Freebie

There was no school today for me or my sisters, because of the jewish holiday. It was an entire day of no school and no work. Josh and Danielle are still sick so I told Alex we could do whatever she wanted.

That is why we spent the entire day in Brooklyn. We went back to our old house and sat across the street for like two hours. It makes me really sad that Alex barely remembers anything from Brooklyn. We went to the park for a little while, we went to the firehouse and brought them munchkins, I showed Alex all the places in the neighborhood that we used to go, and just wandered around.

We ran into a lady who used to be a client of my mom's. She thought Alex was me and got all excited to see us. She actually hurt my ribs hugging me so hard. It was totally fun to see her. She invited us back to her house so we went, and she pulled out a dress our mom had worked on, and a quilt she'd sewn for her. I didn't want to leave. She took our phone number and made me promise that we'll bring Danielle back to see her. So that was super nice. I floated all the way home. I haven't seen somebody who could talk about her in a long, long time.

Ahh, eighth grade memories

Alex got invited to a party last night. The boy who invited her is the boyfriend of the girl who sits next to her in math, and she's not really friends with either. When I asked Alex who else was going she wasn't sure. I asked if she wanted to go and Alex shrugged.

The two sick piggies are germy and miserable. I talked Josh into sharing Danielle's room with her so all the sick people can stay in one place. Danielle's school is closer to Alex's than my college so she winds up knowing more of her friends than I do. She didn't recognize the name of the boy or the math girl.

When I got home from work Friday, Alex had decided she wanted to go after all. I had Alex borrow Dani's cell phone and we went to the Bronx together. I brought my homework and camped out at a Starbucks three blocks away. Alex walked in at 10:30 p.m. I got a hot chocolate and started writing out notes. At 11:15 p.m. Alex called me saying she was done.

I told her to come meet me at Starbucks and less than 10 minutes later she walked in looking sad. When I asked why, Alex said it wasn't as fun as she'd hoped it would be. That the wine cooler wasn't that good, that all the girls were glaring at each other suspiciously and talking smack behind each other's backs in between trying to get, or acting drunk.

This has been my experience too - that other kids act like animals let out of cages just because parents aren't around. Hard to relate.

On the walk to the subway Alex asked if I gave boys blowjobs at parties when I was in eighth grade. "Not unless I would have given them blowjobs somewhere else too." Alex nodded. "Good system."

Second sick piggie

Josh is now a casualty of the swine flu also. His mother freaked out and suggested he come home immediately for her to have the housekeeper fuss over him. I thought it was a fantastic idea and was all "Want me to call you a cab?"

Unfortunately Josh had the exact opposite reaction and was completely offended and told Laurie he can't go running home for every little cold and he didn't need help and on and on.

Okay, um, so I told Josh if he wants to stay here he can but he is going into Dani and Alex's room so all the sick people stay sequestered away from the healthy people. Alex is so totally happy that she gets to sleep with me (now that I changed the sheets and sprayed the whole room with Lysol to get rid of the piggie germs) and to be honest, I kind of am too. I thought all I wanted was my own room and to be away from my sisters but it turns out I miss them.

Laurie is coming over early tomorrow morning with sick supplies. She was very angry at Josh for not telling her Danielle became a pig this week. I am expecting chicken soup to arrive tomorrow morning. Obviously it's for the sicklies but I am really tempted to eat some myself. Do you think god would smite me for taking their soup by giving me the pig flu?

Awkward fighting

Alex was sleeping in my room because she doesn't "want to inhale Dani's sick air and become a pig like her." Wish she had asked before just climbing into my bed last night and Josh found her there.

When he came out of the bedroom to tell me Alex was there I was in the middle of homework and didn't really pay that much attention. Later when I took a break and went in to look at Alex, I shoved her way over to the edge of the bed, figuring I would just sleep in the middle.

After a while I noticed Josh was basically hovering over me so I finally put down my pen and was like "What?" That's when he said he wanted to go to sleep but there was no way he could get in a bed with an 11 year old. Which, when I write that out, looks horrible, but I swear my sisters and I have shared beds for like our whole lives so I think nothing of it. Sometimes living with a boy is way complicated.

So first I said I'd wake Alex up and tell her to go back to her bed. Turns out Josh has like really firm beliefs that you should never wake someone up if they're sleeping. So he said he'd go sleep on the couch. Except that Josh was huffing around acting all put out about it. So then I offered that we could move Alex to the couch but Josh didn't like that either because he felt it might wake her.

