2003 Blog
Dec 29: I started hunting for jobs, but this time of year is bad to look. Everyone has seasonal workers and the season is about over, so I get to among the ranks of hundreds of newly unemployed all searching for jobs at the same time. This stinks! At least I don’t live at home anymore and I can drink every night while the money my dad gave me to get me back on my feet holds out. Bottoms up!
Dec 23: Darmella called to tell me she thinks she is pregnant. She doesn't think it's mine though, but she thought I would want to know and that we are over as a couple. She told me that she has slept with 5 other guys since we met and it could be any one of us, but the timing seems to let her narrow it down to 2 guys. I demanded to know if she cheated on me while we were together and she said once, while we were on the road. She said there was a guy in a truck stop but she didn't get pregnant from that. I hate her! Why did she have to tell me this before Christmas and set the tone for a real crappy set of holidays? I asked her where the rest of my stuff was and she said that she assumed her ex had it.
Dec 19: I haven’t seen Darmella in a month. I haven’t really talked to her in almost 2. Tomorrow I am moving some boxes over to the old place, so I won't have much time to update this.
Dec 16: Tests did not go so well. The first one I went to, I had to show ID to prove I was on the roster. The instructor had no idea who I was, but that’s OK because I have no idea what he was talking about on the test. The bad news is this is one I had notes for. I spent more time on stakeout at Darmella's house than reading the notes and all I got for my efforts was 2 shirts and a couple of my DVDs back. Darmella was late on her rent and the landlord made the call that she was not coming back. She had not paid November and he had been notified the utilities were being shut off. He shook his head and let me go through the discard pile where I found a few of my things. I hate you Darmella.
Dec 9: I went to Darmella's house again and the car is now gone. She's still not there though. I looked in the windows and I don't see any of my stuff. I wonder if she boxed it up for me? I checked the mailbox and it was stuffed full. Where is she?
Dec 5: I need a drink. I called Darmella's house to get the rest of my stuff and its disconnected. I went to her place and of course, no one is there. The guy's car is still there, at least I assume it's his car. I wonder where he is. Chad let me come over and pound some beers. We complained about women until about 2 am last night, I thought it would help me feel better but now I just feel sorry for myself. It's hard to study when you don't care about anything.
Dec 1: Finals are coming. I managed to get notes to 3 of my classes, I am going to concentrate on them and just hope for the best in the others. Multiple choice, I hope to get 50% right on the tests I don’t study for. Sean is moving out over Christmas. Nick and Danny said I can get my room back but if I walk out again, they are "selling what has value on ebay and burning the rest". They don’t have to be such jerks about this whole thing - I am the one who should be mad. They are good guys though, they are letting me come back. Sean's money is good to the end of the year, but Sean said I can move in around the 22nd when he leaves.
Nov 28: I hate you Darmella. I should be hanging out with Nick and Danny playing PS2 and eating Doritos, but NO! You ruined my life and left me for a convict! I HATE YOU!
Nov 27: The whole family is here, this sucks.
Nov 25: Thanksgiving is almost here and I am seriously needing a drink. I am going over to Chad's house to get wasted. I figure if I get it in now, I will be able to endure 3 days of my brother's success pointed out to me by my parents. He is a dentist.
Nov 23: Back in the basement, the good thing is I was able to get ahold of some of my highschool friends who also still live at home and we are having a little party this weekend. Some D&D&D - Dominos (Pizza) and Dungeons and Dragons. It will get our minds off our problems and it does not involve alcohol - parents rules.
