I do not answer to "deary doll"

Random guy at the beach today: "Excuse me, do you have any baby oil?"

It has long been a complaint of mine that we poor college students should not have to pay for water to drink. It is, after all, necessary for life. With the outrageous cost of tuition, housing, books, art supplies, gasoline, and PARKING already weighing down on the newly independent shoulders of young transitioning college students, it seems like they could maybe give us a break when it comes to water. Next, I thought, they'll be charging us for breathing their air.
I was so very wrong. This morning I woke up to a campus devoid not only of any drinkable water, but of any water at all. And so I had no choice but to use my precious bottles of drinkable water, that I purchased, to perform my morning necessities. Everyone has to draw the line somewhere. I'm drawing mine at being charged to flush the toilet. Maybe we should go on a toilet-flushing, tooth-brushing strike, and see if they decide to make running water free again.

Question of the night:
Will Southern California burn down in its entirety?

Today I went to the store and bought 4 oranges, 4 pears, 3 cans of tuna, and 2 chocolate bars. People joke about how we are all going to catch scurvy and die because there is no fruit. Ever. There’s not much floating around as far as meat and protein go either. Tonight for dinner was spaghetti with meatballs(!), which is exciting because usually it’s just noodles and sauce. I watched excitedly as the server scooped up a ladle full of spaghetti sauce… and then deliberately shook it till all the meatballs fell out before putting it on my plate. :( Um, my body does actually require something other than pasta to nourish it! Please?

Taking off your shoe to find a large black leggy crawly something squirming around inside.

While you're at Starbucks.

No, this did not happen to me.

It's been passed to me.

Do they float?

I asked my roommate: Do oranges float?

She said: ...I think they do. I see oranges floating in my head, and they look fine.

The answer: Yes and no! They float when they're unpeeled, but sink when they're peeled.

Fascinating!

It's what's for dinner.

Don't fall asleep in trees. It's dangerous.

I dreamt last night that the ocean was coming in through the windows. The waves were crashing against the walls, splashing their way inside. The water was rising and the three story high palm trees had water half way up their trunks. Inside, people were running around and trying to figure out what to do, but I was standing at the window watching--smiling because the waves were so big.

This morning I woke up laughing. Probably one of the best possible ways to wake up.

My roommate woke up with the hiccups. Which is probably less pleasant, and also why I woke up laughing.

It rained today. And yesterday. And it's expected to rain tomorrow and possibly Teusday as well. This is rare. LizBeth tells me that this is our "season". The closest thing we have to winter is four days at the end of January when it rains. I took the opportunity to go to State Street and get thoroughly wet. The streets and sidewalks don't seem to have been constructed with drainage in mind. At all. I wandered semi-aimlessly through Paseo Nuevo, occasionally sipping my caramel machiato/rainwater mix, and looking to buy a very small box that you put very small things in and looks pretty. I found a few that showed potential, but none for less than a score of bucks. I found this to be ridiculous considering the box took up no more that one cubic inch of space.

It's not until my shoes are completely water-logged and make ominous squelching noises every time I take a step that I stumble across the antique shop. And fall in love. It is a pack-rat's paradise--narrow, packed with Cool Old Stuff, and so impossibly deep that it reminds me of something out of Alice in Wonderland, complete with an odd collection of pocket watches. Music from the 20's or 30's is playing. I never even hit the back of the store because I need to catch a shuttle and am running out of time. Maybe it doesn't have a back. I leave, thinking I'll come back later, but notice on my way out that the store closes at 5:00 on Sundays. Blast. I walk out the door, stop, turn, and walk back in. The store owner gives me strange looks. I practically run to grab the little box and make a swift purchase. While he's ringing it up (slowly, because the cash register seems to be atleast as old as everything else there), I notice the sign describing the store hours. It looks something like this:

Sunday: 11:00 - 5:00
Monday-Thursday: 10:00(ish) - 6:00
Friday: 10:00ish - 9 or 10 (depends)
Saturday: 9 or 10ish - 10 (probably)

I smile.

Then it was off to the architectural wonder that is the Santa Barbara Public Library. As I walked in I noticed that it also closes at 5:00 today. Blast. It's one of those libraries with soaring tall windows and giant rose bushes outside. All very Spanish. Lovelier outside than in, but still lovely within. I wish it was open later. Probably so do the homeless people who stay inside on days like this until it closes. While I was there I overheard a couple of them debating whether or not whether this was really their life. "How can living like this be my reality? How can this be my life?" one asked, rhetorically. "First rich, then poor, now homeless. It's all too confusing." Then the other, as they were making their way out, "Well another day down the drain..." "Uhm hmm."

It's been a good weekend. On Friday when I went to the beach, the waves were huge and crashing. But only sometimes, like intermittent thunder. And the sun was mingling mysteriously through the clouds. And the sand was trembling with excitement as the ground quivered beneath from all the beauty. I wanted to sit and watch and absorb forever. That morning was wonderfully cool and mostly sunny. I wanted to lay face down on the warm green lawn and hug the earth. Grasp the grass between my fingers, clench my fists, and hold on tight. I like the way the grass and mud feel beneath my shoes. I like the way the waves sound in my ears. I like the way the ocean captivates my eyes. I like the way the vine roses and lavender fill my head with their aromas. I love my God.

mood: artistic music: Finding Neverland

Surely only in Santa Barbara can you find granola bars sold separately for more than the price of a gallon of gasoline each. And surely only I am stupid enough to buy one anyway. And I got 4 oranges for the price of one granola bar. Whatever, oranges are better anyway.

Mr. F: That's why I like figures--they never lie to ya.
J: But they never tell the whole story either.

It's snowing in Utah.

Beautiful.

Lunch tasted funny today. And I had an 8:00 am final. I have a paper due tomorrow plus two more finals, one of which is also at 8:00 am. I have a feeling that today will be less than pleasant. But I do have an orange. And I do have a beach. And I do have a 70 degree day. And there is a shuttle in half an hour. hmmm...

-Edit-

The waves were BIG today. No, not really. They're never big around here. But the were a lot bigger than normal, almost like they were waving goodbye (pun recognized but not entirely intended). And I did get some studying done while I was there. A little.

Last night LizBeth's family came to watch her Christmas concert. They brought her TONS of food (why??? She is going home in a week!) including things like pringles, a 52 oz. bag of peanut m&m's, and a KEG of rootbeer.

Last night I discovered that my Greek New Testament has a dictionary in the back! It is rather surprising that I had not noticed this before. I have had one year of Greek, but by now have forgotten a good deal of it. So I spent some time yesterday reading out of it and feeling scholarly. And it's getting easier as I get used to the language again. It's all coming back!

I spent this morning wishing I was still asleep.

I spent this glorious December afternoon watching dolphins jump across the glassy greyblue sea that is home.

I spent this evening doing nothing.

Afternoon was best.