I went on an interview this morning and got the job! I'd do cartwheels if I could. This means I can start paying off bills and can get my loan soon and everything will (hopefully) fall into place. Thank goodness.  Answered prayers.

Today Amanda talked me into calling my mother. However, my mother was nowhere to be found - at work or at home - and I freaked out, called my Aunt Gail, found out that her number changed, so I called my grandmother.

My Grandmother and Mother aren't the closest of people. Mom refuses to have anything to do with her really, and aside from a couple of years when I was a kid, I've never really had much time to get to know her. However, those couple of years were very impressionable and I think of her quite often. My grandma is skitsophrenic and manic depressive. My grandmother is also very open-minded, artsy, flighty, and is INCREDIBLY smart. I love that woman. I probably have more in common with her than anyone else in my family. To talk to her on the phone was amazing. Her voice is probably the most comforting voice I've ever heard, just sweet and loving, and it was just so cute because she was just overjoyed that her "baby" called. She said she's been worrying a lot about me lately because she talked to mom a couple of weeks ago and heard that I was kind of MIA. (According to my family, I am.) But she gave me priceless advice like not to worry about what my parents perceive me as, to try to slow down (especially when I talk -- it's a habit she and her father had to beat and she recognized that I also had it - kind of neat! Katie once said that I spoke like a Chicagoan on meth...meaning very quickly. So it's hereditary! Rule!) and to experience as much as I could an not worry about "sin" unless I was doing my body harm. Which was a jab at my parents' way of raising me. Everything was a sin. Rock and Roll: Sin. Drinking too much coke: Sin.  Not agreeing with them: Sin (honor your mother and father, geddit?). You get the picture. I promised my grandma I'd call her again really soon and was really happy that she invited me to my new baby cousin's christening next weekend at a Methodist church downtown. My Aunt Alicia is a year younger than me and had her second child a month ago. His name is Anthony Michael Hill. Cool, huh? I don't think it was intentional ... Alicia's not up on 80s flick actors ... but I am going to do everything in my power to be there on that Sunday.

Then I tried calling home again and couldn't get through, so Amanda pushed me to call my dad. At first he was a jerk, but the more we talked, the more understanding he was. And I wanted to go home for a few days to stay with them, but he said no offense, but they had a million things going on and he'd prefer it if I got on my feet by myself and then when I'm set again, call. And that the next couple of months are going to be hell for them, as they've got two mortgages, three car payments, mom lost her contracting job due to lay-offs, and Matt's in the mental hospital for 8 months. So it's kind of sucky for them. Then he told me mom was having surgery today too, just an inpatient thing for "women's problems" but I think she just had her tubes retied. So I'm not going to worry myself. My aunt Teresa is visiting from Kentucky for a week and is helping my mom out every way she can. She even drove with my parents to Utah this weekend to see Matt. I hope he's okay. Hopefully I'll see Teresa at the christening and we'll get to catch up. I miss having a family. At least I have my grandma now to talk to for advice. Dad told me on the phone he didn't want me talking to her because she's fruity and he worries about me turning into her, but he's just  being ridiculous. I have a right to appreciate my grandmother. She said she never wanted me to worry about her not accepting me and my mistakes, she would love me all the same and maybe even more for having the courage to goof up. I love that woman!!

This afternoon Amanda and I sat at Denny's for a long time talking about what we both wanted to do in the next couple of months. It was really relaxing with the rain pouring outside and giving each other advice on what to do. Then we stopped at the Rock Stop and talked to Michael and he gave us all the details of ... THE SECRET CHEAP TRICK SHOW NEXT WEEK!!!!!! There's no advertisements for it, no venue information, no prices, it's top secret and I KNOW EVERY DETAIL! BITCHIN! He said we'll have no problem going out with them too and hanging out and that since we're young girls they're going to be thrilled. Yay!!! You have no idea just HOW excited I am about this.

So this time next week I'll be employed and getting even more psyched about seeing one of the greatest rock bands ever. I am so not worthy. I've never felt that way about seeing any band, but it's doubly true for Cheap Trick. Tom Petterson! I get to meet him! It's worth sacrificing my trip to Atlanta for. Things DO work out, you know? Patience is vital. And with that, I'm going back to my WKRP fest on Nick at Nite.