Just Fishing...

Well, my first week in Kansas went off without a bang. Thursday we went to a car show down at the DQ here in town, classic cars roll up every week. It was pretty cool...

 

I've just been working and trying to figure out how I'm going to make it with one part time job but I guess I'll have to figure something out. Hopefully I'll be eligible for 100% of the Post 9/11 GI Bill so that way when school starts I'll receive some money for a housing allowance. I know after this trip to Texas for drill I'm going to be completely drained of cash.

Went fishing Sunday at someone's farm and I caught a HUGE large mouth Bass. We fried that bad boy up for dinner Monday along with some Croppie, it was all delicious!

Wednesday we have a fish fry for the Church and then Trina's birthday thing. I have no idea what I'm going to get her, I guess a card (obviously) and then something else. No idea what. I don't really know her that well and I'm surprised she invited me but it should be fun.

I have to drill this weekend, not really looking forward to that. I got my car road ready today, now I'm pretty much completely tapped for cash. I had to get 4 new tires which ran me almost $600 then an oil change which ran me another $40. Now I'm flat broke and I have no idea how I'm going to swing the drive to Texas. Good thing though, next month I should be picking up some more hours at the YMCA because one girl is quitting. I know the week of the 22nd I'm scheduled 6 days of the week. I'm getting the sense that Wednesdays are my day off since I'm never scheduled then, which is good.

I'm really hoping for a tornado to hit town right as I'm planning on leaving so that way I won't have to leave :) That would be super.

Stupid Baby Names

Ok, I'm all for originality but kids names these days are STUPID! There is no originality anymore because all the names sound the same. What happened to names like Sarah, James, Rebecca, Scott, etc? Why do parents feel the need to name their kids something stupid like Rayden, Kemper, Ansley, Brayden, Kaylen, etc? I think people are forgetting that their kids are going to have to grow up, they're not going to be cute little 2 year olds forever. What happens when they're 40? If your name was Ocean, would you want to respond to that when you're that age?

Here's a list of the top 10 most hated baby names in America, and unfortunately, they're probably the most popular ones right now:

Girls:
1. Navaeh (Heaven backwards)
2. Destiny
3. Madison
4. Mackenzie
5. McKenna
6. Addison
7. Gertrude
8. Kaitlyn (not the name specifically, but more of the strange spelling. Originally spelled Caitlin)
9. Makayla
10. Bertha
11. Hope


Boys:
1. Jayden
2. Brayden
3. Aiden
4. Kaden (see a pattern?)
5. Hunter
6. Hayden
7. Bentley
8. Tristan
9. Michael (apparently it's "too boring" but I disagree)
10. Jackson

90% of those names are stupid and made up. Personal opinion, I'm not a huge fan of trendy names, I'm a traditionalist, I'll name my kids after someone in my family (ex. Elaine after my grandmother and John after my dad).

According to some articles parents who choose trendy names for their kids, 5-10 years down the line, end up hating the names they chose for their kids. Well duh, that's because you picked a shitty ass name.

I'm done. This subject makes me really mad for some reason.

Plumbers...

So the plumbers came today to fix all the things wrong with my sisters pipes in her house...I'm all for fixing things but I wish they would hurry up so that I can go to the bathroom!!!

A nap would be nice, too...

Kansas

Well, I managed to get my butt up to Kansas when I said I was going to. Now that I'm here I realized how much all of my friends back home meant to me and how much they did to keep me going, even if they didn't realize it. Not that I don't love my sister but I have no one besides her and that's very difficult for me because I'm a social person. Granted, I love alone time, but for the most part I have to be around people that I know. But I know that this move is going to be good for me. I needed to get away and get on my own and start my life and this is probably the best way to do that.

So far since I've been here (today being the second day) I have secured a part time job at the YMCA, I have taken a tour of Kansas Wesleyan University, talked to an admissions councillor, financial advisor and a professor. This seems like it might be the place for me to be. KWU is a very small school (850 kids total for this past school year) but they seem to have their ducks in a row, which is good. Also, a good thing about them is that they're a Yellow Ribbon School meaning that since I'm eligible to receive the Post 9/11 GI Bill my tuition and books are paid for and I'll receive BAH :] (for those of you who don't know what BAH is, basically it's a housing allowance that Active Duty Military receives). Not too shabby I suppose. My plan right now is to start in the fall but if everything falls into place soon then I might start in the summer. 


Next step is to find a place to live. Right now I'm staying with my sister and brother in law, but I can't stay here forever. There is an efficiency apartment across the street that's not too bad for a starter place, especially being single, but it's teeny tiny. And they're asking $375/mo. for it plus electricity. That wouldn't be too bad if the place was a little bit bigger or if I didn't also have a car note and insurance to pay every month. I'm just going to have to see what all my expenses are/will be and then go from there. Depending on how much I make at the YMCA and how much BAH I get I might be able to swing something like that. I would like to have a little bit more room than that, but we'll see. Hopefully everything works out and I don't end up homeless on the streets with no car.


Right now my biggest fear is running out of money and having to have someone bail me out. That can't happen. I'm not the best with handling money but I've always managed to pay my car note and insurance, even if that meant not having money for anything else. But add power bills and rent to it, plus all of my other expenses like gas, food, things for my dog, emergencies, traveling, etc. It'll be tight. Maybe I could pick up a roommate and get a bigger place and split everything. That wouldn't be too bad I suppose. I'll just have to keep my eyes out for a good deal and then snag it.

I just really, really hope everything works out for me. So far it has but it's only been two days.