That's how much I spent today for two (TWO!!) concert tickets (plus parking).

Mom and I are going to see Billy Joel and Elton John on Wednesday!

I have sticker shock, but I'm so excited I'm jealous of myself. Does that make any sense whatsoever? No, but that's how I feel.

And then on Thursday I have tickets for The Presidents of the United States of America, which is easily my favorite band (maybe 2nd, but I've already seen Nine Inch Nails).

Busy, busy week! Especially considering I'm usually falling asleep by 9:00 and the shows don't start until 7:30 and 8:00. I'll be drooling on myself on Friday.

See, I didn't know the Elton/Billy thing was next week. I was simply going onto Craigslist to see if anyone had any cheap Alice in Chains tickets for this weekend in Salem. There weren't, but I saw half a dozen Elton/Billy tickets. After a bit of looking around, I realized their show that was supposed to happen in November was postponed and there were tickets available. So I called Mom and she said do it, so I did. So we're going to a concert on Wednesday after paying far more than I swore I would never pay for a concert.

I'm dangerous when I'm bored at work...

eeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So Pete and I decided to file separately this year.

We decided to do this to make life easier.

Turns out, filing separately, I can't apply my almost-$1000 of student loan interest to my returns. Please hear your favorite dirty words as you read this.

I am getting a refund, but of only $467. I'm getting $107 from New Mexico. I owe Oregon a buck. That's right: $1.00. *eye roll*

So now I'm annoyed as hell at Pete for insisting we file seperately. Had we filed together, we both would have gotten a great refund (he got a refund, too--not sure of the amount) and mine would have been bigger.

Since I haven't had enough paperwork tonight, I need to finish filing out the divorce papers.

I'm tired of it all.

Don't really have much to say but figured I should try to update at least once a week or so.

The bank account got straightened out. Mom's money is back and I almost feel like I've apologized enough.

Feel like I'm in a holding-pattern at the moment

Waiting for my last W-2 to do my taxes to see how much of a refund we're getting. This one's from the call center I worked at in Taos. I forgot to give them my new address when I moved.

Waiting until my appointment with the lawyer on Thursday to get the divorce started. I thought I could do it quickly myself but realized our debt incurred during the marriage is too high due to my student loans. I did find a good website that walks you through filing all the forms in Oregon, so I may be able to do that. I would really rather the divorce doesn't cost more than the wedding. That sets the bar pretty darn low.

Waiting for June. Mom and I are going to Disneyland for 5 days for our birthdays the first week of June. We're both super excited about it.

Waiting to be able to begin my live over again. I want to be living in my own place again. I want a couple of kitties and nobody else to answer to. That's looking further and further away as my bills get me bogged down.

Oh well. By this time next year, I WILL be in a much better place. It can't be too much worse, at least. :-)

I lost, so I post. Lost 1.6 lbs this week, down 7.2 total, at 201.4. So close to Onederland I can taste it. (Too bad chocolate and cake still taste better...)

So annoyed with myself right now. I was running to the store because I had forgotten one ingredient for tonight's dinner in our big shopping trip at the beginning of the month. (Well, I didn't forget: I had written down chile paste when it was supposed to be curry paste. Crucial difference.) Anyway, since I was going to Safeway, and the only Wells Fargo in town is inside Safeway, Mom asked me to deposit a small check that had turned up and get stamps.

I got to Safeway, had to wait for an idiot soccer mom to clear her groceries off the table where the ATM-deposit envelopes were. While I was waiting for the person in front of her to finish their transaction and for her to give me some room, a guy came up to stand a little closer to the front of the line than was comfortable.

I did get in before him (should have let him go first...) and deposited the check. I got the stamps and receipts and... left the card in the machine. Apparently.

Safeway didn't have the curry paste, so I went to the other grocery store. When I went to pay, I couldn't find Mom's debit card. I figured it had ended up at the bottom of my purse. I got home and couldn't find it. Called Safeway to see if it had been turned in (what I would do because I'm a decent human being most of the time). No, so we called Wells Fargo.

Turns out the asshole had taken out $600. Pretty impressive considering there was only $140 in the account. He took $300 straight, then did a $300 direct deposit advance and took that, too. I filed a claim with Wells Fargo and we called the local police to get the surveillance video from Safeway. I want to make this asshole's life hell. The officer will go in tomorrow when she gets on around 2:00 to try to get the video and Mom will go by at 3:00 when she gets home from work.

The most annoying part of all of this? Neither grocery store had the fucking curry paste.

