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June 27, 2005
Pity Party
I’ve been home a full week, and the shine of America is wearing off.
Let me begin with my home life. I’m typing from the corner of the basement known as Janie’s desk (also referred to as the scrapbooking desk). There is crap everywhere, including a bunch of my own stuff. I’d like to clean up, but there is just no place to put things. “Strewn across the floor” seems to be the main organizing principle in the basement—actually, it seems to be judiciously applied to the rest of the house as well.
Joana (the daughter my mother never had) is staying in the guest room, which will become my room on July 3rd. In the meantime, Janie and I are having more quality time together than can possibly be good for either of us. And since she has more toys than any other 4-year old in existence (there is a kitchenette, a full size doll house, 4 dressers overflowing with stuffed animals, dress-up clothes, and even a set of maracas—just in her room), I am reduced to stacking my 5 pairs of clothes in one corner of the giant table (which needs to go to Goodwill IMMEDIATELY) that also houses the doll house and a 30-gallon trash bag of Janie’s old stuff—which somehow never makes it farther than the floor.
There is just no room for me at this house.
And the outside world isn’t treating me any better. My front right tire had a strange bulge in it, and facing the possibility that it might explode at any moment (or so my Dad would have me believe), I took it to Sears to get the front tires replaced. In the process of spending $250 (who knew new tires also required an alignment?), I also found out that I need new brakes—another $400. Add to that, my air conditioning is suddenly not working (although I am assured that it worked last week when my mom drove it to work), and my timing belt needs to be replaced (another $500). That means a minimum of $1000 in repairs for a car I don’t even drive that often. I’m beginning to realize why suburban Maryland needs better integrated public transportation.
On the job front, my luck is just as fickle. I finally called this morning to follow-up on the job I applied for back in April (there was an interview, then follow-up phone calls, then more follow-up emails, and at last count, the position was still open on May 30). It turns out that the Executive Director who was supposed to do the hiring has unexpectedly left the position. Of course, no one ever contacted me about it, and I had to resort to leaving a voicemail on her executive assistant’s voice mail. Not that I expect a call back—so far, the last 60,000 attempts to communicate have gone unanswered. Sigh. It makes me question the wisdom of applying for this job.
So that’s about it. There’s nothing else much to report. My mom and I have been going to the gym, and I am in desperate need for some new gym clothes. It’s horribly hot and humid here, and I am not equipped to deal with the heat. Unfortunately, a trip to the mall (combined with the tire replacement) demonstrated once again that I have NO money—at least, no money equal to gym clothes from Hechts—especially not after signing over my entire savings to the car repair people. Guess I’ll be on the elliptical machine tomorrow with hot, polyester pants.
