I'm apartment-hunting, and am hoping to move into a new place by the end of the month.  Can anyone offer assistance with this?  My primary concern is going to be the actual transport of stuff.  I am planning to rent a U-Haul and just get it done with in a day, but I can't actually do this -- since I don't drive.  :( 

So if anyone reading this would be willing to accept my payment in exchange for their driving skills, please let me know.  You may need to be the one that actually "rents" the truck, but I will reimburse you for the cost, plus a negotiable rate per hour for your time and effort. 

Since I have Monday off (and am not using it for its intended purpose), I'm planning to do as many walk-throughs and applications as possible, and hopefully I can get a lease signed for November 1.

I would be really, really appreciative if anyone can jump on-board with this idea.  Let me know.  Thanks!

Thanks, everyone, for the advice.  I found the right time to tell mum (the first day of our vacation last week), and she has been perfectly lovely about the whole thing.  She seems to approve of my beau, and hasn't been nosy or anything (she seems to trust that this is something lasting, so she doesn't need to know everything right now).

Vacation was great.  The cabin was perfect, the whole resort and island was beautiful, and the service was top-drawer.  And luckily, I was still able to talk with the boy regularly.  :)

There's nothing much new, I'm staying busy, busy, busy.

I hope you are doing well!

So, I am really, really happy, as I am in love.  But!  How do I begin to explain it to my mother?  

I know that, "I met somebody," is the typical ice-breaker, but it really feels insufficient...whereas, "I met the love of my life," seems potentially freak-out-inducing.  I don't want to keep him a secret, at all, but I also want to do this the right way.

Anyone have any advice on this?

It's definitely NOT a temporary thing.

I didn't believe in destiny, but apparently, it believes in me.

I understand it, finally.  Because this is it.  This is...it.

Oh lord.  I'm doing it again.

I'm sure it's just a temporary thing...

Today, I am 23.  So far, I like it.

Of course you do!  So check out my new site for movie reviews, polls, and whatever else YOU want to see.  I'm open to all suggestions, and am looking for fellow enthusiasts to join me in writing for the site.  If you would like to write movie reviews or create other kinds of new movie-related content, please comment here, or email me at: thecinemavirus@gmail.com

The Cinema Virus

Per eatsoylentgreen 's blog, a quizarooski on spirituality/religion/faith that most corresponds to your views...here are my results:

1. Mahayana Buddhism (100%)
2. Neo-Pagan (89%)
3. Unitarian Universalism (89%)
4. Theravada Buddhism (88%)
5. New Age (84%)
6. Hinduism (83%)
7. Taoism (76%)
8. Liberal Quakers (73%)
9. New Thought (70%)
10. Jainism (67%)
11. Scientology (67%)
12. Sikhism (59%)
13. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (56%)
14. Secular Humanism (53%)
15. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (52%)
16. Orthodox Quaker (46%)
17. Reform Judaism (39%)
18. Baha'i Faith (29%)
19. Nontheist (28%)
20. Orthodox Judaism (21%)
21. Seventh Day Adventist (21%)
22. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (18%)
23. Jehovah's Witness (12%)
24. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (12%)
25. Eastern Orthodox (10%)
26. Islam (10%)
27. Roman Catholic (10%)

Take the quiz.

Here's a drawing I did for a fellow steamfashion member (curiouschilde )...she was looking for a front-view of a specific dress, I came up with a theoretical one...



Hope she (and you) like it...it sure was fun to draw!

Oh, and Happy St. Paddy's!

I was having a really good day.  Then I walked home.  My ass hurts--the ice attacked me.

Good thing it's going to melt before I do.  You know, cause I have a cold, cold heart.  And someday, it'll make me famous.

I had a preliminary telephone interview today, for a job.  It went really well.  I'm anticipating an in-person interview next week.

That's all I'm going to say about it for now.

Send me good thoughts, if you could.

=====

I'm drafting up a script for the first chapter of a (web) graphic novel.  It's fun.

I've decided (for a hundredth time, but really!) that if I have to find something to do with my life, it may as well be something I love. Go figure.

Basically, this means that I have borrowed a shit-ton (is that metric?) of books from the library. And I will continue to do so, until I have discovered what I am actually supposed to be doing with my time here.

At the library, I ran across a woman I campaigned and volunteered with last year. She is soft-spoken and deliberate, and she admitted to me that during her time in school, she struggled because of her inability to speak up for herself. She recently graduated, having studied children's literature and writing.

She gave me one of the nicest compliments I think I've ever received. She said, "you talk like a writer." So, if I can only write like I speak, perhaps I can be a writer after all.

