(via email)

me: do i have any old paycheck stubs that i need to pick up? i was going to stop by today to get my books from my desk.

tracey (does HR, PR, and scheduling, we call her our "boss"): hi steph...i think they were mailed I will check...I actually might have some hours coming up for you...what is your schedule like??

me: i have class mondays 8:30-3:30, then i babysit at 4. i babysit tuesday and thursdays at 4. friday all day. wednesdays i have class all day. i was actually about to go to the unemployment office this week.

tracey: how about your weekends,  I can't remember?

me: depends on which weekends

tracey: oke doke...let me get back to you with what I have...thanks

and after some thought, me: Am I ever going to get a raise? This is ridiculous Tracey. I haven't heard from you in 3 weeks. And now when I finally contact you you're going to offer me hours? That's three weeks with no income at all. Even if I do come back to work some hours, only a few hours a weekend at $8.50 an hour isn't going to help me get caught back up.





I'm pissed.

So here it is, the music video of my brothers band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHi9fpMG0dU

Unfortunately we were in a basement so the lighting was bad. I tried to mess around with the coloring and stuff, so I figured I'd make it look old and dirty and desaturated it a bit and upped the contrast. But when I posted it to Youtube the compression really screwed up the quality. And I had everything synced up perfect, but when converting it to Quicktime, it somehow got just a tad off on some of the singing. Anyway, I thought my video was ok compared to some others in the class. Kevin helped me with it. We spent 4 hours on it Sunday night. We were proud of ourselves. But the first thing my teacher says to break the awkward silence after we've finished watching it in class was, "Well, actually, I don't like music like these."   Thaaaanks.

Anyway. There it is.

I need to work on my Artsjam and put the clock together by Thursday.

I have the internet at the house now! Yay!
Also: a PS2 that Kevin bought that he says is mine. So I bought MLB: The Show 08, but I'm a terrible batter. I'm talking Pudge Rodriguez bad. We also have Guitar Hero 1 and 2, but I don't like that game much. 
Kevin also bought me a DS after Christmas. I played Pokemon Pearl and finished that. Took about 60 hours or so. So now I don't have a game to play currently. I have a Crosswords game, with different word puzzles but that gets tiring after a while. I also have Backyard Baseball but that is ridiculously easy.  What I really want is the My Spanish Coach or the My Personal Chef (at least I think that's what they're called). 

I'm at school right now. Finished my music video project with many thanks to Kevin for his help. I think I surprised him by deciding to do Fantasy Baseball this year. He wasn't going to push it on me for another year, but I want to do it now, since I enjoyed Fantasy Football so much. 

I also got 4 prints done yesterday. I came into the print lab to use the press. It turned out ok. It's not my favorite project so it was more of just "go with an idea and get it done." But I feel like I am doing well in broadening my artistic horizons, since my first print project was more abstract, and this one I just printed is more of graphic design. I printed it in black, but today I'm going to try and print a rainbow roll or some type of triad of colors if I have the time. This project was based on a word and my word is "trine" so I think that it would be ideal if I chose a triadic color scheme. I'm thinking variations of purple, green, and orange. 

Babysitting is going well also. It's pretty easy. I pick the kids up from the bus stop on Tuesdays and Thursdays, drive them home, make sure they eat, and keep them occupied 'til their parents get home in about half an hour to an hour. Fridays I go in the morning to watch the 6 year old girl since she doesn't have school that day, then pick up the boy from the bus stop. Last Friday I didn't have to be there until 9:00am. The mom buys a lot of junk food, so she ate like 2 doughnuts. Later when I made her soup she took only a couple bites and was done but drank a whole glass of chocolate milk. I also had to make sure she had a bath. I was doing my best to make sure I wouldn't have to look at someone's naked child, so I started the bath with the plan that once the tub was filled I would step out so she could get in. But oh no, kids have NO shame, and as soon as the water started running she took all her stuff off. And she went pee in front of me >___> ehhh. I turn around, and there she is. Yuckers. Anyway. She got in the tub and I stopped the water when it was high enough and stepped out and told her I'd leave the door open and to call me if she needed me. The first thing I head was a lot of splashing and was like, oh god, I'm going to have a mess to clean up. I asked if she needed help and she said no. She washed her hair by herself, which I was glad, 'cause her mom said she might need help with that. I think at 6, she should be able to bathe herself. 

