without mythologies

the other side of summer

Aug. 5th, 2009 at 9:33 PM

Obnoxiously cross-posted from my blog.

My summer is drawing to a close, and I honestly couldn’t be happier.

Granted, it wasn’t a bad summer. Just a bit dull.

My job couldn’t be more repetitive, and the day I realized that I wouldn’t get in trouble if I just didn’t show up for the day (as a student summer job, they kind of take a “you probably have better things to do sometimes, show up when you feel like it” approach) happened to be the end of good paychecks for me. I did realize that if I didn’t work I wouldn’t get paid, but it became an act of great willpower to get up in the morning and go scrub floors or wipe windows for seven hours. Right now I’m on my last week at work and have – surprise! – managed to work almost a full week. Almost.

This summer has also lead to the discovery of entirely new heights of boredom. My apartment does not have cable, and I wasn’t willing to pay for the local cable company’s extra-high-without-a-monthly-commitment-pricing. We have three channels with an antenna and converter box. We had Internet for a while, but as it turns out, the cable coming into our apartment sucks anyway, so it only worked about 50% of the time. And because with boredom comes laziness, often going to campus to use the internet just seemed to be too far of a bike ride or walk. Most often it wouldn’t have made a difference anyway, unless I wanted to sit outside. My exchanges with the Campus Safety personnel this summer have been none too pleasant. They insist I have no business being near campus for the summer, so if I want to use the 24-hour access student computer lab in the admin building basement, I can come before the building closes or kindly suck it.

Well, okay then.

I had also made a lot of plans this summer to do things that I didn’t follow through on for one reason or another. Attending a Dave Matthews Band concert, somehow making a trip to Cedar Point, going to Sigma Alpha Iota national convention, etc. However, “real world expenses” and “oh hey, I don’t have any money” kind of got in the way.

In order to fill the void of the Internet, I’ve been hanging out with the guys that live next door. We’ve tried working out, watching movies seemingly without end. Neither of which are bad, because, you know, working out is good for you, and there are a lot of movies I apparently missed in my childhood that have caused me to bit sheltered and ignorant to a lot of pop culture phenomenons. But usually we end up eating a lot of bacon or assorted greasy snack while watching these movies, so I guess it sort of cancels out the exercise. (Whatever, I tried.)

And now, with the completion of all of that dullness, I am facing one of the most intense and confusing weekends of the summer, ever. Friday is my last day of work, and my roommate and her boyfriend are coming into town to crash with me while they attend a wedding on Saturday. You know, the day I take my road test. I should probably go to bed at a reasonable time on Friday, but I haven’t seen my roommate in a while (I miss her!) and I haven’t seen her boyfriend since exams (I miss him too!). So I’m willing to bed some serious girl-talk will ensue while her boyfriend is at the bachelor party. Oh yeah, after my driving test, I have a birthday party to attend on Saturday evening. Sunday, if ResLife doesn’t prove to be as fail-tacular as I know they can be, I’m moving into my campus apartment so I’ll have time to decompress and do some minor pre-band camp prep on Monday and be all moved out before my lease expires on Wednesday. Which, by the way, is the same day I’m actually scheduled to move everything in. But I’m also scheduled to start my during-the-school year job that same day.

Is it a tad ironic that I can’t wait until the school year because I have a feeling that while I will be busy, I will at least be entertained, and that I will be able to sleep in because I don’t have class until 11? Seriously, I think this is the first summer in a long time that I’ve had to be up before noon.

And that is why the real world sucks.

Or something.

Location:Goodrich Chapel Meditiation Chapel
Mood: bored
Music:Saturday Looks Good to Me - Meet Me by the Water | Powered by Last.fm

maybe you should drive

Jul. 31st, 2009 at 7:56 PM

Cross posted from my blog.

Those that know me know there is something a bit… odd about me. I’m almost 21 and I don’t have my driver’s license.

That’s not to say I can’t drive. I took driver’s training at a time when it was age appropriate. I even began driving with my stepfather a bit early to give me some sort of edge. But I just never ended up taking the state road test. As it is, I barely got my Level 1 permit because my instructor noticed that I was easily distracted when I drove. I broke down in tears right in front of him when he told me, too. (I think I scared him. He was a grizzled old hockey coach and probably wasn’t used to girls crying). Nonetheless, I got my permit and started driving, but my mom didn’t trust me because of my tendency to get distracted. I didn’t drive enough or get enough practice for the road test. I went to college without taking it. I’ve had what Michigan calls a temporary instruction permit almost consistently since I’ve turned 18. I no longer have to wait the customary 30-day period between getting a permit and taking a test I’ve had them for so long.

Since I’ve been in college, I’ve been home for periods of time no longer than six weeks, and usually in the winter, which is not favorable for getting one’s driver’s license when one lives in a location with some of the harshest winter weather, like, ever. I don’t have a car either, so I don’t have a reliable vehicle for practicing or testing. I’ve had to endure many an embarassing confrontation, including with a professor that asked if I could become certified to drive one of the college’s 15-passenger van for a trip. The best time was when I was shopping at JC Penny and the associate asked for my driver’s license, so I handed her my state-issued identification. “Why don’t you have a license? How do you manage without driving? It’s just not possible – you should have your license by now!” As if it was her business.

Truth be told, I don’t like driving. Traffic terrifies me, staying focused on so many things at once gives me a headache, and I’m always tense and anxious when I drive to the point of my body starting to ache. But it’s always been something I could get around and avoid. Until now.

The other day, I got an email from my on-campus employer. He told me that he was requiring all of us on staff to be certified to drive the 15-passenger vans this year. He didn’t say that I wouldn’t have my job if I didn’t, but seeing as how I’m technically the “top dog” as far as marching band equipment managers go, I don’t want to find out what happens if I don’t. As such, my test is scheduled for next Saturday in Jackson. It’s been years since I’ve practiced parking. I don’t know whose car I’m going to use or if I’ll have time to get used to said car. I can’t rent one, either. It’s an all-around stressful situation, but I’m hoping that it will pay off and I’ll finally have it out of the way.

I suppose once I have my license, I won’t HAVE to drive if I don't want to. But it’ll be nice to avoid the embarrassing confrontations and snide comments.

(Seriously, what was that lady’s deal?)

Location:United States, Michigan, Albion
Mood: hungry
Music:Sigur Rós - Ára bátur | Powered by Last.fm

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
August 2009
						1
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30	31

Latest Month

Page Summary

Syndicate