MarineBluePsy

Ok all caught up on the news now. Between Orlando and Chicago, good grief!

Heheh I had a similar experience with a different program. Completely unacceptable.

Clearly I need to read the news....I've been so absorbed in my own stuff I haven't a clue what happened, but it sounds like something that will make me angry.

Why are vacuum cleaners so crappy? It doesn't matter which I buy, what features or attachments it has....they're all crappy. Hiding one of them may not be a good idea. If your landlord finds out they could try to evict you depending on your lease terms and tenant laws in your state. Even if you end up being allowed to stay, you'd be on their shit list which wouldn't be good.

I actually just learned this when I was pricing bubble wrap the other day. They have bubble wrap for electronics and I wondered if it was a scam to get people to pay more money. Apparently not. Basically I should leave the computer in one piece and wrap it well in the bubble wrap for electronics and it should be fine travelling via car or shipping. I'll back up all my data beforehand just in case and my renter's insurance has a special rider in case its damaged.

Fellow old fart here...I totally remember Lamb Chop lol! In fact I despised Lamb Chop and those stupid tunes they'd sing hahahaha. Hadn't thought about that in years. I bet you remember The Snorks too? This makes me smile and giggle a bit. I'm always telling people that roommates are not always amazing because real life isn't Friends. However if your roommates only issue is the excess furniture maybe you 2 could chat about a way to organize things so the shared space feels tolerable? Maybe some of her stuff that isn't used daily can be put in her bedroom or a hall closet? Since you have a lease you might as well try to make it bearable so the stress doesn't affect your studies. @Pink Fuzzy Bunny @hippyscientist Good grief I forgot to mention that yes I am grateful to be alive! I am, seriously! I'm also grateful that I'm not in the ICU or in need of surgery or otherwise bed bound. I will make a full recovery and be able to resume my usual activities which makes me very lucky. In the last decade or so I've done a lot of self work and feel that I've become a good person and in my own small ways am making a difference in the world. So this accident didn't make me feel like I needed to make drastic changes in that regard, but was more of a "hey I'm not done yet!" kind of thing. As for pushing my start date with my program? Doing this will jeopardize my funding, which I need (and a chunk of that will be a down payment on another car and replenish my emergency fund). My advisor has been flapping her gums for weeks about the prestigious at my University fellowship I earned and though its criteria to remain eligible is stricter than other funding sources she knows I can handle it. All the Department heads are also quite mooney eyed because Psych students are never picked for this, its always the hard sciences. That by itself was enough pressure and delaying a semester (even though my reason may be a good one) could be interpreted (unfairly!) as Psych students aren't a good investment. That was the attitude before I earned it and me the nontraditional student with an unusual background and unique research interests is being used to prove otherwise. The upside is they aren't going to overwhelm me right away. My funding source doesn't require me to TA, the class load is light, and I will have a small caseload of clients. Also I won't be asked to do anything extra because the faculty are firm about spending the beginning of your program getting acclimated to the community and encourage everyone to find a non-school activity to engage in, make outside friends, and just plain learn your way around. Once there, though discombobulated, I think I'll adapt and be ok. My schedule will be way lighter (no more 2 jobs!) and I can add in more self care time. It's just the getting there that is uncertain and I don't care what happens I'm not tapping my retirement account. The taxes and penalties won't be worth it. I can take out a larger student loan than I planned to (grrr!), but that's not immediately available unless throwing a fit will get them to push mine to the top of the pile. Hmmm....I'm not above throwing a fit.

