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October 19th, 2004
September 30th, 2004
 | 03:01 pm - Ball of Rage!
So, I called Cox a long time ago about the fact they sent me a bill after I left my apartment in the capable hands of my friend Ken. Irritatingly, when we did a change of name they didn't think to like, say, change the billing address... mine was set to my parents house (which I tried to switch back many times) from when I did a service break while I was interning.. anyway, I'm still receiving the bill, with Ken's name on it. Not only that, they're still autocharging my Discover. So, the first bill, I called, they said it was all fixed, fine.
I got charged for August anyway, and now I have a September bill.
I can't reach billing inquiry, their number is busy. I talked to tech support, who did all he could to try and get me through via transferring but there are no open lines. I had the same problem last time. Not only that, to confound matters even more, when we did a change of name on the service, they /completely eradicated my name from the records/ so every time I call, I have to spend about 5 minutes explaining what I even have to do with the account.
GAHHHHHHHH.
To confound matters, Joe's lease is up for renewal come end of October, and they are raising the rent twice as much as they said they would. So I've spent my afternoon calling around to different apartment complexes and ads in the paper to inquire about openings, etc. Most of what I have called was based on internet webpages... which leads me to this rant:
DEAR APARTMENT MANAGERS: IF YOUR APARTMENT IS INCOME CONTROLLED OR FOR SENIORS ONLY, PLEASE MENTION THAT IN YOUR AD/WEBPAGE!
GEEEEEEEeeeez.
The place I really wanted to move into has no openings until the spring, and has a waiting list of /over 100 people/. :(! The majority of other affordable (in same range of rent we are in now) apartments with ads out right now are all unobtainable due to weird requirements. WTF?
I need to remember we don't /have/ to move, the rent is still affordable here. It's just really annoying that they raised it double what I was told 2 weeks ago when I asked. It's annoying not having a W/D (we're currently spending around $15+ a week on laundry alone, because the WD in the laundry room are tiny, and require two dryings, and are $1 wash and $1 dry..). It's annoying that the apartment is older and has mysterious plumbing problems. It's annoying we have the apartment manager from hell. On the flip side, its nice to have a good spacious floorplan that works with all our stuff, and its nice for Joe to have a 1-5 min commute. Yes. ONE TO FIVE MINUTES. It all depends on if the light is red or green. Hah!
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://library.vu.edu.pk/cgi-bin/nph-proxy.cgi/000100A/http/web.archive.org/web/20041130104921im_/http:/=2fstat.livejournal.com/img/mood/opiummmm/foxies/angry.gif) bitchy
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September 23rd, 2004
September 16th, 2004
| 12:57 am - And the light goes blinky blinky blink
Joe and I have been (ever so wisely) hanging out in the spare bedroom, upstairs, using our computers. I've been watching the street light outside the window go from very orange and on, to half or quarter light, to off, to bright white, back to orange. We are systematically hearing transformers pop, and in some cases, seeing them (one street over or so). The radio claims no one has power between 23rd and 15th, but I can tell you we do! But I think its only a matter of time until we, too, lose power.... I think the grid is systematically failing.
We are going to go to bed soon. Our only tornado-good place is the downstairs bathroom, which consists of a space needed for a toilet, a sink, and a person standing between the toilet and sink. It's under the stairs. For now the tornadoes have gone away, but they may come back with the next feeder band. I think we may blow the air mattress up and sleep downstairs. Not sure yet. Will update in the morning, hopefully!
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://library.vu.edu.pk/cgi-bin/nph-proxy.cgi/000100A/http/web.archive.org/web/20041130104921im_/http:/=2fstat.livejournal.com/img/mood/opiummmm/foxies/sad.gif) tired
Current Music: ClearChannel... they are the only ones broadcasting
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September 15th, 2004
| 11:29 pm - The Word of the Day is...
"Tornadic" - The constant radio description of the weather in Bay County, FL.
