??? I wish I would have known at the time that I needed an ego BOOST, not an ego SMASHING. James, in particular, was a "carbon copy" (to use John's words...) of John and I even told him that. He had the same way of tearing a person down slowly. As I made my exit from AA, James was one of the prime factors in my final "rock bottom" emotionally. He sent me emails, again calling me useless and telling me that nobody loved me in California and that I should just move home to KY. After being friends with him for 7 years, James knew every button to push and did it with gusto. Another man I loved (deeply, as a friend), another verbally abusive ending to an ego-smashing friendship. He never tried to build me up...not really anyway. His prime focus was making himself feel better by tearing me down. He fucked me over multiple times (him skipping out on the apartment we shared and the rent being the prime example) and I kept going back to him pseudo-friendship. Sick, sick, sick.

Since I've been home in KY, obviously life has gotten a lot better. These have been the best couple of years of my life. I know acceptance, and I know love. My self-esteem has risen DRAMATICALLY, and I finally know what kind of person I really am and how worthy I am of the love that is shown to me. Sometimes I get anxious about people caring so much or doing good things for me, because that little girl is still somewhere inside me telling me I don't deserve it. But I do. I have turned into a pretty amazing woman, if I do say so myself. Sometimes I fight myself, but most of the time I remember my worth. I have real friends today...friends that will be seen with me in public and value my friendship. They like me for who I am...not what I can give them or my blood alcohol content. My family has been amazing, with the exception of John. He has his moments, but they are few and far between and they aren't enough to make up for the wrongs he has done me.

Mom went to look at a condo last week, and had all of the family (except Derek, who was at the doctor with pneumonia) look at it. John didn't say a word to me the whole time...didn't even look me in the eye. He also didn't say a word to Maggie or Evelyn, and Evelyn apparently was quite upset on the way home wondering why John was mad at her. He doesn't realize that he is burning his bridges just like our father. I'm trying to look forward to our first family dinner in Mom's new place, but I can't help but think of the tension and underlying irritability that's going to be there.

At least I know what the problem is, and I'm looking for solutions so that I don't do the same thing to my kids...

Busy Life

Hey folks!

Those who remember my MySpace will remember when I used to blog nearly every day. Sometimes twice a day. I have been so damn busy, however, that it's just not possible anymore! Life is moving full-speed ahead and I am keeping up quite nicely.

The biggest news I have to share is that Derek and I are moving! He has been living here with Mom and me since New Years Day. It's been wonderful, but it's time for us to get out on our own. His mom found a house on craigslist that ended up being a perfect fit for us, and we've just signed the first year's lease! Our landlord is going to Columbus for graduate school, and will be gone for at least 3 years. When he graduates and moves on to Oregon, we will have the option to buy the house. :-) We move in on September 19th, and I have been a busy bee trying to prepare for our next step. Most of the furniture has been purchased, and we're now trying to pull together all of the little stuff. It's a shame that I had to sell/give away all of my stuff when I moved from CA, or we would be much better prepared. Derek's divorce is moving right along...all of the paperwork is filled out and he has the money to file...unfortunately we found out yesterday that one of the forms has been updated and he has to have his whore of an ex fill it out before he can file. It was a frustrating moment, but I have every reason to believe that it will work out fine and he will be a legally free man very soon. Stupid court system.

School is going fine. Grades for last semester were just posted today. I have a snafu to work out with my English teacher, but I should end up with B's in both of my classes. My English teacher was out for the last 2 weeks of the semester having a heart valve replaced, and somehow didn't receive my research paper. The damn paper was a pain in the ass--I didn't read the syllabus correctly and thought it was supposed to be 6000 words. I got to 3500 and thought, "Gee, I really can't seem to make this any longer! WTF is wrong?!" Turns out that the paper was only supposed to be 1600 words and I WAY overdid it. I spent a day editing it down, and still only got it down to 3000 words. Oh well...hopefully it will make up for the one paper that I didn't do at all. :-p Next semester I'll be taking Intro to the Health Care System, Psychology, and Science Math. I needed another psychology class like I need a hole in the head, but fortunately Derek and I are taking the class together so that will keep me motivated. The book is ridiculously put together...makes no sense whatsoever...and I'm hoping that I can remember most of what I've learned in my previous 3 GenEd psych classes.

