The Journey Begins...

Within the last two weeks, I embarked on one of the most life changing and life altering events you can walk through. Moving out of my parents house!!! It was exciting, and a little frightening. But I was not about to tell my parents that.

Within days, I realized, this first apartment experience would be one I would I want to remember forever. I moved into a complex, that caused my socio-economic class to drop. Is this a bad thing? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Are my neighbors a little different? ABSOLUTELY! Here's the things, it's my nutty neighbors that inspired me to write this blog.

This blog will consist of the awkward, weird, fun, and Jesus filled conversations I will have with my neighbors, as well as anything else I decide to put in. But first let me tell you about the story that was the inspiration for this blog.

We'll start with the Characters: (all names will be changed...hopefully I don't screw up and put their real names)

Lucy- The neighbor to the left of me. In her late 60's. A no-nonsense, yet sweet woman.

Danny- Lucy's Son, probably in his 40's, smoker, gruff, but helpful. Lives with Lucy

Ronnie- Lucy's slightly older son who lives in the same complex, but not with Lucy. He has the same descriptions as Danny. They seriously could be twins.

Linda- Downstairs neighbor, you can tell she has a had a rough life. She is short, and missing a few teeth. She is in her early 60's

Dana- Linda's daughter, 36 years old. Possible victim of fetal alcohol syndrome.

Ray- a teen, mentally handicapped boy, with a sweet heart, who lives across the way.

So there are my neighbors, the characters(more, I'm sure, to come), to my ever increasing adventure.

This is where my story begins...

It was moving day, I was loading things in and out, trying to be as aloof as possible so no one would notice me, but that's hard when carrying massive loads of things up and down the stairs of an apartment building. My first contact was with Linda, she was just standing outside. I told her hello and kept going, she just watched me. I think that's what she likes to do, just watch, or as I would put it, stalking me with her eyes. I got moved in with a little help from Ronnie, and a massive amount of help from my amazing parents.

I was two days in to living on my own, around 10:30pm in when I was on the phone telling a friend what an awesome time I was having and how I wasn't scared at all. Then as abruptly as I said it, I heard at the door sound, "BANG, BANG, BANG!" I told my friend I would call her back. I asked who it was and I was surprised by the answer, " The police department."

Many things went through my head, some which I could mention, and some I couldn't. I wondered how they even knew I lived there, and why they would want me to open up. I was sure someone in my family had died. Which is scary, by the way. I opened up, and they said, "Is this where Ronnie lives?" Relieved, I pointed them to the right door. Through the course of the conversation, (because of course I was standing at the door listening) I heard the police question him on his whereabouts after leaving work, and I heard the police tell him basically, "watch it, because were watching you." What would make normal people worry and be scared, made me intrigued and giddy. (Hey, I never said I was normal.) It was at this moment I decided, a blog must be started!

My desire to start it increased today, in an interaction I had with Dana.

I was up early today to study for two midterms I had. After studying, I took my cup of coffee out on the walkway that my apartment complex likes to call a porch, and sat listened as, Dana, Linda, and Ray talked downstairs. It was early, around 7, just so you know, the three of them talk this early EVERYDAY. I just happened to be out there this morning, so they stared at me and I guess decided it would be polite to talk to me. I'm not sure I would agree, but I engaged in the conversation despite my feelings.

Ray was muttering things under his breath when Dana asked my name. I told her. " You live up there by yourself?" Once again I answered her. " How old are you?" Again, I told her. I thought I would keep my answers brief. (I was only 30 minutes into my cup of coffee, give me a break ;))I'm not comfortable telling people, especially strangers, my arrangements in living, but I went ahead and did it anyway. Dana, said that she would be up to visit me soon. I told she was welcome at anytime.

I got up to go inside and finish getting ready for school, and Linda came out. "You live up there?" She questioned. I confirmed. She continued, " O yeah, that's the apartment that the lady died in..."

Imagine hearing this. Your still paused and a little grossed out aren't you?

It was probably a good thing I had not taken a drink, because it would have been spewed. I went inside, a little weirded out, but not too weirded out. I immediately wrote down Blog: Lady Died in my apartment. I was brushing my teeth and getting ready to leave for school when I hear a knock at my door...(literally 2 min, after going in)

I open it, and there stands Dana for the first, of what I'm sure will be many visits...

LET THE FUN BEGINS...