So I went home to Michigan this past weekend for four days. It was good to be home, and see my family and Annie. When I arrived Friday morning the weather was beautiful. We spent a little time at the mall, and I stopped in at the Gap I had worked at and talked for a moment. Nice to see old faces. We then traveled up to Ludington State Park. The colors have not peaked yet, but it was still beautiful. Driving along the river, you could see the salmon that had come up to spawn. It was pretty cool to see, especially with polarized lenses. We drove through the campgounds some, and saw a 1930s car with what we thought was an original Airstream camper. Pretty cool. We also took a walk by the water and through the dunes. Of course, Annie had to lead. Dad would go ahead to test her...and then she would start pulling and panting, desperate to get ahead. I told Mom that Annie had been telling me that she missed walking in the dunes over the summer...
The next day we headed to Grand Rapids. Mom and Dad needed to shop for a few things. Lakeshore's marching band was performing at the Jenison competition, and we bundled up to stay warm and dry and went. Its been a long time since I went to a band competition. Loads of memories came flooding back. They did well, and placed first in the division, third place overall. I did love the shows that Reeths Puffer and Jenison put on. They were just as showy as always. Reeths Puffer (which is the district my parents live in now) did an African show, and had placed 30 or so big African shields along the front. Near the beginning of the show, they pulled what you thought was the front off to display a much more colorful shield. It was gasp-inducing. And Jenison did a show on opposites and half their band wore white uniforms (wood-winds) and the other half black (brass and percussion). It was as if two different bands had come together to do a show. I didn't know where to look.
Our Sunday started off pretty eventful. We were going to the earlier service, and Mom and Dad were to leave earlier then me to practice with choir. Well, Mom overslept (she woke up with the alarm clock in her hand, and didn't even remember pressing snooze) and so drove me into church...until we hit a deer, a doe. The deer didn't even pause at the road, she was already running. We speculate that we hit her mid-jump, as she entered the road on the driver's side, and the passenger side of the car is what was damaged. The hood and the front panel on the passenger's side are damaged. Dad went back later with the sheriff to get a permit to take the deer home and process it. He joked later that the Georgia relatives come to visit and now he finds himself bringing home roadkill...mercifully, we figured out the deer died instantly, with a punctured lung and broken back. I did help him clean it out, which I have never done before.
Uncle Denny, Danette, Katie, Grandma and Grandpa came up for dinner and to see me. Mom cooked a turkey (I know, its awful close to Thanksgiving, but she had it in the freezer and said when would two people eat a turkey, anyway?). It was wonderful to see everyone.
Uncle Denny had left us a People magazine for one article about a hospice with a CF patient. So I was flipping through it, and near the end was a one page article on...Page Kennedy, the newest cast member of Desperate Housewives (the guy in the basement in chains). My jaw fell open, as I went to college with him. I know a castmember of Desperate Housewives! I helped costume him! We had taped the episode...and when I watched, there he was. How weird, to know him, on this hot show...Since then, I have talked to several friends, and they are equally incredulous. Not that he was bad at WMU(he could be very good when he was on), but still...how could you know?
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
My new boots
So I did it, I bought the boots today. And I am happy to announce that I got them for 50% off. Patience is a virtue.
Although, it was rather trying. I saw online that they were on sale yesterday, and proceeded down to the store on my break. But, wait! They were still only 30% off at the store. So much disappointment! So I decided I would just order them from online. And, of course, they were out of my size. Infuriation! I decided to print the page out to prove that they were indeed on sale, and go down there and try and convince them to match the price, seeing as I couldn't get them online. So off I went today, and low and behold! They were now on sale 50% off, too. So I bought them, and I am very happy about it.
Also happy because I will be flying home to Michigan for the weekend, to see my parents and Annie. They tell me it will be a miserable weekend weather-wise, cold and rainy. I'll have to borrow a coat, as mine are in Chad's storage unit. But, still, whatever the weather throws my way (as long as it isn't snow!), I'll be okay with it. It has been much harder this time be away from everyone, after all that has happened. So going home will be good.
Although, it was rather trying. I saw online that they were on sale yesterday, and proceeded down to the store on my break. But, wait! They were still only 30% off at the store. So much disappointment! So I decided I would just order them from online. And, of course, they were out of my size. Infuriation! I decided to print the page out to prove that they were indeed on sale, and go down there and try and convince them to match the price, seeing as I couldn't get them online. So off I went today, and low and behold! They were now on sale 50% off, too. So I bought them, and I am very happy about it.
Also happy because I will be flying home to Michigan for the weekend, to see my parents and Annie. They tell me it will be a miserable weekend weather-wise, cold and rainy. I'll have to borrow a coat, as mine are in Chad's storage unit. But, still, whatever the weather throws my way (as long as it isn't snow!), I'll be okay with it. It has been much harder this time be away from everyone, after all that has happened. So going home will be good.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Car Insurance
One more thing...
Car insurance goes hand in hand with everything I am going through regarding my car. Yet--no one, except insurance agents, can really tell me much about it. What levels do I need? Why? What does this term mean, exactly? Their so-called definitions online sometimes confuse me even more then I was previously.
If you have no one knowledgable to go to, what do you do? Wander through, blindly, and never be really certain about what your agent is telling you? How do you know what they say is what you need?
