Yay!!

OK, so we remember the way my hair used to look:



And here, though horrible webcam photos, is my new hair style:





I love it. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Can't wait for Dan to see it.

The meeting... not so good. It kinda went in a circle. Started badly, got good towards the middle and then ended badly. But I voiced a lot of stuff that I had been keeping in, including her calling me "it", "the creature" and "inhuman" behind my back. Her face when I confronted her about that... priceless.

It ended badly. There will be fake and forced politeness and I know she'll continue to talk about me behind my back, but she knows I know about it, so maybe she'll be more careful to keep it on the downlow.

Best comment of the meeting:

Just because you hear me say your name and then that you're a bitch doesn't mean that the overall statement was negative.

Oy...

It has been a strange day.

I left work early to go get my hair cut and dyed.

She chopped off my hair. Then dyed it dark brown. Then told me that they needed to close and I would have to come back for the highlights. Then called the owner to see if she should stay. Then told me the owner said to come back. Then the owner called back and yelled at the woman for taking too long and told her to stay and finish, which pissed off the woman who then began aggressively combing my poor hair.

I decided to leave and go back another day to get the highlights done. Tomorrow morning actually.

I returned to the apartment, pulled off my jacket and wondered why it felt so cold. I checked the thermostat and found out why. Cassie had turned the heat off before she left. She had also made cookies and left them sitting out on the pan and gotten my spatula dirty without washing it.

I sent her the following text message:

I don't appreciate you turning the thermostat down to 55 so that I have to sleep in a cold apartment. Also, if you cannot wash my kitchen things after using them, don't use them.

Apparently she was next door, so she ran over and started in on me. How was she supposed to know that the spatula wasn't hers? (I pointed out that if she didn't buy it, it doesn't belong to her) She didn't turn the heat off, she didn't know who did it, maybe her boyfriend did. (Whereupon I lost my temper a little, informed her that he had no right to touch the thermostat as it isn't his bleeping apartment, and either way it's still her problem to deal with because he's her guest)

She left, I showered, got into my PJs, turned on my heated blanket to warm up my freezing room and got into bed to watch some TV before going to sleep.

There's a knock at the door. It's the RA.

Yes, because I confronted her about turning the heat off she arranged a mediation meeting with the RA. We're meeting tomorrow after I get off work at five.

So tune in tomorrow for the exciting conclusion to this week's installment of

Dorm Room Drama!!!

Now What?

I'm still waiting to hear back from school about places I can move to. But in the meantime...

C, the one who is really the cause of all the trouble, and I had a long talk today. 2 and a half hours long. And we talked about everything that had happened, how I feel unwelcome in my own house, how the dirty looks she gives me, the immature games, how all the stuff she does has managed to drive me away.

She took responsibility, apologized, offered to change, to compromise, to try and fix things, then told me she didn't want me to move out because she thought our living together would be a good experience for us both, that she knew it would be a good experience for her.

Problem is... this is not the first time that I've gotten a 'too good to be true' response to talking to her. And last time it turned out to be just that and things got worse. And if I decided to give her another chance, stay and see how things will work themselves out, then I'll miss my chance to leave until next semester, be stuck in hell and be very cranky.

Either way, it sucks. If I leave, I go into an unknown situation, could be good, could be bad. If I stay, I go into an unknown situation, could be good, could be bad.

Maybe I'll just run away to Tanzania.

Waiting Game

I still haven't been able to move dorms yet. I submitted my request last week and hopefully things will get into motion soon.

Living here is... ridiculous. I can't walk into the apartment, leave my 2x2 space in the corner of the dining room or try to sit down and watch TV without getting glared at, as if I'm an intruder in their house. I haven't sat in the living room since the first week of classes. The chair I used to sit in was pushed into the dining room, as if to further enforce the idea that I'm NOT welcome anywhere else except my exiled area.

It's remarkably lonely to be unwelcome in what is supposed to be my own home. I'm very anxious to move, if just for the peace of mind. Last week two of the girls stood in front of my bedroom and discussed what they'd do with all the extra space once "she's finally out of here" which is... just great.

