Speaking of auctions, I’ve spent most of today writing more book auctions up. I have almost all the books to post upstairs now, but there are still plenty left on the dining room table. *sigh* Will they never end? (Actually, they will. I’m not sure I’ll get all the book auctions written up tonight (my goal) but I’ll be close. And then… onto everything else. Yeep.)

And speaking of movies, although I wasn’t really speaking of movies… I splurged and ordered in a movie last night. And I will say, for the record, that Dragonfly was the best movie I’ve watched recently. It reminded me of The Sixth Sense, with the twist at the end, and I sobbed like a baby when I realized what that twist was. Oh, it was good. It was so good that I watched it and taped it a second time last night, and watched it again today. (Yes. I’m pitiful.) But… oh boy. Kevin Costner not withstanding (actually, I thought he was pretty good in this movie) it was fabulous. I’d give it eight fingers, ten toes, and two thumbs up. Go see it.

And in other news… well, I have no other news. But I did have another weird dream this morning… It was one of those serial prequel dreams in which I knew I had dreamed of what happens next, but this was what happened before. If that makes sense. It involved spies, a group of people of different nationalities, and lots of black arrows, trying to kill us. I was trying to hide behind an upholstered chair while the arrows were flying, and desperately tried to reassure myself that I didn’t die, I was just wounded. But the two people who died… I couldn’t warn them. And I woke myself up when I tried to curl even further under the chair, which was really my blanket. *g* I woke myself up when I put my head under the blanket to hide. It was really weird. It took me a while to get back to sleep after that one.

And I’ve talked enough tonight. I need to write up the rest of those auctions.

Okay, decision time.

I’ve been wrestling with this decision for months, ever since Chris and I decided to call it quits. Even that stupid song has been running through my head, Should I stay or should I go?

Meaning, in Columbus, and away from my family. Meaning, here by myself.

Yes, I could afford it. Yes, I have a “good” job. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that not only do I miss my family, I’d much rather have them close by than be all by my lonesome up here, twiddling my thumbs while Ethan grows up.

The only thing holding me to Columbus is the comfort zone of my job. That’s it. I don’t want to have to find another job, and that’s it. That’s the only sticking point.

And it’s a stupid sticking point. It really is. I don’t love this job; I never did. It was a means to an end. Yeah, the raise was nice, but there’s no reason why I can’t make just as much money somewhere else. Yeah, I like the fact that I got my seniority back and all, but there’s no reason why I can’t transfer all of that back if I return to Cincinnati.

There is no reason at all. If I did it once, I can damn well do it again, and lose nothing.

So I found a job. I have to overnight my resume and application, because the deadline is October 2, but it’s in Clermont County, working for the county, and I’m going to go for it. It’s less money, but still more than I was making sans raise. If I can transfer everything over (and there shouldn’t be any reason why I can’t), then I have no real reason not to move back.

And anyway, I was planning to transfer as soon as possible anyway, if I found another job down there. As I told my mom, it’s kind of stupid for me to move twice in the space of a couple months, and I didn’t really want to hook myself into another lease anyway.

And as Mom said, I can stay with them for a while, rent-free, and save up money. Which is what I’m going to do.

Actually, I have an ulterior motive for this. Last night, Emily called me up and told me she was thinking of moving into a place of her own. Little bells started to go off in my head. We’ve discussed this before, and I don’t think I would mind living with my sister at all. Voila. Instant roommate. And we can work on our respective businesses together, etc., etc., and I will be happier. I already know I will be.

The first hurdle, of course, is getting the job. Well, really, the first hurdle is finishing up the auctions and then getting the job. I’m still not expecting to move until November/December, knowing the hiring processes of government, but that is, of course, if I get the job. And who knows, a better one might come along anyway.

So that’s what I’m going to do. If that means staying here for a bit while I search, so be it. But I’m going to continue the auctions, and get rid of most of my credit card bills before I move anyway, I hope. I still have many, many more auctions to post anyway. I’m still not willing to pack that stuff.

So, wish me luck. This job is right up my alley, and I’m already crossing my fingers. And check out my auctions while you’re at it. You never know.

The other Bethel didn’t exist. Actually, if I pinpointed it right, it exists as a cemetary and nothing more. Spooky. Neither did Kiousville or Chenoweth, as far as I could tell. I never made it to Shadeville; I was out for four hours and pretty discouraged by the time I returned. I didn’t make it across 71 to Georgesville, Lilly Chapel, or Duvall, either. *sigh*

And I drove by the house in Harrisburg, and the sign was on the side, not out in front. So I’m not sure about that. I’m calling the guy back, though, since he hasn’t called me yet. (Update: Just called. It’s rented. Ah well.)

After I washed the dust from my feet by having a late lunch at the Bob Evans in Canal Winchester, I wondered to myself why I keep being drawn to that part of town. It’s nice. It’s clean. There’s a little strip mall where the Bob Evans is. I like Canal Winchester and Lithopolis. I liked Harrisburg too, even though there is evidently not one place to eat in the entire town (Okay, not many. Like a pizza place by the Ameristop but no fast food at all.) Actually, out of all the little towns I visited, Lithopolis and Harrisburg were the nicest ones. Even Canal Winchester is only okay, not wonderful.

So I’m thinking that perhaps I should concentrate on that end of town. Hmm. I didn’t have a chance to drive through Canal Winchester today, but it’s pretty close. I could go tomorrow morning. After the auctions. *g* As if I’d forget. (I’m headed to write them up and take photos right now…)

Shoes. I dreamed of shoes last night.

