Shinpai-suna

Mother has a calming effect one me; 'it doesn't mean anything, you're still plenty young' helps me. Although I have decided from now on that NO ONE gets to know my age unless they are super, super close to me. People are damned impertinent anyway; any time I meet someone new (typically a college aged person) right off the bat I get asked 'how old are you?' so from now on my answer is 'old enough'.
Some interesting things from the last couple of weeks. Book arts group was great; those ladies always make me feel fantastic and (almost) none of them are college aged. Got a lot of work done for my parents - I actually really like how my rock path is looking.
Yesterday was sort of a big leaping step although I didn't mean for it.
Went to the school to see if the gallery needed help; seeing how we're operating on summer hours means that the gallery is barely open. Nobody was there (the artist who is exhibiting got his times messed up) So I wandered over to the library and went to special collections. I asked about volunteering and got an impromptu interview with the Head of Special Collections who said she didn't like volunteering because it felt like slavery to her but seeing how they are laying off more people than hiring she would see if she could find something for me to do. Sent her my resume yesterday. Oh man, I hope she finds something for me. How AMAZING would it be to eventually work for them? It would be a dream come true.
So I spent a lovely early afternoon sitting beneath the shade of a tree, eating my lunch, reading a book and enjoying the one place that's felt like home to me since I've moved down here.
It's strange how entwined and yet seperated I am from that University. Everything in my life thus far has been strongly connected to it. It really is my second home. I just don't know if I can go on being connected to it; the fact that I came into my own at the exact moment our way of life took a nosedive isn't lost on me.
Then, that evening, I took my customary walk around the neighborhood and ran into the neighbors who invited us to the wedding last September and lo! they were SUPER happy to see me and invited me to their Fourth of July party. uh, so wow. I would like that; maybe it would give me a better chance to be more social with them.
These days I'm floating towards resignation of growing older (I mean, DUH, you can't stop it) and screaming hissy fits of 'I DON'T WANNA'.

Hmmm, speaking of the gallery I was able to make another comparison to work conditions. The young lady at the counter at Special Collections impressed me (I actually remember her name, which is a big deal.) She had good sense of humor (when I mentioned that at the moment I'm doing yardwork for my parents she laughed) and had a good, firm handshake. As compared to GM (who I should start calling Previous GM because her contract with the gallery has run out, meaning it's open season now that I no longer adhere to her) who I met again after a three week break to be met with an underlying feeling of , 'oh GOD you're still here?'
Now that she doesn't have any say in my work there I won't feel bad about being snarky. That would be good practice wouldn't it? Putting up with her bullshit with what she deserves? I really don't like that chick. Everytime she looks at me it's like for the life of her she can't figure out how I exist; like I'm an alien species. I think on our last day I'll buy a pack of salami and toss slices of it at her.