We are the fighters, inside and out.
I've been slowly trying to fall back into a comfortable routine in the past week or so. Previous to that, I had been so focused on getting things done that I didn't take any time to just enjoy... life? In between my last post and the one I'm writing right now, I've had some not-so-good experiences, times that I'll be happy to forget about.
I wrote two posts this last weekend. Only one post made it to the public, and even that one stayed just a few minutes. Something about the posts didn't quite click. I'm very particular with what I share with people, and that side of me isn't something I'm proud of. To those of you who caught that post, thank you for the private messages. You will never really know how much I've been soaking in your advice and your concerns about my life, but just know that your words are fueling me to just keep going through all the bad stuff. I'm pushing my way through this bad time in my life thanks to you. Even though I haven't responded to a lot of comments and private messages, I plan on doing so soon. You're all so wonderful-- thank you.
Instead of ranting on and on about the bad stuff, I thought I'd wrap it all up in a nutshell. That way, the reality of everything seems less harsh and somewhat distant.
Basically, the move was more difficult than Beth and I anticipated. Our apartment was one big mess, one in need of a lot of repairs. The air conditioner was broken for a week, leaving Beth and me with an apartment that was 95 degrees after walking (a long walk) home from classes every day. The manager of our building suddenly left her job and left us with no one to contact as far as repairs and Beth's parking space went. In the end, Beth found out that the parking space promised to her from before we even signed the lease was unavailable. This wouldn't be a huge deal, except for the fact that we live in a busy city, on a crowded college campus. Having no transportation is proving to be difficult (and boring).
Since the air conditioner was broken, the only source of ventilation we had was opening the windows to hot, but breezy, weather. The window in my room was broken and let in swarms of flies, spiders and mosquitos. I'm still recovering.
From day one, the cable company has screwed up our phone, wireless internet and cable TV. Over the past week, Beth and I, together, have probably spent over four hours arguing and pleading with the company to get everything around our apartment to work. Tears were involved on my part. (I have a love/hate relationship with technology.)
The good news about my situation is that I was given a few days to rest this weekend. Surprisingly enough, I discovered that working doesn't even seem like real work anymore. Work is more of my getaway from all the crap that classes give me. I've never dreaded working for Vox (the first job that I actually enjoy), but it still seemed more of a structured routine a few weeks ago. I realized that classes make work seem more fun. Work is freedom. In the work world, I'm an adult with responsibilties, not a student who has to do homework assignments. In a way, I've already graduated from college just because I know how ready I am to be in the working world. That's a nice thought, and I think I'm starting to get the hang of this transition-- a little at a time.
One perk about my new place is that the apartment building allows the tenants to have cats. (This is the part where I jump up and down, squeal, dance and make merry.) *dances* As mentioned in past posts on my blog, I live for cats. I have always been drawn to them, but I've never had the opportunity to have one as a companion for myself. This apartment, as horrible as it may seem right now, is giving me that chance to finally have a kitty for myself.
Beth and I went to the Humane Society to check out the kitties this last weekend. Our experience with the people that worked there was anything but good, but in the end, we did get a better idea of what we're looking for as far as cats go. ^__^ For the next few weeks, I plan on checking online ads, newspapers, other animal shelters, and friends of friends who have ads for giving or selling kitties. I know that raising a new kitten can sometimes cause a little more stress, but for me, it's the kind of companionship that I need right now-- with or without the stress. Animals have an amazing calming power on people, and I can only see good things happening with the new addition(s) to our little apartment family.
The only part about getting a cat that made me hold back was Yukimo. Small hamsters don't always bode well with kitties running around the house, but I think I can make the situation work. I'm confident in myself as an animal lover; I can train a cat well enough to not want to eat or "play with" Yukimo. After all, Yukimo is a huge part of my life already. I wouldn't even think about getting a cat unless I was positive that Yuki could handle the change.
Yukimo's a fighter. She can take anything! I think I can, too. (Yukimo's inner fighter must be rubbing off on me.)
Comments
I'm glad things have been working out for you and Beth. Things always seem to fall into place, so keep a smile on. I didn't catch that post you posted, so I shall give you a second *hug* Take care, Lauren!
In my last semester of college I had a couple of internships. One of which led to a job. So I was pretty sure I had things all figured out. Then, for some really stupid reasons (although they seemed insurmountable at the time), I stopped going to one of my few remaining classes -- a lower level Intro to Photography class. I didn't drop the class, and therefore, failed it. Intro to Photography! The only way to fail that class is to not ever show up.