I also had to help her with her schooling. She needs to practice letters and numbers. The girl doesn't know her alphabet. She had trouble with H, O, M, W and then would trip up the rest here and there. She can count up to around 25, but also says "five-teen" and gets some numbers mixed up or skips them. So I tried to think of ways to help her remember her letters. She really was getting the M/W mixed up really bad. So I would say "hmm... that M... what does that look like? Does that look like a mmmmountain?" And then drew a big M and made it look like a mountain with ice caps and stuff. And then continue: "What does the beginning of mountain sound like? Mmmmmm-mountain. Mmmm. What is that?" I had to avoid hitting my head on the table when she'd answer "W?" She finally caught on, but when we took a break and came back, she'd go back to calling them W's again. I seriously wonder if she's LD. Also, she thinks "O" is "zero". I'd say "no, zero is a WORD. What does it end in? Zeeerrr-O!" I'd also tell her to look at her mouth in the mirror and see what shape it makes. "Say O!" But then she'd answer "Zero?" 

Her mom came home early to take her to the doctor's. Then I picked up the little boy and we played Wii for a little bit until his step dad came home. I got my first payment of $100. Yay!

Right now I'm awaiting for everyone to upload their music videos to the server so we can watch them all. I might go down to the cafe and get breakfast.


I'm sooooo excited. My birthday is on the 25th, which is also the first day of Spring Training. ^_^ And it's been 35-40 degrees the past few days, so stuffs a'meltin' and I'm happy because tomorrow it's going to be  50 and I'm DYING to go outside and throw the ball around. My batting timing is TERRIBLE going by the Wii game and The Show. I can't wait until batting cages open next month, weather permitting. That's where I've really been dying to be: in the batting cage. 


Alrighty, well I'm going to go. Hopefully I'll get to go see Coraline sometime within the next week or so. I was going to see He's Just Not That Into You, but the more previews and reviews I see, the less I am inclined to go see it. I'm on the fence on Confessions of a Shopaholic, just as I was about He's Just Not That Into You. And I still haven't seen Revolutionary Road! Or The Reader. But I don't know if I'd have to put up with Kevin going on about Kate Winslet hotness. But better Kate Winslet than some other stock actress, I suppose.


I guess we're watching videos now.




P.S. Major is probably the best anime ever. Ok, except for Ghibli stuff, and Ookiku Furikabutte, and Bebop. But I'm enjoying it A LOT!!! 

I have a new job. Babysitting. A 6 year old girl and an 11 year old boy. $100/wk. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.

Technically I still have my old job, but I haven't had work in 3 weeks.

Last weekend my Mac crashed on me. It was hard drive failure. It cost me $40 to find out that all my data is lost. If I wanted it back, I'd have to pay about $900. Everything was on there. On the stupid laptop that the school made me buy with loan money that is now gaining interest. And they never mentioned to us that Macbooks (such as mine) have the highest rate of hard drive failure. They never said anything about backing up our hard drive. Because it's a Mac! And Macs don't crash! That's why we are required to get Macs and not PCs!


I was given a new hard drive, under warranty. But, Mac doesn't do data recovery because that was my responsibility.


This is the first and last Mac product I will ever buy.

Hipsters. Kendall's crawling with them.
http://www.adbusters.org/magazine/79/hipster.html

From Adbusters.

