Day 132: Lucky Number [and pushy cashiers and a shameless plug]

Day 132

Today, my lucky number is 12.

That’s great for my lucky number, but I don’t plan to do anything today.

Sometimes you just need a day to do nothing all day long.

But I actually change my plans to go out and buy some school supplies.

The cashier at Staples really annoys me. She actually will not scan my items until she’s told me every little detail of their rewards program. I do interrupt her several times to tell her I’m uninterested, and she ignores me!

Eventually I tell her that unless I can’t buy a few notebooks without signing up, I don’t care. That makes her give up (or she runs out of things to say) and finally I manage to get out of there.

Yeah, she’s annoying.

But then I get to return to my doing nothing. Yay for nothing.

--

Okay I do get that cashiers have to push the rewards program and risk getting fired if they don't. Sucky corporate policy, I won't hate the cashier for it.

I honestly can't remember if I was rude in tone or not. I really don't think I was. If I was, then random cashier, I am sorry. But seriously there is a limit on how much a sane person can take that pushing!

Shameless plug: Anyone who's into dolling, check out my other blog. http://steph-writingstoshare.blogspot.com/2011/08/dolling-post.html

Day 131: Today defy authority [and Irene]

Day 131

Today I am supposed to defy authority.

Today’s also the last day of my job (for now—I have to go back on the 11^th to work for a weekend, then I’ll really be off for a while).

I kind of ignore it today. The day is so boring, not a lot of people show up.

I spend my time balancing coins on edge. A lot of the kids who come up are so intrigued and want to learn how to do it. It’s fun.

Then I get home, make dinner (no recipe today and it still turns out great, yay) and relax for the rest of the night. Tomorrow the real packing starts.

--

I have nothing to add to my thoughts a year ago.

how did everyone manage Irene? We didn't get hit nearly as hard as we thought we would.

Day 130: Write a letter to your local newspaper

Day 130

Today, I am supposed to write a letter to the local newspaper.

The local newspaper is really an online thing, and they take wedding, birth, and engagement announcements, but not really letters it seems.

I have to go to an eye doctor appointment this morning. No big deal, everything’s okay, but they do dilate my eyes and so everything looks blurry and bright for a few hours. Blah.

Starting on packing today. I’m going to be moving into the dorm in just 6 days, kind of scary.

--

it's kind of funny when I'm in the same place that I was a year ago.

I am packing today to be in the dorm in 6 days. again.

Day 129: Count your blessings [and hurricane]

Day 129

Today I’m supposed to count my blessings, and scientifically quantify them.

My mom wants to spend the day with me. My dad’s still sick, but better.

I follow the chart in the book and find that I have a happiness score of 76. Apparently this makes me very happy.

Mom and I head off to a local pond with my dog to walk around. There’s lots of frogs and they’re cuties. They make weird squeaking sounds when they hop away from us.

My dog’s completely uninterested in the frogs or the water until we’re just about to leave when she decides to roll around in the mud. My dog is silly.

Then my mom goes to the mall with me and buys me a new set of Fluxx cards. This game is just too awesome.

I feel like such a geek.

--

soooo the hurricane's here and I'm honestly surprised I'm able to post anything today.

Day 128: Try a new fruit [and fear]

Day 128

Today is a day devoted to cleaning.

Also cooking and trying new things. I’ll be making a recipe with urfa biber pepper, a new kind of pepper I bought at Pi-Con. And today’s task is to try a new fruit, so I bought a papaya to try later.

Anyways. There isn’t much to say. I haven’t made the dinner yet or tried the papaya, so I’ll write here again in a few hours after I do.

The dinner is good, and papaya is tasty. I’m happy with it.

I think my night’s going to be boring from now on, but I’m wrong. My dad’s sick.

Have I mentioned his stomach problems before? I don’t think so.

So quick backstory: about 3 years ago, my dad had severe necrotizing pancreatitis which put him in the hospital for months. Now he’s better but every so often he has to go back to the hospital.

So him being sick is a bad sign.

Turns out it’s just stomach flu, but it’s still scary.

--

I still get extremely nervous every time my dad gets sick. It's really scary. I can't even describe the terror at the time, not being sure if he was going to survive or not.

Day 127: Office Gossip Day [and iTunes]

Day 127

Today I am supposed to leave a memo on my office copier.

I don’t work in an office. I don’t even have work today.

This morning starts with an hour-long phone conversation with Apple, trying to convince them not to make me pay for the 391 songs I lost.

They do give me back the songs, yay.

Then I go off shopping, one last big bargain hunt before I go back to school.

