Neglect, neglect, neglect.

Poor journal, I've left you high and dry. You'd think since no life or job exists for me, I'd be able to post more. Thing is - with my life the way it is, there's very little for me to post about until after or before the weekends.

Weekends are when my dad is home all day and we actively go out and do things. No matter what I act like, I actually have a lot of fun. Sometimes during the day after we haven't eaten for a while, my blood sugar absolutely plummets and it leaves me either grumpy. If we're driving past a lot of green things, I stare out the window because, hello, Florida doesn't have green like this place has.

Have I posted pictures of this freaking green? ... No?

GREEN!

It's a rare thing, folks. Not so much here but for a Florida girl? Totally.

I was just told that apples are now in season. I think it's time for me to try to go with that interest I've always had with more extensive baking. Poor Daddio may soon be bombarded by a slew of apple-related deliciousness, especially apple pie. No home made crusts, just yet - the last time was an utter disaster and the money needed to purchase those ingredients just aren't in my pocket book.

That leads into Thanksgiving. It's right around the corner! Last year I was unable to make my fragging pumpkin pie I'd been looking forward to. I had forgotten the condensed milk at home with no way to get to the market. Pie crust and home-smashed pumpkin puree gone to waste. If the summers apple pie turns out to be a success, I may attempt to do that this year as well as the pecan pie as my pies are delicious, thanks, and just put together a smaller portion of sweet potato casserole than I usually do.

I think I've lost weight since coming to Virginia. Sounds odd but things are fitting better, shirts drape nicer than before. I haven't been exercising a lot (read: at all) but maybe not living right next to two gas stations and a neighborhood Wal-Mart may have something to do with my milder eating habits. If this is the case, awesome. I don't mind losing weight/inches if it's because I'm not eating like a candy-starved piglet anymore.

I miss karate.

Hells bells, I miss writing and the ability to draw properly. Being stuck inside because I lack any social graces isn't helping. I'm tempted to invade Dad's campus and just wander, go to the bookstore or library, chill in the cafeteria and eat there, try to write. I write well in public.

Okay. Werewolf story will be finished by the 15th, it is decided. So there.

Until next time, readers!

I forgot how much I hate unpacking.

Packing is fine. Packing is almost fun, when you get down to it. You get to crumble newspaper and shove things forcefully into boxes, leaving your room (usually) looking neat and tidy. Not so much with unpacking.

Unpacking involves taking out that fun newspaper, your floor covered with it, open boxes, too much confusion. At least it doesn't have a time frame, right? Right. Otherwise, standing in the middle of the room saying "I don't know. I just don't know what to do" would be a whole lot more stressful. As is, I don't have a job to flock to (that search starts again tomorrow morning) so I can spend the day chugging down coffee, cutting open boxes, putting things away, and, gloriously, setting up my beloved desktop, Fido. Those boxes being open and empty also means I have surfaces in which to put things, as Fido's monitor and Shreds are taking up the only two solid, flat places to put anything of importance. Shreds and the monitor are a hell of a lot more important than setting up my maneki neko collection, I'm sorry to say.

The day will consist of unpacking boxes and putting the room in some semblance of order - the night will have me dragging in the iron and it's board in order to take apart those carefully constructed piles of clothing, ironing everything, and hanging up what absolutely needs to be hung up. My business suits are already hanging but I can see even from my bit of floor that much of it is wrinkled from our cross-country journey and being rolled into an airtight bag.

I have too many jeans. How did I not realize I owned this many jeans??

Lists are being made on the places I need to know about and where, exactly, they are. I need to find out how to get back to that lovely, huge used book store and where I can get the best sushi. The library is crucial, even though I can't get a card due to my lack of state citizen ship. Places accepting employment, where I can print up further resumes. Where's the best local hair salon (is that teaching salon any good?), how do I get back to that 'Giant' sort of food store? Coffee shops? Locally owned ones, with sofa's and cool people, a place where I can sit and meet those around my own age (or mental group, whatever).

Where can I get the best tea?

But that's for later, when my room is set up. Concentrate on the small things first, get in order. Then the big things can be tackled.

Time for me to go finish the days chore, Blog. Until next time!

Holy snapapples in cucumber sauce

It's really odd that driving for a few hours exhausts a person more than wandering around a major city and museums for ten hours. I was asleep by this time last night, out cold in my new room. At that point in time, my knees and feet hurt. A lot. It probably had something to do with the fact I attempted to run on hardwood floor, and turn while running at that! I managed to land on my knees, computer intact, and the third roommate staring at me in horror from the table where she plugged away at her computer.

