Birthday Goodness and College Stuff and Aquaticness!
Okie. Time for an all around big update on what's going on and where things are going. A lot has happened in the past two days, but it's a good chunk that has taken a serious weight off of my mind. There are still worries... mostly over money (of course, blah). But as sad as it is, its to be expected in this world we live in. Stupid almighty dollar.
Anyway, update time.
Tuesday: Tuesday as everyone who reads my rambles knows, was the day that I was scheduled to go to the Remington College, formerly the Southeast College Of Technology. All started off with me getting up early and going in to work with mom. It was nice. I sat in the back like I always do and I worked on some art and did some thinking, and worrying about what that evening would offer. I got to talk with Matthew, mom's boss (SUCH a COOL guy!) about the plant seeds he'd given me, and was happy once he was able to tell me stuff. Anyway, the day passed, I had fun talking with people there. We left early (for mom anyway) and headed out to find Remington. We got easier directions than what Mapquest offers, thank Gaia. It really isn't that difficult to get to at all! And one of the sidestreets runs RIGHT back to the back way we go to get home. An even bigger plus! Anyway... got there... filled out a little paperwork. Then went and talked with the admissions rep Michelle. She is just an awesome person. And she was real straight forward with us and we had a good time talking with her. I then had to take some sort of wonky test thing. Supposedly I got a real high score on it. I would have gotten more right if I'd have known the math and had more time. But it was timed for a reason. So go me. We got the little tour and all, and we had to sit and sign more forms and crap and get the stuff for the financial aid. We really were hoping it wouldn't take all night because we wanted to see the SERIES FINAL for Buffy. Sadly though it took a lot longer than expected, so we didn't get home till about 8pm and it was storming. So we missed Buffy. Anyone happened to record it?
Good news. With a little luck, Remington should be very affordable for us. So like... start buying my arts and crafts! ::Flaunts it all around:: Custom orders accepted! Okay. So anyway. Here's the deal. I walk out with a Mac notebook computer (FOOK YEAH!), I get job placement aid, an Associates of Science degree, and 96 credits. It's a two-year-ish program and classes are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Mine will be 8am-12pm and I start July 21st. Whew. I wish I'd had more time to think on it. But it was a sort of now or never situation, and it means I will finish sooner. It's totally hands on from day one. First three months the computers stay at school so they make sure you are in for the long run. After that, you are free to take them home, and keep them at the end. Woohooooo. The classes are small, 20 seats per class. So I feel that this is a very good deal. And I felt not like a number, but a person. Because I was actually meeting people one on one, and they told me any time I had questions, to come by or call. And I intend to. Now the only thing is we have to do the financial aid paperwork and TRY and turn it in Friday. Then I have to go for an admissions interview with some bigwig. Dress formal and all. This I can do.
Wednesday: Today was my birthday. I turned twenty. Go me. Basically it was an overall okay day. There were a few bumps, but that's to be expected. I got up when mom left and did a few things around the house. I was waiting to hear from blashamma so we could go do stuff. It stormed on and off all day, so I didn't really get nearly as much done as I wished to. Still, I got enough done and I had fun and that's what matters most. Went by Wal-Mart and the Slidell Nursery both so I could check prices on stuff and get the beginning stuff for my aquatic garden setup. I would like to start off by giving an extra BIG thanks to riksbaby for all of that information. A good chunk of it I already knew, but it just made me feel a lot more confident hearing someone else say it.
Anyway. Went ahead and got the circular pond base. I saw one in Wal-Mart that was bigger and better than the one I saw in Home Depot, came with more stuff, for the same damned price! But I didn't have that sort of money to start off with, so I think that will be the next step. But I'm fairly pleased with what I do have, and the way I see it, I could always make one of the wooden above ground pond setups with landscaping timbers and I could always use this base pond I just got as an extra tank for plants and fish, or a quarantine tank, yesp. Even an emergency tank if it is needed.
So I got the circular base, and I got some oxygenizing plants. I got some anacharis (think I spelled that right, or close enough!), some parrots feather, some water lettuce, and the funny thing is that they had one water hyacinth left and I got it. The lotus and lillies while I reaaaally wanted some, were waaaaaaaay too expensive. That cost me $49 and change total-ish. So about $50, good deal. We went to go get that pickerel rush we saw in the ditch the day before... but the ditches were waaaay too deep and the things were too well rooted and from the rain the inclines were slick and squishy. So we started looking for other stuff we could get, and took what parts of the rush we got (leaves and stem and flowers and stem) to try and get them to root so I can have plants from them, yaay! So anyway, exploring the other ditches and what do we find... a HUGE cluster of the water hyacinth! So here we are like crazy people using the hook end of the umbrella to fish them out. They were niiiiice friggin size too.