I spend a long time shopping, but I don’t really buy anything fantastic.

I do come back home with a headache, blah.

I take some Tylenol, and I’m all set to just chill out the rest of the night.

--

iTunes is a headache.

The thing about that was, because I had bought the songs before the whole DRM thing, they still own them. despite the fact that it is illegal for them to claim possession of something that I paid for.

They eventually gave in with an "okayyyy we'll do it just this once"

now I don't even use iTunes to update my iPod. third party programs ftw.

of course if something goes wrong now, I'm screwed. but oh well!

Day 126: Exercise your full rights as a consumer [and terrible manager]

Day 126

Today, I learn that I have a right to buy individual units in a packaged set—such as a single marshmallow from a package of marshmallows.

I plan to go shopping after work to test this, like the Book says to do.

Work sucks. It’s my second-to-last day, but it starts at 6am again, which means up at 4:45am. Again.

One stupid customer story today—a woman has a question about her receipt. I explain it a few times, she’s not getting it, so I call over a manager. The manager tells her exactly almost word-for-word what I said, and suddenly this woman understands. Seriously, does my being a cashier make me suddenly speak a foreign language?

There’s a manager there who I do not like. She’s from a different McDonald’s, one that’s closed for renovations so the managers and some of the employees were sent over to us to work until their McDonald’s is open.

It’s like a foreign exchange program, except not foreign, also it’s McDonald’s.

Anyways, there’s really one thing that bugs me, so I’ll tell you that.

A big group orders a lot of food, and it’s all ready except 4 McDoubles. I tell them to take the food they have, I’ll remind the kitchen about the McDoubles.

I tell this manager, and she insists they didn’t order those. Uh, hi, but I just took their order 2 minutes ago, I think I’d remember if they didn’t.

Eventually some people from the group come back and ask where their food is, this manager tries to charge them again. They tell her, no they already paid for this.

She accuses me of not having charged them for the McDoubles they paid for and demands a receipt, when all the receipts are easily accessible in the register still. Seriously, it takes like 30 seconds.

Eventually she bothers to take those 30 seconds to learn that oh yeah, they actually did pay for those McDoubles—and then she tells the customers that I messed up and hadn’t told her to get them!

I only have one more day of her and then by the time I’m working there again she will be gone, but still that’s really annoying.

When I get home, I want to rant to Mike about this manager and have him make me feel better.

But he ignores me when I get online, he doesn’t respond to texts, and when he is there, he’s telling me he has to leave.

Ugh.

I’m pissed off and upset and I just wish he could talk to me, but I’m sure whatever else he has to do is important. (Later I learn it’s his cousin’s wedding rehearsal, so yeah, important.)

I rant for a while to my friend and then I’m over it. Mike’s suddenly texting me again and I’m calmer. All’s good.

But oh, the day gets worse.

I go to update my iPod and iTunes, la la la software updates are so fun. (not.)

My iTunes flips out for some reason and suddenly, my iPod needs to be restored to its original settings.

I freak out, thinking that my music and my apps are gone, but my dad and Mike both assure me that no, they’re not.

Still, scary to think that it’s gone. My iPod is like my life—and for most of you reading, I think you get it, how big the iPod is. It’s my access to internet when I don’t have my laptop, it’s all my music, it’s a lot of videos, it helps me with so much. I need it.

--

That stupid manager is now the store manager.

thank God I'm done for this year. She really never did get better. I would actually tell people to avoid that McDonald's now, except on the days she has off.

Day 125: Take your horoscope seriously [and memory + marriage]

Day 125

Today, I am supposed to read my horoscope in the Book and follow it.

It says I will see a blue car in the street and I should run after it because it holds the love of my life.

I think this is completely untrue, because Mike’s car isn’t blue.

But I keep my eyes out for a blue car anyways.

I don’t see any.

I deal with my 8 hours of terrible work, then I drive home in the cold rain.

Then I’m home and I just chill out until I need to go bed for the night.

Today also happens to be my 6-month anniversary with Mike, btw. According to Cosmo this month, one year from today we’re supposed to talk about maybe getting married.

The only reason I write that is because I know I’d totally forget to talk to Mike about it otherwise, and I told him I would remember. I intend to keep my reputation of having an excellent memory.

Interesting memory story, random tangent: When I was 7, my parents took me to the Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner and there was a mad libs game on the kids placemat. I played it and didn’t write down a single word yet remembered them all. My parents were wowed and so my dad gave me 5 random words to remember and he’d make me repeat them later that night.

