I know, I know

I'm never on here. I never post. But I am now. So be happy for small, well, tiny favors. For starters

Merry Christmas

Christmas was okay. I got a digital camera and printer from Mom and Dad. I found it in a Best Buy ad, called Mom, bought it, and Dad wrote me a check. Also got one for Mom :) Let's see, what else? Cash, gift cards, Microsoft Money 2007 to help me handle my cash, some clothes. The cash is already spent. Mom and I went to Macy's today. I now have a full wardrobe of professional clothes that I can wear to interviews or eventually to court. Amazing deals today. Suit separates, regular price $40 to $59, for $9.99. Yeah, that is not a typo. It was a one day special, 10 bucks. And there were some blouses across the aisle, regular price $18.98, for $9.99. So I got a total of 20 items. $200, not bad, right? Not at all. But it gets better. Opened a Macy's charge. Extra 20% for using a card. Extra 20% for opening a card. So if $200 is not bad, $137 and change is amazing. Even better when you add up the prices on the tags. $804 and change. Geek that I am did the math. I saved 87%!

Okay, what else? Family is good. Certain people still drive me insane. You'd really think I'd remember that even when they act like normal human beings to everyone else, and even in conversations with me, that as soon as I think, hey, normal/civil conversation, they revert back and treat me like crap.

School is fine. This semester was a very long one, but alright. I got 4 A's and 2 B+'s. I somehow managed to get an A in stats. Not quite sure how, but whatever, I'll take it. Just one more semester until graduation. I'm just praying I get a decent job in my field. Of course, it would help if I got off my ass and applied.

Oh yeah. My 1990 Oldsmobile is dead. Yeah, the one I just got in March. Something in the engine. Sounds like it has a handful of Legos in it. But its ok. My new car is sitting outside. 2001 Neon. Dark green. Power locks and windows. A/C, heat, CD player. Huge trunk. HUGE. I could move in this thing. Even with all my crap. I'll post a pic if I can ever get blogger to cooperate. I've tried 6 times so far!

Finally!

The Wreckers

No, I'm not dead

I know, I know. It's been for-fricking-ever since I've posted. So a quick update while I decide if I want to watch tv or go to bed at the first grade time of 10:30.

I didn't get my summer to do list done. In fact, it was barely started. The apartment is better than it was, and I rearranged the living room furniture, but there is still a lot that should be done. The junk closet is still super trashed. But whatever. I have time to organize and sort before I move again.

Classes started this past Wednesday. It's going to be a loooooong semester. Stats is going to be boring, but that's to be expected. I can't fall asleep, though. The instructor is the CEO of NMS Labs. Where I work. Yeah. Forensic Toxicology is split into 2 parts, general tox and then forensic tox. The instructor for the first part is the lab director at NMS and for the second part it's the former CEO and current Chairman of the Board of Directors. And Forensic Biology is taught by 3 people who work in/pretty much run NMS's criminalistic department department, biology division. The area I want to work in. The class is going to kick my ass, but it will be amazing training. It's not just class work, there is lab work too. As Arthur (one of the instructors, who loves Alton Brown, BTW) said, they teach our mind and train our hands.

Let's see. What else? Oh, $$$$. I got a student loan. Well, to be exact, Dad and Mom got a loan for my benefit. We should be able to pay off all of my cards (!) and get my utilities up to date. I'm going to put aside enough cash for the full year's rent and for tuition. Basically, I'll be able to start over with a pretty clean slate. Granted, I'll be paying off the student loans from my way too long college career for the rest of my life. But it's better than credit cards. As long as I behave and just live on what I make, I'll be ok. And I should be able to do that. At least for this semester. I'll be working 25 hours a week. I'm going to try to put some money aside to help me out next semester when I'll only be working 20. That's in addition to the ING account I'm going to open and put about $25 in every month. As long as I don't touch it, I should be able to make it to graduation with out any freak outs.

Ok. That's about it. Think I'm going to go burn some brain cells and play computer games for a while.