Nov 20: I think I might have the start of a drinking problem. I bought a bottle of Darmella's favorite wine and drank the entire bottle waiting for her at her house. I woke up yesterday morning and I was still on the porch, but she was inside. Most of my stuff was on the porch next to me. I was like "what gives?" I put the stuff in my car because I kinda sensed what was coming. I'm glad I did, because things got ugly. When I rang the doorbell she answered and acted like we were just acquaintances. I could not understand what was going on. Then, the guy comes out of the kitchen. He was really big which shut me up pretty fast. I like Darmella and all, but I'm not going to get killed for her or even fight this guy for anyone. She introduced me as her friend to her ex-husband who just got out of prison. "This was who the flask we bought was for" she tells me. My heart was sinking but when he kissed her and slid his hand inside her shirt, I was crushed. He said it was nice to meet me and he shut the door. I haven’t heard anything since. Maybe he will leave and she and I can get back together. This weekend I am moving back into my parent's basement while things settle down. Part of me wants Darmella back the other part of me thinks that I am beginning to hope I don't hear from Darmella again, it might be better for me.
Nov 15: More bad news - which I didn't think was possible. I got fired for no shows. I told Russ I needed a week off, not a month. I missed all the shifts he put me on for before I left. He wasn't there, but Jay the assistant manager had me clean out my locker and gave me my last check. That $80 won't go very far. Darmella is still not home. She hasn't called or emailed. I hope she is ok, I am starting to get worried.
Nov 12: Bad news on almost all sides of this: Nick and Danny gave my room to one of Nick's friends Sean. The good news is all my stuff is still there and they are not totally mad. Sean spent a few nights there before I left on the trip and didn't know it. He paid the rent to cover me while I was gone and just used my stuff. School - I missed 3 tests, no one wants to give me their notes after I told them how I lost my books and where I have been, and the teachers have absolutely no sympathy. Luckily, I brought my computer with me to study for school, when I got back to Lawrence Darmella had left a note saying she would be back in 2 days and figured I needed that time for school. I need Darmella to get home so I can just talk to her. I need someone to listen to me and let me know the world isn't ending. Sean has agreed to let me use my old room for 2 days, so I am back in Topeka with nothing to do.
Nov 10: Wow, what a trip. We ended up getting her medicine in Mexico alright, then she surprised me with this news - the trips are not just there and back. We dropped the load in San Antonio, picked one up there and took it to Phoenix, went to Tucson to pick up another load, dropped it in OKC (Oklahoma City) and then took a load all the way to Charlotte, brought a load to St Louis, sat for a few days, then brought a 1/2 load back to Kansas City for the end of the trip. All told, we logged something like 6000 miles in 15 states and saw Mexico to boot! Luckily she told me this in San Antonio, otherwise I would have run out of money about a week into it. I got out of the truck with $0.75 left. A lot of my money went toward gas, those trucks use a lot! About halfway through we started eating bologna and crackers to save money. I really need to work so I can get my BK fix in. I also lost my books somewhere during the first week. I am going to go back to Topeka and see if I can get notes from people in the classes so I can catch up. What did I do the whole time since I wasn’t studying? Well, I saw a lot of the country, and lets just say I don't kiss and tell. It would rule to do this again for spring break. Maybe I could talk her into taking Nick and Danny!
Oct 14: Bye all, we are hitting the road in 30 minutes. I have to load everything in the sleeper so no time to write!
Oct 12: We are going to San Antonio! This is better than I could have thought of - Darmella says we will cross over to mexico while we are down there. She needs to get some medicine for her back and it is cheaper there than here. She is so good with money, I would have never thought to actually USE a business trip to get personal errands taken care of. I am with the right girl - that is for sure!
Oct 6: In preparation of the end of workers comp, Darmella's boss has given her a few routes to choose from in the coming weeks. There is one to go to Seattle, San Antonio, and Atlanta. She said that I can come along if I want. I think I will if I can get another 10 hours on this paycheck. I keep forgetting to bring up my vacation plans at work with Russ. Remember, remember, remember! Ill talk to him about it Wednesday. As to which trip I would like to go on... I think Atlanta would be fun. On the other hand, Seattle is the longest drive and I would get the most time with Darmella that way. Nick sent me an email asking for rent. I almost forgot totally, I haven’t even been to Topeka this month! So I went to town today, paid the guys, and went to class. I had no idea what they were talking about, I've missed almost 2 weeks straight. I will take my books on the road so I can catch up while I am gone and come back to finish the semester in tip-top form!
