Moving on up!

Recently it feels like every day and week is capped by a list of accomplishments (and failures). This week it was writing new articles for the Fool, packing up my apartment, moving, and surviving my first truly bad "back experience." But that's just the not so fun stuff.
There have been plenty of fun things too. I joined a few friends at the DC version of Comic Con, known as Awesome Con. I had a lot of fun, and think that this new, fledgling competitive con will only get better with time and experience. I've been to the movies, out to dinner, and spent some great time with friends and family lately.
But mostly I've been writing. I'm enjoying working on a few new writing projects. My brain never stops thinking about my new characters and stories. When I'm writing, I'm thinking I should be working on other things. And when I'm working on other things all I want to do is write.
It's a fun problem to have.
Hopefully I'll finish one of these projects and have something to show for all of it soon.
Meanwhile, there are lots of crazy developments afoot. Big, huge ones. The kind that requires visas and plane tickets. (And I'm not just talking about my trip to Serbia.) I've made up my mind to follow one of my biggest dreams, and the opportunity to make it happen has just sort of materialized in front of me. I couldn't be happier. It's still a bit soon to share much more than that, but really I'm very excited about it.
The chance to live abroad, making a living wage, serve in an orphanage, and write books?
I will take it!
Bring it on!
In fact, things are so fun and wonderful, that I can't get this song out of my head. It's not quite a happy dance, but it's almost there.



It has been a while since I've blatantly pushed my books on you. I think it's time to remind you I wrote some books and you should buy them!

"This Just In!" and "You Heard It Here First" are both available on Amazon for just $2.99. 

save me from myself

 

I'm at my wit's end with my upstairs neighbors. It isn't their fault, so I don't take my frustrations out on them.
I hear every little footstep they make. All of them.
I hear when they sit down.
I can tell when they step into their micro-sized kitchen (where I wish they would go more often) because I can't hear them walk in there.
I can tell when they step into their shower.
I can (I kid you not) hear them roll over in bed!
But like I said, it isn't their fault. They aren't elephants and they don't stomp around heavy-footed.
Instead, the problem (according to the landlord, maintenance, and others) is that carpeting was put down over old parquet flooring. And the flooring has now come loose from whatever goes below the parquet. The neighbors don't hear it, because it is muffled to them by the padding and carpeting.
But down here? Under all of that?
Holy hannah, you have never heard such an annoying sound. Every single step they make sounds like they are jumping on a trampoline, or possibly a pogo stick, with constants creaks and springy squeaky sounds. It reminds me of a Mickey Mouse haunted house read-along record/book I had as a kid, where the haunted house had creaky floors and doors.
If it wasn't a non-stop, never-ending, incredibly loud noise, I would find it funny. It was comical at first. But now? It makes me want to cry half the time.
From the minute they get home from work (about 30 minutes after I do) to the minute they go to bed (about an hour before I do), it's non-stop squeaks and creaks coming from the ceiling.
And don't get me started on what it is like to wake up in the middle of the night to realize it was the sound of your neighbor rolling over in bed that startled you. (And I am a very sound sleeper.)
The landlord informs me that the only thing they can do is pull up all of the flooring upstairs. Last week they had the head of all maintenance for the property company come out. He declared it a safety issue, and pointed out some cracks in my walls that were not there before.
So they don't just sound like they might fall through the ceiling, they really might actually do that if this doesn't get fixed.
However, this safety issue (not to mention my sanity) isn't a pressing issue and they are dragging their feet on getting it fixed. I do feel sorry for the neighbors upstairs who will have their lives horribly disrupted to get this fixed. But not that sorry- every single minute they are at home, my life is disrupted.
My guess is that the landlord is going to try and push this off into January to fix so as to put the expenses into the next year.
Fun sidenote- noise blocking headphones don't block out creaking footsteps. (Or other noises emanating from above.) And I can still hear them loud and clear no matter how loud I turn up my TV or radio.
Right now I am pretty sure there must be 10 people practicing on pogo sticks up there. It's the only logical explanation. Or possibly 5 people doing jumping jacks?
Funny thing- I have never, not once, heard them talking, singing, yelling, etc. I've never heard their TV either. But I know many intimate details about their lives, like what time they shower, (how much hot water they use- but that's a different rant for a different day), go to work, go to bed, and what they do in bed. These are not things you want complete [annoyed] strangers to know about you.
Because that annoyed stranger just might finally hit her breaking point and decide to retaliate.
Which brings me to my point- who wants to post my bail?

