I joined Okcupid.com just out of curiousity. Obviously, at only one day single, I'm not jumping into anything.

I wasn't expecting such an overwhelming response :/ Do I have to respond to every single one of these guys?? Some I am completely uninterested in, but I don't want to come across as a coldhearted bitch.

There are a couple of cuties though. Just sayin'.

OMG BED

I went from this...



To this.



I was hoping it wouldn't turn out quite so yellow, though the background and lighting don't exactly help in this picture. It looks a bit less so in natural light. Since my hair was dark and already dyed red, it was bound to come out golden without being overprocessed. Maybe next time my hairdresser can use a toner or whatever it is they do to make it less "warm" and more "cool."

I opted for skinny brows instead of blonde ones. I went through the "bleaching the brows" thing the last time I was blonde...and let me be the first to tell you, roots look especially bad on eyebrows. Does it look too bad?? Be honest.

And yes, I already have an appointment set for root touch-up. My hair grows so damn fast.

Kinda funny that I went blonde, switched jobs, and ended up single again all at about the same time. Life.

So I switched jobs at work. Whereas before I was the Adoption Center receptionist, I'll now be the Clinic receptionist. The bulk of my job will be making appointments for the spay/neuter clinic, checking animals in for surgery, taking payments and checking animals out at the end of the day, etc. I don't know if it's going to be any more or less hectic than my current job...I just hope the stupid people to reasonable people ratio stays about the same.
I won't be interacting with the shelter animals nearly as much...which is a bit of a downer, but totally okay. Less tempting. And I'll be working with a completely different group of people...I'll kind of miss some of my current coworkers, but the clinic staff seem to be pretty friendly.
The main reason I asked to switch (when I heard the previous clinic receptionist was quitting) is, it's a Monday-Friday job (and full-time). I haven't had a non-weekend job since I started working after college! I'm not going to know what to do with myself. Having weekdays off is convenient, but also a pain in the ass...I never see dad anymore because I work every weekend. Family functions are always on weekends and I hate missing out or having to arrive late. Most of Scott's friends work Monday-Friday so there have been a lot of times when I couldn't join in their fun.
NOT ANYMORE!
Also, Tuesday is a long day and Friday is a short day...so if I ever want to go out of town for the weekend, I can leave on Friday afternoon!
I'm a bit scared that I simply won't like this job as much as my current job, but a job's a job. Hell, I need to be on the alert for other jobs anyway. Like I've said before, I'm not exactly making bank.

Up late on a worknight...oh dear. I've got Mingus all cuddled up beside me being unbearably cute (nothing new for him). Figured it couldn't hurt to do an update.

Sunday night mom and I drove up to Lexington, NC to visit family...my second-cousin Christian was in town for Thanksgiving. He lives in Seattle so we don't see much of him. I hadn't been to my great-aunt's house since I was a kid...we used to go up there at least a couple times a year, it seems...but ever since my great-grandmother died, we've seen this particular branch of the family a lot less often, since they don't have as much reason to come down to Greenville...and as we've all gotten older there aren't the prerequisite "getting the kids together" visits.

It was a very short visit...drove up Sunday evening, left Monday afternoon, but entirely lovely. On the way home mom and I stopped by the Ikea in Charlotte to pick up a few things for my room. I got a couple photo frames for my collage, two pillows, a shelf where I'm going to display my ever-increasing boot collection, heavier curtains that will hopefully help with window drafts...a few other odds and ends. It's always a good time at Ikea.

We also stopped by my grandmother's house in Gaffney. Hadn't seen her since my aunt Sue died in May. She wants me to knit her a hat for Christmas, hehe. I believe arrangements can be made.

Today was spent the way I wish I could spend every day...running here and there with Scott. I had to finish (or rather start, and finish, and hang) some simple artwork, so mostly we did stuff related to that. I now have four cute drawings done on small dinner plates hanging at O-cha, where I used to work. Maybe someone will buy one, or two, since it's Christmastime. That's why I claimed December to show work in months ago, haha.

We also went to the mall, because I have $10 off coupon from Vicki's Secret. I might end up getting some of their new organic body stuff instead of undies. All of it (except for the violet jasmine, too floral) is really light and clean-smelling. Mmmmm.

Saw some cute stuff at Claire's and Hot Topic that I might mention to mom as stocking stuffer ideas...haha. I need to start Christmas shopping this week...go ahead and get it out of the way so I'm not scrambling and low on funds at the last minute. On a final note...

