So this is how the other half lives

Make that the other top 1 percent or so. I am living in a three-story townhouse in Fairfax, Virginia. My aunt Pat and Uncle Bob (or whatever they are; Bob is my dad's cousin) picked me up from the airport in Bob's brand new black Hummer w/ leather interior. Then, we stopped by his work (he's a car dealer) to get Pat's car - a black jaguar convertible w/ leather interior. The Hummer is good for intimidating people on the road, but man are jag's the way to drive. This baby has pick-up like you wouldn't believe, and I think Bob said he got it up to 170 mph once. I am driving a '97 Taurus - not as exciting, but hey, I'm small town compared to the people out here. I actually like it a lot; it's fun to drive and I have a 6-disc CD changer, so of course I'm content.

Picture me hopping in the back seat of a Hummer to go eat at the country club/golf course Saturday night. This is just hilarious.

It's a whole different world out here. For starters, everything is green and beautiful. It's going to be hard to go back to West Texas for another year after being here. There's also always something to do. I'll be sure to post pics of the house and places soon. Pat and I drove by the office today so I could get a feel for the area. It's a huge building on the top floor and it looks quite impressive.

Right now I am sitting in the den of the house watching Pretty Woman on a huge-screen TV that has over 400 channels. With this many movies to choose from, I really don't see the point in me leaving the house. But, alas, I will have to make at least an hour to an hour-and-a-half commute to work everyday - and that's only driving 15 miles. Ah, traffic.

I'm going to go back to lounging and living like a queen. I'll be sure to post again so that you commoners will have something to be entertained by.

she has trouble acting normal when she's nervous

So, I'm supposed to be packing for the summer right now, but it's not really happening. It should be interesting seeing how much I can cram into two suitcases, so we'll see if I have to mail anything to myself out there. I'm pretty anxious/apprehensive/nervous/terrified about the whole thing. All the interns had to write mini bios and then we were able to read everyone's, and I have to say mine was one of the least impressive. I've done a lot on ACU standards, but a lot of these kids are from Ivy League schools and will probably cure cancer in the next 10 years or something. I feel confident in the fact I was accepted, but I still don't know what to expect. I'll be sure to keep the four of you who actually read this thing updated about the goings on in DC and at work.

I've got contacts again, so that's strange. I've had them for about 6 years but it's been almost a year since I wore them last, so it's weird getting used to the feel of something constantly in your eye, not to mention how I look.

I want to be in a Gap commercial. Or an iPod commercial. But really a Gap commercial. It's a life goal.

Sonic doesn't make regular cheese coneys anymore, only the foot-long ones. This is upsetting to me.

My stomach has been queasy for weeks now. Holy crap I'm nervous.

i should have punched him and gotten myself arrested

So, it's been a while since I've posted. I know the countless many of you who read my musings religiously were sitting with baited breath during my hiatus, but never fear - I have returned.

I'm back in San Antonio, starting the second week of summer, and today was not the best of days. Even though Bravo's West Wing marathon started today, which means I set my alarm for 10 so I could start watching it from the beginning (it's a sickness), other events of the day put a damper on my Bartlett-o-thon joy. As I was driving from one mall to the other today, leaving 281 and getting on 1604, I noticed several cops were sitting on the side of the road. Odd for 4:30 p.m. on a Monday before school is even out for the summer, but oh well. Well, as I was driving in the left-hand lane, I came behind a car that didn't feel like driving the speed limit. We were going about 68 mph. First rule of highway driving: Right lane - people going speed limit. Left lane - people going over the speed limit but not enough to get pulled over. You know how when you're behind someone in the left lane and you want them to move so you can actually drive like 72? You drive behind them - not tailing them - but behind them so they get the drift. We were in the left lane and the car in front of me was waiting to get in the right lane but we had to move past a car that was there. It finally moved and then I went along my way in the left lane. I had already noticed a second cop on the side of the road but didn't think much of it, until I saw it pulling onto the highway. I got into the right lane. All this time I was never going above 70. What do you know, he pulls me over. He said I was following too close. At no time was I or the other car in danger, and I was far enough back to see their tires and quite a few feet of pavement. But I still got a ticket. Oh, the obscenities flowing through my head and out into my car on the drive home. Dad remembered tonight though that recently the city has declared a huge portion of 1604 a no-tolerance zone because of a large number of car accidents and deaths on the highway. That explains the cops sitting out there, which I've never seen before, and me getting ticked $150 for "following too close." Which I wasn't. I should have spit on him or something, and the resisted arrest and gotten thrown in jail. That I would have deserved and then I'd accept the punishment. But random crap like this?

