Why I Love my Boyfriend

So I came home this morning to an empty house (excluding my dog Floyd) and I sat down to the computer desk. We have papers all over the table adjacent to the desk and as I was rearranging papers I noticed a card for me. It simply said "I Love You" and a few sweet words from Jimmy. In the card was Disc 1 of the first season of LOST with a note saying follow the clues. My boyfriend created a treasure hunt for me around the apartment in order to obtain the entire first season. I started laughing and crying at the same time because the clues were hilarious (some I knew exactly where to look). Now I have the first season of LOST to watch while he is away. He also bought me 10 puzzles to do, some large some small, and I bought the first season of The Tudors to watch...so I should have be kept busy. I also have my knitting and a class to do. I'm taking a class for Jimmy because his program is being discontinued next year so he has to finish his degree ASAP. I'm actually looking forward to it. I miss school and International Management is a class I took many moons ago so I should do well. Other than that my attempt to find a job is still in progress. I've applied for a few positions and am just waiting to hear back for an interview. I tend to do really well on interviews...it's just getting to that stage. I wouldn't mind doing part time work at this point...sitting around the house gets boring after a while.
Floyd and I will be leaving soon to Upstate NY for my best friend's wedding this weekend. I'm excited to see all of my friends, and to go camping!! So I'm just trying to keep my chin up for now...and am silently counting down the days til Jimmy comes home (I'm not allowed to say when...it's a secret!!)

Stay or Leave

Maybe different but remember Winters warm there you and I
Kissing whiskey by the fire With the snow outside
And the summer comes The river swims at midnight shiver cold
Touch the bottom you and I With muddy toes
Stay or leaveI want you not to go but you should
It was good as good goes
Stay or leave I want you not to go but you did
Wake up naked drinking coffee Making plans to change the world
While the world is changing us It was good good love
You used to laugh under the covers Maybe not so often now
The way I used to laugh with you Was loud and hard
Stay or leave I want you not to go but you should
It was good as good goes
Stay or leave I want you not to go but you did
So what to do
With the rest of the day's afternoon hey
Isn't it strange how we change
Everything we did
Did I do all that I should
That I coulda done
Remember we used to dance
And everyone wanted to be
You and me
I want to be too
What day is this
Besides the day you left me
What day is this
Besides the day you went
So what to do
With the rest of the day's afternoon hey
Well isn't it strange how we change
Everything we did
Did I do all that I could
Remember we used to dance
And everyone wanted to be
You and me, I want to be too
What day is this
Besides the day you went babe
What day is this? ~DMB

Quarter Life Crisis

So after almost two years with Enterprise I decided, after a day 1/2 in CT rental, that I can no longer work for this company. I've never enjoyed working for Enterprise and I tolerated my position at State Farm for the past 8 months. It definately wasn't what I wanted to do and my boss drove me up a wall, but I was able to work a 40 hr work week and I only had to work 1 Saturday every six weeks. I had a life outside of work. This is probably the most important aspect of work to me...that I am not working so much that I can't enjoy my life outside of the company. So when I found out that I couldn't do what I was doing in New York out here...I was really disappointed. I tried to find a job before I started working in rental here but had problems since I was living in NY and trying to find work in CT. As the end of my two week vacation came to a close the reality of going into rental again reared its ugly head.

For those of you who may not understand the Enterprise rental experience, I will break it down for you. The hours in CT are 7:30-6 Monday thru Friday and 9-12 on Saturdays. Let me make this point clear though...you never, EVER get out at six. It's usually closer to 7 since morons can't read signs and want rides 20 mins out of the way at 5:45 p.m.....not to mention you may need to grab some cars from another office, and since you're so short-staffed (ALWAYS) you can only do this after-hours. Now back in NY we were able to have 1 day per week in which we could come in at noon or leave at one. I found out that they don't do this in CT so good luck getting any errands done unless you take time off to do them. The office in CT has a 70 car satellite that is also open on Saturdays...so you need two people at the main office and one on @ the satellite every Saturday. There is only 1 manager, two assistant managers, and two employees. Do the math and see how often I would have to work a Saturday. Even after I realized all of this I figured I'd try things out....until I went on my first pick up in the ghetto.

