Running On A Leak

This morning I woke up expecting to just eat some oatmeal and then kiss the boyfriend goodbye for his workday. Instead, I walk into the kitchen to find out that the right rear tire of the Earth Destroyer is low. Turns out there was a metal fence piece jammed deep into the tire thus creating a slow leak. I drive to Wal-Hell for some inexpensive tires only to find that the tire and lube place is closed. :wtf: Instead I am forced to make my way to STS. Along the way I stop at a Shell station to give the tire some more air so that I don't have to drive at 20mph the five miles to STS. I get there and find out that the tires I want aren't in stock. We put on the spare and store the destroyed tire in the back and go home. Fortunately the spare is a full size tire and so I can drive at regular speeds however I don't plan on going anywhere far until after our Spring Break trip to GA. As a result I didn't go to the ISO meeting as planned, nor was I able to call the bank about finding out the exact amount of money that was taken fraudulently in my name. That will all have to be for tomorrow. It's late, I'm drinking my coffee, and later I plan on going to the gym. It is necessary that I build up my upper body strength or else I will literally die come the end of August when it is time for me to start Basic with the USCG. On a fun note, please watch this vid. It's a silly song and available for purchase if you really like it. I bought the album for $4. Suh-weet! :pleased:

My Name Is _____.

Yesterday was an ordinary day. I went to work in order to obtain some necessary forms so that I could finish my application for a promotional position. Afterwards, I made my way home and stopped in a nearby town in hopes to purchase my monthly train pass. The ticket window was closed and my tummy was growling so I made my way to this tiny restaurant that serves Peruvian food. The food was excellent and very filling, well worth the price I paid. It wasn't until after my meal as I was walking to the car that my phone rang. 

I don't usually answer 800 numbers but for some reason I felt I needed to this one time. I am glad that I did too for what was told to me over the phone has changed everything. My identity was stolen. 

Read that again. Yes. I'm not kidding. This is not a ruse. My Identity, ME, was stolen. Someone used my SSN, name, address, etc., in order to get a line of credit from a bank I have no association with ever and then decided to just leave the debt unpaid. Now my credit report is in ruin. I immediately obtained all the names, numbers, and information that I could from the phone call and then proceeded to my local police department. There, I gave the officer all of the information I had and tried my best to think of who, what, when, where, and how this happened to me. I had hints that something was up but I didn't understand what they meant until after I was notified of this debt that was made fraudulently in my name. Before noon today I called the three top credit bureaus and filed for a fraud alert. I then called my bank and my credit card accounts to notify them as well of the fraud. 

I feel so violated. There is more to this but I don't want to say it on here, this being the internet and whatnot. 

In other and more positive news, I have Rosetta Stone online for free through my job. I have every language available to me at the moment and so for the past week I've been learning German. Since I only work on the weekends, I am much father ahead of schedule on the learning program than the average person would be if they only worked on it for an hour a day. I sometimes find myself putting in 3 hours!! I feel like I'm learning a lot but I'm not ready to use it yet. Anyway, I'm really excited and loving this program. If you can afford to buy it or you have the opportunity to use it for free then I say go for it. It is definitely more effective than taking 6 years of college language courses. 

Here We Are.

"Through timeless words, and priceless pictures

We'll fly like birds, out of this earth

And times they turn, and hearts disfigure

But that's no concern when we're wounded together

And we tore our dresses, and stained our shirts

But it's nice today, oh the wait was so worth it."

- Jason Mraz "A Beautiful Mess"

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While the snow on the ground screams of winter, the birds outside singing their songs are saying otherwise. Spring is in the air and although it doesn't feel like it yet, it almost looks like it and most definitely sounds as if it is already here. I love Spring. It's so...alive. It makes me want to go out and plant some flowers, dance in skirts, and sing at the top of my lungs. 

In less than a fortnight Frankie and I will fly down to Georgia and visit with my family. It has been nearly two years since they have seen him and so the excitement is clear whenever I talk with my brothers and mother. Everyone loves him and keep saying that "he's a keeper." I guess if you find a gold mine, then why keep looking for more when all you can want is here with you now. Right? I agree with their sentiment and so plan on keeping this boy for a long time. Forever sounds nice. 

With my MacBook, I complied a Calender in German with my photos showcasing each month. March has Buttercups, his pet name for me and one of my favorite flowers. These photos were taken at my fathers house when Spring looks and feels alive by February and where flowers are in bloom by March 1st. In New Jersey, however, Spring doesn't like to show its face until late March or mid-April. I can never wait that long, hence why I make my pilgrimage to the South every March. There are just some things that will never leave my soul, and Spring is one of them. 

*The above photo is copyright of Lydia R. Gillis. Any copying or using of this photo without my permission is stealing. So please, before you use just ask. You can ask me via comments on the most recent post of this blog. Thank you.*