That's how we had our first big fight, complete with yelling. Which woke Alex up. If I'm honest I will admit that made me happy and yes I know that's fucked up of me. I was pissed off though which is why I told Alex when she asked why we were yelling that it was because Josh wanted her sleeping on the couch if she wasn't going to sleep with Danielle. Then Josh got really mad at me that I was making him out to be the bad guy to Alex and that we were acting like he was uptight and wrong when really we should understand that it was weird to have Alex sleeping in our bed.

Such a fucking mess. Alex went back to sleep, on the couch. I didn't even want to sleep in the same bed with Josh after such a retarded fight. Plus I am still kind of bitter.

One sick little piggie

Danielle has the swine flu. She looks so sad and pathetic. Her school called me today to say that Danielle was in the nurse's office and had over 100 fever and probably had swine flu. I cut my last class and went to the Bronx to sign Danielle out. When I got there the nurse said a few kids had it.

So I ran around the school getting this week's assignments and yanked all Dani's books from her locker. When I told her it was time to go Danielle got all teary and said she was too tired to get all the way home. So I did something crazy and paid for a cab. Twenty thousand dollars later, we were home.

Dumped Danielle in her room, gave her Tylenol, and left home to go buy ingredients for chicken soup. I am worried all of us are going to catch swine flu from Danielle.

Seriously? I mean really seriously?

Josh: You coming with me tomorrow?
Me: Where?
Josh: Temple? Remember? It's rosh hashanah.
Me: I'm working. Remember?
Josh sighs and rolls his eyes.

As he starts to walk away he tells me, "When we have kids they're going to temple on the high holy days."
Me: If they don't have to work.
Josh: Even our great-grandkids won't have to work.

He walks off, presumably to find a Laurie-approved outfit for temple. I go back to writing my outline for class and then realize five minutes later. Josh thinks we're having kids?! Seriously? I can't believe Josh thinks this is a forever thing. I can't believe he thinks like this.

Open house

My lab partner is this Japanese guy with a huge, huge afro who smokes a lot of weed and smiles all the time. I like him a lot, he always does his share of our work, and is super easy to get along with. We got a ton of work to get done for next class so I invited him over so we could get a bunch of it done now, and then finish up over the weekend.

Takura came home with me, and on the way he asked if I had roommates. "I have sisters," I told him. He nodded and smiled, "That's hot." Um, look Paris, they're not hot, they're little. When I said that he apologized and said he was just kidding.

We got home and Danielle was there but Alex wasn't. Her eyeballs almost fell out of her head - Takura is the first friend I've brought home from school. Luckily Dani pulled herself together, said hi, and we all sat down at the dining room table for snacks and homework. After about an hour, Takura asked if he could smoke. At the same time Danielle and I said no. I guess it came out kind of angrily, but I told him he could go on the fire escape to smoke. Danielle was kind of upset that I backed down from the no, but she can get over it.

After another hour, I wanted to take a break and start making dinner, but when Takura saw he came over to help and wound up showing me a much better way of chopping vegetables. He sat between me and Alex for dinner and said it was really nice to eat home-cooked food. Later, after we'd cleaned up from dinner and were back to studying, Alex asked Takura if she could play with his hair.

When we stopped, we played Wii to blow off some steam. Takura went home with fourteen tiny little pigtail puffs all over his head. I had fun.

Reason 4827

Last night Josh didn't just take me to dinner. He gave my sisters pizza money for their dinner. He told me to go home and get dressed up and he would come get me at 6. When Josh got home from school he gave my sisters ice cream and me flowers, then ran into the bedroom and changed into a suit.

We went to a super fancy steakhouse. I almost felt like I wasn't old enough to be there. There were no prices on the menu and I thought I had a defective menu but Josh said that's just how they are in some restaurants. Best. dinner. ever.

We had the nicest waiter. He asked if it was our first time there, called me miss, made suggestions on what sides to order with the steak, and came to ask if I was enjoying everything. This waiter was totally hustling and we kept seeing him running from table to table and every time he'd walk by one table near us, the people there called the waiter back and needed something.

We got cheesecake for dessert and shared it. Then Josh rolled me home. Just kidding. While we were having our cake and eating it too, the people at the next table over left. The waiter opened the checkbook and just stood there. Another waiter went over and talked to him quietly, and Josh, who was closer, told me they stiffed him on the tip. After all that crap they gave him, they didn't even leave a tip? How do you even do that in such a fancy restaurant?

