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DASH 8, originally uploaded by LykosAlpha.

When I was flying to NY my continental flight was mega delayed and I wasn't going to make my connection in Cleveland. So of course, the airline didn't inform me of this when I checked in. Instead they waited until I had done all of that and walked away then they paged me. The morons then informed me of the situation and took forever to get me on another flight - a USAir flight connecting out of Pittsburgh. I didn't care b/c I was still getting there albeit 2 hrs later. So I got up early for nothing and waited in line to check my bag for nothing.
Anyway, the flight to Pittsburgh was uneventful. After landing and waiting at the gate for my connecting flight I see the plane pull in. It was the same plane as in the pic but it looked like it had been through a war - it was beat to shit, the paint was peeling off it. Now take this into mind - I have no problem with flying. I've flown close to 200,000 miles but I make it a point to avoid turboprop propeler plane b/c they scare the crap out of me. Here I was faced with my flying nightmare scenario and the plane was so beat up and old looking it looked like Charles Lindburgh should could have been the pilot. I called a friend and told her that if I die to make sure my parents keep both the fuzzies that's how scared I was.

Terrified I got on the plane and once the plane's engines started I thought my ears were going to explode. The engines were so loud and got even louder as the plane took off and climbed that my eyes started to water from the loudness. I'm sure that the noise going on then exceeded all federal standards for decibel levels without ear protection. It eventually evened out (the noise level) but I couldn't hear shit for hours.

That was the worst flying experience of my life and I will never ever fly a turboprop plane again no matter what. To top it off I actually got "ok buh-bye'd" by the snarky flight attendand. USAir SUX!!!!!!

What a craphole

Well I went and scoped out Western New England and the town and the end result is I didn't like it at all. It was reminiscent of New Brunswick circa 1990s and that's not a good thing. Also, I was disappointed with the law school building itself. It gave off a very cheap/second rate aura. It kind of reminded me of the College of Staten Island's old Sunnyside campus - that's also not a good thing. I wasn't expecting Ivy colored buildings nor was I expecting Harvard but I certainly wasn't expecting it to reek of CSI aka Harvard by the highway.

I do have to also live in the town for 3 years and I wasn't pleased with that either. So the end result is unless Michigan State is a craphole I'm going to Michigan State.

A funny thing happened while I was attempting to scope out places to live in Western Mass. I called this one woman who had left her info on the duplex she had for rent with the law school. I called the woman 2 days before flying up there and made an appointment to see her duplex. The plan was that I was to call Shirley either Friday nite or Sat. morning to set up the time to see the duplex. Well, I called her Sat. morning and this is how the conversation went:

Shirley: Hello
Me: May I speak with Shirley please?
Shirley: This is Shirley
Me: Hi Shirley, this is Elisa we spoke the other nite about me coming to see the duplex you have for rent
Shirley: Hi Elisa, I don't have a duplex for rent
Me: What? I spoke with you the other nite
Shirley: I don't have a duplex for rent
Me: Is it rented out now?
Shirley: I never had anything for rent I don't know what you're talking about
Me: Click

I was about to say, "Shirley you can't be serious!" (I hope you know where that's from) but I stopped myself.

I know I had the right number and I recognized the old bags voice - she's apparently lost her freakin' mind. Nevermind the fact that the apparent address she had given me didn't seem to exist. That was certainly a sign of things to come!

Tomorrow nite I'm driving up to Michigan State. I'm driving half way and grabbing a hotel for the nite and then resume the driving early Sat. morning so I can look at some apts. Sat. afternoon. I'd normally do the ride all in one day but I can't leave until tomorrow nite so whatever.

I pray Michigan State and East Lansing/Lansing are nice. I have so many damn apts. to look at it's not funny - something like 26. I had to make up a spreadsheet so that I can write in all the amenities and info and then be able to compare them to each other so I can make a decision. Some include some utilities, some include none. Some have pools and gyms or one or the other, some have none and this little piggy cried wee wee weeeeee all the way home. Yes, I'm cracking up. I feel like I'm going blind from looking up all this crap online.

