There's only one way...

So here's how it started: I applied to Akron university early in July. I paid the application fee and sent my transcripts from Ball State. Around the end of July, I start getting worried because Akron hadn't sent me anything in the mail in response to my application. I did some surfing around Univ. of Akrons website and found someone in HR to email about the issue. They emailed me back and told me they hadn't received my transcripts. So I freak out a little because Ball [suck] State apparently didn't receive my transcript request form. Just a side note: Ball state doesn't give out transcripts. You have to go on their website and print out a form, send in the form, and they send transcripts to the party that needs them. So after I send in another request, finally Akron sends me an acceptance letter and the "Intent to Enroll" form.

Now the intent to enroll form is basically one more thing they have you fill out that further specifies what major you are going for and confirms that you WILL be attending Akron. I go online to fill out the form, and pay $75.00 and wait for the orientation packet to be sent to my house. Lucky for me I get the orientation packet in the mail about 3 days before I leave for California.

In that 3 days, I manage to get online to schedule my orientation. I schedule my preferred orientation date to be August 17th and my alternate orientation date to be August 20th. I even called the office of new student orientation and spoke with one of the coordinators and told her I wouldn't be able to attend anything earlier because I would be out of town. So I'm under the impression that everything will work out because I would return from California August 15th.

When I get back from California, there is a letter from Akron sitting in my room. I read it and find out they had scheduled my orientation for August 14th -a day before I came home from California. I call in the number to reschedule and the girl who picks up tells me that she is just going to send me my advisors name and number in the mail because there were no more transfer student orientation dates available. Now, if you are a transfer student, wouldn't you have to go through the same orientation process (besides placement tests) as any new student would? *sigh*

I finally get her name and number the mail Wednesday August 22 (yesterday). I call right away (around 2pm) and leave her a voicemail explaining my situation. I wait around until about 4 until I call again -she's still unavailable. Another call was made at 4:30 and still nothing.

This morning as I'm getting ready for work I call around 9:30am, another around 10 and another at 10:30 as I'm on my way to work. All my attempts fail. I get to work this morning and go on the Akron website and find other numbers to call. First I try the HR department. They transfer me to the New student orientation office, then they transfer me to the advising office, who in turn transfers me to the deans office. By this time I'm ready to scream because it seems like every time I get a hold of someone, they transfer my problem to someone else.

So I finally get to speak with Ruthie's secretary (the advisor who never answers her phone). She tells me shes at a lunch meeting and will call me back (I'm thinking yeah right). To my surprise she actually called me back around 1pm today. We were talking and she discovered that for some reason, the girl who sent me my advisors name and phone number, sent me the wrong information. I applied to the college of fine arts under graphic design, and the girl had me under applied arts and sciences.

So now I'm sitting here at work waiting for this fine arts advisor to call me back because shes at a lunch meeting as well (curious huh?) In Akrons defense, I was out of town up until 10 days before class starts. Thats one thing that screwed me because if I wasn't in California, I would have been able to attend the orientation on the 14th. But in my defense, Akron messed up my major, gave me the wrong information, and evaded my situation by transferring me all over hell and back and nothing was really solved.

*edit* the fine arts lady just called me back and we had some words:
me- "So yeah I just need to schedule my classes"
her- "Don't you think its a little LATE to be scheduling?"
me- "Well I would have gone to orientation if Akron scheduled me for the date I requested"
her- "Ok well I guess I can squeeze you in tomorrow at 3. Does that work for you?"
me- "Yeah thats fine. Thanks!"

Jeez ok, she didn't have to be snippy with me. I had never met the woman before, I havn't spoke with her ever (because of the adviser mix up), so why was she being such a bitch to me?