New obsessions -

1. The Mighty Boosh
2. Noel Fielding
3. The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack
4. eating a pack of FunYuns while I read before bed

This is my car.



This is my boyfriend.



This is my skill.



This is my Halloween costume.



This is my Crystal.

YEAH!

Me on a date with Noel Fielding (aka, Vince Noir of The Mighty Boosh).

TOTES HAPPENED.

Things that happened -

1. I cried over a dog I wanted at work; she was adopted by a boring couple, was returned, then adopted by the cutest couple ever so I'm happy.
2. I went to Kansas City the 9th-13th to spend time with my bestie Crystal. It was amazing and a bit melancholy. I miss living in a big city. I miss walking places. Sometimes I even miss layering. I know KC is not where I want to be, but it has its wily charms.
3. While I was there we watched all three seasons of The Mighty Boosh and not only am I in love with Vince Noir (who isn't), I'm obsessed with the show in general. Why do I always discover these things so much later than I should?
4. Scott was a total sweetie and surprised me by being in Rock Hill when I returned from KC. Our mutual friend Calder offered to put me up for the night so I wouldn't have to drive all the way back to Greenville from the Charlotte airport at 11:00 pm. I walked into her bathroom and BAM! There he was. I screamed. It was awesome.
5. I turned 25 on the 15th. Yeah, quarter century. That's a feeling.
6. Working full-time is just as tiring and, of course, time consuming as it sounds. The added responsibility of being in charge of the "best friend finder" program (aka waiting list for particular dog/cat breeds) makes it a lot more hectic, but I feel much more involved in the pet placing process, and that's happy.


I need to knit some hats. I bought very lovely yarn while I was in KC, at the yarn shop that's right across the street from the spa where I used to work. I did NOT go in to say hi. Lastly, I'm still in love with my car, Frances. She could use a good lint-rollering. Her microfiber interior and fuzz/cat hair/dust particles/whatever don't get along.

Sorry I'm not updating as much as I used to, if anyone has noticed. Real life has been pretty consuming and I've been spending a lot less time on the net than usual. I've also got a hard-copy journal that I've been writing in more often. If you're on Facebook and we aren't Facebook friends, but you'd like to be, let me know...I'm honestly more active over there these days.

I dressed up as Harley Quinn for Halloween and went to a party with Scott (who went as a Monarch henchman from Venture Bros). It rained for most of the night and the original plan was to have a dance party outside, but it was too wet, cold, and mushy. So it turned into a sit around and look at each other sort of party. By about 11:30 I was ready to go home. Another lackluster Halloween :( It was nobody's fault, but it's still sort of frustrating that no matter how hard I try, I end up bored on Halloween. I miss going to parties with JP. Together we are the Halloween Danger Duo.

My first week working full-time went well. By today I was ready to get home and relax...it's definitely going to take some getting used to. It's been over a year since I last worked full-time. The office manager bumped me up to a full 40 hours so I can have benefits after 90 days. That's right, soon I'll have health insurance again, after two frustrating years with no coverage. Such a relief!

I'm still love love loving my car. After work I bought floor mats, cleaning wipes for the dash, etc., and a lint roller for the upholstery (which attracts a surprising amount of lint/cat hair, joy). I never made much effort to keep my old car clean, but oh, how things have changed. My baby is going to stay beautiful.

It's so funny, I'll walk back to my car after parking somewhere and have a giddy attack. "ARMAGAD, this is MY car. Yuuuuhhhhhssss!" She still needs a name, though...Scott suggested Baby, as in Baby from Dirty Dancing, but that's too easy. So the next suggestion was Jennifer Grey, haha. Too long, and Jennifer? Not my style. Most recently mom suggested Frances, as in, Baby's real name (yeah, in Dirty Dancing). It's currently under consideration ;)

Right now my Mingus is snuggled up next to me and we're watching "Trauma: Life in the E.R."

Yep, life is good!

SHORT VERSION: I have a new car!

LONG VERSION: Despite the fact that it ended up being much less to fix my old car than we originally suspected, I still felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop...transmission or engine trouble, along with plenty of other minor repairs, were inevitable. So I decided it was time to trade it in while it was still running. I need dependable transportation, not a car that's going to be in the shop once a month.

