Charleston, Here I Be

My fingers are twitching to correct the incorrect usage of grammar in this post title, but I'm trying to curb that urge. I have to learn to take a chill pill when it comes to grammar because when I hear people talk, I automatically correct their grammar and it's only my natural reticence around people I don't know very well that saves me from the horrible faux pas of openly correcting them. Mainly it's replacing improperly used adjectives with adverbs, but I can't figure out why I care so much! Maybe I'm just that anal.

I'm here in Charleston now, good ole Chucktown as I heard it called the other day. I'm staying with Darren and Kim, with Pi and Hobbes's permission of course. I love Pi and Hobbes! They're so cute and funny and both are real characters. Darren and Kim are just OK...just kidding!

Wow, that sounded really cheesy. Sorry! Anyway, I have my clothes, computer, books, movies, CD's, my Captain Jack Sparrow Talking Action Figure, and my Captain Jack Sparrow Fleece blanket safely stowed at Kim and Darren's, and there's even room for all of it in the guest bedroom! Darren put up the blinds in the room this morning, so I'll have some privacy from the peeping toms that might or might not be outside as soon as I start staying in there, which won't be for at least two weeks I'm told because they need to order a futon mattress. I'm not in any hurry - I'm on the couch right now which means I get a ton of AC when I go to sleep, and I can watch TV or play Wii until I get tired. See? I'm in no hurry whatsoever to sleep upstairs.

Mom, Dad, and Rob came down this weekend to bring me a few things (namely said J. Sparrow Action Figure, and then my complete collection of Jane Austen's works, including her short stories), and to pick up their white Ford Focus. Sadly, it isn't mine and I don't get to keep it. I did get to drive it downtown yesterday and had my very first lesson in pseudo-parallel parking, but it's on its way back to North Carolina today. Adios! I don't have a car at the moment, and that would present a problem if not for the awesomeness of my older brother Darren letting me drive his car, a black Ford Focus. It's a cool ride and aside from the lack of AC and a loose steering wheel, it's wonderful. Darren even replaced the brake light that had been out for a few years today! I'm actually used to a loose steering wheel at home - though on a lawn mower - so I'm not terribly freaked out about it, but I have some advice from Kim about what to do if I really really want him to get it fixed.

On Friday, we all went (with TJ and Susan) to a really neat Mexican Restaurant and had margaritas and some very good food before we retired to Susan's place for eclair pudding (I think that's what it was called). It was very tasty, especially on Saturday night when Susan and TJ cooked out for us and Susan's mom brought a Cheesecake which neither Kim, Darren, nor I could eat (it had almond cookies and I just don't care for cheesecake). Mom, Dad, Rob, and TJ are now on their way back to NC, and Kim and I just went with her friend Libby to Rebecca's (not my sister) son Connor's birthday party at the Children's Museum. It was a lot of fun and the museum is AWESOME! I wanted to play with everything, especially in the water room! I wish I could have had a place like that growing up, and I wish they'd make a place like that with a kid theme but built for adults to play in because I'd be there in a heartbeat! Libby is a really cool person who shares my love of J. Austen's works, including the film adaptations of her novels, and I thoroughly enjoyed a brief conversation with her about Austen's works to the almost complete confusion of my surrounding family.

And now, here I sit at some guy named Chris's computer, using Darren and Kim's work's internet to check my mail (15 messages, 6 of which were Washington Post, CNN, and NY Times updates, and then the rest were junk mail...doesn't anyone love me enough to send me a real email?!?). I start work tomorrow, so hopefully I can drive Darren's car tonight to get used to it so when I leave tomorrow at 7:30 or thereabouts, I don't freak out while driving it. I have orientation tomorrow at 8am, and I'll be working 8-5 for a few weeks (I'm betting two), and then I switch to 4am-12, so if anyone working a normal day job wants to do lunch, I'll probably be available (well, some restrictions may apply. For instance, you have to be in Charleston, sorry!). And that's about it.