If budgets are for the weak then call me the Ukraine.

I walked up to the teller booth and said, "I'm here to make my very late car payment."

"Okay. What's your account number?" he said as if people default all the time.

"I'm not sure," I said as I handed him my ID.

"Your payment's been made already."

I furrow my brow. "By whom?" He clicks at his computer box and informs me that in July there was a double payment made. One on the third (when the payment is due) and one a few weeks later.

I look at him and say, "That's the best news I've heard all day." I handed him a check for $230 so I could pay more of the remaining balance. $4,300.

"Now your payment isn't due until November."

I was over cautious. My father is the co-signer on my loan (I have no credit). I must have made my payment then freaked out a week later thinking it wasn't paid. The last thing I need is my dad taking my car away. That was the threat, you see. "Allison, this is building your credit as well as mine. If you default, I'm taking your car away. This is a privlidge not a right." Thanks Dad. I won't let him down. Nobody wants to face the wrath of Dad...besides I like the Impala. It is mine and nobody elses.

I've had to rewrite my budget form fortnightly to semi-monthly. The guys in accounting have somewhat helped me along (and when I say somewhat I mean didn't). Not that it took too much of my time. I just needed to change some dates on my extensive Excel spreadsheet. Just as I was hired they were changing the pay system from fortnightly to semi-monthly. I asked them about this. I plead my small case (mostly involving the word fortnightly because I think it's a sweet word). They plead their case, It's easier to do budgeting and payment. Okay, okay. The tall guys in accounting have talked me into it.

Change is good right?

In response to the little cartoon in Jeremy's comment on SWAK

I went to the rush carnaval on Thursday and decided that I'm going to put myself out there. I'm joining a sorority...me...Miss Do I Look Transparent to You? is going the way of the hot girl. First, I cut my hair. Second, I bought some new clothes. Third, I'm going to rush.

I would really love to start dating. It's been a year and a half since I've been home from the Stan and I figure that's long enough. I might as well improve my odds. What better than joining a large group of women that meet once a week in a sisterhood. Wait...should I join a fraternity? That is a large group of men that meet once a week in brotherhood. I think my chances of meeting men are greater if I join a fraternity. This actually isn't the point of my post.

Actual point of my post:

I was at this carnaval and I ran into a few old friends. Friends from choir. Friends from three years ago. One "friend" (I use quotes because I guess the term is used quite loosly in this sence) that fell the freak in love with me. Let me tell you the story.

I believe it was fall semester. I was sitting at the choir table with...um, choir people. A young man walked up and sat with us. He's one of Ashely's friends. We start getting our chat on. Soon, I need to leave for work. We exchanged phone numbers. Not bad I say.

He called me that night and set up a date for the next day. He took me to lunch. We have great conversation. We set a date for the following night.

Let me preface this next part with this: The whole time in our conversations I'm saying, "I'm glad to be getting to know you better." "This is the getting-to-know you phase of our friendship." "I'm not looking for anything serious right now." Are these phrases clear? I really thought they were.

We go to an open house for a friend of mine who was leaving on the mish. I indroduce them and she asks me what our story is. I explain we had just met and we're friends right now. Then he pips up with, "We're not really sure what we are yet." To that I say, "We're friends getting to know eachother." To which he responded, "But we're still not sure." I let it go.

He took me to dinner all the while he's bending over backward to impress me with his knowledge of the scriptures and his ability to change every little thing about himself in order for me to fall in love with him. Not hot. It's one thing that you are a master scriptorian. Let me find out in Sunday School not in a conversation over pasta. Another thing, don't change any/everything about yourself thinking it's going to impress a chick you've known for 72 hours. I'm not one of those girls who marries a guy after three weeks of knowing him.

I'm ready to run away at this point. Run the freak away. He scared me to death. Fortunately, for me, our server was cute.

He drives me home and walks me to my door. At the doorstep I must break the bad news that I think we'd be better of as friends. I do so. He tells me that's it's cool and walks away.

Not 30 seconds later I get a text message: Next time, do the dumping befor dinner.

My eyes widen and my heart starts to race. Are you kidding me?

With out thinking my reply was: I didn't think there was anything to dump. We weren't dating.

I saw him at the Institute once or twice after that. I would say hi to him and he would ignore me. I laughed outloud when that happened. I'm 23 years old. We're not in high school. We are both adults.

Which brings me to the carnaval. I saw this fellow and without even batting an eyelash I attempt to catch up with him. He quickly flashes me his wedding ring and says it was a great summer. "I guess it has been," I replied. (Big Gulp's eh, well) see you later. Good luck to you and your teen bride who married you for your money...law trust fund, thank you Daddy.

