Car-less, down one phone, reaching 300, strange dreams

Colonel Roy Mustang from 1st Fullmetal Alchemist Series. 

I'm sorry if I have missed something important in the blogosphere. I will eventually catch up on everyone's news, even if it takes me one blog at a time. I have been really busy lately, and yet not. 

We visited a friend on Monday and then Amanda took our friend Fiona home yesterday. Fiona had been here for quite awhile actually. While I appreciate all her help with cooking and cleaning and hanging out, I was ready for her to go home. Nothing against her, I just want time alone with Amanda. Anyway, in taking Fiona home, Amanda left the car for Fiona's Dad to work on for the rest of the week. We've been really concerned about a squeeky belt and also the car sounds like a fan that has paper stuck in it and since it is the only car we have at the moment and can't afford to replace it anytime soon, we need to keep it running. 

We are also down one cell phone. Amanda left hers at her parents house yesterday when they brought her home. We should get it back this weekend though. So she's been using the alarm on my phone to help her wake up in the morning. 

I have had some pretty interesting dreams as of late. Strange, intense, and vivid. I want to write them down but I'm only recalling tiny bits and pieces, feelings or notions, not enough that I feel I can string together properly. Oh well. This is what I get for not writing them down as soon as I wake up.

Yes, I am still pretty deep in the world of Fullmetal Alchemist in so much as I have watched a few episodes of anime here and there, looked at some pretty pictures, read some doujinshi, and am still working on the rewrite of my fanfic. I'm less than 30 pages from hitting the 300 page mark and I've still got a lot more to do. I figure if I have to, I can cut some stuff later. Amanda thinks I should post it, so people can see the difference between the story then and the story now and the progression of my writing... I may have already mentioned this- it's been awhile, sorry- if I haven't well, now you know. I don't know if I want to post it or not. Right now I just want to finish it and edit it. Then enjoy it for myself. I've got a couple of friends who want to read it. I know if I sent it to my Mom, she'd read it. It's kind of weird but I kind of wish Amanda was interested in reading it. I've told her a lot of it, asked her for her opinion on some things, brainstormed with her, so she pretty much already knows it. She'd not really the biggest fan of heterosexual romance stories and that is okay. She did say that she'd rather read and help me edit my novels when I get my ass in gear to work on them.

Speaking of novels. I've been getting images and feeling drawn or tugged predominately by three different characters. One is a mage, one is a witch, and one is a dragon. All three want my attention, all three want me to write their stories, and I've had to put my foot down because I am bound and determined to finish the story I am working on. I have such a hard time finishing stories, especially bigger ones, that I feel I simply must end this one before I can move onto another project.  

Oh and the other night, while attempting to lay down (I haven't been about to really lay down since surgery, kind of hurts and I am such a stomach sleeper), I came up with another Fullmetal Alchemist story. Mostly I was overheated, in pain, and trying to tell myself a story to help me go to sleep. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't. That night it didn't. But I got to thinking, after telling Amanda and Fiona about it later, that why make it fanfiction when I can easily make changes and create my own world, my own magical system, and so on. So yeah, that's another character that's wanting my attention. 

While writing has encompassed a good deal of my life lately, at least I don't feel manic anymore. I'm actually a lot happier and feel better than I have in a long time. I'm watching anime, listening to music that calls and inspires me, I'm not worrying about what other people want all the time. Shit, I've been laughing a lot more and louder. I almost peed the other day from laughing. It's been ages since I've laughed that hard. It's kind of freaking me out. I didn't think I could get that loud. 

On the family front, my Grandparents are still in the rehabilitation center trying to get well enough to go home. I haven't spoken to my parents in a couple of days and need to. Everyone else seems to be okay, at least no one has called, messaged, or e-mailed me any different. 

Well, I have had enough of a break and it is time that I get a little bit more writing done before I get too tried to hold my eyes open.  

