If I go to Europe, the trip is paid, but even with free transport, I'll probably ending up having to spend a good deal more money than I've got.

I made it through Europe on the (comparatively) cheap with hostels and farmer's markets. IIRC, my friends and I had exactly one formal sit-down meal each in France and Italy, and the rest of the time we lived on bread and fruit and cheese and other nibbles from sidewalk stalls and deli windows; we still ate very well indeed, and it was much easier on the budget.

It made us kind of sad to look at the posted menus outside the little caffes in sundrenched Italian piazzas and realize we couldn't actually afford to sit down at the little bistro tables and sip our espresso and nibble on gelato - but, really, sitting on the rim of a sparkling shimmery fountain in the middle of the sundrenched piazza, having espresso and gelato out of to-go cups, turned out to be quite bearable indeed.

Aimée, I know the yay of yay, more debt!, and any debt that lets you get a handle on the rest of your debt and beat it into submission is indeed a genuine yay. So, yay!

Notes:

I am suddenly very busy.

The Kinko's man is mad at me.

It is VERY hot in here. I'm beyond glistening.

I have a rant, but I'm not sure I have time to type it.

That's what I'm hoping. I'll do everything as cheap as I can, try not to touch the plastic (fat chance- I just got a cash advance to be able to expedite my passport), and work my booty off all winter to pay it off. And if this derails moving plans for a little bit, so be it.

I don't think I'll believe it's happening until there are plane tickets anyway. Everytime the phone rings and it's my friend, I think "Ok, here it is, she's finally changed her mind." But usually she just wants to go eat pancakes or to tell me Summer Glau is on The 4400.

Cereal:

I made it through Europe on the (comparatively) cheap with hostels and farmer's markets.

This is likely the plan, and leave it to JZ to make it sound even more magical than any alternative.

Crushes the Kinko guy's head for vw.

bah on the kinkos guy!

Europe can be enjoyed relatively cheaply; the most expensive stuff tends to be the transportation...

I'm sorting cds to sell, and I don't know why I am getting all weepy about selling them. I have them downloaded, the music isn't gone or anything. I just feel like I'm betraying them. Poor little guys. DVDs are another story. I tried, I really did. But I picked up 'Down With Love' and Ewan was just smiling at me so rakishly from the cover, and I couldn't do it. I started to pick up 'Girl With the Pearl Earring' but really, who am I kidding.

Emily, do you have anything Hawaiian I could borrow to wear tomorrow? I've got to figure out if I have to fit in a search before 2pm tomorrow.

Uh... Uh...

...no. Actually, that was easier than I expected. I don't believe there's any Hawaiian or faux-Hawaiian or Hawaiian-inspired garb in my wardrobe.

Yeah, mine either. Damn. Where the hell am I gonna get something Hawaiian before 2pm tomorrow?

Thrift store. Or, you can make a grass skirt out of garbage bags.