Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Italy is close to France, right?

Today I met with the International Business department to talk to them about studying abroad. Turns out the only program they offer in France is heavily a financial one... and the one I should go to is in Italy. It's 6 credit hours of a Strategic Management course... AND, all that's required is an open book essay test here... and a project while i'm there... and blog writing while I'm there. Well, damn. That's easy enough.

The price tag? Glad you asked... a whopping $4500 bucks on top of school tuition (which I can't seem to find anyone who knows what tuition is for maymester yet). I'm assuming it's around a grand, which is easily affordable.

Am I going to do it? Perhaps. I've got a lot to think about...

1. I'll be leaving Michael for two weeks to explore a new country. Exciting and scary all at the same time. (Had a VERY interesting conversation about this with him this afternoon... I'll have to share that in another post, though.)

2. This could be the ONE positive thing I get out of this school. All the other bullshit might actually be worth it in the end.

3. Even though I won't get to go to Paris for the study abroad, there's a full week between the time classes start and the time I get done with the program there. I could go there on my own or have Michael meet me there for a week or weekend.

4. Doing a project for two weeks in another country sounds a hell of a lot better than taking two full classes on top of the other marketing class I already have to take for this summer. The grade is mostly participation, professionalism, and this group project. Piece of cake (hopefully)!

5. It'll cost me a pretty penny, but fuck it. I've already given this school a ton of money, what's a few grand more to actually have a good time?

I think I'm gonna go ahead and apply for it. There are a few scholarships that apparently every enrolled student already pays for in fees. I could get up to a whopping $700 bucks off the cost depending on how long i've been here. For me, I've been enrolled in a gazillion semesters that add up to about 5 years, I believe.

Cross your fingers for me - cause this could be really exciting. Seriously, if this happens... I'll be in Italy in 15 weeks. That's not so far away...

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Bizarre train ride...

In my city, we have a form of public transit that moves homeless people rapidly through the city. Working people use it if it's convenient... I use it to get back and forth to school. Usually, when I ride the train, I just keep to myself - don't talk to anyone - just sit there and listen to my ipod or check up on things on my blackberry. It's a short, 20 minute (max) ride.

This evening, while riding the train home from school, staring off in to space, I start to hear something like a pouring sound coming from behind me. I glance over my shoulder and there's a homeless man sitting there. Penis out. Pissing all over the seat and wall.

Seriously?

I jumped up and ran toward the front of the train car and at the next stop got on the car ahead of the one I was on. I seriously could not believe he whipped it out in front of everyone and just started pissing all over himself like it was a good idea.

Yeesh. I wonder what happened in his brain to make him think that it was alright to do that. Was it like Britney and her head-shaving incident. One day, she went into the hair dresser thinking she's just going to do a few highlights here and there. She sits down and starts telling the lady what she wants and something just snaps... "you know what, just shave it all off."

Could he have been thinking that he needed to go to the bathroom or go get something to eat - then he just snaps and says "What the hell, I'll just whip it out right here and take care of it. Who gives a fuck if it's all over me, too"

Bizarre, bizarre world we live in.

10 Things about this wonderful day...


The sun's not really shinin', but today's a fabulous day.




1. I got plenty of sleep last night. I even stayed up a little later, but slept in until about 1030. Hooray!
2. Rae and I received a check in the mail from our bitch-ass ex landlord. It was for our full deposit, refunded. I was absolutely shocked! I'm so glad we don't have to take her to court now!
3. I met with the family that I start nannying for as soon as I can get my schedule down to friday nights at the restaurant. They're going to pay me $15 an hour for 20 or so hours a week and it's a super easy job. Their 7 month old sleeps every other hour. :)
4. I talked to Michael and we're going to dinner tonight after I get out of class. I'm really excited to get to spend some time with him. This weekend was incredibly rough for us. He's doing better now.
5. Rae is moving out at the end of this week, so I've got to find a roommate asap. She's still going to pay for her share until I do, but I definitely don't want her to have to pay more than she should.
6. My church's group thing is this Saturday night and I'm STOKED. This couldn't come at a better time for me.


Ok, so 6 things about today should be enough. I have class in a few, so just wanted to write a little. :) Oh, happy day!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

mumbo jumbo

It's *ahem* 3am and I'm just now able to write and catch you all up. I feel like life is flying by a mile a minute. So... short, choppy bullet points will have to do :) I feel like that's the best way to organize all this random information anyway!

