A fresh coat of paint always makes things better

Well, it's been a while since I've updated this thing, so now seems as good as any time.

I dedicated my last weekend entirely to painting my apartment. I was starting to go crazy with all the white walls everywhere. I know, I know, they painted one accent wall for me and who knows if I'll be here after a year, but I had to breathe some life into these walls.

Come to think of it, that's a good question...where will I be in a year? The outlook right now: unknown. I kinda like the area of SJ I'm in, although I still haven't really met anyone at my apartment. It seems like all the neighborhoods around here are mixed with all sorts of ages, so I'm not sure if moving to another area will guarantee I'd meet more people my own age. I guess we'll see...

On other fronts, my visit to SLO back a few weeks ago was great. I'm glad I got to see Blake and Armen. I also got a chance to meet a prof from a school in Sweden. I've been toying with the idea of doing this exchange program for grads they're trying to start at Poly. However, with how bad it's gotten at Poly (furlough days? come on!) nobody can get any classes. I'd have to take over half my courses there for the exchange, so I'd get stuck there forever. Instead, Dr. Smith suggested becoming a full-time grad exchange student for two years. I was planning on going to grad school in another year and a half or so, but he said tuition is free still for 2010, so I should apply for next year. So, that's another plan. The app opens in December and I'll be there to apply as a grad student. I'm not so sure I want to do this, but he said it doesn't hurt to apply, so we'll see how it goes. I was planning a Eurotrip next fall, but this may just take it's place.

Ok...so back to painting, what a weekend! Let me just say that I am almost positive that I won't be painting this place back to white for my landlord. They can charge me for it, go ahead. Why do I say this? One word: ladder. I rented a 20 foot extension ladder this weekend to reach the vaulted walls that I have. Little did I know how big a hassle it'd be. I woke up Saturday morning at 8 to pick it up after about 3-4 hours of sleep. I drove over the rental shop and grabbed the ladder. I thought I could fit the thing in my car with it sticking out, but the guy said the cops get really picky about that thing. Instead, he roped it to my roof. Man, that was quite a site! I got home alright, unroped the thing, and then heaved it off the top of my car. Then came the stairs.

The thing BARELY fit in the stairwell. It nearly took me down with it, but luckily a nice guy helped me up the stairs with it. Turns out, his daughter just moved in across the way from me. Seemed like I might actually meet someone in this place. I went over later to introduce myself and to meet her and tell her to thank her dad. Instead, I came face-to-face with her dad at the door. I told him thanks again and turned around and headed back inside. Wow, that made me feel like a creeper, so much for meeting my new neighbor. Maybe I'll see her someday, although I'm almost certain that I just live next to a bunch of people who never go outside.

Anyways (lots of tangents I know), the next chore was getting the ladder through the door. It only had inches of clearance as I dragged it in. The whole day was a battle of setting the thing up and moving it around my place without taking out a wall. I managed to finish my bedroom and living room walls on Saturday before grabbing a burger and crashing at 11 from lack of sleep.

Sunday was a little better. Thanks to Matt's help, we got the ladder on my car and back to the rental shop just in time for my 24 hours to be up. After we grabbed breakfast, I finished up the accent wall in the front hallway.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with how things turned out. I still need to get prints for my borderless frames to hang on the wall in the living room, but other than that I'm pretty much done with decorating for now. I've named all the colors by the food they reminded me of (though they aren't the names from the little paint chip). The yellow in my room makes my wall look like a huge piece of cheese, while the brown wall in the living room looks like chocolate, and the wall in the hallway looks like a lime. I'm glad I went with bright colors, it's really brightened the place up (although I guess white walls are as bright as you can go). Unfortunately, associating the walls with food has caused me to get hungry every time I look at one of the wall.s

As for the upcoming week, holiday season is coming up and things are getting a little busy. Kristen, Holly, me, and a bunch of their friends are having a Thanksgiving feast on Saturday, since a bunch of us our leaving early. Yours truly is doing the turkey of course; it should be a good meal. Then, I'm heading off to Hawai'i on Monday until Saturday to chill with my sister, bother-in-law, and my new baby nephew! I can't wait to see the "little guy"; it'll be the first time he gets to meet Uncle Matt. Once I get back, there's only a few more weeks until I head off to Detroit for some good Christmas food and hopefully some snow. That reminds me, I need to get a ride and find someone to take care of the fish. *Sigh* Better just add it to the mounting To Do list.

Until next time, I hope everybody has a great Thanksgiving and (if I somehow fall of the Earth between now and then) a Merry Christmas as well!

Oh, and in case you wanted to see paint pictures (since that's what this whole past was kinda supposed to be about), check them out here.

-StM