It's actually starting to affect my schoolwork. Between the loudness of their constant parties and television viewing and the emotional drain of being hated so thoroughly, most days I just go into my bedroom and distract myself with yarn or books.

A Letter

Dear Resident Assistant,

I am currently living in ****** and I would like to request that I am moved to a new apartment. Unfortunately, the people who I have been assigned to live with have very different personalities and values than myself.

I am a returning student and will be turning 26 this year. I have worked hard to return to college and, as such, my grades are immensely important to me. I value a quiet place to study, and unfortunately I have been denied that. My roommates, and one in particular, like to have parties every night at our apartment. It has become clear that, if I wish to study, it will have to be elsewhere.

I believe that part of the problem is the fact that the school matched up two sophomores with a senior. Beyond the heavier workload that I will, and already do, have this year, there is a vast difference in maturity. They have decided how things are going to work in the apartment and "compromise" seems to mean that I let them have their way no matter what.

At the moment the apartment is civil, but just barely. I have been isolated in a corner of the dining room, where I have around 3-4 feet of space in which to move, as the table and my desk are forced up against each other. This was decided, as are most of the decisions regarding the apartment as a whole, and done while I was at work, leaving me unable to protest until everything else had already been moved.

I have tried to sit down and talk with the one girl in particular who seems to be the center of the problems. Unfortunately the talk seemed to go very well, both of us agreeing on several points, but since then she has done everything short of telling me that I'm unwelcome to make me feel unwelcome. In short, she is resorting to very high school-esque behaviors, which I am several years removed from and no longer have the tolerance to put up with.

I do not think that this is anything that mediation can fix, especially as we've already talked and she doesn't seem to have a problem with lying straight to my face about things and then doing the exact opposite. I have already struggled through one hellish semester, living with a person who thoroughly disliked me, and I refuse to put myself through that stress again. I have a right to a safe, quiet and comfortable place to live. At the moment I do not feel that I am being granted that right.

I would really appreciate it if you could please contact me about moving apartments as soon as possible. If at all possible I would like to remain on the 500-side of Cougar Village. Please e-mail me or feel free to call my cell phone at 123-456-7890. I am working all day Friday and Saturday, but if you would like to meet somewhere and talk about things in person, I would be happy to oblige.

Thank you very much,
Just A Miserable Knit Wit

Wonders Never Cease

Imagine my surprise when I approach C and ask if she would please sit down and talk with me about our sudden friction and she agreed.

Imagine my surprise when we talked civilly and as adults.

Imagine my surprise when she apologized for upsetting me so badly, for taking so many liberties, for making me feel unwelcome in my own home.

I have to say, things couldn't have worked out for the better. I addressed the problems, explained my upset and she explained her reasonings and thought processes.

Admittedly, she didn't have a good reason for assuming control of the apartment, but she admitted to it and assured me that it wouldn't happen again. Likewise with her drunken comments, she was horrified and apologized profusely for them.

I know that a lot of my own upset was due to flashbacks to Ly and all of the drama surrounding that, but she admitted to a lot of things I assumed she would deny, apologized for all of them and, at the end of it all, shyly asked if we could still be friends.

I think that lucky penny I found before leaving work was the real deal.

Pointless Updates

I'm struggling to find the inspiration to write a 10 page research paper. It's actually harder than I imagined, as the class is over and I took the final. Classes are done, why do I still have homework!?!

On the roommate front, we have two new girls coming in this August, which means we'll be a full house (4 people, 2 rooms, 1 bath) for the first time. Already they're giving me a headache as I got an e-mail yesterday informing me that because the two had decided to live together, Am and I WILL be moving into a single room together so that they can share. Not "would you mind, could you be so nice, I know this is a pain in the ass, please let us live together oh you are so kind and gracious", but "you and her can move in together and that way we'll be able to share because we already decided we would be sharing a room so you need to move".