Just for Sue

Kitty drugs

Loti was fixed two weeks ago. Finally. Hopefully she will gain some weight and calm down a little bit. She did okay. She was jumping on the window sills and begging to play fetch the day after she came home. I think she pulled a stitch, but she healed fine. We went to the vet's today to have the stitches removed. She was a good kitty. Once we got there, that is. The poor thing hates going in the car. At her best, she sits there panting and drooling. At her worst, she goes frantic clawing at the carrier. And since it is a hard carrier, she winds up with bleeding claws. And this was only a 30 minute drive. By time we got to the office today, her paws and tail were soaked with saliva. I'm taking her home this weekend. At least a two hour drive when it's not a holiday. I asked the vet for any advice and he said tranq her. So I have kitty drugs. Half a pill one hour before departure. 5 pills, 8 bucks, good until 2008. Works for me. I just have to try to make her take the pill with out losing a finger.

I'm always so late with these things.......

And I'm never as clever as Aileen is with her post titles. Or subjects.

But here is the quick replay of Alison's bachorlette party.

It was so much fun. If I knew how to relax, it would have been even more fun. Alison's family was a blast to hang out with, even before we were all smashed. The limo was very cool. I'm glad I didn't have to climb over the seats to get to the front, like Alison did. And if I heard Mom say "I don't know how bridal parties get in and out" one more time, I was gonna kill her. We had dinner at 130 Brixx in Scranton. Really good food. The Buffalo Potato Skins, yummmm. And the nachos are huge affairs. Then we went to an Irish bar, The Banchee. Kinda dead since the semester is over and the place is usually packed with college students. So it was off to Flashbacks. Yes, I danced. And drank. And danced some more. Wish I'd danced more. Or drank more, but it was still a blast. The limo ride home was, shall we say, interesting. The wedding is going to be so much fun with Kathleen and Joann and Leann and Lee. Can't wait for family get togethers at Jimi and Alison's place.

About damn time

I'm finally going to blog about Alison's bridal shower.

It was so hot, but once all the doors were opened we had a nice breeze. Mom and I made 7 types of cookies; we had 6 trays. They were a big hit. So were the wreaths Mom made. She made 9 of them, to pretty much cover the whole year. In addition to that we had 6 gift bags between Mom, Beki, and myself. We were concerned that one person (y'all know who) would cause a scene over something stupid, but luckily we were proved wrong. She just sat there and pretty much pouted for two hours. Not only did she not help set up or clean up, she didn't even say good-bye to Alison. So, whatever. Alison, and Jimi too for that matter, are just glad she didn't make a fuss and hope she does the same thing at the wedding. And they've just moved, so they no longer live right there and hopefully will not have to deal with her shit as often.

So that's about it. Alison got some great gifts, both from her register and not. We got to meet her family and they loved us, and we loved them. This weekend is the bachelorette party. I plan to have a damn good time. I need it.

Not the post I meant to post

So I didn't blog last week like I said I would. I know. I'll get to it, eventually.

Right now, I need to vent and try to avoid a panic attack. About? $$$$

I totally screwed myself when I went to the dentist to get my root canal finished. Even going to the dental school, without insurance it sucks. $250. And all I had was my debit card. I was under the impression that the $75 I paid the first time was the entire amount. My fault. Completely. But it put a serious crimp in my liquid assets. And liquid is what I need for rent, cable, and credit card payments. I was a bad girl and missed some payments lately so my current minimum payments on a few are not small. Add in the fact that I still have 4 trips home and gas is still icky.....

Speaking of going home, there is all the stuff that I want/need to do for the wedding. I need a haircut and I'm getting my hair done the day of the wedding. I wanted to get highlights, not happening. I want to do the Mystic Tan so I'm not ghostly white, especially with pictures. That is up in the air. Mom, Beki, and I plan to go to Empire Beauty School to get manicures and pedicures the day before the wedding. I was hoping to get acrylics since my nails are so shot from wearing gloves all day at work.

I actually just left a message, well two messages, on my mom's voicemail at work. Yes, it's 3am. I had to ask if I can borrow some cash and I'm too much of a chicken shit to do it later. I know she's gonna ask me where the student loan went and I'm not sure. Car issues didn't help, but I did get a bonus at work, a tax refund, and a check from the insurance company. So the fact that I don't know what happened isn't helping. I know about $300 went to gas and tolls when I was driving 4 hours each weekend for those 2 months. And Christmas presents. And this gas. The money to the dental school. And the $90 for antibiotic and pain pills. And the money for health insurance. Which I can't even really benefit from until I spend $1800. After that I pay nothing. But I don't exactly have the funds to even reach that deductible.