It’s now 12 years later. 13 by the time this is read. Dad? Red, twenty, smoke, hatrack, chair.

--

Weirdly I was just thinking about talking to Mike about that before finding this entry again.

But I don't think I'm going to. Forget Cosmo. We have talked about it, not a serious conversation, he knows I want to finish college first.

We both live with our parents still, we hold minimum wage jobs without really knowing about future plans. I love him, but despite what Cosmo says our relationship is, we are so not ready to even think about getting married.

Which is fine. Because if we stay together a few more years, as long as it takes to get through college, then...I don't know how to finish that sentence. We'll be more sure about each other, but we might also know by then that we don't want to spend forever together. I don't know.

Right now I have him and I love him and that is enough for me.

Day 124: Parrot [and truths]

Day 124

Today I am supposed to teach a parrot some horrible truth.

First, work. It’s a short day, so I’m okay with it.

Unfortunately, I don’t get out till 5 and I have to go to work tomorrow at 6am, so I need to go to bed early. My time at home is very short.

I don’t find a parrot. But I go around a couple of chatbot websites and tell them some horrible truths—life sucks, sometimes suicide is an option, toothpaste companies don’t all have to use mint flavor but they do anyways because they want toothpaste to taste terrible.

The rest of my night is tremendously boring.

--

I remember when I just thought mint tasted terrible.

Now, turns out I'm allergic.

Day 123: Today learn an emergency first aid procedure [and Mike]

Day 123

Today, I’m supposed to learn a first aid procedure.

I forget about the Book this morning, probably because I’ve just spent all those days not doing anything from it.

The day starts out boring. I’m with Mike, so that’s good, but pretty much we just watch TV, make out some.

Mike takes me to UMass because I want to buy tickets for a concert, and the tickets were supposed to be on sale today. But are they? Of course not. And it’s raining.

We spend some time in Amherst together before heading to Mike’s computer club. I bring Fluxx, and we play that with the two other guys that are there.

I lose every game. Blah.

Then Mike takes me to the mall, and I am having fun, until suddenly I feel so sick. I run to the bathroom, but as soon as I’m done, I feel like I need to get back in there.

I want to cry in horrible pain.

Mike’s being so sweet about it, trying to make me feel better. I’m stuck in a train of terrible thoughts—I don’t want Mike to worry over me, but at the same time I really do, therefore I feel so guilty for wanting him to worry, so I don’t want him to, and it goes on and on and on.

Mike does end up breaking these thoughts by mentioning he was jealous of D, because I kept running into the guy and had a quick friendship bond with him. I point out to Mike that D was a guy in a skirt, not really my type and I don’t think I’m his.

But I’m kind of happy he was jealous. I like that he really cares about me.

I do feel less sick by the time I need to go home, that’s good. But then I’m sad because Mike has to rush off somewhere the same time I’m leaving.

So all I get for goodbye is half a hug and a small kiss. I won’t see him again till I’m back in school, about two weeks from now, and I didn’t even get a real hug. This hurts.

--

Now I'm actually used to Mike having to run off when I'm leaving.

He works too much.

I don't think it's fair that he works 45-50 hours a week and doesn't get overtime. Sure, an amusement park is seasonal employment and I can see why that doesn't qualify for overtime, because over the course of the year, it works out that an employee working overtime there would have the same amount of hours as someone who works normal hours over a full year.

but they're taking advantage of him. Mike seems so tired all the time.

hey, it's his job, if he thinks it's worth it, I'm not going to say anything to the contrary. I just wish he got more sleep.

Day 122: No TV Weekend [and more Pi-Con]

Day 122

Today, I still can’t watch TV.

This is kind of hard in the morning as Mike’s sister is watching TV and Mike is ignoring me to do something on his computer. So I’m bored and purposely ignoring the television.

Then I need to go with his family to church and I would honestly just rather be bored at his house. I’m just not religious, so going to church with him once or twice was just interesting, and now it’s okay I’m done with this.

But soon, I’m in my Dalek costume and Mike’s taking me back to Pi-Con.

It’s sort of unanimously agreed by everyone I meet that my costume is the best. This makes me feel awesome.

We don’t stay as long as yesterday, since the convention ends at 4. I only go to two panels today, and spend the rest of the time wandering around talking to people, and posing for pictures.

Also, a lot of people call me pretty. This makes me happy.

Then Mike takes me back to his house and we start playing a card game that I bought at Pi-Con. It’s called Fluxx and it is so much fun. We actually play it for hours.