New Beginnings Again

My head is swirling with dozens of emotions, and I’m trying to stay above the exhaustion cloud.

It has been a crazy, busy, stressful, exciting, sad, and hopeful few weeks.

Three weeks ago I had my first interview with a company. Four days later I had my second interview with them. 3 days later I had a job offer. 5 days after that I went to girls camp for a week. And 2 days later I lived in a new town and started my new job.

I.AM.EXHAUSTED!

I survived the first week of work. I really think I will really enjoy my new job. So far I feel like I am catching on and learning a lot. And I think I will really like the actual work I have to do. I’m still working to get a firm grasp on what it is my job entails. The new workplace is a bit fun and quirky. Or as my direct supervisor described it, “A frat house mentality.” I can’t complain!

Today, Sunday, I had my first chance to stop, think, plan, and figure out my life from here. It only hit me today that I’m finally back in DC, and I have things I want to do, but I need a plan, goals, schedules, and expectations. And I have to live through being the new girl in a new town again. I do have a few friends here, but it isn’t like there is/was someone waiting with open arms for my return. I do have the comfort or convenience of knowing people here already, but in most every respect, I am starting anew. New friends, new home, new job, even new furniture. 

Here's to new beginnings!

And now we REALLY do the (Tao) Dance of Joy!!

It has been a crazy, crazy week.

It all started with a JOB OFFER!!

I got a job!

I'm moving!

Obviously this calls for the dance of joy!!



Oh my. So that was the Tao Dance of Joy.
This dance makes me MUCH happier- my Baby Ducks doing the Harlem Shake!



As you may imagine, leaving my "Baby Ducks" is the hardest part for me! I'm thrilled and excited to take a new job, move back to DC, and get on with my life. But my heart breaks every time I think of leaving these sweet girls.

Speaking of which...
Adding to the crazies of this week (which included packing, finding a new place to live, etc.,) I am also packing for Girls Camp! Off into the woods I go for the third time with these crazy, fun girls!

Speaking of which... here's a little flashback to last year at camp!



Obviously, my Baby Ducks are the best YW ever. I can only hope I have corrupted taught them all the important things before I leave. During a spontaneous Slurpee run this week I attempted to "teach" them the ways of the Chinese fire drill. And would you believe they had the gall to say, "Maybe that was just something you did in the 90s when you were a kid?" Dagger to the heart, my friends. Dagger to the heart!

Who let these girls get so tall and grown up? Because it sure wasn't me!

But you probably want to hear more about the job. I'm not going to post specifics or details about it for a while. I'd rather start the job and get settled first. Here's all I shall share- I'll be the marketing manager for a publication that is the competition to a publication I used to write for. It is in the DC area. It's so much back in my old stomping grounds that the office park actually shares an entrance road with the first pre-school I ever attended! (Affectionately known to me and my parents as my "pretty school.") Yep, I am really and truly moving right back to my hometown, and I couldn't be happier about it! I start work less than 48 hours after I get home from Girls Camp.

I will be in some creative temporary housing situations for the next 2 months until I am able to move into the place I really want to live in. (It's a great, slightly bigger than usual 1 and den apartment, with a dog run!!, w/d in the apartment, AND I can walk to work- that is something that just NEVER happens in the DC area! It is a few dollars out of my real price range, but for the luxury of walking to work, and having a dog run on the premises, I don't care what other expenses I have to cut out! I'll take it!)

Things are looking good! Now I just have to finish packing to move, and pack for camp, and pack for 6 weeks of living out of a suitcase! And about a berzillion other things. (Which include my parents visiting from out of the country, a family reunion, my grandmother's 90th birthday party, publishing "This Just In!" in paperback, and the logistics of an actual MOVE, to name a few...)

You'll understand if the blog has to take a bit of a backseat, won't you?

Hey You! Check out my new novels, "You Heard It Here First" and the sequel "This Just In!"

