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Kate_The_Bull
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Name: Kate
Location: New Jersey, United States
Gender: Female
Interests: Feminism, equality, psychology, New Jersey diners, traveling, reading, music
Expertise: The ability to fall asleep just about anywheres.
Occupation: Student
Message: message me
AIM:  StubbornTaurus86
Member Since:
9/22/2004
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| I just got an e-mail saying that my refund check was ready to be picked up! I didn't think I was getting one because of summer classes!!
WOOHOOOOOO!!!!
I got moooney! I got mooooney!
If my math is right, I should be getting about $2,500 back... but even if it's less than that, heck, I don't care! I won't be living off of peanuts and skipping out on social outings... Gosh. This's gona be nice. :) This means if I have to return my car, I'm going to have $2,000 to spend again on a car and still have plenty left over. Oh, I'm so happy. :) Though I hope the Neon does work out, I'm beginning to like it.
In other news, today is my productive day. I've decided to start getting up around 7:00/8:00 in the morning to do school work and the like. Today I got up at 8:00 because I came home late from class last night (around 10:30). Today so far I've filled up my tank where I found out my Neon gets 28 miles to the gallon, cashed my CONTACT check, payed my cell phone bill and car insurance, payed the interest on my federal loan, did laundry, researched a bit for my annotated bibliography, found an article for my journal article critique, and I still have a journal to write (which isn't due until Monday) and a quiz to study for. And it's only 1:30! So yes, a productive day indeed.
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| Since my last entry, I've had a hellalot of ups and downs considering my car. That Friday I took it to STS and they said there were massive oil leaks and I should make good on my week-long "warranty". Instead the dealership fixed part of the problem and now I'm going to have to check my oil once a week. Then I was having problems with the old title and the lien statement from the previous owner: the two names didn't match up. The dealership gave me a new lien which honestly just looked like they scanned the existing lien they had, took out the person's name and typed in the proper name. The DMV didn't like that, either. Long story short, Dad and I went back to the dealership and said point-blank that if we're not given a proper lien before my temporary plates are expired (February 21st), we're returning the car and getting a refund.
Fuuuuuuuck.
That next week I had my interview at Womanspace. This place sounds like my dream internship/practicum. They train the students well, they have a large array of programs, and it seems like a really nice work environment. Towards the end of the interview when I was feeling pretty good about the place, the director then lays the bomb on me: Since they are moving offices during the summer, things may still be too hectic to take on an intern this coming fall. So even though I would prefer to do my internship/practicum there, I may not have a choice and will have to go to Providence House.
Then snow days, bla bla bla, got drunk with family and friends, bla bla bla. This past weekend was the Vagina Monologues. I didn't act but I helped volunteer in a couple of ways. I neglected my homework that weekend which I'm now feeling the guilt... I was also informed that since I had a class canceled due to snow last week that the syllabus has been rearranged as well as the dates when assignments are due and, well... from the end of March until the beginning of May, I will not have a life. I'm absolutely dreading the work load. I know I'll get through it, just with a lot more disagreeing with Dan and my other significant others and a few more gray hairs.
I've been feeling very negative lately but that's largely due to what's been going on in my life. With a mixture of car troubles, finance troubles (I found out that after bills, etc, I will only have $50 at the end of the month... not including credit card payments), and school-related stress, I guess I shouldn't be so shocked, I guess I'm just having a hard time dealing with these real stresses. I just can't wait until I'm done with school, have an apartment with Dan, and have a full-time job. I long for the days where my biggest stresses are... actually, I don't know what financially secure adults stress about... missing a sale at Macy's? running out of pasta right before dinner? Spilling coffee down my blouse? All of which are more annoyances than stresses. Gosh, I can't wait until I'm an adult.
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| Last night seemed to be an early night at my house, but I wasn't feeling particularly sleepy. So I stayed up and listened to Leonard Cohen, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Rilo Kiley. Right when Capturing Moods began, Dan creaked open the door and let himself in. We snuggled on my bed in a really awkward but comfy position until I started to feel that dread that Dan was going to graduate on time. I went and double checked his credits and by the end of this semester, he'll have to complete 23 credits, which means if he does four classes in the Fall and the Spring, he'll graduate with one extra credit. Excellent. :) This'll make it a lot easier for him if he still wants to study abroad in Italy.
We ended up going down to his bed where we snuggled and snuggled and started to fall asleep. I began to re-think my whole accident incident and how horrible I made my Dad feel and really was feeling crumby, so I asked Dan to spoon me. Usually when I ask for sweet things like that, Dan likes to give me a hard time about it and will reject my suggestion and make me practically beg for his affection. He just likes to tease me. I wasn't in the mood and just told him that I really needed him to spoon me right then and there and so he did. I was able to fall asleep after that.
