Ok, I've been house sitting for my mum while they are away on a nice beach retreat. She was concerned about their child.... I mean new pug puppy, being alone. I agreed happily since I could play with cute animals and swim and what not.

Well, so far I had to rescue a swimming (quite large) turtle out of the pool, the power went out leaving me with no lights to get ready for work, the puppy launched off a raft in the pool and I had to pull a "Baywatch" maneuver to rescue the velcro doggie. It's been interesting to say the least. I often find myself wondering why nothing can just be normal.... everything I do seems to make a laughable story for someone hahaha. I guess that isn't so bad.

The night is winding down and this pretty much sums up what I've been doing with no FFXI to play and no people (only pets) to speak to in real life:

Naku Naku: mew
Snow: mewmewmewm ^_^
Naku Naku: gave the dog a bath >_<
Snow: snuggles.you
Snow: heheheheh
Naku Naku: was pretty funny
8:40 PM
Snow: pics =P
Snow: lol
Snow: ^_^
Snow: hehehe i know i know =P
Naku Naku: watching "Firestarter: Rekindled" a sci-fi mini series based on the book
Naku Naku: it's silly but yet I'm enthralled
Snow: what is it ?!?!
Snow: like
Snow: them as actors or ?
Naku Naku: like her as a teenager
Naku Naku: when she makes out with dudes...... shit goes on fire
Naku Naku: kudos sci fi channel
Naku Naku: lol
Snow: oh
Snow: lol
Naku Naku: hahahaha
Snow: read that as firefly ><
Snow: hahahah
Naku Naku: no no, it's the ghei thing I'm watching now
Snow: yeah
Snow: i know..
Snow: stephen king lol
Naku Naku: oh stephen king would roll around in all his drugs if he saw this three ring circus
Snow: hahahah
8:45 PM
Naku Naku: I should put that on naku.org
Snow: yes
Naku Naku: as you wish :')
Snow: yaaaaaaaaaaaaay braaaaaaaaaaaains

Anyway folks.... I do have one more thing to report.... I GOT MY PASSPORT! :D I'm so invading europe in a couple weeks! More to come......... sci fi channel beacons me.
Ni ni all!

After work the other day, I rode my chococar over to the Motophoto™ to attempt the next part of the mission. The 2x2 photographs needed for Rank P. I was a bit startled when I drive up and park.. walk up and see an outdoor sign reading: "We shoot pets and families". I thought to myself.... what sort of strange militia is taking passport photos? They are really branching out I guess.

I walk in. I was waiting for an AK47 pointing in my face and a scary man asking where my pet was so he could shoot it. To my surprise it was just a nice lady that smiled and asked if she could help me. (They obviously have good undercover assassins in there). I timidly ask if she could help me with my passport photos. She didn't "shoot" me, she just said heck yes she could help, c'mon back!

I walked behind the counter, stood there in front of the white sheet tacked to the wall. She told me I could not smile. I told her that's fairly close to impossible for me but I would do my best. I suppose when you smile you look different. That would mean that no person traveling looks happy? Well, that is a depressing thought. Thanks government.

Picture snapped, I wait 4 minutes and BAM... I was handed an envelope. I gave her my ten dollars and skipped out the shop. Now I'm thinking to myself... isn't this kind of thing supposed to be hard and painful? I must watch too much television or something.

That brings us up to today. After work today I had all my documents in hand.. all my I's dotted, T's crossed. I'm feeling good. Not scared at all. So it's off to the courthouse in the city. I've never been in a courthouse... I have just watched A LOT of Law and Order.

I found the correct building with my envelope of documents under my arm. I walk in and see a security check. I place my bag on the wee escalator, I walk through the metal detector and pass with flying colors. Luckily that shady photo lady didn't plant weapons on me. I asked what level I should go, they said "Two".

Elevator up. It's an old, intimidating building. I see the door with the "stupid american passport registration Here!" sign. I go in armed to the teeth with knowledge and documents. I decided against cupcakes since that could have been a bit over the top.

I hand the nice lady my papers. She promptly told me that this would not do.
Me: Oh, alright I will just go outside and die now... thanks!
Lady: Well, these off the internet have to be on a certain paper and this one you filled out will not pass through. You need to fill out a proper one.
Me: So why do they allow you to download the form? I think perhaps it's to make you have to fill the sucker out twice but I could be way off base here.
Lady: ......
Me: May I use your pen lady of doom?