I'm afraid that whatever I end up doing, it'll have to be on my own talents, without the aid of the magical "piece of paper."  I want to accomplish what no one else in my family has, but it does not seem to be in the cards, right now.  The hand I'm dealt is pretty good though.  I think I've got a good supply of bricks and mortar to start constructing my own place in this world*.

*though, I'm not entirely sure about permanent residences!

I am also putting effort toward the prospective collaboration with K.  She and I have a lot to sort out...but watch out!  I think we're the next Ben and Matt.

Okay, that's all I got for now.

Per eatsoylentgreen 's suggestion, here's my gratitude list for today:

I am happy & grateful that...

1. I have wonderful friends and family who still like me even though I mess up a lot.
2. I am healthy.
3. I have shelter, food, all the basic necessities of life.
4. I have a wonderful cat.
5. I'm literate.
6. I'm connected to the world around me in ways I can't even begin to understand (and I know that).
7. Spring is coming...spring is coming.
8. I'm going to get a job and start living my own life, finally...
9. I can do a lot of things pretty well.
10. This moment is all there is, and it is beautiful.  Thank you.

Have presently applied to four jobs. Hopefully I am not going to have to do this for very long. It's kind of exhausting constantly editing my cover letters and resumes, I'm up to 6 or 7 files for this stuff, already!

Not much else new. Need to get serious about finding an available apartment, and need to contact my lenders to ask for lower payments (or no payments) while I'm unemployed.

Also waiting to actually start getting unemployment. Kinda worrisome that there's some kind of conflict...should be resolved Friday. *shrug*

Keeping my fingers crossed and my eyes open. Will you too? I need all the help I can get.

I am looking for a job and an apartment.

Trying not to freak out, as it looks like the sky is falling down on me.

...where I only post on lj when things are less than optimum. Oh well. Here's the skinny, if you care:

I lost my job on Friday. I didn't receive any specific reasons for this termination, which is probably a good thing, in terms of acquiring a new job.

I'm looking diligently for a job I can keep, or at least, a job that will get my debt down to just loan repayments--then, I can finish school, and join the Peace Corps. I'm averaging at least 8 (more like 10) hours a day looking for a job. I have some prospects, I just need to finish my resume.

(If anyone would like to help me by proofreading it, your help would be greatly appreciated.)

I'm trying really hard to view this as an opportunity, and as the kick in the ass that I've been needing for a long time. Really trying not to get freaked out, or depressed (so far, I'm feeling pretty okay, surprisingly). I'm really hoping I don't have to wait too long to be hired. Really hoping.

Went to a career fair today--not any great prospects, but some useful info from presentations. Didn't stay for the whole thing, as I wanted to get home before night. Luckily, I made it to Neighbors before they closed (though, it turned out they weren't supposed to be open at all). See, I didn't really "network" during the fair, because I didn't have any nice-looking clothes to wear, so I just kind of hid out at the presentations. So, at Neighbor's, I picked up a couple of good interview/work outfits (slacks/button-downs/jackets). That was the highlight of the day.

Tomorrow, I'll be filling out applications. I AM GETTING this resume done, tonight.



Oh! And if you have any job leads, please, let me know. I type 70 wpm, can work in Mac or Windows, and am willing to do pretty much anything, provided I can make $12/hr or more (and benefits would be good, too).

I will bake you cookies if you can help me. :)

Okay, that's all.

Here's what's new in my world:

I dated a guy for about a month and a half, this summer.  We broke up last weekend, which was very disappointing.  But I'm doing okay, and he seems fine too.

I am not attending classes this semester, though I need about a year more of college before I receive my degree.  This is largely due to fiscal issues, which are caused by my being a horrific foot-dragger. 

Ah well.  Win some, lose some.

I'm still working with my summer employer, which has been a huge relief during a crappy time in my life.  I'm trying to view these changes and challenges as an opportunity for new experiences.

Oh yeah, and I'm super excited to see Barack Obama win this presidential election!

That's all for now...ta.

Had a great vacation, went on a great date over the weekend, have another one planned for Friday, and have tomorrow off from work.

I have a few old pieces of business to wrap up, but otherwise, I'm very happy right now.

My actions and results:

granted insurance coverage to everyone, ended No Child Left Behind, killed the Bush tax cuts, increased spending for public transit...

reduced debt from 37.7% to 3.7% in ten years;
reduced government size from 20.0% to 17.5%;
achieved green and efficient government.

Not bad, although I wish there had been some other choices, such as an equal percentage taxation system across-the-board (or at least for all citizens inside reasonable tax brackets, perhaps excluding the extremely poor), and some way to cut big pharma/insurance companies from having their hands in the health care system to the extent that they do. It seems like no matter what you do, you can't really decrease the massive spending and inflationary grown of the health and welfare systems--and I don't really believe that's the case. The answers are out there, but this game doesn't have them all.