So, I ended my "final" semester one lower level class short of graduating. It didn't bother me, though, because I had a job. I was set. But, you know, I really wasn't.
I ended up going back to school four years later -- at night, as a single parent -- to make up what were now two classes due to the GE requirements changing since I had left. Significantly more difficult than if I had only shown up to my stinkin' photo class. So, um...don't drop out or anything.
And hang in there.
It's so, so, so good to hear from you, Alex. I've missed you! I was happy to see that you had updated your blog after so long. I remember checking up on it every now and then to see if you were around. ^__^
I think I'll eventually be able to sort out everything in my life. It's just hard adjusting with so many different things going on at once. Beth and I were talking, and we agreed that the hectic, aggravated feelings we're having will probably somewhat gone once the first month of classes is gone. I'm looking forward to that time.
You know, I thought of you and your Crookshanks when I was at the Humane Society. ^__~ I remember how much you said you really love your kitty, and that gave me a lot of hope. I can't wait until I can write about my own experiences with my future kitty...
Thanks for sharing your story, Paul. I can see how you think we relate on this, because I could really compare your experiences to my own with what happened to you in college. I think every person gains those regrets after a few mistakes from earlier on in life... I'll probably have my fair share of those.
You don't have to worry about me dropping out of college though. Even though I've considered the "what if" factors with what's going on right now, I haven't considered just giving up. I've worked too hard with all my classes-- in both high school and college. I would hate to give up these past eight (almost nine!) years of schooling just because I'm frustrated at this point.
I still admire you for going back to school after those few years off. I don't think I'd be able to get back into the swing of school after being away from it. Good for you. ^__^
Barb- Aw, thank you for all the hugs! That's really sweet of you. Things are kind of falling into place now... and we'll see how it goes from here. *hugs back*
crankypants- Thank you so much. I hope finding a kitty gets a little easier. I think that not having a car down where we live right now is what's holding us back more. Again, I think it'll get better after a month or so, once Beth and I are both settled in.
Sparkle Lemon- Animals have that magical power of being able to cheer you up when you need it the most. That's how I feel with little Yukimo around, so I know having a cat with me will make life even better. =D You're so right. Thankies for the support!
Kenn- My original post mentioned how the universe was against me. Part of that notion had to do with everything bad (including the intense heat) happening all at once. Argh, I hope the good in the universe catches up to me sometime soon. =p Oh, and thank you so much for the message a few days ago, Kenn. I meant to write back but got caught up in another task at the time. I'd still like to reply soon. Say hello to the Angry Bunny for me.
i think that yukimo and your new kitty can live well, as long as you get the kitty while it is still a kitten and raise it up to not disturb/bully/scratch/eat yukimo! it has worked with cats and dogs so no reason why it can't work in this case!
and i know how stressful it can be when you move into a new place and there's just so many damn things to get done. take it easy, one by one and slowly but surely everything will fall into place =) *hugs* keep the spirit up lauren!
Those are gorgeous shots of Yukimo its nice to find strength in places of love like that, hopefully with time it gets better for you but it’s the waiting that kills.
Now I had my cats from kittens and could get you how many kittens you wanted just last week I was supposed to go see some kittens but haven’t gotten their yet but they are too young not even six weeks old, but as I started out to say my cats were trained to come to me when I hit my fingers against my palm on the one hand, use to freak out people that my cats would actually come to me but when they were kittens noting was safe from their curiosity even taking a bath they were up on the side of the tub using my knees as stepping stones to the other side and if my feet hung out from under the bed covers they attacked in the middle of the night having claws and teeth waking you up was not fun but kittens are kittens, luck be with you but also have a room you can close and lock off from the curiosity of a cat because it runs 100 times more stronger in a kitten!
Glad you have found work to be a place you love to go when I had to go back to school boy did I miss work but in a funny way school has some redeeming value to it in the satisfaction of getting to learn and understand something completely new to you!
I'm sorry to hear about your apartment woes, I hope it all works out.
I'm excited for you, a new kitten will be a wonderful companion. I have 2 cats and my hammies and they get along just fine. Yumiko will be fine, and cats love to just sit and watch hamsters in their cage it's like TV for them lol! Good luck finding just the right kitty! :)
I'm also really sorry to hear how stressed out you have been lately. Moving is stressful in itself, and on top of having to deal with annoying cable/internet/AC issues. The house I lived in before I moved didn't have AC, so every summer for 3 years I suffered just like you and Beth did, and it is NOT fun at all. All I wanted to do was sleep with the fan blowing on me, and it was really uncomfortable. I hope you get it fixed soon (if you already haven't).