I fill out the form a second time. I at least made sure my handwriting was a bit neater this time round. Second time is a charm right? I then gagged a bit as I wrote a check for $150 to get Rank P within seven days. If I do not get it.... I'm going to go back to that courthouse and sit there and stare at them until they do something. Oh yes. I will do it..... watch me.So, that is done. It's on it's way and I just need to check my mailbox every day until it arrives.

The elevator lands on the ground floor and I walk out with a weight lifted. It's done'ish. However, as I walk out the giant, copper doors.... I see signs telling me not to exit here. So, I walk to my left and go through a large set of decorated doors. This didn't look correct. I glance to my right looking for the escape route. A finely suited man approaches me and I ask him "Is this the way outside?"

He answers, "No, this is the way to go to jail!"

I reply with "I don't want to go this way! I'll go back that way and take my chances"

Yeah, I read the signs wrong and almost got my prints taken and the "book thrown at me" for being a dumbass. If it's not a crime, it should be.

Later today I went out to the travel agent lady "Debbie" who was incredibly helpful. See, I tried booking this trip online but apparently I don't know how to use the internet and it was impossible to do. I said fsck this shit.... dialed a travel agent lady. Turns out she got me a better rate than all those fancy expedia, orbitz, travelocity traps. Just because you CAN do things online, doesn't mean you should all the time.

I got my tickets.
I'll get my hug.
unless the government orcs hassle me in which I will curse them all to small pits of hell forever and ever.

I have hope.... and a headache :D

Moral of the story is... It's all fun and games until someone tries to get a passport. Let's not forget the soy incident and the destruction of a really fabulous shirt. I can't wear white with out weeping.

haha time for bed!

I started the mission today to gain Rank P (passport). The first bit was fairly easy. Wake up at a decent hour, talk to some gate guards on the phone and find out where exactly I needed to go.

So, knowing what I had to do, I got a second cup of cawffee, jumped in the shower, put on a smart looking outfit and set out to camp the Notorious Monster: Pennsylvania Health and Welfare Department of Vital Records. IMPOSSIBLE TO GAUGE!! I got in the chococar and made haste to the PA Turnpike.

An hour and some change later, I was approaching my old 'hood. It was pouring down rain and the last stretch was tense. It cleared a bit as I entered the city. I couldn't help but notice how much of a dump it seemed like? I guess when you live somewhere long enough you don't really "look" at it anymore. It's funny when you leave for a while and come back and don't much have a choice. Yeah, it's an orc armpit :D

I circled several times in the Capitol area until I was able to find the gorramn place I was instructed to park in according to the internets. Done! RATS! I need to find an ATM, I forgot people like to charge you for parking. Now to find the place and worry about money later.

Well, the address was vague online. The luck I have... I ended up walking into three giant government buildings like a lost sheep until I stumbled into the right one. I almost got squished by a SUV which actually made me laugh. What if I died while trying to get a copy of my birth certificate? Now that would be something huh?

OK correct building now. I was scared now... I guess since I never did this kind of thing and had no idea what they would ask? Did I have the right ID? Should I have brought cupcakes?

I flexed quietly to myself and pulled open the doom door and walked in. Fsck it I fought Fenrir (well Rayj did, but I flashed him a lot so he wouldn't die...... bad reference I guess but needless to say, I was feeling tough). I saw down the long stark white hallway... the room.

I walked up to the counter and in my most pleasant, yet slightly desperate tone... I stated to the very large, annoyed woman that I'd like a copy of my birth certificate. (Thinking to myself that cupcakes would have really sealed the deal on this escapade)

Well, I was told to fill out a form.... which had maybe 5 things on it, write a check and TADA! She handed me a slip of paper and told me to come back in an hour. Umm..Had I known that it is more difficult to get fscking pictures developed in this state than it is to obtain certified documents of birth.... I would have stayed home for a third cup of friggin' coffee.

I have an hour to kill now so I'm eating some japanese food and writing this adventure on a ghei Chococat™ memo pad I luckily had in my bag. Now this part is really important. I hope you're paying attention????? If you only take one piece of advice from me EVER whilst reading my rants.. this one should be IT:

Do not not get within 10 feet of soy sauce while wearing a cute, smart-looking white shirt. Don't do it for me...... do it for the children.

Now I'm going to walk back up and pick up the paper that says I was born. Good thing since I could just like WAVE and say HI instead...... but nuuuuu they like proof. I'll finish this up when I get home....... latah!

