I'm Crying, I Guess That Means I'm Breathing

Yesterday was a day of highs and lows. I had been feeling pretty down the night before and when I was woken up by booming thunder, I felt much the same way. Beth was not awake before I left the house, which was too bad because I was feeling brave enough to ask her about laundry (that's another downside to this house--no washer or dryer). I rode to campus and finished registering and I sent a few more emails about rooms for rent. I tried to find the professor I will be TAing for, but she was not in her office. Then I decided to ride to the bookstore to get a new notepad for my back pocket and a key ring for all my lab keys.

On the way, I discovered that my bike is really, really broken.


As you can see, the tube that extends from the seat post has become unwelded from where it attaches to the pedal part. I can't even get the bar to go back in its hole. I probably shouldn't ride it like this for too long. Maybe I will go to the bike co-op next Sunday and check out my options.

This was the straw that broke the camel's back. I trudged through the book store, leaving with a notebook but no keyring. I rode to the quad, collapsed on the grass, and hid beneath my hat and cried. I called Lyndsay and she helped me calm down. I just freaked out because I essentially have no stability in my life. My bike is the only piece of familiarity I have right now and it is broken. My room has bare walls, my house is cluttered with someone else's crap, I have no friends--nothing.

Lyndsay reminded me to try and worry about things one at a time and suggested that I contact the Whitman Alumni Office to see if there are any other Whitties here. After I was recovered enough to interact with others, I discovered a geology professor and a student in my class that were Whitman graduates here. Hopefully I will meet them both soon. This news, plus my daily adventures in the Kingdom of Loathing cheered me up. Oh, Pandora helped quite a bit too.

Before heading home, I visited another house. It was big, and full of different patterns of wallpaper from the 60's. It was a little more pricey than others I had looked at ($475), but it was fully furnished and utilities were included, so now I have a good backup house. He has three empty rooms, so even if I wait till next week, I should have a place to move into.

Having knocked quite a few things of my to-do list, I rode home, trying not to look at my bike's gaping wound.