living life in the fast lane, give it up cause you got no game

Honey, I'm home!

I got all my big stuff moved into the apt in Bloomington Saturday!! What a trip! I must say I am highly disapointed Teeners mom didn't play the "learn Italian" cds for the 15+ hour drive. I would be a pro by now!

The ride out wasn't bad at all! It took about 7 hours and I think I've gone that far for a show before. Ohio was what I expected the whole way accross...flat, boring, ugly.

ok so I'm not educated in geography, at all, and I didn't realize I was moving into tornado alley. That has me a little nervous, that and dad saying when he lived there everytime it stormed there was a tornado. eeek! I have been dreaming/having nightmares of tornados ever since. I also didn't know I was moving into the midwest. When you get there, that becomes overwhelmingly apparent. "oh look a farm, oh look some horses, oh look a farm".

The town of Bloomington is off to itself in this little bubble in Indiana. You have to drive a desolate wooded highway to get to it, and I was getting even more nervous about that on the way in. I was ready for some "The Hills Have Eyes" or "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" action minus the hills.

We kept seeing boat after boat passing us on the way in, and I'm talking boats you'd take on Lake Erie or the ocean not little boats. Apparently we have a HUGE-as* lake in Bloomington. Link to Lake Monroe

We get into town and it's a mix of my three most favorite places on Earth. (Savannah, Boca, Franklin) which is perfect for me. Depending on what street you went down you'd get a feel of each one of those cities. One street we drove down at night is dubbed "Restaurant Row" and had I been taken there blindfolded I could have easily believed I was in Delray or Las Olas in South Florida. Everyone was sitting out at tables in the sidewalks and walking around looking like South Florida city slickers or the visiting New Yorkers I ran into in Delray. Beautiful night life AND they had an ethnic restaurant for whatever your heart desired (and vegan ones too) and outside each of these "ethnic" eateries were decorations making the atmosphere complete similar to the way Epcot is. As if you're visiting each country with each restaurant.

Then a few streets over the architecture was so similar to Savannah that I felt like I was on River Street. I'm told it's because we are so close to the southern states.



The people overall reminded me of the people I know around Pittsburgh. I saw A LOT of camo shorts and Ramones shirts. There must be a big local music scene there and for the most part people seemed to be between the ages of 20-27. The townies are mostly hippies and huge pot smokers and there is this beatdown grocery store near me that made me think of Clerks immediatly. I'm waiting for the day Jay and Silent Bob are standing outside. "fifteen bucks little man..."

Then one of the streets was just like downtown Franklin, it was so weird and overall everyone was walking around and looking very..well...Franklinish. (insert Franklin slogan here, I can't remember it)

I loved our apartment a lot, I'm living with my bro Bill and his fiance Teener. Here are some pictures of the apartment, keep in mind we're still moving in. (click on pics to see them larger)

Our Front Door

My closet

My desk

The Bathroom


Living Room

and The Kitchen

There are more rooms but I didn't get pictures of them yet. (Bill and Teeners room, the dining room, etc)
I am in Franklin until July 27th then it's hello Bloomington!!!!

clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am

So if you haven't heard by now I am moving. haha hard to imagine you not hearing since I've been throwing that out there daily. But if you didn't know, now you do!

I have a feeling once I move, or while I'm in the process of moving I'm going to be blogging a lot more.

I am moving to Bloomington Indiana. "Why Indiana??" you might be asking yourself. Well my older brother Bill got into Indiana University-Law and asked me to move out there with him and his gf Teener (Christina). I had very little notice (about two months from hearing about it to doing it) and I applied to Ivy Tech (a community college) out there and obviously got in (who doesnt?) for biotechnology. So I said yes to the move.

I am notorious for picking up and moving to some far away land with no notice so I'm trying to make sure all my friends are aware that I'm moving. Obviously my closest friends I told in person or via..can you believe this..phone! But just incase somehow you didn't get the memo or you wanted more details, this blog is for you.

I am moving into a college town that is full of culture. They have everything you can imagine there, kind of like south florida without me being a minority. The Dali Lama's brother owns a resturaunt a few blocks from my apt. and he comes and eats there. Bloomington is the only place in the United States with a monistary. So there are robed monks walking around. There is a HUGE gay population and arts/music population there. Most of the town residents are multi-millionares and are famous for something in the arts/academic world. John Cougar Melloncamp lives there as well. Most people bike where they are going there so that will be refreshing! AND boys listen up! It's rated Playboys #4 hottest campus in the world. haha meh.

