Confessions of a One-Track Mind

Like the job, HATEHATEHATE the phone. Every time I turn around, it's ringing for bullshit that has nothing to do with my job. No, I can't afford to buy aluminum siding, I don't want to take yer fracking survey, and I don't give a fuck how much she owes you, Tyesha is no longer at this number, now fuck off. (I *never* had this problem with BrightHouse.)

Money is making me insane; I'm so damn close to not having to worry, and I'm gnawing my knuckles. GK is going to help with Geico, now I have to figure out the rest of it. I'll have some coming in from January, enough to take care of the water bill and Allstate, IF it arrives in time...IDK. God knows what I'm going to do at the end of February while I'm waiting for my February check to show up in March.

Right now, I'm so tired I just want to crawl into bed. Just waiting for the confirmation email from GK. I'm going to kill anyone who wakes me Saturday before 10AM, I swear.

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In some ways, it's nice to be home. I know where things are, for one. I'm not being pounced on by cats at 5AM. I have LJ, at least for now.

On the other hand, Mb is a great force for getting shit done. Last week, with her prompting, I applied for a new Social Security card, reapplied for food stamps (my benefits ran out during the Terrible Toe Debacle, and I hadn't gotten around to re-apping), renewed my Tracfone, sold my solid silver pre-1965 half-dollars for enough money to pay Allstate, and hocked two of my Dad's Gulf service pins to pay Geico.

I had enough "left over" to put $16 worth of gas in my tank, just over 4 gallons at current prices. I lost a chunk of tooth while consuming rice cakes and tuna, had one of my bedroom fans die, and tonight, my toilet is leaking around the base---and it doesn't seem to want to dispose of solid waste. I expect my cable/internet to be shut off by this time next week. *headdesk*

(Oh, and did I mention that by the end of this week, I'm supposed to renew both my car tags AND my driver's license?! I am SO screwed.)

However, thanks to Isaac, the humidity has been sucked away and it's been temperate. I actually dealt with my sinkful of dished at midday without melting down. That was shortly after a phone call from GK, whose fav thrift store was having a Labor Day half-off sale, and she wanted to know if I needed anything in particular. Yay, CARE package!

Anyway, that's what's up with me.

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In addition to paying some bills---I have an $89 credit with the water department, go me!---I went shopping online for glasses. I have my 'scrip, I was on the "Glasses start at $6.95!" site, had three pairs picked out, readers, drivers and *cringe* bifocals. I was all ready to order; I'd joined the site, had a code for an additional 15% off---and then the bottom dropped out, because they don't offer the level of correction that I need. My right eye is -12.75, and they only go to a -10. Grr.

I've investigated a few other sites, but either they don't go past -10, they only carry designer frames that cost more than I was ready to pay for THREE pairs, or they're out of the US, which makes me a wee bit nervous.

So I figure I'll check out WalMart, as they're about as cheap as bricks and mortar retail gets, although Eyeglass World (where I got my exam done) has a pair of frames that I am totally in love with, never mind that they're WAY over my hypothetical budget. Although there IS a BOGO going on....


I'll keep you posted...because I can!

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Okay, so I'm at the library. Got a coupon class in a few, so I'll try to get y'all caught up. The weather is diabolical---the sky is solid gray and it's been raining fish off and on. However, things are looking up IRL!

Yesterday afternoon, I took a brief nap (after spending the morning running around---got the light bill paid with help from T, who also delivered Susie's iPod (I can just hear John Larroquette's voice saying "Ipp-odd?".).Anyway, I was all happy about *that*, then the doorbell rang.

It was a nice-looking clean-cut young man with a van pulling a great big trailer, who announced that an "anonymous friend" had sent him to mow my yard, would that be all right?

I gave him my blessing (I'd've given him my first-born, if I had one), and he spent the next hour and a half taming the wilderness. I suspect PJ is behind it, but I will respect that anonymity and just mention it as a joy tomorrow during "Joys and Concerns". Then, on Monday, I will ring up the gal from the county and ask her to come out and inspect it before it grows back. With all this rain, it's a distinct possibility.

So, my yard is civilized, my lights are on for another billing cycle, and I have some shiny new tech to play with*. Now if I could just figure out how to get it to play with the wireless system here at the library, I'd be set for life. And my iPod timer just went off, letting me know I need to migrate toward the class, so later, gators!

