Date:	Monday, July 28th @ 6:37 AM
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	sleepy

Bye everybody :)

Today is day one of three (or, rather, two and a quarter) of our final moving venture. We took the major furniture to Austin last week. This week is the boxing part of the packing/moving.

This means that (for the most part) I will be without cable and internet for the next two months at least.

This should be interesting :)

This is the first time I think I have ever cringed when I've heard thunder outside. Stupid Hurricane Claudette, temporarily ruining the thrill of a good thunderstorm for me!

In other news, the insurance company and the mechanic are 85% sure that my car will be totaled. They'll have someone out from State Farm to look at it Monday. It looks like it may have very little, if any, real mechanical damage (which is good). Everything is leaning towards electronic/computer parts related (which doesn't sound so good). Apparently, my car now has a ruined wire harness. I'm not as worried about it as I first was, since I'm learning more about my options. If the insurance company totals my car, apparently I have the option to try and buy it back and get it fixed on my own. We're not sure how they'll insure it after that point, but it sounds like an option worth looking into.

K's driving in to town today. He'll be able to take me to work the next two days, so I'm not out 4 days of work on my next paycheck. I have 8 hours of sick time/personal time logged up too, so I know I can apply that to this week. I'll be able to make up all my lost time if my manager will *also* let me apply the last 8 hours of my vacation time for this year onto this week. Here's to keeping our fingers crossed that I will still end up with a (close to) 40 hour work week :)

My mood has improved greatly over the past two days. I tell you what, I literally was a wreck by Wednesday. Things aren't looking quite so bleak two days later, which is great. A majority of the stress that I was dealing with has either been resolved, or is about to.

Lesson learned: I'm not very good with dealing with multiple levels/items of stress at once.

Date:	Wednesday, July 16th @ 8:18 PM
Subject:	My Mantra Du Jour, "It Could Have Been Much Worse"...
Security:	Public
Mood:	tired

Well, things got much, much worse here before they got better.

About 11 a.m. yesterday, the power box in our yard was submerged underwater, and we lost all electricity to the house. Our power pole sits low in the yard, with the box being about 4 feet from the ground. The wind was still high, so the inside of the house stayed relatively cool. But since it was still raining off and on, I wasn't able to open the entire house up.

I was scared, and feeling a bit alone. My mom and K called me off and on all day. I scrounged for some candles. I grabbed a book and hunkered down. About mid-afternoon, the water started receding, albeit slowly. I figure, at its highest, I would say it was about 4 - 5 feet high in our yard, 2 - 3 feet high over the road. I slept on the sofa, with the patio doors open for a breeze.

I woke up at about 6 a.m. this morning and walked down to get my car. I passed an officer on the corner, who was monitoring traffic on the road. To his left was a road block and a sign that read, "Road Closed". I asked him if was okay for me to go get my car. "Yup". I get there, and get in. The water that had gotten in it had receded, but there was the start of "the smell". I stuck the key in the ignition, turned it...nothing. The radio came on, and the windshield wipers were still on from me moving it about 24 hours prior, but the engine wouldn't crank.

Let me explain. No, that will take too long. Let me sum up.

I have been flooded in my house for about 36 hours, lost all electricity for about 24 hours. Now my car is dead. Yes, this was not a very good predicament.

With the help of my mom, I made a lot of phone calls today. I called the power company. The water had receded enough that someone could come out and work on the power box. He did what he could (which wasn't much, since the main breakers to the house had been fried), and recommended that I call an electrician. I did that. I also called a tow truck, and my insurance company. I started cleaning up the ground floor of our house while waiting. I spent quite a while scraping inches thick mud build up off of our driveway with a shovel. I took a water hose and a stiff bristle brush to the car port, to battle (guess what?!) inches thick mud build up. I opened up the room on the ground floor to realize that 85% of the stuff in that room had probably spend the better part of 12 hours underwater. I threw a bunch of stuff away, and started airing out the rest.

Around 3 or 4 p.m. the electrician was able to turn on the power again. That was great news!

Around 4 or 5 p.m., the insurance company/mechanic & body shop said that it was very likely that my car would be totaled. That was not so great news :/

In other not-so-great news, I've had to call my job and tell them that I will not be able to come in for the last few days of my shift while I am without a car. This Sunday was supposed to be my last day of work. Tuesday and Wednesday were my days off this week. I am pretty stressed about this situation, especially since my boss is just looking for a reason to put on my paperwork that I am non-rehireable with this company :/ Of course, there is pretty little room for blame, considering that a hurricane hit this area and I now have potentially major water damage to my car, but still...I'll need to call the H.R.M. of the other location I was looking to transfer to, and let them know my current situation. Here's to hoping they'll show a modicum of understanding, even if my current manager refuses to.

I won't know more about my car situation until tomorrow. But for tonight, I'm trying to take the advice of my mother, my grandmother, and K. I'm going to try and look on the bright side of things...I get to take a hot shower, eat a meal because I want to enjoy it, not eat it before it spoils from sitting in a hot refrigerator, and sleep upstairs in my own bed, with the air conditioning on.

