Joanna

wow, I haven't updated in FOREVER.
I'm still living at home with the parents, the new kitchen is finally 99.9% done and fully usable (yay not having to eat out every night!) and I'm busily working on grad school applications. I'm going to try to get into a Master's program, but I want to continue on to a PhD so that I can ultimately become a college Film professor. Cross your fingers. The GREs kicked my ass and the whole process was scary and frustrating, especially since I studied so incredibly hard. I did alright on the verbal, which is good. I'm temping at Ocean Spray again. I love the women I work with, though some of the other people in the department are gossipers and there's this one guy who is so close-minded, isolationist, and conservative that I try to avoid him altogether (he called me a Communist. I'd rather not deal with THAT again!) But all in all it's a fun job, and I love Sylvia, who is a fellow temp with me.

I am working on apps all the time, so I've hardly seen anyone from Dartmouth. I am a total hermit right now. I can't wait for Thanksgiving, when Mom and Dad get to meet Steph's boyfriend Josh. I think it's going to be a lot of fun!

Alrighty, so I am now a resident of Massachusetts again, though I'm waiting to update the license and stuff while I figure out if I am indeed going to be staying in this state. But I am moved in, clothes unpacked (though lots of ironing to do!) and am again living with my parents. Yes, folks: I am twenty-four, unemployed, and I live with my parents. And oh yeah, I HAVE A CURFEW. Yeah. I am totally going to be able to pick up hot guys w/ this.

But I'm excited to be back in Mass, and to begin finding a new path in life, and hopefully one will that leave me much more satisfied, fulfilled, happy, etc. Cross your fingers for me, okay?

Leaving VA was a little harder than I expected, mostly b/c of the few really great people I met while I was there. My roommate almost cried when I said goodbye, and I would have if the whole thing hadn't seemed so unreal and not really happening. She bought me a Golden Snitch as a going away gift! And my last night in VA Steph helped me pack (oh thank goodness, and thank YOU!) and then we had dinner w/ Ally at Steph's place. Ally brought ice cream and even made me two CDs for the road. She made a mix w/ songs about going home and different songs that have a personal meaning for us. And Yvonne and Jeff dropped by to chat and say goodbye (and again, I almost cried.)

I already miss them all. Being at home is going to take some adjusting. I went shopping for some food that I like to eat. It was weird just not knowing what there WAS in the house. And feeling like I have to put my stuff away so I don't get yelled at is weird. LOL.

This should be an adventure.

So I ended up quitting the Olive Garden early b/c of my doctors appointment. Tendinitis in the rotator cup and the fact that lifting is BAD kind of made waitressing a bad idea. So the last few days I've been cleaning, downsizing, and packing, as well as enjoying as much time as possible with my sisters. Over the last few days I've seen a lot of Ally and Steph, which has been great.

Ally taught me backgammon and we've played that a few times, and we've played cribbage, too. We took a walk around Bloody Angle, had shaved ice from Rita's, and ate pizza while watching a Red Sox game (we won!) We enjoyed some "Road to Avonlea" as well.

Yesterday Steph and I grabbed some candy and went to see "Becoming Jane." I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so I'll just say it's enjoyable, Anne Hathaway is beautiful, understanding all the literary references (and being one of the only people in the theater laughing at them) made me feel fairly smug (haha), and despite the films lack of imagination, it is entertaining and well done.

Over the next days I rush to finish this project at work, finish packing, and try to see friends and family before I move on Friday.

BTW, if anyone knows anything about DVD Authoring (particularly DVD Studio Pro) please let me know, since the program is pissing me off and the whole office is out of town and can't help me fix this. Totally sucks.

So I aggravated my shoulder injury from the accident, and the doctor thinks I have a 'separated shoulder.' Essentially, the tendons that connect my shoulder to my clavicle are strained. This means: Ow. It also means steroids and painkillers, and at least two days off from work. If the steroids don't work then I have to go back for x-rays and stuff. Weee.

In other news, it looks like in a couple weeks I'll be back living w/ my parents while I apply for jobs in Massachusetts. I'm excited to go home and find a new job and have a new beginning, but I'm going to miss seeing my sisters, and my roommate, and Yvonne and her family. It seems like I'm making friends all of a sudden, right before I go back home. This seems to always happen to me. Grr. But I'm excited to try to find something that makes me happier.

AH HA HA HA HA HA. So true!


Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

Harry Potter SPOILERS around the bend...
( On Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows )

What is there to say about life lately? As always it's a jumble of fun and downtime, sleepless nights and meals, driving and working, laughing and crying. It's always that way.

Lately I've had meals with sisters, mastered a new recipe (Pico de gallo chicken w/ black beans), worked at the Olive Garden, tried to work on the DVD (I am very far behind) and oscillated between happy and smiling (had a great date w/ a guy on the Fourth of July, saw real fireworks for the first time in a while) and suddenly remembering that my grandparents are gone.

Random things remind me of them. My roommate and I are hoping to throw a Harry Potter party when the last book comes out. But even something as banal as a new book release reminds me of grandpa. I think the next time I visit I'll tell him how it ends; I think he'd want to know. I'm hoping (and I believe) that good will triumph over evil--I think he'd like that ending.

I desperately need a vacation from all of this. But instead I am working all of the time, and I'm depressed and lonely. Life in VA is lonelier with my sisters out of town enjoying my hometown and my parents and my friends. It's been so long since I got to enjoy that. The last few times I've seen them, I've cried on their shoulders. Steph called from The Group's party last night, and naturally I cried a little, knowing they were having fun (without me, even if they missed me.)

Don't even ask me how the job hunt is going.

That's about it right now. Errands, jobs, driving, trying to sleep. Yesterday at the Olive Garden it was a slow day and a bad one, and I said "It has to get better. It has to get better." I don't think I was really just talking about work that day.

Someone said "It will," so I'll try to believe that. They have to be right.

i miss mount holyoke. i miss my girls. i miss my grandfather.

Boo.
I am back from MA, and now I'm frickin' sick. I haven't worked at the OG (OR MADE MONEY) for like two weeks, and now I'm sick. WTF, mate? I bet I got whatever I have from the plane ride. I have to get better, b/c I have to work and I have to go into the office on Monday. Grr.

More later. There's still so much I want to say about Reunion and the funeral and such.