It's Pat!

I couldn't believe it. A couple of hours ago, I answered my mobile, and who was on the other end? Pat. After our last dealings a little over a month ago, the chowderhead actually had the gall to call me. I can only presume that his roommates have gone home for the summer.

It was funny in a way, really. The stormy weather was playing havoc with the connection, and after I realised who was calling, I half-credibly began bellowing, "Hello! Hello?! I can't hear you!" (while, in the background, my mother was rather loudly urging me to raise the antenna, and he was yelling something involving his name). Thankfully I hit "End" before I burst out laughing--and turned off the phone so he wouldn't try to call back. *g*

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At this point, it looks like it might actually cost about $100 less to fly into Shannon and take a RyanAir flight to London. This DIY approach seems as feasible as any other connection scheme.

Speaking of strange pricing with regards to connecting flights, on one online site I noticed that United will fly you to one of the London airports (I forget which) for the purpose of sticking you on an Aer Lingus flight to Shannon. This, of course, costs a couple hundred dollars less than their quoted price for flying you to London without the additional leg. No doubt a special deal, but bizarre nonetheless. Had I developed the knack of travelling with only carry-on baggage, this would actually be a tempting offer.

I think I should stop researching fares online for a while; it's giving me a headache. Talking to the nice lady at my travel agency might be a better idea, anyway. I do like to use local businesses as much as possible, and she might be able to find me at least as good a deal with less hassle.

Oh yes, I'm supposed to meet some guy tomorrow in Blacksburg who's interested in buying the guitar. Hopefully we can reach a mutually pleasant agreement on the price. Yay bburg.forsale!

Still racking my brain for things to try to sell on eBay. *g*

Can't stay away from those quizzes

. You don't tolerate shit. The .45 you carry in you pocket is scary, but your words are the real threat, especially when you decide to get Biblical. Try to take it easy, but maintain that edge of yours, which tends to keep people wary in your presence. Take the What Pulp Fiction Character Are You? quiz.

Procrastination

It has turned out to be a good thing that I never got around to returning the extra CPU fan that someone included in my order (and did charge me for) when I was putting together this box. It would be an even better thing if I would actually get around to turning it off and replacing the sucker. For the past week, after the CPU temperature began to alarm me, I've resorted to the makeshift measure of removing the side from the case and pointing a room fan at it when that wasn't enough. All to avoid five minutes' worth of wrangling with the clips with a screwdriver (the fasteners Speeze used on that model are brutal, though).

I'm more motivated to do it tomorrow, though, because it's gotten a bit cold, and that fan blowing near my legs isn't too pleasant. ;)

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After thinking about it probably too much, I'm considering trying to get a job at one of the local universities, instead of going straight back to school. The office-type positions I'd be likely to be considered for don't pay all that well, but I'm not that concerned as long as it's a decent living wage, and they do offer good benefits, which is more important for me than for some. This approach has worked well for one of my friends who withdrew from Tech before getting her BA, and one of my other friends wound up working there as well.

I might have a better chance at Virginia Tech, besides my credits already being there; staff can also take classes for free. That one friend has just finished her degree that way. I don't know if I'd be patient enough to do so one course at a time, but it would be a help, and I certainly wouldn't have to work there forever. I might also have a better chance, having been on the university's payroll proper before (if only as a research assistant), not just as work-study, and knowing people who are still in the Development office--besides Jennifer in Parking Services.

Funding may have been cut, but either Tech or RU still seems like a decent bet for a tolerable job with benefits, considering my current education level and marketable skills (damn the obligatory "marketable"!). And I've had to face that money is a more pressing need than finishing my degree as quickly as possible, at this point. I believe I will look into what's available and see if I can find something that starts in fall; I think I'm ready.