For the past week now, I've had a sore throat. My tonsils are hugely swollen. They've always been big, but they're enormous now. Well the left one is. The right one has returned to its normal size. I've been putting off the doctor because I don't have health insurance. I lost coverage under my parents when I turned 21, because I'm not a full time student. I'm not a full time student, because I have to put my parents information down when I fill out the Federal Application for Student Financial Aid (FASFA). When you fill out the paper work, the first (beside the normal name, address, etc...)six questions they ask you are:
Are you married?
Do you have children?
Are you a veteran?
Are you going to school for the Masters of Ph.D degree?
Are you over the age of 24?
Are you a ward of the state?
If you say no to all of those questions, you have to provide your parents tax information. Even though, I live on my own. I support me and me alone, I still have to provide my parents information. Which means, I don't get jacksh*t.

So, I could get knocked up and go for my Ph. D in whatever and not have to pay a dime? No, I'm left paying student loans for the rest of my life under my parents name because I don't have enough credit to get my own loan. There are double standards and brick walls in this grown up world and I don't like it!

I have worked at the nursing home for almost five years now. When I first started working there, it was great. I loved the residents, the employees, the whole shabang! As the years have gone by, I've seen what it's really like. I can't boil it all down to one thing. It's the double standards, the 'clicks' that are worse than highschool, the rumors. I've also seen a family of sorts, friendships, romances, marriages, babies, and deaths, and everything in between. There are some days when I can't wait to just leave it all behind, go start somewhere new. But everyone says its like that anywhere else you go. When I go home and think about it, get over whatever was making me angry I realize I don't want to leave. I'm not as finished with it as I thought I was when I was angry. I'm sure there will come a day where enough will finally be enough, and I will move on. Till next time...

I haven't blogged in a while. I finally turned 21 two weeks ago, having a good ol' time at the bars and what not. Still busy as ever working the two jobs, and I just started online classes this week. This time next year, I hopefully won't be needing the second job and I can go back to having weekends completely off. One day off a week kinda blows, but it's better than no days off. You gotta do whatcha gotta do! Till next time...

About three weeks ago, one of my dear friends from highschool was involved in a car accident. He had a severe head injury. I went to go see him yesterday. Physically he's okay, although he can't breathe on his own. Mentally, he's not there. Like Terri Schavo, I guess you could say. I was not expecting that. I was expecting bruises, scrapes, stitches, broken bones. But he's still be him, he'd still joke around. I've never experienced this before, I think I'm more scared than anything. I'm scared that he's going to be like that forever. But, you never know. People have had those injuries before and gotten better, the doctors just don't know how much brain damage he has. And he has shown significant improvement over the past week. I'm also feeling guilty. I didn't keep in touch with him very well over the past year. I just have to keep him in my thoughts and prayers, and look toward the bright side.

Greetings! My first blog. I guess I should explain my title. "My Middle Name is Grace." I'm quite the clusy, accident-prone klutz. So I'm detailing it, as well as other areas of my life. I work two jobs. I'm a cook/supervisor at a nursing home, I've worked there for almost 5 years. I like it most of the time. I also work at a toll bridge. I didn't like it so much at first, but now it's growing on me. I'm starting online classes in October to get my certificate in dietary management. All righty, I think that's about enough for right now! Adios!