First Entry (of my fourth blog...)

Hi Everyone!

Lately I've been feeling really bummed about how lousy I am at keeping in touch with the important people in my life. Not having the internet at home has kept me totally out of the loop, and kept a lot of you from knowing what's going on with me. I shouldn't use lack of technology as an excuse. I could call, or write letters, but I don't, and I'm sorry. So I thought I'd start up a little bloggie. I still have my livejournal, but they're so EXCLUSIVE. I thought blogspot would be a better idea, and it seems a bit more mature, doesn't it? (PS. blogspot is like facebook, in that their spell check doesn't recognize their own site... dumbasses.)

SO ANYWAY, I thought I'd start writing in here to keep you all in the know. Seems like a step in the right direction. Maybe I'll make a few video blogs about my less-than-exciting life, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's definitely a step in the right direction, and maybe I'll hear more often from you lovely people.

With all that said, not much is going on in my life. HAHA. I work at the Gap, which is unexpected (Remember how I used to rail against them? Can't bite the hand that feeds me anymore...), but it's ok. I don't make nearly enough money to survive on my own, which is where my amazing boyfriend comes in (more on him later). I'd like more hours and less drama. The best part about the job is working with Robbie, who was recently promoted. Even though we don't see much of each other outside of work, I feel like we're closer than we have been in awhile. I hate taking the bus and the two hour one way commute. It's extremely stressful, but the only option I have right now. Nancy (Ben's mom) has been great about letting us use the car whenever she's around so Ben can pick me up from work, or we can run errands like food shopping and laundry.

Ben and I are living together, have been since March of last year. We got our own place in June. Really I should say it's his place since he pays for everything. The rent, the cable, gas and electric, food, laundry.... EVERYTHING. Of course I feel bad about it, and I wish I could do more to help out, but I'm struggling just to keep him from paying my Old Navy and phone bills.

Speaking of bills, there's one I haven't been able to pay, which is my credit card from college. I'm not totally in the whole, more than 10 grand with them, and they call everyday. I tell them the same thing everyday - that if I have a grand to give them now and $200 to give them every month, I would. I'm not holding out on them. Unfortunately, they're unwilling to compromise. I could probably swing the $200 a month if they didn't want me to catch up on my payments too, and I refuse to set up automatic withdrawals.

I try not to stress out about it because there's nothing I can do, but sometimes I get overwhelmed and cry a lot. Again, this is where Ben comes in to tell me that I'll be fine, we'll make it work. He's the best.

Right now I'm trying to work out some payment plan with Sallie Mae based on my income because my loans go into repayment in May. They sold my GradPLUS loan to the Dept. of Education, which has made things twice as complicated. Thanks Sallie Mae.

In other nonfinancial news, I finished the new Jodi Picoult book in three days. Pretty good, but I figured out the ending about a third of my way through the book. My Sister's Keeper is still the best.

I'm watching LOST and missing the Shapusens and Patrick. I watched the Oscars too, and thought about last year, when Patrick and I IMd through the whole thing, shouting celebrity names at one another when they appeared on the screen: MERYL STREEP! DANIEL DAY LEWIS! JOSH BROLIN!! HAHA, good times.

Anyway, that is all for now. I miss all of you a ton. I hope you take the time to read the blog. They won't all be massive entries. Comment and tell me how you're doing, or direct me to something where I can catch up on our lives, too!