Previous Week

So, I haven’t written much about it here, but the previous week has been a nightmare.  Everything that could go wrong has.  Trouble with money, trouble with landlords, trouble at work, trouble with friends, everything and anything you can imagine.  The number one problem that I was presented was that one of my co-workers died unexpectly.  He had only been working there for a short time, and he was only 29 years old.  It was a heartbreaking tragety, but I think the worse part was that no one ever told us how he died.  I got a call from my manager on Monday, my day off, telling me about what had happened, and I was dumbfounded.  It actually took me until a few minutes into the conversation to figure out what and who had happened.  We went in mass to the funeral, which I haven’t been to many, and my first for someone my age.  So, his death kind of set the tone for the rest of the week to go horriblely wrong.

By this weekend, I had been in arguements with both my friends, and even my sister.  I can’t take this stress right now.

They say its your Birthday!….

When I get old, and losing my hair,

Many years from now!

Will you still be sending me a valentine, birthday greetings, bottle of wine?

If I’d been out to quarter to three,

Would you lock the door?

Will you still need me?  Will you still feed me?

When I’m  *twenty four!*

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Ok, so I modifed the Beatles song, but its true!  Its my ‘burday’.  Or my ‘birfday’, however you want to say it.  I am the big *2* *4*.  I was really apprehensive about spending my birthday alone in Boston, especially because last year was so amazing!  But, this year is shaping up to be quite great, as well!

Last night, I went out to a Yelp Event and met up with a bunch of people at the Vegan/Vegetarian bar called the Otherside Cafe.  Being the cheapy and skint that I am, I only spent four dollars the whole night, on Moroccan tea!   Around 930, Shyam and Sheila called to wish me a happy birthday, and the group I was with overheard, and they got me a cheesecake and sang to me!  It was seriously awesome to be sung happy birthday to by a group of strangers! 

Tonight, a friend from this group and I are going out to see There Will Be Blood which I am quite excited about since I have wanted to see it for awhile.  Such a heavy movie for a birthday day, but whatever.

Lets see, what else is going on this weekend?  Tomorrow, I am going to a Crafters Event up in Somerville.  A bunch of girls are getting together and we are going to knit and crochet in a cafe and hangout.  I can finally finish that scarf for a certain someone!

Then this weekend, I am going on a bar crawl with these same people from last night! Yay, I get to dress up and dance!

Thats about it, homez.  I gotta go to the gym now tho!

(A picture of me on my birthday celebration!)

Apartment Hunting

So next weekend I am heading up to Boston to apartment hunt. I have a few neighborhoods picked out: Brighton, Brookline, Allston, and Quincy. Of those, I know Brookline the best, because that is where Mom lived when she was in the city.

Movers have also been contacted and estimates arranged, and currently, I am looking for storage space. All of this is very exciting but overwhelming aswell. To prepare for my migration, I have been watching a lot of movies and TV shows set in Boston to amuse myself. Boston Legal, Crossing Jordan, Mystic River, and Gone Baby Gone, have all provided me with ideas and entertainment. Once I move, I won’t have TV for awhile, so I am brushing up now.

It snowed today, and I think it was a sign to get me in the mood for long, harsh winters in New England. This change will be good for me and my psyche, as I need constant stimulation and new things.

Here is the view from my window. The snow has melted off, but you can still see a few remnants of it on the firewood. Ignore the screen, I didn’t want to take it out to take the picture.

Flying Out

I am back in an airport.  My life doesn’t seem to be complete without me traveling to some new place, or old place.  I am flying back out of Boston and going back to Washington D.C. to go home.  I had a good time out here, and my interview went well.  As of right now, I think I am going to start into motion, moving up here permanently.  I love Boston, and out of all the American cities I have lived in, it reminds me of Europe the most.  I went shopping and bought some new shoes and new MAC makeup… Yay!  I hope to come up again soon and continue shopping for apartments and looking for a job.  Wish me luck!

Almost Finished

The finish line is so close I can feel the plastic tape ripping across my body as I cross!  My dissertation is 98% finished!  Now I feel like I can take a little time out to report on some happenings lately.  I do have Malaysia stories to tell, but I think those will have to wait until I get home.  My biggest current story is not a good one.

Saturday night, Cardiff was host to  a huge football(soccer) game.  There were fights and drunks and all kinds of horrible things happening down in town.  The group decided that we would play it safe and stay up in our end and not venture out.  We all went to Chewie’s house to watch TV and hang out, but we decided to sit in the living room with the door shut as to not wake her roommates.  There were eight of us in total.  About 12 am, Mooderson (Brian) and I go out for a smoke break (and no, I was just keeping him company) and we lean against the car and watch the quiet neighborhood.  We debated going home because we were both so tired from the previous week of cramming to finish our work.  We decided to stay another few minutes so we went back inside, locked the door, and went into the living room.  Everyone was playing a game, and we played for another fifteen minutes or so.  When we finally decided to leave, I went out into the hall way to grab my bag and Mooderson’s coat off of the banister of the stairs.  It wasn’t there.  We checked all over the house, and Mooderson stepped outside to see if he had left it there.  I was in the kitchen and I heard him yell: ‘WHERE’S THE CAR?!?!?!’  Yep, the car was gone.  Someone had broken into Chewie’s house and stolen my bag, with my wallet, keys, phone, NEW GLASSES, and other personal items, and stolen his jacket with his car keys in it.  That car hadn’t even been in the country for three weeks, as he had just driven it up from Milan.  This was horrible, but I don’t think it was even the worst part.  So, we called the Cardiff Police Department at about 12:30 am, about 20 minutes after the car had been stolen.  They said that they couldn’t get anyone out to us yet, because of the destruction in town.  We asked them to send out a notice on the car, becuase  there couldn’t have been many Italian-made cars with Italian plates roaming around Cardiff, and the sooner they looked, the better chance there was of finding it.  They refused and said we had to wait for the cops.  Do you want to guess what time they arrived?  9 a.m. the next morning! 

We filed our reports, but no word yet on anything.  They could had driven his car to Paris in the time that it took the cops to get there.  I feel so bad for him, and this incident is just the tip of the iceburg of how much these last few weeks since I got back from Malaysia have sucked.  I have cancelled all my cards, AGAIN, and I am heartbroken over my new glasses being stolen.

Hopefully better times are in order.  Hope everyone had a happy and peaceful September 11th!

Plan for Expensive Fuel

Wisebread.com had an interesting article about including in your budget for increasing petrol(gas) prices.  All of this, of course, is just in time for me to start shopping for a new car.

I was shocked, yesterday, when Nanny told me that gas prices in West Virginia were up to $3.00 a gallon.  I can’t imagine that.  It was $2.50 when I was home in the summer, last year.  I am also in a bit of a pickle.  I need a car for the time I spend in West Virginia, but not necessarily for Boston.  I think I can get a good location for an apartment, so that I would not need one.  So, do I buy the car, and live further out?  Or not buy the car, had trouble getting things done in West Virginia without one, and living within the city of Boston?  Questions, Questions….

Anyways, here is the link: Plan for expensive fuel