I am moving June 30th so if you would like to hangout, go to kings, go swimming, whatever... before I move I would love to see you! I am housesitting until Sunday but I can go out and hang for a few hours.

I have my address out there and my apt already. (LETTERS AND CARE PACKAGES ARE WELCOME AND RETURNED!), it's a 6 1/2 to 7 hour drive to Bloomington from Franklin and YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME STAY WITH ME! I am about 30 minutes from Indianopolis and two hours from Chicago. My bedroom is 10'x16' so I will have plenty of room for you to visit.

I am really going to miss Franklin and my friends. I really wasn't looking to move, I am very content here. I am in love with this town. But socially everything is always so messed up and I suppose it will do me good to get out of that drama/contention/whatever for a while and progress with school and expand in new social circles. But I am going to miss my nearest and dearest here so please please please find the time to come visit me. please.

the roof, the roof, the roof is on fire, we dont need no water...

I haven't been updating my journal. My life has been a haze since I started work. In a good way though, I love my job and everything is going so well in life in general. I am feeling really blessed lately and I have started to pray again and all that jazz. The sun has been shining, James is coming home, I'm getting a paycheck, I've been doing a lot of outdoors activities, among other wonderful happenings.

I went to an event last night in the park called "National Day of Prayer". About 8 clergy men and women from various churches and the military went on the stand and talked for a bit then prayed. Then Jerry Hanna would play guitar in between. It was such a beautiful service, the sun was shining and the birds were chirping and everyone was praying. I really enjoyed myself.

They were talking about volunteering for the people in your community. They were talking about disabled people in our area that need a porch painted, their house cleaned, a ride to the grocery store, and other normal easy tasks that I can do. I forget how good I feel about helping other people out and how amazing humanity can be when people come together just because they can to help someone else out. I have a number to call to get a list of people that need help and what they need. The part that really broke my heart was on the list is a list of eldery and sick people that have no visitors and just want someone to come sit with them for a while. I used to do this when I lived in Florida. I got a list of people in an old folks home down the street that didn't get visitors and I would go in and see them and listen to their stories. I had such a blast with them. One lady was 104 years old! Her stories were the best, and most likely becuase she was either an amazing woman or she lost her mind. Either way I had a great time with her.

I also have been clipping newspaper articles for work for their scrapbook and I'm learning a lot about two mile run park and it's history and I have a whole new appriciation for the park. I also learned about an organization that I am trying to get involved in called "Focus on Our Future". They really could use the help of youth and young adults in the organization to give them ideas that would actually benifit people in our age range. How will they know what we want and what would work for us if we don't tell them???

I am really happy about getting to know the people at the courthouse and the annex building and learning about the community and I can't wait to jump in and get more involved where I can.

I hope you're enjoying all the sunshine and flowers and birds and breezes and the perfect weather...

Life is very good.

Venango County Commissioners Office, Melissa speaking how can I help you?

Hello friends! I have lots to tell you! woo~

I got a job! I work at the County Commissioners office as a temp until the elections are over. I love my job! I want to keep it forever. It's just a walk in the park away and I come home on lunch for an hour. I love my co-workers they are all so...zany..and friendly. I'm getting to know a lot of the local politicians and I'm taking my civil service test in Pittsburgh soon so I can get a permanent position with the county.

I read at the coffee house last night from my book, "I'm Not Your Good Time, Sir". I really need to figure out what works, what I want to keep in it and make some new ones so I can get it out soon. I read "The Ocean" last night and it seemed to go over well. I'm really grateful for all my public speaking experience because otherwise I would have choked hard. Marks pieces were awesome and I hope he puts out a book soon because I want it! Will has such an amazing delivery with his stuff I could sit and listen to him tell stories for hours and Aarons set was positively my favorite part of the night until he beat it at Eat N Park. His works are so good and I relate to them a lot. His delivery was unexpected and I liked it and then the way he handled the "comments/questions" was the best thing ever. I wish I had my camera.

There are more wonderful things going on in my life right now and I'm just trying to enjoy it day by day so I'll keep you up to date. I love life...

When the moon hits your eye...

