On Getting Rid of Everything

Well, my mom is here (going better than expected) and we are working on getting rid of 90% of my belongings.  Ouch!  While in some ways it feels good to be liberated from all this stuff, it's kinda hard watching the last 10 years of my life be boxed up and going away with other people.  Most of the big stuff is gone, just the couch, the microwave stand and the bed in the spare room left.  Everything else is just small stuff, mostly kitchen, books and dvds.  I honestly don't know what I'd do without my mom here this week, nothing would have gotten done!  My roommate, Linda, has done a great job painting the apartment and all that's left now is touch-ups!

School is going well and I've been pretty good about updating the blog about it (journeythroughoci.blogspot.com).  I am excited to be learning why the stuff I make at home is inconsistent and what to do to make it better and improve everything for commercial production.

I move into my new place this weekend and I can't wait!  I need to find a twin bed to fit in my little sleeping closet.

My stress level is about an 85 out of 10.  My head is all discombobulated with irrational feelings and fears and wants and needs and I'm just not handling any of it well.  I have moments of sheer panic and breakdown.  The lack of a decent night's sleep and the stress of moving isn't helping either.  After this weekend maybe things will calm down and be a little quieter.    

On Starting School and Moving

School started yesterday, if you haven't already seen my other blog about it. (http://journeythroughoci.blogspot.com)  It's amazing so far and I love it!!  I can't help but feel a little sad though, someone very dear to me, my friend William that I mentioned before, is not a part of this, as I thought he would be.  Things just didn't work out that way.

My mom came in tonight, she's here until next Wednesday to help me pack and ship my things and help me move into my new apartment.  I really appreciate the help since I won't have time to do any of it.  I began going through my things last week and realized that there is very little of it that I actually want or need to keep.  I already have three large boxes in the living room of stuff I don't want.  It's amazing how much stuff I've been moving from place to place and can really live without!

The place I found to live is really awesome!  The house is Victorian and has a nice kitchen and a beautiful bathroom with a claw-foot tub.  There is a washer and dryer downstairs (YAY for not having to get quarters anymore!).  I will be living there with 3 or 4 other people (I'm not entirely sure).  The room I'm in is pretty large, with easily enough room for my couch, tv, desk and dresser.  The best part?  The closet is big enough to sleep in!  The plan is to use the room as living space and set up a small bed (most likely a mattress on the floor) in the closet.  It will be nice and dark and quiet!!  The price is a little more than I wanted to pay for a place I will be mostly just sleeping in, but it's a 10-minute walk to school along a lovely path and a 10-minute drive to and from work.  The convenience alone is worth the extra money.

Well, I had best get off of here and do my homework!  :-)

On New Adventures

So, as you know, the original plan was to move back to VA immediately following my graduation from OCI. Well, after talking to a friend and realizing that it's the perfect time to go, I've decided to take the trip I've always wanted to. I'm going to Europe for ~6 weeks!! My adopted little brother (we'll call him Harry) is going with me and I couldn't be more excited! We've started planning, laying out a route and figuring out exactly what we want to see. Yesterday I got done with an initial outline and realized that I wanted to rearrange it. Yay for too many awesome choices!

It's going to be a whirlwind tour, spending about a week in Ireland and then a few days each in Wales, England, Scotland, Spain, France, Italy, Prague and Amsterdam. We're planning to pack light and stay in hostels along the way, mostly taking the train from point to point. I'm so excited about planning this with him! I have always wanted to take a trip to Europe but I've always been tied down, whether by lack of money, having too much stuff or by a boyfriend. By the time I finish school in October, all my bills will be paid until next April, I'll already have sold/given away all my things to move across the country and since I am currently unattached, it is the perfect time to go. I may never have another opportunity like this!

In other news, I got the cast off my wrist yesterday and it is AWESOME! It's so nice to be able to wash my hands or use a computer mouse. It's pretty stiff, my range of motion is greatly limited by the fluid and scar tissue around the incision site but I started physical therapy yesterday which should help with that.

School starts on Monday (YAY!) and I am just trying to get all my student loan stuff finalized. I have Orientation on Friday when I will get all my books and uniforms and such.

I still haven't found a place to live after the end of April but I have some prospects. I've looked at a few places but none that I've been totally in love with. I have faith that something will come up soon. :-)

I had a really fantastic time at Rockband this week with Doc and my friend (hmm...maybe Mal because he made me watch Firefly) Mal and my new roommate. I wish I could have stayed and not gone to work. I will miss going to Rockband Tuesdays for the next 2 months while my classes are 4p-10p. Love you guys!

On Everything Changing Soon

Well, I am just over 2 weeks away from starting school and of course now is the time that everything changes.

My roommate of 2 1/2 months moved out this week after being the worst roommate in history. So now I am left with a filthy apartment and tons of dishes that he was hoarding in his room and no way to do them since I have a cast-thing on my right wrist from my surgery last week (that went well, btw, more later). I am definitely moving out of my apartment and into a studio or a roomshare by the end of April and therefore must pack, clean, repaint and sell all my stuff in the next month (ZOMG!).

Actually, I came up with a solution for most of the major stuff. This Tuesday I will be meeting with a girl who will probably be moving into my spare room for the month of April and she will be helping with all the dishes/cleaning/painting in exchange for rent. That will take a lot of the pressure off, I think. My mom has also offered to come for a few days the week I start school and help me pack, ship and sell stuff. While I am sure I'll probably regret it by the end of her stay, I am actually ok with accepting her help at this point. I'm feeling quite overwhelmed and in need of familial support.

The surgery on my wrist went well last week. It was very quick and except for some swelling, I haven't had a lot of problem with it. My friend Heath came and rescued me from the hospital and very nicely sat on the couch and watched movies with me all day in my semi-drugged state. On Saturday I flew to San Francisco and visited my wonderful best friend and her family. They were great to me and let me get away with not doing anything and Onyia even washed my hair for me (<3!). I get my cast thing off on the 13th and then I'll be back in my regular brace after that, but everything should be functional. The cast is annoying and it makes it look like I've broken my arm; the thing is HUGE!

I have really been loving going to Rockband Tuesdays at the bar downtown. It's a lot of fun and besides me and Doc, a whole new group of our friends show up every week. I will miss it for the 2 months that I won't be able to go after school starts!

It's going to be a crazy month...or 6...but it should be fun!