I passed the skills portion of my STNA test the second time around! I am now registered and able to work. I have been putting in tons of applications, and haven't heard a thing back, but I'm hopeful that something will come along soon.

Sarah and Erik are eagerly awaiting little Lucy's arrival. Her due date is the 3rd, and she's ready to pop at any minute. I can't WAIT!!! She's going to be an amazing little girl. I'll be sure to update when it finally happens.

I suppose that's all for now...

Summer.

I had some time to sit in front of the computer and blog...rather, I am procrastinating on writing an English paper. But I thought I'd type out a little update since it's been far too long since I've blogged. Everything is still going wonderfully. It's been a whirlwind couple of months, so I'll try to condense it. :-)

School is going great. I took my state STNA test and passed the written portion with a 91%, however I failed the skills portion and will need to retake it. One little mistake on one skill was enough to fail me, and I promise you I wasn't happy when I received my results. Either way, I'm going to take the skills portion again and pass with flying colors, then land myself a job so I can finally get my foot in the door! This semester of school has been really interesting. I started off the semester enrolled in 3 classes...Sociology, which I understood to be a hybrid web/lecture class, English 1002, and Science Math (to get me ready for Chemistry). The first day of classes, I found out the Sociology class IS a hybrid web/lecture class, but it was also a 4 week long accelerated class. That kinda blew my mind, because although I do remember a lot from my 2 previous Sociology classes I realized I'd need to shove all the info down in a brief 4 weeks. The math class ended up being more than I bargined for, so I dropped it and will retake it next term. It was definitely a wise decision on my part, because the past 4 weeks of Sociology have taken a lot of work!!! English is going okay...I haven't gotten the grade for my first paper yet and my second paper is due tomorrow. It's moving pretty fast, but I'm keeping up when I can get past the "fuck-it's". Don't get me wrong, I am still totally in love with school. I'm just ready to move on to biology and anatomy, and I'm sick of gen-ed classes already. :-) Next term I'll take Psychology online (which I can probably do standing on my head--I've taken so much psychology it's pretty much engraved in my brain at this point) and Science Math. It's been fun planning my courses and figuring out the quickest way to get a nursing degree. I realize it's going to take a VERY long time, but it's going to be SO worth it in the end.

Ohey, I forgot...I turned 30. :-) My birthday was awesome. Derek and I went camping in Franklin County, Indiana the week before my birthday, and that was my big present. It was so great...we got a bunch of camping gear, loaded it in the van, and got a SUPER remote spot in this park. We went canoeing the second day, and it was awesome!! I had never been canoeing before, and it had been years for Derek. We flipped the canoe 5 times during the 8 mile stretch of river we went down, and I was scared to death the first 3. LOL! It ended up being an amazing time, and I'm so glad we got the chance to get away. It was the perfect birthday present from my most amazing boyfriend. The week AFTER my birthday, Sarah took me to see 311 and Sublime with Rome! Our birthdays are exactly 2 weeks apart, and we decided to do something on the week between. Despite the scorching hot weather, it was an awesome show and the memories are priceless. All in all, turning 30 has been pretty damn good. I don't really feel any different, but I do feel like I'll never get to plead youth for any of my mistakes again. Not that I've been making many mistakes recently but...ya know what I'm sayin'.

There is definitely more to write about, but I'm going to get off the computer and get ready for bed. Busy day tomorrow with school, and I guess I'll be writing that paper before class! :-p

Update!

