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Two years later, I’m leaving the Oshkosh Northwestern on September 11.

The (760) number rang in my office. I picked it up and dashed downstairs and out of the office.

It was Rick Green, now executive editor of The Desert Sun. And he wanted to make a deal that I could not, and would not, refuse.

The Indio Sun, a bureau of the Desert Sun is hiring a community news reporter to help cover the small city of Indio, Calif. It would be a weekly reporter position, just like the position that I originally interviewed for with The Palm Springs Sun, but this would be a smaller city where I could get my feet wet in a regional beat. And he wanted to hire me on the spot.

My start date at The Desert Sun is September 23. My end date at the Oshkosh Northwestern is September 11. Ironically, it was two years ago that I started my career there too.

I also filed my two weeks notice with my landlord. My leaving date for Oshkosh will be September 12.

And now, my mind is just racing. There is so much to do. I have to find an apartment. I have to pack. I have to eat lunch. I have to take a shower. I have to go to work in two hours. I have so much to do…and so little time.

But if I take things in baby steps, like I have lately, I will be able to start the next chapter of my life in three weeks.

I managed to save $3,000, which is a very good thing, because I am now moving out of Oshkosh, Wisc. for a new job in Palm Springs, Calif. I have already transferred $1,000 to go to miscellaneous moving expenses, which have included shipping boxes to San Francisco, clearing up any Wisconsin bills, and putting a downpayment on a potential new studio in California.

I’ll resume my savings efforts when I move back to California and have established myself with my new job. I’ll start slow first, with $50/month and then push it back up to $100 once I’m established.

I just bought my dream camera – the Powershot SD1100 IS. He is soo awesome and sexy and takes great pictures. I had to put a hefty amount on my credit card, but he was worth it.

My dad is a former stock broker. I hope that he will be able to help me out with this. It feels very grown-up.

I haven’t updated for a long time. I just realized that I had a firewall that has been preventing me from going to 43things.com so I apologize.

I have been saving vorariously. I also happened on some money that my parents had been saving on me through investments so I have accumulated more than my aimed goal. It is a total shock. I know.

Overall, here’s my plan. I still have my CD active so I plan to put $1,000 into the CD. While I’m waiting for that, I am now actively saving at least $1,000 for my next journalism convention in Boston.

I spent $900 for this year’s journalism convention and that did not include a flight. I probably plan to share a place with someone who is going to the convention next year, but I’m going to need to majorly start saving.

I’ve got another $175 left to go to pay down my credit card thanks to all the rhinestones that I bought for the Mr. Gay Wisconsin pageant.

I’m going to Madison for a much needed vacation first and I’ve got a few more things to buy for the competition. And then, I’ll use the rest to pay off a little bi more of my credit card, like $90 or something.

My new goal is to wake up early to go to the gym. I’m getting ready to run for a male beauty pageant so that requires a lot of working out. I want to wake up at 7 a.m. so I can hit the gym by 8 a.m.

My new plan is to go to bed early on workout days, like midnight or something.

Uncle Sam came and gave me a great payday, so I immediately paid myself and put $200 in my savings account.

I’m shocked that I almost have $3,000 but I also have to consider the chance that I will move pretty soon.

I would like to invest more money of my savings account into my 401K, like when it opens back up, I’ll put another thousand dollars into the 401K.

With all this money, I’m super tempted to spend it all, so I’m also glad that I’m a cheapskate and now that I’m not in a relationship, I could use some time to save some money for myself.

Another $110 in my savings account. Still no word on a move yet, but at least I’m ready for it. I don’t know what else I should save for next one I have enough money. HOpe I will find out soon.

Today, I succeeded in my mission of saving $2,500. Well, actually, it’s $2,520 because I have now been saving $110 instead of $100 monthly. Woo hoo! So, I’m going to keep saving until I really, really need this money.

I am so close to saving $2,500…just oh so close. I”m now depositing $110 into my bank account every time I get my paycheck so that’s all good.

However, this money may become very, very important in the next month. I hate to be cryptic for now, but it has to do with a potential move cross-country. I fly out this Tuesday for a job interview, wish me luck.

I only sleep late on weekends or when I am fairly stressed out. I’m so glad that I know more about myself now and my sleeping patterns. I also sleep late with my boyfriend but we both share wacky night schedules so it is all good.

Another $100 went into the savings account so I’m getting close to my new $2,500 goal. Saving $100 at a time is working great for me. Maybe when I reach $2500, I’ll start saving $110 instead.

That is going to be the last sentence of Chapter 25. One of the main characters mistakingly falls for an eager young student and they end up doin’ it, doin’ it, at the main character’s house.

Chapter 25 – 750 words so far.

I think the fact that “The L Word” is coming to a close has given me a swift kick in the ass about the impending lack of gay drama on television. Not that I’m hoping to adapt my novel to television since it probably has a thousand copyrights on its characters.

But last night, I just kept writing. I have envisioned what this chapter and this encounter was going to look like for a long time and it started to crystallize itself as I typed. Unfortunately, I only got 1/3 of the 2/3s of the chapter done. Unfortunately, the 1/3 of the chapter was the sex scene that ends the chapter. It was juicy and really good

The next chapter is my favorite (it’s going to be a boat scene with a whole load of humor and another gay sex scene) and then it’s back to the lesbian storyline which I really have no idea where that one is going.

I also need to repair my Web site, ryanhitomi.tripod.com. I was thinking of just ditching Geocities and put it on Blogger instead. Ah, so much to do, so little time, between being a real journalist and having a personal life.

So, why do people track wordcount for a novel? I’m confused about that

Yesterday was a very good cleaning day. So, I cleaned one of the desks that is next to me of all the junk. I mean, all of the junk. Next up: my entertainment center desk.

At the office, I have managed to keep one half of my desk clean but I barely have any time because of everything that I do to clean the other half of the desk. It’s annoying because all the other reporters somehow keep their desks clean.

My counselor and I finally pointed out that the cause of my anger is actually from my anxiety. I worry always about what everyone thinks of me, from my boyfriend to my co-workers to my friends, and I need to stop doing that because it takes me to dark places.

I’m seeing a great guy right now so I feel that my life is slightly at balance. I’ve been a little bit more reclusive, but I’m still performing in shows so I still get to hang out with my friends.

One of my friends is moving out of Oshkosh, but she really needs to get her stuff together and her life is so unbalanced, so it’s okay. I’m just waiting for the day that I get to move out too.

I paid for half of the UNITY Chicago registration on my credit card so now there is $175 left on it. I’m getting paid this week and I’m going to put in another $100 towards the UNITY convention. I haven’t even registered and paid down the hotel yet. But I prefer this method to my madness, because Chicago, to me, is going to be very much worth it with all the career opportunities that will be there.

Well, my state tax return showed up and that is awesome. I immediately placed $100 into my bank account. So, my savings account is $1,200 right now. That is really sweet.

I’m still looking for a mid-size newspaper to move to, so I’m keeping all of my options open. I really hope that this is now enough money for me to move.

I’d also like a savings account for things that I’d like to spend on the short term, but I gotta pay down my credit card first.

So, as soon as I got my paycheck, I paid the first half of my credit card down. That brought me down to $184. So, hopefully, I’ll be able to pay this down in two more payments.