Oct 2: Two weeks left on Darmella's workers comp, and we are living it up. I moved my computer to her house with some clothes and stuff because I spend about 1/2 my time here now. I should take my profile off match.com but Darmella says I should leave it up for other girls to see. I feel bad, its kinda like false advertising, but I'll do anything for her.
Sept 23: I missed some classes this week because I went with Darmella to Kansas City - we went to Banister Mall. She had to get a gift for an old friend who is coming to see her. She got an engraved flask and then we stopped to get a bottle of Crown Royal. She filled the flask and then we split the rest of the Crown Royal on the way home with some Mr. Pibb from Burger King. She says that drinking doesn't really bother her when she drives. Me? I was wasted by the time we got to Lawrence and I had to stay over. That stuff is mean the next day!
Sept 17: Saw Darmella again, this time was better than the first! Seeing her in the daytime made me notice that she does limp a little, probably from the hog accident. I've learned so much about her like her feet are different sizes (7 1/2 and 7) and when she buys shoes, she has to switch the shoes in the shoeboxes to get a pair. She also likes Nascar, grape gum, Burger King (as much as me) and prefers wine to champagne, but she loved my match.com ad. She is also 36, she thought 32 sounded better, but then told me the truth on our 2nd date. We got a bottle of wine, some BK double-cheeseburgers, and went to Clinton Lake west of Lawrence for a picnic. We got kinda carried away and did something I regret. I hope she doesn't think that's all I am after, I am really liking her. But wow! I am going to call her first thing so she doesn't think it was a one-night stand. Well, I guess it couldn't technically be a one-night stand. We didn’t go all the way.
Sept 14: My date with Darmella was amazing. She is every bit as good as I had hoped. She looks kinda like that girl from Roseann. You know, the smart-alecky daughter of Roseann, the one with dark curly hair? Well, that looks pretty much like Darmella. She has all kinds of tattoos, which I was not expecting. She told me she has more, but she won't show me in public. You know where I hope they are! Anyway, she is 32, and works for a transportation business as a long haul trucker, and is on workers compensation while her back gets better. She hit a pig while driving a pickup for work while her semi was getting loaded. By a pig, I mean a 500 pound hog. It destroyed the truck and hurt her back pretty bad. She says she is totally better now, but still has 4 weeks of benefits to use up before she has to go back to work. Cool.
Sept 12: Nick, Danny, and I went out to the mall for Danny to buy some jeans and we all got some dinner. We ate at the Cajun restaurant which is surprisingly Asian influenced. I don’t know if this is because all the people that work there are Asian, or if the Cajun food is derived from Asia, but it was basically a Chinese buffet like place where you pick 3 items from the serving area and that is your meal. The food was good, what I would say really good Chinese food, but Cajun is supposed to be spicy and stuff. Tabasco is Cajun, not white rice and strawberry chicken. I guess it doesn't matter, the food was good, even if it wasn't authentic Cajun food. I guess Chinese people don't do Cajun very well in a mall in Kansas.
Sept 10: I got a "wink" today from a girl named Darmella. What a pretty name, I bet she is really pretty too. Her profile doesn't have a picture so I just have to use my imagination for now. She lives in Lawrence, a town about 25 miles east of here. She suggested that we meet this weekend and go out. Woo-Hoo! Normally, I like to take it slow, but this girl might have a little insight to the type of guy I am and want to latch on as quick and tight as possible. Can't say I blame her.
Sept 8: Danny skipped church today, I think things will go back to normal. He was a lot more fun before he attended church regularly. According to Nick, this happens every August when Danny returns from home. His dad is a preacher and spends all summer brainwashing Danny into being Sir Born Again. The influence isn't so strong over Christmas, but I remember Danny being a kinda like that last year when we all came back.
Sept 5: Everything is back to normal. Yesterday Nick made fun of the intervention and Danny laughed too. He apologised, the Nick apologised, then it was all over. Now our house is whole again. We are like the United States - United we Stand, Divided we Fall!