@hippyscientist Glad to hear your research is going well. @sjoh197 @marycaryne @Neist Yeah I had to accept that my mom is nuts a long time ago. When things are good we're kinda like the Gilmore Girls, with less sharing of intimate details. When things aren't good the silence is deafening. I didn't even tell her about this whole grad school adventure. I just can't deal with her "what about me?!" or confused looks. We're at a things aren't good point and I'm certain if I left tomorrow it'd be at least 6 months before she noticed. @Pink Fuzzy Bunny @hippyscientist @sjoh197 @marycaryne @Neist You guys (and everyone else around here) are awesome! I think I largely forget my own limits despite all of the self care I regularly and gladly do. I spend all day telling people how to not get overwhelmed and what the heck am I doing? Lol. So basically...I nearly died a month ago. Like seriously. I was on my way to work and in a multi vehicle accident which quickly made the news that yes, just about anyone who knows me saw and assumed I was dead or close. Do you know how creepy it is to call people on the phone and have them freak out that you're still living? Well it is. And as I sat at the ER looking a hot mess I realized that I didn't have a single person to come and get me. I don't mean like they'd be annoyed I bugged them at work or would need gas money. I mean as in none of my family out here drives, I don't have any friends, I'm single, no coworker friends, and the few acquaintances that I could have awkwardly begged for a ride were out of town. Taking a cab home just really sucked. I'm pretty banged up, but not nearly as bad as I should have been and it is highly likely I'll need physical therapy. I'm not sleeping that well with or without painkillers and I'm not a huge fan of pills anyway. Then my program is expecting me in a few weeks and I was on track with getting there before all of this. Sure I'd procrastinated on getting things into boxes, but all the major steps were done in terms of knowing where I'll stay temporarily, mapping my driving/overnight stop route, what would be shipped, getting a new car, having the needed funds to move/get set up, etc. Well since I had to wait for the police report to get details on who else was involved (and at fault!) I had to operate under the possibility that the at fault party was uninsured/underinsured and needed to keep my own costs down. That also meant going back to work much earlier than I should have because I couldn't afford to stay home longer. Huge financial pinch, but once the police report was ready and it clearly pointed the finger at someone with valid insurance I figured the ball would start rolling. Apparently not, so now I've had to contact a lawyer. I don't even like lawyers. This is all going to drag on so much longer than I can stand and if things don't go my way then I guess I get stuck with the lawyer bill along with all the others. So now I have to figure out the following: how to pack everything when I can't lift much and have zero help, how to affordably ship everything door to door because when I get to school I won't have a car for awhile (not sure I'll be able to swing a rental there), learn the bus system so I can get to campus and find a permanent home, how on earth I'm supposed to swing last minute airfare prices if those name your price things tell me no, how to take a physical therapy referral from my current doctor/health plan to my schools health plan and get that going as hassle free as possible, and probably some other things I'm not thinking of now. This on top of having to lawyer up over this whole accident, being completely freaked out that I nearly died without an estate plan and my mother (who falls apart at the hint of a crisis) would have likely been the one packing up my unmentionables. I've scheduled a free consultation with an estate planning attorney next week. Yesterday was just too much. Getting the run around by the at fault parties insurance, reaching out to a lawyer, learning financial aid won't pay out until mid-late July, sleep deprivation, not being able to move as normally or quickly as I'd like, realizing that though I work 2 jobs I literally may not have enough money to actually go to my program and not going isn't really an option either, and it's just me. I have to figure it out or call it quits or whatever. There isn't someone else to do anything. Oh and this morning I had a Taco Bell induced stomach ache which was totally my own fault lol.

Heh my mom doesn't even pay attention when I'm talking about her favorite subject...her. I can't count on her and never could. I don't think a night or two is going to cut it. I'm exhausted and fed up. I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel and I'm not even excited anymore. If I have to hear one more time about what an amazing opportunity this is and how lucky I am I'm going to stab someone with a fork. So does this mean your research is back on track and everything will be done in time for you to leave the country?

So its a really bad sign if nothing is working right, right? I've seriously just had it. HAD IT! I feel like having a fit, an actual adolescent style fit like Curly Sue with those itchy tights! I'm not going anywhere. This whole moving across the country for grad school has to be the stupidest idea I've ever had, clearly evidenced by the fact that everything that could go wrong has gone wrong and my attempts at fixing things aren't working. Geez I've failed as a grown up and am now going to commit to my decision to forget the whole thing by eating massive amounts of Taco Bell in the closet and watching whatever trashy reality tv I can find on hulu.

I frequently wish this about both of my parents, but then I end up exhausted. Well get your creative juices going! Can anything be slipcovered? Would decorative accents such as a tablecloth, vase, plants, art, odd paperweights, etc make it tolerable?