It's been nearly three months since I've updated...I'm being a terrible blogger. *shame*

First things first...I am officially back in school! I'm taking English, a mandatory "surviving college" class, the CNA course, and a one-day CPR class (which is this coming Saturday). I am having a blast with school. It feels good to sit in a classroom again. I am learning so much, especially in my CNA class. The class is 4 hours twice a week, so they cram a lot of stuff into my brain at once. My grades are fantastic...I haven't had anything graded for my English class yet but I'm ROCKING the CNA class. I have a mid-term on Thursday and I'm hoping to ace it too. I'm officially in the nursing program, which is a huge thing for me. My major has changed, and I like it! I have a TON of prerequisites to do before I can take my first nursing class, and currently there is a 2 year wait-list for the nursing classes. I may switch schools if this doesn't remedy itself...but we'll see what happens down the road. I've got 1 math, 1 more English, 2 biology, 2 chemistry, 1 microbiology and 2 anatomy classes to take before I can even get on the wait-list, so I feel a bit defeated. I am also debating on whether or not to get my transcript from EKU and get my psychology and sociology transferred. The nursing program requires 2 psychology classes, but if I transfer my credits from EKU I may run into a problem with my financial aid. We'll see what happens with that...I'll be researching. Anyway, school is going FANTASTIC and I'm loving every second.

Sarah is now 6 months pregnant, and is having a little girl! She has been miserable and sick the whole time (poor thing) but we are all eagerly awaiting little Lucy's arrival. Sarah's episode of Who Wants to be a Millionaire is slotted to air March 25, yay! I can't wait to see her on national TV, showing the world that being a geek pays off! Also, their 1 year anniversary is coming up! SO much has happened in the past year, it's hard to believe. I'm so happy for Erik especially...3 marriages and this is his first anniversary. He deserves it more than anyone I know.

Mom had a trial spinal stimulator. It did not go well. The procedure itself was excruciatingly painful for her, and the stimulator didn't end up reaching the places her pain affects most. It was a total bust, and we were heartbroken. Next on the list of things to try is a pain pump. On the bright side, her final mediation for her lawsuits is on June 2nd. I hope she gets everything she deserves and more. Her pain and suffering is immeasurable, and her lost wages and medical costs are worth a couple million, easily. I hope she bankrupts the whole practice. She deserves it. This was supposed to be the prime of her life, and she is completely disabled and unable to do anything she dreamed of (especially traveling). I hope this lawsuit ends up making all of us very comfortable, and providing for mom for the rest of her life. 5 years after her original injury, and nearly 5 years after the pressure ulcer that almost killed her, she will finally get justice from the medical community that failed one of their own.

Derek and I are still very happy and very much in love. <3 Day to day life with him is so much fun, and I love how we function as a couple. Everything is very easy, just as people told me it would be. We're looking forward to moving into our own place...we've got a good deal on rent here but the commute to Blue Ash is killing Derek. Besides that, we want a place of our OWN where we are completely alone. He is working hard toward a dissolution with his ex...she has not really been cooperating with the whole thing but they're supposed to get together this weekend. *crosses fingers* Given my history, I will be really happy to have a boyfriend is legally divorced. I went through the wringer with Justin, and with Rob. Derek and I are going to be together for the rest of our lives (you can count on it!) and I really think that someday we are going to look back on this time in our lives and laugh our asses off. Dawn WHO? :-p

That's all for now. I really am going to try to blog more often. But I say that every time...

Things are awesome.

I made one HUGE error in my last blog entry...I forgot to mention that BFF Sarah and Erik are expecting a BABY!!! She is 12 weeks now and I am beyond excited for them. They are going to make great parents. I have already been looking at baby clothes and can't wait to get a hold of some more yarn to knit Baby Coons some fabulous stuff. I am so happy I get to go through this with Sarah and be a part of the process. I got to see the baby at Sarah's first ultrasound, and I was a MESS, LOL! As soon as I saw the heartbeat, my eyes filled up with tears and overflowed with pure joy for my best friend and her husband. It was an amazing moment. After everything we've been through together, this is just another milestone in our lives and our friendship. Expect Baby Coons to arrive on or around September 3, 20111!