Date:	Tuesday, July 15th @ 6:43 AM
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	stressed

My cam is temporarily the "Hurricane Claudette" Cam, heh.

At 6 a.m., the neighbors woke me up to let me know I needed to move my car to drier land. I had parked it at the end of my driveway, which if you look at my cam now, you can see is currently underwater. I opened the doors, and two feet of water filled my car's interior. I couldn't see the road, the ditches, where to turn, etc. I was led to the local neighborhood pool by one of the members of the Storm Watch for this area.

As of 6 a.m., the water at the carport under the house was to the top of my thighs. You can barely see the top of our yard fence on my cam.

The news casters keep cracking me up with lines like, "...and the area can expect to get 2 - 4 inches of water..." and I'm looking out my window thinking SURELY they must mean 2 - 4 FEET of water...

The winds are gusting up to 50 M.P.H. here, closer to 20-25 M.P.H. closer inland. I can feel the whole house shake when we get the stronger gusts...

This is not the first time it's gotten this bad from a storm, but it is the first time since I've been here (especially alone) that it has...Our neighborhood has just become Galveston Bay.

...

The weather's not so good here tonight...

Preface:

cierrablue wrote, a few weeks or so ago, about how her drinking had just caused a major problem in her then current relationship. She said this was a continual problem in her relationship history, and that she wanted to cut alcohol out of her life.

I support someone that is wanting and trying to make a positive change in their lives. But at least twice since her impassioned entry, she wrote about drinking more.

I spoke up to her on one occasion. I wrote to her this time too...( Now you know the REST of the story )

You know, I can't do to much when it comes to other people, but I am, and always have been a firm believer of one thing: shit, or get off of the pot. If you're wanting to make a change in your life, I will support you. But don't expect me to coddle you if you go back, time and time again, on your own word. And I don't want to hear bitching just for bitching sake, everysingletime. Instead of complaining (not venting), try doing something to change (and potentially improve) the situation...otherwise, I don't see where anyone has a right to seriously complain.

Anyone that wants to wonder why I'm not more a part of LiveJournaling anymore...a major problem I was having with getting involved with peoples writings is that, to me, I was getting way too involved with their lives. There wasn't a clear line of disassociation for me. I always felt that I was putting more into people than I had a right to, but that didn't stop me from feeling I still had a huge right to care, and be upset if they didn't do what I hoped they would do. So, as a failsafe for my own peace of mind, I just made a concentrated effort to disassociate myself.

I haven't been wholly successful in that endeavor, as this incident has shown me. But, I don't know that I want to completely removed what I have invested in other people that I've met online.

I don't know that I can...

The thunder and lightning outside right now is pretty damn cool.

I think I'm going to sit outside and enjoy it as long as I can, before I grab my book and head upstairs for bed.

Okay, so I finished reading Book 5 of the Harry Potter series today. I'm thirsty for Book 6. I'm trying to decide if I should start rereading the series (again), or if I should change gears and read (or reread) something else. I have a serious case of Harry Potter on my brain, though, and shifting gears might be tough.

I've been knitting lately. A prezzie for me mum. She knows I'm making it, but she doesn't know what it is ;)

Two months before I move. I've got a lot of loose ends to wrap up. I am maintainer of a few communities, and I'm not sure what to do with them, considering the massive amounts of offline time I am about to be facing.

I'm trying to reduce the amount of carbs I eat. I am hoping that a lower carb, lower fat, lower calorie eating routine might help me drop the troublesome 20 pounds extra I've gained in the past two years. That, and actually trying to do cardio work throughout the week. If anyone out there has advice on a lower carb diet, please feel free to share :)

That's about all I know right now. I should go and start dinner! I apologize for the sporadic updates lately. There's both been a lot going on and there isn't, so it makes it seem harder to write in my journal than it should.

Date:	Monday, May 12th @ 8:24 PM
Subject:	Two things, one a BIT more significant than the other...
Security:	Public
Mood:	excited

. . . I was just on the radio, 104.1 KRBE, announcing the number 5 song in their daily countdown . . .




. . . and . . .




. . . as of Saturday night, I'm engaged . . .




! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

First of all, we all know I'm a bit crazy.

Second of all, I want to pre-apologize to charlottesweb for weaving her into my subconscious mental web of insanity. I think she's great, and I can't fathom why my brain would twist that into something else :/

( ~Start dream sequence now~ )

Then I wake up.

I immediately call K, to tell him about my crack head dream, and really all I want is to feel him hug me and laugh at me for taking some part of my dream seriously ("How could you do that to me, even if it was just a dream!"). Now that I'm really starting to wake up, I know what a dork I am for dreaming something like this. I do get bothered, though, when I remember a dream so vividly. It's unusual for me to, so it really makes the dream stick out even more.

Here's where my conscious mind thinks some of that came from:

1) I'm missing K while he's out of town. While I don't feel abandoned, I certainly don't feel great about having to spend so much time away from him.
2) charlottesweb posted some images in her journal last night, that I looked at right before I went to sleep.
3) Yes, I am a jealous person. But K and I have talked about it...we both are. We are of a mind to think that if your s/o isn't a bit jealous and protective of you and your relationship together, that person must not care too very much about the other person and their relationship with one another. Pack style thinking, I guess.