I had such an amazing day. To start off it's sunny and warm out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then I got to spend some much needed girl time with my twin Shannon. I love spending time with her, it makes me so happy. We went out to eat at Chili's and went shopping and hit up Butler. Then we went looking for a little black dress for her and the one she got is soooooooo hot in a classy way. But dang. I can't wait to borrow it! Horray for generous friends that have the same taste and the same size.

Then we came back through Harrisville and stopped to eat pretzels outside in the sunshine at a playground. It was fabulous and so was our dance party in the car to the 80's one hit wonders. AMAZING...

When we got back to my apt. she finally got to meet my dad, after six months of hangouts at my apt. she finally got to see he really exists. My brother and my lovely Teener were here and we got the motorcycle out and got it started up. And by "we" I mean they did and Shannon and I danced/played/watched. I can't wait for sunny bike rides!

Shannycakes had to split and Bill Teener and I hit up the DQ. I am so extremely excited and anxious to have a BBQ. I want to eat BBQed chicken now that I eat meat again and I'm so excited I'm going to burst about it...

Dan and Mark came over. Dan, Mark, Teener, Bill and I played frisbee and flew the princess kite in the parking lot. oh man. what a time! (I'm so fly I got bitches on my kite-Bill) quote of the day! Running in circles through the parking lot trying to keep it in the air was HILLARIOUS.

After it got dark we got out the telescope and horsed around for a long time with it looking at the moon, the stars, and umm, 'sagging potatoes'.

Then Bill and Teener had to split and so Dan, Mark and I hit up Eat N Park and hung out with managment and the waitresses for a while. A long while. It was so fun.

Today was great, new thing of the day was so many things. I'll stick with looking at the moon through the telescope...

In a town that's cold and gray, we will have a sunny day

I haven't been keeping up with this journal at all. I expected that though, I'm terrible with journals.

This morning I woke up in a great mood so I figured it was a good time to write. I'm in a playful mood so who knows where this entry is going to go....

I woke up at 4am this morning, more like, 4:20, ugh, to my neighbor (Buffallo Bill) throwing a wild 4:20 party to COUNTRY MUSIC! Aren't you supposed to listen to Dave Matthews or hip hop or something today if you celebrate?? Anyway I did what any good neighbor would do and called the cops and complained and went back to bed. One of these days...he's going to kill me. haha

Then I went back to sleep and got woken up to my phone ringing!! As we all know I don't answer my phone so I waited for them to leave a voicemail and I listened to all of my voicemails from the last week. (haha sorry about that Jes.) It was Allseasons!!!! They put my application in with the County and I have an interview on Monday. I AM SO EXCITED! The very first thing I'm buying is a bike, then fixing my car, then an ipod, then it's all savings. I feel like a 16 yr old kid getting their first job. ohhh the lols...

I went jogging yesterday for the first time in a while, and I'm going to do it again today. It puts me in the best mood of all time, even if I can only make it a block before I have to walk.


Anyway so I really didn't update you with anything. But I'm still doing a new thing everyday and I'm loving it. There have been some letdowns this week but I'm going to keep my chin up and smile through it, because I have a lot to be thankful for, and what are you going to do, you know?

ITS SO SUNNY OUT HORRAY!!! I am taking myself outdoors!
I love you friends, thanks for reading
how are you?
call me
*makes dorky fake phone with hand and puts it up to ear and winks*

she's got time for the dog and none for her man...

Vita Bella!! With a little refocusing and a long talk with my mom and a phone call from James I'm back in the saddle with a smile on my face...
ohhhh yeah!

sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground

I'd tell you what happened yesterday, but you wouldnt believe me.
today is a bust...

up
down
up
down

ahhhhhhhhhhhh

no news is good news these days

we couldn't bring the columns down, we couldn't destroy a single one

Personal blog...WARNING...it's deep and a bit of a downer...

I know, I know. My theory is to stay posi no matter what and karma will bring it back around. Smile because you always have something to smile about. Remember the little things and find the beauty in them. But I am human and lately I've been troubled. I think that's the best word to use.
I usually can just pray and thank God for the little things and I get right back on track, but this time no dice. I would like to chalk it up to the weather, but there is a lot on my mind lately and I realize a public blog might not be the best outlet, but I'm not comfortable with my emotions and I can't talk to anyone about this stuff. So it's up to you if you want to read it. You need to make that choice now, and realize it was your choice...

