Nostalgia

Hello readers. So it's been a little less than a week since I've written. Well, today I am not in the least inundated by work. You know, I liked that feeling last week. It was stress, but it was a challenge and I had stuff to occupy my time all day. I am totally looking forward to PSI 7. I guess I'll just have to go on a dreaded shopping trip.

One thing that should be noted, I HATE SHOPPING!!! More specifically, I hate shopping for clothes and shoes and fashion related items. I don't know what the reason is. It's probably the crowds of people. Somehow walking around a store with a bunch of people pushing and yelling doesn't seem appealing. There's also something about trying on the clothes though. I think it's a comfort thing. Once I'm comfortable, I don't want to try something else on with the possibility that I won't be comfortable. I used to hide in the car when Nana would have clothes for me to try. We'd drive to her house and I'd complain the whole way. Then I'd refuse to get out of the car. LOL. I was such a baby. I'm still not a fan, but I know I need better dress shoes since one pair broke and the other pair is breaking and sticking to my feet. I also need a few more jeans and casual shirts. I have so much work stuff. My tennis shoes are also falling apart. My goal is to spend half an hour in a store and get two or three jeans, the same for shirts, and a pair each of tennis shoes and dress shoes. Maybe an hour because I'm guessing I'll have to find the shoe place. Okay. I'm stopping with that stuff right now.

Last week was mostly uneventful. Thursday we watched the Laker game. I went to Lancaster this weekend to visit my family. We threw a surprise birthday party for Mom. She was really shocked and it was hilarious. I can't remember the last time I saw some of those people. I also read a lot. I'm reading this book called Tasting the Sky which is about a Palestinian refugee. It's not anti-Israeli. It's about how she found refuge in writing and she wants everyone to come together. It's a powerful story. Sunday my sister dropped me off at home. She had to drop off my younger sister's boyfriend and I was on the way. Also, Access had been suspended because they claimed I had too many no-shows.

And now for the wonderful news. Access was wrong. I sent in my appeal and it has been overturned. I only ended up without Access for three days. I can start booking trips tomorrow. I am so incredibly relieved. I know my friends don't mind helping me, but most of you know how I am. I have been trying to be self-sufficient for so long that I have to be taught to receive gifts/compliments. It's hard sometimes. I must say though that three days without Access is enough to convince me to cancel a trip at least two hours in advance. Anyway, It is with jubiliation that I announce that tomorrow is the last day of my suspension!

Now is the real reason for writing this. The title of this post is nostalgia. I've been feeling it a lot recently. It seems so old to talk about "the good old days", but I don't care. Even in high school I was just so much more innocent. I was connected to my friends and we had our high school lives and our outside social lives. Braille Institute was the hang-out for all the blindies. Now everybody's got jobs, boyfriends, and no time for the old connections. I mean, the people reading this blog are mostly old friends mixed in with some new ones. OMG! I forgot to mention that I broke up with Chris. I'm free!!! Anyway, I feel like while I am relieved and happy to be free of that situation, breaking up with Chris was breaking the last connection to my past. Well, when I was a little girl I mean. I mean, Tasha has a boyfriend who she spends every waking moment with. We talk maybe once every two or three weeks instead of every day. Oh. And randomly, Darius called Thursday. That was so hard. He told me a lot of stuff that makes much less attractive, but I thought about what life was like before Louisiana and before Darius. It was so much different and sometimes I long for that life again.

Well, that's my thoughts on that. But I forgot to update you on what happened yesterday. Disjointed, yes, but at least it's in paragraphs. LOL. Yesterday after I went home, it was time for Sunday worship. I was looking forward to singing with the choir. Well, the choir didn't sing. A man sang "Summertime". It was a very creative way to sing the song. I question the choice with relations to its ability to be used in a worship service, but he had style. Then we had a really great guest speaker. When he finished, they called me to the mic to sing "Blowin' In the Wind." It was a total surprise. I was so panicky because my throat had been scratchy all morning. Well, it wasn't when I got up to sing. I think that was one of my more expressive performances. After the service, we went to a friend's house for a barbecue. I had two of them in one weekend. Her son's band had put on the barbecue. They played and they were quite good. We once again watched the basketball game. Go Lakers! It actually was an amazing game. Then we watched Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. For those who don't know, that is the original and that is so much better than the newer one.

Well, there you have it. This is all I have to say. There's no controversy or difficult topics in this one. I guess that happens from time to time. I'm gonna go even though I have another half hour. I don't know what else to say. So take care and have joy and love in your lives. Take care.
Leena