My Kingdom for a Wrench (or even a pair of pliers will do!)

I moved recently, did you know that? It is true. My family bought a new house with very lovely views, like this one taken a few houses down from us. Except there isn't really an "us" here. It is just me, as my family lives far, far away on other sides of the continent and planet from me. But seeing as it is the family's house, I am living amidst many of their belongings. Belongings that do not belong to me and have no place to go. Why am I bringing this up? Because, well, even though I've been here a few months now, it still feels like I just moved in.

Tonight I sat down to watch some TV and something peculiar happened. Nothing. I turned on the TV and a funny computerized voice said, "Lamp not working." It took about three tries before I realized the TV was talking to me.

No picture at all. This is a problem. The DVD changer and cable box were working, as was the surround sound system. But no picture on the TV. Since the little voice inside the TV said the lamp wasn't working (and we had it replaced just 3 months ago), I didn't bother messing with the channels.

Instead, I decided this was a sign that it was time for me to bring my TV up from my bedroom downstairs and put it in the upstairs bedroom. Yes, I live in a 3 bedroom house, and have claimed 2 of the bedrooms for myself. Do you have a problem with that? There's also 5 bathrooms in this house, do you want to know how many of those I have claimed?

So I went downstairs and brought my TV up to the bedroom. Knowing that the DVR was recording 2 of my favorite shows at that precise moment, I waited until exactly the right minute to unplug the DVR to take it to my room.

But wait! No! I can't unscrew the stupid cable cable. No, I'm not being redundant, I'm referring to the cable from the wall that goes into the cable box. The one the technician came and installed and hooked up, and apparently used the jaws of life to tighten! It REFUSES to budge!

Obviously, I need a wrench to unscrew this thing. Now, I wasn't the one who unpacked 90% of what has been unpacked in this house. This often leads to a wild goose chase as I try to figure out where my mother or sister may have decided some random object should go. Or did they unpack it at all? Or just leave in a box somewhere? With everyone on far-flung corners of the planet, I just can't pick up the phone and ask, unfortunately.

So the wrench, I swear I have seen it just sitting out somewhere in these 4,000 sq ft. Just sitting there... But where? The kitchen? The bedroom? The garage? I have no idea. So off I go to hunt.

First, my downstairs bedroom -

Now, I have to explain. I have had to move 4 times in the past year. I am SICK AND TIRED OF MOVING. I never want to do it again. But even as we moved into this house I knew there was a good chance I wouldn't be living in the downstairs room long (my mom was still here, and once she left, I moved upstairs). So I didn't exactly get unpacked. The room is basically just holding all of my non-essentials for me.  And if you have moved 4 times in one year, all of your stuff would live in big pink tupperware bins too!

So is the wrench in one of my bins? No. The dresser? No. The bathroom? No. The closet? Desk? Boxes? ANYWHERE? No.

But look, there's my dog. Ever faithful. She thought this was a lot of fun.

Okay, fine. Let's go look in the big empty room that someday will resemble a family room.

Anyone want to go through those boxes for me and find a wrench? Oh and hey look! There's my dog again. She's never far from my side, is she? Oh, and no. I didn't find a wrench in there either.

So just for fun let's go look in the media room and see what I can make happen.

Thankfully I have a degree in Broadcast Journalism, and all those cables and wires actually make sense to me. I attempted to unscrew a few of the loose ones. Yeah, no. I'm going to need a wrench for those as well. I'm really starting to hate the cable guy right now.

Moving on, I looked in the downstairs bar.

But all I found was myself looking very tired. You can't see her, but my dog is right by my legs. Ever faithful.

Okay, so let's go look in the cars. No picture evidence, but no, no wrenches out there either.

On to the garage. The 3-car garage full of boxes and 1 car.

There's an extra oven in there, but no obvious signs of wrenches. However, I did pull open several boxes to look.

And there's my dog again. Why have I not trained her to sniff out wrenches?

Hey, look! A long wall of cabinets in the garage. If you were my toolbox, I wonder if someone would have randomly decided that out of all the things in the garage they could unpack and put away, if they would pick you? I had to open all 19 doors, but yes, there it was, my red toolbox hiding behind door #19! (I might add there was nothing behind the other 18 doors.)

