First Day

Today was my first day of class. For the first time in about 3 1/2 years, I had to actually sit in a classroom rather than try to stay engaged in an online setting. To be honest, I quite enjoyed it. One of the worst aspects of doing my Master's online was how disengaged it all was. While we had discussion boards that would force us to interact, there's only so much that will accomplish. Plus, it helps having the professor right there in front of you. Also I hated the thought of having my name associated with the cesspool that is Liberty University.

The first class that I took was Ethics & Community Relations. That's going to be about as exciting as an Ethics class will ever be. My night class was Constitutional Law. Again....about as exciting as a class about the constitution is going to be. But my afternoon class, the one I've been looking forward to the most: crime scene processing. We didn't do jack shit today but I'm so excited. There's also a lady in there named Queennez & I can't wait to learn more about her.

On a weirder note, there's a girl in that class that I knew as a teenager. We worked together at the movie theater & have been Facebook friends for a while; we've even been in communication since I enrolled in the program because I knew she was also in it. Guess what. Didn't even acknowledge me (not that I said anything to her but she's the more senior individual here. She should be taking me under her wing). Whatevs.

On a sentimental note, it's weird being back on that campus. When I stopped home schooling & went to the alternative high school, it was on that campus. I then took 2 years worth of classes there before transferring to Toccoa. So much of the campus has changed but in other ways it's still the same shit hole I remember. Some of the faces are familiar (professors, librarians, & janitors), but overall it's totally different. And I'm not some 17-19 year old kid anymore. Now I'm a 27 year old man-child living with his parents & commuting an hour to work at a damn coffee shop/bageleria. I've lived in 2 other states, graduated college, almost graduated graduate school, lost 2 grandparents, & lived with a roommate who filmed gay bondage porn in our basement. In some ways I feel like I've made several steps back by returning to community college but since the crime scene investigation field is one I'm actually interested in, this will hopefully be several more steps in the right direction.

200th Post

I will use my 200th post to say this...

I AM OFFICIALLY MOVED OUT! NO MORE SKIDMARK!

In other news, I will have a real post later on.

Hey Guess What!

Someone is moving this weekend! No more Skidmark. No more gay bondage porn. No more "roommate not speaking to me."

This will also probably mean no more fun stories, but that is just a risk I'm willing to take. It might force me to become more creative.

How Any 24 Year Old Would Want To Spend Friday Night

I should be working on a paper that's due Sunday right now. That's what I should be doing. But I'm not. No. Instead, I'm doing everything in my power but writing that paper.

It's supposed to be 10-12 pages long, which is all well & good, but the topic of the paper is not conducive to me being able to make it that long. It's on my cultural background & heritage, & how it has affected my upbringing & my family.

Wonderful. Except that it hasn't affected anything. I have Native American on my mom's side but that trickled out by the time my grandmother was born (though she got some reparation money because we had relatives who walked the Trail of Tears). And that's basically it. I'm part English, because of course I am.

I already told the professor I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm just going to write as much as I can, use as many sources as I can (because it's so logical to make us use 12 sources on a paper about our lives, right?) & hope for the best. My grades have been pretty good so I'm not expecting to fail or anything. I still want to do the best I can.

Also, I went downstairs & Skidmark is in the basement. I wonder what horror he is conjuring down there at the moment.

Slight Update

It appears as if I may have found a place to live. I should know sometime next week.

On another note, I'm way too drunk for it to be a Thursday. And for having only drank 2 beers.

Also, here are two pictures of me holding an adorable baby this weekend while I was in Georgia. When his mom got pregnant while we attended Bible college I was one of the few people who helped keep her secret. I'm such a good friend.

What. The. Hell?

I just found this in my basement not 5 minutes after I get back from my trip. I think I'm moving this week.

Jack-Off

Remember how I seriously have some of the most random situations happen to me?

Yesterday morning I was awakened to the sound of a wreck outside my apartment. I went back to sleep because I still had about 3 hours before I needed to be up & I don't get up earlier than I have to. When I did finally get up I looked outside to see a cop car, some maintenance trucks, & workers on the curb. Not on the curb? Our mailbox. That's because it was laying down.

Yes, that is correct. Someone ran off the road & took out our mailbox. And a pole.

