Retold

I’m a fan of board games.  Pretty much everyone who knows me knows this.  I don’t get to play them much, though, because Matt pretty much hates them all.  Anyway, I was looking a link I got by email from someone or other which turns out to be a horse supplies website (I get the strangest links) when I come across this.  If you don’t want to click the link, I’ll just tell you what it is…

Horse Lovers Monopoly.

I’m almost speechless.  Honestly, there is a Monopoly for every occasion.  In my closet, where I keep the games, there’s a standard Monopoly game and a Disney Monopoly.  Sadly, the Disney Monopoly has gone unplayed because I can’t seem to get anyone to play it with me.  Matt’s a party pooper!!  But honestly, those jokers at Hasbro are shameless.  They’ll do anything to make a buck.  What next, Nascar Monopoly?  Or, maybe, Hershey Monopoly.  Ugh!  This is getting out of control.

Now, Trivial Pursuit, they can keep them coming!!  Go go trivia games!!

…(¨`·.·´¨)
…..`·.¸.·Kristyn

So, watching DietTribe on Lifetime has made me want to try again to get in better shape.  Stupid show!  I mean, we all know that I don’t have the drive or self-discipline to do it.  I tried it last summer and failed.  I did manage to lose like 11lbs, but I also quit and gained half of it back.  I fail at dieting, I fail at “lifestyle changes,” I fail at doing what I need to do to be better because I’m fairly comfortable with my life.  I’m married to a man who finds me attractive, even if I don’t find myself attractive.  I always find excuses, I always quit, which as me wondering why even start?  Yeah, that’s right, I’m quitting before I begin because it’s less painful that way.

I want to diet.  Yes, I want to, but to be honest, I can’t.  I lack self-discipline, I lack support, I lack the funds required to really diet.  I mean, have you seen what it costs per month to eat three meals and two snacks per day?  It’s easier and cheeper to eat junk  and only eat it twice a day.  Carbs are cheaper than good foods.

I want to get good fitness equipment.  Yeah, one more time, do you know what a good treadmill costs?  Nordic Track is some sweet stuff, if only I could afford one!  I hate going out to get exercise, I’d like to be able to have a treadmill so I could walk inside.  I’m such an agoraphobic!

I want to feel better, sometimes I think I need a therapist.  Crap, can’t afford that either!

What I really need is a job and yoga.  One out of two isn’t bad.

…(¨`·.·´¨)
…..`·.¸.·Kristyn

So, it’s nearly February 2009 and I’ve been reading a lot about this TV goes digital thing.  The TV’s been spouting all sorts of warnings about it since what, 2007?  I suppose I never really paid attention to it until now.  Apparently, February 17th 2009, all TV goes digital.  Bye bye analog signal, bye bye eyesore antenna, bye bye rabbit ears.  When we were at Wal-mart the other day I noticed they were selling analog to digital converter boxes.  I guess my question is easy, who’s not already on digital signal?   I mean, it’s 2009, who’s still using antenna and rabbit ears and that sort of junk to get free TV?  I don’t know that I could watch TV without network channels, with a TiVO, without all the neat stuff DirecTV offers.  Those still on analog are brave souls.

My biggest problem with it so far is that it’s given birth to a whole new series of technological innovations.  Things like digital converters, digital signage,  and the like that just ends up costing money.  The stuff will sell, how could it now, people won’t give up TV, at least not the majority.  I’ve seen some people on blogs and news sites saying they’re going to stop watching TV in protest to free analog signals being replaced by digital signal, but I doubt when it comes down to it that it’s the truth.

My second issue with it is the reasons behind it.  I question why it’s necessary to make this sort of change.  What’d analog signal ever do to you?  According to the government website offering coupons for the change to digital signal, the reasons are to offer clearer picture and to free up the airwaves for emergency responders.  Has there ever been a problem with airwaves for emergency responders?  I mean really, in theory it works for me, but in actuality, I don’t buy it.  Just feels like one more way for the government to control us.  Yes, big brother’s going to get us (read: sarcasm).  Seriously though, what’s the point other than the need/desire to apply control to something that’s otherwise mundane?  Emergency responders, right.

