Being at home is stressful for me, as it is for almost all young adults. It is not really the day to day interaction with my parents and simblings that stresses me out, it is my mom's inability to throw anything out, ever. There is so much clutter in my parents house. I moved home breifly last year and went through two rooms and threw out 11 garbage bags full of junk.

At my apartment in Calgary I have the bare essentials. I make frequent visits to the salvation army to give away items I no longer use. I don't have a microwave because an oven has the aibility to warm food and it tastes better that way. I try to keep my essentials to a bare minimum. Although I use the word 'essential' loosely. I have 7 types of glassware and have developed a pretty serious shoe fetish. The important thing is I don't have McLean's magazines from 2 years ago when the magazine comes weekly; Or two hi-fi stereos in plain site when I don't listen to records.

I'm afraid because of my mom's intolerable clutter I am going to be one of those mothers that throw away too many things. Then my children will be tramatized and never throw anything away. That will drive me bananas.

Last night being an honest citizen of Calgary finally paid off. I am able to go car-free in Calgary due to their C-train.

http://www.calgarytransit.com/Routes/lrt_stop.html

There are tickets stations at each stop where you are supposed to by a ticket if you are travelling outside of the 'free zone.' It has been rumoured that the transit police will write you a ticket with a hefty fine if you're caught without a validated ticket. When I first moved to the city I would always buy a ticket and my friends made fun of me for wasting my money, and I myslef had never actually seen the transit cops.; so on occasion I would ride the c-train without a fare.

When Curtis came down to visit he and I grazed passed the transit cops sans ticket and he said he's going to pay every time, and after that so did I.

Yesterday I was riding the C-train, ticket in hand, and then transit cops entered, both about 6'3", I guess being intimidating is mandatory. "ALRIGHT EVERYONE. TICKETS AND VALIDATION PLEASE" and they come barrelling down the car checking everyones ticket. ONe fellow didn't have one. The escorted him off the train at the next stop and wrote him a ticket including his fine, which I'm sure was hefty.

I would imagine they moniter the trains more diligently in the cold weather to prevent the bums from riding them to stay warm. Which I agree with. I am not insensitive to the homeless, but the city puts a lot of money and effort in providing them with warm places to sleep when it is cold outside, and the C-train is not one of those designated places.

In one week I will be home again for the first time in 8 months. I am a little nervous, but mostly excited. I haven't seen my brothers for 8 months and my sister for almost 11. I can't help but worry how devastated I am going to be when I have to leave them again, being a worrier and all. But I am also a 'live in the moment' kind of girl and know these next three weeks are going to be unbelievable good times.

Curtis Cleaver is my hero.