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Ah, Austin was lovely. It was a great long weekend, and while I felt sorry for my brother who took on the job of being the gracious host/babysitter, I am grateful as well and glad that it happened that way. Truly, though, the weather was warm and dry and enveloping, and the land was alarmingly like Zambia, complete with little bungalows by the side of the road. My entire family commented that it was like being in Africa again, which might sound precious, but was amazingly true. It was quite challenging to stay on SBD, since pretty much every meal was served with fresh chips and salsa (Lord, give me strength), but my mom served as SBD police so we were all set. Anyway, major congrats to Robin who is now a MBA. My parents were talking about how the would add "...the MBA" to Robin's name, every time they mention it now. Awesome.

Also, everything is so cheap in Austin, comparatively. Robin (the MBA) and his roommates pay under $400 for their rooms (which are like twice the size of mine with WALK-IN CLOSETS and their OWN bathrooms). Granted, there were four of them. One night, they took me out on the town and I bought a round where the mixed drinks were $3 each. Robin and his roommate, Chris, were grousing over how they raised the price so high for graduation weekend, but I was busy picking my jaw off the floor in my shock over how cheap they were. Apparently, at that bar, the drinks are usually 50 cents. Jeebus.

James mentions in his blog recently about how he gets carded regularly. To add to that thread, two different times this weekend people asked me if I was finishing high school when I told them I was "going to school" next year. Hilarious, but there's no way I'm passing for 17...or perhaps they think that I'm extremely delayed. I think I need to specify that it's GRAD school I'm going to next year.

And in Chicago news, I have an apartment now! I'll be moving in with Jenny, of the famed Second City. Commuting will be the one challenge, besides the cold, but I'm thrilled over the ease of it all, and I also think that it will be a blast. Plus, now I don't have to take time off to go and troll for apartments. I'll forward the mailing address later on. One to-do item down, thousands more to go. Anyway, Jenny and I met by being in the same sorority in college--which you wouldn't probably guess--but Jenny told me yesterday that she was going to drape the apartment in green and white with plenty of pearl strands in honor of our sisterhood.

And finally, Licorice, my precious car, had her first accident. My dad backed into her by accident, so we rushed her to get her front panel replaced yesterday. It's not a huge deal, but the first ding is always kind of unsettling. Honestly, if it had happened before I had taken vacation, I might have started crying or something, but I am so relaxed after this weekend, nothing is permeating this shell of mellowness. Remember that part in "Office Space," when Ron Livingston is under hypnosis and wanders around in a sleepy, pleased daze? That's kind of where I am right now.

Actually, on the REAL final note, I have to share this. My poor boss had her car stolen this morning from her neighborhood, Cleveland Park. It's a safe, well-to-do neighborhood, and she parked her Accord in front of her apartment, under a streetlight. It was gone this morning. But the kicker, is that this is the SECOND time this has happened to her. She had another car stolen from her in Capitol Hill ten years ago.