The Generosity of Strangers

Last night I went to borrow a couple of kitchen chairs, for the year, from family friends. While I was there loading two chairs into a car I was borrowing, a neighbor overheard us talking about furniture and came over to ask if I needed furniture. She had just move from Charlottesville and had a garage full of stuff she didn't need and was trying to get rid of.


The result was me coming home with a futon, leather cushioned chair, 2 lamps, a wall clock, a mirror, an oak dresser (all pictured), a printer, 2 couch cushions, 2 pots and a copper pan (not pictured. Fortunately the family friends had a pickup that they offered to transport the furniture in for me. While I will be returning the two kitchen chairs the rest of the stuff is now furniture that I own at no cost to me.


One amazing advantage of not having paid for any of it is that it allows me to more easily give it away when I no longer need it or am no longer able to carry it around with me. Now I have someplace, aside from the floor, to put clean clothes after they're washed. This was an amazing answer to prayers that I wasn't even praying.

Pepper to the Eyes (gallery)

I was awoken at 5am by stings of expletives yelled by someone going through intense pain. The shower came on and they continued to yell so I got up to find out what was going on. One of my house mates had put some extremely hot, hot sauce on his tongue. As it burned he touched, then rubbed his eyes causing his face to explode in pain. It took almost an hour in the shower along with calls to poison control as well as to a nurse mother before the pain was bearable. Things used in attempt to neutralize the pain were: water, whipping cream, yogurt, tomato sauce, baking powder and finally ice. Most of these helped but only very temporarily. This was all happening from 5 to 6am.

Because of a Cicada

When a cicada is flying around inside your house don't tell me that you don't cower in fear.

Moving and Moving In (gallery)

Today marks one week that I've been moved into my new house. We'll see how long it lasts (come on Julian why all the pessimism? give it a bit of time.).

A Slug

Yesterday I went to a JMU party. I could see the bottom of the cup through the full cup and foam of whatever was on tap. I talked for a little while with a young woman who commented on how old she felt being at the party. When I asked her how old she was she said that in a couple weeks she'll be 19. I wasn't the oldest one there but I was pretty close.


A couple nights ago some Guinness was left for me next to the back door. In hopes of chilling the beer faster I put it in the freezer. Ten minutes later I pulled the four pack out having seen a slug on the verge of freezing to death.