Super duper news

Congratulate your friend Margaret. She has taken a giant leap into adulthood: I'm developing a drinking problem! No, wait. That's not true. I'm getting an apartment! It's a lovely one bedroom that lies about 2 minutes from my office. If I am sitting at my desk, looking out my window, I can see my lovely little development. Luckily, I can't see my office from my own apartment. I think that's a good thing. I can move as soon as I can find the time to move. Now there's the problem... I never seem to have any time. I'll probably start moving in shifts this weekend. Though really the only thing I know I'm taking with me from the house is my bed. And Robbie. I am in the market to buy a lot of things. Here's my list:

sofa
chair
coffee table
end table
lamps
desk
small dining room table
dresser
shower curtain
towels
dishes
wall art
toaster

Yowzas. That's lots of stuff.

I'm currently in the process of trying to convince my mother that she should pay me child support for Robbie. It makes perfect sense to me, but when I brought it up with her she thought I was kidding. I'm not kidding! Finding an apartment that will allow dogs and is also NOT disgusting is very, very hard. And not cheap. If I was just looking for a place for Margaret, I could have found a nice place that didn't allow dogs for cheaper than my nice place that does allow dogs. Now, I love Robbie more than I could love a human baby, but I don't understand how a dog that we got as a family when I was 14 has, all of a sudden, become my complete responsibility. To get all psychiatrical (totally thought I was making that word up, but it turns out I'm not) on you for a minute, this is what I think is going on: A couple of years ago my mother took a job that requires her to travel 5 days of the week. When I was at Valpo, this meant that Robbie was either staying with his Auntie Kirsten during the week or staying at the kennel. Instead of allowing herself to feel any of the guilt of abandoning the dog, my mother placed all the guilt entirely on me. "Why can't Robbie live with you in your apartment in Valpo?" "Why can't he live at one of the fraternity houses?" "Why can't he live with one of your professors?" "I guess you don't really love Robbie, I guess we're going to have to give him away." I allowed all this guilt to be placed on me, as if it were actually my fault that the dog was at the kennel more than he was at home. I felt so guilty that I didn't even think about moving anywhere else after college except home to take care of my dog. (Not that I had so many other options, but shut up.) When I made it clear that I wanted to move to my own place, I was "abandoning" the dog again and proving once again that I don't love the dog, and blah blah blah. So I looked hard and eventually found a livable place that accepted Robbies. Anyways, I could go on, but I don't think any of us want me to, so I'll stop. Long story short: My mother is making me feel guilty so she doesn't have to, and I don't think that's any bit of fair. She should feel guilty and she should alleviate that guilt by paying child support.

So yeah... apartment is the most exciting story as of late. But I will fill you in on the slightly less exciting, but still totally awesome, details of my life.

I have been a plane ticket buying fiend lately. I'm heading up to Chicago for Memorial Day weekend (hopefully for some bachelorette activities), down to North Carolina for Father's Day (for $40, thank you Skybus!!), and up to Minneapolis via Chicago for the big wedding! It was actually cheaper for me to buy a plane ticket to Chicago and a separate plane ticket to Minneapolis than it was to fly directly from Columbus to Minneapolis. If that's not whack, I don't know what is. In any case, I'm v. excited for all upcoming trips.

Guess who has visited the capital city in the last month: Vivian! And Caroline! Though not at the same time cause that would have been too convenient. Both were here for, like, 5 seconds, but it was still very nice. And Vivian is coming back for the summer. It will be so confusing (what year is this?!?), yet wonderful.

Now for a segment of Margaret and Kirsten Appreciate the Arts: my colleague, Kirsten, and I made a trek to Hamilton Township High School to take in a show of Fiddler on the Roof. My friend, Heather, is a choir director at Hamilton which is actually why we went to this show. We're not totally creepy. Only somewhat. Anyway, it was hilarious. Though not intentionally. Whoops.

Margaret and Kirsten Appreciate the Arts, part II: Andrew Bird came to our fair city to put on a show at the Southern Theatre. That guy just amazes me. If you ever get the chance to see him in concert, please don't hesitate. Buy your tickets, you won't regret it. He's so weird. Like a mad scientist. But with a violin. And an amazing ability to whistle. His opening act was Cortney Tidwell. If you ever get the chance to see her in concert, hesitate. Hold off on buying your ticket. See if anyone invites you for free, and then go only if you have absolutely nothing else to do.

Margaret goes to the online video store:
Shortbus - I watched this alone and I still felt awkward. But that's probably just because I'm ridiculously immature.
Half Baked - Crap.
You, Me and Dupree - Multiple piles of crap.
Stranger than Fiction - Better than Good.
Blades of Glory - My feelings for Amy Poehler are no secret. Brills.
Music & Lyrics - Drew Barrymore almost didn't ruin this movie for me. But then she did. However, Kristin Johnson: hilarious.
Extras: Season 1 - Pee my pants funny.

Well this feels like it's been a ridiculously long post. I need a nap.