The state of things

Sadly, I will miss the State of the Union tonight. I have to go watch a high school basketball game as one of my final duties of shepherd of the teens.

However, I am sure the stand up, sit down routine will go smoothly as usual even without my viewership. The annual stories of the Florida orange picker and his wife whose lives have been dramatically changed by the current president's policies or the mother with three kids, all missing limbs, who can now go on living because she shook the commander in chief's hand will be told. The token miniorities and military personnel will be present and will clap wildly as all cameras are directed their way. The response from the opposing party is always the same no matter who it is or what party they come from: The president has good intentions but ultimately sucks however we have nothing of real value to say. God Bless America and all that, too.

Four more days of "work. Five days til the move upward. Oh and having to file taxes in two states sucks.

Back from the city

I found an apartment. It's maybe a third of the size of my current apartment, which I have successfully filled with stuff. So, this will be a challenge. I apparently am forced to trade a nice cushy, fairly cheap apartment with a garage for a tiny-ass apartment, expensive rent and no parking without the threat of being towed when it snows. This apartment, however, was the best of the ones we looked at other than the one in drug alley.

It'll be a big change, one I am pretty anxious about. Figuring out what roads to drive on, cramming my furniture through the small doors, trying to find a place for my stuff, not being scared of someone breaking into my apartment... yeah. I'm only three miles from work, 9 minutes according to Yahoo maps.

It wasn't as cold as I expected although it was unseasonably warm. I need to be smart about getting my car warmed up, wearing hat and mittens, etc. Everyone there is young which will be a refreshing change.

This week will be full of goodbye stuff, final packing and throwing away marathons and then my parents come Friday, and we move Saturday. I don't start work til next Tuesday so I'll have one day to sit. Sort of. Sometimes I don't think I am ready for this adult thing. Ok, actually most of the time. I miss my mom, my friends and my biggest decisions being what I eat for lunch.

This job should be fun. Get back to me in six months about that one. I'll get to go to LA in just a month so that will break things up. Hopefully I can be there for a few years. I am tired of moving.

Things that suck

- Moving companies. Their window for delivery is 2-14 days. Again, this goes back to me hiring men that I don't own. Minneapolis is five hours away yet it might take them two weeks to arrive while I am sleeping on the floor.

- American Airlines. Half the time I call they say they are too busy to even put me on hold. Now, that is busy. Then, they refuse to give Edie a Sunday flight. There is always an empty seat on a plane. Always. Besides how many Sunday travelers are really flying from Minneapolis to Kansas City?

- People who work on cars. I am still not over the fact I had to pay almost $200 for my fuel injection system to be cleaned because I was pumping gas for it to start for three weeks so it got dirty. This was because they couldn't figure out what was wrong with my car for three weeks.

- Edie says the Price Chopper at 87th and Antioch sucks. It's probably like the Walgreens on Brady St. Some kid hit me with a sword yesterday because his mother was not controlling him. She was too busy bitching about how she didn't feel like buying her daughter a $5 piece of crap toy.

- Burned tongues, chapped lips, paper cuts, fat people, the word "extraordinary," broken windshield wipers, clogged drains, sour milk, exboyfriends' drunk dials and blue highlighters.

The response

Bush is speaking at K-State for the Landon Lecture series as I write this. Consider this my running commentary much like the Democratic reponse after the State of the Union. Although I do keep losing my connection and RealPlayer keeps rebuffering making it a little difficult to have coherent thoughts.

For the first five minutes, Bush made jokes. He's not funny. Not even close to funny. The only funny things he do are unintentional or using words like "youngsters, thugs" and "folks.Then he repeats a university official telling him "I appreciate you believing in free speech." Then my player cut out. But I can only assume Bush said he believes in indiviudal freedoms like free spech except when you are at the library, work, doctor and anywhere else the govt. finds it appropriate to moniter your every move. Oh and paying columnists to write good things about him. Go free speech!

Within seven minutes, Bush jumped on the Sept. 11 horse and talked about his resolve. That horse has got to be tired. He then went on to defend himself about committing troops and said he knew what the consequences were. I don''t believe this. If he knew what he was getting into then what was that little "Misson Accompished" act when the war was anything but close to over.

