A bit sunnier

Today was a bit better.

I called our old apartment complex this morning and told the person working that I was curious about the debt we owed them. I was fairly sure we had paid them off and we hadn't received any sort of warning or statement saying we owed anything. So, after months, we assumed we were clear. The person sounded surprised that I was being nice and said it would take her an hour or so to find the information needed.

I had to go to work.

Sallie called the debt collector who was a complete moronic b*tch. Sallie said that some paperwork got messed up and we actually only owed less than half of the $1500 they thought. Snidely she replied "Well we're just going to have to confirm that with your apartment complex."

She started getting our checking information to start processing and then asked Sallie is Missouri was abbreviated MI. Sallie almost didn't want to give our information to an idiot, but really had no choice. I just hope that later this week we don't find $1500 gone.

We're about to combine our helpdesk with the Wachovia helpdesk in Richmond on Wednesday. My boss fearing for the call volume we will receive reached out in an email asking ideas. I gently reminded him that our calls will come earlier because they are on Eastern time and he panicked realizing that he had moved most of his workforce (including me) to later shifts. He then asked me if I would be willing to pitch in and work overtime, I agreed. Then he showed me my schedule. For the next month, I'm the proud owner of 50 hour weeks. It will be great for paying off a couple small debts we have sitting around and potentially getting a new winter coat, but don't expect me to be overly excited at hanging out.

This coming weekend, assuming that there is no disaster, we will be going down to Cape for a take it easy weekend of movies, family, food, and fun.

Then we want to hit Columbia for a one night only special event in the coming two weeks before everyone we know moves away.

We also are going to hit up Lindsay's Lakehouse the next time they go because we haven't seen Lindsay, Sean, Zak, Bob, Jeanne, or Dolores! in a hot minute.

Also on the agenda is visiting Grandma and Aunt Lisa because I haven't seen either of them since about our wedding. So some weekend soon when we all aren't busy as can be, I will come over.

In the future future, probably Marchish when I can get off work again, we will be heading to Louisville to finally see Lindsay's new house, Sean, Zak, and my family there.

The busy lives of the newly-weds continues.

Right now we are getting snowed on fairly hard and are praying for a snow day tomorrow. It'd be nice to have a day we absolutely can't do anything during.

And as always, here's a shameless plug of our website. www.circuitjerk.com
Right now I have a special series of 2009's music, movies, and games coming out.

Good News for Debt Collectors... There's Plenty of Work

So we finally bought this car and paid for the entire thing. After 4 weeks of looking all day Saturday, spending Sunday-Thursday scouting out potential cars on the internet, and going to be early on Friday, we were finished. WRONG!!!

We forgot about the whole 10% personal property tax, the 15 forms of paperwork and identification needed to license the vehicle, and the Greek we bought it from who is always out of town and unable to help us get the paperwork.

Not a big deal. We took care of insurance, the title, the correct forms... really all we needed to do was forge his signature on a bill of sale.

Then yesterday we get a call saying that our old apartment complex is passing our debt to a bill collected for not paying the $1500+ lease breaking fee. Funny thing is, I remember July and August being lean months as far as eating because I sent off two fat checks to them while we were unemployed. So its not a matter of us owing more money, but of us proving that we've paid it. Oh yeah, and the account we used to pay it is one we closed only two weeks ago. So we don't have instant access to an online venue. Another problem is, I work during all banking and office hours and am attached to a phone. So Sallie gets the burden of most of this type of work.

My iPod has started electrocuting my ears. I thought it was the headphones at first, but I switched and it happened again. It doesn't happen all the time, but it doesn't feel good to have sparks popping on my ear hairs. So I either need to get it fixed, learn to love walking an hour without music, or sell some of my games and current technology for a new MP3 player. No more iPod though. I'm done with Apple. I'm going over to a Zune.

Also tonight, my only winter coat and my favorite jacket lost their zippers in the dryer. Completely broken. So for the next week or so, I'm stuck at work until Sallie gets off.

Basically what I'm saying is the extra money Sallie and I thought we had from working 100+ hour paychecks for the past month have already been spent on non-debt expenditures.

On the upside, we had a great Saturday night out with friends for Megan's birthday. It's been a while since we've been able to go out and have a good time.

The bar we went to was complete crap though. Morgan Street Brewery is on my permanent sh*tlist. The bouncers and bartenders were rude. The home made beers tasted like sugared water. And the bartender took advantage of Sallie, essentially forcing her to buy another drink.

That is all in this transmission. I must now go to sleep so I can start another insane week.

New Number

I finally switched my number to a St. Louis area code. I'm doing my best to send out Facebook and email notices, but I'm also kinda sick and very tired right now. So if I forget you, lemme know and I'll send you a personal email about it.

Also, being sick and tired is crushing my spirit. In the next week or so, after we get our new car situation completely under control, I will be looking for a hot meal, a place to stay, and some relaxation. If anyone wants to take care of me in this manner, reply to this.

Oh yeah, I guess I should also mention, we finally have a car. It didn't break down once from St. Charles to St. Louis. Goldstar!