We're still alive here, despite the unbelievable number of twisters to come out of the feeder band of Ivan. The meteorologists are having a field day trying to decide just why we've had so many, why they've been so stable, and why they keep coming. They aren't sure how many there were, because they were moving so fast (45-50 mph) and they were popping up so quickly. The power has started to brown regularly, once enough to reboot the desktop.
People closer to the eye of Ivan aren't getting all the tornadoes. Just us lucky ones on the edge, who would otherwise have a fairly easy time of it. They're forecasting really, really huge surge if Ivan lines up with Mobile Bay for Mobile... as high as 50 feet. Damn that's a lot of water!
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September 13th, 2004
| 04:59 pm - Oops
Apparently I've been logged out of LJ for a while, so those of you with precious locked entries, I'm sorry, I probably missed them :( Let me know if there was anything earth shattering, since there are a lot of you who have nothing but locked entries, and there are a lot of you on my friends list!
In Panhandle news, we're all anxiously watching Ivan wobble all over the place. Let the "Ivan the Terrible" jokes commence.
Getting a long delayed package delivered is like a little miniature christmas. I managed to forget what all I had ordered. Fun fun fun!
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August 31st, 2004
 | 09:23 am - All the Cool Kids are Doing it
I have several GMail invites. They seem to be doing a major expansion and most of the people I would send them to (family) already have an account. So its open bidding to the friends list!
TiVo is ridiculously like window shopping. It is very easy to just record at will... "That looks like it might be interesting..."
Oh, yeah. We got TiVo. Best Buy (and some other stores) are carrying a $100 rebate on the 40 gig/(hour?) box, and its also on sale right now at Best Buy, so our final price will have been $89 (they are normally $199). The monthly subscription to the updating service (and some other stuff) is $13/mo, which is cheaper than a movie theater date. It does require a phone line for setup, and then it needs a connection to do its programming update every 2 weeks. Supposedly that connection can be to your home network via USB wireless adapter or ethernet patched to a router, hub, or switch. We picked up an inexpensive D-Link adapter, but it doesn't want to play nice with the TiVo. If you do decide to wireless your TiVo, go online and dig through the troubleshooting documentation to find their very short list of compatible adapters. For example, the DLink 120 is ok, but the 122 (what we got) is 'maybe ok'.
Razzum Frazzum!
Price Update: Amazon.com is also carrying the 40 hour model with a $100 mailin rebate, final price of $79 (Amazon is $20 off, plus $100 rebate -> 199 - 20 - 100), for those of you without a bestbuy / willing to wait for shipping in order to save $10.
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August 24th, 2004
| 02:02 pm - Psyche! It's not REAL content!
Actually, I was reading this article, and this sentence just popped out as having /just so many things wrong/ with it (not English-wise, just reality-wise).
" Sherry Bartlett, 45, a fifth-grade teacher at Slaughter Elementary, had a blood-alcohol content of .20 percent, more than twice the legal limit of .08, when she was arrested Tuesday morning."
Yes. 5th Grade Teacher arrested for DUI /on her way/ to school. Where she teaches, at /Slaughter Elementary/.
Dear lord, someone rename that school! That's scary! Why hasn't a horror film been made there?
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August 13th, 2004
| 06:57 pm - Goodbye, Julia
Thank you for changing the face of television for all time. We'll miss you.
Current Mood: sad
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August 10th, 2004
| 03:59 pm - OK.
You are certified to receive the following degree(s):
* BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN COMPUTER ENGINEERING
CUM LAUDE
I guess they don't put minors on the degree cert page. It better as heck show up on /something/ though :)
why not summa or magna cum laude? because I didn't do an honors thesis, of course. Too much damn hassle in engineering.
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August 9th, 2004
| 04:07 am - Ugh.
The night before you finish packing and moving (including a 4.5 hour + drive) is NOT the night to revisit insomnia.
