Previously, on Lost...

I won't miss you.


May 28th

Went to the Olive Garden to check on my app, got hired on the spot, and had the rest of the day to celebrate. Jazzy and I planned on going to Marlon's party after work, and went to Remington's to pregame. I really really like Remington's. It's got a really nice vibe, karaoke, and a live DJ that kept spitting out hits that made everyone go nuts. By midnight, Remington's was overrun by Outback. EVERYbody was there, including Marlon and his "party gang." James acted like a huge creep the entire time, and I probably ended up hurting his feelings by rejecting him as harshly as I did.... but seriously, he was really close to crossing lines.

We smoked a lot that night, and Rachel joined in this time!! She talked about this thing called an "all-day fun-day" she was going to have with her best friend. The concept is you meet up with your best friend, and do whatever the hell you want or have always wanted to do --all day. I like that! I planned an all-day fun-day for Sunday. Rachel and Nick had this hilarious conversation in Creole, and Jazz and I nearly pissed ourselves laughing.

We ran into Nijel and Deon, and Jazzy and I decided to skip Marlon's party and instead go with Deo and Nijel to this strip club in New Carrollton.

Apparently "Sensations" isn't a good strip club, and Nijel's going to make me go to a better one sometime. lol I mean.. It sucked on the floor, and it sucked in VIP (Nijel bought us wristbands). I wish I had a book to read. But whatever. At least I can say I've been to a strip club. I didn't *hate* it, and I was still having a good time from Remingtons... but girls don't really turn me on, no matter how little they wear and no matter how hard they shake. I guess it was kind of cool watching the pole dancers, since they did some pretty impossible looking things with their bodies. Jazzy was in the same boat. "Whooooaaaa! How'd she do that? Wow. How'd she do that?"

In any case, if I do decide to go to that better strip club, Nijel's paying. There's no way I'm spending money on that again.


May 29

Drove Jasmine to the metro early, filled out the paperwork for the Olive Garden, then went to work. After work, Jazzy, Camille, J5 and I went to Marlon's house. Marlon played his album, and we had a blast picking out all the Outbackers freestyles. They have a lot of dance hits, which is pretty sweet. I was thinking about organizing some crazy freestyle battle with my coworkers and the undergrounduates....

But then, I was thinking a lot of crazy things. We hit 5 jays, and I chugged a "four loco." About 2 hours later, I was vomiting in Marlon's bathroom and passing out on a chair. I stayed down for a while, trying hard to sober up. Later, we went to IHOP and I had some pancakes. J5 and Jazz got a ride back home from IHOP, and I
somehow made it back home in one piece... fast enough to rush to the bathroom for my 5AM appt with the toilet. I threw up a lot that night.

May 30th

Despite having been blasted the night before, I got up around 9:45-10AM, ready and excited for the Six Flags trip. I wasn't hungover, and ended up having a great time. Jesse, Dave, Anika and I drove down to the park, rode a couple of rides and played in the waterpark for a bit. We dumpster-dived for lunch (I think we've degenerated quite a bit since last semester...), and even though we didn't spend much more than 4 hours at the park, we still had a lot of fun. The line to get our pictures taken for the season pass was super long, so we just skipped that. We're better off going early on a weekday to get that taken care of.

We got back to the house around 5, and while the house prepared for the BBQ they'd been planning, I drove down to the Outback to retrieve my bike. I finally opened those super soakers I got for my b-day and played a little bit at the restaurant. ;x After loitering around for a bit (and getting free quesadillas), I went back home for a short nap. Later, I drove back to the Outback Steakhouse to pick up Jasmine and J5. We came back to the house, smoked, drank and ate a bit, and then met up with more coworkers at Cornerstone.

I nursed two drinks for a couple of hours, weary from the night before and trying to stay sober enough to drive. I got hit on a looot, which made things really really uncomfortable for me. I don't wanna date anyone at all right now, and I was starting to get really annoyed with the boys. Apparently you can't have a good time unless you hook up with someone. I hope they learn soon that they can't do that with me.


