You want me to pay who for the what now?

In the past week I've been surprised a number of times by how much I have or didn't have to pay for certain things around here. First of all, I called my apartment rental company to tell them I was planning on getting a cat. I knew there was an addendum to my lease to be signed, and the people at the animal shelter had told me that if I had signed this addendum before coming to pick out a cat, it would make the adoption process go a lot more smoothly. But when I called to get that addendum sent to me, the woman told me I'd have to write two checks: one a $100 additional security deposit, and the other for the $25 increase in rent for pet owners! Whaaa? The wind went out of my sails immediately. I'm already paying more than I want to pay for my apartment, and I love cats, but am I willing to spend $300 per year for one? Plus, I just object to this fee on principal. If they have an extra $100 in security deposit, what the hell do they need another $25 per month for? What additional monthly costs will they incur by me having a small domesticated animal in my apartment? I have never heard of this before in my life, and it really irritates me. Argh. Yes, I'm aware that not getting a cat to protest the unfair fees is definitely akin to cutting off my proverbial nose, but that's the way it is going to be for now.

But then there are things that are cheap. When I got over my initial shock at the fact that I'm not allowed to use the University athletic facilities for free (neither are students), I was pleased to note that an annual pass to all of the pools is somewhere around $170 per year, and the gym fee I believe is about the same. Plus, membership in the University Ballroom Dancing club, which I have to join to take my weekly tango lesson (first one was on Friday but it'll take me months not to feel like I am the least graceful person on the planet) is $25 per year. With that I could also take foxtrot, cha-cha, salsa or traditional ballroom lessons if I wanted to.

Then the best part: I went to the movies last night...the adult fare is $7.50, but when the guy at the register saw my PSU I.D. he gave me the student rate of $5.25. I don't think I've paid that little for a movie since I was in elementary school. Woo-hoo!