Then, I give up on the no-TV thing because, it’s nighttime now, it’s no longer the day and totally okay to watch TV, right? Plus, what’s on is Enchanted, which is technically a movie.

Later, Mike isn’t feeling well. We hadn’t eaten lunch today, and it’s apparently affecting him badly. I get so worried about him, even though he assures me he’s fine. I just don’t want him to be sick.

He does get better though.

--

I did promise a picture of my costume, but I lost the memory card to my camera.
So, if you can wait about a week till the next Pi-Con, I'll get a picture of the costume for you.

Day 121: No TV Weekend [and Pi-Con!]

Day 121

Today, it’s actually been 5 days since my last entry. Those days were boring and uninteresting.

So today I am at Mike’s house. I am not supposed to watch TV.

We’re spending today at Pi-Con, a scifi/fantasy/general geek convention we’ve been looking forward to for weeks.

I’m dressed as Buffy, a last-minute costume I put together. My Dalek costume is done and awesome, but I don’t know how many people will be in costume and I don’t want to stand out. Buffy’s simple—it’s everyday clothing, plus a stake.

I first go to a panel on mistakes writers make. And I do learn a few things which I will use.

Then I plan to go to another panel, but I skip it. I get distracted talking to this guy who was a RA at UMass and he’s telling me if the job’s worth it.

I never really catch his name, but his initial’s on his nametag, so I’ll call him D.

I walk around the various rooms, seeing what else is there.

Then Mike has to go. He has to work, and he’s leaving me there till he’s done and can come get me.

At first, this is cool. I go to more panels (one on costuming that’s pretty interesting—how to make costumes on a budget. There’s another one which obviously wasn’t interesting because I don’t remember).

Then I get all sad and lonely. I stay in the game room doing logic problems by myself for a few hours until they kick me out to run a roleplaying game.

Then I wander around till I realize, hey there’s free food in the consuite. So I head in there to have a little bit of dinner, and I end up just hanging out and talking to people. It’s fun.

I go to some more panels—one about Doctor Who that was awesome—and then Mike’s back.

He’s now in his Doctor costume. He tells me some girl wanted to be his Companion and I’m honestly momentarily jealous before he follows it up “but I told her my girlfriend wouldn’t like that”.

We check out some of the parties in the hotel, but leave quickly because I am so tired.

--

Pi-Con's in less than a week I am so excited
It was surprisingly easy to last without TV for a weekend, probably because Pi-Con was that awesome.

Day 120: Don't Spend Any Money Day [and a break]

Day 120

Today, I’m not supposed to spend money.

Luckily, today I have only a 5 hour day at work and there’s no need to buy lunch there. So I plan not to.

Unfortunately, I’m really hungry when I’m done—so I use my parents’ money to pay for my lunch. Of course I call my dad first and ask if it’s okay. He says it is as long as I bring him some apple pies.

The rest of my day is spent in utter boredom, as I can’t go anywhere and spend money. I’m looking ahead in the book and it seems it’s giving me the next few days off since day 121 has to be done on a weekend—and tomorrow’s Tuesday.

Book-free days. Seems weird, but okay. Days without the book’s influence.

I’m a little uncertain how these days will go, but okay.

--

After having something tell you what to do every single day, going some time without it is bizarre. I don't actually remember those days since I didn't write about them.

Weird, huh?

Day 119: Sense-less Day--Hearing [and tree joke]

Day 119

Today I’m not supposed to use my sense of hearing.

I don’t do this. Mike is here and I want to be able to talk to him.

We spend all day just relaxing, watching TV together, cuddling. It’s very nice.

I make another joke about the tree, probably the worst pun ever. I suggest a “treesome”.

Mike laughs at that. I like making him laugh, so I’m happy.

My bad luck for the day is pretty much known from the moment I woke up. Mike has to leave.

Today, though, I manage not to cry when he goes. ‘cause this time I know that I’m going to see him in just 5 days. Yay.

--

I still make jokes about that tree.

...they cut that tree down, actually.

Day 118: Snooper Alert!

Day 118

Today I’m just supposed to write a note to whoever’s been reading the Book.

I forget about this for most of the day.

I’m with Mike, who could blame me for forgetting my task?

I spend a day out with him, I work on my costume with him.

So he now knows I’m dressing as a Dalek and he thinks it’s a cool idea. We’re gonna be awesome at the convention as a Dalek and the Doctor.

I love spending time with my wonderful boyfriend. He’s just a great guy.

While we drive around somewhere, we’re talking and he jokes that he’s in love with a tree. I say it is a sexy tree and somehow, an inside joke is born.

