And while I didn't sleep all night, I fell asleep at approximately 3 pm and woke up at 5:18 pm (I remember looking at the clock). I just now woke up AGAIN. Dammit. I hope I don't have problems sleeping tonight...

Of course that means I didn't get much done tonight...But shit I must have been really tired. My knee, while still hurting, doesn't seem to hurt as much. Which is good because I really should go out and get some food, since I am hungry again. I also need to shower though, as I'm icky from the morning love making :P

So...I got fake nails yesterday XD They are longer than I normally get them, so they are kinda annoying...Especially to type with! But they *do* look good. I only wear jewelry when I have nails, because I normally am a biter of teh nails, and they look gross. I didn't get any color put on them, but the lady did this thing where they used both the white and pink acrylic powders so they look quite natural (when not examining them too closely, of course).

The cats (Rozz, for the most part...) keeps jumping up the way too get at my spider webs. It's really pissing me off! I don't know why he has this obsession with my spider webs, but I've taken them down/let them be on the ground. They don't seem to care for them if they aren't hung up -_-; damn cats.

Well, I apparently also have vacaton. This means my next trip (15th-20th) is a paid vacation. No workie for me, and I still get paid for it! Yays! Although I don't know what I am going to do with myself ;_; Maybe clean, definately get my car taken care of (especially since I have around $1,000 in my bank account). Perhaps do some CW shows to get more $$$. I haven't done anything like that in a long time. Perhaps work on new websites (the train one, crews website, customer service website, 'cw' website, stuffs like that).

I was thinking about printing off 'business cards' with the crew_in_blue URL on it, to give to my co-workers if they get online. I found a package of blank business cards so I wouldn't even have to buy any, but just design one (which isn't that hard...) It would be nice to have a place for on-board service workers to get together to talk. As mentioned previously, I haven't foun anyplace online for OBS amtrak peoples. I did, however, find something of a 'crew' website...It was created by a crew who works on the Zepher, but it is so poorly laid out it hurts my eyes ;_; and it's just about THEM, and pictures of them, etc. Which is cool but not what I want.

I keep wondering what would happen to me if Amtrak died...What sort of job would I get after it. I would probably reapply to airlines, and I can safely say at least I would be granted an interview because Amtrak and airlines deal with the same issues (seniority, being on-call, etc) and have the advantage over 'normal' people who would apply. However, the main issue is 'where would I live?' Could I afford to continue to live in the apartment with Xiris? BLAH. I abhore thinking about the future. All the future will be is the same as the present, but at a later time. More issues with money.

I just want to be a hermit and live in a cave. They have no money issues. That's all this world is about -- money. Not the environment, or contacting more intelligent beings from another world, or bettering the human race (shit we need it!). I want to live in one of my books god dammit. No grand adventures are available in this world -- unless you have money. Fucking A. I'm screwed.

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In addition to doing the 'nasty' last night, me and Xiris also watched the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Apparently, he never saw it before! Shame on you XD It brought back fond memories from when I used to perform as Frankie with the cast in Merrillville, IN. I'd like to go again, but I would probably demand a large group of people to go with, since I am afraid that retawd will be there XD

I have been gone nearly a year from Palace.

Oh, and new developments on the sister thing...And they aren't good XD And I don't feel like typing about them, either.

And I co-founded a group for Amtrak workers, those who wish to get info on becoming an Amtrak worker, or those who just want to know what life is like on the train at crew_in_blue.

That is all.

This last work trip kind of sucked...I mean, I had to spend Christmas at a hotel XD And my train was so late, I barely had time to go to a store to get food, before they closed for the evening (early, at 6 pm!). Salsa and chips were my Christmas dinner. At least i had Cartoon Network to give me Christmas Cheers ^_^ I saw a few Inuyasha movies, along with some disturbing shows, one included a flying hot dog *shudders*

There were a few twat's on my train, but nothing out of the ordinary. Same usual stories. Oh yeah! I had bought this one book from Barns and Nobles -- entitled Around the World in a Bad Mood. I swear to Jebus -- it could have been written by a worker on the train! It was, in fact, written by a flight attendant...But the situations she writes about in her book, the people that come onto her plane -- it describes in almost every detail what it is like to work on a train :) I was actually trying to find, at the time, a book or something written by a train worker, but couldn't find one. Supposedly there are a few people who have written books (who used to work onboard Amtrak) but I have never found them.

