Tiffany and I have started our major exercise thang. Gawd, this is so much easier when you have someone to work out with you and help you motivate yourself.

I never thought I could handle having a roommate again. (Husbands don't count.) But Tiffany and I have managed to mesh beautifully. We were only casual friends before I moved in, but we're finding that we really have a great deal in common, and our attitudes are very similar. It really has been fantastic all around living here. It was terrific for me, since it gave me a cheap place to live, as well as a place where I could leave all of my stuff for two months and not worry about it disappearing. Plus, it's been nice to not be totally alone. I do tend to be pretty solitary, but there are times when human company is needed/wanted.

And, my moving in here has been good for her too. She's finishing up her teaching school, and this semester she was doing her student teaching (read: not getting paid.) So, having me move in to pay some of the rent and bills was beneficial to her as well.

Last night we stayed up til about 3am talking about work. (By the way, Tiffany works at the same casino I do, and was also a semi-victim of the downsizing.) We both agree that it's a very sick industry. She's getting out though, lucky girl. She'll be (hopefully) teaching this fall. Yeah, she'll be taking a substantial pay cut, but, you know, money ain't everything. There comes a point when you need to be able to take some pride in your work. Oh, I'll be staying with the casino for a while after I get back--at least until I get my bills paid off. But then, who knows. I do know I don't want to stay in this industry for the rest of my life. I've seen too many people who are "lifers" in the casino biz. They resemble burned out shells, just going through the motions.

So anyway, Tiff and I ran errands today--bought plywood to put up in the attic. We've decided that we're not going to haul it up there though. We'll wait until some of the guys who will be helping me move come over. They can lug it up those stairs. Isn't that what men are for? Carry heavy things and kill roaches.

I have an online friend who lives in Ohio who says she's never seen one of those big cockroaches (the kind that some people call pine beetles, and other people call palmetto bugs. Unh uh. They's roaches.) I'm continually tempted to send her one.

A dead one. I'm not that mean.

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Yow. Less than a month until I get on that plane. I'm suddenly realizing all sorts of stuff that needs to be taken care of before I leave. Akkk.

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I also bought an el cheapo sports watch today. I figured it couldn't be good for my Seiko to be sweated on all the time.