So tossed it all in the back, ran to Wal-Mart to get a garden orb I had seen, and a pretty planter for blashamma that he wanted. Got some river rocks for planting purposes when I put the potted plants in the pond, and got some cypress mulch and some 'playsand'. Then we came back here to my house and filled up the pond base and set the plants to float. Now it has to sit a few days before I can add the fishies. I plan to start off with the goldfish. Will check out Delta's tanks because I just trust them a helluva lot more if something happens to the fish, and if it is way more expensive, then I will use Wal-Mart. But I have a feeling Delta will be pretty reasonable.
After that, we took blashamma home and headed out to dinner at my grandparent's. Jim (my grandpa)had cooked a wonderful cornbeef dinner and we had fresh veggies to go with it and granda supervised his cooking, and they got me a German Chocolate mmmm-mmmm-goooooood cake. They didn't have to, but they each gave me $20 and nice cards. And grandma gave me a bag of cornmeal for my woooooorrrrms. Then we came home.
Now I am sitting here pondering garden stuff. Need to get some more seeeeds planted. Need basil plants. Mmm. Grandma shall bring me tomato plants tomorrow, I hope. Yaaay! Need to get more potting soil. Need worms to grow faster! Oooh, and the whole thing about the pond and snails and all. I got snails today (and amazingly spiders too!) on the plants whether I wanted them or not, hehe. I'm keeping an eye on them.
Something else that has me a bit bugged is my mice. The PEW female I got is supposed to be preggers from the way she's so tubby (not fat wise either). But she doesn't seem to be progressing any. She should have dropped her litter by now. On top of that, the other two females should have at least prolly been knocked up by now and showing a bit. What has me concerned is that... the male... just... seems odd. I'm beginning to think he might be sickly or infertile or Gaia knows what else. What has me real concerned is that the other day I noticed he was forming rings around his eyes. He's a normal mouse color wise, gray/brown. But the fur around both eyes has turned considerably lighter. Tan to almost white, and it has me wondering.
I think I'm seriously considering maybe taking him back and trying to get another male, or maybe two? Maybe they need the competition for the gene pooool, mwah. So anyway, probably going to look into that tomorrow, as well as go check the fish tanks and all.
On a side note: I REALLY want to see Wolf's Rain and Spirited Away!! And the final episode for Buffy would be REAL nice too if anyone recorded it, or know someone who did! I didn't watch it for seven damned years just to not know what happens at the very end!
Anyway, update time.
Tuesday: Tuesday as everyone who reads my rambles knows, was the day that I was scheduled to go to the Remington College, formerly the Southeast College Of Technology. All started off with me getting up early and going in to work with mom. It was nice. I sat in the back like I always do and I worked on some art and did some thinking, and worrying about what that evening would offer. I got to talk with Matthew, mom's boss (SUCH a COOL guy!) about the plant seeds he'd given me, and was happy once he was able to tell me stuff. Anyway, the day passed, I had fun talking with people there. We left early (for mom anyway) and headed out to find Remington. We got easier directions than what Mapquest offers, thank Gaia. It really isn't that difficult to get to at all! And one of the sidestreets runs RIGHT back to the back way we go to get home. An even bigger plus! Anyway... got there... filled out a little paperwork. Then went and talked with the admissions rep Michelle. She is just an awesome person. And she was real straight forward with us and we had a good time talking with her. I then had to take some sort of wonky test thing. Supposedly I got a real high score on it. I would have gotten more right if I'd have known the math and had more time. But it was timed for a reason. So go me. We got the little tour and all, and we had to sit and sign more forms and crap and get the stuff for the financial aid. We really were hoping it wouldn't take all night because we wanted to see the SERIES FINAL for Buffy. Sadly though it took a lot longer than expected, so we didn't get home till about 8pm and it was storming. So we missed Buffy. Anyone happened to record it?
Good news. With a little luck, Remington should be very affordable for us. So like... start buying my arts and crafts! ::Flaunts it all around:: Custom orders accepted! Okay. So anyway. Here's the deal. I walk out with a Mac notebook computer (FOOK YEAH!), I get job placement aid, an Associates of Science degree, and 96 credits. It's a two-year-ish program and classes are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Mine will be 8am-12pm and I start July 21st. Whew. I wish I'd had more time to think on it. But it was a sort of now or never situation, and it means I will finish sooner. It's totally hands on from day one. First three months the computers stay at school so they make sure you are in for the long run. After that, you are free to take them home, and keep them at the end. Woohooooo. The classes are small, 20 seats per class. So I feel that this is a very good deal. And I felt not like a number, but a person. Because I was actually meeting people one on one, and they told me any time I had questions, to come by or call. And I intend to. Now the only thing is we have to do the financial aid paperwork and TRY and turn it in Friday. Then I have to go for an admissions interview with some bigwig. Dress formal and all. This I can do.