It was cute how he said he was OK with people disagreeing. Just like how every "town hall" meeting is screened for dissenters to ensure the 7-year-old stands up and says "When can I be in the Army and give my life for my country? "Also kind of cute how he says he doesn't listen to polls and surveys of his constituents. Democracy just rolled over in its grave. I agree with Bush that he shouldn't be making decisions based on any USA Today poll, BUT when more than half the country that elected you thinks you suck at your job, it might be time to reevaluate otherwise how are we any better than any "tyrant" that governs a country based on their own beliefs rather than the country's will.

He's laughing about how the CIA/FBI kept secrets from each other. Hillllarious. I hate the Patriot Act even more than I hate Bush. He says there are no complaints against misuse of the PA. If the threats still exist the tools must be in place. AH! I do hope knowing what library books I am reading helps keep tall buildings intact. Onto the new surveillance program. I do think the media is making it worse than it seems, however it opens the door to just murdering civil liberties. I think I would much rather live "in the world we live" without thinking my own government was spying on me.

Time for questions: 1.) President of cattleman''s association, salutes the president for his efforts. Just wants a comment, no question. 2.) Sudan. Ooh, potential for real question here. Bush says we have been active and played an important role. (insert shameless random plug for faith-based programs here) He says it's really too complex and would require another lecture. I''d like to attend that one. 3.) China and Iran relations. Good answer, insert Golden Rule plug, he was impressed with Chinese churches and then invites Americans to go see Chinese churches. FIlibuster joke has he wanders and plugs hydrocarbons. 4.) American-Iraqi woman salutes Bush on freeing 27 million people of Iraq. PERFECTLY PLACED. Bush calls her out and asks for a question. She never asks one. She keeps interrupting him to praise him more. 5.) British man asking Bush to talk about how awesome Tony Blair is. Bush then touts his decisions about hating the world court and the Kyoto treaty. My dad who is in the crowd is probably rolling his eyes at this moment. Continue love-fest for Tony Blair. 6.) ROTC guy asks about leadership in general. Bush says faith, family and friends which generates wild applause. Says his dog is the son he never had. He believes in what he is doing. That, I can respect although he's generally wrong. He works out. You should too. 7.) Bush-loving woman who served in Desert Storm. Thanks for not listening to the critics and keeping your promises. Alito: how does it stand (because I don't read the news). Judges should interpret the Constitution (and overturn Roe v. Wade) and Alito is just fabulous. Oh and Sam Brownback, too who helped run the hearings. 8.) Student asking about social security. No it won't be viable when students are old. Guess we''re fucked. It's Congress' fault by the way. Just get a savings account, duh. 9.) Girl gives him a letter. Odd. 10.) Eduction budget was cut 12.7 billion dollars. No, no says Bush "I think" we reformed the student loan program to make it work better for you. Silly girl. He's gonna check when he gets back to D>C though. 11.) Laura Bush is great, plese talk about her. She reminds him of people from Kansas. He loves his wife. 12.) HAHAHA. Kid from my high school. Funniest kid alive. Asks about Bush's opinion on Brokeback Mountain. He hasn't seen it. Fabulous question. 13.)Altaf Karim. Something about nuclear weapons and getting rid of them. 14.) Hispanic woman asks something about green cards. Bush says his obligatory Spanish word toward her. Then says borders should be secure. Catch and release program. Just like the possums in my backyard. Temp. worker card. Please do our shitty jobs for pennies. We know you are doing jobs that we wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole.

He's gotta go now b/c Laura is making dinner. Riiiight. God bless you and America. Cue the presidential theme music. Crowd goes wild.

We-Haul, U-Pay

Because I am not a tall, muscular male (or own one), I have to hire a moving company. I am haunted by those 60 minutes shows about the companies that lose your stuff, find out they actually sold it to hobos who set it on fire for warmth. I know this will happen to my furniture.

So I pretend to be a responsible consumer by getting quotes, reading consumer reviews and checking with the Better Business Bureau. This is the most I have ever done to actually care about where my money is going because frankly, I like my couch.

