Neighbors

Having neighbors as close as I do now is a new and interesting experience for me. I don’t mind people being in my near vicinity, I don’t even mind that a couple of the people down the hall look a little shady.

I do mind that the pleasant Hispanic/Mexican couple across the hall have relatives in on what appears to be at least a bi-weekly basis.

Now, mind, I only mention their heritage because it bears on the story, they’re very pleasant people from what I’ve seen of them and their baby is just cute as a button.

However. Once in a while baby’s Abuelita comes to visit. I’m not even sure which one of the couple she’s related to, but when she comes to visit, it’s a riot of kids in and out of the apartment, stomping up and down the stairs, and *every* time the door opens, it sounds like the Spanish-Language network version of Jerry Springer on Location over there.

Abuelita apparently doesn’t approve of a lot of things across the hall.

Seeing as how my Spanish is limited, I don’t understand all of it, but the tone is pretty clear.

Things just aren’t up to her standards, over there. And she’s letting them know about it.

Fun stuff...

So, I was flipping through the mail I'd gotten from the college that I'd brought with me, and found the orientation schedule. Thanks to that bright yellow pamphlet, I realized that the student services center was open today, so I went down and got my student ID, parking pass, and hiring packet for my work study.

(Edit: I just realized that they got my name wrong on my student ID. If they're not extremely busy tomorrow when I go in for my books, I'll get it fixed. If they are, I'll worry about it when they slow down.)

I also got my book list. I thought I'd be smart and look the books up on Amazon, see what kind of prices I could get. One problem, apparently my school uses esoteric textbooks. So, I'll hit the bookstore tomorrow (10:00am-2:00pm) and pick up my books. Thats what the financial aid is for, after all. I just thought I could be cheap on it.

I also have to hit the bank Monday and set up a checking account for my work-study earnings to go into. Payment is by direct deposit only. Blah. So, I'll get all the paperwork filled out and have it ready as soon as I have an account number.

I'm getting kind of amused at the sheer amount of paperwork that the Department of Defense is getting on me.

Or maybe you don't know about that.

A lot of jobs nowadays require a Department of Defense form to be filled out. You have to have copies of your driver's license, social security card, and fill out the form so that they know you're you and that you aren't a terrorist about to blow up the highway/school/whatever is handy.

The last three jobs I've held, Combined (insurance, I have no freaking idea why I had to do it on this one) the job on the road (I had to do it when I renewed my flagging certification) and now the work study job, which basically is me being employed by the college, have required the same DOD form.

Not that I've got anything to hide, as the background checks for the insurance job and my concealed carry permit show. I just amuses me a bit that the Department of Defense probably has a file with my name on it somewhere, accumulating these forms.

Its possible, although highly unlikely, that when this newest one crosses someone's desk they'll say "oh! she got a new job.. at a college?"

What? So I'm easily amused, so what?

WTF?

My loving grandmother bought me a brand new printer for my new apartment. She bought me extra ink cartridges (which is a good thing since it only came with a color cartridge.)

One small problem. For some reason, the folks at Lexmark didn't think it was necessary to include the USB cable with the printer. So, I'll have to pick one of those up. I also need a USB hub, because, well, I have a lot of USB stuff. My wireless mouse, the power source for my external speakers, my external hard drive, and now my printer. And only two USB ports on my laptop. Yeesh, I need a desktop machine.

What ever happened to the box including everything you needed, though?? I mean really. Used to be when you bought a piece of computer equipment, inside the box was everything, cables, all of it. In the case of printers, there would be one of each type of ink, if it used more than one.

I don't know about ya'll but I'm not keen on using only a color ink cartridge. That gets a bit expensive.

So, here in a bit I'll get motivated, get dressed in something other than pajamas, and go to Wal-Mart.

I want to print out some more pictures for my walls, anyway. That is, if the Kodak Photo Printer has *paper* in it today....

I have TV!!!

So, thanks to the generosity of my parents, and the good graces of T, who hauled it up here for me, I have another TV now. All for the low low price of a couple of slices of leftover Pizza Hut for the delivery boy. This one works, so I have DVDs to watch. Granted, a small number of DVD's but it's better than what I had.

Classes are just around the corner. My nerves are starting to run amock, but I'm getting settled in in the apartment, so at least that's good.

My horse comes up the weekend of the twenty sixth... which kind of makes me sad, I wanted to start riding right away.

My alternate academic advisor, (Read: The head of the Ag program, I love my small college) advised me not to get all of my books right away, but to see what use each instructor plans to make of the books, and see if I even really need one.

Seems weird to me, going to school without books. But, I guess if I don't really need them, it'll save money for other things.

First thing Monday I go and get my student ID, and my parking permit. First thing Wednesday, I have class.

Folks, I gotta tell you, there have been times that I never thought this day would come. I'm finally continuing my education.

... I get to LEARN! From BOOKS! Books that don't have the words "Lane Closure," "Warning Signs," "Emergency Flares," or "Cone Disposition" in them.

I'm downright giddy about that.