Here are the parts that I just *don't* get:

1) Indian theme...ya, you got me there.
2) Yanci being my supposed savior, until I lost her too.
3) K and dance/ballet?! Bwahahaha!!

ANYway...I should go start my day. I feel better when K calls me back, and I'm able to unload all of this silliness onto him...

( ... )

( Spicy Chicken Tenders )

and

( Southwest Potato Wedges )

My mouth is still burning from the hot sauce!

K accidentally left his digital camera here. I took a picture or two with it. I would love to have my own digital camera, so I could take it with me everywhere, and take pictures whenever I wanted of whatever I wanted.

( Enough of the talkie talkie, more piccie piccie! )

( Pita Crisps )

Date:	Tuesday, April 15th @ 9:13 AM
Subject:	Good Morning!
Security:	Public
Mood:	relaxed

Ooh, nice little surprise...

I'm the featured site on STV's linque-o-rama! Rate my site at linque-o-rama!

Neat ;)

I had strange dreams last night. I can only remember brief flashes of images. It was snowing outside, but there were people in swimsuits laying out. It was a big house, and the garage had become the "makeout room". I don't remember seeing anyone in the dream that I recognized.

I've been laying out myself, on my days off. I'm starting to get more freckles, which I love! The weather here has been amazing. I love this house so much. I love this place so much.

I woke up at 7:20 this morning with out my alarm. I don't think I went to bed until 11:00 or so. I know I went upstairs and read some, but I didn't stay awake long.

I'm reading a new series. Written by Garth Nix, there are three books in the series: Sabriel, Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr, and Abhorsen. I've read the first in the series, and I'm reading the third in the series (I'm getting the books from our local library, and that is the order they had them pulled from other branches for me). I can't decide if I like the books, and that is an unusual reaction for me. They're interesting, and full of adventure. I wish I could put my finger on what it was about them that wasn't ringing my bell, so to speak (and pun intended...).

For the next two days, I plan to: work out, clean house, eat breakfast, enjoy leftovers for lunch & dinner, pay bills, play The Sims, read Abhorsen, listen to music, shower, wash & dry dishes, wash & dry clothes, brush my teeth, watch t.v., pet the dog (and give him his medicine), play on the internet...welcome to my weekend ;)

Date:	Sunday, April 13th @ 11:42 AM
Subject:	Here's What I Made Us For Brunch...
Security:	Public
Mood:	full
Music:	Trading Spaces & The Sims

( Croque Monsieur )

( Tomato Basil Soup )

Both made for a faboo brunch!

( Here's What We're Making For Dinner )

I hope it's good!

Date:	Wednesday, April 9th @ 10:36 PM
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	sleepy
Music:	Home Movies on Adult Swim

I'm so tired tonight. Maybe this is a good thing, maybe it's my body starting to get back on track after Daylight Saving Time.

K is back out of town. He is probably going to be working out of town during the weeks for quite a while. He's considering leaving his weekend job here, to cut down on gas use and wear 'n tear on his truck.

What does this mean for us?

It means that some things are probably going to change on the horizon. We've started looking at property around central Texas, just east of the Austin area. We're keeping some pretty big issues under our radar, like school districts, cost of living, etc. No, we don't have to worry about what kind of school districts we'll be moving into for a while, but it is a pretty important consideration to take into account before we pick a place to semi-permanently settle in.

I love that we're discussing these things. I love that we're considering these things together. I love that these things are important to the both of us. I love that it doesn't seem weird to either one of us to be concerned about these things.

My mom is still in Scotland, but she was able to send an email this morning. It was so great to hear from her, she sounds like she is having a blast on her vacation. I can't wait to do something like that myself.

This weekend is Kappa weekend on Galveston. Needless to say, I've asked for this weekend off from work. Click here to read part of the reason why I *won't* be there ;)

I am seriously craving chocolate. And sleep.

Today I switched my birth control choice back to Depo Provera. A decision that will: a) make me happier; b) reduce my stress about taking my b/c; c) save me over $350 a year; d) be more convenient. This is a good thing.

We rented a few movies yesterday. The Ring and Trapped. I did not get The Ring. Granted, K and I are know to pick apart movies we see...We recently went to go see Dreamcatcher. That was pretty good, but the alien theme seemed a bit of a stretch to me.

Yes, daylight saving time is still kicking my butt. I'm just about to cook dinner because my body still thinks it's 8 p.m.

We had to turn the a/c on last night. We had been leaving the doors and windows open, with all the available fans on high, but it was so muggy and breeze-less last night that we had no other recourse. Of course, it is supposed to be 15 degrees cooler tomorrow than it was today...

I'm sick. I think it's allergies, but it could be something else. I'm not so sure, but I do know I called in sick Saturday. K took good care of me :)

Speaking of him...a week or so ago he did a major roll off of his mountain bike. He has a helluva gash on his right shin. It looks like it's going to leave a nasty scar, but he's doing fine :)

What else? I can't really think of anything, but I know I'm forgetting tons that I wanted to write about...