November 18, 2024

Everything in the world is very different from the last time I dropped in.

I don't even want to get started on the election. I am very fortunate to live in a blue state that has rigorous protections in place for queer and trans folks and women, but that doesn't disqualify us from the forthcoming great evils of the United States federal government. I have to admit that our upcoming reality hasn't quite sunk in for me yet. I know it will. I just had some things in my personal life to sift through first.

Election day was terrifying enough for me without even considering the election itself; my future roommates and I put in an application for an apartment the week prior and had been getting one hell of a back-and-forth from their leasing office, telling us that they had everything they needed but wait one more thing, okay now we have everything, wait no we don't, rinse and repeat for a week. Then, at the very last, they told me that they needed a form signed by my current roommate releasing me from the lease I'm currently on. Which... is the first I'd ever heard of this form. It was the first anyone I'd ever known had heard of the form.

So I had a bit of a menty b over that one. Suddenly the person who had refused to speak to me for upwards of 4 months had the ability to put off signing this form until a point where it would seriously fuck me over. I had no confidence that they'd get it done on any sort of timeframe, which could have us losing the apartment we were applying for, and there wasn't another one available. God. I'm anxious just thinking about it.

I'll admit, it was a little drastic, but when I opened Twitter and saw that they had retweeted something, I knew they were on their lunch break. And I wasn't going to let them ignore another text from me. This one was important. So I called them. Several times in a row. They didn't pick up once, but finally fucking texted me back (with superfluous attitude, of course) that they'd complete the form that evening. Thank fucking Christ.

I just can't wait to be done with them forever. I have so many unkind things to say, but it would be best I keep them to myself for now.

So with that finally done, we were approved for the application and signed the lease documents. I'm moving next week. It's unreal. I'm counting down the days.

I also got to sign the lease documents while on a vacation in Hawaii, which is also really weird to say. I went to a wedding for my partner's college friend, who just happens to live in Hawaii these days. I am honored to have gotten to make the Pacific Ocean's acquaintance; she really is as blue and beautiful as everyone says.

But yeah, I spent a week in Hawaii wandering around Waikiki, hiking Diamond Head, hitting a million ABC Convenience stores, going on a booze cruise, smashing a slice of cheesecake, having really good food at Marugame Udon, and making the acquaintance of the wonderful Donpen, beloved mascot of the Don Quixote grocery store. And also attending a lovely wedding for two people I'd just met. It was sick. It would be very cool to go back and hit some of the other islands.

I'm also preparing for my last semester of grad school to be in the spring, which I can't wait for, which will make me pretty free until I finally settle into a full-time job, but at least then I'll be able to make a living. Hopefully.

It feels weird to say, given the general state of everything, that things can be okay. On a micro scale, I suppose. One micro at a time.