At least our furnace, that wasn't turning on today, got fixed. When Mom called the landlord, he said it'd be a few days, but then the heating guy called us and said he was in town, anyway. The pilot light wasn't lighting when the heater kicked on. Sounds like it might be replaced soon because it's out of whack and burning out igniters quickly. It also means we weren't crazy in thinking we had to turn the thermostat up to 85° to get it to 72° in here. What's causing that is also what's causing the igniter to burn out. So we'll have a new heater just in time for spring... Awesome...

Had a decent conversation with Pete yesterday. (I think it was yesterday.) At this point, everyone wants the divorce over and done with as easily as possible.

Volunteered this morning at the local United Way. Felt good for doing it, getting a free day at Disneyland in June helped. (Though it'll actually probably be a day of Fast Passes, rather than a free park ticket since we're there more than one day. Either way.)

Weigh-in tonight. I think I did well this last week. If I did great, you'll all know. If not... Well...

No more 30 day meme. It's far too stupid. Wish I had read it all the way through before starting it.

I don't really feel safe online anymore, either.

I don't know.

( Meme back here. Entry down there. )

Back to work today after a lovely 4-day weekend.

Got there to discover the shift bid had been finalized yesterday. I got one of the headquarters jobs! Super happy about that. It means I work Monday through Friday 8:00 to 5:00. It also means I can keep my carpool and will be in the line of sight of the Powers That Be if I want to work my way up in the world. I would have liked the swing hours at the service center better, but I’d rather be able to get a promotion easily. It seems like once you’re at HQ, you stay at HQ, which would be nice. That way I know what my days off will be and I can look for a place to live nearer to there. If I have to drive to the service center once in a while, it’s not a big deal since parking is free. (It’s also less than a mile from HQ so if I had to walk/ride bike, it’s not the end of the world.) Once in a while HQ people go to the SC if there’s training or something and not enough desks to go around (like right now, there’s 1-2 people working down there that belong at HQ). Don’t know when the shifts take effect, but it doesn’t matter much because nothing changes for me, anyway.

The woman training with me didn’t get the HQ shift. I’m kinda glad I wasn’t there yesterday to listen to her whine about it. (Today was her furlough day. Mine was Friday.) She seems like the SC type, anyway. The paperwork at HQ confuses her.

So, yay, I’m finally working a real 8-5 M-F job. Weird.

( Two big pictures. )
Today was the TGIO (Thank G It's Over) NaNoWriMo party. I got a winner's certificate with ribbon, paper crown, and a "purple bar". It was pretty cool.

Got my hair cut today. The stylist actually got it short. I've only been trying around here since June. Sheesh. Also got my H1N1 vaccination. It was kind of a "why not?" sort of thing. It was over super quick. She said hello, answered my one question, then suddenly she was putting the needle in the sharps container and I was bleeding. It was kind of weird.

Tomorrow I go to the dentist. It's only been 5, or possibly 9, years.

Days 4-7 because I suck and can't keep up.

( behind the cut )In real life, I started Weight Watchers on Monday as I mentioned. I tracked points and out of curiosity I put it into SparkPeople's tracker just to see. It turns out the points system kept me within recommended calories/fat/carbs on SP. Whoda thunk it works? I might do both for a while. I know SP works for me when I stay conscious of it. Maybe the meetings will keep me more accountable and conscious. Who knows?

I have today off, unpaid furlough day, and Monday off, paid Governor's Day. The governor gives State workers and extra "vacation" day around the holidays. Pretty spiffy. Furlough is every State worker is forced to take 12-14 days of unpaid leave in attempt to save money. I don't get why we get the gov's day if it's such a problem. Whatever.

Anyway, yay four-day weekend! I think Mom and I are going up to the Oregon Zoo to see the Xmas lights either tonight or tomorrow. Maybe not since we're apparently broke. We get into the zoo free since we're members but gas money is a concern. I'm glad I bought her one little gift with my money last month while at the aquarium in Newport because that and an alarm clock may be all she gets. The clock is the only thing she's mentioned lately that she needs. Next year I should be back to a place where I can afford to get her something wonderful. And she deserves it.

Day 03 :: Your favourite television programme

I think I have to go with

( okay, okay, I'll cut the videos )In real life news, I joined Weight Watchers today. Finally remembered to call to get my code. The state employee board provides 13 weeks at a time free of charge. It's working super well for my mom --she's where I was when I started losing weight in June 08-- so I'm joining her at Monday night meetings. I hope this is the motivation I need.

I really should have been in bed half an hour ago. No wonder I'm always exhausted. Not enough hours in the day to sleep the 10 hours my body seems to want every night. It helps that my loud neighbor is moving out. She's partially deaf and has her TV up far, far too loud until around 2 every night. Earplugs don't make for restful sleep. I'm hoping the apartment stays empty for a while. [We live in a house split into a 2-bedroom house up front and a 1-bedroom apartment in back. The apartment's living room shares a wall with my bedroom. Apparently her TV was actually on the other side of the room. I assumed it was up against my wall. I can still understand every word.]

