What a mess I am in. My heart literally feels torn into pieces right now, over none other than my boyfriend. As of November we will have been together for two years, peaking my longest relationship time. But this past year and eight months has not been an easy road. While all things started out smoothly, they quickly escalated into choppy waters.
We were going out just six months when we both went home for the summer during a break at college. The distance between us was an hour and a half. Because he felt like he wanted to join the Navy he made no plans to return to school in the fall, which stressed our relationship to the max. After only going out six months it was hard to imagine staying with someone who would be gone on and off for four to six years. It was hard enough being separated between May and August.
It ended up being between May and January that we were in separate places. It actually became worse in August, since our college and his home town are over two hours apart. While thirty minutes doesn't seem like such a big difference, the extra hour to the overall trip adds up in gas and time. We fought about him coming back, how often we spoke, etc. and it was decided in the end that it wasn't the right time for us if he went into the Navy. So he actually decided not to go into the Navy and to go back to school.
When he came back in January I was ecstatic. We were living in the same dorm building, and I got to see him every day. I didn't have to worry about splitting my two open weekends a month between him and my family, which can cause some sore toes. We had a great four and a half months before he went home for the summer and I stayed in our college town. I rented space with a friend in her apartment so I could stay close to my job. I thought that Garrett would be doing the same thing, but he gave me a last minute shock when he told me two weeks before school let out that his plans had changed and he was going home.
I made him promise then that he would come back in the fall. He easy breezy told me there would be no problem.
Once living with my roommate in an apartment, I saw I didn't want to go back to the dorms and started planning living in an apartment this fall. While the location of the apartments changed over the summer, as did who would be in the apartment, I knew I would have a place to stay this fall. During this time I urged Garrett to call the dorms, which I had heard were filling up, to reserve a spot for this upcoming semester. He blew it off until there was less than a month left until school started. The result? The dorms he felt acceptable, and that he could actually afford, were full.
So now his dad is angry with him. He doesn't want to really help Garrett go to this school so far from home and pay for it all. I believe it has something to do with the lack of motivation he views in him toward going back to school. Or it could be a number of other things. But the final message is the same: if Garrett wants to go back to school here this fall he will have to finance it himself.
His dad makes too much for him to receive FAFSA, or to get anything worth while from a federal loan. He also is lacking a steady job, a large bank account, etc. I doubt he gets any money from a bank loan if he applies.
So here is where my heart is torn. I worry he won't go back to school. I told him to just stay home if he has to, and to attend college out there. But that would still only be if he got some kind of loan. Without a loan I am unsure of how he would finance college at all. Part of me sees this as being his fault, and another part knows that sometimes procrastination- while it may seem harmless- can really bite you in the butt.
What will happen to us if we are still separated another several months by a two hour drive? Or if he isn't in school at all?
I love him.
I LOOVVVEEEE July more than any other month. This is the month I usually get to go on some sort of nice vacation with my family, visit the lake often, and of course its my own personal Christmas in July thing. With my birthday on July 4th, my brother's on the 10th, and my sister's on the 12th, it's like we get to celebrate my second favorite holiday twice a year. Of course at my parent's expense. Which does indeed suck for them. =)
While my life is all-around boring, I do admit that I have fun. It may not be Hollywood Premiers, large parties, or lavishing vacations at the spa; but, it is still my time to relax and enjoy life. July started in New Orleans, Louisiana. Which I believe I already mentioned in a previous post. I was there for the National Education Association (NEA) Conference, which lasted from July 1st-July 6th. The actual conference consisted of sitting and voting verbally. Some of the issues brought up were definitely educationally focused, while others were not. Those were the ones that seemed to make the meetings last forever each day. I made some new friends at the conference, and I got to do a service project in one of the New Orleans high schools.
On July 2nd my family came out to New Orleans to visit over my birthday. Due to unforeseen events I actually turned twenty-one in the bathroom of Arby's. At least I like Arby's. The day of my birthday was full of conference meetings, which left me quite restless. But getting to celebrate with my family and new friends that night was a great bonus. We ate at Margaritaville, I got to try a few drinks, and then we watched fireworks. My cake was Toy Story 3 and my big gift was a real-life Woody doll with a working pull-string. This is why my life is boring and I want to teach Kindergartners.