Honestly, I just don’t know.  On one hand, I’m so glad I’m already on digital signal.  I get DirecTV, have a TiVO, wouldn’t know what to do without one.  On the other hand, I feel terrible for people having to spend the money and time to make the transition.  Yes, digital TV is fairly open and easy to get.  Anyone can sign up for DirecTV with little cost, but it’s still a pain in the ass for no real reason, in my opinion.  I said it, I’m saying it again, thank goodness I’m already on digital signal!

…(¨`·.·´¨)
…..`·.¸.·Kristyn

I’m here, sort of.  I’m about to complain, a lot, so if you want to skip that, I totally understand.  If you chose to read what I’ve written below, don’t blame me if your eyes pop out of your head at the utter disarray this posts seems to be in.  I warned you.

School’s back in and for whatever reason, I’m not getting anywhere near enough sleep.  I’m one of those sleep 8+ hours a night gals or I feel like death warmed over.  I’ve been getting 5-6 hours a night and yeah, death, but rather than warmed over, I’m feeling more like burnt to a crisp.  I’m exhausted.  The first week of classes isn’t even over yet and I just want to lay down and sleep for a year.  I’ve been napping in the afternoons, which is adding to the problem, but I’m just so tired!

Our classes, on the other hand, are going swimmingly.  Did I just say swimmingly?  Proof I’m tired, I never say swimmingly.  I have two classes Monday, Wednesday, Friday and two classes Tuesday & Thursday with a geology lab Tuesday afternoons.  Two classes a day isn’t a big deal, not by far, especially since I’m enjoying all of them.  Yes, ALL of them, even geology!  The problem is everything else.  The first week of classes isn’t just classes.  It’s book buying, and homework where there’s been none for a month, and grocery shopping, and catching up on all the things we’ve not been able to do for lack of funds over the last month or so.  It’s taking care of all the loose odds and ends because they have to be taken care of.

Book buying is my least favorite time of the year.  Between Matt and I, we spent $585 on book this semester and three of mine aren’t even in stock!  I’m going to have to buy more books and I don’t want to.  I can’t believe textbooks cost so damn much.  I always say that, I’ve been saying it for years, and will continue to say it until it’s no longer the truth.  Since it will always be the truth, there isn’t much change of shutting me up anytime soon, sorry. So a small bookstore related sidetrack, for some reason, I’ve had trouble finding flip flops over the last year.  Wal-Mart used to sell them by the truck load, they’re not anymore, so while we were at the bookstore I was going to buy flip flops that say “TSU” on them.  School pride and all that crap, I really need flip flops.  I walked over, picked them up, stared at the price tag for another second or two and put them back.  Would you believe those stupid TSU purple flip flops are selling for $20!  I refuse to pay that much for shoes made up of a foam sole and two plastic straps, well, in this case the straps were cloth, but yeah, not happening.  So, I’m still on the hunt for flip flops.  Maybe the official college bookstore will have them cheaper… er… what did I just say?  I’ll just look at Payless, hopefully they’ll have some with no sequins on them.

Okay, enough about flip flops, back on topic… Most of my classes have some of the same people in them which is nice.  Lauren, a girl I’ve been taking classes with off and on since way back in 2004 is in my Sr. Literary Seminar and my Creating a Nation class, which I have back to back, so I have someone to chat with before and between classes.  There’s a guy in both of the afore mentioned classes that’s also in my Europe in the Age of Absolutism class and another girl who’s in my Sr. Seminar and Europe classes.  So, it’s not completely lonely.  I sort of know people in all the classes.  Well, all the classes except Geology.  It’s a HUGE class, it’s in a HUGE room, and  I know like no one.