Day 02 :: Your favourite movie

This one's a bit easier than yesterday.

My all time favorite movie forever and ever:




Oliver!

There are other movies I love and adore, but Oliver! always wins.

Totally following in thatgaychick's footsteps. I've really got to get back to writing. Usually I'd start on the 1st or something but I'm wrapping up NaNoWriMo and hope to use that momentum to start writing here again.

No guarantees that I'll write every day for 30 days, but I'll at least answer all the questions.

So we begin.

Day 01 → Your favourite song

Of course they start with a hard one. Who actually has one favorite song?

According to my Last.fm profile, my most-listened-to song since 31 Jan 2005 has been Oasis - Wonderwall, tied with Tonic - If You Could Only See. Last 6 months: Sawyer Brown – The Race Is On, though I would argue I prefer Six Days on the Road.



Okay, okay. My favorite song ever? The song I turn up every single time I hear it and wouldn't think about changing the station?

Ummm...

Well, they don't play it on the radio, but I'd say...



( The next 29 days )

The story isn't done. I don't know if it's wrapping up (it may be) or if I have more shit to throw at my main character. We'll see.

I almost like my story this year, even if MC did turn gay. Again. I think I may have some issues that come out when I'm writing like a lunatic.

Had Thanksgiving at the Oregon Garden. It was disappointing, to say the least. Mom won a turkey at work so we're doing that this weekend, anyway. It'll make up for today.

I work tomorrow. I'm having a difficult time getting that idea through my head. It's nearly 11pm. I should probably go to bed and let my MC sit for a bit.

Oh, right, what I'm thankful for:

Having a damn good job.
Having a place to live.
Having a mother who cares enough to give me said place to live.
You guys because without you guys I would have no friends.
Books.

Okay, that was sappy enough.

It's NaNoWriMo time so when I actually turn on my computer (didn't four days last week), I'm doing that. I'm almost caught up from not turning on my computer, but you don't care.

I also have the issue of I hate typing on my new keyboard. It's stiff and some of the keys are in the wrong spot. Like the left-hand control key. I use that key A LOT. It's one place to the right of where it should be so I never hit it. I've ordered a new keyboard. It's the same model as the one I thought I was "upgrading" when it broke. This is a poorly designed upgrade. I'll sell it on eBay and most likely will get my money back. I still have the packaging.

Work is going well. I think I may actually enjoy my job when I get to do it for real. Weird. I'm carpooling in with someone, which saves me $120 a month in parking + gas, or $55 a month in bus fare + an hour waiting around every evening. He's in a wheelchair, so he also get seriously good parking spots. :-D That sounds so heartless, but I say it to his face, so whatever.

I'm really, really enjoying the NaNoWriMo write-ins. It's so nice to be in a region that actually does something. There's a write-in in Salem every weekend and I'm also going to the all-state write-in on the 22nd.

Working a government job, I actually have Veteran's Day off. We're going to the zoo, because why not go to the zoo? I also have Thursday off as my first furlough day. I work for Motor Carrier, so I'm one of those big, red "except for" offices and we have to take our 12 unpaid days off whenever we can. I happen to have a two-day weekend in the middle of the week. I didn't even think of Vet's Day when I requested it, it was just the only day this month someone else didn't have off. I'll be using Thursday to catch up/get ahead on my NaNovel.

I've pretty well stopped Twittering, so hopefully that means I'll get back to writing real entries. Maybe. No promises.

Okay, I have 570 words to catch up on tonight, not to mention showering and starting Unseen Academicals, so we'll call this an entry.

---

I'm generally actually amused. The worse the joke, the harder I laugh.

I know, it's a problem I've come to terms with.

So I've made it through two days with ODOT. I work for the Motor Carrier Transportation Division. Still not entirely sure what I do. Something to do with permitting and taxes for trucks. See, the woman training and I have had our manager/trainer in the room for all of two hours in the last two days. The rest of the time we've sat around. I read the entire manual for motor carriers today--all 141 pages--and that's the only reason I have a clue as to what the department does.

All I know is that after working here for any period of time, I'll never look at a truck the same way again. Kind of like being a geology major makes me see bad slopes to be building on and working in insurance makes me see what buildings are going to burn. Looks like I'll be working Monday through Friday from 8 to 5 for at least a few months. I won't even be on the phone for a couple months. Thank goodness there's, in theory, training this time. There's a ton to learn.