I need to get my high school transcript and take a placement test for Cincinnati State, and then I am officially accepted! I absolutely cannot wait to get back in school. First of all, I need to get my mind moving again. The thought of sitting in a class taking notes and soaking up knowledge gets me so excited I can't see straight. Then there is the fact that I will be fully employable at the end of June. This brings a sigh of relief and melts the stress away! After I am certified, I will basically have my pick of jobs. There are several hospitals in the area, a gazillion nursing homes and several home-heath care agencies. Everyone is hiring. Healthcare is the place to be in this crazy economy, I tell ya. Anyway, after I become a CNA, I will probably end up going to nursing school. I will most likely end up working in a nursing home or for a home-health company. That is where I'll start, and see if I'm tough enough for the job. It's hard to deal with people who are dying...it's not a job for just anyone. I have a little bit of experience in that area and need to know whether it's something I can pursue. I already know I can't deal with kids--too emotionally taxing. In my mind, my mother is one of the true angels of the healthcare field. I mean...kids with cancer??? Whew...it takes a really special person. Now that I'm an adult and going into healthcare, I am beginning to understand how difficult that job must have been for her sometimes. Blows my mind.

Speaking of mom, she is doing okay. She was denied coverage for her trial spinal implant, and this obviously upsets her a lot. Her pain doctor is already working on an appeal. Basically, they said that they hadn't tried EVERYTHING yet. Bastards. They've had her on Vicodin, Lyrica, Percocet, she's tried morphine...NOW WHAT??? I don't understand what is so complicated about *permanent* *chronic* *pain*. It is a spinal cord injury! Good LORD! The least they can do is give her a damn trial to see if it works. I'll keep the class updated on this situation... she is at her wits end with the pain and this implant could be the one thing that takes it all away.

I am a little more in love every day. I can't say enough about Derek and how great he is to me every single day. It gets better and better, and I can't wait for the future. We have so many plans and goals and things to work towards, and I can honestly see spending the rest of my life with him. He comforts me like nobody can (except Sarah and my mom). We are absolutely perfect for each other and all I can say is IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!! Before we met, I was at a point where I thought there was no man for me. I tried everything I could. Every social circle, every demographic, every way of meeting new people that I could think of. I was exhausted, and when I first heard from Derek I debated on whether or not this was even worth it...no sense in putting time and effort into another guy who is going to run off in a month. I was "blah" about the whole thing right up until our first date. I liked him...don't get me wrong. But I was terrified of being rejected again and insisted on playing it cool. And of course...I have fallen in love with a man who loves me right back. We've been together for 4 months and have been living together for 2, but everything is right on track. To some it may seem that things are moving fast, but they're moving at OUR pace. We're deliriously happy, and neither of us is going anywhere for a LONG time I hope. Love is grand, fo sho.

Ch-ch-changes...

Everything is fantastic. 2011 is off to a great start!

--I went to court for my stop sign/registration ticket, and the judge dismissed the registration charge after I explained my situation! WOOT! So I have about $150 to pay and that's it.

--I applied to Cincinnati State yesterday! They have a 10 week course to become a Nurse Assistant, and after the state exam I can be a CNA! I plan to work part time until school starts in April (to pay the bills), then financial aid will be my best friend. After the semester and exam, I can work part-time as a CNA and make a really good amount of money while going for my LPN. I don't know if I necessarily want to go all the way and become an RN...it's a lot of schooling and I have already delayed myself so much. Only time will tell, but I feel really good about the fact that I get to go back to school. I spent hours on the website last night fretting about taking a placement test because I have ZERO math skills. I'd like to think I remember elementary algebra, but the fact is I haven't used it since high school and didn't really care to begin with. I looked at some of the practice questions for the placement exam, and I'll be okay until they get past elementary algebra. I'm going to need some math, especially if I want to go any further than CNA. :-P Anyway, that's the only thing that I'm worried about! I filled out a FAFSA too and I'll be eligible for some serious financial aid so hopefully I can actually live on it for a while. I am BEYOND excited about it!