My family left on July 5th and my boyfriend, Garrett, came down. I didn't get to see him much the day he came, because he got there so late at night, but I did see him a bit on the 6th after the convention was finally over.
So, even though I believe no one reads my posts, I am going to include some New Orleans Tips (maybe just reminders for myself if I ever go again.)
1.Bring a good bit of cash for transportation. The taxi services make you pay a minimum of $10 for any location. Most of our trips, which were just a few blocks, would cost us anywhere between $10 and $25. Even if you are bringing your car, the average parking cost is about $12. Most transportation venues only accept cash.
2. If you are taking a streetcar for transportation it is $1.25 each time you get on. One round trip will cost $2.50. They only accept cash or streetcar tickets which can be bought at most hotels. If you are going on a scenic route, don't go at night. You won't see anything after 8pm or so.
3. If you are anywhere Bourbon Street or Canal Street, watch out for people who are looking for easy cash. That means that women should make sure to hold the bottom of their bags, as cutting purse straps is common. The men mostly get hit up with "bets/wagers". This means that someone will come up to you and give you a rhyme or riddle while claiming to bet you, and then try to hit you up for money after you agree with them or shake their hand. The most common is, "Let me give you a shoe shine", "I can tell you where your hat/shoes/shirt/etc is from". They will harass you if you do not pay them.
4. Don't expect to take pictures with someone dressed up unless you want to pay them. There are no freebies in New Orleans.
5. Don't drink the Jester drink unless you have a strong stomach. Each person I knew, over six, who drank it on different nights, got sick off of the drink.
6. Riverwalk closes by 6pm most nights. This can be news to a traveler who assumes since the rest of New Orleans doesn't sleep that the Riverwalk will be open all night.
7. Watch where you get cash out at ATMs, where your cards or cash are at all times, and if new people want to come up and befriend you. One of my new friends lost nearly $400 dollars when someone, a random stranger who hung out with us, made off with his ATM and cell phone.
8. There are no Wachovias or Wells Fargos located in Louisiana. Other large branches are in the city, but this is not one of them. Its good to know this before hand because the ATM fees can be quite expensive once added up.
9. My last tip is to bring an umbrella or poncho that is easy to carry. It rains often there from what I have heard and witnessed.
So moving on to the rest of July...
I took the train both up to New Orleans, and back down from New Orleans. It was a new experience, cheap transportation, and pretty neat if you have never rode one for long distance before. Unfortunately I was one of the people who drank a Jester and became sick, so on my way back from New Orleans I was unable to take as much pleasure out of my seven hour train ride. I was actually unable to enjoy a lot for the next week.
We went to the Gulf Shores two days after I got back from New Orleans to celebrate my brother and sister's birthdays. The big treat for his 20th and her 10th birthday was to go see Jimmy Buffett live during his Gulf Coast Benefit Concert. Unfortunately, I was still feeling pretty under the weather come concert time. It was super hot outside, humid, and the thought of standing near alcohol covered beach-goers made my stomach turn. So I actually watched the concert on CMT from our room, and from the balcony of our beachfront condo. It was quite an experience to watch the concert live and on national TV at the same time. I probably had a better close up of Jimmy than my family did from the sands.
Since being back in Birmingham I have not done a whole lot. I believe the highlight of the past few weeks was my trip to Huntsville to see Garrett and watch the movie Inception in the VIP Lounge of the Monaco. By the way, I loved the movie. It was by far the best I have seen all year. Other highlights include my trip with my roommate to watch Despicable Me with a run to IHOP for cina-minions, and finding a new apartment to move into with my brother. I will actually be moving into the two bedroom, two bathroom apartment this Friday. My favorite part of the whole apartment thing is the fact that it has one HBO channel included in the cable package, so I will get to watch True Blood each Sunday night!
I believe that sums up my July. While no Disney trip was included (which usually occurs in July), at least I got to go to New Orleans and the beach. Goodbye to my favorite month, and welcome August.
August = Me finally in the Teaching Program!