I've decided it isn't worth the drama, so this weekend I'll be moving all my crap into the other bedroom, rearranging stuff and making it all fit so that Am and I can live together and give the others their own room. I already know Am, I know I get along with her, I know she's neat and all that good stuff, so there's no worries there.

In sad news, the ring I bought and had shipped from Ireland for D for an anniversary gift does not fit. I'm currently trying to get it figured out and hoping that they'll ship me one a size larger.

I should probably get to work on my paper...

Oy...

Sick as a dog right now. Started in my nose on Friday and settled comfortably into my chest around noon today. D, sweetie pie that he is, dropped by with medicine for me. I took today as a sick day but it's back to classes tomorrow.

The semester is coming to an end and I really need to get my ass in gear about these research papers. Got the books. Got the articles. Just need to start reading and thinking and, most important, writing.

Got an e-mail from a girl who will be rooming with us over the summer. I'm bummed because I thought I might actually have the place all to myself for a month or so, but nope.

I'm a little worried because she seems very worried about fairly superficial things. She wanted to know if we were clique-y because "there was a situation in my apartment last year" and then wanted to know who she would be rooming with because "I'm really used to having my own room because I live in Evergreen, but this was cheaper, I just don't know if it'll work out cause I'm not used to it."

Frankly... she's sounding a lot like Ly from last semester. This is the one thing I really hate about campus housing. I have no control over the people who come in and out and there's a lot of anticipation and anxiety that builds up.

Will they be complete psychos like Ly?
Will they want to have wild drunken parties every weekend?
Will they be complete slobs who never clean?
Will they be slackers who disrupt my study habits?
Will I find a good place to hide the bodies?

See? Just too many variables for me to handle.

Favorites

You know what my favorite part of yesterday was?

When La got drunk off her ass.
Talked all the way through the movie I was watching.
Threw up in the kitchen sink.
And then used my dish-washing sponge to clean it up.

You know what my favorite part of today was?

Me telling her the next time she was queasy to throw up in the garbage.
Her asking "Why? It's a sink. You put soap in it anyways."
Me telling her it doesn't matter, don't barf in the sink.
Her asking "Are you aware of the things that have gone down that sink before we moved in?"
Me adding "I'm not talking about then, I'm not talking to people who have lived here before. I am talking about now and I am talking to you. Do. Not. Vomit. In. The. Kitchen. Sink."

I hate it here! It's fun living here. Please shoot me. Every day is an adventure. I'm counting the days until she moves out. I'll miss her when she's gone.

The Creeping Week

The weeks have been flying past with barely a chance to notice them, so of course this week, when I am excited about the upcoming weekend, when I'm dying for the time to pass, it's creeping by.

This Friday D and I are driving up to Chicago so that he can meet my dad. Yeah, it's that serious. The best part was breaking it to dad that we'll be sleeping in a hotel. Together. Alone. Yup... he took that real well. But he's dealt with it and moved on and D and I are really excited. We've got the entire weekend planned out. Museum, a hockey game and karaoke on Saturday and Sunday, when we head home, I'm bringing Kari with me so that she can spend spring break with me.

But of course this week is crawling past. Monday felt like a year and today was a snow day, so it positively crept past. Here's hoping that the rest of the week goes a bit faster.

In other news, La is driving myself and Am insane. Not because she's mean or selfish or anything like that. But because she's apparently regressed into a 3 yr old.

Example:

I'm sitting on the couch, knitting and watching Buffy, enjoying a short time of quiet procrastination before I begin my homework. Enter La:

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Knitting."

"What episode is this? Who's that? Where's Buffy? Have you gotten to the part where Angel goes bad yet? How come you watch so much Buffy? Do you think vampires are real? How could they possibly exist today? I don't think they're real. That would be really freaky. Why did they make Spike blond? How can he smoke if he's dead? Is the guy playing him really British? What are you knitting? Do you think I should cut my hair? What about go blond? I'm hungry. Do you want to play poker? Lets get drunk together! Is Intervention on tonight? Oh wait, I have a text message..."