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*Although I will definitely be editing her playlists. I do not share Susie's taste in music!

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We were supposed to have two sessions today, but it ended up being one very, very long one. This dog was referred to us as "the chihuahua from hell"...snapped at his owner, wouldn't let her get a collar on him, let alone a leash, and led us a merry chase when we tried to do so. Last week, we cornered him and got a leash on him---by feeding the leash back through the wrist loop and getting that around his neck.

His owner is more of a problem than the dog himself is. She's in her mid-70s, has never had a puppy before just adult dogs---this little guys is a year old and spoiled rotten. The owner follows the line of least resistance---he doesn't want to wear a collar? No collar. He refuses to eat dog food? She lets him eat cat food---which btw is a BAD thing, in case you didn't know---it's too high in protein and can really mess up a dog's kidneys. He doesn't like riding in the car? She holds him in her arms and holds a peppermint stick for him to lick! She has little faith in his ability to change and doesn't seem able to carry out assignments from week to week, so today J and I took him for intensive one-on-one training.

Poncho hasn't given us nearly as much crap as we'd expected from his nickname. Today, *I* got a leash on him with a minimum of drama. We got him into a crate and he whined a little as we were driving, but not howling as his owner described. J has a friend with two small, happy dogs, and we took him over there for a brief visit. Her friend put a leash on one of her dogs, I had Poncho, and we walked them around the perimeter of her yard...by the time we got back to the front steps, Poncho's tail was up and wagging. We got him over to J's place, where she borrowed a small collar from another friend. She held Poncho, and I put the collar around his neck---and adjusted it a couple times to get the right fit---without snapping, snarling or fussing. (J is very happy with me.) She picked me up a little after noon, and I didn't get home til shortly after 8---it was a long day, but a satisfying one.

Oh, one other small annoyance: I got up this morning and found my water was turned off. Not just pink tagged, OFF. I had just enough in the bank to pay it up and get it turned back on, but I'm basically broke now. The only reason is because the extortionistic SOBs demanded a new $100 deposit from me...of all the utilities, I hate these guys the worst, because wtf am I supposed to do, flush with bottled water? Drill a well and pump my own? It's a fucking racket!
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GK arranged a small family reunion for today, which she thought she told me about. I ransacked my email and the only thing I found was a "I'm thinking about---" mentioned in the reply to something I sent her. Luckily, I called her this morning before church and found out about it. I "cut" church after Joys and Concerns and went over there. I was hoping to make it back before CUUPs, but that didn't happen.

Most of the attendees were siblings of Kat's late husband. The younger generation consisted of GK and her siblings, BC and Dr Bizarre and all their respective offspring. GK's husband was there, Dr Bizarre's fiancee was there, while BC's wife was home asleep (3rd shift, poor thing, for about 20 years now). CF and here daughter were there as well (a mutual high school friend of GK, Red and myself).

I'll have pictures when I finish the roll and can afford to have them developed. Dr Bizarre's hair, eyebrows and beard are all tinted a flaming fluorescent yellow. He had on a Nightmare Before Christmas tee shirt and companion belt. No fishnets under his denim cargo shorts, though. He's mellowed.

I've got my insurance payments made, I need to get the FPL bill paid and my car tag renewed. That's everything I can eke out of the current check---I still want to top up my tank, as a general precaution.

I went through my pantry and was horrified by the amount of stuff I ended up pitching---BEST BY 3/2003?! Oh dear, oh dear! But I have pasta, rice and quite a lot of couscous (although I'm not sure how fresh the couscous is), veggies fresh, canned and frozen, and several pounds of frozen turkey, so I shan't starve. I may go get a couple more boxes of that tea---I made another batch this evening, it's quite good---and I'm feeling rather virtuous. Aside from medicinal Excedrin for my shoulders in the morning, I'm not swilling caffeine and haven't for almost a week. Go, me!

Here's what's going on. Tonight is my last night at the C's. I go home after work tomorrow, to a house with no phone, cable or --SOB!-- internet. Cable company wants beaucoup bucks*, which I won't have until a week from today at the earliest, and then, knowing them, they're going to screw around and make me wait for a service call to reconnect me.

What this means: I'm going to have to snatch net access when and where I can, so if I fall off radar for a while, that's why. Don't panic. I'm not in traction (although my shoulder does make it an viable option at times), I'm not mad at anyone, I'm just experience technical difficulties beyond my control.