I did some rough price estimates and can tell you USPS is generally cheaper than UPS or FedEx. But depending on your area (and destination) and the overall weight of your items you might be able to ship via Greyhound or Amtrak. This I'd heard of and apparently they aren't even picky about the types of books or cds as long as you sign a form saying that's all the box contains. Apparently shipping this way also means delivery is longer which isn't bad given the discount. Thanks for the suggestions. I figured I could put bubble wrap or packing peanuts inside the computer case and then bubble wrap the computer and monitor separately before putting it in a suitcase lined with additional padding. All my daily needs stuff will be in the car with me, but I like the idea of labeling the shipped boxes by room. Excel file of the contents and a printed copy just in case should also help. The hard drive comes out? I'm not even sure which part that is lol. But no it won't be out in the sun, just in the trunk while I drive for the day and then I'll bring it into the hotel overnight with the a/c. And if labeling fragile isn't ideal, then should those boxes just be labeled glass instead? That still requires someone carrying it which is precisely what I'm paying for. They aren't heavy otherwise I probably wouldn't bother.

Wow today I cooked the last items in the freezer. It's so weird having it empty and not planning my next bulk shopping trip. So since I should actually start packing things I'll be shipping, anyone have any tips? I just realized I never pay attention to how things are packaged when I order them. Why are there so many types of packing tape? Are packing peanuts better or bubble wrap? I do like to pop those bubbles. What kind of boxes are best for textbooks? I'll need to come up with a detailed labeling system so I know whats in each box. Are there special boxes for glass? Or will labels be sufficient? Can computers melt at certain temperatures? I'm pondering taking it with me on the drive, but I'll have to go through the desert at some point. Can it melt in the trunk? I don't think the a/c reaches the trunk.

You need a really good eye makeup primer. You apply it, keep your eyes closed for a few minutes while it sets, and then apply your eye makeup. Always use waterproof products whenever possible. There are also eye makeup setting solutions, but I've never needed these when using waterproof products. I see people wearing other schools sweatshirts at universities all the time. I don't think its a huge deal unless there's a big sports game or there's a clear rival university. I prefer to leave them for the gym or working in a not so clean environment.

I've definitely gone through bad fashion phases and now in my 30s I'm finally hitting a groove. I'm much better at dressing for my shape and the occasion and in social situations prefer to be closer to dressed up than not. Why? I like the attention. I never tire of men (or women) telling me I look fabulous. Plus dressing up when you're single and looking is an absolute must if you want to attract better quality men. I don't think I'll be dressed up for classes, but I am pondering options other than jeans and a top. I haven't been able to find flattering jeans in the last 10 years and skirts adapt better to the weather anyway. But if I'm doing a lot of walking I want good walking shoes and prefer socks so my feet aren't sweaty. See? Lots of things to consider while I figure it out.

Hilarious! LOL! I've always been afraid of this happening and it's likely made me pay extra attention when on public transit. A 5.5 mile walk in decent weather isn't bad, but if it were raining or triple digits? Forget it!

Perhaps there are listings for LGBT friendly rentals/roommates that would work for you if you decide to go the roommate route?

I tried that and never stuck to it because I often wanted to do more things than the fun budget covered. Not assigning a dollar amount has been easier because I don't miss out on things I want to do and I've naturally just starting skipping a few little adventures when I know I want to have a bigger adventure or reduced other costs to free up funds to entertain myself. It's something about the rigid financial limit that my mind just rejects. Maybe they'll make you the subject of some research study while they explore options. Ice and tylenol doesn't sound like a great long term solution.

Well if you walked on a treadmill you could watch movies! Who needs that pesky fresh air anyway?

You don't even watch independent or foreign films? That seems right up a librarians alley. It is seriously my dream to go to the Sundance Film Festival and see everything! I seriously can not get past the absurd premise of a girl being impregnated like that. The reviews are good, but I can't let it go lol. I always marvel at people who consider non-monetary things rewards. Does paying for a spa day with someone elses money count? I feel like it should. I have never been able to budget and I finally realized why. Assigning a task for every penny literally depresses me and it leaves no room for spur of the moment opportunities like discounted theater tickets or a weekend away. Instead I just track my expenses and this has gone pretty well. After awhile there were adjustments made, but at no point did I feel like I was missing something because it wasn't in the budget. {{{{{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}} And is that a good thing? Or is it a weird thing that you have to remove?