Alas, you are a stupid toolbox with no tools in it. Back to the drawing board.
Are you in the closet?

No, but I did find tulle for making a tutu, and a box from Woot with a foot pedal for flushing a toilet!

Is my wrench in the upstairs bedroom? Closet? Bathrooms? No!?!?

But I did find more scissors (I found 5 total in my search), my passport, headlamp, and a voter registration card. All useful things, EXCEPT ALL I WANT IS MY STINKING WRENCH!! Or even a pair of pliers will do!

I tried the kitchen, in all of the cabinets, under all of the sinks in the whole house, under the beds, under shirts, EVERYWHERE. No wrench.

And then my dog, thinking we were playing some perverse game of "Upstairs, Downstairs," brought me her stuffed animal to play with. No, Kaya, we're not playing right now. I really don't think she understood me.

After 40 minutes of searching I gave up. No wrench. No pliers. Nothing. I tried again to loosen it with my hands. No joy. And so I gave up, and brought the TV from the upstairs bedroom over to the family room and set it up in front of the other TV. The poor dog laid down her head and sighed. All of that and we never even played fetch, or found the wrench.

And so, if you are the kind lady who bought this house and unpacked half of it. Will you please send me a note and tell me where the heck you hid the wrench?!?! (Oh, and I will be taking that replacement bulb lamp thing back to the company that sold it to me, just as soon as I can remember their names!)

And yes, Mom, I promise to have things cleaned up a bit more before anyone ever comes to visit. 

All Things Subject to Change Without Prior Notification

As you may have noticed, things are changing fast and furiously around here. I would love to update you on all that is happening, but I imagine by the time you read it, something would have changed again.
On Saturday morning I put my apartment up on Craigslist. I had a few responses fairly quickly- including one from a former co-worker who had no idea she was replying to my ad! Long story short, she's on a business trip this week, but her stuff is moving into my house today!
As soon as I can get all of my stuff packed, sold, and into storage, I'm out of here. I'm on my way back to VA. There are much more fun and exciting details about job interviews and major career changes I can't really share with the blogosphere quite yet.  But ask me personally, and I'll be happy to share!
Until then I'm dreading packing all over again (this time I won't have Juli here to make it all happen!). Thankfully a good portion of my stuff is still in boxes. I never had the heart to unpack my office or living room. And then I have to find the energy in me to make the 14 hr drive back to Roanoke. The kitties will be staying behind with the new tenant and her little boy, so at least I won't have to repeat that nightmare.
In the meantime, I can't wait to get back to VA. There are so many things I love about VA during the summer! New River rafting, all the beaches, lakes and water skiing, hiking, camping, horse back riding with my sister, Fourth of July on the Mall, crab houses, family reunions, and so much more. I have to remind myself I'll be in Roanoke, not Arlington!

Sneak Peak Into Little's Room

A little sneak peak into what we did yesterday!

 

  

 

There is one very "amethyst" room upstairs with about 20 gumballs hanging from the ceiling. I'll post a picture of the gumballs when it is all finished. But so far, it looks really cool. It's much better than I expected!

Oh and the Cute Blushing Boy came over too.

More Pictures of the House (and my arm)

I'm sure you are all just anxiously awaiting pictures of the new house. Because obviously my move consumes you just like it consumes every minute of my life right now. So I thought I'd share more pictures. The downstairs is almost all put together now. Except for the part where I want new couches, and I want to paint a wall, and get a new TV and a new TV stand. Other than that, oh and hanging the huge picture I can't decide where to place, it's all done.

This is the view from the kitchen into the living room. You can't tell, but the cat is on the couch posing for you.

 

And the view into the kitchen from the living room. 

And this is what my arm looks like after I sit outside holding the cat on the front steps and a diesel truck goes by. It hurts. A lot.

Sidenote to TRS: you suggested I hang the albums "brady bunch style." That's so funny! We really do think just alike. In my last 2 homes where I had the albums up I had them in exactly that style. But the walls here are just too big and wide for that to fit so far. But I may still rearrange everything and do it anyway.