Every consumer writing a review either had no problems or is suing the company and is scheduled to appear on Dateline next week. This is completely unhelpful. So I went with what is cheapest because I find it absolutely ridiculous that I have to pay more than $1,000 for something boyfriend/husband/brother could do.

Now one must choose a company even though they have: 1. No new apartment. 2. Nothing packed, and 3. Money. because they need two weeks notice or more.

Then they have to come look at my stuff to give me a quote of how much muscle mass it will take to haul it down three flights of narrow stairs, into a truck, across state lines and into my new nonexistant apartment.

Not so idolish

Only two more days of work til the weekend. Jo is coming! I am SO excited. It's the first visitor I've had other than my mom, who is obligated to visit me.

By the weekend, I will have made a decision. I will know where in a month I will be living. I'll have probably made a few people's lives much more complicated and a few others disappointed. It's funny how one measly decision can have opposite effects on people but all you have to worry about is yourself, which sometimes seems to come so unnaturally.

But Jo will be here, and things will be more familiar and fun. Plus there will no doubt be alcohol, movies and shopping.

Tonight due to the lack of motivation to change the channel I was forced to watch the American Idol auditions. It reminded me of my pet peeve of people who don't know they suck. It's beyond me how people don't know their limitations and attempt to sing on national TV with voices like that. So sad.

Signs

If you pray for a "clear sign" and then while at a job interview you see a sign that says nothing but "Take this job and Enjoy it!" is that the clear sign in a very literal way? Or maybe just one huge coincidence.

I wonder if God sends clear signs when we ask for them and then gets really annoyed when we assume they are just freak moments that aren't really spiritual. If I were God, I'd probably flip over my desk and wonder why I even bother coming to work everyday.

Regardless, I feel like at 23 I am completely unqualified to make big life decisions. Even with potentially clear signs from a much higher power than myself, I still feel the intense urge to throw up. A lot. There is so much pressure to choose what makes you happy, don't settle, don't compromise, blah blah that instead of enjoying it all, it all becomes too overwhelming.

How at this age am I supposed to know what will make me happy? Usually I can't even figure out what I want to eat.

Freaks among us

Because I now do nothing at my job other than look for new ones I''ve spent a lot of time on Craigslist. These people are FREAKS.

Sure, it's fun to fantasize about apartments in my future city for $2,000/month for rent or something like that, but I am highly disturbed that some of these people could be living among us.

For example, this grossly overweight woman of more than 400 pounds who was requesting people come and walk on her "from barefoot to high heels" to relieve her stress.

Another guy was doing a couples study and needed people named Sarah Johnson or Joe West.

A family was pleading with people to help him shop using the coupons he had saved that all expire today. And then asked for a couple dollars for food.

Joe posts a letter stating his undying love for Brian because the events of 9-11 made him realize he should tell people he loves them ... four years later.

And finally my favorite, "does anyone know anyone who does eyebrow threading?"

Firsts

Since this is my first blogger post, here are some other firsts:

First time I rode on an airplane: On the way to Disneyland in California for my 7th birthday.

First time I got in trouble in school: 1st grade. I forgot to put my milk ticket in the box. This was before I figured out I could just lie and say I didn't want milk that day.

First time I almost got taken away: My mom grabbed my arm to talk to me about my impatience at the mall. I screamed for social services and told her they take kids away from their families for things like this.

First time I left the country and could remember it: London for Gold Orchestra concerts in June 1997.

First job: Working in a K-State lab washing beakers and watering plants.

First boyfriend: This kid named Tommy in 8th grade who thought it was a really big deal when he kissed me on the cheek. I think I broke up with him because he bored me.

First car: 1987 Chrysler LeBaron. Hatchback. Power windows. Woo.

First time I voted: 2000 presidential election. Voted for Gore, of course.

First time I felt God in a big way: December 2004 involving the most devastating time in my life yet.

First time I took narcotics: Percocet this summer after wisdom teeth and two dry sockets. It made my skin itch like crazy so I looked like a chipmunk drug addict.

First time I woke up on a bathroom floor: This summer after a very crazy night of shots.

First time I got glasses: Today. I couldn't read the TV Guide channel anymore so it was getting dangerous.