For all of you who have been embarrassed to be seen with me when I wear my pink parka, breath a sigh of relief. I went to Savers on Friday with McComas because she had a 30% off coupon that expired this weekend. I had no luck with clothes but by chance came upon an old (based on the label design and the fact it is Made in the USA) L.L. Bean down ski jacket in perfect condition for $3. The comparable 2007 jacket is $99 new. I never thought I could feel this satisfied about finding a deal, especially a deal on clothing. But instead I have announced my triumph to everyone I know who will listen.

I saw two plays this weekend: Woyzeck, directed by Patrick, and The Blind, which Jessie performed in. Both very avant-garde and abstract. Glad I went though.

I’ve been spending a lot of time at the Ratty, more than usual. I’ve realized it is really special place for me. I feel so comfortable there. I am outgoing in the Ratty in a way I am not anywhere else. Yesterday I sat down with a girl who I didn’t know at all but had just seen riding around on a cool looking bicycle and talked for 15 minutes before my phone rang.

Jose, one of the card swipers at the main entrance, knows me now. He never calls me Natalie any more. The other day he swiped my card and then I walked away to find a table, until I heard McComas calling my name, telling me that Jose wanted to talk to me. I think he is taking a class. He asked me what the word theme meant, and how to spell it and pronounce it. The best I could do was “main focus” and “general topic” and “central issue.”

I wonder what made him single me out? I don’t usually spend a lot of time chatting with the card swipers when I come and leave the Ratty like some people. I’m always in a rush to find a table.

tags: brown, live, purchase, story

From the safety of my fifth floor room I saw a sunk. It is the first time I have seen a skunk in real life. It was large and ridiculous. Fluffy, very strikingly black and white. It moved like a domesticated rabbit, hopping. I saw it cross the street and go under a fence. I was very excited.

tags: animals, story

The girl who lives in the room below me is in New York this weekend long weekend. This is fortunate because it means she was not here Friday night when we were playing music extremely loudly in my room and jumping on the bed. This is unfortunate because she forgot to turn off her alarm before she left and it has been going off every morning between 7:40 and 10:something every 15 minutes or so. Saturday morning I missed it because I slept over at Peter’s since people were still dancing in my room when I wanted to go to bed. Yesterday morning I slipped a note under the door of the suite downstairs asking if they could go into my neighbor’s room and turn the alarm off. Since it has been going off this morning again, it must mean her door is locked.

It also must mean this is going to happen again, tomorrow morning. Blast.

…

(10:26:32 AM) me: are you back?
(10:26:44 AM) Neighbor: nope not until friday actually
(10:26:49 AM) Neighbor: so blast that music!

Well, shoot.

tags: brown, story

I don’t think I have ever experienced weather as unpleasant as the weather today. It started off snowing in the morning, which turned to sleet, which turned to rain. There are 3 inch deep rivers flowing through the edges of the streets. Layer of water over a layer of slush. Very slippery. Just our luck, the one day that there is finally precipitation, the temperature rises above freezing.

tags: story

There is a guy sleeping at the end of the hallway, by the refrigerator. Directly blocking the front door. I do not recognize him based on his shoes and pants and I was too afraid to get closer and try to make out his face.

tags: brown, story

For the past two weeks at work I have been scanning slides for a class called HA90: “Film Architecture” taught by Dietrich Neumann. Curiously HA90 is not offered this semester at Brown. I found out last night from Henry and Peter that Neumann is on sabbatical.

I have now surmised that I am not actually scanning slides for HA90, but instead ARCH430b, a course at the Yale School of Architecture. I feel a bit cheated.

tags: brown, story, work