"Priceline Negotiator!"

So Shatner just helped me buy tickets to New Orleans for spring break. Which, while exceptionally infuriating and time consuming during the purchase process, is uber exciting! However...and I truly hate that there is a "however" to this situation... I was informed (not surprisingly) by my mother that she does not approve of me going to New Orleans with my boyfriend (henceforth DBF) of nearly 2 years to visit his sister for a week and not have to pay for a hotel.

The option that she feels I should take involves me going to the house I grew up in (and generally visit on every break from school I can afford) and sit around the house (like I always do). Liberal doses of guilt are involved. Which yes, while I do feel bad that I'm not spending that time with them, I have to think realistically. I spent all of the past breaks I could at home with them since I started grad school.

So instead of that option I told DBF to ask his sister if she would mind visitors. She lives in New Orleans, like IN New Orleans, not by, not near, IN. Soooo, for the price of transportation (which may end up not being as terrible as I thought it was going to be if I get a nice priceline representative on the phone tomorrow) I get to see New Orleans, which according to weather.com feels a solid 12 degrees warmer right now. WAY exciting.

Its really disappointing that my Mom acts like this. I am in my mid-20's, in grad school, and never ask for anything. She constantly tells me about how her coworkers kids are all barefoot and pregnant, on meth, have huge credit card debts, and continue to live their lives. I on the other hand cannot go on a vacation with the guy I've been in a monogamous relationship with for well over a year and a half. On the third hand, she is 50 and doesn't travel with her BF of...16 years?

I think its kind of sad really. I understand that she lives with my grandmother, but honestly, she needs to get out and live her life. It's time. I feel like if I don't get out and do things like this from time to time I'm not living my life as I should. I feel that if I spend more time trying to keep everyone happy than I already do I have no time for myself. 97% of my time is spent trying to make someone happy, as my 1 follower knows all too well, and I stress far more than I should, but sometimes I really feel like I need to do something for me. Its not often, but sometimes it just has to be done. I'm quite sure that my family would prefer if I splurged on $100 of yarn rather than took a trip to New Orleans, but honestly, I wouldn't do that. I can sometimes justify spending on travel.

In case you don't know, I LOVE the South. I have only been to the South a few times, and never for very long, but (with exception to Texas- due to 70 mile trips to anything) I have always really liked the South. I like the weather, I like the speed, I like the way people don't ignore you so they don't have to deal with you. (Example- I have no idea who my neighbors are. None. I live in a small development and couldn't tell you one name. I think that's really sad.) Plus I really love space. My dream is to have a garden and animals. Nothing huge. Just the ability to walk outside, sit in the shade of an old tree, knit and watch my garden grow. I realize it isn't realistic to think that this IS the South, but that is what the South is to me. My ideal life is set in the South.

I feel I'm starting to ramble. I realized I'm much more tired than I thought I was. I don't have a huge amount of work left to do, but it is substantial. This weekend has been a bit exhausting. I will probably get up earlier than necessary tomorrow morning to finish as soon as possible.

Needless to say the sweater was not finished by the close of the Olympics, but I am actually ok with it. I'm actually pretty proud of where I am with it with the work I've had to do during the past few weeks. the 2nd sleeve is almost finished, I will have to back out and re-knit 1 row from the body and the other sleeve to make grafting easier, and the only thing left is the yolk. Probably only a few hours work to finish it up. Maybe I will finish at knitting on Wednesday.

Goodnight all, sleep sweet!