I, of course, burst into hysterical laughter.

We awoke around seven thirty in the morning for a fun-filled day of Washington DC, our nations capitol and all of that good stuff. My poor sister and father had to put up with me being a horrible cranky-face at them before I had any coffee or tea. They did well, being quite aware of my blood sugar issues, tea addiction, and the fact I hate waking up early.

We rode a train! The roommate gave us free passes both to and from DC, which is AWESOME because it would otherwise be almost nine dollars each person, each way. Talk about sucky, train. Boo to you. It was on the train that I began my list of 'Virginia has...' .

While heading to DC, I saw a suit on the train, playing with a white DS Lite. You heard me. Businessman, briefcase and all, was chilling on the train a few seats down tapping away at a little DS Lite. I had to laugh and immediately whipped out my notepad to write it down.

DC itself is - I don't even know. We were only visiting some of the museums, hitting up a few bits and pieces of it all. On a map, it looks horribly tiny. I've driven through counties bigger than DC! And yet, in person - museums as far as the eye could see!

We arrived just before ten in the morning (it takes about an hour and a half to get there from the house), hitting up the Museum of Native American history right away. I glee'd and frolicked gaily as the history of native tribes is one of the coolest things ever. There were truckloads of young children frolicking just as gaily as ourselves and about ten times louder so, sadly, we didn't stay too horribly long. I look forward to going back at some point and pouring over everything. The contents of that particular museum didn't interest my sister or dad save for the bits about warfare or history that my family had actually participated in.

Next up was the - I think it was called Space and Science Museum? There were airplanes and space crafts. History of flight, computers, all this confusing stuff that was way too advanced for my caffine deprived brain. I puttered around with them and, in return, they let me play around with the games in there probably meant for children but whatever, it was fun.

Third and last came the sisters oh, so uplifting pick of the Holocaust Museum. We didn't get all the way through this one because it was getting late and we'd been walking almost constantly all day, but it was very interesting. I will admit that out of the entire permanent exhibit of "The Holocaust" there were two mentions of homosexuals being taken and killed in those concentration camps - two! Just two. One was a sentence and a picture of a few homosexuals, the other a small sign and another picture. I saw nothing about Tibet in the 'current/recent genocide' section, although my sister claims she saw a sentence or something about it. So, slightly disgruntled. As for the exhibit itself, excellent! Highly recommended.

I was impressed with how they treated the history of the native people of America. They made no bones about how they were hunted down, villages slaughtered, women abused while their men were shot trying to protect them. It came across clearly that they still lived in reservations today, fighting for the rights to have their own government in the midst of all this... crud. Yes.

Guh. Tiredness has hit again. There is more to do, more to say, but tomorrow we're exploring caves and it's nearly midnight.

Until next time!

The hills have... hills.

After a few days of absolutely psycho activity and frantic packing, we managed to make it out of the hometown at 9.50 yesterday morning. And, er. Well. We drove.

Have to admit, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina all pretty much look the same: flat and with a washed out sort of light pastel green. Both my sister and I were slightly disappointed with the turn of events as, well, we felt as if we were still in Florida and that is just a very Bad Thing. Displeased, we settled down in Florence, South Carolina for the night around eight thirty last night.

Sister and I got along really well, save for about ten minutes when we were lost trying to find the hotel, but otherwise the trip was full of sisterly bonding, giggles, rave dancing in the car, and multiple pictures taken from the windows. We drove in four hour shifts - for each of hers, there was rain or heavy traffic. I got open road and clear (if slightly darkened) skies. Poor girl.

We met up with Daddio around two in the afternoon. We did things.

I will go into further detail maybe tomorrow morning but I am tired and just fell on a hardwood floor.

Virginia Lesson #1: Do not run on a hardwood floor with a computer in your hands. It throws off balance.

Virginia Lesson #2: If you MUST run with a computer in your hands, remember to fall gracefully.

I broke #1, did #2. Rock on.

Smithsonian tomorrow. So even MORE details at some point. But. SLEEP.

T-Minus Five Days

Whoever invented packing sucks. The same person probably invented steam, the jerk. How do people figure this sort of stuff out when they have a severely limited amount of space and places to put things?! I stand here in the middle of my room (that looks like a disaster area due to squeezing two rooms into one) and just stare at all of my belongings. My room in Virginia has no space in which to put my knick-knacks. But I like my knick-knacks and my little decorations scattered over the room.

