In a choice between hearing good news and bad news, I prefer the bad news first so I can walk away with hope in the end. Therefor, I begin this by saying that it will be any day now that my grandma passes. My mom is thinking tomorrow, but who knows. On the brighter side of things, mom told me that grandma actually smiled when she saw her today and when my mom gave her a kiss, she kissed back and kissed her again, the warming love that my mother has been aching for ever since grandma fell under. And for the good and casual news... my laptop is returned to me, fixed and doctored up with all new fun things. Nick (Kris's brother-in-law) is a computer wiz and did all kinds of good stuff to my laptop, including the gift of Photoshop which, as many people know, is a lavishly expensive, extensive, and complicated (couldn't think of another e-word) program. Anyhow, I am very excited to get working on it. I've had a breif intro to it at school, but it wasn't the best version of photoshop and it was on a Mac (I hate Macs no matter what they say). I had jolly good fun watching Nick manipulate a baby picture of Kris, making his eyes all huge, his nose real small, and his head a bit shrunken. I have much to learn... I managed to send in my fastweb application tonight, which was a real squeeze considering how crazy life has been these past few weeks. So here's hopin'. I am officially done at Micheal's; Saturday was my last day and it was wonderful. One of the manager's--Caris--actually hugged me and said that she was going to miss me. A lot of the employees told me I needed to check in now and then. That was nice to hear. I guess that's all the important stuff for now. It's eleven o'clock and I have to finish packing for band camp--oh, have to discuss this real quick...tangent! I've got my camera, laptop, and a video camera from Nick all for band camp. I am ridicuously excited to go there. The whole Miller family will be there (which is, by the time, practically my family as well), so that will be cool. More than anything I think, I am excited to get out of the house for a week, be in a cooler atmospher, and have the blissful responsibilities of tending to my passions; photography, video making, and a little writing on the side. My novel about Andy and Zody is really becoming a pleasure. For once (and I think this is the key difference with Andy and Zody against all others stories) I am not forcing myself to work on it in the goal of publishing it; this one is for pure enjoyment, which was the best decision I ever made because it is rekindling that passion for writing again. Anyway, I'll have that and photoshop and a start on the video to keep me blissfully entertained all week. Ok, back to it being late... I have to finish packing and then clamber out of bed painfully early to pick-up Kris at 5:30am and then be at school...We're driving seperate from the buses just in case my grandma does pass, I can drive home whenever I need to. So that's that. I'll be gone for a week so I hope there's enough rubbish on this journal and at myspace to keep your fill of Carrie! Hope everyone is still enjoying summer...don't you be working too hard! Carrie