I feel really bad for the fuzzies. Back in the kennel River goes and poor Tiggy will be all by her lonesome again. After I get back I'm supposed to go camping for a few days but that might have to be canceled. I have so much to do. After I make my decision about where I'm going to school I have to apply for all the loans and before I do that I have to figure out my cost of living blah blah blah. I need a personal assistant I can't handle all this crap by myself, it's too much.

Up Up and Away...

Tomorrow morning I'm flying up to NY and staying at my brother's house for a few days. On Saturday we're driving up to check out Western New England despite my feeling that I'm not going to attend WNEC. I want to see it before I make the final decision.

I'm flying to the airport that's about 10 mins. from his house which is cool but there's no direct flights. I'll have to change flights in Cleveland (groan). I hate that friggin' airport. It's been a while since I've had to go through there but all I remember is endless escalators and a lot of walking.

The real shitty thing about not having a direct flight is the giant waste of time it is. What would normally be just about a 2 hr. flight turns into an all day ordeal. My plane leaves Nashville at 8am and after switching planes I don't land in NY until 2pm. Let's not forget that I'll have to be at the airport really early so I can get through the long security lines and since I live about 40 mins. from the airport I'll probably have to leave here at about 6am. 6am - 2pm. Flying used to be so much easier. I just hope that my connecting flights are not late b/c that could lead to even more fun - sitting and waiting in the Cleveland airport.

One last complaint about flying....since 9/11 the airline I use no longer uses 737s and now uses these teeny (sp?) jets that are nosy and kinda cramped. I don't particularly care for them. It's like riding on a greyhound with wings.

I get back on Tuesday and then sometime next week I'm leaving for Michigan to check out Michigan State. I might as well go through with all the crap for that school b/c that's probably where I'm going but whatever. I should start shopping for sub-zero clothing.

Back to Reality

I got back from my vacation yesterday morning. Despite my vacation being a week long it was too short. Next time I take a vacation it's going to be 2 weeks straight. I was just getting into the vacation groove and then it was time to leave.

I love Hilton Head and I'd definatey go back. My condo was right on the beach - just a walk across the small parking lot and the 500 foot path and you were there. The only downer of the whole beach experience was that I got burned in a small area on both shoulders. Apparently the sun tan lotion I had was not good anymore b/c using 15 on my shoulders which are the only place I'll burn always works. I even reapplied it to my shoulders often but nevertheless I got burned badly on both side straddling the bathing suit shoulder strap. It's the worst sun burn I ever gotten. Thank god I've never really experienced a bad sun burn before this b/c it sux. It hurt badly for 2 days and then it was ok but now that it's peeling it hurts again b/c the skin is raw. Hopefully I'll never get another burn of any kind again.

Since Hilton Head is not far from Savannah I ventured into Savannah a couple of times. Savannah is a great city. The architecture of all the homes is amazing and so much of it was preserved. I also got to eat at Paula Deen's restaurant The Lady and Sons. If you want to experience the most delicious southern food you'll ever eat go eat at her restaurant.

In the middle of the week we all ventured to Charleston, S.C. That was kind of a long annoying drive. For some reason there's no interstate or any type of route to Charleston that's more direct than the 2 lane country road through swap country that we had to take. It seemed like it took forever. Luckily we gassed up before we left and we didn't have to make any bathroom stops b/c the gas stations were very few and far between.

Charleston is another beautiful city with a lot of great preserved historical homes. I liked Charleston a bit more - I can't put my finger on why and I wished I could have spent more time there other than the one day. We ate at Hyman's Seafood restaurant. It you go to Charleston eat there - it's an institution and they have the best fresh seafood and it's inexpensive.