They range from a stuffed pig to picture frames and Japanese vases, stuff from my DORM ROOM back five years ago, a whole bunch of fairy statuettes... The only ones I know I'm bringing are my Buddha figures and my maneki neko pieces. Photos are a given as I adore you all and that good stuff but. What else? What do I like enough to take with me?

I've already chosen the art supplies I'm bringing. If I have room at the end of all the packing, I'll bring more but as it stands, it's down to some drawing paper, bristol board (smooth for the win), a sketch book or two, and my Wacom Intuos 3 tablet. Books are being limited to the ones I read most often or have been meaning to read for quite a while. My collectable series are being kidnapped off - who wouldn't bring books worth 20$ each because they're no longer in print?

Maybe the most important question is how do I want the new bedroom in a new world (to me) to look? When people walk into the bedroom now, they're hit by a barrage of stuffed animals, pictures from Middle/High school, some almost ten years old. Fairy statues, monster amounts of art supplies, jewelry scattered everywhere. When I say a 'barrage of stuffed animals', I mean it. There are little plushies everywhere in my bedroom, from the shelves to the desk and vanity and, sometimes, my lamps. My art is on the walls although the stuff posted by my desk is for references while I write although one piece is, admittedly, just because I really like Minamoto no Yoshinaka. He is, like, the utter bomb.

I don't think I want my room there to be an echo of the one here. New life, new beginning, yadda yadda. Maybe just the more recent pictures on display, the older ones in the photo albums I am planning on bringing.

Ugh. Time to go stand in the middle of my room again, O Loyal Readers And Friends, and be useless just staring at my packrat ways.

Until next time.

So, I'm moving.

Like, immediately. Screw the list, I now have to prove it as I have until the 18th to get all of my stuff ready, fit into the car, and get myself and my sister to Virginia. Kelsey and her boyfriend of five years are having problems and she's moving in with us. Kelsey needs a roadtrip and she needs to see Dad because what Daddy's girl doesn't need her father when her life has changed in the span of days? Since we're already on our way there, I'm just going to stay there.

The list has gone to hell.

We found out on Saturday, I got a throat infection that made me useless until TODAY. So I have exactly six days to get everything in order and pack. I can totally do it. Clothes are important but easily squished down (can be ironed later) and the needed items are what will take precedence. Like my maneki neko collection. They're pretty damned important IMHO. :3

I'm training at the dojo for the last three classes I'm be around for, work has been informed, I have an extra three months of meds just in case, I've started looking for jobs... I need to notify the banks I'm traveling. Paperwork for the savings bonds deposit will be sent out tomorrow, hotel needs to be set up. Ashley is coming over this weekend to help me pack!

Also, someone needs to throw me a goddamn party. Just sayin'.

I cried earlier today about it. I wrote Sensei about my move and apologized for the short notice. She said to come to the main campus at some point to give me a hug goodbye. After I read that, I started bawling; there are so many people I've come to appreciate at the classes that it hurt to not be able to say farewell to them. Even though most of them are kids (I'm talking about gossiping with a twelve year old here), we've been through three months of kicks, kiyah's, knuckle push ups, and a whole slew of things I never really thought I'd do. When I showed up, only Shihan was there; Sensei Yuki had left for the day, I suppose to set up the other campus for tonights class. He told me I could come to Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday's classes for free, so I could say my goodbyes and leave on a high note. I almost cried again but I can be a stoic warrior. Sometimes.

Either way, I'm on The Meds. No longer infectious. It's a good thing.

Time to pack, O Loyal Readers. I'll be trying to update each day before I leave; who knows when I'll be able to update after I move? I'm unsure what Daddio's connection is like.

Looks like 2010 is the year of exploration after all.

Until next time!

Chica from Wisconsin, ahoy!

For the last two weeks, my best friend has been visiting from Wisconsin. Unlike my other long-distance friends, Andi and I actually met in person, here in Florida. We've been friends since the seventh grade and have known one another since fifth. If not for her (and a few other priceless loves of my life), I wouldn't have made it through that mental breakdown almost five years ago.

Just over a year ago, she moved to Wisconsin for personal reasons. We've all missed her terribly; for about six months I kept adding her to the mental list of people to invite on outings or shopping trips. Thank goodness for the Internet - we managed to keep in contact. I'm not the best person at correspondence (or remembering stuff in general) but, we somehow figured it out.

Either way - she visited. And remembered just why she doesn't want to move back to Florida. Maybe not the best move on her part to visit in the disgusting, humid depths of the summer after chilling in Wisconsin for a year but it didn't mean we were less happy to see her. We didn't get near enough drinking done (Seriously, Wisconsinites? TONE DOWN THE DRINKS. I made the 'whiskey face' each time I had a sip of my rum and coke!) but good times were had and monster amounts of talking as well. It's easier to spill ones guts and express things when not done in text and instead in a car, driving wherever in the early morning and late night.

