So, here I am. I'm only on a 56k connection right now, but they claim to be installing DSL any day now...at the low low price of one quart of my blood, sweat, and tears per month, with an additional fee/penalty of my first born child if I cancel my contract before the year is up.

My apartment is now tastefully furnished with a combination of random stuff which came with the place, and some stuff from Ikea which I picked out myself. This is an excerpt from my trip to Ikea:

me: "Excuse me, young man, could you help me somehow wedge this bookcase kit, which is three feet wider than my car, into my car, or perhaps chop it in half and put it in the trunk? Or something?"

surly Ikea employee: *SNARL*

me: "Right then. I'll just wrestle with this thing in the hot sun, while immaculately groomed San Diego residents glare at my general feebleness, and lack of tanned musculature."

The apartment is quite habitable, at this point. I enjoy the space, and the ocean breeze, and the fact that I can hear goats bleating when I open my window in the morning. My next door neighbors are completely invisible. In all seriousness, their mysterious nature has begun to creep me out. I'm afraid they'll turn out to be the kind of neighbors who, after many years, are discovered to be serial killers, and then I'll be the one on TV saying "they always seemed so quiet...always kept to themselves."

I should really be writing lesson plans. Nitenite.