I make no less than three more jokes about him having an affair with a tree that night.

--

Do any of my readers have some law experience? I need some advice.

Day 117: Me Day [and Mike]

Day 117

Today I am supposed to be selfish.

Is it bad to say nothing really changes?

I do treat customers today with complete contempt. I’ll help them complete their order, ‘cause that’s my job, but I’m not going to care about their lives. Old ladies start talking about how their dog is dying of a sore foot or whatever, I don’t care today! I’ll stare at them with a look of utter boredom.

This is fun. I find that acting like this actually does make me so bored with my day—the fact that Mike’s coming out this evening doesn’t really help much.

Mike’s a bit late, I find later. His parents don’t want to leave till later, or something, I don’t know what’s going on. Since I’m driving out a bit to meet him, I don’t want it to be too late.

I finally leave around 9 pm.

There’s a traffic jam. The freeway’s down to one lane. I drive like a selfish jerk—cutting people off, not letting anyone into my lane—and I make it through faster. Awesome.

Then I see Mike and he makes the being selfish thing easier by giving me presents! Candy and a T-shirt. I like getting presents. :D

--

I still have the T-shirt, and I actually wear it as a sleep shirt now. wore it last time I visited Mike.
He has a matching one. Is that dorky?

Day 116: Siesta [and work trouble]

Day 116

Today I am supposed to experiment with the concept of siesta—in other words, nap.

Work sucks. My boss tells me that my drawer was $10 short, because I’d been so tired I made a mistake.

It hasn’t happened before, and I’m pretty sure it won’t happen again, so I just get a warning.

After work, I attempt to nap. But I can’t sleep!

So I just lie in bed for a short while reading, then get up.

I talk to Mike for a while and we make plans for me to see him sooner than I thought.

By sooner, I mean tomorrow!

So nothing else really matters to me right now because I am seeing my boyfriend tomorrow. I am really happy about this.

23 hours to go!

--

I'm pretty sure with my new boss, one mistake of $10 would lead to me being fired.
But that's okay, because we switch around and use different registers so it's impossible to know who made the mistake.
I may have given someone an extra $5 last night so let's see how that goes.

Day 115: Break a law [and 15 minutes of fame]

Day 115

Today, I’m supposed to break a law, using a free pass that comes with the book.

I really don’t think any law enforcement officer is going to accept that pass, but whatever, I’ll just break a few laws and hope I don’t get caught.

My day starts out badly with an email from my friend Stephanie. She’s having problems.

I’m going to say that these problems of hers have been going on for a while and will not described in detail here. All you need to know is that I’ve been there for her for this for a long while.

Anyways, I’m feeling bad when I go to work over this. But I have to deal with eight hours of torture anyways.

On CNN early that morning, I see a story about how a McDonald’s worker was attacked by a customer. It’s kind of terrifying and I’m wary of my customers for the rest of the day.

CNN continually talks about this flight attendant who flipped out at a passenger who caused him to get a bruise on his head. Apparently the flight attendant cursed at the passenger, cursed at him over the intercom, and then stole some beer and went out the emergency slide.

I understand that sometimes you want to curse out a customer. I want to do that every single day. But this guy then caused so much damage and went to jail for it and somehow he’s a hero? And all he’d gotten was a bump on the head to start it?

I also just don’t like that smug look he has. He looks like an asshole.

I commit a crime today. I’m making change for myself buying my lunch, and I take an extra penny. Oh no, stealing.

I don’t think anyone will care, though. It’s only a penny.

Anyways, I get through my day, though slowly. I get home and talk to Stephanie a bit more, and it seems like things are better, but I really don’t know. I just have to hope things are okay.

--

Remember that guy? He was a dick.
I don't remember his name. Funny how the 15 minutes of fame is really so short. When someone's briefly famous, you just want the world to shut up about them, then suddenly, you've forgotten them.
Although the guy shouldn't have been famous for what he did. I still stand by that.

Day 114: Tattoo a Banana [and a picture!]

Day 114

Today I have to tattoo a banana.

First, though, I need to pee in a cup and take it back to the doctor. Oh joy.

It’s not a fun experience. I pee on my hand a bit and ew gross.

Then, though, my day goes smoothly. I deliver the pee and it’s all okay. I buy a banana for the tattooing today.

I scratch some random designs into the skin of the banana and it’s cool. I don’t eat it, though—I am so picky about bananas, they have to be perfectly yellow for me to eat.

The rest of my day just happens. Nothing really to talk about.

I want to sleep. But I don’t want to wake up early for work tomorrow. Blah.

