Thanks, Joey.

This week I got my first little job of the summer; I'm in charge of taking care of my friend's pets while her family is vacationing in Cali.
It has been a bit of a struggle, but it's been worth it.

When the week started out, I realized I didn't want to walk 4 blocks twice a day to feed the animals, so I somehow got my bike down from the rafters of the garage. I hadn't ridden it in probably a year, but there really was nothing else I could do. I liked riding the yellow bike. The wind in my hair. The fast trip across the ward boundaries. But that first day was  e x h a u s t i n g.  My quads were working hard and let's not even discuss the state of my butt by the end of that day.
Taking care of the cat and the turtle has been no problem at all. The giant lab, however, is a different story. His name is Joey. He poops ten pounds a day and sheds like you've never seen. His water bucket is heavy and the hose in their yard is possessed. I also have to take him on walks, which is more like Joey taking me on a drag.

This week has been full of work and other things. I've babysat, scooped poop, ridden my bike through screaming muscles, sweat (a lot), scooped food, washed clothes, pined over new clothes, downloaded music, continued to ride my bike, and my freckles have darkened quite a bit.

At the beginning of the week I restarted my ongoing quest to find happiness. The last week of May was probably the third or fourth worst week of my life. I was feeling lower than low, but I was sick of it. So I made a goal list, and I cut my hair. But the final thing that helped me out was this week's job.
Taking care of Joey has kept me busy. It forced me to get out of the house and actually do something with myself before I ended up damaging myself.

Even though on Sunday night I thought this week would be less than pleasurable, I'm still here on Thursday, and I realize that I don't feel sad. My friends still don't call me and I still need a new swim suit, but for the first time in a while, the little details aren't getting to me as much anymore. I don't know how it happened, but now that I find myself here, I hope I can stay. Thanks, Joey, for changing my life.