People like me don't always read the small print. Unfortunately I recieved two small fees this year that I wasn't expecting. The first one was a credit card fee. I had sent out a check to pay the balance of the prior month and within the time my check was floating around in the mail I went over my credit limit. One would think that if you have a credit limit that you can only possibly spend up to that limit and after you hit the limit your card will be denied...well that's not always the case. My credit card had a limit that I went over a few cents, a few cents I wasn't denied but charged for. Soooo being it was my first credit card and I was thoroughly confused to how such a thing happened since I had thought since it was a new month my statement would start fresh unless the bill wasn't paid by the date due, I called the credit card company and expressed my confusion. They explained the situation to me and I really wasn't a happy camper. I requested the fee be taken off as a one time courtesy. They refused... until I got the customerservice manager on the phone and persisted to request options. She finally told me she would request a credit increase and drop the fee. Then this past week Ebay gave me a crazy fee because the automatic payment for my seller's fee (for something I didn't even sell) was denied by the bank. I was completely unaware of this. I purposely made sure I linked my checking account so I wouldn't have to worry about constantly getting out my credit card and paying seller fees...and what happens the transaction was made and I was cleared...but then suddenly I wasn't? the bank denied the transaction? WHY? I had plenty to cover the fees in my account. SO lets see how this whole over the limit, overdue charges stuff works.... They couldn't get the money they wanted in the first place, so they ask for more money hahah. Yeah I know that's how it works either you pay your bills completely and on time or you learn to after paying a few fees, or you just get used to paying fees for the convenience of not paying on time. ANYWAY I wasn't aware that ebay was denied money owed to them until I was notified that they were also charging for the ordeal. I wrote them a polite e-mail explaining how I had thought the fees were paid and do not know why the bank didn't pay up. I paid the original fees and asked that the overdue fees be removed from my account. The next day I recieved a friendly e-mail n0tifying me that the overdue fees were removed. What's the lesson here?read the small print, keep on top of things, and if you slip up and honestly made a mistake  if you are persistent you can usually be forgiven on a first time basis...so make sure you don't make the same mistake twice.

YAY It's June! May went by very quickly. A lot has happened though, including the great lay-off. That's right I got laid off from my graphic operator position until October. I don't plan on going back in October :) or ever, unless they offer me a position in the photography or art department. It was an alright job and the atmosphere was nice but I felt too confined and I can't be quiet for that many hours in the day. I do plan on going back to school! I am very exited to start taking classes again and seeing everyone on campus....and then graduating! Ok, I'm rambling on here...haha what else is new? This post is really supposed to be about my new job. Since I will be busy with classes and studying I won't be able to work the crazy hours I normally do during the summer, instead I will be working part time at a restaraunt. Yep, I'm a server again except this time I get to wear an apron that goes down to my ankles : D. I started my new job almost a month ago and thus far I've been loving it. Unlike the other restaurants I've worked at there isn't a boss cursing and shouting at me for things that aren't my fault, employees initiation, impatient co-workers with poor attitudes, crazy cleaning duties, pressure to get drunk on my bday open bar(which never actually happened, thank you), power obsessed women breathing down my neck, surveilance cameras, dirty jokes, gossip, lack of interest in guest satisfaction, difficult shift managers who have it out for me, bossy co-workers...etc. Instead I work at a privately owned restaurant owned by a very sweet couple that have great morals, very good work ethics, care about employee morale, give positive feed back, respond well to guest complaints, communicate without shouting and foul language, and the employees are professional, helpful, patient, easy to work with, far from crude, and everyone is very friendly. I haven't had any trouble adapting. As always I enjoy waiting on different people and having that human interaction I didn't get much of at my desk job :). I just wanted to quickly share with everyone how thankful I am to have this new job...I really appreciate a positive working environment. For those of you stuck working at an awful place there is still hope out there, the entire work force hasn't been taken over by the scary monsters of the population. I didn't think such a restaurant existed... good thing I was wrong.

...I read the book Unlikely Angel written by Ashley Smith with Stacy Mattingly. Unlikely Angel is a true story of the accounts that took place when Ashley Smith was held hostage for seven hours in her apartment by alleged rapist, Brian Nichols, who had escaped from the courthouse. Ironically after being warned repeatedly by her step father that Brian Nichols was on the loose, Ashley Smith finds herself at her front door trying to fight Brian Nichols off after a late night cigarette run she just had to make. Initially, Ashley's only concern was convincing Brian to let her leave at 9:30am to see her daughter, who was staying with an aunt, but as the evening progressed Ashley realized God had bigger plans for how he wanted to use her. Through talking with Brian Nichols about the life of drugs and selfishness she fell into after her husbands death and how God has forgiven her and motivated her to start over to focus on following his will, Ashley helps Brian to see that he too can be forgiven. This an amazing story of a woman full of faith that, with God's mercy, survives to see Brian Nichols turn himself in to the authorities.

Although Ashley Smith seems to have a seemingly arminian view of salvation I would definitely recommend this book. Ashley's thoughts and prayers are included in the events of the book creating a vivid experience for the reader, it surely kept me on the edge of my seat.

oh it was fun

The Food
A carolina burger is topped with slaw (not cole slaw) and chili.
How to order tea...
If you want :
                       tea, order hot tea
                       iced tea, order unsweetened tea
                       sweetened iced tea, order tea half and half
                       iced sweet (not only sweetened but extremely sweet) tea, order tea

Barbeque is not just anything you put on your grill, Barbeque is pulled pork...or some other meat... smothered with barbeque sauce.

Would you like pork roll? how about scrapple?  I wouldn't advise it but maybe what you want is liver mush (mushy fried liver).

When you can't find a corner vender with soft pretzels, take a deep breath, no need to worry, you are still in the US.

While I'm at it I guess I'll warn you, not only will you be saying so long to all yous peoples but also to tasty cake, Wawa, hoagies, and the town bakery...

... say hello to boiled peanuts, Petro Express, and an array of fast food joints that guess what all conveniently serve breakfast sandwiches! mmm chicken bicuits... :P

The People
Friendly women with cheery high pitched voices and a killer accent- beware of this type! They may be sweet and friendly as the they appear, but they may also sound sweet and friendly when they're really raging inside and are about to snap. This kind of woman can be compared to the women up north that think everyone love them and they kill you with kindness even though they talk behind your back....but you see right through them.

A lot of people were raised with good manners- please, thank you, yes ma'am or sir. This is all great but just because someone is polite to you don't expect respect. Some people are only polite out of habit- they aren't concerned with showing you respect. ie young punks who cause a raucus and then always apologize with the seetest demeaner. I haven't come across many people like this up north, if a youngster did something wrong they'd pridefully have the "yeah so, I did it, that's right, got a problem?" attitude.

There are some genuinely kind and loving people... just don't let your tough street smart self get in the way of having a close bond with these sincere people. They'll take you in and adopt you as their own if you let them.

The Weather
Are you coming for the warm weather? Well don't let your expectations be to high if you are coming to the Carolinas....everything about the weather here is unexpectable. It will be in the 80s one day and the 40s the next. Get ready to layer! You'll leave the house wearing a winter coat and boots and return home wearing a sleeveless shirt and flip flops. But it is lovely! I've only seen snow here once, however if you live down here you will hope for a freezing cold day to kill all the bugs from last summer otherwise we'll be overpopulated with bugs.

Disclaimer...
Do I really need a disclaimer? Shouldn't most of you be used to my writing personality and typically blunt disposition?