Today's rambling: Move-in day
Written on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2002 at 1:11 a.m.
while feeling a bit

Alright, I'm halfway unpacked, and I've finally gotten some time to spend with the Internet, my dearest friend. :P Unfortunately, it seems as though my ethernet jack isn't working, so for the time being I have to share with my roommate! She's in bed right now, though, so at least I don't have to feel guilty for hogging up her little port thingy!

Yesterday, we left the apartment a little before 10:30 so that I could stop at the store and say bye, and then go on to the hospital to get my meningitis vaccination. Got to see Kirsten and Keith, and Cheryl, but of course my main interest was seeing Geoff again. :P He was in the back room throwing out expired pudding (literally: since he had to save the containers, he just opened them up and slung the pudding into the dumpster!), and his back was to me so I tried whistling loudly to get his attention. However, I was strangely unable to get even a SOFT whistle, so instead I just walked up behind him and said, "Well, I can't whistle, so hello again!"

We chatted for a few minutes, but then Alice came over to tell Geoff that a customer had a question about something in the dairy aisle. I stood there waiting for her to walk away, but she was bound and determined to get Geoff to go help this customer. So I started to say bye, but Geoff told me to wait. He wiped his sleeve--which had gotten pudding on it--on his apron, and then he opened his arms for a hug. ^_^ I love it when he initiates the hug!

The meningitis vaccination, for anyone who is as paranoid of needles as I am, did not hurt AT ALL. There was the tiniest of pinches (not even enough to make me flinch), and after that I didn't feel anything. I'm sure some of it has to do with the nurse who administered the shot, because sometimes you get people who just sort of jab the needle in and it DOES hurt. But this nurse (who, coincidentally, is married to my doctor) was really great! So I left the hospital feeling very dandy.

You want to know the irony? When I checked in today, the girl said, "Okay, and you declined your meningitis shot." I told her that I'd gotten a letter stating that I either had to get it or give a reason why, so I'd gotten the shot and even had a doctor's note to prove it. But it didn't matter, because they had me down as having declined (which I did during orientation)! X_X I'm still glad I got it, though.

Anyway. Mom and I went to the store to look for a bathrobe and stuff, and then we went home and started packing up the Blazer, which she'd borrowed from Charlie. We left the apartment a little after 5 o'clock, and somewhere along the way she noticed that the red battery light was on. We were only a few miles from home, so she really should've just turned around then, but instead we kept going. Got to a little town called Newport (I think that's what it was called), hoping to find a place where we could buy a new battery. There was nothing in that shopping center, though (did I mention this center was put out in the middle of NOWHERE??), so we went to McDonald's to get some dinner. Our car had JUST cleared the window when it died.

So I had to get out and push from behind while Mom pushed and steered us into the closest parking spot. I had fun with that part...it was the only fun I'd have all night. Thank goodness she applied for AAA back when I took my trip out to Arizona, otherwise we might STILL be there! Actually, no we wouldn't, but we wouldn't have gotten towed, I'm sure. As it was, it took over 45 minutes to get someone there (partly because we had no idea where we were). He hooked up the Blazer and we all hopped into his truck...but then he discovered that our car was an all-wheel drive, which meant that he couldn't tow it by regular means! So he had to go get a flatbed (meaning the car rides on top, instead of being dragged), and that took him another 45 minutes or so!

In total, we were stuck in that parking lot for over three hours. Actually, I think it was over FOUR hours! Since we were only about an hour and a half from our house, Charlie drove out in Mom's car and picked us up at the garage. It was creepy at that garage, because there were no lights on or anything; it was completely dark! The tow guy stayed with us, though.

After packing up the expensive stuff, we drove back home. I was so mentally and physically exhausted by that point that, when my brand new radio fell on the ground and one of the speakers was dented, I just burst into tears. I couldn't stop for a few minutes, either, but eventually I managed to stop the flow and get on with things. As soon as we got back home, I pulled on my pajamas and went to bed. As soon as I got up the next morning, though, I just burst into tears again! This whole moving away from home thing really taxes one's nerves!