God, I hope I get cash as gifts for my birthday. How freaking sad is that? I'm going to be 27 and I'm hoping for presents. I should be happy if anyone even remembers it's my birthday.

Ok. I need to chill. I just need to take it one day at a time. Work more hours to earn more money. Limit non-essential spending. Pay things on time. Remember that my Zoloft is not a non-essential. As much as the $80 in my pocket would help, I need the chemical help more. I'm sure it's the main reason I'm not a total mess right now. I know that freaking out isn't a solution and will distract me from finding a solution, but that never stopped the panic attacks in the past.

Ok. Enough with the woe is me post. I'm going to try to sleep.

I can not stay, I came to say I must be going

I'm blogging to say I haven't blogged in a while. I'll blog about stuff later. I have some pics of my dresses and jewelry for the wedding. I took them on my phone, so I don't know how they will turn out. I'm home again. Today is my parents' 28th wedding anniversary. And tomorrow is Alison's shower. I will blog about that tomorrow or Monday.

OK. Back to wrapping gifts for the shower. Be back later.

On the road again.....

I'm packing for my 3rd trip home in 4 weekends. And trip 3 out of 8 within 10 weeks. What fun.

Last week was Brittany's school play. Grease. It was ok. I mean it was a school play, but I've seen worse. It was also the weekend Beki left for Florida on her Senior trip. It's Thursday night and everything seems to be going well so far. Keeping my fingers crossed that it continues until tomorrow night. She had to be at the school at 1am Monday. And is due back tomorrow at midnight. Depending of course on the plane. It's always so much easier to plan the start of the trip. Normally getting in that late wouldn't be an issue. Just sleep all day Saturday, right? No can do.

This weekend is Tom's graduation. We have to leave the house at 7:30 to make it to the 10am ceremony. Beki is going to be in rare form. Either totally zonked out all day or a whinny brat all day. Either is gonna be interesting. And we are driving down with Grandma Mc. Who I am currently annoyed with. If she says anything to or about Beki, Beki will be worse and I will take her side. And even though a Vibe is technically an SUV, 5 people in it is still pretty smushed.

Oh well. Next weekend I get to stay here in Philly. Maybe I can put some decent time into the apartment. I've kinda sorta not really started on it. More like finally started some much needed cleaning. Haven't gotten around to organizing yet. Blah.

Pretty dresses for me

Finally, my dresses.

Bought two over Easter weekend. Gonna wear one for the bridal shower at the end of May and one for the wedding in July.

The first one is Mom's favorite. She thinks it makes me look slender, well slender-er. It's pink, pretty simple. Sleeveless, button down, falls to my ankles. Sooo comfy and I like how I look in it. It's just not fancy enough for the wedding. I'd wear it to, say a classmate's wedding, but not to my brother's where I will be in at least a few photos.

The dress I'm wearing for the wedding is a dress that I normally would not like at all. But I love it. It's tea length, which never looks ok on me. It has a funky, kinda bohemian, look to it. Dad thinks I should wear a turtleneck under it; the V is pretty low. Amazingly, though, I feel comfortable in it. My only problem right now is finding jewelry for it. It seems to call for a loud necklace and longer earrings than I usually wear. So I don't know what looks ok. I'll drag Darby into it. And I need to find shoes. I have to get shoes that look good, of course, and ones I can wear for a while. And dance in. If I have to take my shoes off at 10 pm, fine and dandy. But I don't want to be dying to take them off as soon as I walk into the reception hall.

Easter weekend, a little late

So I never blogged about Easter weekend.

It was a good weekend, over all. Spent way too much money, both on myself and for the house. You know the routine. Mom's cooking/baking and realized that she is missing something. And then while I'm running around doing my errands and picking up groceries, she calls 'cause she's missing something else. I had her car for two months, I'm not going to cry about the $$. And she bought me Gertrude Hawk crunchy peanut butter smidgens and Cadbury mini eggs. Yummy.

Let's see, what else....

Got my car. Overall, $300. Jimi accepted a check for part of it from Dad, but said he wouldn't from me. So Plan B. I'll get the money to him. And make sure he can't return it :) The car ran fine on the way down. Oil leak is all better. Too bad the brakes got funky down here in Philly. $500. Apparently, the non metal thingie that goes between the wheel and brake was no longer there. Hence, super grinding. And no way I was going to be able to make it home this weekend. Dad wanted to know if I could afford it now. My response? Do I have a choice?? So blah.