At first I was very skeptical about my ability to make payments on a new car, but I got bumped to full-time at my job!! Talk about a perfect coincidence. I've been spoiled by working part-time for over a year now...I've gotten used to my three day weekends. Well, now I'm going to have two day weekends like most everyone else, but I'll also have a brand spanking new car to go with them :)

Mom and I actually signed papers for a car at one dealership...I made it very clear that I wanted a RED Honda Fit, base model. Only after the papers were signed did I realize they were still looking for a red Fit, they hadn't actually found one. So they offered me blue. After a lot of huffing and puffing, they finally found a red one, but the whole thing was so fishy...plus they wanted me to pay more for it. No red until we get angry, and then it magically appears??? Hmmmm.

We dropped them and went to a much friendlier dealership, which not only got me a better interest rate...they also had a RED 2010 Honda Fit Sport (instead of the base model) which I got for the same payment rate as the blue base model the other dealership wanted me to take. The previous dealership may be pissed, but they can suck my proverbial dick. The salesman was pushy from the get go...the only reason we went with them is because we happened to be there when I got the call from my boss asking if I wanted more hours. Excitement probably clouded our judgement, but we didn't realize, after FIVE HOURS of sitting around and waiting for them to get their shit together, then waiting three days for a verdict, that they still couldn't get me the car I wanted. Bullshit. But now, thanks to the fabulous efforts of mom (while I was at work today) and the guys at our dealership, I am happily driving the car I wanted and more for a payment I can realistically afford!

The Fit is a relatively new model, and a lot of people haven't had a clue what I'm talking about. Since I didn't get my car until after dark, I don't have any pictures of it (yet), but here's what she looks like -

http://automobiles.honda.com/fit/

She's wonderful and beautiful and amazing and she needs a name! Hmmm!

Last week I drove James and myself to Barnes & Noble. When I parked, I turned my car off and it was making the "ping ping ping" noise that most cars make if you've left your keys in the ignition or forgot to turn off your headlights. Well, the keys were out and the lights were off, so I couldn't figure out why it was making the noise. I turned the car back on, and smoke started pouring out of the steering column.
Cue minor freak out. James tells me to turn the car off. Not knowing what else to do, we go into B&N, do our looking around, and come back out. I try starting the car again. It takes a couple tries, but the engine turns over and the car starts. Seconds later, more smoke. I turn off the car, and this time the key refuses to come out of the ignition.
I had to leave my car in the B&N parking lot until it was towed the next day to my mechanic's shop. Said mechanic was out of town until Monday. So yesterday I get a call from him.
Basically, car is super fucked, cost to repair it will be more than the value of the damn car.
The wire that burned up (who knows why) apparently damaged a bunch of other wires around it, and replacing the so-called "wiring harness" is very expensive, because it's a complete re-wiring of the entire car, which takes 8-10 hours to do and involves practically taking the car apart and putting it back together.
The car is almost 15 years old, but damn it, it was usually dependable. It at least got me to and from work every day.
We're not entirely sure what our options are at this point. We're going to see if we can get our insurance to cover it, since it's not technically a "mechanical failure" and there was "fire" involved.
If we end up having to get a new car (or used, or whatever), that's going to be one more thing for me to feel guilty and pathetic over. I'll have to start looking for a new job, because there's no way I can make a car payment on my current salary. Which royally sucks, because, while my current job doesn't pay very much, at least I enjoy it and I don't wake up every day hating my existence.
I'm so frustrated!

Sometimes I get absurdly excited about mundane things. For example, I need some new makeup, since a) I ran out of blush ages ago b) I've had my mascara for far too long and c) I was an idiot and left some makeup in the car...RIP black eyeliner.

I don't get paid until tomorrow at midnight, and I am literally ITCHING to go makeup shopping. Perhaps because it's something I only do every six months or so?

Oh la.

...to comment on this post with a song that, for whatever reason, has been stuck in your head lately.

This is "My Girls" by Animal Collective. I was a passive fan for a while after hearing a few songs, but now I'm fervently in love with this band. In a world where it's very difficult to do what hasn't been done before, they've created something uniquely Animal Collectivian. Sure they have their roots in the past, with bands like XTC, but they are refreshingly individual. And damn, are they danceable.

Watch!

Today I spent $60.99 on -

1. stamps
2. a badass studded leather collar for Mingus
3. craft and decorating supplies at Hobby Lobby (more yarn for my scarf, a Sharpie to draw on some plates, hangers to put said plates on my wall, the letters M and R made from paperboard, and stuff to teach myself "punch needle" embroidery)
4. a roll of film developed/printed at Walgreen's

Damn. I wanted to buy an Animal Collective album this week, but it might be out of budget.

