ominous morning

Today is officially my last first day of school. I know I said that in September, and technically that's right since September first-day-of-school tends to be all encompassing, but since college semesters are all different, it's officially the last fist day of school of my undergraduate career. I'm freaking out because this means I'm old, I'm almost a real grown-up, and I have to find a way to support myself for the rest of my life starting in April. I don't know how to do that! I'm looking at this application for a loan toward the possibility of getting a new laptop and I have to provide credit references. I don't have any credit references. I'm 22-years old and I will require a co-signer because I don't have credit references. I probably couldn't even tell you in exact terms what a credit reference is. I'M NOT READY TO BE A GROWN-UP!!!

So though I begin 2009 kicking and screaming inside my head, I intended to be very responsible on my last first day, starting by getting up early to get all nice and pretty, and then take my car in to get a check up after a small skidding incident over the weekend that may or may not have screwed up the alignment. Waking up early proved a bit ominous.

1. Woke up with a cracking sinus headache-- the kind that make you feel like you're dying and if you lift your head you might throw up. It didn't help that I kept hitting the snooze button so that Maroon 5 cd started over no less than 12 times.
2. After finally dragging myself to the bathroom, and burned myself slightly on water that was too hot, I discovered (too late) that I didn't have shampoo in my shower. Luckily, the Suave Body Wash I had to resort to smells delightful.
3. It is effing FREEZING today, you guys, which means my car took like twelve years to actually start up.
4. The service center just west of campus is terribly convenient, which means about eighty people had already dropped off their cars by 8:20am (impressive, since the place opens at 8). It's nice to have family in the area who can drive me to and pick me up from work this afternoon since my car probably can't get looked at until tomorrow.
5. Ice. Everywhere.
6. A quick grab at my Diet Coke (which I had to buy at 8am to encourage headache medicine to kick in faster) to prevent it from spilling resulted in breaking my straw, since the plastic had brittled due to the extreme weather.
7. The specific kind of Bic gel pens that have become not only a staple in my college success, but a necessary good luck charm at the beginning of a semester, are no where to be found in the bookstore.
8. The rentable laptops at the bookstore are out of stock.
9. Delynne is teaching my dance class this semester, that I have to take at all.

That said, I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the niceties that also managed to present themselves.

1. As I wrestled with my headache and willpower to get up this morning, I received a very thoughtful text message that certainly encouraged the waking up process.
2. Body Wash made my hair look awesome today. I may just give up on shampoo altogether.
3. My books were less than $150 for all my classes this semester, including a new day planner which was definitely overpriced, but red, and leather, and I love it.
4. I ran into Greg, Jen, Jessica, and Rebecca in the bookstore. I adore them all beyond words. Truly.
5. Wayne called me.
6. We're reading The Mystery of Edwin Drood and various Sherlock Holmes stories in my Mystery in Fiction (19th Century Emphasis) senior course. I am a nerd, this class is essentially useless, and I'm going to love every single second of it.
7. I had 62 facebook notifications from all the silly, nostalgic pictures I posted yesterday, and reconnected with an old friend to boot.
8. Though I was hoping to rent a laptop, if I can get my parents to co-sign for my lack of credit references, I could probably pay off a new Mac in a matter of months, thereby building some credit for needed references in the future.
9. I love my family. A lot.

So overall, no real complaints. I mean, I could complain about the girl who was slopping her way to class in front of me this morning, who shouldn't have been wearing those cute, furry boots since she seemed to have a slight pigeon-toe and placed all her weight on the insides of her feet, making said cute boots look ridiculous, but I guess she can't help the way she walks, so I won't complain. It's cold, but invigorating, and maybe I'm not exactly looking forward to spending two hours each day in German classes, but I'm not exactly dreading it either.

Cheers, Winter Semester 2009. Cheers to you and your finality.