The first thing that is bothering me is my brothers situation. My younger brother James. He signed up for six years in the military and he's at bootcamp. I realized it was going to be hard for him and I know in the end it will benifit him if he lets it, but he is having a hard time. He wants out and there is a G.I. Right that says he can get out during his first 180 days and they aren't granting it to him. Then he went to the JAG to report some abuse that happened to him (it was unreal) and five drill sgt's got fired. So now they are pissed at him and they keep jerking him around to "punish him". In his first sgt's words; "Around here you don't get sgt's fired, and if you do you're going to pay the price, and that's what he's doing, he's paying the price." Since he left for bootcamp he has been looking forward to the one weekend during the 6 months where he can have family down. It was supposed to be this past weekend and they moved him to another company the day before it started and the company they moved him to already had family day. So he doesn't get one at all. It was just because they wanted to 'punish him'. I can not express how much I hate the military, I always have hated the army and the marines, but this is making my hate x100000000. We were all ready to go see him in Ga. and then my dad called down on Friday and was told about all of this. James called crying and told us the other day he broke down completely and asked to go to the hospital and the sgt's stood around him and laughed at him and refused to take him. My dad is working with congress and the pentagon and things like that from this end, but it's not looking good. They even threaten the death penalty on him! How fucked up is that?!?! I love my bro and I want him to come home or find a way to get through this and be better because of it.

Another thing that has been on my mind lately is feeling sick. I was told in high school that I have Raynauds Syndrome (basically bad circulation to the extreme) and that I was going to have problems because of it (not to live where it's cold and my favorite things like skiing are probably not a good idea). They put me on Procardia (a heart medication) to try to help it open the paralyzed capillaries. BUT what they didn't tell us was Procardia is a high blood pressure medication and it lowers your blood pressure (I have very very low blood pressure naturally). To make a long story short I basically slept for two months while my organs started to shut down until my mom took the meds away. Then a year or two of awful doctor visits to correct the issues from it followed. WELL everything had been managable with it until last year. Everyday that it's cold I am very sick to my stomach and I feel really run down. I just can't take another morning of feeling ill and this weather isn't breaking. I'm feeling very frustrated.


My life has fallen stagnant again. I'm only working an hour a week and I haven't traveled since Oct 2005. I haven't even been exploring my hobbies, I just feel like a huge waste. I miss the movie theater, this bothers me more than words can express, so I wont even try. Seven years of my life heavily involved that place and it's gone forever.



I want to be back in my tropical paradise. I want to be living again. It's just a matter of time until the feeling of wasting life gets so strong that I get back up and go...

So I keep trying to remember the good, trying to be posi, trying to smile, but for awhile it hasn't been easy... :(

Tasting the poison

Hello friends! Thanks for reading and the reminders that I haven't updated. It makes me happy to know people read this. I love you friends.

I tasted the poison last weekend and didn't write since I was out of town and then I stopped writing all together. But I'm back in action...recaps!

I think i'll just give a quick summory and the new thing of the day since there is so much catching up to do. hit me up if you need more details ;)

Monday: went for walk on biketrail. It was beautiful out!!! I got to see all the yellow flowers, my fav! We played around at this little nook of creek and trees and ran around like monkeys. it was pretty fun. I dont remember what all I did that day, and that's sad! I can't even remember my new thing...any help?!

Tuesday: picked up bill and his friend dave in clarion then took them to the pittsburgh airport. I love my bro... aww... the car ride down was very fun! We listened to Ween. then I dropped them off and headed to Moes!!!!!!!!! It was fabulous as usual and I took a Moes n00b. ;) Then I came home and taught yoga and then went to the meeting and kings. all in all it was a wonderful day. My new thing was Moes with that particular person.

Wednesday: I woke up with the worst migraine I've ever had. That migrane was actually my new thing of the day. My mom ended up bringing me oranges, an alfredo recipe, ginger ale, italian wedding soup, and yellow spring flowers from her garden like I used to pick as a kid. Best mom in the world 10/10.

Thursday: I went to New Castle for the day armed with an Italian mix cd!!! I had a fantastic time eating alfredo, although, I cant say its the best, I've had better a half a block away. Then we watched The Hills Have Eyes 2 and I jumped a bajillion times. I liked the movie a lot. Wonderful convo's etc etc. My new thing of the day was the movie and eating at Paigley's.

Friday: I was supposed to go to Ga. to see my little bro for his family pass but we wont get into it because it makes me sad/angry. I didn't get to go.

to be continued....