Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Notes from my life of leisure

As I may or may not have mentioned, I leave on Saturday for the first youth group trip of the summer. Don’t be jealous as I ride in a van with 15 high schoolers to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Seriously, curb your envy when you hear about how I’ll be spending 24/7 with the kids as we build bunk beds and install them in the homes of people who have most likely never had a bed before. Actually, you should be a little envious of that last part, because the appreciation of the people who receive the beds is apparently pretty rewarding. Anyway. I say all of this sarcastically, but really, I’m totally looking forward to it. The van rides are always fun, and doing work for people who need it is also fun. The plus side is that the weather will only be in the 80s most of the week. Unlike Juarez, Mexico (which is where we were last year) where it was about 105 every day. The down side is that being on the reservation is pretty depressing. The plus side is that we’ll get to see a lot of cool historical stuff about the Lakota people who live there. The down side is that the history is also pretty depressing. Interesting, but sad.

A vital item that I am taking with me on my trip is my new 30gig iPod. It holds 7500 songs (and also video), and now, thanks to PIC, I have 7800 songs. And this is before I’ve even loaded my own cds onto the computer. I had to get an *snort* external 80gig hard drive because my computer is only 30gigs by itself. Anyway. As part of my birthday present, PIC shared all his music with me and patiently went through and deleted duplicates – it took a few hours. The other part of my present was something that will hopefully prevent me from either getting towed again or getting more parking tickets at the meters. He gave me a meter key. It’s this little weird key looking thing that you put into the meter and lo and behold, turns out there’s money stored in the little key chip and so I don’t need change to park! Yay!

Speaking of parking, PIC’s balcony overlooks a public parking lot, and we were sitting outside on Sunday night, when we noticed these two sketchy looking kids doing something at the edge of the lot. I went in and got his binoculars, and we sat there and watched them for almost 30 minutes. What we deduced was that they were high on some sort of illegal substance, and while one of them was totally mellow and just sat there, the other one was constantly moving – digging in the dirt next to the lot, pacing around, smoking a half a cigarette, throwing it away and then lighting another one. Sheesh. If I were the mellow high guy, I would totally stop hanging out with Twitchy McFidgets because his constant motion would ruin my mellow high. I mean, I was like 100 or so feet away, 3 floors up (and not high) and I wanted to knock his manic ass out. Anyway.

Now that I go to the grocery store in the middle of the day on a work day, I run into a lot of old people. In a recent blog entry, Hope said “I mean can you imagine bumping into a little old lady's shopping cart in the grocery store and having her give you the finger? And you feeling compelled to give her the finger back?” Which made me think. Sometimes -- judging from the dirty looks I get from aforementioned old ladies when I *GASP* politely say "excuse me" and try to pass them as they block the ENTIRE aisle with their cart and take eight million years to decide what they might possibly need from the shelves – I think they might be thinking about giving me the finger. They act like they own the place and anyone else who is trying to get by is infringing on THEIR territory. I’m all about respecting my elders, but I also don’t believe that age gives you an excuse for bad behavior.

And lastly, can someone get a message to my cats? Can you tell them that it’s not cool to a) meow incessantly for breakfast at 6 a.m. and b) climb the screen door/bedroom screen/living room screen just because they want to see the bugs? Because clearly, I’m not getting through to them. Thanks.

18 comments:

Carl Spackler said...

you gotta love those cats!

Crystal said...

An old man in Reno Nevada told my dad to "suck it".

people take it personally when you almost run them over.

lil'bitty said...

(in a near panic, rapidly speaking) Are, are you going to access to a computer, cause y'know, if you don't then we won't get to hear about the fantastic life of Amber with no sarcasm or exageration, and we would miss that soooooo much so you just have to have a computer to keep up the entertainment!!!! (lightly panting, and realizing that sounded a little desperate, so continuing in a more reserved and normal manner) But I guess if you don't have a pc to post from we can all just catch up when you get back. How long will you be gone for?

Anonymous said...

Have fun/good luck on your trip!

Those are the exact reasons I HATE grocery shopping. I hate the people who believe they are the only one in the store, and leave their carts out in the middle of the aisle, or don't look when they're coming around corners. Grocery shopping gives me THE RAGE!

If you find someone you can communicate with your cats, send them my way, mine has been doing the same things.

dasi said...

So you’re leaving Saturday already?? Wow, time flies!! I think it sounds great. I wish I had the time to do things like that! But I guess I’ll just have to live vicariously through you.

Your description of the people you were watching cracked me up… been there, done that… and I was ALWAYS the mellow one! You’re right, though, it is annoying whether you are the co-partier or observer. ;)

And as for the cats? If you can convince my Baby to stop gulping down his food and then puking part of it up five minutes later, I’ll have a sit-down with Inspector and Baby Kitty…!

Whinger said...

You are a better person than I, as when I imagine my life of leisure, it usually just involves a pool and a cocktail, not so much building things.

Have a great time!

Cheryl said...

I think your trip sounds great. And I really admire you for doing things like that. Really.

Oh, and unfortunately, I don't speak "cat."

Christy said...

road trip? iPOD is a necessity! Have a great trip!

Tim Hillegonds said...

You gotta watch the old people. I hear that most crimes of passion happen when people get in the way of old people and canned goods.

Kiki said...

I am so jealous of your ipod. All I have is a "disc-man" from 1999.

Marissa said...

It's crazy it's time for you to leave again! I AM jealous. What an amazing thing you do -- I can't wait to hear all about it upon your return. And the whole grocery shopping during the workday thing? Yup. I know what exactly what you mean!

Leesa said...

Have a wonderful trip. It sounds great!

Minnesota Nice said...

Pine Ridge is one of the poorest areas in the nation, I admire you for going. (Be careful, it can be dangerous.) Hope you get to have at least a peep of the Black Hills, it's one of the most beautiful places in the world!

Miladysa said...

Have fun :)

Aliecat said...

I grew up in SD and I can attest to the fact that many of the residents don't have plumbing or other basic necessities. It's sad. Love my 30 gig iPod, it's the best! Oh, and my cats climb the screens to, my landlord is not happy.

Aliecat said...

Let me clarify my first sentence, I meant residents of Pine Ridge...although, there are probably others in SD that don't have plumbing as well...but we did. LOL!

Janet said...

I don't have anything intelligent to add to this. I just wanted to reassure you that I am still here and reading.

And have fun on your trip!

Chief Slacker said...

Definitely gotta watch out for those littel old ladies, and I'll talk to you cats if you come talk to my turtles, who ever though Turltes would know to beg? He sits there and flips water all over till I feed him and the little guy.