barbarafett

Relatively calm day today, after chaotic last two days. Finished cleaning out half-bathroom in old apartment. Master bath and kitchen remain to be done. Also, filled out service log.

AmeriCorps team celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Had delicious dinner including corned beef, carrots, and potatoes. Contributed spiral pasta with meat sauce left over from school. Played Catchphrase earlier; teammates now playing Scrabble. Must write weekly update e-mail now.

Looking forward to rescheduled space shuttle launch. About 20 minutes away now.

Today Ides of March. Real Rorschach would probably go after some crooked politician tonight.

Current Mood: content
Current Location: Palm Club Apt. 107
Current Music: Tom Smith - Rorschach Love

Slept in this morning after exhausting day yesterday. Was rousted out of bed by phone call from mechanics. Forgot to leave car key with them. Wasn't thinking clearly. Too emotional. Got up, then got roommate to take me out to drop off key and pick up clothes from laundry. Moved clothes into new apartment. Thanks to laundry service, have gone from shortage of hangers to overabundance.

Spent much of day packing stuff, carrying stuff back and forth between new and old apartments, and cleaning old apartment. Took many breaks in between. Didn't accomplish as much as I had hoped, but was doing it all alone for most of the day.

Roommate and I met next-door neighbors. Had very long conversation. Commiserated about shortcomings of apartment management and maintenance. Didn't realize that regular residents were treated even worse than AmeriCorps Members until now. Plan to work together with neighbor to get various things set right.

Remarkable how life has given me topics for Rorschach Challenge journal entries that suit character so well. Plan to continue with these entries until material supplied by said topics runs out. At this rate, may last until end of July. May not do them daily at that point.

Have taken plunge. Am actually eating cold beans from can while writing this. Are, indeed, fine like this. Haven't become completely submerged in this persona, though. Also having hot dog and vegetables (both heated).

Current Mood: stressed
Current Location: Palm Club Apt. 53
Current Music: none

Usual team meeting this morning. Very interesting and helpful. Too bad it was the only normal part of today.

Came home after meeting, talked to roommates, and went out to drop off dry cleaning with one of them. Stopped by Target afterward. Got salad there for lunch.

Signed paperwork for new apartment after that. Then, sorted clothes and took to laundromat. Almost four hours later, came back in roommate's car with bags of damp clothes. Long story. Really don't want to relive it. Said clothes now being dried here in new apartment.

TV dinner for second night in row. Considered beans, but was in no mood for character-inspired celebration. Celebrating with chocolate pudding instead.

Haven't been this tired since... last two moving days with family. And real work hasn't even begun yet. Tomorrow, we move kitchen items, side tables, rest of personal stuff. Elizabeth A. offered to help. Grateful.

Currently at dining table in new apartment. Place smells of floral-scented cleaning products. Glad to be somewhere clean. Will try to keep it that way.

Edited To Add: Just discovered via

watchdom that tonight is 45th anniversary of death of Kitty Genovese. Was completely unaware that that wasn't just another fictional event until now. Can see why witness would be inspired to become masked avenger.

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Location: Palm Club Apt. 53
Current Music: Running Wild - Treasure Island (only in my mind)

Better day at service site today. 10 solid hours. Found out that one student has left. Lives far away, no longer has job up here. Will miss her. Evening student couldn't come, so planned lessons.

Watchmania, Part 2 released today. Listened on way to service site and while cleaning. Lots of fun. Very happy to hear that there will be a Part 3 and possibly a Part 4. Can't wait to hear what everyone else has to say about Watchmen movie. Also, got through Chapter 18 of "Chasing the Bard" podiobook. Great story. Look forward to hearing rest.

Finally got solid information on the move. Tomorrow after meeting, we sign our new lease. Presumably, we can move in afterward. Haven't heard from people at church, so apparently not going to Bishop's Spring Conference. Okay with that. Would rather get move over with.

Landlords already turned off electricity in apartment. We don't understand why so early. Will ask tomorrow. Now over at teammates' apartment to use Internet. Made a TV dinner. Have two cans of beans in cupboard - why didn't I just have one for dinner? Didn't think of it. Damn. Obviously haven't become Rorschach fully.

Teammates asked if my family will visit for spring break. Very interested in meeting family. Probably won't come. Don't like long trips. Will ask family, just in case.

Current Mood: calm
Current Location: Palm Club Apt. 107
Current Music: "South Park" on TV

Teaching is becoming frustrating. Knew it would. Have to get many students to pass mid-book test. Part of record of student achievement. Know we should review material first. Uncertain how to do so properly. Afraid of failure.

Baked brownies for fellow tutor's birthday. Came out done on edges, gooey in middle. Uncooked food easier to deal with.

Was looking forward to watching shuttle launch tonight. Postponed until Sunday at the earliest. Disappointed.

Still haven't made serious packing efforts. Not enough willpower. Will pack some clothes tonight, then do rest tomorrow night. Worried about conflict between move and Bishop's Spring Conference on Friday and Saturday.

Pleased to see that reaction to Watchmen film among companions on Twitter is generally positive. Tee Morris just saw it tonight and loved it. Glad to hear it. P.C. Haring expressed interest in graphic novel. Encouraged him with offer of sugar cubes. Said he would check it out. Have done my job.

Current Mood: apprehensive
Current Location: Palm Club Apt. 12C
Current Music: Jamie Sims - The Watchmaker

Left service site early today. 6:00 students couldn't come. Went to Target on way home. Got trash bags, duct tape, sandwich bags, thank-you cards. Latter for guests at Friday meetings.

Walked by Apartment 53. Closer to other AmeriCorps-inhabited apartments, as I had hoped. Also further back from entrance to complex. Very good. New window will face south, not west. Will miss sunlit afternoons in this room. Have removed what little decor I had from walls of room in preparation for move.

Received postcard from friend studying abroad in Spain. Asked, "Whatever are you doing in Florida?" Must have forgotten to tell her. Must rectify this.

Contacted past professor and cohorts organizing upcoming gathering in Tampa. Attempting to work out details of my travel there.

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: Palm Club Apt. 12C
Current Music: Smashing Pumpkins - The Beginning is the End is the Beginning

Water spout broken in upstairs bathroom. Have to use downstairs bathroom now. Inconvenient, but bearable.

First student of day absent. Spent time planning lessons, writing Watchmen fanfiction. Will begin typing fanfiction after journal entry.

At home this evening, learned landlords are transferring us to new apartment, rather than continue to fight bedbugs. Don't look forward to packing, but have to. Hope new apartment at least has different problems than this one. Probably best I can hope for.

Friends on Twitter watching "Castle." Thought of watching, but decided not to. Wrote in prompted reflection journal instead. Good choice. Felt better afterward.

Current Mood: resigned
Current Location: Palm Club Apt. 12C
Current Music: none

Remaining baked beans from Thursday night for lunch today. And a hot dog.

Productive afternoon. Wrote in regular paper journal about January's MLK Day festival, travel between California and Florida, and last Thursday night's movie viewing. That journal finally up to date. Hasn't been since June 9, 2007. Have been remiss in this discipline. No more. Will try harder to write more often. Also, began catching up on prompted reflection journal. Should not have allowed new interest in Watchmen to get in way. Now two days behind.

Spent part of afternoon conferring with other writers over Twitter. Interesting. Will do it again when opportunity arises.

Attempted to start transition planning process this evening. Failed. Suffering from lack of self-discipline on this front, too.

Daylight Saving Time started today. Darkness waited longer to appear. Strange and disorienting.

Current Mood: vigilant
Current Location: Palm Club Apt. 12C
Current Music: Born A Number - Ink Blot