Good luck with school this upcoming semester. I'm sure you'll do great, even on top of working. I know what you mean about work versus school, though.... I enjoy working a whole lot more than I do my schoolwork. We're both almost there, though, we can do it! <3
Hope they got the AC working now, and you got the spiders etc out of your bedroom.
I know you would really love a kitty, I would however strongly think about it, cause cats are always going to look at Yukimo as lunch,training a kitty not to go for her will be like training a goldfish to live in the Saharah, so I think you really need to choose between a kitty and Yumiko, sorry :(
If you need an ear or a virtual shoulder PM or email me. let me know when your moved in enough for me to send you that care package
HUGS
Hooray for getting a kitty soon!
I know how much you've always wanted one! <3
Melissa- I think you're right. I've heard of so many people raising both kitties and hammies (or other little rodents), so I know that having a peaceful apartment with the two is possible. Yukimo is so feisty as it is. I'm actually starting to wonder if the kitty will be able to handle itself around her. Haha. =p
Barbie- Yukimo has that special power of making me feel better whenever I'm around her. I would come home from a long day of classes last semester and find Yukimo at her cage door, waiting for me. Somehow, she made the entire day seem worth it. ^__^
Nicole- I love what you said about your cats and hammies. I can just imagine a cat sitting in front of a hammy cage watching it like a TV show. *giggle* Seriously, that's the perfect picture.
Pixie- Thankies, sweetie. <3
Tracy- Stress really does wear a person down. I never really understood that until recently. Thanks for all your support, as always. Your a doll!
Kristin- Yeah, life has been pretty crazy lately. So now you know why I sound so defeated in my text messages to you, haha. Thanks for offering to let me vent to you whenever I needed to. I'm sure I'll eventually take you up on that offer. So far, it looks like the chaos is settling down. I'll keep you updated though. Oh, and I'm so happy for you and Zoey (and Nora). Give them all a hug for me.
I completely understand, hon. Don't worry about not contacting me. Actually, the amount of thought you put into it (from what you've told me) means more to me than anything else. Knowing that you were able to put yourself in my shoes makes the whole situation feel not as... lonely, in a way. In that sense, you've already helped-- so thank you, Leigh. You're so sweet in all the thought you put into what you picked up from reading my latest posts. (You get an A+ for being perceptive in my books, haha. =p)
Again, thank you. *hugs*
I was really happy with how the photos of Yukimo turned out. I took them quite a few weeks ago and decided to hold off on posting them here at Vox until I thought they were needed. Yukimo gives me strength, as little as she may be. ^__~
Even though I have never officially had my very own cat, my family took in many cats from the wild when I was younger. I know how crazy living with both kittens and cats can be! I like the idea of raising a kitten from a young age, because I know that he/she will really grow with me and love me like a mom. There are so many good points for both kittens and cats. I'm honestly not that picky (I'd take either or), but I'm aiming for a little kitten right now. Yay!
Having a new kitty around will make life seem so much more... worth it. At least, that's what I'm hoping for. I've never been disappointed with a pet in the past, so I think that having a new friend living with me will only better my whole "learning environment." (Haha.)
I can't believe you had to endure the heat without any cool air for three years! You poor thing... I think that if you can put up with the heat for that long, you can really go through anything and come out fine when it's over with. My last apartment didn't have central air, but Beth and I had a small air conditioner for our window. That little thing blasted from June all the way through November (sometimes). For some reason, I always kind of take that cool, fresh air for granted after a long winter. I don't I'll do that again after this last week, tee hee.
It's so cool how in step we are with each other as far as school goes. I kind of feel like we get to virtually walk to class together every day and then report back about how it went. It's fun. =D
The air conditioner is finally, finally working. The repair guy came late last week. I had been getting ready in the bathroom when he was here, so I didn't even know that it was fixed. I walked into my room and this huge wave of freezing cold air hit my face. I had never been so happy to be so freaking cold. *shiver* It was great!
I think the Yukimo-kitty situation will work out just fine. I've heard a lot of encouraging stories from owners of kitties and hammies, and so far, I feel very positive about the idea. I've helped raise kittens in the past, and I have a good handle with how cats should be raised... so I think that Yukimo will be safe. If a bad situation between the two ever did come up, I'd just have to separate the two in different rooms and make sure to pay equal attention to them both. At this point, I think I can handle that much.