This morning I woke up a few minutes before my alarm went off. I had my temporary insurance card faxed to me at the deli around the corner and went to campus early. I found out on my ride to campus that my steering wheel shakes after it hits 60mph.
*forgot to finish entry*
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| Today I got up at 8am in the hopes that I could help my Dad in what ever way to get my insurance squared away. When I came downstairs, I was able to catch Dan just as he was leaving and gave him a sleepy kiss goodbye. He text me about a half hour later, saying his train was delayed because a tree had fallen on the train tracks. Turns out, Jess was on the train that discovered said tree. A bit after 9:00, I text my friend Stefanie who has been generously offering me rides to campus if I could get one last ride from her. It was pouring rain with horrible winds and I didn't think that today would have been a good day to test out how my new(ish) car handles in the rain. Dad hadn't woken up by the time Stef came around at 10:15.
We chatted the whole way up to Ewing as we usually do (she's quite talkative but in a good way) and when we made it into the library, we both got a mid morning snack at the cafe. I came up to my desk and munched on my large piece of pound loaf and drank my Whitard's lemon tea I bought in England. I worked on my task from Jia, one of the librarians, and chatted with Jess online while periodically checking Facebook. This is usually how my work day goes at the library. I had made plans with Dan's cousin, Whitney, to eat dinner together but her first graduate class was canceled! Ah, well. Next week. I cleaned up all my stuff and had everything tidy by the time 4:00 came and went down into the main lobby to meet Katherine. This was a routine of our's since last semester: meeting in the library on Mondays to eat an early dinner. I had eaten my lunch around 2:00 so I wasn't particularly hungry but I figure it's best I eat now or not eat anything until 8:00.
I had my first Group Counseling class tonight with Dr. Julie Buser, a new professor at TCNJ. She started last semester, covering for Dr. Kiselica who was promoted to Vice Provost and took office half-way through the fall term. I had class with Stef and a few other friends that I made last term. I'm looking forward to this class since I heard it's really powerful in a lot of ways, but the work load seems pretty full. I am yet again grateful I dropped that fourth class. Julie let us out a half hour early and Stef and I stopped by Acme to buy ice cream.
I'm starting to get that dread about my school books since I haven't purchased them yet. My supervisor, Caitlin, graduated from the same program in 2008 so she's able to help me out with some advising and give me her older editions of books, but she forgot them at the office. It's only the second week of class and I'm already behind in the readings. ugh. I'll buy the two other books I need tomorrow and Caitlin said she would be dropping off the other two at my house tomorrow night. After that, I'll crack down. I have volunteering at Planned Parenthood on Friday, though those days tend to move at a leisurely pace so I should be able to bring some readings with me.
Tomorrow after I wake up I'm going to call the insurance company and ask if they could e-mail me a temporary insurance card so I can be on call Wednesday and drive both Stefanie and I to school on Thursday. I'm itching to have my independence back! And to really try out the Neon! It's supposed to be partly cloudy tomorrow and Wednesday so I won't have to worry about weather-testing the car until at least the weekend where they're calling for snow.
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| November was just about as horrible as I expected it, but I managed to pull through alive. I ended the semester with a B+, an A-, and an A for an over-all GPA of 3.6. I wasn't 100% happy but whatever, it's still pretty good. I gota keep telling myself that grad school is more about the GPA. I think it's personally more for my benefit to see the achievements I've accomplished.
In November Dan and I bought our plane tickets to England. I realized one day at my graduate assistantship at the library on the TCNJ campus that it was no longer a "want" to see my friends, but a "need." I just missed them entirely way too much. We bought tickets for January 10th-January 17th.
The first weekend in December I went to Cape May with Mommom, Aunt Wendy, their friend Sandy, and Jess. I was a bit iffy on whether or not I wanted to go because of expenses, but I decided that I would tough it out and just be frugle. Well, I'm so glad I went! I had such a blast! I think it's important I get these experiences in with my Manser side of the family, particularly since Mommom is climbing up there in her age. I love her dearly and I hope she can see me and Dan get married one of these days. : )
Over winter break I picked up a seasonal job at Canal's like I mentioned in the previous entry. It went really well and was able to help me pay my bills and living expenses over in England. I asked Toni if I could come back for the summer and she seemed pretty open to it.
Also in December my Mom asked me to come over and help her with some data entry at the Roebling Museum. She said she'd pay me $20 if I came with her Wednesday nights 7-9. Shit, for $20? Sure! On my resume, I am called an Archival Assistant. Fancy, eh?
