Update

I feel somewhat obligated to post an update. I am now 2 weeks from shipping out to California and it seems I have become the victim of some events.
BAD NEWS: I went to Sioux City this weekend to bid Adieu to my friends there; the weekend turned out to be a pretty bad bust and left me feeling rather gloomy. My friend J-da came down with some nasty flu business which put her out of commission to really do much of anything. :( Obviously not her fault but a definite bummer since I wont be seeing her for a year.

GOOD NEWS: After 3 years of my Lazarus phone (due to the fact it has been miraculously ressurected on several occassions), I have been upgraded...but this was no ordinary upgrade. We switched to qwest/verizone and consequently I am now the proud mother of a Blackberry Storm...yes I've had it less than 8 hours and am ALREADY addicted. tehehe.

BAD NEWS: In the mail today came my denial for deferment on my private student loans. I'll be calling tomorrow to figure out just why. If it had anything to do with their poor service, awful communication or anything beyond resononableness (yes i made up the word and no i dont think it has anything to do with it) I will be FIRM and if you know me..you knwo what that means. I think this says wonders about our government and money grubbing corporations. Here I am, after working my ass off for 3 years to TEACH decide to deprive myself of EVEN MORE income and social status to volunteer in a GOVERNMENT program and I'm being told that the majority of my meager living allowance is going to have to go to paying off student loans. I have good credit, good standing on all bases and am obviously not just pretending to be poor to get out of paying them. I may be foregoing the razors and soap in an attempt to pay the bills...sorry fellow corpsmen haha.

GOOD NEWS: We are making lefsa this weekend! Lefsa is a norwegian traditional food and a recipe which has been passed from all sorts of generations and such. We have lefsa grills, the perfect rolling pins and of course true lefsa sticks from Norway (thanks to our Norwegian friend Ana Marie). The family bumped this date up so that I can participate in the day of potatoes.

GOOD NEWS: I am feeling more comfortable shipping some of my things to California. I talked to a few othe rpeople who are doing it and it has been confirmed that I will guarenteed have time to pick up my things. Thank goodness! I have also made a few purchases but somehow I doubt its going to be enough....student loan clouds of gloom may stop me from making anymore.

BAD NEWS: I am freaking out. It all just feels rediculously surreal. I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe I'm leaving. There have been several family incidents which have stripped me of any confidence I had in departure. What's going to happen while I'm gone? I'm also feeling rather self-conscious. *sigh*

BAD NEWS: I'm still really missing teaching. :(