- First of all, things with Michael are still quite crazy at the moment. I broke things off with him because he wasn't treating me the way I wanted to be treated (he wasn't treating me badly, just not the way I wanted). That only lasted a few weeks before we started talking again and he told me he didn't want me out of his life. Since then, it's been kinda blah. It's not been the way it was before, nor the way I think it should be - but we're both going through a TON of shit in our lives, so I guess it's to be expected. At least we still talk daily and spend a lot of time together - I think that's all that matters. Well, that, and we love each other. I guess that's the glue sometimes...

- This new year's whizzed by me so quickly. I didn't really make any resolutions other than to start being on time. I hate being late to places, but I can't ever seem to be on time. So far, I've pulled it off quite nicely - I've definitely cut it close a few times though!!

- Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Waiting tables is the worst fun you could ever possibly imagine. I don't wish this nightmare upon my worst enemy (ok, well, maybe). But I work at a very upscale mexican restaurant... where the food is quite expensive, which means you make a lot in tips at the end of the night. It's extremely hard work. The people are exhausting. My coworkers are absolutely insane and I despise one of my managers. I'm glad the only thing she could find to do with her life is to be a manager at a restaurant such as this. She'll amount to great things with the attitude she's got. Sense the sarcasm. Please. Anyway, so this job is sucking the life outta me... which brings me to....

- I'm looking for a new job. I interview on Tuesday for a nanny position for a 7 month old who apparently sleeps all day. My brother's girlfriend has been her nanny for a little while now and tells me this. Only, she's found the day job she wants and can no longer do it. The hours are nice, the pay is even nicer... and it'll get me out of the waiting tables business. Lord, I never thought i'd have to stoop so low...

- 140 lb. update. Well. I made it. Not on my own terms, but I made it nonetheless. Working at the restaurant - running around all the time - has made me reach my goal weight - but if I quit and go nanny, I'm afraid, I'll put those 5 lbs right back on. There's no way I can keep up with the 5 - 9 hours of running around to keep it off. Absolutely no way :) Oh well, At least I hit it!

- The school I go to has about driven me insane. This semester has been worse than previous semesters (I don't even feel like looking up all the crap I've blogged about to reference it. Just know that it's been a bunch of bullshit!). So, they wouldn't let me in certain classes - but I need them to graduate. Finally, once they let me in, I was registering during late registration. THEN, two days after my schedule was finally in, they dropped all the classes because my loan (all billion dollars I had just sitting there waiting to be used) didn't get credited to the account yet (literally, TWO flippin days later!). SO, I had to go up there and wait for 3 hours while they figured it all out........ and pay all kinds of fees and fines just to be in school this semester. If I weren't so close to graduating, I'd have given up and gone to another school! Fuckers!

- All the while this is going on, I moved from the house I lived in (biatch of a landlord - THAT is a whole 'nother story in itself) into an apartment that is the bomb-diggity. My roommate and I moved here together, though just a week or so ago, her bf and her decided to buy a house. So they did. And she's moving out in a few weeks. So sad to see her go.... and that means I've gotta find another roommate. This sucks because my luck with good roommates is ridiculously nonexistent! I did stumble on a gold mine, though. This guy was moving out of an apartment across the way and asked if we wanted some of his furniture. Two black leather sofas, a dining room table and four chairs, and two bar stools later.... I had some new furniture. Funny how he was getting rid of the things I could use! I paid him 150 bucks and considered myself extremely lucky! (that shizzle is in damn good condition, too!) God was definitely looking out for me!

- Speaking of the lovely, himself. I plan on going next weekend to start a group with my church. We have this thing four times a year where everyone (a few thousand people) gets together to join groups for a period of weeks. You go to bible studies, etc. with people your age and in your area. I think it's going to be AWESOME!

- I've seriously missed this freakin thing. I miss writing down my thoughts and misadventures. I dunno if you all still read at all - cause I get the page hits but not any comments - so I hope you're still reading and you haven't forgotten about me! All these bullets would normally be individual posts as they happen... so thanks for sticking in there for the long haul! I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and New Years and I can't wait to catch up on your blogs!

Ok - so there you have it. A much needed update from moi! (PS - deadline to submit everything for the study abroad in France program is Feb 16... cross your fingers for me!!)

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

So... It's been a while...

Yikes! December 8th, really? It's been FOREVER since I've been able to keep up with the blogger world.

I have moved.
I have started a new job.
I have finished a semester at school and started a new one.
I haven't had the internet in ages because the lovely AT&T has been so fabulous to me!

So... I'll be back to write some REAL posts and catch you up on the things that have been going on :)

I hope you've all been doing well! I've missed you!