I found out from Skidmark last night that it was the result of a carjacking on the N.C. State campus down the road. He lost control of the getaway car & then tried to jack a truck that stopped to help him after he wrecked. The almost-jackee (that's what she said) drove off because seriously, fuck that. The jacker (ugh...) ran off behind our apartment where he was then apprehended by the cops.

Methinks I need to move.

On the plus side, we already have a new mailbox & it's not directly on the street so there's no threat of me getting run over.

My Room

Ok. So here are the pictures I just took of my bedroom. It's still slightly a word in progress. And no, those aren't all of my DVD's on that big bookcase & no, those aren't all of my books on the small one. Some are still packed. And I'm terrible at making my bed. I'm even worse at lying in it (that was in reference to the saying about lying in the bed you made. Idiots).

Hope it suits your demands.

Minor Update

I moved into my apartment yesterday. Things are still pretty unsettled, but once I get things more organized I'll post pictures.

I've also been drinking nothing but Kool-Aid Jammers & beer since yesterday.

Truth.

Looking Up? Perhaps

So, for all intents & purposes, I have found a place to move! Wahoooo!

It's one of those deals where I looked on Craigslist (I know...) & found a reasonably priced place in a decentish neighborhood in Raleigh. I went yesterday to meet the guy & he's crazy nice & the place is pretty ok. I'm gonna get the biggest bedroom, so that's a humongous plus. There's even a basement with a spiral staircase! And the lease is month to month so if things don't exactly pan out as well as I'd like for them to, it will be easier to fix than when I lived with My Giant.

Don't quite know when I'm moving yet. I haven't signed anything yet. My parents aren't exactly thrilled that I'm moving in with someone I don't know, but hey, beggars can't be choosers. I don't feel nervous about this at all except that I've never been in a situation like this before & I'm going to miss being with my parents (even if they drive me crazy).

On another note, none of the online traffic schools that have sent me information on their services got my name right. Not a single one!

Also there are some issues with my Financial Aid at Liberty Online. I have complete faith that it will work out though because I have to.

The Current Sitch

In the past week, a lot of life has happened. It's looking like I'm going to need another car because it will cost almost $1000 to fix it & with as many problems as it already has & all those miles, it's just not worth it. So more than likely I'm going to take my dad's '91 Honda, they'll fix it up a bit, & they will get another car.

I hate how I'm so financially dependent on them. It makes me feel guilty.

Then my dad has been in the hospital since Saturday with pneumonia, hence the picture of me wearing the mask previously. He's doing a lot better but his fever keeps going up at night so they won't let him leave. He's really discouraged because he just started his new job & it just sucks that he's already missing time.

And now my stupid school in Florida said it could be 2 or more weeks before my official transcript can be processed, meaning that I might not be able to get an accurate credit evaluation for my transfer, making it difficult to sign up for classes at Liberty.

And on top of that I'm still trying to find a job, Sam has completely bailed on the apartment thing so I'm looking on my own (I don't blame him though. He's really worried about money), & online traffic schools are now sending me advertisements because of that dipshit cop.

On the plus side, you can definitely tell fall is coming. It's supposed to be in the low 80's this weekend & in the 50's at night. You can also tell that the sun is shining differently & the trees aren't as vibrant. It's going to be awesome to experience it again.

Damn

My potential roommate bailed on me last night while I was at work. I received a text asking if I could talk (I knew then what it was) so I just called him & he broke the news that moving this week was too soon for him. Which left me with 5 days to find somewhere to go.

Luckily, a guy I know through my counselor knows a guy at his church who has a 3 bedroom house & already rents out one of his rooms, so there's a possibility I could be moving there. It's supposedly a nice house & neighborhood. And there's a pool so maybe I'll be able to learn how to swim better. I called the guy tonight & he said he'd pray about it & get back with me tomorrow. I almost said that we could skip the praying because I know God doesn't want me homeless & just get on with the show, but that would have been rude & I respect that he wanted to pray about it.

If God tells him no, I'm screwed. I will have exhausted practically every avenue I have.

On another note, I'm behind on my schoolwork already. Gone are the days of yore when I was weeks ahead. I think most of it has to do with me wasting 3 days apartment-hunting with someone who was WASTING MY TIME!

Oy!