Settling

I live in Lehi now.
I keep reminding myself of that everytime I wake up confused in the middle of the night. Or when I want to go get something to eat and I realize I have no idea where anything is.
I live in Lehi now.
I'm mostly moved in. There's still plenty of random junk back over at my apartment, and I'll probably go get some of it tonight (like the pots, pans, and my vacuum). But I'm settling in nicely here. I have decided to take it room by room and not try to do everything at once. I even managed to get one wall decorated the best I can. But I'm already decided I have to paint a few walls. This living room is just way too big, bright, wide, and white. It needs more color!!
What do you think of my wall so far? I just threw it all up there. I didn't measure or anything, so I know it needs some adjusting and evening out. But at least now I'm not staring at a boring white wall anymore.

Next up will be the kitchen, just as soon as I have all my kitchen stuff here. Last night I realized I had a bit of a cooking conundrum. I had soup in cans with pull top lids, but no bowls. I had tuna and bread, but no can opener for the tuna can. And thanks to my kitchen stuff being spread out over 2 counties, that was all I had to eat. I got desperate and used a knife and hammer to open the tuna can the old fashioned way. Not as easy as it sounds when you have a cat bound and determined to help you get to the tuna as fast as possible.

Oh and this is the view from outside my living room window where I have been working the last few days. (I don't yet have my new office set up. It comes after the kitchen. And then the office. And then my bedroom. And then the kid bedrooms.)

It's not such a bad view really. It's much nicer when there isn't a massive snow cloud hovering overhead threatening to trap us in our homes for a few days.

Definitely a moment of both clarity and chaos

After approximately 8 weeks of house hunting, and about 7 of those weeks having my heart set on one particular house, I finally got that one house today! I had to jump through hoops and show more patience than I'm prone to showing other people.
There was just one catch I couldn't work around. My lease has to start February 14. (I was really heavily in favor of my lease not starting until Feb 20 or 21.) And if my lease is going to start Feb 14, I'm going to start moving Feb 14. I'm not paying double rent if I'm not going to get to enjoy the new place!
Which means I now have 10 days to pack and move! YIKES!
I will most likely do a slow and simple move, and take advantage of the 2 remaining weeks to come back over and do the cleaning and get the odds and ends out. But I would like to get the lion's share done on the 14th.
I took "Little" over to see the new house today, and oddly enough, pick up the key to the house (even though I haven't given them the deposit or signed anything yet). Little picked out "her" new bedroom (the sunniest and biggest of the 3 children bedrooms). And she picked out which room will be my office (the room next to hers, so that I can be closer to her). And we both agreed that my entire apartment could fit into the living room and kitchen of the new house.

This is Little "modeling" in the kitchen for me. She declared the kitchen to be "the biggest one I have ever seen, except for the one at my grandma's house." I don't know that it is that big, but it is considerably bigger than what I currently have!

I'm a little stressed. 10 days to pack and move. Work my regular full time job, plus attend my fostering classes (2x week, 4 hours a night). And to start filling up a 2,000 sq ft house, after living in a 600 sq ft apartment. And then prepare for 3 children. And the part where my life changes completely.

So, uh, why am I sitting here blogging when I need to be getting up and packing?!?!