The good news: Everything else is caught up. I have paid both car and home insurance, my FPL balance is $0, and the water bill is about $3, which I can pay with cash on hand. (I'm not THAT broke, thanks to the C's.)

I am trying to be philosophical about it; hopefully without all the attractive distractions, I can get some writing done. (Writing, cleaning, organizing....)


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*Like, about $200. Not an ungodly amount, just more than I was able to carve out of last week's check.

Okey-dokie. FPL is paid. First thing I did this morning after reaching for the caffeine and Excedrin. BIG sigh of relief!

Making plans with missybrat for Sunday afternoon---shopping after church, yay!

Found out at work yesterday that we're all facing mandatory overtime next week. Mine is a week from tomorrow. I'm not overly thrilled, but wtf, it's money.

Also going on there: I'm being reassigned. Same department, I hasten to add, but answering fashion calls instead of casual. The way it works is, apparel is divided into three categories, casual, fashion and footwear. Everyone has a primary category of calls they get---mine has been casual ever since this system went into effect---and a backup, mine being fashion---and the third category we only get calls for when there are no primaries or backups available. So in fashion, I'm going to be backing up footwear, and I'm fucking pissed.

Yes, I can imagine your shock. Fluffy, unhappy about shoes? Not shoes, FOOTWEAR. We have FitNazi---athletic shoes, the callers are insane sports fanatics and I could not fucking care less. There's Bunions R Us; I have never had a call from anyone under 60 for these people. They're stubborn and/or senile and make the Geezer Britches callers look downright reasonable. Butch Boots...them I don't mind so much, because most of the time, they love the product. Major problem here is people whose their kids swiped their credit cards and ordered custom boots. And then there's another company that just launched last month, I don't even have a name for them yet! But NONE of them have cute shoes, shoes *I* can wear, and I am really dreading the whole damn thing.

I'm GOOD at casual, damn it! I don't mind fashion, I back up for them now, and the ONLY good thing about this mess is that it means I'll be included in the LeSnobbi training later this month. (They stopped including the backups in training in spring, and it really hurt. They give such juicy loot!) Other than that? Ugh! I hate footwear! *scowl*

Oh, and that also means I have a new supervisor. I'll really miss Sweetie Boss! The gal I'll be under...I know her from when she was a rep, and I like her as a person, but I'm concerned as to what kind of supervisor she'll be. I'm worried that this is a machination of Uber-Boss to get rid of me.

Meanwhile, yesterday was White Trash Queen training, very disappointing: No gifts, no snacks, and the broad sitting next to me just plain didn't give a fuck.

Damn, I'm ready for another long weekend!

Placing my faith in ang5fam's assertion that the water department takes several days to deposit checks, I swung by there after visiting the library and floated a check for $100, which will take care of my bill and then some. That won't work for FPL (power), so I'm going to hold my breath and hope that they won't cut me off at the stroke of Thursday midnight. My direct deposit will be in first thing Friday AM and I can either do pay by phone or run up to the ATM at WalMart for cash and hit the pay station on the way home.

I stopped by Kat's after that and fetched home my clothes, pillows and provisions. Chalked my departure up to the difference in our hours, which is true to an extent, but wouldn't be if I was sleeping in the guest room instead of on the sofa bed. Let's see what happens when GK gets down again---I *really* want to hear her reaction to "the cat sleeps in there"---because she's more likely to speak up about it. Me, I figure Kat was doing me a favor, it's not my place to criticize, and if she weren't on the meds, she would probably not have been so inflexable.

The library...god, I love the library. I got online the other night, made a few requests, and now I have discs 1-6 of Band of Brothers. I've been hearing about it for quite some time from shanghai_jim, caught a couple eps last week at Schnauzerland, and was intrigued enough to want to see the rest. Thanks to the miracle of free (borrowed) media, I can. That looks like what I'm going to be doing with my free time for the next week.

Ah, home sweet home....

I took a closer look at the pink tag of doom that was hanging on my door. In fact, they have NOT turned off the water (as I discovered when I flushed), but they are threatening to do so if not paid on or before Thursday. (WTF is it about Thursday?! It's the day before payday, AND it's the pay-or-die date for the water bill and FPL.)