Its been a while since my last entry. I didn't feel like going on about the return home from San Francisco because it wasn't all that eventful. The biggest highlight was when we were boarding in Minneapolis, a ticket agent called a "T-Rex Johnson" over to the podium and Lorelei and I just looked at each other and started singing the "It's a dinosaur, Oh my fucking god..." from the ytmnd gif. here is the link: http://jurassicparkwtf.ytmnd.com/

So ever since I came home I've been feeling guilty that I'm not around that often. Linz and Patrick are already in Arizona and its just my mom and I at home now. I'm so used to going out every night when I come home, that I didn't realize how alone my mom is all the time now. Especially this weekend: I had to work 11am-7pm on saturday, and then 11am-3pm sunday. When I came home yesterday she wanted to go to chapel hill mall and get her hair cut. So I went with her since it was a good opportunity to make up for me not being home like, ever. We ended up getting starbux after and then going to Red Robin for dinner.

Friends are being weird. I told colin I liked Dan while I was on vacation and he kinda freaked out on me. He was saying like "oh I KNEW it" and was obviously upset because he thought I was using him just to see Dan...which I wasn't. I don't understand why he thinks he is entitled to tell me who I should or shouldn't like. If I have a little stupid crush on Dan, what is it any of his business? I'm allowed to like boys.

So this was a short entry. Wow. I feel like I should be writing more. Or maybe things have been just that dull. Maybe I just need to get out more and do more things so I have something to write about. Hah!

The last three days have been kind of hectic. [Uncle] Jerry's dad passed away wednesday night, my aunt Sue came home earlier than expected because of it. I am only newly related to his family -and I don't know ANY of them- so I don't really feel bad. Sure its terrible that it happened while I am out here because I feel bad because I think Jerry is trying to just hide his emotions for the sake of not ruining my "vacation."

Also I need to update what has happened in the last four days. Internet went out and just came back like right now so I'm frantic to get my thoughts down.

Tuesday I went out and got my hair cut at this place called Fringe. The girl named Emily did a wonderful job. Thinned out my hair, gave me some longer bangs. At the salon it looked wonderful but after walking a mile or so back to the apartment with high winds...it wasn't that great. I kinda freaked out because I looked in the mirror when I got back and my hair looked like a bubble. I felt like one of those rediculous news reporters with the over styled hair. Luckily after I showered and straightened it myself, it looked fine.

Wednesday I ventured to Japantown to see if it was any more authentic than Chinatown. I was thoroughly disappointed. Granted Chinatown is this whole mass of souvenir shops with cheap asian silks and toys. You can't walk five feet without running into something to do. Japantown had a mall -if you can even call it a mall. It was more like an indoor strip mall. Lots of restaurants, a book store, and a video store, and a few lovely bakeries. I didn't find anything I really wanted but I did end up buying this beautiful strawberry short cake (a full size cake, not a little tart) to take home to the aunt and uncle. Intending it to be a thank you gift. On my way home, my aunt calls me and tells me she made pedicure appointments for she and I. It was 3:30 when she called. The appointments were for 4:00 and 4:30. I told her to take the first appointment as it would certainly take me a while to walk back to the mall. I get there just in time for my appointment. Then I realize I had worn my converse. Factoid: You generally don't put on socks/shoes after a pedicure. Considering I had walked around all day and my socks and shoes were more than a little gross, my aunt ran to payless really quick and bought me a cheap pair of sandals to wear home. The pedicure turned out to be amazing. I never had one before because I couldn't fathom someone working on my feet like that. I highly recommend getting at least one in your life -no matter how bad you may think your feet are.

An hour or so after that my aunt and I met [uncle] jerry at this steakhouse. I had this truffle burger which was the most amazing burger I think I've ever had. I was afraid at first because I've heard so many rumors floating around the truffle (a rare mushroom which no one has learned to cultivate yet). I've heard its very strong, and gives off a disgusting smell. I came to find out neither of these rumors were true.

Thursday I went out shopping again. I discovered if left to my own devices, I tend to spend a lot of money at Urban Outfitters. I bought a vintage brown mini skirt and this baby doll tank to go with it. I also headed to the virgin records store and bought an interpol CD.

