Monday, February 11, 2008

. . .Confessions and Images . . . < 3

I wrote in xanga instead, because I'm a wimp.
So here are sweet pics.







I want to be swept away.




Hold me.






I miss my clarinet a lot.








I like biting. And kissing.
A lot.



Sometimes you just need to beat the hell out of something.



Or dance around in your underwear.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

My friends

I love my family and friends more than anyone in the whole wide world.

With all the reflecting I've been doing lately, I've been remembering how much they've helped me in the past.

God has blessed me with beautiful, wonderful friends who, like me, are imperfect, but with their imperfection, they are perfect.

I'd be hopelessly lost without them.

That's all I can type and still remain composed.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

If I got paid per apartment visit, I'd have a whole month's rent in no time!

Option Uno--Near Arnold: $300 per month, reasonably close to campus (5-7 minute walk, tops), utilities included covered--including wireless internet, garbage included, furnished, small room but manageable, parking=free, neighborhood is a little creepy after dark--but tolerable, landlord + landlady live upstairs--might be a little weird (or good or awful, who knows?), two other tenants (female) may share apartment(will they be new friends or enemies or never be seen?)--i.e. bathroom(small but tolerable)/living room(nice & spacious)/kitchen(completely tolerable), large closet, no overnight guests without permission (how difficult is obtaining permission?), is on the downstairs level of house, might be willing to rent from August instead of May. . .

Additional questions:
Do they mind male guests over night?
Washer/Dryer?
Other housemates?
Definitely August lease?
Are the landlords crazy religious, or just religious?
Security deposit?


Option Due--Beechurst efficiency--Panco: $450 per month, parking is $250 for entire year, on Beechurst which means walking up that awful hill--every day--but not a long walk (5-7 tops), might be loud traffic but neighborhood is not too creepy, all by myself--my own personal space, landladies are directly across the street--but they aren't terribly personable, washer/dryer there--and if those are creepy tolerable ones are across street, previous(aka current) tenants smoked?, very small but tolerable bathroom, nice kitchen, very open, fairly large closet, one room instead of separate bedroom but could be arranged nicely, first floor of building (aka no stairs), furnished or unfurnished with preference. . .

Additional questions:
Is it worth extra $ to have my own space?
Do I really want to pay $250 a month for parking?
Really, am I gonna walk up that hill every single day?
Utilities?
Overnight guests?
August Lease, Right???
Security deposit?


Option Three 313 Grand: $400 per month, on street parking w/ pass, nice historic neighborhood (o.o!), lengthy walk from campus but tolerable w/parking garages halfway for emergencies (aka Sarah wakes up reeeally late), upstairs (1 set into place and one after that, unfurnished, landlord was patient when Sarah was a dunce (gosh!) and respectable (around here, this is a serious draw), quiet neighborhood, nice room (big), lots of closet space, all mine with tenants around me but not sharing my space, utilities mostly covered except for garbage and electric (and internet, duh), August lease, unfurnished, a bus totally passes the apartment = ). . .

Additional questions:
Overnight guests?
Washer/Dryer?
Would I really walk that far; is it tolerable?
Furniture to be carried up stairs; problem?
Extra utilities a problem?
So, where is that realty office again?
Security deposit?


Choice 4, which is not a choice: keep searching.


How tiresome. In the end, if I make the right choice, it will be worth it; I'm sure.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Oye! Mi cuerpo pide salsa!

Last night I did manage to find the nerve (without the alcoholic boost I considered) to dress up a little and head over to SOZO for salsa. I only knew one person there, and that person I didn't know very well. However, he danced with me (or tried). Neither of us were very good, and the teachers didn't do very much to assist us. However, it was fun to try. At one point, the friend and I, along with 2 more of his female friends, were dancing with our back to people. I turned around briefly to notice four or five guys just staring in our direction! I felt a little more awkward then. heh. However, thanks to Zumba, I have a better endurance for such things, and I tolerate the awkwardness a little better as well. Oh, and I remember to try to use my hips, too!

Well, one of the guys staring in our direction held out his hand and asked me to dance. I obliged, warning him that I wasn't very good. He kept giving me pointers that helped a lot. He looked Hispanic, but I didn't want to make assumptions or anything. So, he introduced himself as Steven and asked where I was from. I told him, and returned the question. He wanted me to guess, but I refused! I didn't want him to be from Ohio or something and guess Colombia (which would have been my guess). He told me he was from Chile. He also mentioned giving salsa lessons at the rec--he was actually none other than Esteban! Gemma from Zumba talks about Esteban's salsa lessons, and I had thought about going before. However, now that I've met Esteban, I'm definitely going to give it a shot. We had a good time.

I love salsa (but I mostly already knew that!). Shame they didn't play any Gloria Estefan with "Oye! Mi cuerpo pide salsa!" That would have been perfect.

After salsa-ing my heart out, I left my jacket there. However, I was too busy one the phone with a crazy Brit/Aussie tech who talked with a Hilarious accent trying to fix my precious Francesca. All he did was help me wipe my computer clean. boo.

Then I talked to my significant other for a while. He pretty much trumps Esteban hands down, but I already knew that as well. = )

I intend to get much more involved with the Spanish and Italian people. It appears I might not be so bored any more, if I do all this properly. Salsa night, Zumba night, and Spanish and Italian clubs (same night unfortunately), plus, I should go back to Canterbury too. It's almost Lent. Hmm. Doesn't it kind of suck that Valentine's Day is during Lent? Ha, ha...I think that happened in Chocolate. Not a bad movie.

I watched "Funland." It was really good and pretty funny. The tagline for the movie is, "Welcome to the abusement park!" Haha. It actually wasn't bad. "The guy with secret kung fu," however, was mostly as awful as I planned.


Today, however, no salsa or movies for Sarah. I have to put my computer back together and write my Spanish and Italian papers, and study for my Italian test on Monday.
It was pretty terrifying. The only things I had written on my wall calendar for February were tests and major papers, but very very much of my calendar is marked...it's a little intimidating. However, I am a tough cookie, and I shall prevail!

Plus, I'm gonna learn to salsa! = ) I am so pumped!
Hasta luego, amigos mios.
Salsa Sarah

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Some Poetry.

Emily Dickinson.

The Rose did caper on her cheek --
Her Bodice rose and fell --
Her pretty speech -- like drunken men --
Did stagger pitiful --

Her fingers fumbled at her work --
Her needle would not go --
What ailed so smart a little Maid --
It puzzled me to know --

Till opposite -- I spied a cheek
That bore another Rose --
Just opposite -- Another speech
That like the Drunkard goes --

A Vest that like her Bodice, danced --
To the immortal tune --
Till those two troubled -- little Clocks
Ticked softly into one.

 * * * * * * 

To lose thee, sweeter than to gain
All other hearts I knew.
'Tis true the drought is destitute,
But then I had the dew!

* * * * * * *


For now, that is all. I might attend a salsa night tonight.
I have also been reading Edgar Allan Poe, but he's hardly the charmer that Miss
Dickinson is! Ah, still, he's a fav.