In which life continues...

I babysat Justus. Nothing unsual happened. Screaming, drooling, hair-pulling... One new thing, though, is that he's starting to walk. He stood up and took two steps by himself. He took about five the other day for Angie and Jeremy. Walking children are terrifying... imagine all the stuff he'll be able to get into!

Anyway, Jeremy got home about two, so I went home and relaxed on the couch for a bit. During which time Jason thought it would be funny to dump a glass of cold water over me... I tried to stuff some ice cubes down the back of his shirt. It didn't really work, though... Apparently Marines are all trained in ice-cube self defense. This isn't over, though... I'm gonna ice cube him when he least expects it!

Anyway, I was also called into Turn to sign some papers and confirm my starting date, which is MONDAY!! I'm rather psyched. The lady in charge said she wants to start putting me on the schedule ASAP. Apparently, they're stretched for hands. I haven't got a problem with that. Boy, do I need a paycheck. I just sunk my last $8 on this planet into my gas tank to get home. The thing is, that because of this late start in working, I'm not going to have much saved up. At all. My bank account is empty. My first paycheck will most likely go to paying back my mom (since I owe her plenty, plus, she's lending me money to register my pickup) and to fixing my pickup, which needs a new water pump. Not the cheapest critter to put in. That's assuming that they pay monthly, and not bi-monthly, in which probably my first two would have to be dedicated to repaying debts. After that, I have about one more month to work before school starts. Hopefully I'll have saved up enough to at least buy my books.

That leaves one more worry. Somewhere to stay. Angie and Jason are going to be remodeling, so the room that is currently mine will be demolished and turned into part of the garage. I'm not going to have time to work at Turn with everything else that's going on, and the Journal, though I love it, doesn't even pay enough per month to make rent on a camp trailer, much less to live on. I can't afford the gas back and forth from my parents' house, either. So... the backup plan...

My friend and ex-editor, Angie (not the Angie I live with... I know lots of Angies...), once theorized that all a person needs to live comfortably is a car, a gym membership, and a cafeteria meal plan. Sleep in the car, shower in the gym, and eat at the cafeteria. My happy little pickup has a camper shell to put on the back, and I have quite a few happy memories of camping out in the back of a pickup. Now luckily, at SUU, a student can use the swimming pool, and consequently, the locker room showers, for absolutely free. Therefore, I wouldn't even need a gym membership. The small salary that reporting pays will keep gas in my truck and food in the cafeteria, as long as I'm frugal.

Now, before you go off your rocker about how I'm actually considering this bit of insanity, chill for a second. I don't consider it as "ooh, I'm destitute, I live in a truck," I think it would be an adventure! Need a change of scenery? Fine! Park somewhere else! The Journal office has a fridge I can keep things in if need be, as well as a bathroom, and computers I can use. And, it's open to anyone with a keycard at all hours. A keycard, which I shall acquire at the beginning of the semester. Economy living at its best. I really think it would be fun! Now, this isn't some brand-new idea manifested recently. I've been wanting to do something like this for years. I always wanted to camp out under the bridge by the high school. I love the idea of roughing it.

The only real problem would be Tovie - as in, what would I do with him? Obviously, he can't stay locked up in my pickup forever. Speaking of the little butthead... he got into the garbage tonight. Between him and the wind, it was scattered all over the yard. Jason was not happy. I was not happy either. Stinking little garbage hound. He seems to enjoy chewing on dirty diapers, and this was the object of his garbage diving tonight. Little stinker. I've got to figure out a way to break him of that or I doubt that Jason is going to tolerate him around much longer.

I have been wondering lately, about dreams. About whether they really mean anything, or if they're just random babble our brains spout during the night. Last night I had a weird/disturbing dream. There was a wedding, and I was helping set it up. It was Jim/Virginia's wedding (they're already married, so that's a bit odd). I was setting things up, when suddenly, we received word that Aaron, who had gone back to Iraq, had been killed in battle. It was three days from his own wedding. Mom and I were horrified, devastated. Obviously, we didn't feel so festive about planning the other wedding anymore. Jerry, who was supposed to perform the ceremony, was very angry with me, because I couldn't pretend I was happy while I strung up balloons. He told me that at the moment, my brother's death wasn't the important thing, and that I needed to focus on Jim and Virginia. I got angry, and I left.
What the heck kind of messed up dream is that, and how did it get in my head?

Anyway... tomorrow beckons! Aaron is getting married tomorrow, and Justus will be cranky, and there's city council meeting. Ever life continues onward.
--Anna Grace