After CStone closed, we went to the Diner (IHOP was taking really long to seat us). Another coworker paid for my food in exchange for crashing at my place (lol he didn't realize he could just crash at my place for free, and I didn't really care to tell him otherwise. Rachel got into an argument with the girl sitting behind her, which was kind of entertaining. Especially Camille, who has worked at Outback for a grand total of 3 days: "Oh, if she tries anything, I'm ready. I got on like 7 rings, AND I'm wearin' a hat." XD <3 I'm pretty sure Take-away adopted her.

After dinner/breakfast, we (J5, Jasmine, Damon and I) headed back to my place to finally get some sleep -- it was around 5 in the morning. I had sobered up a lot by then, so I felt much safer driving home. However, when we got to the house, Damon revealed that he was allergic to cats.

T________T

So we had to have J5 call his ride AGAIN, and pick them up.

Except that J5 was passed out on MY BED. lol there was no waking him either. I'm afraid he's convinced "I'm with him" and "he's with me." I crashed on the couch in my living room, not wanting to deal with any of that bullshit at 5 in the morning.

May 31st

Had orientation at the Olive Garden. Afterwards, Jasmine and I met up with James and Rachel at BWW. Afterward, Rachel went to work and James, Jazzy and I went to the new headshop that opened up in CP, the Bamboo Eater. I've actually met the owner before at Jayme Bell's b-day party -- we had a mini dance party while Arteest freestyled over Swayze. There were a lot of cool things at the headshop, and I plan on getting a gas-mask bong when they restock. They also have a lot of hookah and shisha. Jazzy got some rolling papers, a grinder, and some other things. After, I took her to Gbelt station, and smoked hookah at James house. We watched some Arrested Development, then I headed over to Mel's BBQ. Theo, Eli, Mek, Luis and Beri were already there when I arrived. We ate, played Apples to Apples and frisbee, then I ended up going to my mom's around 11.

Acne

HOW DO YOU GET RID OF IT.

I'm getting so frustrated with it! It doesn't go away! No matter how many times I visit the dermatologist, nothing changes! I've changed soaps more times than I can count, actually took some sort of "anti-bacteria" to help prevent build-up under the skin, but nothing works! I've thrown away old make-up, stopped using it even, but no!

It's definitely genetic (my mother said she had the worst break-outs), but if we can freakin' PRINT SKIN, then there MUST be some solution to acne.

Anyway, here's an updated pic of my hair. I had to get it trimmed again about a month ago (it was so lopsided).


So, it still kind of looks lopsided here... I dunno. I think one side of my head is curlier than the other.

Valentine's Day

I had a good time this year. Not only was I able to avoid going to work (I heard take-away was slammed again and didn't have anything to show for it), but I also woke up to find post-it notes on my wall, directing me to my valentine's day gift. I woke up to a scavenger hunt, planned by the bf. haha Cheesy, but still really thoughtful. I was cheesin' like shit. I got a first-aid kit, which was also really cute since I had mentioned one day that I really wanted one (....ya know, just to have).

I feel like the number of people with a vendetta against V-day is growing. With reasons like "the real Saint Valentine was a douche" or "you should celebrate love everyday, not just one day a year," I can't help but think the cynicism is really just coming from being lonely on V-day. I can maybe understand not liking the commercial aspect of it or not, since I love to shop, but it isn't nearly as commercial as Halloween or Christmas, and nobody really seems to complain about those holidays (besides traffic).

But I can agree with not limiting small gifts to just one day a year. And actually, I think the most thoughtful gifts are the ones that don't cost a lot of money. You could make anything romantic. Really, watch Knocked Up. As much of a deadbeat that Ben fellow was, he had a heart of gold.

In Japan (and apparently Korea), the Valentine's Day tradition entails women giving chocolates to the men they like or admire. If the guy accepts, he admits to liking the girl as well, so rejection is actually possible. You can reject a V-day gift (mean!). And one month later, White Day is where men return the favor, and give chocolates to the girls they like (or the girl that gave him chocolate on V-day?). I think the idea is cute, but the practice just looks like a nightmare. It would make the holidays wayyyy too stressful (not to mention expensive).