That is NOT an exaggeration people. She doesn't give you a chance to answer between questions. It's annoying in a really funny way. Except when she does it when I'm trying to read. Then I get cranky and want to hit her with my book.

Holy Crap...

So Ly finally came back from vacation. And I had been dwelling on what I wanted to say to her after a certain stunt she pulled my last day at home, along with the fact that she left a dirty pair of underwear, and sundry other dirty clothes, all over the floor. When I got back to school the bedroom smelled so bad, even with the door open and a fan going, that I had to go out and buy an air freshener to make it tolerable.

So I told her I needed to talk to her. We went into the bedroom and I shut the door so that La and Am (the new girl) couldn't hear. And I started calmly. I told her that I couldn't live the way I had last semester. That I wasn't going to put up with dirty underwear on the floor.

And she started arguing with me. Telling me that I had no right to make unreasonable demands of people and I had to learn that not everyone could live up to my high expectations and that she was sorry that I came from a house that picked up and kept things clean, but she didn't.

But the clincher... the thing that broke me down and made me lose my temper, was that she told me it wasn't just my room (she who comes home, runs into the room and shuts the door, gets annoyed with me if I go in there), I'm not Queen of the World and that I'm childish and need to grow up.

Ladies... I lost it. I don't think I've screamed that loud or sworn that much in a looooong time. Every little injustice she's done to me over the last semester came pouring out and every time she tried to cut me off I'd just get louder. I finally quieted down, told her that this was the only time we would be having this conversation, the next time I'd be listing grievances with the housing department.

And then... she packed up her shit and moved out. I'm not even kidding.

At first I felt this blissful euphoria, having purged myself of the toxin I've been carrying around for the past 5 months. But now I'm all upset, headachy, and waiting for the ax to fall. Because when I went to see our RA and was leaving a note for him when he wasn't there the person at the door asked "So, are you La?" I'm positive that she's going to try and get me booted out of housing or something like that. Make it seem like I forced her out or made her leave or something along those lines.

Yeah, great way to start the semester.

Oh yeah, and yesterday I slammed my finger in my car door.

Bring it on.

ETA: My RA just stopped by to talk to me. He talked to Ly first and was trying to help me see how it was equal guilt. You know, I'm guilty of being... umm... clean. I'm so disgusted.

So Not Cool

Yesterday I was supposed to meet my mom halfway between school and home so that I could take Kari for the week.

It snowed.

We rearranged the plans to do it today.

Heavy winds are blowing the snow, making it dangerous to drive.

We canceled.

I got an e-mail from school stating that they'll be doing inspections to make sure apartments are ready for new move-ins.

Everyone else has gone home for the holidays.

I get to rearrange a bedroom, move a bed, rearrange the pantry and all the cabinets when I should be goofing around with Kari and having a great time.

Today officially sucks.

Sigh...

Scene: The dorm. Kelly is sitting on the couch, watching an episode of X-Files and happily knitting away on the black knight, who is rapidly nearing completion.

Enter Ly.

Ly: "Hey, knitting? Oh wow, you've gotten a lot done. I'm impressed."

Me: "Thanks! I really like how it's turning out."

Ly: "Then again, I've always been easily impressed, so I wouldn't read too much into it."

Me: "... You can't stop yourself, can you?"

Later on...

Ly: "So have we heard anything about that other girl moving in?"

Me: "Nope. But I'm sure we'll get someone over break."

Ly: "Me too. I just hope it's not someone crazy."

Me: *laughs* "Yeah, me too."

Ly: "Crazier than you, I should say. Cause you're a psycho."

Me: "Seriously... you can't stop yourself, can you?"


For those of you who might be thinking "Oh, she's just joking around and has bad people skills." no. She baits and then attacks. Sets you up with a compliment and then turns it into an insult.

But what really gets me... what REALLY REALLY gets me... is that she's making a big deal about Kari being here, reminding me to make sure none of her stuff gets broken, like Kari is some whirling dervish or she has no control over herself. Makes me want to slap her right across the face.

