The Saddest Thing I've Seen Since 9-11

I don't know if anyone besides me has been watching all the news about Katrina and New Orleans and all those other cities. But I have definitely been watching it. It's...apalling. It's the saddest thing I've seen since 9-11. I wish I could be there, doing something, instead of just sitting here safe in my living room and watching it on TV. Those people lost so much, and there's still places they haven't been able to get to because of floods and debris.

Here I am whining about rising gas prices when there are people in Louisiana and Mississippi just trying to get through the day - litterally struggling to find food and water, forget about shelter. I want to go down there and help. I want to do something besides sit here and cry about it.

Yeah, I know, pray. I am, but I want to do more. I want to go help those people - all the kids who lost parents, people who lost all their possessions.

There are no words to describe how I feel. My heart breaks for them.

11:30 and All's Well

So my first day of school was great. I love it. Well, I like Spanish. Not so sure about History, 'cause obviously the dude teaches junk because a) he's not a Christian and b) he's liberal. (If I offended anyone, please be unoffended, it was not meant personally) It's interesting, but I don't know if I like it. Plus, the teacher is SO SLOW. He MOVES slowle, he TALKS slowle, he even BLINKS slowly. AGH.

Work was okay. I started that today at 3. I'll be in training for like 2 weeks. I have no problem working the register and answering phones, because I've done that before at KB Toy Works last Christmas. But...waiting tables is daunting. I already spilled ice tea on someone. (Well, really on the table, and a little bit got on this one lady, and she flipped...honestly, more got on me than her) But it'll be okay. I work Thursday and Saturday, 5-9. I'm hoping that once I get out of training I'll be able to have more hours. If not, I may have to get a different job.

Anyways, tomorrow will be a long day. Classes get out at 11 for me, but I have a class meeting for my online literature class at 4:30, so I'm just going to hang out it Richmond for, oh, five hours or so. I might go see a movie. I was thinking about visiting the apartments, since they're only like 10-15 minutes from the college, but I don't think I could handle that by myself.

On to bed, because it is late.

Wait, I have to do my Spanish homework.

PANIC ATTACK

Tomorrow is my first day of school! ACK! I'm more nervous than I think I've ever been in my life...

Quick update

I landed in a remedial math class. Ugh. Really the main thing I don't like about it is - I have to pay so much money (5 credits' worth) for a class that doesn't count for anything. ACK. Oh well, it'll be okay. At least I managed to register for an online class.

And my interview went GREAT. Basically I had the job before I even went in, apparently. The lady (who was REALLY AWESOMELY NICE) only asked me one question before going, "Great, can you come in next week for training?" It's cool. I'll be waitressing, which I've never done before, but it's a really small restaurant, so how hard can it be??

This is your cue to say - "Oh it's not hard at all! You'll love it!"

Anyhoo...

Bye for now!

So I'm Sentimental, So Sue Me

I was reading Chris's old posts and that led me to to my old blog to read THOSE posts and that led me here to read these posts. Wow, that's a lot of stuff. A lot of time gone by. A lot of memories - good and bad. I think that's why I like writing, because it lasts. And I can look back and remember whatever it was I wrote about as clearly as if it happened yesterday. I, for one, think that's awesome.

Anyway, update on school situation - I'm registered for all my classes except math, which I can't register for until AFTER I take the placement test, which is tomorrow. I'm pretty happy with my schedule; it wasn't exactly what I wanted, but it'll do, especially since I waited until the last minute (or until four days before the deadline *cough*).

Also, I have a job interview at Vinny's Grill & Pizzeria on Thursday. If all goes well, I should have a job. It would be awesome to work there since it's only, like, 15 minutes from my house.

Tonight is the first night I've stayed up past midnight in a LONG time.

Sometimes I Wake Up Crying

I guess it's pretty pathetic when you wake up in the middle of the night and realize you're depressed and start crying, huh?

I guess so. I dunno. Two nights ago I woke up at exactly 2:49 (the significance of this time, I do not know!) and realized that I missed Wisconsin and the people there so much that, at that moment, if I could have, I would have given up this whole next year of college just to go back and visit for another week. (Some of you know that I've ALWAYS wanted to go to college; those who didn't, now do.) Then I realized that I couldn't, it basically wasn't possible and so I started crying.

