Here are a few jumbled photos of my travels on the grey hound and on a Boeing 757. I didn't feel like taking any other pics of my trip. Next time...













p.s I love the new file uploader.

This is just cause I need to bitch right now. Maybe I should take up stiching?

These stupid companies are at the point of making me want to blow something up. Oops are we allowed to say that? I was just kidding I swear. Please don't send homeland security after me.

There is nothing that gets me more aggravated than calling companies only to get caught up in a complicated system of push 1 for this, 2 for this, 3 for that.

HSBC has this new security key code I have to enter to do online banking. I forgot it twice. They only give you two opportunities to enter code and if they are incorrect they lock it forever until you call the 800# to have them unlock it. Once it is unlocked you have to reset everything and then call them back. They then ask you a million questions and keep you on the phone for like fifteen minutes with someone who doesn't speak english all that well.

Then I decide to pay my CRICKET bill two days early. Usually I don't remember until they send me a text message the day before it is due to remind me. I can't stand this government phone anymore. The service is horrible and I can't even have a converstation with my boyfriend without dropping the call or not being able to hear or some crap. I get only 30 minutes of roaming time a month which is almost nothing considering if you call and get someone's voicemail and hang up right away they charge you two minutes for. They also delete minutes everytime you text. So for $60/mo I pay for my aggravation.

To make things worse CRICKET has changed their payment policy. If you are one day late they charge you $15. If you are three, goodbye service. They use to allow extensions but now on top of crummy service they are unbearably rigid. You can't call and talk to someone about it because they force you to pay your bill before allowing you the luxury of talking with one of their phone bitches. I owe $30 in late payments now and I have decided to not give them any money at all. I'm getting a new phone. Does anyone have a plan that doesn't suck?

Had a surprise visit today from two of the girls I went to Cuba with. One of them just returned after another semester there. It was good to see them, because really I haven't made any effort to stay in contact with anyone. That is a problem of mine staying in contact with people. Anyways the semester at the University of Havana didn't go so well this time. There is so much that gets in the way there such as spying and paranoia to the extreme. It reminded me of why I wanted to leave while I was there.

They told me that it is now legal in Cuba to have a sex change. This means that the procedure is covered under their universal coverage. Contradictions like these are daily. We talked about the change that many Cubans are craving and we also thought of the chance of too much change. We all agreed that McDonald's presence in Cuba would be horrific. It is so hard for me to imagine, but the thought of the golden arches in Havana is painful. Of course eating at the state run Rapido is a nightmare in itself. There was nothing to be enjoyed at el Rapido except the ice cold Bucaneros. Actually could be considered worse than the school lunches they serve the unfortunate children here.

I guess I just still haven't figured out an answer to any of my questions that I had before this experience. Cuba must retain its independence from the US and from any other country really. It was a terrible mistake on the part of the Revolution to become so reliant on the Soviet Union. The suffering they endured during the "special period" is still remembered by people my age. Then they served a ball of rice with a piece of candy for school lunches.


Sugar is the unsweet tragedy of everything about Cuba since 1492.

You tube sucks

I think that I have achieved success in making my own business. From my craigs list ad online I was able to find a woman who wants me to clean for 10 hrs a week. That in combination with the jobs I allready have will provide a very steady income until I graduate. Yay for me and creating a solution to my financial problems. Still I have a bumpy road ahead, but I think that I have improved my direction.

My new client is from California. I worked at her home today and cleaned two of her bathrooms and the kitchen while washing the bed clothes and making the beds. Not bad I would say for 6 hours considering I washed all the walls and stuff. She told me that in California they normally have the cleaner live in the house and that she has found that they don't normally do that here in buffalo. Maybe I will if I get booted from where I am living I'll become a livein Butler. This is the first time I have been asked to do someone's personal laundry. It seems so strange to me, cause for me I would never imagine anyone else doing my laundry. She has two dogs that are both fun and annoying. One is constantly running around worried and barking. Cuties though.

Now that I got some cash I can do some light Christmas shopping. Got a few ideas after window shopping in the "village". My friend wants this book:

A Guide to Elegance: For Every Woman Who Wants to Be Well and Properly Dressed on All Occasions



I called Talking Leaves to see if they had it. I couldn't help but giggle like a little girl as I read the title over the phone.