--

Day 113: Today see a film beginning with F [and a question]

Day 113

Today I have to see a movie beginning with the letter F.

But first, a doctor’s appointment. It’s just a checkup.

I’m perfectly healthy, yay. I even learn that I am most definitely not pregnant!

Even though I knew I wasn’t, hearing that is just a huge relief.

Then I have to have blood drawn for various tests. This results in me crying. I do not like blood.

I end up getting to work half an hour late, but luckily it’s not a problem.

The day happens, and I don’t really remember most of it to be honest. It was work, nothing to talk about.

Then I’m home and I need to pick out my F movie.

I choose Flight of the Navigator. It’s on the list in the book, plus I know my parents like it.

Haven’t started watching it yet, but I will. It’s only 8, I have time.

So now I am watching it. It’s a good movie.

I like the aliens in the spaceship. I like that they’re puppets and not CGI. They seem more real than “realistic” CGI now, probably because people can’t really interact with CGI like they could puppets.

--

Would you be more interested in reading this blog if you were reading about what my life is like right now?
I could start contrasting last year's Book with this year's. I'm just worried about that because my schedule for the blog will get a little more crazy than it is now. I can't think every day, hence the point of writing all this a year beforehand.
I just actually do want people to read this.

112: Today trace your roots

Day 112

Today I need to research my family history.

The day starts with geocaching—it’s a fun thing that my parents do. We go for a short hike and then go treasure hunting, trying to find specific GPS coordinates.

It’s hard to find this cache, because someone moved it. But we find it and I get a cool little stuffed giraffe from it.

Then, some grocery shopping. I leave my parents for a short bit so I can get a present for Mike—our six month anniversary’s coming up.

Honestly I wasn’t going to get him anything. I thought six months wasn’t big enough to warrant a present yet. But then I was joking that he has to get me something, and he took me seriously. So now I need to get him something.

I get him a TARDIS cell phone charm. I’m not sure if he’ll use it on his phone, but it can be attached to a keychain too.

I hope he likes it.

Then I’m home and I ask my dad for the book of Mann family history. Yes, we really have a book, complete with the family crest and motto on the front. I don’t know what it means—I only recognize the word family.

So now I’m reading the book.

The first recorded Mann in history was John Man of Poole, England, born in 1495.

There’s a Mann in the 1860s who shares my birthday, March 2. Sarah Elizabeth.

In the Civil War, a Mann fought on the side of the Confederates.

I don’t know exactly when the family came to America. This book is not quite in chronological order.

In the 1800s, some of the Manns owned slaves.

OH NO NOW I HAVE WHITE GUILT.

I learn that a Mann was a soldier in the American Revolution. So as I have pretty much always told people, I am really American. I am not a second or third or fourth generation immigrant or whatever, my family’s been here since the beginning.

This is cool.

--

second post today because I missed yesterday. sorry about that.

Does anyone care, actually?

is anyone out there?

Day 111: Treat 'em Mean, Keep 'em Keen

Day 111

Today I’m supposed to be mean to my boyfriend and see if that makes him love me more.

So I try. I’m as mean as I can be, but I’m really just a nice person.

I ignore some of his texts. Not all because I do like talking to him.

I go out shopping with Lanie so that I’m a little more unreachable to him. (plus because I haven’t seen Lanie in forever and it’s fun to hang out with her.)

I learn today that Mike doesn’t actually have internet while he’s on vacation, so I won’t talk to him to much. I’m a little nicer to him after that.

I’m nice in a different way though. I’m telling him that I love him and sending him a picture of myself because I want to. It makes me happy to do this for him.

If he were actually here, I’m sure this would be a totally different day. But since he’s not here, I have to deal with it like this.

This is helping me with missing him, actually. I only saw him for the one day, and it’s bizarre and it feels like it didn’t happen, but pretending I don’t care is making me not care. That’s actually kind of nice.

I ask Mike if I was mean to him today and he says yes because I didn’t drive out and spend the day with him.

Okay then, I did accomplish today. Kind of.

--

This day would've been easier to do if I actually saw Mike that day.

Day 110: Test the foot you get out of bed on: LEFT [and the beach]

Day 110

So today I’m supposed to get out of bed on my left foot and compare it to yesterday. I totally forget again.

It’s hard to remember things right when I wake up.

Anyways, I would say today I have bad luck compared to yesterday. Today, Mike and Ariel and Ariel’s boyfriend Glen all come out for a fun double date at the beach.

They get here, all’s good, I’m so happy to see Mike.

But when we drive to the beach, we end up getting lost.