Then I realized it was the middle of the night and I was being stupid, so I went back to sleep.

But I still miss Wisconsin. Even my mom and dad have noticed that I'm not exactly happy right now. I'm homesick for Wisconsin, weird, eh?

(Note to Martin: see, I'm whiney, too...who cares? lol)

And that's not even getting into all my school problems that I'm stressing over. But I don't feel like talking about that right now anyway. I'm just going to go to bed.

20 Questions has been changed to 90

Stolen from Chris. *waves*

90 Questions

1. What are your initials? SMD
2. Does your printer print fast & well? Yes, on account of the fact that it's BRAND NEW. Speaking of which, I still haven't gotten the rebate...hmm...
3. Do you have shoes on? Nope!
4. Are there any lights on in the room? One. The only one that works.
5. How many days of school left do you have? Innumerable.
6. What are you going to do right when you get out of school? I'm just going to pretend this is referring to NEXT summer...Umm...Prolly work all summer.
7. Are you going to be sad that you are leaving? I don't know yet.
8. What was your last entry about? Stupid sad movie.
9. In the last IM you sent, what did you say? I can't remember. I think I said bye to Jesse...
10. What is your favorite crayon? The odd but awesome color that no one else ever uses so is very sharp :-D
11. Have you ever gone streaking in the winter? I've never gone streaking period!
12. What time did you go to bed last night? 12:30 ish.
13. Are any of your great grandparents still alive? Not anymore.
14. What era do you wish you lived in? It would be cool to live in colonial times...or Victorian England.
15. If you were stranded in the forest, what would you do? Walk in a straight line, I suppose. What else IS there to do?
16. What is your layout of? Default something or other.
17. Have you ever thought of where the world ends? Where the world ends??? It's a sphere, it doesn't. :-D
18. What exercise equipment do you own? Um, a pedometer - does that count?
19. Are you wearing a watch? Nope!
20. What brand is your shirt? Simply Basic (I'm in my PJs)
51. Would you ever name your kid Napoleon? NO
52. Do you own a beanbag chair? I used to have a Little Mermaid one.
53. What magazines do you get? Brio & Beyond
54. Do you wear a lot of hemp? Um, no
55. Do you play handball? No
56. Do you find yourself daydreaming a lot? Eh, not really a lot, I guess.
57. What is your home football team? None...
58. What is your home basketball team? Ditto...
59. When was your last shave? Yesterday
60. What parts of your body do you shave? My legs...why are you asking this????
61. Do you like open or enclosed areas? Mostly open...I find I can be slightly claustrophobic.
62. Do you like being alone or around a lot of people? Depends on my mood.
63. Do you think what type of music a person listens to says a lot about them? Not necessarily.
64. Will you have a job over the summer? I did...
65. What what your last search online? Can't remember.
66. Do you own a poodle? Ick, no
67. Type whatever word comes to your mind. Cheese.
68. Close your eyes & grab something. What is it? The paper towel that Mario wrote his email address and SN on.
69. Try to describe feet in as many words as you can. No, I'm not THAT bored.
70. Do you have a dirty mind? No :-P
71. Do you have a maid? Ha! I AM the maid! lol
72. Do you make your bed every morning? Yes.
73. What day of the week is your favorite? I have no idea.
74. Would you be capable of making your own survey? I've done it before.
75. How long have you been online? 14 minutes, 55 seconds.
76. Does your best friend annoy you? Hehe...sometimes.
77. Is there someone you don't talk to but wait online for them all the time? Sort of. Just to make sure he's still alive.
78. What is your definition of "love?" You can't really define it.
79. Do you find your life fascinating? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!
80. Name one person. Nick.
81. Why did they come to your mind? 'Cause that's what Chris had and it made me think of Nick so I just left it.
82. What kind of cake do you like? Chocolate, red velvet
83. Do you sing in the car? YES!
84. Has anyone ever caught you picking you nose? Eeeww...probably when I was little.
85. What toppings do you put on your ice cream? I like chocolate syrup, Reese's shell sometimes, peanuts, and RAINBOW SPRINKLES!!!
86. What word is shorter when you add 2 letters to it? uh...short? <-- stoled.
87. How many situps can you do in a minute? Probably a half.
88. Type whatever lyrics come to your head. "I used to think maybe you loved me, now baby I'm sure; and I just can't wait for the day when you knock on my door..."
90. What 2 colors are best together? Blue and offwhite/creamish.