At nite we went to a Charleston Riverdogs baseball game. They're a single A ball minor league affilliate of the Yankees. It was fun - minor league ball parks are great for cheap ass concessions. It was thirsty thursdays nite - beer and more beer on the cheap and the hot dogs were only $1.50! I think the last time I bought a hot dog for a buck fifty at a ball park was when I was 7 yrs old. What are they like $5.00 now at Yankee stadium? Ridiculous!

Unfortunately just like the Yankees the Riverdogs lost but seats right over the dugout for only $8.00 was well worth it.

I think I want to try to go to a warm beach place over Christmas break this year. Hilton Head is out b/c it won't be all that warm there but south florida is sounding good. Thank god for my time share.

Redneck Fishing

redneck_fishing_hole, originally uploaded by LykosAlpha.

I told my brother the other day that I went redneck fishing but it wasn't anything like this! I'm a sea dog - I like the ocean and fishing in salt water is my idea of fishing. I do like to fish though so I make do with the situation I have (living no where near the ocean.

Redneck fishing to me is what I did on Friday. I was fishing in a large pond with a small herd of dairy cows behind a fence behind me at about 50 feet from me. So many damn bugs I thought I was going to go insane. I was so gross from the heat, the bugs and the environment that it was 100 times worse than the gross factor from salt water fishing.

At least I caught something this time.

Vacation...

is all I ever wanted. Vacation had to get away..... remember that song by the Go-Go's? It's in my head b/c I am excited to be going on vacation on Friday. Hilton Head here I come!

I wish I could spend the whole week distracted from all this law school crap but that's impossible. At least I'll be somewhat relaxed.

I am so excited to lounge on the beach, go deep sea fishing and to check out Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC.

I also plan to check out Paula Deen's (if you watch the food network you'd know who she is) restaurant in Savannah. She's the Queen of southern comfort food.

I just hope the weather is good. I saw the forecast through Monday on tv earlier and it seemed like it was all rain. I don't put much creedence in forecasts of more than 2 days out b/c they don't seem to be too accurate so I'm hoping and praying it's wrong.

I pray that I get a little color. I'm not looking for a George Hamilton tan but just a little color. I'm so pale it's ridiculous.

I wish I could take the little fuzzies with me b/c I miss them when I'm away for a week but my timeshare doesn't allow pets. At least I'll know they'll be in good hands. The kennel they'll be at is great and have personnnel on site 24-7 unlike most kennels. Tiggy will have a huge cat condo, and River will have an indoor/outdoor run which she loves b/c she loves being outside.

I just thought again about how the hell I'm going to transport River and Tiggy when I move. Tiggy's really the problem. How do you transport a cat for a car ride that's going to be at a minimum 11 hours? It's not like you can walk a cat and my car isn't big enough for a cage big enough to hold a small litter box.

Am I Always Going To Be Broke?

Today I sat down and figured out all the financials for the two law schools I'm debating about. I'm on wait lists at so many law school that I would jump at the opportunity to go to (Rutgers, St. John's for example) but I have to start doing some kind of planning b/c I can't count on a seat opening up for me.

At option #1 where I was offered a more than half tuition scholarship, my approximate indebtness after law school would be $94,500.

Option #2, in the lovely and hot as hell Michigan, my approximate indebtness after law school would be $125,000.

It's not so cut and dry though. The scholarship in option #1 lowers my offering of federal student loans so I will have about $39,000 in private loans which will have higher interest rates. Option #2 will have about $22,000 in private loans b/c I will be eligible for more federal loans due to no scholarship.

Money isn't the only consideration. Option #1's bar passage rate isn't so hot while #2's is great.

This whole thing sux. I don't know how to decide. It'd be easy if I was accepted at a top 25 law school but both schools are very similar. I almost wish someone would just come forth and make the decision for me and that would be that.

It just occured to me that both schools are located in climates that I absolutely hate. Maybe I shouldn't have turned down the law school in southern California.

Due to my future massive indebtness I am accepting donations to my education fund. Please feel free to donate money to my fund and donate often!