Sept 2: Danny and Nick talked today, but it was about who left the garage open all night. They weren't yelling or accusing anyone, so I said I must have done it. It was nice to see them in the same room doing something besides glaring at each other. Danny said that he is doing a lot better since his trip to the clinic.
Aug 30: Payday! Only 4 shifts on this check, but its enough to set my determination to get the assistant management position that should be opening when Chris graduates this fall and leaves for another job. Chris is going to KU in Lawrence and he studies Chemistry. I don't know what kind of jobs there are working in chemistry, but according to Chris they make more than the $8.50 an assistant manager makes. That $8.50 is a lot more than the $6.70 I make, so I am dropping hints to Russ and Jay that I want to be an assistant manager someday. They seem pretty cool about it, so I think I will just plant the seed from time to time, and ask questions like, "Do assistant managers decide stuff like that?" and hopefully when Chris leaves, they will be like, "Duh, Tim is the one!" That would be so sweet.
Aug 27: I drove Danny to the clinic today, he thinks he has a testicular problem caused by Nick punching him. I don't know if it was for show or if he really is messed up. He is limping around and stuff, and it seems like a simple racking should have worn off by now. Maybe he is milking this one and trying to make Nick apologise first. I didn't ask to see the injury. Nick asked me if Danny had showed me when Danny left for work. I told him that Danny did offer to show me, but I passed. I don't mind someone showing me a huge dump they took, but I would rather refrain from staring at my roomates genitals. Nick thinks Danny is faking it and is looking for anything he can call evidence. These two need to make up - the house can't be like this forever.
Aug 23: Vista is having a sale on cheeseburgers, but Burger King is still the royalty in my book. I showed a couple of double-cheeseburgers (DBL-CHSBGR as their menu says) who is the real burger king.
Aug 19: Nick refuses to talk to Danny until he apologises. Danny on the other hand is still recovering from the rack that sent him sprawling. I am not taking sides in this. I hope that our house can survive this. School sounds pretty decent this semester. I am in 18 hours and should be able to graduate in the Spring if my advisor OKs 21 hours. If I knock out 18 with good grades, I don't see any reason they would turn me down. Books are pricey when you take this many classes! Chicks dig overachievers, but my motivation is only slightly driven by that statistic. Got to get to work, I'm a blue collar man effective today.
Aug 18: Wouldn't you know it? Two days before my shifts start, Danny pulls his intervention. He went to church and brought home an anti-porn posse that encircled Nick and threatened to stay there until he admitted he had an addiction. I was in the kitchen and could see it all. Nick punched Danny in the crotch and yelled "I've got some gospel for the rest of you bible-beaters if you don't get the hell out of here right now!" Some of them refused to leave Danny in a den of sin and some of them wanted to fight Nick, but one thing was sure, they were not encircling him anymore, so he just left. I snuck out the back door and met him out front. We went to his girlfriend's house to play PS2 and didn't come back until he felt most of the bible-beater's curfews had passed. Danny hasn't talked to either of us since.
Aug 14: Danny came to me and wants to have an intervention with Nick on his porn addiction. I said that I've never noticed a problem and that an intervention might be a little excessive. Danny told me that I need to stay away from porn and away from Nick until I get my facts straight. He is planning to get some people from church to come over and confront Nick with his "problem". I think I will try not to be here when that happens. It shouldn't be too hard, Russ called and left a message, my shifts start up on the 19th. I just have to make it until then and I can realistically plan to avoid the confrontation.
Aug 11: I found out why Nick is so on edge - Danny caught him watching porn on TV. I guess Nick got too used to having the house to himself over the summer. Danny is a Baptist, he is totally against porn and he lectured Nick on it. Nick told me about this on a trip to Burger King. I took care of 2 More double-cheeseburgers the world doesn't have to worry about anymore.
Aug 8: I got a wink from a girl in North Carolina, but she didn't return my email. Man it is hot here, I wish Nick and Danny would let me turn on the air-conditioning.