Well, at least last week was productive. Jaci and I cleaned and painted the Optimist office and we have to admit we are quite impressed with ourselves. We also bought tickets to see Coldplay in September and I'm soooo excited! Oh I can't wait, especially until their album comes out in June. A lot of fun stuff coming out this summer. Who needs to pay attention at work when you have new CDs to listen to, a new Harry Potter to read and lots of movies to see? "Work." Just gets in the way of the important things. I also made straight A's for the first time in college and oh, say since probably 3rd grade. Math and science were always my downfall. So yes, I am pleased with myself.

It's nice being back home and I really love this city, except for it's cops. Well, I don't like Abilene police either. The first time I was ever pulled over was for failure to signal. It was 10:30 p.m. and no one was coming or behind me. Why do I always get in trouble for random things? Why don't cops catch me when I'm legitimately doing something wrong, like driving 80 or cutting people off (which I don't do by the way Mom and Dad, just so you know). Oh well, I guess that's my luck.

More updates from Sarah's awesome adventures in SA sure to follow kids, so keep checking back. And be sure to post comments. I feel uncool when no one responds.

four dead in ohio

A life goal of mine is to be arrested for civil disobedience. I'm rather disappointed in my generation in that we don't protest things enough. I was reminded of this when I received my daily e-mail from reference.com listing off important events that happened on this day, one of which was the shootings at Kent State in 1970. Neil Young's song has been running in my head all day. We still don't protest things enough. I'm not sure where the separation occurred and for which generation, whether it was generation X or before that or my generation, whatever it is. But somehow the majority of people stopped caring as much about war and stopped questioning the government, content to either remain ignorant or complacent in their comfortable homes.

You should both read this piece by Sojourner's David Batstone and sign the petition at the bottom. Now. It might make you subscribe, but it's quick and free. Americans and the rest of the Western world have the blood of almost a million Rwandans on their hands, and it's time to rectify the situation in Sudan.

On a completely different note, other observations I have made while I should be studying for my Comm Law final:

1. The Roxanne musical number in Moulin Rouge has to be one of the most creative and emotional musical numbers ever put on film.
2. I would give my right arm if the cast of The West Wing was in fact the president and his staff in real life, especially the cast from the first two seasons.
3. Weather in Texas is weird, considering it is the beginning of May and I have been wearing sweatshirts.
4. The latest Batman Begins trailer is wicked awesome. So are the clips from the upcoming Goblet of Fire trailer. Man I spend too much time on the internet.
5. Grades are arbitrary and finals unnecessary.
6. I like to procrastinate.

Almost a senior and tired of reading,

sc

"So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that. If I ask you about women, you'd probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can't tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You're a tough kid. And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, "once more unto the breach dear friends." But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms "visiting hours" don't apply to you. You don't know about real loss, 'cause it only occurs when you've loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you've ever dared to love anybody that much. And look at you... I don't see an intelligent, confident man... I see a cocky, scared s***less kid. But you're a genius Will. No one denies that. No one could possibly understand the depths of you. But you presume to know everything about me because you saw a painting of mine, and you ripped my f***ing life apart. You're an orphan right? You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally... I don't give a s*** about all that, because you know what, I can't learn anything from you, I can't read in some f***'n book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are. Then I'm fascinated. I'm in. But you don't want to do that do you sport? You're terrified of what you might say. Your move, chief."