We find our way to a beach, just not the one we meant to go to.

I don’t even like the beach. The water’s too muddy and dirty to swim in, and wading’s not good because there’s broken shells all over the place. All there is to do is walk around or tan, which I find really boring.

I end up crying to Mike about this, because I don’t want to ruin it for everyone else, but I just want to leave.

He ends up making me feel better, mostly through kisses, but also just telling me that I’m not a horrible person for feeling bored.

After that, things do get better. I have fun and I really am happy everyone’s there.

Then they have to leave. And I won’t see Mike for another two weeks.

I really think that I won’t even talk to him for a week since he’s going on vacation, then he tells me that he has internet access while he’s gone so my worries were completely unfounded.

As he’s leaving, I think, okay, I’m going to be okay and not even cry this time. Then the idiot decides to play Smile—our song—as he’s driving away, and that makes me lose it.

(even Ariel tells him that’s mean.)

I miss him already.

--

Went to the beach this time last year, going again today. Cool.
I won't be posting tomorrow. The point of writing out the entries a year in advance was so I wouldn't have to worry about that, but I didn't account for things like lack of internet.
So, double post on Thursday. Sorry.

Day 109: Test the foot you get out of bed on: RIGHT [and spiritual learning]

Day 109

Today I’m supposed to get out of bed on my right foot and see how my day goes.

I don’t know if I did this, to be honest. I’m awake before dawn today, I’m too sleepy to pay attention to what I’m doing.

I convince myself that I totally did as soon as I remember.

My day starts out badly. I’m awake way too early, and I feel nauseous at work. It’s really hot and the air isn’t on.

The day gradually gets better, though. My stomach feels better, at least.

I get home, plans to just relax all night, but instead my dad offers me a job for the night.

It’s some Indian religious group and their swami or guru or I don’t even know, really is visiting for the night, they want a video.

It’s a bit interesting at first. The man talks a lot about meditation and giving back to others, how service to other people improves your own life. It’s a philosophy I can agree with, despite not being part of whatever religion this is.

But then more and more people crowd into this tiny room that has no air conditioning, until there’s at least 200 people in there. No room to move, barely room to breathe. I am dying of heat.

When it ends and we get outside, it feels really nice and cool out there—and it’s 85 degrees with high humidity.

That was just too hot. Seriously.

--

I like learning about other religions. I'm not a spiritual person in any way, but it's interesting to learn what other people believe and what is right vs wrong for them.

I don't know if I need to ~announce what I'm changing about the blog, but I'm going to be putting what day the Book says it is plus what I actually did that day in the title.
To help my all of three readers choose to read days they're interested in. Maybe I'll get a fourth reader this way!

Day 108: Today Graffiti

Day 108

Today I’m supposed to graffiti something.

Today starts way too early, with work.

One of my first customers is insane. He orders a breakfast burrito, then drops it on the ground. He starts shouting and cursing and throwing things around, then asks me for more ketchup.

I can see his burrito is literally covered with dirt. The floors haven’t been washed yet. So I ask if he needs a replacement.

He actually yells at me “NO!” and then proceeds to cover the dirt with ketchup and eat the burrito.

I feel sick.

I feel sick for a while after that, but I’m pretty sure that’s more because of the insane heat today. I’m dehydrated and it makes me nauseous.

I get over that after I get some water, thankfully.

The long day goes on and on and on, until finally I get home. I just chill in front of the TV for a while.

Then I hear the wonderful news about Prop 8 being overturned in California. This is such a great achievement for gay rights that it makes me want to throw a party, seriously. 

--

I remember being really happy then, but now I don't even know what the status in California is. It's confusing.

actually, can anyone clear that up for me? I really do care about gay rights, but I'm not super-involved. I would like to know what's going on.

Day 107: Globalization Day

Day 107

Today, I’m supposed to make friends with someone on the other side of the world via the internet.

Easy.

Early this morning I get on Omegle, which is more a fun site for trolling instead of actually meeting people, but whatever. It’s the one I know.

The first person I talk to is actually from China. Cool. I’m already done.

So, now I’m bored.

I go to drop off an application for McDonald’s at my friend’s house. She’s applying there.

It’s awkward because I’m supposed to put it in her mailbox and I don’t know where her mailbox is. I pull up to her house just to be informed that the mailbox is at the end of the driveway.

Awkward.

I’m kind of pissed off at her because she’s been a bad friend before, really.

I complain to my very best friend, Stephanie, and she gives me the same bit of advice as she did last time this girl was awful: I don’t need a friend like that.