I decided I didn't want to live with those guys I didn't know & share a bedroom, & thankfully one of my classmates asked me Tuesday if I needed a roommate. How convenient? We've been apartment-hunting since Wednesday & it's been crazy stressful. We have found some great places but either the timing is bad (we wouldn't be able to move in until after I have to move out) or the price is ridiculous. We found some places where the price wasn't too astronomical but there was a very good reason for that. There was an awesome condo we would be subletting but the guy we'd be subletting it from seemed kind of sketchy.

This morning, however, we might very well have found the perfect place. Very reasonably priced, a seemingly safe area, & decent sized. The only negative is no washing machine or dryer in the apartment & only 1 bathroom. We will probably take that.

My Giant is still wanting to live with me. He came a'calling last night to tell me about this condo he wants to rent. I asked him if he thought it would be a good idea for us to live together again, to which he responded by saying his only beef with me was that I was a hermit & proceeded to apologize for being selfish with not cleaning up anything. Then he told me about his life & asked me to go clubbing with him. I had nothing better to do & I wanted to see if things would be different to I agreed.

But first, I played Mario Kart 64. Then we went to this hookah club where he danced like a doofus (I can't even describe it) & I messed around on my phone. Then we went to another place where he danced & I messed on my phone. Then we ran into that fetish kid who used to live with My Giant. And some drag queens. And some random people we both know. And a man of questionable intelligence & sobriety. And then we went to another club where My Giant used to work & sweet bejeesus, he cannot dance at all. It took everything in my power to not stare/laugh at him. I ended up sitting on a bench/sofa thing near the door for about an hour or more, occasionally fighting off My Giant trying to pull me onto the dance floor. I was waiting/hoping that this guy we knew & had run into earlier was going to take me to a bar like he said he would but he left without my knowing because his group was too drunk.

The fetish kid apparently has built a model of a 1930's convertible that he drives around, so My Giant wanted me to drive his convertible (ha!) back from the student center but I walked because I hate driving others' cars.

He just came over while I was writing this to ask if I still wanted to move in with him. I told him I had probably already found a place & he looked like I had crushed him. Dejected, he lumbered back to his apartment. As my mother says, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. And I was not going to get fooled again. Though I kind of want to bring him in as our 3rd so our rent would be cheaper...

I also stepped in puke in the bathroom. It was around this time I thought to myself, "Self, you had been in your pajamas & almost ready for bed. How did you end up here?" And on a Thursday, too.

As an aside, that guy that's been crashing at my mom's house since DECEMBER told her that I drink, which means someone's been creeping on my Facebook or on here. Screw him.

Well whadaya know?

Today I got the official word that the school isn't renewing the contract with the apartment I live in & have to be moved out by May 15th. This pissed me off & when I get pissed, I get pro-active. So I called the number of a potential apartment place & asked if they still have room. And they did! So I went & checked it out.

This all happened in the span of about an hour.

So I was almost homeless in two weeks for about an hour.

The apartment itself isn't spectacular but it's nice enough. Great location (right across from Barnes & Noble & the sushi place I love. I could literally throw something from my balcony & hit Barnes & Noble). Less than 10 minutes walking to school. Only $435 a month which is GREAT for West Palm Beach. Only downside is...I have to share a bedroom because there will be 3 other guys living there. But for the price, location, & the desperation I feel, that's awesome. Plus it will get me around people more & maybe I can make more friends.

Also feeling the desperation? My Giant. He started talking to me today while I was walking on campus (& talking to my dad on the phone. Rude) about how he found a 1 bedroom/1 loft place about 10 minutes away from school for $499. I wonder who would get stuck with the loft...

Though it might would be a better decision space-wise, I cannot with good conscience live with him again. And does he not remember last semester at all? Did he forget about how he ASKED RESIDENCE LIFE TO MOVE ME OUT?!

So what did I do? I told him to talk to me about it later. I'm a dumbass.

Because of course

I almost literally lost my damn mind today whilst driving back from Toccoa to West Palm Beach. I couldn't sleep last night & knew I wouldn't be able to because I always have a hard time sleeping before driving a long distance so I left at 2:45am (just like my trip to Toccoa). Only this time I almost went crazy.