Wednesday: Today was my birthday. I turned twenty. Go me. Basically it was an overall okay day. There were a few bumps, but that's to be expected. I got up when mom left and did a few things around the house. I was waiting to hear from blashamma so we could go do stuff. It stormed on and off all day, so I didn't really get nearly as much done as I wished to. Still, I got enough done and I had fun and that's what matters most. Went by Wal-Mart and the Slidell Nursery both so I could check prices on stuff and get the beginning stuff for my aquatic garden setup. I would like to start off by giving an extra BIG thanks to riksbaby for all of that information. A good chunk of it I already knew, but it just made me feel a lot more confident hearing someone else say it.
Anyway. Went ahead and got the circular pond base. I saw one in Wal-Mart that was bigger and better than the one I saw in Home Depot, came with more stuff, for the same damned price! But I didn't have that sort of money to start off with, so I think that will be the next step. But I'm fairly pleased with what I do have, and the way I see it, I could always make one of the wooden above ground pond setups with landscaping timbers and I could always use this base pond I just got as an extra tank for plants and fish, or a quarantine tank, yesp. Even an emergency tank if it is needed.
So I got the circular base, and I got some oxygenizing plants. I got some anacharis (think I spelled that right, or close enough!), some parrots feather, some water lettuce, and the funny thing is that they had one water hyacinth left and I got it. The lotus and lillies while I reaaaally wanted some, were waaaaaaaay too expensive. That cost me $49 and change total-ish. So about $50, good deal. We went to go get that pickerel rush we saw in the ditch the day before... but the ditches were waaaay too deep and the things were too well rooted and from the rain the inclines were slick and squishy. So we started looking for other stuff we could get, and took what parts of the rush we got (leaves and stem and flowers and stem) to try and get them to root so I can have plants from them, yaay! So anyway, exploring the other ditches and what do we find... a HUGE cluster of the water hyacinth! So here we are like crazy people using the hook end of the umbrella to fish them out. They were niiiiice friggin size too.
So tossed it all in the back, ran to Wal-Mart to get a garden orb I had seen, and a pretty planter for blashamma that he wanted. Got some river rocks for planting purposes when I put the potted plants in the pond, and got some cypress mulch and some 'playsand'. Then we came back here to my house and filled up the pond base and set the plants to float. Now it has to sit a few days before I can add the fishies. I plan to start off with the goldfish. Will check out Delta's tanks because I just trust them a helluva lot more if something happens to the fish, and if it is way more expensive, then I will use Wal-Mart. But I have a feeling Delta will be pretty reasonable.
After that, we took blashamma home and headed out to dinner at my grandparent's. Jim (my grandpa)had cooked a wonderful cornbeef dinner and we had fresh veggies to go with it and granda supervised his cooking, and they got me a German Chocolate mmmm-mmmm-goooooood cake. They didn't have to, but they each gave me $20 and nice cards. And grandma gave me a bag of cornmeal for my woooooorrrrms. Then we came home.
Now I am sitting here pondering garden stuff. Need to get some more seeeeds planted. Need basil plants. Mmm. Grandma shall bring me tomato plants tomorrow, I hope. Yaaay! Need to get more potting soil. Need worms to grow faster! Oooh, and the whole thing about the pond and snails and all. I got snails today (and amazingly spiders too!) on the plants whether I wanted them or not, hehe. I'm keeping an eye on them.
Something else that has me a bit bugged is my mice. The PEW female I got is supposed to be preggers from the way she's so tubby (not fat wise either). But she doesn't seem to be progressing any. She should have dropped her litter by now. On top of that, the other two females should have at least prolly been knocked up by now and showing a bit. What has me concerned is that... the male... just... seems odd. I'm beginning to think he might be sickly or infertile or Gaia knows what else. What has me real concerned is that the other day I noticed he was forming rings around his eyes. He's a normal mouse color wise, gray/brown. But the fur around both eyes has turned considerably lighter. Tan to almost white, and it has me wondering.
I think I'm seriously considering maybe taking him back and trying to get another male, or maybe two? Maybe they need the competition for the gene pooool, mwah. So anyway, probably going to look into that tomorrow, as well as go check the fish tanks and all.
On a side note: I REALLY want to see Wolf's Rain and Spirited Away!! And the final episode for Buffy would be REAL nice too if anyone recorded it, or know someone who did! I didn't watch it for seven damned years just to not know what happens at the very end!