My manager/trainer was out on vacation the last two weeks and is retiring at the end of November so she's being pulled in 25 directions. I just have to keep reminding myself I'm being paid very well to sit around doing nothing. Though time draaaags. At least the woman hired with me is interesting.

My mom's coworker at the theater said he could probably find me a well-running Jetta for 1000 dollars. He's big into VWs, so it would also mean I have a mechanic for cheap. She asked him to watch out for a car for me. Though parking at work is 6 bucks a day so I'll probably start taking the bus in, which means I have to leave early and will get home way late because the bus leaves Salem at 6:00. Still, the 55 dollar bus pass is cheaper than 120 plus gas per month. Can you tell my dollar sign key isn't working? My keyboard should be here Friday, according to UPS, but it's already in Portland tonight. Crossing my fingers.

I start my new job tomorrow. I have zero idea what to expect. I'm not even totally certain of where I'm supposed to show up since my manager-to-be never bothered mailing me the letter she said she should mail to me but probably wouldn't because she was going on vacation 2 days after offering me the job. Since I actually asked on the phone when she offered the job, I got a vague, "Oh, go where you went for your interview and ask for me." It took three tries to get a time out of her.

I'm already praying this woman isn't my direct supervisor.

I'll wear something office casual because the dress code is another thing I have no clue on. Other employees looked pretty casual when I was there for the interview and remembered to look around.

I'm nervous. Trying not to anticipate hating my job, but it's hard not to. It's a friggin call center. Again. At least I'm back into DirecTV-level hours and benefits. Actually, the benefits are even better and the pay is much better even approaching my 3-year mark at DTV. I kinda hope I'm not the only one starting tomorrow. Group training helps me feel superior to my fellow employees. Sad, but true. Hoping the weeding-out process has gotten rid of the true morons here.

I'm annoyed that I have to pay for parking for this week of training and the carpool lots are not anywhere more convenient than the office and you have to pay to catch the bus from those, anyway. Apparently at the actual place where I'll actually be working, the parking is free. I really wish I knew where this place was. They mentioned a cross street in the interview, but I didn't catch it and don't know the Capital building area that well, anyway. I think they said Front Street, which seems to be out of the way of the really annoying congestion. That would be nice.

In other news, the number row of my keyboard has died. I went ahead and ordered a replacement because I never realized how often I use parentheses and other assorted punctuation. My End key is also dead, which I also never realized how much I use it. I love trying to find a cause. Trust me, it's not that something was spilled into my keyboard. It's made of silicone. I went ahead and upgraded to the blue keyboard that lights up since I would have had to pay for shipping on the cheaper one. Then I went and paid for faster shipping, anyway, but that's against the point.

Going to go see Where the Wild Things Are again this afternoon because why not? In the middle of reading And Another Thing... Seems to be the right tone. Still a little upset that it exists at all. A bit heavy on the deus ex machina, but that's kind of the point. All I pray is that this is it. Even without knowing how it ends. Okay, we got the characters out of the nasty spot Adams left them in, let them be.

I should be updating tomorrow evening to let you all know if I know anything more. Right after I get home from work, we're turning around and goign back to water aerobics, so if I'm still awake when we get back from that, I'll update. In other words, don't expect too much.

I get sucked in by the weirdest/oldest memes sometimes.

Click em for me?

Got sick over the weekend. Worked Saturday from 5:30a to around 9:30a, came home, ate something and passed out. Woke up once to eat, but basically slept through until late Sunday morning. Yesterday was full of cat naps but was awake a little more. Dared to go into work this morning. Got home around 10:00, ate lunch, and slept again until 2:00. Somehow I don't think this feeling-like-shit is all in my head. I just wish I wasn't so damn hungry. Cannot get satisfied. Trying not to gorge too much since I just got back on track with weight loss and I really don't want to go to the gym at the moment.

Only two more working days left, assuming I make it Wednesday. I have to make it at least Friday because if I don't finish out my two weeks notice, I can never be hired back at Target, and Target is a good backup plan (and/or part-time second job).

Found out today one of my competent coworkers also applied for the ODOT job I got. Heh. He never got a call for an interview. I guess my degree and far too long in call centers was a good thing. I just have to keep reminding myself it's just a foot in the door. I can do anything for six months to a year. Hopefully by then the hiring freezes are relaxed. It's much easier to transfer when already working for the state. Not to mention my benefits are great and I may even be able to retire someday since I'm starting before I'm 30. Once I've dug myself out of my financial hole, and I'm not living paycheck-to-paycheck, I'll actually start putting money away towards retirement.

God damn this being an adult.

Okay, I've been vertical long enough. Crawling back into bed.