Teaching myself punch needle...currently unsuccessful. I think the embroidery hoop I got is too cheapo, and the fabric, which is supposed to be specifically for punch needle, may be too thin. Or maybe the needle is too thick for the fabric. I don't know. The instructions are so easy it's frustrating that I can't get it to work.

Staying busy is the best solution I can come up with for fixing my current emotional status, which is..."underwhelmed." I have the constant need for stimulation, either from the internet or an activity or by spending time with another human being. Whenever I'm alone, or not distracted by a project, everything that is unsatisfying about my life gangs up on me and I feel like crap.

At least I felt pretty today.



Update: The instructions that came with my needle failed to mention that the embroidery floss has to be halved, as in, you use three strands, not six. Now I've actually got it working! Cue happy Kermit flailing.

I just booked tickets to Kansas City for November 9-12. Pretty cheap ($268 split between the two of us) and decent departure times, although I will have to drive to the Charlotte airport at about 3:30 am to catch my 6:25 am flight.

All worth it to see Crystal!!

Best birthday present to myself ever.

Next on my list - Abby! The only reason you weren't first? I've been lucky enough to spend a little bit of time with you since you moved, whereas Crystal, I have not. You are my top priority for next visit, no worries about that!

I think I might've finally come up with some sort of "plan".
As in, a life plan that could be more than a pipe dream.
I was talking with mom and aunt Cindy the other night while I was helping aunt Cindy with a ceramic piece, about how it would be really awesome to convert an old building into art studios for rent, + gallery/retail space and a living/studio space for myself. It wouldn't require very much additional education on my part, I would be my own boss, I would still be involved in the arts without feeling guilty/required to make art for any reason other than my own pleasure, unless I wanted to (say, to sell in the retail space or put in the gallery). I'd be supporting arts in the community (where ever I decide to live, because it definitely wouldn't be Greenville).
Sure, I'd be taking a lot of risks, but that's the point of being an entrepreneur...starting a business is always risky. I certainly don't have the money for anything like this right now, but who knows...there are grants and loans out there specifically for women who want to start businesses, or so I'm told. Perhaps my parents would be willing to invest with me...I don't know.
All I know is, this is something that could really happen. And that's very exciting.

Now that I'm single again and I'm going to have a little bit more time, I want to start taking pictures again. I've also been considering reviving my Lookbook.nu account. I stopped posting after Raun left me. It somehow felt connected to our relationship...but that's fading, and fall is coming, which means clothes with more layers, which means far more interesting outfits to post.

1. Arrange and hang newly framed photos on my wall
2. Go to Kohl's with mom, take advantage of additional 30% off everything coupon, hell to the yes
3. Do laundry
4. Clean bathroom, seriously, it is grosser than ever
5. Continue to practice crochet (trying to teach myself)
6. Go to Hobby Lobby to return piece of crap "Learn To Crochet" CDROM that doesn't work
7. Go through "random vintage stuff" pile, decide what's worth keeping, what's worth selling
8. Spend time with Scott
9. Get out of this funk

KITTIES!


Baby Lulu (belongs to Ashley).


Hey Saffron, imitation is the best form of flattery.

I quit the bakery and I am feeling SO DAMN LIBERATED.

Not exactly sure why. I was never obligated to be there. I wasn't getting paid.

I suppose it's because it was something I set out to do with so much gusto. I was determined. But the situation was far from ideal, and it's honestly in my best interest to do something else with my time.

Converse College in Spartanburg, about 45 minutes away, has an undergrad art therapy program. Although it's in-state, it's private, so tuition is still about $26,000/year. And I wouldn't be eligible for some scholarships because I would be pursuing my second Bachelor's.
Plus...I mean, another four years of school...I just don't know...but if it REALLY meant starting on the path to a CAREER...now wouldn't that be something?

I guess my fear is that I would go through the program only to end up right back where I am now - in debt, frustrated, and still without a clue.

It's so frustrating that I'm interested in graduate art therapy programs but most of them require that you have at least 12 credit hours of undergrad psychology.

Well, that leaves me fucked.

ARGH!

The few programs that don't require such are at highly competitive and very expensive schools that I, quite frankly, couldn't justify attending. Almost $40,000 a year? On top of my current student debt, how would I EVER pay that off in my lifetime??? I know another degree would mean more chances of a higher paying job, but not THAT high.

A lot of people get to go to grad school and the school practically pays them to attend. How do they do that???