Grown-up things

I have to get renter's insurance. And finally get the car insurance in my name.

Any suggestions? So far the lowest rate I've found is for State Farm. But that was without the car insurance package deal.

Tips, tools, experience, stories, etc.... would be extremely helpful. The only insurance I'm used to is in the game of LIFE.

Real world guidance is always welcome.

At work, not working

Paper ~Lorene Lamothe

“. . . in sleep, the soul goes out of the body and if a piece of paper is put over the face of the sleeper, he will surely die, for his soul cannot find its way back into him again.”
James Frazer

On this side of outside
I can't hear the weather at all.
Wind mouthing nothing,

leaves unraveling out of sight—
like watching a movie
with the sound turned down.

My mind ticking loud.
The page a room,
night washed blue.

I'm pressing the palms of words
against what my next door neighbor
waves every morning,

what even my grandmother could read,
what my daughter watches
on educational t.v.

In my fist a grocery list of my life,
the same dull staples,
palimpsest of memory.

Blankness falls over me.
It falls from nowhere onto skin, hair.
It melts on my tongue

and when I open my eyes
I'm lying in a field of silence
watching how sleep

seems to rise off my body.
On the other side of white,
an alphabet of lightning,

dialect of lips on skin,
fingertips telegraphing images,
sound beginning to shed its colors.

~~~~~~~~

Today is day one of TOEFL sign-up day. It is wildly exciting.

This weekend I move! Finally, into a place with space and a dishwasher and laundry facilities IN THE APARTMENT. I'm going to have the cleanest clothes around. Look out fabric softener - here I come.

Yikes

What is happening to Kansas debate?

http://globaldebateblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/richard-young-hall-of-fame-usa-debate.html

For better, for worse

Giving Up - Ingrid Michaelson

What if we stop having a ball?
What if the paint chips from the wall?
What if there's always cups in the sink?
What if I'm not what you think I am?

What if I fall further than you?
What if you dream of somebody new?
What if I never let you win, chase you with a rolling pin?
Well what if I do?

I am giving up on making passes and
I am giving up on half empty glasses and
I am giving up on greener grasses.
I am giving up.

What if our baby comes home after nine?
What it your eyes close before mine?
What if you lose yourself sometimes? Then I'll be the one to find you
Safe in my heart.

I am giving up on making passes and
I am giving up on half empty glasses and
I am giving up on greener grasses.
I am giving up.

I am giving up.
I am giving up.
I am giving up on greener grasses.

I am giving up for you.
I am giving up for you.
I am giving up.

....ON AN UNRELATED NOTE....

I'm official. Come read about the wacky people I work with. Check it: http://www.k-state.edu/elp/staff/

The sweet upswing

I logged in to MySpace today - because they have a new music player and it's fancy fun. Anywho, life lured me back to MySpace just in time, because it turns out that Ingrid has a brand new album coming out... TOMORROW! What a happy surprise. I needed something new.

Here's the track listing:


1- be ok
2- giving up
3-over the rainbow
4-the chain (live)
5-lady in spain
6-keep breathing
7-oh what a day
8-the way i am (live)
9-can't help falling in love (live)
10-you and i
11-be ok (acoustic version)


I'll also be seeing the lovely Allie Moss and Ingrid LIVE in Omaha on November 16. If you're interested, let me know. It's the best therapy I've found.

Steven and I have officially started the apartment hunt. My landlords refused to answer any of my calls this weekend. I tried again today, but nothing. They covered the hole, and left a big mess in the closet. So I'm taking the "we'll let you out of your lease" option. We've seen two places already and have about five more tomorrow. I'm so excited to be looking at 2 bedroom places again. It's just so much more space! And rooms with doors! It feels like we're finally pushing through to something good.

"I just want to feel today, feel today, feel today
I just want to feel something today
I just want to know today, know today, know today
Know that maybe I will be ok" ~ Ingrid Michaelson

Anyone wanna come visit?

Yep, that's my bathtub. You can see it in my closet. Through the giant hole in the wall.

And those are the rotting floorboards under the other side of the tub. That clean piece of plywood is guarding the hole in the floor. It is the only thing keeping the rats out of my closet.


I have a lot of faith resting in that piece of plywood.

And this is the view when you open the door of the closet.


The (black?) mold creeping along my remaining wall.


The door that protects me from the creepy critters that are crawling through the hole. I also made him spray it for bugs. I barricade it with boxes when I'm at home.


The inside of my closet. Unceremoniously moved outside.


The shower also got recaulked, which is sort of pointless, since they'll be ripping up the tub next week. Apparently the entire floor under the tub is also rotten.

Mmmm, moldy.

And so it goes

I have rotten floor boards.

They're digging a hole. And then bringing a dehumidifier. And then leaving the hole uncovered so it can air out before they rebuild my wall. My closet wall. One of the five walls in my apartment. After that they get to rip out my bathtub and give me a new one.

Life without Hailey is disastrous.