Hawaii Fantasy

So lately I've been researching flight schools, cuz Noah was talking about wanting to become a helicopter pilot once he got out before the whole second deployment thing happened. Granted, he also was talking about NOT becoming a helicopter pilot (something about impracticality? huh, what's that?), but he seemed so happy and interested in the helicopter pilot thing, that I thought it'd be worthwhile to start compiling information (yes, a year an half in advance) and seeing what's out there just for fun. And it's a nice distraction from my job search now and then.

Seriously, flying helicopters as a profession is TOTALLY COOL!!Researching this has made me rethink my career path. Haha... I'm almost tempted to steal his dream job while he's in Iraq. And then I'm going to join the "Whirly Girls." Sweet. Except not. He's suited to it and I'm not. But it's still totally sweet.

Anyways, one of the flight schools I particularly like is in Hawaii, so I used that as an excuse to research cost of living, etc., in Hawai... and wow! Totally cool! It's actually less expensive than living in CA, from what I can tell! (At least... for a year... renting) And it's easier to rent there without having to sign into a long lease cuz with all the tourists that's pretty standard. Awesome. Anyways.

I've been having a lot of fun checking these places out. It's cool to see how easily fantasies and whims could become a reality. It makes my day so much easier...

Leggo My Eggo

Okay, so I'm at the grocery store. And for some reason I find myself snatching the man in front of me's Eggo Waffles off the conveyor belt and looking at him expectantly with a goofy grin. He looked back at me in confusion. So I say, "umm... this is where you tell me to Leggo your Eggo's....?"

Hilarity ensued.

Babysitting 8 Marine Children

So, wow. What a day.

As a favor to my mother, and a friend of my mother I agree to babysit for 8 children from 4am (when the dad left for a flight out of Chicago) to 9pm (when the mom got home from her return flight out of Chicago). I'd never met the mother, the father, or a single one of their 8 children. So around 10pm the night before I realized I hadn't spoken to the mother since the ONE time we talked about the job 3 weeks prior, I didn't know if they still needed me to do it, where they lived, or anything. So I called and after several attempts got through to the dad who was basically like, "See ya at 4am!"

So I show up at 4am and meet the dad. He's totally cool. Basically he says "Here's our wipe-off board of information, here's a bed you can sleep in 'till the kids get up, and here's where we keep our coffee pot." All the essentials, totally efficient. So as an afterthought I determine where the 1 and 3 year old are sleeping (I figured they'd be my biggest concerns), and get a run down of names that went in one ear out the other, and establish there are no seizure kids or medications to be dealt with. Awesome. Then he leaves.

So a couple hours later I go into the bathroom (for obvious reasons) and before I can even get down to business I realize that the toilet is already hopelessly clogged. So I start plunging. Then I hear this knocking on the door. When I say knocking, what I really mean is patting. Like a tiny tiny palm gently bumping it in succession. So I instinctively (and tiredly) say "Just a minute!" in my friendly voice. In the three seconds that follow between plunges I have a panicked realization that a small child just knocked on the bathroom door... WHAT if they have an accident. Before I can even wonder I hear a tiny squeaky voice say, "Uhh... is everything alRIGHT in there..?" So I start laughing, open the door, and introduce myself to the tiny slip of a girl (6 yo) who comes sauntering in. She's talking a mile a minute filling me in with all the family gossip, who has what "problems," while I unclog the toilet, and then we proceed to brush our teeth and hair together. This kid is totally hysterical. Most of them were.

Six boys and two girls, ages 16 to 18 months. Why didn't the 16 yo babysit, you ask? Because the 14 year old is 6'2 and the 11 yo 5'9 (substantially taller than her) and the two beneath them are just as bad and all four are the sons of a retired marine and, quote, "We LOVE a good fight!!"

But for all that, they're INSANELY disciplined and pretty much did everything that needed to be done automatically. I don't know how children get to be as helpful as theirs were..... must be a marine thing...

************************************************************************

"Sir?" Jermained pretended not to hear her and kept walking. "Sir!" He stopped. "Do you have an appointment?" He screwed up his face a little and looked at her. "No, no I don't. I just need a moment, though. In and out." Her cold, haughty blue eyes gave him a quick once over. "I'm sorry, but that's not possible. If you want to make an appointment, I'm sure we can fit you in sometime at the beginning of next week..." He cursed under his breath and started to walk away. Halfway across the room he turned abruptly and walked briskly into the men's room....

This would be me freaking starting to blog again

So, right.

I applied for a new job, had an interview that went really well, and it's looking WAY optimistic. I find out for sure if I've got it (and maybe have a second interview) before the end of next week. Ooooooh la la. Better money. Working with my cousin Mike (asianKP's bro). Tons of growth potential. Much more fun. And most importantly, not B-O-R-I-N-G like my current place of employment. Soon, I will hopefully finally have a real "adult job" with a steady income. Call me and I'll take you out for an icecream cone. My treat. (xo Phil :))

Other than that, I went down to Chicago last night. Lotsa drinking, good company, good food, good time. Per usual.

Also, my dad had prostate cancer a couple years back. He had surgery to have it removed and they said it was all gone. He goes back for regular check ups for the last couple years, and on Wednesday he found out that apparently it's still there. More news once he goes back in again next week. Also, he has another hernia. Which means another surgery. Pray for him, please. Pray hard.

Annnnnnnd yeah. Dan the Climber Man is back in town, on a happier note. Bless his soul! I haven't got to see him yet, but I'm sure much merriment and playtime shall follow his return. I'm told he said that he "Ate the Hell" outta the cookies I sent him. Whatta guy. Ain't he cute?

Also, I made a new resolution for the remaining time I spend at the car rental agency. I now have a zero-tolerance policy for people who swear at me. I will inform them of my policy once they breach it and tell them that if they cannot conduct business with me without getting up in my face and cussing at me, then they can go someplace else. Otherwise, I'm calling the sheriff. And if they cuss again... I AM. Calling. the fucking sheriff. I'm sick of this bullshit. Maybe I am a "stupid white bitch," but at least I can have the self-respect to be a stupid white bitch who doesn't let ignorant dumbfucks with bad credit and no money call her out of her name. It's been working so far. "-ish."

I gotta get out of that hell hole. It makes me feel like a caged ferral cat.

Soooo... right-o. There's my news!

Okay, buhbye now.

PS: See ya tomorrow KP! Let's play LOTS of games. And drink. And be merry. And make plans. And do things.