The Constitution
only guarantees the American People
the right to pursue happiness.
YOU HAVE TO
CATCH IT YOURSELF.
--Benjamin Franklin

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Woke up at 4am eastern time (1am Pacific time) to fly back to the left coast. Due to a coffee mistake (didn't ask and was served caffeinated at 8pm) I slept only 2 hours. Wow does that make for a long day. Arrived in Portland at 10:30am local time, and was grouchy by noon and incoherent by 5pm. Went to bed at 7pm and slept 11 hours, and I feel almost normal this morning. Phew!

So I woke up in the upstairs room here at Will's, which is to be my new home. The room that was the bedroom in this house will become my office. It is a pleasant room and will be even nicer once I can clear the old juju from it. From this day forward any time I use something from my old apartment it is moving to Will's house.

My old apartment smells like cat shit, has no toilet paper or paper towels on the roll, has vines growing into the stairway, has compost rotting in the kitchen, and is generally covered in cat hair and disgusting to me. It quickly becomes apparent how much energy I put into keeping the place clean, and how quickly things will decline in my absence. Emily's new boyfriend, the unemployed smoker from Jersey, is still hanging around. He avoids my eye. He may be the housemate she is thinking of having move in....a disaster in the making. The downstairs neighbors are very upset at her for making noise all night long every night, walking with heavy feet and moving furniture around at 4am. I don't know what she has been up to but I know that she is neurotic and the new boy is likely to aggravate that. I was a moderating presence.

So I have 9 days in PDX before I leave town for another adventure. In that time I am supposed to relocate my possessions from the apartment and clean it. I am leaving Kitten there until we return from Idaho. I hope she doesn't freak too much when the bed etc are removed. I will relocate her to Will's in June.

More later, hope you guys are well. I haven't read anything on LJ in a month or so, so if there has been some major happening in your life please let me know.

Twenty eight percent (28%) of US households are now just one person living alone. This is the most ever. These singles are the biggest spenders, contributing 1.9 trillion to "the economy" each year. (According to The Week 2/10/12 which is in turn quoting Fortune magazine)

And another factoid from the same source: the number of US prisoners age 65 and over has increased 63% between 2007 and 2010. I guess we're keeping them put away so long that now they need more medical care, and it's becoming an issue. The total number of prisoners has been flat for that same period.

Made it. Actually I woke up at an overlook at 4am, about 250 miles from town, and drove in with the first wave of trucks. I was at the DEQ 5 minutes before opening to get my truck emissions checked. From there went straight to the DMV and got it registered. Call insurance to make sure it is extended. I have wheels until 9/2011. Thanks to Bill. So many mechanics flat out refused to even look at this truck, and Bill fixed it in a half day with $70 in parts. So I can go to the mountains when I want, now, instead of waiting and begging for rides.
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Wow long week. Last weekend was the business workshop, so I've been going for 12 straight days. I'm holding up mostly. The business classes actually bring me up, because they help me to realize that I actually stand a chance to succeed in business, rookie though I am. I have lots of good ideas. And people out there really need what I have to offer. And I'm not a spring chicken like many of my classmates.

Remember that I had heavy metal contamination? Right now I'm taking DMSA, chelating the lead and other metals out of my body. I'm feeling OK. My last challenge test showed that my lead levels are still pretty high, arsenic and mercury less but still in there. DMSA is very specific for lead, so I'm told it won't start taking out the mercury etc until the lead is mostly out. That could take awhile.

I'm headed out in a few minutes to go to an art opening! I haven't been "out" by myself in this town yet, but someone I know has some paintings in the show, and he invited me. I guess it's time that I get bold enough to ride the bus alone after dark when it does not involve school. I do it often enough for school events, and soon it will be dark the vast majority of hours in each day. I can't let night stop me.

What else? Well it was really cool to wake today to the news that Obama got the Nobel Peace Prize. It is a seal of approval on his way of expecting all parties to take responsibility for their actions and allow the respect accorded humanity for all. So WHAT if all he has done is talk. He has said out loud the things that have long needed to be said. Thank goodness somebody finally did. I hope his approach gains lots of steam from the award.

Last thing. I just posted a new housemate wanted ad on Craigslist and I already have three replies. I think Friday night is a good time to post. I'm going to wait until tomorrow night and then see about sorting and replying.

I think I've already found someone to live here. His name is Joe. I was thinking I'd rather have a woman move in...but that was before Joe expressed interest. Yeay! An honorable and reliable housemate! And he is the perfect housemate: has two jobs and is gone most of the time. We plan a trial: he will stay here two months, and we will see if we can stand to live together. If after two months either of us is not happy with the agreement, he will move out. The intention is for our friendship to survive. He is coming on Tuesday to check out the place. I will empty the master bedroom & closet by then.

It just poured rain. The streets are full of water and petals. The kitten just walked by, meowing. I'm sitting on the floor in the nook by the window. I worked my last security shift of the quarter tonight. It was nice, just hanging out at school with nothing much going on. Good conversations. This is why I like working security. When it's your job to just sit by a door, people may come talk to you. And you have time to talk with them. It's very reaffirming. I feel fairly isolated much of the time. It's not easy to get people to have a substantive conversation about anything. There's so much militancy out there, people are so sure they are right that they don't care to entertain other points of view. They don't want to take the time to develop their own point of view. I am lucky to have intelligent, curious, openminded people in my life.
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When I got home from choir at about 9:30 the door was cracked open, and kitten was sitting on the coffee table meowing at me. I had my hands full. I dropped off my purse and music in my room, then went to the kitchen to put away the 50lbs of organic beef I picked up today, and the carrots & celery and such I got tonight after choir. As I walked out of my room the invader cat raced past my feet, across the living room and out the door. That little halloween-colored invader is scared of me. I don't understand why kitten doesn't kick its ass.
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