OK, back to Easter. We had dinner at our place and had cake and ice cream for Beki's birthday. I ate way more chocolate than I should have. Ice cream and smidgens and mini eggs and Boston Cream cake, oh my!

Got to spend some quality time with Brittany, which I very rarely get to do. That child, well teenager, is something else. She is so smart, but she can be so blonde sometimes :)

I'll leave the two dresses for another post, otherwise this will be super long.

I am so bored

Right now I am sitting in my Law, Evidence and Procedure class. And yes, I'm blogging. Why, you ask? Because I'm done with the semester's work. We are doing Mock Trials. Well, more like mock mock trials. We had 3 groups; my group went last night which is why I'm done. We made up fake cases with three expert witnesses with way out side the box opinions. Then the "lawyers" filed motions to exclude the opinions. Only one group went last night and we were here for about an hour and a half. Two groups are going tonight. Do the math, add in the fact that I don't have any more finals to study for, and you will see why I'm blogging.

Since I'm here, I might as well vent about last night. No other place to do it :) Our prof wasn't here for about a month of classes. Yes, we did have a fill in. But this fill in, as much as we all liked him (and we like him much more than the regular prof) didn't know what was going to be expected of us. We thought he did, but we found out last night, while we were doing our trial, that it was incomplete. Ya know, if you have a semester long project, maybe it might be a good idea to tell your students what they will be doing! We didn't know what order we were "testifying", what was expected to be on a chain of custody, etc. Write it down! Especially when this is the third year you are doing this. You know what is going to happen!

Ok, done bitching about Law class. And I have at least another two hours here. So we'll see how many posts I write.

YAY!

Well, I'm about 99% done with my Instrumental class. I had my presentation today and I just finished my ICPMS paper. All I have to do is polish it and my trace paper and print them out. I'll hand them in on Thursday at the last class.

Now I'm off to get some food then try to study Pharm. We had a review tonight so I'm not too concerned about it. If the test was tomorrow, I'd be screwed. But it's Thursday. So I have tomorrow night and the 3 hour break prior to class. I'm going to try to study/review with Tim one of those nights. He helped me sooooo much on the last test.

I can't wait until Thursday night. I'll be about 90% done with the semester. Maybe even more. All that will be left is Mock Trial. And maybe I'll be able to finally blog about Easter and the dresses I bought once it's over. I can't take the time to do it now. I shouldn't even take the time to blog this.


PS. I would like to take the time to point out that the spell check doesn't like "pharm." Keeps telling me it should be "porn." It also doesn't like "blog." Explain to me how the spell check on a blog can't spell blog.

You know what sucks?

Realizing that you don't really like someone you once liked. Not only that, but realizing you have basically no respect for them. And to make it worse, discovering that these feelings are affecting how you feel about someone else.

What the hell do you do when this happens?

I have close to zero respect for this person. I hate things that they do, things that they say, and the way they treat people. And I know it's not gonna get better anytime soon. Like I said, it sucks.

Funny Cats

This is freaking hilarious!

Food, yum

I am so full. Had dinner at Lindsay's tonight for Darby's birthday. Homemade lasagna. And Death by Chocolate for dessert. OMG I think I finally starting to come down off the sugar high. And the carbs are kicking in. So I'm full and sleepy. Making it hard to stay awake to work on this Instrumental test a bit.

Go me!

Well, today was much more productive than last Sunday. I've finished my fake CV and "expert witness report" for Law class. My presentation is more or less finished. I'm sure I'll add or change things later on, especially as I practice it. So I should be more than able to work on the trace paper tomorrow, even with the Instrumental test and going to Lindsay's for dinner. I just have to study for Pharmacology at some point and write the ICPMS paper. I need to find an article for that one. Now. Doesn't look like the interlibrary loan is going to come through. So it's either pay the $30 or go with something else. Gee, what do you think it'll be?

Finally, some pictures

Here are a few pics I've taken of Loti with my camera phone.