A little while later we were leaving and when we were almost near the hostess I realized my sweater was still at the table. Josh offered to go back to get it and as he started towards the table, our waiter was coming towards us with it in his hands.

He gave me my sweater, said he hoped I'd enjoyed the evening and looked forward to seeing us again and I thanked him and started to turn away. I heard him say thank you and looked back to see him and Josh shaking hands.

When we got outside I asked Josh what that was about, he shrugged and said nothing. I took Josh's hand and looked closer at him. He met my eyes and shrugged again and told me he gave our waiter a tip. For the other table that stiffed him. Oh. my. god.

So I think I got fired

Between classes this morning I called the diner to give two week's notice. I couldn't wait until I got to work because the owner usually leaves before I get there after school. He asked if I was really sure this was what I wanted to do. Yes, I got offered a job that pays significantly more that works better with my school schedule.

He freaked out and yelled at me that I've been doing a terrible job and all the waitstaff complain about me every morning after I work for screwing up the seating and he is always trying to balance the register after my shifts. This makes no sense because I have NEVER been told of any complaints and nobody has ever told me I screwed up the drawer or the checks.

Then he said that since I was saying I wasn't coming in, he was firing me. I told him no, I was just giving notice and would be there tonight and for the next two weeks. He screamed at me that I shouldn't come in, he was firing me for doing a terrible job.

"You are so full of shit, Gus! You can't even choose which reason you want to fire me! If it's for screwing up the drawer, you should fire yourself for being such a bad boss as to let somebody keep working day after day when they're doing a bad job." I was so pissed I was yelling at him, and people walking by were looking at me.

So I am not sure if I quit or got fired but I definitely don't work at the diner anymore. He better pay me for the hours I've already worked.

I called the mother of the reading boy and left a message asking if she wants me to come by tomorrow. Hopefully she will say yes because now I have no work for the rest of the week except at Arnie's office. I almost don't know what to do with myself being home so early.

Updated at 1:16 am: Here is what I wound up doing with my surprise extra time:
- blogged before midnight (see above)
- bought another dozen eggs
- threw out garbages
- did homework outlines in the dining room while watching tv
- set the table for dinner
- was home when my sisters got home from school (which never happens ever)
- helped Danielle study for a test
- ate dinner at home with everyone else (also never happens)

Tutoring

Last week when Josh's parents came over at one point Laurie took me aside and told me she'd talked to a few people in her building about tutoring. She told me that a couple of her neighbors were interested and I should get business cards printed up immediately. I thought it was silly - I'm 17! I don't like, deserve business cards.

But when I talked to Josh he said yes, his mother was right, I definitely needed business cards. So right now I am waiting for Vistaprint to send me a stack of them that I picked out. Last night at fire family dinner I got a phone call from this woman on the UES saying she got my name from Laurie and wants someone to help her twins with their homework after school. Three days a week. Laurie had told everyone she talked with that I charge $20 an hour. Do you realize how much money three times a week will be?! Today someone else called me to ask if I will read with her son twice a week.

We are starting next week. I am giving notice at the diner tomorrow, I am very nervous.

Sliding by

I always felt justified in not going to school on 9/11 until I got scholarships and funding for college because of it. All of a sudden it felt wrong. Danielle didn't want to go to school yesterday but Alex did. I invited Danielle to come to college for the day. Anyone who thinks colleges have good security should think again - Dani marched right into my classes with no problem. She even answered a question in my biology lecture (she got it right).

When I left to go to work, Danielle left saying she wanted to go wander around the city. At work I got a really deep paper cut on my middle finger. When I opened the first aid kit to get a band aid I remembered that my mom and nana got in a fight once when we went grocery shopping. Danielle was a tiny baby, so I was like three or four. I wanted my mom to get me bandaids with a fun character on them and she did, and my nana yelled at her for wasting money. My mom yelled back that it's bad enough someone needs a bandaid, they should get something fun out of the experience. They were going back and forth and I was just standing there watching, hoping my mom would win and I'd get the good bandaids.

They got so loud that it woke Dani up and my mother told her "Don't worry, we're still getting them," and Dani settled right down and fell back asleep. I can't believe I'd forgotten all about that. On the way home I stopped in a Duane Reade and bought fancy bandaids. I am wearing one now. It makes me very happy.

At home there were flowers from Josh's parents. They were delivered during the day and Josh told me he was really relieved they came with a vase because otherwise he wouldn't have known what to do with them. Then I shocked the hell out of him by pouring out the water and taking the flowers out to cut the bottoms of the stems. He thought I was killing them. But I just wanted to separate them out so we could have flowers in more than one room.