The Trouble With Bookcases Is

I have now lived in my new apartment for two months, as easily measured by the fact that I have to pay my rent for the third time. In the short and busy time I have lived here I have attempted to furnish my empty hole. And for the most part, I have failed in this endeavor. I have managed to buy a small loveseat that is a good starting point. And my friend generously gave me two end tables. I brought with me from Virginia my antique bench and beloved boomerang coffee table.
But that is where the furniture ends.
I am still borrowing a fancy air mattress (double decker with a motor thingy) from a friend. I have no bed. And I have no couch. And I have bookcases, but really wish i didn't.
Twice now I have gone out and purchased bookcases, or at least objects I believed to be bookcases. The first one I got home and assembled and discovered was anything but suitable for holding books. So I sold that quickly off on Craigslist. And then a few weeks ago I bought another bookcase while out shopping with Juli. The first sign of trouble was when it took both of us to lift the box to get it in my car. The next sign was when it sat in my car for 2 weeks until I could talk my cousin into coming over to carry it up the stairs for me. And the third sign of trouble was when I read the assembly instructions and warning that said it may tip over. And there was an extra piece to secure it to the wall to prevent it from falling over.
So I assembled it and realized that in spite of triple tightening the screws and double checking everything, that it was very wobbly. But I got it up and put it by the wall, and chose not to put any books in it. I figured I should give it a few days to see if it was even going to stand on its own. Each night I have gone to bed expecting to be woken up by a tremendous crash.
That was a week ago. When I got back from Reno this weekend and found it still standing, I decided to put books in it. Remembering the warning and extra securing piece, I attempted to first secure it to the wall. That didn't happen when I realized that it's pretty much impossible to get that stupid screw into the bookcase without a precut hole.
So the books went in.
And came right back out.
No sooner did Harry Potter vol 7 go in than the entire bookcase swayed heavily to one side, threatening to decapitate me.
So all of the books quickly came out. And then, the entire bookcase swayed again (though empty) and fell right on over.
Conveniently, it broke in two. So now I have half a bookcase that sort of kind of works as a bookcase. Except that I'm afraid to put anything in it, and the new height doesn't really fit for what I had envisioned in the room. And it doesn't even hold half of my books now.
Back to the drawing board.

She said as she collapsed with exhaustion onto her air mattress

Ch-ch-changes! (if you are on RSS feeds and can't see the embedded music clip, and have 3:55 minutes to spare, this is worth watching just for the ridiculous laugh when you realize what the video is really doing)


Needless to say, my life has been chock full of crazy changes lately. Moving, illness, new job, new ward, etc. I'm catching up and adjusting pretty well. I'm sure many of my upcoming posts will be about all of these changes. Tonight is one such post.

At the job I just left I was going crazy because I wasn't given any responsibility or trust. I was flat out told that I suck and that one of my bosses felt I had no talent at all. And I was told to "not think for myself" and to just do as I was told. (I'm happy to have left that life behind so we won't be rehashing my feelings on that subject.)

This is SO not the case with my new job. This job is all about ownership and just doing whatever it takes to impress someone, if not everyone. It's all about thinking up something new and original and putting yourself out there.

Things I would have been punished or fired for in my previous job.

Case in point, and actual quotes.

New job: Why don't you find out who is up for re-election, call them, and let's get some meetings in DC and see if we can do some of those campaigns? Oh, and let's contact some of the top lobbying firms in DC and pitch some contract work. Erin, you have those contacts, right?

Old job: We'll be doing another postcard mailing. Just like we did last time. Maybe this time it will work.

To say there is a bit of a difference in ownership, responsibility, and motivation these days is a huge understatement. I'm ready and wanting to rise to the occasion. But it is taking up serious energy! It's only 9:30 tonight and I'm already in bed (with my favorite space heater- my laptop), and thinking I'm too tired to get up and take out my contacts.

Gone like yesterday is the last year of just skating by and not having to put forth any effort or caring about anything. It is a good thing of course. I'm happy. (Although, I do miss "my boys" back at my old office. I made a cake last night and almost took it to work today to share and befriend people. But then I remembered we don't have a kitchen or anyone to talk to. So it's in my fridge, missing "my boys." Somehow though I am not surprised that my Cabana Boy would think to send me a Valentine's text. I think his chocolate cake radar went off and just knew there was a cake with his name on it.)

Here's to hoping all of the ch-ch-ch-changes are good ones. And that there is enough Diet Dr Pepper to get me through them all!

Catching up on me

I've moved into my new place. I took some cute pictures of me smiling with my door bell, but blogger seems to have lost them. Whatever. I'm home. I'm here. I don't care anymore.
I have no furniture, except for 2 end tables, an antique chair that is NOT for sitting on, and a coffee table. And a huge air mattress. I need furniture. The last few days have been insanely busy and yet boring all at the same time with no internet or cable at home. But I did have "Northern Exposure" (awesome late 80's-early 90's TV show) from Netflix to keep me company. However, I don't recommend watching too many episodes in a row and then sleeping uncomfortably. You may find yourself dreaming about moose kissing cows and trying to sit in your lap. Seriously, it's not a good dream.
Lots of things in my life are settling down, just as fast as other things are ramping up. It's a good feeling. I am feeling more in control. And the best part is I'm not as sick. Things are definitely improving on that front.
Soon I will have some fun stories and new things to report. Until then, I really need a nap!!