*****

Ok home now and yes I have the said documents! Always a damn adventure with me trying to get shit done. Ah well, makes for a good story perhaps. I'd tell you about how when I was walking back to the building a stray stone struck me in the eye and I fell and couldn't see out of my right eye for about 4 hours? It made for interesting drive home. I thought perhaps the Pirate Kit would be more a reality than a novelty? But I have already been babbling too much.

I'm on my way to that hug. It's stressful and scary and I'm doing it anyway haha. I did hang out at my sister's place a while tonight. She's cheering me on this trip with pom-poms and helping me one hundred percent with this trip. So cool.

Driving home tonight though... I got that feeling I get a lot. I really enjoy driving late at night on a lonely road listening to music. I rank it up there with snuggling. But tonight was one of those that you kind of think about it more (maybe since I just didn't want to go home and took the long way) I started wondering why I liked it so much. It's a weird thing to like... then it hit me.

I looked at the road and felt a smile on my face. It looked like I was driving into an abyss... a black 'nothing' but there was always road under my tires... something was there even when it seems like there isn't. Well that philosophical mumbo-jumbo and the fact I have some really GREAT music hahahahaha. Either way, I would miss that if I went somewhere I couldn't drive.

Tune in tomorrow when I tell you about the wonderful world of: PASSPORT PHOTOS! I wanted to get my mom to make me a "Stupid American" tee-shirt for the picture but snow tells me they are only shot from the neck up... bummer ;D hahaha

goodnight all :D

I had a really lovely night tonight. It's 2:30am but I just can't bring myself to lay in bed and wake up to a new day yet. I'm liking this one too much and don't want to let it go.

There really wasn't anything profound that made today a good day. I think just sometimes certain days feel better than others.... for you and for everyone around you.

I spent a good part of the night playing FFXI with Rayj and snow and some new and funny folk. We camped and waited...... and waited. We failed but dammit we had a really nice time waiting for that bitch goblin. After, Rayj organized for us to fight some critter that would drop a spell for snow. I kind of would have been happy just sitting in the canyon with the bouncing flowers talking sheet but.... I guess people like to win things in game. We won, snow got his thing. Sleepga II.

I just had fun talking and being around nice folks. Rayj helped me get Fenrir and more importantly, kinda fills up those times in the game I stare at my moogle wondering why I'm there. It's kind of nice to find another person that plays who is truly honorable and helps out anyone that needs help. I really think that's what kept me in game. Why I stay.

I spent a good bit of the day with snow... who moved and is getting settled and I hope... getting back to that 'same shit different day' thing most of you out there take for granted.

I was really getting tired of feeling like a 'Stray cat on your roof' babe. I really did for so long. -_-

The pieces that fell apart... fit. I'm making them fit. I'm going to spend all the money I have to buy a plane ticket so I can get a hug from the man I love. I think the reason I'm so happy today is because I really realized.... how simple that idea is.

I made it out to be this big production... and yeah I need to get my birth certificate since mine got stolen by aliens or something.... and passport and some badge saying "I'm not a terrorist let me fly the sky! KTHXBYE". I'm scared. Not to fly.... scared I can get all my "yeah this is me now fsck off" documents in order. I have an ace in the hole though... my mum \/\/ Who some of you have read about heh. She and my sister are helping me storm the government so I can just have one hug... one kiss. That takes a lot of faith.... and I have to say that my family rawks in ways I never knew possible

Also, my mom has a pool. That also helps in these democratic discussions that take hours and hours >.>;

I'm going to just buy a ticket tomorrow. Rest of it will just have to work. I will not have money, I will probably loose the ghei job I have now, I will probably come home and have to start all over again from scratch but.... I'm cool with that. When your life is a vertigo.... just toss in some other stuff and see what happens is my theory. It may work, it may not. I'm happy to deal with both scenerios, as long as I get that one hug in the airport. It will be the one thing in my life as of late that doesn't have a big red "failure" stamp on. And well... love is more important than me having money, a dumb corporate job that's a bunch of horseshit disguised by a cute paycheck, more important than living a life with out you.

So.... yeah, guess I'm kind of giving up all my shit and fleeing for a hug. It doesn't surprise me since I'm pretty much the black sheep of the fam and can't do anything the easy way :) I hate the easy way. I like to work for the things that really mean something....

What other reason could we be here for? It's not to pay taxes and get fat on crap food.....I assure you ;) Take it from a dork like me who has not ONE thing figured out other than....

wanting that one hug.

Today is a good day.
ps.... it's too late to check this for typos and gramatical errors so get over it if you find one. :D one love