Or earlier, when discussing the girl moving in, she spouts off with "Well it's better we know who it is. I mean... we wouldn't want a black person. Coming in with their rap and ghetto attitude." Stopped me dead in my tracks I was so horrified. Then she counters it with "I guess that's just my small town upbringing talking." No sweety.. that's your racism talking.

Is it May yet?

Still Weird...

The article is up!

So I was sitting at home today when there was a knock at the door. It was a girl. She explained to me that she was looking for a new apartment to live in because she can't stand her roommates. We have an extra bed so we've been waiting to get a 4th person.

I sat and talked with her for a while and took her information down and promised that I would talk to La and Ly about it and get back to her about all of us possibly meeting. Ly, shock of shocks, didn't care one way or another. But La, the one who I usually get along with, pitched a little 2 year old hissy fit.

See, she has a bedroom all to herself. And a few weeks ago I pointed out that we're likely going to get someone over break and she'd have to give up half the space. She immediately answered with "The bed isn't coming back in here. Neither is the desk. Or the dresser. I don't care who moves in." It's going to be interesting if this girl does move in, because apparently La is going to pout about it. She was stomping around the apartment and slamming doors and otherwise sulking after I mentioned it to her.

Oh the joys of living with moronic little girls...

Yes, I'm Still Alive

Midterms are over. Classes are going good. Admittedly it took me a while to find a groove, but now that I found it I'm cruising. As in I aced one of my midterms cruising.

D and I... we're doing great. D, if you're reading this go away! Shoo. Or at least skip this paragraph. I am deeply smitten. I am in deep smit people. I've met his family, they're very nice, and last weekend Mom and Kari came down and we all had lunch. He was charming and funny and picked on me the whole time (which, according to Kari, is why she liked him) and Mom likes him. Yesterday I went to his twin sisters' birthday party, which was a Halloween themed scary movie marathon. By the third movie he was asleep with his head in my lap, snoring away. When I woke him up so I could head home he was all half-asleep and adorable.

Anyways... knitting wise I have yet to find my groove. I do bring knitting with me to work on between classes and it fascinates my classmates. Yet none of them want to learn. But beyond bringing it to class, I don't really knit at home. Which is bad. I need to start scheduling my time better. I am going to the gym between 5 and 6 times a week. It's great, I feel fantastic. Sore, but in a good way.

La and I go together when our schedules work out. She and I really get along well. Sit and talk, laugh and joke. She's always asking my opinion about her hair, makeup, clothes. Earlier today I helped her with the introduction to a paper she's writing. It's Ly who... well... she's a big fat pain in the ass to put it bluntly. Picks fights, leaves messes in the kitchen, talks to me like I'm dirt (La keeps telling me I'm not allowed to snap unless she's home to watch cause she thinks it's going to be good.) Sharing a room with her is torture. She is a slob and actually told me, when I bought an air freshener for our room because it smells FUNKY, that it's probably her laundry cause she only washes her clothes when she runs out of underwear, so she'll wear a shirt two or three times before it gets washed. It's really frustrating, if D is over she refuses to leave us alone and comes out of the bedroom about 10 times an hour on the pretense of getting a bottle of water. But she's also said that if we ever want to, um, you know, all I need to do is tell her and she'll sit in the living room while we use the bedroom. Um... ew. And I think she really wants to listen or something because she keeps pushing the subject. She's just such an awkward person. I cannot wait until the end of the year when she moves out. I just hope that my temper holds until then.

Anyways, it's bedtime for me. I've got an advising meeting tomorrow morning.

"I made some cookies Kelly. They're on the counter if you want one."

I am... without words.

Ly and La

Entering into my 3rd week here (wow, it's been that long??) I'm starting to feel out my two roommates.

La... she's a PITA. Pain. In. The. Ass. If she isn't gushing about her boyfriend she's complaining about life or trying to act like she's the most mature creature to ever walk the planet. But, thankfully, she's almost never here. She only slept here 2 nights last week, so maybe she's in the process of getting a room transfer. A girl can dream.