It would be interesting to try to write a book about what it is like to work on the train. It would even make a great soap opera XD Or at least a reality show. The only problem is sometimes nothing does indeed happen on the train...But that is rare too :D

Anyways I made near $300 in tips, which I am grateful for. I only spent about $30 or so when I was in Portland and when I got back to Chicago. I drove my stupid car home, and the check engine light and ETS OFF buttons are still lit. However, my dad said he had his buddy who loves Cavaliers check it with an analyzer -- it said that the CE light is on because I need new spark plugs or spark wires. That is easy enough to fix, right? I hope so :D I also still have that recall on my car that I have to get taken care of, kinda bums me out to know that isn't the reason my car is being dumb (because of course, everything would get fixed for free hahaha...).

Oh My Gosh -- my apartment is so uber clean (compared to how it usually is...). xombie cleaned it up almost entirely! The bedrooms are still not perfect...But the living room and kitchen look wonderful. Thank you hun! Also he got me herbal pillow thingies for like, aromatherapy and shit. For aching backs, feet, tired eyes, etf. Basically stuff I need XD Teh train wears me out pretty thin, so these will definately come in handy. I have yet to see what I got from my mom, but since my dad drove me to work on this last trip he gave me my present -- I got a digital camcorder! Yays! It's by no means the best (in fact, it was probably pretty cheap -- my dad is notorious for buying cheap crap) but it is still a neat toy to have.

Anyways, Merry Whateveryoucelebrated!

I updated customers_suck with tales from the train trip, and don't feel like re-writing them all out agian. So go read them here.

Just got back from yet another work trip. This one SUCKED ASS. I made a pitiful amount in tips...just under $70 for the entire trip. You see I had a trainee in the cafe -- and I do believe in letting them do a little bit of everything in the cafe (or diner, as it were, if I were still working there) because they only get three training trips. Once they are on their own - they are really on their own, and if they get a massive debit or credit, its on them. Anyways, she wasn't very nice to the passengers (like I am...Crazy to think, eh? You would never tell that I am such a good little actress).

SPEAKING OF DEBITS, this trainee cost me $100 on my first set of paperwork to Portland. I was so mad. I have never gotten debits like this from Amtrak before. And unfortunetly if we are missing stock or money, we have to pay Amtrak. We aren't bonded employees, and it is illegal I am sure, but there is no way around it. It is part of the job -- so you make sure your paperwork, money, and stock are all correct.

I am glad to be home though, I missed my xombie so much XD I get so used to my six days off now that I never want to go back to work. I am listening to classical techno (or techno classical? *shrugs*) its good stuff.

And then my next work trip has me leaving out on the 22nd. Which means I will be on my layover in Portland on Christmas Eve. It just kinda sucks that I won't be home for the holidays :( But I'll be off on New Years ^_~

I've decided that if I am to buy a house, whenever that happens, that one of the rooms in the house will be a library. I don't care if its a small house -- if I buy a house with a basement I plan on finishing it and turning it into more rooms. I don't care if it doesn't up the real worth of the house -- it is a nice incentive for people to buy it though (if I ever plan on reselling). The real question is -- Do I really want to buy a house here in Indiana? Well, why not? It's no better or worse than anywhere else in the USA. My family is close here. And shit if I ever came into a ton of money, I'd build a house for my entire family to live in with me because I miss them XD

Um but anyways I got sidetracked. Yes, a library. Not so much because I love books and have tons of them (although I'm fairly sure I have more than your average 23 year old), but because a lot of my crap is paper items and book items. I could truly organize if I had so many shelves XD

Also, speaking of books, I found some more books that are from the late 1800's at the Goodwill store in Portland. They made my luggage very heavy XD

OMG My birthday is coming up. I'll be 24 years old on February 5th.