So. Getting smothered does happen. Case and point. He scared me. Now I know the mindset of some of these men and women.

I would never rip someones skin off and salt him. I would never cut someone in half with a chain saw. I might, hopefully on as few occasions as possible, rip someone's beating heart out of their chest.

Maybe I should leave that to Dr. Jones.

SWAK

I'm going to throw this out there. If you don't want it, throw it back. Salt Lake men are afraid of women. I (as in me, Allison) was hit on twice in the fair city of Denver. It makes me feel good. Natually, Ashely and Michelle were hit on more but the sheer fact that men wanted to hang out with me was amazing.

I'm going to throw this out there as well (please, do me a favor, don't gush over me as if this is news) I can count on one hand how many men have asked me on a date since I was 18. One a year, I guess that's not bad. I don't want to say I don't understand you guys (I have spent a lot of time learning the male brain) but what is your deal? I'm a single, generally attractive, disese free woman. Why don't men ask me out?

One of the men that hit on me is moving to Utah for grad school. I sure do hope he calls me.

To top off this great trip: I kissed Logan (Ashley's brother) on the forehead.

Kudos to you, Denver men, to give Ashley, Michelle and me something to hope for.

While you were out doing whatever it is you like to do...

...Allison was having the best week ever!

After the lousy month of July, Allison was looking for someething to perk her spirits. She applied for as many jobs as she could on Monster. She found that many places are looking for employees. The first employer she emailed got back to her a week later. She interviewed on Friday, August 4th, noticing that it was casual Friday. They called her for references (a good sign). After three glowing reviews of what I'm not sure she really posesses, they called her back for a second interview with the team on Monday, August 7th. As she was walking through the office on Monday she noiced jeans, t-shirts and flipper-floppers were not just a Friday thing; it was an everyday thing. The team "grilled" her (and whe I say "grilled" I mean talked to her) for 20 minutes (very informal interview). They said they would get back to her in a couple days. 45 minutes later...the job was hers. She starts Wednesday, August 9th, Pam 6.0ing for Global Medical Staffing.

Death Cab for Cutie is appearing in concert at the McKay Event Center on Tuesday, August 8th. This only adds to Allison's best week ever. She gets to go be with friends and have great conversation. Revitalized, energized is Allison's new attitude.

On a side note, she found out that Panic! at the Disco and the Plain White T's are on their way to Salt Lake City in November only verifying Allison's best week ever.

Thanks for reading Allison's best week ever.

Pam (Allison) 6.0

In approximately eight and a half hours I will be interviewing for a job as Pam.

I don't get nervous when I have to sell my knowledge, skills and abilities. It does make me think that I'm saying more that what I really am. Does that ever bug you? My resume is the biggest line. Did I really do all those things? Is this knowledge really up in my brain? I submit to you that Jack of all trades is the master of none. Let's have a looksee at my resume.

Swimming Coach
Legislative Intern
Telephone Survey Specialist
Wal*Mart Service Deli
Wal*Mart Cahsier
Army
Meat Cutter
Set Merchandiser

and quite possibly

Secretary

I've never held a job longer than a year. Army doesn't count. That's a duty not a job~tangent~and being deployed doesn't count either. Again, it's my duty but I was on the other side of the world. I couldn't just quit. Also if I did quit I would be a civilian in a warzone having to find my own way home. No military assistance. We flew to Afghanistan on the taxpayers dime. I wouldn't want to fly out of the Kabul airport...do they have an airport?

I need this job badly. It's a nine to five, 401k, medical, dental, vision. After the interview it's up to the company and their ability to say, "There's something different about her. She has no experience but let's hire her anyway."

A recurring thought

It seems to me that maybe
It pretty much always means no
So don't tell me you might just let it go
And often times we're lazy
It seems to stand in my way
Cause no one no not no one
Likes to be let down
It seems to me that maybe
It pretty much always means no
So don't tell me you might just let it go
~Jack Johnson, Flake

I want to swim away but don't know how
Sometimes it feels just like I'm falling in the ocean
Let the waves up take me down
Let the hurricane set in motion
Let the rain of what I feel right now come down
Let the rain come down
~Blue October, Into the Ocean

Why am I thinking of such things?
I guess it's time for Allison to do some sorting.

Commentary on rain and future events.

I love summer thunder storms.

What does August have in store? Work, trip to Colorado, catching up on sleep, Death Cab for Cutie, quite possibly a social life.

Naptime.