Thank you, thank you very much.

I HATE SAD MOVIES!

Just a quick note to say: Don't EVER watch the movie "Doctor Zhivago" unless you are ready to sob for at least an hour straight when it's over.

That's all.

PS Please note, I am not recommending this movie to anyone in any way. Let me just say that there are some parts in it that I didn't appreciate and the sad ending is just one.

I'm FREE!

So Friday was my last day at work at KD. *halelujah chorus plays*

However, it was a bad day. I won't go into detail because I'm just SO relieved it's over. Let me just say I was at Seaside ALL DAY, and Chrystal was 430. Ugh.

THEN it took me about 50 minutes to actually get out of the park because I had to say goodbye to EVERYONE. It was sad. I cried on the way home.

*sigh*

I'm going to bed.

Stupidity Abounds

If you don't want to read another long and frustrated rant about my work experiences at Kings Dominion, I would suggest you leave now...

So! Today they told me to go to the Grizzly. Wonderful. #1, it's my third to last day, so I really want to just be left alone and happy at my own location. #2, all I have at the Grizzly is my unload, which means ALL I did ALL DAY was check restraints and watch the lift. #3, it was Walk-on Wednesday.

Walk-On Wednesday is for gold season pass holders only. When they come in the front gate they can pick up tickets that let them come up the exit to the ride and get right on, instead of waiting in line. When you first hear about it, you think "Oh, cool"...but if you really think about it (which means, think about it for more than 2.5738 seconds) you'll realize that it really isn't cool at all. Because (ack, another list) #1, you now have a line in the exit AND a line in the entrance because obviously not ALL TWELVE walk-oners are going to be able to go at once; #2, the people in line are mad because of the people coming up the exit; #3, the people coming up the exit are mad because the people in line don't want them to come up through the exit; #4, you generally have a big mess and a lot of people threatening to sue or get you fired, etc.

Let me just mention that in Kidzville we don't have Walk-On Wednesday - hereafter known as WOW.

Anyhoo, we were dealing with it pretty well all day. We (Misa and I) had a good system going. The -exact- middle two rows were tied off so that only the walk-oners could ride there. Everyone was happy that way. The walk-oners had guaranteed seats in each train - granted, only 4 could ride at a time, unless there were other empty seats, but they still had their guaranteed 4 seats. Plus, the people in line couldn't fuss because no one was stealing "their" seats. We had absolutely NO angry guests and NO one cussed me out (like last time I was at the Grizzly for WOW. Everyone was PERFECTLY HAPPY - until 4 pm that is.

Damon, area manager extraordinaire, had to come and tell us we couldn't have the two rows tied off. Yes, I hear that collective "Oh, no" out there. Know how I can hear it? Because that's when Misa, Nick, and I were all thinking. *sigh* So, naturally, being the goodie-goodie that I am, I untied the rows without argument (*mumbles* because I had argued with him last time and it didn't do any good). Almost IMMEDIATELY there was an uproar. It was horrible. And Damon was saying that when I reserved seats for the walk-oners, don't ASK the people in line to wait, tell them they HAVE to wait.

Wow, that is so not right. I mean, honestly. Isn't the whole point of KD for the guests to have a good time? If no one's happy (and they weren't) are they honestly going to have a good time? I know I wouldn't. I know I would join the crowds of people threatening to sue or get someone fired. 'Course, I wouldn't be threatening the mere supervisors, leads, or lineworkers at the ride because it's TOTALLY not their fault (I know from experience. *ahem*), but I would definitely be doing some screaming at the managers. Starting with Damon.

I just scraped bug guts off my monitor with my fingernail.

I'm just glad Friday's my last day. I am even seriously considering calling in on Friday because I know I'll have to open at Seaside instead of Bedrock (my location). I HATE SEASIDE.

All in favor of my calling in absent on Friday say "aye".

Hmmm...

I don't know what to say. There's nothing to talk about.

Friday is my last day at work. *Victory dance*

I'm thinking about just calling in...Shh, don't tell.