From:  "Amy Harrand" 
Subject:  Amy Life Update 04/08/00 
Date:  Sat, 08 Apr 2000 23:16:03 EDT 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Today's been a boring day - no calls, nothing happened, a little shopping, lunch at L'chayim. 

Since today was so non-productive, I thought I'd toss a word out to y'all, flesh out the teaser I sent 
you the other day, and maybe brighten your lives ;)  I can only hope! 

That little list o' things I sent you the other day was pretty strictly events that happened THAT DAY, 
or I found out about THAT DAY.  See how much more exciting Thursday was?? 

The car I was driving wasn't Bessie (my car), it was my mother's.  *Ahem* MINE wouldn't have had any 
problems. Just teasing, mom!  Actually, Bessie was at my parents, having some maintenance done.  No 
major surgery, no need for get well cards.  *smirk*  but the annoying rattle in the back passnger side 
should be gone, and I'm putting a handle in the back so my passengers no longer feel like convicts; 
they can let themselves out. 

Nadia is fine.  WEll, stressed, but fine.  The accident was minor, she needs the back door replaced 
and there was shattered glass all over the back seat, but she wasn't hurt, which is the important 
part.  She and Angela may have found an apartment that they can agree on, and she's still hoping to 
move out of her parents' May 1.  She's also working with her parents, so you can guess how stressed 
she is ;> 

The last Friday in April is May Day at Hope College, and I'm hoping to go down and hang out.  I'll 
only be there Friday due to working at EnviroLab and JCP, but Jen Gralow is Flying in from New York, 
and Nadia is driving with her from Detroit, so hopefully I'll see a few of you then??  Susan, I know 
that's the last day of your exam week, but maybe you'll be done by then?? 

Speaking of my employment(s); I'm thinking of making my last day at EL the last Thursday in April, 
leaving that Friday for Holland.  I'm going to be working every weekend in April (minus the present 
weekend and Easter Sunday) at J.C. Penney.  Yes, that's only 3 weekends, but it feels like a lot.  
This should give me a little "tiding over" money b/c EnviroLab pays right away (and therefore checks 
end almost right away), with Penney's I'll have to wait 2-3 weeks for my first paycheck (they pay 
every other week).  Still Better than old Kent bank, where you get paid every other week, TWO WEEKS 
in arrears.  That bites, let me tell you. 

And then the embarassing part of the e-mail.  I got a lot of incredulous responses to this one:  
Yes, it is VERY possible for me to lock myself out on my balcony.  I've done it before, really.  
Back in September.  What happened was that I ATTEMPTED to clean the outsides of the sliding glass 
windows.  I shut the middle (sliding) section, to be able to access the entirety of the window.  
Unfortunately, I shut it a little too hard.  I really don't think it was very hard, but the window 
did, and the latch flipped over, thereby locking the door!!!!  I stood there dumbfounded for a sec, 
cursed under my breath (maybe loudly, I was in a bit of shock), and then weighed my options.  
The first that came to mind was jumping, but I hate to jump.  The second was that my Mom was 
coming in a half hour (to get me a functional car).  BUT that would involve me, in a T-shirt, 
in 40 degree weather, for a half hour.  The third, emabrassing option was to ask someone to go 
into my apartment to let me back in, but there was no one around.  So, back to option one, I 
scrambled over the edge and thought about jumping.  Mind you, it's only a 5.5'-6' jump, but 
I'm a wuss.  So, I reconsidered the options at this point, and remembered that there's an A.C. 
unit that juts out of the apartment wall a few inches.  I climbed back onto the balcony, over 
to the side of the AC, and gingerly placed some of my weight on it.  I freaked out for a second, 
and then jumped. 

*PHEW!* 

The "freaked out for a second" part was the bad part, because I tensed up, and I'm still sore 
and limping today.  I hate jumping! 

Oh, hey, I almost forgot.  Ona e-mailed me a mini update on herself, and I thought more than 
a few of you might be interested, so here's wasuuuuuup in her life, in her own words: 

        -got a job waitstaffing at catered events 
        -will soon be volunttering at a store that benifits persons with HIV/AIDS 
        -may have teh opportunity to interview women involved wiht gangs on the Capeflats for 
		  an honors thesis 
        -am hiking table mountain tommorrow morning 

Isn't she amazing? 

One last bit before I go; training Kelly is going great, she's catching on well and seems to 
enjoy things.  She's jumping right in and asking good questions, so I think she's going to do 
really well.  I have a feeling that the last week we'll be working primarily as partners, rather 
than teacher and student.  Or maybe I'll play student, to make sure she's learned everything! 
I don't know, but I have high hopes for her. 

Alrighty, good night and good luck everybody.  Have a good, safe Easter, and if I don't see/talk 
to you before, have a good exam week! 

                                                 -Amy