My sister is already leaving. Time just flew by. She is flying to Rochester tonight and she’ll be there for a week. She’s then spending the week in NY with her quasi-boyfriend. My parents are staying for a few more days. My dad leaves on Sunday because of the stupid presidential inauguration thingy which is on Jan. 1. My mom is staying for New Year’s although I have no clue what we’ll be doing. Everyone I know is out of town. Where does one take one’s mom for New Year’s Eve?

love: not having to deal with crowds
hate: having to sign those yellow UPS notifications and wait an extra day to receive everything

love: not having to deal with annoying salespeople
hate: having to deal with customer service
Case in point: Sofia ordered a book for her personal trainer and had it shipped to my house. I figured I could deal with storing a book for a couple of months. Then today, I get home and UPS had left two more boxes from the same publisher. One weighed 14 lbs and the other weighed 28 lbs. I called Sofia and she said she had only ordered that one book. I open the boxes. They are both filled with copies of the same book: Outdoor Recreation Safety. Fifteen copies! According to the invoice, they should have been sent to some place with “Bible” and “Appalachian” in its name all the way in West Virginia.

Outdoor Recreation Safety

School and Community Safety Society of America (Corporate Author). Human Kinetics Publishers 1998, Hardcover, 303 pages, $39.00

love: that you can usually find the size you want
hate: that sometimes (I admit, this is only the second time it’s happened) the store send you the wrong size
Case in point: I ordered some stuff from the Gap. Mostly gifts but also two pair of pants for me. One was great and the right size. The other pair was ankle length. I repeat, ANKLE length. And the worst part is that they are flared so not only are they short, but the shortness gets emphasized by the flaring.

Sofia is moving here next year. This is awesome news. The Brazilian Duo is back!

Heidi, Chad, Squishy, and Lucy bought a house. That’s quite a feat for those of you familiar with the Bay Area market. I’m really happy for them and can’t wait to see the special room they will have for me.

I’ve been addicted to this song lately. And it’s not because of I Am Sam or Pleasantville. I think I like Rufus Wainwright’s version better than Fiona Apple and maybe even The Beatles.

Across the Universe

Words are flying out like
endless rain into a paper cup
They slither while they pass
They slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow waves of joy
Are drifting thorough my open mind
Possessing and caressing me

Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world

Images of broken light
Which dance before me like a million eyes
That call me on and on across the universe
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box
They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe

Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world

Sounds of laughter shades of earth
Are ringing through my open views
Inciting and inviting me
Limitless undying love
Which shines around me like a million suns
It calls me on and on across the universe

Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva

The Beatles Box Set

Capitol 1990, Audio Cassette, $232.98

Across The Universe

Rufus Wainwright (Primary Contributor). DreamWorks 2002, Music Download,

Pleasantville

Sony 1998, Audio CD, $9.98

I Am Sam - Music From and Inspired By the Motion Picture

V2 North America 2002, Audio CD, $18.98

Across the Universe

Sony Japan 1999, Audio CD, $29.99

Poses [Bonus Track]

Dreamworks 2002, Audio CD, $18.98

the absent blogger
I know I’ve been a little absent lately. The thing is that Sofia is here so it’s hard to find the time to blog. She leaves on Tuesday though so I’ll have some time for updates before my parents arrive on 12/21.