Thank you for your opinion though. I do appreciate your thoughts. ^__^
Oh, no... That's horrible! Your poor sister. I know exactly what she's going through though. Not only are Beth and I having landlord problems right now, but our last apartment's landlords slacked off in the area of handling problems around the place. I would call about a problem we were having, and they were always "out" at the time. (-__-) They wouldn't even return my calls sometimes. I did like them in a way, but I was mostly frustrated with them. I hope your sister's situation gets better soon.
I'll keep you posted on how the kitty search goes. Beth and I are having a rough time finding one, believe it or not. Getting a cat in the past never proved to be difficult, but things have changed since then. It's crazy how long it's taking to find a kitty.
Figure out a schedule where you have at least one hour a day just for you. And never allow other things to invade that time, ever. That one hour will work for you in so many ways. You will find that many things in life will take care of themselves.
(Did you notice that Google Ad is about *cats*? ^^)
=^-^=
Yes getting an older cat gives you an insight of its personality and quirks, but kittens are so damn cute, and it’s like having your own child not knowing who and how they’ll turn out. That’s how I had my two kittens Philbert and Patricia some ware I have a picture of the little fuzz balls they were, if I had any influence in your choice Kitten’s would be my vote, and if you lived near I could get you a lovely pare of kitten’s. it seems like every time I turned around this summer I could have had as many kittens I wanted. Remember two is more fun then one! Kittens should come in pars! I know I am bad at hints, I had two cats, Philbert and Patricia two hamsters Ichie and Zippie; and with you and Beth no fighting over the loving you get and its just as cheap to have 2 as just one.
It's been a crazy, crazy time for me. I wish everything would slow down a little so I could catch up. Like today, for example-- I'm working, going to three classes (one of which is three hours long), and reading for my classes. Along the way, I'm being assigned project after project. I hope this means that I'm getting all of the projects out of the way now so life will be less hectic later on in the semester... *crosses fingers*
Thanks for the suggestion about taking a day for myself. So far, it looks like Saturdays will be that "me all" day, haha. I'm sure there will be instances when I'll need to sneak a little homework in, but I'll try to avoid doing that as much as possible.
And yes! I thought it was so funny that you mentioned the Google cat ads on the page. A few hours before I saw your comment, I noticed all the little ads. I thought that was cute. ^^
Don't worry... I really don't think moving has to be this difficult. I've just had a really strange chain of events go on in the past few weeks. Plus, I'm hoping this means that I'm clear and good to go for the next few years. All this crap really shouldn't be possible for one person to take in. >_< Maybe that means I'm soaking up all that bad energy that other people, like you, might have gotten. If so, then I'm happy to take a few more hits as long as no one else has to suffer! Tee hee.
Aw, I know how you feel about your kitties. I had to leave my three guinea piggies at my parents' house while I'm away at college. That sucks because piggies don't have long lives, so I feel like I'm missing out on a lot. (That's why I got Yukimo. She keeps me company with the piggies not around.) I hope you eventually get to work something out so you can have your kitties with you. ^__^ Maybe you'll have a string of good luck.
I forgot to mention that Beth and I are searching for two kittens, not just one! That might have been a good fact to add in my post somewhere, huh? =p
We're looking for siblings, but at the same time, we just want to kittens that get along. Like you said, two kittens are more fun that one, tee hee.
Beth and I are planning to go to a student's house on my campus tomorrow to check out two sister kittens she's giving away. Not only will we not have to pay anything (which I didn't really mind anyway), but the girl would also be giving us a bunch of supplies, too. <3 I thought that was really sweet.
I'm hoping that we both really fall in love with the kittens. I don't think I've ever come across a kitten I didn't like, so I'm very hopeful about tomorrow. I'll keep you and everyone else posted, Jamie. ^^
You should keep us updated on your new kitten (and post pictures when you have time)! What kind of kitten did you get? Cats really are amazing little creatures and can provide pick-me-up when you're feeling a little under the weather.
I've been thinking of getting a wee little dwarf hammy since the loss of my 19 year old cat because I am in NEED of cuddling a fur creature and am not ready for another cat. I haven't had a hamster since I was a small girl and mommy would take care of it while I forgot about it.
So how difficult is it to take care of? And to get it to bond? Tips? Nothing can replace 19 years but I need something furry in my life.