danger on the rocks has surely passed

Last weekend was the last week up in the country.

It came upon us like a load of bricks. My room mate and I ended up boxing up things and driving far into the city to take her to live with her brother. I stuffed every important possession I had in the back of my car (sans my mattress, bike and weight set) and drove back to my parents’ house, where it is resting in their basement.

I have put a small deposit down on a flat in Eastpointe, which is about 15 minutes away from my parents and 30 minutes away from my work. I have gotten a new job doing commission sales. So far, I’ve made about 600 bucks over the course of the 8 days I’ve been there, and that’s WITH days where I didn’t sell anything, so I’m feeling pretty good about where it’s heading.

The status of my room mate is not known right now. I dropped her off at one of her brother’s friend’s house, where she hugged me and got into the car with a guy I’ve never met and we haven’t talked since. She had me drive down to the city so she can get a car that she can drive to work. Her old car was recovered but stripped. She seemed a little angry at me this entire week, and I was irritated with her, and frankly, very relieved we were parting ways. In situations where two people are friends but aren’t the best housemates, either the living situation or the friendship is gonna end. Hopefully only the former ended and not both. I won’t know a thing until later in the week.

My job sent me to Lansing for this week. They’ve put us up in a hotel– me and two other girls– with a pool and clean rooms and wifi. It’s still a cheap hotel (and I can tell by the state of the carpet in the hallway and the terrible coffee at continental breakfast) but it will do until Friday. I’m holding out for my first check Monday, but I’m certain that before this is over, I’ll have to borrow money from one of the other girls for money to get home. This is okay. I usually pay the small loans back at least.

I make 48 bucks per sale business to business and 25 bucks for residential customers. So far, in three business days, I’ve closed 10 apps on my own– 8 B2B and 3 residential. I’m hoping my checks reflect everything.

The car has been running surprisingly okay despite the fuel pump mod, the gimpy tyres, the dire need for an oil change and a brake job, and the fact that it has (of this writing) 262,900 miles on it. Chalk it up to the quality of Hondas back in the day. I can’t wait to close more accounts in the hopes of being able to afford a car made in this millenium, and clothes with designers’ names on them.

Since the top of September, I have been learning American Sign Language at a Kingdom Hall in downtown Detroit. Three of my friends attend that one, and everyone I’ve met there so far is super supportive and nice. Jehovah’s Witnesses have also published a free app on iPhone and Android that links to the videos we produce in ASL. At lunch and at home,  I watch various men sign books of the Bible and Bible study aids. The swarthy, handsome fellow that signs Matthew, Acts and some of the songs is my favourite one. His expressions and signs are so animated and clear. I want to sign just like him. 

Being at home hasn’t been so bad. My mother and father have mellowed out in my absence. Or I’ve become more humble. Or both. In any case, I have missed them and they have missed me, so any differences we have are so far being worked out. 

These are the three things that are my joys– work, sign language and family. I don’t need much else.