Aug 7: I just got all moved back in with Danny and Nick for the fall. It was nice getting out of the parents house, now I can talk about girls with the guys and not have to flinch every time a door opens. Nick's still upset about pouring out 5 gallons of his cider beer. He went out to get a 12 pack so he can "relax". I think it's just a show. Danny acted like he had nothing to do with dumping the cider with me, I had to take all the heat myself. I sure remember it, maybe Danny doesn't - he did look tired that day.
Aug 4: No Amber, no phone #, actually no girls at all. This was a Head Start camp. I would rather not say anything about this experience except that it's probably not entirely the kid's faults I was miserable the whole time. These kids haven't known much fun or positive experiences in their lives - they were probably not meaning to be so hurtful.
July 26: Camp session #2 is coming, maybe Amber will be there again and I can get her phone number this time. That will be the goal.
July 24: All 6 of my emails to Amber were rejected because of an unknown domain. I should get another service provider that can actually route email, to think that I am on the cusp of a relationship only to be thwarted by a server that doesn't acknowledge Ambers IP! Someone help!
July 21: I was hopeful, but the only people that liked me were the kids in Unit 5. The other counselors thought those kids were trouble, but I saw nothing. In fact, they were quite the helpers, always telling me where the trouble was coming from. They were wanting to help, but a lot of times they were wrong and I would be on the complete opposite side of the camp when some catastrophe broke out. I am thinking that one of the informers was informing the other kids and made Unit #5 the target for everyone else - influencing the other counselors to assume they were the problem. Unit 5 - I know better! There was no real luck in the romantic side either. I went swimming with the girls at a team builder, but a snapping turtle bit my foot. I made a huge scene and might have come across as too intense. Maybe next time. There was an Amber there, she was really nice, cute too. She gave me an email address but I haven't wrote yet - I don't want to look too interested. I'll take it slow and cool.
July 13: The Omaha girl and I exchanged several emails and IMs. She said that she did not really contact me, that one of her friends must have while she was away from her computer. She was probably just too proud to say that she wasn't strong enough to handle a long-distance relationship. Its ok, we are all weak in our own ways. Only 2 days until I start summer camp! I actually go tomorrow, but the campers don't get there for a whole extra day. Plenty of time for me to enjoy the place without them, and maybe scope out a female counselor.
July 11: I got a "wink" from a girl in Omaha. I am happy to get the attention, but I wish it was from local girls, it just wouldn't be fair to her to string her along on a long-distance relationship. I would be willing to give it a try, but not everyone is made of the same stuff as me.
July 5: Fireworks were pretty good this year. We ended up not getting standard fireworks, but pooling our money to get 3 pounds of gunpowder and fuse off ebay and a few cases of soda and beer. We had a small bar-b-que going with the intention being to empty the cases and then use the gunpowder and fuse to blow them up when we were done. Well, Danny being a retard threw one of the cans of powder on the bar-b-que grill which rendered it unusable for cooknig purposes. We did empty the cans and put about an ounce of powder in the can and stuffed it full of dead grass and leaves to provide "packing". The fuse went into the bottom of the can where the powder was concentrated and they would blow up, though not really loud or anything. They did make good fireballs after it started getting dark. Our neighbor filled trash bags with acetylene and oxygen and tied them up in his yard. He then shot them with Roman candles making huge explosions. The department of homeland security will probably be looking him up!
July 2: That stinky homebrew acorn and applejuice of Nick's has got to go. I was able to talk Danny into agreement without much difficulty this morning while Nick was working. We took the last jug that was in the fridge and dumped it into the yard by our big bush. Now that I think about it, I hope we didn't kill the bush. Well, if we did it is a small price to pay to get rid of that stinky brew. The fourth is coming, time to set aside some funds for fireworks. The best year ever was when I went to get fire crackers with Joel and I found a $20 on the ground. When I was a kid I would have loved to have found that! But alas, I was only planning on spending $5 on fireworks, so at least I was able to be a big spender like Joel and pay with a respectable note. I am not holding my breath for that to happen this year, but I sure wouldn't turn it down if it did!