Fourth of July
2002-07-06, 3:32 p.m.

I no longer have internet access at home and frankly I'm quite obsessive about checking my email...so it's been quite a trial for me.

I had an interesting fourth.

Went to a friend's house. I will never understand the appeal to adults of playing with firecrackers. When I was little, I loved black cats (the firecrackers). I'd stick them in soda bottles and my mom would yell at me because it had been an entire week without a trip to the emergency room for one of the kids and she was afraid that I was going to blow my hand off.

But now, they don't appeal to me. I guess I don't have enough testosterone coursing through my body to truly understand the beauty of firecrackers.

Even big displays of fireworks don't appeal to me. The first couple, I'm all "oooo...pretty." But after that I get extremely bored.

So, I get back home and there is a message on my door from the neighbor. He left the message to tell me that the back windshield of my car had been broken. I find this interesting because I don't really know the neighbor...it's a smile and "how are you doing" kind of relationship. Yet he knows my car but not my name. I don't know his name either...that's why I call him "the neighbor." I'm so damn creative sometimes.

I got the valuables out of my car, which consisted solely of my stereo faceplate, portable cd player and some cds. Then I called my sister because I was in some severe need of sympathy.

She sympathized. I hung up. She called back (she's finally learned to wait until I pick up instead of leaving a quick message as I have a habit of screening my calls). She called to warn me that it would be approximately $600 to fix it. She offered to send me the money or buy my plane ticket home for christmas. I was depressed...but I watched Sex and the City and giggled and was happier.

The next morning I called several places:

place number one: $593.63

Place number two: busy signal

place number three: $575 but they couldn't fix it until tuesday

place number two again: busy signal

place number four: $625

place number five: no service in my area

Place number two again: still busy.

So, I sat down and looked at my options and decided not to think about it and watch elimindate instead.

I was about to call the cheapest place (place number one) when I decided to call place number two one more time....$350...I love place number two. But they couldn't fix it until saturday morning.

But, I had to go to the bank and the grocery store as I needed to deposit my paycheck to cover rent and I was out of tea and bread.

So, I went outside and knocked the rest of my window out (it was cracked all the way around so it was quite easy and fun). Then I spent an hour cleaning up the glass...two very helpful teenagers stopped and said:

"wow, is your window broke." I have great hope for today's youth.