I am so frustrated! I understand that I am slightly maligning my own Dad with this...but, honestly! Why is this never taught? Why are you not required in high school or college to take "What you need to know to get though in the real world concerning your insurance, finances, retirement, etc. 101"? NO ONE TEACHES THIS! Do other people just pick it up somewhere, somehow? Everything I read seems to contradict the other things I find. And, of course, being the internet, I certainly can't trust everything I read.
I just want to make a smart, informed decision about coverage for my car. Why does this have to be so difficult? I feel like I am running in circles. No wonder no one changes their coverage, its a huge hassle to figure out what is wrong, and what is right. Does anyone else have this problem? Or is it now that I finally have health insurance (through my job, yeah!), that I have to be confused and frustrated by another insurance in my life? Will someone just tell me, here, this is what you need so you won't get screwed if you have an accident. Someone I can trust, please?
Chad half laughs at me. He had to get his insurance fast, due to changing to Georgia, so he didn't have the time to agonize over this like me. But, does he really know if his coverage is enough? Who does? What is enough? Without killing me with premiums? Augh! Perhaps part of my problem has been time. I started this process over a month ago, and I feel more frustrated then when I started. Perhaps my problem is too much time to analyze, too much time to think and question.
Unfortunately, I can apply that last sentence to alot of things in my life...
HELP!
Car insurance goes hand in hand with everything I am going through regarding my car. Yet--no one, except insurance agents, can really tell me much about it. What levels do I need? Why? What does this term mean, exactly? Their so-called definitions online sometimes confuse me even more then I was previously.
If you have no one knowledgable to go to, what do you do? Wander through, blindly, and never be really certain about what your agent is telling you? How do you know what they say is what you need?
I am so frustrated! I understand that I am slightly maligning my own Dad with this...but, honestly! Why is this never taught? Why are you not required in high school or college to take "What you need to know to get though in the real world concerning your insurance, finances, retirement, etc. 101"? NO ONE TEACHES THIS! Do other people just pick it up somewhere, somehow? Everything I read seems to contradict the other things I find. And, of course, being the internet, I certainly can't trust everything I read.
I just want to make a smart, informed decision about coverage for my car. Why does this have to be so difficult? I feel like I am running in circles. No wonder no one changes their coverage, its a huge hassle to figure out what is wrong, and what is right. Does anyone else have this problem? Or is it now that I finally have health insurance (through my job, yeah!), that I have to be confused and frustrated by another insurance in my life? Will someone just tell me, here, this is what you need so you won't get screwed if you have an accident. Someone I can trust, please?
Chad half laughs at me. He had to get his insurance fast, due to changing to Georgia, so he didn't have the time to agonize over this like me. But, does he really know if his coverage is enough? Who does? What is enough? Without killing me with premiums? Augh! Perhaps part of my problem has been time. I started this process over a month ago, and I feel more frustrated then when I started. Perhaps my problem is too much time to analyze, too much time to think and question.
Unfortunately, I can apply that last sentence to alot of things in my life...
HELP!
No longer a Michigan resident
Well, I've done it. As of yesterday, I am no longer a Michigan resident. My Michigan plates expire on Mom's birthday (which is next week) and I have to finally bite the bullet. So, I made an appointment at the DMV. Astonishingly, the whole process only took me 45 minutes. Really, really glad I made an appointment instead of flying by the seat of my pants and just showing up. Also really glad I got a passport, as it makes the whole ID thing so much easier: you don't have to show a copy of your birth certificate. And being as I live a long way from said certificate, this is much easier. I did the whole nine yards, too: registered to vote, and became an organ donor.
Next week's big project is getting the plates and registration for my car done. Have to transfer my title, too. Will dutifully do all of my research and make sure to bring all of the necessary paperwork with me, to make the process less painful.
I had to give up my Michigan license. They had to keep it, to prevent me from altering it or something, I'm sure. But it made me a little sad. I have been a Michigan resident all my life, and that license was a connection to it while living here in Georgia. And it was a pretty decent picture, too!
On a funny note, Mom was due for a driver's license renewal. So, a couple of months ago, her renewal information showed up...here, at my address in Georgia. The address on it was ours at home, but the information that the post office prints along the bottom side of the envelope was my address here. Very odd. And then, late last week...her license shows up here, too. Same situation with the addresses. Its so strange. I mailed her the envelope and all (after sneaking a peak at her picture!) so hopefully she can get everything straightened out. I know I did a change of address for here, and occasionally I get credit card offers for her, but she is listed on some of my accounts, so that made sense. But this didn't.
Happy birthday Dad!
Next week's big project is getting the plates and registration for my car done. Have to transfer my title, too. Will dutifully do all of my research and make sure to bring all of the necessary paperwork with me, to make the process less painful.
I had to give up my Michigan license. They had to keep it, to prevent me from altering it or something, I'm sure. But it made me a little sad. I have been a Michigan resident all my life, and that license was a connection to it while living here in Georgia. And it was a pretty decent picture, too!
On a funny note, Mom was due for a driver's license renewal. So, a couple of months ago, her renewal information showed up...here, at my address in Georgia. The address on it was ours at home, but the information that the post office prints along the bottom side of the envelope was my address here. Very odd. And then, late last week...her license shows up here, too. Same situation with the addresses. Its so strange. I mailed her the envelope and all (after sneaking a peak at her picture!) so hopefully she can get everything straightened out. I know I did a change of address for here, and occasionally I get credit card offers for her, but she is listed on some of my accounts, so that made sense. But this didn't.
Happy birthday Dad!
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