And here are a few of a really pretty rainbow I saw yesterday. You can see the double rainbow in one or two. It was a full rainbow, which I'm pretty certain I've never seen before. And there were a few seen back home yesterday, too. Odd :)

But at least it's not squalor

My apartment is such a mess right now. I can't find anything when I need it. I make myself sick, seriously. Right now, I can't find my W2s. I've already filed federal taxes online and already have the $$. But I need to mail my Dickson City and Pennsylvania taxes. I broke even so its not a huge deal, but I need to file them. And I need the W2s to do that. I haven't the faintest where they could be. I have some of my paperwork from my taxes, but not those.

Crap!!

So, yeah. Obviously orgainizing this apartment is going to be a priorty once the semester is over. I'm going to do my craft stuff first. No, not the most important but what will make me feel better faster. Then icky paperwork. I'll sit in front of the tv and shred my little heart out. Right now I think I'm going to make a detailed Summer To Do List. Print it out and post it, well, somewhere, I guess. Cross it off one by one. Maybe it will help keep me motivated.

Can you have a pre-midlife crisis?

Ok, I lied in that last post. Not gonna work yet. I just need to express my dismay at being OLD!

My little sister, Beki, is going to be 18 on Wednesday. 18! In less than 48 hours!! She graduates High School in less than 2 months!! On my birthday, no less. So I'm gonna be all, "oh, she's all grown up (kinda)" and "oh my god I'm 27 years old!!!!!!!!" at the same time.

And my little cousin Brittany just turned13 last month. Now, I don't remember when Beki was born, but I do remember Britt. 13!!! And at her DJ'd party, I was complaining that the music was too loud. Now if that doesn't say old what does?

Ok, all done. At least Jimi is older :)

Yes, I should be working on this stuff and not blogging about it

Well, I'm back. Found some articles so I can write my Trace paper tonight. I just hope it's an okay article. I'm just gonna use it, write a decent paper on it and hope for the best. Still can't find an article for ICPMS. Well, that's kinda a lie. I found 3 citations. One in Journal of Forensic Science. A volume that is not at work and not at the Foundation. Strike one. One in Journal of Forensic Science International. In press and it's $30 to get online. Strike two. One in a journal I've never even heard of. But it would be kinda cool. It talks about using this technique (ICPMS) to find art forgeries. Again, $30 to get online. But maybe I can get it through Interlibrary loan. So, kinda sorta strike three. More like foul ball with two strikes.

I have about an inch of stuff for my Radioimmunoassay presentation. I should be able to put the presentation together this weekend. Read the stuff during the week and PowerPoint on Sunday and Monday. Then I'll have next week and my Easter weekend to brush it up. I just need to find some photos.

Ok, I'll work now.

Monday's suck, even when you don't work

Yeah, so I got next to nothing done yesterday. I did my fake CV for my Law class Mock Trial and decided that the articles I have for one of my papers aren't going to work. I said I was going to have my CV done, one paper written, the article for my other paper picked, and work on my presentation by tomorrow. So if I want to stick with that, I have to drive to the Foundation and copy articles. I don't wanna!

Ok, now that that's out of my system.........

I'm going to take a shower, eat something (yes, I know, amazing) and drive the 45 minutes and pray that the volumes I need are there. Otherwise I might just cry. And I don't want to do that, not today.

The Arcadia Curse

I'm pretty certain this program is cursed. At least when it comes to relationships. Let's break it down.

There are 15 of us: 5 guys and 10 girls

3 of these people entered this program with significant others and have since broken up. And these were long term relationships. One was 7 years!

2 of us started relationships while in the program Both ended. Mine after my accident, only 2 weeks after a perfect Valentine's Day weekend, the other one on Valentine's Day.

Of the 10 remaining students, 2 are in good relationships. One just got engaged and the other is only waiting for the $$ for a ring.

The other 8 as far as I know, nothing. Is it hopeless? Do we just live vicariously through the two lucky onesl? Or just say screw it. Love sucks anyway.

My summer

Ya know how we all make these great New Year’s resolutions? And most of them get broken before Valentine’s Day. I know mine did. So I’m making some Start of Summer resolutions. Or maybe they can be 27th birthday resolutions. Whatever.