--Things with Derek are spectacular. We had great Christmases together with our families, and he spent his week off between Christmas and New Years at my house. After that week, he decided to go ahead and make Florence his temporary home until we can get a place together. We are so in love it's ridiculous! I feel so lucky to have him in my life...he's more than I ever could have asked for. He treats me like a queen, he's affectionate, funny, intelligent...all of the things I ever hoped for. I love his family and they love me back, which is really important because his family are his best friends. He has been helpful around the house, which pleases Mom...plus he keeps ME happy so everybody wins. Our relationship has been official for 3 months today, and I honestly think I could handle a lifetime. It's easy. We have so much in common and so many common goals that I don't see us ever really arguing. He is really supportive of me heading back to school, and it means so much to me! He's the one I've been looking for... :-)

--Dad had a "growth" removed from his throat on the 12th. He will get the results of the testing they did on it on Friday. Here's hoping it was nothing...

--Mom has been doing okay...her spirits have been better since Derek has been living with us. Also, she's going to get a trial implant in early February! Hopefully this will work, because nothing else has. She's been doing okay with some cooking and washing dishes, but all of the cleaning still falls on my shoulders. I really hope this implant works for her!

Another much-needed update

Again, I have spent too much time living life to blog. :-P

The past couple of months have been really crazy. There are a million adjectives I could use (believe me I have tried) so I will just run down the different things that have been going on. This is going to be one of my more honest (and possibly graphic) posts. I have missed blogging and finally have the time to sit and dedicate myself to it for a few hours.

Mom was in the hospital for a LONG time. She had a brief stay in September, then spent most of October and November in St. Elizabeth. She had been needing a colostomy revision for quite some time. The surgery had been delayed again and again since July. (Here's that graphic part, folks.) Basically, the opening of her colostomy had scarred down to the point where the doctor could barely get a Q-Tip in it. And if the doctor can't get a Q-Tip in it, there's no way she's going to be able to have a normal bowel movement. Needless to say, things backed up. By the time we got her to the hospital the first night, her stomach was horribly distended and she was in agonizing pain. A few days later, she had her colostomy revised and all of that crap (literally) cleaned out of her, and also had her gallbladder taken out. We had no idea she even had any gall stones, but they showed up and the docs took care of them. A few days later, she ended up having another colostomy revision, and she's still having trouble. Except now, the hole is too big and she can't find appliances that fit. She's home now, but her spirits are pretty low. I would be depressed too if I were in her situation...this is a woman who loved to do a lot of things that she can't do now. She will never go to Greece. She won't dance at my, Maggie, or Evelyn's weddings. She will never be able to nurse kids with cancer again. I challenge her daily to find something about her life that is good, but sometimes even I have a hard time thinking of anything to raise her spirits. Maggie and Evelyn adore their Babu, but she can't get out and do anything with them. They positively adore her, and mom was so elated when Evelyn asked her to go to Grandparents Day at the school. Mom stuck through the whole thing even though she was in complete agony. But it seems she has more bad things in her life than good things, and she doesn't see Maggie and Evelyn enough for it to make a difference in the way she feels. Aunt Marilyn came and stayed with us for 10 days after she got out of the hospital, and I really thought that she would be able to get mom out of this funk. She couldn't...and my memories of this Thanksgiving are marred by the fact that she was too depressed/in too much pain to appear in a family picture. It was such a great moment in time for me, and she wasn't a part of it. So she is home, much healthier than before but struggling with depression and pain. This is an uphill battle that she's been dealing with since 2006 and I refuse to let her give up. I force myself to see the person that she used to be and encourage her to do what she can within her limits. Sometimes I'm really hard on her, and I think I need to work on my attitude a little more. But it's only because I know she can change her own attitude, to start living life and being social more often. I have droned on long enough...