Thanks to Merofi for the link.

so there seems to be a rumor of sorts that my friend was proposed to when she went home to japan.

for some reason, this did it, and i broke down crying.

kevin hugged me and said it'll happen sometime. but we have to be patient, and he wants to do this the right way. and we're waiting because he's looking out for me. he told me he loves me very much and it will happen, just not yet.


i know all of this. i just don't know why it made me cry. i guess that, coupled with someone asking me if he did in fact get me a ring for christmas (no, i didn't think he would, but one can dream).

he said it just doesnt work that way, but we'll do it the right way and it'll last. it'll make us stronger. it'll make us better.

i know.

but i had a lapse into a girlie moment.





in other news, saw Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Was very good.


Presents from kevin:
3 types of victoria secret lotions (i don't like the smell of it, but he informs me that my opinion doesn't matter, cause he likes the scents a lot, lol. he put some on my leg and was smelling it. weirdo)

a Beason pathers jersey - i was less upset about receiving another jersey then i thought i'd be. i actually enjoy it. it's just funny, cause i got him a panthers jersey too. so like dweebs, we both wore ours today. like little football twinsters. i'm glad i have my own jersey that's not gigantic on me! i'm glad he knows i love sharing in his past times

a wall-e plushie. lol. i don't know. but it's sitting on my dresser, and i'm amused and touched that he ventured into the disney store just for me. he was looking for a Bolt plushie, but couldn't find one. either way, it makes me happy.

a car charger for my phone. so practical, but very much needed!

it hasn't arrived yet, but he informed me he got me the art of Ookiku Furikabutte book. i'm excited to receive this.


From his parents:
2 belts, brown and black. i needed this badly!

3 sets of socks, black, white and blue. i needed these too! all mine have holes!

a fleece bath robe. not really digging the peace sign/hearts/rainbow colored pattern, but i enjoy being the owner of a robe

a ticket to the Tigers winter banquet here in grand rapids! get to see curtis granderson and dave dombroski. we think there might be a Q&A session. Kevin is pleased. he has some things to say to dombrowski.


My dad gave me like $35. I didn't really count it up, but i think that's what it was.


Tomorrow I work, Saturday I go to my mom's extended family party, then to a hockey game in grand rapids. Sunday i'm going to my brothers to see my mom and my family, then leaving early to catch the second half of the panthers game. I feel bad that kevin has to miss the first half, but he is nice enough to not miss my family function. so we agree we'd go eat, exchange gifts, then head out.


anyway, i think he's waiting for me to go downstairs and watch tv with him. and i think there's pie. 

Letter #1 has arrived! (Actually #2, because the letter I sent to Converge was "return to sender" because of a bad address)

Kevin received a package from the Carolina Panthers yesterday.

To recap for those who don't know, I sent out about 18 letters asking celebrities for autographs because I couldn't afford a gift for Kevin.

The Panthers didn't send any autographs but they did send some pretty cool things.

First was this bandanda that I have now taken over and will be wearing on Sundays from now on.



Pretty Nifty, huh?


A roster



Poster of the mascot SirPurr and a beer cozy (well we don't have beer, but I can go get Kevin some glass bottle Cokes if he really wants to put it to use).



Some postcard type things of two players



A book from the Panthers/Colts game that's pretty cool as well



There was also a poster with the cheerleaders but it was lame and they looked like old skanks.




Anyway. I'm excited to find out how many more he'll be getting!

However, they did include my original letter which Kevin did read. I thought it was embarrassing but he thought it was nice. I gave him the letter I sent to Converge and he read that one as well. I guess he wants to hold on to it which I thought was odd, but sweet.


So.... 2 down, 16 to go!

A little annoyed that I couldn't get any work done today in sculpture class. The welder was broken and then when he got it up I hesitated because I don't know how to set up. I usually just use someone else's settings. But there was someone using it the whole entire class period. The other one was fixed but no one really knew so then someone took that one. When he left that dumb bitch Sigourney (which isn't even her real name) got to it before me. So I just sat on my laptop and look like I didn't do shit today. So I'm sure my grade is going down, down, down. I really do hate that class. I better pass. I know he hates my project, but what do you expect students to make when you say "make anything you want." That is the most RESTRICTING, LIMITING kind of assignment to give. They think that we're artists and giving us artistic freedom will unleash are creativity but that does the opposite.

