It's an Air

"Don't ever do that to me again!" That's what I feel like telling my boss when I go back to work tomorrow. The restaurant shut down for two weeks while the owners went on vacation. They left us employees to fend for ourselves, without work or pay. So we've all gone and done our own thing the past couple weeks.

My "own thing" has been school—lots of it. I got a little backlogged when my parents and Maryah went to the D.R. on their mission trip and left me in charge. Though it kept me hopping, that week was fun. I loved the novelty (operative word) of meal-planning and grocery shopping and cooking food.

Laundry was a bit droll.

It was fun to walk to the bakery with the girls and get bread, or take them to the library for the afternoon. We did school, and played chess, and I realized how smart they are both getting. The whole week, I got to interact with them more than I have in a long time. Even though we share a room, and basically everything, it's easy to lose sight of who they really are. I get frustrated. I've taken to hiding in the bathroom, so the frustration doesn't show. But they are too amazing to be frustrated with; as I played the part of Mom, I remembered that. Hopefully I'll keep remembering it, at least for the next few weeks.    

With my time off from work, I'd hoped to not just regain my ground in school, but actually get ahead. I failed at getting ahead, though I've been doing loads of school every day. I'm curious how the next few weeks will fare, throwing work back into the mix. At least I'm enjoying my classes, when I take a step back and stop stressing. Also, from here on out it's going to be easier since, glory be, I have my own computer. It's not held together by duct tape, doesn't sound like a jet engine, isn't prone to viruses, doesn't take ages to load a page on the internet, or to even open the "file" tab (which doesn't require internet), doesn't have a broken trackpad, isn't incompatible with absolutely every software, program, update, or device... Basically, it hasn't seen constant use since 2007. Basically, it's brand-new-out-of-the-box. Basically, it's a MacBook Air. *angels sing*

I was going to get an HP. Really, I was. They are so cheap, and I'm a waitress. However, after undergoing more counseling than I've gotten for spiritual issues, I was made to see the error of my ways, and I got an Apple. Thanks to my grandfather, I might add. So I guess it wasn't the counseling, but a very practical gift. That man...I'd be sunk without him.

I'd be sunk without most of my family. I'm humbled by the fact that I can't get anywhere in life without help. I work hard, yes, but it is under the rule of, "you do the best you can, and we'll pull you up the rest of the way." Working "as hard" as I am to get a degree, have a bit of money in the bank...none of it would be possible if I didn't have help from family and friends. From a sociological perspective (got that perspective sophomore year from a professor whose name I can't remember), it makes perfect sense. It's the way a society is supposed to work, and isn't surprising. But I am surprised, and I'm grateful.

I'm still rather stuck, but life could be harder. Something like a new computer seems trivial in the grand scheme of things, perhaps even superfluous, but the (sorry?) fact of the matter is, it's little things like that that legitimately improve the quality of my life. My college is the computer, and the past semester I haven't had my own. It was frustrating. Lot's of stuff, and people, are frustrating. But I'll try to keep the frustration in perspective. For now, I'm looking forward to not having a sister kick me off a computer this week so she can email her friend. I might do school at the library, or the coffee shop, or in bed, or wherever I want to, because I can carry it with me.

This blog might even get updated a little more frequently again. Maybe. If school—it promises a better future if I don't die in the process—gives me the chance.