Now, about Derek. He is better than I ever could have asked for. Our relationship is amazing, and this is a love that I've never ever felt before. We fit right in with each other's families, he is supportive and kind and a million other adjectives, we have fun together and never run out of things to talk about. Derek, Steven, Sarah and I went to Chicago to see Reel Big Fish and The Aquabats just a few weeks ago. It was a great trip! We weren't able to explore Chicago a whole lot but ended up having a great dinner and the show was out of this world!!!! This was the 3rd time I saw RBF live, and they were tighter and better than they were 10 years ago! On the way home, Derek and I curled up in the back of his van and had one of those "I really super like you" conversations and then I proceeded to pass out like a roofie victim in his arms for at least 2 hours. Even Steven's driving couldn't wake me. :-P Thanksgiving was incredible...I went to his family's dinner and Derek and I ended up cooking everything but the turkey! We had a blast. I've taken to playing Yahtzee with his mom, aunt and grandma, and we have started playing D&D (that's Dungeons & Dragons for those uninformed) with his mom, uncle and aunt on Friday nights. He came to my family's Thanksgiving, spent 2 nights with me and met everyone at the same time...everyone seemed to like him and he fit right in! Brianna couldn't make it to Thanksgiving apparently so she hasn't met him, but I'm sure she will at Christmas. We are in it for the long haul, folks, and that became completely apparent when we finally let that L word fly. We are most definitely in love and I feel lucky to have found someone like him. The funny thing about it is that he says he's the lucky one...and all I ever wanted was someone who appreciates me for everything I am. And I most definitely appreciate him...he's just being himself and sweeping me off my feet. I'm not scared of him leaving me, or cheating, or ignoring me in any way. I know I am the only one for him, just as he is the only one for me. I really do have a hard time putting it into words. I was bitter and cynical and not looking for anyone...he was fresh out of a 3 year lie and wasn't looking for anyone. But the folks at OkCupid plastered my face on his pages and forced both of us to see a 96% match which has ended up being a relationship where everything fits. *raises glass* Here's to the future...this is only the beginning of us.

With all of this excitement going on (sick mom, new love, holidays, concerts...) who has time to work? I took a leave with Convergys when mom went back in the hospital for her surgeries, and a month later I decided I didn't want to go back. The job was horrible, the pay was horrible, and the few people I really liked weren't enough to keep me there. I chose not to extend my leave of absence, and was terminated. I was denied unemployment because I didn't make enough money in the past 4 quarters. So I'm back on the job hunt, more determined than ever. In the past week I've applied for no less than 15 jobs. I'm determined to find something I will like, something that I will look forward to doing. I was very happy at Karrass, and I'd love to find something along that line. Of course, what I'd really love to do is just go back to school, but it seems like that keeps getting put on the back burner. If I could just buy a car outright and live off of student aid I'd be set. I'm bummed because my car payment makes things really impossible right now. All I want is to be making enough money to survive and have a little left over for fun...not too much to ask I don't think. In a job that I can tolerate. I know I can...if I can somehow fund my schooling. Dear sky daddy--please send me a job I'll enjoy, with pay that makes sense, in an area that is convenient.

Overall, life is very good. I'm happier than I've been in years, and everything is coming together beautifully.

That's all for now I suppose...now that I am an ungainfully unemployed housedaughter I may have time to write more often. Maybe once a week? Scheduling is good for me... :-)

Goodness.

I really need to stop letting so much time pass between entries. I'm not even sure how well this is going to break down into paragraphs because there is so much to cover!

Things are pretty fabulous here overall! The summer was great! I had to work a lot, but I still managed to fit in some fun. I ended up taking 2 trips to Lake Laurel with Sarah and her folks, and a trip to Indian Lakes for a (hopefully annual!) tribute to Julie. So many wonderful memories made on all of those trips! I'm a lucky girl. (That won't be the last time you see me write that in this entry...)