Anyway, I work at 5 today and it's been raining all morning and afternoon. I hope it doesn't freeze by the time I get out later tonight.

Tomorrow I'm excited because Meagan is coming over to make candy with me. I think I'm going to make truffles and turtles. But if it doesn't work, oh well. We can make a mess and talk about graphic novels, or school, or animation or whatever. Either way I'm looking forward to finally hanging out with someone. I'm a bit of a bum when it comes to it, and usually pass up offers, or never get around to hanging out with anyone. Mostly because I hate the drive, or I like to spend any time I can with Kevin when he's not at work. But I'm lacking in friends so meeting some cool people this semester, including Meagan and Christina (who unfortunately lives in Muskegon) made me happy.

Speaking of Kevin, all his gifts have arrived. I know he never checks my LJ so I am going to write about it here. I got him a Deangelo Williams jersey. I wanted to get the alternate blue but the black is the one that I found. I bought a cheap-o knock off one for $10.00 but then realized it wasn't a good replication, so I spent the $50 to get a nice one and have sent the bad on back. Kevin is obsessed with proving that Hank Greenberg was an amazing baseball player and the 2nd best Tiger (behind Ty Cobb). So I foud him a Hank Greenberg figurine all nice and unpackaged in it's box. It's from series of toys from 1996, from Cooperstown (the Baseball Hall of Fame). That was like 3.99 so with shipping was around $10 totall.

Last I found him a book written during the Panthers first year about the start of their franchise. It was like $1.99 (about $5.00 total with shiping). It's probably not any good but it's more of a joke than anything. But he also doesn't have any books on them so I thought it'd at least look good on his make-shift book shelf full of sports books (that mostly I read).

But now I'm keeping an eye on some auctions on ebay for some DS games. Mainly Dragon Quest. If I can nab it for under $15 total then I'll get it.

Oh and so ebay does this stupid thing that when you log off it shows you things similar to what you've been bidding on or looking at. Even if you log out, someone logs in, and they log out, it still shows some of your stuff! So Kevin might of glimpsed what I was doing. But I didn't realize it did this (I know it showed my own why *I* logged out but not after someone else does). So after I logged out it showed an item or two similar to what I was looking at, but it also showed some Nintendo Wii products. Now, Kevin has been logged in and out before me. And he won't let me see what he's bidding on, so I'm assuming it's a gift for me. But Nintendo Wii?? That just seems too expensive and too grand a gift. I wouldn'd mind a DS though... they have some kick ass mind games and stuff for those. Anyway, I asked him "Did you win the item you were bidding on?" and he simply said, "no."

So that's the last thought I'll give that anyway.

I also made him this utterly ridiculous madlib that involves sports. Maybe I'll post a copy of it later. But it's pretty funny. I had him fill out the blanks on a seperate piece of paper so he doesn't know what it's for.

I began to wrap the presesnts. I crinked up and worn down some brown paper bags. I wrapped them in that and then tied some string around it, so it looks like those old packages people used to get in the mail. I don't want him suspecting at all that I got him a jersey (I think he might have overheard me talking about it, even though he says he has no idea what his gift is). So I bundled it as small as I could and put it in a very small box. Wrapping presents and being sneaky about it is so fun...

I'm so excited to get home and finish wrapping them and making the card (it includes the madlib).

Oh, I also have a t-shirt template to make!




But I'm pretty hungry and might leave for work a little early now so I can cook my soup there.


P.S. I'm sick of my boss and sick of her texting me all the time. It's so unprofessional, and annoying. She can't tell me anything to my face.

Very cute. But my eyes are still adjusting after taking off the 3D glasses so I'll write later.