The moon for sleep, cars, facing realities

The moon for sleep because I should be sleeping at night rather than during the day. However, today that was not the case. I slept all night just fine, got up, made myself breakfast, ate, and sat down to start the day's homework and that was that. I missed five calls and several text messages. If I look at it, I got up around 8, probably fell asleep around 9-9:30 and didn't wake up until nearly 4 pm. I don't feel rested or refreshed. I have a head and neck ache. I'm pretty sure Amanda is upset with me because there was something she wanted me to do today and I didn't get to it. I've slept my best homework hours away as well and now I have company in the form of Fiona. So, I get to do homework after dinner tonight. Why after dinner? Because I am expecting a Skype call from my parents and Grandparents this evening. In other words... I am not happy.

On a side note, I have a bruise on my stomach that I don't remember getting. That could be from Narcisa using me as her own personal high way. But the three bruises around my elbow don't make sense. I don't remember banging into anything. 

Cars. Amanda and I went out to look at possible new-to-us used cars. We found and fell in love with the Dodge Journey and it was almost within our budget. It had under 100,000 miles on it, as gray like the one depected below and was a 2009 model. I really love that car and more to the point it was comfortable and roomy to drive in.

I told the guy showing us the cars that day that I am fat and a lot of my friends are fat, we need to be comfortable. I was blunt and to the point. I refuse to buy a car that I am going to hate driving and riding in.  But we didn't buy it that day and won't anytime soon in the near future and I will get to why in just a few. 

After we looked at the Dodge, we headed out of town and out of the state to go to the Silver Valley of Idaho- we used to live there several years ago- to the Dave Smith dealership. I will never go back there again. Our sales rep was unprofessional. She did not take pictures of a driver's licenses before letting us drive the car, she didn't even drive the car off the lot like she was supposed to. Someone else had to do it. It was really packed in there. Plus she let us get into a car that hadn't had the proper safety checks done. she also seemed pretty lack luster about all of it. Oh and the car we were in was a Volvo and Amanda loved it. However, the Dodge was a better deal and more importantly the back seat of the Volvo was actually painful to sit in. The seat belt buckle was stabbing me and there was no way to adjust it to make it stop.

So why aren't we getting a car right now? Despite the fact that I am terribly worried that Amanda's Kia won't hold out for much longer and thus am hyper paranoid on the highway- especially after yesterday's rush hour traffic near disasters (People drive like lunatics)- we don't have the budget for it. If we could get our monthly payment down to say 150 bucks, it would be tight, but we could manage it. But over that, it's a no go. Especially since we have to pay full coverage car insurance. Until either my Etsy business- which is in the works and I will talk about at a later time- gets up and going and I turn a decent profit from it, we sell our novels, and or I can find a job I can actually do -which will not happen until after I have my internal girly bits removed (I would cut them out myself today except I could die), we can't do it.  I don't like it, but it is what it is and honestly, I am mostly okay with that. I'm not surprised or shocked really. 

We are thinking about adding to our family soon, however. Not in the human way, but in the small furry with whiskers way. I wouldn't mind an older cat, but we have discussed it and really think a kitten would work best for Narcisa. She's motherly to a couple of her toys and we think she would do well with a kitten. Then she also has the opportunity to declare who is Queen of the house and not have too much opposition. We think. Honestly, it could go the other way. We have found three potential kittens and if they are still there after our current guest goes home in a few days, we will go get one. We would go while our guest is here but she has a lot of animals and we don't want to encourage her to get more, especially since she want to move. Landlords are very picky here. 

Never Again! Why does everyone think they need to talk to me today?

Not that long ago when we were having trouble with our Kia, we called a mechanic friend of ours, who helped us out once before and who also helped our friend Chris. Well, Chris, who had also come out to help us- because we'd thought we'd just needed a jump- gave him gas money. As it turned out we had an issue with our battery that was easily solved but the guy who came out, ended up getting some battery acid on a pair of gloves. We told him we would give him money to replace them. He said, at the time, that they were only 8 dollars. Since then, he has gone and bought gloves that were 18 dollars. 

Well, he's been asking for the last couple of days if we had the money. We do, we were going to give it to him yesterday but Amanda wasn't home in time and his wife went to work. Then, Amanda forgot to leave the money behind with me today and has it with her at work. So this guy decided that he would just go up to her work and get it. This is after he's been calling and messaging me all morning. Now, he is sitting up at Amanda's work, waiting and freaking out because she isn't outside. I told him that she is probably still on a call that she can't get out of and just be patient, she will be there. I have e-mailed her, I have called her direct line at work. I can't get a hold of her so she is either in a meeting, on a call, or helping a fellow employee. She is a lead after all. Sometimes breaks don't come when they are supposed to. 