I sat on a kitchen counter and gave Josh step-by-step instructions on how to make dinner. All I did was set the table, but he did everything else. He was so proud of himself for making dinner by himself that before he'd sit down to eat he called his mother to tell her. Then he had to ask her to hold on while he asked me what it was all called. Chicken paillard with pasta that has fresh white corn, heirloom tomatoes and cheese. Danielle went to Little Italy and got rainbow cookies for dessert.

Last night I slept with flowers in my bedroom. This morning they weren't dead when I woke up.

Actually no, you would not die

You would just want to if someone in your family died. My nana showed me that old people can will themselves to death but I don't think kids can. I tried really hard and it didn't work. 

I have been waiting for college forever. Or since September 12, 2001 when I had to listen to other kids talk about their parents.  This is the best part of college. Not having to deal with people living with their parents, not having to go to people's homes and run into their parents, all that. 

In 2002 9/11 was still a big deal. After that people were over it.  I mean, the people it didn't really directly impact.  We are pretty jaded here. So even the people who watched the towers fall (not on tv), even the people who had uncles or cousins or neighbors who died? Over it. I don't think anyone other than my assistant principal and a few friends at high school knew about my family, because I could tell nobody wanted to hear it. Nobody wants to have to respond to it. 

The majority of people at my college aren't living at home finally. It's a little weird to watch - some people act like they were just let out of a cage. I bet in the month of September there are more piercings and tattoos than in any other month. It's kind of funny what people will do just to see how it feels to do whatever they want without parents giving them a hard time. 

Except it's not so funny today, when I had to listen to people say the only reason they considered not going to a school in Manhattan was having to deal with 9/11 memorials and how they're probably going to have to listen to somebody's sob story about where they were that day, or that someone got asthma for a couple of months because of the collapse of the buildings.  

It wasn't so funny to listen to people ask "How hard is it to run down a few flights of stairs? Maybe they should have used the stairmaster more often." Yeah. Because my mom could afford a gym membership. My mom had time to go to a gym where her three daughters couldn't go, to work out. Why don't you go walk down 100 flights of stairs while it's dark and smoky and you're scared for your life? See how well you do.  It wasn't so funny to listen to the two girls today saying it'll be just their luck to joke about the deaths from 9/11 in front of some 9/11 widow. I almost tapped one of them on the shoulder and introduced myself. It wasn't so funny when they said it was so sad that hot firemen died. Yeah, because I really gave a shit that Topher was hot. Because his only like, worth, as a person, was thanks to his hotness.  

I guess it makes sense if something doesn't affect you maybe you don't want it shoved down your throat. There are 49 other states. Go to one of them if you don't want to deal with 9/11 memorials on the anniversary.  Even though you're a bitch I will give you a little hint. Jersey's probably going to be pretty heavy on the 9/11 stuff too. 

Second first day

I did an insane amount of recipe research and gave Josh a shopping list for the dinner with his parents. Danielle made coq au vin with carrots, bacon mashed potatoes with chives, and asparagus. Dessert was strawberry ice cream. If becoming a science nerd doesn't work out for Dani she can definitely become a professional chef.

Dani needs some sort of fancy nerdy calculator but we all knew that was coming and I'm paying for half and she's paying for half. It is so nice to be prepared to have to pay a lot of money for something. Danielle was not prepared to be assigned the same locker as someone else. She told me she took one look at the guy, decided he was shady, and carried all her books around all day.

Josh was hysterical laughing at us sitting at the table covering Alex and Dani's books. He said his parents always had someone else do it and he'd never seen it done before. He could not get over this. Alex could not get over the fact that in college you don't have to cover your books. She wants to go to college for that fact alone.

Alexed

*Sara could you email me? I can't find your email address.*

I didn't work today and after school I took Alex out. Tomorrow she and Danielle start school. Next year Alex starts high school and wants to go to Laguardia Arts (the Fame school). Auditions are in December, and today we went to a ballet school that offers scholarships and will prep kids for auditions. Although you have to audition for at this ballet school too. So that's what today was. All the ballet teachers are Russian (thank god ballet is in french) and the woman told me flat out they normally give their scholarships to Russian kids who live in Brooklyn.

Then we raced to a different ballet school that also offers scholarships and is closer to where we live, so Alex could compare. She kind of grew out of her last dance school. When it gets to the point that the school focuses more on the costumes for the recitals instead of the actual dancing it's time to go.