It's my own fault. I drank diet coke. I thought we'd stay up later, packing things, but I was in a foul mood (and that's another story) and Joe was tired. So we called it quits, to get started again early in the morning. But now its halfway to morning and Ihaven't slept a wink. If I wasn't /driving/, I wouldn't be so concerned. As it is, I don't know what I'm going to do.
Normal operating procedure (and original plan) would be to just sleep until I had enough, even if that meant leaving later tomorrow... but dad is coming "early in the morning" (we'll see what that means) to get the bed out of here. . . which will leave the floor to sleep on. And that isn't happening!
I should just stop worrying about it. But I can't. I'm worried about my grades. At least my software engineering grades have been fixed. GG pete, being up at 4 am and all. I keep thinking of good ways to pack the stuff left to pack, to tackle the cleaning, and in what order. I'm also not so sure its going to fit in the cars, especially since mine has like 3 tires in the trunk or something. wtf.
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August 6th, 2004
 | 07:48 am - YAY
I don't know what is more exciting: that this is the last day of class EVER for me... or that I get to see Joe tonight...
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://library.vu.edu.pk/cgi-bin/nph-proxy.cgi/000100A/http/web.archive.org/web/20041130104921im_/http:/=2fstat.livejournal.com/img/mood/opiummmm/foxies/happy.gif) ecstatic
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August 1st, 2004
 | 11:21 am - HAH
Contents of mailbox (delivery yesterday):
Big envelope of GEICO paperwork for policy I purchased
Postcard size ad from GEICO inviting me to check out how cheap their policies are
What a waste :)
Car: clean.
Networking Project: mostway done, due Wednesday
Living Room: Mostly cleaned out and ready to move furniture
Sleep: need more!
Oh. I have an exam tomorrow! and a meeting today. I guess I should get goin. Bleh.
Current Mood: sleepy
Current Music: Black Crowes - Midnight from the Inside Out
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July 24th, 2004
| 08:59 pm - Stupid me.... / Silly them....
So, I had some wonton soup last night, while I watched a movie on TBS.
My laptop was at least 2 feet away.
Despite the distance, I still managed to get soup on the keys, for when I bit in to a hot wonton, it spurted soup straight across the bed and onto the laptop.
I gave the keys a long time to dry, and I've pried a lot of them up to clean the contacts. At least the keys are registering correctly now, but I have to hit them REALLY HARD.
So in the meantime, I bought a $20 PS/2 to USB converter and a $10 really lightweight cheap keyboard. It's almost more comfortable than using the laptop keys anyway.
I was reading this article earlier. I think its well done, and it raises some interesting points without being too reactionary (in either direction)..... (It's about airline safety, and something that happened on a Detroit-LA flight in June)
I think you should read it.
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July 16th, 2004
| 12:48 pm - Looking for opinions
I am considering purchasing a vehicle.
The vehicle in question is being sold by someone on my friend's list.
Pros:
CHEAP (seriously)
Know previous owner & his maintenance done
Low insurance rate
In good shape, decent gas mileage, reliable
Would provide a 'throw away' vehicle for me to use until I have a job and can finance something more worthwhile
Cons:
It's old. It's a 1986 Toyota Corolla
No Air Bags in 1986
No A/C (not a big deal, used to that)
No Radio! (worse problem than A/C!)
My reasoning is this.. I don't have a car right now, which means I'm beholden to either Joe or my family any time I want to move my location. That's no fun for them. Assuming I graduate, I'll be moving to Panama City and looking for a job. Looking for a job might be difficult while car-sharing. I will also want to spend time at family home (1 hr away), which would require getting a ride. However, I have no money really, and no one to really borrow from. I can't finance anything in good conscience (or period, really) until I have a job. Even if I were to borrow some money to buy a cheap used car, if I bought it at my mom's friend's lot, I'd be getting a car that was still old (although not as old) but perhaps more miles and possibly less reliable, for much, much more money than this one. This would also let me establish auto insurance, again, which will help with buying a car later. I got quotes from GEICO and Progressive (et al) for the vehicle in question and it will be $50 a month, which is handle-able.
