Feeling Like a Grown-Up

I am not a grown-up. This has been pointed out to me on several occasions. However, the past few days I noticed myself engaging in activities that I would classify as "stuff grown-ups do".

I set the table without being asked (twice now). In the past I would have done it but would probably have needed to be asked.

After my mom came to me and asked that I call someone during business hours about something, I did it the next morning, before my Mom and Dad both called (separately) to remind me. In the past this has been the sort of thing where I'm told I need to call them on Monday and I maybe got around to it on Thursday.

When my Dad asked to me tell my Mom that dinner was ready I went upstairs, found her, and told her in a normal speaking voice. I totally would have yelled up the stairs.


I know I'm not a grown-up. But I've clearly started taking some small steps towards adulthood and maturity. I'm still not sure how I feel about that.

I feel like the fact that I meant to write this yesterday somewhat proves my point that I'm not a grown-up yet.

The Epic Saga of my Phone

This is a tale that began long ago. And by long ago, I mean early December. Wow, it really only started 2 months ago. It suddenly doesn't feel like so long. Wait, no, it technically began last summer. Okay, lets start for real now.

I got a new cell phone this summer. It was my first cell phone in four and a half years. As in, it was my second phone ever. And it was a smartphone, with a big touch screen that is used for everything. It was blue, so I named it Barry and all was well. I went from being someone who almost never carried a phone, to being someone who treated her phone like a second arm. And then, disaster struck. In early December, the touchscreen stopped working, rendering my phone nothing more than an expensive paperweight.

I went to the store and was informed that it could not be fixed, but that it could be exchanged through the mail. I waited until my parents sent me my old phone to use temporarily, and I mailed my phone off, to have it delivered to me at home, where I would be during winter break.

Lo and behold, after only a few days of vacation my new phone arrived, mailed to my home. I was ecstatic. Until I looked more carefully. There was no back cover to my phone, nor battery. What had happened? I called the company with questions and was informed that I was no supposed to have mailed those in with the phone. I explained that this was news to me and they said they would find the items and have them sent to me. I would receive a  confirmation e-mail within three days.

Two and a half weeks later I still had nothing, no e-mail, nor phone parts. I went to the store and was informed that I was not supposed to have sent in my phone on my own. I was told that the phone company was supposed to have sent me a box, with instructions on what to mail in and what not to mail in. They looked in the computer and told me that the missing pieces would be arriving within 10-15 business days. I would be back at school by then, but my parents promised to keep an eye out. In the meantime, my dad managed to find a new battery online as well as a case to protect my phone.

When the parts still didn't arrive, I went back to the store near my school. A new associate looked into the matter and gave me the bad news. The parts would arrive 10-15 business days after they were found, if they were found. She further explained that the odds were slim of them ever being found. She tried in vain to get the company to give me a new battery and back cover as it was not my fault they were lost, but the company refused. I left, upset, but glad to finally have a straight answer. I thought this was the end of my tale.

It's now a few weeks later. I received a voice mail from my dad telling me to call home. I did and was informed that a miracle had occurred. There was a package for me. It's return address was the city to which I'd mailed my phone and it had a sticker proclaiming that a lithium battery was inside. My parents opened it and found inside, the missing parts. And so, finally, the tale comes to a close.

What I've Been Up To

So I got home on break a little while ago. Unfortunately, most of my friends from hoe have only just started getting home from break. As a result, I've needed to keep myself occupied. Occupation has come in the form of:

Reading
Watching Buffy on Hulu
Knitting
Watching Firefly on Hulu
More reading
Going to the Post Office for my Mom
More  knitting
Volunteering/Helping out at my Temple
Going to the Post Office for Mom again
Playing Bridge with my Dad and Grandparents
Being Sick with a 24 bug

That last one hit yesterday.  Luckily I seem to be all better. Which is good because now I can hang out with all my friends who are back from school. After all, their families will still be here after January 1, but I won't. I go back to school before most of my friends. Isn't being on a quarter system fun?

First Time Home

Happy Thanksgiving!

After a long delayed flight I made it home for thanksgiving. Yesterday all I could think was how much I wanted to go home. One of the things going through my head was the song "Gone" by Lauren Fairweather. Although it has pretty much the opposite intention of the original song I ended up making my own version of the lyrics. The original version can be found here.

The dorm is starting to empty

Everyone is heading home

Of course I should pack up but

I know it’s so early so why

Should I do the work right now

It’s far in advance

But it won’t be that long now
Till I’ll be home
I can almost count the hours
I can almost count the hours
Till I get on that plane
And come on home

Will it be any different this time

Just because I’ve been away

I know it’s my family and they

Love me but it’s been so long and

I’m afraid that I’ve changed or that they have

but it can’t be too different

And it won’t be that long now
Till I’ll be home
I can almost count the hours
I can almost count the hours
Till I get on that plane
And come on home

Almost There

You know what's not fun? Being the last of your friends to leave for university. (I realize it's probably worse if all your friends are leaving and you aren't but that's not my situation here.) Every time I go on facebook I see another of my friends posting about their classes or their crazy college shenanigans. Meanwhile, I'm sitting at home, wishing I was at school having my own crazy college shenanigans. It's really eliciting some weird emotions because on the one hand they're my friends and I love them, and on the other hand I hate them all on principle for having started already.

Now this past week has been a little better mostly because I've finally been close enough to leaving to justify packing. Which makes me feel like I'm closer to being there. Which I am since I leave for school on Saturday and move in on Monday. That's right I'm less than a week away from university!

Starting late has some advantages and disadvantages. One the one hand, it meant I was able to go to a family gathering last weekend and see my family before I leave. This nice advantage is sort of canceled out however by the two family gatherings I'll be missing next month because I can't just come home for the weekend, however missing those has nothing to do with my school's start time and everything to do with its location. So it counts differently.

Also, due to my school's schedule I'm not only the last to leave, but I'll also be the last to come back home in the spring/summer. But no worries. I'm sure my friends will wait to have a "we're home" party until I get back. Right guys?!?!?!?