I am so grateful for Chris (the tow truck guy). I swear he was like a guardian angel or something. He did everything in his power to help us out, and he was so nice and courteous...Had it not been for him, Mom and I would've been in much worse shape than we were. He even refused to leave us alone there at that garage, which was nice! He hugged us both right before we got into the car...I'm definitely thankful. :)

Alright, so moving right along...We finally got to the university after 3'oclock. Kristen was already pretty much moved in, since she'd gotten here around 10:30 or so. Charlie and I walked into the room, he with bags of stuff and me with my 2-gallon fish tank, and guess what happened? Kristen's father and mother offered to help us! Her two little brothers helped out, too...it was WONDERFUL! I stayed up in the room to attempt to organize the massive amounts of stuff being brought in (I felt so embarrassed at how much was piling up, when Kristen's side was comparatively neat and tidy), and the rest of them kept tromping up and down the stairs to bring everything in. My mood brightened at that point.

Kristen's a really nice girl. I'm hoping I'll get along with her! Sometimes I feel like I'm annoying her with my dumb stories, but maybe that's just my own insecurity. And besides that, we've only just met, so I'm sure it'll take some getting used to on both our parts!

I went to get my textbooks, and the place had JUST closed. I was trying to open the door, but it wouldn't work, so I peered in and got the attention of one of the younger guys that was inside. He let me in, not saying a word, so I laughed and said, "Thanks, I couldn't seem to get the door open!" Stepped inside and was peering around, when finally he asked if I was there to pick up my books. When I said yes, he informed me that they were CLOSED! It was 5:09, and they closed at 5. Think they could've cut me some slack? Actually, he should've TOLD me they were closed when he opened the door for me!

Anyway. Met up with Mom and Charlie back at my room, and we went over to get something to eat. I knew they'd be leaving as soon as dinner was over, so my mood plummeted again, and I almost started crying at the table. I held out, though...'til Mom and I said goodbye. She'd come up with me while I checked to make sure my radio still worked, and then we walked out into the nearby stairwell. I started crying again, and she cried a little bit (though I'm sure she was trying to hold back)...When I felt like I'd gotten under control, we said good-bye again, but then I just burst into tears all over again!

"Come on, cheer up," she soothed, hugging me. "I don't want to leave while you're crying!"

It probably seems funny to hear about a 21-year old bawling like a little kid because her mommy's leaving, but what can I say? I'm an only child who's grown up in an overprotective household, and my mother's been there with me all this time. I can't help it if I cry easily! :P

Around quarter of ten, I called Frank and talked to him for a few minutes...but for some reason, that just stressed me out so I told him I couldn't talk long. Actually, that's true, since I'm being charged 10 cents a minute for long distance! So we hung up after about 15 minutes, and then I called the store because Mom had told me that Geoff would be closing.

Talking to him just seemed to make everything better. I know that sounds lame, but it was good to talk to someone I know and like! I told him about yesterday's episode with the car, and then later I said, "I just felt like calling because I miss you already!" He "Aww"ed in reply, but it was a very pleased-sounding "Aww!". :)

I ended up getting his home phone number (which I didn't have to drag out of him or anything, hehe), and then he told me that if I called him, he could call right back to save me the long-distance fees. He jotted down my phone number, and then after it was all over with, he said something like, "Well, if you ever figure out how to get online, write me an email!"

*grins* I think I've finally won him over...

Ugh, I'm getting tired now...and I need to go to the bathroom, too! :P You're welcome for the information. Tomorrow is Freshman Convocation, and Kristen and I plan to go find out how to get to our various classes before that. I still have some unpacking left to do (I'd like to get my remaining two posters on the wall), and in general I'd just like to relax before classes start! Oh yeah, and I have to get my textbooks...between one o'clock and five o'clock. :P Why can't they just be open all day? It's just plain silliness, I tell ya.

Okay, I'm going to fire off an email to Geoff, and then...well, at some point soon I should get to bed! But I'll worry about that later! ;)

OH! One of my RA's is a Communications major, and she's the same age as me, so I'm definitely planning on chatting with her a bit. Even though she's the same age as me, though, I still felt like I was so much younger than her tonight when I asked her a question! X_X She seems really nice, though. And the other RA, who's on the other side of this floor, is going to have her own radio show this year! She's really bubbly and nice too, so I think I might chat with her if I see her around (which I'm sure I will!). I'm glad they're both nice!!

Okay, NOW that's it. ;)