Juggling plates

I've entered a hectic time, apparently one in which I'm a rule-breaker. I'm being fussed at for (a) not turning the key in to the IRC building (I didn't know I was supposed to), (b) not filling out an Incomplete sheet for a student (my bad), (c) not turning in the parking card for the Grand Rapids Ferris location (again, I didn't know I was supposed to), and more. Additionally, I'm fussing at myself because I haven't (d) paid Christine my share of the money for the going-away dinner for Ruth and Genevieve, (e) written a letter of reference for a friend, (f) gotten all of my summer coursework up on FerrisConnect, and (g) responded to Roxanne about WIC plans.

Monday (yesterday) we rented a small U-Haul and drove my bed, desk, easy chair, ottoman, bookcase, lamps, bedding, etc., to Big Rapids and moved into my studio apartment. The refrigerator is still empty except for half a sub sandwich, but that will have to wait. There is much to do, and grocery shopping for the studio is not high on my list. I do have to say, though, that the little studio is adorable with my stuff in it. I plan to drive up tomorrow and stay through Friday morning, when I have a meeting to attend. I was going to drive up today, but I have so much I need to do here first.

Besides, selfishly, I want to watch the Idol finals tonight (and tomorrow night, but tonight requires voting). I'm finding myself wholly a fan of Adam Lambert and wishing someone other than Kris Allen (is that his name? He's always been such a bland, innocuous person) were in the finale. It hardly seems to be a contest, but I guess the anti-gay crowd will turn out to vote in masse for oh-so-Christian married heterosexual Kris.

I forgot to mention that when we returned the U-Haul, they charged us for "damage" to the truck. We did not cause the damage, but we paid for it ($40). There was little choice. Still, I wonder how many other people have paid for the same "damage"? My husband confesses that he did not see the so-called damage to the outside mirror when he inspected the truck prior to driving it off the U-Haul lot, but he didn't go anywhere near anything that would have damaged the mirror. I was with him at all times as we loaded and unloaded, and except for the 75-minute drive to Big Rapids and back, on open road, when I was in my car, I would have seen anything he might have brushed up against. (He says it looked like the mirror had swiped a big bush or tree and gotten scraped on the backside.) At no time did he park near anything. He's always careful to stay well away from overhangs, other vehicles, and trees and bushes, and it's not in his nature to damage something and then deny it. Judging by the huge numbers of websites that I googled, apparently U-Haul is doing a fine business of ripping off customers like us. So take heed: bring your camcorder with you before you rent from U-Haul and document every inch of the truck you rent so you can prove that you didn't do something.

I suppose I should get started on my plate-juggling before several of them fall to the ground and crash. I also need to update my parking for the Ferris Big Rapids campus and change my password (to avoid being nagged to death). Grumble.