Its a 2000 Honda Accord. Very slick looking. Smells like a gay European. (Or according to the air freshener, Black Ice)

Anniversaries and Resolutions

Tomorrow Sallie and I have officially been married for a year.
In this year:
-We've moved to Myrtle Beach
-Worked dream jobs
-Tried Octopus
-Discovered Yuengling
-Bought a kitten named Slider
-Were laid off from said job
-Drank a ton of Yuengling
-Drove back to Missouri
-Was hit by a deer, destroying our rear view mirror and side panels
-Drove back to Myrtle Beach to pack up the rest of our stuff
-Drove back to Missouri
-Hung out in mom's basement desperately searching for work
-I was hired on at Wachovia to fix computers and daily drove 2.5 hours
-Got an apartment downtown St. Louis
-Sallie got hired on at a job
-Realized the Mitsubishi is done for
-Set a budget
-Shopped for a car

All of this without a fight. We've had a ton of laughs, tears, anger, frustration, fear... we've lived 10 years of marriage and we're still going strong.

As far as resolutions go...
I promised these almost two weeks ago now. I guess I didn't follow the holiday again. So sue me!

Here's what I've resolved to do to better myself. To make myself happy and stronger

1. Exercise is no longer just something to do. It's something I will do and take seriously a minimum of 5 days a week. Being forced to walk home from work will help me get into a fitness routine until Sallie's schedule meets up with mine better.

2. I will write at least 5 hours a week. I want to have plenty of work's somewhat finished by the time the economy returns to a stable state. When the publishers are once again looking for new talent.

3. I will play guitar for at least 3 hours a week. I want to become as good if not better than I was before. This might prove difficult since I can hear my neighbor so well... I assume she can hear me. Until I get good enough, I will have to try to keep it down.

4. I will be less tired in mind and body. I used to be the guy that everyone wanted around for the aura I brought with me, but no longer. I'm now just a tired version of my former self.

Cheap Cologne: The Smell of Desperation

What an eventful weekend!

Friday... well I guess Friday wasn't eventful. We fell asleep before 11.

Saturday: Woke up at 10 a.m. This is the latest I've slept (and the longest I've slept) since the sweet life of unemployment in Myrtle Beach. I felt like I had less than 5 hours of sleep. So I chugged about half a liter of home made energy drink, (It tastes like half Red Bull and half sugar free Red Bull.) and out the door to car shop.

For those of you that don't know, the Mitsubishi stalls more than it runs now. It doesn't stall at convenient times like when we're in a driveway or on a road with no cars. It stalls in the middle of the busiest intersection whilst a firetruck tries to make its way through. We scream curse words, turn the engine again, and are up and somewhat running in a minute and a half.

We hit some car lots in St. Charles so we could take a side trip to my old home. We parked our car in between three used car lots. This bitter taste of desperation and cheap cologne coated my tongue and I desparately searched for gum as the first salesman approached us.

The first lot we stopped at was a lot I had luck with 6 years ago when I bought the Malibu. It was very obvious that this lot has changed since the last time I was there. A man in his mid-40s with a deep Nascar loving accent shook my hand and then talked to me about birds pooping on all of his cars all morning. It took 5 awkward minutes of him following us around before he asked what he could help us with. By now I had already decided that this graveyard of SUVs and Trucks wasn't where I wanted to be, but I couldn't be a jerk to this guy and ditch him. I told him we wanted four doors and he made the comment "oh, you having kids soon?" If I had water in my mouth, I would've spit it all over this man. Instead I acted as if I was interested in this black Trans Am he really wanted me to drive away with. After staring at the car for what must have been a full minute, I took the mans card and walked away knowing full well that I probably would never come in contact with him again.

The next lot was mostly the same except this dealer seemed to have already given up the fight. Before he shook my hand, he threw his business card my way. In the pocket of other people I would never call back it went. He asked us what we wanted and Sallie made it clear that we weren't buying yet. The moment someone else entered the lot he moved on like a shark.

The last lot was by far the funniest of the day. A guy younger than both Sallie and I assaulted us after we had only looked at a van and two over-priced cars. Instead of asking what we wanted, he said, "Why don't we step inside and see what I can do for you?" My brain stopped for several seconds, but when I came to, Sallie was also telling this guy that we weren't buying yet.

I realized two things: Car shopping is a sexist activity. I was always the one confronted, and she was always granted the ability to wander free. And second, no matter how sleazy someone is, I can't tell them to go-away. If Sallie weren't there... well I wouldn't be typing this because I would still be at the lot talking to these people. (Or hitting my head on the steering wheel on the car I just bought to end the pain)

We finally found a decent car lot around the corner from us. Some guy named Gent from Europe was honest with us, told us what cars were worth it and which weren't, and left us alone unless it was obvious that we had a question. He had a great Audi that I think we are considering. If nothing else we are now considering Audis as a potential car.

We then took our British friend Rob to his first hockey game. The Blues didn't disapoint with a 5-2 win. Beat the hell outta the Cardinals game we took him too over the summer. (13-0 Cards loss)

Sunday: Woke up late, had a good breakfast, got free Blizzards from Dairy Queen, went to Target, cleaned the house, and are now winding down for bed. Weekend is over!

Attention Brotherhood of the Traveling Shirt Member:
I don't know if anyone got my lottery tickets. The post man is just as likely to have taken them. We've had a couple things mysteriously disappear in the hands of several postmen this year. Although... our neighbor did just build a huge house and bought a new car...