The Russian school is going to be much harder but I think at least through Alex's audition, she needs to go there to get their help. So we are just waiting to find out about a scholarship, and if they will give one, she can start Thursday. Then we went to the Gap. I had a little bit left on a giftcard and Alex had asked if it could be for her to get something new for the first day of school. She never gets anything totally new so she really wanted her own pair of jeans. There were two that fit really well that were on sale so I added like $10 and Alex got both. When we got home Danielle had gone through all her clothes and left a big pile on Alex's bed.

Tonight was the night Josh's parents were coming over for dinner. So he and Dani started making dinner. Alex and I got home in time to set the table and um that's about all. I have a feeling Josh mostly just did whatever Danielle told him to do, because he doesn't really know how to cook. Everything came out really well though - the house smelled good when we came home.

Playing and priorities

Josh brought his Wii over to live here and I am not sure he even got dressed at all today because he played it all day, the day before his first day of college. I need to learn how to play better. Alex played most of the day, Danielle played for like four hours straight tonight.

He also brought over a waffle maker from his parent's house. We may have had waffles for dinner. I'm going to make them for breakfast tomorrow too. This is the first time in our lives when I won't have to leave for school before my sisters anymore, and Danielle said she's really happy we can eat breakfast together now. It is very possible we will eat waffles every morning.

I found out something a little scary. Josh's parents are giving him $200 a week for food, and $200 a week for allowance. So they're giving him more money each month than I pay in rent. My sisters and are three people and we spend less each week on food than one boy. Or at least, less than one boy is given. How insane is that? I have always known Josh's family is really well-off. Every once in a while though like when I find out things like this, it shocks the hell out of me and I freak out that we're together.

Recently I read this article that said racial differences are less of an impact than socio-economic differences. So a rich black person and a rich white person will have an easier time getting along than a poor white person and a rich white person. It is SO TRUE! Like a million times a day Josh is putting out, "Let's just get ..." and I'm putting out, "That's a total waste of money to ..." At least Josh and I are getting better about being nice when we bump into these moments. Like when he said something to me about what I wear to bed and how it's not what most girlfriends would wear to go to bed with their boyfriends and have I considered wearing something other than just taking off my jeans or skirt and wearing whatever top I wore all day? I think as Josh was saying it he realized my face was getting dark and he kind of got timid towards the end of his question. How much can lingerie possibly be a freaking priority in my life?

Breakfast: strawberry/banana smoothie
Snack: donut at work
Snack: polenta with tomato and mozzarella
Dinner: waffles and fruit salad

One day, one job

There's no school tomorrow because of Labor Day so when Arnie asked on Saturday if I can work on Monday for a while I said yes. Josh is bummed out because he said he'd wanted to hang out with me but I already felt guilty for not working at the diner that I had to say yes to Arnie. It is so hard to go to the diner. Everyone distrusts everyone else, nobody backs anyone up anymore, and the owner is not doing anything.

This morning a table of six walked out after eating without leaving any tip. The waitress went apeshit when she realized and was so loud in cursing them out that her other tables were offended and I think some of them left her lower tips for that than they otherwise would have. Then she just gave shittier and shittier service. At one point I was going around refilling coffees and one of her tables asked me for something and flat-out told me they were afraid to ask her in case she spit in their food.

Breakfast:
Mushroom and pepper omelette, toasted bagel, fruit salad
Lunch:
cup of tomato soup, two saltines, honeydew
Fire family dinner:
chicken and tomato bruschetta, alfredo seafood fettuccine, with awesome zabaglione for dessert

At dinner, the guy's parents were there from Florida. When we first walked in he told us he apologized in advance for his mom, it was funny. The man was totally deaf and the woman was totally old and like weird. I don't know how to explain it. She had really old-fashioned values and asked us a lot of questions. She hated every answer she got. Literally every answer.

Old lady to Alex: How old are you dear?
Alex: Almost 12
Old lady: that's nice, and what form are you going into?
Alex: I'm going into 8th grade
Old lady: sixth?
Alex: no, 8th
Old lady: when I was your age I was in 6th grade
Alex: that's nice, did you like school?
Old lady: why aren't you going into 6th grade?
Alex: um because I already finished it?

