Paying it Forward
In addition to just liking to help friends, I'm particularly intent right now on helping people move, since I was so graciously helped, both emotionally and physically, by a dozen people earlier this year. So yesterday I helped my dear kehrli move into his new, occupied only by himself, apartment. I was a little stupid and forgot to bring snacks and sunblock*, so I'm a little scorched, and we were all a little lightheaded, but we powered through, facing sun and awful traffic. And lo! There was an elevator, and a place to park!
I had been hoping to go to a party with a cousin I hardly ever see, but I was so exhausted, there was no way that was going to happen. I saw her and her awesome husband and son on Thursday, thankfully. I do wish I could get to know my slightly more extended family better.
Once we got the big stuff done, Keffy and I rushed to Northgate, with nothing in our brains but the word, "food," echoing. Since we were both so braindead, I didn't feel bad that the huge TVs blasting music videos in the food court captured all our attention. They actually had a nice, occasionally surreal selection, from classic Madonna to Run DMC singing Walk This Way with Aerosmith, to Katy Perry shooting fireworks out of her tits while encouraging big-bodied gals to wear bikinis and boys to make out in public.**
A quick trip into Target to get a shower curtain resulted in the two of us each leaving with our own cart full of cheap floor lamps and rice cookers and pillows.
I was paid with a copy of the Writers of the Future anthology Keffy is in. (I confess, I selfishly look forward to reading the stories that beat me.) All in all, I earned $0.89 an hour yesterday, not counting the Diet Coke I plundered from a friend who has to get rid of it so she can start an elimination diet. (Good luck, btw. I'm sorry I'm benefiting from your suffering. :-( )
And I have today all to myself.
*Downside of living alone: No one to rub aloe on my back. :-(
**Just the other day I saw someone accusing Katy Perry of supporting gays because it was trendy, but if she's being peer pressured into doing the right thing, I say, "whatever." And that curvy girl doing a cannonball was really adorable.
I had been hoping to go to a party with a cousin I hardly ever see, but I was so exhausted, there was no way that was going to happen. I saw her and her awesome husband and son on Thursday, thankfully. I do wish I could get to know my slightly more extended family better.
Once we got the big stuff done, Keffy and I rushed to Northgate, with nothing in our brains but the word, "food," echoing. Since we were both so braindead, I didn't feel bad that the huge TVs blasting music videos in the food court captured all our attention. They actually had a nice, occasionally surreal selection, from classic Madonna to Run DMC singing Walk This Way with Aerosmith, to Katy Perry shooting fireworks out of her tits while encouraging big-bodied gals to wear bikinis and boys to make out in public.**
A quick trip into Target to get a shower curtain resulted in the two of us each leaving with our own cart full of cheap floor lamps and rice cookers and pillows.
I was paid with a copy of the Writers of the Future anthology Keffy is in. (I confess, I selfishly look forward to reading the stories that beat me.) All in all, I earned $0.89 an hour yesterday, not counting the Diet Coke I plundered from a friend who has to get rid of it so she can start an elimination diet. (Good luck, btw. I'm sorry I'm benefiting from your suffering. :-( )
And I have today all to myself.
*Downside of living alone: No one to rub aloe on my back. :-(
**Just the other day I saw someone accusing Katy Perry of supporting gays because it was trendy, but if she's being peer pressured into doing the right thing, I say, "whatever." And that curvy girl doing a cannonball was really adorable.