Christmas was perfect. I ate until my belly blew up, was spoiled with gifts from family and friends, and Dan gave me proper jewelry for the first time in our 4 1/2 year relationship. The only thing that could have made my Christmas better was if I saw Dan more over the holidays, but he ended up sticking around his Aunt's house from Thursday (Christmas Eve) until Sunday. I understand, he wants to see his family and I am perfectly okay with that, I just get a bit greedy sometimes. hehe
I spent New Years Eve at Ethan's house, bringing in 2010 at the Roebling Park, surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors. How nice!! Joann from across the street had 1.5L of Korbel champagne that she was passing around. At one point when my Mom's talking to some neighbors, Joann goes, "Quick! Drink some before your Mom sees!" I replied, "What? She doesn't care, I drink with her! I'm 23!" hahaha She forgot I was over the legal age limit. But, to be fair, she's known me since I was an infant.
So I would say that so far my winter break was coming along swimmingly! Then, on January 5th I decided I wanted to get my hair cut. I kissed Dan goodbye while he was still rolling around in bed, and told my parents who were eating lunch that I'd be back soon. As I'm driving through town to head towards the bank, I saw a spider on the roof of my car. I grabbed an empty gum wrapper and went to squish it. After I pressed into the ceiling with it, I went to check to see if the spider was still there. No spider. I thought, "oh my god, what if it fell into my fluffy glove?" so I started to shake my hand and hope to see it fall out. I kept my eyes off the road too far and next thing I knew, I was up on the curb and my front passenger side of the engine was into an electrical pole. I didn't even have time to react to press on the break. I remember hearing a large bang, and part of it may have been from the impact, but come to think of it, an equal part may have been from the airbags that deployed. I stared unblinkingly through the powder in the air at what I had done. I couldn't believe it. I grabbed my phone and tried to think of how to operate it to call home. A woman came to the side of my door and asked if I was alright and to get out of the car. I was physically fine but my car was an absolute wreck. I started to freak out in disbelief. "This must be a dream!" I remember exclaiming.
I won't bother going into the wrest of the details, but when it came down to it, I had fines to pay in repaying the electrical pole that was severed in half (and another one that had cracked under the weight of the dangling transformer), the towing and disposing of my car charge, two tickets, and money to replace my car. Fuck. My. Life. I was in a funk for a week straight. And to top it off, Jess tried to compare her long work day to my car crash. I couldn't believe it. Ever since then I haven't been happy with her. How could she be so insensitive and selfish? I could have been electrocuted from the exposed wires. Or the transformer could have fallen on my car. Or I could have hurt someone else. I'm unspeakably lucky. And I felt like a piece of shit for making my Dad cry. Four times in front of me. Wow. Just, wow.
I was forced to pull myself through quickly because of my England trip quickly approaching. I was expecting to use the week before it to get myself psyched for the trip but instead I was dreading the financial burden it would bring on to me. I even tried to get out of the plane tickets but financial reasons weren't good enough to cancel a trip with an airline. I thought that it might be better that I go to perk myself up.
England ended up being an absolute blast. Seeing my friends was so unbelievably great. They missed me and I had missed them so much. Dan and I went back to London on a snowy day and checked out the Westminster Abbey, The Tower of London, and had lunch with his friend who was finishing up her bachelor degree in London. We spent the majority of our time in England just soaking up the friendship we shared with everyone. On Friday night we went out to dinner and then split up the sexes to have our respective nights out. When the ladies came home, the guys had built a fire in the back. It was a fabulous day that would have been made better only if Alicia was feeling up to join us. The poor thing recently had foot surgery and was in a lot of pain. But, in retrospect, it may have been better it worked out this way because I know I would probably have wanted to spend the majority of my time with her. Instead, since I wasn't able to see her all that often, I spent more time with the rest of the group. I'm okay with this since come the end of March, her and her mother are coming to New York City for Easter. Horay!! I left with dry eyes, knowing that I would be seeing them again sometime in the not so distant future.
Dan and I had a day to adjust to the time (which really wasn't that big of an adjustment for me) until classes started. I've only had two out of three classes so far and am feeling pretty good about this semester so far. I know my Fundamentals of Human Development class will be a lot of work, but I know I can make it.
Yesterday Dad and I went out and I bought a car: 1999 Plymouth Neon with 53k miles on it for less than $1700. It's not brand spankin new and doesn't look like it is, either, but if it can get me from point A to point B without any major issues, I'm sold. I'm hoping that my insurance can be squared away tomorrow morning so I can be back on call tomorrow night. I've gone two weeks without a job at a time where I most need a pay check. =/ Hopefully it can only get better from here on out. : )
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