Petals on a wet, black bough.

Currently: sitting in the apt, drinking a day old Coke, looking at cameras, dresses, and waiting for work.

So...I ended up talking to my manager at work. He so graciously offered me the chance to have every Wednesday and Thursday off from work. Needless to say, I obliged.

So I'll be working 2:00 - 9:00 on Mondays, 2:30 - 9:00 on Tuesdays and Fridays, and then have every other Saturday off. And as always, relishing my Sundays off, as well.

Yes, my paychecks will dwindle. But...some things are more important than money. And that includes sanity.

This new schedule begins this week and I cannot wait to get a bajillion things done on Wednesday and Thursday, including getting a very big start on my ten-page Shakespeare paper, figuring out my recitation for said class, reading in the sun, and just simply taking a chill pill. Ahhh. Breath of relief.

It is very, very rainy today. I love the way nature looks on cloudy, precipitative days. The green grass and trees are so poignant against a backdrop of gray. It's very relaxing (and somewhat lethargic). This week is predicted to be very gloomy which in some ways I loathe but in others I feel is a blessing. Simply because I get more things done when it's rainy outside and I don't have that constant distraction to sit in the sun and do nothing.

Another thing that I'll be doing is volunteering at the Refugee and Immigration Center. I don't know when I'll start but I'm very excited. Yadda yadda yadda I love cultures and people and blah. But I feel as if that's already a given. Also, it looks really good to the admissions at the Peace Corps. Hooray for moi.

Another thing on my list of to-do's is take the Praxis to get admitted into the school of education at USF. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't nervous. The reading and writing is not what I'm worried about. It's the math portion. My life always revolves around math. Christ. On that note, I have summer math school on the day AFTER my 21st birthday. Can we say, uh oh? Yeah, we can.

And then, alas, we have Portland.

Portland, I cannot wait to see you and frolic around your beautiful city on a bike, with my camera, and with my best friend.

He's very excited, as well.

I feel as if when I leave Sioux Falls for a place like you I'll never want to come back. And I might end up staying. Bahaha I won't but I'd like to. Somedays...I would really, really like to.