I guess I'm just interested in seeing if anyone has anything to say. I was also bored in class and decided that maybe writing about stuff would get it off my mind :)
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July 13th, 2004
| 02:49 pm - Quiz
All of my numbers were 50/100 +-3, so I don't put much stock in this.
(Quiz Here)
You are an SEDL--Sober Emotional Destructive Leader. This makes you a dictator. You prefer to control situations, and lack of control makes you physically sick. You feel have responsibility for everyone's welfare, and that you will be blamed when things go wrong. Things do go wrong, and you take it harder than you should.
You rely on the validation and support of others, but you have a secret distrust for people and distaste for their habits and weaknesses that make you keep your distance from them. This makes you very difficult to be with romantically. Still, a level-headed peacemaker can keep you balanced.
Despite your fierce temper and general hot-bloodedness, you have a soft spot for animals and a surprising passion for the arts. Sometimes you would almost rather live by your wits in the wilderness somewhere, if you could bring your books and your sketchbook.
You also have a strange, undeniable sexiness to you. You may go insane.
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July 8th, 2004
| 09:08 pm - My Hot, Boring Journal
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July 6th, 2004
| 06:03 pm
I'm ready to be able to come home and do nothing for an hour and there be nothing wrong with that. That is, no major huge assignments, projects, tests, presentations, programs, homework, etc. hanging above my head like some sort of sword of Damocles.
It's hard to relax with impending doom hanging above your head.
I'm also more than ready to be able to give Joe a hug and a smooch when he comes home, or when I come home. Yeah.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://library.vu.edu.pk/cgi-bin/nph-proxy.cgi/000100A/http/web.archive.org/web/20041130104921im_/http:/=2fstat.livejournal.com/img/mood/opiummmm/foxies/discontent.gif) discontent
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July 2nd, 2004
| 11:26 am - To-do list today
- Today:
Eat Breakfast
Print test & problem before class
Go to class
Actually eat lunch
E-mail Pete about next week's meeting time
- Sort laundry / declutter living room
- DO laundry (sidetask:
pray for no rain - I apparently suck at praying, go figure)
- Make unsweet tea and
koolaid, organize fridge
- Try to unstop bathtub / clean
- Clean bathroom counter, sink, mirror, floor
Pay rent - Take check to office tomorrow
Pay GRU
- Eat dinner
- Go to bed by 11 pm
Grade for Today:
- Plan for Saturday:
- Eat Breakfast
- Finish cleaning apartment: organize room, make room for folks
- Pick up Rx at Eckerds
- Buy more handsoap, shampoo, conditioner
Pay Discover - Did Fri.
- Eat some sort of lunch
- Spend at least 1 hr on SE (StudentGrades and fixing dates)
- Spend at least 1 hr on Networking
Spend at least 1 hr on Senior Project - done Fri.
- Spend at least 1 hr on Ind. Study
- Be nice to my family
- Eat dinner (with family)
- Go to bed by 11 pm
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July 1st, 2004
| 07:38 pm - One of them To-Do list thingamajiggers
- Today:
Meet with Pete
Update project websites
Write networking practice test
Put networking test on website
Type networking class problem answer
Eat dinner
- Either sort laundry to wash tomorrow or declutter living room
Go to bed by 11 pm (12:15 pm)
Grade given to myself: B-. Most things done, some finished in the morning. All time critical items finished on time. Went to bed late, but did go to bed before like 3 AM despite work to do.
- Friday:
- Eat Breakfast
- Print test & problem before class
- Go to class
- Actually eat lunch
- E-mail Pete about next week's meeting time
- Sort laundry / declutter living room
- DO laundry (sidetask: pray for no rain)
- Make unsweet tea and koolaid, organize fridge
- Try to unstop bathtub
- Pay rent
- Pay GRU
- Eat dinner
- Go to bed by 11 pm
Current Music: The Pretenders - Middle of the Road
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