Well, actually, I dreamed the dream this morning, but I’m not sure why. I don’t remember where we were (this was my family) but it was either somewhere in Florida or somewhere near the ocean. At the back of the “house”, which actually ended in the water, there was a small alcove and stairs leading down. For some reason, I was sitting at the top of the stairs, watching the water, I guess, when I realized that the ocean had carried off my white sandals. I made a grab for them, caught one, and then found another shoe. And another. And another. And another. All different styles and brands, from little baby shoes to adult shoes.

I lined them up along the top of the stairs and kept fetching what the ocean would bring me. Dresses. Unopened figures, like from movies. (Surprisingly enough, none of this stuff was wet or ruined from being in the water.) There was junk too; garbage and gross stuff that you’d usually find in polluted water. But I took everything out. Soon, I had a mini secondhand shop going at the top of the stairs, and still the stuff was washed into my hands.

Then Mom was there, and she told me to throw the garbage away. And I said, “Not back in the ocean?” and she said “Of course not.” And still the stuff came. A thought swam into my mind, that the ocean was trying to rid itself of the garbage inside of it, and had chosen me for the job.

And then I woke up.

Earlier, I had another dream. My dad and I were at some sort of toy factory, and one of the owners–not one of the Family of owners, but the general manager, I guess–showed up. He offered to take us on a tour. And it was a sweatshop-like setup, with a bunch of immigrant workers and two of them got into a fight right in front of our eyes. The manager guy was trying to show us how the toys were made, but it was obvious that he had no idea how to work the tools, much less how to put the toys together.

And I woke up again.

Weird dreams.

A hot bath did help.

“Rack up them miles,” he says.

Well, what does he expect me to do? Not search for a place to live? And I’d much rather be overmileage for the first month from finding a place to live than from something else. So there.

“You’ll never be able to afford a house.”

“Well… if I can afford to live here by myself, then yes, I can. But I don’t want to have the same payment; I want lower, so I can save money.”

“You won’t find anything you can afford.”

Somehow, I doubt that. I have faith.

So anyway… tomorrow’s agenda:

Small-town Ohio.

Really. Small. Towns. In. Ohio.

Microscopic Small Towns in Ohio… no, really.

On my list to visit tomorrow morning, before I post the motherload of auctions are the following towns: Derby, Era, Shadeville, Kiousville, Darbydale, Wrightsville, Big Plain, Georgesville, Lilly Chapel, Pleasant Corners, Matville, Duvall, Commercial Point, Chenoweth, Bethel (the Other Bethel), and Midway. I think that’s about it, and quite enough, don’t you?

Bethel and Midway are stretching it. But I have to visit the Other Bethel. Maybe I’ll take a picture of the sign or something. *g* If they have one. Although Bethel in Madison County shows up on my map, it doesn’t show up on any searches anywhere. Hmm. A ghost town?!?! I’ll find out!

I also want to visit Revenge, Ohio as well, but that will be another day. It’s even further southeast-ish.

———————-

I’m contemplating giving my fingers a rest this evening. My left wrist is wrapped, and my right index finger is killing me from clicking on the mouse so much (to add the photos, etc., to the auctions.) I don’t want to end up crippled at the end of this, so I think I’m going to give myself the night off.

But what to do that doesn’t involve typing? I could pack more… sure… but that’s lifting, and I should really just rest my wrists and hands. Did I mention my knees are killing me too? I think that’s from stomping up the stairs with stacks of books so many times. Maybe I should just go take a hot bath, and see how I feel after that. The hot water might soothe my aches and pains away… Hmm. That sounds like a good idea!

I have oh, about 100 books downstairs on my dining room table that I will be writing up tonight, and probably close to 250 or more down the basement waiting to be written up. Not to mention various vintage dresses and costumes, jewelry, and so much other stuff I still can’t see the light at the end of that particular tunnel.

That will be my Goal for the weekend. I have a note on my computer: “Goal #1: Post all remaining auctions by Sunday evening.”

Do I think I can do it? I’m not sure there are enough hours in the day, but I’m going to try my best.

As I go through the auction stuff, I’m going to find stuff to keep. I’m going to box that up and put it upstairs in my pile ‘o boxes in the dining room, if only to get it out of the basement while I’m working down there. By the time I’m finished… boy. I can only imagine and hope I will be finished. *g*

Anyway, check out the auctions. Bid. Help me clean out my basement and get my bills paid off so I can move out of here! I would be so happy if this actually works.

Okay! Check out my handiwork for the day! More to come! Combine shipping!

I’m up over 200 now, and I’m going downstairs to write up more! (Okay, I cheated; I relisted.)

Well. Went for a drive this morning, and ended up in Harrisburg, Ohio. Was duly impressed. It’s a very small town, but lo and behold, there was a little white brick house for rent right across the street from the PO. (I tell you, it’s fate.) So I duly wrote down the number, and called and left a message. Hopefully they’ll call back today. Hopefully it will be cheap enough… it was cute, had a basement, a small yard… and it’s 19 miles away from work. The only drawback, so far, is no offstreet parking. But there is parking right in front. Of course, that means I’d have to learn how to parallel park. *g* I didn’t do too badly today, but to have to do that all the time… I guess I could live with it.

Anyway, cross your fingers.

I will be very happy when I am rid of him. I cannot stand much more of this. I have no nerves left.