no. 33

well, thanks to a christmas present i received, i've been able to knock another item off the to-do list. yep, i got a showerhead. one of those really nifty rainfall types. and, contrary to what i thought, it was so simple to install that i was done in less than five minutes. maybe i'll take a picture when i get home so i can demonstrate my handiwork.

school starts less than 2 weeks, with my orientation a week from today. in the meantime, it's work, clean, and enjoy the free time while it lasts! hope everyone has a joyous new year!

smoke detector

you know it's been a rough day when the title of my post is determined as i gaze aimlessly at the ceiling and grab the first thing to come into my field of vision. it's been a day of restless sleeping and pill-popping as i battled a migraine. i stepped into the office today feeling unsteady. when phyllis noticed i wasn't feeling well, she asked if i had a headache and chastized me for not visiting a docor (something i've neglected, in a strange fit of denial over the answer to the question "do you get frequent headaches?"). the bummer part, aside from being short people at work (bless cindy for staying late!) is that i'm missing a christmas party for josh's work. if i had taken immitrex sooner, i might have been ok (as i am now), but i was in denial.

well, there are presents that need wrapping, and i'm about ready to go to bed again. even if i was there all day. these posts have been a bore lately, i'm sure. dear reader, my apologies.

this just in

Welcome to UC Irvine's Anteater family!

Our records show that you intend to register at UCI for Winter 2006.

mind you, at this point, not only have i registered and paid for classes, but this statement of intent to register was submitted the day i found out i was accepted! humm....

l' o.c.

i'm about to head to newport and fashion island to get me some christmas cheer. it's been a hard day's work and my lack of accomplishment in the areas of housekeeping and the giving of christmas greetings only haunts my thoughts long enough to be pushed aside with a determined shove in a desire to shame such thinking out of existence. tis the season, but it's not the only thing that makes it merry. it is my attitude, and i cling dearly to the hope that friends know how much i care, whether or not they recieve my well-wishes before the 25th of december. besides, i can't bring myself to sign a simple "love, sara"; being raised in an old-fashioned home means you write a personal note.

still, all things considered, it's getting late, and some last-minute shopping must be had. merry christmas!

titles are overrated.

amidst the fray of christmas festivities (parties & shopping), i've managed to read quite a bit. i looked over my list of things to do and purchased used books of the 3 recommended reads by 2 friends and one rather anonymous individual (reader tristan, i appreciate the suggestion and i'll bite, though i'm a tad apprehensive about "guns, germs, and steel). i still need a few more ideas, there are seven open slots for books.

two more weeks of freedom. i'm quite speechless at this point.

invitation to spellcheck

from a pricey spa in newport (email spam):

Get 'Spa'tacular savings on the gift of luxery and treat yourself too!

a christmas carol & a microchip

well, for christmas this year, josh & i took the family out to see a production of "a christmas carol" at south coast repertory theatre. i'm happy to say that fulfills one of my "101 in 1001" activities and that it was loads of fun. i've already bought tickets for tom stoppard's "the real thing" which plays in a few months. something about seeing "rosencrantz & guildenstern are dead" in high school left a permanent mark on me: i think stoppard's writing is witty and brilliant. i could always be proven wrong.

also, the cats have all been microchipped so, if they run away, hopefully they will find their way back into my arms. monty, poor old guy, had to be knocked out with a little gas in order for the technician to give him the shot. he never knew what hit him. two more down!

le fin

my esteemed career at saddleback has come to a close. sadly anti-climatic, i know i'm not getting a's this semester and that i've been a poor manager of my time. with the quarter system glaring at me from around the corner i know i'd better get my act together and get organized. i have three weeks. with any luck, i'll hit west elm in santa monica and poke my head in the fossil store while i'm at it--although i'm less concerned with my wardrobe and more aware of my need for a quiet room to study in. with a proper desk and file cabinet.

poor josh has been wretched (and wretching) for most of the day. me, on the other hand, i've been surprisingly symptom-free (with the exception of headaches--can't seem to dodge those). i'll chalk it up to those overpriced vitamins (juice plus) i'm taking because i don't have the world's most hearty immune system. that's twice now that josh has experienced some form of malady since returning from thanksgiving vacation. poor guy!

and so it is: the holidays have officially begun (for me). i must read & write & shop & clean & laugh & smile & rejoice & see movies!

mean mr. mustard!

looking for some accompaniment to my afternoon snack, i flip on the television to the sundance channel and am confronted by sgt. pepper's lonely hearts club band. at first glance, i thought beatles. and it is, to some certain extent. but it comes to us care of the bee gee's (3 of them) and peter frampton, along with steve martin, aerosmith, earth, wind & fire, and alice cooper. oh, and it's narrated by george burns. it's a classic romp in camp and i couldn't bring myself to change the channel. and, yes, in the movie, frampton comes alive. or, rather, his character does. ah, the irony.

largo

if i wasn't on the verge of meeting jon brion last night after the show at largo... i might be disappointed if i didn't know he was going to be playing next friday, and in to next year. nature called and i relented, meaning that by the time we were leaving he was engrossed in conversation and didn't even glance as we walked past him (i was hoping to offer a cursory "thank you"). it doesn't matter that he's my "friend" on myspace, i somehow envision brilliant conversation flowing out of my mouth so that he might give half a second's thought that i really believe what i'm saying about his impact on the music industry and film scoring. you know what i mean by that, right? that's it: brilliant conversation out the window. i might as well hold myself in the fetal position and drool.

however, it is on my 101 in 1001 list. i'm crossing my fingers that i can get a photo for evidence!

if i didn't have to go to work right now, i'd tell you more about the show. we were there until 2am and it was AWESOME!

law & order

it's only one more week until school starts, then my 3-week reprive before class begins at uci. in the meantime, i'm busy studying for finals, shopping for christmas gifts, and trying to keep my sanity. i'm hopelessly procrastinating at the moment, watching "law & order" reruns and eating. i should do some laundry, clean, and maybe pull the tree out from the garage. i love decorating for the holidays, but i'm nervous that our baby cat will have too much fun with the new toys i'm about to put up. oh, yeah, and i should spend some time studying.

recent times in words & phrases:

"That's nice, that blouse or whatever that you're wearing." (elderly gentleman to me at work. it was a sparkly, teal sweater with three-quarter length sleeves and a faux-fur collar.)

paul mccartney in concert: so. awesome.

memoirs of a geisha: a book i ate through in 8 days. the movie looks like it's going to be amazing.

geography project: not perfect, but pretty satisfied with the results

antibiotics...probiotics (i didn't know there was such a thing!)

i just remembered i need to renew my car insurance.