I Miss Jamaica
Friday, Nov. 12, 2004
5:23 p.m.
I am sooo mad at myself! I only balance my checkbook on payday. Which, for the poor schmucks who work at my company, is only twice a month (yep, we only get 24 paychecks a year!). So, we get paid on Monday and I got my paystub from HR lady today. Since I have direct deposit, the paystub is really just for me to file away. So, I balanced my checkbook. And I was over $300 in the hole. What the fucking fuck?!?!?!?! Back on last payday, I had $700. What the fuck happened?!?!?!?! And why was I not paying attention to my own checking account????? Well, Greg HAD to get a new TV 2 weeks ago. The old one died, so yeah, we did need it (at least as much as anyone needs a TV). And last week, I had to buy that fucking air gun because his broke. Between those 2 purchases, that was $430. Plus, since Greg started a new job, his paychecks are now on a different cycle (i.e. every 2 weeks, rather than every week) and I didn't get any money from him last week (of which my share would have been, oh, I don't know, $350?!?!?!). So I checked my balance online and it said I was $450 in the hole. What?!?!?! It turns out I had 7 transactions since I went in the red and for each one, they charged me $17. That's $119 right there! After I calmed down, and at the suggestion of Hot Cindy, I called the bank and asked them to remove the overdraft charges, since I had never done that before. The chick on the phone was like, "Sure!" SWEET! Then, while still online, I applied for a credit card through my bank and was approved and that will offer me overdraft protection. Whew! And once Greg's paychecks start coming in, we'll be rolling in fucking money (well, not rolling, but certainly not stressed about it). It's just that all this shit happened at once. Argh! Oh, and this evening, Greg is getting his last paycheck from his old job. And I get paid on Monday and his boss cut his first paycheck from the new job today and is mailing it to us. And then he starts his regular pay cycle on Friday. So, by next week, we'll be OK. It's just that today, we're worse than broke. What the hell!!! I'm mad that I paid all those bills 2 weeks ago. What was I thinking?!?!?! Well, at least I'm caught up and creditors won't be after me. In fact, my car payments are like, a year or two ahead of schedule. So I need to chill the fuck out.
Anyway, rainy and cold days like today make me miss Jamaica. I wonder if those expatriates from USA and Canada had the right idea. Some folks just say, "Fuck the American way" and move to Jamaica and hang out. How great is that? In fact, while we were in Jamaica, we went to a cute little restaurant called Ragamuffin, which was run by a woman from Canada. On about Day 4, when you're tired of jerk everything, head over there and have a caesar salad or buffalo wings or something. That place was THE Canadian hangout. We went there so much, the chick running the place thought WE were Canadian. Too funny! I can't find any pictures of Ragamuffin online. What the hell?!?!?!?! Across the street was a little ice cream/pizza/internet cafe (that's where I posted the entry back in February that made you all sooooo jealous). Oh, wait, it's called Blue Water. Out back were a couple tables (you can see them in the pictures) where Greg & I enjoyed ice cream one day. Oh, but the ice cream down there is more like heavy sorbet and less like ice cream. It was soooo yummy, though! Also, I found some pictures of people we met down there! This is Pirate, one of those crazy/intelligent expatriates who lives most of the year in Negril. He was reaaaaaaaaal laid back (hmmmmmm...wonder why?) and really nice, without getting in your face. This is Oz, who was our cab driver back to Montego Bay on our last day. He got me hooked on "Iron Lion Zion". He and Pirate were always hanging around our hotel. I guess they were working, because "hanging around until something happens" couts as work in Jamaica. Here's one of the Canadians we met, Chris. He was there with his girlfriend who talked nonstop, but he was really cool. I think when we met him, he was on his, like, 27th trip to Negril. Hmmmmm, I'm pretty sure there's a spliff right off-camera! Jeez! Everyone smokes so much pot down there! In fact, I saw more pot-smoking that cigarette smoking. Oh, and everyone drinks a lot, too. Of course, we were staying in a hotel with folks who move to Negril for 3-6 months every year. Yep, we met a weird bunch of people. OK, let's see if I can find any more pictures of people I know. Yeah!
OK, I just found some pics of our hotel room:
See that red floor? I walked around barefoot all the time and had red feet the entire time we were there. And the sandals I wore the whole time turned red inside, too. In fact, they're still red.
Miss One?
Moving On - Wednesday, Sept. 05, 2007
I remembered my password - Friday, Jul. 20, 2007
I need someone - Thursday, Apr. 20, 2006
I miss him - Tuesday, Apr. 18, 2006
Possibly the worst weekend of my life? - Sunday, Apr. 16, 2006