Being back in school, though, for me is met with some trepidation.  I have this habit of getting a little depressed near the beginning of each semester, this semester will be/has been no different.  Not getting enough sleep, not eating right, coupled with the fact that I just feel plain frumpy is making me into a raging bitch.  Have you ever had one of those days months where you know you’re being a bitch but you just can’t stop? That’s how I’ve been lately.  I know the fact that I feel old and a little more than slightly shabby isn’t helping anything but I don’t know what I can do about it.  I hate it.  I look around and see all these girls, make-up caked on their faces, wearing shoes I would never wear to school, and don’t even get me started about their clothes, and some of them look like they should be walking down a runway somewhere, rather than sitting in class.  It all just makes me feel old and ugly.  I know I’m not that old, okay, but it doesn’t stop me from feeling like that when I’m surrounded by 18 and 20 year olds.  I’ve never been much of a dress up person, I don’t wear skirts, ever!  I’m just who I am, but the fact that my cute new haircut is now turning into a not so cute old haircut isn’t helping anything.  I have two choices, I can let it grow out, which it is doing in a rather unpleasant way, or I can get it cut again, which Matt doesn’t want me to do.  I’m choosing let it grow out, but it’s making me feel ugly in the meantime.  So yeah, frumpy: being overweight (which I can’t seem to do anything about), the fact that I feel like I dress like a fat old lady, wearing glasses now (regardless of their cute factor), my stupid haircut which is making me crazy again already, and all these cute little freshmen and teenyboppers.  Ugh, save me from my own personal hell!!  I’ve always held the belief that school isn’t a fashion show and I didn’t need to attract a man with my uber cleavage and too much lipstick, but this semester I’m feeling really down about it all.

Eh, but I can’t do much about it at this point really.  I mean, I could probably get new shoes, as my shoes are adding to my ugly factor like 110-zillion-percent, I could probably wear make-up… but really, I’m already tired all the time, who has time for make-up?!  If I had kids, I would literally end it all.  I couldn’t see how I’d fit one more problem into my life right now.  And, of course, the fact that I haven’t seen my friends in like a really long time isn’t helping anything either.  They either live too far away or don’t have time for me, which sounds like a pity party but is the truth at this point.

One person in my house who is NOT frumpy right now is Anakin!  He was, don’t get me wrong, he hasn’t been groomed in 5 months because of money issues and the fact that I was scared shitless to take him back to the horror groomer on Graham Street!  I decided to spend a little money, $40 actually, which is $10 more than it cost to get him groomed, and buy the clippers to groom him myself.  I bought all the stuff and went to it, afraid but ready.  He came out looking great!  It took me all afternoon of course, something like 4 hours, but we got it done.  He was so matted up, I felt so bad, but he looks really good now.  So, now that I have the clippers, I can groom him ever month or so and keep him looking nice and that saves me money and give me peace of mind.  The only problem right now is his nails are very long and his dew claw nails are curling over and cutting into his pads.  I need to cut them, but he’s being resistant.  Oh, and I lost the nail clippers so I’m either going to have to find them or replace them.  I’ll look for thema gain later.  I wish I knew what in the world I’ve done with them!

Okay, I’m going to go before this becomes some depressing that I throw myself in front of a moving vehicle.  It’s all a part of the whole, too sleepy, too frumpy, too hungry I’m-a-raging-bitch-fear-me thing I have going on!

Poor Matt (who doesn’t read this blog, because after all, why should my husband be interested in what I’m writing?).

Oh, just one more thing.  I was adding tags and categories and all that post-writing/pre-publishing stuff when I realized I didn’t share the good news.  I found a little extra money in our very tight budget to get a new computer.  Mine is on it’s very last legs.  It takes like 5 minutes to open the word-processor and I have some fishy virus type things I cannot get rid of… oh, and it sounds like it’s about to take orbit and radiates heat.  Time to go old computer! One very bright light in the otherwise very busy, frumpy, sleep deprived life I live… now if the stupid thing would just get here!!  I only ordered it Monday and it takes about a week to build and get shipped, so It’ll be the end of next week at the earliest really, but I still want it now!

Okay, I really am going now, bye then!

…(¨`·.·´¨)
…..`·.¸.·Kristyn