the antithesis of summer.

My trip to California was really great. Seriously, even though I spent more than a few days just relaxing on my mom's couch watching SoapNet and browsing American Idol forums, I got to see most of my friends, shop in San Francisco, enjoy In-N-Out and real seafood, hit up my old stomping grounds [Cloud 9!] and attend a house party hosted by one of my best friends. All in all, a great vacation that I needed after a hectic semester.

However, it's not going to get easier. I'm now working part-time at Tan-N-Go in Oklahoma City [near the airport and Cracker Barrel, which can be a blessing and a curse] along with working two mornings a week with the kiddos. I'm also knocking out six units at UCO in two months, which means I'll be in class another 12 hours a week on top of about 30 hours a week of work.

The best thing about it is the money, obviously. I'm not exactly rolling in the cash, but it's still a pretty good supplement for Patrick and me. We need to get a futon [found one at Wal-Mart for $104!] and we want to get a new digital camera, a printer and a real filing cabinet. Not only that, but having extra income lets us do more. We can have dinner out if we want to, we can buy DVDs and we can go out with friends. We don't do those things all the time but they're options. Even though I'm a student, I would feel guilty for not working because I know how much Patrick makes and while we can live on it, we want to do more than simply live. We want to go into a pay period without worrying. I'm fully capable of working, so I have no reason not to. Besides, I've never been domestic.

Another good thing about me being busy is getting six more units toward my degree. I seriously cannot wait to graduate. I've been in school too long and I just want to work in the field I've been studying for four years. I'll most likely be making a lot more once that happens.

I also want to visit my friend Chip in Las Vegas this fall when Patrick's deployed. Chip is renting a house a few minutes away from the Strip, so a cheap plane ticket and a free place to stay would make for a pretty awesome weekend away after all the stuff I have going on right now. I think Flo will be meeting up with us too, which is all kinds of awesome because me + Flo + Vegas = possibly epic rehashing of the college days. Hah. Maybe.

Either way, I'm glad I'm being a productive member of society and keeping busy and making money. Patrick will be gone in the fall so this will be a good way to ease into that period - being busy and not having time to dwell on him being gone like I did last year before I drove to California. I'm sure it'll be exhausting, but it'll be completely worth it.