Ly is harder. There are days, like this past Thursday, that we get along great. We were laughing and joking, had a post-it note war, it was a great time. Then there's times like today. She came back after being home for the weekend and was chatty at first, cheerful and nice. She produced a shelf that she'd made for my bed, told me it was a gift for me, so I could have my alarm clock closer. She was so excited she had to put it on herself. It is severely cool.

I'm in the process of putting my alarm clock on the shelf, praising her work and she looks at me all the sudden and says, out loud, "I'm going to put my name on it, so you don't steal it when you leave."

First off... what happened to it being a gift?
Secondly... WTF? Better put your name on it so I don't steal it. Thanks. Thanks bunches for that accusation that I'm a thief.

So she writes her name in magic marker across the shelf.

Insulted and confused, I head out to watch some TV before a friend comes to pick me up. She comes out to chat some more and is relaying how people keep asking her about her roommates...

"Yeah, my friends keep asking me about my roommates, if I like them and I keep telling them I can't tell. The one (La) is a pain who is always talking about her boyfriend or whining and the other one is really weird. I don't know if I really like either of them."

I'm not kidding. She actually said that to me.

I'm homesick and PMSing, I don't like the area or the people down here, I haven't found a job and both my roommates are driving me insane. Thank god I like my classes or I'd be tempted to go home. I think I need to knit something in garter stitch.

The First Week

Well I survived my first week back at school in one piece. More importantly, I made it through with my sanity.

I like my teachers. They're quite the group. My Greek & Latin Suffixes professor is crazy, but in that fun way. For example today he said:

"Kelly, you'll be able to explain this to the rest of the class, you're a Linguistics minor."

Then he wrote "The iggle squiggs trazed wombly in the hurlish goop." Then he stared at me for a few minutes, while we all laughed and I turned a not-so delicate shade of stop sign red, before continuing on with his lesson.

The only class that I have that I'm not too fond of is my Dramatic Experience class. All we do is watch clips of movies and we're expected to read the book entirely on our own for the tests. It just seems like a waste of time. And money. But... oh well.

In the dorm things are a bit tense right now. La is mad at Ly and me because we asked her to *gasp* help clean the apartment. We drew up a cleaning schedule and, since La wasn't there (she's hardly ever there) we gave her the room that required the least amount of work, the living room. Ly took the bathroom and I took the kitchen. Ly, a bit aggressively, left a note on her bedroom door that said "You need to have the living room cleaned by Friday."

La saw it and flipped. She pitched a fit immediately, though I did notice she took her complaints straight to Ly instead of me, I think it's because she knows I won't put up with it. She kept saying she has plans with her friends and she can't commit to having anything clean by a specific day, etc.

This was Wednesday. Well she's still pissed, will barely speak to either Ly or myself, even though I don't think it's that outrageous of a request.

Anyways, now suddenly Ly is agreeing with La being upset. "Well imagine how it is for her. She's 20 and all the sudden there's this 24 year old making demands and barking orders at her."

Thankfully they're both going away for the weekend, so I'll have the place to myself.

Oh yeah, wish me luck on my job interview tomorrow!!

The Biggest Regret

Bringing my TV.

Ly has claimed it and I believe she is fusing into the couch fibers as I type this. I usually wouldn't mind, I can tune stuff out when I'm reading pretty well, but she watches CRAP. (No offense meant to anyone who shares her taste in shows, I don't care for sitcoms in general)

Yesterday she watched an 8 hour marathon of America's Next Top Model. 8. Hours. Today she's watched every single lame dramody (sp?) aimed at high school girls there is. And she's got the damn volume so HIGH! Even with headphones on I could hear every badly written angst-ridden word the characters said. Nothing like mingling The Origins and Development of the English Language text with "I love James, even though we've only been dating for two weeks. Why can't you understand that I love him? He's my solemate! You're just jealous because you have no one!" Gag.

I would like to relax and watch some TV, but The Hills is not my kind of show. So I can choose between causing a stink or sitting at my desk and watching something on my laptop.

Oh... and neither of my roommates say "Bless you." if you sneeze. WEIRD.