Oh thank the gods, Amanda just e-mailed me and said that she got him the money. Geeze, with the way he acted, it was nigh life or death. I mean, honestly, we had it for him, we just needed to work out suitable logistics to get it to him. I also don't mind replacing things or reimbursing someone for work or gas money, but harassing me with bizarre desperation for two days straight is not helpful.

I have also learned that he really ticked off our friend Chris today.

***UPDATE EDIT- I just got a message from this guy stating that he wasn't sure what the miscommunication was, he was expecting 20 dollars. The gloves were 18 dollars. He said 18 dollars. Then he added that he went out of his way to help us. He got gas money that day, I don't see the problem. If he wanted 20 dollars then he should have asked for 20 dollars not 18. OMG THIS THIS is why I never ask anyone for help. 

Needless to say, if I ever have car trouble again, I will just call someone else. This is kind of ridiculous and I just don't want to have to deal with this crap again. 

Lastly, this guy aside, my phone has been ringing like crazy today. My college adviser has called, my doctor's office has called not to tell me about any referrals, but to see if I would come in earlier tomorrow morning, and there were several other calls from numbers I don't recognize. Most of the time no one calls me and now all of a sudden every one has to talk to me. Nope. 

Songs from my childhood, cars, Grandpa's endorsement

Big Head Todd and the Monsters

Because its almost 4 am and I had annoying song stuck in my head, I am listening to songs from my childhood, and I thought I would share. This is one of my Dad's favorites. We were actually talking about going for drives and playing name that tune and listening to music in the car when I was a kid. My Dad said that most people talking about how they peaked in high school or college but he thinks he had the most fun in the 90s with me while taking drives and listening to music in the car. I really miss that too. 

Cowboy Junkies: Sweet Jane

So I don't know the fuck is going on with all the cars this year. My car broke several months ago. Then we had to replace all the tires on Amanda's car. Chris's car died. Amanda popped one of the new a tires. A&B, a set of friends of ours, their car died at Costco. And we just got a call about an hour ago that Birdy's car died at Wal-mart. So we went to get our friend Tsuki and her groceries home and try to jump Birdy's car. Dram, who took Tsuki to the store, was on his way home when I called him from Tsuki's house, so at least there is that. But this is nuts! Amanda and I are of the opinion that the squeaky belt on her car need to be fixed A.S.A.P before the only working car of our local friends is toast. 

Edi Brickell & New Bohemians: What I am

I also spoke with my Grandparents today. My Grandpa was having a good day, he remembered that they went to the Neil Reunion (where he went to high school) last weekend as well as who I was. He asked me what I was up to and I told him that I have been looking at possible Grad Schools. So of course he wanted to know what I was going to Grad school for. I told him Creative Writing. He said I would do well because I am a Richardson and all the Richardsons write well. Then he told me about all the Richardsons in the family- people I have never heard him talk about- who all write. Which is cool, I just wish I knew who some of these people are. But it's nice to have his endorsement, even though he's only read and torn apart a couple of my school reports. I don't often share my writing with my Grandparents because I know Grandma wouldn't like it. LOL. She apparently didn't like her mother talking about Brownies hiding things in her house, I don't think she would like all the magic and well, some of the themes that show up in my stories. 

Aside from that, we didn't make it to fight practice after all. Amanda was tired and things got weird at her job. She will be working 11 days straight staring Monday. Someone quit and fouled up everything. But then she will work Sunday- Thursday! She will also get some overtime which means maybe we can fix both cars!

And lastly, one of my theme songs. I actually "borrowed" this CD from my Dad. 

 

Garbage: Only Happy When it Rains

I just found a 90's play list on youtube, I may not be going back to sleep for a little bit. That's okay, Narcisa is happy we are awake, she wants to play. 