And I feel better. I do have good friends, I don’t need any bad ones.

--

The whole of that awkward/annoying situation wasn't made clear there, so let me see if I can remember it right.
My friend got mad at me for driving up to her house because she wasn't allowed to have visitors. She YELLED at me for not knowing where her mailbox is.

In retrospect, no, not a big deal. Just kind of straw, camel's back. She annoyed me many times before, and the fact that she's a few years younger than me suddenly became clear. She's still in high school, I'm in college, it's time for us to drift apart.

Day 106: But My Intentions Are Good

Day 106

Today, I’m supposed to end every conversation with “but my intentions are good”.

I don’t, and today sucks.

Nothing bad happens, it’s a fairly typical day. Work, then chilling at home.

But all day long I’m filled with this sense of blah. Like something is horribly wrong and I don’t know what and I can’t fix it and so I’ll just sit here all depressed and bored.

--

Ever had days like that? Nothing's wrong, but it feels like it anyways?
sucks.

Day 105: Today lie to someone about your past

Day 105

Today I’m supposed to lie to someone about my past.

It’d help if I talked to people.

Today I’m also working more on my costume.

I wake up this morning and my feet are covered in bug bites. They itch and hurt.

My day is really boring. The costume’s coming together pretty well, but mostly my mom’s working on that while I watch Glee.

(Glee is awesome, jsyk.)

The costume gets completely sewn together today and I love it.

If only I could tell Mike about it instead of waiting to make it a surprise for him.

I do actually lie a bit to Mike, a little white lie exaggerating my events of the day. Technically when I tell him, it is in the past, and so my day’s complete.

--

I'm an honest person.
I don't really try to be honest. I do lie sometimes.
It's just that most of the time, I don't feel I need to.

Day 104: Various Relatives Day!

Day 104

Today is Various Relatives Day.

I’m supposed to send a card to my relatives.

I’ll just send one to my grandma. I know she’ll appreciate it.

Today is also costume day—my mom’s spending the day helping me make the costume for Pi-Con. Awesome.

I send the letter to my grandma, my mom makes the bodice for the costume, all’s good so far.

I go to see Despicable Me with my family. It’s an okay movie.

After the movie, we go to Home Depot to shop for my costume. I get spray paint and a paint roller. (It’ll all make sense when the costume is put together—and I promise to give you a picture.)

Then I talk to Mike for a while and that’s pretty much my day.

--

The schedule for this year's Pi-Con just came out. So excited.
and the costume did turn out awesome.

Day 103: Cleanse Your Bowels Day

Day 103

Today I’m supposed to cleanse my bowels by performing self-colonics.

This sounds incredibly dangerous, so I won’t do it.

My day somehow ends up being fine anyways.

I have a short day at work, only 5 hours. I’m getting less and less time at work, which means less money but I’ll manage.

One interesting customer today—this old guy who makes a fuss over the price of iced coffee. The price on the menu board is $2.49, it rang up as $2.59. OH NO.

So really. Middle of the lunch rush and I had to call over a manager to give this guy a refund for ten cents.

At least he wasn’t telling me how horrible I am like most people would’ve.

Then I come home, take a shower, make dinner (pizza—from scratch, ooh), and that’s pretty much my day.

I don’t talk to Mike much today, and I have no idea why.

Actually I just texted him asking why he’s not online.

He doesn’t reply. But he does get online.

--

I'm tired and I have no comment on this.

Day 102: Tax-Free Day

Day 102

Today is tax-free day. I’m not supposed to pay taxes on anything.

I suppose I could go up to New Hampshire and go to the mall but I really don’t feel like spending any money today. So that’s what I’ll do, actually. Not spend money. I can’t pay taxes on nothing, right?

After all, ten percent of nothing is—let me do the math here—nothing and nothing, carry the nothing…

(500000 internet points to you if you catch the reference and if you don’t, get out of here.)

(It’s from Firefly. Or Serenity, but since those are basically the same thing, idk.)

I don’t have to worry about big taxes—I don’t make enough money, really.

I manage this at work by having my free meal (because of the whole no-break thing, remember?)

When I get home, my dad asks me to make dinner for tonight. No problem.

But I have to send him out to get the ingredients for if I spent money, I’d pay taxes on the groceries.

Anyways. Dinner turns out good, then I get to talk to Mike. His car’s fixed, so our plans for next week are still on. Yay.

--

I remember good days.
I still do have good days sometimes, but it's sad to see oh I had a good day last year and a bad day this year.
...well it's only 10am, let's see how bad this day will actually get before assuming.