Like sands in an hour glass, so are the days of our lives

In the month of January I managed to -
1. Contract a very long term and painful illness
2. Get a new job
3. Move
4. Survive a birthday without too much mental trauma
5. And wreck my car.


Yeah, my car is suffering from a banged in front end. Thankfully no one was even remotely injured in the accident. Unfortunately, I was at fault for the accident. Fortunately, the cop did not give me a ticket. I hit the brakes a good stopping distance behind the car in front of me, but the unplowed and very snowy road didn't do me any favors. I crunched my passenger side front end right into the driver's side back end of a large van. I kid you not, the other car doesn't even have a scratch on it. Not even paint transfer, which is significant, because a good 8 inches of paint came off my car.

So now on top of the 2007 health insurance deductible ($500), the 2008 health insurance deductible ($500), (both for CT scans just a few weeks apart, but right over the New Year), new apartment deposit (TBD, but around $525), I now have a $500 car insurance deductible. Not to mention I need to buy quite a bit of furniture, a microwave, plus all those first time things you need in a new home, etc. I'm thinking of starting a charity in my name where people can donate to me. If there's any funds leftover I promise to donate them to hungry starving children somewhere. Maybe Africa.

The good news is I am only currently semi-homeless. I am living on an air mattress in Juli's short-term corporate housing apartment. It's not exactly the largest of living spaces, but we're making it work. And it is awfully fun to wake up to very excited little girls yelling, "Who loves Erin Ann jump in the bed!" And then getting lots of hugs and snuggles. It's hard to feel homeless when there's so many hugs.

And in other good news Juli and I went house hunting for me today and found a great condo to rent. I am in love with it and MUST have it. Unfortunately there is another application on the apartment already, so I'm second in line to get it. Please pray that the first person is a scummy awful beggar man who doesn't deserve it. I do have some back up plan ideas, but this place would be great. It's a one bedroom with w/d, dw, WIC, balcony, covered parking, etc. And at an amazingly affordable rent. The master bedroom is even already wired for cable. I'm in love. Oh and it is about 10 minutes max to my new office.

Stress in the Time of Some Mystery Illness

Have you ever reached that breaking point where you just can't take one more thing? Going through one major life event (moving, job change, illness, etc) is hard enough. Going through all of them at once? KILLING ME.

"Yesterday was plain awful." (2 brownie points to the first person to know what movie that was from) And there is no other way to describe it. The specialist I saw for my never ending "right flank pain" sent me in for the CT Scan with Contrast. I'm allergic to contrast, and we knew that. So I had to take some meds in prep for it. I spent the weekend in horrible pain from the meds. We're talking writhing on the floor sobbing in pain from the pills. Pretty much the worst pain and weekend ever.

So I go in for the miserable test. There were a few SNAFU's (the first hospital where I had the appointment set flat out refused to give me the test knowing my allergy to the contrast) but we got through them. But then they gave me the test. On the bright side, well, at least we really do know for sure that I'm allergic to the contrast now. On the down side I had to pass out, choke, vomit on the tech, and break out in hives for us to find that out. And all that just for the test results to come back with the answer, "no conclusive explanation for pain."

And after all of that we're still back at Square 1 with no good explanations for anything. Which is pretty much the last thing I wanted to hear.

Oh, and as previously mentioned, I'm very anxiously job hunting.

AND, to make things even more complicated, my landlord emailed me last week to say they are moving back, and need me out in about 4 weeks.

So major illness, job change and moving. Oh and my laptop up and died. So I can't even house hunt, job hunt, etc from home. And did I mention I moved to Utah with very little furniture and have a LOT of shopping I have to do before I can live in a new place?

I'm seriously on the verge of losing it.

Oh, and just for kicks, I met a really great guy. But under these conditions I have no time or energy to invest in making something happen there. Thankfully, he knows that, and seems to be perfectly willing to just wait for me.

At least one thing is going right.