Eye exams, apartment managers, grocery shopping, going to witch club, and a messy house

Today, after I pick up a friend and then Amanda from work, we are heading to one of the malls in town for Witch Club. Today it is just a social meet up, but it is a smaller more exclusive group. Well, not the social meeting parts, but there are some things that are more private. A friend of mine took it over from one of her friends and I am excited to see what she creates with it. 

My house is disaster but it is coming along. Amanda is getting caught up on the laundry because I just haven't had the where-with-all to deal with it. But I was feeling better yesterday and did a lot in the kitchen. Since I exploded a pie plate (set it on a burner and then turned on that burning thinking it was a different burner) we are still finding glass in the kitchen. When they say blow something to smithereens, I really did it! I had to vacuum out the silverware drawer and the broiler drawer of the stove yesterday. But aside from cleaning up glass, I did the dishes and then spent about an hour cutting up veggies and some fruit to freeze. I like to basically create meal bags on the weekends so I don't have to cut up lots of veggie if I am not feeling up to it or don't have time. This also makes sure that nothing goes to waste because I forgot it was in the fridge or on the counter. 

Since Amanda had the day off yesterday, we went grocery shopping. There were so many people out for the middle of the day. I thought, oh it's lunch rush hour, but after that, there were still a lot of people out. But we managed to get just about everything we needed. Amanda is looking at a laundry cart thing and I told her to get it but she wanted to wait. There was also a brace she was looking at for her heel that she wanted to wait on. Basically having to get 4 new tires for the car set us back a little bit, but we'll be okay when she gets paid next week. Then we can start focusing on getting a belt for her car and the fuel pump for the Jeep. After that, it is a matter of figuring out what is going on with the heater and air conditioner in the Jeep and fixing the door lock on Amanda's car. Although frankly, I am so ready to trade in both cars for something else. We were talking about the possibility of a truck or even a minivan, but I think we will probably go with a mid-side SUV.  

So, while we were out yesterday, we were kind of looking at the different suvs around. We also talked about a 5 year plan and working toward getting a house, which is awesome! As soon as Amanda started talking about if we really wanted to settle in this area, five year plan, and taking some kind of class that her boss is taking to help get a house, I pretty much wanted to snog her, but I was driving and she'd just had Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for a treat. Since I had been out of allergy meds for two weeks and was already itching like crazy, I didn't want to push it.

I can't decide if I like my apartment managers. They are strange. I can say that I think a 75$ late fee for being one day late on rent is utter bullshit. Yes, we were one day late in getting the money order to the office, but that is only because I spaced it the night before when we got home. No, I don't have t pay that much this time. Apparently they have a one time waver where you only have to pay 25$ for a processing fee. Which s bullshit too, it should never cost that much, but whatever, I will get them the 25 and be done with it.  I also call bullshit on them being able to kick us out in a matter of 3 days if we couldn't pay rent. This was just some of the explanation one of the ladies was giving me yesterday. This place is obnoxious with all their rules and regulations. No worries, I'm not planning to move anytime soon. In fact I don't want to move until I get a house or if this place becomes intollerable and I don't see that happening. Although, I may end up blowing a gasket if the kids don't stop beating up on the trees, running up on my patio, and leaving muddy hand prints on my windows. Like my Dad said when I told him my annoyances "Get of my lawn!" It is true. I have a territorial bubble about my house, lol. I don't want anyone within a certain distance unless invited. Animals are the only exception.

Okay, last thing, I had an eye exam this week. Because I knew my eyes were going to be dilated and I already have a light sensitivity, I had a friend take me to the appointment. The nurse I had was brisk and a bit rude. No, I didn't look fancy, but why put on make up when you know they are going to be putting something in your eyes? But that wasn't really her problem. Her problem with me was that I am fat. No, really, I did not read her wrong. When I got into the exam room and tried to sit in the exam chair, the arm rests made it impossible. So, I asked her very politely if they moved up. She looked at me then the chair and sighed and proceeded to tell me that she'd never had to do that before. The arm rests did move up and we got on with the appointment but she was annoyed that I had to adjust how I was sitting so I could lean forward for a couple of things. I just wanted to tell her to knock it off, grow up, and get over it. I didn't, I was super polite but she couldn't wait to get out of there. The eye doctor was nice but he seemed to focus on some of my medicines and asked if they are helping me. I thought that was a little strange and a little invasive, but whatever. 