I finally got a desktop computer I can play games on! I'm SO HAPPY! Erik just decided to get Sarah a new computer, so Sarah sold me hers for $100!!!!! I have become totally consumed with everything this computer has to offer in comparison to that shitty laptop I've been on for years. WoW, Left4Dead, Magic Online, and a ton of games Matt VC has yet to load onto this machine have been my drugs. :-p

Oh, my busted-ass vehicle. I love my busted-ass vehicle. I was finally busted for my registration, and have a court date November 8th. I am broker than broke, so I am going to have to get an extension. I called CA DMV and they told me it would be $670 to get it squared away there. I was in so much shock that I forgot to ask for them to mail me something, so I'm on hold with them as I type so I can get that taken care of. Finances are a definite problem...I'm more broke now than I EVER was when I was unemployed! My bills are totally manageable (just car payment, phone and student loan) but these extra expenses are killing me.

Part of the reason for my broke-ness is that Mom was in the hospital and I ended up taking 2 weeks off unpaid from work. She needs surgery to get her colostomy revised, and the surgery has been delayed again and again since July. She finally ended up with a bad case of colitis (for the 2nd time now...) and back in the hospital she went. Since she got out, we've been to a myriad of doctors appointments and the surgery still isn't scheduled. Unbelievable! In the meantime, it's hard to get her out of bed for anything and cleaning has fallen by the wayside. I'm going nuts over here and have been trying to stay out of the house at all costs, but finally picked up and started trying the other day. I kind of yelled at her today and didn't mean to...I'm just frustrated because even when she's feeling well, she rarely cleans. I can't do it by myself. We're both messy people and I have taken leaps and bounds to clean up after myself and her while still maintaining the little things like dusting and vacuuming. I can't do it anymore...she has to pitch in or I'm going to hightail it outta here. I have plenty of places to go that would offer me little rent, and the frustration would be minimal. I'm happy to help her out, but there are times when you can tell she's milking it for all it's worth. I won't let her lay around and rot, period. Even if that means staying with Sarah for a week or so to let her get the hint.

The most amazing thing has happened...OkCupid WORKS! I met a great guy, and I'm going to keep him around for as long as he will let me! (he says he's planning on keeping me too, so this is a good thing!) His name is Derek, he's 25, a programming student and recently separated but well on his way to a dissolution. We were a 96% match (97% by the time we deactivated our profiles) and I have to say that every day has been better than the next since we've been seeing each other. I want nothing more than to sit here and gush about how fantastic he has been and how much we like each other, but I don't want this to get too pathetic. :-p Suffice it to say that I have met a match! A GOOD match! We text each other constantly, and talk on Steam and/or Skype almost every night. We play Left4Dead together and he just started a new character on my WoW server. Our first date was a Subway picnic followed by geocaching and hours of talking while sitting at a picnic table. Our second date was a Subway picnic (LOL) followed by disc golf and hours of talking while sitting at a picnic table. Our third date was lunch on one of my splits, and our 4th date was a trip to Jungle Jim's followed by me meeting practically his whole family, followed by a great cuddle/kiss session while watching Community at his place. It's official now...I definitely have a boyfriend. One hell of an awesome boyfriend. I'm gonna keep him...

Sarah is going to be on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire!!!! I'm so excited for her. She took a written test and had a couple of interviews, and got the call today that she'll be NYC on November 8th (same day as my court thing) to be on the show! I'm beyond excited for her, I know she's going to do amazing and come home with enough money to pay off debts and live comfortably! Hopefully this will even get them to OR faster!

November 15th is going to be super-rad...The Aquabats and Reel Big Fish are coming to Chicago and I am GOING! Looks like the crew will be me, Derek, Sarah and Derek's BFF Steven. I am really, REALLY looking forward to this show!! I've never been to Chicago, either, so it is sure to be an awesome time.

So that's all for now...I just wanted to give people an update and I SWEAR I'll blog more often.

No news is good news?

Everything has been just dandy...I just haven't had the time to write I suppose. I need to sit down soon and update...lake trips, computers, birthdays/anniversaries, karaoke nights, my busted-ass vehicle, work, love...all are on the list of things to talk about next time. :-)