So I'm driving along to pick up some thug in the ghettos of Norwich. For those of you familiar with NY...think of Troy...but worse and bigger. I'm looking nice in my heels, button down shirt, and skirt and pull up to this multi-family dump with people stoop sitting outside. I ask around and find the person who needs a ride back to the office. He proceeds to look me up and down, says "Hey baby, didn't realize they were sending someone as fine as you out to get me", and gets in the car with me. I laugh it off until we start the drive back to the office where he proceeds to ask me out multiple times and even goes as far as to put his hand on my leg. I thought to myself...wow this is what I'm going to have to deal with everyday out here. Then I snapped. I dropped him off...spoke to my assistant manager...and told him that I am resigning immediately. I refuse to put myself in danger because this f*ing company can't properly staff an office so that women don't have to do these things. I also was thinking of my dog as well. Jimmy is going to be gone for quite sometime and if I am leaving the house @ 7am and not returning til 7pm...he's going to be alone in his kennel for 12 hours, 5 days a week. It wasn't fair for him...or me for that matter.

So now I am unemployed and looking...I check about 5-6 different websites everyday for work and have my resumé posted on them. I have enough money to pay my bills for a couple of months so I'll be fine in that respect. While my boyfriend may not be happy with my decision, he knows that I need to do this for myself. I'm going to be miserable enough with him gone, I don't want to be miserable with work as well. So if anyone knows of a company that's hiring out here...let me know! I'm keeping my options open and hoping something comes up soon...

Eh...

So things are plodding along here. Everything is basically put away...except for the cds. The monstrosity known as Jimmy's cd collection. I honestly have no idea how many he has but it's a lot. We spent last night going through and alphabetizing them...we're only on letter N. I'm not used to sea duty life and I'm not entirely psyched about my boyfriend being away for six months. On a better note he'll be able to FINALLY see other countries than this one so I'm really happy for him because I know how much I love to travel and can't wait to hear the stories he'll have when he comes home. As for myself I think having six months of no Jimmy may not be such a bad thing. I can focus on myself and things that I want to do. I'm hoping to figure out a gameplan for getting my Master's and I wouldn't mind developing some new hobbies or rediscovering old ones.

Tonight we're going to a deployment briefing with other sailors and their wives/girlfriends. I'm hoping to maybe make some aquaintances so I'm not alone once he leaves.

On a better note California's Supreme Court has overturned a ban on gay marriage paving the way for legalization of homosexuals in the state. I'm really excited and think that this is an important step in moving forward for gay rights. My whole theory on gay marriage is basically this: Heterosexuals have screwed up the institution of marriage so badly that we might as well let the gays have their shot...they maybe able to teach us a few things.

Here are a few pictures that I took of Jimmy and Floyd...

P.S. I miss Jimmy's facial hair

We've only just begun...

Since this is my first time really living away from home (not counting college and France) I've decided to keep a blog so my friends and family can keep up to date with my life without having to call me (everyone knows how much I loathe talking on the phone).
We just moved into our apartment in CT a little over a week ago and my has it been an exciting time. First, my overall impression isn't stellar. It's not that this place is horrible, but this doesn't compare to living in Saratoga at all. Our town, Jewett City, can be described as a once possible thriving town (circa 1960) complete with a Main Street, local pharmacy, town credit union, and park. Everyone seems to know one another and I feel very much the outsider in their clique of small-town coolness. The people are relatively older for the most part and the younger generation are basically popping babies out left and right. Oh yes, you know what I mean. On any given day I'll see about 3 mothers pushing strollers that look like they're in the throngs of teenage acne. "Well maybe they're just babysitting" you might say. I wish that were true except their faces tell it all: worn, tired eyes, and the look of disgust they carry because they're stuck with this slobbering, pooping machine. Condoms children, wear a condom.
Our apartment itself is spacious and will look great once we eventually clear out all the boxes (we're getting there). I plan on posting pictures once I find my usb cable for my camera...don't ask me where it's buried. I think I'm adjusting well and Jimmy seems to be doing alright though he is struggling a little with the reality that our living situation is no longer Stephanie staying at Jimmy's place but is our SHARED home. Oh yes...that means I finally have a say in decor and setup....and I think he secretly hates it. I've made him put stuff in storage and throw things out that he thought would be proudly displayed. I'm putting some of my artwork up in lieu of one of his concert posters. I'm loving every minute of it because I finally get to have my say about how I want things. We suprisingly to agree on most things and eventually one of us gives in (usually me, I only speak up if I strongly dislike something). Yesterday while shopping for a toilet paper stand we couldn't agree on a color, nor design. When we finally came to a decision Jimmy laughed as we walked to the register.
"We're a couple", he said.
"Uhhh we've been a couple for a while now" I replied.
"I know but we're arguing over home decor" he stated.
I chuckled to myself when he said that as he put his arm around me and I realized that no matter how much CT may not live up to our standards, my home is where my heart is..and I'm right where I belong.