The end result is that I do need new glasses and I took my prescription and came home. I've already ordered them and they are on their way. Bonus, I got three pairs for what I would have paid for one pair by going to Zenni optical. I basically got a main pair, a back up pair, and finally a pair of prescription sunglasses! And here are the pictures of them starting with the sunglasses. 

I couldn't resist the dragon pair. Because DRAGONS!!!

Vid calls with Mom, Jeep problems, New friends, emotional flux and coming soon...

I made a meme with a meme generator. One of the first few nights we were in our apartment, Narcisa perched atop Amanda's hip, waiting for me to settle down so she could lick my neck (yes, she still tries to nurse). Anyway, the red light from the Halloween chain lights Amanda bought this year made a creepy picture, so I grabbed my phone and snapped a quickie before Narcisa could move. I think it turned out okay. Amanda likes it.

So, we have had a more eventful weekend than we wanted, but its actually a really good thing. My Jeep decided to pitch a fit which meant that we left it at the park and ride where Amanda catches the bus for work Friday night. Saturday we had a few errands to run and after talking with both our Dad's and Napa Auto, it was decided that the problem was either the fuel filter or fuel pump. so starting with the cheapest first, we bought a new filter and headed back to the Jeep. It was NOT as simple to remove the old one and install the new one. In fact we had to jack up the jeep and Amanda had to lay under the car to get to it. BUT, a very nice man, who turned out to be a mechanic, pulled in and asked us if we needed help. I had already called my friend Birdy and she was on her way, but hey, any help was welcome. Birdy arrived shortly there after.

As it turns out, it wasn't the fuel filter, it is the fuel pump. But we couldn't leave the Jeep at the park and ride because it could get broken into, stolen (although no one would really be able to move it), or towed by the city. We decided to try hooking my jeep up to Birdy's SUV and towing it home. Well, we got the mechanic man some coffee to repay him for helping us. While Birdy and I were gone, Amanda and he talked. We now have a mechanic who will help us with our cars if we get the parts- we will pay him of course- and he's a fellow Pagan. But this story gets better.

After he left, Birdy's step Dad showed up with a towing rope and we were getting that process started when the mechanic man returned with his wife. Apparently he liked us so much that he thought his wife should meet us. To make this long story shorter, we got to Jeep home, made friends with the Mechanic man and his wife, who are very sweet, and Sunday they came to our IEPG Imbolc. They really liked it!  It was so cool. I really, truly think that in a way the Universe or the Gods or both are working some magic of their own because it feels like they were there when we needed them and we are here when they need us. 

On to Video calls with my Mom. She called me last night shortly after I got home and wanted to do a google hangout chat with me. I had Birdy and Dram over but thought, why the hell not, she doesn't call and ask for video calls and it's nice to see her face when she's so far away. During the call, we talked about food recipes, she met Birdy and Dram, lectured Amanda about the importance of watching Sense 8 (which I agree with her on, sorry Amanda), and I showed my Mom my apartment. It was really nice. I would like to talk to my Dad via video chat soon too. I was supposed to have a video chat with my cousin but blew it by forgetting what day it was. I will say say in my defense that I had a horrible pain day that day and ended up sleeping most of it. So I am going to have to catch her again later. 

Okay, onto the emotional flux. I have been so emotional lately. I was incredibly upset and hypersensitive the other day over little tiny things. Amanda and I even had a mini spat. Today, I was following the Pagan Ministry Council chat on my phone and someone said something and I lost my shit. I was table flipping pissed! It was so fucking ridiculous and two seconds later, after being so angry, I started to cry. I felt like said person had finally broken my brain. Granted there has been some other things that have pushed me beyond my high levels of patience with this person, things that are never and will never be resolved much to my annoyance, but I am trying to let that go because there is nothing I can do about it. Seriously, there is a long laundry list of issues that I am trying to rush off. But it is easier said than done when that person repeatedly does or says- you know what, I don't care. I am done bitching about it today. 

