Today is my 21st birthday. So far it’s been a great day. Last night a couple of friends (Esther and Coretta) came over. I stayed up talking with them and Michelle until about 3:00 and went to bed. Michelle told me this morning that they didn’t go to bed until 7:00 AM! I’ve never been able to pull an all nighter; I guess I just missed that part of being a college student. Dad called me this morning to sing happy birthday to me, and to update me on everything that’s happening in Hiawassee. It’s been at least a month or two since I was last home, and I won’t be able to go home again until Thanksgiving.

Dad also informed me this morning, that I didn’t have to pay him back for the money I borrowed to buy my new laptop. I tried to convince him that I did have to pay him back, but he wouldn’t hear it. I guess I’ll just have to take really good care of him and Mom when they’re old.

Michelle took me out to lunch at my favorite coffeeshop, CozziCafe. It’s a great little restaurant. The owner has worked his entire life in gourmet restaurants, and his wife is a graphic designer. So not only is the food and coffee great, the place looks awesome as well. Not that I ever have time to go, but ever Friday night they have live music. And of course, they have free Wi-Fi. While we were having lunch, Michelle’s grandmother called to sing to me. Her husband’s birthday is tomorrow, so she can always remember mine. Shortly after that, Michelle’s mom and little sister called.

The rest of my day will consist of cleaning the apartment in case anyone wants to come over tonight after work, and going into work for my birthday dinner. My boss, Grace, said that I get a free meal and drinks!

I’m really enjoying two of my four classes this semester. The two I’m not enjoying are Economics and Statistics. They’re both just classes that everyone has to take. They aren’t difficult, and I think that’s why I don’t like them. I completely love my other two classes though. Ethics in Criminal Justice is such a great class. We talk about controversial topics (capital punishment, corrupt police, etc.) and the entire class participates in the talks/debates. It’s so nice being in a class where everyone wants to be there. My other Criminal Justice course I’m taking is called, “Ideological/Group Violence and Law Enforcement.” We just call it “The Terrorism Class,” because that’s what we’re studying. My teacher is a big-wig in the Georgia Army National Guard and is very passionate about the subject, having worked both as a police officer and in the military. A passionate teacher makes all of the difference to a student. Sometimes I want to be a teacher just so I can make that difference, but I feel my talents would be better used as a police investigator or an FBI agent. The Cobb County Police Department is having a career fair in two weeks that I’ll be attending. During the day it’s going to be all bells and whistles: showing off the equipment, giving demonstrations, and other things for the community. But afterwards, they are giving the written exam to become a police officer. I’m going to talk to my Ethics teacher, who used to work for Cobb County PD, to see if he can help me figure out what I want to do with my life.

I’ve been very busy with school and my two jobs. Today is the first day in months that I’ve been able to just sit around without having to go to one place or another. I have class three days a week, and I usually work seven days a week. Between Zyng Asian Grill and Chapter 11* Books, my free time is pretty much nonexistent. I prefer it that way though. I don’t know what I would do if I came home from school with nothing else to do. If I weren’t updating my website right now I’d probably be cleaning, studying for one of my two tests on Monday, or finding something else constructive to do. Now that I think about it though, I should probably be studying now.