Now usually when I am travelling the wonderful highways that connect West Palm & Toccoa for 12 hours I phase out some. But today it was beyond that. I actually thought a palm tree was a person at one point. I couldn't concentrate. I was tingly. I was nauseous. And when I stopped at Cracker Barrel & they were still serving breakfast I wanted to cry.

Once I made it to about an hour away, I was finally able to get in touch with my mom & talk to her some to keep me somewhat conscious (because talking on the phone is so much better than falling asleep & thinking pieces of nature are humans). I start unloading my car & who is the first person I should encounter?

My Giant, of course.

Because of course.

He started talking to me about how they probably are going to kick us out of the apartments but if they don't or if they require us to have roommates he is offering me my old room back.

Was he even present for all of last semester? Does he not remember how we could barely be civil to each other? Does he not remember that he tried to get me kicked out of my room & into another apartment?

Anyway, I told him that if they try to make me move into a dorm I'm just going to get my own place with my loan money. He seemed to have a hard time computing what I was saying, or maybe it was just me because I was so fracking exhausted.

Yay?

So I found out the apartment I live in is renewing their contract with my school, which means I'm not under as much stress to find a new place as I once was. However, I'm still going to try to move out because I'll be 24 in July. It's time to get my own place (roommate or not).

In other news, I have a proposal due in my class on Tuesday that may or may not be ready because my partner may or may not suck. I hate group projects.

And yesterday I went to a conference at 9am in Boca Raton about restoring marital intimacy when a spouse is a sex addict. Hey, it got me out of doing a paper. They also charged some of us from my class $10 & didn't charge others, so I went back & participated in the following exchange...

Me: Hi, I'm part of Dr. Henry's class.

Lady: Oh, ok.

Me: Um, you guys charged me $10 & didn't charge other people in my group.

Lady (while looking at me like "what do you want me to do about it?"): Ok....

Me: I'd like my money back.

Lady: I don't know if I have any $10's left.

Me: I can wait.

I got my money back & promptly went to Dunkin' Donuts to get me a dang Coolata or whatever it's called.

I had to lead my small group in my Groups class tonight. I'm not gonna brag, but I was awesome. And I rewarded myself with a big-ass Chipotle burrito.

Also, I found out today that the apartments I live in are going to be continued next year so that takes a lot of pressure off of me, though I still am going to try to move off-campus because I'll be 24 this summer. It's time to be off-campus.

Weekends

Tonight is the 5 week anniversary of how many Friday nights I've been at my apartment alone. Go me?

I finished writing my paper for my Human Development class. Now alls I have left to do is start doing my part of the Group counseling proposal, do those 2 psychological tests & write about them, & study for my test on Wednesday.

Also, I sent my job interviewer (I forgot to write about that) a thank you card today. I almost doused it in my 11 year old cologne but thought it to be a bit too much.

Well, I'm off to maybe watch "The Godfather" for the first time. Or not. I dunno. I really want to Skype.

Late night

Definitely should be in bed. Instead, I'm sitting here listening to Owl City & thinking.

I applied for a job yesterday as a case manager at a family center place. One of the girls in my Master's program works there (other people do as well but she's the one that told me about the job so I'm using her the most) & I'm hoping she can at least get me an interview. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do if I'm not able to get a better job. The school is going to make all of the students who live in the apartment complex move in May because their lease with the church who actually owns them runs out & they aren't renewing, so we all have to leave. I knew this going into it, but I wasn't expecting things to turn out the way they have down here.

On top of getting the job for financial reasons (it pays very well for someone like me), I also want it because it will help me feel like a real adult. I've felt like I was in limbo for a while now, & it's getting worse. I still feel like a teenager, though I know I'm not, & people expect me to be an adult, but I can't support myself, etc. I mean, my parents still pay for basically everything except my food (when I'm not home), DVD's, CD's, & clothes (they sometimes get those as well).

I don't want people to think I'm ungrateful because I'm not at all. I appreciate my parents & their willingness to take on these added financial burdens while I'm still a student, but it would be nice if I could do SOMETHING.

If I can't get a job, I'm screwed. I don't have any friends I could live with, & my parents won't be able to take on the extra burden of rent for me. I may end up having to take some time off from school which would fuck me over even more than throwing off my schedule because I have to be a full-time student to have insurance under my parents.