Well, there you go.

My last paycheck was...small.

There was an odd and rather mysterious deduction. I did a bit of research and it seems I owe the city of Portsmouth nearly 700 dollars in personal property taxes.
Taxes on my mobile home.
The mobile home in Newport News (a different City) that was destroyed in hurricane Ida nearly THREE YEARS AGO.
This is not the first time I've had this argument with the city. I had it in the spring of 2010 and again earlier this year. Both times I convinced them via the insurance papers that the trailer was no longer around. This is not sufficient this time as they will not make any adjustments to what the DMV says is in my possession. The DMV is requiring all sorts of paperwork from Newport News to prove the nonexistence of the trailer.

I should have this resolved by Friday, but damn, this is annoying. A garnishment, even one that is unjustified plays havoc with ones credit. Tuition is coming due soon. The various medical bills from earlier in the year left me with less than 50 bucks to my name at the end of May and it has been a chore to save enough over he last 2 months to have my tuition for this semester...this is a bad time for the monies to be disappearing.

In other news...

I'm getting everything in order for next semester, which starts in 3 and a half weeks. I will be attempting to test into the next Japanese Class and to that end I am cramming.

I've also been dealing with my arch nemesis: a ruthless mega-corporation known as Follet. This heartless entity was, last week, shipping vast quantities of 55-65 pound boxes that need to be unloaded and sorted by a certain UPS employee in 100 degree heat. Within those boxes are college textbooks that are unpacked, shelved and this week Follet sold them to said individual at exorbitant prices. I swear..I don't think the people that work at Follet are even human!
The staff at the store are courteous and professional, the store is immaculate and well run, but ask any ten 19 year olds on campus "Is the bookstore EVIL?" and at least nine will likely say yes. You can't argue with that kind of evidence! You see, 19 year olds know everything.

(Short version: I had to buy my ridiculously expensive textbooks...SUCK!)

Parking decals at ODU are now 124 dollars a semester...and do not guarantee a parking spot.

It is HOT.
Now despite what Drudge would have you believe, the fact that it is hot in August in Virginia is not news, However, it has also been wet. Again, this is not news, but it has had the the result that the mosquitoes are insanely thick right now (5 bites today between front door and car) and the city of Portsmouth...well, its not acting with the alacrity one would expect from a city that is flush with cash from taxing non-existant trailers.
The other night I stopped by the comic store to see my friend BOB! . He gave me a 7-11 cup and asked me to go to the 7-11  to get him a Slurpee^tm. I obliged, walked in, filled the cup, attached as lid, grabbed a straw, went to the counter, at which point things got squirrley.
Clerk: "Is that a refill?"
Me: "Yes."
Clerk: ...
Me: ?
(Cop walks in)
Clerk: (Yelling into the office) "Hey! This guy's trying to pull that SCAM!"
Me: 0_0
Cop: "Is there a problem?"
Clerk: "He's trying to to that thing...that rip-off they told us about in the meeting."
Me: 0_0
Cop: "What are you doing?"
Me: "I...I...Do not know. Do they not give refills anymore? "
Clerk: "THAT THING! He.." (calls to the manager again)
Cop: 0_o
Me:   o_0
Manager : (flush)
Clerk: !!!111!!!! "That THING with the Slurpee^tm...."
Manager: "What's the matter?"
Clerk: (points at me)
Me: (hands up)
Clerk: "He's doing that thing you told us about at the meeting."
Manager: (Tries to remember "that thing") "...a Slurpee^tm refill?"
Clerk: "Yeah but its in a Big-Gulp^tm cup. "
Me: ...
Cop (rolls eyes, goes about business)
Manager: (not sure if he is going to laugh or scream) "Sir you are going to have to pay for the Slurpee^tm refill...not the Big Gulp^tm refill."
Me: "Well I got a Slurpee^tm...so I figured I'd pay for...a...umm... Slurpee^tm. "
Manager: (Glares at Clerk)
Me: (Drives back to store. Presents BOB! with Slurpee^tm)

The takeaway from this bit of pointless drama is that ignorance can be cured by education and/or experience....but stupid is forever.

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