One thing that sort of intrigues me during my shopping binges is the recurrence of black men asking me out or asking for my number. I don't get it. I mean, sure, I really admire the way people out here are bold enough to randomly ask out a girl they met on the streets because I know I could never muster the courage to do such a thing. *sigh* I know this sounds racist, but, why aren't any white boys asking me out? I try not to be close minded, but I just prefer dating a scruffy looking white guy whose ego isn't so inflated. Please comment on this dilemma. I ask you, am I being racist?

So yesterday lorelei and myself finally began our journey to SF. Our first flight from cleveland to minneapolis wasn't all that terrible. I did become quite anxious during the flight because a little girl who sat across the isle and one row up from me played mario kart on her pink DS the entire trip. I sort of wanted to cry.

Making our way from literally one side of the airport to the other was somewhat tiring. During this time we passed about 3 different locations for Caribou coffee and about 2 for Starbux. We reach our gate and waited about 1.5 hours before our plane boarded. This 3.5 hour flight to San Francisco was a bit more amusing. After I took a very uncomfortable nap (sitting straight up) I woke to the sound of ice being shuffled and drinks being poured. The row in front of us was being served. The blond grandma, couldn't have been older than 65. She was making such a hassle out of everything. Fussing about how the canned juices they served had too much added sugar. More than twice she became displeased with her choices and finally settled on a diet pepsi. Granted the woman could have been diabetic. But to make the stewardesses feel like shit for not serving natural juice wasn't at all necessary.

The same woman kept screwing around with the light. Twisting and yanking on it so it could point toward her self help book. At one point she actually popped off the plastic fitting (unintentionally of course) and hurried to snap it back in its place. After this she gave up on it. Her husband was sitting to her left reading some sort of health book. I could make out a few of the headings: "proper posture and breathing effectively." What? At maybe 65+ your goal is to breathe more effectively? I don't know. He was studying the diagrams. All I know is that I don't think I would pay for a book that told me how to breathe right. The posture thing you can't really correct. Sure you can start sitting up, not slouch when you walk, but this will not reverse so many years of abuse your back has already taken by not doing these things.

Last night my Uncle Jerry made me chicken and we watched the movie "Cars" afterward -which was surprisingly kind of cute. We both slept in today, had some coffee, then I took off to go wander/shop around the city. My first stop was Urban Outfitters. This is my absolute favorite store and even though I tried my hardest to pace myself and spend wisely I immediately spotted this vintage bomber jacket and purple conductors hat, tried them on, and bought them -spending just over $100.00. Although I only bought two items, it was worth the money. I have a few rules when shopping around SF that help me make the right choices. Rule ONE: Never buy what you can find at home. This rule helps me make unique purchases. Rule TWO: Never buy a single item you plan to layer with something else you already have. This one is a big money saver. This prevents me from making the dumb mistake of assuming something in my wardrobe will look fine with my new purchase, then finding out later it looks hideous. Rule THREE: If you're not crazy about it, buy later. It's called self-discipline. It helps me narrow down what I really want.

Being here reminds me of what I want out of life and who I want to be. Walking around in this city is a constant motivating whisper that never quites. It's telling me to stay. It pushes me toward an ultimate goal and pries my eyes open to make me see what life really has to offer.

Since this is probably the 6th or 7th post about my god damned purse situation, I'll try to keep it short for my imaginary blog readers.

So today I notice we received a package from verizon in fairfield (near akron). Inside was my stolen chocolate phone without a battery. There was a note included with the fed ex invoice which read:

"Elizabeth, we have had this in our safe since June 30th and figured we would send it back to you. -verizon wireless, fairfield, ohio"

I went nuts. My purse was stolen on the 29th of June. I reported everything I could that day. Verizon KNEW my phone had been stolen. Why did they wait an entire month to send me my phone back. Why wouldn't they have called if my account had obviously been flagged? Damn it Verizon. I hate you. I swear if I find out they didn't take down any of the information I will go off.