In South Korea, a month after White Day, Black Day is a day where all the men who didn't receive chocolates on V-day get together, cry and eat Jajangmyeon. I burst out laughing the first time I heard that, but that could actually be really fun. I also wonder if there's a Black Day for women? I guess not, since they seem to start the cycle of chocolate giving and receiving. ... and rejecting?

/emo

Or at least the /wristtiemz part.

School's keeping me busy. I cut work hours for the semester, so I'll be going from broke to even more broke.

I really miss my high school friends. It's been too long since I've seen them, and even longer since we've hung out together. =[ This is probably my fault for disappearing, "nesting" even, but I'm determined to change that!! I don't wanna feel like I replaced all my high school friends with college.

update

Lately, I've been getting this feeling that I've lost something but have absolutely no idea what it is. That nagging, frustrating feeling that you *know* you should've done something, but you just can't remember what. And for some reason, every time I get that weird feeling, I go shopping.

I don't really understand it, but after looking back at all the purchases I've made this past week alone, I'm starting to think that I might have some sort of ...problem. And I hesitate to say it because it might just be a classic case of dealing with stress through retail therapy.... but am I really stressed? I have no reason to be. I guess I have been snapping a lot more recently... So do I really have a problem? Or has mass marketing and lace and shoes won my life? looks like it


In other news, I went to the eye doctor yesterday day. It was the second time I was told my optic nerve was strange-looking, which would put me at a higher risk for developing glaucoma. Which is actually pretty terrifying. Statistics show that not only are African-Americans at a higher risk of developing the disease, but so are women. I'm a black woman with a history of glaucoma in my family.

What is glaucoma? Well, I used to be a science major for a reason -- I am a nerd, and love reading about diseases and shit. I just don't care enough about people to wanna cure them. ...and fuck orgo.

Pretty much, glaucoma is a disease that damages your optic nerve, which usually leads to blindness. The nerve damage comes from increased intraocular pressure in the anterior chamber angle, generated from the production and drainage of aqueous humour fluids through the trabecular meshwork. In open-angle glaucoma, attributed with slower, more gradual vision loss, there's a slow build up of the fluid in the anterior chamber angle, caused by some blockage in Schlemm's canal, resulting in increased intraocular pressure. This is what I probably have.

Currently, there are only ways to stop the progression of vision loss - medications (if caught early), and surgery.

/nerdrant

Anywho, I bought new glasses. They're so hideous, I love them. Pics next post.

Doctors. Fuck 'em.

Hospital visit:
Chest infection, bronchitis.
Only mom knows best.

It seems the only thing that can cure any of my illnesses is my mom's home remedies. I went to the hospital a few days ago, and was diagnosed with bronchitis (again) and a chest infection. They gave me four different prescriptions, including an inhaler (wtf?) and a note excusing me from work for two days. I took the drugs as instructed for two days, but so far my only result has been throwing up at a Pho place in Germantown. Twice.

So I got dropped off at my mama's. I've only been home for about 12 hours, and I've already stopped coughing, regained a bit of my appetite, and have completely stopped wheezing. All she did was force this goopy..porridge thing down my throat, and demand I swallow a teaspoon of "habat al soda," a rather suspicious looking black powder. Some sort of crushed seed, I'm sure. Or at least I don't *think* I swallowed a teaspoonful of coal...

Anyway, that stuff did wonders. I still haven't fully regained my appetite, and the only thing I really feel safe eating is the porridge stuff and Gatorade (is it in you? there's about 3 liters in me), but I still feel muuuch better than I did last night.

I feel like I could recover fully with my mom's methods, but she's still making me take the antibiotics and Tussionex (super sleep-inducing cough medicine).

In other news, I went a little crazy with my purchases last week. I managed to blow about $400 in just a few days. x___x;

SO to prevent any future sprees, I'm opening a new savings account and transferring all funds minus rent and food to it. I'm a lot more responsible with money when I have less on my hands to deal with.

That's actually not a bad new year's resolution:

• I will be more responsible with my money.

And, because I have to:

• I will take better care of my body.

No more late night drinking, no more days full of junk food... More vitamins, more vegetables, more fruit, more exercise. D: (.... = less weight?)

K. The tussionex is kicking in. I was going to try and go back to my house sometime in the next hour, but I guess that'll have to wait until I wake up. goodnight!