I'm home again---I still have stuff at Kat's to retrieve, but I have a major case of There's No Place Like Home going on. I don't care if it's hot here, I don't care if it's a mess. It's QUIET. No one is thundering around on wood floors early in the morning, there are no strange noises, no cats, I'm not confined to a mattress that's four inches thick and slightly narrower than my ass, and my computer does what I fucking tell it to do, albeit slowly.

Depending on which counter you trust more, my Jericho WIP is up to 4500 or 4800 words. And it's been enlightening: I knew about Melanie's backstory when I started---she's my OFC, after all---but this afternoon, Jonah Prowse dropped a dime talking to Bill. I had no idea!

There's nothing sweeter in the process of writing than the moment when your characters start telling you things about themselves that you didn't know when you started the story.

Oh, and btw---the begonias are thriving!

The fireworks on the beach were lots of fun. It was supposed to start at 9---it was late---but despite the plethora of electric lights up and down A1A warning that unsanctioned fireworks on the beach could cost a massive fine, there was plenty of amateur activity.

I hung out with T and his brother L---S was out of it---and we watched and schmoozed. S's decline was one topic for discussion---we agree that unless she pulls herself out of it, she probably isn't going to last more than another couple years, if that. I've known her for 25+ years, and I've seen her go to extremes, but this? She's the only one who can save herself, but she's let go and is drifting.

I left the guys to it sometime around 10. Drove back, still plenty of pyrotechnic activity going on alongside the causeways. Stopped by my local WalMart for a couple things and bumped into someone I haven't seen in quite a while---a mutual friends of ours, missybrat---you'll know who I mean when I say he's doing the same thing there that he was when he worked around the corner at WinnDixie. Was much pleased when he said how good I looked---was wearing a tan top with black and white print, brown capris---nothing special---but he commented that I'd lost quite a lot of weight. Considering that when he last saw me I was still with HWSNBN and I weighed around 393, er, yeah. I mentioned this and named numbers, which seemed to surprise him, but they're only numbers---I roll my eyes when I see one of those tabloid covers picking on someone who WEIGHS 200 POUNDS!!. Oh, please. I haven't weighed that since the second Nixon administration!

All was well until I walked up to my front door and saw the dreaded pink tag: My water's been cut off. This is unfortunate, since I seriously need a shower before church tomorrow. Luckily, Kat invited me to come stay with her before I departed with the C's. She took pity because of my lack of a/c, but that plus lack of water? I intend to set an alarm for Very Early tomorrow and see if I can zoom through her shower and still make it to church.

It looks like the coming paycheck is half gone already. Yikes, what a life! But all things considered, I'd rather be me than S.

The check is deposited, the electric and water bills are both paid, I have groceries and my foot is improving. I'm still limping, but I can limp faster, if that says anything.

More as it happens.

Got up and called the Sharing Center. They have no funds. Called the Salvation Army. They have funds, but can't see me until next week (by which time I'd be sitting in the dark). Called my bank to check my available balance.

There was about $2 more than I needed for last month's payment. I zoomed down to the bank and snatched it and bolted to the FPL pay station and gave it to them. (ang5fam, PLEASE beg Ben not to deposit that check until the 17th if at all possible for everyone's sake!)

You'd think that would solve the problem, but I came home and checked my FPL balance by phone and they're still threatening me for the October bill, which is $90. *sigh* Now, probably once they adjust things, I'll have at least until the next bill comes out...I hope. Right now, my net worth is under $5, divided between my wallet, checking and savings.

I think it's time to start bagging up cans.

The good news is, the only thing wrong with the laptop is, it needs a new keyboard. R_Happy plugged it in with a USB keyboard and says it worked fine. I *thought* I could use my folding Palm keyboard, but realized after a half-hour of fruitless mumbling that there's no way to connect the two. So, either I get a USB keyboard or a SB adapter for a "normal" keyboard---I do have spare kicking around---or I cough up $30-50 to have the one in the laptop replaced, which I'll probably end up doing anyway. Eventually.

Did a little bit of clean-up in the front yard while I was wating for R to arrive. I've determined, regretfully, that my ceramic dragon is too severely shattered (by hail a while back) to be repaired. Alas!

And then there's the really bad news: I paid both insurance companies AND my car tag, which seemed my most pressing problems, only to find a final notice from the power company in today's mail. They won't grant an extension; I tried that right off.

At this point, I think I WOULD sell a kidney if I could get any takers.