I think rolling backpacks/suitcases are fine for shorter people. I'm 5'7 and the handle never extends enough for me to be upright. So then my back and neck hurt from leaning over to pull it which is annoying.

I personally found it very relatable. Watching Lorelai and Rory was like watching me and my mom. Sometimes you forget who the parent is or that we're mother/daughter not friends, but there's still plenty of ups and downs. Also I liked how Rory's character was rather innocent for some time, which is a lot like how I was. Not every teen girl is sleeping around, having pregnancy scares, and doing drugs and it gets really frustrating to see so much of that on tv. Some of us were nerds much happier with a book. The setting of Stars Hollow also appealed to me because though weird at times it was refreshing to see a community so supportive. It's not easy to find that these days.

I remember pondering this after high school and I was really excited to travel and meet interesting people. Then they told me that "developing country" often meant no indoor plumbing or hair salons or day spas. I kept my privileged ass at home lol. Yes I too think I'm entitled to kill anything I deem small and gross, though its exhausting so I'm looking forward to having a husband and making him do it. Woohoo Gilmore Girls! I'm almost done rewatching season 4. RIP Ed Hermann I too hoped that Marty would have a meatier role in the show. It would have been good for Rory to date another hardworking smart guy, which is what Dean was. I heart Dean. I thought he was super hot when this show was new and now I'm slobbering over him again lol. He should be in the revival.....shirtless....like a lot. I mean for pete's sake the guy worked construction and we never got to see those muscles while he was swinging those hammers? We were robbed! I hope Mrs. Kim returns, she was hilarious! And why was there never a Mr. Kim? And what about Christopher and Gigi? No one needs to see Sherrie, she was awful. Oh and Luke's unnecessary daughter April? Will she be visiting during a school break or something? I didn't like her character, but since they ruined an entire season with her presence they can't just pretend she doesn't exist. And Madeline and Louise should make a cameo. By now they're both probably married, with 4 kids, and popping xanax daily.

I just found out I don't have to TA my first year! I hate TAing! I can't believe I move next month. Everything is off track so I don't feel ready.

Ok so that's still gross, but less gross I guess. Why can't they call it feline flu or something? I swear if they released that term over the media it would create mass hysteria. Geez it seems like vets would have come up with something to fix this by now. Then again I say the same thing about pneumonia. It is utterly ridiculous how much money and time is spent on something like Viagra, yet people still die from pneumonia. As for your spiders, you'll still need an exterminator if you're dealing with an infestation....but you can trap and drown them with vinegar. Get a bunch of little glass jars, fill half way with white vinegar and place them in every corner. The smell intrigues them, but they don't realize its a liquid so they fall in and drown. Change the jars every couple of days as needed.

Your campus doesn't offer discounted passes or have your school ID act as a pass on the city bus there? I've actually never heard of a University that doesn't strongly suggest students use the city bus and they often tack on a discounted bus fee into your semester fees so you can just flash your ID. Less pushy ones make the fee optional and you have to some office pay it and then get a sticker to add to your ID to then act as a bus pass. As for the safety issue, does your campus have any kind of forum where students can post questions? If so post on there asking other women how they feel taking the bus at night. Did you just say cat's get herpes? As in cat herpes?! I'll admit I'm not a fan of pets and one my biggest irritations is their need to wipe their filthy rears on everything. But those rears could also have herpes on them?! This is so much grosser than I thought. So many years from now if you all read about some 103 year old lady that lives alone, never married, has no friends, and spends her time screaming at the neighbors to keep the cat herpes out of her yard....that'll be me. As for your apartment.....good grief! Since your landlord isn't doing much have you found out what department enforces tenant rights? They could give you advice on your options and also inform you of what your landlord should be doing about the water leaking and the bugs.