Definitly addicted

I used to wonder why my parents drank coffee all day. Now I know, cause if you don't, you go into perma slug mode.

i know, I babble on about this, but I really thought that cold fizzy caffien was the same as drinking coffee. It isn't.

I would get a little cranky when I was without my coke. But I could occupy myself and ignor the issue as long as I drank something and didn't let myself
get dehydrated.

Now, if I don't have coffee, all I want to do is sleep. the upside, is that I am more productive. SO I think I'm gonna stick with the coffee.

Today was Isaiah's actual birthday. He had most of his presents yesterday. He thinks that he got them all, but he didn't. MOm has surprises in store. A friends birthday party with cake and icecream and maybe a few party favors, and a new bike.

My brother, mike, the one I thought was doing so well. Has gone to hell in a handbasket.

He lost the job with the disabled kids at the group home. Got another job at a telemarketing place. Was told by the original employer that they wouldn't be opposed to rehiring him. And quit his telemarketing job before he had the other job. Now he's been out of work for a few weeks. He hasn't been paying his bills, he didn't apply for unemployment either time, and doesn't have any other applications out.

So, he gives out my number to people. His land lord has been calling me. the payday loan people have been calling me. The landlord left a message about startign eviction procedings monday.

I feel really bad for him. But he created this mess. He comes over all paniked. I paid a reconnect fee for utilities friday. Now he is getting evicted. I think he took my car keys and may have "barrowed" my car. I lost my regular keys ten days ago, have been using back-ups. And then today I found a skanky press-on nail in my driver's side floor mat.

I don't wear those things. They aren't allowed at the school I work at and the woman around here are mostly above that non-sense. (as in graduate students like me or saudi women who really wouldn't wear pressons or drop them in my car).

So, what to do? I have pretty much accepted that the regular keys are not in the house and I'll have to pay fifty dollars to have the university change the locks. But what about the car? how do I secure that if the keys are really stolen?

And then there is the fact that I get a little manic after purzing around all day. I have this whole other thing about these saudi ladies around here. They are all very nice and wear the total head covers outside. Over modern (and in som ecase rather form-fitting) clothing. Inside, they dress like you or I. I know because Muna, the mother of one of Isaiah's friends has invited me in a few times. Tonight I went over to ask about Isaiah hanging out tommarow because these kids don't have school but I have to teach. She let me in to talk for a minute. She had on normal snoopy jammies, I don't understand teh public lock down, but normal indoors. (It probably has something to do with the fact that I am another woman and that I am the mother of her son's friend).

And then there are other things. In their home country (saudi arabia) women aren't allowed to drive and I think they can't go places with non-related men. But Muna is working on a master's degree in educaction. The government is paying her tuition and her husband's.

Her husband Adula, is a nice guy too. Plays with the kids on the playground. Likes Isaiah. Nice person, but I wonder how nice he'd be if i ren into him in his homeland. Is this a case of when in rome? I don't know.

On the one hand, the idea of a culture that takes family so seriously is a nice one. Look at what ours has done to family life. On the other, what does a woman in a situation like mine do? All my male relatives are worthless. What happens if the guys all go out to have guys night out and the house cathces fire or a kid needs rushed to the ER?

what about widows and familys who've been abandoned by their "providers"? That level of dependence isn't appealing. And what about the poor shmoe who has to drive the girls around all day? Couldn't his time better spent?

Okay, have typed tons over a two hour periode. Time to get busy with somethign that matters.