the bribe. august 21st.

so dad called this morning.

and he said, 'pack your bags, grab your bathing suit. i bought a jet ski.'

and started laughing. like a kid.

in some ways, my dad is a big kid. he's just now at that point in his life where he's adding to his toy collection.


and we talked for a bit. and he asked if i could come down for labor day.

and i should. because it's the longest weekend i'll have between now and thanksgiving when it will be too cold to use the jetski.


but i had already determined that i couldn't go home then, which is why i asked chalk up.

i haven't talked to him since we made the unofficial plans, so i don't really know if he is going to come up then or if he has found a ticket.


so i told dad i'd look, knowing i don't have money for it. knowing that work is going to be hectic the week before and after the holiday. and i know that i shouldn't go anyway.

but i guess he thought i'd be able to get away then. because he hung up with me, and called me back like an hour later, asking if i'd found a ticket.

i told him there are a few reasons why i don't think i can make it that weekend. but also that i really can't afford a ticket right now anyway. there are cheap tickets.

but i still can't get one.

so he said, just come after work on friday. leave on monday afternoon. we'll buy your ticket.


sigh.


i'll see what chalk says. sex here for four days vs a trip home for two and a half. hmm. never had to make that choice/decision before. first time for everything. and of course i can have both, if i time two trips right. but how will the chips fall?

air travel drains me. but more pool/sun/lake time is sure to be what i need. one last hurrah. so long, sweet summer. helllllloooooo, fall.

it's trying to change over here. a couple days ago, it was barely 80. i think phila is ready for summer to be over. even this weekend is cooler than 90, with a delightful breeze.


so i tried to fix iphone again today.

this trip to the apple store was effective. thanks, kit, for forcing me to go, and for not making me go alone.

she made the funniest joke.

i was bitching about not wanting to go alone. and being whiny in general.

and she said, 'didn't you do laundry yesterday?'

and i said yes, knowing there was a joke in there somewhere, but not knowing what it was.

and she said, 'then put on your big girl pants and go!'

hi-larious. cracked me right up.

so he said there were little metal arms sticking to the tray, keeping it from sliding back out again. he popped it out a couple times to prove that he fixed it. and, now if at&t jacks it up, apple is three little blocks away. miss breezy liked the weekend ride with cricket (kit's bike) and got me there in record time. she'll do the same tomorrow.


i have another headache. it isn't beer's fault this time. i wish i didn't have these things all period every period. every day gets kindof annoying.


on a positive note, kindof, i finished all the mixed cds for everyone today. i made probably ten for brownies, and a few for this boy tony who sent me r.e.m. dvds. and burned a couple for nina and two for aubree.

wrote nice letters for each. i missed the deadline for the post office though, in an effort to write out track listings for the mixed cds.

actually, i didn't. but the offices closed early. at 330, which is not to be confused with 4, mine was closed. so i went to the old one, fearing a run in with ever for some shit reason. and the woman was standing by the door to lock me out, but i went in anyways.

and with great phila attitude, she helped me. only i was buying the boxes to ship them in, so they weren't filled out. so i bought everything and left. they'll go out monday. and hopefully get there somewhat quickly.

i love sending music away. as i wrote out the track listings, i patted myself on the back for having mad skills in the mixed cd department.

i hope they like them.

because i love almost all of them.


aside from that, tonight we go out with a friend, kim, to catch up. she wanted to do something different, but for us that means the same old thing, because she wanted to go to the place where we have gone every day this week, just about.

i'll take it. i just won't eat that ginormous plate of nachos tonight. because that was a ridiculous amount of food last night. and the other half today for breakfast/lunch/dinner at 5 was also too much. and now i feel gross.

one day i'll care enough to change my decisions.

and from the balance in my checkbook, with putting some cash aside, i'll be making fewer bad decisions out of necessity.

i hate my end of month paycheck. rent takes up half of it, and bills pretty much the other half. the first of the month check is the sweet one. if i can put double money aside, it will help.


i don't know what to do about going home. part of me wants to, part of me wants florida to come here. i don't want to worry about work from afar, because that is a mental prep weekend for me. and if i go home later in the month, then i won't have a three day weekend to spend there.

decisions, decisions. i sent chalk a note asking how far he'd gotten into his trip planning, but he hasn't been around, so i don't know yet.

i'm sure i'll talk to him tonight after i'm nice and mellow from a trip to the bar.


that'll do. it's all that is on my mind.