We went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Sweated like horses - no glowing to be seen. I frolicked gaily under the Suessland semi-waterfall, successfully soaking myself to the bone and making it very difficult for my pants to stay on. Due to the weight of wet jeans, pervs. We devoured butterbeer and (surprisingly good) fish and chips. Ashley got her wands and chocolate frogs.

The castle ride? Holy. Mother. Of. Siddhartha. Seriously! Just waiting in line was awesome: you were able to walk through Prof. Sprouts greenhouse then past the Potions Room, through DADA's room. The pictures of the house founders chatted about (Slytherin, my house and fave, was a complete jerk as expected) with Rowena and the Hufflepuff one being all, gay, and stuff. The ride itself had fantastic graphics and despite the fact I knew it fake, I screamed like a girlscout pissing herself at some parts.

We left contented. They fell asleep on me in the car and I nearly passed out at the wheel as a result. Fun times! There are plenty of pictures I'm hesitant about posting. Oh well. Maybe at some point, O Loyal Readers.

Andi and I talked at great length. She listened to me bitch and in vice versa. It was a lovely time. When she was to fly out of the Tampa airport, I drove her there. We ate lunch at TGIFridays, had some gelato. Two seconds before she went past security, Andi turned to me and said, "It JUST hit me. Just hit me."

Of course, I had to throw my arms around her and say, somewhat loudly, a bit tearfully, "I am going to miss you SO MUCH."

True to form, I think she told me something along the lines of stopping the foolishness - or maybe not. I'm pretty sure I was in tears. What I remember was watching her get on those stupid train things, throwing her a heart hand signal, and then bolting to the nearest bathroom to cry. It sucked.

The drive home helped me calm down. Driving always does. I played music I liked, sang loudly, and didn't get lost once - that's a big deal.

So now she's back in Wisconsin, living it up with her friends there. We all miss her (again) but if those two weeks taught me anything, it was that she is MUCH better off there than she is here. Florida holds nothing but grief and lack of jobs, humidity and hurricanes. Good for her in her escape.

Next post will my schedule for when I get out of here. Padre said, not until Thanksgiving, and I think if I wait that long I'm going to shatter like a glass figurine under a giants foot. I tried to tell him I could be there by the end of this (yes, this very week) with all the things I absolutely need and we can fly to Thanksgiving together. He doesn't think I can drive home from TAMPA let alone to Manassas which is, I hate to say it, total bullshit.

So it will be posted. Maybe I can show it to him and prove it's do-able. I've survived more things than a drive! (Knocking on wood) I think going alone would be a damn BLAST.

Until next time, blog! Hugs.

Jesus, it's May already?!

Talk about being hit with the 'WTF' stick! Ha, I never really expected it to be May so soon. Silly, yes, but who knows how the human mind works.

The absence is due to the fact I've actually been writing lately. It's amazing. Well, the writing isn't as I'm hardly polished and it's all coming out like shining-vampire drivel but it's coming out and will be typed up to be refined. That's all that matters at this point! Mermaid story was finally spat out, currently working on Little Red Riding Hood. Fun times all around.

Mom is out of town for the weekend. I am cleaning in her absence. This is half-due to the fact I realized I liked how clean my room is (one day and one bottle of redline, baby) and the other half is because it makes HER happy, which in turn just makes life rather awesome. Hopefully it'll be somewhat shiny when she returns tomorrow.

Dad is gone to Virginia. That sort of added to the whole not wanting to post about my life bit. It sucks with him gone. My father's never been more than fifteen minutes away, whether or not I appreciated that fact when I was an itty thing. The night before he left, we ate at the local seafood place, watched Avatar at my sisters house, and around nine bid our goodbyes. Sister cried, I did not. I still haven't, a fact I still don't find disturbing. Some others do! I miss him and consider that the only thing that matters.

More projects had flown into my head, one of which is the crazy notion of learning karate. Starting Monday, I'll be signing up for three months worth of classes and working my ass off to excel at it. Discipline is something I lack. I covet it! I will get it! Etc, etc,.

I wish this post had more meat to it than the lame rambles and general on-goings. I'm going to try and document everything going down with karate, maybe with the whole 'gaining discipline' thing I'm hitting up. Either way, it'll be fun. My next post with something at least decent will hopefully be out this week.

Till next time!