Looking at the things I plan to resolve its plain to see that I’m trying to change myself entirely. Well, maybe not entirely. Just a lot. I’ve already started on some of this. I’ve signed up to take two classes through Mt. Airy Learning Tree . Yoga and Meditation. I’m going to start the Change One diet. Again. I’m going to Walk Away the Pounds. Hopefully. I’m going to get on a regular sleeping schedule. Don’t laugh. I’m going to finally go through all this crap in my apartment. Do the whole three pile thing: Keep this, Trash this, Give this away. I mean, damn! I have some things packed in trunks that moved from my parents’ place after graduation from Wilkes to jackass’s in Jersey back to my parents’ for two months to the first apartment in Houston to the second apartment in Houston back to my parents’ for a year and now down here in Philly. (I should not have my parents’ place in that sentence three times. I’m so pathetic) So I really really need to do some serious organizing (especially my craft supplies. I swear I have craft ADD). It will help me feel better and less like a total loser.

Let’s see, what else……Along the lines of improving myself, which really, all of this is pointing in that direction, I have a few books about finding inner peace and breathing better and improving memory. I’m going to make up a schedule for myself and try to at least read them this summer. And of course, hope to absorb some of it.

All while working at National Medical Services at least 30 hours each week. Oh and I’m going to get my finances in order. Make a budget and stick to it. Well, at least give it a decent shot. I have to start saving for next year’s trips. San Antonio in February for the American Academy of Forensic Science Annual Meeting and Ireland in the summer. At least I think Ireland in the summer. I’d love to go, but I don’t know if I’ll have the funds or if I’ll be ok with going alone. And I don’t really want to go with my family. It wouldn’t be too bad, but I’d rather not take the chance of my dream vacation to Ireland being ruined by Beki throwing a tantrum or not being able to see things ‘cause Dad can’t walk that far or Mom has a migraine. Or not be able to buy cool things without the look. You know what I mean. The “Do you really need to spend your money on that?” look. But who knows. Maybe I’ll be lucky and have a job that starts right after school.

Ok. This post has lived up to the blog’s name. Did I ramble enough for you?

I should be studying

Well, not studying so much as writting papers and finishing this take home test. But, no. I can't seem to get too motivated. Then I look at the calendar and realize that after this weekend, I only have 3 weekends left. Yep, 3 weekends to the end of the month. That week I have my Pharmacology final, two papers for Instrumental Analysis, and a final presentation for the same class. And I might have my mock trial for Law that week too. Oh, and most likely another take home test for Instrumental. So I need to get my ass in gear and get this test done so I can try to get some work done on the papers. They will need to be done by next Tuesday. Then I can focus on the presentation for the last two weekends.

OMG where did this semester go?!?!?!

Happy Happy Joy Joy

Okay, so I don't like Ren and Stimpy, but it applies.

I have a car! Yay me! Well, I've paid for the car and will do the transfer at AAA tomorrow and will drive back to Philly with a car. That's mine.

It's a 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. White with Burgundy interior. Less than 70,000 miles. For a grand. Thank goodness. I was seriously going to start freaking out about it, no matter how hard I was trying to look on the bright side of it all.

I'll take some pics tomorrow of the car with my new phone. I'm pretty certain I'm going to be getting the red Samsung phone that has camera and a MP3 player. Wanted to get one of those anyway, so I'll kill two birds with one stone. I just need to figure out how to get my CDs tracks into MP3s and figure out how to get them on the phone. It'll take me a while, I'm sure. But I'll have a camera phone again. With cool Bluetooth technology. Hmm, wonder if I can listen to the MP3s with a Bluetooth headset/earphone thingie.

So Sad

Well, no car for me. Jimi and I drove all over today looking at cars. Car lots and private sellers. Nada. Kinda discouraging. Actually, a lot discouraging. Story of my life lately. But gotta look on the bright side, right? My mom isn't giving me problems about still having the Vibe. She threatened to yell at me if I didn't stop stessing about it. Gotta love moms :)

Cross your fingers

Ok, so I'm off to search for a car. My saint of a brother Jimi has been looking through the papers here for weeks now. He's using his free Saturday to take me around looking at some Hondas. Hopefully I'll get lucky (which would be a change) and find something today. I've had Mom's Vibe for 3 weeks now. She really should have it back.

Yay, I'm a blogger now!

Ok, I finally got a blog. Doubt there'll be anything interesting on here, at least now. I'll even try to keep it updated on a fairly regular basis. Complain about school and work and my life.