I was talking to my friend Chris about how angry I have been and upset. she theorizes that while I am always on my period from the PCOS and my hormones are out of whack, I am still cycling through them and I might just be able to chalk it up to PMS. I don't know why I didn't think of that. I swear Chris has the patience of a saint. I hate venting and have told her so but she says that I have to get it out and she doesn't mind. She also said if I am being an ass, she will tell me. I cherish that honesty. Especially since I don't want to be an ass. 

Now, what's coming soon? Well, tomorrow a couple of my friends and I are getting together at my house to have a hair dying party! This is what I am planning, I don't know if it will turn out this way or not, but I am hoping. 

  

Lazy day, cats, sewing projects, studying of happier things.

Welcome to homework with Narcisa. She's the reason I'm constantly having to sweep cat hair out from between my computer keys and this was a day she was behaving. Most of the time she tells me that I don't really need to take notes and walks over my pen while I am writing only to sit on my hand. She loves to stand on the mouse pad or lay across the keys or better yet, to knock everything off my desk and steal my pens. She's ever so helpful! The video was taken a couple of weeks ago.

Galen is still sick but we've talked to the vet and he's got another round of antibiotics. He is still eating, drinking, and using the litter box, and even gets excited for treats, so I am hopeful. I went to a candle magic class and a girl there talked about how she rolled a candle in catnip and did a spell for her cat when it was sick. Apparently it worked pretty well. So, yesterday I got out a tea light candle, carved Galen's name and the word Heal into it, sprinkled some catnip and added a few of his hairs to it. I then focused my energy and asked Freyja, if it was to be, if she would be willing to help Galen heal. Then I burned the candle. I thought about doing it this everyday but maybe once a week would be better. 

I have officially finished this school term. Thank the Gods! I'm coming out okay, passing both classes with better grades than I was shooting for. Frankly I am so happy to be rid of that term I could dance. I have a week off and then I start the next term, which is critical thinking in philosophy and the english language- grammar. Both look like lots of intensive homework, but I am okay with that. I am sure I will have a grievance or two later on, but for now I am choosing to be excited for the new classes. 

I have some sewing projects that I wanted to get accomplished. Mostly its shirts and I wanted to start Amanda's and my t-shirt quilt. I even did the design mock ups last night for my shirts. But I don't know that any of my sewing will actually happen this time around. For one, we have to take the car down to Fiona's so her Dad can look at it and see what needs to be repaired. Fiona, Amanda, and I are going to Seattle in the middle of March. More on that in another post. Anyway, we are doing that Tuesday and coming back on Wednesday, and bringing Fiona back with us. Thursday is my birthday and a Full Moon Ritual with our group. I'll probably spend the rest of the week after that getting ready for the next term and I have a feeling it will be extremely slow going. 

I'm having trouble with my period again. I've been having it for the last two months and the day before yesterday it decided to go into overdrive. So I get to wear the big monster pads that are almost like diapers, sit on a towel, and stay close to my bathroom, which is starting to look like a crime scene again. I'm trying to keep it as cleaned up as possible but sometimes, I only have enough energy to wash my hands and get back to the bed or my desk chair. I haven't even had anything to eat today. And I am so very tired. So, I am going to lay in bed today and watch a couple of the movies I've been wanting to watch for awhile and get some reading, of my choosing, done.  And if anyone is wondering, yes, I am eating lots of iron rich food and protein and taking an iron supplement. 

Vehicular Woes

No, this is not my car, my car is white, and currently sitting in a local repair shop. The mechanic will call me and let me know if I will have to pay $300 or over $1,000 to get my car fixed. If it is the latter, you know what he told me? He said that I might as well sell it because they would have to tear out the whole front end.

SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!

I can't afford to fix it and I can't afford to sell it. Mainly because I can't afford to get another car and Skoora's is still out of commission since we couldn't afford to get it fixed either.

I really don't want to be down to using Amanda's parent's car. That will make things very difficult. At least there is a free bus in town if I ever need to get to the library.

And I suppose I should get signed up at the Plasma place near Hayden. I could make 50 bucks a week selling myself off like a little blood whore. UGH!

I'll be okay and less angry tomorrow after I know something for sure and when I don't have a screaming headache.