Old lady to Danielle: you're a very pretty girl
Dani: thank you
Old lady: And you're being nice to the boys?
Dani: um sure
Old lady: because you'll want to think of your future
Dani: sure I do

Old lady to me: and what form are you in?
Me: college freshman
Old lady: and do you have many dates?
Me: I have a boyfriend
Old lady: you already have a boyfriend? when I was your age I dated a different boy every week, I was very popular with the boys
Me: (so, you were slutty?) I found one I like, so for now I'm sticking with him
Old lady: and does your sister accompany you?
Me: where?
Old lady: on your dates!
Me: no, they have their own lives...
Old lady: smushes her mouth together and looks at me disapprovingly. I get the impression she thinks I'm slutty.

Not turning tricks

When I got home on Friday Josh asked me if we could still go on dates even though we live in the same house now. He almost seemed shy and it made me like Josh even more. Despite that I had to say no when he asked me to go to this thing today because I had work.

Josh looked so sad that Danielle told him if she weren't working too she would go with him. Alex came running into the kitchen to tell Josh, "I'll go! Take me! I don't have a job!" So he changed the plan and my boyfriend took my baby sister to the Howl Festival today. They came to the diner afterwards and Alex insisted Josh had fun with her. Josh hugged me and whispered, "Yes, but a very different kind of fun."

Tonight Alex told me she wants to get a job, because Danielle and I have them. Danielle pushed her, saying she is too little for a job. Alex got angry and announced, "I can turn tricks!" Josh violently choked on his drink and we all stared at her. "What? I could," Al insisted.

Sometimes Alex's naivete shocks me. The whole time we lived with Aunt Elaine in the South Bronx pimps would hang out in the street and offer to hire us, to turn tricks for them. Turns out all this time Alex thought it had something to do with magic. Showing men magic tricks in private for money. Thank goodness we could set her straight at home. How embarrassing it would have been if Alex said this at school in front of everybody.

Josh left a note on my pillow that I saw when I got home from the diner. In it he asks me to tell him exactly which nights I am not working, and tells me to consider myself asked out for that night.

Swooping in

I was talking to Josh last night about the lunch thing, while we had a midnight snack at the table. Today Josh called me while I was at school and told me to stop by his parent's building, that the doorman would have a package waiting for me. Before I left the UES I went there and the doorman handed me a bag. It felt like there was something in it, but I had to get to work and didn't have time to look right away.

Later on the train I opened the bag and it was like those nesting dolls with two other bags inside each other. Turns out Josh called his housekeeper this morning and asked her to find them. I love these bags (they are not the color in the picture). There's a little slot inside for an ice pack, it zips so nothing can fall out, and it's kind of sturdy so things won't get smushed.

Josh came home with a bag from Sanrio filled with three thermoses and a bunch of different sized bento boxes. Alex couldn't stop saying to him, "I can't believe you went to Hello Kitty!"

This is so awesome. All summer I brought lunch but there was a microwave oven and a refrigerator I could use, plus there weren't heavy books threatening to smush my food. Each time I ate out except twice I got sent out to buy lunch for people in the office and they just let me have some too. Otherwise there's no way I'd have eaten out so often.

I am so excited to go to school tomorrow, just because I can't wait for lunch.

Future lunches

Thanks for all the ideas. It seems like I'm going to have to cough up money in some way, either for a bag or a thermos thing or something. I tried freezing yogurt a few times in high school and it didn't defrost well plus changed the taste.  For now we can't buy anything new because I am so scared about my diner job and all the money I had to lay out for books and having enough. Danielle found me a plastic box she used to use for colored pencils so I cleaned that out and will put fruit and stuff in there so at least it won't smush. 

What does everyone else do?

College is messing up my eating. All summer I've had a refrigerator and microwave oven to use for lunch. Between the two I had totally decent lunches. Now in college I don't have either one. I can't heat up the previous night's dinner leftovers for lunch. I can't bring yogurt. I can't heat up soup.

I've been tossing some fruit in my bag to eat midday but it's not too good. Not just because my apricot worked its way under my books and got smushed all over the bottom of my bag yesterday. Also because warm fruit is gross.

It seems like everyone else buys lunch. Not going to happen here.

Breakfast - grape nuts & milk
Snack - asian pear
Snack - banana
Snack - random package of saltines I found at work
Dinner - watermelon fresca, shrimp and scallops over pasta, broccoli, pretzels

College is amazing!

I can go to a pool for FREE! Not only that but I can bring a guest for $2 or $5 with me as long as they're 18! Not only that but a guy was talking to me today and told me he works at the pool and if I want to bring friends he won't charge them or give me a hard time about their age. The funny thing is that all guests have to be at least 18, but I can go and I'm only 17.

Danielle and I are totally going to try to carve out time to go swimming. Maybe we'll get up super early one day for it.