it's official

i will never own a cat. and it's becoming more likely that i'll never own a dog either. this cat is driving me insane. i know it's because she misses her companion of a decade and i try to spend as much time with her as i can. but she's become so needy - i don't remember her being like this, ever. if i don't sit with her, she whines. if i don't pet her, she whines. if i'm not looking at her, she whines. if she were a dog, i might be able to deal with it because at least i know she'd be able to go for a walk or play. this houseguest of mine just lounges. plays string every once in awhile. but mostly just stares and whines. oy!

things have been very quiet. i'm almost getting bored. i'd like to have people over but i'm afraid this cat might have a heart attack from all the new faces. plus, all the covers i've put on the couch look kind of ridiculous and are a pain to put back on properly so no parties for me until the new year.

Doc Tardy may be moving back home soon. i'm a bit disappointed because she had accepted a job in England previously and i was looking forward to visiting her for my birthday. ah well, i guess i can still celebrate the summer solstice in england, just more expensively. but it'll be good if she moves back - we'll get each other out and socializing again.

i wish i could learn better from my mistakes. last year at this time, i was grounding myself (for the umpteenth time, no doubt) for spending too much money. had i just bit the bullet last year at this time, i'd be out of credit card debt, probably would have a new computer, and would have a little more savings. instead, it's Christmas time again with gifts to buy, i have more credit card debt than i did last year and my car's regular maintenance is going to cost me at least $1500 because i'm about to hit 100,000 km and my timing belt needs to be changed. that doesn't include my brakes -i've been waiting for them to tell me i need them changed since the summer but since i don't drive as much now, i've been saved for a few months. i hate this. i hate that i just can't seem to learn. i can learn from my mistakes at work but in my personal life, generally, it's like Groundhog Day.

aside from the money-thing and the cat-thing, i'm quite happy. Mon was obsessing about this guy that she hasn't heard from in a week. she met him at Earls on Friday at lunch (randomly, of course), which turned into a 12 hour makeout session at her place. they planned on doing something the next week but he never phoned or sent her a text or anything. and she's obsessing. just the way i would. she says she's never felt this kind of chemistry with a guy since 1998 so she doesn't want to let him go, even though he smokes weed on a regular basis, occasionally does coke and is a self-professed partier. oy. meanwhile, she's got another guy that she's pushing away, even though he's got a great job, owns a house, is stable and established, and thoughtful (although it sounds like it could border on controlling sometimes). i told her she needs to simplify her life. she's the one who told me to read "eat, pray, love" and yet she learned nothing from that book. nada. i'm so glad i surround myself with people who invite so much drama into their lives. it reminds me that i don't want any in mine.